I own my own expresso machine (the Nabucco Model from DeLonghi...very cheap under $100.00 USD and full of features) and own several stove top expresso pots from BIALETTI. Here's a piece of interesting trivia, French Press isn't really french, the process was invented in Italy, but popularized by the french.
I also enjoy purchasing beans and roasting them myself in the oven in a special metal pan. It's fun to experiment.
I also live for wine. My relatives in Argentina and Italy both make home made wines and love expresso.
Utopian Reformist
JoinedPosts by Utopian Reformist
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44
my first cup of coffee.....
by bikerchic init's been about two months since i've drank coffee, i quit cold turkey don't ask why........just wanted to say i didn't miss it at all and now i wonder how i ever drank this stuff in the first place!.
back to cranberry juice in the am for me!.
anyone else ever give up something and wonder later how or why they ever drank, ate or smoked it in the first place?.
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Utopian Reformist
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44
my first cup of coffee.....
by bikerchic init's been about two months since i've drank coffee, i quit cold turkey don't ask why........just wanted to say i didn't miss it at all and now i wonder how i ever drank this stuff in the first place!.
back to cranberry juice in the am for me!.
anyone else ever give up something and wonder later how or why they ever drank, ate or smoked it in the first place?.
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Utopian Reformist
Those of you than know me personally, know how much I love coffee. A few of have seen me go through the usual ritual of ordering a quintuple shot of expresso, one of about five or six daily. I average anywhere from 15-20 shots of expresso daily.
You know what is funny? I quit all of the time and NEVER suffer fom caffeine headaches. I can go a year without expresso. While in Italy, I drank so many cups from so many cafes and bars and enjoyed my favorite brands:
Caffe DANESI
Miscela D'Oro
LAVAZZA
KIMBO
INCAS
SAECO
HAG
Bustelo
and so many others. My favorite beans are: Kenyan; Ethiopian; Somali; Arabica. I never use sugar and always drink it black. -
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Very Bad Apologetics For Honest Seekers
by AlanF ingod had no beginning, so god did not need to be made.. .
if our local space-time universe is uncreated, then of course it is meaningless to ask who created it.
of course, everything that had a beginning had a beginner.
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Utopian Reformist
All three threads (I finally completed the rounds and read through all of the posts) are extremely informative and some of the best examples of raw, unplugged, human entertainment, the kind you can only get here at JWD.
I really needed the humor and thank all of you for the information and for the fun. Excellent stuff! -
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Serena returns money won in gambling
by DevonMcBride indoes the watchtower allow gambling if the winnings are returned?
http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=15686serena returns money won in gambling .
new york: tennis star and tv actress serena williams returned her winnings in gambling recently as she is a jehovah's witness and it is against her faith to gamble.. .
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Utopian Reformist
Even though she is a blinded WITNOID, I still think she is very sexy. Like her, don;t like her religion.
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New book? .........."In The Truth" by Paul McCool.
by hubert inwhile signing on this morning, i noticed the banner ad at the top, for this book...."in the truth".
by paul mccool.. so, i clicked on it, and started to read the preview.
(didn't have time to finish yet), and found it very interesting, so far.. has anyone here read it already, and do you recommend buying it?
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Utopian Reformist
Hi HUBERT:
It's me Mario! I already bought the book, and you can gladly borrow it for as long as you feel like hanging onto it. Just call me and let me know when to bring it by, OK. Hope the MRS. and the all of the girls are doing great.
It would be nice to see you sometime so I could tell you more about my trip overseas. Take care and godspeed.
MJB -
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Family tragedy.........HappyDad
by HappyDad ingot a phone call from my daughter who lives in florida a couple of hours ago.
her significant other who i chose to call my son-in-law (because he is the best thing to ever happen to her) got a phone call that his 6 year old daughter was killed in an auto accident near lake placid, florida and his 5 year old son is in very critical condition.
the ex wife is also critical.
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Utopian Reformist
((((((HAPPYDAD))))))
Please, for now, hang in there as best as you can! Here is my contact information:
Mario J. Balletta
P.O. BOX 91016
Johnston, R.I. 02919
401-954-9919
[email protected]
WHATEVER YOU/THEY NEED! -
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Does Disfellowshipping "Incite Hatred", Which Is Against The Law?
by minimus inyour opinion, please......the publications emphatically state that not only are we supposed to hate the wickedness of a sin---but actually hate the person!!!
does this not violate the law??
