Essay 1138

New media opportunities in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The Los Angeles Times reported on a new wave of hype in rap music: creating viral marketing with folks in jail. One record label sends promotional material to incarcerated pals, realizing these felons are tastemakers. “Prisons are great because you have an incredibly captive audience that has a lot of entertainment time on its hands,” said a record label executive. “These people are definitely influential, and not just in the prisons. … A lot of these guys are still calling shots in the outside world. You look in some of these urban communities and you see some of these pimps and gangsters as the governors of the ghetto.” Yeah, but most folks on Madison Avenue are still a lot more evil than the typical convict. Click on the essay title above to read the full story.

• The Health Department in New York is waging war against trans fat, proposing a ban on its use in restaurants. Officials are comparing the health dangers of trans fat to lead paint. The New York City Health Commissioner proclaimed, “Trans fat causes heart disease. Like lead in paint, artificial trans fat in food is invisible and dangerous, and it can be replaced.” Hey, lead paint tastes much better than the standard McGriddles® sandwich.

• Chicago’s first Wal-Mart is tailored to appeal to Blacks and Latinos with bilingual signage, urban clothing labels and more. There’s even Latino-themed soft drinks and food. Additionally, local residents are benefiting from jobs provided by the megastore. However, they can look forward to remaining low-paid employees, thanks to Mayor Richard Daley’s veto of a proposal to boost the wages at big retailers.