TumericaTumericaProgressive politics, personal poetry, food fanatacism, and beauty natterings. Freshly baked, original content. Articles
Government Insider Asserts Bush Authorized 9/11 Attacks
2007-05-13 00:20:00 ?Turning the U.S. into a Presidential Dictatorship by Manufacturing a Bogus Pearl Harbor Event?Former Senator Bob Dole's Chief of Staff, Stanley Hilton, stated in an interview with the 9/11 Truth movement leader and physicist, Alex Jones, that: ?This (9/11) was all planned. This was a government-ordered operation. Bush personally signed the order. He personally authorized the attacks. He is guilty of treason and mass murder.? Hilton is a hot-shot lawyer who was working on a class-action lawsuit from 2002 to 2004, on behalf of hundreds of September 11, 2001 victims and families.Reported Hilton, ?Our case is alleging that Bush and his puppets Rice and Cheney and Mueller and Rumsfeld and so forth, Tenet, were all involved not only in aiding and abetting and allowing 9/11 to happen but in actually ordering it to happen. Bush personally ordered it to happen.?We have some very incriminating documents as well as eye-witnesses, that Bush personally ordered this event to happen in or... More About: Government , Inside , Over , Side
Mass Nakedness in Mexico via Spencer Tunick: ˇViva la desnudez!
2007-05-07 19:24:00 Thousands and thousands of naked people, peaceful, resting, arranged in silence. Men, women, thin, thick, light, dark, all radically radiant in their simple nudity. Spencer Tunic k the infamous photographer of masses of nude people arranged in artistic splendor, has just completed his installation in Mexico City, May 6. The largest turnout in the history of his en masse nude photography projects?the next largest turnout for one of his shoots was 7,000?a giganormous 18,000 volunteers stripped bare in the historic Zocalo Plaza and arranged themselves as he directed. The three positions for this sitting were giving a salute, lying in a fetal position, and lying prone. Tunick uses the vast swaths of human flesh as a mosaic, and the individuals in his photos are asexual but not merely decorative. There's something elegant and surreally beautiful about his work and about his use of collections of humans as his canvas.The photos posted here?above and below?are from previous shoots, and are... More About: Nick , Ness
9/11: Major Italian TV network: conclusive evidence that WTC Building 7 was
2007-05-03 19:13:00 In April 2007, Italian TV broadcast definitive proof that WTC Building 7 was demolished by explosives. For the rest of the series, go to luogocomune.net. More About: Evidence , Network , That
Heckuva Job, Bushie: Terrorism Leaps 25% in 2006
2007-05-02 01:01:00 Quickie Facts from the U.S. Department of State Report on Terrorism . Rest assured, it's worse than actually reported. After all, this is a U.S. source doing the reporting. Although the results do fan the flames of the perpetual war machine for which Bush and his Grim Reapublicans provide the wheels and chassis. Also, more propaganda--and expect to see a continuing stream of this--to support a cause for attacking Iran. Makes you want to say, "Heckuva job, Bushie," in a fake Texas drawl (thanks, Lemming Herder, for reminding us Bush was a carpet-bagger and by no means a gen-you-ine Texan) for whatever part of it is actually true:Terrorist attacks worldwide shot up 25% in 2006, to a total of 14,000Terrorist attacks killed 40% more people because attackers used increasingly lethal weaponsIran remains the biggest supporter of terrorism (Propaganda from Bushco--"Iran is bad. We must attack Iran.)Attacks took place mainly in Iraq and AfghanistanAttacks claimed more than 20,000 lives, two... More About: Progressive Politics , Error , Leap
"Impeach the Peach at the Beach" Event in Ventura, California
2007-04-30 21:44:00 Saturday was national Impeachment day and there were live protests staged all over the country. So Saturday my family and I all went to the beach (yeah, it's only a mile away) on a cloudy morning and joined with some other volunteers to help spell out the letters, "IMPEACH" in the sand. Each letter was about 20' by 20', and we mounded the letters up and surrounded them with rocks. It was hard work but fun. I got a blister on my right thumb from the shovel (that's me in the light-green t-shirt and jeans). Even my almost four-year-old Jaclyn (at the bottom of the pic above) scooped up water to pour onto our sand letters (wouldn't it be funny if the first word she learned how to write was "IMPEACH"?) Here's what our handiwork looked like at the end of the day. More About: Event , California , Beach , Anti-War , Progressive Politics
