The Null Device

Culture clash: Brazilian politicians reject anti-nepotism bill, which would have prohibited the hiring of relatives: (BBC News)

"Relatives are human and defenceless creatures, not these monsters they're made out to be"

¶ 0

Unconventional marketing: US tobacco company plays goofy songs on its answering service. Anti-smoking activists, though, are unamused: (WIRED News)

"These guys don't do anything for fun, ever. It's all for money... This is a disingenuous effort to market to the MTV generation. Brown & Williamson knows that quirky, offbeat messages like this appeal to young people. By crafting "adults only" messages, Brown & Williamson is actually soliciting children, she said. "Telling a kid, 'Don't listen' -- what does that tell a 13 year-old?"

¶ 0