And yet, it seems that the most time honored and “interesting” varieties are the ones that we know the least about, at least in this country!  In fact, it is quite staggering how little the average North American knows about the world of spirituous beverages, at least from a historical and cultural standpoint.  However, with relative ease, one can become better educated on the subject.  All it takes is a little research, some travel, and (of course!) some drinking.  And the more one knows, the more they are want to know, and there is almost no limit to how much one can learn and experience.  The only limits are those imposed by geography; and as we all know, the world is a pretty big place!

Absinthe: Often referred to as the “Green Fairy”, absinthe originated in the north-western region of Switzerland sometime in the 18^th century.  It achieved great popularity by the late 19th- and early 20th-century France, particularly amongst intellectuals, artists and bohemians.  It is made from anise, herbs, fennel, and the flowers and leaves of the herb commonly referred to as “wormwood”.  The result is a naturally green (but sometimes colorless) strong liquor that ranges anywhere from 50 to 75% percent alc/vol. (and sometimes even more!)  Traditionally absinthe is drunk with sugar and water.  The ritual is both time honored and complex, involving a special, porous spoon, a fire source and a contoured glass.  Before the alcohol is even poured, the spoon and sugar cube are placed across the top of the glass.  The absinthe is then poured over the cube, saturating it with alcohol.  The sugar is then set aflame, water is then poured over it to extinguish the flame and dilute the liquor.  All three are then mixed, and consumed.

Anisette: is a   clear, colorless liqueur that is consumed in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico and Peru.  It is made using aniseed (the seed of the anise plant which grows throughout the Mediterranean) rather than star anise (from the Chinese evergreen, star anise tree) which is used in making other anise-flavored liqueurs.  It is sweeter than most anise-flavored liqueurs and also has a lower alcohol content (typically 25% by volume).  It was even created as an absinthe substitute and comes in many varieties which includes Ouzo, Sambuca, Anis Mico and Cartujo.

Arak: Arak is another anise flavored drink, produced largely in the Middle East but also popular throughout the Mediterranean, North Africa and parts of Central Asia.  It is clear and colorless and is generally combined with ice and water.  This causes the drink to become cloudy, due in part to the fact that the oil of anise is not soluble in water.  What results is a drink that is milky in color, sweet, and refreshing.

Arrak: Arrack is a drink that is made from fermented fruit, grains, sugarcane, or the sap of coconut palms, mainly in South and South East Asia.  It is especially popular in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Philippines.  In the former case, it is made by taking the milky sap from the flowers of a coconut palm tree before the flowers bloom.  This sap is then fermented to form a mildly alcoholic drink (known as palm wine) which is then placed into vats of wood where it is distilled.  The end product is a strong alcohol with a taste that is somewhere between whiskey and rum.  Where sugar cane is involved (particularly in China and Indonesia) the process involves combining the sugar cane with fermented red rice and yeast in a pot still, giving it a unique blend of flavors.

Beck Se Ju: the name literally translates to “100 years wine”.  This is a Korean wine made from rice that was traditionally used for medicinal purposes.  to This is due to the combination of herbs that were part of the distillate, which included ginseng, licorice, omija (Schisandra chinensis), gugija (Chinese wolfberry), astragalus, ginger, and cinnamon.  The taste is somewhere between sake and herb liquor (like Jagermeister) with a strong ginseng aftertaste.

Grappa: literally “grape stalk”, grappa is a grape-based liquor made from the pomace of wine grapes (the solid remains that are left over after they are pressed for juice).  The distillation process is done without adding water and without direct flame, relying on steam heat, which ensures a strong (between 35 and 60% alcohol per volume) and coarse tasting beverage that is often consumed after meals as a digestive.  The name Grappa applies to any “pomace brandy” that is made in Italy, but there are regional variations of this drink as well.  Spanish Orujo, which is also made from the distilled pomace of grapes, is one such example.

Herbero: is a Spanish liqueur that is produced in the Sierra de Mariola, a southwestern region of Spain renowned for its mountains that are rich with herbs and medicinal plants.  The plants used in the production of herbero include at least four of the following: sage, chamomile, pennyroyal, lemon verbena, blessed thistle root, peppermint, cattail, fennel, anise, melissa, agrimony, savory, felty germander, thyme, and French lavender.  The result is a clear liqueur that is often light yellow, green or red in color.

