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Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Yerba Maté

ARAGORN TAKES A BREAK FROM KILLING ORCS TO DRINK SOME MATE

I am drinking mate cocido right now. That's a mate herb (yerba mate) infusion, just like tea leaves where you steep the herb in hot water and strain it to serve. I grew up on this stuff. It's excellent, with some really healthful properties (read Wiki stuff). You can drink it on an empty stomach and not have that acid you get from coffee. It doesn't give you the jitters but it does make you alert and awake. It's just great stuff. Mate is part of my waking up ritual. Upon waking, I will first eat a grapefruit and then get a huge mug of mate cocido. I don't add sugar or milk, although it's not uncommon to drink it that way. There's some Wiki info about mate below. It's sold in health food stores and some Mexican food stores around here, where I buy it in 1 kilo packages.

Update: Here's more info about yerba mate from www.yerbamate.us

Excerpt from Wiki: Drinking Mate

Mate (pronounced /'ma.te/) is a highly caffeinated infusion prepared by steeping dried leaves of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) in hot water. It is the national drink in Uruguay and Argentina and a common social practice in Paraguay and parts of Chile and Brazil.

Mate is served with a metal straw from a shared hollow calabash gourd. The straw is called a bombilla, in Spanish, and a bomba, in Portuguese, and it is traditionally silver. The gourd is known as a mate or a guampa, while in Brazil it has the specific name of cuia. Even if the water comes in a very modern thermos, the infusion is traditionally drank from mates or cuias. However, "tea-bag" type infusions of mate (mate cocido) have been on the market in Argentina for many years under such trade names as "Cruz de Malta" (Maltese Cross) and in Brazil under the name "Mate Leão" (Lion Mate).

As with other brewed herbs, yerba mate leaves are dried, chopped, and ground into a powdery mixture called yerba. The bombilla acts as both a straw and a sieve. The submerged end is flared, with small holes or slots that allow the brewed liquid in, but block the chunky matter that makes up much of the mixture. A modern bombilla design uses a straight tube with holes, or spring sleeve to act as a sieve. Bombilla (IPA: /bom'biʎa/ — [bom'biʃa] or [bom'biʒa] in Argentine and Uruguayan pronunciation) usually means "light bulb" in Spanish, but locally it is "little pump" or "straw".

Excerpt from Wiki: About Yerba Mate (Mate Herb)

Yerba mate (Spanish) or erva mate (Portuguese) (Ilex paraguariensis) is a species of holly (family Aquifoliaceae) native to subtropical South America in Argentina, southern Paraguay, western Uruguay and southern Brazil. The infusion called mate is prepared by steeping the dry leaves (and twigs) in hot water rather than boiling water like black tea or coffee. It is slightly less potent than coffee and much gentler on the stomach. Drinking mate with friends from a shared hollow gourd (also called a mate in Spanish, or cabaça or cuia in Portuguese) with a metal straw (a bombilla in Spanish, bomba or canudo in Portuguese) is an extremely common social practice in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, eastern Chile and southern Bolivia and Brazil. Its use has also been introduced into Lebanon and Syria, particularly among the Alawi, Druze and Ismaili minorities. It's a very popular social drink in Salamiyah, Syria.

The flavor of brewed yerba mate is strongly vegetal, herbal, and grassy, reminiscent of some varieties of green tea. Many consider the flavor to be very agreeable, however, it is generally bitter if steeped in water at boiling point and is traditionally made using boiling water combined with a little cold water. Unlike most teas, it does not become bitter and astringent when steeped for extended periods, and the leaves may be infused several times. Additionally, one can purchase flavored mate, in orange, raspberry, strong, and gentle flavorings.

Mate contains xanthines, which are alkaloids in the same family as caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine, well-known stimulants also found in coffee and chocolate. Mate also contains elements such as potassium, magnesium and manganese. Caffeine content varies between 0.3% and 1.7% of dry weight (compare this to 2.5–4.5% for tea leaves, and 1.5% for ground coffee).

