Oddsly!

Flakes of silver fall
And gather around my feet,
I scratch away dreams.


Yesterday, I found myself taking a break from writing to register on DrPepper.com so I could enter sixteen-digit codes in their Indiana Jones-themed promotional give-away. According to the website, I had a 1 in 6 chance of winning anything from a trip to the Amazon to a free Burger King hamburger. Even though I have no desire to visit the Amazon, nor do I eat Burger King hamburgers, I still registered. Why? It could be the allure of winning something Indiana Jones-y. More likely, it could be that I have a problem. It's not really a gambling problem, as I was putting nothing besides the ability to contact me via an e-mail address up as my stake in the game. I may have, however, a promotional-event addiction. It's an addiction that doesn't get much publicity. I'm going to change that.
The Dr. Pepper/Indiana Jones ordeal isn't the first time I've registered to win cash or prizes. In fact, although the prizes themselves weren't very appealing, it shouldn't be surprising that I partook in the promotion, as I enjoy both Dr. Pepper and Indiana Jones. However, a couple of summer ago, I purchased nothing but Coca-Cola as they were giving out televisions and stereos like they were wooden nickels. At least, that's what they had me believe. I never won a television or stereo, but it wasn't for lack of trying. I also spent a few months in college eating McDonald's constantly in an effort to master their Monopoly game. Even on the days when I had trouble getting out of bed because my blood was 75% grease, I still made my way to McDonald's for a large fry and another chance to win.
One of these days, I'll come across a promotional event that will lead to my downfall. Perhaps a cross with the new Batman movie and a blood bank, which will result in my donating 7 pints of blood in one day in an attempt to win the Bat-cycle. Or maybe a contest sponsored by Jim Beam that offers the possibility of winning fancy new watches will cause a spiral into a drunken stupor that ends in a tragic accident atop the Minneapolis City Hall clock tower. Unless a promotional event addiction support group gets formed and gains awareness, I risk the chance of becoming nothing more than as statistic. In fact, I would say there's a 1 in 6 chance that happening.

Anywho, I should be off. Arby's is giving away Ford Mustangs. I'm hoping it comes covered in roast beef...
Before I depart, here's Today's Joke:
United to Shut Ted Unit, Ground More Planes, Cut Jobs
UAL Corp.'s United Airlines, the world's second-largest carrier, will shut its low-fare Ted airline, ground 70 planes and cut as many as 1,100 jobs to help counter record fuel costs.
United's second round of cutbacks in two months follows a 76 percent surge in jet fuel prices in the past year that will add $3 billion to its spending for fuel. AMR Corp.'s American Airlines, the world's biggest carrier, and Delta Air Lines Inc. also are paring their domestic seating capacity.
"These are very aggressive domestic capacity and cost cuts," Calyon Securities analyst Ray Neidl in New York said in an interview. "If oil stays at $130 or $120 a barrel, I expect you'll see additional big cuts announced by airlines as we move through the year."
Neidl continued on to say that future cuts might include the elimination of the co-pilot position on domestic flights, paring down the number of flight attendants and instituting a "self-service" beverage plan, and removing the chairs in coach and having a "standing room only" policy. "Those seats take up a lot of space," Neidl explained. "If we remove the seats, we could, for example, cram another 200 people into a DC-10. Damn skippy!"


Hooray!


Tomorrow!