Marsh in Philly

Is Barbara Gowdy Nuts?

So I'm sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office in Whitby and I pick up a recent copy of Maclean's magazine. I start to read an interview with Barbara Gowdy, a Canadian author of highly acclaimed books such as "The White Bone." The interview was conducted by Kenneth Whyte on the occasion of Gowdy's latest book, "Helpless." Here's a review by the L.A. Times of "Helpless."

I was completely beside myself, shocked and wondering where the hell this interview would end up. The subject of the interview is pedophilia and the apparently bad rap that pederasts are getting from society. This definately goes into the 'what the fuck' bin. You can read the entire interview here.

Here's a small excerpt of the interview:

Whyte: Are you suggesting that having sexual feelings for little girls is normal?

Gowdy: I'm suggesting it's probably more widespread than we know, and there's a lot of men who control themselves and have decided that, "I can't help what I feel but I can help how I behave."

...

Whyte: There's no doubt kids are more overtly sexualized today, but on the other hand there is a lot more social concern about men acting on sexual interest in young girls today than ever before. We're firmly against it, there's almost a hysteria about it.


Gowdy: Yes, we believe it's almost the worst feeling you can have, as a man -- sexual interest in a child, girl or boy. It didn't used to be the case. I mean, when I was a girl in the '50s there were what we called funny men or gropers -- the milkman was one, there was a guy down the street who in exchange for a candy would grope you. And we took advantage of that because we wanted the candy. And we knew these men were creepy, icky, and lost in a way, but we weren't frightened by them.

Whyte: But surely they weren't accepted as upstanding citizens?


Gowdy: No, we were just told not to go near them. And I've talked to women in their 70s and 80s about what happened to them when they were young -- creepy uncles or the farmer next door, and they all seemed to have had an experience, and their mothers all said the same thing, "Just stay away from him if you don't like it. Don't go near him, he's strange." And I think there's a tricky argument here for the fact that men being allowed to get away with groping little girls has allowed little girls to live. Nowadays, the minute a man touches a little girl he'd better kill her because his life is over.

Missive for Jon B.

Jon B. - If only I had your voice and height and hair and certain qualities mostly attributed to Black men like honesty and courage...to sleep, perchance to dream...

Rest Your Eyes

Missings 2

Rajiv A - You still live with me. Are you well?

Jacqueline C - Are you still there?

Jen H - Why did you remove the third bump on your chest? WHY???

Chris S - For the last time!!! I am not ambiguous!!

Christine L - Thanks for Lake Winnipeg.

Jacqueline M - The Degas exhibit was fabulous in so many ways.

Daniela R - I'm sorry.

Brenda G - What's your definition of clinical anyways?

Naomi R - When you learn to read, call me.

Julia R - You want me. You know you do. Come on. You do. Don't you?

Murray E - I can't! I simply can't stop joking! Sadly, it's too much fun... :(

Missings

Beth E - I miss your throaty laugh.

Tracey O - Where the hell are you?

Cathy C - I'm so sorry I haven't sent that e-mail out as yet. :(

Ihsan T - We will get together...SOON.

Rob S - Isn't it time to go play pool?

Lisa W - Why you no come to Toronto? WHY?

Michelle B - You are so full of energy and humour...if only you would settle down...settle down already!!

Andrew B - Your heart is unbelievably gentle.

Fatema A - Chase your dreams, the moslems will follow.

Abbas A - You are kind, cheerful, honest and loyal and a man's man, man.

Dawn T - I miss you and would love to get together, but when?

John R - We think about you often and wish you well.

Dee M - Marsh and I miss you still.

Karen F - I hear good things about you still....still....still!!!!!

Karen R - Couldn't we try to stay in touch?

Mike S - In the words of Khan: "Will you open your heart to me?"

Janice S - “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7)

Duane S - Oh, gentle hearted Doctor....Is that all I am to you, a fine tympanic membrane?

Laura M - How is it possible to feel as much as you do?

Claude R - How is possible to be right as often as you are? (devilment, I say!! DEVILMENT!!!).

JR R - You are my brother.

Veda K - I love your lips....sorry.

Kalimah J - Wherever you happen to be....you belong.

Terrie-Lynn D - You are evidence of God's existence.