Mate products are sometimes marketed as "caffeine-free" alternatives to coffee and tea, and said to have fewer negative effects. This is often based on a claim that the primary active xanthine in mate is "mateine", erroneously said to be a stereoisomer of caffeine (as it is not chemically possible for caffeine to have a stereoisomer). "Mateine" is an official synonym of caffeine in the chemical databases.

Researchers at Florida International University in Miami have found that yerba mate does contain caffeine, but some people seem to tolerate a mate drink better than coffee or tea. This is expected since mate contains different chemicals (other than caffeine) from tea or coffee.

From reports of personal experience with mate, its physiological effects are similar to (yet distinct from) more widespread caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, or guarana drinks. Users report a mental state of wakefulness, focus and alertness reminiscent of most stimulants, but often remark on mate's unique lack of the negative effects typically created by other such compounds, such as anxiety, diarrhea, "jitteriness", and heart palpitations.

Reasons for mate's unique physiological attributes are beginning to emerge in scientific research. Studies of mate, though very limited, have shown preliminary evidence that the mate xanthine cocktail is different from other plants containing caffeine most significantly in its effects on muscle tissue, as opposed to those on the central nervous system, which are similar to those of other natural stimulants. Mate has been shown to have a relaxing effect on smooth muscle tissue, and a stimulating effect on myocardial (heart) tissue.

Mate's negative effects are anecdotally claimed to be of a lesser degree than those of coffee, though no explanation for this is offered or even credibly postulated, except for its potential as a placebo effect. Many users report that drinking yerba mate does not prevent them from being able to fall asleep, as is often the case with some more common stimulating beverages, while still enhancing their energy and ability to remain awake at will. However, the net amount of caffeine in one preparation of yerba mate is typically quite high, in large part because the repeated filling of the mate with hot water is able to extract the highly-soluble xanthines extremely effectively. It is for this reason that one mate may be shared among several people and yet produce the desired stimulating effect in all of them.

In-vivo and in-vitro studies are showing yerba mate to exhibit significant cancer-fighting activity. Researchers at the University of Illinois (2005) found yerba mate to be "rich in phenolic constituents" and to "inhibit oral cancer cell proliferation".

An August 11, 2005 United States patent application (documents #20050176777, #20030185908, and #20020054926) cites yerba mate extract as an inhibitor of MAO activity; the maximal inhibition observed in vitro was 40–50%. A monoamine oxidase inhibitor is a type of antidepressant, so there is some data to suggest that yerba mate has a calming effect in this regard.

In addition, it has been noted by the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine that yerba mate can cause high blood pressure when used in conjunction with other MAO inhibitor

Perchance to Dream

It's 6:00 AM and I should probably go to sleep and eat some spiders, but I am not sleepy at all. To me, being able to decide when to sleep and then to sleep for as long as the body requires is one of the biggest luxuries that we can have in this life.

Sleep has always been a big point of contention for me - biologically speaking. I resent that I am forced to stop whatever I'm doing because my batteries need recharging, which takes a full nine hours for me - eight and a half won't cut it. And my body keeps a tally. If it doesn't get its nine hours one night it will make them up when it can. I've slept 12, 16 hours making up lost sleep.

Sometimes I will go more than 48 hours without sleep just out of spite. After about 24 hours it gets fun. The brain starts producing endorphins and I'll get all goofy and giggly. Then, by hour 48, I'm a pathetic, weak idiot - confronted with the severe limitations of my mortal body. The exception to this is if I'm working on a project and then I'm like a machine - going strong and sharp for up to three full days and nights. I would not want to do that on a regular basis, though.

Having been a night person for as long as I can remember, it is a pain to live in a world that functions from 8AM to 5PM. My first professional position required that I be at the office at 7:30 AM sharp. This was torture for me. Everyone kept telling me that I'd get used to it, but after one year I was still struggling. It was not unusual for me to walk into the building and look down to notice that I was wearing one dark-blue high heel and one black high heel. I do believe my co-workers had ongoing bets over this and other of my idiosyncrasies. There was often money exchanging hands after I'd arrive.

