Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Change is Needed in the White House


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Larry King

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See Judge Andrew P. Napolitano

Monday, November 21, 2005

Eliminating Obscenities


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The entire point of Joyce Bellentyne-Brand's Coppertone illustration was to show the little girl's tan line, and therefore hightlight the effectiveness of the suntan lotion.

Extreme right-wing Christians have created such pressure to "eliminate obscenities" that companies like Coppertone are now covering up something that was perfectly acceptable in the 1950's. The ad no longer even makes sense.

Isn't it ironic that the US has killed thousands and has spent billions to "bring freedom" to Iraq, yet within the US itself the government each day takes away freedoms from Americans that they have enjoyed for decades?

Now THAT is obscene!

Friday, November 18, 2005

The Canine Covenant

Imagine a primitive human village in East Asia, about 100,000 years ago, during a cold and hard winter. A hungry and weak omega wolf, banished by it’s own pack, takes interest in the smells of food coming from that village. The villagers, driven by empathy, or perhaps fear, throw food scraps out to the emaciated wolf. The wolf comes closer each day, eating the scraps, and one day the wolf wanders freely though the village. For once man does not fear the wolf, and the wolf does not fear the man. The wolf eats and drinks, and becomes strong again.

The wolf and the man, now comfortable with each other’s presence, accompany each other on a hunt. The wolf, master hunter, demonstrates its remarkable tracking skills. With its powerful sense of smell, and highly acute hearing, the wolf effortlessly locates the prey. Man, with his long-range spear weapon easily brings down the prey. A strange partnership demonstrates itself to both the wolf and the man – a partnership that immediately benefits both parties.

Happy with the hunt the humans and the wolf eagerly share the bounty of the kill. First they share hunting, and food. Then, the wolf spends time in the human village, then dwelling -- sharing the warmth and safety. Now the wolf’s instinctual desire to protect its territory comes into play, and with a fearful snarl and a show of sharp teeth the wolf protect the human family from trespassers.

Appreciation for the food, protection, joyous play, and shelter create a sincere emotional bond, and the wolf and the man become brothers. There is affection between them, and, in time, the humans have a new partner – the wolf

A remarkable symbiotic relationship never before seen in nature has begun.

The villagers enjoy their new wolf friends, but the relationship was far from perfect. The wolves were indeed wild animals, whether they were accustomed to human contact or not. The wolves came and went as they pleased. They had thick wiry coats that were not soft to the touch. They marked their territory, including the huts, with copious amounts of urine. The wolves’ great strength and love of chewing made them adept at chewing up and tearing apart any man-made items with ease, and their propensity to dig deep burrows was not always appreciated.

At this point, in an effort to “improve” the wolves, man began to selectively breed them. The domestication process began – the process of training and adapting the wolves to live in a human environment and to be “of use” to humans.

The wolf’s long thick protective coat gives way to a short soft coat. The wolves large sharp teeth give way to smaller blunt teeth. The wolves’ wandering was reduced by a process of pedomorphosis—the retention of juvenile characteristics in the adult. The domesticated wolf literally never grew up, and treated the human as the parent. The domesticated wolf was always to be a infant -- needing the human to feed it, to shelter it, and to care for it.

Whether man was conscious of it or not, the moment man took away the wolf’s ability to live on it’s own and fend for itself, a covenant was made. A formal agreement from man to wolf that said:

I, man, have bred away your wildness – you can’t hunt or survive in the wild anymore. Instead you will live with humans, and you will keep us warm, you will help us hunt, you will protect us and our territory, and you will be our unconditional companions. You will be subordinate to us – a helpless child forever. In exchange for this I promise to feed you, shelter you, exercise you, play with you, heal you when you’re sick, and care for you when you’re old.

Man’s selective domestication of the wolf created a new animal, and animal we call a dog. Man’s success with domestication of wolf to dog was not enough. “Dog” could be further improved to do more for man. Over thousands of years dog was bred into the current 300 separate breeds. Now with 300 types of dog, there are dogs that hunt rats, pull carts, protect property, retrieve birds, track prey, herd sheep, or simply provide companionship.

