Bogus and misleading advertisements

The American fast food chain "Steak 'n Shake" advertises

(1) Irresistible, thick, hand-dipped Vanilla Milk Shake made with real milk. Topped with whipped cream and a cherry

.(2) Hand-crafted Steakburgers

What in the world do those words "hand-dipped" and "hand-crafted" mean? 

I suggest that they are rather bogus words, designed to create the impression that the shakes and burgers are created with personal skill and artisanship, and are therefore of a higher quality. It's a bit of phony baloney - especially when we know that "Steak 'n Shake" burgers retail for about four bucks and that the shakes cost about three bucks.

Besides which  -  I don't want any grubby hands involved in dipping my milk shake, or "crafting" my burger!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"There's one sucker born every minute" is a common phrase which is wrongly attributed to P.T.  Barnum.

Barnum aside many Americans have been taken for suckers by the persistent suggestion that "Angus Beef" is the very best, and that any other types of beef are inferior.   'Taint  necessarily so!"

The Angus Beef Brand has been very successful in its mind control and mastery of the market.. But the truth is not so simple. 

See
http://bbq.about.com/od/beef/a/Angus-Beef.htm

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We  are on the cusp of Independence Day.  It's a day on which I hoist the Stars and Stripes outside my home.

I do this as a sign of gratitude for all that is good and worthy in the American experiment.

I do this with a gentle patriotism which refuses to believe that other patriotisms are unworthy.

I do this in honour of all who "serve our country" -  the military of course, but also school-teachers, scientists, doctors and nurses in remote and rural communities, those who feed and clothe the desperately poor, and the  politicians, pundits, pastors and priests who call us to live up to our highest ideals.

With those high ideals in mind I become irked when "Old Glory" is used as an advertising symbol. I see this in Sarasota where the main Ford Automobile Dealership flies the biggest flag you could imagine, and often lines its forecourt with scores of American flags.

I say "leave our good flag alone as an adverting gimmick".  I will not buy a Ford because you fly the biggest flag.  I might buy a Ford on account of its reliability, cost, and efficiency. But I will avoid your dealership because you devalue our flag by turning it into an advertising symbol.