An Annual Event in Spokane

Armed Forces Torchlight Parade
(aka Spokane Lilac Festival Parade)

Captured by Spokanite, Josh Frost, here's a perspective of the downtown parade which took place on Saturday, May 25, as seen above West Main Avenue in a skywalk in front of River Park Square. The video was captured using an iPhone, and edited using both tiltshift and timelapse effects. Here, you can enjoy the hours-long parade in just a few minutes, as well as some great shots of the Spokane River at 'the falls' and 'the spillway' in the west-end of downtown Spokane.

[ Enjoy ]

'Obamacare' in Layman's Terms

Got 90 seconds?

Nurses explain the benefits of The Affordable Health Care Act.

Start NOW [ > ]

Now, who are you going to listen to...

...Actual health care workers, or those anti-Obama-TEA Party 'patriots'?

Analyze This

Anyone got a flashlight?

Umbrellagate

Sesame Street

(TEA Party Edition)

Sing along with me...

"Three of these kids belong together,
Three of these kids are kinda the same.
But, one of these kids is not like the others.
Now, it's time to play our game.
It's time to play our game.

Which of these kids is not like the other?
Come on, can you tell me which one?
Which of these kids does not belong?
(Can you tell me?)
Before my song is done."

As if this week wasn't already a 'FIELD DAY' for right-wing, nut-job media outlets, then, there was this nugget, from The Daily Caller. 

Note to right-wingers:

(including self-loathing, gay, Log Cabin Republicans and 'Uncle Tom' Black TEA Partiers on Twitter):

I know how much you really hate being called 'racists', but, when you're outraged by virtually everything President Barack Obama does or says that previous Presidents have done or said, you really do come off looking like racists. Exactly what is it that you really hate about this President?

Coming to America

Al Jazeera America News Channel

I'm looking forward to it, (and so is Hillary).

Check out www.aljazeera.com, now, if you haven't already.

Taking A Stand

FOR EQUALITY

Today and tomorrow, SCOTUS (Supreme Court of the United States) will be hearing arguments for and against California's Prop. 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). As we anxiously await an outcome, many of you have probably been seeing the red HRC (Human Rights Campaign) logo show up on your Facebook, Twitter & Google+ newsfeeds as many of your friends & people you may follow have been changing their profile pics to the red HRC logo.

It should go without saying that I am an advocate for equal rights. So, in honor of this viral social media movement, I've done the same on my Facebook, Twitter & Google+ profiles.

Also, on this blog, as it is a perfect time to share such a poignant piece about marriage equality, I'll share this video by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (both of whom are from Washington State; Seattle & Spokane, respectively) .

Enjoy.

"Same Love"
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert

As (Not) Seen On Fox News Channel

As world events unfold in real time, worldwide news organizations scramble to provide live coverage. This includes American cable news conglomerates like CNN, MSNBC and Fox News Channel. 

Except, when it involves President Obama making positive headway in the middle-east,  Fox News Channel chooses to pass on the LIVE coverage of unfolding, historical events. Instead, Fox News Channel offers it's own non-factual, op-ed promo that actually contradicts what is really happening in the world. 

Way to go, Fox News Channel... Talk about keeping your viewers in a 'bubble'.

REASON #10,743 to #DropFoxNews

provided by Rachel Maddow

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW on msnbc.
Live weeknights at 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern),
Rebroadcast at 9pm & 1am Pacific (midnight & 4am Eastern)
[ Xfinity (Comcast) ch 47 & HD 661 in Spokane & Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue-Everett, WA ]

Globalization At Its Worst

BARBARIC TORTURE
Chinese Fur Farm Cruelty

via Olivia Munn for PETA

China is the world's leading exporter of fur/fur goods. We're all well aware of the sweatshop factory conditions of the factory workers who produce our technological gadgets, mobile devices, and other cheap trinkets, so, the extremely cruel and barbaric measures used in China to obtain fur should come as no surprise, right?

