The Biggest Loser and Progresso Soup: An Unhealthy But Not Surprising Combination

I had this to say to Progresso Soups on their Facebook page when they were bragging about their collaboration with The Biggest Loser, a hate-filled show which is in no way about health. We'll see how long it stays up there and how much hate I get launched at me for telling it like it is.

The Biggest Loser is in no way about health. It is about winning a weight loss competition, pure and simple. Any health care professional worth their salt would tell you that techniques such as dehydration and forcing people to exercise while injured or until they vomit are in no way conducive to good health. Eating only 1000-1200 calories a day is a starvation diet, and is also in no way conducive to good health. People need to stop swallowing the pill forced down their throats by the multi-billion dollar diet industry which equates health and thinness. Those who really want to get and or stay healthy would be wise to check out the Health at Every Size approach. I am completely opposed to the extremely abusive and hateful tactics utilized by The Biggest Loser. If anyone thinks they give a flying crap about the contestants, you've been had. By the way, Progresso, when are you going to stop using monosodium glutamate in your products? Many people are extremely sensitive to this very unhealthy substance.

Amazons: The Ladies and the River

Etymology Gal explains how the Amazon River got its name, and gives us a little history of the warrior women.

There are a lot of Axe Man groupies in this video!

In modern times, "Amazon" is often used to describe a strong female who is probably larger than the average woman. 

In a scenario from our Crazy Fanfic Mashup blog, Bill Hudson says of Ellen Ripley:

""Don't tell her I said this or she'll probably kick my ass, but even though she's this tough Amazon woman who could stomp someone's head in if she needed to, she's one of the most totally vulnerable people I've ever met."

Ellen Ripley (portrayed by Sigourney Weaver) is around six feet tall, which is much taller than the average woman. The character is a reluctant warrior who would really rather be left alone to live her life in peace, as opposed to a character such as Xena the Warrior Princess, who seeks action, adventure, and ass-kicking.

Little bit of fangirl geekage for y'all there!

I hope you've been enjoying these Word Nerd videos. I've enjoyed sharing them.

Lily

 

 

Lucifer, Lobsters, and Other Lovely Literary Licks

Etymology Gal explains the origins of some well known words.

Sleep Attacks: Neural Dysfunction, Entities, or Something of Both?

The "hag attack" is a fairly common, uncomfortable and frightening occurrence wherein the sufferer cannot move and feels as if something is holding him/her prisoner.

While something of this phenomenon can be explained away by waking up during the portion of sleep when the body is paralyzed, I think it is short-sighted to completely dismiss the idea of attacking entities.

I have suffered from waking during the paralyzed portion of sleep since I was in my teens. This is, in retrospect, also when my bipolar disorder onset, so I am not sure if there is any correlation there.

Much of the time, the sensations that I suffer can be explained away by the physical phenomenon of waking while still paralyzed. However, I have also had experiences which lead me to believe that at least some of the time, there is an attacking entity. There have been times when an entity has temporarily entered my body, and I will speak bizarre words in a distorted voice much deeper than my own.

I know that what I am describing cannot be validated by current scientific methods. But I feel that a true scientist takes all possibilities into account, rather than pooh-poohing away any idea not in keeping with present conventional wisdom.

Magick Lessons: Lamashtu and the Left Hand Path

Thanks to certain lies spread by the Christian church over the years, anytime someone talks about the Left Hand Path, they are seen as being "evil," sacrificing puppies to Satan at midnight while raping baby bunnies, and all manner of other nastiness along the same lines.

While it is my understanding that Lamashtu is not a particularly nice deity, like Kali, she can be helpful if met on her terms.

Rather than viewing deities and realms such as heavens and hells as "good" or "evil," I view them as dark and light. Dark is not evil. Dark is simply dark.

A further misunderstanding which requires clarification is the mistaking of Lucifer and Satan as being the same entity. Lucifer is not Satan. The name Lucifer simply means "light bearer." Thus, he is not a dark deity at all. He was originally associated with the "morning star," which is the planet Venus as seen at dawn. In Greek mythology, he is known as Phosphorus.

Open your mind and check out the video, if you wish. While you may not care to follow the techniques described, it is quite educational for anyone who studies mysticism and/or mythology.

Lily

Cross posted to:

Lily Strange's Posterous

Lost Beneath the Surface

Undead in the Netherworld