Short Takes Short Takes (February 02, 2005)

Truth is stranger than fiction

Bad lighting, bad smells, and a need to join the witness-protection program were among the reasons employees gave for quitting their jobs, according to a survey of advertising and marketing executives by the Menlo Park-based marketing firm, the Creative Group.

Among the rationales for decamping: "She was going to live on her trust fund." "Someone left to join the circus." "An employee moved to Italy because she didn't like the outcome of the election."

Among the least-plausible excuses was this one: "One guy said he was making too much money and didn't feel like he was worth it."

The survey results show "you can't please every employee all of the time," said Tracey Fuller, executive director of the Creative Group.

Or, that you can't believe everything people say in exit interviews.

Then again, as Mark Twain said: "Why shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense."
Fires not so delightful

When weather outside is frightful, Jack Broadbent, the CEO of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, cautions against relaxing with the family in front of a cozy fire.

"Wood smoke contains deadly pollution that leads to lung and heart disease, and possibly cancer," he says, citing a recent report from the American Heart Association. "Today's health-savvy parents make a concerted effort to shield their children from secondhand cigarette smoke, but many don't think twice about exposing them to a wood-burning fire."

Developing lungs are more vulnerable to pollution, and children breathe faster than adults, he explains.

Safer alternatives include using gas fireplaces or EPA-certified wood stoves, or burning dry, seasoned wood, Mr. Broadbent says.

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