sigmaforce86

I really wanted to know this too. I wondered if she didn't mention them because from what we've heard just her talking about her family could be enough to bring problems down on her brothers so maybe she didn't want to name them or hint that she knew what they were doing now for fear the CO$ would really go after them. I guess Merriam must know by now that her SeaOrg documents AND (more importantly) the document she signed promising not to sue aren't binding since she was a minor at the time. Growing up in the organization and being taught that all outside government is evil she'd have no way to know but now that she's out I'm sure she's been told and I wonder what her reaction was to being manipulated like that. I forgot how fast this show goes - it's disgusting but at the same time it teaches so much and shines so much light (unwanted light by the CO$) that it feels like it's over in five minutes and you find at times you're holding your breath.

Would Disco please explain the "timeline" that allows a shot of Rain waving good luck to Ami during the CT scan immediately followed by Rain in Alaska cleaning up Browtown? Extreme Boy falling on his face trying to pull part of that turbine gave me a snort laugh (and earned a re-wind). I can't believe they're dragging Ami on a road trip - whether it's all for the show or they're going because they want to or a combination; and even if she thinks she wants to this may be the worst idea in a family who lives on their history of bad ideas. I don't care if the RV scenes are staged and she's only filming 20 minutes a day while staying in five star hotels it's still incredibly stupid.

I was going to say (and I agree with your entire post by the way). I wonder then what Kendra's Dad or Derrick would say if someone countered that argument with the question 'What about infertile couples, if God's plan is for male and female to procreate as much as possible why are couples made infertile". But I wouldn't ask them that because I know what they'd say - the same thing MEChelle said about the miscarriage after Josh; it's on THEM not God, they didn't follow God's will, they sinned somehow, they're being punished until they repent. And if they never conceive they'll be told it's not genetics it's just that they didn't repent enough, there's still some sin in the camp. Genetics and biology will never play a part in their teachings. Makes me wonder; if the rumors are true and Jill can't have anymore children - and I stress that it's just tabloid rumors at this point - what will they say in public and what will they tell her in private. In a weird way I'm hoping it's not true only because that girl seems like she is on the edge already, any blame put on her for "failing" in this wifely duty could seriously push her right over.

Ahhh - the "head in the sand" approach. Very effective if you don't want to argue and debate because deep down you know you have no facts to back up your stance. And of course she can't buy the mix in DA because, as she's reminded us a thousand times "we have to stock up before we go; there aren't really places to shop down there" - all her fans must just pretend that the Wal-Mart we know is about five minutes from her house is imaginary and doesn't really exist in her world. That or she can't shop at a Central American Wal-Mart because then she'd have to, you know, like, actually use that Spanish she "studies".

In addition to what lascuba and Aja said, why are we supposed to take Derrick's word for this? Do you know how many racist people (for example) don't believe they're racist? Even white nationalists will insist that they're not bigots. Actions speak louder than words, talk is cheap. Derrick's words were that he had no problem with Jazz, but his actions were misgendering her and referring to transgender as a myth. And that also makes Derricks words a lie - he can't claim he has no problem with Jazz specifically while using her picture and calling out her show in his tweet. If he wanted to say he didn't believe in transgender people in general then he would and could have stated that and used a generic meme or no picture at all. He wanted to call her out and once he did and he used her as an example there is no way for him to backtrack and say he has no problem with her and be believed. He has a problem with her and the forum her show gives her and he couldn't keep it to himself - ironic considering the forum his show gives him on the same network but of course he'd consider his to be the "just and right" side and I'd go so far as to say he very likely believes his part in the show is some godly reward that he must use (or in his case misuse) as part of his missions.

Thanks - your post made me wonder why it wasn't on my dvr - turns out the show wasn't set up to record series anymore (maybe I accidentally deleted it during a clean-up, who knows). Anyway your heads up gave me time to set the recording up again before the show aired. I'd love to see these girls get together with Leah Remini for a quick section on her show or theirs about what similarities and differences the two cults have, how both go about controlling people and what other cults have similar practices.

