I'm just going to say for the record

that I like Kucinich better than Obama.

DAMN!

Fuck Yeah

Hulk Hogan has Obama's back!!

That's why Jay-Z is pronounced 'Jay Zee' and not 'Jay Zed'!

It's about time, Utah.

16 year old teacher?

I think I'm getting a little misty too. That was ridiculous.

In other news, meaning the Rocky Mountain News, I'm in it today!

Oh sweet lord

Logan: pretty awesome shaking the next President's hand.

On a different sad/cute note, I just received this e-mail from a student of mine I was teaching math and reading comp. at dreamcatcher in Boulder. Her name is Jordan; she is 11 years old and attends 5th grade in Boulder.

Hi Dustin,

I like my teacher but she is a little unorganized. And you are alot smarter because your 23 and shes 16. I hope I see you again. Why did you move to denver? Did you know that 7x4=28. At school we are doing this thing at school in math. It's called the BIG KAHUNA! We are multiplying from 0 to 10. and then you do all of them together. and I was the first person to get teh BIG KAHUNA no body has gotten there yet except for mwa. Please roply when you get this email. I really miss you.

Sincerely,
Jordan Hartne8-tt

--

Oh man...I'm tearing up over here....

PERFECT CASTING

Matt especially...is this not the THE MOST PERFECT CASTING EVAR!!!!

Damn

10,000 people inside; 14,000 including the people left outside. Crazy. I shook hands with Obama and Caroline Kennedy. Who wants to touch me?

wooters

Thanks for the birthday fun, people. Sorry I get drunk and inappropriate. But I had lots of fun. Happy birthday, Oprah!

Kevin beat me to it...

But I already have a ticket and will be there. Anybody going should give me a call and we can meet up.

Obama - Denver

Free community event with Barack Obama in Denver, CO this Wednesday, January 30th.

You can RSVP here: http://my.barackobama.com/denver

WHEN: Wednesday, January 30th
Doors open at 8:30 a.m.

WHERE: University of Denver
Magness Arena
2201 E Asbury Avenue
Denver, CO 80208

Anyone Got The Balls

To wear this badass shirt? God what an awesome design.

Obviously

I'm interested. We can watch it here if you want.

LOST GOD DAMN IT

Ok, so I have only received one entry for the pool. Lets get movin people!!! Also, Team Bonnie-Drew-Kim will be watching the premier together....but where? If other are interested this will dictate where we shall view. Let me know.

God Love the Portable Camera Age

VICTORY!!!!

VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bruce

I read that article a while ago...I thought I remember that the guy never actually WAS elected but that the Republicans had him fill in for some other guy's vacant seat. That article was maybe the most ridiculous I have read in a long while. MOST politicians would have apologized profusely the next day...while THIS guy demands an apology and says he'd KICK HIM AGAIN!!!! I HOPE HE LEARNED HIS LESSON?!?! Someone arrest that fucker, already.

Doug Bruce

I can't believe he got elected... even in Colorado.

Good Timing

Vegas is burning.

Barack out with your cock out

Drew... sweet idea! Josh and I are in for the lost pool. I'll e-mail you with the choices.

I need peoples addresses.

Is your screen dirty?

Josh and I endure this everyday!

LOST

Ok. So on the way back from Vegas with Logan and Dustin I proposed that we start a pool for which of the Losties gets killed next. Who's down? I'll set it at a dollar a person for now unless everyone demands a different amount (or we just want to do it for fun). Let me know. Dustin and Logan already know who I'm choosing. Just Email me (drewstolzmann@gmail.com) with your pick if you want in. The game will continue until a character that someone picks dies. If two people pick the same person, they will split the pool money. Entries good until 11:00 pm Wednesday night.

I was going to mention something else about Lost...but I was a little drunk then and I can't remember what I was thinking about...no idea why I felt like typing that out, but since its there now, I'm not going to bother to erase it.

Uh...yeah

woah

Holy Shit

This one's even better.

Bro's Before Ho's

I did get a parking ticket. I don't pay those, though, so I haven't even looked at how much it's for.

In other news, if you're looking for sweet Obama merch, this design is amazing!

