OneFinger

My heart goes out to both you and your friend. I pray for a swift resolution of the situation.

Since finding this forum I realize there are several of us on a similar journey. Below is an list of weight equivalents that has really helped me realize and understand the magnitude of what I've been carry around. So, what have each of you lost? As of today I've lost a 5000 BTU air conditioner (based on my all-time highest weight). Your weight loss = 1 pound = a Guinea Pig 1.5 pounds = a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts 2 pounds = a rack of baby back ribs 3 pounds = an average human brain 4 pounds = an ostrich egg 5 pounds = a Chihuahua 6 pounds = a human's skin 7.5 pounds = an average newborn 8 pounds = a human head 10 pounds= chemical additives an American consumes each year 11 pounds = an average house cat 12 pounds = a Bald Eagle 15 pounds = 10 dozen large eggs 16 pounds = a sperm whale's brain 20 pounds = an automobile tire 23 pounds = amount of pizza an average American eats in a year 24 pounds = a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream 30 pounds = amount of cheese an average American eats in a year 33 pounds = a cinder block 36 pounds = a mid-size microwave 40 pounds = a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg 44 pounds = an elephant's heart 50 pounds = a small bale of hay 55 pounds = a 5000 BTU air conditioner 60 pounds = an elephant's penis (yep, weights more than his heart!) 66 pounds = fats and oils an average American eats in a year 70 pounds = an Irish Setter 77 pounds = a gold brick 80 pounds = the World's Largest Ball of Tape 90 pounds = a newborn calf 100 pounds = a 2 month old horse 111 pounds = red meat an average American eats in a year 117 pounds = an average fashion model (and she's 5'11") 118 pounds = the complete Encyclopedia Britannica 120 pounds = amount of trash you throw away in a month 130 pounds = a newborn giraffe 138 pounds = potatoes an average American eats in a year 140 pounds = refined sugar an average American eats in a year 144 pounds = an average adult woman (and she's 5'4") 150 pounds = the complete Oxford English Dictionary 187 pounds = an average adult man 200 pounds = 2 Bloodhounds 235 pounds = Arnold Schwarzenegger 300 pounds = an average football lineman 400 pounds = a Welsh pony

Thanks to both you and TY for your wonderful responses. Great info and much appreciated. But, perhaps, you've encapsulated my thoughts when you say it is not a diet. I'm really beginning to hate that word because I've tried and failed at many different diets. This time, however, is different because it is a lifestyle change. It's not just changing my eating habits but much more with the exercise program, hydration, and other modifications. And, it's all becoming an integrated part of my lifestyle. Today, for example, I went to an all day seminar. Breakfast was the usual buffet with coffee, hash brown potatoes, eggs, pancakes, etc. But, I was just fine with my small scoop of scrambled eggs. When lunch rolled around it was a full turkey dinner. I was able to eat a small portion of the meat and vegetables and didn't touch the stuffing, potatoes, bread, or desert. During the breaks, unfortunately, the only choices were soda, cookies, pastries, etc. Would really have appreciated a raw veggy tray or even a fresh fruit choice. So, without an alternative, I did without. If nothing else, today really hammered home to me some of the common eating habits that are really not that healthy. So, today, I made it through a public event and was still able to maintain the standards of my current program. Makes me feel like there is hope. FYI, the 3 of us at work started comparing notes. So far our combined weight loss is equivalent to the total weight of a newborn giraffe, a bale of hale, and a microwave oven. My personal goal is to lose an elephant's penis before Christmas (60 lbs).

Thanks so much for your reply and that of lookin (really appreciate the receipt link.).So far 4 of us in the office are going through this program - I started in September. There are several weight loss options out there but this is the only one that my insurance covers (I have Blue Cross of CA). They have a very rigid diet, vitamin, and exercise regime for the first 6-9 months. I believe this is a kick start to shock the body's metabalism and get things back on track. They have set realilstic (and obtainable) goal weights for each of us (over the next 12 months). All of us have at least 100 lbs to lose. The first guy that started doing this is now 6 months into the program and they are having him introduce limited carbs back into his diet. The long-term outcome will be to eat healthier, much smaller portions, and continue a daily exercise program. I'm just finding it difficult to get all my protein without resorting to the liquid protein drinks. So, I plan to pick up some TVP and started adding that to my meals. So far my body is responding well to this lifestyle change and I've dropped about 4" off the waist line.

