Alcohol Healthwatch's Christine Rogan's mad about a loyalty card scheme that would rebate 5% of members' purchases as student loan repayments. Why? Some of the retailers involved are pubs.
For a better alcohol-themed use of the word, watch the Canadian classic Strange Brew. Bob & Doug McKenzie go to Elsinore Brewery with a mouse in an empty bottle, trying to wheedle their way into getting a free case. After inadvertently stumbling on Brewmaster Smith's plans on using a special addictive drug in the beer as part of his plans for world domination, Doug McKenzie finds himself with Pam Elsinore, trapped in one of the beer vats, about to be drowned. Brewmaster Smith opens the vat, sayingAlcohol Healthwatch health promotions adviser Christine Rogan said it exploited the vulnerable.
"[It's] increasing the risk that alcohol consumption is going to be encouraged through this marketing promotion.
"How ironic that the first [merchants involved] are the ones that encourage students to drink," Rogan said.
Massey University professor Sally Cresswell, who specialises in alcohol policy, said there was a "feelgood" factor to the card but the initial focus on businesses selling alcohol was a sign society still saw alcohol as an ordinary commodity, rather than a drug that should be treated with caution.
"You could just imagine situations where people are saying, 'Oh, well, let's get another round, it's all paying off so-and-so's loan', and I think that's really not appropriate."
But the card's founders say it is aimed at everyone with student loans, which included ex-students.
How ironic. You came here with a mouse in a bottle. Now you are the mouse. ... It's really too bad you won't be around to see the whole world become addicted to Elsinore beer. In a few hours I will introduce my special formula to the public at Oktoberfest. When they drink enough, they will do whatever I tell them.See? It's not just coincidence. It's coincidence with that special kinda twist.
This certainly fits with my experience. In 25 years of sitting on academic appontments/promotions committees, I've seen a fair amount of gender bias--and without exception it's been in favour of females (and it's renamed 'positive discrimination').
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, does this study take into account that engineering and possibly biology (although certainly not psychology) are likely to be under pressure to hire more female staff? That is, their apparent preference for female applicants is just a case of bowing to the inevitable.