look prettier or more handsome than they perceive themselves to be.
Somehow, this reminds me of the comic English TV series on PBS, titled "Keeping Up Appearances".
This show, a spoof on false values, has nothing to do with plastic surgery, although the reasoning is the same, ie, anything goes when keeping up appearances.
What happened to the genuine values and beauty coming from inside?

WHAT TO DO & WHAT NOT TO DO -
HERE'S THE 'TO DO' -
Wear several layers of clothing
Humidify home air, even it it's only a pot of water on stove.
Be active
Eat warm foods.
Eat chocolate.

DO NOT -
Turn up heat too high - humidify instead, for a warmer feeling
Hunker down with inactivity
Avoid going out and about.
ABOVE ALL! - DO NOT AVOID CHOCOLATE !!

It's gooey inside.
Some call it lava cake.
Melt: 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate, or, use chocolate chips
with -1/2 stick butter
whisk to blend
(you can do this in microwave on high for 1 minute, or in pan over hot water)
In separate bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks
Stir in 1 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons flour
Mix well with melted chocolate and butter
Pour into a buttered bake dish
Bake at 375 for 20 -22 minutes or until sides are firm & center soft.
Let cool a few minutes
Run knife around edge to loosen & invert on serving plate.
You also can bake this in individual ramekins with shorter bake time.
Optional: add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract to batter.

(I found 172,000 web listing when searching for molten cake and made this one today with the peppermint extract - so good!)

U.S. opinions and politics seem to be reaching a new low today, as many others, too, have said.
Tempers flare, facts skewed, language ugly, in editorials, TV pundit comments, on Web blogs, among friends, and even family members.
All of this is far below the realm of decent, dignified discussion, as in days long ago.
Now, it's bound to sink even lower as the next Presidential election nears.
The most destructive parts of all this, are hate-driven communicators who sound good as they attempt to sway vulnerable readers or listeners with radical views.
Those with an unrelenting agenda driven by politics and hate find it hard, if not impossible, to communicate and debate with dignity, fairness and respect for the opinions of others.
No one loves the growing division of our country more than terrorists who would like nothing better than to...
Divide and conquer.

This new brand of warfare has been tested in Europe and the United States. Over the weekend, 20 and 30 year old Chinese professionals tested it in Shanghai.
They held no punches as they pounded each other, vigorously swinging pillows - laughing, and exchanging phone numbers.
No injuries were reported, although several pillows were damaged, spewing floating feathers throughout the downtown Shanghai Bar where the battle raged.
When it was all over, one of the exhausted, happy troopers commented, "There are no words that can describe how I am feeling now but I can tell you, I am feeling very high."
An organizer for this event, said, "It was a rare chance for busy Chinese professionals to make friends and vent stress."
(A local Shanghai online dating site sponsored the pillow fight.)
...all of which raises another far-out 'what if' question.
What if the world's deadly weapons were exchanged for pillows?