Jizz Drink

You want it? YOU GOT IT Was nostalgic going over all those old pages I made. What a shitty site. Oh, and for those reading the convo... bogeyharp=Bogren CubFanNo6=me fagdowninthepark=John PoopyMulch=Brian(my brother)

Logan

Did you get a parking ticket?

Vegas

Was fun... I am so glad I got to see all of you!

Kim: I love you and missed you very much on the trip

Drew: Will you post the awesome conversation about the time someone drank John's cum.

PS... the dogs were not dead when we got home. Long live Zero.

Baptist Fucks

I think it's time something be done about these freaks. Bust out the nines, let's take care of it. Nobody fucks with Heath.

uhhh

WTF?

Matt

Please inform us of your trip dates so that I know when I can have Lindy be MY girlfriend, all to myself, to love and to hold and hang out with. And by 'hang' I mean 'make.'

Best of Youtube

Dustin requested I make a list of all the awesomeness that is youtube. Here it is. I'm too lazy to make a link for each. Cut and paste bitches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA1NoOOoaNw ("Benny Lava and the Bitches")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONmhQJy1ViA (Bonnie demanded this one be included...its good)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0krGMWz7pCo (My personal favorite, drunk taser)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90m2Xw_Haj0&feature=related (The most related vid is also worth a watch)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZhMfzc9RbU (Its very safe to operate)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF0WQWyeH5M (Franz Ferdinand remix is worth a look)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9wK2hFmxT4&feature=related (B Listers cut loose)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTjaYaORCKo&feature=related ("The Iraq" or such as)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHjFxJVeCQs&feature=related (Drama!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPbhb5gLXKk (Leeeeeeeeeroy Jenkins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM (Battle at Krueger)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkRkDS1O8y0 (Powerbombs are real)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN253RLDdM8&feature=related (He's ....coming)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwV1eyaljKI (watch this one closely)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkF4bDVWUdU (Oh my goodness)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG3gj43Hg0Q (OMG!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8Aq00yJSxo (NOTHING FOR CHRISTMAS!!!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiLK7S2fXqQ (Elsewhere part 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vz_YTNLn6w (My favorite brit...no, not Dawkins)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6DfWInVo4U&feature=related (Linolium knife)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1KzAXks5RE (Show utter contempt for the environment)

Ok, bedtime...I'm sure I'm forgetting some.

oh.....

can we now change the name to something else than Vegas All Stars?

Vegas

Vegas was fucking saweeeeet

How was it for the non-gamblers?

I have uploaded the few piss-poor photos I took to facebook. Sharing is caring

---------

Dude...poor Heath...

The Joker

Heath Ledger's dead. This bleak world has been overrun with despair.

Noooooooooooooooooo

Why?

Viva Las Vegas

Thanks kids, that was fun!

Thanks most to Josh who made the trip affordable and......don't forget to put your pictures up on Facebook.

O'course not, ye cunt, we'all been in VEGAS!

Now the chatter may commence.

damn......

it's all quiet in here now.....

You can park at our place

Hey Logan, you can park on our street and there is no chance you'll get towed.

Lindy and Matt: When are you going to be driving through and pickin' me up?

Non-Vegas, Non-Election News

The DGA struck a deal with the AMPTP, which hopefully means a WGA deal will follow soon, which means TV and movies for all!

Check In Is At 4pm

I'm happy you brought that up because I actually didn't think of that. Hopefully they'll let us in if we're there at 2pm or 3pm but we'll see.

The Drive

I'll head up to Denver around 7 or 8, then. Is there somewhere I can park my car for 4 days without worrying about getting towed?

Road Trippin

I don't know if I will feel up to it after 12 hours of driving, but I've signed up for that Obama rally. It's free.

Logan: the roads look good, so we should go through 70. Saves 4 hours.

When can we check in Josh?

Friday's Obama Rally

Nothing's announced for Saturday yet, but on Friday night there's a rally at the University of Nevada, which can be walked to from the strip. Doors at 5:30. Get tickets here:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/rallylasvegas?source=nvhome

I'll Look For That Tonight

Gloria and I have also been recording American Gladiators. Before I get started on that, here is a drinking game for it that's pretty good. My favorite rule is to drink when Hulk refers to someone as "brother", or whenever "a fan has a sign devoted to a certain Gladiator as if they know who they are or care what they do".

