Brunch Coffeeshop

Things People are Talking About…

Happy St Patty’s Day! In honor of St Patrick’s Day, I’m going to to pass on a few of the things I’ve learned (or think I’ve learned) about Ireland, after spending many years as a professional genealogist specializing in Irish Research:

St. Patrick was an Englishman.

St. Patrick’s day is a holy day — many Irish celebrate it by going to church.

The Irish don’t eat corned beef and cabbage — they’ve never heard of corned beef.

Ireland lost about half of its population to starvation and emigration during and soon after the Great Famine 1845-52 — it still has not recovered the population it reached in 1845. If there had been no Famine, and Irish population grew at the rate it was going in 1845, today the island would be twice as densely populated as Japan.

Ireland has more professional musicians per capita than any other country. (OK, I made that one up — but it is my impression, and may be true … I haven’t visited every country in the world — yet.)

There are a hundred really talented amateurs for each professional musician in Ireland.

Guinness really is food.

Green beer is an abomination regarded as just another example of American eccentricity by the Irish.

Irish ‘crack’ does not refer to a drug, but rather to witty conversation, a highly regarded skill in Ireland.

Palm trees grow in Wexford.

Ireland is further north than Vancouver, Canada — or any part of the U.S.A. other than Alaska.

So, raise a glass of Guinness to the Dear Old Sod, and Slàinte!

It is hard to believe, but mucho-macho Mexico has passed legislation in the capitol city to protect women from the lascivious male. For the most part, this is much-needed reform that outlaws obscene language, unwanted touching and familiarity, and other unwanted expressions of a sexual nature.

In the ever-present Mexican tendency for excess, however, this law goes way too far. First, it only protects women, making it sexist and stereotypical itself. The real problem, however, is that it even makes it a crime to look at a woman lasciviously. When asked who was to judge if a look were ‘lascivious’ an official explained that if it made a woman feel uncomfortable that was enough to qualify.

So basically, if a woman thinks a man is looking at her lustfully, he can be arrested and jailed. Now, so far as I know, there is no scientific evidence that women can read minds — though I know many who think they can. Lasciviousness can not be read infallibly from a face — it is as much in the perception of the viewer as in the subject. So, not only can men be arrested for what they are thinking — but there is no way to prove their innocence — and Mexican law presumes guilt until innocence is proven. This has to be the most absurd law I have ever heard about.

Welcome to our virtual coffeeshop, have a seat and stay a while. Chat with that person at the next table, there is always something interesting going on, and folks here know about it.

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