Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Accused of treason; bitches about the ratings. I am in awe.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

As long as McCarthy is Speaker, the House will never be in order.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Schmidt just says fuck it, opens a tea shop.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Putin dreamed of ending NATO, and now it’s Finnish-ed.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

“Why isn’t this Snickers bar only a nickle?”

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Don’t expect peaches from an apple tree.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

“I never thought they’d lock HIM up,” sobbed a distraught member of the Lock Her Up Party.

How can republicans represent us when they don’t trust women?

Ron DeSantis, the grand wizard, oops, governor of FL

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Black Jesus loves a paper trail.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Friday Night Early Bird Open Thread

Friday Night Early Bird Open Thread

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So what is on the agenda for everyone this weekend? It is snowing here, so I think I am going to give ME2 another shot.

BTW- I had the weirdest craving today. For some reason, I was just dying for pineapple, so when we went to the store, I picked up a fresh pineapple and some frozen pineapple juice. I have a friend who is pretty convinced that when she craves something, it means she must need the nutrients in that item, so maybe I needed some vitamin C. Do any of you have any first hand experience with research that attempts to explain cravings?

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147Comments

  2. 2.

    Splitting Image

    Shopping spree. I need a new jacket and gloves.

    I’m also planning to get injured so I can take advantage of my government-funded health care. In a true free-market economy (which has honestly never been tried), I’d be more responsible and take better care of myself.

    I don’t have any experience with research on the subject, but I get cravings for McDonald’s every so often. I chalk it up to the relative lack of salt in the rest of my diet.

  3. 3.

    Bort

    I have a craving for beer right now. I don’t think I’ve been getting enough hops this week though.

  5. 5.

    jrg

    So what is on the agenda for everyone this weekend?

    Cleaning out the shed. Remember that quote from Fight Club: “Things that you own end up owning you.”?

  6. 6.

    schrodinger's cat

    John Cole @ top
    Have you tried making pineapple-lime sorbet, it is delicious! you can also add some mint and spike it with vodka.
    When eating fresh pineapple, I like to add a little salt and pepper and a dash of lemon or lime and then chill for a few hours and eat it after dinner, for a healthy and guilt free dessert.

  7. 7.

    Mark S.

    Gold medal up for grabs in women’s curling!

    Time to settle once and for all which is the better dirty soshalist country: Sweden or Canada.

  9. 9.

    Violet

    Do any of you have any first hand experience with research that attempts to explain cravings?

    Don’t think there is a lot of research on the subject. Pica, where people, especially pregnant women, eat dirt is most likely due to a mineral deficiency, according to the minimal research done.

    I tend to agree with your friend, especially if a craving goes on for any length of time.

  10. 10.

    jayackroyd

    I permanently crave cheese. I am the earthly real world manifestation of Gromit’s Wallace (it is clear who the pet is, and who the master is).

    What does this mean?

  12. 12.

    Zifnab

    Starcraft 2 Beta, ba-by!

    And no first hand research, but I have heard of what you’re talking about.

  14. 14.

    Joshua Norton

    I have the same fruit issues, except with citrus. At times I get uncontrollable cravings for orange, lemon, lime, grapefruit – it drives me nuts.

    I’ve tried to research it more but when you Google things like “food cravings” “citrus fruit” all you get are hits on things like pregnancy or female hormone imbalance. I haven’t found anything to explain them in a man yet. Still looking though.

  18. 18.

    J.W. Hamner

    I have a friend who is pretty convinced that when she craves something, it means she must need the nutrients in that item, so maybe I needed some vitamin C.

    My girlfriend says this too… she teaches yoga and is a vegetarian, so I figure she’s much more in tune with her body than me… and thus find it credible.

    I mean, neolithic humans didn’t have nutritionists and they got along fine… it stands to reason they’d have a mechanism to tell them when they need a vitamin or mineral or what have you.

    …so I think I am going to give ME2 another shot.

    Wait… does this mean you tried to play it and you didn’t like it and you are giving it another go… or… do you mean that you couldn’t play it because of the gimpy shoulder thing and are going to try again?

    Much hinges on your answer.

  19. 19.

    Daveboy

    Give Mass Effect 2 “another shot”? Didn’t you like it the first time?

    Have you played the first game? What was your opinion on it (if applicable)?

    Edit: Holy cow, the guy above me is right. And basically is correct: a lot hinges on what you mean by “another shot”, and if you played the first Mass Effect.

  20. 20.

