QamiQazi

Ohhhhhh. Now laleo, you know what you meant when you wrote that, but couldn't it be interpreted to mean that both movies were playing at the L&G festival, and you opted for playful, innocent, and amusing fare? On the other hand, I don't think I described Swimming Pool in those terms you've quoted, only the espresso. What we have here is confusion! In fact, I've yet to see an "aromatic" movie. Pungent, yes. Stinky ones? Absolutely. Aromatic, not yet. None of those things are worth exploring. Some are worth seeing and/or drinking. By the way, I'm still trying to figure out what Swimming Pool had to offer that particular festival. Any ideas? Uh. Never mind. I figured it out, and it's not what people might think. More to do with murder, of whom, by whom.

Kit, here is a fine website for those who would approach the temple of espresso, with a thirst for knowledge. laleo, how was BILB? I acknowledge there is more to life than espresso, and chai may be just what the doctor ordered. Not for me, though. Also, while attending the G&L film festival, you "headed straight for the chai?" Is this bit of subtlety a playful paradox, an expression of ambivalence, or a testimony to the "curative" powers of chai?

Kit, no they aren't all steam. Like yours, my Krups is a steam version The method makes a big difference, according to the experts. You will find higher-end espresso makers use a variety of "pumps" which create high pressure - anywhere from 8 to 19 times atmospheric pressure. The result is a better taste. It also contains fewer particulates, or at least, finer. The other factor is steam-pressure makers heat the water -obviously- to boiling, or 212 degrees. The best espresso is made at 20 to 30 degrees cooler temperature - roughly, anyway. My memory fails right now. But good question.

Now I did it too. laleo, I answered you, after a fashion, on the other thread. Espresso is a richly rewarding experience, stimulating, powerful, sensuously earthy and aromatic, much like good sex can be. It's too strong for a lot of people, but for those who love it, it's a gradually acquired awareness and appreciation, much like good sex can become. I don't recommend it, really. My coffee is too strong for most people. Espresso would probably knock them over. (Any similar claims regarding the other topic would be much exaggerated.) But we do reach an age, or a stage, where we come to appreciate things for which we once had no taste, things once too strong for us, and now, just right.

laleo, not only do you have a good memory, I hadn't realized that you're also good with figures too, or they with you. With all of the talk about Mars ascending lately, nobody noticed Venus rising in Aphrodite. Calling an espresso machine a "kitchen appliance" is like calling nipp1e ring "hardware." It somehow misses the point, don't you think? Let me get back to you on the convergence, or is it conjunction, or commingling? of topics.

Don't all of you post at once, please.

Anybody out there have an espresso machine? My Krups steam espresso maker is okay for company, but I'm looking at pumps. What about pods? You like pods? Looking at the Barista, a few Nespressos (pods only), Gaggia, maybe a better Krups. I don't need a status-conscious Capresso or Jura for the price of a small, used car. Good is good enough. The Nespresso wasn't bad. Just not sure about the pods thing. Kind of limiting, pods. Right? Am I right? Pods limit your choices. After a couple espressos, you need choices. The more the better.

And what's with the modified leather thong? Or is it a kind of jock? Might be useful in combat, I suppose, but it looks mighty uncomfortable. I can see that it probably keeps the holster from riding up, which might slow her down on the draw. Avoids, "Whoops! Sorry, I grabbed the wrong pistol, fella."

Inexcusable! Do they think we don't know what they're up to?? I'm insulted that these Hollywood types would try to manipulate the movie-going public with cheap, carnal appeals like this one. By the way, her gun looks like an electric toothbrush, or maybe, could it be a? How dare they! I for one will boycott this trash for as long as I have to wait to see it. [This message was edited by QamiQazi on July 25, 2003 at 20:27.] [This message was edited by Kit Sober on October 20, 2003 at 11:34.]

