HUDDLE Up

Huddling

Some days I huddle some days I do not.  Usually when I don't its from lack of thought about it rather than lack of ambition to do it.

I belong to some groups and it makes me sad as I am the only one who huddles. Although it’s a small act I believe it can have a great impact on us.

It keeps us involved and participating in a team.  It helps spread a little sunshine to others and in some cases offers people help when they need it.  I usually go down the other huddles to look for people who put down they are having a bad day or need some help.
I like to drop them a line and ask how I can be of service to them, most of the time by that time they have spoken to a few people and are in a better frame of mind and feel better, sometimes not.

Sometimes people just want someone to listen to them, I don't really full understand this concept as I am an Introvert for the most part.  Now I could just use the snide "Google it" comment I am fond out but feeling generous this morning I will save you the time
Introverts are more concerned with the inner world of the mind. They enjoy thinking, exploring their thoughts and feelings. They often avoid social situations because being around people drains their energy. This is true even if they have good social skills. After being with people for any length of time, such as at a party, they need time alone to "recharge."

Taken from:  giftedkids.about.com/od/glossary/g/introvert.htm

This more or less describes me; I know some of you might find that a little hard to believe given the frequency that I add my 2cents into just about everything, I guess I am a walking contradiction.  I am introverted yet an ego maniac with low self-esteem, borderline narcissist who cares about other people, angel (that’s pushing it) devil.  I guess the phrase jack of all trades master of none applies.

I am getting off task here, it’s so easy to get talking about my favorite subject (IE: ME)  I often say that: service is the price we pay for our room here on earth, who said this originally I am uncertain I just know who I heard it from (via the internet) Muhammad Ali


This struck me instantly because service to our fellow man is indeed what will set us free from our own self-imposed prison.

They say that when elephants are young they chain them with this thick heavy chain that is impossible for the elephant to break.  It tries and tries and tries and it cannot get free.  Now when the Elephant grows up they simply tie them with a state and piece of rope or string, why?   Because the elephant knows from all its years trying it cannot free itself no matter the shackles.

I believe we are the very same, the chains that bind us are of our own design and only we hold the key.  Imagine the scene in fight club (Google it)**SPOILER ALERT*

 Where Brad Pitt is holding the gun and Edward Norton figures it out and suddenly the gun is in his hand, now basically Brad Pitt is a figment of Norton’s imagination so he realized that the gun in Pitts hand is really in his hand.  Confused?   good that’s what the movie does *chuckles* but it’s a FREAKING AMAZING movie, and I think there is alot of very useful info in that movie if you can sift through, they don't make it easy but the message behind the movie is liberating.

So the chains we cannot see yet hold us down and bind us are very much like the string and the stake that holds the elephant, we have tried so many times to break them and realized we cannot and we don't even try anymore.  Although we might not be able to break them on pure physical strength alone, if we only take the time to look we will see that the key to our freedom who is in someone else’shand, that person who persecutes us, puts us down, holds us down, keeps us from personal freedom, that the key is in fact in our own hands
I'm feeling good about this post today, lots of good stuff.  Even if no one else likes it I am pretty happy with myself *chuckles*

So I made you suffer through that long paragraph of confusing movie and animal reference to say this  Helping others will help us.  It’s very difficult to understand this concept especially when we cannot even help ourselves in the most trivial of task's it seems.
You never know what small gesture you make during the course of your day that you do not consider trivial will make the world of difference in other people’s lives.

