Corporate (ir)Responsibility

So it was bloody McHappy Day today. Why 'bloody'? Isn't it nice that McDonald's is doing something nice and responsible, contributing to the community, helping sick kids?
This, people, is called 'corporate responsibility', and if you think 'aww, good for them' when you hear about something like that, then it's worked a treat on you.
Woohoo, yay for them, they hoped to raise $2 million for Ronald McDonald House today, by donating $1 from every Big Mac sold. $2 million.

For the entire year, McDonald's said global same-store sales increased 5.7%, while its sales and operating income reached record highs of $21.6 billion and $4.4 billion, respectively.

Compared to that, $2 million is nothing. A smokescreen. If less than a third of the amount of the price of one burger for one day can add up to $2 million, then what would happen if they donated the entire price of that burger from that one day? Or what about more than one day?
But no, $2 million sounds like a lovely big number, and the sheeple are suitably impressed at how kind and generous McDonalds is. How could I be so cynical? They're helping the sick kiddies!!
And, of course, in the meantime, they get on with the business of selling horrible crap to the sheeple, which makes them fat, unhealthy and sick.

And then there's the Mt Franklin breast cancer campaign- breast cancer, of course, being a fashionable 'good cause' these days. Buy Mt Franklin bottled water to help raise awareness of breast cancer! Because more toxic crappy plastic landfill is just what we need to reduce the incidence of cancer!

I could continue, but I have a sick, unhappy baby to take to bed. Here's hoping we both get some sleep.