Mead: also known as honey wine, mead is a very multicultural alcohol that is known throughout Europe, Africa and Asia.  Though mead has consistently been honey-based, regardless of where or when it was produced, there are a number of local traditions and varieties.  Some involve spices, fruits, or grain mash, and its strength and level of sweetness vary from place to place.  Its exact origins are unknown, but it is believed to be prehistoric in origin and even predate agriculture itself.  The earliest archaeological evidence of mead dates back to around 7000 BCE, where pottery vessels containing mead were found in Northern China.  In Europe, residual samples were found in ceramics that date back to the 3^rd millennium BCE.  During the Golden Age of Ancient Greece, mead was said to be the preferred drink.  Mead halls were also a common feature in Norse, Danish, and English towns during the Middle Ages where mead was the drink of choice amongst warriors.  It is even mentioned in the Old English epic poem of Beowulf.  For many centuries, mead became an obscure drink, produced mainly in monasteries as a by-product of beekeeping.  More recently, mead has become popular again with the emergence of craft brewing and attempts are being made to revive this prehistoric drink.

Mezcal: is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from an agave plant known as “maguey” that is native to Mexico.  Agave grows in many parts of Mexico, though most mezcal is made in the southern region of Oaxaca.  The exact origins of the drink are unclear, but it is believed to be the product of both the indigenous Mexicans and the conquering Spanish.  The former had been fashioning an alcoholic beverage from the sap of maguey plants for some time (known as Pulque), whereas Spanish settlers began to experiment with maguey sap and distillation.  The result is mezcal, a clear, smoky flavored liquor that is often drunk as an alternative to tequila.

Pisco: Pisco is liquor distilled from grapes.  It was originally developed by Spanish settlers in South America as a cheap alternative to Orujo that had to be imported from Spain.  It is originally named after the conical pottery in which it was originally aged, which was also the name of one of the sites where it first was produced in Peru.  It is now a widely popular drink in Peru, Bolivia and Chile.

Raki: is a grape-based, anise-flavored liqueur popularly consumed in Turkey and the Balkans.  Raki is traditionally produced by distilling grape pomace and then flavored with aniseed.  In this respect, it is similar to Ouzo, Sambuca, Arak, Grappa and Orujo.  It traces its existence back to the Ottoman Dynasty, and is today considered the national drink of Turkey, surpassing the consumption of ouzo, arak and even wine.  It is usually served with mezze (a small meal consisting of appetizers) as an aperitif, though it often accompanies larger meals, usually consisting of seafood.  It is consumed with either a glass of water on the side or is mixed with water and ice.

Soju: a clear, slightly sweet distilled spirit that is traditionally made from rice, though soju makers have been known to add or even substitute other starches such as barley, wheat, potatoes,  sweet potatoes, and even tapioca.  It typically has an alcohol content of about 20% alc. by volume.  Its origin in Korea has been linked to the Mongol invasions of the 13^th century, where the Mongols were believed to have brought arak with them from Persia.  In the region of Kaesong, Korean distillers began to make their own version of this liquor, known as arak-ju. Over time, Koreans perfected the process and substituted rice and other starches for anise to make their product.  Today, soju is by far the most popular Korean drink available, due in part to its inexpensive nature but also its easy drinking taste, which is best described as “vodka-like” but milder and with a certain sweetness.

As Homer Simpson so eloquently put it: “Here’s to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.”  Well… be that as it may, alcohol has also served as an outlet for artistic and creative energies for thousands of years.  Beginning with the most basic of ingredients and processes; vintners, brewers and distillers have never stopped honing their craft.  Even today, they are hard at work combining different elements, processes, and ingredients to give our palettes something new and exciting to play with.

Far from being valued solely for its deleterious effects, alcohol has historically served a number of important social functions and as a cornerstone to the culinary industry.  Regardless of where it was produced, alcohol was a means of making contact with the spirit world, marking social occasions, conducting ceremonies, and enhancing gastronomic experiences.  There is scarcely a culture in the world today that did not rely to some extent on alcohol to conduct their rituals, rites, and even daily activities.  In short, alcohol is and probably always will be a part of our culture, and there seems to be no limit to what we can do with it, within reason of course!

What is a Carbon Credit?

Quite simply, you pay money to account for each tonne of carbon dioxide; or one of the other 5 common environmental pollutants that you create. “You” can refer to individuals, corporations or political entities. So say, for example, that I generate 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and each carbon credit costs $20 per tonne. I would have to pay $200 to be carbon neutral; meaning, that I am paying a fee for each tonne of greenhouse gases I produce and this fee contributes to products that either sequester carbon, or invest in green, renewable energy projects. To summarize, I produce 10 tonnes of carbon and I pay to have ten tonnes removed from our atmosphere.

