When We Was Kids In Chicago

Writen by Luksi Humma

Radio was the big communicator, back when I was a kid. Whole families huddled around the speaker of that hulk. Our minds, working like a cotton picker on a hot summer day. We had imagination. Vivid, plentiful thoughts, moving throughout the story which was being broadcast.

The characters, were like people we somehow knew. People who lived right down the street from us, in the three story apartment building. That apartment building, was a warehouse of eclectic personalities, popping from every floor, and every door.

Old cars, now relics of the past. New, when we were young. Cool cars too, metal so thick, you could hurt your hand just bumping into it. Lasted a long time, and made moving about the big city of Chicago much easier than taking the trolley, bus or “EL”, short for elevated train.

Oh yes, want to get the scare of a lifetime, ride the “EL” around one of those sharp corners, thirty feet off the ground. Steel wheels grinding against steel tracks, making sounds so shrill,the devil himself, would cringe. I know my Mom’s hands were crimped for a week, when I would grip her hand so tight around those curves.

People wearing clothes that made them all look like gangsters. Suits way to large, cuffs on shirts that could hide a deck of cards, and a pair of dice.

Litter blowing everywhere, down windy streets, sweeping dicarded cigarette packages, and paper, and dirt, like a hurricane unleashed. It is the Windy City, after all.

Another memory comes to mind now, tennis balls being bounced off the lowest step of building’s porches. Thump, thump, and crowds of kids leaping over one another, trying to catch the ball, as it bounced high into the air. No kid would even care to watch that now, much less participate. We did it for hours. Boredom played tricks on the mind.

Did I mention, the best steps to bounce a ball on, were the steps of Peterson’s store. To us, it was the candy depot. Apothecary jars, filled with candy of every description. Hands full of candy for pennies. Kids drool when I tell them how much candy, they could have bought back then with two dollars.

We learned young, that after long hours of the thumping noise. People were inclined to buy you some candy, just to make the noise stop for awhile. We weren’t too dumb.

Fighting in Chicago was a prerequisite to boyhood. When we would walk down the streets, past the alleys, fear was constant, as all the really bad boys lurked down that alley way. No place for the faint of heart. We all thought we were tough guys back then. Maybe we really were?

No drugs back then, at least, none of us every heard about them. Our parents made vague references to drugs, in retrospect, but, really, they didn’t even know what they were. Although, Pops knew what beer was. He knew all about that. All the World War 2 guys drank beer. Because, they really were tough guys. We didn’t know that you could be tough, and not drink, and smoke cigarettes.

Life in the alleys of Chicago, was not only for tough guys. It was an avenue for commerce as well. The coal man came with the truck, and shovelled coal down a shute into your basement, to keep your furnace going. Thats right coal. Black smoke billowing from everyone’s buildings.

Men selling rags, singing a song that was well known to us. “Rags, Rags, everyone needs rags, Ragman coming, come and gettem” Gosh, they sold everything in those alleys.

Milkmen, with horse drawn carts. Oh now, we loved those horses. They were huge with covers over their eyes. As kids we didn’t know what those were. We really didn’t care as long as we could pet the horses.

The milkman was kindly, and chipped off chunks of ice, from the big blocks in the wagon, which kept the milk cold. We absolutely loved that. Ice, who would think that a little thing like that would be so important to little kids. I will always be gratefull to that man for his kindness.

Scissor and knife sharpeners. They all had a song. Singing loudly, I admired them so. They were the best kind of entepreneurs. Business men, who set their own pace, in a world of frantic motion.

There is so much more to those days. So many memories that were the best kind of life experiences, back when we was kids in Chicago.

Part two, tomorrow night. Look for it under my pen name/ Native American name, Luksi Humma, in the search bar on the left menu.

Druidic University

Writen by Robert Baird

MEGALITHIIC POWER PLANTS:

Druidic University:

Long before there was a Rome or Eternal City there was a Druidic University near Rennes-le-Chateau. Just as we saw Oxford University was built at the same location the Pheryllts (Druidic Alchemists like the Cabiri discussed by Lewis Spence) had a university you will find many locations sacred to the Kelts are usurped by Rome/Bruttii. Chartr

This Is Not a Scam

Writen by Jeffrey Hauser

This recently came into my e-mail box and I thought I would share it with you.

To: Mr. Hauser, in Mytown, USA

From: Barrister Retard Annoying

Okey Dokey Law Firm and Legal Practitioners, Nigeria.