Return of the High-waist Pant: Channeling Katherine Hepburn with Demure Sex
2007-04-26 19:10:00 Oh, I am excited about the return of the high-waist pant. Low-low-waist is so 90s and now looks a bit, well, trashy. Somewhat-low waist (a couple of inches below the waist) has been good because it's comfortable while still covering all the necessary parts--and I'm still going to wear those, especially the wide-legged ones. Medium-waist--the look that was hot in the 80s--was the style that what made me craziest of all. When pants hit you right on your waistline, you can't breathe as well. Kinda like neckties restrict the flow of blood to a man's brain. Same kind of physical annoyance.Now a true high-waist pant, one that hits a couple of inches above the waist shows off a woman's curves while throwing in an aura of demure sexiness (and voila, you can still breathe--because your tummy stretches where the material is looser). The high waist must be the right height and cut. Like Debutante Clothing blog said, they gotta have leg volume to balance the high waist. So sexy, so Katheri... More About: High , Return , Channel , Katherine , Anne
Chain-chain-chain, Cheney of Fools / But Impeachment Now May Be the New Rul
2007-04-25 19:16:00 Chain, chain, chain, Cheney of fools Six long years you thought you were The Man But we found out about your evil plans Thought you had us where you wanted us But we ain't gonna stay your fools You treated us mean oh you treated us cruelBut impeachment now may be the new ruleChain, chain, chain, Cheney of fools Oh, my pet topic has finally come up for real?the topic Nancy Pelosi made a secret under-the-table deal with the Grim-Reapublican party not to introduce if she be made speaker. (Hey, I like Pelosi, but she did not have to sell any soul to get where she got--she had the momentum going anyway.)Back to impeachment, maverick and bold and wonderful Dennis Kucinich--who also practices yoga, by the way, just one of many reasons why I love him--has introduced articles of impeachment--bless you, Denny-boy--today against, well, Cheney. His logic was unimpeachable, insisting it's more "practical" to impeach Cheney than Bush.You know, I often wondered how that would work. We impea... More About: Impeachment , Fool , Impeach , Peach
Famous Rampage Killings of 15 or More People during the Past Century
2007-04-19 20:32:00 Author's Note: Click the link below to see a detailed chart comparing famous rampage killings (excluding those related to war, or done by governments, such as with Tiananmen Square) where 15 or more people died, and that took place in the last century. My purpose is to show that there have been various weapons, settings, nationalities, etc., for the type of killing spree such as Cho Seung-hui perpetrated this past Monday.I feel compelled due to the backlash against my Korean-American friends to put a more balanced face on these rampage killings. Not that this information will bring us any comfort in our grief, but it should remind us that it's impossible to correctly blame any one place or time or weapon or nationality. Most mass-murderers (in the sample below) were U.S. citizens, but Australia, Cuba, Brazil, and other countries are not immune. Most weapons used were guns, but gasoline and bombs and even bare hands were used as well. This phenomenon is not just a late... More About: People , Famous , Ring , Past , More
BREAKING NEWS: VT Mass-murderer Sent Package to NBC News
2007-04-18 22:58:00 The president of NBC News , Steve Capus, reports that he received a package today, Wednesday, from the mass-murderer, Cho Seung-hui. The package from Cho apparently contains "a manifesto of sorts, photographs and other material," as well as videos, but Capus has since turned the "multi-media manifesto" over to the FBI. Cho sent the package during the two-hour time slot between the first shooting and the second, according to the time-stamp on the package.More on MSNBC.com More About: Breaking News , King , Breaking , Mass
Virginia Tech Mass-murderer Leaves Behind Disturbing Creative Writings