    WereBear

    Here’s why, John:

    Pineapple contains a mixture of enzymes called bromelain. Bromelain blocks the production of kinins that form when there is inflammation. Test have shown that this blocking property of Bromelain in pineapple helps reduce swelling brought about by arthritis, gout, sore throat and acute sinusitis. This also helps accelerate the healing of wounds due to injury or surgery. To help reduce inflammation, eat pineapple in between meals. If eaten during or after meals, the enzymes will be utilized for digesting food. Read whole article.

  23. 23.

    Political Pragmatist

    I’ve been asking people this question all day and surprised at the answers:

    Is health care a right or a privilege?

    Then, for those who say it’s not a right…The Constitution guarantees us the right to own a gun, yes? But if I’m shot, I’m not guaranteed to be treated by a doctor?

    You get some very weird responses.

    For some reason, many people simply haven’t even thought about it being a right guaranteed by society.

  24. 24.

    Jules

    I was craving Jolly Rancher jelly Beans so I went and got some.
    Does that count?

    BTW, has anyone seen the new design at The Atlantic?
    Now you get to see doughy Jonah Goldberg’s mug right there on the front page.

  26. 26.

    Martin

    This weekend:

    Sat: Help with girl scout cookie sales. Demo a bathroom. Build new mirror for said bathroom. Try to get in 4-6 hours of coding for work around the edges with the Olympics on in the background.

    Sunday: Lay tile in bathroom. Finish mirror and vanity for said bathroom. Squeeze a 20 mile ride in around the rain. Get other kid to all of his activities. Try for another 4-6 hours of coding. More olympics.

    Not exactly a relaxing one, but I’ll probably land some vodka time in parallel with the code. That always yields interesting results.

  28. 28.

    JGabriel

    John Cole:

    I had the weirdest craving today. For some reason, I was just dying for pineapple …

    Perhaps it’s a subconscious effort at scurvy prevention?

    .

  31. 31.

    Joshua Norton

    @Martin: I’ve thought of that, but I dose myself with vitamins on a daily basis and have those sunshine light-bulbs in some of my lamps so I’m not sure if that’s it.

    This is something that goes back to childhood. I’d automatically rather have an orange than any other type of fruit. Other times after just one taste of of grapefruit juice, I polish off the whole half gallon in one sitting.

    My Dr. obviously doesn’t think it’s any big deal but I’m really curious about it.

  33. 33.

    MattR

    Is it actually snowing somewhere? I just flew in from Toronto after I had my first three flights cancelled, mostly by the pricks at Continental. As we were coming in for a landing at Newark I actually worried for a second that I got on the wrong plane because there was barely any snow on the ground, the roads were clear and the sun was shining. Drove back to my condo without running into any weather whatsoever. I am starting to think this storm is a hoax like global warming and the moon landing.

  35. 35.

    Beauzeaux

    I knew a woman who experienced a strong craving near the end of her pregnancy for the smell of dirt. She got her husband out of bed late one night to go dig a hole in the backyard and bring her some freshly unearthed earth in a cardboard box. She said she experienced it as the most wonderful smell in the world. Very nice woman, and her daughter turned out to be a lovely human being too.

  36. 36.

    RedKitten

    I plan on watching the rest of the Olympics, slogging through mountains of laundry, trying to keep SamKitten from gnawing our stone hearth (he’s really drawn to it lately), getting as much housework done as possible, fretting about a job interview I had on Wednesday, and having friends over for supper this Sunday.

    So nothing too crazy.

  37. 37.

    Martin

    @Political Pragmatist: Since the government has mandated that ERs that receive federal funds receive patients, it would seem the question has already been answered that it’s a right – at least for critical care.

  39. 39.

    Max

    Last time I was craving citrus, I found out I was diabetic. Just sayin’. :)

    So, I’m interviewing for a job in Vancouver, WA next week. It appears to be right outside Portland. I live in Oakland, so similar climate. I must admit, I am a little stoked to see what happens.

    No state income tax in Washington State. I pay nearly 10% in CA.

    Excited for Sunday’s gold medal round hockey game. Hope we are playing Canada. Hope we win.

  46. 46.

    bemused

    Watermelon. We eat a lot of watermelon in season. I’ve been craving it for months. I broke down & bought a small, expensive watermelon recently. Poor thing shouldn’t have been called a watermelon.
    Good tasting fruit & veggies are what I miss over the winter.
    oth, I am also craving chocolate chip cookies.

  47. 47.

    dcBill

    Final Pinewood Derby (for me, at least) this weekend, as my 10 year old will cross over to Boy Scouts this year. Been the Cubmaster for six years through 2 kids, partly because there wasn’t anyone else that would do it and partly because I wanted to make sure someone squirrelly wasn’t running the program. Looks like a good car this year, too. Also practicing with the band.

