I listen to the radio alot during the day because the door to my office is closed most of the time. It's almost too quiet. The great thing about listening to the radio is you get to hear the news right away as it happens. News is reported on the radio first in real time the second it happens. I also love listening to the radio talk shows and I get ideas for story lines from the people who call in. My favorite daytime radio talk show programs are Ron Owens and Pete Wilson on KGO, Jim Rome and The Jungle from LA and when I want to find out what the conservative right is talking about, I listen to Rush Limbaugh, who makes me laugh because he's so outrageous in his opinions.

The worst thing about listening to the radio is radio ads. For example, Mercedes has a series of radio ads about people who love Mercedes. I hate these people. I can't tell whether Mercedes or the ad firm that they hired to come up with these ads is being serious or funny. Whatever they're supposed to be, I decided that I would never buy a Mercedes because of these ads. I'm not sure that's the effect that Mercedes wanted.

One of the most offensive ad is the one where this woman is on a first date with this man. She goes on and on about all the details about the Mercedes and practically admits that she's not paying attention to him but l listening to the sound system in the car. At the end of the ad, she can't even remember his name. God, talking about playing into the worst stereotype of female that most men hate. I know I sound politically correct here, but this radio ad just reinforces the prevalent opinion that most men have that women are only interested in men for their money and their cars.

The other offensive ad is another woman on a first date, except this woman has a small little boy. This time those clever ad people have the four year old boy named Thomas, talk all about the Mercedes details. The hapless man says that Thomas must like Mercedes and the mother says seductively, no dummy, he likes you because you have a Mercedes. So now instead of gold digger mom we have a gold digger child. If my four year old child ever judged people because of their material possessions, I'd be furious.

God, what is it with Mercedes? Is business so bad, sales so lagging that they have to put obnoxious ads on the radio? Mercedes never used to advertise so maybe busines is so competitive that they've been forced to do it. I never hear Lexus, BMW or Volvo ads on the radio. I'd like to know how much Mercedes is paying this ad firm for these ads because I don't think they're working and they should ask for a refund. The ad firm made Mercedes for such an uncool car to have. Too bad too, because Mercedes is such a great car. Mercedes has a great engine and is made with incredible attention to detail. But all of this doesn't matter any more because now I don't want to be associated with the crass people depicted in their ads.