So now we find ourselves in the modern world. Few people need dogs that hunt rats, herd sheep, or retrieve prey. It seems we need them less than our primitive ancestors, yet we still have dogs.

Modern dogs have adapted to modern human needs. Seeing Eye dogs guide the blind. Drug sniffing dogs and Police Dogs fight crime. Rescue dogs find survivors under tons of rubble. Therapy dogs give the elderly the love and attention they don’t get from their own human family. This is evidence that dogs continue to honor their end of the Canine Covenant.

Do humans honor their end of the Canine Covenant?

Shelters are packed full of abandoned and unwanted dogs. Organizations like Delta Rescue devote full-time to rescuing dogs that owners abandon in the wilderness in the terribly mistaken notion that dogs can “survive on their own”. Other, less fortunate dogs are abused, given illegal drugs, neglected, tortured, or brutalized and killed by humans.

What are the rationales that humans use to violate their agreement?

“Well, now that we have our baby, we’ll have to find a new home for Rover.”

“Who has time to walk a dog? I have such a busy life!”

“Our dog is very destructive, so we’re taking him to the pound”

“Our dog is getting old, and caring for him is a burden. We’re going to have him put to sleep.”

“We’re moving, so we have to give Rover up for adoption”

“We need to evacuate this area, and they won’t let us take our dog, so we’ll just have to leave him here.”

“I just don’t have time to groom Rover”

Humans can choose to get a dog, or to not get a dog in the first place. If a human has any doubt that they won’t be able to care for a dog under all circumstances for the dog’s entire life, then that person simply shouldn’t get a dog!

Anybody who already has a dog, MUST make it their personal responsibility to PERSONALLY find a good home for the dog. Most dogs that end up in shelters end up being put to sleep.

Getting a dog you can’t care for, neglecting a dog, or failing to care for a dog for its entire life is a violation of the human side of the Canine Covenant.

DOGS HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO HONOR THEIR END OF THE CANINE COVENANT. Without humans to care for them, dogs will die.

HUMANS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE NO CONSEQUENCE FOR VIOLATING THEIR END OF THE CANINE COVENANT, OTHER THAN THEIR CONSCIENCE.

Please, honor the Canine Covenant. Share the Canine Covenant with your friends. Adopt a dog from a shelter instead of buying one from a breeder or pet-store. Have your dog fixed. Give your dog love, care, food, water, medicine and care for him or her for the rest of their life.

All your dog has is love. And all you need to do is find some love in you to give to your dog.

Aurora


I'll admit it all began with some research. I wanted a dog that had a low likelihood of genetic problems, was easy-to-train and was big and fluffy. My research led me to a breed I've never heard of before -- the Belgian Tervuren.

I found an organization called Belgian Tervuren Rescue, and I found a "Terv" to adopt, at that time her name was "Foxy" -- no one knows her birth name. I filled out a form and within two weeks Aurora's foster dad called us. Within days I was at LA Airport picking her up from her long flight from Ames, Iowa.

She rode home on my lap. Even though she was shaking, she somehow seemed regal in her posture and manner, so I named her Aurora after Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. It's a beautiful name for a beautiful creature.

At first Aurora was terrified of everything - you couldn't stand up without her running out of the room shaking. She must have been terribly abused. It turns out she was a puppy mill "mommy," living in a cage all her life doing nothing but having one litter of puppies after another. Finally the authorities shut down the trailer-park puppy mill, and Aurora was liberated.

She has had appropriate medication administered for her condition - regular doses of love and attention. Over time she's calmed down, and she doesn't fear sounds and rapid movements any more. Now she's much more likely to walk right up to you, press her big fuzzy body up against you and then look at you as if to say "now you may pet me".

You might consider this ridiculous, but I think Aurora is an angel. How an animal can come from such horrible beginnings, to become an agent of unconditional love and acceptance is nothing less than divine. I truly thank God for her.

Holding Babies


A few years back I worked at in an office where for some reason every (and I mean EVERY) woman somehow became pregnant simultaneously. There were frequent jokes about "something in the water". Even the general manager was preggers.

