t-minus 3 and a half days til i can eat bread again. yay.
2.
jcricket
The British sailors and marines500 or so people picked up in sweeps of Iraq and Afghanistan held captive for nearly two weeks5 years in IranGitmo were blindfolded, bound and faced constant psychological pressure and physically torturous intimidation and interrogations, with most then silently released without any charges being filed.
On a related note, does anyone else think all the Bush administration government agency scandals could basically be generated like “Mad Libs”(tm)?
“It appears an incompetent/underqualified administrator appointed at insert government agency here illegaly overruled the findings of the qualified professionals. It also appears that said political appointee intentionally tried to hide/destroy evidence about their illegal activities, and lied when confronted by Congress/DOJ/CIA/FBI/Police
4.
Rome Again
t-minus 3 and a half days til i can eat bread again. yay.
It still amazes me that people would do this sort of thing to themselves, just because some ancient book peppered with a lot of contradicting information says so.
5.
les
Have fun with Huggie Bear. Oh, and say goodbye to your offense.
6.
demimondian
It still amazes me that people would do this sort of thing to themselves, just because some ancient book peppered with a lot of contradicting information says so.
It still amazes me that you care one way or another. I am religious because it makes *me* a better person; I’m quite confident that God isn’t affected by my belief. I choose to take a set of responsibilities on myself, not on you, so your attitude is as irrelevant.
7.
Rome Again
It still amazes me that you care one way or another. I am religious because it makes me a better person; I’m quite confident that God isn’t affected by my belief. I choose to take a set of responsibilities on myself, not on you, so your attitude is as irrelevant.
Well, your point is taken demi, but starving oneself from certain kinds of foods just seems insane.
The US and Britain clearly made a deal/exchange with Iran to release the sailors, yet everybody is pretending otherwise, and Bush and Cheney are taking swipes at Blair as if the US had nothing to do with it.
In that case, everything you’ve ever said here is irrelevant.
Of course, this is not exactly Breaking News. But there it is.
Of course as we all know (now that we’ve had six years of government by religious idiots), religion is all about self puffery and looking down noses and not giving a rat’s ass about other people. Isn’t it? I mean, otherwise, what’s the fucking point of it?
Before you answer, I must say to you, I have little patience for your irrelevant attitudes.
Wow, “the needle and the spoon” has a whole new meaning now. LMAO
15.
Marcus Wellby
Well, your point is taken demi, but starving oneself from certain kinds of foods just seems insane.
Not really — even looked at from a non-religious standpoint, depriving oneself as a test of commitment to anything — spiritual or not — can do wonders for your attitude.
Anyhow, I am a bit biased. Growing up in an Irish/Italian home Lent was a big deal, though for what now seems more “cultural” than “spiritual” reasons. I was always too self indulgent to give up anything though ( as were most, despite what they claimed to give up).
but starving oneself from certain kinds of foods just seems insane.
I’ve never heard of anyone starving because they stopped eating bread, especially if they’re eating other things. And I’ve always admired people who engage in hunger strikes as a form of protest. I sure as shit couldn’t do it unless I “hydrated” with booze and spent most of the time out cold.
17.
Rome Again
Anyhow, I am a bit biased. Growing up in an Irish/Italian home Lent was a big deal, though for what now seems more “cultural” than “spiritual” reasons. I was always too self indulgent to give up anything though ( as were most, despite what they claimed to give up).
Sorry Marcus, but I see rituals as nothing but a crutch, and you yourself admit many claimed to give up things they couldn’t. It’s all lies as far as I’m concerned.
I’d much rather not even go there in my own life. I grew up in a ritualistic environment too, I shunned it, permanently.
I’d never do a hunger strike, I can’t stand to be hungry.
Of course, my attitude is irrelevant, as explained earlier by Demi.
As are all of yours, so, make a note of it.
19.
chopper
It still amazes me that people would do this sort of thing to themselves, just because some ancient book peppered with a lot of contradicting information says so.
i do it for tradition’s sake. doing so helps reconnect me with all the generations before. what’s wrong with that? besides, it’s just a week. if you can’t remove one kind of thing from your diet for a week, what kind of sedentary lifestyle are you living? shake things up a little fer cryin out loud.
also, this sort of thing really helps to ground you regarding your diet. it makes you actually stop and take stock of what you’re eating. a few days a week i try to eat a 150-mile diet, which is similar in its vigilance.
20.
Rome Again
I’ve never heard of anyone starving because they stopped eating bread, especially if they’re eating other things. And I’ve always admired people who engage in hunger strikes as a form of protest. I sure as shit couldn’t do it unless I “hydrated” with booze and spent most of the time out cold.
“Depriving” would have been a better word, sorry. What are they depriving themselves for? For ritualistic mysticism of some sort, that’s all I see it as. As far as I’m concerned, ritual kills spirit.
21.
Rome Again
i do it for tradition’s sake. doing so helps reconnect me with all the generations before. what’s wrong with that? besides, it’s just a week. if you can’t remove one kind of thing from your diet for a week, what kind of sedentary lifestyle are you living? shake things up a little fer cryin out loud.
Actually chopper, I’m about to change my entire diet around, but to do it to get healthy, not to serve some bible-god.
ORLANDO, Fla. — An activist was arrested while he was feeding homeless people in a public park.
Eric Montanez, 21, a member of Orlando’s Food Not Bombs, violated a city ordinance against feedings in the park Wednesday evening, police said.
Each group is allowed to feed only 25 people, but undercover officers saw Montanez feed 30, police spokeswoman Barbara Jones said.
Take that, do-gooder! Feeding homeless people just encourages them to breed.
23.
Ben
John,
Your b-ball team just hired the most corrupt mo-fo in college hoops… Huggins and his DWI ass are now your coach. He can coach, but can he stay out of jail?