  49. 49.

    Comrade Mary

    @RedKitten: Ooh, job interview! Why the fretting?

    I may actually get chosen for a small web project soon — w00t! And I will probably spend Sunday afternoon swearing and wrestling with my bike’s studded tires that I had really hoped to return to MEC unused. Freakin’ backloaded Toronto winter.

  50. 50.

    Yutsano

    @Max: Vancouver is more or less a suburb of Portland. Literally you cross a bridge and you’re there. Plus my aunt is a land baron property owner there (six houses due to my uncle who died a couple years back) so I might even be able to get you a place to rent if she has a vacancy. Not trying to get ahead of things, but I think you’d end up loving it. Plus it’d be more or less a population swap: my cousin (different aunt) lives in Oakland.

  51. 51.

    Carrie

    i spent the whole day trying to get an ancient laptop to act like a not so ancient laptop and i lost the battle. It’s acting worse than it was before. blah.
    Now i’m demoralized and am counting on you guys to entertain me.

  52. 52.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    @rootless-e: LOL. The senate is picking dingleberries round the clock and people hope they will remove head from arse to save the planet. Teehee. It will take a small army of cartoon characters and a few wenches to straighten out that bunch of divas/ Meanwhile, every one should stock up on butter and margarita supplies. And ammo, lots of ammo.

  53. 53.

    Max

    @Yutsano: Thanks. It appears to be the Oakland to SF type of vibe. Always the bridesmaid, etc.

    I like the idea of outdoor stuff that the dog and I can do.

    The pay is a little more than I make here in the Bay Area, so, there’s that too.

    I’ll let you know how it goes. I’ve heard Camas or Salmon Creek is a nice area to live. After living in crime-ridden Oakland, I’m craving some surburban sanctuary.

  54. 54.

    Proper Gander

    So what does it mean when (trying to stick to a vegetarian diet) I get the most incredible cravings for meat unless I eat an avacado a day? So far, that’s the only thing I’ve found that keeps me meat-free.

  55. 55.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    @kindness:

    So if I’m craving a bong rip, what does that mean?

    It means you’re normal. Don’t worry though, that too shall pass.

  56. 56.

    RedKitten

    I craved citrus like an absolute fiend during my pregnancy. That, and those real-juice Swedish berries (which I couldn’t eat, due to my gestational diabetes).

  58. 58.

    Colette

    Weekend: French restaurant tonight, son’s violin recital tomorrow, tour of Filoli on Sunday.

    Cravings: a good hard workout, dark chocolate, and red wine.

    Conclusion: I have a deep-seated need to feel like one of those effete liberal elitists.

  60. 60.

    garage mahal

    jeffrew
    Love your photostream, and jealous of your bluejays. In my urban hellhole Iv’e gotten all of one to visit my feeder this winter. Sniff.

  61. 61.

    Yutsano

    @Max: Camas is more or less in the sticks to the east. Salmon Creek is basically a suburb of the suburb, it’s up north and in fact is where my aunt lives. So if you want to be a bit more in a town/cul-de-sac setting go for Salmon Creek, if you want a taste of country livin’ then go for Camas. Oh and feel free to fall in love with Highway 14, it’s the road you have to take to get to Camas but going just a few miles further east will show you breathtaking views of the Columbia River. Whenever I go to Portland I stay on 14 for as long as possible.

    Oh and you MUST at one point have breakfast at Zell’s in Portland. FANTASTIC free scones with jam and a menu that changes daily including at least half vegetarian options. Very very cute breakfast bistro in the Bellflower area of Portland.

  63. 63.

    Dreggas

    Well considering I beat Dantes Inferno but still haven’t unlocked everything I may play through it again. Otherwise I may go pick up a copy of the new Alien Vs. Predator game and give it a whirl (tried the multi-player demo and it rocked).

    I also beat Dawn of War II on PC and was….to say the least….disappointed. It was more RPG with a small handful of squads than it was RTS and army building/conquering.

  64. 64.

    jacy

    I tend to crave cheese danishes — I think that says something very unpleasant about what must be missing from my diet.

    Tonight I will be working late, so that I can free my weekend for grocery shopping – blegh – and helping kids with various projects.

    Oh, and my oldest turns 21 tomorrow. I’m trying to find a way to rationalize that with the fact that inside my head I am still only 29.

    Maybe vodka would help….copious amounts of vodka.

  65. 65.

    gwangung

    The pay is a little more than I make here in the Bay Area, so, there’s that too.