Stupid tweet - stupid stubborn repeated use of "He". There are tweets for and against Derricks statement; a lot of "don't bite the hand that feeds you" responses but I think this may be the best reply:

I'm just going to say it's the sex lol..... You beat me to it - I was going to say: She got laid. They're definitely in the honeymoon period; there was a lot of hand sex going on over Jessa's shoulder. I feel a little sorry for Ben; I think his real talent may be in things that are creative but he wasn't and never will be encouraged to become and artist or musician or even graphic designer. Not that I'm saying he's Picasso or Jagger or anything like that but he could have made something from what natural talent he has and he seems to enjoy it and I think in both the Dugger and fundie world it would be considered a useless and "worldly" pursuit. Jeremy was hysterical with the "Why do you change the diaper if it's not dirty?" and the realization that kids pee too. I'll give him a nervousness pass for that but it was pretty funny. He also came up with the most real moment of the night when he talked about Jinger not believing in herself and he was at least sweet and calm about it; he didn't try to sound frustrated or mocking which was really nice. Knowing she's been wearing pants and shorts and finding her way around Laredo on her own (especially compared to Jill the husband clinger) it seems like she's growing, he's helping her and there's hope for them having what we might call a more normal married life.

Forget the bikini's - Imagine going to Hawaii and not even wearing shorts. Even if she's trying to hide her legs certainly a light pastel color skirt that was longer but with a flowy/guazy material would have been more comfortable and more appropriate. And JB could just as easily wear lightweight khaki or linen pants (to me when you get hot in denim it just starts to stretch and bag and weigh you down). Not sure if it's just habit after all these years and they don't notice or if it's we must suffer in our modesty to show how honorable <cough/gag> we are. The upside is with the two of them "technically" off the show we will be spared the 2 hour honeymoon special that would have chronicled their every step if this trip was taken just a few seasons ago.

Found it - two seconds after I posted I realized Disco's website would have the episode and I could pause and screenshot on that. So here's the two shots - on-line it's at about 13:59 and 14:59. Shot 1, close up of Matt after he's taken off the porch, shot two as the team walks away and he lifts his head - definitely no bandages and no blood to be seen.

Fakery Alert!?! I noticed this, went back and did re-wind/pause multiple times. But I don't have frame by frame so if anyone wants to check, confirm or de-bunk but.............. At 19 minutes in they load Matt on the stretcher, he has bloody gauze wrapped around his head, close-up of said bloody gauze. At 20 minutes in the crew is carrying Matt from the house - what I can tell is it's Matt (or his stunt double), they're shooting towards his head not his feet and you can easily see the lovely pillow he had under his head (previously seen during close up of bloody gauze). Matt's voice says how he lost a lot of blood and he lifts his head slightly - what has changed? There is NO bloody gauze or wrappings of any kind visible. All I see is his head, and hair nothing else white or bloody to be seen. So re-wind, pause at proper moment, re-wind, pause again - nope, in that one shot I can not find evidence of any gauze, wrappings, blood (the pillowcase is also apparently clean btw). If anyone sees different feel free to correct me but from what I can tell looks like there's a re-enactment screw up that made it past editing. EDITED TO ADD: Proof found - see my second post about 4 down from this one

Let's compare shall we? Jill and Derrick, in a country where Spanish is the primary language - can't be bothered to interact with the locals who speak the language claiming their Spanish isn't good enough which at the same time removes the chance to improve by practice. Jeremy and Jinger, live in a city where both English and Spanish is spoken - study Spanish at home and actively seek out places where it is spoken with the specific goal of practicing and improving. It must drive Derrick, Ben, Jessa and Jill crazy that Jer and Jing are slowly but surely becoming fan favorites while one couple still lives in the old mold house they're outgrowing and the other has an education he doesn't use and drags his semi-stable wife to another country for months at a time. There's good and bad but the bad can certainly and quickly turn people off. I went to visit a friend in Texas and she took me to her church - after the service she introduced me and the pastor said "Oh, you're from JOISEY" (yes he said it like that accent and all), then proceeded to throw out a bunch of stereotypical Goodfellas/Sopranos type statements all with that same dumb accident. He thought he was being funny or charming I guess. I kept smiling at him while thinking we don't fucking talk like that in real life. He managed to make a great negative impression on me in just 30 seconds and was clueless about it - if I was moving there I'd never have gone back to that church.