Did you know that many of these animals are imprisoned in packed, over-crowded cages too small to move around in? Did you know that many of these animals are bludgeoned, kicked, and beaten in the head just prior to being skinned? Or, that many of these animals are skinned alive, and some are even still alive after being skinned and thrown into a pile of other dying animals that have also been skinned alive? Were you aware that within the Chinese fur trade cats and dogs are also harvested for their fur?

As a pet lover and pet owner with a cat and two dogs, this video made me very squeamish. No, I didn't know the Chinese fur trade includes harvesting dogs and cats that may have been beloved pets to loving owners. I've always steered away from anything with fur in the past, and, upon seeing this video, I'm only cemented in my stance against commercially traded fur.

This video comes with my WARNING. The content is graphic and will be upsetting to most, but, I share it so that you'll think before purchasing those fur coats, fur-lined coats, fur-trimmed jackets and fur-lined gloves. Did you really need that fur clutch or fur coin purse?

I don't think so.


WARNING: This video contains graphic content not suitable for some audiences.

Scared White People with Guns

MOST FEAR IN THE UNITED STATES IS BASED ON RACE

(a follow-up to the previous post below, titled TEA & CraKKKers)

A Brief History of the United States of America
ENJOY [ this animated video ]

TEA & CraKKKers

IF IT WALKS LIKE A DUCK, AND TALKS LIKE A DUCK...

Racists absolutely hate being called 'racist'. In this case, Ultra-conservative Americans are the 'ducks'. Executive orders issued by President Obama earlier this year have created an hysterical movement among the extreme right-wing. Mind you, NONE of the executive orders are going to take guns away from anyone in America. But, these guys will have you thinking that Obama IS coming to take your guns. And, because they think the President has granted himself the power to confiscate your firearms, they also believe that our President is also going to follow-up by taking your car, your home and even your life. 

CPN (Conservative Political Network) listeners are seen here, calling in to Stan Solomon, on the Solomon Show Live, 'freaking-out' in hysterical rants that suggest that President Obama is creating some sort of secret, underground, Black Army to take out White America.

I'm not making this stuff up. That's scary.

Q. What's becoming my own biggest fear?

A. Ultra-conservative, scared, White Americans with guns.

They're just as dangerous (if not, more dangerous) than Al Qaeda.

ENJOY
[ a follow-up post featuring the animated video, A Brief History of the United States of America ]

Pay No Attention to the Troll

The Rachel Maddow Show (msnbc) 

"NRA Sidelined While Grown-Ups Work On Gun Safety"

trolling -(v.) behaving in a manner that is meant to intentionally anger or frustrate someone else in order to provoke a response.

Examples of modern-day, conservative trolls:
- Ann Coulter

- Rush Limbaugh

- Michael Savage

- Mark Levin
- Glenn Beck
- Ted Nugent

- Donald Trump
- Herman Cain

- NRA / Wayne Lapierre


Rachel Maddow presents:

[ Word of the Day ]

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ultra-Conservative, American Evangelicals in Uganda

PERPETRATORS OF THE NEXT HUMAN ATROCITY

Ultra-Conservative, American Evangelical, Lou Engle

Ultra-Conservative, American Evangelical, Scott Lively

Feeling like they're losing a 'culture war' here in America, religious American conservatives are crusading the African continent in an effort to 'wipe-out' all homosexuality, beginning in Uganda. Fueled by ignorance and hate, Christian pastors from Uganda, like Pastor Martin Ssempa, founder of the Makarere Community Church, have gone to extremes in their efforts to gain nationwide support for legislation that would outlaw any and all forms of homosexuality in Uganda and make 'serial homosexuality' a crime punishable by death. They've been extremely successful in stirring-up all-out hatred of anything perceived as remotely homosexual. 

