Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., April 17, 2008 Nisan 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 22:03 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Dr. Fischer, not Stanley Fischer By Doron Rosenblum Tags: Israel, Economy The national emergency drill, the tension with Syria and the exchanges of threats with Iran were nowhere to be found in last week's "Mega: The Biggest in Savings" brochure. The April edition of SuperPharm's handout featured - for editorial reasons - the new Boss cologne, an intimate body rinse (get 50 percent free!) and a column by a pharmacist on constipation. Ace's magazine, like that of its competitor, Home Center, completely ignored recent developments in the Katsav affair, and for some reason chose to focus on the latest matte shades of house paint, cleaning supplies, and folding chairs and tables (the ones left over from Sukkot). Who says the press is suffering an ongoing crisis in this age of the Internet? In terms of the quantities of paper, at least, we're seeing something of a renaissance. The difference is only in the emphasis and agenda: in the transition from the editorial side - to the marketing side; from politics - to escapism; from the nation as a whole - to the individual. This is what we find in the overwhelming heap of commercial brochures, fliers, leaflets, catalogs and pamphlets that are stuffed among the pages of the weekend newspapers, especially as "the holidays" loom ever nearer. "In the past I would read the paper and throw out the brochures," says Ina Halazia, a charming dental hygienist from the center of the country. "But today I open the brochures first, the core, in other words, and leave the outer shell - the newspaper that surrounds it, for 'later on,' which often never comes." Advertisement Just between us: Ina is not alone. The shift in weekend reading habits has been sweeping the masses: Who really feels like reading yet again about that snowballing, warlike "security-ism," about the dropping stock market, about the drought, about the political spins, when the April issue of the Bug electronics-chain flier - "an expanded edition - 32 pages of exciting bargains" - is reporting on a wireless pen that makes it possible to transfer to the computer, using sound-wave technology, any sketch or writing on ordinary paper? And who really wants to read about "Fuad" Ben-Eliezer, when the SuperPharm newspaper is inviting you to get to know the 2008 models of its blood-pressure monitoring devices? Indeed, a quick survey of the venerable, major publications put out by SuperPharm, New Pharm, Bug and Office Depot shows that the editorial line of all of them is somewhat escapist: You'll find nary a mention of the subprime crisis in the United States, or of Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer's warnings, for instance. Instead, for reasons they won't reveal, they prefer to spotlight Dr. Fischer - the liquid soap, the shampoo plus conditioner and the baby wipes that are on special this week in a five-pack. And surveys by Prof. Camille Fuchs - which often cause us wrinkles of worry - are replaced here by the sale prices for Camille Blue products, which are better for the complexion. If there's any current-events type message in the "pharma" press, at most it can be seen in the "holiday gift packages," that apparently are based on the premise that there can be no more luxurious seder gift than a bar of soap, a can of deodorant and a tube of anti-chafing cream - all from the same brand, wrapped together in cellophane and adorned with a curly ribbon. By the way, a certain tension has been palpable recently among the weekly "pharma" publications, with SuperPharm announcing its "Starting Five" (a combo of toilet paper, fabric softener, laundry detergent, sanitary pads and a multi-pack of liquid soap), while New Pharm took to the court with its "Leading Five" (toilet paper, a wet-wipes replacement pack, sanitary pads, shampoo and a package of cleaning products). No doubt about it, folks: Things are going to get interesting. But all of this pales in comparison to the real agenda of the pharmacy press: an agenda that takes us back to the time when people believed in magic potions, and says the cure for all our personal ills (we've given up already on whatever's ailing the nation) lies in a craftily designed little bottle, i.e. - in a good perfume for a man and a woman. This agenda has already taken on the momentum of an organized campaign, one which long ago broke out of the confines of magazine pages to reach public billboards and television ads, and is nearing brainwashing dimensions: Now dozens of little bottles in different colors and with peculiar designs, photographed with pictures of a scruffy male hunk