2007-04-17 22:27:00 What makes someone go postal? Does it start with a sociopathic personality, one with complete disregard for compassion? Is it more a desperate unquenchable urge to control? What turns simmering anger and hate and frustration into the thought that goes into purchasing guns and chains, plotting to attack, and killing as many as possible before the self-imposed end?EarthTimes.org reports, the Virginia Tech mass murderer, Cho Seung-hui, left a note listing his hatred of "rich kids," "debauchery" and "deceitful charlatans." The Chicago Tribune reports the note was found in Cho's Harper Hall dorm room. Cho, 23, a legal permanent resident on a Green Card, came to the United States in 1992. He was described as a loner and even reviled by his fellow students, as shows up in FaceBook.com, in discussion groups such as "Cho Seung-Hui is pure evil," and "I Hope Cho Seung-hui Burns in Hell." On NPR this morning, there was discussion that his first female victim was also the object of his unrequi... More About: Creative , Writings
Deadliest Shooting Incident in the US and Bush Reiterates "Right for People
2007-04-16 21:47:00 33 dead in Blacksburg, Virginia in the otherwise peaceful, gorgeous Virginia Tech campus, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. A lone gunman, Cho Seung-Hui, 23, an English major at the school, was able to go on two shooting rampages?two hours and one half-mile apart. but apparently chained the doors of the classroom and the dormitory before he opened fire in each. Dozens have also been injured, some critically. "One student told CBS News the killer . . . walked into his German class and shot a student and professor before systematically shooting nearly all of the other students in the room." The gunman, as so often happens in these massacre-rampages, killed himself as well.My sister Brenda's nephew Pete is a student at Virginia Tech. She learned that Pete is OK, and they've been text-messaging each other words of love and peace, though maybe it's too soon to think about healing.Deputy Press Secretary, Dana Perino, in Tony Snow's health absence, has been voicing the unthinkable f... More About: Bush , People , Shooting , Right , Incident
Home-grown Viagra Alternative Has UK Riled Up
2007-04-01 19:17:00 Once upon a time, the only aphrodisiacs were the ones that were reputed—by either extreme cost and rareness (rhino horn, sea turtle, whale penis, etc.), or by sheer pleasure of indulgence (chocolate, oysters, candlelit dinners at expensive restaurants, etc.) rather than actual. Oh, wait—there was one—Spanish Fly—that was apparently effective, but the over-indulgence of same could lead to death.Fast-forward to the 21st century and you have the pharmaceuticals erecting their tents of fortitude in the aphrodisiac market (if you thought this article would avoid the chance at silly puns, you were wrong!). Viagra , Cialis, Levitra and other prescription gravity-defiers came to fruition—and all reputedly work well to counteract impotence. Meanwhile, non-prescription aphrodisiacs have also made a resurgence (with such clever brand names as Rise 2, ProVigrax, PassionRX, and Zenerx). And other, more simple herbal assistants, such as yohimbe, passion flower, and horny goat weed (I am ... More About: Alternative , Home , Grown , Agra
My Sweet Lord: Uncertain Future for Chocolate Sans Loincloth Jesus
2007-03-31 16:24:00 Gallery owners are all in a dither. Should we display the newly sculpted 200-pound milk chocolate Jesus —or refrigerate him? And if we do not side with the artist, who obviously put extreme pride in his latest work, should we risk angering the artistic community? What about artistic integrity and freedom of expression? Why do politics and ardent religious groups and art have such stringent boundaries that step on each other so painfully, they must be wondering.Manhattan's Lab Gallery spokesmen seem surprised by the volume of angry e-mails and threatening calls they have received. Just what is it that angers the mostly Catholic groups? The nudity of the sculpture, which shows Jesus' manhood in anatomically correct detail? The timing of the exhibit opening during a religiously sensitive holiday? (The life-size "My Sweet Lord ," who stretches his arms as though hanging on an invisible cross, was slated to debut the Monday after Palm Sunday, with his final day on Easter Sunday.) The f... More About: Future , Chocolate
Where Were You When you Started to Doubt the Official 9/11 Story?