I would REALLY like this show if it didn't look so scripted. Example, in the second episode, some guy had a 1 minute comeback in the eliminator. The other competitor waited until the other guy finished before he ran up the ramp. That was fucking stupid. He failed 12 times and made it right after the other guy caught up and went by. Also, the scripted dialogue they say are already getting old (I've only seen two episodes!). I will definitely give this show a chance but damnit, make it like a sport, at least make the cameras and production trick me into feeling like its live.

Gladiator Boobies

I'm recorded this weeks American Gladiators on tivo and am just watching it now. The chicks just did their pyramid run and I totally just saw Fury's titty when she got tackled. She's a little creepy, but I'll always have a soft spot for her after her amazing leg-wrap, upside-down flip maneuver in Hang Tough during the premiere. God truly shined a light down upon us when he demanded the return of this show. A side not, I'm recording the entire season, so at some point we should have a marathon AG drinking game.

Vegas starts tonight for Dustin, Drew, and myself because we're the only ones taking this whole thing seriously enough to make it into the only true form of vacation: ROAD TRIP!

Dang

Zero bit you in the head? ...dogs livin the dream...

Or...

We could win enough Zeros for each of us.

Bring him to Vegas!

We'll gamble him away at the tables.

Asshole Zero

Fucking bit me in the head.

Clarification

Just an FYI:

There are three Hilton Grand Vacations Clubs in Vegas. One at the Flamingo, one on its own on the Strip, and one at the Las Vegas Hilton, which is ours. Remember that if you take a cab, say Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Las Vegas Hilton. They'll know. Hilton Grand Vacations Club @ the Las Vegas Hilton

How Ben Teaches English to the Japanese

These are easily the best videos I've seen this month so far.

Here's some explanation on Zuiikin' English.

Logan that sounds like an awesome idea. Regardless if we go or anything, it will give us an idea for that night.

Vegas Will Be Crazy

So it took me until yesterday to really make the connection that the Nevada primaries will happen the Saturday we're all there. What's more nuts, though, is that for the first time a lot of the casinos are being used as caucus locations, meaning we'll be right in the middle of all hell letting loose. Anybody down for trying to find an Obama rally?

i'll just go ahead and share this with everybody.

Arse trinkets!

SURPRISE!!!!

OH SHIT!

Test Accomplishments

I wish I had the balls to submit some of these test answers.

Hotel Check In

I put these names down for rooms, so you don't need me for your keys.

Matt, Drew, Willie, Dustin, Kim and Logan. Jesse and John will just have to get an extra key from us, but otherwise, you can just walk in and give your name and get your keys.

My case against Clinton

I simply think Clinton is the weakest of the candidates. I think Obama has the unifying power inspire the nation to actually move forward a progressive agenda which we so badly need. I love the way he brings up Kennedy's goal of putting a man on the Moon before 1970. He's a dreamer and thinks different.

I think Edwards has enough energy to really get people fired up and I love his class warfare style, but I think he's too polarizing to accomplish much once president. At some point people will just tune him out.

Clinton is just as polarizing as Edwards (a lot of people still HATE the Clintons), and aside from being a woman, is just your average politician in my mind. There's nothing that really draws me to her. She's on about the same page as Kerry and Gore in my book: for the most part I agree with their policies, but that's not enough to be president.

In reality, their positions are all pretty close, especially once you consider the fact that they'll still have to work with the special interests beholden Congress, so it's really just a personality and electability contest.

The landlord

Redneck Ads

The Landlord is adorable!

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/74

Here you go, Logan

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

The woman who asked Clinton the question that made her go all misty eyed ended up voting for Obama. Those watery eyes must have been less convincing in person.

Re: Clinton in general, I much prefer Obama and Edwards, one for his potential and the other for his ideas. That said, I can't say I'd be sorry to vote for her if she did end up getting the democratic nomination. I'm torn between wanting a female president, and worrying that if she's the first female president we'll never have another. In the end, though, I think she's pretty unelectable, and it will be bad news for the dems if they give her the nomination.