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Utopian Reformist
Irregardless of freedom of religion principles, something much more serious is at risk.
If you can remember, in recent news, certain credit card vendors, auto & home loan brokers and others in the rental and financial industry were found to have been guilty of using of using "predatory" business tactics to lure unsuspecting new customers, especially in the minority communities.
What does this have to do with JW & disfellowshipping? Well, the victims of those predatory business tactics were able to get justice in an american courtroom. Why? They were able to prove they were FALSELY recruited, selected and marketed for illegal lending practices.
They were used and then preyed upon and then held accountable to the frivolous lending agreements they had signed. Thus, they had a legal basis to pursue in court.
Now, even though the WTBS does not force one to join, people are recruited much in the same predatory way that lending, financial and get-rich quick business schemes market to the uneducated, desperate and unsupsecting consumers. The WTBS enroll new members in their religion using cleverly crafted, manipulative language, printed material and tactics.
Once you agree (baptism), you are now a member and legally bound to the rules, including expulsion and shunning (hardly mentioned until it's too late).
So, tell me why some deviously clever, shrewd and adroit attorney could not somehow find a way to punish the WTBS in court for their predatory recuiting tactics? Think about it. -
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Does Disfellowshipping "Incite Hatred", Which Is Against The Law?
by minimus inyour opinion, please......the publications emphatically state that not only are we supposed to hate the wickedness of a sin---but actually hate the person!!!
does this not violate the law??
?
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Utopian Reformist
If the expulsion and shunning procedures do not incite hatred, they certainly bring one very close to that point.
The expulsion and shunning policies create a definitely hostile environment and undue stress, friction and tension amongst the affected and the main group. It requires abnormal behavior to maintain the effects of the policy and and unusual amount of effort to modify one's daily lifestyle to follow the basic rules.
It is unatural, extremely hypocritical and counter-productive. I know I found those who greeted me and reached out to me afetr I was reinstated were all considered hypocrites and false friends. I just could not bring myself to associate with the main group after that period.
As a matter of fact, given the difficulties of JW life, I started missing the "freedom" that an expelled person would enjoy. Being barred from commenting, field service, assignments and volunterring was a blessing in disguise. I worked longer hours, earned another degree and spent lots of time with my family.
I was never the same and it taught me the truth about the supposed "christian love" and fellowship of the JW's. I can't say I remember ever accepting any invitations after that or inviting JW's over to the house or attending any functions other than the book study and the public talk.
For years, I simply refused to comment, never attended the TMS on Thursday's and left after the Public Talk. It was sort of the beginning of my exodus. -
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Are you an atheist?
by hibiscusfire inwhy are we here?
what is the purpose of life?
an atheist has many questions but no answers.. .
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Utopian Reformist
PICTURE THIS:
About 3000 years from now, the life & times and annals of history surrounding say Mohandas Ghandi will be re-discovered and an entire group of followers will adopt his teachings and his "non-violent" methods for advocating change. This group of followers will then begin traveling and spreading the personal philosophies and ideas of Ghandi, and then sure enough, after new followers are gathered, converts are made.
Low and behold, we have a new religion! Imagine how fast it will spread with the type of multimedia available in the future! Imagine the numbers of converts! -
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Will the WTBS ever relax the current clothing/dress/grooming standards?
by Utopian Reformist inas numbers and meeting attendance statistics continue to decrease in western lands, do you think the wtbs may someday relax it's current clothing and grooming policies to facilitate better attendance and make the meetings more comfortable?
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please share your opinions of why/why not.
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Utopian Reformist
I remember a very determined and ambitious single black female in one particualr congregation who would wear business suits to the meetings, seldom participate in the ministry and was always unavailable, busy and difficult to reach.
The elders were so afraid of her coporate personality (the sister was educated post-graduate) and also her progressive black femaleness that they never approached her about the business suits. She never commented and never volunteered for anything.
When we gave her talk slips she would automatically say she would not be available. It was funny and I was secretly proud of her and jealous of her super huge cajones at the same time.