McDonalds Discriminates!
I couldn’t believe it, whilst in Coventry the other day I thought I’d pop into McDonalds to get a bite to eat and use their Wifi so I could check on our server and sites, well it turns out that McDonalds discriminates against the paranormal spirituality, they blocked Ghosts-UK.
I opened a support ticket on the net providers help desk “The Cloud” (they provide the service to McDonalds) and they replied (Sorry I don’t have my original message):
Good afternoon Mr Bowers
Thank you for your enquiry. We are sorry to hear of your experience when accessing the free Wi-Fi provided by McDonalds but please be assured, we do not discriminate in anyway against any end users.
We provide the wireless internet service for McDonalds but we do not stipulate the parameters for the content filtering. That is set by McDonalds themselves.
Unfortunately we are not able to help you further with this issue but it may be worth you contacting McDonalds directly in order to resolve this issue.
And so, I then contact McDonalds:
During this visit and whilst waiting for some clients I thought I could get some work done whilst having some breakfast and then a few beverages however I’ve come to realise that McDonalds discriminates against people with their internet access and I find this sickening, disappointing and utterly wrong.
I work on various projects over the web one of them is assisting in the development a content management system and others revolve around niche areas of interest. One of the sites within our network is paranormal related and when accessing this site to update some details, moderate the site and to ensure our server was running I was met with an error telling me you wouldn’t allow me access to my own server.
None of our sites incite hate, racism, sexism or anything which could be considered illegal and I find it disgusting that you discriminate against me and thousands of users based upon their belief.
My family and I personally use McDonalds weekly and you never discriminate when taking our money do you? No, you take it everytime.
If you feel you must police the internet then perhaps your in the wrong business of fast food.
I notice from Googling whilst in McDonalds that you don’t discriminate against Christians, Jews and Hindus. I didn’t search for other religions but I suspect your OK with those too. You just don’t like Spiritualism or the paranormal and so you discriminate against us.
The site in question was http://ghosts-uk.net
I trust you will resolve this issue and permit users to visit our site should they choose to.
Not sure what they will say but regardless of anyone’s belief and choices in life providing it’s not hateful, damaging, racist, or otherwise hurtful to others then I don’t see why McDonalds should offer a service and then discriminate against people, It’s just wrong yet they still take money from the very people they discriminate against. I’m just glad they don’t run the country, there is a word for that type of leadership where your dictated to………. I’m sure you know it 
Toys R Us Brings You The Pink Ouija Board For Girls! – Originally published in 2009 on Ghosts-UK
A Ouija board for the girls inclusive of a pink planchette and it’s very own pink carry case to keep it safe!
Now this is not all together new news and I’m really not sure how the hell I missed it but I sure did. Hasbro (Parker Brothers) the guys beyond this colourful board have been marketing this product since last year (2008).
Now regardless of whether you believe in the power of Ouija or not, I’m sure most would agree that it’s psychological affects can be disastrous especially on those with a fragile, easily led and I suppose gullible mind. So if it can have dangerous affects on adults I wonder how it could affect a child’s mind especially considering that their body and minds are still developing plus until a certain age fiction is still mixed with fact, a child can not always differentiate and belief can be a powerful thing not to mention scary at times.
As a kid most would fear the monster under the bed and the witch in the closet so the moral question I would raise is, is it right to subject kids to this by saying they can speak with the dead?
This board and how it is marketed is clearly aimed at young children, most likely those whom still obsess over Barbie and Ken.
Ahh that will most likely be the next angle their marketing will take “Buy your Barbie the perfect pink Ouija board and let her communicate her long lost Ken”.
Or alternatively for all those kiddies out there that really did chop of Barbies head, you can now be reunited with her once again!
I’ve not yet seen this board sold in the UK, but someone somewhere will no doubt be taking advantage of the apparent gap of pink Ouija boards in the UK market.
Here is how Toys R Us in America are describing it:
Quote:
It has always been mysterious. It has always been mystifying. And now the OUIJA Board is just for you, girl. With 72 fun questions included, you’ll never run out of things to ask. Who will call/text me next? Will I be a famous actor someday? Who wishes they could trade places with me? Gather your friends around, draw a card, place your fingers on the planchette and ask your question. Concentrate very hard and watch as the answer is revealed in the message window. Make up your own questions, and let the OUIJA Board satisfy your curiosity in virtually endless ways. OUIJA Board will answer. It’s just a game – or is it? Includes OUIJA Board, message indicator (planchette), card deck with 72 questions, carrying case with storage pockets and instructions.
Quote:
Pink OUIJA Board predicts the future
Who will call you next? Will you be famous? Who wants to trade places with you? All these questions and more can be answered with the mystifying OUIJA Board.
Quote:
Card deck with 72 questions
Use the card deck to ask 72 thought-provoking questions about your future. When you’ve gone through the deck, make up your own question and watch as the answer appears in the message window.
Quote:
Included pink carrying case with storage pockets
Take the OUIJA Board over to your friend’s house in the included carrying case so you can play anytime.
Quote:
Pink planchette (message indicator)
The included planchette moves across the OUIJA Board, driven by mysterious forces to answer your questions about the future.
Hasbro and Toys R Us both have a recommended age group of 8 – 12 years.
Would you buy your child a Ouija board?
Despite the blatant ploy to entice kids into wanting one of these, I’m sure now all the ladies out there will be looking to accessorise making this the newest addition to their ghost hunting kit.
Will this new board still entice the male ghosts or will it be to girly for them? Is this the new medium for a child to find out who their secret crush is in class and if the love is both ways?
All they have to do is ask the dead!
Stockists include Toys R Us and Amazon, but both only seem to supply from their American websites.
UPC/EAN/ISBN: 653569353942
Price: $19.99 – $39.99
The Mentos challange
A number of years ago myself and a few friends did the who coke and Mentos thing which I’m sure most of you are aware of by now however if not, then allow me to explain. Basically when you add the sweets Mentos to diet coke it causes an subtle explosion from pressure in the bottle. I suppose a video would better explain:
Now the reason I’m blogging about this now is that just last night I came across a little contraption which was close in design to that which my friends and I discussed about all those many years ago, we even dabbled with the idea of making such a thing but never took it any further. It amused me and reminded me of days gone by, so I thought I’d share. 
My blog also sends this article out to Facebook, I’m not sure it will include the image as I’m never tried before, if not then please click this link to see the original article and image: Auroral.co.uk