Alex, in the Philippines the standard local greeting during or near lunch and dinnertime is "have you eaten" as well, but I think it stems more from the island's prosperous past (in terms of food availability), back when people just picked fruits and foraged for crops and went fishing if someone got hungry.

I've never realized how deeply this culture become ingrained in my psyche until I traveled abroad and had eaten with Caucasians/Westerners. The first time I experienced this was when I joined a group tour in Vietnam, and was eating with polite, warm and kind Canadians.

I was shocked and later on uneasy when they ordered food and didn't offer it to me (there were four of us in the table). I couldn't care less about the food, I ordered plenty myself. I know they're not selfish but offering and sharing food is just not part of their culture. In the Philippines this would be seen as the uncouth manners. When I ride buses with foreigners I also offer my food to people beside or close to me, whereas they don't. It's almost reflex reaction in me, because it's what I've been taught decent people do.

This might make for some misunderstanding, and I know how infantile/emotionally immature it is to resent a foreigner who seems too selfish to share his food. understand how the New Delhites feel about the casual pleasantry/polite greeting that is "How you doin'? as it does sound so insincere.

p.s In my previous work, my colleagues disliked this American because he always ate his lunch alone and didn't share his food w/ others when he ate at the pantry.

Keep the posts coming Steve! These are so charming and amusing and brings out the child in some of us.

Hmm...I know that tears (esp. tears of pain and humiliation and deep emotions) are very important component in some people's sexual play (such as during BDSM)... It heightens their desires (?I think) and makes the connection more intense.

I love MoP so much. It always gives me a laugh!
LOL at the infant tote!

This is a great post, so funny and I love it!!!

yes just like guys who overcompensate for their small sex organs by bodybuilding and muscles

brilliant,,,necessity is indeed the m0ther of inVenti0n

“Five mysteries hold the keys to the unseen: the act of love and the birth of a baby and the contemplation of great art and being in the presence of death and distaster and hearing the human voice lifted in a song. These are the occasions when the bolts of the universe fly open and we are given a glimpse of what is hidden; an eff of the ineffable”.

-Salman Rushdie (from The ground beneath her feet)

indeed when I saw the vide0, I had a gLimpse of the ineffaBLe...

absoLutely freakin' amaziN'

it alwaYs amazes me h0w these incredibLy creatures ended up evolving this way.