Greetings and love to you in the name of the most high God, from my beloved country Nigeria. I am sorry and I solicit your permission into your privacy. I am Barrister Retard Annoying, lawyer to the late Ibrahim Hauser, eldest son of the late former head of state of Nigeria late General InSane Guy.

My former client late Ibrahim Hauser died in plane crash in year 1994. Upon death of my former client and unknown to the family, he left behind much money. Very much money. The family is currently under house arrest and undergoing prosecution in hands of present administration as result of human rights violation and looting of country’s treasury by the late head of state General InSane Guy. This happens every day in my beloved country.

Before the death of my client, he had deposited US $90,000,000.00 with a secret security firm in two trunk boxes in my name, and I am the only authority to this fund which he was to transfer out of the country few days after he died in plane crash. Get it?

For some amazing and completely ridiculous reason, I am going to share this fund with you: disbursed accordingly as follows: 25% for the recipient (you) from the total sum (US$90M). 7% set aside from the entire sum for expenses incurred by both parties in due course of executing transaction (home and abroad). And 68% for me! Yippee!

All you need do to receive your percentage is to give me, in no particular order:

(a) Your social security number, (4) all Your credit card numbers, (c) all Your bank numbers, (2) all Your passwords ever used everywhere, (g) Your mother’s maiden name, (7) The key to Your front door (z) Your secret handshake, (6) Your decoder ring (y) Please name me as beneficiary on Your life insurance policy.

I think You will agree this is very little to do for a trusted friend like me.

Please note that you are to treat this with utmost confidentiality willing or not willing as You assist me in this transaction as nobody knows about this fund and I am still an active lawyer in this country. Did I mention also, how honest I am?

I await Your response as I know You will do the right thing. I can tell You are a good man and like most Americans, have no scruples whatsoever, are extremely ignorant, and want to be very wealthy. Therefore, Remain Blessed in the name of GOD.

Yours faithfully Barrister Retard Annoying

From: rannoying@yipee.com

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years. He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree from Monmouth University. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, “Pursuit of the Phoenix,” available at amazon.com. His latest book is, “Inside the Yellow Pages.” Currently, he is the Marketing Director for http://www.thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

Stun Gun Cat Food Robotic Shocker

Writen by Lance Winslow

Does you neighbors cats conveniently come to your house for an extra meal, stealing your own cat’s food? Damn those neighborhood cats anyway. It costs a lot to buy cat food and God knows you do not need to be buying food for all the neighborhood cats too, especially with your strapped budget with these Outrageous Fuel Prices. Three dollars a gallon; forget you me!

If the neighbors cats eat $5.00 per week of your “Fluffy’s Food” that is a cost of over $260.00 per year. You could talk to your neighbors about this problem and tell them to mind their own cat. But everyone knows cats do not listen, they basically own the place and think they are entitled to follow suit like the New Orleans Looters after the Hurricane Katrina? If you had a cat TV, well they would probably walk off with that too. To prevent neighborhood looting cats from your house, you need RoboCat with the AttackCat Sun Gun option, not enough to kill the neighbors cat, as it is born of DARPA non-lethal technology for Department of Homeland Security violent protestor crowd control and police use. But this technology will let the thieving neighborhood cat know whose yard they are in and believe you me, they will not be wondering back in anytime soon.

This is just one way that robotics can help your budget and allow you more freedom, a higher standard of living and a greater quality of life. Think about it.

Lance Winslow

Renaissance and Baroque

Writen by Mary Anne Winslow

Renaissance and Baroque are the two most known eras in the history of art. They are so different and yet so similar. In this article I will examine Renaissance and Baroque and will compare and contrast them.

Man loves to be entertained, to be stimulated, to be challenged. It is such characteristics that make the creative arts a medium to be cherished. Throughout history, art and its fellow medians of architecture and structure, culture and visual entertainment have shaped and reflected our world. We look back upon by gone eras and through photographs of cultural dress codes, buildings and great artworks, we try to imagine ourselves living and breathing like the ’stills in the photographs’ and paintings did all those years ago. Art is a reflection of the times, it is not just paint splashed on canvas, but also meretriciously detailed architecture and sculpture that mirrors social discourse, prosperity and technological advancements. But art was and always will be a means of representation, of capturing a moment, of displaying in all its naked glory an emotional foray into human nature. “Not what man knows, but what man feels, concerns art. All else is science”. The period from the 14th century through to the 18th century was littered with artwork that bore trademarks of both controversy and culture, as a result of the changing traditions, cultural trends and technology.