    Oh, if that’s in absolute dollars, then you’ll like Vancouver a lot, because the cost of living is substantially lower than the Bay Area….(Seattle’s a bit lower even, and Portland/Vancouver is lower still).

  66. 66.

    South of I-10

    I craved steak and Nilla wafers pretty much the entire time I was pregnant.

    I just spent a delightful afternoon updating my parents’ computer. So fun. I demanded the removal of Fox News from the TV if I was going to stay all afternoon.

  67. 67.

    Juror #7

    John–hope you got yourself a golden pineapple, rather than one of the regular, non-golden variety. They’re much sweeter and juicier, and usually ripe and ready to eat right away, unlike the regular kind.

  68. 68.

    Annie

    @vg:

    LOL. Maybe John is trying to tell us something?

    PS. Cravings — A good red wine. Suggestions always are welcomed. I plan to visit Total Wines tomorrow.

    I deserve something good. Heard a huge bang at 5:00am this morning and hoped it was something from my neighbor’s townhouse. Unfortunately, the strong winds removed the shutters from our upstairs windows — lots of wood on my front yard…

  69. 69.

    RedKitten

    So what does it mean when (trying to stick to a vegetarian diet) I get the most incredible cravings for meat unless I eat an avacado a day? So far, that’s the only thing I’ve found that keeps me meat-free.

    It means your body is craving fats. Avocado is probably the only thing that has that same fatty mouth-feel as meat and cheese do.

  70. 70.

    ChrisB

    @MattR: And boy are your arms tired. It snowed here in NJ for more than a day straight but it never got that cold and when the sun came out today it just melted away on the blacktop.

    My craving today was for Doritos. For the nutrients.

  71. 71.

    WereBear

    I must catch up on my blog; I usually work ahead but the flu sidelined me for a week. (Which is why I try to work ahead.) Then the car died. Everything takes longer when the car is dead.

    However, I did break down in front of the Ice Palace, so when I called my roadside assistance, I said to tell the tow driver that I was in front of the Ice Palace. She asked if that was a business called the Ice Palace, and rather than go into the long, true, version (Which is that it is a Palace. Made of ice.) I just said “yes.”

    So when my friend picked me up to get me to work, we stopped by the tow place so I could sign the paperwork. And they were still laughing about whatever the roadside assistance had told them.

  72. 72.

    Yutsano

    @Annie: San genovese. My favorite grape for wine on the planet evah. A bit pricey but virtually any good Italian vintner makes a good one.

  74. 74.

    WereBear

    @RedKitten: True, as far as it goes, but I suspect what the person is really craving is protein.

    Some people do fine matching up the amino acids. Some, such as me, do not.

    Craving avocados are a sign of such protein deficiency. At least according to the recovering fruitarians I have discussed it with.

  75. 75.

    Max

    @gwangung: Absolute dollars? What other kind is there?

    I looked on Craig’s list and it’s amazing the houses I could rent for $1600 to $2000/month, compared to the shack in Oakland I pay $1900/mo for.

  76. 76.

    Mike in NC

    Do any of you have any first hand experience with research that attempts to explain cravings?

    No, but I’m craving a federal government that isn’t gridlocked and dysfunctional because of a handful of wealthy plutocrats in Congress, and a news media that isn’t owned and operated by corporate thugs. Guess I’ll have to settle for Happy Hour. Cheers!

  77. 77.

    RedKitten

    @Comrade Mary:

    @RedKitten: Ooh, job interview! Why the fretting?

    Because I really, really, really want out of my current job. And because my current employer’s future has been shaky for years now, and I’m damn sick of it. Especially now, because if they fold up shop when I get back from mat leave, I’m fucked, because I won’t be eligible for EI. And I won’t be eligible for welfare. Which means that we wouldn’t have enough to keep paying the mortgage, which means we could lose the house.

    So this job interview represents a possible end to that particular worry.

  79. 79.

    asiangrrlMN

    @jeffreyw: Great. Now I’m craving dressing and gravy. That looks soooo good.

    I am craving (fill in the blank), which I have not had in some time. Damn it.

    @MattR: Glad you made it home safely. Did you bring me back my snow?

    @RedKitten: Good luck to you. I hope the interview is a smashing success.

  80. 80.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    recovering fruitarians

    Hello, My name is Stuck, and I am a recovering Fruitarian.

    obligatory troll protection

  81. 81.

    Yutsano

    @RedKitten: In that case I wish the FSM’s blessings upon you.

    (I actually typed another sentence after that but deleted it because I’m just gonna go with the positive vibes here.)

