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 Author Thread: Sex Massage
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 29 (view)
 
Sex Massage
Posted: 1/21/2009 6:28:05 PM
On the face of it, your posting was pretty straightforward. As I started reading the replies, I saw various view points (some in conflict) that expanded the internal debate that I had.

First of all, it doesn't matter what you and your friend do. However, you shouldn't involve a third party: hold off on getting pregnant for a year or so. If the two of you are together, the extra time won't matter. If you are not, your child will have the rest of his/her life to suffer the consequences.

Second - I am not a big fan of exploitation. I imagine that it is still possible to obtain from your local library a movie from the NFB (Canada) called "Not A Love Story" - http://www3.nfb.ca/collection/films/fiche/index.php?id=13558
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 12 (view)
 
Why are my feelings out of whack?
Posted: 1/10/2009 9:19:02 PM
Don't worry about being normal when it comes to grief. I was alone for over two years before I decided to get back into dating. It is almost three years now and I still haven't gotten into a relationship. It is actually a testiment to the depth of feelings that you had for Jon.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 10 (view)
 
why am i still arguing with my father 4 years after we buried him ?
Posted: 12/7/2008 10:25:56 PM
Each person is on their own journey in life. Certainly at this stage, there is nothing that you can say or due will change things that happened in the past. It is not enough to forgive what your father may have done. You need to accept and forget as well. Everyone has flaws. The only thing that you can strive for is to be better than who you are.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 31 (view)
 
Is there something wrong with 30+ having a 4 yr old?
Posted: 12/1/2008 10:55:39 PM
Babysitters. Lots and lots of babysitters. Cutie J has it right. Being able to have free time is a good thing but if there are times that are "mommy weeks" most men are understanding. Besides... after 8 o'clock or so, there is a nifty new invention called a telephone. If the guy really is into you, he will call, chat or email you just to keep in touch.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 31 (view)
 
a cool quote game....
Posted: 12/1/2008 7:02:53 PM
The P/E is the ratio between the price of stock and the value of their associated companies' annual earnings per share.


Conquer the Crash: You Can Survive and Prosper in a Deflationary Depression.

Robert R Prechter Jr.

How prosaic am I! I read this book three years ago...
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 12 (view)
 
Please Help Me Save My Relationship!
Posted: 11/24/2008 12:12:06 PM
There is very little correlation between age and emotional maturity when it comes to being in love. People can do really stupid things no matter what age they are. You have said that you "love" her but do you really "care" for her? Often people use the word love as if it denotes possession. Just because you feel an emotion for a person does not mean that person is obliged to you.

Our culture does not really promote the concept of being a "Man". Being a "Man" is more than a willingness to go to war, or pumping iron, or making beaucoup dollars, or even seducing women (a la James Bond). Being a "Man" also means taking the responsibility of finding out how your partner feels and if she feels that she doesn't want to be together anymore, set aside your own feelings and support her wishes. In this respect, being a "Man" sometimes means being less and more than human.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 60 (view)
 
He broke if off because it was to physical???
Posted: 11/24/2008 11:23:38 AM
I cannot say that I have ever been in the same position OP as your friend (although in my youth, I can recall receiving some nasty claw marks). However I think that for the past few years, I have gone by the philosophy that I would rather not be in a physical relationship if it meant being in the wrong emotional one.

I think that an absence of a critical factor is more of a deterent than too much.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 65 (view)
 
once trust is lost can it be won back?
Posted: 11/11/2008 8:13:01 AM
I am reminded of walking on snow that has a hard crust. So long as you tread with due care, you don't break through. Once you do break through, you tend to flounder around a lot and it is really difficult to get above the surface again. The same goes with trust. I disagree with all who say that trust can be earned. Perhaps distrust can be set aside, but as soon as a person stumbles it snaps back.

I think the only time that I would object to a person from reading my email would be if I was planning a surprise party for that person...
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 165 (view)
 
Electric vehicles ???
Posted: 11/7/2008 11:05:00 PM

So replacing just the gasoline usage could well require 900,000 wind farms.


Mount Everest is such a huge mountain it is impossible to climb! The way that climbers have conquered it is one step at a time. Currently there are people driving electric vehicles that are powered entirely by solar panels on their homes. Yes - wind farms will be important to lessen our reliance on carbon based fuel. Yes - some form of fission/fusion sources will be needed. However, by a series of small wins, this shift in technology can happen.

In a lighter vein, I encourage you to watch the following...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M88k6Ipp3c
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 156 (view)
 
Electric vehicles ???
Posted: 11/5/2008 7:00:10 PM
How long did it take to put blacksmiths and farriers out of business. On the otherhand, how long did it take record manufacturers to convert to CD's? The reality is that better technology is not guaranteed - compare Betamax and VHS.