The Renaissance period, French for “rebirth” started in isolated pockets of Italy before spreading throughout Europe. It directly reflected the changing economic scope and cultural ideals of the European population, that arose in the 14th Century. People began to exhibit wealth on a more grandiose scale. Buildings began to reflect their rich owners, people began to dress more astute and ‘emotionless’ art was evident through portraiture as individuals clamoured to have a keepsake or snapshot of their own wealth. It became an age of spectacle, yet devoid of emotion. Individuals were driven by wealth and the divide between rich and poor in communities were exposed like a gaping wound. Due to the creation of such inventions as the printing press, books and education became high priority among the ‘middle class’. What was once the domain and privileged of those higher in ‘modernic hierarchy’ became more accessible and in high demand. Books were no longer few but many, and as result the economy boomed.

Perhaps the biggest trademark of the renaissance era, thought to have become evident in the late 15th century, were the architectural brilliance and precision of its buildings. No longer did man feel the overwhelming concern to reflect its architecture through the need to be closer to the heavens and god through religious and spiral buildings, for men revelled now in their own newfound brilliance. Buildings were construed through spatial perfection and mathematical grid to create a sense of perfection through an ‘ideal city’ perspective. ‘View of an ideal city’, by an unknown Central Italian artist, portrays such perfect construction and perspective. Even the canvas itself is seemingly proportioned and balanced in regards to the subject itself. A snapshot of the renaissance period is prominently reflected by the painting through its spacious consumption of the canvas and its lack of human subject matter, as it quaintly exists quite perfectly, yet cold and uninhabited in clear, precise paint strokes. This ideal city and man’s wonderous progressions in technology were rudely disrupted by the black plague, a disease that affected over half of the European population, throughout the early Renaissance period of 1350 to 1450. The economy dipped due to loss of trade and interest and once again the world was plunged into incomprehensible depression as the gaping hole between the poor and the rich once again widened.

As a reflection of the ever changing demography, ideals, culture and human uprising, the Baroque era of painting and scopic emerged in the 17th century as a unique, evoking and at times controversial way of looking at and presenting objects. The term ‘Baroque’ is often applied to any form of artwork, representing either time or place, that bears the trademarks of ambiguous representation, feverous movement and emotional bearing and intensity. The word ‘Baroque’ was possibly derived from a Portuguese word for a misshapen Pearl, and until recently it was used predominantly as a synonym for ‘grotesque’ or ‘absurd’. Although such a label bears strong weight, the Baroque era had lasting power and appeal and to this day it still remains a constant presence worthy of study and analytical expressionism.

Baroque was chiefly represented through its founding artists creations. This is where Renaissance and Baroque differentiate to some extent. Work that distinguishes the Baroque period is ’stylistically complex, even contradictory’ whilst Renaissance forms of art were mathematically precise in their use of vanishing points and grids and often reflected man’s prominence in technology and ‘public standing’. Expression and emotion are key elements that are both constants and present in Baroque artwork or evoked from the viewer. The form of art didn’t necessarily challenge previous ideals, it created an alternative and represented the somewhat suppressed view of the world that many shared during such times of changing disparity in the greater communities health and prosperity. It represented boldly the fantastical views, the darkest desires, it faced the truths and defaced the ideal of ‘the presence world’ through its ambiguous adjoining of the spiritual and physical worlds.

Such merging of worlds and ideals is represented stunningly in Tiepolo’s apocalyptic depiction Apollo and the four Continents. The chaotic, fantastical and somewhat illusionary scene painted upon a ceiling combines the spectacle of the renaissance architectural era with baroque trademarks of dramatic contrast and eccentricity. The painting appears layered, like a 3D image, and the eye is drawn to certain points in the painting rather than a vanishing point or a central point in the artwork. Heavy detail around the outside of the painting creates the illusion of framing, contrasting colour creates the sense of the sky and heavens and prominent human figures among seemingly chaotic yet relevant splashes of colour create the sense of unrest and movement. It is this trait that leaves the viewers gaze infixed on art of the Baroque era, it forces you to observe, to take notice, to decipher meaning and form. This particular work could be viewed as jigsaw pieces that somehow come together so that no matter what angle it is viewed upon it forms a picture, an event, a suggestion of reality that somehow all intertwine to form a busy, interesting and incomprehensible event. Tiepolo presents ‘independent pieces which nevertheless fuse into a harmonic hole’. It is such terms as ‘could be viewed’ and ’seemingly’ that belies the importance of Baroque art and set it apart from so many other regimes of its time. It does what art should, it stirs emotion, it takes the viewer away from reality for an undecided term of time for any one of many reasons depending on its viewer, it takes us on a journey.