Most people just want to know someone cares and that they will listen to them.  that’s it.  There are those who want you to solve their problems, and although it’s very tempting to indeed attempt such a task we cannot and should not do this.  We CAN however share our life experience if it relates to this person and if indeed it’s something we have done ourselves and found useful.

it’s usually a good idea to wait and be asked for our opinion rather than just blurting it out as they might not want to hear it.  I have a best friend who likes to call and complain to me, well not really complaining but likes to talk about things bothering her, which is fine that is what friends are for.   She can talk for 45 minutes without much interaction from me and at the finish she doesn't want me to try and solve her problems she just wants me to listen.
Most people are like this, I find this concept very foreign and I do not understand it.  Of course as we discovered above I am an Introvert..........I’ll wait for you to scroll back and reacquaint yourself with the description, yes I suppose I could post it again but don't be so darn lazy, if you have made it this far or read my stuff before you should know a certain amount of work is required by you the reader, nothing in life is free ;)

a** ,grass, or gas nobody rides for free!!

Ok I don't really promote drug use as I am clean and sober but I don't have the time to reformulate the phrase into something whimsical and intelligent sounding, besides I do kind of enjoy that bumper sticker.

So to make a long story even longer huddling is a good way to keep in touch with your team, maybe get a little positive energy from other member’s and just do your part to be of service to others.  When we stop thinking about ourselves and what WE want and thinking of others first our lives seem to open up in ways we could never have imagined before, that chains that bind us loosen and if we truly devote ourselves to service of our fellow man they will in time break and fall away.  Mine are still on but I can almost squeeze my hand out, if only I had a stick of butter.  I don't need to try to free myself, my actions will.  And your actions will as well

I belong to a 12 step program and one of the tools to our recovery is service, It doesn't matter if you belong to a 12 step program or not the same principles apply.

They say money can't buy happiness,  I am 50/50 on this as I struggle with money every day, its my own fault though as I do not budget well, ok I do budget but I don't use it (go figure) and I spend money on things that I could do without but feel that I cannot  (IE cellphone, internet, big screen TV, ps3)  This is all stuff and, well ok the internet one is a good thing because I can reach out to alot of people and if I did not have internet you would not have the pleasure of reading this long winded self-promoting diatribe  (yes I know some of you pray God to strike my internet down, you know who you are and SHAME ON YOU)
So to sum up in a few sentences what I did in a few pages but could have done with these few sentences is this:

  (coincidentally the point of that paragraph which i failed to make because i took a left turn when I should have gone right is that we can have all the money and stuff in the world but it won't make us happy, it will make life easier but it won't make life better mentally and spiritually, now i am willing to back up this claim someone give me about 10 million dollars and I'll show you how unhappy i am going to be, I am willing to do this, for you guys)

Use huddling every day, it takes 5 seconds (more if you read what your fellow sparkers say) but this small seemingly insignificant act will change your life.  Its the butterfly effect (seriously Google it I am running out of steam)..................ok fine if you’re going to be pushy

"In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions; where a small change at one place in a nonlinear system can result in large differences to a later state. For example, the presence or absence of a butterfly flapping its wings could lead to creation or absence of a hurricane."

This small act will ripple across someone else’s life and in turn bring about change in yours, its tiny, so tiny you might not feel it or see it yet, but the spark is there and if you fan the flames by thinking of others and not yourself, before you realize it that spark has become a white hot fire and you will find your life transformed in ways you cannot even imagine


DISCLAIMER:  The last few sentences seem to contradict a previous sentence about not telling people what to do unless you have done it yourself.  The writer admits that although his fire has not gotten white hot as of yet that the spark has indeed ignited into a decent size campfire, say big enough to roast marshmellows..mmmmmmmmmmmm marsh mellows *drools* Oh who am I kidding I wrote the darn article I will say whatever the hell I want so sue me.  Well not really I have nothing unless you want my cat

PS: After thought.  Watch the movie: PAY IT FORWARD circa  2000
It stars:
Kevin Spacey
Helen Hunt
Haley Joel Osment

Concept:  A young boy attempts to make the world a better place after his teacher gives him that chance.

Learn it, live it, love it

I’m out

**knowledge is power*

10 Food and Herb Fixes for Allergy Relief

10-food-and-herb-fixes-for-allergy-relief

If you have allergies this article might be of use to you.  I love how brocolli is on all these lists.  I believe there is some political inpropriety at work here.  I think the lady who paid money to John Edwards is bribing the list makers to put brocolli on here, I don't like it, no sir I don't

Are sports drinks better than water?

