Sunta

There will be a point at which that will no longer be possible and we'll all have to get proactive about this and other planet threatening behavior.

I feel that point is now. I guess I wish others did, too.

there are serious ramifications to overpopulation and our planet.

I am thankful that at least one person is able to grasp this fact. This fact is why I started the thread.

Unfortunately it seems that others would rather turn a blind eye and get highly offended at the mere suggestion of responsible childbearing than actually learn something about the real issues facing the planet.

Well, at least their 15 kids can swim in the polar ice caps. The temperature of that big swimming pool will be just about perfect by the time they grow up.

Hi,

I really want to get into doing power yoga and I just took my first class. I really loved it, but I was wondering if there's any chance any of the poses or stretches could slip the band? They say it can shift your internal organs, so wouldn't this also increase risk of band slippage?

I would be terribly unhappy if I found out I couldn't do it, as I have finally found an exercise that I like!

I consider myself a really good tipper and I never leave less than 20% on a restaurant bill unless the service is really horrible. I often leave more than 20%. I believe that waiters and waitresses have a difficult job and I don't mind rewarding them for serving me.

On the other hand, one thing I really hate, is when tips are expected for things I really don't want someone doing for me in the first place. A good example of this is a bathroom attendant. I hate it when I go to the bathroom and the attendant insists on handing me a paper towel. I can get my own paper towel, and handing me a paper towel is not worth a dollar. This pisses me off no end. I would sooo much rather take care of my own hygiene duties and not leave a tip. And, I'd much rather the bathroom be totally empty except for me when I am in it, and an attendant ruins that.

The other thing that enrages me is the people who come up to my car and just start washing my windshield while at a red light. (If you don't live in a big city you probably have never experienced this). I roll down my window and scream at them to stop, since they totally expect a tip when they are done. This is actually just another form of begging.

And speaking of that, I hate it even ten times more when teenagers, or even little kids, stand in the middle of traffic, causing serious traffic hazards, and hold out buckets for their "basketball uniforms" or whatever. That drives me nuts. Half the time I highly doubt that's even what it's for.

I also don't appreciate haircut places and salons expecting such huge tips for like 20 minutes worth of work. I mean, I always do tip, but I feel I am already paying soooo much for what they're doing. I mean, $50 for a 20 minute haircut? and then they expect a 20% tip? I mean the salon is pulling down basically $150 an hour at that rate! That's waaay more money than I make!

I almost never tip at places like the ice cream shop or Starbucks. Or if I do, it's just loose change. What they're doing is not really all that difficult and they should be being paid a fair wage in the first place.

I don't mind tipping the bellhop, but only if they actually do something for me! I hate it when the hotel attendant opens the door for me and then expects a tip. I would rather open my own door!

So, I guess in a nutshell, it depends on the situation, but in general I feel we've gone a little overboard in the tipping department.

Does anyone on this thread understand the correlation between population and global warming?

Hey guys, sorry I've been posting so infrequently. I've been really busy. I just saw "I now pronounce you Chuck and Larry" last night and I actually thought it was really, really funny. Has anyone else seen it? I didn't find it offensive at all, as the critics said it was, and I laughed alot throughout. I was interested to get everyone else's take on it. I found it hilarious. Of course it has alot of gross-out, lowbrow humor, but my tastes run the gamut from the most intense foreign/indie films all the way to Adam Sandler. The movie is an equal opportunity offender, making fun of everyone, no one is exempt. And, it actually tried to give a message of tolerance (however elementary the message might be). I really enjoyed myself.

I just want to point out that one of the reasons why people want controls over home schooling is because many (not all) homeschoolers are teaching creationism, which is, of course, gross misinformation.

I have no issue with parents raising their children the way they want to without government interference, but I have plenty of issue with teaching incorrect information in the guise of school.

If people want to speak about nonsensical, unproven, unscientific theories, they should keep it in church where it belongs, not in anything posing as a school.

Whatever the alimony law is, should apply whether the person remarries a man or a woman. There should not be any difference in treatment to any of the parties involved.

I don't know what the alimony law is, but it should be the same across the board in my opinion. Meaning if it's cut off when the woman remarries a man, it should also be cut off when she get remarried to a woman. If it's continued after remarriage, it should continue regardless of the gender she remarried.