All art generates meaning and feeling. Baroque and the Renaissance eras contrast dramatically in both their ideals and their own standing in terms of representation. Baroques heavily art induced presence was achieved through ‘human emotions painting on canvas’ and its suggestive rather than accurate brush strokes which were, however, brilliant in their application and affect. It delved into the unknown, the spiritual world and attempted to capture a snapshot of emotion. Renaissance art reflected mans stern nature and desire to produce perfection, it was seen as emotionless yet a tribute to our mathematical genius and symmetrical concepts. It represented the ‘ideal world’ through application of precision in ‘human skill painting on canvas’ and attempted to create an eternal structural world to capture a snapshot of mans perfection.

Israel Has No Right To Protect Its People From Hamas?

Writen by Lance Winslow

The blogosphere is really heating up these days with political rhetoric as those who support Palestinians are claiming that Israel is evil and the Palestinians had every right to elect Hamas or the International Terrorist Party into power. Come again? What are they saying, it is okay to elect by a 60% margin a group of murderers and criminals into power?

Now the political rhetoric is saying that Palestinians have a right to attack Israel? Do they really now? And they are also saying that the Jews stole their land and forced them to leave, yet not all the palestians in the Jerusalem area or the new Jewish State were forced to leave and that was in 1948? We are in 2006 and that is nearly 60 years ago and that issue does not give anyone the right to go and blow up buses, hotels or discos full of innocent people now. And many of the Palestians chose to leave their homes not wishing to live inside what was then Israel or along side it. The Palestians were living in that section of Jordan and no one said it was necessarily their land.

Additionally there were both Jews and Palestians living there together before and a lot of interbreeding too. In 1967 the Six Day war was an attack by the Arabs against the Jews and in that war the Jews captured more land and set up an additional buffer zone. Wouldn’t you have done the same thing to prevent future events? The Arab army was annihilated, but they started it.

You see out on the political Blogs there is a lot of baloney and in case this is still a huge issue rather than a history lesson; Geez they gave them back more settled territory recently. But did that stop the attacks or suicide murders? Only for a very short time. Israel or any other nation has the right to defend its people and protect them from criminals, violence and International Terrorism.

May I ask why this is under debate now or why some feel it is okay to have an International Terrorist Party in charge in Palestine, knowing the history of the murdering suicide bombings? Why is it okay for Iran to fund this group, as they will only use the money to attack the Jews? We are in the year 2006 and the Palestinians in all their hate and rage have no intention of peace. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

For the Hip

Writen by Joseph Okojie

Definition of a hipster

Hipster - If you’re a hipster you know it. You don’t need a definition. Now on to the list…

1. Freewilliamsburg.com- A hipster Mecca and Brooklyn-based culture guide

2. Slate.com-Online magazine that discusses everything from movies to politics

3. Salon.com- Just like Slate, but not quite as funny

4. Sweetsecond.com- Social networking site for divorced singles. Because being this hip can only lead to a split.

5. Theaginghipster.blogspot.com- The name says it all

6. Hardcasecrime.com-Hardboiled crime novels from classic noir to modern masterpieces, all with cool kitschy covers

7. 43things.com- Make a list of goal and chat with others with the same goals (very hip)

8. Lottaliving.com- Ultrahip style guide for mid century modern living

9. Nerve.com- online sex magazine with great pics

10. Othermusic.com - NYC based record store specializing in underground and experimental cd’s and records.

Ok if you really want a defintion of hipster here you go Hipster: One who possesses tastes, social attitudes, and opinions deemed cool by the cool. (Note: it is no longer recommended that one use the term “cool”; a Hipster would instead say “deck.”) The Hipster walks among the masses in daily life but is not a part of them and shuns or reduces to kitsch anything held dear by the mainstream. A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat. - from the Hipster Handbook

Washington DC Floods and Gets a Power Flush

Writen by Lance Winslow

Pounding torrential rains pummel the Washington DC podium pushing politicians. Battering storms flood out the Blob of Bureaucracy and bureaucrats. It is great to see that since Washington DC cannot clean up it own corruptions and crime that Mother Nature has come to conquer the corridors correctly.

The double storm caused by tropical weather being pushed up the Eastern United States from the Trade Winds has left some major flooding behind. But this is only Part I and as Part II is the bunching up of multiple storm systems coming across the United States in the normal weather cycle, also full of moist air and lots of rain behind that.