24.
chopper
Actually chopper, I’m about to change my entire diet around, but to do it to get healthy, not to serve some bible-god
good for you. i don’t do it to serve some bible-god either. as i said, i do it for tradition’s sake and to connect me to my people.
this sort of thing really helps to ground you regarding your diet. it makes you actually stop and take stock of what you’re eating. a few days a week i try to eat a 150-mile diet, which is similar in its vigilance.
Thus did the practice of religious fasting morph into a Dr. Weil Wellness pamphlet.
That was some gnarly spin, my friend. Gnarly.
26.
Marcus Wellby
Sorry Marcus, but I see rituals as nothing but a crutch, and you yourself admit many claimed to give up things they couldn’t. It’s all lies as far as I’m concerned.
Still, not all rituals are bad — exchanging birthday gifts, a Thanksgiving meal, a wedding anniversary celebration, etc. Sure, you could call those crutches as well — but sometimes a crutch helps.
Oddly, Easter is one of my favorate holidays – and I am quite far from religious at this point in my life. Easter is the best food and the least hassle, I think, of all the “major” holidays. Though I did see some commercials this year for “Easter Gifts” which is a new one on me.
You know what? I don’t fast for some bible-god, either. I fast for demi. Demi is the one who needs to be reminded of the suffering of the poor, not God. Demi is the one who needs to remember that someday he will die, and his life will end. I fast for the good of my own self.
My God doesn’t need me to fast; *I* need me to fast.
30.
Perry Como
Did the Bush administration trade hostages with Iran? Charles Krauthammer seems to think so.
31.
Marcus Wellby
thanks for the condescending attitude
Condescending attitude, at Ballon Juice? My god, that just doesn’t sound right…
Condescending attitude, at Ballon Juice? My god, that just doesn’t sound right…
Yeah, I know. I’m shocked, shocked, simply shocked.
(Your winnings, Inspector.)
34.
chopper
Thus did the practice of religious fasting morph into a Dr. Weil Wellness pamphlet.
That was some gnarly spin, my friend. Gnarly.
i’m not fasting, i’m avoiding one single item. big deal.
Says the guy who just delivered the condescending diet lecture!
whatever you say, TZ.
35.
Rome Again
You know what? I don’t fast for some bible-god, either. I fast for demi. Demi is the one who needs to be reminded of the suffering of the poor, not God. Demi is the one who needs to remember that someday he will die, and his life will end. I fast for the good of my own self.
My God doesn’t need me to fast; I need me to fast.
I suppose you’re telling me that if you don’t fast, you’ll forget? Sorry, I just don’t understand that.
The American Freedom Agenda’s (AFA) mission is twofold: the enactment of a cluster of statutes that would restore the Constitution’s checks and balances as enshrined by the Founding Fathers; and, making the subject a staple of political campaigns and of foremost concern to Members of Congress and to voters and educators. Especially since 9/11, the executive branch has chronically usurped legislative or judicial power, and has repeatedly claimed that the President is the law. The constitutional grievances against the White House are chilling, reminiscent of the kingly abuses that provoked the Declaration of Independence.
Who is behind this menace of freedom loving Bushies everywhere? Michael Moore? Secular Jew George Soros? Nope. Bruce Fein, Bob Barr, David Keene and Richard Viguerie.
47.
Rome Again
You’re denial will be contradicted…
You know something I don’t know? I’m telling you, I am NOT a grandmother.
What are they depriving themselves for? For ritualistic mysticism of some sort, that’s all I see it as. As far as I’m concerned, ritual kills spirit.
Why are the people who don’t eat to support OxFam or end apartheid or protest the war “depriving” themselves? Every religion I’ve ever come across contains some requirement that people fast and I assume that’s where modern protest/political fasts come from. Does that mean the OxFam fast is tainted by spiritual overtones?
Sneaky hippies!
BTW, I put “deprive” in qoutes because frankly, using deprivation to describe a voluntary action is melodramatic.
Nope. Bruce Fein, Bob Barr, David Keene and Richard Viguerie.
File this under: Horton smells a clue.
Or maybe they think this admin’s attempts to ban porn for consenting adults have gone too far.
60.
Rome Again
Speaking of which, did you hear about this?
Sorry, YouTube is strictly forbidden by my employer.
61.
Bubblegum Tate
On a slightly different note, has anybody gone to the dentist recently and gotten the so-called “deep pocket cleaning” that basically consists of somebody stabbing the living shit out of your gums for the better part of an hour? That’s just a scam, right? That’s just their way of getting their jollies by inflicting pain and then making you pay for it. It’s just gotta be.
62.
Rome Again
That’s just a scam, right? That’s just their way of getting their jollies by inflicting pain and then making you pay for it. It’s just gotta be.
Sounds possible. I got dentures so I wouldn’t have to put up with such torture.
Sure, but of course, fasting itself, and its sponsor, religion ….. nothing melodramatic about them, eh?
Hooo boy.
Come on Darrell, you know it’s all in how the individual goes about it. When I was in college and worked the short order grill I knew the trust fund babies who spent the week telling everyone they were taking part in a fast and how excited they were blah, blah, moo, I knew those clowns would come sneaking into the grill for some fries on the appointed day.
Melodramatic? Yep and annoying as shit. Ditto crap like the National Day of Prayer and other crap you won’t find mentioned in the Bible. That’s annoying, fuck it.
But if someone decides to go without eating for a set period of time just because they want to (or to make a political statement), why do I give a fuck? If they mention it in passing, hey, good for you.
I’ll tell you what sort of food habits piss me off: Blow-by-blow run downs of the number of “points” some git has consumed and fuckers who stick their noses in my plate and trill “Oooooh, how can you eat that? It’s soooo fattening/bad for you/contains some product I find objectionable on moral grounds.”
Those folks, I want to smite.
64.
Dug Jay
The Link that ThymeZone provided at 1:00PM above is a terrific debunking of virtually everything that the degenerate slob, Rosie O’Donnell, has been saying recently.
Thanks for the tip.
65.
Chad N. Freude
Could someone explain to me why choosing a diet for religious or ethnic or cultural reasons occasions so much discussion? Not to mention mild snarkiness.