The important thing is that if you are an intelligent thinking person, you should set aside your fears and doubts and push for change.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 144 (view)
 
Electric vehicles ???
Posted: 11/1/2008 10:31:40 PM
As a person who has been disappointed in the advance of technology in the automotive field for years (google compressed air car) I have tried to keep abreast with the "news" in the industry. However, take anything I say with a grain of salt as I am just repeating what I have heard elsewhere.

Comments that I heard regarding the EV1 made me think. GM makes a sizeable percentage of income based on replacement parts and service. Electric cars would generate virtually no income in this area. They do not require mufflers, or filters or tuneups. Can you imagine never having to take your car in for an oil change?

The big issue has to do with energy storage. There are a few companies (EEstor, Maxell etc.) either on the threshold or actually in the process of manufacturing ultracapacitors for the automotive trade. These storage units will accept an electrical charge as quickly as you can fill them. In other words, you would be able to fill them almost as quickly as you can fill a gas tank and provide a driving distance comparable to driving a gasoline car.

The Ontario government has a moratorium on the use of Low Speed Electric Vehicles while they test them in provincial parks. I question the value of these tests. Meanwhile LSVs are being driven in the US and in other parts of the world.

The Toronto board of health reported almost five years ago that the number of deaths due to car accidents was 75. The number of deaths attributed to air pollution was 1700. What would be the impact on air quality in major cities if taxis and inner city dwellers could drive LSVs.

One aspect that limits the use of solar power is something called economies of scale. To produce the first solar panel cost thousands of dollars. If they manufacture millions of solar cells, the price drops dramatically. The active ingredient in crystaline silicon in other words sand with the oxygen taken out. Of course I am over simplifying but can you imagine if you could shingle your house with solar cells? It may not heat your home, but can you imagine if it would convert enough energy to power your daily commute?
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 49 (view)
 
How do you make your omlet?
Posted: 9/28/2008 10:37:26 AM

Ok, 50% of the time my omlettes turn out to be scrambled eggs (so I never announce what I'm making until it's completed) what am I doing wrong?


Separate the yolk from the whites. The fats in the yolk prevent the proteins in the whites from trapping air. Fold in the the yolk and liquid after the whites have stiffened. Don't cook at too high a temperature or syneresis will occur: the liquid will weep.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 76 (view)
 
Ever thought about giving a ex lover an STD because you're still pissed about the way it ended?
Posted: 9/18/2008 1:22:23 PM
[Cite?]

I think I read about something like this in the 70's in "The Book of Dirty Tricks". Apparently the trick involves getting eggs and putting them in the folds of a letter. When the person opens it up, the eggs fall in their lap. Eggs were available from laboratory supply houses at the time.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 197 (view)
 
red flag statements or questions
Posted: 9/4/2008 8:41:05 AM
Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. In the early stages of relationship building, you are not attuned to the others person's body language etc. I never read too much into a single statement or question unless I know a person very well. If you are looking for red flags, you will find them even if they are not there. Perhaps you were/are looking for an excuse to not form a relationship.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 14 (view)
 
THE Questions to Ask Someone
Posted: 8/29/2008 1:10:15 PM

I usually ask what their 5 favorite movies are - gives a little insight into them I think!


My Man Godfrey (Powell/Lombard)
Arsenic and Old Lace (Grant/Hull)
Funny Face (Hepburn/Astaire)
Twelve Angry Men (Fonda/Sweeney)
Cousin Cousine(Barrault/Lanoux)

Of course I can also be tricked into watching "The Three Faces of Eve" and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 14 (view)
 
16 years gap
Posted: 8/29/2008 12:40:22 PM
You may have heard of a performer called Fred Astaire. He was married to a woman Robyn Smith - a woman 45 years his junior. Then again she was a mature woman in her late thirties when they married.

The big thing is if you have to ask, you probably already know the answer.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 21 (view)
 
When someone tells you they love you.....
Posted: 8/28/2008 9:09:59 PM
Here is your new word of the day - limerence.
Aspects of Limerence:
During the height of limerence, thoughts of the "love" object are persistent, involuntary and intrusive.
Considerable self-doubt and uncertainty is experienced and it causes pain, but also enhances desire.
The physiological correlations of limerence are heart palpitations, trembling, pallor, flushing, pupil dilation and general weakness.