2007-03-31 00:42:00 Normally, I don't get my news from television. I'm not saying that proudly—as though I'm too good to absorb the din and clamor of the opiate of the masses, predigested spin-doctored effluvia that's seasoned heavily with propaganda. Nope, I'm saying that because I have a secret—the images of daily news are too horrific for me. What I see flashes straight through to my soul, bypassing the usual editorial board obstacle course that reason and logic have constructed over the decades. I mostly get my news from online, especially Google News ("untouched by human hands"), Truthout, and from my favorite blogs, Don't Be a Lemming, Bring It On, Postman Patel, and Robert Lindsay. I'm also fond of Newsweek (I simply filter out some of their Conservative leanings).But when September 11 hit with a giant smash on the psyche of the world, I became a televisio-drombie-zoid. I hardly slept or ate for days. I simply stared vacantly at the screen, surfed channels, and cried. The images of th... More About: Story , Arte , Start , Star , Stor
Biodiesel? Ethanol? Hemp Seed Oil? Oh My—a Primer on Alternative Fuels
2007-03-27 17:04:00 Myth: You have to have a special converter or a special engine to run alternative fuels.Truth: If you have a regular engine, you can run 15% ethanol (E-15) right now, with no conversion. If you want to use 85% ethanol (E-85), you would need to have your engine converted or own a car that is a Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV).If you have a diesel (compression-ignition) engine, you can run biodiesel right now. That is, the biodiesel you can find sold in gas stations across the U.S., the fuel that has already been refined. (Biodiesel has had the glycerin removed and is therefore ready to pump.)What's the difference between ethanol and biodiesel?Ethanol is an alcohol rather than an oil, where the primary substance that comprises it is a grain, usually corn, sometimes wheat or barley. Ethanol can come from many sources, but in the U.S., right now, it's mostly corn.Biodiesel is an oil-based fuel where the primary substance that comprises it is soybeans. Like ethanol, biodiesel can be made fr... More About: Diesel , Alternative
Good-bye, Saiki, We'll Miss You
2007-03-25 15:52:00 This morning I went to the back yard to check on Saiki, our husky-shepherd mix dog (Saiki means "talented feeling" in Japanese). She'd been breathing heavily last night and had a distant look in her blue eyes. I lay beside her on her overstuffed bed and petted her and just stayed with her for a long time. When I touched her cheek just now, she'd already gone.Saiki would have been 14 years old next Sunday, April 1. As my husband said, she's been a part of the family for a long time. Just the day before, we had all gone on a walk to the park, and she had seemed to enjoy it, though she had to pause to gather her strength on the short walk back--which was unlike her.Saiki was an alpha dog, and always ready to boss around any dog around her--except for those signigicantly bigger. For the great Danes, she'd assume the submissive posture. But even for Rottweilers, she'd attack. We loved Saiki, even knowing she could be a pain in the butt because of this alpha dog thing.Up until the en... More About: Miss , Good , Miss You , Aiki
We Had Big Hair: High School Class of 1980
2007-03-21 21:41:00 Asheville, North CarolinaYou lived in the big hair, preppyPart of the late 70s,Wore socks with high heelsCowl neck sweatersPlaids with IzodsAnd Calvin Klein jeansRemember Add-a-Beads?[“Le Freak”]You weaseled out of HomeroomFor any board game or none,Skipped class all dayTo decorate for the Junior prom.[“Boogie, Oogie, Oogie”]Your date was the class presidentWho took you anyway, even afterYou got suspended for skipping classAnd drinking with your buddies[“Bad Girls”]But the principal let you attendSo you proudly made your red satinStrapless formal from $20 worth of remnantsFrom the Piece Goods StoreThat somehow looked chic with the lace jacket.[“What a Fool Believes”]He smelled like honeyWhen you kissed himThough it never happened againStill, another entry on your Kiss List,Complete with ratings and comments—That you wish you still had.Later, you sobbed at the Catholic church downtownDuring the funeral of the cute girlWho drove into a light poleAfter the prom breakf... More About: School , High School , Hair , High , Class
Join a Get-out-of-Iraq War Vigil Tonight—Near You