Then it happened, the first baby-in-the-office visit. I do not enjoy holding babies. They feel altogether too fragile to me, I don't want the responsibility, and... I get nothing out of it. Holding a baby for me is like holding a water-balloon filled with jello. I'm totally non-plused by the prospect.

So, "mother one" shoves baby into Sam's face and says "Here! Hold my new baby!". To which I responeded, "No thanks."

You should have seen what transpired next. "How rude!", "You don't LOVE BABIES?!", "Even if you don't love babies, it's rude not to hold her baby!", "THIS GOD-DAMNED BABY IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, PRECIOUS, UNIQUE AND FANTASTIC THING EVER TO EXIST IN AND BEYOND THE KNOWN F*ING UNIVERSE AND YOU'D BETTER EAGERLY HOLD IT AND COO AND FUSS OVER IT OR I WILL CRACK YOU F*ING SKULL OPEN WITH MY DIAPER BAG! WHY DON'T YOU LOVE MY BABY YOU MOTHER F*ING FREAK OF NATURE!!!! What kind of mutant, perverted, satan worshiping, ass-hole are you!", etc., etc., etc.

I'm not kidding when I say it was traumatic for me.

The next time a baby showed up, I closed my door and told my secretary I was on an important phone call. I could hear all the people outside my office cooing over the precious baby. Then I heard, "Where's Sam". "Oh, he's on an important phone call", "Oh! We'll see about that!"

The next thing I knew my door flew open and I was being handed a baby again! Ahhhh! And me without an escape route!

Now comes the embarrasing part.

Remember EVERY woman in the office was having babies around this time, and hardly a day went by without a new baby or two making the rounds...

The next time "baby time" came around, I heard all work stop, I hear the cooing, and then I did the manly thing and hid under my desk (I'm not kidding or exaggerating here) and stayed perfectly quiet.

I could hear people looking for me to hand me the baby, but I was "gone" so the baby appreciation parade passed me by.

The under-the-desk-baby-avoidance technique worked, and I did it time and time again.

I have to say I don't understand people's insistance on having people hold their post-fetal spawn. And why is everyone expected to eagerly participate?!

Don't I have a right to be less than excited about babies?!

Perfect Feet


Those who know me are aware that I have a fondness for women’s feet. I was asked recently what I thought perfect feet were so I will share my opinion here.

First let me say that women’s feet are as beautiful and important as any other part of a woman’s body. I personally pay as much attention to them as I do a woman’s hands. Sadly, though, feet are terribly neglected and often horribly abused. I don’t know why feet have been relegated to second-class status especially when they can be so attractive, and even sexy!

Often, women only think about their feet when summer rolls around, and they start thinking about wearing sandals. Sometimes women think of their feet only after years of abuse has caused foot pain. Women, and foot lovers like me would all be much happier if women would consider and care for their feet all year-round.

What makes Perfect Feet?

  1. No toenail paint -- clear or “French” are okay.
  2. Trimmed toenails.
  3. Straight toes -- no crushed, deformed or bent toes
  4. No…
    1. bunions
    2. calluses
    3. hammer toes
    4. blisters
    5. bunions
    6. red rub-marks
    7. toe-nail fungus
    8. corns
    9. dry cracked skin


Simply refusing to wear ill-fitting shoes can easily attain nearly every item on the list above!!

Toe Length:

As far as toe length goes, I pretty much think anything is cool. My personal favorite is “Roman Toes” in which the second toe is longer than the big-toe. The only toe length I find less than attractive is really short toes of about the same length.

Foot Size:

I don’t much care low big a woman’s feet are – in fact, long feet and toes are pretty sexy, but small delicate feet are great too!

Foot Smell:

Fresh clean feet are sexy. I think a mild foot smell is okay and kinda sexy too. I don’t much care for really stinky feet.

