this is so bad.so bad.i shouldnt even post this. celine dion will be reborn as an ant for this.

Let's hope it's no Democracy in China ala Axl Rose.

AC/DC are gods. And that's all there's to it.

This is my first blog. Ever. While I try to come up with things to write about, in lack thereof I post interesting links and funny videos. At least I find them interesting and funny. It's almost scary to write stuff about myself publicly. Of course I cant compete with Peter's literary skills so I know better to even try. Why keep a blog? To impress? Not my style. As a kind of journal? Too private. Too aid people in getting to know me better? Hang out with me. I've never been the "get-to-know-me-in-5mins" McDonald's person. In fact, you may try as hard as you want and may have known me for a decade or more and believe you know me inside out but I will still surprise you with tidbits of info about myself that make up my personality you had no clue about but are core to my personality. It's not that dont want to disclose information about myself, it's just that I rarely see the need too. If you want to get to know me, pay close attention and look beyond the veil - I will rarely volunteer to present things about myself on a wholesale platter - which, of course,is the norm aka "Advertise Yourself". So what else to write about if I can just as well post interesting links and funny videos. Too add more of the same, how about bits and pieces of interesting information? If you find it interesting too, maybe we can even be friends?!

Here goes:

Historically (ha), the term "blog" is derived from "e-log" which stems from the days before the www. Short for "electronic log", e-logging was a tool which journalists used when "logging" their reports from wherever it was they went to report things. Once the internet went ww, the term e-log evolved into "web log" from which the now commonly used term "blog" is derived.

Betcha dint know that.

There is a significant number of women choose prostitution out of their very own free will and even take pride in their profession. Although I am primarily referring to female prostitution, you will find that the bottomline and most arguments apply to both female as well as male prostitutes. Personally, I have never requested the professional services of a prostitute.


Most people see hooking as a form of sexual slavery, others, as a route to sexual self-determination. And in between are those who simply see prostitution as a form of work that, like it or not, is here to stay.

Although prostitution in some form or another, has existed in every culture throughout history, it hasn't always been tolerated from a legal or a moral perspective. Prostitution has been criminalized, repressed, and fought against in many different societies for many different reasons. Other cultures not only tolerated prostitution but even embraced it as a legit profession serving an important function in their society. Many modern and postmodern societies, religious based and even some of our western liberal or "free" societies, tend to view prostitution as immoral or "dirty".

And it very well can be. Sex slave trade for example, has flourished immensely in the last few decades and there are many women who are forced into prostitution against their own free will. Women who are dependent on social and economical circumstances, e.g. drug addicts or women who just happened to be born in the wrong culture such as some third world countries, are forced into prostitution for the financial or other gain of a third person party. This form of prostitution is abhorring, and immoral by just about any democratic cultures ethics.

However, this form of prostitution is not what Im talking about. I am talking about those who choose prostitution out their own free will. Not all are the victims or immoral whores that religious fundamentalists and radical feminists want to make us believe. Debates about prostitution are often discussed as purely feminist issues or as the concern of religious citizens that want to clean up their communities from the "infection" of criminal elements, often overlooking the individual.

The voices of feminists and religious fundamentalist, although on different sides, to me often sound the same as their counterparts. They argue that prostitution exploits women and reinforces their status as sexual objects, undoing many of the gains women have made over the past century. Moderated people argue that it spreads disease and that it encourages the spread of vice and crime. Most religious fanatics simply argue that it is contrary to God's will, and is morally wrong. Both sides have their arguments, none of which I find valid. I still have to find a valid argument why voluntary prostitution is immoral or even criminal. None of the named reasons generally work very well as arguments for judging prostitution.
Most prostitutes that choose their profession out of their own free will and take pride in what they do. They see themselves not merely as sex workers but take their job further by offering genuine companionship to those who would otherwise never be able to experience the ultimate connection with another human being. Many men seeking out a prostitute, seek companionship, which may or may not include sex with intercourse.

The most prominent argument from feminists is that prostitution objectifies women and that women are enslaved by the hormone driven, drooling-for-sex monster, man. I detect in such an attitude a condescending belief that prostitutes don't know what they're doing and need somebody with more education to protect them. Other arguments against prostitution are that prostitutes are victims which have no self-esteem, degrade all women, and need to be forcefully removed from their circumstances. The very notion is a violation of one of the most basic human rights: the right for self determination. And when one applies these arguments to male prostitutes, and if one treats men and women as intellectual equals, then the arguments contradict the very essence of feminism. All these arguments I find, propagate patriarchal and antifeminist values, contrary to their claims.