Often people's ignorance of the right words causes a real breakdown in communications and interpersonal interations. Your friend is experiencing limerence towards you. It is a step towards "love". People have their own timetable. You just don't feel the same toward him.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 193 (view)
 
Did I overreact?
Posted: 8/28/2008 8:42:21 PM
I'm disappointed their are so few sane people in this discussion. Thank nolamichelle for having a voice of reason. Ask yourself - did you do good? Did you improve the state of the world by your actions?
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 22 (view)
 
Why do woman do this
Posted: 8/28/2008 8:21:17 PM
If she is saying "NO piss off" you are doing something wrong. The fact you are on a dating site while still married tells that you have already left her - emotionally if not physically. Decide.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 15 (view)
 
someone u know or talking to
Posted: 7/22/2008 12:52:46 PM
I was intrigued by the thought of the motivations of Naturists. POF forums do lead to rather odd discussions. Consequently I tracked down and joined a Naturist discussion group. The movement is predominantly family oriented. According to some of the comments, it is difficult for single men or women to stay at some Naturist camps. This is ironic since the majority of this group seemed to be middle aged men although there were couples and some single women. There was absolutely nothing lewd in the postings. Instead there were a lot of directions to spots where camping, swimming, sunbathing were clothing optional.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 8 (view)
 
someone u know or talking to
Posted: 7/21/2008 11:15:01 AM
Is this person a naturist or an exhibitionist?

(He) wouldnt mind if i show them to like my daughter and that if she wanted to see them


My belief is that naturists like to around au naturelle because they want to promote wholesomeness and stability of the human body, mind, and spirit. By shedding their clothing it "promotes optimal health through complete contact of the body with the natural elements". Clearly you need to have discussions with everyone involved about their personal boundaries.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 107 (view)
 
Non-Religious
Posted: 7/16/2008 11:10:13 AM

I would like to think that we would be fortunate enough to leave an impression on those we leave in our wake. as we know, some die "alone", and what a sad commentary that is!


Once again, our judgement of the sadness of dying "alone" is an example of a dichotomy of views. Some people aspire to die peacefully in their sleep as opposed to screaming in terror like the rest of the people in the car. Death is a sad experience but not for the one who is dead. No matter what your belief - if you believe you become garbage or become recycled - after you get past that final instant of life, you will be past caring. Sadness is for those left behind. A person who is "alone" has no one to grieve or to be sad. Consider a person in an advanced stage of Alzheimers. Somewhere in there is the person that was but that person is "alone" no matter how many people love or care. If you believe there is something on the other side of the threshold, a death in this case is a happy event. You get the idea.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 96 (view)
 
Non-Religious
Posted: 7/15/2008 8:24:24 AM
My sister died 30 years ago. As recently as a couple of months ago, I have had people come up to me and talk about how she impacted their lives. So her essence dear mz taken has remained long past her scent. Perhaps there isn't a "soul". However, things that we say and do to others have an impact that can continue well beyond our lifetimes. Jung referred to a "collective unconscious". "We are where we are because our electrons and protons are probably where they are". People have a hangup about who and what we are because we perceive ourselves as being solid. However, when you look at us at a deeper level, we are composed of particles that are in a constant state of movement and exchange. Visualize yourself as a gaseous being. Particles of you mix and intersperse with all the people around you. Even after they "dispose" of your body, some of your electrons (etc) will continue to be shared with others.

I cannot prove that "heaven" exists much as a child cannot prove that Santa or fairies exist. Does it harm children to let them imagine what could be? I prefer to think of heaven to be like what is described in the movie "What Dreams May Come". I may be wrong, but I look forward to my death with joy and anticipation instead of fear and despair. While you are saying, "I have only 1/6 of my life left", I am saying I am just getting started.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 93 (view)
 
Non-Religious
Posted: 7/14/2008 10:31:17 PM
I believe that you are actually agnostic rather than atheistic.


I believe in science, and karma
. By a strict definition, atheism is the disbelieve in a "god". However by believing in karma, you believe in an underlying rule where your actions will have consequences. In addition, karma embraces the concept of reincarnation.

How bleak your words are: "I believe when I die, thats IT".
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 28 (view)
 
said I didn't attend college and she stopped replying
Posted: 6/24/2008 2:01:14 PM
Okay galonthemt I apologize for overstating his disregard for education. I think I was reacting to the aggregation of comments against education. It really is unfair of me to comment on education in the US because it is significantly less expensive for Canadians to continue to college or university compared to Americans.

People tend to hold up Bill Gates as having no degree as an argument for or against continuing education. Remember he did go to Harvard. He just didn't need to complete a degree to become successful.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 24 (view)
 
said I didn't attend college and she stopped replying
Posted: 6/23/2008 5:44:52 AM
I assume that you have hired people for your company. You post the job and 10,000 people line up. What criteria do you set to weed them out. If nothing else, you will require they have at least a high school education.