The Name

The name doesn't matter in regards to the issue, but image and perception has a lot of impact whether we like it or not. If anything, I find it a perk that she would bring back Bill. But it does matter as far as public perception and the disenchantment of voters. I was 4 when Bush Sr. was elected so don't remember before him, and if Hillary wins I could be 32 years old before I see a president not belonging to the same two dynasties. That's fucked up. Her issues may be different but that kind of thing does matter because it affects the associations people make with the whole political system.

Hillary's Nullified Speeding Tickets

Obama/Edwards

You could tell at the latest debate round by how cozy Obama and Edwards got that they are already planing the Obama/Edwards ticket. I predict Edwards drops out immediately after losing South Carolina and endorses Obama so as not to screw him come Feb. 5th. (BTW, I like Edwards' stance and emphasis more than Obama, but hes much less electable)

As for "not electing Hillary because that would mean the same last name dominated the white house for 24 years"....blech. Who cares? It has nothing to do with the issues, if everything to do with politics and our stupid electorate. The reason that I like Edwards most, then Obama, then Hillary, is because that is the order of their "liberalness". Switch Obama and Edwards and that is also the order of their ability to win a national election, how strong of a public speaker, and how inspirational they are. Nothing against Hillary apart from her pandering to a center instead of just relaying her message (whatever that may be this week). Oh, and Hillary once claimed to be a Cub fan...then threw out the first pitch at a Yanks game with a yanks cap on during her senate election. FUCK THAT! Seriously, FUCK THAT. That said, if she wins the primary I get $125 bucks, so I can't complain too much.

Obama vs. Hillary

Hillary refuses to even consider refusing money from corporate lobbying groups. She actually talked shit about Obama for saying that he would meet with the leaders of our 'enemies' in the first year of his term, something she says flatly she won't consider... which seems a pretty big waste of a quarter of her term. Her health care plan makes everybody buy private insurance... I don't know economics enough to really judge these plans, but it's pretty sketch considering she's one of the highest recipients of donations from the insurance companies.

Her big flip out during the last debate was that it was ridiculous to think that Obama was more of a change than she would be, since she'd been an agent of change for 35 years. I think she's done plenty of good stuff in her career, but she's also learned how to thrive in the very system that needs an overhaul. If anything, Obama's relatively little time in Washington is a bonus.

As far as general campaigning tactics, she plays pretty dirty and is manipulative, which is exactly what everyone's so stoked to get away from. I've read a lot lately about how it's unfair that people say she uses the gender card while Obama mentions race often enough. The difference, though, is that she uses it in a manipulative way... if Obama and Edwards are both attacking her policies (not her character, mind you) she says it's because of the 'all boys club,' instead of countering their arguments with anything solid. The same shit happened with the tears... they may've been real but she made them fake by turning them into some feminist rallying call. This election's too significant to allow somebody to win on a pity vote.

As far as the image we want to present to the rest of the world, Obama is perfect and Hillary isn't. This has little to do with their campaign issues, but it's still important. Obama is young, multi-racial, and speaks eloquently... essentially the exact opposite of the image that has so damaged us in the eyes of the rest of the world. Obama, while showing progress by being a woman, is old and a Clinton. Don't get me wrong, I loved Bill, but if we want people to actually believe that we're trying to move in a different direction, pushing the Clinton - Bush cycle up to a quarter of a century is the last thing we want.

Anyways... I could rant about this for hours, (I have nothing to do all day at work but read news, so I've become a bit absorbed,) but that's the general gist of my feelings towards the matter.

Good grief, I can't believe people like this still exist

Shouldn't she probably be fired, probably?

Also, I'm going to go out on a limb on this website and admit to you all that I like Hilary Clinton, and for several months it's been a toss up between her and Obama for me. I'm not looking to get yelled at by anybody, but I'd be interested in what it is that most of you find so objectionable about her and how Obama or Edwards are much better on those same issues.

Thoughts?

Yay! People are talking on here again!

Also, this is really important. How do I post YouTube videos right in my post?

