From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1131">indefensible sushi</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

And we wonder why the rest of the world hates Americans.... &lt;sigh&gt;
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=328">Rhetoric</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

Mornin' Blendervolks.<BR>
<BR>
Normally, I wouldn't chime in like this...but, I can, so I will. I did spend 3 short months in Germany and I can say that they do sell tampons, deoderant, and other such items (as a woman, I can vouch for that). As for the opinion that Europeans "stink" - that is a nearly-universal American culture phenomenon/bias. I personally think we in the US are freaks about smell - Bath and Body Works is proof of that. We put all this unnatural crap on our bodies in an effort to smell like apple-rasberry-cucumber-freesia, rather than letting our loved ones get a good whiff of our home-made pheromones. Most other cultures don't use deoderant as religiously as we do. It just isn't necessary - and it is suspected to be harmful to us (read the labels). So, if on a bus or train, the combo of 100 (relatively clean) people is potent - who really cares? That may be what your pal was remembering Pam. I spent a summer there, and riding the train did evoke a strange sensation when I could smell the "perfume" of 50 strangers. <BR>
<BR>
I personally go crazy for the smell of a person that I am attracted to. Sometimes I haven't been able to tell which I noticed first - thier smell or that I was attracted to them! It is pungant and sweet; just love it. I would beg my ex not to wear deo. or cologne on the weekends so nothing would mask his smell. That's just this chicas opinion. <BR>
<BR>
And, Pam, I have perceived you to be a bright woman and I don't think you want to have such a one-sided account. Now, you have other opinions to put into the pot until you can go and decide for yourself (when is traveling ever bad?).<BR>
<BR>
Gardenpoet...I meant to thank you many times for the info re: Lost in Trans. Next time you chat with Sophia, please let her know that I am a fan.<BR>
<BR>
Ta ta...Off to Almost Heaven Blackwater Falls for a week.<BR>
<BR>
Rhetty.
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1">Kirk, Blender-Keeper</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

Yimminy frickin' crickets, people, can't we do better than a "do Germans smell bad" thread? (And come on, "they don't sell feminine sanitary products"--what did your family raise you on, gullible soup?) In case your too dense to figure out, such talk is likely to be construed as offensive, whether there's an element of truth to or not. (That said, I've been told that to a person from Japan, an American reeks to high heaven...so don't assume you're highman on the totempole, if you want to play that game at all.)<BR>
<BR>
And all *that* said...I was in Germany this summer for a bit under a week. They smelled fine to me.  <BR>
<BR>
Ok.  Heads up: the loveblender WILL be migrating and this time I mean it. Pretty soon I'll give you a new temporary URL, and shut down functions on the old host once they work on the new host, to stop works and messages being added in two places. Once the migration is complete, we'll be at the new URL for a while, then I'll get them to flip the switch and then the old URL will work at the new place. (Nothing will look very different, in fact.)
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=220">wolfscreamer</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

Romantic mechanic..<a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.10.13.06.57.18489">Little Things - Mean So Much</a> <BR>
I agree entirely.....nice piece.Its the little things we often don,t see
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=8">Ali</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

Misti~<BR>
<BR>
<a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.10.19.03.47.23538">Barbie and Ken, a Dialogue</a> was freakin' fantastic!  You really made my morning with that.  Thank you for the laughter and the smiles.  *smile*  Great humor, girl.  :)<BR>
<BR>
Love and restless reason, Ali
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

indefensible sushi,<BR>
would you like to give me 10 lashes with a wet noodle?<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Rhet,<BR>
In therapuetic massage school, we were taught that if we are completely balanced (in more ways than physically), that our body odor would not be a foul one.  Most Americans are full of toxins from living a stressful --fast paced-- life style plus...from eating all the fast foods.  One of the most PERSONAL asked questions about my professional experience is..."do clients have dirty feet, bodies, or have bad odor?"....Most clients are considerate of batheing, but the ones that haven't cleaned properly usually have a condition that prevents a proper bath/shower.<BR>
<BR>
Kirk,<BR>
yes, I am naive and believe what my close friends tell me...My intention was not to stir up a commotion...but this has been a great positive experience to know the truth...thanks for your help...<BR>
<BR>
Pam<BR>

<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1">Kirk, Blender-Keeper</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

As you can see, the transfer stage 1 is done.<BR>
<BR>
Please let me know of anything at the loveblender.phpwebhosting.com address that doesn't work.  In a few days, good ol' loveblender.com should point to the new webhost, and we can put all this file ugliness behind us!
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1131">indefensible sushi</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

No, Pam, not at all! I know it wasn't your intention, but I just think most Americans are way too ethnocentric for their own good - a fact not helped by all the recent anti-European sentiment leading up to and following the present Iraq debacle. (Freedom fries, anyone?) Fact is, the Europeans were dead right in their views on the war. In attempting to remake the world in the image of some gradiose Pax Americana, we become even more hated - hardly more loved. I for one and GLAD that France is not just like America, that Germany is not just like Japan, etc., etc. A world where everyone smells like Bath & Body Works and eats at McDonalds isn't one I'd like to live in. Viva la difference!
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=985">elocution</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

Rhetty:  Thank you for sharing your observations of the Germans, my entire family hails from their!  I have never been but my relatives often visted us and never did they stink!  If you do your homework, they are far advanced of the good ole USA in many ways.<BR>
<BR>
But I have to comment on your "thing" with scents!  Oh girl you are so on target there! There is something said for pheramones for sure!<BR>
<BR>
Have a great week in the mountains!<BR>
<BR>
Elocution
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1">Kirk, Blender-Keeper</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

yeesh, someone write a poem, wouldya? i want to make sure that the posting work features works in the new webhost...
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=73">gardenpoet</a><BR>
Date: 19 October 2003<P>

Kirk:<BR>
<BR>
I've just posted an intricate and lengthy bit of creativity to test your new system.<BR>
<BR>
I did get the "Untitled" page upon checking but, nonetheless, it did show up in the new postings.<BR>
<BR>
gp
<HR>