I get my flu shot each fall without really thinking about the miracle it represents. In an age where our health worries focus on osteoporosis, impotence and incontinence, it's easy to forget what horrors our routine vaccinations have removed from our consciousness.

When I was very young, the U.S. was in the midst of a polio panic. In 1952, 58,000 cases were reported, leaving thousands dead and tens of thousands to suffer with some degree of paralysis. Thanks to the Salk vaccine, released in 1955, by 1961 this number had dropped to 161, and children were once again free to go swimming and play together.

Back then, we all shared measles, which I thought was a fairly innocuous rite of passage. Did you know that, over the past 150 years, an estimated 200 million people have been killed by the measles? Thanks to a vaccine, it has all but been eradicated in the U.S.

Don't miss the rest of our series on Underrated In America!

One of the great joys of my life is marketing. To put it simply, I love watching companies desperately try to convince me that I can't live without this item or that item, that my entire life will be better if I use this product or that product.

Generally, marketers are pretty straight about their purpose: they want me to buy their product, and will make outrageous claims, pay for expensive celebrity endorsements, and spend a fortune on slick commercials in order to get my money. I, in return, generally ignore them, make my purchases based on price, tradition, and quality, and go on my merry way.

As much fun as it is to play this cat-and-mouse game, there's a time when even the savviest consumer has to acknowledge the value of truth in advertising. For me, that moment happened when I heard about the uproar over condom marketing. Here's how it played out:

Tired of the same old Applebee's and Cracker Barrel fare? Well, fortunately, you're living in the 21st century, where choice reigns. We've pulled together some suggestions for places that offer novel dining experiences.

Some countries (yes, you, South Africa) bury their head in the sand when facing the AIDS epidemic, so it was gratifying to see the bold approach taken by Thailand's Population and Community Development Association. They operate several restaurants under the name, Cabbages and Condoms, including one at their romantic Birds & Bees Resort.

The Condoms part, the use of which is promoted for both AIDS prevention and birth control, is reflected in the décor, not the cuisine, thankfully. The walls are covered in gaily-colored condom wrappers, the carpet with condom-promoting cartoons, and condoms, rather than mints, are available at the register. The lounge is called the Vasectomy Bar, which may make it a great place to meet single women.

The fare is mainstream Thai, including generous use of the cabbage, a staple in the country.

I'm not a big fan of Bono's "philanthropic" efforts. As I discussed in a recent post, Bloomberg Markets has exposed him as essentially a big-talking tax dodger, big on photo-ops but less willing to contribute his own funds to the causes he urges governments to contribute taxpayer money to.

According to the New York Times, the (Red) clothing brand that Bono has championed as a way to raise money for AIDS in Africa is also coming up short: Detractors "criticize a lack of transparency at the company and its partners over how much they make from Red products, and whether they spend more money on Africa or advertising.

One concern is that advertisements for (Red) products have focused on trumpeting the underlying brands rather than raising awareness for AIDS in Africa.

People will go back and forth about the efficacy of the (Red) program -- In aggregate I'm sure it's a good thing but I think consumers can do better.

If you want to give money to support AIDS in Africa or some other cause, just write a check -- That way, you get a tax deduction, which is much better than a lot of the overpriced (Red) products that I've seen.