Kyoto Protocol and Raising Awareness About Carbon Emissions

The Kyoto Protocol was initiated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and ratified (agreed to in principle) by 181 countries and the European Union as a whole, individual entity in 1997, and was put into effect in 2005. This protocol was proposed by the international community to address and reduce greenhouse gas emmissions that have led to global climate change. Member countries are placed into different categories; Annex I countries make up the industrialized nations. Annex II countries are developed countries that provide financial support to the developing countries. The Annex II grouping consists of countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The third and final category makes up the developing nations, who have no limitations on greenhouse gas emissions as emissions are an essential byproduct to building a stable economy and raising their citizens out of poverty. Once these countries become “developed” they are then subject to the greenhouse caps that Annex I and II countries currently have. Many countries are both Annex I and II countries. The allowable emissions for member countries are between 6 and 8% less than their 1990 emission levels; meaning the limit is different for every member country; keeping in mind that developing nations are exempt from emission caps and are inelligible to sell carbon credits. It is up to each individual country to regulate their industrial outputs to meet the 1990 levels of emissions. Although the Kyoto meeting was one of many meetings that took place in the COP’s (Conference of Parties), it is the most well known because it is the conference that made countries legally liable for exceeding allowable greenhouse emissions. The Kyoto Accord is the teeth in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and is therefore synonymous with raising global awareness about climate change.

Who Produces Carbon Credits and How Are They Regulated?

Typically, companies who explore, produce and promote alternate energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal energy sell carbon credits. Other organizations with available carbon credits include companies that destroy carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases directly. Carbon dioxide sequestration is the process of converting CO2 gas into a solid form by chemical or physical means. For example, carbon dioxide combined with quick lime (calcium oxide) forms limestone that can be used in construction projects.

The Clean Development Mechanism is a governing set of rules set by the Kyoto Protocol to determine which companies and projects can generate carbon credits. This is necessary because anyone who sets up a company could promise that they were developing/using/investing in alternative energy sources, start selling carbon credits and make out like bandits while doing nothing to stop climate change. The CDM is not the only regulatory body to certify carbon credits, but they are the most well known. If you are purchasing a CDM certfied carbon credit, you know that you are investing in a company that has been thoroughly investigated and approved by the UN. The other carbon credit certification bodies include the Chicago Climate Exchange, the Western Climate Initiative, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the northeastern U.S. In addition, there are various standards bodies who set the carbon emission bar such as the Chicago Climate Exchange, the Voluntary Carbon Standard and the CDM Gold Standard (based on the Kyoto Protocol).

Key to the establishment of carbon credit generation is the concept of additionality. This principle is that a carbon credit isn’t truly environmentally beneficial unless the carbon credit producer would not have been able to reduce emissions or invest in researching renewable energy sources without the money given to them from carbon credits. This avoids giving money to organizations that would be doing the exact same business regardless of income from carbon credits. To summarize, the money your company earns from carbon credits must be put to additional greenhouse gas reducing initiatives. Who makes the decision about additionality? The CDM board has established a set of guidelnes by which they certify a company for selling carbon credits.

Who Buys Carbon Credits?

Countries for one; in order to comply with allowable emissions should they exceed their amount. For example, pretend that I am only allowed to produce 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide, but I produce 15 tonnes; I can buy 5 tonnes worth of carbon credits to bring my effective emission level back down to 10 tonnes.

Individuals and companies can also buy carbon credits, such as in my flight example. Certain eco friendly products also contribute part of the sale of their goods towards carbon credits, such as a $6 chocolate bar that I recently purchased; every x amount of dollars = x tonnes of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas. Typically, carbon credits sell between $1 and $30 per tonne.

Carbon Planet.com buys and sells carbon credits in three different incarnations. First, you can buy a subscription that charges your credit card a monthly rate for a certain amount of carbon credit. This rate can be established by them by looking at the average emissions made by a single person in your country and calculating an amount based on your age (how much carbon you have produced up until now and in the future). You can buy a one time package to offset a specific carbon expenditure such as a flight, or cross country drive, or you can pay for your entire life; all the carbon you have and will produce based on the average emissions per person in your country of residence. I would like to point out, that this isn’t an endorsement of their products, nor am I affiliated with them in any way, but they do provide a good description about the carbon credit currency.