Youth (or in my case, advanced age) wants to know!
Could someone explain to me why choosing a diet for religious or ethnic or cultural reasons occasions so much discussion? Not to mention mild snarkiness.
Oh my gucking fod, mad props to anyone who was able to watch the whole “stunning expose.” I’ll stick to South Park’s take.
It looks like Sept 11th (WTC and Pentagon) are going to be “Grassy Knoll” of the 21st Century. This latest POS makes less sense than the “Pentagon was hit by a missle” and WTC 1 & 2 were destroyed in an insurance collection scheme:
After wiping out several thousand people to support the new world order (or whateverdafuck) “they” (wicked white guys I spose) very carefully destroyed one building so no one would get hurt.
And here I was thinking a bunch of bad dudes armed with airplanes and structural physics had something to do with the whole thing. Silly me!
The central theme of the “Bldg 7” and WTC collapse conspirotheories is that buildings “can’t fall straight down.” Of course, quite the opposite is true. Basically, everything falls straight down, or in the case of a large structure, as straight down as possible. You can’t “tip” a big building over, because …. it breaks first, and the unsupported part falls (wait for it) straight down.
Also lost in the conspiro cloud was the really odd construction of Bldg 7, wherein the bulk of the building was built over an existing power susbstation, and perched on a huge truss that spanned the station and supported most of the building. Once that truss failed, the building fell apart and went (wait for it) straight down.
If you really followed the 911 consprio theorists, you’d also find the famous “Pentagon Hit By Missile” theory which rested on the question “Where’s the airplane?”
The lack of an obvious airplane inside the building is all these clowns needed to build their insane harangue.
The airplane, of course, pretty much disintegrated at the outer wall of the building and sent a ball of pulverized wreckage through the structure, some of which exited at the first ring and left a gaping hole to the courtyard there.
The morons even used the hole as part of their “evidence” claiming that this “round hole” was faked.
In fact, the hole wasn’t round, it was blackened by fire and just looked round in the photos.
If you do the due diligence, all of these asshole theories fall apart faster than the WTC did.
70.
demimondian
Size matters, dude. Think large, eat large, be large.
Now, crackers with roast beef on them, or crackers with cheesy mashed potatoes, or crackers with sausage and gravy …. okay. With liver sausage, okay. With three kinds of cheese on them, and some German beer, okay. Or as a garnish to a whole roasted pig, okay.
But not just crackers.
74.
Chad N. Freude
Till then, I’m sticking to crackers.
Try using less jelly.
75.
demimondian
Now, crackers with roast beef on them, or crackers with cheesy mashed potatoes, or crackers with sausage and gravy …. okay. With liver sausage, okay. With three kinds of cheese on them, and some German beer, okay. Or as a garnish to a whole roasted pig, okay.
Your teasing would be more effective if I didn’t have to deal with Gollum’s cafeteria — which is justifiably famous. Today’s main entree was rosemary infused roasted chicken breasts, for instance.
But, thanks for trying to make my fast more meaningful. I *do* appreciate it.
But, thanks for trying to make my fast more meaningful. I do appreciate it.
It’s just what I do.
Think nothing of it.
77.
The Easter Bunny
3 and a half days til stale peeps come into season. Yum!
Peeps are never stale. The gritty sugar coating and rubbery marshmallow filling are merely hallmarks of Peeps who have reached full maturity, ready to fulfill their God-given duty by spawning legions of new Peeps for my army.
So I don’t need sickos like you stuffing all of my breeding stock down your worthless pieholes, thank you very much.
On the subject of fasting, I believe it’s a personal choice. Unless we’re talking about rabbit meat, in which case, put down the knife and fork and walk slowly away from the table, fuckers.
Peeps are never stale. The gritty sugar coating and rubbery marshmallow filling are merely hallmarks of Peeps who have reached full maturity, ready to fulfill their God-given duty by spawning legions of new Peeps for my army.
The lack of an obvious airplane inside the building is all these clowns needed to build their insane harangue.
Because talking to the people who were in or near the Pentagon at the time would be too sc-c-c-ary! And of course this is the Pentagon. They wouldn’t talk anyway. Nor would the first responders. They’re all in on the plot!
I tried watching one (the only?) video on this and only made it to bit that showed the alleged missile sized hole in the wall of the Pentagon. There was grafitti all around it.
Sure buddy. People are always tagging the P-gon. Easiest thing in the world. All you have to do is step over the fence and anyways the guards only shout “You kids get outta here.”
People are always tagging the P-gon. Easiest thing in the world. All you have to do is step over the fence and anyways the guards only shout “You kids get outta here.”
the alleged missile sized hole in the wall of the Pentagon. There was grafitti all around it.
The actual holes were short lived, as that section of the building collapsed shortly after the airplane struck the building. But there were photos enough to show the outline of the airplane including the right wing which was tilted up slightly and actually entered (mostly) the second floor.
The airplane was banked slightly to the left at impact. Due to the dihedral angle between the wings, this put the left wing just about parallel to the ground at the first floor, and the right wing angled up at the second floor.
The ASCE did a remarkable job of gathering the physical evidence and analyzing the event.
85.
Perry Como
Unless we’re talking about rabbit meat, in which case, put down the knife and fork and walk slowly away from the table, fuckers.
I see a bouquet garni suppository in your near future.
86.
Tax Analyst
Wow! I was so mesmerized by the “Fast/Don’t Fast/I’m Right/You Bite” back-and-forth that I forgot to eat lunch. does that count as “deprivation”? And I’m late here, too, because it looks like that conversation stopped about an hour ago. So now we’re on the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon thing? I think some airplane hi-jacked by warped nut-cakes did it. Glad that’s settled…think I’ll go eat now.
87.
Rome Again
Wow! I was so mesmerized by the “Fast/Don’t Fast/I’m Right/You Bite” back-and-forth that I forgot to eat lunch. does that count as “deprivation”?
