Just saw an anti-smoking commercial on Comedy Central. Features a Marlboro Man guy on horseback with cattle. Then, the commercial starts doing tight close ups of cow rear-ends with fart noises. The voice over explains that cow farts contain lots of methane. Then they cut to the smoking Marboro Man, and ominimously tell you that cigarette smoke also contains methane! So maybe smoking makes you more like a cows ass than a cowboy (not their exact phrase, but hey, allow me creative license).

Methane? They're using methane as the hook? Given that methane is a) nontoxic and b) present in rather small quantities in smoke, it sure seems dumb. Yes, I know it's all about the affect and the visuals: "smoking = cow fart", "Marlboro Man = bovine anus closeup". I'm usual the voice of the non-rational public in discussions of poll results, but geez, even I have my limits.

They ought to just go all the way: "This is a turd, a big stinky turd. Turds contain the element carbon. But did you know that tobacco contains carbon too? Just like this turd. Think about what you're *really* smoking next time you want to light up".