An article that I ran across explains my inability to adjust to morning hours. According to this article, the level of adrenaline in our body rises and falls in a cycle like the sine and cosine waves shown here. And as the cosine is shifted from the sine, my adrenaline cycle is shifted, but even more so.

So, in the morning and most of the day, I'd be like the walking dead, only more disagreeable, until after noon when I'd finally start up and not peak until 2AM. It is not at all unusual for me to lift weights, jog, clean, wash, cook, shop, etc. after midnight. Anyway, it was a vicious cycle. I'd wake up, miserably tired, swearing that I'd go to sleep early when I got home, only to have that adrenaline keep me up way too late for the 6:30 AM alarm clock, which, by the way, is one of the few inanimate objects for which I harbor feelings of hate. Most of my weekends were spent making up lost sleep.

Once I get to bed, I fall asleep within seconds and do thoroughly enjoy it. Being yanked out of sleep when my brain is in that deep, deep zone is like physical abuse for me. When the alarm would go off (with classical music - never that god awful, shocking buzz), I'd hit the infernal thing, get up, start the coffee, shower, start to dress and then... the alarm would go off! Dammit! I was still asleep! My mind, refusing to accept the continual abuse, came up with this little trick. How clever. Dreams and reality become indistinguishable. Not an easy or pleasant manner in which to start one's day.

These days, I thank God that I don't have to live by an alarm clock or a clock at all for that matter. Although I work many more hours than I did when I had an office job, being able to choose when I work and when I sleep is absolutely worth it.

Update: It's Tuesday 10:30 PM. I've been awake since Monday 3:00 PM. That's about 31.5 hours without sleep. I feel great. Not tired or sleepy. I did have a really sleepy period while watching House, which was totally lame - all preachy and touchy-feely crap. It almost put me to sleep! Ha. But I'm fine now. Drinking my mate, which you all have no idea what it is, unless you're Argentine, which you're not, unless you are. Think I'll create a post about it now. A little Argentine culture wouldn't hurt. After all, we could be one BIG happy family one day...

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Now You Know

Can you guess which of the following are true and which are false?

1. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

2. Alfred Hitchcock didn't have a belly button. (but he sure had a belly)

3. A pack-a-day smoker will lose approximately 2 teeth every 10 years.

4. People do not get sick from cold weather; it's from being indoors a lot more.

5. When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop, even your heart!

6. Only 7 per cent of the population are lefties. (I'd be one of those southpaws)

7. Forty people are sent to the hospital for dog bites every minute.

8. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until they are 2-6 years old.

9. The average person over 50 will have spent 5 years waiting in lines.

10. The toothbrush was invented in 1498.

11. The average housefly lives for one month.

12. 40,000 Americans are injured by toilets each year.

13. A coat hanger is 44 inches long when straightened.

14 The average computer user blinks 7 times a minute.

15. Your feet are bigger in the afternoon than any other time of day.

16. Most of us have eaten a spider in our sleep.

17. The REAL reason ostriches stick their head in the sand is to search for water.

18. The only two animals that can see behind themselves without turning their heads are the rabbit and the parrot.

19. John Travolta turned down the starring roles in "An Officer and a Gentleman" and "Tootsie."

20. Michael Jackson owns the rights to the South Carolina State anthem.

21. In most television commercials advertising milk, a mixture of white paint and a little thinner is used in place of the milk.

22. Prince Charles and Prince William NEVER travel on the same airplane, just in case there is a crash.

23. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle built in 1903 used a tomato can for a carburetor.

24. Most hospitals make money by selling the umbilical cords cut from women who give birth. They are used in vein transplant surgery.

25. Humphrey Bogart was related to Princess Diana. They were 7th cousins.

26. If coloring weren't added to Coca-Cola, it would be green.

They are all true. Now go back and think about #16...

Update: Spacebunny informs that #16 is an urban legend and not true. There is no need to duct tape your mouth when you go to sleep.

Given this, all should be taken with a grain of salt.

Update #2: Bane says #16 is TOTALLY true. And from his story, I say, get the duct tape, get it now...

Update #3: The great debate rages on. The question of the inadvertent ingestion of spiders while one is asleep may be one of those mysteries of life to which there is no conclusive answer. I do hope we can all agree to disagree on this one and not be polarized over it...

