ChiCricket

One of the first things that popped into my head upon awakening today was "I wonder if Anna will still name the baby Michelle now?!" (That was my guess of what it was going to be). I thought I only hate watched before..so I started thinking, "why do I care?" I think I'm mourning in advance all the delicious snarky posts that would have been written on this board about it. I miss being able to lightly snark about how weird they all were..before we knew the reality of how REALLY weird and despicable some of them are.

I just want to say to anyone posting or just reading these forums that have been through any kind of sexual abuse, that I am so, so sorry that happened to you. Just please know NONE of any of it was your fault in any way. I just felt like I needed to say this, after reading all these posts for days and days. They have brought me to tears. I am shocked to my core at how many people here have experienced this. {{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}

Thanks for this suggestion..I entirely forgot that DISH offers a dish on demand type of thing , until you suggested this. I'm downloading the Digging in with the Duggars episode right now. I missed it when it first played and now I really want to watch it for the family's body language when talking to one another.Edited to add: it acts like it's downloading, but never actually does...phooey!

Thanks for the videos..They were fascinating. My main questions are, if you're betrothed from a very young age, I guess you're just SOL (and so is your spouse) if it turns out you're Gay..you don't get a say in who you live your life with. That's sad. Also, what if you're not at all religious? The part where the both families pray over the couple would make me very uncomfortable. I would feel like a hypocrite 'just going along with it'. I'm also extremely shy and introverted, and have never danced in my life..what do people like me in that culture do to get through a wedding like that?! I'm guessing either get drunk or sedated. And they're so young to be getting married..They both look like babies.

Did he even go to high school? I thought I heard Nina say they homeschool their Romany children so that they don't meet and fall in love with a non-Romany person. Anyone else hear that? (Reminded me of the Duggars, which is why it caught my notice)

Just recently saw two (separate) news stories that made me think about the Duggars. Both were about ADULT people not having internet access or up-to-date knowledge of the world. 1. Cuba and North Korea have shut most of its people out from the Internet, and they totally control any news on TV (if they even have TVs.) 2. Pamela Smart is in jail for life because she seduced 15-year-old Billy Flynn and threatened to stop having sex with him unless he killed her husband. They interviewed her in jail and she said she has no internet access and has never seen a cellphone in real life. (good!) In the first case, the populace is being controlled by the heads of a foreign government. In the second case, she enticed someone to commit a murder. This started going through my head. Sounds like the Duggars to me. And they live in America, and as far as we know, the grown "kids" have not committed any crime. Just wrong. Really bugs the crap out of me. Just had to vent.

I'm late getting to watch this, but one thing that struck me as they were putting the bedding in the crib. They tied bumper pads in the crib, didn't they? I thought they now recommend against using those due to strangulation risk or SIDS, so I looked it up and I'm right. Hopefully Jill is just using them for decoration , and will take them out before putting the baby in. (Why do they still sell them if they're unsafe?) http://www.babycenter.com/408_is-it-safe-to-use-bumpers-on-my-babys-crib_1368447.bcIs it safe to use bumpers on my baby's crib? Fern Hauck SIDS expert No. The American Academy of Pediatrics and SIDS prevention groups caution against using crib bumpers. (This includes the "breathable mesh crib liners" that are now on the market.) It's true that many crib bedding sets are still sold with bumpers. And you may be tempted to use some kind of bumper or liner to keep your baby's limbs from slipping between the crib slats or your baby's head from banging against the sides. But there's no evidence that these products prevent injuries. And reports show that they can lead to suffocation, strangulation, or entrapment. Some bumpers also reduce the flow of fresh air in your baby's crib, which is considered a contributing factor in SIDS.

I had never heard of white coat syndrome until the other day when I started with a new doctor after 20 years with my old one. My first visit with the new doctor, my blood pressure was sky high, and I never, ever have had an abnormal BP. I told that to the doctor and that's when she mentioned "white coat syndrome" and had me take my BP at home for a few days, and sure enough, totally normal. So I could see it being a reason to let the patients do their own BPs (and/or they are cutting costs.)

The fact that Whoopi's daughter Alex is on the panel makes me think more than ever that this is the last season of the show. I don't think it will be back after the summer. I think Whoopi's trying to getting her daughter noticed (and hopefully self-supporting) while she still has a daily, visible platform to do so. Time will tell. BTW, I have no idea if Alex already is already supporting herself with no hand outs from her mom. This is just a theory of mine.

