It Could
Be Anything!
It Could Be Anything!
Number Seven ©September, 2000
••••••• Don Harthcock,
Editor
OpinionSoup may contain
language and topics unsuitable for
children.
"Even
if you live to be 100, it's really a very short time." ~Pema
Chodron
"Even if you live to be 100, it's really a very short time." ~Pema Chodron
IN THIS ISSUE:
GUN CONTROL AND THE LAW - Rosie, puh-leeze! You're not THAT dumb!
GINGER - "Morning Sickness" can come at any time of day!
HOUSEPLANTS - Botanical air-purifiers
IRON - Increases resistance to stress and disease
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT - Got gas?
KAVA - The new Valium® of Wall Street
LEMON - Fruit that fades your freckles
MAGUEY - Arriba!
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None of the statements made in this publication have been evaluated by the FDA, nor is that likely ever to happen. This publication is not meant to be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Since this publication is not intended to be diagnostic or prescriptive, the authors assume no responsibility for any adverse reactions resulting from the use of any information contained in it.
GUN CONTROL AND THE LAW
Personal from Donny
The Second Amendment? What's that? click on pic for women against gun control
Donny is neither stupid nor unaware, and I strongly oppose most Gun Control measures. I know this position will make me unpopular with Rosie and all her followers who say that guns are ba-a-a-a-ad.
I fully realize the problems which can be traced to easy access to firearms, and it broke my heart to watch the madness at Columbine High; but this is a police matter and shouldn't be a political argument. Better you should be more concerned with pro-active police work than with Gun Control.
The Constitution of the United States guarantees me the right to bear arms, and bear them I will. There is a very strong reason for this guarantee, and if you don't know what it is, go to your local library and learn something. Read up on the history of nations where only police and soldiers were allowed to bear arms. America's Founding Fathers knew this history well. James Madison knew this history well. Thomas Jefferson knew this history well. Today's leaders are concerned with fund-raising and votes. Celebrities are concerned with embracing popular trends. Donny is a big fan of Rosie O'Donnell, but I will put my faith in James Madison and the Constitution.
Admittedly, the only gun in our home is a tiny .25 automatic which serves better as a noisemaker than a weapon (you'd be lucky to hit a wall of the room you were standing in). It's my wife Jonnie's gun, given to her by Lew DeWitt, author of Counting Flowers On The Wall.
I tell you truly, you have serious cause for worry concerning Gun Control as Law. When governments start rounding up citizens' guns, You Better Watch Out, and I'm not talking about Santa Claus coming to town.
Do you think the United States is forever, like stardust and God? Think again! Our nation could someday wink out of existence, as some African and Latin American government-of-the-month clubs have done. Except for the strength of our Constitution. You should fight tooth and nail to preserve the American Constitution, protecting it as you would protect your own family. Don't take your hard-won rights for granted! The Constitution is your children's legacy and birthright, and it is unthinkable to contravene its guarantees just because police and politicians are inept.
It is the nature of politicians to be slimy worms, and police have always been inept. Just who, exactly, do you think individual politicians and policepersons are? They are leftovers; we just give them something to do, so they won't get into trouble. What happens to leftovers when you don't watch them and keep a lid on them? They spoil!
What did citizens do with the Baddest Guy in town in the Old West? They made him The Law! Who are the best playground and hall monitors? Bullies!
Click on the pic to visit a cop car site. I nearly choked when I heard Rosie say on TV that only cops should have guns. Oi! Rosie, my darling, cops are not Father Flanagan, even though many of them are Irish! You are too young to remember what cops did in Chicago in 1968 (with the blessings of those two law-enforcement executive perverts Daley and Hoover), but I am not! I know a thing or two about the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in 1968. I well remember when Mayor Daley's "shoot to maim" orders were upgraded by J. Edgar Hoover to "shoot to kill," and I well remember who the Chicago Cops CHOSE TO SHOOT AT! Rocky Pomerance did a much better job with the Republicans in Miami Beach.
Listen to me: the thing that police officers do best is STRUT.They're also good at malingering, eating doughnuts, drinking coffee, taking and giving bribes, being lookouts for crooks, writing illegible reports, and beating people up. Without paid informants, no crimes would ever be solved. NYPD Blue is just a television show, my dears. And you want to let these guys be the only ones with guns?