Fuck France





















  • 66,033 Americans are Buried or Missing in France

  • Many thousands more died fighting for France but are buried and honored here in the US.

Thanks France



  • For the first time, AMERICA was seeking help from France ... but France has turned her back.

  • Please remember these Dead Americans when you go shopping, as the French seem to have forgotten them.

  • France has every right to disagree with America, but France has moved from simple dissent to active hostility toward America.

  • France President Chirac warned East European nations that if they sided with the US, France would oppose their membership in the European Union.

  • This very week, William Safire reported in the New York Times that France has been secretly helping to arm Iran and has been helping Iran build long range missiles. These same missiles may NOW possibly be used against our own US soldiers.

  • Just as France has exercised its right to disagree, all Americans can exercise their right to boycott and help countries that do not stand with us. French Products and Companies to Boycott:

    Air France
    Air Liquide
    Airbus (airplanes in commercial use)
    Alcatel
    Allegra (allergy medication)
    Aqualung - including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers and SeaQuest
    AXA Advisors
    Bank of the West (owned by BNP Paribas)
    Beneteau (boats)
    B. F. Goodrich (owned by Michelin)
    BIC (razors, pens and lighters)
    Biotherm (cosmetics)
    Black Bush
    Bollinger (champagne)
    Car & Driver Magazine
    Cartier
    Chanel
    Chivas Regal (scotch)
    Christian Dior
    Club Med (vacations)
    Culligan (owned by Vivendi)
    Dannon (yogurt and dairy foods)
    DKNY
    Dom Perigonon (champagne)
    Durand Crystal
    Elle Magazine
    Essilor Optical Products
    Evian
    Fina (petroleum products) and Fina Oil (billions invested in Iraqi oil fields)
    First Hawaiian Bank
    George Magazine
    Givenchy
    Glenlivet (scotch)
    Hennessy (liquor products)
    Houghton Mifflin (books)
    Jacobs Creek (owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989)
    Jameson (whiskey)
    Jerry Springer (talk show)
    Krups (coffee and cappuccino makers)
    Lancome
    Le Creuset (cookware)
    L'Oreal (health and beauty products)
    Louis Vuitton
    Marie Claire
    Martel Cognac
    Maybelline
    Mephisto (shoes & clothes)
    Michelin (tires & auto parts)
    Mikasa (crystal and glass)
    Moet (champagne)
    Motel 6
    Motown Records
    MP3.com
    Mumms (champagne)
    Nissan (cars - majority owned by Renault )
    Nivea
    Normandy Butter
    Parents Magazine
    Peugeot (automobiles)
    Pierre Cardin
    Playstation Magazine
    ProScan (owned by Thomson Electronics - France)
    Publicis Group (including Saatachi & Saatachi Advertising)
    RCA (television & electronics - owned by Thomson Electronics - France)
    Red Magazine
    Red Roof Inns (owned by Accor group in France)
    Renault (automobiles)
    Roquefort cheese (all Roquefort cheese is made in France)
    Rowenta (toasters, irons, coffee makers )
    Royal Canadian
    Salomon (skis)
    Sierra Software & Computer Games
    Smart & Final
    Sofitel (hotels, owned by Accor group)
    Sparkletts (water, owned by Danone)
    Spencer Gifts
    Sundance Channel
    Taylor Made (gold clubs & equipment)
    Technicolor
    T-Fal (kitchenware)
    Total Gas Stations
    UbiSoft (computer games)
    Uniroyal (tires)
    Universal Studios (music, movies and amusement parks - owned by Vivendi)
    US Filter
    Veritas Group
    Veuve Clicquot Champagne
    Vittel
    Vivendi
    Wild Turkey (bourbon)
    Woman's Day Magazine
    Yoplait (The French company Sodiaal owns a 50% stake)
    Yves Saint Laurent
    Zodia Inflatable Boats

  • Lastly, a French company was awarded a $700 million plus contract to operate the 55 mess halls of our US Marine facilities. Call your congressman and ask that this be rescinded regardless of the cost. This is an absolute insult to our Marines.

