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Apologies for the neglect of my Norbu Margaret’s Hope Darjeeling Autumn Flush 2012 FTGFOP1 blog. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been frequenting Starbucks this week. No worries: I’m back on the tea track!

I stayed up late last night Googling responses to Obama’s imminent (“at a time of our choosing”) preemptive war on Syria—er, against the strongest enemies of President Assad. What???? I wanted to know if anyone else noticed that Obama has morphed completely and utterly into George W. Bush, having now waged multiple wars without the approval of the UN Security Council. Oh wait, I do believe that The Hawk Obomba has exceeded Bush on this front, having waged undeclared drone wars on several different countries simultaneously.

The funniest thing that happened to me last night was that I accidentally pulled up Obama’s Syria speech of September 11, 2013 (a year ago) first. So I was listening to him say how he had to deliver some missiles to Syria against Assad. About half way through, I realized that I was watching the wrong year’s speech! So this year’s speech is all about ISIL, the new boogey man du jour—a cross between Hitler and Al Qaeda, it seems!!!! In drumming up support for his new undeclared war, Obama omitted mention of the facts that Assad and ISIL are arch enemies, and so are Iran and ISIL (for some reason Obama does not call them ISIS—perhaps embarrassed about last year’s failed war effort?)! In fact, it appears that Iranian boots are already on the ground in Syria. This means that we have a true Coalition of the Incoherent: Obama, Iran, and Assad!

I always thought that the U.S. government’s most fundamental principle was “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. That’s why they’ve propped up—and handsomely paid—far-right military dictators and thuggish war lords all over the globe. In this case, “No Boots” Obama is planning to arm only “appropriately vetted moderate rebels” to take down both the “unvetted radical rebels” and, apparently, Assad! In the meantime, scores of civilians are bound to die in the crossfire of what can only be termed a bona fide Quagmire with a capital ‘Q’!

Needless to say, Obama, like Bush before him, fell for the provocation strategy to draw the U.S. military back into conflict. Two journalists were beheaded, yes. I dare ask most sincerely: is beheading any more barbaric than blowing human beings apart with a Hellfire missile, spraying blood and scattering body parts far and wide?

This is the kind of nonsense that creates conspiracy theorists out of mild-mannered skeptics. Big time.

I need another cup of tea.

Tamarindel

What’s happening on the news is enough to give any thinking person a stroke. The whole world needs another cup of tea.

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Tamarindel

What’s happening on the news is enough to give any thinking person a stroke. The whole world needs another cup of tea.

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I have fallen off the “tea log boat”, as I am now in New Zealand and was really flailing about for a while, having depleted all of my Chinese and Japanese green tea supply! Fortunately, my first order of 2015 has now arrived! I should begin writing very soon about tea at my new blog, sherapop’s tea leaves. Please stop by and contribute your ideas—all viewpoints are welcome!

A long-time tea and perfume lover, I have recently begun to explore the intersections between the two at my blog: http://salondeparfum-sherapop.blogspot.com//

The scent of tea can be just as appealing as—sometimes more than—its taste! Tea also offers boundless visual beauty in its various forms and states of preparation.

A few words about my ratings. In assessing both teas and perfumes, my evaluation is “all things considered.” Teas do not differ very much in price (relative to perfumes or any luxury items), so I do not usually consider the price when rating a tea.

What I do consider is how the particular tea compares to teas of its own type. So I might give a high rating to a fine herbal infusion even though I would never say that it is my favorite TEA. But if it’s good for what it is, then it deserves a high rating. There is no point in wishing that a chamomile blend was an Assam or a sencha tea!

Any rating below 50 means that I find the liquid less desirable to drink than plain water. I may or may not finish the cup, depending upon how thirsty I am and whether there is another hot beverage or (in summertime) a source of fresh water available.

From 50 to 60 indicates that, while potable, the tea is not one which I would buy or repurchase, if I already made the mistake (I have learned) of purchasing it.

From 60 to 70 means that the tea is drinkable but I have criticisms of some sort, and I probably would not purchase or repurchase the tea as I can think of obvious alternatives which would be better.

From 70 to 80 is a solid brew which I would purchase again.

From 80 to 90 is good stuff, and I probably need to have some ready at hand in my humble abode.

From 90 to 100 is a tea (or infusion) which I have come to depend on and look forward to imbibing again and again—if possible!

If you are interested in perfume, you might like my 2400+ perfume reviews, most of which have been archived at sherapop’s sillage (essentially my perfumelog):

http://sherapop.blogspot.com/

Finally, please note that after a great deal of debate with myself, I have decided to use the cupboard here at Steepster as a “museum” of sorts—to commemorate all of the various teas which I have purchased and truly enjoyed since December 2013.

I do not currently possess all of the teas listed in this cupboard, but am using the function as a way of recording how many times I drank every tea which I did own at some point and wish not to forget. Teas found both in my “cupboard” and on my “wishlist” are those which I did own and intend to restock. Teas best forgotten have been removed from the cupboard once depleted (in some cases tossed…).

I have also decided (beginning in 2015) to use the tasting note function to maintain a chronological record of the teas I’ve consumed since December 15, 2013. Most new reviews will now be posted directly at my blog, sherapop’s tea leaves.

Location

Curio Bay, South Island, New Zealand

Website

http://salondeparfum-sherapop...

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