Can Washington DC and its corruption last under this extreme pummeling and power flush of politics? Can the male homosexual lobbyist paid staff straighteners swim their sorry butts to safety? It is about time that someone took the initiative to teach our over spending scoundrels a lesson.

The headlines read; Washington DC Floods and Gets a Power Flush and the rest of America is looking forward to more rain to help these bureaucrats brain so they can see that it is time to refrain from wasting the taxpayers monies with pet projects and crap which is lame. It is good to see Washington DC get the power flush it needs and hopefully this will continue for a thru the week. Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow

Deities of Egypt

Writen by Richard Monk

Mention Egypt and one thinks of pyramids and Pharaohs. Egyptian deities, however, were the base of the religion that gave rise to the great Egyptian empires.

Of all of the pantheons in the world, Egypt has one of the most populous. With hundreds of deities being worshiped at one time, Egyptian religion tended to vary depending on the area of the country that one lived in, and even depending on which pharaoh was in power. To truly understand Egyptian deities, you need to look at why they were worshiped.

It is estimated that there were around 2000 different deities worshiped during the time of ancient Egypt, but some of these were “repeats”, deities with similar characteristics and descriptions that appeared with different names in different parts of the country. This phenomenon is seen because at the time there were around 40 different ruling tribes and areas (later known as provinces), and each of the areas had their own deities. The only common traits among these were that they all manifested themselves on Earth as animals, and each of the deities had both male and female counterparts.

Male and female deities were always portrayed in similar fashions. Males were shown with their legs apart as if they were walking, and females were shown with their legs together. Of course, this assumes that they were shown in human form. Often, Egyptian deities were shown in their animal guises, which could be as a combination of more than one animal or insect. When drawn or painted as humans, they all wore similar forms of dress and these costumes corresponded to their human counterparts in higher society. As for headgear (such as crowns), the deities wore whatever was in fashion for the pharaohs or priests of the area they were worshiped in - this gave more credence to the pharaohs assertion that they were godlike.

Of course, some of the most well known Egyptian deities are still known today. They include Osiris and Isis (deities of the dead, as well as the mythical originators of Egypt) who are still very much talked about in historical and mythical contexts. The idea of being judged by your deeds in the afterlife led many pharaohs and other upper class Egyptians to create large pyramids and become mummified, which is a large part of ancient Egypt’s history. While most modern Egyptians do not subscribe to the polytheistic ways of ancient Egypt, these deities are still a very important part of the culture of Egypt.

Culinary Challenge

Writen by Deanna Mascle

Questions:

1. One of the world’s oldest cultivated vegetables, this member of the lily family was considered sacred by ancient Egyptians, as valuable as gold in the Middle Ages, and a vital food for many historical military commanders on land and sea. Can you name this vegetable?
A. Onion
B. Carrot
C. Leek
D. Garlic

2. Which domesticated fowl was originally native to Southern Ontario, parts of the U.S. and Mexico before being domesticated by Indians and brought to Europe by English settlers?
A. Chicken
B. Duck
C. Pigeon
D. Turkey

3. Some early Spanish priests, aware of the passion the native people had for the fruit of this plant and unsure of its powers, assumed they were aphrodisiacs and warned against consumption. Of course, true to human nature this only added to the popularity of ___________?
A. Passion fruit
B. Chile pepper
C. Orange
D. Tomato

4. How did turkeys get their name?
A. The wild turkey’s call sounds like turk-turk-turk
B. In the 16th century, merchants trading along the seaboards of the Mediterranean were known as Turks. When they carried the birds among their cargo, the fowl became known as turkey fowl.
C. They were originally found in Turkey.
D. No one really knows.

5. This food has long been known as a symbol for eternity. Ancient Egyptians took an oath of office with their right hand on it and Byzantine architects used it’s symbolic shape in the design of their religious structures. What food is it?
A. Bread
B. Onion
C. Potato
D. Tomato

6. The tradition of this people claims an enormous hen turkey flew over their fields bringing them corn and teaching them how to cultivate their crops. Can you name this culture?
A. Iroquois
B. English
C. Navajos
D. Dutch

7. The feeling of euphoria some Chile pepper aficionados experience can be explained by this:
A. There is just something wrong with them (the aficionados, not the peppers).
B. Chile peppers really are an aphrodisiac.
C. The burning sensation in your mouth causes the release of adrenaline.
D. The burning sensation in your mouth causes the release of endorphins.