Truth Is Hard! (even more so than Math)

Received today in my email:

HERE IS A GERMAN EDITORIAL

If any of you still feel that this war on terror is a mistake, here is an opinion from an unexpected source. It's fascinating that this should come out of Europe. Mathias Dapfner, Chief Executive of the huge German publisher Axel Springer AG, has written a blistering attack in DIE WELT,Germany's largest daily paper, against the timid reaction of Europe in the face of the Islamic threat.

This is a must-read by all Americans. History may well certify its correctness.

EUROPE - THY NAME IS COWARDICE

(Commentary by Mathias Dapfner CEO, Axel Springer, AG)

A few days ago Henry Broder wrote in Welt am Sonntag, "Europe - your family name is appeasement." It's a phrase you can't get out of your head because it's so terribly true.

Appeasement cost millions of Jews and non-Jews their lives, as England and France, allies at the time, negotiated and hesitated too long before they noticed that Hitler had to be fought, not bound to toothless agreements.

Appeasement legitimized and stabilized Communism in the Soviet Union, then East Germany, then all the rest of Eastern Europe, where for decades, inhuman suppressive, murderous governments were glorified as the ideologically correct alternative to all other possibilities.

Appeasement crippled Europe when genocide ran rampant in Kosovo, and even though we had absolute proof of ongoing mass-murder, we Europeans debated and debated and debated, and were still debating when finally the Americans had to come from halfway around the world, into Europe yet again, and do our work for us.

Rather than protecting democracy in the Middle East, European Appeasement, camouflaged behind the fuzzy word "equidistance," now countenances suicide bombings in Israel by fundamentalist Palestinians.

Appeasement generates a mentality that allows Europe to ignore nearly 500,000 victims of Saddam's torture and murder machinery and, motivated by the self-righteousness of the peace movement, has the gall to issue bad grades to George Bush... Even as it is uncovered that the loudest critics of the American action in Iraq made illicit billions, no, TENS of billions, in the corrupt U.N. Oil-for-Food program.

And now we are faced with a particularly grotesque form of appeasement. How is Germany reacting to the escalating violence by Islamic Fundamentalists in Holland and elsewhere? By suggesting that we really should have a "Muslim Holiday" in Germany?

I wish I were joking, but I am not. A substantial fraction of our (German) Government, and if the polls are to be believed, the German people, actually believe that creating an Official State "Muslim Holiday" will somehow spare us from the wrath of the fanatical Islamists. One cannot help but recall Britain's Neville Chamberlain waving the laughable treaty signed by Adolph Hitler and declaring European "Peace in our time".

What else has to happen before the European public and its political leadership get it? There is a sort of crusade underway, an especially perfidious crusade consisting of systematic attacks by fanatic Muslims, focused on civilians, directed against our free, open Western societies, and intent upon Western Civilization's utter destruction.

It is a conflict that will most likely last longer than any of the great military conflicts of the last century - a conflict conducted by an enemy that cannot be tamed by "tolerance" and "accommodation" but is actually spurred on by such gestures, which have proven to be, and will always be taken by the Islamists for signs of weakness. Only two recent American Presidents had the courage needed for Anti-appeasement: Reagan and Bush.

His American critics may quibble over the details, but we Europeans know the truth. We saw it first hand: Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War, freeing half of the German people from nearly 50 years of terror and virtual slavery. And Bush, supported only by the Social Democrat Blair, acting on moral conviction, recognized the danger in the Islamic War against Democracy. His place in history will have to be evaluated after a number of years have passed.

In the meantime, Europe sits back with charismatic self-confidence in the multicultural corner, instead of defending liberal society's values and being an attractive center of power on the same playing field as the true great powers, America and China.

On the contrary - we Europeans present ourselves, in contrast to those "arrogant Americans", as the World Champions of "tolerance", which even (Germany's Interior Minister) Otto Schily justifiably criticizes. Why? Because we're so moral? I fear it's more because we're so materialistic, so devoid of a moral compass.