2007-03-19 19:26:00 You can join others who feel the same way you do about the illegal war on Iraq . Today is the fourth anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion. There are 1,187 vigils planned across the country for tonight. Just go to MoveOn.org by following this link and type in your zip code to find the nearest one.P.S. My hubby us the second from left, in ball cap, holding my homemade sign that reads, "Can you say 'Iraquagmire'?"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~From MoveOn.org:Iraq War Anniversary VigilAmericans across the country are more concerned than ever about our direction in Iraq. Now is the time for Congress to force a change.On March 19th, thousands of us from organizations across the movement will gather together to observe the fourth anniversary of the war through candlelight vigils. We’ll solemnly honor the sacrifice made by more than 3,000 servicemen and women, and we'll contemplate the path ahead of us. We cannot send tens of thousands of exhausted, under-equipped, and unprepared troop... More About: Night , Join
Smoking Gun?: Video Coverage of WTC7 Collapse before It Collapsed
2007-03-13 21:34:00 BBC World reports the collapse of the Salomon Brothers Building (WTC 7) while it is clearly still standing outside the window behind the reporter (tall building on the right). They also give a time reference that is 23 minutes before the actual collapse. As the reporter keeps talking to the studio anchor and the time approaches the actual collapse, her feed cuts out to the BBC studio (approx. 5 minutes before). Also see footage of CNN predicting collapse close to an hour early.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Now, if the reporters are reporting information they have received off of the news wire, then the news they are reporting was reported before it occurred. Where is the advantage in that? Why would U.S. officials have released news of the collapse of WTC7 before it fell? (more) More About: Video , Collapse , Smoking , Smoking Gun , Rage
Gag Me with a Glacier: U.S. Scientists Ordered Not to Discuss Polar Bears
2007-03-12 20:19:00 Scientific censorship is on the rise in the U.S., with a recent Bush administration memo to scientists warning them not to mention the axis of evil, which is now "polar bears, sea ice, and global warming." The gag order is aimed at scientists traveling abroad on U.S. government business. Since December of 2005, the White House has been considering whether to give polar bears the status of "threatened" on the Endangered Species Act, but has yet to do so, many believe because of the concern that this would increase debate about American responsibility in the global warming scientists are also warned not to speak about. The U.S. is by far the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions: with just 4% of the total world's population, we account for 25% of its carbon dioxide generation, and this amount has risen in recent years:The Bush administration has repeatedly ignored calls to sign the Kyoto Protocol, which aims at reducing environmental pollution by 2012. Citing economic inter... More About: Scientist , Polar Bear , With , Bears , Scientists
Scooter Libby Unable to Scoot by the Law: The Sacrificial Pawn Who Protecte
2007-03-06 18:55:00 One small conviction against the Bush administration, one giant step for justice. For those of us who have been following the Libby perjury case, this conviction brings a huge sigh of relief, if not outright joy.Sadly, though, I can't help but wonder at prosecutor Fitzgerald's remarks, "As far as I'm concerned, this legal proceeding is closed." Perjury and obstruction of justice somehow seem tiny in comparison to what really must have gone on--treason, retaliation at any cost against those not supporting the build-up to the Iraq war. An administration lurking under a black cloud of secrets and machinations, with the details left for mere historians to sort out.My intuition tells me Libby was thrown to the dogs to keep them busily away from further delving into the deliberate lies and fact-fixing to trump up a case for war on Iraq. If there were no Libby to take the fall, wouldn't there have to be a top-to-bottom investigation that would necessarily reach to the Vice President an... More About: Scooter Libby , Scooter , Prot , The Law
Tumerica Dishes on Oscar Night Attire
