Carlene

3:55 p.m. CT May 4, 2007 LIMA, Peru - Carmen Gonzalez plucks one of the 50 frogs from the aquarium at her bus stop restaurant, bangs it against tiles to kill it and then makes two incisions along its belly and peels off the skin as if husking corn. She’s preparing frog juice, a beverage revered by some Andean cultures for having the power to cure asthma, bronchitis, sluggishness and a low sex drive. A drink of so-called “Peruvian Viagra” sells for about 90 cents. Gonzalez adds three ladles of hot, white bean broth, two generous spoonfuls of honey, raw aloe vera plant and several tablespoons of maca — an Andean root also believed to boost stamina and sex drive — into a household blender. Then she drops the frog in. Once strained, the result is a starchy, milkshake-like liquid that stings the throat. At least 50 customers a day ask for steaming beer mugs of frog juice at Gonzalez’s countertop-only restaurant in eastern Lima, and many treat the concoction as their morning — and afternoon — cup of coffee. Rebeca Borja, a 53-year-old housewife and mother of five, originally from Lima’s central highland city of Huancayo, where the beverage is common, said simply: “It gives you power.”

You're right, but robbing convenience stores isn't a deviant act and the culprits are not driven by some dark force to commit robbery. They could stop if they wanted to. Thieves are just lazy and do not respect the law. True Pedophiles suffer from a morbid desire to have sex with children. They can't change that, any more than a gay man can change the fact that he is attracted to other men. Pedophiles can be physically or chemically castrated. That's about the only "cure" there is, and it isn't always successful.

Really? So you think they CHOOSE to be sexually attracted to children? How interesting... Why do you think anyone would CHOOSE to put themselves thru that? It must be the most despised group in the entire world. I can't imagine that anyone would deliberately sign up for that.

I have a friend who works for a large military industrial complex. It's totally non-smoking now, but at first the rule was that you could smoke unless someone complained, then you had to put out your cigarette - no discussion and no recrimination. My friend had his own office, but did not rate his own secretary, but got to request one from the pool every now and then. As soon as he lit up, after the new rule went into effect, the young lady asked him not to smoke. So the next day, he requested a different secretary. Word got back to secretary number one and she filed a complaint with HR, and threatened to sue. Interestingly enough, she was told that he was not obliged to use the same secretary for more than one day running. Had he sent her packing the same day they assigned her, because she objected to his second-hand smoke, then he would be guilty of violating her rights, but he didn't; he let her stay and finish the day. And they told both of them that he could not request a smoke-friendly secretary, but he never had that particular problem again. What a huge, fortuitous coincidence.

Has anyone else applied for a passport recently? I made my application 6 weeks ago. The State Dept has a web site where you can track it. It says it should be in the system after 4 weeks, but mine isn't showing up yet. I know they are behind but we applied for a passport for DGD the same day and hers shows "being processed". I sent an e mail (per the web site instructions) and got back a generic reply that just said give them 4 weeks before trying to track my app.

Do you think that the orientation of pedophiles (children as sex objects) is unchangeable? I do. I think they are powerless to change and as much as I feel for them, I also believe they should NEVER be allowed to roam freely within society, once they have crossed the line and actually touched a child. I respect the fact that they have rights, but those rights are nothing, IMHO, compared to the very risk of child molestation.

Me, too, Green. I smoked in my hospital room after all my kids were born. How bad is that? I agree that quitting is a bitch. I actually quit twice. The first time lasted a year. In my dreams, I was still a smoker for about the first 5 years. That was so weird. I'd wake up the next day and almost expect to find an ashtray full of cigarette butts. Smoking was more than just a habit for me. I LOVED smoking.

Those up-tight people are such a pain in the ass. My husband was in the Knights of Columbus (Catholic men's fraternal organization) and some of us started referring to the women's auxillary as "Ladies of the Knight". We were gonna have shirts made up, but one grumpy old biddy threatened to complain to the Bishop. Some people just have no sense of humor.

That is it in a nutshell. If it's a bad idea to give extra protection under the law to gays and Lesbians, why was it not a bad idea to pass the legislation in the first place, when it only protected blacks, Muslims, etc? Everyone seemed to think it was a great idea then.