Obama/Edwards - Fuck Hillary

I like Edwards and all, but Obama has the benefit of being younger than a baby boomer, amazing stage presence, and of course has managed somehow to be the first person to ever mobilize our generation a noticeable amount. And Edwards has already started clamping onto Obama to identify with his 'message of change'. But really, he's not going to win and that's that... if he wants to help out, he should drop out and sign on as VP or find a way of milking Hillary's votes instead of Obama's.

NH has put me in a fucking awful mood. Hillary's reps are quick to point out that she won because of her unbelievably conveniently timed eye misting debacle. I really can't believe that people are so easily suckered. The tearing up may have been genuine, but following it up with a full day of rambling about how she has emotions too, and

"I care about what is going on in people's lives. That's how I got involved in this kind of work," Clinton said. "That's what I think a president should be concerned about. And there's a lot of concern and worry and just people hoping and praying that their problems are gonna be solved."

and the best by far

"I'm also a person, to some people's surprise. And what gets me up in the morning is not the next speech I'm going to make, and not the interview I'm going to do, it's whether I'm going to be helping somebody and whether I'm going to solve a problem for somebody"

This is what passes for showing a genuine human side in New Hampshire? It sounds like it was from a shitty soap opera. I'm so pissed that the only reason she won was because she fucking cried. That just means Barack's even more of a national landmark than anybody imagined, because there sure as shit hasn't been anybody else able to drive her into tears. God damnit.

CO Organic Produce Delivery

I found this site a couple weeks ago, and it looks like an awesome service for locally grown organic produce, though I have yet to try it out. Unfortunately, it looks like it is only available in CO, and a few other locations, none of which apply to any of you distant folks. Sorry but hopefully there is some similar program in your area.

Door to Door Organics.com

The granite state blows

Josh, thanks for clearing that up. A kuric seems like a good unit of measure for shit.

That brings me to my next question: How many kurics is Clinton's win in NH? Fucking New Hampshire. 

Also somewhat on topic still: Cassie discovered that Edwards is the only candidate with a good food/agriculture policy. It's definitely not my number one issue, but it puts him that much farther ahead of Clinton in my book and not too far behind Obama. Obama/Edwards or Edwards/Obama ticket anyone?

Putting my money where my heart is

Of course I'm spot on, Willie. I'm a god damn mastermind.

Off topic: Fuck this Hillary noise. Those college towns better come through in a big way. More off topic: I made a 250 dollar bet (split with my Brother)with a yahoo chess room friend (who is a conservative lawyer) that Obama will win the Presidency if he wins the Primary. As a kicker, if he loses the primary, I still win!!! Only way I lose is if Obama loses to a Republican. Pretty good EV on that bet I feel. (In the event of assassination, all bets are off) So now I am literally "invested" in Obama's campaign.

It Actually Has A Unit

The European Fecal Standards & Measurements Institute measure feces in 'Kurics' (one Katie Couric is about two and a half pounds of excrement)

So I took the test and got a ESTJ. I'm not sure if its right or wrong, but I don't think I'm exactly an ISFJ based on this description. I'm not
that nice and helpful. Thriving on order and continuity sounds more like me.

I've been enjoying these discussions the last day or two. Between shit, personalities and organic rants, its been an exciting discussion.

More on gold plated shit

Surely the world record holder for biggest shit got it gold plated. We should sell the idea to parents that are potty training their kids. I have the impression that a lot of parents will do anything to remember their kids great accomplishments in life. Gold plating would preserve it and even keep it from stinking. We're sitting on a shit gold mine!

How does one even quantify biggest shit? longest? widest diameter? mass? volume? Or maybe each factor gets score and then they're added up to get a total score? For some reason, I feel like Mr. Ocasio is the expert in this matter.

And Drew is spot on with the whole labeling problem.

And Ben, I think I speak for everybody when I say that we would all cuddle with you to keep you warm if only you were a little closer.

Menschenkenner

I apparently am "the protector," according to some internet site... INFJ.

Not having time at this instant to weigh in of food, there is an fairly good documentary, "The Future of Food," that deals with agribusiness, seed patents, GMO's and other facets of this debate...

My heater just ran out of kerosene... it's it literally freezing in my room right now.