The Way taught us how to walk with power by believing God's Word. Well..., they didn't exactly teach us, because if they did, people would actually "walk with power." They don't. If they did, The Way would not be a cult, and the Word would have moved like we haven't seen since the 1st century. Boy, that rings a bell. But, they don't. As a substitute for spiritual power (which nobody really had), The Way "operated" spiritual intimidation. Whatever we did, whatever class we took, The Way moved the bar just beyond our reach, to explain why we didn't walk with power, and to keep us coming back for more. Didn't give enough. Didn't believe big enough. Blew it on this principle, or that one. Need to work the foundational materials better. The Way leaders let us believe that they DID walk with power, but just not when we were around. We know that Jesus once put the unbelievers out of the room. If the leaders didn't impress much in our presence ("spiritually," as opposed to verbally), it was our unbelief. We were supposed to "operate" the manifestations - wisdom, knowledge, discerning, faith, miracles, healing. Tongues was never a problem, was it? Not for 99.999% of us. And interpretation and prophecy, both of which sounded awfully cliched, repetitive and dull to be inspired by God Himself. "Yea verily I say unto you..." Operate, huh? The first 3 were easy as pie, to "operate," and maybe, just maybe baby, to fake. What a lot of people just don't see is how this pretense, this living lie, of "walking with power" dishonors Christ, dishonors God. If there is no power, there is no power. Forget "potential." Forget "promises," as you presume to understand them, and don't, can't if it's really God's Word, since it would "have to come to pass," and of course, it doesn't. Forget rumors, memories, stories of deliverance, all the rest that reinforces this fakery. When we believed, and claimed, to walk with "power," we were (or are) imposters. The denominations really have it right. They know that for all intents and purposes, the miracle stories are mythology. The miracles in the bible are mythology. This does not deny their truth, but it affirms their irrelevance to life as we know and live it. That was then. This is now. One two buckle your shoe. Three four, make a break for the door. Where is Harry Potter in all of this? Simple. When Harry sets his mind to "operate" power, something always happens. His skills may be a little rough, but something happens. The inherent power inside of him is always ready, always there, to be used. And he uses it. Too bad he's a fictional character, huh? If all we were ever taught about "Christ in us," the incorruptible seed, and especially the power of God there at our finger tips, if all of that were true, Harry Potter wouldn't impress anyone, even if he were real. Even if magic were real, nobody would care. Why? Well, of course, the power of God we all thought we had would make Harry look pretty weak "spiritually." Ironically, this little work of fiction, so skillful on many levels, points to the glaring lack of power in lives of those who profess faith of all kinds, most of all present and former Way believers who live out their faith as imposters, with this difference. Great imposters will fool everyone, but themselves. Our kind of imposters fool nobody but themselves. It's an odd little irony, consistent with wonderfully wacky ways of human belief, that Harry Potter, fictional boy wizard, is in this way more real than you and I ever were, in our misbegotten conceits of possessing God's almighty power for ourselves. PFAL. "Reparo!" Dang, didn't work. "Lo shanta!" Nope "Check please!" That's better. Now that always gets results. [This message was edited by QamiQazi on July 25, 2003 at 14:50.]

What some of you people don't seem to understand is that an insurance company is nothing but a glorified casino, not a buyer's club for discounted health care, and not a government welfare program. It is a business, the odds must favor the house or the house would not exist, and nobody at all would get to "win." Insurance companies bet (with statistics, very scientifically) on your health, and you bet against it. Depending on how you see a half-full/empty glass of water, you'll win, or lose, either way. Stay well, you're out the money, but have your health. Get sick, you're out your health, but you don't go broke. The reason costs are going up, and service is going down, is that insurance has become a health "maintenance" business. The maintenance concept is becoming more and more pervasive. We're all taking something to feel better, not to be "cured," and we want insurance to pay. We also believe it should entitle us to a blank check for any and all medical care. Maybe that's why premiums are rising? Insurance was once for catastrophic health coverage. They didn't always pay for our stuffy noses. Now that they do, there's a cost. If you think the government can do better, just look at the Canadian system. Would you want to wait 5 weeks for surgery you desparately need now? The government has no magic wand for health care. It produces no wealth to pay for it. Whatever it gives you, it must first take from you, or from someone else. What will that do to our taxes? What will that do to our economy? Same thing socialism does to any economy - cripples it. In at least one respect, insurance companies are the same as government. They cannot pay out what they do not take in, except they must compete for your business. They cannot tax you without your consent. Yes, they invest the money they receive and use their profits to underwrite their expenses. (Market down, premiums up. Market up, premiums back down.) But they are not managing your money. They are managing their money. The more dependent we become on head-to-foot, womb-to-tomb health care, the more it will expand and absorb every last dollar we earn. Maybe that's why Hillary Clinton was so eager to create a national health care system. Socialism always looks good from the outside. The comparison to our own system suffers from the inside. Our press gives little notice to the doctor strikes in Canada (they were protesting low wages and long hours) that make our own recent "doctor strikes" (they were protesting high malpractice insurance rates) insignificant. Why the virtual silence? Could it be the left-leaning media would rather we didn't hear about it?

Dear ____ Would love to hear from you some time. I miss your face. Here's a recent picture of me with my: new BMW / new house / family / hubby / kids / dog / Greasespot t-shirt on / Greasespot t-shirt off / homies / attendants / guards / mullah / pimp / exorcist / crack house buddies... Wish you were here. God bless, MTG [This message was edited by QamiQazi on July 17, 2003 at 17:30.]