Just found this forum and am enjoying the posts. But, I have a question for some of the "pros" here. I recently started a weight loss program with a nutritionist at my doctor's office. I completed a one week clear liquid diet and am not almost finished by a semi-liquid diet phase. The next phase will be soft foods and they want me to minimize (hopefully eliminate) all carbs and increase my protein in-take. (FYI, I've already had to give up coffee, non-herbal teas, soda, alcohol, starches, etc.) In this phase they want me to get away from drinking my meals / protein and increase foods with high protein. A co-worker suggested that I start using TVP. Is this a better source of protein than meats? Any pros or cons on using this? I plan to ask my nutritionist at my next visit. But would appreciate any of your thoughts.

I'm not disputing the numbers and I find it very interesting. But, what happens if you compare it to a Happy Meal?? Some of my guys don't have a BIG Mac.

Never heard of it. What in the world is it and where?

TY, perhaps you misunderstood my first post in this thread. I did not mean to imply that this site supports blackmail. To my knowledge you and TotallyOz probably had no clue that the escort told me he had been blackmailed by a client who submitted a review. However, I have posted about that review previously and mentioned the legal problems that the escort claims were caused by the reviewer. http://www.maleescortreview.com/forum/index.php?/topic/2918-why-dont-clients-leave-reviews/page__p__14764__hl__review__fromsearch__1#entry14764 My post to this thread was certainly not the first time I raised a concern about that review and the escort's issues. You certainly should NOT have been surprised by my post. You first heard about it in November 2008. Now, I'm asking a favor. Could please stop trying to drive a public ax further into my back? If you want to take it off-line and discuss this privately, then do it. But your repeated public attacks are unwarranted, unwanted, and beneath someone in your position.

I really doubt your balls are bigger than mine.

TotallyOz, You provided some good insight concerning your previous contacts with this escort. That's information I never knew and it does put things in a different light. And, I really appreciate your personal conversations with me before making this public post. That, IMHO, was the right and honorable thing to do. However, before and after posting my comments, I re-read the e-mail exchanges between the escort and myself. I believe I very fairly represented the facts as he told them and what I know from my interactions with him. Where is the truth in this matter? I'm really not sure. But, you've raised enough suspicions on the escort's character and prior action that I won't be hiring him again. That's a shame because he was a very friendly guy that met my sexual needs. But, your interaction with him is so different from mine that I'm not sure I want to risk seeing him in a new light or possibly get involved his personal crises.

And in doing so, you verified my original assumption. Too bad you jump to such rash conclusions without so much as a personal interaction. Lucky and TotallyOz have carried on very good personal conversations with me about his issue. You seem to prefer the poison public pen. Very sad for someone in your position.

Wonderful invitation and I would like to see more active posters. But, I remember when I came back here after the most recent Daddy meltdown. My first post was berated by one the resident assholes (whom I now have on my "ignore" list). But, it makes it tough for people to participate when some of the long-time old farts sling arrows and make you feel totally unwelcome. I don't come here to have my posts blasted. So, I'm usually one of the registered lurkers. And, I've stopped posting reviews after one of MER's finest read my positive review, hired the excellent escort, and then tried to blackmail him. I felt terrible when that happened and I swore I would never do another review. Plus, there are some posters here and there that love to dissect a review and question the accuracy of the escort and the reviewer. Sorry, I don't want to play those games. I've been lucky enough to find some excellent escorts. But I'm keeping them to myself and I'm keeping my posts here infrequent. This is not a real friendly environment.

Salt Lake City School District is poised to become the first district in the state to ban discrimination over sexual orientation. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=12714431 Although this proposed change does not provide protection for transgender individuals, I applaud this as a step in the correct direction.

I'm not a fan of Scientology but this type of activity is news to me. Do you have a source?

According to Fox News, "The body found in New York's Hudson River has been identified by police as 18-year-old Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide after fellow students allegedly filmed him without his knowledge in a sexual encounter with another man in his college dorm room. A family lawyer had confirmed Wednesday that 18-year-old Tyler Clementi killed himself by jumping from the George Washington Bridge. The attorney, Paul Mainardi, said Clementi was "a fine young man and a distinguished musician." http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/29/nj-student-secretly-taped-having-sex-kills/ The post about supporting the Matthew Shepard Project is an excellent suggestion. It's an organization that I support.

