Sunday, December 21, 2008

Putting Vanity (And Botox) On Hold


There are more and more articles appearing regarding the state of plastic surgery in today's economy. An excellent article by New York Times writer Natasha Singer called Putting Vanity (and Botox) on Hold finds that people are re-evaluating their priorities and spending less on plastic surgery today. One estimate finds that business is down 30-40 percent in Orange County, one of the biggest markets for plastic surgery in the country. In addition, many people are foregoing the more expensive surgical procedures and substituting less expensive injectable procedures as a way to stall aging until the economy improves, 401K's recover, and people feel more comfortable with larger purchases.

Here in Metro Detroit, we have all breathed a sigh of relief as President Bush proposed a $14 billion loan to bail out the auto industry. While times here are very tough, the collapse of even one of the Big 3 U.S. automakers would have been absolutely devastating, with hundreds of thousands of people projected to lose their jobs as a result.

I don't put my political opinions in this blog, but I feel the need to do it just this one time. I'd like to give out a "You're a Self-Serving Jackass" award to the following people who led the opposition to the automakers' bailout: Senator Mitch McConnell, Senator Bob Corker, Senator Richard Shelby, and even native Michigander Mitt Romney. How many billions of dollars are we spending on Iraq and Afghanistan, and you won't even give a $14 billion LOAN to an industry which supports millions of American jobs? Shame on all of you.


Whew! It's nice to get that off my chest. Now back to celebrity plastic surgery. Tomorrow we will focus on Nicole Kidman's forehead...

Thanks for reading.

8 comments:

  1. I've never been able to stand Mitt Romney.
    He really is a self-serving jackass.

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  2. Anonymous8:52 AM

    i also am breathing a sigh of relief. but, another matter is now concerning me. yesterday i saw pictures on another site of suspicious scars behind angelina jolie's ears??!! is it possible she's actually had a face lift?
    any opinions?

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  3. Anonymous11:28 AM

    I totally agree!!! Thanks for your statement.

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  4. Anonymous11:32 AM

    I supported the auto loan/bailout, however, not being in Michigan, maybe you (or someone else) can explain why Toyota/Honda/Nissan/MB workers build beautiful, reliable cars for about 1/2 the pay of UAW workers in Michigan?

    And why auto execs flew out to DC to ask for bailout money from American taxpayers in private jets?

    Since Bush approved the rescue loans, I understand that auto execs are restricted from using the funds for personal or private jets, but what about jet cards to fly NetJets? Will they give up that perk too?

    The culture of the Big 3, whether union or management is in sad shape.

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  5. Anonymous2:32 PM

    It's good to see the fighter in you. One of the reasons I love your blog is the kindness and fairness of your observations that are so different from the truly nasty remarks on other cosmetic surgery sites.

    I second your thoughts on Romney. He has proven to be totally disappointing.

    Now, let us hear all about Kidman's porcelain forehead.

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  6. Anonymous7:09 PM

    Dr. Youn - you just lost yourself a reader. Seriously, keep your political opinions to yourself. If I had to choose between spending a dollar to fight terrorism and spread democratic principle around the world, or giving it to a bloated company that spends too much on union labor, guess which one gets my money.

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  7. Anon,
    That's ok if you stop reading my blog. If one political comment sends you over the edge, then so be it. I am no fan of how the Big 3 Automakers have conducted business. The problem with letting them go into bankrupcy, however, is that there are millions of jobs in the supplier and supporting markets that depend on these companies functioning. There are so many people working in companies that support the auto industry, that to allow this entire industry to fail because of a number of horrible executives is inexcusable. The banks got $800 billion, no questions asked. The auto companies ask for a $14 billion loan, and they are denied? Punish the executives all you want, but this is heartless to the millions of people who work hard every day to support their families. These are the people who are my patients, my friends, and my fellow Michiganders. They deserve better from the federal government than a harsh rebuke followed by abandonment. Kudos to W. on this one.

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  8. Anonymous11:59 PM

    It's your blog, I love to hear your opinions...

    I would like to have you comment sometime on how much and how often celebrities use liposuction to rid themselves of every ounce of body fat, even from arms in order to have super skinny upper arms. The results are getting scary

    ReplyDelete