All throughout history, various cultures have both embraced as well as harshly judged the oldest profession in the world. Historically, the priestesses of ancient Mesopotamia offered their services to pilgrims that came to worship at the temple. They performed rituals of burning incense, singing hymns, and participating in the sexual rites of the temple. It was seen as a part of an act of a fertility rite, life-giving in terms of sexual passion but also of birth as well as in a nurturing way. It played an important role in it's culture and like any priest, they accepted offerings in return.

Of course prostitution can many ugly faces to it. How could anyone working in any given profession which is not regulated by democratic laws not be abused?? But branding a prostitute's profession as wrong, immoral or even worse as criminal, only isolates a prostitute from society and leaves her (or him) vulnerable to the exploitation of third parties, let's call 'em pimps. Our society imposes itself as an extra obstacle, another threat driving those who become prostitutes out of need and/or against their free will, even further into isolation.

Sure, one might argue that when a prostitute reports that while working as a prostitute she was beaten, was addicted to drugs and was defrauded by clients, she is in fact being exploited and mistreated. But those arguments do not desccribe prostitution, but describe domestic violence, drug addiction, and labor violations. There are many jobs in which women are exploited. When a woman working at e.g., a fast food restaurant is slapped by a supervisor for spilling a drink, is being underpaid, or laid off work for becoming pregnant, do you see anyone pointing fingers at the fast food profession? Hello?!

So lets face it, prostitutes are branded immoral by society and labeled criminal by law, not by their profession. Prostitutes as well as men seeking their services are being judged. When money is exchanged for sex it degrades both parties. Women are labeled immoral and even criminal, men are stigmatized as the hormone driven, sex hungry, drooling monster. Sure there are those that fit this scheme, just as with any other stereotype. But if you look a little closer, its not just the mere physical act that many are looking for, but to actually connect with another human on a mental as well as on a physical level. But the stigmatic label that men are given by radical feminists and disappointed women, for the most part, does us injustice.

Not sharing any form of physical relationship with someone else is, simply put, unhealthy. Studies show, that having regular sex reduces the risk of heart disease and can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 50 percent. Individuals who have sex show 30 percent higher levels of the antibody immunoglobulin A, which boosts the immune system. Sex boosts production of testosterone, which leads to stronger bones and muscles. Immediately before orgasm, levels of the hormone oxytocin surge to five times their normal level. This in turn releases endorphins, which alleviate the pain of everything from headache to arthritis to even migraine. In women, sex also prompts production of estrogen, which can reduce the pain of PMS. Ever heard of Kegel exercises? You do them, men and women alike, whether you know it or not, every time you stem your flow of urine. The same set of muscles is worked during sex. There are many more benefits and not all are limited to the physical part of the body.

Bottomline: What a prostitute offers goes far beyond the physical act of sex.

Recognition by society aside, some European governments lead by the liberal Netherlands, have already legalized prostitution to the point that whores (and I am using the term deliberately) not only pay tax on their income but also receive health benefits, social security, unemployment as well as retirement plans.

The government acting as a pimp? Democratic governments are obligated to protect the individual from third-party threats, but do they have the mandate or the right to decide how to protect the individual from itself (if in fact such protection is needed)? Any time a lucrative industry for business is illegal, it attracts organized crime and has potential to cause huge law enforcement problems. This happened in the US during Prohibition and we see it today in connection with illegal drugs. Prostitutes as well as drug addicts are appointed criminals because the law say so. The fact that some European governments have not only legalized the oldest profession in the world, but have actually acknowledged it as a legitimate job, is not so much admitting defeat of the inevitable, but taking responsibility to protect the individual from being used, abused and exploited by a second or third party.

What prostitutes need, is not a bunch of do-gooders looking down on them, but decent working conditions, as well as respect and acknowledgement from society.

Ok, with those colors it needs roman borders...


we need to start a smapfest soon!
What are we waiting for? The Ist SMAPFEST
of the Internet Society of The Secret and amicable Cult of the Propellerhatwearers

You never quit learning. Or shouldn't. Of course some do, thinking they've learned it all. When I was 21 I seriously believed "This is it, I've lived my life and from here on out it's gonna be boring." Well, I was wrong. Like it or not, you don't stop learning and growing until you die. So here I am, self proclaimed computer uebergeek and I can build you a custom tailored computer and yet I can just barely design my own website.


Anyway, I'm just trying to put the excuse for my poorly developed HTML skills into a sorry ass philosophical context. What I'm really trying to say is, I'm still working on my blog layout, so please bear with me in case the links don't work yet (...try them, like post a comment) or in case the layout isn't up to perfection. Yet.

Germany is famous for its beer. But with 1,274 breweries in the country, enjoying a cold one in the country isn't quite as straightforward as you might think. Germans often refer to Beer as Liquid Bread, one of the most basic and essential means of nutrition. Alcoholics, please skip to the second half which explains about the different beers and hangover risks.