No, that merely counts as delayed gratification, garnished with a bit of stupidity.
88.
Tax Analyst
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Rome. Anyway, shortly after posting that note I decided to fast the rest of the day – I’ve gained amost 5lbs in the last 2 weeks sitting at my desk and eating in between answering Tax Questions. Talk about a martyr, Sheesh…
89.
Rome Again
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Rome. Anyway, shortly after posting that note I decided to fast the rest of the day – I’ve gained amost 5lbs in the last 2 weeks sitting at my desk and eating in between answering Tax Questions. Talk about a martyr, Sheesh…
Prove it! I think you’re funning me.
90.
Perry Como
Holy crap. Someone has posted plans on how to make a terrorist device.
91.
grumpy realist
I asked over at Reason what was the probable overlap between 911 Conspiracy Theorists and Moon Landing Was Faked Theorists.
Amazing how no one wants to believe in a) physics b) incompetence c) lack of conspiracy.
Holy smokes! Check out Bill O’Reilly fly into a screaming rage at Geraldo Riviera on his Thursday show… looks like he’s about to hurl himself over the table and sink his teeth into Geraldo’s neck, or fall from his chair in a shaking fit, blood spurting from his nostrils.
Amazing how badly Bill-O loses it with a forceful opponent who won’t back down or meekly take his shit. I still can’t abide Geraldo, but he deserves a solid thumbs-up for dishing out some serious smackdown to the Falafel Man.
94.
Bubblegum Tate
Lack of evidence is PROOF of conspiracy.
Exactly. Which explains why some wingnuts actually maintain that we found WMDs in Iraq–the lack of, you know, actual WMDs just shows that it’s a conspiracy! A c-o-n…spiracy.
95.
The Easter Bunny
I see a bouquet garni suppository in your near future.
Is that what you see? Take a nice long look at it, moonbat. It’s your last chance to see it without the help of a yoga coach and a pair of needlenose pliers.
Don’t need to convince me. I know a man who was working on reinforcing the building at the time (they’d recently finished the side that was hit), a guy who was on the floor above where the non-plane hit and a couple of fire-fighters who responded to the non-crash.
That’s one of the many things I don’t get about this particular CT. How do the whackaloons explain all of the witnesses? Brain-washed/in on the plot/not the people who were really there? Too much effort for exactly no return.
I read (somewhere) that this lot of ding-a-lings doesn’t want to admit that all it takes to really fuck up a lot of lives is less than two dozen crazy bastards and some heavy machinery. Who knows. Again, anyone who can listen to that crap without laughing/puking, my hat is off to ye.
97.
demimondian
It’s your last chance to see it without the help of a yoga coach and a pair of needlenose pliers.
I can see how he would need to needle nose pliers to remove it from your ass, but how would he use the yoga coach? I’m guessing that the yoga coach will help him remove your head from your ass first, without hurting you too much?
98.
Perry Como
I can see how he would need to needle nose pliers to remove it from your ass, but how would he use the yoga coach?
The yoga coach may help me focus while I’m chopping the mirepoix to go with his roasted ass.
99.
Tax Analyst
Rome Again Says:
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Rome. Anyway, shortly after posting that note I decided to fast the rest of the day – I’ve gained amost 5lbs in the last 2 weeks sitting at my desk and eating in between answering Tax Questions. Talk about a martyr, Sheesh…
Prove it! I think you’re funning me.
Rome – Which part? The weight gain? The sitting at my desk and stuffing my face between Tech Rep assists/customer calls? Or the Martyrdom? Geez…I just realized I can’t provide any documentation on any of that crap. I guess if I were calling you a dirty name that would make me…Darrell…maybe.
Anyway, It’s slow right now, so maybe I’ll go into the warehouse in back here and get on the digital scale. I weighed 159 on March 15th. Hold that thought, I’ll be right back…uh…ok – the weight thing: 163.6lbs – so I was ever-so-slightly off, I have only gained 4.6 lbs in about 3 weeks. Now while that doesn’t necessarily prove point #2 (sitting on my ass stuffing my face at work) it does provide a logical explanation for at least some of that weight gain. Did you know that if you eat enough “Lean Cuisine” meals you STILL gain weight? Yup, it’s true. Point #3? Well, I could be just over-exaggerating the degree of my suffering. Hell, it’s Easter Week – What can I say, I got caught up in the spirit of the occasion…
100.
The Easter Bunny
I can see how he would need to needle nose pliers to remove it from your ass, but how would he use the yoga coach?
The yoga coach may help me focus while I’m chopping the mirepoix to go with his roasted ass.
Laught it up, leftards. We’ll see how funny you are when you’re being nibbled to death by a swarm of rabid Peeps.
101.
Rome Again
Well, I could be just over-exaggerating the degree of my suffering. Hell, it’s Easter Week – What can I say, I got caught up in the spirit of the occasion…
Exactly my point, you went through all the work for nothing, and finally realized it? ROTFLMFAO!
102.
Krista
Did you know that if you eat enough “Lean Cuisine” meals you STILL gain weight?
Eat enough of anything (except ice cubes, I guess), and you’ll gain weight. Krista’s tips for losing weight (65 lbs. and counting people, so pay attention)
1. Do not eat until you are actually hungry. It may take awhile to recognize what it feels like if you’re a constant grazer.
2. Stop when you are satisfied. Not full, not stuffed, but satisfied. Put the freaking fork down.
3. Before you put anything in your mouth, stop and think, “Do I really want this?” (And yes, it’s a good rule for life in general, not just for weight loss.)
4. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Put your sneakers on and go explore where you live.
103.
Rome Again
Good tips Krista, I do all those, have never needed to lose weight.
Did you know that if you eat enough “Lean Cuisine” meals you STILL gain weight?
Eat enough of anything (except ice cubes, I guess), and you’ll gain weight. Krista’s tips for losing weight (65 lbs. and counting people, so pay attention)
1. Do not eat until you are actually hungry. It may take awhile to recognize what it feels like if you’re a constant grazer.
