Morning Radar: Three things we're talking about this morning
When Gatorade won't do: On the heels of stories this year about dieting adults dipping into baby food jars for low-cal sustenance comes another odd suggestion - using baby drinks to cure hangovers.
In a press release that went out Wednesday, the folks from B.R.A.T. "Feel Better" wellness drink are touting their product as the latest beverage to cure what ails on New Year's Day.
"While parents give their children B.R.A.T. 'Feel Better' wellness drink when they have tummy problems, the ultra-hydrating, organic, gluten-free product is actually the best way to kill a New Year's Day hangover," reads the release.
"Forget the greasy bacon and eggs, or the sugar and chemical-filled sports drinks that are the hangover go-to, the balanced electrolytes in the all-natural brown rice milk-based drink rehydrates instantly and has the added bonus of tummy-soothing qualities."
A list of retailers supplied by the PR firm had us picturing fevered shoppers hitting Babies "R" Us after the liquor store to stock up. The website does promote the use of the product by adults for such conditions as morning sickness..
Is this too weird? Or genius? Let us know what you think in the comment field
No Charlie Brown tree here: It may be the most expensive Christmas tree ever. The Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi is aglitter with real gold ornaments and gem-studded bows totalling a whopping $11-million (U.S.), according to the Associated Press.
The hotel's general manager, Hans Olbertz, was quoted in local newspapers Thursday as saying the 43-foot (13-meter) faux fir has 131 ornaments that include gold and precious stones such as diamonds and sapphires, supplied by the hotel jeweller.
The Guinness web site lists a $10.8 million tree in 2002 in Toyko with 83 pieces of jewelry from Piaget Japan, reports AP.
Yes, the United Arab Emirates is officially Muslim, but it hosts a huge foreign population and malls are full of carolers, Santas and piped-in yuletide songs, according to the piece.
Sort of puts the neighbourhood Griswolds to shame, doesn't it?
The Santa wars heat up: In the era of no-gift birthday parties and no-candy Halloweens, it doesn't come as a surprise that the kill-Santa chorus seems to grow loader every year.
There's a battle brewing on a number of Canadian parenting blogs, with some parents boldly admitting that they will be telling their children that there's no Santa (watch out Easter Bunny!) They say Santa is nothing but a myth that is used to discipline children, fuel consumerism and which highlight the disparity between rich and poor children.
On Sympatico's Coffee Talk blog , one blogger put it this way: "Imaginary characters are okay but this particular imaginary character stands for things that I think are fundamentally nasty." From the blog playgroundconfidential comes a defence of Santa by writer Rebecca Cuneo Keenan.
Among the many points she makes: "I don't think these parents are doing their kids any grave injustices by telling them the truth about Santa. I also love the way my just-turned two-year-old daughter's eyes light up as she talks about Santa coming to her house."
What do you think? Should parents keep the Santa story going?