"The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell and his son, Thomas Campbell, cites a lot more studies on nutrition and the role nutrition plays in health, including preventing cancer.

You don't need to monitor your carbohydrates; doing so causes you to miss out on good nutrition.

What you do need to do is eat a plant based, whole foods diet, eliminating as much animal fat and protein as you possibly can.

I'm not Prof. Campbell or his son, Dr. Campbell, so I'm not going to spout off like I know everything about nutrition just because I read their book, but having read the book, I am very convinced by the research they cite.

The most convincing part of "The China Study", for me, was the sheer number of studies, lab tests, peer reviewed journals, etcetera, that were used to compile the evidence on nutrition that the book presents. This isn't a theory or diet that the Campbells are advocating; it is a lifestyle, one that has conclusively, irrefutably proven to extend life, prevent disease and greatly improve health.

The Campbells will not make money off of you if you change your nutrition; in fact, if you make it your lifestyle, eating a plant based, whole foods diet won't profit any corporation at all. It can only help your local produce growers.

Before anyone makes any changes in their diet, I would highly recommend them reading this book, or even just browsing it at a bookstore. If you don't find the evidence compelling, then by all means, eat what you want.

For me, a midwestern farm boy raised on beef, chicken, pork, venison, rabbit and duck, I never thought for one second I'd go vegetarian...this book changed that, all by itself. I don't eat veggies for the animal's sake, I eat only plants because I want to live.

Another victory for the Flying Spaghetti Monster! Yay, Pastafarianism! May our colanders decorate the heads of all our leaders, in state sponsored photos and otherwise!

funches, is there a point you are trying to make, or are you only laying traps so that you can persecute another's beliefs?

What do YOU believe?

Would you care to stand on Judgement Day and defend your intentions in this conversation?

Does the end justify the means?

Is it acceptable to sin in the act of ministering to someone, if the result is that they are converted to your belief and their soul is "saved"?

Song lyrics are never meant to be taken seriously...they're too short to really expound on an idea.

There was a story in the Reader's Digest lo these many years ago that comes to mind...it was about a young cattle herder in a remote tribe and how he proposed to his bride.

It was common in their culture for the prospective husband to "buy" the wife from her father, typically in cows, as cows were a sign of prosperity. A typical wife could cost three cows; a hot prospect four or five.

This young herder, by all accounts a very shrewd man who was known for making good deals and was clearly headed for great things, was being sought after by many hopeful fathers; they knew he would be wealthy some day, and that wealth would flow into their family, as well. Many a beautiful daughter was paraded before him.

The young cattle trader instead chose the most common girl in the tribe, a girl many had felt would be lucky to fetch a single cow...but he paid not one, not two, but seven cows. Seven cows was unheard of; no one in the village had ever heard of a woman so beautiful that she was worth seven cows, and this girl was far from beautiful, and he being such a shrewd trader could have bargained for the lowest price for the most beautiful girl.

The author, a missionary to this tribe, says that years later, when he visited that tribe again, the young trader's wife was the most beautiful woman anyone knew. She held her head high, carried herself with grace and was kind to everyone. She grew to become a seven cow wife, because her husband believed in her worth.

I've always liked that story.

wux, just posting so you'd know your humor is not falling entirely on deaf ears.

I like the idea of the hidden underground home, too, Jeaniebean but I've never considered a teepee!

My fantasy home has slides and tunnels. It would be a grown-up version of all those super neat play lands that you see at fast food restaurants and theme parks, and by grown-up, I mean just larger in size (and maybe fewer water cannons).

Sounds like you lost more than the weight...I'm betting you lost the boyfriend, too! "You're right, I could lose some weight...starting with your 220 lbs!"

My second wife had cats she loved, and she'd talk for them all the time. When I first met her, I thought it was childish and dumb...now, I do it too...I still "talk" for my dog and cat.

So, echoing what has been said, mature love sees quirks as part of the package, and define the person you love. Since I continue to age, I've decided I might as well mature, too, and with that comes greater and greater acceptance that the vast majority of humanity is not just like me.

"I want to peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather, not kicking and screaming like the passengers in his car" -- old joke

My grandparents lived into their 90s and died within days of each other. My great uncles and aunts have made it into their 90s, and one great aunt is still with us. All of them were clear of mind and hale in body, and all of them that have passed have done so gently. Grandpa's heart started "skipping" at 93, and they wanted to implant a pacemaker, which he refused, because he felt it was a waste of money. Grandma didn't like it, she wanted him to stay around at least until she went, and she proved that by dying just days after him of no discernible cause other than lack of will to live.

So, I have expectations that my health will hold out until I'm in my 90s, and if I plan things out well enough, I should be just as functional as they were at that age, perhaps a bit longer. That's fine with me; the world is a fascinating place, and I'll never have enough time to read all the books I want to read anyway.