By extremes, I DO mean EXTREMES. Pastor Martin Ssempa, for example, routinely preaches about what HE thinks gays do in the privacy of their own bedrooms by showing extreme, hardcore, gay porn to his congregation. His examples of what all gay men do include "eating da poo-poo," and 'anal fisting'. Naturally, the congregation is appalled, (as am I, and I'm a gay man, myself), and is whipped-up into a vitriolic frenzy of hate, which garners nearly 100% support for the legislation to outlaw homosexuality in Uganda. To further his case against gays and lesbians, pastor Ssempa equates the acceptance and tolerance of homosexuality to forcing people to eat shit. One member from pastor Ssempa's congregation that spoke to Current TV's Vanguard crew has been recorded saying "I'll kill her, myself" when asked how he'd feel if his own daughter came out as lesbian.

Pastor Dr. Martin Ssempa, founder of the Makarere Community Church in Uganda, showing extreme hard-core pornography involving 'anal fisting' which the he uses to demonize gays and lesbians to an audience in Uganda.

The sudden urgency to pass a "kill the gays" bill in Uganda happened immediately after a tour of Uganda by conservative American evangelical missionaries in 2009. Among those American missionaries include pastor Scott Lively, as well as pastor Lou Engle, who actively promoted the "kill the gays" bill during his recent visits to Uganda.

The New York Times featured an Op-Ed (Op-Doc) titled "Gospel of Intolerance: American Evangelicals Finance Uganda's Anti-Gay Movement" by filmmaker Roger Ross Williams, that traces American missionaries and their money in Uganda. While a lot of the money does go to services for the poor, some of that money also feeds into rhetoric that is plaguing the Ugandan LGBTQ community. For your convenience, I've embedded that video here.

Please watch. (8:07)

Ultra-Conservative, American Evangelicalism: The New Nazism

While that narrative is merely implied in this video as well as the Vanguard episode, "Missionaries of Hate" (Current TV), I feel it's necessary to directly correlate Nazism with what these ultra-conservative evangelicals are doing in Africa, in order to spark the very necessary outrage against a potential genocide.

*Also, for your convenience, here is the full VANGUARD episode, "Missionaries of Hate"

"Missionaries of Hate"

VANGUARD
Current TV
2010

Note to readers: The intent of this post is not meant to demonize ALL Christians in America. While I do have a few conservative evangelicals within my own family, I also have many friends who are religious followers that choose to live a life of non-judgement, love, acceptance and inclusion of everyone around them. They are, what I'd consider, actual followers of Jesus Christ, himself, as opposed to the highlighted individuals above and their followers.

A Quick Grammar 'Refresher' Course For 'Interwebbies'

A NEW YEAR, A NEW RESOLUTION

Lately, it seems as though some of my 'friends' from popular social media sites could use a 'refresher course' in grammar. I found this infographic on this on Pinterest the other day and though that I'd share (as I'm sure, I've been just as guilty in the past of making some of these same mistakes when composing posts across multiple popular social media sites).

When I see posts with a grammatical error (or, multiple grammatical errors, for some of my friends), I sometimes find that the message being conveyed gets lost, because, I  tend to fixate on the mistake (or mistakes) within the post. So, for the benefit of everyone, I'm posting this on [ the Blog ], so that, going into the new year, nobody will continue to look 'silly' on the internet (or, interwebs as some of you like to call it) by making these simple, common mistakes.

Enjoy. 

Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.
Infographic courtesy of Brian Clark (Copyblogger).

Year-End Cleanup

GONE AWAY, IN THE BLUE BIN...

...are dozens of empty bottles/jars, etc. of lotions, potions, expired medications, soaps & shampoos. This is a collection of near empty containers of products that I've used, as well as products that I simply don't use at all, that had accumulated on 'that one shelf' in the bathroom closet. I'm sure that you know what I mean by 'that one shelf'... it's the one shelf in your medicine cabinet or bathroom closet where you tend to 'stick' things that you intend to use later, but, never do.