2. Stop when you are satisfied. Not full, not stuffed, but satisfied. Put the freaking fork down.
3. Before you put anything in your mouth, stop and think, “Do I really want this?” (And yes, it’s a good rule for life in general, not just for weight loss.)
4. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Put your sneakers on and go explore where you live.
Thanks, Krista
Actually, although the weight issue is true, and it is also true that I’ve been eating too much the last few weeks, my weight is not really an issue – at least not at this point. I USUALLY don’t overeat and USUALLY get more than a fair bit of exercise. This old fart just turned 57 on the 1st and still whips the whippersnappers around here at ping-pong and I still play a decent game of basketball, too. With the exception of these last few weeks my weight generally has remained around 158-162 for the last 10 years +. I took a break today and just ate some grapes and then went to our warehouse in back and shot some baskets and tossed around a football with some of the other guys. Hitting the scale and realizing my jest was truth was a bit of a wake-up.
But your advice is certainly sound.
107.
Fruitbat
3. Before you put anything in your mouth, stop and think, “Do I really want this?” (And yes, it’s a good rule for life in general, not just for weight loss.)
If I stopped to think about everything I put in my mouth, I’d be a lot less popular with the fellas. And the ladies too, I suppose.
That’s right. I’m a professional competative eater.
(the offers have been slow since my resignation.)
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chopper
t-minus 3 and a half days til i can eat bread again. yay.
jcricket
The
British sailors and marines500 or so people picked up in sweeps of Iraq and Afghanistan held captive for nearlytwo weeks5 years inIranGitmo were blindfolded, bound and faced constant psychological pressure and physically torturous intimidation and interrogations, with most then silently released without any charges being filed.Sad how you just need to change a few words from the lede in this AP article
But calling it a gulag is beyond the pale.
jcricket
On a related note, does anyone else think all the Bush administration government agency scandals could basically be generated like “Mad Libs”(tm)?
Rome Again
It still amazes me that people would do this sort of thing to themselves, just because some ancient book peppered with a lot of contradicting information says so.
les
Have fun with Huggie Bear. Oh, and say goodbye to your offense.
demimondian
It still amazes me that you care one way or another. I am religious because it makes *me* a better person; I’m quite confident that God isn’t affected by my belief. I choose to take a set of responsibilities on myself, not on you, so your attitude is as irrelevant.
Rome Again
Well, your point is taken demi, but starving oneself from certain kinds of foods just seems insane.
Mr Furious
The US and Britain clearly made a deal/exchange with Iran to release the sailors, yet everybody is pretending otherwise, and Bush and Cheney are taking swipes at Blair as if the US had nothing to do with it.
Thoughts?
Jake
Laugh. Out. Loud.
ThymeZone
In that case, everything you’ve ever said here is irrelevant.
Of course, this is not exactly Breaking News. But there it is.
Of course as we all know (now that we’ve had six years of government by religious idiots), religion is all about self puffery and looking down noses and not giving a rat’s ass about other people. Isn’t it? I mean, otherwise, what’s the fucking point of it?
Before you answer, I must say to you, I have little patience for your irrelevant attitudes.
Perry Como
Demi, here’s a pancake recipe you can try.
Baby Jane
3 and a half days til stale peeps come into season. Yum!
ThymeZone
{ cough }
Rome Again
Wow, “the needle and the spoon” has a whole new meaning now. LMAO
Marcus Wellby
Not really — even looked at from a non-religious standpoint, depriving oneself as a test of commitment to anything — spiritual or not — can do wonders for your attitude.
Anyhow, I am a bit biased. Growing up in an Irish/Italian home Lent was a big deal, though for what now seems more “cultural” than “spiritual” reasons. I was always too self indulgent to give up anything though ( as were most, despite what they claimed to give up).
Jake
I’ve never heard of anyone starving because they stopped eating bread, especially if they’re eating other things. And I’ve always admired people who engage in hunger strikes as a form of protest. I sure as shit couldn’t do it unless I “hydrated” with booze and spent most of the time out cold.
Rome Again
Sorry Marcus, but I see rituals as nothing but a crutch, and you yourself admit many claimed to give up things they couldn’t. It’s all lies as far as I’m concerned.
I’d much rather not even go there in my own life. I grew up in a ritualistic environment too, I shunned it, permanently.
ThymeZone
I’d never do a hunger strike, I can’t stand to be hungry.
Of course, my attitude is irrelevant, as explained earlier by Demi.
As are all of yours, so, make a note of it.
chopper
i do it for tradition’s sake. doing so helps reconnect me with all the generations before. what’s wrong with that? besides, it’s just a week. if you can’t remove one kind of thing from your diet for a week, what kind of sedentary lifestyle are you living? shake things up a little fer cryin out loud.
also, this sort of thing really helps to ground you regarding your diet. it makes you actually stop and take stock of what you’re eating. a few days a week i try to eat a 150-mile diet, which is similar in its vigilance.
Rome Again
“Depriving” would have been a better word, sorry. What are they depriving themselves for? For ritualistic mysticism of some sort, that’s all I see it as. As far as I’m concerned, ritual kills spirit.
Rome Again
Actually chopper, I’m about to change my entire diet around, but to do it to get healthy, not to serve some bible-god.
Richard 23
Activist Charged With Violating Orlando’s Ban On Feeding Homeless
Take that, do-gooder! Feeding homeless people just encourages them to breed.
Ben
John,
Your b-ball team just hired the most corrupt mo-fo in college hoops… Huggins and his DWI ass are now your coach. He can coach, but can he stay out of jail?
chopper
good for you. i don’t do it to serve some bible-god either. as i said, i do it for tradition’s sake and to connect me to my people.
and thanks for the condescending attitude, BTW.
ThymeZone
Thus did the practice of religious fasting morph into a Dr. Weil Wellness pamphlet.
That was some gnarly spin, my friend. Gnarly.