There were times I thought the pain was not worth it, but I have children now, and I'll be damned if I set a poor example for them. They clearly enjoy life and do not suffer like I did, so I want them to aspire to live greater than I have.

I also lost my youngest brother before his 31st birthday due to a very rare genetic disorder, and I think it would shame his heroism if I, gifted with a healthy body and full physical ability, were to give up because life gets a little tough sometimes. I remind myself how much he would have appreciated having the opportunities I've had, and I know he would have gladly traded my pain and suffering for the chance to live another ten years, to love and be loved, to run and swim and have the abilities he wouldn't take for granted.

Volant7, I'm on board with what you are saying...and I find it too depressing to research how long we've been going in circles.

I've decided to change my own life, lead as an example to my family and friends, and let them decide if it is right for them.

Bravalady, I have also considered using the straw bale plan, mainly because I live in farm country and straw is very easily obtained and very inexpensive, plus, as they've shown, it is a great insulator and it can last for decades if done right. I'd much rather place straw bales in the ground for my concrete forms that styrofoam, but there are other issues with burying organic materials.

Bushidobillyclub, the reason I'm looking to move outside of the county where I live is because of real estate taxes...the land outside of city limits is pretty reasonable in terms of cost, but the taxes are still really high. If it weren't for my connection to family and friends, I'd move to Kentucky, where there is plenty of land and the cost as well as taxes are dirt cheap compared to here. I don't know what roots you to Florida, so moving may not be an option for you. Florida presents all sorts of building challenges due to soil conditions and humidity.

What I wanted more than the Con-Ex containers was to find some Quonset huts. Those things have really stood the test of time, and create a lot more open space. I'm sure they could be reinforced, as I've been inside enough ammo bunkers to know they just covered them with concrete, then shoved dirt over the top of them.

Jeanniebean, there are a wide range of insulation products that can be applied to the outside of the containers to maximize indoor space, or, like Bushidobillyclub indicates, you could frame walls on the inside against the container wall to run your electricity, etcetera and insulate those walls. A combination of both would probably be a good idea, and the straw bales could be included on the outside as well.

From the wikipedia article on Containerization:

ISO standard
Main article: Intermodal container

"There are five common standard lengths, 20-ft (6.1 m), 40-ft (12.2 m), 45-ft (13.7 m), 48-ft (14.6 m), and 53-ft (16.2 m). United States domestic standard containers are generally 48 ft (15 m) and 53-ft (rail and truck). Container capacity is often expressed in twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU, or sometimes teu). An equivalent unit is a measure of containerized cargo capacity equal to one standard 20 ft (length) × 8 ft (width) container. As this is an approximate measure, the height of the box is not considered, for instance the 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m) High cube and the 4-ft 3-in (1.3 m) half height 20 ft (6.1 m) containers are also called one TEU."
*snip*
"The original choice of 8-foot (2.4 m) height for ISO containers was made in part to suit a large proportion of railway tunnels, though some had to be modified. With the arrival of even taller containers, further enlargement is proving necessary.[17]"

Hahaha, the Arabs want to blame Europeans for not fixing their problems!

"MOM! We were picking on the Jews, and then they got mad and beat us up! Make them go away!"

Um, no. That's not how it works. Let's see if we can't work together so Arab and Jew can live side by side. Now, how about we give the Jews this piece, and the Arabs that piece?

"NO! We want ALL! MAKE THE JEWS GO AWAY!"

Rinse, lather, repeat for twenty years of treaty negotiations before the Europeans finally threw their hands in the air, realizing that you can't reason with people blinded by hatred...but now, the Arabs blame US?

Stop hating. You'd be amazed at how easy the whole peace process gets after that.

Yes, I read that the first time, and other than sounding like a poorly veiled threat, I fail to see the logic in your statement.

The Jewish State was mobile, on the run from Islamist persecution, when they chose to stand and fight. They stood and fought against what Hitler did to the Jews in Germany, they stood and fought against what Turkey did to Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks; they stood and fought, for they knew that to do any less was to be wiped out.

Israel, however, did what the Jews in Germany did not, what the Armenians and so many other minorities did not think they could do: they not only stood and fought, they won. Israel defeated tyranny, defeated religious hatred, defeated those who sought their death solely because of their religious beliefs.

"no way to maintain the Jewish State by the sword" is a fallacy; it was created by the sword, it stands because of the sword, and it will continue to defy cowards well into the future.

Only cowards shirk from a fair fight and insist on new rules.

First, it is way past time for the United States to break their dependence on foreign oil. I applaud the higher gas prices; it makes efficiency all that much more urgent. Major breakthroughs have already been made in alternative sources for energy; solar and wind generation are ever increasing, and there's no going back from that level. Once we convert the power plants away from petroleums, our demand for oil will plummet.