A college student jumped to his death off a bridge a day after authorities say two classmates surreptitiously recorded him having sex with a man in his dorm room and broadcast it over the Internet. http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=157&sid=12627151 This is a "must read" article for any caring human. At first I was pissed as hell at the students who secretly taped him and broadcast it on the internet. What a horrible thing to do. But, then I got angry at society for fostering an environment where consensual gay sex drives someone to kill themselves. Every day we see heterosexism on TV, in newspaper ads, and openly discussed at work. Yet, when 2 men have sex it's a recreation "pass time" to be broadcast to the world in an attempt to embarrass or cause their suicide?!? How much longer can this be tolerated? What can we do to prevent something like this in the future?

Michigan won’t be getting a transgender king this year. A Michigan high school refuses to crown a transgender girl “Homecoming King” and now she and several of her classmates are extremely upset over that decision. The Post Chronicle states that Michigan’s Mona shores High School held voting for their “Homecoming King and Queen”. The transgender teen, Oakleigh Marie Reed, 17, received more votes than any of her male counterparts to be king. The only problem is that the Reed is registered in school files as a girl and so she is ineligible to be “Homecoming King.” http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978555665 I admire him for running and applaud the support he's getting from classmates.

A few years ago I worked on a project in Mexico. We were always warned, prior to going there, about the potential for kidnapping, assault, robbery, etc. In fact, our business office was robbed more than once on payday. Unfortunately, I've been told that things have only gotten worse. Part of this is because of the drug wars and part of the blame is on the corrupt police. I would ONLY go to Mexico if I was on a cruise or going directly to a resort facility. There is no way I would go out in Mexico on a my own or without a very large group. And, I really don't see things getting any better in the near-term.

Time to plant a few seeds.

According to the article he indicated the raid was wrong. I'm glad he lived long enough to regret what he did and issue a public apology. But, on the other hand, we owe him a lot. Would the gay community have ever become united without an incident like Stonewall?

Am I the only one that can't seem to sign out / log off? I was in earlier today and logged off. Then, when I returned a few hours later, I was still logged in. Just tried it again. It tells me I'm logged off. But, as soon as I return, it shows me logged in again without me doing anything. Hope this isn't a "enhancement" of the new board. It's making me pissed. Actually going to reboot my computer now and see if that finally logs me off this site.

My screen name represents my response to people that piss me off. Fortunately, my screen name and real life (up to now) are very different. Face-to-face I find very few people that really make me mad. But, in cyberspace, there seems to be a plethora of guys who delight in pushing buttons. To them, I respond with my screen name.

I, too, have bookmarked the forum page because I'm one of those that HATES, YES HATES that damn pop-up. As for the tabs on the side, is there some term stronger than "ugly" and "useless" to describe them? I prefer my websites to be simple, easy-to-use, and non-irritating. One of the things about the "other" site is that they are constantly changing the format. Hope this site isn't following suit.

Many years ago I worked at a bank. I thought things were bad back then. But, unfortunately, they have only gotten worse. The only bank I use is an internet bank where I get a better interest rate. But, for my day-to-day transactions, I've switched to a credit union and LOVE it. My mortgage is through them and, when I noticed interest rates dropping a few months ago, I stopped by to inquire about refinancing. The loan officer looked at me and said, "Well, Mr. Finger, we are so back-logged with loan processing it's too much paperwork for us. Can we just give you the lower rate without all the paperwork?" I was elated. Then interest rates dropped again. So, I stopped by to look into refinancing. Again, they said it was too much hassle and just lowered the rate. Last week, they CALLED ME and asked if I'd like the rate dropped again to their best rate. They made that change over the phone. I pay no service fees. Checking is free. I have no fees at ATM while traveling. In short, I doubt I'll ever use a brick and mortar bank again.

Well said, Charlie!! I, too, have posted on the "other" site for many years and it's difficult to leave behind something that has been an important part of my life. Yes, it was the escorts that initially drew me to that site. But, it's the electronic friendships that keep me going back. My involvement here hasn't been much the past couple of years. But, I'm finding this a very interesting place. Like Charlie said, I don't want to be forced to choose one or the other. Perhaps, I'll eventually feel comfortable enough here to stay for a while.