Are Sports Drinks better than Water?

Well like I really needed to post this one I know, its a slow news day and I was feeling the itch to get some attention so here we go. It wont rouse any fiery debate or anything but perhaps some of us might benefit from it, ya never know.

The Joys of health

After reading a blog on a friend of mines page I had started to relate my own Hospital ER experience but about halfway through I realized it's kind of rude to make her blog about me *chuckles* so I decided to post it in my own since I already wrote a considerable amount.  So this is my blog about the best Hospital ER experience I have ever had in my life.

 I have been having back pain for a while.  A few weeks ago it changed from just pain to when I sat down the pain would radiate and build up to the point where I had to either stand or lay down but no sitting.  Over the course of 48 hours it got to the point where I could not sit at all without intense pain.  I went to bed one night about 9 pm and woke up at 3 am in the worst pain I have ever felt in my life.  Just saying I got out of bed in a hurry is an understatement, and being the fact that a large man like myself doesn't move that fast I mother humping BOLTED out of bed with pain in my back AND leg so after walking it off I tried to sit down which was apparently against what my body had in mind and it let me know with a quickness.

  I had to call and roust my mother out of bed at 3 in the AM to take me to the ER.  Now granted I live in a small town and the hospital is probably 6-7 minutes away it's a pretty short trip, but not being able to sit was defiantly a problem, I don't think we made it a quarter of a mile before I made her stop in the middle of the road so I could fall out of the truck and stand up straight just to ease the pain but getting back in put me right into the same pain again, I was writhing around and moaning and groaning, I really didn't think I was going to make it, but I have to give kudos to my tai chi class where we do some discussion on meditation and controlling your breathing, so I calmed myself down focuses on my breathing and I managed to hold the pain in check until we reached the hospital, the excruciating pain aside it was a pretty cool experience.

Once I got to the hospital I was the only one there so I got right in which is always a bonus, especially since I was in pain.  The Dr came right in to see me and decided to give me a valium and a shot of something which name I did not get.  About 45 minutes later I was still in pain but feeling a little "good" so we upgraded me to a needle for of Morphine.  I am not really a "drug" user, I do not smoke ciggys anymore, or anything else, I don't drink, but I have to say if you ever get the choice, take the Morphine.

As much fun as the morphine was it still did nothing to dull the pain, which kind of put me into a panic, when a big ass needle full of morphine can't kill the pain your kind of screwed at that point aren't you?

Well then we upgraded to needle3, now to be honest I still have no clue what the hell was in it, it starts with a D and everyone tells me it must have been Demerol  (spelling)  I have no clue what it was but let me tell you about 30 minutes later I was 3 sheets to the wind.  I could barely stand, barely speak, I was pretty F***ked up *chuckles*.  Finally that combo of drugs managed to bring the pain down to the point they could ship me home with a host of feel good drugs that people would probably rob my house of if they knew I had them *chuckles*

So my mom took me home blitzed out of my mind.  All I wanted to do was go to bed, BUT I had to pee first.  I honestly can't tell you how long I stood in front of the toilet trying to take a leak before I got tired of standing and sat down, glancing at the clock my drug haze as my ass hit the seat it was about 6:30 in the morning.  I didn't leave the seat till about 7:30 *chuckles*  I forgot how to pee, I could not squeeze a drop out to save my life, I was kind of getting freaking out and I was having a conversation with myself that went along the lines of

"why can't I pee?" I asked

"well I think you forgot how to pee" I replied

"how can someone forget how to pee" I asked

"I have no clue you're the one who can't piss you tell me" I responded

So I pretty much talked to myself for about an hour while I sat on the toilet phasing in and out of consciousness trying my hardest to remember how to pee.