A Rant about Toenail Paint:

Note about my choice of terminology: I don’t say “nail polish” because that’s a false term. “Polish” does not change the color of the item it is applied to. Polish applies a clear protective coating. I am making an effort to call “nail polish” what it really is… “Toenail paint”. Even the manufacturers of the product are now calling it “nail color”.

As you’ve probably already divined, I don’t like toenail paint. I’ve given this some thought, and I think it boils down to personal taste. I tend to prefer it when women wear a minimum of makeup on their face. I’m sure at the point when I say “yuck, too much!” other people look at that same face and say “perfect!”

I have a tremendous appreciation for women’s feet, and for me seeing them without toenail paint makes them even more natural and beautiful. It allows me to appreciate every tiny curve and subtle change of skin-tone without having a red-flashing light (toenail paint) distracting me from the subtle beauty. And when there is toenail paint, it’s never applied perfectly, so my eyes immediately go to the “overspray” areas where the paint is on the cuticles or on the sides of the nail bed, or I notice the chips and other imperfections in the paint-job.

Women also are very prone to abusing their feet by cramming them into ill-fitting shoes. This deforms the shape of the toes and toenails over time. Toenail paint, especially the dark colors, does nothing but emphasize the deformed nail shape. And that’s not a pretty sight.

A few years back, I conducted a massive Internet survey of men and their opinions about toenail paint. Although the exact numbers aren’t in front of me, I can say that about 80% of men strongly preferred clear, beige colored paint, or no paint at all. Only about 10% of men strongly preferred red toenail paint. About 2% liked black. So if women are doing this to get positive attention from men, they’re not succeeding.

I firmly believe that many women don’t care much about what men want or like, and instead decorate themselves in some effort to “feel better about themselves” or perhaps to compete with other women.

A gal I know told me that when she's at the salon, and they finish her pedicure, they always ask her to pick a “color” – as if toenail paint was a mandatory part of a pedicure. Why do the salon people ask that? Why is it so hard for the customer to say “No color, thank you.”, or “Clear, please”.

Maybe it’s like going to a fast-food restaurant and ordering a burger. If they didn’t ask, “Do you want fries with that?” you probably wouldn’t order fries.

I don’t think many women wear toenail paint to cover flaws. Although on rare occasion you’ll see a woman wearing toenail-paint on her toenail fungus infected toenails with hideous results. Yuck!

I think many women get toenail-paint because it DOES attract attention to their feet. The problem, in my opinion, is that it is a kind of “blind attention”. I’ve noticed that it’s often the women who have really trashed feet who are the ones who most often wear toenail-paint – and they often wear the most “attention getting” colors. Why draw attention to feet that are in such sad shape -- feet that are so hard to look at? Can’t these women tell that they’re drawing attention to their unfortunate collection of bunions, blusters, corns and calluses? These women seem blind to this ironic “drawing attention to something they should be hiding” effect. It’s like a person with a huge mole on their face getting a tattoo near the mole that says “Hey! Look at my huge mole!”

I think some women feel that toenail-paint “dresses up” their feet. I think they just don’t realize that women’s feet are subtle, natural, and amazingly beautiful things ALREADY, and painting their toes overwhelms the delicate beauty they already possess.

The sad irony is that when women discover that many men just love their feet, they think “Oh! I had better pay some attention to my feet then!” and instead of giving their feet the attention their feet really need (like healing corns, removing calluses and buying shoes that don’t crush their toes), they start wearing shoes that are too-small (CAUSING corns and calluses) and wearing “attention getting” toenail-paint (which does nothing but ACCENTUATE the flaws in their feet).

I guess what I’m saying, in all of this, is that I think women’s feet are stunningly beautiful – just the way they are naturally. I appreciate the natural beauty of a woman’s foot, the more natural and un-abused the better. When women wear toenail paint, in my opinion, they are “gilding the lily” and in the process, diminishing the beauty.

"Thank You!" to all off the beautiful women who show off their gorgeous natural, and perfect feet -- you bring me pleasure every day!


Photo Gallery of Perfect Feet

Here are 20 of my favorite pictures of beautiful women's feet. Enjoy!



















NEWS: Check out the new post "More Perfect Feet"