Question of the Day

Question: When is it appropriate to make comments to someone about their appearance in public? Comments can sometimes be seen as insulting. Do people forget themselves or do they not realize that what they say can be construed as an insult.
Case in point: A complete stranger walks up to you and says," you look tired. Your eyes are all bloodshot...or do you have allergies?" Do you take offense to this comment and view it negatively? Or do you perceive it as someone making an observation and respond politely? If someone you knew made this comment to you, would your perception be that they are concerned and truly want to know?
What compels a person to make comments about someone's personal appearance in front of others? In my opinion, if something I'm going to say may be taken in the wrong context and I could end up embarrassing the other party, I won't say it. I won't make observations to them like, "you're really breaking out," or "you've gained weight, are you stressed out?". To me, those types of comments are hurtful and unnecessary. I think it would only draw unwanted attention to said person's insecurities.
I've been on the receiving end of comments such as these in the past and, to me, they are NEVER appropriate.

Pictures From My Travels....in My 'Hood

Another photo blog of pics I've taken around the neighborhood and at the Hakone Gardens in Saratoga. I'm currently in search of the perfect cherry blossom tree for one of Caroline's Christmas gifts. The only problem is that they bloom early and shed their blossoms rather quickly. There are plenty of cherry blossom trees where I live, but they surround houses and businesses that take away from the scene that I am trying to capture. I'm looking for an open field or garden that would allow me to take pictures from multiple angles without an ugly building in the way. I went to the Hakone Gardens in the hopes that I would get my shot, but I found that none of the trees were in bloom. I found ONE tree with ONE branch that had a couple of blossoms (see below). The search continues tomorrow....

Lavender Skies (Almaden Elementary School)

Twilight (across the street from my apartment)

Purple Flowers

Rose Cactus

Waterfall @Hakone Gardens

Waterfall II @ Hakone Gardens

Cherry Blossom (color)

Cherry Blossom (black and white)

Garden Path (Hakone Gardens)

Koi Pond (Hakone Gardens)

A Controversial Man

I recently picked up an interesting book about conspiracies in the government. It's called "Behold a Pale Horse" by William Cooper. It's a 500+ page book, not too daunting. It was recommended to me by someone in my company who is a big believer of government conspiracies and secret organizations that control the outcome of our future. The author was in the military and worked with top secret documents, claiming to have first-hand knowledge of alien encounters, the New World Order, and controversial theories surrounding JFK's assassination. His book includes supposed documents that confirm that the government, as well as high-profile people, are involved in a secret plot to eradicate more than half of the population and enslave the rest.
I am 1/3 of the way through and remain skeptical of the author's claims. It does make me wonder though. One of Cooper's theories about the government is that they plan on taking out a large portion of the population through vaccinations..part of their "silent weapons in a quiet war". The government dispensed the H1N1 vaccine to many medical facilities and pharmacies, for FREE. I am affiliated with one of these places that received the H1N1 vaccine, so I know for a fact that we paid absolutely ZERO for it. Given that our country is in dire need of funds, it seems odd that we, along with many other multi-million dollar companies, would not have to pay for a single drop. Food for thought, people.
As for Mr. Cooper, his death was a little suspicious. He was killed in a shootout with local authorities outside of his home. He had claimed that attempts on his life were made several times, resulting in the loss of one of his legs. From what I have read, his wife and children remain in hiding to this day.
If this intrigues you at all, I recommend watching "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura". It's on TruTV..check your local listings for airtimes.