Lindsey’s Daily Deal: Tsk-Tsk, Paying for Privacy and the Bad Breath Blues

By Lindsey Campbell, Captains of Industry

Hey Captains’ Readers,

Here’s your Monday Deal:

1. Tsk-tsk

Those who aren’t at all concerned about the ecological ramifications of the Gulf oil spill remind me of carefree teenagers. And not in a good way. When you were 16, you must have suffered from “nothing bad is ever going to happen to me” syndrome. I know I did. Although this was often a delightful and sometimes euphoric feeling, it almost always lead to catastrophe. Or I wound up grounded. Most times, both. But, thinking that BP’s spewing oil well won’t eventually affect you is just like being 16 again. Only now we should know better.

According to scientists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a few dead fish and some oil-sodden birds won’t be the worst effects we’ll feel from the spill. In fact, they’re predicting that everyone on the planet will eventually experience the impact one way or another. How exactly?  Doug Rader, Chief Oceans Scientist at the New York-based Environmental Defense Fund, explains that the oil will start mixing with the powerful currents of the Gulf and will eventually make it’s way to the seafloor. Not only will the crude oil eat through delicate coral in a matter of hours, but it’ll slowly kill a wide range of oceanic creatures ranging anywhere from the smallest tunas to largest whales.

While it’s easy, and less scary, to stay oblivious to the oil poisoning our ocean, it’s time to be grownups and face the facts. At this rate, if we don’t start looking for alternative types of energy soon, us head honchos at the top of the food chain won’t have anything left to eat, never mind save.

2. Pay to be private

A lot of Facebookers post everything from their most scandalous pictures to their innermost feelings on their page. Including yours truly. So it’s not exactly surprising that we’re a little lackadaisical about our privacy settings. After all, if you’re going to post where you are, whom you’re with, and what you’re doing all day, everyday, who really cares if advertisers know that you live in Boston, went to Boston University and have an addiction to Slim Jims? But AdRants predicts that once the majority of consumers begin to realize just how much their information is worth to advertisers, they’re going to want a cut of the profits. In fact, AdRants envisions a social networking world in which users will be able to balance their privacy preferences against reward. For example, Facebookers will be able to determine what kind of ads they see based on the information they give. So if a user provides useful data, they’ll see fewer ads than someone who refuses to give up any information at all. And, if someone doesn’t want to receive any ads, they’ll have to pay for that “privilege.” Basically, advertisers are going to weigh on your sanity until you let them target you. All I have to say is thanks a lot, Mark Zuckerberg. Thanks A LOT.

3. Guacamole!!!

Usually, you can predict when you’re going to come down with a mean case of Halitosis. For instance, after ingesting any type of garlic-laced product, after a rowdy night of drinking, or just when you forget to brush (you know who you are). But there are times when a bad case of the gnarly breath blues will strike without warning. And with no toothbrush or breath mints at the ready, there’s really only one product to turn to, Close Up. Check out this web video about how you should never let your bad breath speak for you.

Until tomorrow,

Captain Lindsey