Rocky

Being a grandpa just seems like it would be about the best thing in the world!

Privatization. End of story. Btw, I escaped HOAland when I sold my house in 2005. I now live in a 55+ retirement/manufactured home community (even though I won't be old enough until later this year). I own my home but rent the space. There's reasonable balance in power relationships here.

Same insight has been shared on this thread repeatedly. It works. People have obtained said insight in various ways, but it all really boils down to that. And in the long run, to keep it off, a person will have to develop eating habits beyond any structured diet. Congrats. :)

The entire concept of HOAs is UNAMERICAN. These breeding grounds for annoying neighbors (the ones who want to lord it over the rest) are, by virtue of their inherent structure, both FASCIST and COMMUNIST. I will not debate the merits of any given issue regarding HOAs... I simply believe they should be completely BANNED in America. However, they will not be banned anytime soon. The reason they have quietly become the dominant form of quasi-municipal government is because they provide and insidiously quiet way to "raise taxes" for municipal services. Of course, none of them want to be known or defined as such, but allowing homeowners to be taxed with little to no voice or oversight, practically speaking, is the secret they want kept hidden. The false label of "free market" choices being made by informed homebuyers is complete BUNK. In most cities in the US these days, there is almost NO new housing being built (for single family ownership) WITHOUT an HOA in place.

I can understand that. There are a couple of times in my life when I've undergone some culture shock. I spent about 3 years on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean (Terceira, Azores). When I returned to the US it was significantly shocking. In my mid 20s, I spent a year (as a WOW) in a small town in northern Ohio. When I returned to real life in Phoenix, AZ after that, I was REALLY shocked, culturally. =========== Anyway, two other important American food industry items to note: a new documentary movie is scheduled for release in June (in selected cities), titled Food, Inc. and (apparently released in 2008) another book, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. ========= Btw, I have found myself feeling wonderfully liberated (from my appetite) since I started reading Kessler's book.

New book: The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite By David A Kessler, MD. ----------- This book is OUTSTANDING! Kessler synthesizes a lot of research studies into very meaningful, easy to grasp, insights that will make the light go on in a big way. With an understanding of WHY and HOW the American food industry has manipulated (many of) us to make many foods IRRESISTABLE, it can be easier (and it is for me) to take control of your (my) appetite. The End of Overeating at Amazon.com

And let's not forget, for those who still would like to find people who they know who may have been in the way corps, FACEBOOK is an excellent platform for finding people. Many of the people on the WC site are also on FACEBOOK. And Dan Haas has also started a FACEBOOK group to facilitate connections for people who were (and/or still are) in TWI.

Nothing's up with it. In some ways similar to GS, but in plenty of other ways different. No one is anonymous there. Not everyone hates TWI, Wierwille and/or Martindale. It has a chat feature. Each member has his/her own page. The forums are not about controversial topics, but each member can have blogs, pics, music, and/or video. Member blogs cover many topics, some controversial. Some members extol the virtues of Wierwille's teachings, some make it clear why they no longer associate with TWI. There's really not much more to it than that. Excie is certainly free to express her opinion about it, even so far as to do so on her page on that site. But if there are genuine, legitimate concerns, the owners/administrators invite feedback so that if reasonable, do-able changes can be made, they would be made.

Echo! (I like that word better than "ditto" these days).

Me too, but LindaZ's point is well taken... wikipedia is NOT good to use as a SOLE source. IF you need to rely on anything you read on wikepedia, verify it with other sources.

I'd take that!

How much does a card like that cost?

Perhaps the plethora of questions simply is a statement of how ridiculous your posts on this subject are. btw, why is this political discussion taking place here?

Nonsense. The ONLY fact is that YOU BELIEVE President Obama is a socialist. Even IF your statement that "a man is defined by his actions" were true and/or applicable to this, it is not YOUR interpretation of his actions that would define President Obama one way or the other.

Excellent questions. However, I would counsel you to not hold your breath waiting for OM to answer... my hunch is he would have an extremely difficult time even allowing himself to become consciously aware of the ramifications of his political and economic beliefs as to how they would (mis)align with Godly wisdom/concepts.

While you are obviously free to decide what to do about anything I post, I remain free to ask questions. Frankly, the asking of the questions (specifically as done last night) in and of itself provides food for thought for any reader wishing to consider. Your failure to reply responsively goes directly to my (implied) point that it's all in your irrational imagination anyway... that is, unless you explain otherwise what might actually be genuine tyranny of which you refer.

Please describe: the impact this newly imposed "tyranny" has had on you personally. your understanding of the ramifications, in as much detail as you can, of allowing AIG to "go Chapter 11," on the American economy and life in general. your decision processes that allow you to decide in favor of said ramifications, instead of in favor of the dreaded (by you, apparently) "tyranny" that you believe is the alternative.

In Arizona the agency is the Division of Developmental Disabilities. It's a division of the state's social services agency, the Arizona Department of Economic Security. Somehow, "developmentally disabled" seems more respectful of the individual(s) than "mentally retarded." It's probably a matter of cultural evolution. In other words, how the meanings of the words and expressions have changed over the years in our society.

While your point is well taken, I think it is important to also consider that the cultural evolution of the meaning of the word has made it a significant epithet when used in the manner and context similar to how the President used the term "Special Olympics." I'm not going to say it was acceptable for him to make that particular verbal faux pas, but I appreciate that he has the self-awareness to realize his mistake/error and apologize without having to wait for a media firestorm. That is... self-awareness AND personal sense of confidence that allows him to own up to his mistakes without having to be shamed into it.

You are correct. The Ph.D. took some liberties... Likely because he doesn't like the President.