Although it isn't definite at this point, she may be filtering you on a similar process. Since you place so little regard to education, you have some fundamental differences in values. What other values to disagree on?
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 70 (view)
 
Is chemistry age-related?
Posted: 6/22/2008 11:21:03 AM
I'm afraid I had my last "chemistry" lesson in my mid-twenties. Humans are visual creatures. As we mature, the things that make us attractive to our opposites are about three inches lower than when we were younger. The hair transplant fairies visit in the middle of the night and take hair from heads and move it to places it shouldn't be - ears, bellies etc. That bulge you see in my pants is only my wallet.

I no longer think that any woman will ignite me with sparks. However, I have embers within the ashes of my heart. With love, respect and compassion as the fuel - bringing two sets of embers together will ignite a hot sustainable flame. With luck, you will find such a fire will last you into your wintery nights.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 38 (view)
 
how can i get my ex back if its possible
Posted: 6/18/2008 12:05:19 PM
The first thing you need to do is stop. If you think of her, repeat over and over

"I don't care"

until you stop thinking about her. Right now you are being controlled by the negative emotions that you feel. I encourage you to read "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle - especially the part dealing with a concept he calls the "Pain-body". Imagine your negative emotions - the pain the you are feeling - as an entity that is controlling your actions. It is feeding upon the negative emotions that you are experiencing. This entity with encourage you to do really stupid things (stalk her). Try to recognise that these emotions are controlling your behaviour. As you have indicated, you do tend to act on your depressive moods. Break away from that pattern of behaviour. Recognize what it is doing to you. Focus on positive things that give you happiness instead. I say someone mention working out. Improve your body image and improve your mind.

Good Luck
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 94 (view)
 
Alternative lifestyles
Posted: 6/17/2008 5:24:14 PM

I was a mother in the late 60's and surprisingly so a lot of my friends who did smoke stopped as soon as their children were born.. The not so funny part though was in those days you drank and smoked cigarettes while you were pregnant and that was O.K. - go figure.


With alcohol and cigarettes, the affects are usually immediately apparent with the offspring (reduced birth weight up to fetal alcohol syndrome). MJ seems to affect mitochondrial DNA. This means any deleterious affects will follow female offspring. I cannot say anything will happen but my personal opinion is "rather safe than sorry".
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 90 (view)
 
I was told I am a bad mother because I smoke marijuana.
Posted: 6/17/2008 5:00:03 PM
At this point in this discussion, I think it is apparent what the majority feel. Does this mean that you will change your attitudes or behaviour? Need I even ask this question? Sometimes people's thought processes form faulty syllogisms when discussing emotionally laden topics.

Not drinking alcohol is good for you.
Smoking marijuana is not drinking alcohol.
Therefore smoking marijuana is good for you.

It is also impossible to cite opposing references to someone who has an emotional attachment to an issue. However the following is an excerpt from The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) as stated in a May 5, 2006 report by Paul Armentano, titled Cannabis Smoke and Cancer: Assessing the Risk:

Cannabis smoke -- unlike tobacco smoke -- has not been definitely linked to cancer in humans, including those cancers associated with tobacco use. However, certain cellular abnormalities in the lungs have been identified more frequently in long-term smokers of cannabis compared to non-smokers.

Chronic exposure to cannabis smoke has also been associated with the development of pre-cancerous changes in bronchial and epithelium cells in similar rates to tobacco smokers. Cellular abnormalities were most present in individuals who smoked both tobacco and marijuana, implying that cannabis and tobacco smoke may have an additive adverse effect on airway tissue.[...]


Do you consider a person who smokes cigarettes a bad mother? What is your opinion of a mother who smokes inside the house. Marijuana cigarettes contain higher concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (eg benzopyrene). Ironically by drinking non-pasteurized milk and smoking cigarettes, you are engaging in riskier behaviour than women whom you consider who lead a less healthy lifestyle - drinking 2% milk and having an occasional glass of red wine.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 19 (view)
 
Why do guys always end up talkin about sex?
Posted: 6/13/2008 9:00:54 PM
Have you ever been on a diet? All you can think about is food. Have you ever gone a few hours without anything to drink? Once again all you can think about is getting a cool glass of water. Everyone has a collection of "needs". People have some basic physiological needs: air, water, food, human contact (sex). Once those needs are met, you move on to more evolved needs: security, esteem etc (google Maslowe's Hierarchy of Needs). Is it possible that the people that you talk to are lacking in some area of need?

