The sale of used underwear banned in Zimbabwe

Could this underwear be sold in Zimbabwe?                Wikipedia

I don't believe there is much of a market for used underwear in the western world, but there apparently is in impoverished Zimbabwe.  The government is having no part of it and has passed a law forbidding the sale of used undergarments.

 Statutory instrument 150 of 2011: "The importation of articles of second-hand undergarments of any type, form or description, whether purchased, donated or procured in any other manner, is now forbidden."

"I am told we are now even importing women's underwear in this country," finance minister Tendai Biti, the brain trust behind the law, said . "How does that happen? If you are a husband and you see your wife buying underwear from the flea market, you would have failed. If I was your in-law, I would take my daughter and urge you to first put your house in order if you still want her back."

The local newspaper NewsDay even ran an editorial supporting the law:

"Wearing used underwear is most dehumanising and no government worth its salt should allow its citizens to be abused to this extent. It is a fact that our flea markets receive bales of clothing, some of which is exclusively used underwear, some of which is soiled. What nation have we become that knowingly subjects its people to humiliation and disease? It is inconceivable for a country to open its borders for the importation of used underwear – to allow our women to wear undergarments that other women in other countries have used and discarded."

One must remember that this is country with one of the highest unemployment rates in the world – over 90 percent – run by brutal madman Robert Mugabe.  Truly a madhouse.

Related articles

• Zimbabwe minister gets his knickers in a twist over undergarment imports (independent.co.uk)

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Huh? Study says old people are happier than young people

Old and happy about it                Wikipedia

Under the believe it or not section (and I would say not), a new study shows that older people are happier than youngsters. The researchers found that older people tend to selectively remember happier moments in life and are better at accepting disappointments in life. From the researchers:

"Some psychologists believe that cognitive processes are responsible – in particular, focusing on and remembering positive events and leaving behind negative ones. Those processes,  help older people regulate their emotions, letting them view life in a sunnier light. The over-50s are also more likely than younger adults to 'prune' their social circle or friends if they find any of their acquaintances 'bring them down'".

“There is a lot of good theory about this age difference in happiness,” said psychologist Derek M. Isaacowitz of Northeastern University, co-author of the article in Perspectives on Psychological Science,  “but much of the research does not provide direct evidence.”

I think the researchers haven't met some of the nasty old people The Cry Baby has!

Read more on this here.

Related articles

• Happiness In Old Age: Better Research Is Needed To Understand Why Seniors Are Happier (medicalnewstoday.com)

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Infographic: The history of marijuana from 1600 to now

So you like to take a toke or two (or three) but have you ever thought about the history of the herb you are smoking or ingesting? It's been around a long, long time, but it's only in recent history that cannabis has been made into an outlaw drug. Why it is that as soon as something comes along that makes you feel good, the government steps in and makes it illegal?

This is a really cool graphic from Rehab International. Here's what they have to say about the history of the bud:

"Marijuana in America dates back as far as the early 1600’s when the Puritans first brought Cannabis sativa. Since then, marijuana in American culture has had its periods of highs and lows. Up until 1913, marijuana was openly used and readily available in pharmacies. However, laws were then enacted prohibiting the drug unless a doctor prescribed it. Between the 1920’s to the 70’s several agencies and additional laws were created to crack down on marijuana use. It wasn’t until the mid 90’s that the laws began to loosen and legalization of medicinal marijuana began appearing on ballots of the more liberal states, starting with California and Oregon. Today, more than 17.4 million individuals admitted using pot and the numbers look like they will only grow in the near future. "

Via: Rehab International

Related articles

• Should Drug Reformers Give up on Medical Marijuana Laws? NORML Says Yes (reason.com)

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