The next time you trim your nails, consider chopping off your fingers and toes to solve the nail-trimming problem. Would you do that? No, you would not. Then why do you think it's a good idea to enact Gun Control legislation? Taking guns away from honest citizens is going to solve crime? IT WILL CAUSE MORE CRIME! Cops and robbers will become even more strongly partnered than they are now!
Upper-Management cops are politicians; they under-report and downgrade crimes, and they routinely lie about doing that. Why do they under-report and downgrade crimes? For better "ratings" for their cities, to "cook" the numbers and get better insurance rates, and for the Chamber of Commerce. It's all about money, honey. Let Prohibition be your guide to the idiocy of politicians and police, and the willingness of citizens to follow them like sheep.
Let me tell you something else: nearly every Texas, Florida, or any Hispanic-looking motorist who drives down Mississippi highways gets stopped by some cop, and the locals call that "good police work." Law Enforcement calls it Profiling. Donny calls it Not Having Probable Cause, Violating Citizens' Civil Rights, Illegal Search And Seizure, and Unconstitutional.
Most of the police "companies" in this state support themselves by handing out traffic tickets; therefore, that's almost all they do. Meanwhile, my 16-year-old great-nephew could buy an AK-47 or even a bazooka, if he really wanted to. And you know what? We have laws about that. We ALREADY HAVE laws about that. Where are the cops when teenage psychopaths are buying guns? Writing traffic tickets! Strutting importantly at the aftermath of a high-school shootout!
Doctors don't try to prevent disease, and cops don't try to prevent crimes. Better you should be more concerned with pro-active police work than with Gun Control.
The "One Gun A Month" idea showed promise, I thought. What happened with that? I wouldn't object to this restriction; who needs more than one gun a month? Of course, the NRA is opposed to it, saying that such a restriction would lead to One Gun A Year, then One Gun A Decade, and so on. You can't rely on the NRA for good advice, even though they elected Moses to lead them through this blood-Red Sea. The NRA is just the mouthpiece of arms manufacturers, who want to sell as many pieces as possible, to anybody.
Better you should be more concerned with pro-active police work than with Gun Control. I have spoken, and I will speak again. Please call my agent.
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GINGER
...a movie star, the Professor and Mary Ann...
See also Wild Ginger. That sounds like an ad for a strip joint, doesn't it? See Wild Ginger!
Ginger Roots (Zingiber officinale) are used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. This native of tropical southeast Asia (naturalized in Jamaica) is most widely used for motion sickness, nausea (including "morning sickness," which can come at any time of the day), dizziness, vertigo, heartburn, gas and arthritis. Marco Polo wrote of finding Ginger in China, which is very near Gilligan's Island.
Ginger is a heart and blood tonic. A stimulant and bronchodilator, it is also used for asthma relief. Ginger Root Extract is standardized to 5% Gingerol. Anti-inflammatory Ginger is good for muscle pain and fatigue, earaches and dandruff. As a "warming" herb, Ginger is equal to Capsicum, and can, in fact, be used along with it. Donny believes that Ginger would be well-used for post-surgical nausea and by those undergoing the brutal effects of chemotherapy.
Ginger is an anti-coagulant, therefore heart-healthy, and has been found in laboratory tests to lower cholesterol. Japanese researchers believe that Ginger lowers blood pressure and stimulates the heart. A cup of Ginger Tea won't cure the flu, but it'll make you feel better if you have chills and aches.
The antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory action of Ginger soothes digestive upsets and also helps ease menstrual cramps, headaches and arthritis. Ginger inhibits the enzyme cyclo-oxygenase, and is therefore excellent in the treatment of migraine headaches.
Not as well-known is Ginger's antifungal power. A decoction of Ginger Root applied externally is good for athlete's foot, ringworm and jock itch.
Ginger is a great spice for various foods (soups, stir-fry, sauces), and it makes a delicious tea. Scrub the root, but don't peel it; many active constituents are contained in the skin.
Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer are both flavored with Ginger Root, also Gingerbread and Gingersnaps. Eating Ginger preserves, drinking Ginger Tea or taking capsules are various other methods of ingestion.
Ginger was one of the first Oriental spices used in the Western world when it was brought from the East by the fabled Spice Caravans. To add a delicious "Asian Taste" to your food, combine ground Ginger with Soy Sauce, toasted Sesame seeds and Garlic; add this sauce to chicken, steak or vegetables. Ground Ginger with butter and brown sugar is scrumptious over cooked carrots or winter squash. A little ground Ginger with orange marmalade is elegant with breakfast toast or muffins.
Ginger is approved as an over-the-counter drug in Canada, Germany and UK; it is listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia.
CAUTION: ALTHOUGH GINGER IS COMMONLY USED FOR "MORNING SICKNESS," IT ALSO HAS BEEN USED TRADITIONALLY FOR BRINGING ON MENSES; THEREFORE, CONSULT WITH YOUR PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE PRACTITIONER BEFORE TAKING GINGER, IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR NURSING.
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HOUSEPLANTS
"Bromeliad" does not rhyme with "marmalade."
Donny strongly recommends that you develop a liking or enhance your liking for Houseplants. Valuable for much more than simply making your crib "look good," they will both increase your oxygen supply and filter harmful polluting gases from your home.
Houseplants are the best and least-expensive air-purifiers you can buy. Especially recommended for your bedroom are Aloe Vera and all Bromeliads. Herbs that can be grown as Houseplants include Basil, Bay, Calendula, Chervil, Chives, Marjoram, Mints, Oregano, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage, and scented Geraniums (Gerania?).
Recommended Reading:
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants to Purify Your Home or Office by B. C. Wolverton; Penguin, New York, 1997. Click on the blue to get it from Barnes & Noble for about $15.
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IRON
Iron + Vitamin C = Olympic Material!
(1) A method of eliminating wrinkles in clothing, by pressing hot metal directly onto the fabric. Pronounced "Arn" in some parts of the South, as in "I'm real tard; I been arnin' all day."
(2) I know that you are thinking about Iron, a Trace Element, every time you prepare (or someone else prepares) Iron-rich meats, beans, peas and lentils. I just know it!
"Iron," you are saying. "Iron good."
Your digestive system, however, may be thinking, "Iron; so what? Ho-hum, big deal, out it goes."
Therefore, let's talk about Vitamin C. Serve broccoli, leafy greens, baked potatoes or tomatoes (all high in Vitamin C) along with your Iron-rich foods; Vitamin C will help your body absorb the Iron. If you're just having cereal for breakfast (most commercial breakfast cereal is "enriched" or "fortified" with Iron), have a glass of Orange Juice as well; same deal.
Here's a more esoteric tip: cooking in cast-iron pots will actually put Iron into your food. The more acidic the food (tomato sauce, etc.), the more Iron it will absorb.
Iron is necessary for production of hemoglobin, which is the red blood cell protein that transports oxygen from your lungs. Iron aids in energy production and builds up the quality of your blood and immune system, increasing resistance to stress and disease.
If you are taking Iron tablets for fatigue or depression, do not take them along with your Vitamin E capsules, as inorganic Iron destroys Vitamin E.
Iron is obtained naturally from brewer's yeast, dark-green leafy vegetables, eggs, fish, fruits, lean meats, liver, milk, nuts, potatoes, poultry, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and whole-grain breads and cereals. It is more effective with Vitamin B-12 and Folic Acid, and requires a sufficient amount of hydrochloric acid in your gastric juices for absorption.
Deficiency in Iron can lead to anemia, general apathy, and decreased learning ability, especially in children.
CAUTION: IRON IS STORED IN THE BODY AND CAN BE TOXIC. DO NOT TAKE IRON SUPPLEMENTS WITHOUT MEDICAL SUPERVISION.
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JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT (Dragon Root, Indian Turnip)
This is NOT about Jerry Falwell.
The root of Arisaema triphyllum, native to both North and South America, is antispasmodic, carminative, diaphoretic, and expectorant. It has been used for muscle spasms, facial tics, phlegmy coughs, laryngitis, asthma, and farting-in-the-pulpit.