This is an herbal supplement used by women to ease menopausal symptoms, among other uses. A report by Reuters HealthNews states research by the Yale University School of Medicine found evidence that black cohosh either caused existing cancer to spread faster, and/or made anti-cancer drugs ("chemo") more toxic to healthy cells. http://yalenewhavenhealth.org/HealthNews/r...y0407200320.htm It will probably require more studies, but anyone using the stuff might want to check with a doctor, or at least do a little more reading and research on it.

Happy birthday to you Chatty Kathy. The world is a better place on account of you. QQ

Happy birthday, shazdancer!

Happy Birthday, Ralphy-boy! - your pal Norton

One man's baby is another man's bathwater.

Happy Birthday, Kit. You don't look a day over 29.

Aaron Copland's "Fanfare for the Common Man" "Appalachian Spring" The Who "We Won't Get Fooled Again" "Teenage Wasteland" Blue Cheer "Summertime Blues" Joe Satriani "Satch Boogie" Cream "I Feel Free" The most obvious, and illustrious - Beethoven's 5th Symphony EWB - ditto!

[written by laleo, lightly adapted by QQ (without permission, and hopefully with forgiveness)]You each know who you are. Hope you've been well. I appreciate the many forgotten kindesses, which you were always good for, whenever or whatever the need, whoever it was in need. Just wanted to say so. Been a long time. Drop a line here, if you ever get the chance.

laleo, that was well-written. I knew some of those people too. There may be more than a few of them here. Their ideals haven't changed, nor their loyalties, nor their faith. Same people. All that has changed is they do know now, what they did not know then.

I thought the article was very effective, but I agree it did not account for reasonable and real-life relationships between "unequals." That was not its purpose. The writer could not afford to dilute the message with anecdotes of happy endings because people don't understand how bad the problem really is. Sexual harrassment and abuse is rampant in work environments all over the world. Rampant doesn't mean everywhere. It means rampant. By its nature it often goes unmentioned, covered up, lived down, swept under the rug. Is every unequal relationship the same? Of course not. But each presents the same temptations to the one with power, and the same risks to the one without. Education is more needful than legislation, but legislation is needful. That is why we have it. The article was written to make the most waves against the tide of prevailing opinion. It may lose more readers, but reach more hearts. That must be the writer's hope.

mj412, I am QQ. Orange Cat is OC. Who is QC? I will assume you mean me. Please give it a chance. My question is asked in earnest, due to the content of his own post. oldiesman should understand the question. I can't predict how he will answer, but I expect it will be thoughtful and truthful, and hope he will not see it as an accusation. It could be taken that way, but is not so intended. I read his words, but I can't help wondering what is between the lines, because they don't make sense on their surface. As for confessions, I wouldn't know about the other unless that poster spilled it, now would I?

excathedra, it is odd. I'm glad you mentioned it, because I noticed it too. oldiesman, "let's say Hitler killed ten Jews, and only insulted another six million during his administration. For the record, I think that's just as bad as if the numbers were reversed." What is going through your mind when you invent such a ratio? If it's just as bad, what is the point? Are you trying to say that after 200 the guy was on such a roll he didn't notice a few of them said "no?" Is that your point? You seem to view Dr. Wierwille as God's stud for our day and our time. Is that your point? The women of the kingdom belong to the king? oldiesman, I remember a poster who was very defensive of Dr. Wierwille because he was himself accused of improper (or criminal) sexual activity, and while there was little dispute about the facts, only he felt he was justified by mitigating circumstances. In defending Dr. Wierwille, he was sort of defending his own choices and behavior. Are you that poster? Is that your point? Is this about you, and where you've put it?

QQ, I see what you're saying, but really, do you have to bring Hitler up again? Hitler was a military dictator who presided over the murdering of millions of people. In our world he's probably the worst tyrant who ever drew breath. And you're comparing him to VPW? So let's say VPW raped 10 women, and had voluntary sex with 200 willing women, during his 40 years of pastoring. For the record, I think that's just as bad as if the numbers were reversed. ok? He blew it big time. I invoke Hitler because he is the archetype of evil for our age. Evil is evil. Hitler's ultimate example minimizes the tempation to equivocate, and makes for a vivid illustration. I do not equate the two, other than they were both servants of evil. Hitler was a world-class devil. Dr. Wierwille was only the local talent. I appreciate your own concession oldiesman, but when somebody forgot to rewind the tapes for session 12, that was "blowing it big time." Dr. Wierwille did not "blow it big time" oldiesman. Dr. Wierwille was a seducer, a deceiver, a sexual predator, a molester, a callous, cold-blooded, serial sex-abuser of Christian women, which he did (as he told the women) in the name of God. That's right!! Would you really call that "blowing it big time?" Doesn't really cover it, does it?