8. Among the 50 foreign countries where Spam is sold, which two countries are the biggest markets?
A. Rhodesia and Mexico
B. UK and South Korea
C. Canada and Poland
D. Russia and China

9. The lack of what food almost brought the Civil War to a halt when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant sent an urgent message to the War Department saying, “I will not move my army without _____.” The next day, three trainloads were on their way to the front.
A. Beef
B. Onions
C. Flour
D. Salt

10. Who sold a caramel company at the turn of the 20th century for $1 million and turned around to start a chocolate company in Pennsylvania?
A. Ralph Nestle
B. Milton Hershey
C. Willie Wonka
D. John Mars

11. During the Middle Ages, this food was so valuable it was used to make rent payments and as a wedding gift? Can you name it?
A. Onions
B. Potatoes
C. Venison
D. Pork

12. Which bird did Benjamin Franklin want to be named as the national symbol?
A. Bald Eagle
B. Turkey
C. Pigeon
D. Chicken

13. Nikita Krushchev once credited this food with the survival of the World War II Russian Army saying “Without ____, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army.”
A. Spam
B. Potatoes
C. Cabbage
D. Frankfurters

14. What is the fear of food?
A. Cibophobia
B. Mealophobia
C. Refriphobia
D. Tablophobia

15. Can you guess where catsup was invented?
A. China
B. America
C. Canada
D. Italy

ANSWERS

1. One of the world’s oldest cultivated vegetables, this member of the lily family was considered sacred by ancient Egyptians, as valuable as gold in the Middle Ages, and a vital food for many historical military commanders on land and sea. Can you name this vegetable?
A. Onion
FTO: Of course, you’ve got to wonder if it was their breath that made those military commander such conquering heroes.

2. Which domesticated fowl was originally native to Southern Ontario, parts of the U.S. and Mexico before being domesticated by Indians and brought to Europe by English settlers?
D. Turkey
FTO: A pretty well-traveled bird for one that can’t fly!

3. Some early Spanish priests, aware of the passion the native people had for the fruit of this plant and unsure of its powers, assumed they were aphrodisiacs and warned against consumption. Of course, true to human nature this only added to the popularity of ___________?
B. Chile pepper
FTO: Where do you think the expression “Hot Mama” started?

4. How did turkeys get their name?
D. No one really knows.
FTO: The only way you could have missed out on this question was by answering “C.”

5. This food has long been known as a symbol for eternity. Ancient Egyptians took an oath of office with their right hand on it and Byzantine architects used it’s symbolic shape in the design of their religious structures. What food is it?
B. Onion
FTO: The QuizQueen would have gone for bread if she hadn’t researched the question herself!

6. The tradition of this people claims an enormous hen turkey flew over their fields bringing them corn and teaching them how to cultivate their crops. Can you name this culture?
C. Navajos
FTO: Fascinating stuff!

7. The feeling of euphoria some Chile pepper aficionados experience can be explained by this:
D. The burning sensation in your mouth causes the release of endorphins.
FTO: So who’s cooking the chili tonight?

8. Among the 50 foreign countries where Spam is sold, which two countries are the biggest markets?
B. UK and South Korea
FTO: According to my Spam research, it is apparently a status food in Korea. Go figure.

9. The lack of what food almost brought the Civil War to a halt when Gen. Ulysses S. Grant sent an urgent message to the War Department saying, “I will not move my army without _____.” The next day, three trainloads were on their way to the front.
B. Onions
FTO: He wasn’t the only commander attached to onions, apparently Captain Cook wouldn’t sail without them either.

10. Who sold a caramel company at the turn of the 20th century for $1 million and turned around to start a chocolate company in Pennsylvania?
B. Milton Hershey
FTO: No Americans better have missed that question and The QuizQueen truly hopes no one guessed Willy Wonka.

11. During the Middle Ages, this food was so valuable it was used to make rent payments and as a wedding gift? Can you name it?
A. Onions
FTO: The QuizQueen prefers all payments in traditional American greenbacks. Plastic works, too.

12. Which bird did Benjamin Franklin want to be named as the national symbol?
B. Turkey
FTO: If you answered Bald Eagle remember this is a FOOD quiz.

13. Nikita Krushchev once credited this food with the survival of the World War II Russian Army saying “Without ____, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army.”
A. Spam
FTO: Bet you didn’t know Spam had such a distinguished history!

14. What is the fear of food?
A. Cibophobia
FTO: That was a toughie!

15. Can you guess where catsup was invented?
A. China
FTO: The QuizQueen wouldn’t have guessed that either.