In North America, this perennial, creek-bank herb originated in North Carolina and is listed as a poisonous plant. Eating it can cause severe pain in the mouth. THE ROOTS MUST BE DRIED FOR AT LEAST THREE TO SIX MONTHS, then peeled and sliced very thinly or ground into a fine powder. The thin slices can be eaten like chips, and the fine powder can be added to muffin or bread dough, or put into capsules.
I have this herb in my back yard as a shady-area perennial (it's a lovely little plant); I dug some up from the creek bank behind my sister Annie's house before I even knew what it was. I accidentally mowed some down, but it came back, the next year! Jack-In-The-Pulpit likes moist, shady areas, appears in early spring, and dies back in summer.
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KAVA (Ava, Awa, Yagona)
"Everybody Must Get Stoned." ~Bob Dylan
Often called "Kava-Kava," Piper methysticum, a cousin of Black Pepper, has been used in the South Pacific (especially in Tonga) for over 3,000 years, as a relaxant and analgesic. Today it is widely acdepted, especially in the United States, as a relaxant which does not sedate the user. Kava eases tension and anxiety, relieves stress, relaxes tight muscles, and simultaneously promotes mental clarity.
Kava has been known to Europeans since the 1700's, but it was virtually ignored until 1966. Colonial Britain denigrated local "wog" practices, worldwide, but commerce always wins, in the end.
Because it also relaxes the urinary tract, Kava has been used to "calm" bladder infections and gonorrhea symptoms. Basis of standardization is Kavapyrones (Kavalactones).
A euphoriant beverage is made from the roots of the Kava plant. Polynesians drink this tea especially at weddings, believing it will bring good luck and protect the user from harm. Or maybe just to get stoned; I don't know.
CAUTION: DON'T TAKE KAVA IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BREAST-FEEDING, IF YOU HAVE PARKINSON'S, OR IF YOU ARE TAKING ANY OTHER MEDICATION THAT AFFECTS THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.
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LEMON
Of Lemonade and Blondes
Citrus limon, very high in antioxidant Vitamin C, is probably native to northern India, not
Florida or California! Lemons were brought to the Mediterranean region from India in about 100 CE.
Lemon Peel is used in baking. In herbal shampoos, Lemon Peel is recommended for oily hair.
The fruit, juice and peel are all rich in Vitamins and Minerals, and I doubt that I can tell you anything about Lemons that you don't already know! But I'll try.
Lemon Juice cleans brass, marble, silver, and rust stains on clothing or other fabric. For the rust stains, add vinegar and salt to your solution and let the fabric dry in the sun. Astringent Lemon Juice is also an excellent skin tonic. Its bleaching properties condition blonde hair, and it may fade your freckles. Honey and Lemon Juice are excellent for colds, coughs and sore throats. Antiseptic Lemon Juice helps kill household germs.
AND, my sister Willie makes THE BEST Lemon Icebox Pie. You couldn't have known that.
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MAGUEY
But what's with the worm in the bottle?
Century Plant; used for making Mescal. Arriba! See Agave.
By the way, Paul Rodriguez says that he has been Mexican all his life, and he has never once said "Andale!" or "Arriba!"
Donny's Spanish is far from perfect, but I am sure these expressions come from old cowboy movies, and used together, mean (roughly) "Go around! Higher!" or possibly "Spin him around! Up high!"
Because Emilio Zapata's revolutionary caballeros smoked marijuana, it could even mean, "Don't Bogart that joint! Pass it around! Let's get high!" This is pure speculation on my part. What I know about marijuana could be wrapped in a single ZigZag® paper.
"La cucaracha, la cucaracha, ya no puede caminar.
"Porque no tiene, porque le falta,
"Marijuana que fumar."
OpinionSoup is published by Don Harthcock. OS#7 ©September, 2000, Don Harthcock, OpinionSoup.com. Portions of OpinionSoup may be reproduced on your site with proper credit and a link. This instruction supercedes all previous prohibitions. Taping OS to refrigerators, posting on bulletin boards & emailing to friends is waycool, highly-recommended, and much appreciated.
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