ZURICH, Mar 25, 2000 / FW/ --- Walking down the fashionable Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, Switzerland, taking in the window displays, the first word that comes to mind is “cloning.

The window displays seem be to mirroring the scientific accomplishments of genetic research, this past week… five cute cuddly little clones piglets… five cute, femme fatale mannequins, dressed alike, peering from the window on show in a row.

The first time I saw quintuplet mannequins in display windows of Zurich, was about the time Dolly the sheep was cloned and presented to the world.

On this train trip through Europe, I see the trend of multiples look alike mannequins is being used in Munich Germany, as well, by various stores on the walk street near the famous Marienplatz The window which stood out most as I ran through the rain for the shelter of the Augustiner Restaurant was of male "triplets"... perfect hunks running in tandem, bandanas tied on their head ala Bruce Springsteen, to keep their do’s in place, one knee held high, in perpetual non-motion, hands clenched in sportive intensity… three healthy hunks all in a row, racing to nowhere frozen in fast motion.

With the advent of fertility drugs, making multiple births more prevalent, perhaps the multiple clone mannequins are subliminal reflection of scientific ventures.

If one stops to think about mannequins, they are clones, just like Barbie and Ken Dolls. Only the manufacturers know how many clones there are, how many have been mass-produced. The year 2000 mannequin census is coming…

Perhaps the scientists in Iceland will lend their genealogical database software. (those who have been watching European CNN will understand what I mean.)