April 18, 2008

Random Friday: Bimbos, Pink Axes, and Unusual Undergarments

[by Crabby]

Honestly, Does This Saddle Make me Look Fat?
(Photo by Dogmatic)

In keeping with Crabby's not-quite-back-from-vacation-yet slackitude, all the random items this week are stolen from some of our favorite blog friends. But don't worry; I'll soon return to my usual practice of lifting items straight from Science Daily instead.


Wholesome Fun For Your Daughters?

The always entertaining Red over at Unstarved alerts us to this, well, unusual online game that seems to be very popular with girls (most 9-16 years old), at least in England and France.

It's called "Miss Bimbo" and shall we find out a little more about how it works?

According to The Guardian, the aim of the Miss Bimbo beauty contest game is to become the "hottest, coolest, most famous bimbo in the whole world." Contestants are encouraged to "stop at nothing," even "meds or plastic surgery." Starting with a naked virtual character, players compete to earn "bimbo" dollars so they can "dress her in sexy outfits and take her clubbing. They are given missions, including securing plastic surgery at the game's clinic to give their dolls bigger breasts, and they have to keep her at her target weight with diet pills." (Note: apparently now the game no longer includes diet pills).

Here's another cool feature: the game is free to play, but when the contestants run out of virtual cash they have to have to send expensive text messages or use PayPal to refill their accounts!

The game's creators say it's not a bad influence for young children. "They learn to take care of their bimbos. The missions and goals are morally sound and teach children about the real world."

Of course we're sure that the 9 year old girls playing this game are hip to the ironic subtextual messages about the superficiality and oppressiveness of our popular culture's obsession with women's weight and appearance... right? Um, right???

(And be sure to check out Unstarved --Red is kind of a smartass, which is why we like him. Also, as a bonus, he brought his adorable sister in on this one; she writes and waves like a pro.)


Eat the Damn Broccoli; Skip the Pills

Over at Best Health Blog, which is associated with the Canadian magazine Best Health (at Cranky Fitness we love all things Canadian), we learn yet again that taking high doses antioxidants in supplement form doesn't do you any good. According to Best Health, the Cochrane Folks reviewed a bunch of studies (with over 230,000 subjects) and guess what? If you want to live longer, you gotta eat the actual vegetables, people! Overdosing on A and E supplements can even be harmful. Cranky Fitness readers knew this already, of course, but some of us keep hoping they'll change their minds one day and give us a way to eat more cupcakes for our antioxidants, and less cauliflower.

Get Caught "Palming" at Work!

It was ergonomic week over at Marijke's blog, Help My Hurt, and there's tons of useful info there on all things ergonomic. Marijke includes links to some helpful exercises you can perform at work, like: "the Executive Stretch;" "Palming;" and the always popular "Yawning." (Yawning, apparently, is an eye exercise--"it produces tears to help moisten and lubricate the eyes." Just tell your boss that at the next staff meeting!

Bean Counting

Monica over at SmarterFitter has been running lots of great articles, including this round-up of why beans are so healthy for you. (Cranky Fitness will refrain from the usual fart jokes and just send you over there for inspiring bean-related nutritional info).

Weirdest Apparel Item of the Week?

It's a tie!

From the fabulous MizFit, we have been alerted to the "Shape-Up Shoe," which promises "lifted buns" and "toned legs" if it doesn't kill you first.

And for the man in your life, via Vat19, check out a pair of "Manties!"

Yes, They Come in High Cut, Too!



Pretty in Pink

Leslie at the Weighting Game had a great post on PMS, and included this video which totally cracked me up. You may have all seen it, but I hadn't, as I am officially too old for late night TV. (And we've got a guest post from Leslie coming up next week--we're hoping pretty soon she'll do the whole blog for us!)




That's it for this week, and thanks to all the bloggers I stole stuff from! Have a wicked awesome Friday, everyone.

16 comments:

  1. That'll teach me to read blogs before my morning coffee.

    "Weirdest Apparel Item of the Week?
    It's a tie!"

    As I scrolled down, I wondered what possessed someone to design a tie in the shape of undies.

    I'm perking some now as I type.

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  2. The Bag Lady needs to go and put her contact lenses in, 'cause she's pretty sure Hilary said those undies were a tie.... (maybe more coffee would help, too...)

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  3. The "annuale" clip was hilarious.
    Yes, we should eat our veggies, but we've depleted and overfertilized our soil so much the nutrients aren't there anymore. Some still are, but it's not like it should be.
    And yes, too much Vit. A is bad. Didn't know Vit. E was, too.
    Another great Random Friday.

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  4. So I didn't even think about the fact that a "tie" is an article of clothing--I don't even want to think about who might want to wear a pair of "manties" as a tie.

    Thanks for stopping by guys!

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  5. That Miss Bimbo game sounds like "just" what every aspiring anorexic child needs! I can see myself falling on my face (again) wearing those shoes - not a good thing. That clip was funny & thanks for all the good links too.

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  6. I hereby accept your invitation to write your blog for you, one one condition: I can where Manties while I do it. And nothing else. Deal?

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  7. The older I get, the creepier Merry Go Rounds seem.

    Thanks so much for the link!

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  8. I don't know which would be worse: myself having to walk around in the Shape-Up shoes for hours or catching my guy wearing a pair of Manties. Neither is at all appealing!

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  9. Hey Crabby, Thanks for the shout out! Very interesting article about the supplements... I take multivitamins (have been loading up on the vitamin C this week as i've got a case of the sniffles!). I should probably just read for an orange instead.

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  10. Monica--I don't think C was supposed to be problematic (I remember hearing you just pee out the excess). I keep reading studies saying it doesn't do much for colds--but I've found if I catch the first scratchy-throat warning signs I can fend one off by dosing up on C for a few days. It may be a placebo, but it works! I haven't had a real cold in probably ten years.

    Leslie, bring it on! Will there be photos???

    Beth, too funny!

    And thanks Hilary & Bag Lady & Leah & Reb and Red for stopping by on a slow weekend and brightening my morning!

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  11. Crabby, you're posting at 3ish in the morning? Dear lord, woman, you might want to consider reducing that caffeine intake? ;)

    That's a good idea to have all the guest bloggers post a photo of themselves in manties. I mean, it's not the sort of thing you'd see on most blogs.

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  12. Great idea Merry! From now on, highest priority will be given to guest posts which include a photo of the author in a pair of Manties.

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  13. manties.

    I love the word.

    better than the Bro.

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  14. Good to see this blogs..the writing style is very good..

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  15. I've enjoyed the articles...

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  16. Very interesting post. I love to read it..

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