Go somewhere else then

Actually Derrik I prefer to stay and try to make things better instead of running away.

Too bad people like you are the ones that find the corrupt greed of the United States to be just fine and acceptable.

If there were no people like you in the US, there would be no greed, no "me, me, me" mentality, and alot more compassion, care, and kindness.

Fortunately there's people like me to go to bat against people like you.

Are you saying that the American government charges its own citizens those big fees when they would like to adopt internationally?

Well the government per se doesn't have any specific fee. It's more a symptom of our whole incredibly greedy culture which loves to find ways to make outrageous and over-the-top profits from anything and everything, even if it's at the expense of human life.

Adoption agencies charging rediculous fees is the tip of the iceberg, and then there's the lawyers, who, as you know, are basically spawns of Satan. (ok, ok, not ALL lawyers, but ya'll know what I mean).

The point is, there are thousands upon thousands of families who just can't afford to adopt, period. And it's tragic that babies are being thrown away when so many loving families would welcome them with open arms.

The tax credit doesn't do much if one simply doesn't have the money to adopt in the first place.

There are so many things wrong with the US and this is just one more atrocity in a nation of many evil-doers. We basically seem to place worship of the almighty dollar ahead of everything here, no matter what. It sickens me no end.

I just read on MSNB that the estimate of baby girls murdered in India because of being unwanted, is 10 million over the last 20 years. This, in itself, is appalling enough, but what makes me even more furious is the United States policies on adoption.

So many couples would do anything to have one of those 10 million infants. Yet we in the US have once again has found a way to capitilize on human life, charging anywhere from $15,000-$40,000 in fees to adopt from overseas (to adopt in the US can be even more expensive). Generally older children are more toward the $10,000 range and infants are more expenisve. When my husband and I had looked into adoption, we eventually gave it up because of the horrendous fees. It's an outrage, and I'm surprised that there hasn't been a mass uprising about it!

When so many infants are being thrown away into the garbage in India, it is criminal to charge US couples anything, let alone $20,000, to adopt them. It's sickening.

Adoption should be FREE to anyone who wants a child, who can pass a criminal background check and basic physcological criteria. The Indian government should step up and pay for US couples to adopt these girls. At the very least, adoption should be the cost of airfare to India, plus the cost of the background check and physcological testing. Period.

I am just surprised that more people are not outraged about this.

I don't think Tammy Faye was ever charged with anything regarding the scandal. It was my understanding that Jim Baker was the one behind everything. I know I wouldn't want to be lumped in with anything illicit my husband did without my knowledge. I don't believe that she had intimate knowledge of what was happening.

I will really miss Tammy Faye Mesner. I just loved her. She embodied what Christianity is supposed to be about. She was also incredibly smart, funny, and kind.

Let me know your thoughts about Tammy, a truly marvelous spirit.

And it sounded like he had filmed the nearly naked people without health insurance wandering around after having been thrown out on the street

Well actually he did not film that. A hospital that's set up to help such people did, and he showed their tape in his movie. Would you prefer we all bury our heads in the sand and not watch such "vulgarity"?

Are you saying hospital dumping doesn't happen? Or that we shouldn't see it? Why? So we can continue to feel content as we rest on our insured laurels and sip cognac?

if I'm not mistaken, aren't Christians supposed to care about the poor and downtrodden?

I wonder if Jesus would have turned a blind eye to such pain and suffering...

how do you KNOW it happened, other than from the mother's claim that it did?

Because basic common sense dictates that if it did not, the hospital, the insurance company, their brother, and every other right wing Republican in the known universe would be throwing a hissy fit of collosal proportions to prove it didn't.

However, they are all strangly mum on the subject...

Hey February 2006 bandsters! Bumping this and checking in: 92 pounds down and in ONEderland!

How about ya'll?

The wealthy film crew with wealthy Michael Moore stood by and watched a child die? Sick, vile, putrid, and greedy. How many poor families without insurance is Michael Moore sponsoring? That'd be a quick way to solve the problem -- everyone who's complaining ante up for just one other family. Problem solved!