Marcus Wellby
Still, not all rituals are bad — exchanging birthday gifts, a Thanksgiving meal, a wedding anniversary celebration, etc. Sure, you could call those crutches as well — but sometimes a crutch helps.
Oddly, Easter is one of my favorate holidays – and I am quite far from religious at this point in my life. Easter is the best food and the least hassle, I think, of all the “major” holidays. Though I did see some commercials this year for “Easter Gifts” which is a new one on me.
ThymeZone
Says the guy who just delivered the condescending diet lecture!
Oh, it’s thick in here today, folks! I feel some Easter Bunny Stew coming on.
Bring it, bitches.
ThymeZone
Welcome to the Middle East.
demimondian
You know what? I don’t fast for some bible-god, either. I fast for demi. Demi is the one who needs to be reminded of the suffering of the poor, not God. Demi is the one who needs to remember that someday he will die, and his life will end. I fast for the good of my own self.
My God doesn’t need me to fast; *I* need me to fast.
Perry Como
Did the Bush administration trade hostages with Iran? Charles Krauthammer seems to think so.
Marcus Wellby
Condescending attitude, at Ballon Juice? My god, that just doesn’t sound right…
ThymeZone
Speed kills :^)
demimondian
Yeah, I know. I’m shocked, shocked, simply shocked.
(Your winnings, Inspector.)
chopper
i’m not fasting, i’m avoiding one single item. big deal.
whatever you say, TZ.
Rome Again
I suppose you’re telling me that if you don’t fast, you’ll forget? Sorry, I just don’t understand that.
ThymeZone
Oooh, well played.
Yes, whatever I said, indeed, since I WAS RIGHT.
But when personal food choices are at stake, we can’t give any ground. Right?
Let’s vote”
Who has the more worthy and admirable attitude toward food?
Chopper, or …. ?
Personally, I know it’s me. I load up on the food during Lent in order to Connect With My People.
My People are the Iowa Farm People who basically eat anything that is carbon-based, and as much of it as possible at all times.
My People Can Crush Your People.
Suck it, bitches!!
Some Other Brian Guy
I agree! Those damn PETA loving Vegitarians are insane!
chopper
looks like TZ got into the rhubarb again.
ThymeZone
I’m eatin the rhubarb, baby. Eat, eat!
Bigger is better.
When you study under me, you will know what I mean, chopstick.
Now, back to your genteel food choices and “connecting with your people.” Pass the meat. Pass the bread. Pass the butter. Pass the gravy.
ThymeZone
{ loud chomping noises }
{ spray of chewed comestibles }
Phhffoodd, mbitschess!
Baby Jane
Update the eating rituals:
Last meal of the day must be ordered through a dented speaker.
At least one food on the table must “plump when you cook ’em.”
Who eats the hard-boiled eggs besides grandma? Color Hotpockets instead.
Test your faith: partake in the breaking of the Milkbone with Rover.
More cornsyrup.
chopper
trade the afikoman for kikkoman. that’d be sweet.
ThymeZone
Kikkoman is all salt, compadre.
For flavor, you need animal fat. Butterfat. Lard.
Go ahead, eat your rice cakes. WE WILL CRUSH YOU.
Rome Again
I do, and I am NOT a grandmother, but, I like them, and that is the ONLY reason why I’ll eat them.
Baby Jane
You’re denial will be contradicted by the
factsfarts.Perry Como
Looks like some commiehippieliberals have set up a new group, the American Freedom Agenda:
Who is behind this menace of freedom loving Bushies everywhere? Michael Moore? Secular Jew George Soros? Nope. Bruce Fein, Bob Barr, David Keene and Richard Viguerie.
Rome Again
You know something I don’t know? I’m telling you, I am NOT a grandmother.
ThymeZone
{ splutter }
{ spittle }
Why, those are ….. uh …. RIGHTIES for God’s sake!
Has the world TURNED UPSIDE DOWN?
Rome Again
No, it turned upside down on 9/11… it’s finally starting to right itself.
Rome Again
Perry, you should post that in the “Shrillness” thread, where Darrell is challenging anyone to tell him how BushCo violates the Constitution. :)
ThymeZone
Speaking of which, did you hear about this?
Rosie goes over the edge.
The gummint did WTC.
Perry Como
Darrell should pose that question to Rep. Ron Paul (Hippie – San Francisco).
ThymeZone
Well, we now know that it’s Faux Darrell, and he is really referring to his Daily Constitutional.
See the Bathroom Book offering for more on this.
ThymeZone
More and more unanswered questions!
Rosie leads the way.
Baby Jane
I am the eggman.
koo koo ka choo
Jake
Why are the people who don’t eat to support OxFam or end apartheid or protest the war “depriving” themselves? Every religion I’ve ever come across contains some requirement that people fast and I assume that’s where modern protest/political fasts come from. Does that mean the OxFam fast is tainted by spiritual overtones?
Sneaky hippies!
BTW, I put “deprive” in qoutes because frankly, using deprivation to describe a voluntary action is melodramatic.
ThymeZone
Sure, but of course, fasting itself, and its sponsor, religion ….. nothing melodramatic about them, eh?
Hooo boy.
demimondian
I’ll wager that none of my coworkers knows I’m fasting, TZ.
Jake
File this under: Horton smells a clue.
Or maybe they think this admin’s attempts to ban porn for consenting adults have gone too far.
Rome Again
Sorry, YouTube is strictly forbidden by my employer.
Bubblegum Tate
On a slightly different note, has anybody gone to the dentist recently and gotten the so-called “deep pocket cleaning” that basically consists of somebody stabbing the living shit out of your gums for the better part of an hour? That’s just a scam, right? That’s just their way of getting their jollies by inflicting pain and then making you pay for it. It’s just gotta be.
Rome Again
Sounds possible. I got dentures so I wouldn’t have to put up with such torture.
Jake
Come on Darrell, you know it’s all in how the individual goes about it. When I was in college and worked the short order grill I knew the trust fund babies who spent the week telling everyone they were taking part in a fast and how excited they were blah, blah, moo, I knew those clowns would come sneaking into the grill for some fries on the appointed day.