Towards the end I was really just going to say Fudge it and go to bed, but then I reminded myself that I really did have to pee and if I went to bed now I would probably piss myself, so after grumbling I agreed with myself and somewhere along the way I managed to convince my body to work with me long enough to pee.  It actually took me most of the day to regain my ability to pee without having to argue about it.

But the whole point of my story originally started out to say my trip to the ER was the best one I ever had, I got waited on quickly, the Dr's and nurses were on the ball and really took care of me, and on the plus side they got me REALLY F**ked up

On a side note come to find out I have a herniated disk in my back which is pressing on the nerves to my right leg, that's  kind of fun because my right leg is numb all the time and it gives out on me from time to time, sure makes life interesting *Chuckles*

But the Dr says it should go away on its own, could take a few weeks or a year to heal, now how the hell you go from a 2 week healing period to a 52 one I am not sure but what do I know I haven't been to Med school.  I do get to go see the spine people who can tell me if I am going to be ok or if my back is really frigged up, apparently the disk fragmented and if it moves then it can shut off my right leg altogether, at least it's not dull *chuckles*

Weighing nearly 400 pounds, man walks off half his weight

400 Pound man walks off half his weight

Two years ago, Phill Novak weighed 387 pounds. After losing 192 pounds, Phill Novak, 41, says he feels there's nothing he can't do.

He wasn't happy with his weight and neither were his doctors. In addition to taking medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol -- his physician warned him that he was on track to become a diabetic.

Reality hit in January 2006 at a Pittsburgh Steelers game. Novak had gone to smoke a cigarette.

"We were walking back up to our seats, and I started getting winded," says Novak. "I didn't feel right, I started sweating. I didn't think I would make it back up. My heart [was] beating a million times a minute; I thought I was having a heart attack."

Novak stood against a cold wall for 20 minutes to catch his breath. Fortunately, he wasn't having a heart attack but he was so frightened that thoughts of his family began to race through his mind.

"A lot of things went through my head, about saying goodbye to my kids," says Novak choking back his tears. "I told my friend, 'This is it, I'm not going to live like this no more.' "

Don't Miss

Novak, who was approaching his 40th birthday, made it through the football game. As he ate two double-cheeseburgers and a milkshake, he began to think about the limitations of obesity and how it was keeping him from living a full life.

Novak said the extra weight kept him from riding bikes with his kids. He dreaded doing anything physical like mowing the grass, shoveling snow or just moving -- period. Novak says even sleeping became difficult.

"When I was big, I could only sleep one way ... so I could support my belly," says Novak. "My back always hurt ... I could barely sleep and I remember always being tired."

The next day, Novak devised his own game plan and started his weight-loss journey.

He began simply by walking -- one mile a day and eating a low-carbohydrate diet of 15-30 grams a day.

"I walked off my first 100 pounds," he says. "Walked it off, an hour a day. I lost 100 pounds in seven months."

Novak continued to lose weight and as he built up his endurance he started jogging. Even though he had never belonged to a gym, he wanted to incorporate strength training. But the first time he went to the gym, he was intimidated by the loud music and weight lifters. He says he quickly "scampered" out and tried a few other places until he finally found a club where he felt comfortable.

Two years later, Novak has lost a total of 192 pounds. Today, he runs 30 to 40 miles a week, works out two to three hours a day, does yoga in the morning and squeezes in a push-up whenever he gets a chance at work.

Now maintaining his weight at 195 pounds, Novak says he's made a lifestyle change and rarely takes a day off from exercise.

Still, he doesn't take all of the credit for his weight loss. Novak says he couldn't have done it without the support of his family -- which he thanks for allowing him to be selfish.

"I am so proud of myself ... for the first time in my life," beams Novak. "Besides my kids, [this is] the first time I'm proud of myself."

Novak says losing weight has boosted his confidence and made him realize that he can do anything he sets his mind to. He says people also treat him differently and no longer stare at him. In fact, he enjoys the fact that people, who haven't seen him in a while, recognize only his Pittsburgh accent.