For his policies, Bush risks the fall of the dollar, huge amounts of additional national debt, and a massive and persistent burden on the American economy - because unlike almost all of Europe, Bush realizes what is at stake - literally everything.

While we criticize the "capitalistic robber barons" of America because they seem too sure of their priorities, we timidly defend our Social Welfare systems. Stay out of it! It could get expensive! We'd rather discuss reducing our 35-hour workweek or our dental coverage, or our 4 weeks of paid vacation... Or listen to TV pastors preach about the need to "reach out to terrorists. To understand and forgive".

These days, Europe reminds me of an old woman who, with shaking hands, frantically hides her last pieces of jewelry when she notices a robber breaking into a neighbor's house.

Appeasement?

Europe, thy name is Cowardice.

---God Bless America---

Watch Your Hiney, Y'all Heah Now?

Fifteen Ways To Avoid A Good Old Southern Ass Whuppin

Issued by the Southern Tourism Bureau to ALL visiting Northerners, Northeasterners, Northwesterners, Westerners and Southwestern Urbanites

01) Don't order filet mignon or pasta primavera at Waffle House. It's just a diner. They serve breakfast 24 hours a day. Let them cook something they know. If you confuse them, they'll kick your ass

02) Don't laugh at our Southern names (Merleen, Luther, Tammy Lynn, Inez, Billy Joe, Sissy, Clovis, etc.) or we will just HAVE to kick your ass

03) Don't order a bottle of pop or a can of soda down here. Down here it's called Coke. Nobody gives a flying rat's ass whether it's Pepsi, RC, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up or whatever... it's still a Coke. Accept it. Doing otherwise can lead to an ass kicking.

04) We know our heritage. Most of us are more literate than you (e.g., Welty, Williams, Faulkner). We are also better educated and generally a lot nicer. Don't refer to us as a bunch of hillbillies or we'll kick your ass.

05) We have plenty of business sense (e.g., Fred Smith of Fed Ex, Sam Walton, Turner Broadcasting, MCI WorldCom, MTV, Netscape). Naturally, we do, sometimes, have small lapses in judgment (e.g., John Edwards, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, David Duke). We don't care if you think we are dumb. We are not dumb enough to let someone move to our state in order to run for the Senate. If someone tried to do that, we would kick his/her ass.

06) Don't laugh at our Civil War monuments. If Lee had listened to Longstreet and flanked Meade at Gettysburg instead of sending Pickett up the middle, you'd be paying taxes to Richmond instead of Washington. If you visit Stone Mountain and complain about the carving, we'll kick your ass.

07) We are fully aware of how high the humidity is, so shut the hell up. Just spend your money and get the hell out of here, or we'll kick your ass.

08) Don't order wheat toast at Cracker Barrel. Everyone will instantly know that you're a Yankee. Eat your biscuits like God intended with gravy. And don't put sugar on your grits, or we'll kick your ass.

09) Don't fake a Southern accent. This will incite a riot, and you will get your ass kicked.

10) Don't talk about how much better things are at home because we know better. Many of us have visited Northern hellholes like Detroit Chicago, and DC, and we have the scars to prove it. If you don't like it here, Delta is ready when you are. Move your ass on home before it gets kicked.

11) Yes, we know how to speak proper English. We talk this way because we don't want to sound like you. We don't care if you don't understand what we are saying. All other Southerners understand what we are saying, and that's all that matters. Now, go away and leave us alone, or we'll kick your ass.

12) Don't complain that the South is dirty and polluted. None of OUR lakes or rivers have caught fire recently. If you whine about OUR scenic beauty, we'll kick your ass all the way back to Boston Harbor.

13) Don't ridicule our Southern manners. We say sir and ma'am. We hold doors open for others. We offer our seats to old folks because such things are expected of civilized people. Behave yourselves around our sweet little gray-haired grandmothers or they'll kick some manners into your ass just like they did ours.

14) So you think we're quaint, or losers, because most of us live in the countryside? That's because we have enough sense to not live in filthy, smelly, crime infested cesspools like New York, Baltimore or Boston. Make fun of our fresh air, and we'll kick your ass.