If one believes in stereotypes, then all Germans waddle around with their lederhosen stretched across prodigious beer bellies, ridiculous hats perched on their heads, oversized mugs of beer clutched firmly in fat-fingered fists, emitting a cheerful yodel now and then. Most Germans, of course, would find such a caricature deeply insulting. After all, they take their beer drinking much more seriously than that.

Sure, if you happen to visit Munich, you may stumble across a sprawling Biergarten or into a cavernous beer hall, filled with the one or the other odd figure fitting just those stereotypes. But look closely. Most of the dirndl-clad waitresses, looking to all the world like an aged Heidi with breast implants, are probably minimum wage workers from Poland or Hungary. And the customers? Aside from a couple of seasoned alcoholics and Japanese and American tourists on a "See-Europe-In-Seven-Days" Trip, most are likely locals dropping off at the pub for a cold one on their way home from the office.

The point is, beer remains Germany's national drink, but for Germans themselves, it's largely just a pleasant way to quench their thirst. You'll see construction workers downing a bottle or two on their lunch breaks. You'll find offices kitchens well stocked. You can get one at movie theaters and in McDonald's. And in the vast majority of cities and towns in Germany, you're never more than a few meters from a bottle, can or keg of beer.

Germany is home to 1,274 breweries -- that's about three quarters of all the breweries in the European Union -- and they all churn out a total of 5,000 different beers. Although beer drinking has been declining somewhat due to greater health awareness -- and you will run into Germans who never touch the stuff -- Germans remain among the world's biggest beer drinkers with consumption of 115 liters (~30gls) per head/year.

Faced with such massive quantities of beer, Germans don't shy away from blatantly lying to get you to consume your fair share. For example: "German beer contains no chemicals or preservatives so you won't get a hangover." That flat statement is, while not necessarily incorrect, wrong: I have personally spent hundreds of euros on aspirin proving otherwise. It is true however that german beer contains no chemicals nor preservatives. But depending on what kind of beer you drink you will notice a difference the next day. Beer isn't just beer to Germans and there are many types of beer (see further down for the different types of beer). The quality is indeed excellent and dates back to the first food quality law ever passed, the 1516 Purity Law which limits beer ingredients to water, hops, malt and yeast. Put all that together and you end up with varying qualities of alcohol -- which, I can assure you, is the decisive factor in whether you'll go to work with a smile on your face or wake up with your head in a trashcan the next morning.

Before you get that far, though, there are a number of methodological hoops you'll need to jump through before you can even take your first sip. Patience is the first. Leaving aside the genetic allergy to speedy service that afflicts most Germans, pouring a good pils takes time. Drawing a beer from the tap is not as straightforward as one might think, as there is a technique involved to obtain the "head" or the "crown", the foam on top of the beer which ensures that your beer is kept nice and fresh inside your glass to the last drop. Many drinkers will even send their beer back for a re-pour should the head have collapsed before serving. Although this varies from region to region and sometimes even from pub to pub, my personal opinion is that it takes seven minutes, drawing from the tap no more and no less than three times for the perfect beer. You should become suspicious if you receive your beer within 5 mins of ordering. If you're thirsty, order a fresh one as soon as you've been served.

Once you've got your beer safely set in front of you, umgotteswillen don't take a sip before toasting with your table mates. Raise your glass, look your fellow drinker in the eye, clink glasses and say "Prost!" The eye contact thing is vitally important; it is said that, should you forego this social nicety, you will be punished with seven years of bad sex. A quick glance at the low German birth rate confirms that the Teutonic gods are indeed watching.

FIFA, soccer's world governing body organizing the World Cup, would like you to believe there are just a couple of different types of beers in the world. Exclusive sponsoring deals mean that the 12 host stadiums and the official big-screen broadcasts may only sell officially allowed beverages such as that Yankee swill Budweiser tries to pass off as beer. But visitors would be foolish not to imbibe the local brew no matter where you are. Especially, it must be said, in the southern state of Bavaria. Munich doesn't host Oktoberfest -- the world's biggest beer bash -- for nothing. The state has over 500 breweries.

So get out there and drink!

TYPES OF GERMAN BEER, WHERE TO FIND THEM, AND HOW YOU'LL FEEL THE NEXT MORNING

Pils, often lumped in with lager in Britain, is the most common German beer and accounts for 65 percent of output. It is served everywhere in Germany and takes its name from the city of Pilsen, in what is now the Czech Republic, where it was first served by a Bavarian brewer in 1842, when the city was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Pils is a light golden color and has an average alcohol content of 4.8 percent. It is a bottom-fermented beer (the yeast settles to the base of the fermentation vessel and fermentation takes place at a cool temperature which limits the production of byproducts and results in a cleaner tasting beer). Ask for "ein Pils bitte" and you're likely to get the local brand of Pils.

