Draw that line with permanent marker

The purists win over the capitalists. MLB finally pulled the plug on pasting advertisements on bases next month for Spider Man II. You have to draw the line somewhere. I draw it at the bases. Put billboards on the outfield walls, even an ensignia on the jersey or racing Heinz ketchup bottles on Jumbotrons, but leave the bases, the basepaths, the actual field, and home plate alone.

Is that so wrong? Is that anti-capitalist? Un-american? Call me a Commi, I don't care. I draw the line when it comes to certain attempts by multi-national conglomerates to interrupt my daily life with their over-the-top advertisements and mass consumerism. I draw the line at the bases. And if you care, I also draw the line at paying people to tattoo themselves with corporate logos, at naming new planets after the Microsofts, at giving Coca-Cola or Pepsi such a large stake in our schools that there's a pop machine every ten feet ready to rot our children's teeth, at subliminal messages being sent to TV viewers in commercials that say "try my burger" or "wear my Burberry" or "drive this car," at gratuitous plugs in TV shows or movies that detract from the quiet enjoyment of that entertainment ("Nuprin," little yellow different), and while I'm at it, I draw the line at appointing former officials of a corrupt energy company to top cabinet posts to reward them for their support (and use of corp. jet) during the 2000 election.

Sadly, if you don't draw that line, they will draw it for you.

Blog out.