  82. 82.

    And Another Thing...

    @Max: Oregon doesn’t have sales tax, so Vancouverites buy their big ticket items in Oregon. The largest sales by volume Costco & Home Depot in the US are both just south of the Columbia River. The Portland/Vancouver area is a terrific place to live.

  86. 86.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: I haz day off here, so I’m indulging myself in the madness a wee bit earlier than normal. I am, however, going to go nap before I go shopping for dinner, but I will be back later. Y’all have been warned.

  87. 87.

    Colette

    @Yutsano:

    @RedKitten: In that case I wish the FSM’s blessings upon you.

    What does it mean that I am now craving spaghetti and meatballs? Am I about to have a Saul-on-the-road-to-Tarsus conversion experience? Or do I just need something to go with the red wine?

  88. 88.

    PurpleGirl

    John — hope you’re better able to play Mass Effect this weekend.

    My plans include some financial paperwork and catching up with craft blogs. Then some time reading and crocheing. Any walks or shopping depends on conditions of side walks and street crossings.

  89. 89.

    rmp

    I need some help.

    I’m in an argument with some teapartiers / libertarians.

    Is there a good stock answer/web site for dealing with people that think Social Security is an example of the worst of government programs?

  90. 90.

    cyntax

    I’m craving a federal government that isn’t gridlocked and dysfunctional because of a handful of wealthy plutocrats in Congress, and a news media that isn’t owned and operated by corporate thugs. Guess I’ll have to settle for Happy Hour. Cheers!

    Yeah, I don’t see myself moving to Denmark or the like anytime soon, so happy hour it is. Where’s the Slaapmutske Tripel Nightcap anyway?

  92. 92.

    General Egali Tarian Stuck

    Speaking of Senators with their heads up their asses on Global Warming. Some disturbing news from our Really Weird Shit file.

    Suicidal Penguins

    (Feb. 20) — Militant penguins are on a different kind of march — and they’re threatening extreme acts of desperation to highlight their plight.

    “We are at the first stage of our rescue plan, consisting into a peaceful demonstration,” the statement from the “Penguins Representative Bureau of London” says. ” We hope that our message will be heard and promptly acted upon by the humans before we have to step up our actions (protestation to highest authorities and ultimately urban guerrilla).”

    Guerrilla penguins? Say it ain’t snow! At least the statement claims the suicides are “isolated” incidents. Or were they ice-olated?

    Please forward this story to your dumbass Senator.

  94. 94.

    Max

    @rmp: Have you tried Snopes.com? I go there for all my wingnut email rebuttals.

    ETA – Thx to all for the PDX info.

  95. 95.

    very reverend crimson fire of compassion

    @RedKitten: Gods grant you get it. Mwah! (Kiss for luck)
    As for me, I’ll be finishing a guitar commission this weekend. One of the crazier pieces I’ve done, all Kaballah-y and covered with magical seals and trees of life and stuff. Hope to present it to the ungrateful bastard worthy musician this sunday.

  96. 96.

    cyntax

    @rmp:

    Is there a good stock answer/web site for dealing with people that think Social Security is an example of the worst of government programs?

    Does that mean they’ll forego their benefits?

  99. 99.

    burnspbesq

    My weekend? I will be having a marathon worship service at the Church of the Almighty Billable Hour. I’m hoping to be able to take a break to watch the Duke women’s basketball team pound the crap out of Carolina on Sunday.

  101. 101.

    ruemara

    My weekend?
    Bake a nice loaf of tasty honey spice bread & some cookies.
    Can some yummy white bean stew for later.
    Paint a new frame for some pics.
    Prep dinners for the next week.
    Bag some snacks for the week.
    Write a brilliant, cogent article on sustainability that ties together the role of civic planning, personal reponsibility & reframing the debate for doubters. In 800 words with a tips sidebar.
    Level shammy to 60.
    Sleep.
    Sew shopping bag that has busted side.
    …..relax?

  105. 105.

    Annie

    I always crave salt — just eat some awesome olives – hot and spicey — with a nice glass of Malbec…

    I always have leaned more towards salt than sweet. I can pass up a chocolate cake, if there are chips on the table…

  106. 106.

    WaterGirl

    @jeffreyw: Hearing you curse hughes.net reminds me of my old boss. I went to visit a couple of years ago in Murphysboro … seems like I was about 3 miles from the marina. Is that anywhere near your neck of the woods?

  109. 109.

    Juror #7

    @jeffreyw: I need to get a new camera. Those guys were just down below my bedroom window, so not a challenge…but I no longer have enough megapixels or optimal zoom to satisfy me in birding situations. (Or most other photography situations.)