Another aspect involves the basic process of bonding. Reflect on conversations you have had which don't entail sensitive subjects. Do you become closer to the other person or maintain distance. Talking about kids, cars, and movies are really safe subjects. They don't necessarily promote closeness. Is it possible that they are attempting to get "closer" to you?
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 33 (view)
 
Any Solutions ? to the Pricy Gas & Recession
Posted: 6/3/2008 3:08:52 PM
The SciFi solution is to develop a strain of algae that directly produces alcohol (cheers) because ultimately using gasoline/coal etc is a bad idea. Unless we are really eager to return to the carboniferous era, we need to stop using a product that took millions of years to isolate out of the atmosphere. Wood is better because it takes 20-80 years to produce but using corn/grass to develop fuel is the best solution because it only takes months (and has a negative carbon footprint). One hundred years ago, feed was used for transportation (horses) - we just need a solution that will "feed" our "horses" of today.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 214 (view)
 
Why Has the Price of Food Shot Up and What Does It Portend?
Posted: 6/3/2008 11:57:35 AM

GEE, I wonder where all the subsidies/grants (ie: taxpayers monies) went.


The problem with food production is variability. With beef and pork production, they work in a cycles that take several years to increase production. Grain prices rise in fall (aside from growth variation) in correlation to meat production. If there is a lot of demand for feed, price is good etc. What happens in years that have a low demand? Grants and subsidies are not there to make farmers rich! Grants and subsidies are there to help prevent farmers from going bankrupt.

I am a big supporter of supply management via quota's. In 2004, the average herd size in Ontario was 65, an increase of 15% over the last 5 years. In the US, dairy herds in 2000, 35.8% had 500 or more cows. Herds of over 200 cows grew during this period (1992-2001) by 14.3% and in 2001, accounted for 57% of the total production. Ontario maintains price levels based on quotas. In other words, Ontario dairy farmers set their own supply levels (albeit via a governing body) . US producers have a riskier approach which have lead to herds with larger economies of scale.

The pork industry in Canada is not as closely monitored as the dairy industry and I am hearing reports that the pork production is in crisis right now. Major pork producers are closing their doors. I believe there is a government subsidy to elimate around 10 percent of the supply. This does not help the producers who have gone bankrupt.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 210 (view)
 
Why Has the Price of Food Shot Up and What Does It Portend?
Posted: 6/2/2008 8:28:46 PM

Here is how agribusinesses and govt abuse the system that ends up doing nothing more than hurting the small family farms.


What is a family farm? I haven't known anyone owning a traditional family farm who hasn't needed one or both of the husband and wife having to work elsewhere as well. Most people don't realize the commitment that farmers have. First of all most farming is working for seven days of the week. Milking cows means getting up five o'clock in the morning and working until seven or eight o'clock at night. Cows don't believe in sick days, or stat holidays. If you decide to go on vacation, you have to hire someone to take your place. Of course, farmers are paid so well for what they do. In 1929 25% of an average family's income went to buy food. Today less than half of that amount goes towards food. The traditional family farm does not have the economy of scale to provide food at a price that the consumer wants to pay. Imagine doubling the price of milk. Reverting to small scale farms with less than 60 milking cows (at least 2-3 hours milking time twice a day) will accomplish that.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 278 (view)
 
The mind of an abuser
Posted: 5/31/2008 7:12:51 PM
The more that I have reflected upon the essence of negative emotions, and thought about a concept known as the "pain body" ( Eckhart Tolle, "The Power of Now"), I am starting to reference it increasingly as the "Dark Entity".

Set aside physiological factors such as brain trauma or neuro-chemical imbalances. A person has a dual character shaped by the positive and negative experience in their life. The dark aspects of your personality feed and grow on the negative emotions that it creates, just as the light aspects of your personality feed and grow with positive emotions. A simple test is to write 20 positive words. Reading words like sunny, orange, joy etc. lift your spirits while reading words like gloom, mold, despair sends them plummetting. Once a person gets into the negative mode, then might do some really stupid things (how else would you describe abuse).

In addition, anger is sometimes a misplaced expression of pain. Think of the last time you stubbed your toe. Did you cry or stomp around a bit turning the air blue. As children, we learned a lot of the way to express ourselves by modelling our behavior from the perceived "normal" behaviour of our social environment. I suspect that abusers may also have learned some wrong lessons.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 205 (view)
 
Why Has the Price of Food Shot Up and What Does It Portend?
Posted: 5/31/2008 9:54:22 AM

... Canada has had the wheat marketing board that has limited the area used for grain to keep the price up.


Periodically people have made backhanded slaps against supply management programs. The main point of supply management is to reduce the variation in price. For those of you with "jobs" - imagine going to work one day and find that you are being paid $100 per hour but on the next day finding that you are being paid $1 per hour. I was raised on a dairy farm in Canada. Beef producers when I was young drove around in expensive vehicles, had swimming pools etc. while my father received a set amount every month because the Canadian dairy industry used a quota system to limit the quantity of milk produced at a specific price. While in comparison with beef producers we weren't rich, but over time eventually the roles became reversed (see tortoise vs hare).