2007-02-26 20:08:00 Like those Americans who watch the Superbowl in order to check out the extravagant or whacked out commercials (you know who I'm talking about), I admit to watching the Academy Awards either partly or wholly to check out the fashions--or lack thereof (plus I was so blown away by Pan's Labyrinth that I hoped it would take home a bevy of Oscar statues--it did). I get a naughty thrill when someone like Cameron Diaz wears a particularly dreadful dress (which she did), or when J.Lo takes home the Tumerica Prize for Best Dress and Best Overall Look--which she did. This is all in fun and does my heart good to avoid facing the cosmic chaos of impending doom in the Middle East and in the environment for a while. So what did you think about these looks?Most DeliciousJennifer LopezSpectacular dress, regal and breath-taking. Loved everything about her look. The simple wavy hair, the necklace strands of jewels in the bodice, the subtle color, and the Grecian styling. Fabulous.Gwyneth PaltrowAbs... More About: Night , Dish , Attire , Dishes
U.S. Playing Chicken with Iran: Do Deployments and Rhetoric Point to a Stri
2007-02-24 18:51:00 Deployment Near Iran Tom Ashbrook's On Point (KBUR Boston) reports“A second U.S. aircraft carrier [group] is headed to the Persian Gulf. Minesweepers, too, and Patriot missiles. The U.S. Air Force is outlining 'forceful patrols' on Iran's border.”Sounds like a military resolve, a buildup to . . . something. Is it a loud reminder to Iran to behave or a bluff? Is it preparation for an invasion or a threat-heavy distraction from the horrible daily news of Iraq? No information has been released about the purpose of this recent increased military might in the region of Iran. Robert Gates said “nobody is planning for a war with Iran,” but who believes the Secretary of State, anyway? Perhaps the U.S. is not planning an all-out invasion but a strike against Iran's nuclear facility.What Is Iran Up To?Meanwhile, Iran has been blatantly working on their pre-nuclear program lately. Two cascades of 164 centrifuges each are ready at their nuclear facility (in preparation for uranium e... More About: Play , Men , Chick , With
Rescuer Saves Neighbor from Loud Movie: Vigilante or Hero?
2007-02-22 16:13:00 Time for a confession here: this story could be about me. I hear someone being attacked violently—OHMYGOD—it's my neighbor—she's being hurt—quick—I gotta do something. Whenever I hear the story about the Good Samaritan, I want to be that one good person who helps the hurt traveler. Stories like the one in Germany recently kill me—an actor lies down in the divider on the Autobahn, pretending to be injured. No one helps him. Proof of what? That no one cares for strangers any more? I think, if I were there, I would have stopped to help. I am confessing to a hidden hero wannabeism. Maybe I watched too many Westerns as a kid. Don't know where this urge came from exactly, but it's in me.Once when I lived in a large apartment building in Japan, I heard a woman's screams and shouts of "Call the police. Help me. HEEELLLLPPP." And so I did. Called the police, that is. The next day, I was surprised when my front door was egged. Maybe my neighbor had been acting out an elaborat... More About: Movie , Rescue , Hero , Loud , Save
"War on Terror" Terrible at Containing Terrorism: Terrorist Attacks Increas
2007-02-21 21:00:00 Yes, that's got to be the single worst title for an article in blogging history. But, as Edith Anne would say, "It's the twooth." Small surprise to anyone who has been following the horrendous news from Iraq in say, the last four years, that the efforts of the current U.S. administration to curtail terrorism worldwide have failed at gargantuan levels. Mother Jones, one of the few untainted news sources on the planet, has just released a primer on the Iraq war, called "The Iraq Effect: War Has Increased Terror ism Sevenfold Worldwide." A must read--or at least a must-scan--for the compelling and telling story it reveals.Some quickie facts:21,000 U.S. soldiers have been wounded in Iraq, while 3,147 have died$368 Billion U.S. has been spent on the Iraq war since the illegal invasion March 19, 2003, and at the current rate, that's almost $2 Billion U.S. per week. To taxpayers.Between 58,000 and 62,000 Iraqi civilians have died by one estimate. By another, anywhere from 70,000 to 601,0... More About: War On Terror , Terrorist
One Man’s Feast is Another Man’s...
