loser monday

one day soon i'll remember to weigh myself on monday.

in the mean time i ran across this ad in a magazine:
which links you to sweetsurprise.com. here is a link to the articles saying that HFCS is ok for you. here is what the mayo clinic has to say about it. now lets run through sweet surprise's resources for reccomendations of HFCS.
the AMA - while it is highly recognised and their journal often cited, this is their reccommendation according to their website:

The following statements, recommended by the Council on Science and Public Health, were adopted by the AMA House of Delegates as AMA directives at the 2008 AMA Annual Meeting:

1. The AMA recognizes that at the present time, insufficient evidence exists to specifically restrict use of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or other fructose-containing sweeteners in the food supply or to require the use of warning labels on products containing HFCS. (Directive)
2. The AMA encourages independent research (including epidemiological studies) on the health effects of HFCS and other sweeteners, and evaluation of the mechanism of action and relationship between fructose dose and response. (Directive)
3. The AMA, in concert with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, recommends that consumers limit the amount of added caloric sweeteners in their diet. (Directive)

this is what sweet surprise glomed onto:

"After studying current research, the American Medical
Association (AMA) today concluded that high fructose syrup does not appear to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners..."

American Medical Association press release, June 17, 2008

"Because the composition of HFCS and sucrose are so similar, particularly on absorption by the body, it appears unlikely that HFCS contributes more to obesity or other conditions than sucrose."

American Medical Association Report 3 of the Council on Science and Public Health (A-08), June 2008

what i read: AMA states findings are as yet inconclusive, pay attention and limit your intake. not eat in moderation, limit!

ADA - the largest group of food and nutrition experts

what they say:
High fructose corn syrup may be used as a sweetener in processed foods and beverages and is nutritionally equivalent to sucrose. Both sweeteners contain the same number of calories (4 per gram) and consist of about equal parts of fructose and glucose. Once absorbed into the blood stream, the two sweeteners are indistinguishable. No persuasive evidence supports the claim that high fructose corn syrup is a unique contributor to obesity, however, like all nutritive sweeteners, it does contribute calories. This is where moderation and portion size become important. The greater the consumption of foods and beverages containing large amounts of added sugars of any kind, the more calories are consumed, influencing weight gain. The source of the added sugar — whether sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, honey or fruit juice concentrate — should not be of concern; rather it is the amount of total calories that is important. Overall, carbohydrates and sugars in foods and beverages can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle. HFCS is a controversial topic and although not all nutrition professionals will readily accept the scientific evidence, this paper represents an evidenced-based, balanced perspective.

FDA - do we need to say how much i dislike the FDA? i wouldn't trust the FDA as far as i could throw a cow, as far as a chicken could spit...

here's your link. i dislike and distrust the FDA, i'm not going to read all that garbage to pick out what they actually say about it.

david s. ludwig - honestly, i couldn't find anything on his stance of HFCS. the quote attributed to him is "High fructose corn syrup is one of the most misunderstood products in the food supply.” which really tells us nothing of what he feels about it.

James M. Rippe - here's an article he wrote. i could be wrong, but it appears he's basing his opinion off of other people's studies. which is cool, but why would sweet surprise use him if he hasn't done research of his own?

really... i'm just going to stop there and say "and on, and on." they really do have quite a few sources saying that's it's just as fine as table sugar. but here's the deal - table sugar sucks too. there is a slightly different frutose to glucose ratio in HFCS, but you'd think 5% wasn't a big deal. well, i guess it's really not - in just one serving. do you drink soda from a can? you're at 10% , a small soda from a fast food place is the same, but how often do you just get the small? if you go for the largest size you're generally looking at 42 ounces - that's 35% difference. why is that a big deal? well, fructose in fruit included fiber and all kinds of goodness. so naturally dirived fructose = good. the fructose in HFCS, nothing.