Frances M - Earnest, hard working, level headed, a good driver AND Chinese -- improbable but true.

Maria D - I want to send you a prince on a steed with flowers and a joke.

Dean R - You are the funniest guy I know.

Frank B - Whaddaya mean I'm deficient!!

Rehana A - Have you ever considered Seroquel? No, really.

Rox A-K - Let this be your motto: Who gives a fuck?

Miriam S - You are a silly monkey...don't change.

Bo S - You are so sweet that you hurt my teeth. (I like it)

Lesley P - Great heart...your motto: "I'm done with that and that and that."

Norbert O - You are a MAN.

Tracey D - You are right, you are tantalizing. (sorry Craig)

Angela H - Are you there?

Hakimu - Thanks for teaching me to ride a bike.

Kaaren B - Thanks!

Whatever Became of the Population Bomb?

A recent article on Foreign Policy's website looks at a few dire predictions from the past that did not come true.

One of these predictions, made after 9/11, was that Al-Qaeda would hit the U.S. again in the near future. In fact, no terrorist attacks have taken place in the States since 9/11. Nevertheless, it would seem that Al-Qaeda is everywhere and just waiting to pounce. How did Al-Qaeda become such a complex and omnipresent force? A force that has managed to stay 2 steps ahead of even the CIA? How much can you really do from a village in Pakistan or a cave in Afghanistan anyways?

I would submit that the Al-Qaeda threat exists only as a small sliver of the two-by-four the American government would have us believe it is. Why? The oldest reason for any leader or party in power -- to retain power; to distract from their mistakes, to continue making money for themselves and their friends.

An article by John Mueller in the September/October issue of Foreign Affairs entitled, "Is There Still a Terrorist Threat: The Myth of the Omnipresent Enemy" looks at the above subject more in depth.

Location, Location, Location!

How do i know these estates you will be selling are indeed real?

Shane's Wish

Lifted the following message off Maria D.'s Facebook page:

There's a little boy in Ontario who has cancer. He was on Breakfast Television recently and he said his one and only wish is to be put into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most birthday cards given to one person. His name is Shane and he will be 8 in May, so the idea is for everyone to send him a birthday card and make sure it is there by May 30th (which is his birthday). Im gonna be sending mine soon just to be safe:) This is just something small we can all do to make a little boys wish come true:)

Website: Shane's Wish

Shane Bernier
P.O. Box 484
Lancaster, Ontario
K0C 1N0

Country: Canada

This is Your Spider's Web...

---

And this is your spider's web on various drugs...

Caffeine

LSD

Mescaline

Hashish

Photo Source: Cannabis.net
Information Source: New Scientist

Feast Your Eyes On This!

An Apple keyboard is a thing of beauty, don't you think? Click on the image to feel the full effects of this pic.

Especially For Fatema Z

New Beginnings

I have tried two new web thingys this past week:

First: I have registered with Facebook. A social networking site which everyone swears is fascinating and addictive. Registereing is quick and easy, as is the interface. Unfortunately, after the initial thrill of finding 7 friends whom I already know and stay in touch with I have become bored. The site reqires that you sign-on and read what the people on your friends list are up to on their sites. Your home page also lets you know what you have done lately with your account. The only good that may come out of this site is if some long lost friend finds my page with the search function and leaves me a message. Or, they could just try googling me or, oh, I don't know, check the phone book! This Facebook experiment will, I think, come to an end real soon.



Second: I have signed up as an "affiliate" with Overstock.com. They, in turn, are affiliated with several large internet retailers such as Dell and TigerDirect. Both of which have banners on my site. If a visitor goes from my site to either one of these retailer's sites AND buys some damn thing, than I will get a percentage of the purchase price. So click away you lucky people and buy mass quantities. My children's education depends on it! And soon, I will rule the universe!!!!!!!

One last thing: I am actually addicted for the time being to Pax Galaxia. Awful to admit, but true.

Spring Cleaning For Your Computer

Spend a few minutes physically cleaning your computer with these step-by-step instructions at CNET.

John Racine's Doppleganger?

Is that you Johnny?

Says Who?

"The West won the world not by the superiority of its ideas or values or religion but rather by its superiority in applying organized violence. Westerners often forget this fact, non-Westerners never do."

Samuel P. Huntington