Posted on 11/07/2003 9:42:19 PM PST by Jaded
McDonald's CEO Upset Over 'McJob' Word
CHICAGO - McDonald's says it deserves a break from the unflattering way the latest Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary depicts its job opportunities.
Among some 10,000 new additions to an updated version released in June was the term "McJob," defined as "low paying and dead-end work."
In an open letter to Merriam-Webster, McDonald's CEO Jim Cantalupo said the term is "an inaccurate description of restaurant employment" and "a slap in the face to the 12 million men and women" who work in the restaurant industry.
The company e-mailed the letter to media organizations Friday, and it also was published in the Nov. 3 edition of an industry trade publication.
Cantalupo also wrote that "more than 1,000 of the men and women who own and operate McDonald's restaurants today got their start by serving customers behind the counter."
McDonald's, the world's largest restaurant chain, has more than 30,000 restaurants and more than 400,000 employees.
Walt Riker, a spokesman for McDonald's, said the Oak Brook, Ill.-based fast-food giant also is concerned that "McJob" closely resembles McJOBS, the company's training program for mentally and physically challenged people.
"McJOBS is trademarked and we've notified them that legally that's an issue for us as well," Riker said.
A message left at Merriam-Webster's headquarters in Springfield, Mass., was not immediately returned Friday evening.
Huh?
I'm sure their Dilbert-style mission statement is more like "... muti-national multi-unit food service vendor..."
Okay, I'll admit it. I'm confused. I speak English, German, do okay in Russian, and have a fair reading comprehension in several other languages (including languages as diverse as Church Slavonic and Classical Chinese). However, I have never heard about this "EDUCATIONAL-CORRECTION OF ALL LANGUAGES" (whatever that means), that has something to do with the "TRUTHFUL-LANGUAGE OF THESE UNITY-STATESOF OUR WORLD" (whatever that is), that evidently will somehow help "THESE SOVEREIGN-CHARTER-VESSEL-CITIZENS" (whoever they are). I gather that the nifty "TRUTH-LANAGUAGE-CLAIM-STUDY-GUIDE" they generously offer on their website will explain this mystery.
Perhaps I am missing something, but I would think that this "EDUCATIONAL-CORRECTION OF ALL LANGUAGES" (whatever that means), would involve the proper use of capitalization and punctuation, and that it would aviod run-on sentences. Then again, perhaps these "SOVEREIGN-CHARTER-VESSEL-CITIZENS" (whoever they are) have their own special language. Perhaps they themselves are overdue for a little "EDUCATIONAL-CORRECTION."
Hmm.. There has to be a website somewhere that explains that mysterious and bewildering language from that childhood show. I was always too lazy to send in my request for the instructions, along with my "SASE." I guess I'm too lazy to look it up too.
< nod to Gary McNamara at WBAP>
Language is a powerful tool. Anything that sharpens the tool is a welcome addition IMO.
Note: Zeugma has a specific meaning.
The "restaurant"? Hey fellas, the "restaurant"! Well, ooh la di da, Mr. French Man.
Perhaps the CEO has an emotional reaction to the lawsuits by McFats who claim to have been seduced by the chain's irresistable menue.
I find McDonald food disgusting. Incidentally, McDonald's still has a deal with Kobe in spite of the deescription of his preferred sex acts (posted on FR & other sites) -- they just aren't showing his commercials at the moment.
Actually they have, sorta.
Here in Raleigh they have just opened the first 'coffee house' McD.
Serve expresso, latte, fancy cakes and pastries, etc. They have a Wi-Fi setup for laptops.
It's a separate part of the normal McD's.
McMuffins, Mc(anything)
Maybe us Irish-Americans should get a class action suit going. Personally, I find that clown representing Mc(anybody) offensive.
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