15) Last, but not least, DO NOT DARE to come down here and tell us how to cook barbecue. This will get your ass shot (right after it is kicked). You're lucky we let you come down here at all. Criticize our barbecue, and you will go home in a pine box... Minus your ass.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Better Armed AND Anonymous

Difster, the lesbian, says (on my nifty new sidebar comments):

Taylor, I agree with Res. But I think you should have a picture of you posed with firearms. It might be sufficiently intimidating to some and well, the rest of us will be quite pleased.

I do have a nice photo of myself holding an AK-47 at my aunt's place in the country. But, I don't think it would be intimidating to psychos and they are out here - one is all it takes.

For my peace of mind, I'll keep my identity hidden as best I can. I've had my share of problems with unwanted attention. You guys don't fully grasp how it can be for a single woman. I'm not paranoid, but I'm not stupid either. Also, I have always been a very private person.

This medium is appealing to me in that I can interact with people and still remain anonymous and maintain my privacy. Also, I'd like to be able to rant to my little heart's content without having some wackos intimidate me. It is not uncommon in this blogging business from what I understand.

I made a music video for Res a while back with a little intro and have gotten emails through the YouTube account from men and they weren't interested in Pachelbel... Just from my voice! Geesh, the mind boggles to think what I could do through the Internet if I half-tried.

I've learned to keep a very low profile when in the public arena. Even in private, there's always the Para .45 or S&W .38 Special loaded with hollow point bullets within arm's reach. I have a neighbor who has been making himself increasingly intrusive. He showed up at my back door the other evening out of the blue. I do not appreciate that as I have never given him the slightest indication that I am interested in him.

Besides all that, you guys already think I'm a tease as it is. Forget it.

An Old Cowboy

An old cowboy sat down at the Starbucks and ordered a cup of coffee. As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him.

She turned to the cowboy and asked, "Are you a real cowboy?"

He replied, "Well, I've spent my whole life breaking colts, working cows, going to rodeos, fixing fences, pulling calves,bailing hay, doctoring calves, cleaning my barn, fixing flats, working on tractors, and feeding my dogs, so I guess I am a cowboy."

She said, "I'm a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about women. When I shower, I think about women. When I watch TV, I think about women. I even think about women when I eat. It seems that everything makes me think of women."

The two sat sipping in silence.

A little while later, a man sat down on the other side of the old cowboy and asked, "Are you a real cowboy?"

He replied, "I always thought I was, but I just found out that I'm a lesbian."

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

... And The Horse You Rode In On

It is truly a pathetic society in which we live. There's that fag who didn't like that black dude calling him a fag, so, wham, black dude is ordered to undergo Fag Sensitivity Brainwashing to save his job. And now, more from the I don't like what you're saying so I'm going to demand that you change insanity that runs rampant in this thought-control culture.

From U.S. restaurants blast Kevin Federline TV ad:

A leading restaurant association has called for the cancellation of a TV commercial featuring Britney Spears' estranged husband, Kevin Federline, as a failed rap star working in a fast-food eatery.

Where does anyone get the right to demand anything simply because they don't like the implication or is insulted by what is being said? My sensibilities are insulted every single day. I can turn off the television, hit the x button on the page I downloaded, close the newspaper, hang up the phone, leave the room. There are two things that you have the right to do when offended: 1) remove yourself from offensive source 2) confront the offensive source. That's it. You do not have the right to FORCE someone to change their mind, their words or their attitudes to suit you. You do not have the right to demand that someone respect you, your ideals, your lifestyle or your interest.

We have libel and slander laws. Here is Wiki's definition:

In law, defamation is the communication of a statement that makes a false claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may harm the reputation of an individual, business, product, group, government or nation. Most jurisdictions provide legal actions, civil and/or criminal, to punish various kinds of defamation.

The common law origins of defamation lie in the torts of slander (harmful statement in a transitory form, especially speech) and libel (harmful statement in a fixed medium, especially writing but also a picture, sign, or electronic broadcast), each of which gives a common law right of action.

If you think you have a case, take them to court, otherwise, deal with it.