"don't stick beans up your nose"

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The old sage who was your mother and mine always advised, "Don't stick beans up your nose."

Naturally, everyone sticks beans up his nose one way or another. Personally, socially -- no different.

In Iraq, a wave of coordinated bombings in Baghdad today are seen as an expression of sectarian violence -- the very sectarian violence that analysts predicted nine years ago, before the American invasion, if there were not some comprehensive, post-invasion strategy and plan. Today's bombings left scores dead. The Americans departed last week.

I guess individuals can count themselves as fortunate when, after sticking beans up their noses, they resolve not to do that again. Nations seem less willing to listen to sage advice.
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