I received a forwarded email from a friend that a rumor is floating around about a terrorist attack around the elections. Yikes. I cannot verify it, but it would not surprise me if they tried something at that time.
Al-Qaeda knows that an attack before the election would help elect Republican Sen. John McCain, Stremmel says. The terrorists would prefer Democratic Sen. Barack Obama because they believe he would swing the pendulum back to more lenient anti-terrorism policies, Stremmel says.
The months following the election or inauguration of the new administration is prime time for an attack, he says. They will want to impact the new administration and its policies. There is a history of Islamic terrorists wanting to make life miserable for successive administrations.
That is why al-Qaeda attacked the U.S. less than eight months after President Bush took office.
New Phenom: weird and creepy "babies"
I just watched a BBC television program last night featuring a strange new "phenomenon." I don't know how new it is, but it was definitely disturbing and very sad. In the way that many people have made their pets their "furry children" in order to fulfill some type of parental hole in their lives, apparently there are also people who spend BIG bucks on...fake babies. And I'm talking big bucks as in, on eBay, one was going for nearly $1,500!
They are called "reborns", but they are quick to note: "New Reborn baby ~ Not Fake Baby ~ Realistic skin tones." Not a fake baby? Hmm.
Granted, they are rather cute, and the people who create these dolls are true artists, because these dolls look SO incredibly real, they could fool any expert. They have human like hair, delicate features, skin veining, perfectly painted lashes, lips and nails, are weighted to feel like a baby, and some can even "breathe" or have a heart that "beats."
The sad part of this TV program was that the women who bought these dolls strolled around town with their "babies" dressed in baby clothes--in a pram (stroller)--even through a crowded playground, where surely the mothers of the children playing would stop to ask questions about the baby in the stroller. One of the women in the story said that these dolls gave her all of the pleasures of a baby, with none of the mess, none the crying, none of the illnesses and expense, etc. All the joy, none of the guilt, apparently. Are these the same type of people who, if it were available, would want the genetically perfect baby, with the perfect hair, features, skin? It just seems like such a sad, hollow grasp of reality, and is another symptom of our growing "me-dominated" society where anything and everything goes. Even Boing Boing agrees.
Below are pictures of some of these dolls. Click on the pictures for larger images.
They are called "reborns", but they are quick to note: "New Reborn baby ~ Not Fake Baby ~ Realistic skin tones." Not a fake baby? Hmm.
Granted, they are rather cute, and the people who create these dolls are true artists, because these dolls look SO incredibly real, they could fool any expert. They have human like hair, delicate features, skin veining, perfectly painted lashes, lips and nails, are weighted to feel like a baby, and some can even "breathe" or have a heart that "beats."
The sad part of this TV program was that the women who bought these dolls strolled around town with their "babies" dressed in baby clothes--in a pram (stroller)--even through a crowded playground, where surely the mothers of the children playing would stop to ask questions about the baby in the stroller. One of the women in the story said that these dolls gave her all of the pleasures of a baby, with none of the mess, none the crying, none of the illnesses and expense, etc. All the joy, none of the guilt, apparently. Are these the same type of people who, if it were available, would want the genetically perfect baby, with the perfect hair, features, skin? It just seems like such a sad, hollow grasp of reality, and is another symptom of our growing "me-dominated" society where anything and everything goes. Even Boing Boing agrees.
Below are pictures of some of these dolls. Click on the pictures for larger images.
Finally a BIT of backbone!
Here are a couple of interesting (and humorous) articles about a couple of left leaning folks getting their just desserts.
First, Maureen Dowd.
Next, reporter fired.
*snicker*
As an aside to the Maureen Dowd story, what do you notice (link) that is painfully absent from the results of the Google search on this story??? How about: none of these results are from LIBERAL news sources! Imagine that!
First, Maureen Dowd.
Next, reporter fired.
*snicker*
As an aside to the Maureen Dowd story, what do you notice (link) that is painfully absent from the results of the Google search on this story??? How about: none of these results are from LIBERAL news sources! Imagine that!
the hits from China keep on coming
"Made in China" is now becoming something you NEVER want to see on your food products. Yuck.