  110. 110.

    rmp

    Max, the individual I’m arguing with isn’t spouting a particular piece of BS that snopes can help me with.

    Simply a generalization that ‘obviously’ social security is an example of all that is wrong with government.

  111. 111.

    Annie

    @demkat620:

    Brilliant minds think alike…On the way home, just bought two packs of celery, more olives, and some wine for the weekend. Passed on the cakes and cookies…

    Bring on the salt!!!! And, the wine, of course.

  112. 112.

    Sentient Puddle

    So if I’m craving sex…?

    Watching women’s curling now. Possibly unrelated to the former (though unlikely).

  113. 113.

    Comrade Mary

    @RedKitten: Oh, God, that is fretting-fodder for sure. But you’re kickass is so many ways that I’m sure you’ll be recognized and snatched up soon by the people you just interviewed for or anyone else with eyes in your time zone.

  114. 114.

    Tax Analyst

    So what is on the agenda for everyone this weekend?

    Saturday:

    Work.

    Sunday:

    Laundry (2 weeks worth)
    Clean bathroom (or at least the shower & the toilet)
    Take out trash
    Rest awhile
    Think about doing more housework
    Take a nap
    Think about that housework again
    Watch a little TV
    Remind myself to do that housework for sure, without fail NEXT weekend
    Go to bed

  116. 116.

    KDID

    Bromelain in pineapple – anti-inflammatory properties (i.e., instead of the ibuprofen you’re not allowed take for your shoulder).

  117. 117.

    metalgirl

    Whoo hoo! I have an entire weekend to myself, just me and my Suzie Q (dog)! My son has gone with his friend to the beach for a birthday celebration. My S.O. has gone to a funeral in VA until Monday evening (celebrating his grandmother’s 95+ life — we saw her before New Year Eve, for several days, and I cherish that!).

    My first reaction: I can clean out stuff in the bonus and boys’ rooms that nobody (here) will miss!!

    Kinda sad that my first inclination is to clean/purge. Any recommendations from you all? I will also be doing jewelry experiments (www.borntobeworn.com) for sure, after the purge :)

  118. 118.

    Eric Sibley

    John-

    One time I had a craving for orange soda, and I swear, I sat down and drank 6 of them in a row. If my body was trying to send me a message that it needed something, I don’t know what purpose feeding it 5 orange sodas served. I wasn’t smoking pot or anything. Weird…

  119. 119.

    Tax Analyst

    @J.W. Hamner:

    I mean, neolithic humans didn’t have nutritionists and they got along fine

    Neolithic humans died at a comparatively early age, at least by today’s standards:

    Male: approximately 33-34
    Female: approximately 29-30

    I don’t think this was solely due to dietary or nutritional reasons, but I think “they got along fine” is a bit of an overstatement.

  120. 120.

    Wile E. Quixote

    I intend to go to the gym and do 70 minutes of elliptical trainer. If I can do this this evening and tomorrow I will have done eight hours of elliptical trainer this week, not bad for a 44 year old guy who had his left leg cut off seven years ago and had a spinal fusion four months ago so he wouldn’t become a quadriplegic. I also get to go to a birthday party for my niece and might pick up BioShock 2 (Have any of my fellow Juicers played it yet?) and take it out for a spin.

  122. 122.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @Tax Analyst:

    Neolithic humans died at a comparatively early age, at least by today’s standards:
    __
    Male: approximately 33-34
    Female: approximately 29-30
    __
    I don’t think this was solely due to dietary or nutritional reasons, but I think “they got along fine” is a bit of an overstatement.

    It’s because of the neolithic death panels, either that or because all of the neolithic doctors went Galt after single-payer neolithic health care was introduced.

  123. 123.

    Annie

    @Wile E. Quixote:

    You are my inspiration…I love the elliptical. Also, 40 something, but can’t manage 70 minutes yet. Also have plans this weekend to attack the machine — particularly after all the olives and red wine…

  124. 124.

    Chris Johnson

    I’m gonna work. Just over the last couple days I’ve rebelled against cartoon drawing, and turned my creative life upside down. Rather than suffer through lame drawing five days a week, I’m going to be novel writing- publically- on exactly the same story, genre and themes I was using for the comic.

    I got off to a rousing start, too :)

    I’m having fun, and I’m not in the least intimidated by writing daily. If ever it bothers me, I’ll tell myself “you could be DRAWING” and I’ll feel better :) used to draw seven days daily, still wasn’t any good at it…

  126. 126.