I figured it would be nice to start the new year with a clean, organized bathroom closet. This year's collection of 'stuff' includes a handful of aerosol 'air fresheners' (which I never purchased, but, were left behind by previous renters; I rent spare rooms in my house to make ends meet), lotions, soaps, expired prescription medications for some of the previous renters, and one previous pet.

The contents of all the containers were emptied into a lined trash can and disposed of. I was wondering if this was the proper way to dispose of items like prescription medications, soaps, lotions, etc., or if these should be considered bio-hazardous waste, and disposed of differently. If you know the proper way of disposing such contents, please, leave a comment below. All of the plastic and glass was recycled.

The space that I gained from clearing out this mess allowed me to make room for several new, super-plush, bath towels that I purchased after Christmas. Now, the bathroom closet isn't an embarrassment when guests decide to help themselves to a 'peek' into this closet. Also, it feels good to start a new calendar year with less junk.

CLEAN & ORGANIZED: No more 'near-empty' bottles of product that never get used.
Now, there's room for more towels (which were being washed at the time this photo was taken).

The photo, above, was taken after I 'cleaned the closet'. I was too embarrassed to take a picture of the closed before cleaning. But, if you can picture it, the folded towels were shoved to the back, and in front of them (on both shelves) were dozens of near-empty bottles of 'goods' that always seemed to get knocked over when reaching for a clean towel. There are more towels (not pictured) going into this closet, as many of them were in the laundry being washed when I captured the after photo of the closet.

How do you intend to 'freshen-up' for the new year?

NRA's 'Head-Burried-In-The-Sand' Response to America

IT'S ALL THEIR FAULT!

NRA spokesperson, WAYNE LAPIERRE

NRA's (Wayne Lapierre) response to the latest mass-shooting 

(summed up by me)



WE'RE NOT 'SORRY' ANYTHING.
--Not one apology was made to a single family of the 26 victims from last week's mass-shooting during today's public statement by the NRA's Wayne Lapierre.--

HOLLYWOOD MOVIES, MUSIC VIDEOS AND VIDEO GAMES ARE TO BLAME FOR THIS LATEST ACT OF VIOLENCE.
--Forget the fact that there are more firearms per capita in America than any other industrialized nation in the world  (Americans, who make up only five percent of the world's population, own 50% of the world's firearms).--

ARM THE 'GOOD GUYS'; EVERYBODY IN AMERICA SHOULD OWN A GUN.
--Which only 'ups-the-ante' for the criminals (who will, then, simply band together in large groups) to carry out the same criminal activity against armed 'good guys'.--

F**K GENDER ROLES

[ Laugh & Think ]

Fuck gender roles.

Thanks Anastasia, Liz, Krista & Grant.

TEXTUAL ASSAULT

I might be a bit slow to catch onto this phrase that I'd actually never heard before, but, as I started to tell a friend that I'd recently been verbally assaulted through social media the other day, it dawned on me that, technically, this wasn't a 'verbal' assault, because, the perpetrator or attacker didn't actually vocalize his hatred of people like me. I'd received this opinion through text, or social media messaging (Grindr, to be exact). To catch you up to speed, here's the term 'textual assault' defined:

textual assault - [tekst yoo el - uh'solt] (n) 1. Any unwanted act of a textual nature that is imposed on another person.  2. The act of attacking a friend, crush, significant other or total stranger with constant unwanted text messages.  3. The act of soliciting an unprovoked, unwarranted, unwanted message through text or social media messaging. 