Melodramatic? Yep and annoying as shit. Ditto crap like the National Day of Prayer and other crap you won’t find mentioned in the Bible. That’s annoying, fuck it.
But if someone decides to go without eating for a set period of time just because they want to (or to make a political statement), why do I give a fuck? If they mention it in passing, hey, good for you.
I’ll tell you what sort of food habits piss me off: Blow-by-blow run downs of the number of “points” some git has consumed and fuckers who stick their noses in my plate and trill “Oooooh, how can you eat that? It’s soooo fattening/bad for you/contains some product I find objectionable on moral grounds.”
Those folks, I want to smite.
Dug Jay
The Link that ThymeZone provided at 1:00PM above is a terrific debunking of virtually everything that the degenerate slob, Rosie O’Donnell, has been saying recently.
Thanks for the tip.
Chad N. Freude
Could someone explain to me why choosing a diet for religious or ethnic or cultural reasons occasions so much discussion? Not to mention mild snarkiness.
Youth (or in my case, advanced age) wants to know!
ThymeZone
.
Then like me, you are so HUGE that nobody would notice the difference ………
Size matters, dude. Think large, eat large, be large.
ThymeZone
It’s a slow news day.
Jake
Oh my gucking fod, mad props to anyone who was able to watch the whole “stunning expose.” I’ll stick to South Park’s take.
It looks like Sept 11th (WTC and Pentagon) are going to be “Grassy Knoll” of the 21st Century. This latest POS makes less sense than the “Pentagon was hit by a missle” and WTC 1 & 2 were destroyed in an insurance collection scheme:
After wiping out several thousand people to support the new world order (or whateverdafuck) “they” (wicked white guys I spose) very carefully destroyed one building so no one would get hurt.
And here I was thinking a bunch of bad dudes armed with airplanes and structural physics had something to do with the whole thing. Silly me!
ThymeZone
The debunkings have been out there for years.
The central theme of the “Bldg 7” and WTC collapse conspirotheories is that buildings “can’t fall straight down.” Of course, quite the opposite is true. Basically, everything falls straight down, or in the case of a large structure, as straight down as possible. You can’t “tip” a big building over, because …. it breaks first, and the unsupported part falls (wait for it) straight down.
Also lost in the conspiro cloud was the really odd construction of Bldg 7, wherein the bulk of the building was built over an existing power susbstation, and perched on a huge truss that spanned the station and supported most of the building. Once that truss failed, the building fell apart and went (wait for it) straight down.
If you really followed the 911 consprio theorists, you’d also find the famous “Pentagon Hit By Missile” theory which rested on the question “Where’s the airplane?”
The lack of an obvious airplane inside the building is all these clowns needed to build their insane harangue.
The airplane, of course, pretty much disintegrated at the outer wall of the building and sent a ball of pulverized wreckage through the structure, some of which exited at the first ring and left a gaping hole to the courtyard there.
The morons even used the hole as part of their “evidence” claiming that this “round hole” was faked.
In fact, the hole wasn’t round, it was blackened by fire and just looked round in the photos.
If you do the due diligence, all of these asshole theories fall apart faster than the WTC did.
demimondian
I’ll take that under advisement.
After dusk. Till then, I’m sticking to crackers.
Perry Como
Racist.
Chad N. Freude
Rimshot!
ThymeZone
You are brave. I can’t live on crackers.
Now, crackers with roast beef on them, or crackers with cheesy mashed potatoes, or crackers with sausage and gravy …. okay. With liver sausage, okay. With three kinds of cheese on them, and some German beer, okay. Or as a garnish to a whole roasted pig, okay.
But not just crackers.
Chad N. Freude
Try using less jelly.
demimondian
Your teasing would be more effective if I didn’t have to deal with Gollum’s cafeteria — which is justifiably famous. Today’s main entree was rosemary infused roasted chicken breasts, for instance.
But, thanks for trying to make my fast more meaningful. I *do* appreciate it.
ThymeZone
It’s just what I do.
Think nothing of it.
The Easter Bunny
Peeps are never stale. The gritty sugar coating and rubbery marshmallow filling are merely hallmarks of Peeps who have reached full maturity, ready to fulfill their God-given duty by spawning legions of new Peeps for my army.
So I don’t need sickos like you stuffing all of my breeding stock down your worthless pieholes, thank you very much.
On the subject of fasting, I believe it’s a personal choice. Unless we’re talking about rabbit meat, in which case, put down the knife and fork and walk slowly away from the table, fuckers.
ThymeZone
So, life begins at marshmallow injection?
Chad N. Freude
Straightline of the day.
Rome Again
artifical influffination?
Jake
Because talking to the people who were in or near the Pentagon at the time would be too sc-c-c-ary! And of course this is the Pentagon. They wouldn’t talk anyway. Nor would the first responders. They’re all in on the plot!
I tried watching one (the only?) video on this and only made it to bit that showed the alleged missile sized hole in the wall of the Pentagon. There was grafitti all around it.
Sure buddy. People are always tagging the P-gon. Easiest thing in the world. All you have to do is step over the fence and anyways the guards only shout “You kids get outta here.”
ThymeZone
“Go on, now, git!”
I think that’s the official admonishment.
Chad N. Freude
Lack of evidence is PROOF of conspiracy.
ThymeZone
The actual holes were short lived, as that section of the building collapsed shortly after the airplane struck the building. But there were photos enough to show the outline of the airplane including the right wing which was tilted up slightly and actually entered (mostly) the second floor.
The airplane was banked slightly to the left at impact. Due to the dihedral angle between the wings, this put the left wing just about parallel to the ground at the first floor, and the right wing angled up at the second floor.
You can study all of the details here
The ASCE did a remarkable job of gathering the physical evidence and analyzing the event.
Perry Como
I see a bouquet garni suppository in your near future.
