(December, 1999)  
These days it's all just detail ... Here are three of the latest examples:

Stuff # 1: Benecol

Krista: Do you know what is creepy? Benecol. Those commercials make me feel ill.  They give me high cholesterol.

Culture Freak: I don't remember what Benecol is but I vaguely recall being upset.

Krista: I'm not 100% sure what Benecol is either. But there's a commercial with 2 businessmen and one's lamenting how his daughter wants a tattoo and then he's caught eyeing the other guy's bagel, which is offered to him, but he's distressed because of his high cholesterol. But it turns out it's not butter, but Benecol so it's alright. What I'm not clear on is if this is something sold in grocery stores or if it's some creepy prescription thing. It sounds medicinal. I saw this grotesque, lumpy couple on subway the other day with a plastic shopping bag completely filled with Benecol. It just wasn't right.

Culture Freak: Yeah I remember that now.  Thanks for refreshing my memory. My guess (and hope) is that it may not be in every local grocer, but that it's not a prescription — that whole 'nutriceutical' thing. My curiosity is piqued however and I will now have do some research on the matter...

"The name Benecol brings together Bene, meaning "good" and col, for "cholesterol." Benecol Spreads offer you a new way to promote healthy cholesterol levels with delightfully good-tasting foods."

I like the fact that they feel they have to explain how they derived the name of their product to their prospective customer base. (No prescription required by the way.)

Stuff #2: Kosher Pizza

I received the following SPAM at work:

Hello:

We thought you would like to know that you can now order Kosher Pizza online and have it delivered to your apt. or office in a matter of minutes.

KosherPizza.com has recently added NYC to it's ever growing list of Jewish cities where it offers it's service. [I'm glad they finally added New York to their list of 'Jewish cities' after years of offering their services only in the big Jewish population centers like Salt Lake City and Caspar, Wyoming.]

The food for NYC comes from the famous Broadway's J-2 NYC Pizza 1375 Broadway New York, NY 10018 and is under the Rabbinical Supervision of the OU. Delivery is available in the entire NYC (Manhattan) up to 110th St. [What? No Kosher Pizza delivery to Harlem? I'm glad this company is doing its part to relax tensions between the Jewish and African American communities.]

If you visit our site at kosherpizza.com and enter your zip code you will be able to get all information on your area. Your food will be there before you get up from your computer. If you are happy with our service, please tell a friend, if not please tell us. We look forward to serving you soon.

Moshiach is coming! ... With mushrooms and green pepper

An opinion from David Gross of Yichud.com:

On this page... is a picture of a very holy man, superimposed over a pizza. If you would like to insure continued health, you should remove this image, and encourage everyone else to remove this from online. I can promise you a better life if you remove this smear on a very holy Jew. If you do not remove it, I cannot promise you good health.

moshiach@yichud.com