I've mentioned this many times before, but, I live in a 'red' city within a 'blue' state that is Spokane, Washington. Yes, even many of the gay guys here are 'severely conservative'. Oddly, their conservatism seems to be what defines them, as these conservatives tend to vocalize (to me anyway) that they're proud of who they are, right up front. I don't have a problem with self-pride, but, why is it that I, of all people, get singled out by these conservatives? I don't ask for their political opinion up front, nor, do I go about boasting my own view on politics when I introduce myself to people. Any of my other friends who've met these same people have had very different first impressions of these 'proud conservative' gay guys, and are usually shocked when they hear about my impression upon meeting these people. Some of them are fortunate to actually witness my introduction to these 'proud conservatives'. I'm always thankful that some people have witnessed these accounts, first hand, because, I really don't know if they actually believe me when I tell them about it. Or, I assume that my friends must think that I go around with a 'proud liberal' tattoo on my forehead, provoking the 'proud conservatives' to express themselves and their opinion to me before even getting to know me.

'HISS' & 'GROWL'

Just imagine what it must be like on Grindr or Scruff, here, in good ol' Spokane, WA. If you're on Scruff, you're familiar with the 'WOOF' button. I almost feel that there's a need for a 'HISS' or 'GROWL' button, so that if you are an individual who doesn't like me because of my profile, you could just 'HISS' (or 'GROWL') at me to forewarn me to never attempt to message you, or even 'WOOF' at you. This way, I could easily just 'block' you immediately, and we'd both be on our 'merry little way'.

The latest 'self-loathing, 'I'-need-to-project-my-self-hatred-onto-other-gay-guys' episode happened just the other day on Grindr. It came, unwarranted, and unprovoked. The messages started something like this (from what I can recall):

I hate people like you.

I hate liberals like you.

Too many of you gay guys tend to be liberal, and I don't get along with most gay men.

Wow.

"I hate myself," table for ONE?... Your table is ready.

I wanted to immediately respond by telling this guy to get off his high horse, accept and fully embrace himself for who he is, live free, and stop hating others for leading happily gay lives of their own, but, I didn't want to make assumptions about him, or try to analyze his entire existence or even get into an argument through text. This user's name is being withheld, because, he already knows that he's outnumbered, and, it really doesn't look good when people like 'us' start attacking 'them'.

Spokanistan

There are many more conservative, gay men like this in the Spokane area, unfortunately. I've never really disliked or hated this mid-sized city because of its clean air, clean water, easy access to outdoor activities, light traffic, relatively low cost of living, and the few pro-active liberals who make things happen, like a ten-fold increase in the number of bike lanes throughout the city, etc., but, there are still too many conservatives for my taste. It's at the point now, that when I visit Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Vancouver (BC), I almost always dread the thought of returning home to Spokane (aka Spokanistan, Spokaloo, Spoklahoma, Spokansas, Spokompton, etc.)

                      

[ Tap & Connect ]

If you're ever in Spokane, WA on business, and, you're a 'like-minded-individual', feel free to hit me up if you happen to spot me on Grindr or Scruff. I could always use 'a breath of fresh air'.  If you're on Scruff, you're more than welcome to message me or 'WOOF' at me to get my attention. I respond to all 'WOOFS' and messages. My username on both  Grindr and Scruff is simply 'Kenny'.

   

Grindr

SCRUFF

WAKE THE FUCK UP! (uncensored)

The Jewish Counsel for Education and Research

has teamed up with Samuel L Jackson to create a (super?)PAC video to support President Obama that has gone viral. The video, done in storybook format, much like a Dr Seuss book, features Samuel L Jackson delivering (mutha fuckin') rhyming lines like only Samuel L Jackson can.

While I intend to keep for whom I will be voting to myself, (I'm still undecided between two of the FIVE candidates running for office), I will say that I won't be voting for anyone in the Constitution (TEA) or the Republican party. I'm also unlikely to vote Libertarian, as I tend to lean towards the Green and Democratic parties. I couldn't help but get a kick out of this (now viral) video, which is clearly an unauthorized endorsement for Barack Obama for President. Because I don't disagree with it's content, I'll share it here.

[ Enjoy! ]

VULTURISM

Capitalism at its worst

'Vulture capitalism' through predatory bank lending practices.
'Vulture investment' by shrewd real estate agents. 
Welcome to the 21st Century American Dream-Crash.