When he looks back at pictures of himself at nearly 400 pounds, he says it's hard to believe he treated his body that way.

Would he ever go back to being heavy?

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"No way! Ain't going back there ... won't do it, can't do it," says Novak.

"I've never been happier in my life!"

Best and Worse BBQ Foods

Best.and.Worst.BBQ.Foods

Honestly this article disgusts me *chuckles*

a hot dog? a FREAKING HOT DOG? give me a break.  The day a hotdog takes the place of my burger..well I dont know what Ill do but it will be something.

Ill trade my buger in for a turkey burger or even a piece of chicken but not a got damn hot dog.

I will go without eating anything before I swap my potatosalad in for coleslaw *makes a face* thats just nasty

Ok so potato chips and french onion dip are not healthy to be sure, but I'd rather lick dirt off the ground before I put hummus anywhere near any part of my body

Maybe some sliced up cucumbers and tomatoes with some ranch dip or something...anything is better than that nasty hummus and don't try and tell me otherwise I wouldnt eat that stuff even if i was dying and it would save my life, well ok I might think about it.

Ill have a little side salad or something if I am really concerened about calories but i will not under any circumstances eat coleslaw

I don't drink so I don't give a rats a** about margaritas

I'm not sure I want to trade in strawberry shortcake for a fruit bar, I mean fruit bars are ok, but there no strawberry shortcake *chuckles*

Well by the time I eat a piece of meat and some sort of salad and something to drink I dont think I really need dessert

but a half a biquit and a spoonful or so of strawberrys and some lowfat low calorie cream, it can be done.

Well anyways thats what I think

**knowledge is power** (and hummus sucks)

6 Simple Dietary Game-Changers

6-simple-dietary-game-changers

All common sense stuff well for those of us with common sense, the jury is still out on if I have any or not.

I do like the breakfast one becauase I think too many people skip breakfast and I do believe its a corner stone of our day, then again its not really any business of mine what anyone else does I have enough to worry about in my own backyard

The protein in roation is an interesting portion especially to a die hard flesh ripping bone snapping carnivore like myself.

Seafood I really cannot, well will not do *chuckles* the only time I like seafood is when its breaded and deep fried and even then I am not a fan so really whats the point? that seems to defeat the purpose in my mind.  However it cannot hurt to look things over and see where I can make changes.  I don't want to mess with things too much as I am still having a hard time just getting things working with the plan I do have so doing an overhaul might not be the best idea.

My Declaration of Self-Esteem: by Virginia Satir

I AM ME 

In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me 
Everything that comes out of me is authentically me 
Because I alone chose it - I own everything about me 
My body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions, 
Whether they be to others or to myself - I own my fanatasies, 
My dreams, my hopes, my fears - I own all my triumphs and 
Successes, all my failures and mistakes Because I own all of 
Me, I can become intimately acquainted with me - by so doing 
I can love me and be friendly with me in all my parts - I know 
There are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other 
Aspects that I do not know - but as long as I am 
Friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously 
And hopefully look for solutions to the puzzles 
And for ways to find out more about me - However I 
Look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever 
I think and feel at a given moment in time is authentically 
Me - If later some parts of how I looked, sounded, thought 
And felt turn out to be unfitting, I can discard that which is 
Unfitting, keep the rest, and invent something new for that 
Which I discarded - I can see, hear, feel, think, say, and do 
I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be 
Productive to make sense and order out of the world of 
People and things outside of me - I own me, and 
therefore I can engineer me - I am me and 

I AM OKAY 

Supporting someone with an Eating Disorder

Well I was going to write one of my long winded blogs about some things that have been bothering me but then I found the information I wanted to tell people about so I just have to cut and paste :D

I have been bothered lately when talking to people and they ask how I am doing and how's the "weight loss" going or "have you lost anymore weight" or hows the "diet going" Those questions just make me cringe and not really want to talk to people.  Then I realized its no ones fault but my own because I haven't taken the time to explain to people and they just don't know.  So I am going to share a little info on how to deal with someone with an eating disorder.