without taking any of the other observations of HFCS into account we can go with simply the fact that it is super processed food. do you eat food that comes individually wrapped in plastic all the time? why not? exactly, it's not good for you. why isn't it good for you? that's right, it's over processed and lacks any kind of significant good nutrients. well, think of HFCS as individually wrapped in plastic foods. so anything that has HFCS, well, think of it as individually wrapped in plastic. are you seeing how gross and bad for you this is getting? the more processed something is, the worse it is for you. the less processed foods are, the more enzymes stay intact. so organic cane juice is probably the best option for a sweetener. besides, HFCS is well liked in the food industry for it's preservative properties - does that sound like something that belongs in your body? i thought so.

i hope all the losers are doing better!

finally!

the flowers are in bloom! i dont' know what these first ones are, but they're neat looking. the roses are pink and they were here before us, that's why most of my flowers are pink.


for will's bday we went to the volksfest. this was the only ride eddie would go on. i took lots of pics, but all the kids are in the car, so i didn't want to put up any of the close ups.

what i thought was my new iPOD... i think the next one will end up with the same use too.

serious music listeners only!
more flowers


eddie's awesome new shoes that he picked out himself - yay H&M


my friend's roses - the wind was whipping pretty hard and they were harder to photograph than a 3yo!

so one of these days i'll remember to do this on a monday!

i gained a few ounces, but hopefully i'll get it off soon. i've been walking a lot and now that the volksfest is over, i won't be eating those yummy macadamia nuts, fries, and cotton candy (just so my son doesn't eat too much of that, honest!). i do have a valid excuse for not posting yesterday - it was a friend's last day here, she went back stateside today.

and glenni - i'm already psuedo bargaining to get a new ipod. DH gets the one i just got, i get the 120GB one. yep, i am a music whore and w/o buying any new music i can more than fill up the 16GB - so i'm hoping i can get all our cds on the 120GB and have room for any new music we want to get. seriously - there's some comercial saying it'll cost $30,000 to fill up the 120GB... apparently they don't take into account people like me who already have 300+ cds and a number of box sets. yeah.

in other news H&M had an awesome sale when we went yesterday (yes, we went shopping with the friend) and eddie scored 2 button up shirts for €5ea and 2 t-shirts for €5 as well a pair of pants for €9 and a mr. men backpack for €5. i picked up a cute dress for €5.

eddie is desperate to go outside and i still have a few other things to do, so i'll do pics soon - i promise!!!

whoops again

so again the non weighing for the same reason - waking up late. i should have done it today, but a bookshelf crashed last night right in the way of the cats' litter box so that had to be taken care of first. i've been trying to walk to the PX or PXtra every day weather permitting. i meant to get cat box liners yesterday - instead i got an iPod. yeah, i see how those two go together, don't you? so we'll be walking today to get the cat liners i keep forgetting. well, i got tidy cat ones, but who designed those things? they're trash bags, not cat box liners.

anywho - i promose pictures soon, right now i'm loading cds onto my ipod - i got a car player the day before that only worked with iPods - when i got home and realized that i just decided to get one. now it's time to live like i'm dead ass broke until next pay day so we can keep saving for the trip to SD, and while my bro and niece are out here. it would be nice to just have a savings as well.

i got another one today...

(i gained 2.2 lbs and i don't want to talk about it)

so i got another democrat bashing email today. is it because i'm married to the military that people assume i'm a republican? here's what it was:

I voted Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whatever I want. And...I've decided to marry my cat.

I voted Democrat because I believe oil companies' profits of 4% on a
gallon of gas are obscene, but the government taxing the same gallon of gas at 15% isn't.

I voted Democrat because I believe the government will do a better job of spending the money I earn than I would.

I voted Democrat because freedom of speech is fine as long as nobody is offended by it.

I voted Democrat because when we pull out of Iraq, I trust that the bad guys will stop what they're doing, because they now think we're good people.