    Anne Laurie

    @jeffreyw: Is it just me, or are the skunks getting larger? I remember them as not much larger than ferrets, but the last one who showed up on the wrong side of the back-yard fence was dam’ near as large as our twelve-pound papillon… in fact, for one horrified second I thought Flash had somehow managed to get over or under the chainlink. The next many horrified seconds, of course, were spent chasing all three dogs back into the house before their territorial challenges attracted Mr. Mustelidae’s attention!

  127. 127.

    scarshapedstar

    I had a craving for Cocoa Pebbles last week, so I think the nutrition hypothesis is bullshit.

  129. 129.

    MikeJ

    I had a craving today for a burger from a particular Seattle burger institution, but if you tell people that you really crave one they get the completely wrong idea.

  130. 130.

    PegR

    John, don’t know if there’s any research to back it up but I have read that the bromelain in pineapples has an anti-inflammatory effect that is supposed to help in recovery from injuries. Maybe your shoulder is trying to tell you something.

  131. 131.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @Annie:

    You are my inspiration…I love the elliptical. Also, 40 something, but can’t manage 70 minutes yet. Also have plans this weekend to attack the machine—particularly after all the olives and red wine…

    I have two cheats, the first one is that I make sure to drink a liter of diet PowerAde and a Starbucks energy drink before I start. The PowerAde so that I’m hydrated (because not being adequately hydrated will really drag you down) and the Starbucks drink so that I have a bunch of caffeine and sugar in my system. The second is my iPod. If the iPod doesn’t work I don’t work out. I’ve just downloaded last night’s episode of Burn Notice so I’ll have something fun to watch although I also like to rock out to the Pet Shop Boys too.*

    *And just in case anyone is asking I’ll have you know that there are thousands of straight men out there who are Pet Shop Boys fans! Thousands of us, although we usually have to take a gay friend to their concerts if we need a date.

  134. 134.

    Yutsano

    @MikeJ: All we care about is that you indulged. That place is all kinds of cool anyway (all employees get health insurance etc.) so I wholeheartedly encourage this craving. :)

  135. 135.

    Tax Analyst

    @rmp:

    Is there a good stock answer/web site for dealing with people that think Social Security is an example of the worst of government programs?

    My favorite stock answer to that is “You don’t have the slightest idea what you are talking about and I think you are fucking crazy, now get out of my face, OK?”, but I don’t know if that will work for you.

    In all (well some) seriousness, I would counter by asking them just what they think is wrong with it. Social Security benefits, after all, were designed as a safety net so that old people would not starve, go homeless or have to eat dog food in their “golden” years. Over the years, through times of plenty and more bleak economic periods it has been incredibly effective at this. If they whine about paying for some old farts retirement remind them that one of the additional benefits of Social Security is not having to have your parents move in with you when they can no longer earn a living. I mean, I loved my folks but there is no way in hell we could have peacefully co-existed in the same house when they reached their 80’s.

    I really prefer the first answer, because these foolish dolts don’t deserve a straight answer and will never believe it anyway, and that inevitably leads me back to my first answer.

  136. 136.

    mikefromtexas

    The best use of a pineapple is to cut off the top 2 inches, remove the core, scrape the inside with a butter knife, add crushed ice, then fill with dark rum and Sprite or 7UP. Repeat until out of rum or passed out on the beach. Just be careful of the rim, it will mess up your lower lip.

  137. 137.

    rmp

    Tax Analyst, I appreciate your spirit but I think I will forgo the ‘you are fucking crazy’ response. At least to start. I suspect that what the answer to the ‘whats wrong with it’ question will be something along the lines of ‘its going broke’.

  138. 138.

    Tax Analyst

    @Wile E. Quixote:

    @Tax Analyst:
    Clean bathroom (or at least the shower & the toilet)

    So uh, are you going to emulate Cole and get all naked when you do this? Just, ah, you know, askin.

    Well, uh, to be totally truthful, you betcha’!. If you wear clothes it’s just more stuff ya gotta wash or toss later. Just gotta remember to be really careful with that bleach stuff ’cause ya really don’t wanna get that stuff on your body, especially the magic twanger.

  139. 139.

    Tax Analyst

    @Wile E. Quixote:

    It’s because of the neolithic death panels, either that or because all of the neolithic doctors went Galt after single-payer neolithic health care was introduced.

    You’re probably right. I hadn’t entirely thought that part of it through.

    Also, I understand early-neolithic palpation was done with a rock or other hard, solid objects, such as large tree limbs. It appears this resulted in a very high incidence of patient mortality during medical examinations.

  140. 140.

