I hate the Guardian

Headline: "Budget 2010 losers: women, disabled and families bear the brunt"

Sub headings:
Disabled people (cuts and stricter regulations on disability living allowance)
Middle income families (child tax credit)
Mothers (pregnancy and maternity payments abolished)
The north (public sector cuts and job losses)
Poorer families in London (housing allowance capped)

For the Guardian, "women" = "mothers"

Nice.

Thanks, Guardian, I'm not a woman.

Sexist pigs.

World Cup "Widows"

Ah, the World Cup. This is me being excited. "Anyone But England": racist? England drawing with the US and Algeria: scandalous? WAGS: (Wives And Girlfriends -- why is it pluralised with an S on the acronym? Probably the same reason that FUBARed has an ED.) good or bad? But today I'm talking about the term "Football Widows".

"Football Widows" is used to describe women who don't watch football being ignored by husbands (boyfriends, etc.) who do.

When looking on Google News, oddly enough, "articles" from Which Bingo UK, Online Bingo Club, and Online Bingo Fans appear in top 5.

Why are these obviously commercial websites appearing on Google NEWS? Um, problem, google guys.


But this may, in effect, show how the term is used commercially to draw in women to spend money whilst their men spend money on beer, pizza, and other football snackfoods.

(See examples left)

I like the Sainsbury's ad as an example of the range of things sold about the World Cup: beer (in mini fridge, cider outside), crisps, branded clothes, and a sofa and a TV.

The Tesco World Cup section also has the TV, but has BBQ meat (mmm, testosterone!), and the more classy wines (as compared to cider).

This one kills me, though.

At Tesco, women wear shirts supporting their team.

At New Look, they wear underwear.

Thanks.








But this ad in particular caught my eye. This is an email from a local hotel we sometimes use at work for company guests.

    Love it or hate it, the World Cup is here and for our very good friends, we've put together two packages that give you the best of both worlds.

    For football lovers, there's the World Cup Warm-up package, which features a super-slinky room, fantastic atmosphere, buckets of beer and of course big screen football.

    For World Cup loathers there's the World Cup Widows package. Leave the other half in the bar or on the sofa and escape the World Cup at the [hotel]. Featuring dinner, 2 cocktails, nibbles and chocolate. As well as DVDs to watch and breakfast delivered to your room. Who says you can't enjoy the World Cup too?


    Enjoy the World Cup in style from from June 11th - July 11th 2010.


World Cup Warm-up from £99 per room
World Cup Widows  from £65 per person

The name of the hotel was removed so that they don't get embarrassed by the fact that ALL PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE FOOTBALL ARE WOMEN (widows).

I think my football-hating husband would disagree.