Thursday, August 1, 2013

the best prize ever?

I read the most interesting and discussion-worthy news story yesterday. One of those where immediately after reading it you need to talk about it with someone? I briefly considered posting/sharing/whatevering it to Facebook-- that's usually a good way to get a conversation started, right? But then, given the nature of the story, I just wasn't feeling it. I don't know my FB crowd well enough, and I can't trust that they know me well enough, and what if they just didn't get it? YOU GUYS would get it. You will be able to provide proper and hilarious feedback. But random people I went to elementary school with or had a class with in college? They can't be trusted. It almost made me want to make a blog FB page for just this purpose. But maybe we can talk more about that later.

Because for now, there's this:

Apparently in Pakistan, there's a game show right now with a very special prize.

BABIES!

Yup.

In addition to motorcycles and washing machines, lucky game winners can take home an orphaned infant. Human. A human baby child. As a GAME SHOW PRIZE.

source | some recent baby winners. The lady on the right seems pretty possessive about her prize...I think I won't mess with her.  

Please raise your hand if you are simultaneously disgusted, intrigued, and contemplating Googling airline ticket prices to Pakistan.

I see those hands.

Apparently a lot of people are pretty horrified at the whole babies-as-prizes thing. I know I am. But then again, I also wouldn't mind winning one myself. It seems like my odds there might be better than my odds of 'winning' a baby through nature or the American adoption industry. 

I kid, I kid. Sorta.

What do you think? Should I try to get on the show? Should we reschedule our blogger vacay from the all-inclusive resort to a TV studio in Pakistan? Supposedly they'll be giving away another infant this week. Then again, since the game show involves answering questions about the Quran, there's an extremely good chance I will answer all of the questions wrong and not win anything. And then that would be a big waste of a long plane ride. So maybe not.

Bah. 

In other news, today I'm making my 'famous' Coffee Punch for a party at work. I'm getting pretty excited about the sugar coma that's sure to follow. I'll probably be twice as productive the rest of the day, right? Or something like that.

So. Babies as prizes. And you thought this world couldn't get any weirder.

23 comments:

  1. As per our conversation yesterday, I maintain that the lady on the right looks like she's going to eat her baby - and therefore might eat all the babies - so you'd better act fast if you want to get on that show!

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  2. You should go win a baby! Best vacation ever! I am waiting to see if I've won the lottery (sometimes I like to wait TO check so I can day dream longer in case I don't win), but if I do I'll even come cheer you on from the crowd! I WOULD LOVE TO BE IN THE LIVE AUDIENCE OF THIS GAMESHOW!

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  3. Wow! I.am.speechless.

    By the coffee punch recipe, obviously. No seriously, it sounds amazing. Nevermind the baby game prize thing; small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. It's coffee, and it's a punch, and it's incredible. Granted, I've never tried it, but I'm sure it has to be incredible after reading the ingredients.

    Speaking of incredible... I really am speechless about the baby thing. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Surely the contestants have to go through some sort of screening process; they're not just giving babies away to TOTAL strangers, right?? That's quite concerning. Clearly, there's a reason I don't live in Pakistan, and it's not just because I don't care for their food.

    But hey, if it means getting you a baby, then I'm on board.

    I'll make the flash cards, you bring the punch, and let's get to learning the Quran!

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  4. I don't know. I thought I would be horrified. And then I read where they found those babies and seriously -- what's worse -- being abandoned in a garbage bin and being mauled by an animal or being given as a prize to someone who is trying to adopt? The director of the orphanage has a good point, I think.

    And maybe human beings aren't trophies/prizes but I'd rather be a prize than garbage.

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  5. What?!?!? I am equal parts horrified at the prospect of winning babies (this seems awfully close to buying/selling) as I am at the fact that I would graciously accept said baby. Where did these babies come from?!?! If they need homes, that's cool, but a GAME SHOW?!?!

    Coffee punch sounds delicious! Feel the need for a transcript from your alma mater today?

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  6. I think my odds of getting a baby would be better if I moved to Pakistan... wanna come with me?!

    But, OMG... unbelievable!

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  7. Wow. Wonder what they have to do to win the baby? Crazy stuff!

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  8. 1) No words... for the Baby prize game show! CRAZY!

    2) How did I miss the Coffee Punch post... my life and waist line just got SO much better

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  9. I am seriously intrigued by this. What is the game? Is the baby the grand prize? And perhaps most importantly- where do they get these babies?

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  10. Slumdog Baby-naire? So bizarre. I want a baby, but not bad enough to memorize the Quran and travel to Pakistan. That's where I draw the line! And imagine if you went all that way and all you won was the refrigerator? Bumdog millionaire.

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  11. I did see this story and I was intrigued in the wierdest way. It's dumbfounding to me that you can "Win" I mean like totally "win" a baby like a new car. Honestly...I really don't have words (even though I just spouted 32 words. 45 if you count what I just wrote and 48 if you count the dots).

    Coffee Punch you say...I;m game!

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  12. Wow..just wow. Yes, speechless is correct. Intrigued and disgusted are also correct. I sure hope the people who go on these shows WANT the possibility that their prize could be a baby! I'm just shaking my head with a bewildered look on my face.

    Yay for coffee punch! You are going to make addicts of all your coworkers now! :) Perhaps I need to take a detour and crash your party.

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  13. Whatttt. That was the absolute last thing I expected you to say as the prize!! Just, I don't know even know what to say!!

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  14. PS - Your identical twin is in the Avicii video for 'I Could Be The One'. YouTube it and fast forward to 4:06. :)

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  15. yup i am a hypocrit! no one should get a baby as a prize! except for ME! I want one! ME! ME!

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  16. I need coffee punch ASAP!!

    OK... so my first question is do they screen these people?? And secondly. . . where are these babies coming from?

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  17. I SAW THIS! Cray.

    I saw in one thing I read about it that the organization with the babies gets like 15 unwanted babies a month?? Where are the rest going??

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  18. I think there are too many unanswered questions for me to have a true feeling on this. I'm sure I could research these answers but...
    Where are these babies from? Do the people actually want to be a parent, or just win a game show? Is there challenges like diapering and such? Are the contestants screened before hand??

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  19. Whaaaaattttt. That is crazy! I wonder how the get the participants- like are they couples in Pakistan who are looking to adopt?

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  20. "Please raise your hand if you are simultaneously disgusted, intrigued, and contemplating Googling airline ticket prices to Pakistan."

    This is why, hands down, you are my favorite blogger.

    EVER.

    Also, we could meet up in Pakistan. I'll bring the Burkas, you bring a carseat.

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  21. How does one follow an hilarious comment like:
    "I'll bring the Burkas, you bring a carseat."
    That's a good friend.

    In all seriousness it makes me feel sad. To know that some people want a baby so badly and others don't.

    It makes me think of slavery in America and how human life was valued differently.

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  22. Maybe it is just too early.. or maybe I didn't sleep enough last night... or maybe my coffee isn't processed yet. (HELLOOO CAFFEINE WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?)

    But um... pretty speechless here. And you KNOW my heart for the orphan!

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  23. So the last commenter (like three weeks ago) said that it was too early for her to contemplate this. For me, it's way too late. This is blowing my mind...and not in a good way. But then there's this little part of me that thinks it's better to have parents than to be without them...unless they're awful parents or something...I have a headache and am going to bed.

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