A copy of this article as long as blogs in a similar vein, visit Forest, Ecosystem and Our Environment.

If you want to know more about Green Travel, check out Traveling the Green Way.

This article is also posted at the All Things Green Carnival,  The News Coverage,  Carnival of Improving Life,  All Things Eco Blog

First, make sure that your debts are correctly listed as discharged. Some companies will not have changed your records in their system resulting in your file showing as outstanding and overdue, despite filing for bankruptcy and having your case closed. One incorrect record can continue to tarnish your credit without your knowledge.

Second, you need to build your credit up slowly in increments that you can manage. You can apply for a secure credit card by leaving a deposit at the bank for between $200 and $500. You then make small purchases and pay the bills off on time. Once you have done this for a while, you can apply for an unsecured credit card with a slightly higher balance, making sure to continue making your payments on time. This type of credit is known as revolving credit and includes home equity lines of credit.

Third, you need to build up your installment credit. This type of credit includes car loans, mortgages and student loans. Applying for a mortgage within a year of filing for bankruptcy isn’t out of the question, provided that you have a reasonable downpayment and are taking on a mortgage that you can reasonably afford. Making payments on time – sometimes having more than one payment per month can be very useful in paying off the balance quicker – will increase your credit rating. Auto loans paid on a timely basis can also improve your credit, but again, be careful not to bite off more than you can chew. If you have never had credit and are starting from scratch, a student loan paid in a timely manner can build up your credit score.

You can reasonably expect to have a decent credit rating in 1-2 years if you make sure to pay all of your loans on time. This article on MSN Money is particularly helpful.

Communism is based on the principle of all members of a society being free and that state ownership of the means of production would ensure that all members of a society would be equally taken care of. Theoretically, there are no social or economic differences between members of society. Think of Communism as a sort of political Nirvana in which all members of a society lived equally in harmony without the need for government. It is important to view the rise of the ideal of Communism though the lens of the Industrial Revolution where workers en masse were exploited to the benefit of very few, rich, owners. The ideal of Communism was that workers unite and rebel against ownership so that they all would share ownership (and profits) equally. In practice, the original idea of Communism was twisted into a means of control over a population and the term Communism has become synonymous with oppressive dictatorships that only have one ruling party who strives to crush any opposition.

Communism isn’t the only ideology that in theory looked good, but was used to subjugate people. Look at how Christianity was used, especially in the Middle Ages as a way of controlling people. Often politicians and religious authorities were one in the same and obedient service to the ruling authority was a way of avoiding hell; “do as we say, or you will have an eternity of torture.” I would like to be clear here. I am not saying that Christians are oppressive totalitarians. I am speaking historically of events where it was used to subjugate and repress populations, for example the Inquisition. This abuse of power was what lead to the movement of separation of church and state.

Ethnicity refers to a group’s race and cultural factors. India has a relatively homogenous race of people, but varying cultural differences; many of them based on religion: Sikh Indians, Hindu Indians, Hari Krishna Indians and so on. Religion is one factor when considering ethnicity. Gender roles and language are also  features of ethnicity, as well as food preparation and preferences. Ethnicity covers a smaller subset of people than race; in other words, you can be the same race, with a different ethnicity.

Another distinction can be drawn between the two terms. Race is nature and ethnicity is nurture; that is, birth characteristics versus cultural heritage.

You want to avoid covering up your tattoo too much so that it can heal, but you also want to avoid direct sunlight which can cause the ink to fade. Sharp Tattoos.com provides an excellent detailed set of instructions for post care of a tattoo.

Fiqh is the application of the Qur’an into Islamic Law. The scholars who are experts at Fiqh are called Ulema. In the Sunni denomination, there are four different approaches to interpreting Sharia; Islamic Religious Law: Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi’I and Hanbali. These four “courts” reach different conclusions about various Hadiths: oral traditions directly attributed to Muhammad.

Shiites still follow a central spiritual leader called an Imam. They believe that all Imams are descendant from Muhammad’s cousin Ali, whom Muhammad appointed to be his successor. Here is where the initial division lies. Both factions acknowledge that Muhammad had four companions. The Sunni believe that the historical Caliphs were direct descendants of Abu Bakr; the true successor; the one they believe was actually appointed by Muhammad. The Sunnis believe that the Caliph, descended from Abu Bakr, is more of a political leader than a spiritual leader. They have separate Fiqh scholars to interpret Islamic Law. The Shiites believe that their Imam is the role of Caliph and is more of a spiritual leader; descended from Ali.