Tax Analyst
Wow! I was so mesmerized by the “Fast/Don’t Fast/I’m Right/You Bite” back-and-forth that I forgot to eat lunch. does that count as “deprivation”? And I’m late here, too, because it looks like that conversation stopped about an hour ago. So now we’re on the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon thing? I think some airplane hi-jacked by warped nut-cakes did it. Glad that’s settled…think I’ll go eat now.
Rome Again
No, that merely counts as delayed gratification, garnished with a bit of stupidity.
Tax Analyst
Thanks for clearing that up for me, Rome. Anyway, shortly after posting that note I decided to fast the rest of the day – I’ve gained amost 5lbs in the last 2 weeks sitting at my desk and eating in between answering Tax Questions. Talk about a martyr, Sheesh…
Rome Again
Prove it! I think you’re funning me.
Perry Como
Holy crap. Someone has posted plans on how to make a terrorist device.
grumpy realist
I asked over at Reason what was the probable overlap between 911 Conspiracy Theorists and Moon Landing Was Faked Theorists.
Amazing how no one wants to believe in a) physics b) incompetence c) lack of conspiracy.
Must be all the Tom Clancy novels in the water….
jcricket
Speaking of peeps. The 10 plagues as acted out by Peeps
lard lad
Holy smokes! Check out Bill O’Reilly fly into a screaming rage at Geraldo Riviera on his Thursday show… looks like he’s about to hurl himself over the table and sink his teeth into Geraldo’s neck, or fall from his chair in a shaking fit, blood spurting from his nostrils.
Amazing how badly Bill-O loses it with a forceful opponent who won’t back down or meekly take his shit. I still can’t abide Geraldo, but he deserves a solid thumbs-up for dishing out some serious smackdown to the Falafel Man.
Bubblegum Tate
Exactly. Which explains why some wingnuts actually maintain that we found WMDs in Iraq–the lack of, you know, actual WMDs just shows that it’s a conspiracy! A c-o-n…spiracy.
The Easter Bunny
Is that what you see? Take a nice long look at it, moonbat. It’s your last chance to see it without the help of a yoga coach and a pair of needlenose pliers.
jake
Don’t need to convince me. I know a man who was working on reinforcing the building at the time (they’d recently finished the side that was hit), a guy who was on the floor above where the non-plane hit and a couple of fire-fighters who responded to the non-crash.
That’s one of the many things I don’t get about this particular CT. How do the whackaloons explain all of the witnesses? Brain-washed/in on the plot/not the people who were really there? Too much effort for exactly no return.
I read (somewhere) that this lot of ding-a-lings doesn’t want to admit that all it takes to really fuck up a lot of lives is less than two dozen crazy bastards and some heavy machinery. Who knows. Again, anyone who can listen to that crap without laughing/puking, my hat is off to ye.
demimondian
I can see how he would need to needle nose pliers to remove it from your ass, but how would he use the yoga coach? I’m guessing that the yoga coach will help him remove your head from your ass first, without hurting you too much?
Perry Como
The yoga coach may help me focus while I’m chopping the mirepoix to go with his roasted ass.
Tax Analyst
Rome – Which part? The weight gain? The sitting at my desk and stuffing my face between Tech Rep assists/customer calls? Or the Martyrdom? Geez…I just realized I can’t provide any documentation on any of that crap. I guess if I were calling you a dirty name that would make me…Darrell…maybe.
Anyway, It’s slow right now, so maybe I’ll go into the warehouse in back here and get on the digital scale. I weighed 159 on March 15th. Hold that thought, I’ll be right back…uh…ok – the weight thing: 163.6lbs – so I was ever-so-slightly off, I have only gained 4.6 lbs in about 3 weeks. Now while that doesn’t necessarily prove point #2 (sitting on my ass stuffing my face at work) it does provide a logical explanation for at least some of that weight gain. Did you know that if you eat enough “Lean Cuisine” meals you STILL gain weight? Yup, it’s true. Point #3? Well, I could be just over-exaggerating the degree of my suffering. Hell, it’s Easter Week – What can I say, I got caught up in the spirit of the occasion…
The Easter Bunny
Laught it up, leftards. We’ll see how funny you are when you’re being nibbled to death by a swarm of rabid Peeps.
Rome Again
Exactly my point, you went through all the work for nothing, and finally realized it? ROTFLMFAO!
Krista
Eat enough of anything (except ice cubes, I guess), and you’ll gain weight. Krista’s tips for losing weight (65 lbs. and counting people, so pay attention)
1. Do not eat until you are actually hungry. It may take awhile to recognize what it feels like if you’re a constant grazer.
2. Stop when you are satisfied. Not full, not stuffed, but satisfied. Put the freaking fork down.
3. Before you put anything in your mouth, stop and think, “Do I really want this?” (And yes, it’s a good rule for life in general, not just for weight loss.)
4. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Put your sneakers on and go explore where you live.
Rome Again
Good tips Krista, I do all those, have never needed to lose weight.
jake
Never mind the Easter Bunny’s legion of puny peeps. Give me The Lord of the Peeps.
chopper
he don’t use jelly.
Tax Analyst
Thanks, Krista
Actually, although the weight issue is true, and it is also true that I’ve been eating too much the last few weeks, my weight is not really an issue – at least not at this point. I USUALLY don’t overeat and USUALLY get more than a fair bit of exercise. This old fart just turned 57 on the 1st and still whips the whippersnappers around here at ping-pong and I still play a decent game of basketball, too. With the exception of these last few weeks my weight generally has remained around 158-162 for the last 10 years +. I took a break today and just ate some grapes and then went to our warehouse in back and shot some baskets and tossed around a football with some of the other guys. Hitting the scale and realizing my jest was truth was a bit of a wake-up.
But your advice is certainly sound.
Fruitbat
If I stopped to think about everything I put in my mouth, I’d be a lot less popular with the fellas. And the ladies too, I suppose.
That’s right. I’m a professional competative eater.
(the offers have been slow since my resignation.)