in the news

oprah's dieting again, and for some reason, this is considered newsworthy. let's investigate. since 1997, oprah has gained 40 lbs and now weighs 200. this weight gain is credited to a defective thyroid system. somewhere around 50 million americans are reported to suffer from thyroid malfunctions, but less than half this number are diagnosed. [how do we know the remaining 25+ million are suffering from thyroid disorders, if they are undiagnosed??] so, it's newsworthy b/c oprah has something millions of americans have, and it's a handy excuse for weight gain. it is an excuse, yes, but not really a valid one. not in this day & age, in this country - b/c it is treatable. folks with thyroid issues do not "need" to weigh hundreds of pounds. and, here's the thing about oprah - she is mega-rich. she can afford personal chefs, trainers, nutritionists, doctors, any sort of help & assistance & advice. she has no excuse for being in an unhealthy condition and actually has a responsibility to provide information to her viewers & fans about achieving & remaining in a healthy condition.

you've heard about the illinois governor, right? rod blagojevich was trying to sell obama's former senate seat. when a senate seat becomes unfilled during the senator's term - for any reason such as death or in the case of barack obama, the senator gets a better offer - the governor of that state has the responsibility of naming someone to fill the seat. so, ol' rod was trying to sell the seat off to the highest bidder. his own voice was captured on tape saying in his own rather vulgar words that he was looking to sell the seat. now, he is saying he is not guilty. it is unclear how he will prove his non-guilt, since his guilt is on tape like that. consider me to be rolling my eyes here. rod says -- "I'm here to tell you right off the bat, I am not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing, that I intend to stay on the job, and that I will fight this thing every step of the way." uh-huh... riiiight. and, so i searched for a picture to go with this paragraph, and this picture i am found was labeled small_rod. small rod. heh heh.

oh, here's a tidbit of news i know you will find difficult to believe: there's plenty of oil in the world. yeah, you heard me. plenty. well, then - where is it? - you ask. i will tell you. it is on tankers in the ocean, waiting on the price to go up. uh-huh. the oil companies are creating demand by shortening supply. the head of the world bank in russia says that low oil prices are as bad for the world economy as high oil prices. i can see his point - specifically: low oil prices are bad for the economy of russia, a country rich in oil. not so sure that low oil prices are bad for us in this country, but okay... world economy... i can see that maybe there's an issue with low prices. looks like in this, as in all things, moderation is the way to go.

washed my watch band. really looking forward to putting it on again, all sweet smelling & fabulous.