Wellfleet

I recently saw a CNN documentary on the Jim Jones/People's Temple cult - the one that resulted in over 900 suicide/murders in 1978 in Guyana, and the shooting deaths of fact-finding California Congressman Leo Ryan and some in his entourage. The tragedy that coined the phrase "drinking the Koolaid." I would agree that most cults are probably started by college-educated individuals - but not necessarily made up of them. If the People's Temple is fairly typical at least. There were a few individuals with degrees that were somewhat senior in the cult, but from what the documentary showed, it seemed like most of the "rank-in-file" members had high school educations or less, and were somewhat down on their luck in general. Life had been difficult for them - unemployment, family issues, mental health issues, drug problems. And turning to the People's Temple and Jones' twisted message, looking for a utopian lifestyle and community. Sound familiar? Edited to correct the Congressman's name. It's correct now - thanks to DangerousMinds. :>)

Happy - the news about your friend Brad just plain stinks. And Alzheimer's stinks. You are clearly heartbroken and it's completely understandable. Sometimes I think we need to come up with a "ribbon" program for Alzheimer's as we did for AIDS and for breast cancer. Get the word out there! Get the word out and get it solved! A "polio project" for our generation. It is much more common that we want to believe, and it's headed our way. If not ourselves personally, to people we love. If you haven't seen it, check out the movie Still Alice. Julianne Moore won the Oscar for it this Spring and it's all about an early-onset Alzheimer's patient. Highly recommend it.

Very pertinent point. IMO, most "reality famiies" start to come apart when they begin to rely on the $$ and various other publicity "opportunities" for their livelihoods. This will likely not be the case with Bill and Jen. I can't imagine either of them being very upset when it ends for them - however that happens. They may get cancelled once the kids are no longer adorable. Or they may decide when Zoey starts kindergarten that enough is enough - and it's just not in the kids' best interests to continue. Whenever it ends for them, they have work to continue and may have even better opportunities/$$ come along.

I was very interested in the New Jersey family that was not on very long. Table for Twelve was the name of the program, I think. Can't remember their name - Hayes maybe? Dad was a cop, Mom was SAH and one of the quints or sextuplets had CP as a result of the multiple and/or premature birth. ??? Nice normal kids, junior high age and younger. Nice normal house too - not tons of the latest gadgets, no interior designer etc. I'm hoping the reason they weren't on very long is because they themselves pulled the plug, deciding it was the best thing for the kids.

I would bet big $$ that is EXACTLY what they can't write a coherent sentence. They don't read any in their daily lives. They aren't, and never have been, readers. Expressing yourself in writing is much easier to do intelligently when you have examples of good writing from others to help.

For sure. Will was accustomed to cameras long before being adopted. In his foster home/orphanage, they were very big on filming celebrations. holidays, even everyday activities, so I don't think it would occur to Will to think anything about the cameras at all. At least, not until he's older and his school friends clue him into the fact that this is not something that goes on in everyone's home. But personally I'm guessing [and hoping] Bill & Jen will pull the cameras after the kids start kindergarten.

In the mid 80s, my SIL took a long-saved-for trip to Hawaii with a girlfriend about six months before she and my brother got engaged - he didn't go on this trip since they hadn't known each other all that long at that point - and I'm sure $$ was tight for him as well. She brought back the nicest presents for everyone, including us, her boyfriend's family. I got a pound of Kona coffee, which I wish I could have stretched out forever because it's one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life - and Kona is really hard to find - not to mention super $$$ - on the mainland. If I ever go to Hawaii myself, I'm going to ship about 20 pounds of Kona home and dole it out with an eyedropper. I may not even tell anyone if I have it - bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! All for me! :>)

Just finished watching The Descendants with George Clooney. Highly recommend it, BTW. The land is gorgeous, the water is THE most beautiful color. And now you tell me you can buy freshly-made smoothies and crepes made with fresh-off-the-trees fruit? Along the side of the road?? Oy, now I'm sure I want to live there...

I rarely look at social media - even my own Twitter. I'm old and just forget about it. When something big happens, I'll go look to see what the people I follow [not many of them] are saying but that's about it. But I do check out the Duggar Instagrams and other media if there's a link here on the forum. This is where I began forming my theory about the leghumpers. The comments they leave are so clearly an indication - IMO at least - that a majority of them are females under the age of 30, and the rest may be over the age of 60-70 - many of whom haven't finished high school much less college. It is not the odd comment that's hard to follow - it happens a lot.

So glad to hear that you received a good prognosis and this whole mess was caught early. I'm sure your treatment won't be any kind of picnic, but I just finished watching an online snippet of The Little Couple. Just after adopting her little girl from India, Jen gets sick and has to fly home ahead of the family. A few days later, she says [i'm paraphrasing], "Well, getting a cancer diagnosis was the LAST thing I ever expected to have happen right now, but we're just going to have to power-through it and do whatever's necessary to get rid of it. And then onto better things..." Sounds like damn good advice to me. And from someone who's actually been there. Take care of yourself, wander - and your family. Don't worry a whit about us. Just know that should you ever need us, we are here for you, a stout, stalwart and staunch wall of support, encouragement and love.

Good point. Excellent point actually. The Bateses don't seem to do this, and the Kellers certainly haven't either, based on seeing both Anna and Priscilla pregnant a number of times. Ever-increasing evidence that the truly odd factors in this whole lumbering saga continue to be Boob and Me-chelle.

One of the truest things I've ever read on this forum: "TLC needs new editors badly..." Well, at least 19 Kids needs them - editors and producers. I think the crew of The Little Couple does pretty well over all, but anyone connected with 19 Kids is either pathetically-lacking in skills - or just plain not allowed to do what they know to be better - because of Boob's staggeringly-entitled desire to control.

[employing sarcasm font] Response from Jill & Derick: Hey, you guys. Come on, we're 20-somethings! We have it ALL figured out - and nothing can happen! Don't worry! What is it about you old folks? Why can't you just relax? Why are you always so cautious, and worrying about every little thing that MIGHT happen?

Oh, I would never personally donate to the Dillards' mission fund. I just want them - Derick especially - to know that when you expect other people to pay your way - for anything - you provide as absolutely as much information as possible. And if you're not willing to do that, you pay for yourself.

Absolutely. Someone needs to post a message to the Dillards' donation site. Hey Derrick, if you expect me, or anyone else for that matter, to advance you Penny One for your mission trip, you had better come up with some details pronto, son. Lots of details - as in as much information as you are capable of providing. Otherwise, you & Jilly Muffin can pay yourself - just cash in one or two of your People covers.

Case in point - the Bateses. To me, the difference between the Duggar and Bates children is night-and-day. There is a lightness, a naturalness and a happiness about the Bates kids that the Duggars have never shown. The Bates kids on camera are just being themselves. Are ALLOWED to be themselves. The Duggars always seem to be performing, saying their lines, spewing company policy etc. I think they get rehearsed constantly. The proper responses for dozens of situations/questions are drilled into them from an early age. For the most part, only the smallest Duggars are ever allowed to say or do anything spontaneous on camera. And even then, those occasions have been somewhat weird. The M kids have been pretty cute in their THs - because they're all still very young - but we have Josie smacking her hands together trying to catch imaginary - or not - insects and then eating them. The difference in the families comes down to the parents. Boob dived headfirst into Gothardism from the get-go and hasn't looked back or questioned any of it since. In fact, in his endless need to compete, he's doubled and re-doubled his efforts. If a little is good, a lot is better. The Bates parents seem to have a sense of balance and reason that Boob and Me-chelle have never displayed.

Hey, we ALL wish that one - regardless of size! LOL :>)

Oh, for me that would be the worst! I absolutely love peaches and nectarines! My mother and I once had a 45-minute [!!!] conversation on fruit. A beautiful Summer night, working on a jigsaw puzzle on Mom's front porch - and we went back and forth on just about every fruit in Creation - ending with nectarines and peaches for both of us.

My guess is because getting married in the absolute biggest, best thing that is ever going to happen to them, and they want to be sure everyone knows about it. They must be loving the fact that they can stream it now, rather than just share photos at the next fundie gathering after their wedding. Which is probably another wedding... LOL. The girl in the center. It looks like she was going for that Kate Gosselin porcupine hairstyle - but something went horribly wrong. LOL.

Simply brilliant idea - excellent!

IMO, it all comes down to Me-chelle's monumental laziness - she simply can't be bothered to heat the peas and feed from a bowl. An effing paper bowl! She had all these kids and there was always something else that needed doing. Even when she "only" had 6-7 kids. Unless I'm mistaken, I bet the "cold peas from the can" deal is just one of many "shortcuts" she employed to meet basic needs. The rest of us see it as "Geez, if you can't properly care for all these kids, then don't have them." And of course we know the Duggars' answer to that.

Oh God, you poor kid. You poor sweet kid. This is unbelievable news. I don't know what to say. Gobsmacked, as the Brits say. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers until this completely-unacceptable situation is successfully resolved. Consider yourself cyber-hugged and squeezed. Please do not hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to help from this end, no matter how minor it may seem to you. Anything. God bless and keep you, sweetie.

I could also see the guy who did Boob in the Funny or Die piece - thought he did quite a good job.

I'd be stunned if Boob doesn't list that house - he is going to need the $$.

Observers? Behaviorists? I know I sometimes feel like Jane Goodall sitting in her little spot for hours and hours, noting chimp behaviors in the minutest detail.