You beat me to it! I was thinking the same thing after watching Bear do his running, climbing, digging, howling "I'm back in the bush" celebration. And it went downhill from there which taught me one thing - a little of Bear goes a very, very long way. I don't think he's gotten this much screen time before and you realize he's exhausting to watch; if that's what he's really like it's no wonder the Browns encouraged him to go do extreme bush rolls in the grass and hang out in the treetops - anything to get rid of him and shut him up for awhile. So explosions were heard in Browntown and reported to the crew who had left for the night - Heard and reported by who? It's never said and the premise that Billy drilled into the viewers over the years, (we're so remote, it's so far to town and a dangerous trip, there's nobody around we rely on ourselves) just gets thrown out the window and glossed over by production. For a film crew they're not very creative - at least say they left one camera man with night vision there or a remote feed that was being monitored; a five year old could come up with a better story than "somebody heard it". Noah left and was supposed to be going to CA to be with Ami.......... yet he was available to be with Matt in Juneau but then was nowhere to be seen when Matt got to CA two weeks later (we assume it was two weeks). Matt tells the story to Bam but his head doesn't look shaved, there's nothing to indicate where the staples were, he doesn't even show Bam where he was hurt. Bam doesn't look or sound like he's even trying to pretend anymore. The interesting part was Ami and the crew - I wish they'd come out and say what's going on with the filming. If you go by last night it seems like it's with the Brown's consent but they don't want to be filmed every minute like when Billy said he needed a break (understandable), it also seems like they have someone higher up helping them maybe even sitting in on the medical meetings they don't film. It was touching that the producer cried too and explained things to the boys so Billy didn't have to and hopefully she's not faking that part. But would it hurt to just come out and say that - "We continue to film with the Browns consent and Ami and Billy have asked us to follow their medical journey" or some such thing. BTW: If you're wondering about Ami's diagnosis, 3B is advanced cancer that's metastasized. There's also the TNM designation (T for Tumors, N for Lymph Nodes and M for Metastases) which wasn't mentioned so if she were (for example) T1, N0, M0 she'd have a small tumor, no lymph nodes involved and not metastasized but being 3B she likely has an "N" or "M" level or both plus having well advanced cancer in the lungs.

And he wouldn't stop even when he was trying to figure out the pains - "I don't know what this is", "It hurts right here on my left", "I hope it's not my heart again".......pauses in self-diagnosis to light cigarette. Honestly if I was his wife and saw that on the show I'd want to kill him myself. Sig has been posting pictures with the new grandbaby and at Mandy's wedding so we know he's OK but will he keep fishing after this is the big, big question. Award for idiot of the night is a tie - Keith or Jake. Keith may need his quota very badly but when the entire fleet has run for a safe harbor could it be that they're all right and your decision to continue to fish is the wrong choice? And Jake watched his guys, who didn't really know what to do, set that anchor, couldn't really see what they did but just asked them if it was done and took their word for it - you're the captain AND you know they need help and advice, take 5 minutes away from your dinner table speech to walk over and double check their work, that's your responsibility. I've always liked Jake but that was a bonehead oversight and I wonder what the Saga owners had to say about it.

This episode confused me - not the Q&A, that was easy but the relationships. Yay for Jinger and Jer buying a house, is it wrong to say I'd actually look forward to any house hunting/moving coverage they want to add to next season? But DO NOT look forward to any scenes of the Duggar clan descending on said house to decorate. Also bonus points for Jinger for her clothes - it might have been a dress but it was nearly sleeveless when the other three all had long sleeve sweaters. Jinger doesn't care about her "defrauding shoulders" (as she shouldn't). Daphne actually said something "sucks" - quite the swear word in the Dugger-verse. But the relationships. At the start it looked like Joy and Austin on one end where he talked and she deferred and Jessa/Ben on the far other side where she ran the show. With Jinger and Jer in the middle. As the show went on Jinger and Jer didn't change from center but the others did. Jessa does run the show but it seemed to be because Ben just wasn't interested in talking or even reacting - does he not know where to look when he has nothing to say so he just puts on a thousand yard stare? Was he high on allergy meds? Was he just completely checked out of the interview and that was his "the contract says I have to be here" face? On the opposite side Joy started to show personality - I got the feeling she has a wicked sense of humor or sarcasm and a stronger will than we realized. She doesn't say much so it comes across as submissive or no personality but when she does talk she seems able to bring the zingers. You wouldn't think that was in her based on the way she acted at the wedding, especially right before the ceremony but maybe this is her real personality and the things she did/said before the ceremony was just not caring about the pageantry and nerves? I hope she does actually have that spark in her and that Austin isn't as much of a tool as he seems. Please Duggars and TLC - if you want to truly have an FU Internet show stop asking Jinger about babies (and don't bug Joy about it either even if we do think she'll make an announcement soon) and stop asking Jana about courting. It may be important in Duggar-land but it's not ALL they are; it's also very obvious they're not comfortable with the questions and doing their best to deflect so considering it's been asked multiple times in recent episodes isn't it time to just drop it and wait.

The pattern matching thing might explain why my former church was big into Rummikub (which I still like to play), it's like domino's but matches numbers and colors. It never really made sense to me because you can screw over the other players big time and block them once you figure out what sequences they're going for and that cut-throat, competitive approach seems the opposite of good clean fun. I hope Jinger and Jer are playing cards in their down time and calling the game "Gin" instead of just Rummy, games of chance named after booze would make JB's head explode and anything that does that is fine by me Side note: First time I typed this auto correct moved the S and changed "cards in their" to "card sin their", apparently my computer is fundie and knows cards are evil and sinful.

Read Reality Observers recap and I missed this when the show aired: Noah is back in Alaska (didn’t he leave last week?), putting down bones wrapped in red ribbon, or something, to detox the bear population’s ‘Fairy Circles’. My bad - I did a FF through all the recap stuff and skipped most of the episode - except for Cupcake because, well, PUPPIES (how could you not love puppies no matter who they're going to live with!). Now I'm sorry I missed this but not sorry enough to re-watch on demand. Still, of all the family Noah is supposed to be Mr Logic, Mr Science, Mr Inventor; you wouldn't think he'd be the one to float off into fairly land unless the fairies used a semi-electrified fence that covers 3 feet of land. Can't tell what they're doing next week - they're in the desert cooking eggs in the sun, then they're in a forest that looks like Yellowstone or Yosemite or the Rockie Mountains (buffalo sightings; could be any of those places or even further like South Dakota). Are they traveling to a new treatment center? Are they re-capping the families perilous journey from Alaska to LA? Are we ever going to get a timeline that makes sense? (the answer to that last one is no).

But...but......Didn't they explain this; I mean they're packing for an important trip, they don't have "stuff" available, it's all going to DA or stored away because you know being poor missionaries they don't have a permanent home where they can keep nice things (wink, wink). They have no money or room for real possessions, they can barely afford those steaks from the last of their donation money and might have to wash and re-use those paper plates. But all is not lost, if you give now they'll be able to upgrade to plastic plates and maybe even ship those to DA so Izzy doesn't have to eat off the floor AND for just a little extra Jill might be able to make banana bread twice a week this time. By the way - the Southern Baptist Convention supposedly recently denied the Dillards retro-active recognition as "missionaries" because they don't meet the education requirements.....huge surprise there. https://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2017/07/jill-duggar-and-derick-dillard-rejected-by-their-own-church/

Have to admit - the proposal made me smile. Yes it was simply and sort of silly but for that moment they both seemed really happy not keep sweet happy or play for the camera's happy. She's young and it would be better for their relationship if they waited but from the TH's and the way she was interacting with Henry I suspect Joy will have an announcement before Jinger does. The worst part was the kids tearing into those boxes from Laredo. Do they never get gifts or do they have no manners (I suspect both). Jinger packed it so nicely and even labeled things and here's one of the boys just yanking the stuff out and tossing it on the counter barely looking at it while another is into a different box and everyone is yelling and grabbing at once. Michelle made a barely there effort but it was mostly a free for all, I sort of feel sorry for Jinger if she watches and saw how her boxes were really handled. Next week looks interesting - although I don't see Daphne Oz as an obvious hostess and I wonder if they'll ask the questions we really want to know about or if it'll all be cutesy soft-ball stuff.

There's not much I can add that hasn't been mentioned - but I wanted to say I feel sorry for little Sam. In all the talk about Jill and Derrick and their irresponsibility I want to remember that baby had no say in his parents "choices". If anything had gone very wrong during birth or if there are any complications from whatever it is that's causing him to have all those monitors and oxygen right now HE'S the one that will have to pay the price. To me that's really sad; Jill can focus on her mother of the year fantasy all she wants but I can't wrap my head around the idea that she can't seem to step back and decide she's wrong or she needs help or she has to put her home birth and vbac plans aside so she can put the babies needs and health first. If she doesn't wake up, attempt to grow a brain and a backbone and start acting like a true adult she's going to do this again. She'll announce number three then throw out phrases like "try for the home-birth" and "labor at home" and, being very unlikely to deliver naturally after two c-sections, she's going to be damn lucky to not end up with a severally disabled or dead baby. I just feel sorry and maybe a little mad that they could potentially have a child that has to deal with lifelong issues that could have been prevented but weren't because they're so arrogant. And I sincerely hope that the 40 hours of labor with Sam is just their wonky way of counting when labor starts (I had a twinge, start the clock!) and not the true amount of time she spent trying to get that kid out before she sought help.

I can't figure out the house - it has to be a good size going by the outside plus all the people in it. But (and someone correct me if my memory's off on this)............all we've seen so far is the yard, deck and room that Ami's bed is in. Do they not want filming in the other rooms - maybe that's where they store their computers, TV, DVD player with Netflix, you know; all those electronics we've been told over and over they don't own and no nothing about. Maybe Ami moves around the house a lot but only films scenes in that one room - but why? Worst scene - Bear, Bird and the hot tub - I know by the time they filmed CA's drought issues were pretty much over but I can't express how annoying it was to see Bear slice open that gallon jug of water with the knife, THROW THE WATER AWAY and use the jug as a scoop. Was that the only thing available, they have no buckets, plastic glasses, anything else? At least pour the water in a pitcher and use it! Real life choice or done just for the camera's - I don't care either way it was such a waste.

Well going by this it sounds like we'll have plenty of "new" recipes and a lot of plugs for the new cookbook. And I say new as loosely as possible since the article says: The new cookbook's called Come And Get It, featuring recipes for people who don't have time to spend hours over the stove. Which sounds suspiciously like the semi-homemade, canned food approach she's been using on the show more and more lately. Also make plenty of room in your freezers ladies - the sheet pan dinners apparently get their own special place in the book: Every section of the book is devoted to making dinner in a flash, with chapters on sheet pan dinners, meals under 30 minutes, and meals under 20 minutes. Drummond also teased a salmon and kale sheet pan dinner, So get the popcorn ready (I hear shaking it in a pan works) to sit back this fall and watch variations of - "my favorite recipe from my new cookbook", "Ladd loved this so much I just had to put it in the new cookbook", "the kids will just love this quick lunch from my new cookbook". Pioneer Woman Cookbook Sneak Peek

Liked watching Jinger and Jer study and test out their Spanish because they were having fun and most important were nice about it. It wasn't the condescending need that Jill and Derrick have to learn the language of the heathens they're off to convert. They actually looked comfortable with each other and very much like a normal couple doing the flash cards and seemed very OK in looking foolish if they mispronounced words at the restaurant. That was nice. If I was Jessa I'd never want to cut Sperg's hair those curls are just so cute. What Joy made was not cheesecake - it was at best some Good Housekeeping shortcut recipe cheesecake pie. The FU Internet moment was so glaring I'm surprised the camera's didn't explode when they filmed it. Jessa quietly reading her Bible while the kids napped was one thing (possible but not totally plausible)..............Jill and Derrick actually studying though; that was a whole other level. Jill looking oh so serious with her extra thick book and highlighter in hand. Sorry, I just can't believe that for a second, some of the others maybe, even Derrick but not Jill.

Not that I'm much of a Jill defender but...............could it be for the birth certificate? The laws seem to vary from country to country but what I assumed was they figured that it's easier to come home and have a US recorded birth and certificate than dealing with the paperwork, dual citizenship etc that can come with a "foreign" birth. ETA: I agree though there are tons of missionaries who do just that - have families where they live - and they manage just fine. But it's also possible that those families do their work through real accredited organizations that help them with documentation, paperwork, visas etc.

I was thinking about them living in SoCal and visiting Hawaii and I wish I could find a link to the video but I remember a couple of years ago one of the guys (I'm 75% certain it was Bear) talked about being so acclimated to that Alaskan climate that they're heat intolerant and he claimed when they went to the big city once and it was something like 65 degrees out he almost fainted from heat stroke because he was just soooo not used to anything but icy cold frozen. Anyone else remember that or, better, have a link to the episode? Just thinking about how it sounded so good then, so in line with the families story; we're so extreme we actually thrive in arctic temperatures. And suddenly a year or so later they're magically able to tolerate the heat not only for multiple Hawaii and lower 48 vacations but for living in the SoCal area with nothing but a jury-rigged garden house for cooling.