I know we can't discuss a certain ex-co host's personal life, so I'll try and word this carefully. I'm wondering if the news that came out today will be discussed on Hot Topics tomorrow? I'm betting not. They never discuss the stuff I want them to anymore.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-finally-explains-why-hes-leaving-the-daily-show/ Jon Stewart Finally Explains Why He’s Leaving The Daily Show by Andrew Kirell <snip> wary of the absurdities of our daily news culture. For instance, the Hillary Clinton email scandal “is absolutely everything that it’s supposed to be about,” he said, reportedly with a groan. As the interviewer wrote of his attitude towards this and other political stories, “it managed to be at once depressing and completely unsurprising.” Stewart also said that leaving right before a major election was the best way to ensure the show has a smooth transition. You don’t want to leave when the cupboard’s bare,” he said. So I think it’s a better introduction when you have something providing you with assisted fuel, like a presidential campaign. But really, the value of this show is so much deeper than my contribution.” <snip> And whether he’ll miss the cable news networks he gets paid to skewer: “Watching these channels all day is incredibly depressing,” he said. “I live in a constant state of depression. I think of us as turd miners. I put on my helmet, I go and mine turds, hopefully I don’t get turd lung disease.” The Guardian also asked whether he’d ever watch Fox News again: “All right, let’s say that it’s a nuclear winter, and I have been wandering, and there appears to be a flickering light through what appears to be a radioactive cloud and I think that light might be a food source that could help my family. I might glance at it for a moment until I realize, that’s Fox News, and then I shut it off. That’s the circumstance.”

Sometimes stuff like that doesn't work though. My oldest daughter is chronically late and drives the entire family nuts. We started always telling her something was one (or two!) hours earlier than she needs to be somewhere. She's obviously caught on to our plan,though, and must just calculate what the target really time is and is still always late. It's so freakin' rude, but she's 46 yrs old and I can't do a thing about it. It's embarrassing to me that anyone would think she was brought up that way. (she wasn't) So I could see MissSpoiled thinking like that, and then tacking on extra bucks in her mind. You, know, what she thinks daddums REALLY would be likely to cough up.

Thanks for this link. The article cracked me up, especially these selections: 'The little girls flash a look like "You wanna step up to me?" But then before Josie could bite his leg like a tiny wolverine, Jim Bob and Derick go and talk about their feelings.' ' "Us older girls" are doing a book tour with that great grammar and they are first going to Good Morning America and then they will go across America. The girls are with the entire family. They keep talking about their last trip as a family. Their last book tour as a family. Their last dinner theater as a family. Their last pickle making junket as a family. Damnit, the girls are getting married. Not dying. Except for Jana's hopes.'

I sure as heck don't want to even think of my kids and kids-in-law having sex (just as I'm sure they don't want to think my husband and I do.) But we aren't the Duggars. (thank goodness) I could totally see JB and Michelle getting all up in these adult's baby-making business. Yucky thought indeed. (my daughters-in-law would tell me to take a flying leap if I even suggested anything like this.)

It's so true that it builds confidence. I recently talked my very shy (like me) 13 year old granddaughter into auditioning for her school play. She got a part as a king in Aladdin (not too many boys tried out) and it has done so much for her self-esteem. After the play, she recently tried out for cheer-leading and got on the team (and this kid worried way too much what everyone thought of her before.) So, good for Marjorie, and how sad none of the Duggars will ever get a chance to do anything like this.

Your post just reminded me of what kind of kid Marjorie reminds me of. The ones who audition on American Idol who can't sing a note. They've been told how great they are by their parents all their lives. They really really stink at singing, though, and have no clue. Makes me kind of sad, because IMO opinion they are wasting time on something they are no good at. I don't dislike Marjorie, BTW (and thought her announcement was cute.) I'm not saying she's not talented in whatever, but that's who she reminds me of, if that makes sense.

I don't know, but I think it is UGLY. (just me?) ETA: I am not saying that she's ugly. I don't think she is (she dresses like a shlub though.) It's just that that shade of lipstick is hideous (to me). Can't stand her ugly personality on this show though, and I loved a lot of her movies.