Second, the idea that Russia is still a world power is completely laughable. Russia is not what the Soviet Union was; it is the emaciated leftover of a failed economic system that took but never gave. Russian soldiers work at dismantling tanks; fleets of submarines and jet planes sit rusting and useless. Russia isn't even a neighbor to Iran anymore; the smaller splinter countries that formed in the downfall of the Soviet Union are in the way.

Third, the Cold War was the biggest, costliest mistake the United States and the Soviet Union ever made. The only innovation it sparked was weaponry, with every conflict we fought either directly or through proxies giving us the opportunity to field test those killing machines.

The only justified military action is to support a stable government. Expansionist efforts are illegal, and have been, though both China and the Soviet Union have gotten away with land grabs in the past...and China will most likely continue to do so.

Had the United States upheld their belief that a stable government was in their best interest, we would have allied with the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, not supported the rebels. We've been paying the price of that mistake ever since.

In a world where the "major league teams" have nuclear weapons, there will always be nations that wish to ascend to that dangerous level. Like Pandora's Box, the secret of nuclear weaponry can never be put away, hidden from use; it is a reality, and one we need to have a good plan for succeeding in.

I cannot see Israel going non-nuclear until the war over their presence ends. When the Middle East finally accepts that there are Jews living on their Holy Land, then Israel may start to accept that they don't need to be prepared to fight a war on every edge of their borders.

In the meantime, we need to not only continue to vehemently discourage further weapon proliferation, we need to track down and disarm all the nuclear weaponry that the Soviet Union left behind in all those scattered silos in countries that are now not part of Mother Russia. I'm far more concerned about those weapons getting into the hands of evil persons than I am about Iran developing new weapons.

Finally, Iran has been offered enriched Uranium for nuclear energy production...and they've refused. They don't want nuclear energy; they want nuclear weapons capability, and they know how to play the political game to stall the U.N. until it is too late.

OR WHAT? What will all of those "peaceful" Islamists that have been attacking the Jewish people of Israel for over sixty years now do to Israel...that they are not already doing?

What, exactly, would be the consequence of Israel not maintaining their firm stance that they, too, have a right to live on their home soil?

The neighboring nations have tried...AND FAILED...to evict the Jews from Israel; facing extinction from a hostile religion, they fought back, and won. Now, surrounded by a bunch of sore losers, Israel is supposed to give back what they were forced to fight a war for?

No.

That's the risk you take when you force someone into war; they might win, and when they do, that's it. That's the final answer. There are no referees, no fouls, no instant replay.

I'm actually thinking of using shipping containers as the forms to pour the concrete against, then partially bury them. I've seen the containers for less than $1,000, and I don't mind dents and dings and doors not working on something I'm going to cover with concrete and bury anyway.

It's either that, or the styrofoam blocks that you build with, almost like legos, then fill with concrete.

If I wanted non-traditional form, I could use spray-crete and build the equivalent of an in-ground pool. Spray-crete is expensive and difficult to work with, though, so most likely I won't. My family owns a concrete pump fitted with an air compressor that would do the job, but you're still looking at $100 a yard for material, plus reinforcing steel, and I'd probably need an engineer to design the thickness and steel reinforcement.

Actually, the man in the parade WAS denied free speech, because the judge ruled that by dressing as a religious figure, he was creating "hate speech" and deserved to be assaulted. The judge upheld Sharia law, which states the assault was not only justified, but demanded.

The judge basically ruled that while you may mock Jesus, the Pope, Isis, Thor, Odin, Zeus or the Flying Spaghetti Monster, you man NOT mock Mohammed, or you risk justifiable assault.

And THAT, my friend, is not upholding the 1st Amendment.

Glad you took something positive from it. Cheers to you, too!

The ag / hardware stores around here have them...Farm n Fleet, Big R, that kind of thing? The old carpet sweepers that you just push, food mills that process food like a blender or juicer that are hand cranked, old egg beaters that you hand crank, that sort of thing. They toast over wood burning stoves, so there are all sorts of cast iron accessories for wood stoves. Clothes irons that are literally heavy chunks of iron that you heat up on the wood stove. The neatest are the propane fired refrigerators...somehow, they heat ammonia, which combines with hydrogen then evaporates, causing the cooling effect. They were all the rage in the 1930s.

So, if you can adjust to cooking with wood (pretty big learning curve, very easy to get too hot, hard to build a sustained heat), burn calories instead of electricity (not so easy for those with arthritis) and aren't afraid of having a pilot light on your refrigerator, it's possible to live without electricity.

*Sigh*

Just promise me you'll provide good references when you're done with me?