The life of Chrysoprase the troll

By Ted Turner, Special to CNN

One of the best ways to ensure that the 7 billionth child born will live in a safe, healthy and sustainable world is to focus on what women want and need. Researchers at the Guttmacher Institute found there are 215 million women worldwide who want the ability to time and space their pregnancies, but do not have access to effective methods of contraception. Women want to be able to deliver children safely and provide for them.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/31/opinion/turner-7-billion/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Artist Ray Villafane has garnered much acclaim for his intricate pumpkin carvings. His works of art will reportedly be on display at supermodel Heidi Klum’s Las Vegas Halloween party. Villafane’s secret is that he carves a pumpkin “like it is a piece of clay as opposed to a large vegetable.” The Daily Beast has rounded up photos of Villafane’s best pumpkin carvings in this gallery.

A heavenly ad is turning hellish for Axe.

The deodorant brand has seen its latest campaign banned in South Africa because its depiction of gorgeous angels falling from heaven offends Christians, the Daily Mail reports.

Carrying the tagline “Angels will fall,” the 60-second commercial sees models sporting wings and halos crashing down from the sky as a man walks down an Italian street. The smitten angels then throw their halos down as they chase after their fresh-smelling prey.

Following a complaint from a male Christian viewer, who said he was upset by “the suggestion that God’s messengers could literally fall for a man on the basis of his shop-bought fragrance,” the country’s Advertising Standards Authority moved to ban the ad on the presumption that other viewers would also be offended.

“The problem is not so much that angels are used in the commercial, but rather that the angels are seen to forfeit, or perhaps forego their heavenly status for mortal desires,” the ASA ruled.

“This is something that would likely offend Christians in the same manner as it offended the complainant.”

Wonder what they’ll make of those Victoria’s Secret ads …

Sometimes, I believe people carry their religious sensibilities too far. The fact that Christians may be offended by an advertisement does not mean the rest of humanity will not find it chuckle inducing. Or does this somehow go against a persons right to freedom of religion?

Editor’s Note: Jeffrey D. Sachs is Professor of Economics and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. He is also Special Adviser to United Nations Secretary-General on the Millennium Development Goals. For more from Sachs, visit Project Syndicate or follow it on Facebook and Twitter.

By Jeffrey D. Sachs, Project Syndicate

American politicians are now brand names, packaged like breakfast cereal. Anybody – and any idea – can be sold with a bright ribbon and a catchy jingle.

All roads to power in America lead through TV, and all access to TV depends on big money. This simple logic has put American politics in the hands of the rich as never before.

Harare, Zimbabwe (CNN) — Police in Zimbabwe on Friday charged three women found in possession of 33 condoms containing semen with 17 counts of aggravated indecent assault in a case that may be a break in a string of sex attacks over the past two years by women targeting male hitchhikers.

 

Prosecutor Michael Reza told a court in Harare that the counts were for each of the 17 men who had positively identified the women as having sexually assaulted them in 2010 or 2011.

Watch Ruparanganda, a professor of sociology at the University of Zimbabwe said : “Some sections of the society use these sperm for ritual purposes. The thinking is that it can be used for regeneration of life since they are source of life (biologically). Some people think that they can have their bad luck gone by using semen. I am sure that explains all this we have been witnessing (men being forced).”

 

Harold Camping: Doomsday Prophet Wrong Again.

Doomsday prophet Harold Camping’s revised prediction that the world would end on Oct. 21, 2011 turned out, once again, not to come true.

According to the preacher’s prediction, which was revised after his May 21, 2011 prophecy failed to materialize, Christians would ascend to heaven, while sinners would be left behind to suffer five months’ worth of natural disasters before the earth ignited into a fireball.

Why are we surprised by this particular turn of events? The sheer arrogance of a man who believes he can predict the end of the universe, based on the musings of an ancient text, is just terrible.

Although this is Camping’s second failed prediction this year, a source familiar with the preacher said he has predicted the end of the world 12 times. His first prediction of the end of times apparently dates back to 1978.

He has done this 12 times? 12 times? Why have people kept following him? 12 times? Is it a testament to their incredible stupidity and gullibility or is it a testament to his silver-tongued, bedevilry?  12 times? Lol….

Hanover, New Hampshire (CNN) — Herman Cain, the latest Republican presidential candidate to surge to the top of the polls, found himself in the hot seat Tuesday night at a debate in New Hampshire centered on the economic matters

The lynchpin of Cain’s campaign, his cleverly titled “9-9-9” plan to restructure the U.S. Tax Code, came under harsh scrutiny as other Republicans on stage sought to knock the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO off his pedestal.

The Cain plan would implement a 9% corporate income tax rate, a 9% income tax rate, and a 9% national sales tax.

His opponents called the plan as unrealistic and said it stands zero chance of passing on Capitol Hill.

On the face of it, Herman Cain’s ideas does sound plausible a catchy phrase that captures succintly, how his government will generate revenue. I am quite sure the finer economic details may not work so wonderfully. However he has some ideas. Then I read further on and I see that Michelle Buchmann is quoted as say the below.

“When you take the nine-nine-(nine) plan and you turn it upside won, the devil is in the details,” Bachmann said, a reference to “666,” a symbol commonly associated with Satan.

I always find it hilarious that this woman aspires to be the leader of the so-called free world. I just hope that I do not end up laughing on the other side of my mouth. To have someone like this in power, who draws on images, from the acid trip ravings, of some ancient lunatic… sigh..,. words fail me.