There has been a push by the Muslims to reinstate the role of Caliph in order to unite the entire Muslim world; some through political action (Hizb ut-Tahrir) and some though force (al Qaeda). There are many different groups attempting to re establish the Caliphate, with much disagreement between them.

First, Jesus of Nazareth was the son of God and the savior of humanity. The death and resurrection of Jesus is a pivotal belief in all Christian denominations. All Christians believe the path to salvation lies in the acceptance of the church and its doctrine and they all believe Jesus died on the cross to atone for the sins of humanity. The Holy Trinity is a belief that the son (Jesus) the father (God) and the holy spirit are one in the same. The important holy book is the Bible, made up of the Old Testament and the New Testament; also known as the “good news”. The Jewish faith follows the teachings of the Old Testament; maybe it’s the “bad news”. The bad news is that we are all sinners, the good news is that we can all be saved. That last sentence was just my sarcastic brain overcoming my objective brain. I will try not to let it happen again, but I am not making any promises

Roman Catholicism is a denomination of the Christian faith. It makes up, by far, the largest denomination of all the subsets including Lutheranism, Protestantism, and others. The Catholic Church views itself as the one holy church; the true faith. Catholics believe in the 7 sacraments, while other Christian denominations don’t recognize all the sacraments. In addition, the Catholic Church has a spiritual leader, the Pope, who, it is believed is a direct descendant of Peter the Apostle, the one whom Jesus asked to build the church – St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Bishops are believed to be descendants of the other Apostles.

When you are a Catholic, you are Christian, but you are not a Catholic because you are a Christian. Catholics believe in a literal and spiritual interpretation of the Bible. The literal is used as a tool to teach morals. They also believe in typology; that events in the Old Testament were allegories for events in the New Testament; for example, Moses parting the Red Sea is a reference to Baptism. Catholics also believe that the Scriptures should be closely followed word for word and are not open for interpretation saving that of Bishops who are direct descendants of Jesus’ Apostles. And finally, Catholics believe the end of the world as stated in the Book of Revelations is not a metaphor, but an event that will actually happen sometime in the future.

Recent initiatives to protect the environment include the following goals: reduce greenhouse emissions by 20% in 7 years, reduce power usage in their stores by 30% in 3 years and reduce solid waste from its stores in 3 years. Wal-Mart is also experimenting with renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.

China manufactures 70% of the products that Wal-Mart sells no doubt boosting the economy of that country, but still, Wal-Mart hasn’t been able to tap into the Chinese population as a customer base. Two class action lawsuits have been initiated against Wal-Mart in China: Workers in Shenzhen in 2005 said that they weren’t paid the national minimum wage, weren’t allowed to take holidays, were forced to work overtime, and the first 3 months of their pay was withheld. Workers in Guangdong reported that they were told to paint 8900 pieces in an 8 hour shift, or their pay rate would be cut by more than a half.

There is lots of information out there about Wal-Mart; both pro and anti. I would suggest reading as much as you can to stay informed. Every critic and champion of Wal-Mart has an agenda to serve; so consider the source and make an informed opinion when making your shopping choices.

The next biggest religion is Islam, started in the 7th century. The holy book is the Qur’an that was communicated to Muhammad directly from God. Interestingly, Muslims don’t believe that Muhammad founded a new religion, but rather that he restored the original ideals put forth by Abraham, Moses, Jesus and others. They believe that Christians have distorted the original message. Like Christianity, Muslims developed a major rift somewhere in the 7th century and were divided between Sunni and Shi’a. The major philosophical difference between the two is that Shi’a recognize an Imam as the interpreter and ruler of laws and tradition. They hold close the idea of the martyrdom of Ali and Hussein, the last descendants of the prophet Muhammad. Sunni’s believe that Shi’as don’t adhere strictly to the 5 Pillars of Islam and focus on the martyrdoms of Ali and Hussein too much. Shi’as form only 15% of all Muslims, but dominate many Middle Eastern countries; Iran, Yemen, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Iraq. Hezbollah is run by Shi’as and was responsible for. Sunnis closely follow the path of Muhammad’s life as this is their main tenet of faith. The diagram to the left breaks down Islam into different subcategories.

The third biggest religion is Hinduism at 13% of the world and non religious at 12% of the world.