What in the name of God are you talking about?

No, the film crew wasn't there when it happened, nor was Michael Moore. And I think it's really nasty to imply that they were without ever having seen the film.

Michael Moore has a foundation that distributes money to those in need and he also makes many personal financial contributions, some of of which are public and some of which are anonymous.

Personally I am happy to ante up for another family. In fact I have been looking for a way to do so. I can't afford too much but would happily give what I could afford.

I am taking a volunteer job for two hours a day in the morning before I go to my regular job, with an organization that is fighting for universal health care. So yes, some complainers actually do put their money where their mouth is.

I never expect you to ever really and truly research something before you start making totally incorrect statements about it, but in this case you really ought to see the movie before commenting.

What makes one say with such certainty that these people don't want to help anyone; and that in fact they would rather see people die if it means increasing their taxes?

I suggest seeing the movie Sicko. You will witness hospitals letting children die because of lack of proper insurance. You will witness old people in dire pain, practically naked and with no shoes, wandering aimless and confused, dumped onto the street by hospitals. You will witness September 11th rescue workers unable to get seen by a doctor due to lack of insurance.

These stories are real and they are happening to millions of real people. Real people in pain and suffering. Real people who cling to a photo album of their baby because it's all they have left of her after the hospital would not treat her and let her die after hours of the mother pleading for them to treat her.

This country is sick, and vile, and putrid, and greedy. I have never cried so much at a movie in my life.

It's so easy to look at people and say "that's them. I'm protected. Thank goodness I have good health care." It's so easy to just not care when it happens to the other guy. If we truly cared as a society, we would not tolerate this abhorrent mess.

We are complacent, and lazy. We should be out marching in mass protest in the street. We should stand for the people who can't stand for themselves. But make no mistake about it, the majority of our country just doesn't care about people. They care more about the almighty dollar than people's lives, and that's the absolute truth.

Can we for one moment stop focusing on these "27 million" people who "don't care" that they don't have health care and focus on the people who do care that they don't have health care? As a matter of fact, can we talk about the mom in the movie Sicko whose little 2 year old died the hospital refused to treat her because the mother's insurance didn't cover treatment?

Let's just talk about her. Because the fact is we live in a country where a hospital would let a baby die and refuse to treat the baby because they might not get their big fat paycheck.

ONE baby is too many!

If you don't care about this one baby, then you're a disgusting human being. Period.

I don't think a person's race in any way determines whether or not they would be a "good" spouse. I don't think the two are related. Imagine asking "do you think a Caucasian man would make a good husband?" How would anyone be able to answer? They would have to say "It depends on the man". Same thing with this question.

People should marry who they love; white, black, men, women, whoever... as long as the two are consenting adults.

With regard specifically to people of different races marrying, one actual possible benefit that is rarely pointed out that is interesting is that the further away two parents are in the gene pool, the healthier the children tend to be, and, in my personal opinion, the more physically attractive too. A new book details this (it's called "hybrid vigor" in the science world). The book is called "Breeding Between the Lines: Why Interracial People are Healthier and More Attractive" by Aron Ziv.

On an anecdotal note, all of the mixed race people I know are absolutely gorgeous. I know it's not scientific, it's just my personal observation.

My doctor says the reason not to is because air will be introduced into the stomach. However, I don't see how a straw is any different from one of those Propel bottles where the opening is a tiny hole at the top of a twisty lid. I feel like I get far more air from those than from a straw. So, I try to avoid straws but sometimes I do drink from them and have had no discomfort.

I am going to choose to ignore your insulting remark.

I guess it's easier to ignore my remarks than to actually, oh I don't know...

Post the study???

You state you didn't pull the stats out of your ass, but I think you did, little boy.

Congratulations!!! We are all thrilled for you!

I guess I am one of the 60% losers, but I'm not done yet! I'm 16 months out and have lost 90 pounds with 60-65 pounds left to go.

I see absolutely no reason why I can't reach my goal if I ever get off my ass and start exercising!

Weight loss is totally up to you. It all depends on the work you put into it. There's no "magic percentage" at which one stops losing weight. The bottom line is, if you take in fewer calories than you consume, you will lose weight, period.