Socialized Risk - Privatized Profits

Bailing out the banks didn't help homeowners, it only guaranteed the continued annual bonuses for those who work for the rescued banks. With the temporary foreclosure freeze now expired, the worst of the housing crash is yet to come, as banks still  aren't modifying home loans that should be modified with the bailout-money given to them years ago by our Federal Government. 

This episode of Fault Lines examines the illegal foreclosure scenarios that are becoming all too common in the United States, as many homeowners (and renters) simply fall through the cracks, never receiving any help from the banks that was promised to them by a President who fought to bring "hope and change" to a country that systematically has failed its poor and minority populations. "Hope and change" has simply trickled-down to less than "chump change" for America's poor.

Fault Lines
"For Sale: The American Dream"  (24:41)
Josh Rushing (Al Jazeera)

YOU DIDN'T DO THAT!

Welcome To Today's Republican Party

A recent Public Policy Poll of likely Ohio and likely North Carolina Republican voters unveiled some surprising results (to me anyway).

Who should get more credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden:

Barack Obama or Mitt Romney? 

Yes, Mitt Romney was one of the two options. Mitt Romney had NO access to the White House or the Pentagon at the time Osama bin Laden was killed. Mitt Romney wasn't even an elected official of any office, at that time. Wait until you see the results of likely Republican voters from both states who are either 'not sure' who should get credit, or think that 'Mitt Romney' deserves the credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden instead of Barack Obama. Rachel, the results, please.

Click Play
(it's only two minutes)

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The Rachel Maddow Show on msnbc Live at 9pm Eastern / 6pm Pacific; Re-broadcast (M-Th) 12am Eastern / 9pm Pacific Xfinity (Comcast) [ HD ] ch. 661 and ch. 47 in WA (Spokane, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue-Everett)

 

Weapons, Strip Clubs & Death Metal

Debunktion Junction: What's My Function?
TAMPA EDITION

I'm obviously a fan of The Rachel Maddow Show on msnbc.  Every now and then, she does a funny segment called "Debunktion Junction." I'll start sharing these segments, here on this blog in an effort to lighten things up.

In the Tampa Edition of Debunktion Junction, Rachel debunks Tampa's image as the 'strip club capital' of the US, the legality of rope & string vs. guns at the RNC convention in Tampa and the origin of 'Death Metal'.

Laugh a little!

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

"The Rachel Maddow Show" on msnbc
Live, Weeknights at 9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific
Rebroadcast (M-Th) Midnight Eastern/9pm Pacific
(Comcast) Xfinity [ HD ] ch 661 and ch 47 in WA (Spokane, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue-Everett)

Why We Can't Go Back

Missouri Republican, Todd Akin's "legitimate rape" comments, aimed at outlawing abortion, thrust the issue back into the national spotlight. Here's a reminder of what awaits women if the GOP gets its way.

- Eleanor Cooney

I was led to the following piece from a post on Feminists United's Facebook page. It is a graphic, yet riveting account of personal events in the 1960s of/by Eleanor Cooney, which originally appeared in Mother Jones in Sept/Oct 2004. You can read "The Way It Was" at motherjones.com.  I'm also including the text, here, on this blog, so that you can read it on one single page.

I apologize ahead of time for those of you who may find this material offensive, but, because the national dialogue has, again, turned to abortion, I feel that it is important to share this article. I see this as the beginning of a much larger effort to outlaw all abortion in this country and to shame all women for having sex... Period. Regardless of whether or not it was a case of rape or incest, or even if it meant saving the life of a woman. Until the day that a pregnant man ends up in an emergency room, in excruciating pain and who's very own life may be in danger, is told to "lay there, shut up, and push" so the doctors can save the life of the baby (instead of his own life), this issue should strictly be a woman's issue that men shouldn't even be trying to weigh-in on.

