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Buying Brides With Beer
Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, the kingdom's grand mufti. What do you expect from a guy called the grand MUFTI!?! Anyway, I have a huge problem with this auctioning off of virginity. Why are women sexually commoditized and sold to the highest bidder? Fred, this is absolutely nothing like being a professional athlete. To compare the two is a disgrace to your normally rational veiwpoints. The former athlete is a hero, or "role-model", as you call him, the former prostitute is nothing, least of all a "role-model". I know, the girls at The Hustler Club tell you guys they are all going to medical school or law school, but, trust me, they are not. They are going to their meth dealer. And before you think that I am some uptight women's libber, I have been to strip clubs and had a really fun time. I just do not think it is a great way to put yourself through school. Most prostitutes, strippers, anyone in the sex trade, typically come from really crappy backgrounds and do not have many choices in life. But they all have a brain. Let them use that to get themselves through school. To encourage young women to rely on selling themselves to get through life is a terrible thing to perpetuate. Women need to stop doing this if they ever want to be treated as anything more than second-class citizens, or, even worse, as chattel.— January 18, 2009 3:33 p.m.
Dear Abby -- Who's Your Daddy? And What Do We Call Him?
Uh-uh. I have a friend who also happens to do my hair. He has told me that some of his clients get JEALOUS when he talks to other clients when they are all at the same party. To me it smacks of deeply ingrained insecurity. I don't care if he takes a call while my highlights are processing. I don't own him. When someone does your hair or is giving you a massage, they do not have an assistant standing by, so they are of course going to talk to you. And, hair and massage are luxuries, which can be given up or switched at the the first glimmer of a slight. Going to the dentist is not a luxury. I can't talk anyway, so, like Josh said, their light banter keeps me amused and is a distraction from whatever work they are doing on my teeth. Demanding undivided attention seems more a by-product of the me culture than getting all perturbed when the focus comes off of you for a few minutes. Additionally, I am interested in other's lives as well as mine own.— January 11, 2009 12:08 p.m.
Dear Abby -- Who's Your Daddy? And What Do We Call Him?
I have been going to my dentist and his assistant for years, and they are so comfortable around me that they talk about everything. I like it. It helps to pass the time and they are funny, so I am not so focused on what is going on, ahem, in my mouth. Just another example of the me culture. I'm paying for this so you better pay attention to me and only me!!! Why is everyone so self-centered? It's just the dentist, for pete's sake. Who confronts their dentist? I think Dear Abby's advice sometimes really stinks. Better advice would be quit sweating the small stuff. Your dentist knows what he/she is doing. Or ask for nitrous.— January 10, 2009 9:23 a.m.
The Idiotic Charles Barkley
Leave of absence from WHAT?!? His stellar career as a drunk driver?— January 10, 2009 8:48 a.m.
Leaving Off the Airplane
Someone, somewhere, will always push it to the limit. It is a desperate attempt to garner attention. It seems that people in this country are so disconnected that they will do anything to have someone pay attention to them, whether that attention be negative or not.— January 10, 2009 8:39 a.m.
Dear Abby -- Who's Your Daddy? And What Do We Call Him?
Who the hell asks grandparents what they want to be called before the damn baby is even born? It's grandma and grandpa. I read that letter and I could not believe someone would even care about that at that point. Wait until they are up all night with a crying baby and changing diapers and not having sex anymore. They're not going to care if the kid calls the grandfather "a**hole".— January 9, 2009 7:36 p.m.
Pizza and Politics
I used to live in NY as a kid, and the only downside to moving to California at the age of 14 was what passed for pizza here. When we got here, we stayed in a hotel until the moving truck arrived with our furniture. We were hungry, and of course my parents said "let's order a pizza!". Yay!! We grab a phone book, and see Round Table Pizza. "This looks good". The pizza arrives, we open up the box and we all went "yuck". Orange cheese on a pizza? WTF?!? It was terrible. We choked it down, but we went on a quest after that to find pizza similar to NY pizza. We finally found a place, but it took awhile, and they did not make Sicilian. There were no chain pizzerias in NY where I grew up. Just local joints. In Highland, NY, we went to Three Guys if we wanted Sicilian, and Mario's if we wanted a regular pie. It's nice to see guys bringing Sicilian pizza to San Diego!!! To those that have never tried it - DO!!— January 7, 2009 4:46 p.m.
Anita O'Day Day
WHAT?! The Ken has the best popcorn, ever. They use REAL butter!! Must have been a bad day.— January 7, 2009 10:38 a.m.
San Diego Super Chargers
I hate myself for singing that song now that you brought it up! Fred, you are no fun. Even I, who thinks that pro-sports caters to a male mentality of drinking, eating like a pig, and getting out of doing anything because "the game is on" is really enjoying this amazing comeback. Wallowing in misery over this city's woes does no one any good. Lighten up!!— January 7, 2009 10:35 a.m.
Leaving Off the Airplane
Read "The Gift of Fear". It may put this in perspective. Ever been at the airport in Israel? Or Italy, for that matter? American security is stupid. I agree with Fred that while we are focused on those that intentionally (or sometimes not - headscarve/turban) draw attention to themselves, the actual people who intend to do harm are slipping through unnoticed - intentionally. On the other hand, I agree with Josh that it is what it is. Deal with it. All stereotypes are based in fact. Racist? Maybe. But white trash is white trash. Racist? Mmmmm.— January 7, 2009 10:23 a.m.