Hangover risk: Varies from Pils to Pils, but acceptable

Alt, Altbier (ale), is a dark top-fermented beer, brewed using the original, centuries-old process that uses yeasts which rise to the top of the fermentation tank, to be skimmed off when fermentation is complete. Fermentation temperatures are higher than for bottom fermented beers, and the beer contains more byproducts as a result -- hence its darker color. It is available nationwide but is most prevalent in Duesseldorf and the cities of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Hangover risk: Ugh

Koelsch, confined to Cologne and the surrounding area. Only 24 breweries have permission to make it. It is a top-fermented yet light-colored beer and has a distinct "hoppy" taste. It will seem unusual at first but stick with it; you'll develop a taste for it after about five. It is usually served in small -- Bavarians would say girlie -- 0.2 liter glasses. Waiters in the pubs and breweries of Cologne walk around with big round trays of Koelsch glasses and quickly substitute empty glasses for full ones, to ensure a steady supply of the brew.

Hangover risk: Surprisingly low though, ironically, the small size almost guarantees you'll get rather tipsy. After all, ordering one last beer (at 0.2l-- a Koelsch glass size) isn't much of a commitment.

Helles, Lager Hell, Export Hell is served predominantly in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg, so it will be encountered by fans watching matches in Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Kaiserslautern. It is light-colored and can be strong, with an alcohol content of between 4.6 and 5.6 percent. It has a strong, sometimes slightly sweet taste. It can be utterly, dangerously, delicious.

Risk of waking up in a ditch with a massive headache: High

Lager Dunkel, Dunkles, Export dunkel are dark, malty brews, with an alcohol content of between 4.6 and 5.6 percent, served predominantly in Bavaria (World Cup host cities Munich and Nuremberg). It is bottom-fermented and brewed with dark malt.

Hangover risk: High

Bockbier, Starkbier are generally dark golden or brown, bottom-fermented beers with a high malt content. Served mainly in the south (World Cup cities Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and Kaiserslautern). Watch out for these: they have a high alcohol content of around 7 percent.

Hangover risk: Make sure you don't have to check out of your hotel before 3:00 p.m. the next day.

Berliner Weisse is served mainly in an around Berlin and you really shouldn't allow yourself to be seen drinking the stuff. It's an embarrassment. At just 2.8 percent, the alcohol content is low and it is often served with a straw. Popular in the summer, it is served with a disgustingly sweet syrup that makes it green or red.

Hangover risk: Inapplicable. If you drink enough of this stuff to get a hangover, it's your own damn fault.

Weizenbier/Weissbier is the most Bavarian of all beers, but spreading northwards. It is quite strong, with an alcohol content of 5.4 percent, but nevertheless is part of a traditional Bavarian breakfast completed with white sausage and a pretzel. Made largely from wheat malt, it has a fruity flavor and a frothy head. Served in distinctive long glasses with a wide, mouth, Kristallweizen is a clear, golden beer, while Hefeweizen is slightly cloudy due the high yeast content. Kristallweizen is often served with a slice of lemon, which should be removed, according to the purists at the German Federation of Brewers.

Hangover risk: Medium. Drink it slowly.

In addition to straight beer, Germans are also known to imbibe a dizzying array of

Beer-Soft Drink Concoctions. A few of them are listed below:

A mixture of beer and lemonade is known as Radler in the south and Alsterwasser in the north is a perfect way to cool off in the middle of the day while avoiding that often-annoying early afternoon buzz. There are a number of other terms for it, including Panache or Wurstwasser ("Sausage Water"). Its low alcohol content of some 2.5 percent makes it a popular drink in the summer for people who don't mind desecrating the amber nectar with sugary fizz.

A close relative of the Radler, the Russn is made in equal parts lemonade and Weizenbier. Legend has it that communists meeting in Munich's Matthser Keller restaurant in 1918 either wanted to keep a clear head or were drinking too much beer -- hence it was diluted to form the Russn.

Another bastardization of beer sees cola being mixed in, a concoction with a plethora of names including Colabier, Diesel, Dreckiges, Schmutz, Drecksack, Schweinebier.

Hangover Risk: Moderate to High

If you have no taste at all and are in Bavaria trying to get hammered quickly, try Goassnmass. It is a mixture of beer, cola and cherry liquor or Asbach Uralt, a sweet brandy. Hangover Risk: Unrivaled

Disclaimer: Don't blame me if you can't get out of bed the next day.