Sadly for me though- I get to stop eating yummy,yummy tuna because Japan, as a country, eats 25% of the world's catch. At the first auction this year, a Hong Kong based sushi chain paid 6 million yen for one tuna... A price of about 200 dollars per kilo. The food chain is fascinating... Japan I think has the worlds most unsustainable food production regime...

Yes.

I believe gold plated shit could be a collector's item. In fact, it does not need to be gold plated. It can just be shit.

See this

INTJ

High five to the co-mastermind Drew

Willie: fair enough

I was pretty close with my estimates in the class of gold-plated shit.

I wonder if gold plated shit could be a sort of collectors item...? Who wants to open up a business?

Welp

I just took some 70 question yes-no test, and it said INTJ with the N being what it was most sure about. No idea what it means nor do I care. Like a stuck-up musician or artist, I hate labels because they only lend superficial insight into what a person (or art or music) really is, and that's deceptive and limiting.

(Just looked up what a INTJ is like...damn I'm a badass (Rational Mastermind))

Hey Dustin, here's some more law

I, an ISTJ, agree with you that the industrial animal production system that only cares about the bottom line must be stopped, but I do not think that eating animals is in and of itself morally wrong. Humans and domesticated animals can exist in a symbiotic relationship that benefits both parties. The only catch is that we're going to all have to be willing to pay more for much higher quality food. 

I will always choose meat that was raised in sustainable and ethical practices over heavily processed industrial Morningstar Farms products, most tofu on the market, and conventionally grown produce. Many (most?) vegetarians today don't seem to understand that they're just playing into the hands of big agri-business that views its inputs as corn and soybeans and outputs as whatever the food scientists and factory engineers can dream of.

Do Americans eat way too much meat? Yes. Should we not eat any meat at all? No.

Sincerely,

ISTJ Willie

(If you haven't figured it out by now, Myers-Briggs is a gold-plated crock of shit)

Hey Dustin

I, an INFP, just ate a massive pot roast.

Woah now

Willie just laid down the motherfucking LAW!!!

Now when are people going to go veggie? I'm waiting....

--

Also, I've been doing some research on Myers-Briggs tests. What is everyone's group? I'd be interested to know....

I would guess....

Matt: ESFP
Josh: ISFJ
Willie: ISTJ
Gloria: ENFP
Logan: ENFP
Bonnie: ESFP
Drew: ISTJ

Could be way off though

Mine is pretty easy to guess I think

I HATE OIL

Those are the kind of links I wanted to hear. I'm always a big fan of using less oil. Gloria were definitely going to join some local farm or something where they deliver you a box o' produce every two weeks to your local farmer's market.

Fight the power.

Man Logan, I'm In Awesome Shape

I exercise, and eat my fish and veggies bitch. Omega-3's and shit. I eat what I want.

Take Into Account

That Josh eats more than the rest of us combined. That shit starts to add up in such quantities... give the guy a break.

And honestly... nobody cares about farmers. Fuck 'em. I want nothing but cloned chicken fingers.

Damn

I'll read this tomorrow when I'm at work. That's a beast of an entry.

2 cents

Josh, you've unleashed a monster, even though you didn't mean to post about organics here. You've brought this upon yourself, I'm afraid.

"All natural" is just as much of a buzzword as "organic"; the difference is that its a virtually meaningless buzzword. You might as well not bother. While its true that "organic" is trendy and everyone is trying to capitalize on it these days, writing it off for that reason is pretty closed-minded. I'd have to say that even given the pressure big organic is putting on the USDA to weaken its regulations on what can be considered organic, I'd still pay a premium to know that my food and the land it was grown on haven't been completely inundated with poison.

By no means am I saying Wild Oats or Whole Foods is looking out for anyone's well-being. Shopping there won't solve the world's environmental and agricultural problems, doesn't support local agriculture, and it certainly does nothing to improve working conditions for farm workers. But its better than doing nothing. And if your main concern really is cost, you can take the next step beyond buying from organic grocers and go to a farmers market. Its local, its cheap, and if the veggies don't have a shiny USDA organic label on them, I guarantee its just because family farms can't afford the certification costs. Or, join a CSA. Grow some of your own food, even.

I'm going to make myself stop here. I could go on for hours, but I think I've made my point.