Since the 1800's there was a financial solution to the agriculture problem - the commodity market. Farmers were able to attempt to offset their business risk by selling futures to speculators. I came across an interesting tidbit of information that has a direct bearing to this pricing issue. In 2003, there was $13 billion invested in the commodity market. As of March, there was $260 billion invested. I'm wondering if we may be seeing the same conditions as during the civil war when speculation and market manipulation is rampant.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 45 (view)
 
would you help a girl in distress from another guy?
Posted: 5/29/2008 12:45:47 PM
When I read your post, I was reminded of Kitty Genovese. Here is a quote from Wikipedia:
The attacks spanned approximately half an hour. During his last attack in the hallway, a neighbor just up the stairs opened the door and watched the attack without doing anything to stop the attacker.

Obviously because you felt bad, you know what the answer is already. With due respect to ex-marines, ex-rangers etc who are willing to wade in with a gung ho attitiude, a more subtle approach is the be a distraction. You had identified that something made you feel wary. However you really didn't have conclusive information about the interaction that was going on. You needed an innocuous method of insinuating yourself into the conversation in a non-threatening manner. Perhaps the expedient of asking for directions would allow you to diffuse the situation or at least gauge if something more precipitous was necessary.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 93 (view)
 
Gas Price Solutions
Posted: 5/28/2008 6:54:25 PM
One of the options that I don't believe has been mentioned so far is the use of Low Speed Vehicles. LSV's are usually powered by electricity and have a top speed that is roughly 40k (25 mph). This is actually a legislated speed as opposed to a functional limitation. Check out zenncars.com and read/watch some of the media reports.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 83 (view)
 
Gas Price Solutions
Posted: 5/27/2008 5:51:31 PM
Guy Negre developed a motor that maximizes the performance of engines powered by compressed air. I have followed the exploits of his company MDI Group for about 10 years. Last year his company formed agreements with Tata (car company in India) to produce a vehicle. A vehicle using compressed air is as safe as a vehicle powered by propane (similar storage system) but with out the concern of fire. The biggest problem with this technology is that has taken forever for deployment. If it is valid technology, I believe it will only be a footnote because of the way it has been marketed.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 32 (view)
 
Dutch gym to introduce 'Naked Sunday'
Posted: 5/27/2008 11:42:41 AM
I'm not exactly sure if the comments posted on this topic are puerile or prudish. I concede, that I would feel uncomfortable displaying my middle age body in public. On the other hand, Naturists don't go around naked because they are exhibiting their bodies. They do it because they like to walk around unencumbered by clothes. I used to go on solo moonlight dips in the pool (sans vêtements) and it had the sensation of sliding through the water instead of swimming.

Sanitation really is a non issue if their facility is like the one I go on. Everyone wipes down the equipment after they use it anyway. In my case, I tend to have extremely strenuous workouts and I have sweat cascading out of every pore and my clothing becomes drenched. So in my case, wiping isn't optional it is necessary. After I have run for about a mile, and biked for about five, I already lay a towel on the equipment when I switch over to weights.

The comments alluding to sexuality highlights the neuroticism of our society. Being turned on is a function of your mind. The most sexually obsessed culture used to put pantaloons on piano legs. Naturists have a more mature attitude. (once again, I might have a hard time initially encountering a Naturist).

Did you actually notice how many Naturists there are in the Netherlands? If I was a member of the fitness club, and I was uncomfortable with walking around nude, I just wouldn't work out on Sundays. However, I believe the club owner has the right to offer his facilities to this fairly sizable group.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 15 (view)
 
Do we have to have s*x???
Posted: 5/19/2008 12:31:44 AM
Perhaps, dear Ebony, you will find out the difference one day between having sex and making love. I haven't encountered anyone who doesn't like to climax. Perhaps the difference between having sex and making love is with sex you want to climax and with making love, you want your partner to climax.

You say you are a big fan of intimacy. That is part of making love. You say that you like a really good kiss. That too. When I make love to a woman, it starts the moment I open my eyes. If she is sitting in her chair, drinking her coffee, I like to put my palm on her shoulder - just to tell her I like being close to her. I like to tell her a joke or small story to brighten her day while she is at work. I like to lie and hold her as we talk in the still of the night.

