Greetings:
I remember eating rat sandwiches when I was a soldier in Viet Nam.
They were sold at a little cart in Cho Lon, across the street from the Capitol Hotel.
I enjoyed them.
Thank you.

writesong on February 5, 2008 at 4:07 pm

There just can’t be people out there asking other people to treat rats with “kindness and respect”! Come on Deb, just can’t be can it? It’s as if there is some entity out there making up all this crazy shit on our planet and sitting back and laughing at our reaction. If there is he is surely a genius. You just can’t come up with some of the absurdity you hear every day through the media. I thought the seventies were kind of nuts but I could sort through it and make sense of most of it. It is literally a world gone mad. The rat thing is just a small part of a larger insanity. Maybe it’s just me, huh?? I am really glad I am old enough to remember the way it used to be. Good or bad, at least you understood what was going on. I would like to go back for just for a couple of days and a few twelve packs to get my head straight again . . .

JoeBoy on February 5, 2008 at 5:32 pm

Dear Debbie,
I believe, looking at your clear blue eyes, that you personally, at least, cannot harm poor little beings, that are not in fault for they are mice or rats. They are harmless seed-eaters (mostly), and, unfortunately, are defenseless and helpless food for all others. Let us, on a contrary, have a pity to them. Some of the rodents, by the way, are on the brink of extenction.
Who can be worse than a man?
About China:
We know too little about this country and almost always second-third hand information. My father was once in Tibet about 40-somthing years ago, and brought many pictures from there. Also, I have seen many photos from the travels there made by Russian painter and ethnograph Nicolai Rerih and Princess Blavatskaia. Recently we have seen several reports about how Tibet is looking today and what is done there. And, despite I have no illusion concerning so-called “communistic” regime of China, I must tell impartially that it is incredibly better there today than in times where lamaists were in zenith of in para-divine reverence. I am afraid that the view on China as the evil oppressive power, and especially, in respect on Tibet and othere likewise issues, is just an accepted line by Wash. administration. People shall know more about the subjects for which they like to form their own opinions. And – don’t forget, that bad communists in China first of all prevent this great country from falling apart in chaos, and second – keep Islamic extremists in inner Turkestan in check, for which we shall express our gratitude to the China’s leaders.

MarcAurelio on February 5, 2008 at 6:17 pm

People have different interests and passions. Some people are passionate about whales, others love Harley Davidsons. I for one, could not give a rat’s ass about starving people in Africa – but other people are obsessed with them. I love PBS (mostly Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery!) and you hate it. You hate Muslims and I hate the Japanese. I’m pretty sure everyone hates mosquitoes though.

LoveAManInAUniform on February 5, 2008 at 6:38 pm

Peta (peta; Skt. preta): A “hungry shade” or “hungry ghost” – one of a class of beings in the lower realms, sometimes capable of appearing to human beings.
The petas are often depicted in Buddhist art as starving beings with pinhole-sized mouths through which they can never pass enough food to ease their hunger.
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Peta/id/83928

hutchrun on February 6, 2008 at 5:28 am

`I’m pretty sure everyone hates mosquitoes though.`
Mosquitoes – denizens of mosques? 🙂

hutchrun on February 6, 2008 at 5:30 am