Organic is worth every penny

The price of much of the conventional food that you buy in the grocery store does not reflect its true cost of production.

Most conventional processed food is made from heavily subsidized corn and soybeans. That costs you, Josh Taxpayer, money (albeit, probably not more than a few percent of the original purchase price since we're all in pretty low tax brackets). Organic food is not subsidized, so no problem there. Farm subsidies are also impoverishing millions of farmers in third world countries who cannot compete with prices of government-subsidized American food. That drives the farmers out of business, hurting their economies and thus requiring increased food and monetary aid from Josh Taxpayer. That food must also be shipped across oceans. In bulk quantities, that shipping requires roughly 10 calories of oil energy for every 1 food calorie. That means we need more oil which means drilling in ANWR and shitty relations with middle-eastern countries and pissing off a bunch of muslims, which means 9/11 and war in Iraq. That costs Josh Taxpayer a lot of money. It's all connected! (Of course, buying out-of-season organic produce flown in from South America is just as bad.)

The fertilizers and pesticides used to grow conventional food are terrible for the environment. For example, nitrates and phosphates in the fertilizer used in the midwest eventually finds its way into the Mississippi River. These chemicals are the primary cause of the New Jersey sized dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. That's only one example of how cheap food costs Josh Taxpayer money in the form of environmental clean up (it has to be done sooner or later if we're going to still try to grow food on this planet).

For several days after a field is sprayed with pesticides it is often too toxic for a person to actually enter, again causing damage to the environment. But do you really think that government, under extremely heavy lobbying from the enormous agriculture industry, sets reasonable regulations for pesticide contact? Of course, why should Josh Taxpayer care about the health of the migrant workers being payed far below minimum wage without any sort of recourse when they get sick sooner (rashes) or later (cancer) from these chemicals?

So these fertilizers and pesticides are bad for the environment and bad for the farmers, but are they directly bad for Josh Taxpayer's health? For every university study saying that organic food is better (both more nutritional and less toxic) for you than conventional food there is often another, usually agriculture industry funded, study that concludes that conventional food is just fine for you. It's only been in the last 50 years or so that most of our food has been subject to this sort of treatment. Due to the lack of a control group it is nearly impossible to directly link the rise in cancer, diabetes, and heart disease over the last 50 years with conventional food, but it is certainly not an unreasonable thought by any means.

Most Americans love their hamburgers, but once again we find terrible link between the feedlot-bound cow fed conventionally grown corn and that cheap McDonald's hamburger or package of ground beef at the supermarket. Even the most die-hard meat eater would be hard pressed to say that the animals in these feedlots do not actually suffer. By suffer I do not mean the experience of whatever fleeting pain exists at the slaughterhouse when the animal is killed (which for most slaughterhouses is actually not very fleeting due to the carelessness with which work is done to maximize throughput). No, this is actual prolonged day in and day out suffering evident in their behavior due to being fed corn (it's actually toxic to cows), standing ankle deep in shit, and pumped up on on steroids and antibiotics (which they must have to survive because of their toxic food and living conditions). Let's not even go into detail with diseases such as e coli or mad cow and the ease with which they can be transmitted in the industrial machine whose sole purpose is to maximize production - to hell with the quality. That is going to cost Josh Taxpayer a lot of money (and karma). (Careful here though, the organic label itself does not guarantee a decent life for livestock, but its usually better.)

This is only the tip of the iceberg. Read Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation and Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma. Here's an article written by Pollan to get you started. The agriculture industry and its pawn the US government convinced our parents and grand-parents that everything was just fine on the farm, and now our generation doesn't even see a problem with where our food comes from!

Pay now or pay later, but you're gonna pay some way. And you know what, paying for organic now is not all that much more expensive. I'd even argue that organic is cheaper when you factor in the moral (not monetary) considerations to the environment, the workers in the fields, the ruined third world economies in Africa, the jihadists in the middle-east, and the well-being of livestock.


If you've made it this far hopefully you'll read (and remember!) this:

Food is important. It is what fuels and nourishes you each and every day. You can live without TV and Wii and super-fast internet. You cannot live without food. It is worth the time and money to get right.