I could go on, but it is best if you can discover a man who wants to make love to you. In time, maybe you will want to make love to him. Are you sure that you asked the right question? Instead how asking "Do we have to have s*x?" shouldn't you ask "How do I find someone who will treat me the way I want to be treated?"
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 37 (view)
 
Coffee and Bologna
Posted: 5/17/2008 8:23:03 AM
The majority of people have immediately jumped to the conclusion that "the guy" had less than honourable intentions. Of course the fact that you created the assumption Heidi has a lot to do with it. Is it possible that I have read different postings on this site.
One reason that I can think of why "the guy" would want to have the 8 am meeting is because it gives a good excuse to break off. If things don't "click" you can both totter off to work. If they do, you can arrange for a second date. Another "inflexibility" pertains to the day of the week. You didn't indicate whether "the guy" had kids or not. I don't care how good looking a woman is, I wouldn't trade one minute with my son to go on a first date.
I'm reminded of the story about an old man who was sitting on the outskirts of a town when he as approached by a stranger who asked what the inhabitants were like. The old man asked the stranger what were the people like in the town the stranger had just left. The stranger said the people were very spiteful and argumentative. The old man said that he better keep going because the people were the same here.
A while later another stranger came up asking the same thing. Once again the old man asked what the people were like in the previous town. The stranger said that he had hated to leave because the people were so kind and considerate. "Welcome friend" said the old man - "the people are the same here"!
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 49 (view)
 
Prostitutes!
Posted: 5/7/2008 10:22:41 PM
I once had a discussion with a person who was violently opposed to killing another person. I posited a situation inwhich she had to choose to kill or not to defend a child. I am reminded of that discussion when I read your question. Can I imagine a scenario that I would marry or date a prostitute? I can imagine any number of situations that I would sublimate my personal moral or ethical views. To turn the question around to make it more palatable for women, would you date or marry a gigolo. I can remember two movies that Richard Gere figured in prominently that examined both these questions.

What a person does, does not define who a person is. Valla (or any woman reading this), if you were in a war torn country and had two starving infants at home, can you say that you wouldn't prostitute yourself to obtain food or safety for your family if you had no other option? I would not hesitate to form a relationship with a woman who had to make that choice.

The other question dealing with someone else having sex with my partner. Around 30 years ago, there was a fair amount of controversy around sexual surrogates. These were trained professionals who performed a "medical" service. I would have no hesitation in dealing if my partner was a sexual surrogate. Once again, it comes down to the motivation of the person "prostituting" themselves.

PS Any woman who wants to hire ErehwonEnoon - the middle aged gigolo - just remember, I might be easy but I'm not cheap.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 29 (view)
 
Does it have to be this way. Men get broken hearts too
Posted: 4/28/2008 7:34:30 AM

Would be interesting to know if males suffer as much over broken hearts


I think if you read through the headlines of the newspapers, you can see evidence that some men become more affected by breakup and isolation then most women. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that many men do not know how to deal with or understand their emotions. There really are not any good models for men to pattern their behavior after in our culture. I recognise that it is a cliche but what to women do after a breakup (please don't hit me my tongue is a little in my cheek). Visions of women calling their friends over and eating chocolate cookies and ice cream spring to mind.

Personally I disconnected from friends and relatives. Even after more then two years after the breakup, I dread going into public settings where I may be recognized and questioned about how I am feeling. Perhaps in a personal sense, I suffer less than you because I avoid dealing with a broken heart. I work a little harder, and watch a few more movies.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 23 (view)
 
Dated for 4 months.......then he wants to take me out as a friend?
Posted: 4/28/2008 6:24:53 AM
I think the consensus (including you) is that it is time for you to move on. I believe what you are detailing is a condition sometimes described as serial depression. Sometimes I wonder if it isn't bizarre that some individuals act strangely, it is bizarre that we all don't. Males have hormonal cycles the same way that women experience them. Because there is not an overt expression of that cycle, most people do not even take that into account when men act oddly. The duration of your relationship suggests a form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or perhaps it is related to testoterone levels. The fact he has ED may indicate the later rather than the former. Most males have two major events per year based on testosterone levels. In your friend's case, maybe he represents a "Perfect Storm" of maladies: SAD and ultra low testosterone level which in turn causes his serial depression.

Unless he actually goes to professional, this is all conjecture. However, you may mention the aspect of serial depression to him and he may investigate further. Ironically once identified, conditions like SAD are easy to control. Take a trip and get lots of sun on the beach. If you go to a nude beach, you may even help with his testosterone and ED problem.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 12 (view)
 
The Looming National Debt Crisis
Posted: 4/25/2008 6:25:17 AM

Also worth mentioning, China holds a large amount of U.S. debt. What if they decide to dump all their dollars and convert them into Euros and other foreign currencies? Seems like that would be a huge economic blow to the U.S. and after that, would the dollar be all but dead?


