John Adams quote

It's been a enlightening, enjoyable discussion. I don't think it's going to get 'really heated' or blown out of proportion. Besides, that is what 'kill files' are for....

-Irene

Everyone has behaved very well, I think. If I may suggest, though, that signing "fundamentalist" needs expansion - there are fundamentalists of all kinds. If it is a reference to religion, that leaves Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, various orthodox beliefs, and a large number of Christian sects. I have undoubtedly missed some.

...Shinto, Unitarian-Universalism, Scientology, Wicca, Sikhism, Baha'i, Satanism, Jainism, Confucianism, Voodoo, Taoism, Mowahhidoon, Zoroastrianism, Druidism, Goddess Worship, Caodaism, Native American Spirituality, Druze, Eckankar, Gnosticism, Roma, Hare Krishna, Ifa, Lukumi, Macumba, Rom, Romani, Santeria, Yazdânism, Asatru,...

And each is *exactly* as valid as the other.... or none at all.

Beverly

And most have fundamentalists in their ranks. So true. Lately, I've been leaning toward

Beverly

Sister Beverly!!!

Amen....eerrruuummm, Awomen. ;-)

Beverly

And just how are you justifying your Pastafarian beliefs in light of the pasta strike in Italy? You do know they held the "no pasta day" as a protest of the increase in grain prices, creating an increase in pasta prices that impacted just about every family in Italy right??

;) Couldn't resist....

Sharon

---you should really look at Chocolism ;)

...a pasta strike in Italy? I thought everyone there just made their own pasta at home...at least my relatives in Castellaneta do :)

-Irene

Really, honest and for true!!

were protesting the price increase in grains and pasta. It's the samething that's going on here basically. We just have more readily apparentreasons for the increases in price. With the increased cost on corn,everything in our supermarkets will go up. Meats (all meats) and dairyproducts are higher because the animals are fed (in part) corn. Feed costis higher and that is reflected in the end product cost. Other productsthat contain corn syrup (and it's hard to find things that don't) areincreasing also. Ditto with any beauty or baby products that contain cornstarch. But where the increase has been and will continue to be mostvisible is in the meat and dairy cases. It was bound to happen though.Between the increase in demand (for other things like biofuels, etc.) andthe bad weather over the last couple years decreasing the crop sizes...andthe harsh winters decreasing the size of the animals too....it just keepsgoing round and round, huh? Sharon

Chocolism? That sounds like something I could get my teeth into!

Kirsten

Using food, except for waste cooking oil, to make auto fuel has to be one of the most galactically stupid things I've seen in my entire life--- especially when there are far better, less expensive, more intelligent alternatives.

Would that be a mole sauce?

Perhaps Beverley is prepared to be burned at the stake in order to make a stand for her Pastafarian beliefs???? :-))

ITYM, "burned at the steak..." ;-)

Beverly

I have burned steak. And broccoli. And toast. And just about anything I've attempted to cook. I can burn mashed potatoes.

C'mon, that was clearly an invitation to start a pun cascade.

When I was first married, my DH bragged to his friends that I could burn boiling water... ;-}

Beverly

In this house we refer to it as caramelizing,some things just get a heavy dose of caramel than others. Juno