I voted Democrat because I'm way too irresponsible to own a gun, and I know that my local police are all I need to protect me from murderers and thieves.

I voted Democrat because I believe that people who can't tell us if it will rain on Friday can tell us that the polar ice caps will melt away in ten years if I don't start driving a Prius.

I voted Democrat because I'm not concerned about the slaughter of millions of babies so long as we keep all death row inmates alive.

I voted Democrat because I believe that business should not be allowed to make profits for themselves. They need to break even and give the rest away to the government for redistribution as THEY see fit.

I voted Democrat because I believe liberal judges need to rewrite The Constitution every few days to suit some fringe kooks who would never get their agendas past the voters.

I voted Democrat because my head is so firmly planted up my ass that it is unlikely that I'll ever have another point of view.

"A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own."


the funny thing is i love and respect the person who sent this to me. not so much politically anymore, but he is a very. very good man with wonderful intentions. i'm going to guess this made him chuckle and he thought i was a republican and would laugh too. i do get email like this from someone who sends them kinda of maliciously, but today it was from someone who again i think just wanted to make me chuckle.

i have decided that the next time i get an email like this i would have a ready (i have gotten this particular email at least 3x). so tell me what you think:


I am a Democrat because I love the fact that I can now marry whomever I want. And not be told that who i choose to love is wrong.

I am a Democrat because I believe big business is not a person, it is a business and as such it does not deserve more rights than a person.

I am a Democrat because I believe a democratic government will do a better job of taxing the money I earn than a handful of elitist rich who have used moral issues instead of facts to sway people of the general population.

I am a Democrat because freedom of speech is a wonderful thing, but hate speech is not.

I am a Democrat because I have a spouse in Iraq and I actually know what is going on there, and because we can't police the world forever.

I am a Democrat because not everyone is responsible enough to own a gun, and I know that properly enforced regulations will help keep the guns out of some crazies hands without being blind as to believe that no criminal will be able to have one in possession.

I am a Democrat because I believe that preservation of ecology is important. It is morally, economically, and ecologically responsible to drive a Prius, recycle, and live a greener lifestyle.

I am a Democrat because I believe in freedom of choice, be it Pro-choice or Pro-life.

I am a Democrat because I believe that taxes should be affordable and not keep the poor or middle class from advancing.

I am a Democrat because I believe judges need to realize The Constitution is there for the protection of the rights of the people of the United States of America, but that everyone makes mistakes.

I am a Democrat because while I am open to listening to ideas and opinions I need some actual facts to sway me.

I vote for whomever I think will do the best job in office because I am a thinking individual who happens to have registered with the Democratic Party is a total Liberal.

I am an individual who is tired of politcal party names being thrown around like dirty words.

"Of all the varieties of virtues, liberalism is the most beloved." --Aristotle

please note that i actually attributed my quote. i can't find a source for the other quote.

and here is the part of an article i liked. i do not know what else he has written, i do not think i would like a lot of the other things associated with this page (the "republicans suck" song was my tip off there, but i do like this part of this particular article. some of the article demeans other viewpoints - which isn't something i'm hot on. i really think once we all stop belittling each other's views and opinions we can start doing good things. anywho - i liked how he put together the meaning of a liberal, and here it is:

Seems these days Conservatives have convinced themselves, and some of the American public, that being a Liberal is akin to being a card-carrying member of the Communist Party. While this may be a great smear tactic for an election year, to believe such a notion proves that the believer is uneducated in the fundamentals of the American political system. Our nation was founded on Liberalism. Embodied in the Declaration of Independence are its three tenets: "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The very term, itself, is taken from the same root as the second of these precepts. To be a Liberal is to defend the freedom - the Liberty - of all people who make up our great nation. To be a Liberal is to trust individuals and families to run their own lives as they see fit. To be a Liberal is to create a nation where anyone can excel if they are willing to do the work.