    Wile E. Quixote

    @Tax Analyst:

    Also, I understand early-neolithic palpation was done with a rock or other hard, solid objects, such as large tree limbs. It appears this resulted in a very high incidence of patient mortality during medical examinations.

    That was because of the lack of early-neolithic tort reform, which caused early-neolithic doctors to practice defensive medicine by hitting their patients with rocks and tree limbs.

  141. 141.

    Tax Analyst

    @MikeJ:

    MikeJ: I dunno, Mike. Per Jared Diamond, who is a pretty thorough and well-regarded researcher, the Agricultural Revolution brought with a Neolithic Mortality Crisis:

    (1987 article “The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race”):
    “Compared to the hunter-gatherers who preceded them, the farmers had a nearly fifty percent increase in enamel defects indicative of malnutrition, a fourfold increase in iron-deficiency anemia (evidenced by a bone condition called porotic hyperostosis), a threefold rise in bone lesions reflecting infectious disease in general, and an increase in degenerative conditions of the spine, probably reflecting a lot of hard physical labor.” Life expectancy at birth dropped from 26 to 19.

    Further:

    As Mark Nathan Cohen details in his book, Health & the Rise of Civilization, the Agricultural Revolution brought with it a sharp drop in life expectancy, followed by a recovery, but not entirely regaining the ground lost until the past century, and only then among the privileged classes of the First World. Cohen points out that even for Neolithic data, the skeletons of the wealthy seem to skew the result. As horrifying as the Neolithic data seems, the reality probably looked much worse.

    source: http://tobyspeople.com/ideas/the-neolithic-crisis

    A further point in the article mentions that at the Neolithic Revolution the oldest skeletons appear to have been no older than 30 at the time of death.

    I would guess, however, from the comments to the article that there is some disagreement in this area.

  142. 142.

    Tax Analyst

    @Wile E. Quixote:

    That was because of the lack of early-neolithic tort reform, which caused early-neolithic doctors to practice defensive medicine by hitting their patients with rocks and tree limbs.

    Ah, I see. And that defensive technique would account for the low-percentage of malpractice suits filed against neolithic medical practicioners. Dead neolithics were not likely to file many claims.

    Once again you have fitted my conundrum with a full and satisfying response.

  144. 144.

    Tax Analyst

    @rmp:

    Tax Analyst, I appreciate your spirit but I think I will forgo the ‘you are fucking crazy’ response. At least to start. I suspect that what the answer to the ‘whats wrong with it’ question will be something along the lines of ‘its going broke’.

    In that case I believe early-neolithic palpation (see my post #138) is your only logical course of action, although you could point them to the numerous studies showing their “it’s going broke” is based on false or incorrect assumptions.

    Again, I personally prefer cutting more directly to the chase, as it were. There’s just nothing like a rock or a tree stump to the cranium to effectively get one of these people to reconsider their position.

  145. 145.

    Steeplejack

    __

    So what is on the agenda for everyone this weekend?

    I have to work from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, so there’s that sitting like an elephant in the room. But I have Saturday morning and part of the afternoon to myself, which is nice after working three straight day shifts (which I am not used to). Will spend some time working on a gnarly Apache/PHP problem for a new (and possibly lucrative) client. Yee-haw.

    Then I have my weekend on Sunday-Monday. More Apache/PHP work, and I have a bunch of niggling little things to take care of before going on vacation next weekend. I work Tuesday and Wednesday, but then Thursday afternoon I’m off to Rehoboth Beach, DE, with my brother, Dr. Amberjack, M.D., his significant other and their two sight hounds (retired racing greyhound and self-absorbed Italian greyhound). Good food, good wine, DVDs and Tiger Wood PGA 10 on the Wii. And I might actually go to the beach. Looking forward to that. It has been a tough winter.

  146. 146.

    zoe kentucky in pittsburgh

    My weekend agenda (3-day weekend, it’s nice being my own boss sometimes):

    clean the house
    shovel snow
    make lots of yummy food in crockpot
    have friends over to drink beer, eat, toke, be merry
    paint bedroom a lovely, serene blue
    shovel snow (repeat until it stops)
    play with dogs in snow
    consider starting a new blog
    work on business website, pay business insurance
    review job applications, contact promising candidates
    spend lots of quality time with the wife

  147. 147.

    2liberal

    i want to get out and do some serious bikeriding on the weekend. (for me this means 20 miles, very slowly, on the bike path.)

    three weekends in a row – rain. this is Tempe, AZ with an avg Feb precip of 1″. I moved here from RI with an avg Feb precip of 3.5″

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