Court rules lesbians are not just from Lesbos

July 22, 2008

"ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek court has dismissed a request by residents of the Aegean island of Lesbos to ban the use of the word lesbian to describe gay women, according to a court ruling made public on Tuesday. Three residents of Lesbos, the birthplace of the ancient Greek poetess Sappho whose love poems inspired the term lesbian, brought a case last month arguing the use of the term in reference to gay women insulted their identity..."

(http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/080722/odds/odd_lesbians_dc)

Christie Anna says: I couldn't help but laugh at this one. I mean, I can understand where they're coming from, but at this point the term 'lesbian' is used on such a wide basis that I'm pretty sure even a court order would do nothing but piss people off. Why bother even trying? It's just going to lose you money (230 euros, to be exact) and get people mad at you. And if it's boosting tourism, then why not let it continue? I may hate tourists, but they are good for the economy. (If they weren't, I'm pretty sure there would be a few more "accidental" bus crashes here in New England every autumn....) So while yes, I can wholeheartedly understand why, on a generic level, one group of people wouldn't want their home tied in so thoroughly to a different group of people - come on, you'd get sick of the jokes pretty quickly, too; I know there is little I hate more than stereotyping - after a while, it's just crazy to try to change it. And, on a more specific level, are people really that homophobic? That they'll go to court over terminology? You know, considering the grand tradition of homosexuality throughout Greek history (Sparta, for example, was, at the height of its power, based on a system that involved older men taking boy lovers), the people of the Aegean are really testy about the subject. I think the people of Lesbos should just sit back and let it roll off their shoulders. That's really how they're going to prove that they're bigger than all of this.

Fighting Cow Methane at the Source: Their Food

July 8th, 2008- Discover Magazine
"While many cattle are stuffed full of grain, grass-fed cattle have been heralded as a greener way to get beef because it diminishes the need to feed the animals antibiotics and has a smaller carbon footprint, not to mention that it yields beef with less saturated fat. Those of us lucky (or wealthy) enough to feast on grass-fed beef can rest easy knowing we have taken a step toward protecting planet Earth—or so we thought. It turns out there’s a hitch: Cow burps, which send methane into the atmosphere, may increase global warming..."

(http://discovermagazine.com/2008/aug/08-fighting-cow-methane-at-the-source)

Amber says: Okay, so Im all about being green and saving the world and making a better earth for future generations and all of that... but... Come on. Seriously?? Genetically modifying GRASS to cut down on COW BURPS?? Are you kidding me? First of all, its a burp. A stinkin' burp. Cows, Cats, Horses, People... we ALL burp. Ever heard of that book "Everybody Poops"? I think that the people running these studies should read it, if they havent already. And if they have, I think they need to study it a little more. If you are going to join the fight against the massive carbon foot print, at least do it in a way that is going to do some good.

Secondly, Id think that spending time and money on genetically modifying grass to feed these already too expensive grass-fed cows is going to push the cost of food (and everything else!) up even higher. Put the money into a contraption that works like an air purifier, and purify the air- that would get rid of the cow methane and all of the other bad stuff that is floating around.

Third, didnt they do some study in California a while ago to test and see if cows actually put enough methane into the atmosphere to matter? And didnt they figure out that it didnt really make a difference?

Okay, I think Im done ranting.

New Zealand man sells his soul to 'Hell'

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) --
"A New Zealand man has sold his soul to hell -- Hell Pizza, that is.
The New Zealand pizza chain said Thursday it had struck a deal with Walter Scott, 24, to buy a deed to his soul, shortly after an online auction site that initially agreed to the sale withdrew it from the Internet because of complaints it was in bad taste..."

(http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/07/03/nzealand.soul.ap/index.html)

Amber says: First of all, thats some good marketing to be able to snatch that up and whatnot. I mean, how fitting?? Secondly, can I sell my soul? I mean, Im sure Ive come pretty close without realizing it (I do have an unhealthy addiction to chocolate... Id do nearly anything for a peanut butter cup...) but Id love to actually get some, you know... cash... for this thing that they call a soul!

I love fun news like this, especially since other news in the area isnt so good right now. (http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/07/02/missing.vermont.girl/index.html) We just have to find the good in things, I suppose. And some good/ interesting news is just what I needed this morning, to get my mind off that poor girl and her family. It almost makes me wonder why I have such an obsession with the news... Then I remember, oh wait... I can read about that weird guy that sold his soul to a pizza place! Its not all bad!!