In order to understand the true nature of Liberalism, and to dispel the misconceptions fomented by those whose agenda is counter to our freedom, I will detail the tenets of Liberal thought and dispel the misconceptions so often put forth by Conservative rhetoric.

Liberalism is "Life." It is freedom from physical dangers that can kill or disable us. The Liberal believes it is a nation's job to protect its citizens from physical harm, whether from external sources, such as hostile nations, or internal ones, like crime, disease, or hunger. Without the solid ground of physical wellbeing, our nation and its citizens cannot enjoy the benefits of being free. Liberals believe in a strong military, well suited to defend the nation. Liberals believe in good laws, hard-working police, and a just legal system to protect its citizens from crime. Liberals believe in affordable health care for everyone, to keep our people strong. And Liberals believe in the availability of food and shelter for its needy, not as a hand out but as a reasonable step in moving all Americans toward self-reliance and the freedom that comes with it.

Liberalism is "Liberty." It is the freedom to do as your conscience dictates without impeding another's rights. Fleeing oppression in mother Europe, our founders established a nation where personal belief and self-determination are protected, not persecuted, where hard work is rewarded, not demanded, and where each person is bestowed with the ability to better his or her life because of citizenship, not class. Liberals believe in freedom of speech to protect us from political oppression. Liberals believe in sound regulations to protect us from economic oppression. Liberals believe in just laws to protect us from social oppression. And Liberals believe in quality education to protect us from the oppression of ignorance.

Liberalism is "The Pursuit of Happiness." It is the freedom to create an environment where the individual can excel. What is freedom if it cannot be used to better our lives? A truly free society must be one where its members can rise above their limitations and expand their futures. We call it "The American Dream," and it's alive and well in the heart of the Liberal. Liberals believe in equal opportunities for all to rise above our means. Liberals believe in equal opportunities to rise above our education levels. Liberals believe in equal opportunities to rise above our social status. And Liberals believe each and every family should have an equal opportunity to make this world better for their children.

Based on these tenets, we can see that Liberalism is not the monster it's made out to be by the opposition. It is pro individual and pro family. It is pro community and pro country. Liberalism is, by its very definition, the heart and soul of what it means to be an American. It stands against tyranny of any kind, whether international or domestic. It works to remove abuse and fight crime. And it strives to eliminate the idea of a wasted life by not wasting resources and opportunities.

...

1. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-family.

   However . . .

   Conservatives want to define what your family should be

   Whereas . . .

   Liberals put you in charge of your family

   Liberals support your right to define what your family will be

   Liberals fight for your family's rights against economic and political oppression

2. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-business.

   However . . .

   Conservatives are pro-money, but that often translates into monopolies, which hurt small business and competition, which hurts us all

   Whereas . . .

   Liberals protect small businesses by regulating the larger ones and by breaking up monopolies

   Liberals protect workers in order to create a healthy workforce that will help businesses grow

3. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-religion.

   However . . .

   Conservatives are often for one dominant religion, and are, therefore, against others

   Whereas . . .

   Liberals support complete freedom of religion and from religion so that all citizen are free to choose the manner in which faith is a part of their lives

   Liberals strive to keep government completely out of a family's religious choices

4. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-freedom.

   However . . .

   Conservatives want to stop homosexuals, stop abortions, stop the women's movement, and stop freedom of expression through the use of censorship

   Whereas . . .

   Liberals leave it up to the parents to teach such values to their children

   Liberals believe each person or family should be free to choose how to behave as long as it does not interfere with another's rights

5. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-morality.

   However . . .

   Conservatives are for one specific kind of morality

   Whereas . . .

   Liberals are for the morality of free choice, where each person or family decides their own values

   Liberals want the government to protect our freedom to choose what is important to us rather than to impose the laws and codes of another's morality

6. Conservatives say that Liberals are anti-military.

   However . . .

   Conservatives see the military as a means to impose their values and standards on others

   Whereas . . .