It is important to note that all types of women have have abortions, (wealthy, poor, religious, mothers, women who've never had children, women who never want children, healthy, sick, etc.). Regardless of how legal or illegal, clean or dirty, safe or life-threatening they may be, hasn't stopped and will not stop abortions from happening. Don't assume that women who seek to have an abortion arrive at their decision casually. Shaming women and outlawing abortion will force these women (mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, aunts, grandmothers, etc.) to revert to dangerous, life-threatening procedures with often deadly consequences. That's why I'm sharing this article.

----------

"The Way It Was"
by Eleanor Cooney

"The Way It Was" by Eleanor Cooney appeared in Mother Jones (Sept/Oct 2004 issue)

"In 1959, when I was a precocious smarty-pants still in grade school, I wrote a fake letter to Doris Blake, the New York Daily News advice columnist. I pretended to be a teenage girl "in trouble." I spun a tale of a liquor-soaked prom night and passing out in the back of a car. I included a cast of entirely fictional characters—a worthless boyfriend, a mentally unstable mother, a strict, brutal father. I ended my letter with: "Now I think I am pregnant. Please help me. I am desperate."

I'm not sure what I expected, but my letter was not printed, and no advice was forthcoming. The silence was utter. Possibly Miss Blake, like Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts, had a drawer where such letters were tossed. If so, the other letters in that drawer were no doubt a lot like mine—except that they were not written by wiseass children. They were real. And for the writers of those letters, the silence was real. And I remember thinking: Gee, what if I really were that girl I made up? What would I do?

Exploring a Chinese Delicacy

VIRGIN BOY EGGS

Soaked in Tradition, Hard to Swallow

I'm the type of person who's not usually grossed-out by 'weird,' exotic foods from foreign places (one of the exceptions being a Philippine delicacy called "balut"; Google it if you don't already know). I found out about this Eastern Chinese snack, earlier today. I obviously missed the hubbub earlier this year, in March, when, apparently, everyone  was blogging about it. "Virgin Boy Eggs" are one of those exotic foods that I don't see myself consuming anytime soon (although, I never say never).

In this traditional Chinese 'snack,' eggs are soaked and boiled in urine (collected from young, elementary-school-aged boys). After the initial boil, the egg shells are then cracked and the eggs are left to steep in the simmering 'liquid' all day long. It is believed that eating these 'good-for-your-health' eggs will prevent heat stroke by lowering body heat and promoting better blood circulation. As far as I'm concerned, this Chinese delicacy is right up there with that Filipino delicacy, balut, which means, this is something that I really won't  be trying, any time soon.

Have you, or anyone you, know tried this snack? If so, let me know what you/they thought.

If you're as clueless as I was, here's a video about Virgin Boy Eggs served by street vendors in Donggaun, China.

My thoughts, exactly (for now).

FEAR & HATE

Guns Don't Kill People.
AMERICANS KILL PEOPLE.

And, because mass shootings in the United States are committed by offenders who buy their firearms legally, more gun legislation isn't  going to make the problem go away.

So, what is it about us that makes us want to do this?

HATE and FEAR of change.

Earthrise

EXPLORE [ Al Jazeera English ]

You're probably not an avid viewer of Al Jazeera if you live in the United States, (outside of Washington, D.C., New York, NY, or, Burlington, VT) because it's simply not available on cable or satellite television in most of the United States. So, from time to time, I'll start providing some of the network's content, here, until U.S. cable companies start offering this channel which actually has an English speaking bureau in Washington, D.C., as well as London and Doha, Qatar (where its headquarters are located).

This is a sample from one of my favorite, half-hour programs that air on Al Jazeera English, called "Earthrise."  This is episode five of season three, which is difficult to find on YouTube, as Al Jazeera English's own Earthrise channel only has seasons one and part of season two posted at this time.  In this episode, discover an aquaponic farming and fishery in Milwaukee, WI and more.

[ ENJOY ]