2007-02-21 18:43:00 Have you ever eaten anything really strange? What was it and how did you feel about eating it? Let me know.Here’s a ditty about some of my strange and stranger dining experiences—plus thoughts on why we humans eat the things we do. It ain’t always just about taste.Tumerica.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~Americans ate heartily of horseflesh, a mere century ago. The English still eat with impunity Christmas Pudding (the more lard the merrier)— That is years old. They lack disdain for internal organs, Like some Native American tribes, The Japanese, and Central Americans as well (Menudo: Tomato-intestine soup). Terrapin soup, though Not appetizing to me is an aphrodisiac to the Japanese, Who also treasure the slightly-to-deadly Toxic puffer fish flesh— Raw or otherwise. An ardent Afghanistani admirer Once made me goat stew. And was it dog or not, I dared not ask at the cafeteria in Manila. Chinese are perfectly please... More About: Other , East , Another , Feast
Bad Place to Visit, Wouldn't Want to Live There
2007-02-21 00:29:00 My colleague, Robert Lindsay, a progressive journalist in Oakhurst, California, sent me a writing prompt—something like, "Tag, you're it. Write on the topic of 'Bad Place to Visi t, Wouldn't Want to Live There.' " Easy. I know a lousy spot to visit when I experience one.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~Two weeks after I arrived in Japan for the first time—with every intention of working there to sponsor my youth-driven wanderlust—I left the Tokyo I had fallen in love with to go visit in Osaka with a Japanese college girlfriend of mine. She begged and pleaded for me to come stay with her and her new husband. During college, I had happily helped her with her tricky English-language essays whenever she asked—for two years. Heck, I thought it was fun and no big deal. She, however, saw it as a social obligation. So, to work off her karma, she had to "take care of me" while I was in her native country. I would much rather have stayed in Tokyo—the lights, the funkiness, ... More About: Here
Happy New Year, You Pig, You: Chinese New Year Welcomes Year of the Pig (Bo
2007-02-19 16:29:00 Do you believe in Chinese astrology? Not sure? Well, I asked my Japanese mama-san about it, once (she's a wise woman), and she said, "The Chinese have been studying astrology for thousands of years, and they have ancient wisdom we'd do well not to underestimate." From Chinese Astrology, "The Eastern zodiac is the oldest known horoscope system in the world. With origins tracing back to 2637 B.C." You have to have at least a modicum of respect for a subject with that kind of history behind it.Yesterday was the first day of the Chinese New Year (happy new year to all!), and the start of the year of the pig--or boar. Pig year people are thought to be lucky, so Chinese parents actually try to have children born in the year of the pig. My husband is a pig--no, I mean that in all sincerity--and is therefore deemed "polite, honest, hardworking and loyal." How about you? What are your characteristics and what's up for you this year. Even if you don't believe, it's fun to check what migh... More About: Welcome , Happy , Chinese New Year
How to Woo Your Valentine—with Chocolate Love
2007-02-07 00:59:00 Non-traditional Chocolate Love Diamonds? Nah—too pricey. Hallmark card? Too mainstream. Heart-shaped candy from the local store? Too blah. Flowers? Too obvious. Looking for a new way to woo your Valentine ? Just say yes—to chocolate. Glorious, rich, reason-to-live chocolate. Cultivated and developed on this continent (Central America and Mexico—thank you Aztecs and Mayans—you rock!), it's one of the best-loved aphrodisiacs. Unlike, say, Viagra, the ingestion of chocolate is wholly pleasurable as well as its effects. Montezuma was so convinced chocolate was an aphrodisiac, he drank huge quantities before every trip to his harem. Is it the serotonin in chocolate? The rich fatty luxury of it? Who knows for sure, but you can experiment with chocolate—accompanied by the one you wish to woo—and get back to me on how it works.Meanwhile, here a couple of ways to enjoy chocolate with your love:Chocolate MoleAhhhh, mole. The chocolate curry of Mexico. Savory chocolate—what’s no... More About: How To , With , Your
Bush-linked Thinktank Bribes Scientists to Deny Global Warming
More articles from this author:2007-02-02 18:44:00 Today, a major global warming report is to be released by the UN's International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC is the respected authority on climate change and their latest report is considered "a comprehensive and authoritative mainstream scientific assessment of climate change." Further, the report,"is expected to stress, more convincingly than ever before, that our planet is already warming due to human actions, and that 'business as usual' would lead to unacceptable risks, underscoring the urgent need for concerted international action to reduce the worst impacts of climate change. However, yet again, there will be a vocal minority with their own agendas who will try to suggest otherwise."One of those vocal minority who will suggest otherwise has apparent links to the White House. No surprise that the Bush administration, with probably the worst environmental record in history, is unfriendly to anything that thwarts its pro-business, let-the-ozone-be-damned policie... More About: Global Warming , Scientist , War , Global 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
 |
|
 |