Think through what happens if the above holds true.

If China dumps US dollar, its value will plumment (lets say for the sake of argument) to fifty cents.
- Americans buying US goods and services will not see a change specifically in those prices.
- Purchases of goods that are dependent on foreign product will double (purchases from China will drop in turn)
- Products and service dependent on foreign commodities (oil) will go up in price.

* * * US consumers will have to cut back on expenditures because of added cost * * *
* * Consumers will consume US because products are now cheaper then foreign * *

- Things manufactured with a US label will now be attractive outside of the US (cheaper to buy).
- US government can pay back debt held in foreign countries because the debt is in US dollars.

* * US companies and employees will benefit because of increased foreign revenue* * *
* * US Govt and citizens will benefit by paying off foreign held debt * *

If China decided to dump US dollars, it will get screwed because US can pay off debt at a discount and they will lose their biggest market. A few heads would roll (literally) in the Chinese finance department.

I am not trying to minimize the impact that something like this in the short run. In the short run, the effect on the individual would be horrendous. I don't know about the specifics of 401k's. Canada's similar plan (RRSP's) is largely equity based. When the last depression hit people lost over 80 percent of the value of their equity holdings and it took 50 years for the market to regain its value.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 116 (view)
 
Why Has the Price of Food Shot Up and What Does It Portend?
Posted: 4/23/2008 6:05:25 PM

The solution: strip the rich of the means to screw us. You are being screwed, folks. Most people don't seem to realize how hard.


It is nice to know that Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov is alive and well in Maine.

Why is the price of food more expensive? I could discuss in detail about how in-elastic the food supply is. I could point out that those money hungry corporations are owned by those of you people with 401k's or RRSP's. I can also explain how diverting corn to ethanol production will not affect on the price of corn. The factor that I don't believe anyone has mentioned is the fact that the US dollar isn't worth as much as it did a year ago. Not too many years ago, the Canadian dollar was worth 67 us cents. Depending on the day, the Canadian dollar is now worth more than the US dollar. How did that happen? I understand the mission in Iraq has cost a trillion dollars (don't quote me on this). How was this paid for. Did each of you US POF pay an extra $5000 in taxes over the last few years or did someone press a button and add an extra zero to the money supply.

How many people reading this buy stuff from Walmart. Take a look at the last cheap thing you bought there. Does it say Made in China? Last year the balance of trade with between China and US was -$256,269,500,000. That means every man, woman and child in the US sent over $1200 to China.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 28 (view)
 
corn crops for ethanol production
Posted: 4/23/2008 1:39:31 PM
One advantage to using grown fuel (as opposed to drilled fuel) is that it has either a net or negative carbon footprint. The crop residue - stalks and roots - helps with the fertility of the soil as well as represents carbon dioxide that has been removed from the atmosphere. Thirty years ago my university room-mate wrote a paper on how less than 10 percentage of acreage of farm devoted to growing a suitable crop to be converted to diesel would provide for the energy needs of the entire farm for the year.

I have the perfect car for you to haul your butt around.

http://www.zenncars.com/

Watch the Rick Mercer Report found on the home page. This is the perfect car for the average Canadian to do a weeks worth of grocery shopping.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 65 (view)
 
Should I Avoid Messaging Professional Women/Women That Make More Money Than I?
Posted: 4/23/2008 7:58:07 AM
There is a saying that men may marry down but women never should. You need to think beyond financial and educational standards. Making money is actually easy. Keeping it is the hard part. Some of the poorest people that I know are doctors and lawyers. As far as education, you don't need a PHD to give a hug.

Take your job title off your profile. Women who are successful at their profession, do so by being very focused. They are more than just a "fancy title". They have a particular drive that embraces success. You have imagination but do you have the drive to match theirs? Their attitude when they look at your profile will be where is the iconic comics character that you have created. A man may accept a woman with less drive but a woman will drive over a man with less.
 ErehwonEnoon
Joined: 2/13/2008
Msg: 24 (view)
 
How long is the general wait to get into a serious relationship after divorce?
Posted: 4/21/2008 4:25:43 PM

once again I ask, why get married and bring all that legal hassle into your life? Can you not be devoted to someone and married in your heart without having it sanctioned by Big Brother?


Two paragraphs. The second I agree with totally. If it was a good marriage, a month for every year that you were together. The more traumatic the marriage, the more months you want to add per year. In addition, take that time to grow. Join a fitness club. Become a regular at a comedy club. Push your boundaries.

Paragraph one: I used to provide consultation with a number of businesses. Invariably the ones who thought it was a good practice to work under the table and cheat on their taxes went backrupt. People who make a habit of doing good will do good.
 
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