This information was taken from

somethingfishy.org

which is a great eating disorder website, if anyone cares to educate themselves or read up more on eating disorders I highly recommend it

Approaching Someone You Care About

Here are are some ideas you should take into consideration when approaching a loved one with the possibility they are suffering with an Eating Disorder.

Be gentle and caring, and be prepared to listen without offering mounds of advice. You are not the person's therapist, nor should you pretend to be. Being a good listener means your ears are open and your mouth is shut, you are not intervening with "yeah, I know what you mean, that happened to me once when...." - just listen. If they then finish and ask what your thoughts or opinions are, be honest and caring.

Don't make the person feel threatened. It is not your job to dictate what they should and shouldn't do. If this person has finally decided to talk to you and trust you, cherish it and uphold your role in holding their confidence.

Be encouraging. The recovery road can be a long and uphill battle, with pitfalls and setbacks. Don't be disappointed or disapproving when a sufferer displays signs of falling back, just encourage them to continue pushing forward. Recovery is not only hard work, but can be very confusing and painful, be sure to remind them that you understand this, and that "you cannot always continue to stride forward without a stumble from time to time. It's okay."

Read as much as you can on the topic of Eating Disorders. The more you know, the more equipped you will be to offer a helping hand. Photocopy or print out articles of interest and if time presents itself share the info with your loved one, but do not overstep your boundaries. If the person has asked you not to do certain things, or talk about things, then respect their wishes.

Do not talk about food and weight! Don't continuously ask what the person has or hasn't eaten, how much weight they have lost, or how great or bad they look after gaining or losing. This is rude and very threatening and you cannot win either way. Saying they look "healthy since you've put on some weight" is heard as "you are fat," and expressing disappointment or concern in weight loss comes across as "you're a failure" or "you're a burden." By the same token, don't be afraid to talk in front of the person about your own day to day living (such as, "yeah, Fred and I went out for dinner last night and the steak was so good.") Your stumbling to avoid topics will be as noticed as your persistence in discussing them. Don't watch the person "like a hawk" when they are eating, or give looks when they excuse themselves from a meal or from the table. Recovery is not easy and does not happen overnight! Be respectful and courteous and do not try to be The Food Police.

If your loved one is looking for recovery resources try not to let him/her get discouraged. Unfortunately, there are doctors and therapists out there that do not know what they are doing, or who do not recognize Eating Disorders as the serious issue they are. Be supportive. If you feel it's within your boundaries, offer to help - find names of local support groups and therapists, and offer to go with them their first time if they'd like the company. If they are getting discouraged be patient, supportive and don't push. Recovery is a very personal choice each sufferer will need to make for him or herself.

Encourage them to find support in others who share the same experiences, through support groups, on-line bulletin boards or chat rooms, or through larger meetings like those of Overeaters Anonymous. There is a list of national organizations in the Links and Resources Section which will give you and your loved one a good place to start.

Don't pretend to understand, if you have never had an Eating Disorder yourself.... it will sound condescending and in genuine. You can be supportive without living with Anorexia, Bulimia or Compulsive Overeating yourself, and your loved-one will appreciate that more than you putting on a facade of empathy. The sufferers of Eating Disorders can do better in their own recovery with a good support network behind them... consider it this way -- don't we all do better in life when we know we have people we can count on? Learn to be a good listener and what "being there" for someone truly means.

6 Terrifying Theme Park Foods

6 Terrifying Theme Park Foods

The over dramatic article titles do amuse me sometimes.

Well I am not certain how many of us venture to theme parks these days but that doesn't mean we won't come in contact with these foods.  I cannot see anything on the list that you cannot get just about anywhere these days.