Organic Sellers are Nasty

I used to price shit at Wild Oats and its nasty how fast things rise in price. Organic foods seem like a wonderful thing, but until they price things at a reasonable level, there is no way I will ever shop at Whole Foods instead of Trader Joe's.

EDIT: FUCKING AGAIN I MEANT FOR THIS TO GO IN THE OTHER FORUM AS A REPLY. I am going to change the name of my other blogspot forum so I never do this again.

I still stand by this. All Natural is sweet, organic is too much of a buzzword. Shop local yo.

Reply

When and where are we all planning to meet when we arrive?
Josh, are you going early so you can claim the time shares?

We will be arriving at noon or so. We'll get everything squared away soon. I'll probably call soon and put down everyone's name for their room just in case. Speaking of that, do people have any room assignments or preferences who they stay with? This is what I've gathered from previous conversations.

Room 1: Bonnie/Drew, Kim/Mikey, foldout person (jesse or john)
Room 2: Josh/Gloria, Matt/Lindy, other foldout person
Room 3: Willie/Cassie, Dustin

Studio 1: Logan
Studio 2: Meg

Please don't be angry if I made a mistake in this, just go ahead and email me and I'll rearrange.

What is the address of where we are staying, or their site if you know it?

Hilton Grand Vacations Club® at the Las Vegas Hilton

455 Karen Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States 89109
Tel: 1-702-946-9200 Fax: 1-702-946-9205

Do we need sleeping bags? How many units are reserved. Is John really going to be there?

John will definitely be there, I talked to him. You DEFINITELY do not need sleeping bags. This place is nice and you will all have your own bed (except for couples of course).

Vegas Details

When and where are we all planning to meet when we arrive?
Josh, are you going early so you can claim the time shares?
What is the address of where we are staying, or their site if you know it?

I got my ticket and am flying each way within an hour of Linda and Matt. We could use one car to the airport, yes? And if Kim and Mikey go they could jump in as well.

Do we need sleeping bags? How many units are reserved. Is John really going to be there?

HURRA!!

[fist pumping in unison with Sir Dice]

I knew my 25 dollars would make all the difference. I can't help but actually find myself getting excited about politics, a nice change from the dreary disenchantment that has dominated for so long. I thus pledge half (rounded up to the nearest $25) of my winnings in Vegas to my boy Obama... any losings will be taken from Huckabee's hide. If he wins the Republican ticket the Beach will become even more unbearable than before in its Evangelical frenzy.

Props also to Edwards for (as it's currently looking) knocking Clinton into third... oh what a glorious night.

To Kucinich... you're just adorable so I want you and your mysteriously assorted pockets to be VP.

YEAH!

(Fistpump for Obama)

((Just watched some post-caucus speeches...Hillary had Bill and Mad Albright behind her...Huckabee had Chuck "Fuckin" Norris))

Ouch

This is a beauty queen... what an amazing mugshot.

Caucus

Anyone down for martinis and caucus watching?

Eva Green

looks just like Lindy but with less pretty eyes. Why not just post a nice picture of Lindy?

Muahaha

You know this shit was cooked up by some asshole London Duke in 1667. Some natural scientist/philosopher guy driven mad by the fire.

"Mayhaps, be we able to but prevent all accidents, every unintentional malady, the perhaps, sirs and fair madams, we may yet save the world. With this, I hereby establish The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents to bring safety to all in the eyes of the King."

"eh, wots 'e talkin' abou'?"

"shadup ya cunt!

Kevin Federline?

How is it that he can still take himself so seriously?

Easily, EASILY my least favorite picture of all time.

Good god. I am angry and have to vent. Read the description. Look at those assholes. And to top it off, photographed by Bret fucking Ratner?? I'm going to bite something.

EDIT: Followed by my favorite picture ever! Can't complain!

Anyone with a little time...

here is an interesting list of 100 things we didn't know last year, composed by the BBC.

100 things we didn't know last year

Oh, and

It didn't give us seat numbers, just said seats will be assigned at check in. Maybe if we check in together, we can sit together?

Numbers

Bonnie- we're on 1489 on the way there, 1596 on the way back

Lindy Q

Hey Lindy,
What is your flight number so I can make sure and fly with you two?
What are your seat numbers too?