Steve Ballmer's 14-year-old quality guru, The Simpsons' health propaganda

Good day for quality control; Bad day for positive reinforcement

GOOD DAY FOR: Quality control, after Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is so concerned about how Windows 7 will be greeted by PC users that he is personally surveying early-test customers, the toughest critic being his 14-year-old son, who has helped him debug the operating system. Ballmer said Microsoft was caught off guard by the negative reaction to Vista because the early feedback was so positive. (Bloomberg)

BAD DAY FOR: Positive reinforcement, as Britain’s Department of Health is spending $1 million to sponsor “The Simpsons,” in the hopes that watching the show will convince Britons to eat healthier. The sponsored episodes open with faux Simpsons characters sitting on their couch eating junk food that then morphs into more healthy alternatives. “Whilst they certainly make some questionable choices about how they go about things, they provide a popular and engaging way to get the message to real-life families about simple ways of improving their diet and activity for a healthier lifestyle,” said Public Health minister Gillian Merron. (Reuters)

Monday: Good day for Norwegians, bad day for foodies