I think its all pretty straight forward, fair food or not if you didn't know that this crap is bad for you, well you have more food issues than I can possibly deal with or want to.

Despire trying to show restraint when it comes to such foods I have to say that #2 on the list is indeed veil incarnate and if in fact I partake in funnel cake I have absolutetly no illusions about its caloric content or indeed its health value (I'd say about -1)  but from a food addict point of view I cannot think of a better food to dive face first into which is why I am thankful that they charge a gate fee to get into the park.  I am not going to pay $10 just to get in and get some food so I am thankful for the small things.

The Nacho's really surprise me, ok chips covered in cheese sauce is not something I ever considered "healthy" But that little box of cheese covered evil really packs a punch 1,100 calories? wow.

I don't know why I am so surprised, I guess its just reafirms the fact for me that its ESSENTIAL to log every thing that goes into my mouth or better yet if something like this is planned to at least know what I am getting into before hand.

With the advent of smart phones which most people have these days one can hop right on the internet and look up food and see what they are getting into, hell spark people has an android app...hmm I need to put that on my phone..well I've added it to my phone what a great little app :)

Yoplait ad pulled due to content

shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/does-this-commercial-encourage-eating-disorders-video-2497971

Well, well,  well, this is EXACTLY what I was talking about as far as my rant on the advertising here on SP.  Granted the format in the ad is slightly different but the premise remains the same, advertising may very well trigger people with eating disorders and food issues.

I am glad that NEDA is out there watching out for people.  Its things like this that might seem small to most people that can cause havoc, chaos and even death in a lot of people.  The standing  in front of the  fridge trying to justify eating and what you can do to offset it that will very quickly spiral out of control for some people and turn deadly

And if I hear one more person say "well it’s just a matter of portion control" I will virtually punch them in the face as hard as I can, it’s about portion control for YOU! Not me or the rest of the country, well yes it IS about portion control but if it was a simple as portion control then we would not have SP, or weight watchers or eating disorders or over 60% of the country obese, so if it’s that simple what’s the issue?  The issue is it goes deeper than that for a lot of us.  Just because you have portion control down pat, hey that’s great.  I actually am very happy for you if we had gold stars to give out I would put one on your paper.  But those of us who are battling this sickness it’s not that simple and you just don’t understand the issue.  And if I am wrong why is there an obesity epidemic in this country, and around the world for that fact?  I might not be 100% right but I sure as hell not wrong.

Taking the commercial off the air "is simply the right thing to do," Tom Forsythe, vice president of corporate communications for General Mills.

I LOVE this guy, he gets it, or maybe they don't get it but at least they are willing to learn.  But they are being as responsible as they can and I would most defiantly give him a gold star, and probably a sticker too.

Not all food ads need to be pulled off TV they simply need some slight restructuring in some cases like here.  My biggest problem with the food ads on SP is this is a health and wellness site and we've got stuff promoting cheeto's and glutten free chocolate frosted cake? What’s wrong with this picture?

Healthcare in this country is f*****.

The general health of more than half the people in this country is f*****

Something needs to be done.  Sitting around talking about got damn portion control and how people just need to diet and exercise and everything will be alright is bull****.  On paper sure it looks great, if people could control their portions and eat a proper diet, not a diet as in weight watchers but a diet as in the food staple of what they eat and get proper exercise then this wouldn't be an issue and it’s a HUGE issue, an obese issue if you will, sorry I had to slip that in there.

Action needs to be taken, proper action by people who know what they are doing.  Not people who have no idea what it is to battle an eating disorder or have serious food issues, those people have no idea what the hell they are talking about.  I don't care how many PHD'S they have and how book smart they are, until they lived it they cannot really help people; well I should say they cannot help people as effectively.

Perhaps one day it will be as simplistic as portion control and exercise, I sure as hell don't see that day coming anytime soon and the longer we sit around talking about it and not doing anything about the worse it’s getting