A late lunch today, but I still have a few gleanings for you:
- From the “A Dolls Life” Department: The economy appears to have claimed yet another victim. The Raggedy Ann & Andy Museum in Arcola IL is closing. Blame a downturn on tourism and member support… as well as the fact that fewer kids know from Raggedy Ann & Andy. After all, they have no electronics.
- From the “Let’s Dine Out” Department: Yet another effect of the economy: fast-food restaurants are broadening their menus. McDonalds is aping Starbucks. KFC steals items from El Pollo Loco. Basically, each chain is trying to cannibalize what sells for other chains to become one stop shops.
- From the “Find the Hidden Message” Department: Three articles of celebrity news find me sensing a hidden message. First is an article from USA Today about yo-yo dieting, and how you often bounce back to larger than before. The article cites Kirstie Alley, who gained 83 lbs after first losing 75 lbs on Jenny Craig, leaving her at 228 lbs. Also cited is Oprah, who has also been fighting a similar battle. The CNN page highlighted an article from People, reporting how Melissa Joan Hart has revealed her 113 lb body, after losing a fair amount of pregnancy weight. Will she keep it off? Google News highlighted an article Us Magazine about Brooke Shields wishing she had lost her virginity earlier than 22… but what I found interesting was the line: “If she had sex earlier, “I think I wouldn’t have had issues with weight — I carried this protective 20 pounds [in college],” she says. “It was all connected. And to me, that’s a health regret.”” So what is the message here, and what images are we conveying to our daughters (as there is less pressure on men) about body image and body acceptance? I don’t think we’re conveying a good one.
- From the “Crossover Error Rate” Department: How do you deal with fingerprint scanners when a person has no fingerprints?