I hope so too...look at this snark I saw on the appearance of her legs in the picture in the People article. (it is a weird looking stance, I used to do that in pictures because my husband is an inch shorter than me, and I'm only 5'2") ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Arabrabra • "OK is she half sitting? Bow legged? Squatting??" Pick Me! • "bowing to the daddy duggar?" Guest • "Bad length of the dress doesn't help." fashiongal • "Bad dress, period." just sayin' • "Rickets"

*taking this to the 20/20 thread

Wow, I used to admire Barbara Walters. Now I think she's a fame-whore who will interview any POS to get publicity. Mary Kay is a pedophile..just because she's a woman doesn't make a difference. I'd be in jail for murder if some 34 year old skank slept with my TWELVE year old son. A new low. (aaaand I'll probably watch it..dang you baba wawa!)

This. At the end of the day it is my decision to put unhealthy food in my body. But if I was good at resisting I wouldn't have had the lap-band to begin with. I had a lot of counseling before the surgery, and had to go to a lot of classes. (now I need to follow it all much better) It doesn't help when my skinny as all heck and addicted to all sweets husband goes out and buys tons of donuts, cake, ice cream..you name it, he buys it. (he buys so much cake and donuts that they get moldy before he can eat it all. He used to be a terrible alcoholic but he quit cold-turkey after a DUI..hasn't drunk (drank?) for over ten years now, but my, oh my, does he craves sweets now. I can make him keep all his crap in his 'man cave' and I do..but that can't include all the refrigerated and frozen stuff. Out of sight, out of mind, and after the surgery, I don't crave it any more if it's not in my face, so it is really unhelpful of him to do that. Will he ever "get it"? No! and its SO frustrating. Good luck getting the families to get counseling though.. because they think the overweight person is the sole problem (because we carry our woes on our bodies..they can hide theirs better because it's mostly on the inside.) My husband only went one time in our 46 year marriage..said he really didn't have a problem and could quit when he felt like it. He did just that, by switching being addicted to alcohol to being addicted to religion. Hey, it worked well for him,so who am I to judge? (But I do judge, because it's just not my thing and I get so tired of him talking about it all the time) But. I stayed, so I need to put on my huge girl panties and DEAL, you know? So to bring it back to the show, YES, the families need counseling too! Sorry, I can't seem to type a short reply for the life of me. I apologize in advance.

I had lap-band surgery a year ago. I had gotten up to 260 lbs (and I'm only 5'2') I am sloooooowly losing weight..I now have lost a measly 61 lbs...still a long way to go. I was ecstatic this week to finally get under 200 lbs. After reading this entire board, and hearing people saying how exploitative this show is, I have to say something. After watching this show last night I had trouble sleeping, and the first thing I thought of when I woke up was this show. Yep, the butt wings did it for me...light bulb moment...because I cheat on my diet... a lot. For me, I cannot eat even a tiny bite of lettuce,pasta, bread, or rice without immediately upchucking. But that said, I have found many ways around all that. I can eat crackers and one kind of chips (Munchos), which I would go far and wide to find. And mashed potatoes (with lots of butter) and certain kinds of cake and candy and ice-cream. (and buttered popcorn) :( The other light-bulb moment for me was them all sitting like Jabba the Hut on the couch eating..I do that :( Today for the first time in years, I had my coffee and greek yogurt at the dining room table like a normal person. My husband looked at me like I had just grown another head. He was shocked, I tell you. Also kind of territorial about the table..he had his coupons all over it and made an exasperated sound when I asked him to clear me a spot. In my mind, I had thought I had lost more weight, Now when I type it in black and white...not nearly as much as I should have. This show is giving me a giant kick in my GIANT ASS. So yes I can see it being viewed as exploitative, but for me, it's educational. I needed to see her giant naked butt-wings (poor thing.) What a concept, I actually learned something from The Learning Channel. (can't believe I'm going to post this, please be kind to me) Now to get off the computer and clean my house and move my body for a change. (I'm also learning from Hoarders, I don't ever want to get THAT bad..lol) Edited to add, that for me personally, starting to wear stretch pants was the beginning of the slippery slope to weight gain hell...if you have started to only wear stretch pants, you are on the way into big trouble (imho)

Who is supposedly being considered for new view hosts. http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2015/03/the-view-cast-at-peace-rosie-odonnell-departure/

Seemed to me like it was a total end of The View kind of show (wishful thinking?)