or a pouting female model, are vying with one another like political parties, presenting a platform that, while not clearly defined, is strongly hinted at: Spray on some of this blue-blue or amber-amber stuff and morph into an Italian baron vacationing in his palazzo and enjoying the Venetian sunset. Or maybe you'll turn into a perfectly bewhiskered actor named MacGregor, traipsing ruggedly about a Scottish cliff. Or dab on some of what's in this glassy-glass and, like magic, you'll have Beyonce's behind. And the competition is fierce. What should I choose to be this Passover: an Italian baron (NIS 199.90 at New Pharm, NIS 200 at SuperPharm) or a melancholy Scot (NIS 299.90 at April, NIS 600 - with a 50 percent discount - at Hamashbir)? But it's really too much to expect the pamphlet press to be more forthcoming. What would it report about? That the dominant fragrance for the holiday itself is the whiff of war in the air, or a high alert at least, tinged with the exotic aroma of gefilte fish and matza brei? That an acidic cloud is hanging over everything, formed by the mixture of all the nearly identical colognes their customers sprayed all over themselves in a holiday-eve frenzy, or purchased in the special holiday packaging - all with that same tangy, vegetal scent reminiscent of a chemical warhead falling upon a bed of chopped coriander? That the combination of all of these aromas might yet ignite the Middle East on a dry, scorching hot day? What's with the Italian baron, really; or MacGregor or Beyonce? So what is the true meaning of all this hankering for perfume? How did this become distilled into the purest essence of what used to be called "the holiday hustle and bustle" - for any holiday? Says the aromatic sociologist Dr. Hugo ("Diesel") Lapidus: "Perhaps people perfume themselves in order to hide something, or in order to cover up a bad conscience. But will it do any good? What was it that Lady Macbeth said? 'Out, damn spot ... Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand ...' What can I tell you? I don't know. But something here stinks." A review of the brochures shows that there's another phenomenon going on as well: the fusion phenomenon. Whether by some kind of convergence or imploding of the universe, not only have the journalistic realms become blurred, the worlds of retail have also been overlapping in mystifying ways: The big drugstores sell food, the grocery stores sell electric appliances, and at the DIY stores you can taste free food samples and win a trip to Turkey. Says Ina Halazia: "I'm confused. I go to buy a moisturizing cream for my dry feet and end up getting a couple of boxes of kosher-for-Passover cereal; I go to Mega to buy sour cream for cooking and come back with a plasma TV and a lamination machine; I go to buy paint for the walls and come home with a DVD of 'Beaufort.' What's next? Am I going to open up the Office Depot brochure and read that a war has broken out?" Bookmark to del.icio.us   Breaking with the ZOA Is Harvard University's Progressive Jewish Alliance inciting against Israel? Rising in the polls New survey finds Nasrallah is the most admired leader in the Arab world.

Read & React Report: Assad says Syria preparing for possible war with Israel Responses: 90 Ari Shavit: Israel should offer Hamas Gaza Islamic state for demilitarization Responses: 52 Elite IDF troops kill Gaza militant, foiling infiltration Responses: 111 Shmuel Rosner: The only goal of Carter's work is to undermine Israel Responses: 121 More Headlines 20:40 Netanyahu: Abbas-Olmert peace deal will be invalid 19:49 Elite IDF troops kill Gaza militant, foiling infiltration 18:03 Clinton vows 'massive' U.S. retaliation if Iran attacks Israel 18:05 Abbas says no peace with Israel unless all prisoners released 17:38 Peres in Poland: Israel ready to forgo land to achieve real peace 18:07 Zahar: Gazans can do 'no less' than rise up like Warsaw Ghetto Jews 21:14 German delegation: We were threatened by Hebron settlers, IDF did nothing 12:02 Report: Assad says Syria preparing for possible war with Israel 14:07 Israeli thriller explores how subs could be used against Iran 20:48 Deputy FM Whbee: Israel racially discriminates against its citizens 18:36 12-year-old in critical condition after being buried alive 13:50 China: Int'l talks on Iran end with 'some' agreement on incentives Previous Editions Select Day 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr 13 apr 11 apr 10 apr 09 apr 08 apr 07 apr 06 apr 04 apr 03 apr

Special Offers Advertisement Learn Hebrew online with Israel's best teachers Sign up for a trial lesson today Pardes Institute Summer Sessions Study Jewish texts and issues in Jerusalem, Co-ed, All Levels Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved