Mindlessness Is Catching On

A recent study has shown what I had already figured out based on my own habits... "Mindless television watching produces mindless eating." Kids who eat while watching the boob tube eat an average of 200+ extra calories during lunch. While one research said that watching TV overrides out ability to stop eating... I have also see that watching TV can lead to me forgetting to eat or to eat constantly while watching TV as if its meant to be a joint activity. On a side note, I wonder if anyone still uses TV trays and eats family meals consisting of microwave dinners while sitting on the sofa.

Mess In The Middle East

Afghanistan is blaming the Pakistani intelligence agency for the bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul while the NATO commander in Afghanistan says increased violence is due to a porous border between the country and Pakistan which only helps bolster the initial argument. A government spokesman did not mention Pakistan's intelligence agency by name but said, "the sophistication of this attack, and the kind of material that was used in it and the specific targeting, everything has the hallmark of a particular intelligence agency that has conducted similar terrorist acts inside Afghanistan in the past. We have sufficient evidence to say that." If you can't read through that... he is blaming Pakistan... just like they did for a previous assassination attempt on Karzi. Stratfor is calling it an assassination... the Indian government is calling it terrorism... but not to worry the United Nations will classify it as an accidental discharge of explosive materials.

U.S. military training in Iraq is going well... but not well enough according to the U.S. general who led the effort. Meanwhile the Iraqi government is pressuring Washington to agree to a specific timeline for withdraw... so I guess they feel their troops are ready! Meanwhile, the United States wants to phase out its role of running prisons in Iraq and transfer detainees to Iraqi control. So yes, terrorists attacks on on the decline, violence is at a relative low... but the U.S. general says, "Progress doesn't result in no problems, it results in new problems."

Iran is still rattling its saber at the world, with the recent statement, "The first bullet fired by America at Iran will be followed by Iran burning down its vital interests around the globe. The Zionist regime is pressuring White House officials to attack Iran. If they commit such a stupidity, Tel Aviv and US shipping in the Persian Gulf will be Iran's first targets and they will be burned." These words are only likely to raise fear of military confrontation and help further boost oil prices... oh wait... thats exactly what Iran wants!

Iran also seems to want American products. The top of the list includes cigarettes, brassieres, and bull semen. Which sounds oddly similar to my last 3am shopping trip to a super Wal-Mart. Exports to Iran have grown over ten fold since 2000 despite the unfriendly diplomatic relationship and sanctions. A U.S. government spokesman said, "we believe that they are increasing to a segment of the population that we want to reach out to, we want to know and understand that the U.S. government, the U.S. people want to be friends with them, want to work with them to integrate them into the world economy and become partners in the future." Who knew that bull semen would help with good will?

Science in Our Lives

So far test tube babies are still normal... no 3rd arms or alien growths here... well no more than other babies. Recent studies show that in-vitro fertilization and the freezing of embryos did not significantly increase the babies' chances of medical problems. This totally contradicts previous studies that have shown that babies produced from artificial reproduction techniques are more likely to have major birth defects and to be underweight at birth. In conclusion, we still can't produce decent baby research.

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