[Capler]

Most people think I'm very nice and easy going. I am. I'm fair and will not hurt or take advantage of anyone. But if a person tries to take advantage of that, I internalize it and will become very aggressive and have little mercy. This comes from being bullied as a child.

I hold folk to high standards and in general don't offer very much compassion once people steer off course.  My position is this; "you were told, now you must pay the price and find your own way back."

An example is kids dropping out of school, having babies, and not seeking job training. My position is this: "you made the choice now deal with it." Does this make me a mean uncaring person, hardly not? I feel  life is filled with folk who are trying and they are the ones that need my attention.

I don't feel society should be that concerned with folk who drink or drug themselves to death. If a person develops lung cancer after years of smoking, they should not expect society to foot the medical bills.

I'm sympathetic to obesity because that is a real, and in most cases a genetic problem many can't help.

[Maroon and Gray]

is this your way of introducing yourself to the newest board member?

Most of us remember this post from you already.   

[Capler]

No, it is a part of self examination. You should always check and double check to see how you are evolving as an individual. You should not only think about it, but you should also say it out loud or write it down. I actually do it for you Cats. I want you to be more thoughtful and aware of yourselves.  I do it every day during my quiet time. I'm particularly curious about how my views differ from that of young people.  I try to adjust my way of thinking when needed so that I will not become a relic. Many older people are guilty of not being flexible enough. I sat around a table the other night listening to horror stories about older folk 'cutting up badly' because they refused to take other views into consideration. In dealing with trying to organize alumni, I'm very aware of this situation.  

[Ivan]

I'm sympathetic to obesity because that is a real, and in most cases a genetic problem many can't help.

No....................actually it isn't.
Most people who are obese, are so because of behavior not genetics. Genetics may play a part but there is a very small percentage of people who are obese, and regardless of their behavior, cannot change their body. It's as much a choice as someone who smokes, or drinks. Behavioral science tells us that. It's just not socially as acceptable to stigmatize or harass obese people, as it is someone who smokes or is an alcoholic.

[Brother Tony]

 @ Capler   

[Capler]

I'm sympathetic to obesity because that is a real, and in most cases a genetic problem many can't help.

No....................actually it isn't.
Most people who are obese, are so because of behavior not genetics. Genetics may play a part but there is a very small percentage of people who are obese, and regardless of their behavior, cannot change their body. It's as much a choice as someone who smokes, or drinks. Behavioral science tells us that. It's just not socially as acceptable to stigmatize or harass obese people, as it is someone who smokes or is an alcoholic.

That's the old way of thinking. Scientist are beginning to think that genetics plays a larger role in obesity and they are looking for specific genes that control it.  I understand the behavior angle,  -if you don't put the calories in, the body cannot store it as fat. The body normally uses calories as energy and stores or excretes what it does not need.  But in some cases much of what goes in gets stored instead of being used. And in the case of rail thin people, gets used  instead of being stored.  Once scientist unlock the key to this mystery,   effective weight management drugs can be developed. Right now most drugs and treatments focus on curving appetite or in the case of surgery reducing the amount that goes in.

[MrSoul]

Ivan, Capler, I'd say its mostly a little bit of both.  Its interesting when you look at some people who have generations of obesity. Obviously, eating habits play a definite part in it, as the kids will eat what the adults eat and how much the adults eat.  The genetics also determine how that weight is gained and how it is distributed.  I was watching some show the other weekend about this dude meeting his dad for the first time. The guy was in his late 30s or early 40s and I'll be damned if he was not made up just like his dad and both were overweight - they were almost like twins except one older and one younger. Never been around each other. So its kind of obvious to me we are looking at 2 things that contribute to it.

[Capler]

I too have seen too many people with "fat genes". They had a fat parent, were born fat, and lived that way. The human body is a funny thing. There is a weight it will always gravitate to, regardless what you do. Over the years, I figured out what that weight is for me. Growing up I gained until I got to that weight. I stayed there in my prime and went past it as I aged. Once I got the gain under control and started losing, exercise and diet kept me at the point my body wanted to be.

[GALFAMU]

No, it is apart of self examination. You should always check and double check to see how you are evolving as an individuals. You should not only think about it, but you should also say it out loud or write it down.  

I agree. It helps to be honest about if or how you are changing.

And it helps if you are honest about the circumstances that made you evolve or change.


I know I had to look at myself honestly after a couple of my friends, true friends told me I had changed and they noticed that I was, as one put it "edgy," and "no longer  the nice suburban girl."

They were right, but they were  witnesses to what one of them calls the change from "Kimberly" and to KIMBERLY!

It is kinda funny, watching and listening to my older friends describing to my newer acquaintences of  how I used to be.

[Pmist]

Ok,  I think we have been thread-hijacked yet once again and diverted down the obesity road.     I will try to bring us back on topic; let's start here... Obesity is a medical epidemic in this country and it is complex in nature ranging from the person eating the food right on up to the people that are making it, to the chemicals in the food, and to the money the consumer has to by "better" food.  To think simply telling a person not to eat it is going to solve the issue is ineffective at best in my opinion.  We are going to either get real about this subject and put our heads together and solve what is leading this person to this form of addiction or the merry-go-round will continue.

Now bringing this back to the subject of the thread (or at least trying to ), I would have to say the thing that most people don't know about me would be my extreme loyalty to a person and/or the underdog.  This does not mean I will have nothing but nice things to say about that person if they are half stepping, but rather I will go to the end with them supporting them and loving them. I will often treat them like they are my family and just like family I become extremely protective of them. Messing with the one I am protecting usually bring out my mean or cruel streak; and yes I do indeed have one.    This has gotten me burned a couple of times when these people have betrayed my trust a couple of times but I can't handle it any other way. 

[Capler]

I love the underdog too. I love underdog does well movies too. I really hate when people do bad things to people and think it is funny. Tonight on the 6:00pm  news they told the story of a man who used the Wal Mart bathroom and someone had put super glue on the seat. They could not even remove it and had to take him out of the store with it stuck on. The poor guy did not deserve that. Stuff like this makes me so angry. The pranksters deserve to be placed in front of a firing squad for doing that o him. I'm sorry but there are somethings I can't forgive.

[QueHBCUFan]

I love the underdog too. I love underdog does well movies too. I really hate when people do bad things to people and think it is funny. Tonight on the 6:00pm  news they told the story of a man who used the Wal Mart bathroom and someone had put super glue on the seat. They could not even remove it and had to take him out of the store with it stuck on. The poor guy did not deserve that. Stuff like this makes me so angry. The pranksters deserve to be placed in front of a firing squad for doing that o him. I'm sorry but there are somethings I can't forgive.

First of all, the guy shouldn't have used a public restroom before cleaning and covering the toilet seat.  If he had done so this probably wouldn't have happened because he would've discovered the glue.  I agree he didn't deserve this punishment, but next time I bet he'll be a little more precautious.

[GALFAMU]

I think what most people don't know about me is that I can smoothly someone off and leave the person wondering where he/she left his/her brain.

[QueHBCUFan]

What most folks don't know about me is that I have a keen interest in empowering our youth to be change agents in their home, school, and community environments.  My pa** ion runs deep, which isn't seen in today's educational setting, so my goal is to "reach one teach one" with every opportunity I have.

[Valley Girl]

I guess one thing about me is that I detest conflict and avoid it as much as possible, because if I'm forced to confront you it won't be pretty....I've grown a lot, but my temper is legendary...slow to burn but when it ignites somebody better move out of the way.

When I am focused on an assigned task I tune everything else out. I am only concentrating on that one task...you can ask me a question, but I probably won't answer you because I am not paying attention to you.