   Liberals see the military as a vital protection of our freedoms and our liberties, giving us a space in which to pursue happiness

Liberalism's Stance on Specific Issues

With the desire to promote Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness as the central motivation, the Liberal always defends these tenets when deciding how to stand on a particular issue. The following will show why Liberals often take the stance they do:

Abortion/Contraception - Liberty means the freedom to control your body, your reproductive system, and your future.

Affirmative Action - Liberty means having fair opportunities for those in society who are discriminated against.

Education - Liberty means the freedom to learn in order to build a better future for yourself, your family, your community, and your country.

Environment - Liberty means the fair use of our nation's natural resources for all citizens. Where possible, without unreasonable restriction to private enterprise, the government should strive to protect our natural environment so all can enjoy its bounty.

Gun Control - Liberty means the freedom to protect yourself, your family, and your property, with deadly force if necessary. People have a right to keep guns for such a purpose. People also have a right to use guns in sporting activities and in the event that citizens should be called on to form a citizen militia. We do not, however, have a right to own all the latest people-killing technology. The People, through the government, can restrict some of the more deadly weapons being sold today.

Health - Liberty means the freedom to overcome physical limitations in order to better yourself, your family, your community, and your country.

Regulations - Liberty means the freedom to live and work in an environment that best allows individuals and families to grow in the pursuit of happiness. Bad air, bad water, bad living and working conditions only stifle that liberty.

Sexuality - Liberty means the freedom to share mutual intimate affection with the person of your choice, regardless of gender.

Substance Abuse - Liberty means the freedom to decide what you put in your body. Unless the use of a substance is a danger to unwilling victims, its use should be kept legal. In situations where use of a substance may or may not effect bystanders, regulations - such as in the case with tobacco - should be enacted to protect the bystander without denying the individual's choice to use the substance. Smoking and non-smoking areas in public places are a prime example of this.

Taxation - Liberty is found within a system. That system does not happen by itself. It is created and supported by us, the People, and it is funded by our labors. The money we pay in taxes is what allows us to thrive in Liberty and work in fairness. Reasonable taxation is necessary because without it, many of us would find it difficult to get paid even a fraction of what we are paid now. And those who benefit more from the system should expect to pay more to help support it.

Women's/Minority Rights - Liberty means the freedom to be valued and judged on talent and work, not on the physical characteristics over which we have no control.

In closing let me state that freedom sometimes brings situations we don't like. Some people will choose to use their freedom to engage in activities that go against our personal values. It is a great temptation to use our democratic rights to try and enshrine our own personal values - whether they come from religious or humanistic origins - in the laws of the nation. The inherent problem with this is that when Liberty is restrained by any one group's values, even if that group represents the majority of the population at the time, it can easily be changed from one generation to the next, meaning that you could be forced to live under someone else's values as easily as you might force someone to live under yours.

The only true defense of our values is the defense of our liberties.

If you don't want to be forced to live under a foreign set of values, don't force others to live under yours. Instead, fight for the freedom to believe as you want while others believe as they want. Freedom of choice, as long as it does not infringe on another's rights, is the foundation upon which this nation was built. Liberalism is the ideology that strives to defend that freedom for everyone. And for that reason it pleases me to no end to state that I am proud to be Liberal.

Brian Elroy McKinley

link to full article

again, bear in mind i do not like the hidden bashing he does within the article, but i do like the outline and defense of liberal beliefs.

loser... tuesday?

whoops! i got all caught up in playing a PC game yesterday. i woke up late (we had issues sleeping) and today was tuesday so i just plain forgot to weigh myself. not doing so well on the exercise side. i can't find my wii remotes! i tried jogging w/o it and i just got bored. maybe tonight i'll put in true blood and jog in place - or do some stepping, if i can find the wiimotes!

croquet anyone?

see my lovely yard? now if only (most) everyone else would... i don't know - mow theirs?!
playing croquet in his underwear... oh yeah, it's official gear. in the backyard