McDonald's against OED

[Bryan Snyder]

<vomits>

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On Behalf Of kelber at mindspring.com
Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 5:46 PM
To: pynchon-l at waste.org
Subject: Re: McDonald's against OED

When you let corporations control the dictionaries, you end up with monstrosities like this(from MSN Encarta):

right-size

intransitive verb 
Definition:
 
bring something to appropriate size: to bring a company to what is considered to be its optimal size, usually by dismissing some of its employees


[soon to be followed by right-sourcing: to bring manufacturing jobs to their appropriately lower-paid source.]

-----Original Message-----
>From: Ya Sam <takoitov at hotmail.com>
>Sent: May 24, 2007 5:24 PM
>To: pynchon-l at waste.org
>Subject: McDonald's against OED
>
>McDonald's begins McJob petition
>
>Fast-food giant McDonald's has launched a petition to get the dictionary 
>definition of a McJob changed.
>
>The Oxford English Dictionary currently describes a McJob as "an 
>unstimulating low-paid job with few prospects".
>
>McDonald's says this definition is now "out of date and insulting", and 
>claims a survey found that 69% of the UK population agree it needs updating.
>
>The campaign by the firm's UK arm is backed by the government's skills envoy 
>and former CBI boss Sir Digby Jones.
>
>'Making a stand'
>
>"The current definition is extremely insulting to the 67,000 people who work 
>for us within the UK," said McDonald's senior vice president David 
>Fairhurst.
>
>"It is also insulting for everyone else who works in the wider restaurant 
>and tourism sectors.
>
>"It is time for us now to make a stand and get the Oxford English Dictionary 
>to change the definition."
>
>McDonald's says that in its staff surveys, 90% of employees agree they are 
>given valuable training that will be of benefit for the rest of their 
>working lives.
>
>And 82% of its workers would recommend working at the company to their 
>friends.
>
>'Derogatory'
>
>McDonald's is now inviting its customers to sign petition books in its 
>stores, or alternatively via a new website, entitled Change The Definition.
>
>Meanwhile, Labour MP Clive Betts is sponsoring an Early Day Motion in the 
>Commons, which regrets the use of the derogatory phrases attached to service 
>sector jobs.
>
>McDonalds says it will hand the petition into the Oxford English Dictionary 
>in the autumn.
>
>Its campaign is further supported by British Chambers of Commerce director 
>general David Frost, British Retail Consortium director general Kevin 
>Hawkins and City & Guilds director general Chris Humphries.
>
>The word McJob was first used in the US in the 1980s and was popularised by 
>Douglas Coupland's 1991 book Generation X.
>
>It first appeared in the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary in 
>March 2001.
>
>Last year McDonald's tried to improve the image of its employment 
>opportunities with the slogan: "McProspects - over half of our executive 
>team started in our restaurants. Not bad for a McJob."
>
>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6683365.stm
>
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