Never could understand the need for straws in every drink, particulary in the US. I blame MacDonalds but I think this addiction points to a very Amercian problem. Sucking on a straw is not just a very childish pastime but it probably has pyschological roots in early stage nurtuing. Sucking milk through a straw is very much like sucking from a mother's nipple. A comforting action that both feeds and protects.

So this need for straws can be seen as a refusal to grow up and a desparate desire to remain a suckling baby. It's the adult version of a comfort blanket or pacifier. Rather than grow up and relinquish the mother's teat, people lash out at the mere thought of giving up this form of succour (pun intended).

Expect to get a lot of angry backlash over the idea of NOT using straws Jessica.