by Dan Calloway
Published August 30, 2009 at 5:50pm EST; The Chronicler’s Web
The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary.
Ben Stein
My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees.. I don’t feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are: Christmas trees.
It doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to me. I don’t think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .. If people want a crèche, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.
I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat. (more…)
“Smiling Bob” Not Smiling Anymore
by DONALD CALLOWAY
Published May 2, 2006
Source: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/03/smiling_bob.html#ixzz0T13IBXUj
CLARKSBURG, WV — The makers of the erectile dysfunction product popularized by the “Smiling Bob” ads will pay $2.5 million and provide consumers restitution to settle a multi-state enforcement action that alleges the defendants made unsubstantiated claims about dietary supplements‘ effectiveness and automatically billed consumers for products they never requested.
“Smiling Bob may have been happy, but many customers were not,” said California Attorney General Bill Lockyer.
“The defendants violated consumer protection
laws that rest on a simple principle: businesses must deal with people fairly and honestly. This settlement will prevent further violations and compensate consumers harmed by the defendants’ practices.”
Steve Warshak of Cincinnati, Ohio and five dietary supplement firms he owns entered the settlement with Lockyer, and the Attorneys General of 17 other states and Washington D.C.
The defendant companies include Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals, Inc. (Berkeley) and four subsidiaries: Boland Naturals, Inc.; Lifekey, Inc.; Wagner Nutraceuticals, Inc.; and Warner Health Care, Inc. All five companies operate out of the same location in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The states’ complaints allege the defendants violated state laws prohibiting false or deceptive advertising and unfair business practices.
The Attorneys General allege the defendants, in their advertisements, made claims about the effectiveness of their products that were not supported by reliable, competent scientific evidence. (more…)