Chocolate elitism

You can make your own comparisons to Sax, outdoor recreation, and/or to the enjoyment and love of nature generally.

from http://publicaddress.net/hardnews/chocolate-elitism :

11:12 Jul 17, 2009 149

Chocolate elitism

Someone else has covered off the death of consumerism today. This leaves me free to talk about chocolate. I really like chocolate. I do not like big-bar commercial chocolate, so Cadbury’s recent decision to make its chocolate even worse (and even more ethically dubious) by putting palm oil in it will not affect me personally as a consumer.

Cadbury’s stated reason for adulterating its chocolate with palm oil – that its customers have expressed a desire for chocolate that is even more soft and greasy – does, however fill me with dread. The flagship Dairy Milk chocolate contains only 21% cocoa solids in the first place, putting it well on the road to wtf-is-this Hershey Hell anyway. And now they’ve made it even more mucky.

So I do think that Whittaker’s has a point in its attack advertising against Cadbury, even if its marketing director Philip Poole should never be allowed on Close Up again without some media training (Philip: “We believe we have a better product” might be a good marketing line. And stop closing your eyes on television). Whittaker’s is the best of the big-bar chocolate brands, and the Peanut Slab has an undoubted iconic appeal.

But really: when there is the choice of a number of fair-trade brands (including the sub $5 Scarborough Fair range) and in a city where Phillippe’s hand-crafts slim, shiny slabs of 70% cocoa heaven, I don’t understand quite why people prefer the mucky stuff. You can’t even use the “dark chocolate is full of life-giving antioxidants” rationalisation. I suppose this makes me part of the chocolate elite.

Salmon Tracks

Mike Jones's exhibit in Mann might be of interest. He's also hosting a free pizza lunch on Thursday at 12:05 in 401 Physical Sciences. Come along!

Ron Swanson's Libertarianism

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_on5gEMAfM

From Parks & Recreation

From the European Policy Office:

European Policy Office's initiative puts money towards "environmental benchmarks"

http://wellspent.eu

The link showcases several projects which are to be funded by the EU initiative called, "Well Spent" which uses EU money to promote environmental stewardship.

Would Cary Coglianese ("Implications of Liberal Neutrality for Environmental Policy") classify this action as environmental policy?  How does it relate to "government interference with individuals' lives"? (pp. 45 of the reading -Week 12)