A recent poll about customer service revealed that Sprint is the least consumer friendly company in America, at least according to those who took the poll. My vote goes to Bank of America. Bottom Ten (Sprint being "worst") Sprint Sprint Nextel Bank of America Comcast Time Warner Cable AT&T Citibank Wal-Mart Verizon Wells Fargo DirecTV Dishonorable mentions Dell Circuit City Best Buy Home Depot Sears Macy's

I don't believe I said anything that would indicate I wanted you (or anyone else) to give up cigarettes. You quoted my statement that a sign I used to have on my desk was haughty and inapproptiate....and it WAS. How is that "preaching"? Even a very dedicated smoker has to be appalled at that sign....I hope. Unlike you, I did not have the good sense to give up smoking while pregnant. Thank God my kids seem not to have suffered any ill effects, although two of them do have Asthma and all suffer from severe allergies. I just hope no one has photos of me as a nursing/smoking mother.

I read that Paris Hilton was sentenced to 45 days in jail because she just couldn't seem to grasp the concept of "suspended license means do not drive". Score one for common sense and fair play.

Not sure that's exactly true. Your anti-Liberal post definitely isn't something I would agree with. I took exception to Mark's remark (that he found prayer in school almost as offensive as pedophilia), but that doesn't mean I agree with forced prayer in schools. I don't. What if I were your child's teacher. Would it be okay with you if I taught him/her to pray the Rosary? How about Muslim prayers....are you up for that? Jewish? Hey....we all worship the same God, right? So....a prayer is a prayer is a prayer, yes? And mine's as good as yours, isn't it?

Not Texas.....we put in an Express Lane.

Me, too. Is he a Bandster?

Smoking is hazardous to everyone - smokers and non-smokers alike - no question about that. Most businesses want to straddle the fence, however, with a "smoking section" that doesn't do diddly. Smoke drifts and travels with the wind (or the AC). So I agree....all public places should elect to be one or the other - either smoking or non. And "non" should begin at the curb. Don't stand just outside the doorway, puffing away, and force the rest of us to run a gauntlet of smoke on our way in. And don't be sneaking one in the bathroom, either. If it's a non-smoking establishment, have a little respect for the owner's right to choose. I was a smoker for many years. I had a sign on my desk at work that said "I'm a smoker....thank you for not breathing". What an awful, inconsiderate statement to display in a work environment. I haven't seen any comparitive studies, but I doubt that the tax revenue lost from smokers who can't light up wherever they want will surpass the cost to society of smoke related illness.

I had to scroll before I changed my resolution. As for the girl, I don't have strong feelings either way, but I do think if you are going to have a "real person" up there, it should be a Bandster. People with weight issues are VERY touchy about misrepresentation. We've all seen a ton of those fraudulent ads with fake "before" and "after" photos....."I lost 100 pounds effortlessly - while I slept". You don't want Newbies to think she's a Bandster if she's not.

I am the answer to every man's dream....a woman who hates to shop and loves to cook.

Loreal....buy them at the drug store.

I've never had one, but I worked for a real estate company for about 5 years and saw quite a few houses that had them, talked to owners,etc. It's a selling point if/when you sell, but most people said they were not impressed and would not spend the money on one in the future. Repairs can be expensive (several people found this out when faced with having theirs fixed in order to pass inspection).

A poll published in the paper this AM says that less than 50% (soldiers and Marines) would report comrades for killing or injuring an innocent non-combatant, stealing from them, torturing them, etc. That's pretty sad, IMO. I understand combat stress and all that stuff, but we are talking civilians here....perhaps women and children. This kind of thinking makes us no better than Al Queda.

On second thought.....I should not have posted a response to Wheetsin's post. Baptism, to Christians, is sacred.....certainly not a "ha ha" kind of thing.

It absolutely counts. Your mom probably wasn't excommunicated. She was divorced and remarried, right? She's out of grace, but that's all. Being excommunicated takes a whole, official process.

You can have her last name legally changed without adoption. Maybe that would be a good compromise?

My DH is Diabetic. They heal slower and are more prone to infection than other people. I think you should ask your doctor.