I’m not sick or dead or anything. I’m just swamped – and I mean absolutely swamped – with the programming gig right now. I put in 76 hours last week. It’s Wednesday, and I’ve already put in 37 hours this week. On Sunday, I worked right up until the Super Bowl kickoff, watched the game, then worked until midnight. I don’t suppose this is doing my cortisol levels any good, but that’s the situation. We’ve got a bit of an IT emergency going on, and I landed the job of solving it.
Obviously, I don’t much have much time for posting, but I did come across an interesting tidbit that I’ll share while I wait for my test program to finish running:
Remember the big hubbub when the half-baked brains at Julian Bakery made a ham-handed attempt at fat-shaming Jimmy Moore and Diane Sanfilippo? It was high comedy. Jimmy and Diane both reported that Julian Bakery’s (ahem) low-carb bread spikes blood sugar as high as any other bread – a fact that several other people have reported.
Outraged that bloggers were reporting facts, Gary Collins and Heath Squealer … er, Squier … acted like the dumb jocks they are: they figured if they fat-shamed Jimmy and Diane, this would somehow convince people their bread doesn’t spike blood sugar like any other bread, and people would run out and buy it. It was a particularly stupid move making Diane a target of fat-shaming, since she appears in public frequently and anyone with eyes can see she isn’t fat.
When I wrote a post calling them dumb jocks and adolescents, the semi-literate Mr. Collins (who assured me he “rights” his own books) attempted to rebut that opinion by:
- Calling me a coward for attacking him from behind a computer … after he and Mr. Squealer attacked Jimmy and Diane from behind a computer.
- Accusing me of having no respect for the military because by gosh, he put his life on the line to protect my freedom of speech. (My lack of respect for the military would come as a shock to my Ranger nephew, who served two tours in Iraq.)
- Threatening to find me at a conference someday and commit some sort of violence – thus proving how truly proud he is of putting his life on the line to protect my freedom of speech.
Yup, he replied by acting like an adolescent dumb jock. You can’t make this stuff up.
In a follow-up post, I wrote this:
So Mr. Squealer’s qualifications come down to being born 1) naturally lean, and 2) to a mommy who started a bakery and was willing to make him the CEO. (Given his recent behavior, that might prove to be a bad decision.)
At the time, I meant that his adolescent, dumb-jock behavior could turn off his potential buyers. But it looks as if there’s another reason his mommy will regret the decision: Julian Bakery apparently doesn’t pay its bills, at least according to a lawsuit by FedEx.
FedEx claims that Julian Bakery established a credit account for delivery of its products and ran up a bill of $241,274,27. FedEx claims it has sent invoices and demanded payment, but Julian Bakery refuses to pay.
Yup, making your dumb-jock son the CEO of your company was probably a bad move, Mom. (But hey, he and Mr. Collins have abs!! They’re quick to point that out as proof of their superior knowledge … because it’s not as if they’re natural mesomorphs or anything.)
After the idiotic and ham-handed attempt at fat-shaming, many of you said it would serve these bozos right if Julian Bakery went out of business. If the FedEx lawsuit is any indication, you may get your wish.
Think of it as low-karb karma.
Back to the programming …
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Hopefully FedEx will deliver then to the cleaners.
Overnight.
Well, you know what they say, “brains are important but muscles are importanter.”
Love it.
I’ve been a weightlifter all my life, which started as a necessity to heal a bad back at the age of 12. I did it for strengthening, but the muscle grew with the strength.
I am now 50 and Tom has seen my pics to know the shape I am in. I am by no means a muscle head, nor are most of the weightlifters I know. Most are articulate, well read and probably know more about nutrition than most nutritionists.
I hope that we are not painting with a broad brush that we’re all dopes because of this guy. Athletics makes you stupid? Not at all, no more than “low carb dieting makes you a poor business man.”
Of course I do love this joke that was told to me by a coworker.
Q: How many bodybuilders does it take to put in a light bulb?
A: Five. One to put in the light bulb and the other four to watch him and say, “You look pumped, dude.”
By “dumb jocks,” I don’t mean to suggest that all jocks are dumb.
Hopefully FedEx will deliver then to the cleaners.
Overnight.
Well, you know what they say, “brains are important but muscles are importanter.”
Love it.
I’ve been a weightlifter all my life, which started as a necessity to heal a bad back at the age of 12. I did it for strengthening, but the muscle grew with the strength.
I am now 50 and Tom has seen my pics to know the shape I am in. I am by no means a muscle head, nor are most of the weightlifters I know. Most are articulate, well read and probably know more about nutrition than most nutritionists.
I hope that we are not painting with a broad brush that we’re all dopes because of this guy. Athletics makes you stupid? Not at all, no more than “low carb dieting makes you a poor business man.”
Of course I do love this joke that was told to me by a coworker.
Q: How many bodybuilders does it take to put in a light bulb?
A: Five. One to put in the light bulb and the other four to watch him and say, “You look pumped, dude.”
By “dumb jocks,” I don’t mean to suggest that all jocks are dumb.
One would think that since “dumb” is an adjective describing “jocks” that it would be understood that there are other words that could be used to describe “jocks” such as “smart.” This allows for the existence of jocks who are therefore NOT dumb.
Of course. Andrew Luck was valedictorian of his high-school class. Alterraun Verner, a defensive back for the Tennessee Titans, graduated from UCLA with a degree in applied mathematics. We could name many, many more examples of very smart jocks.
Frankly, I don’t think it’s possible for a dummy to succeed in today’s NFL, no matter how athletic he is. The offensive and defensive schemes have become too complex. Success requires split-second decisions. That rookie who intercepted the Seahawks’ final pass in the Super Bowl had clearly done his homework. He recognized the offensive scheme and knew where the ball was probably going, then reacted in a microsecond. If it had taken him a fraction of a second longer to recognize the play, it’s a touchdown and the Seahawks win the game.
Fat shaming? They got it wrong! Fat does not make you fat, the sugar and carbs do. Dianne is pretty cute and fit along with Mr.Moore. This company is slapping the name “Paleo” on everything like is going out of fashion. Bread? Paleo bread and bars? Do they have the concept of the paleo diet? If they did, nothing would be packaged or come in bar form.
“Fat-shaming” in this case means criticizing them for being fat.
Max, I wouldn’t call Jimmy “cute” 😉
Fat shaming? They got it wrong! Fat does not make you fat, the sugar and carbs do. Dianne is pretty cute and fit along with Mr.Moore. This company is slapping the name “Paleo” on everything like is going out of fashion. Bread? Paleo bread and bars? Do they have the concept of the paleo diet? If they did, nothing would be packaged or come in bar form.
“Fat-shaming” in this case means criticizing them for being fat.
Max, I wouldn’t call Jimmy “cute” 😉
Just the ones on steroids
Tom I found this thought-provoking piece on peer review and post it here so you’ll see it:
http://www.la.org.au/opinion/151209/self-serving-system-peer-review
Please do put it somewhere more appropriate if necessary.
Good luck with the coding!
“The closer the article gets to undermining confidence in the received truths of the guild, the less likely the submitter will be informed about why his article was rejected.”
I’d say that’s the problem in a nutshell. “Peer-reviewed” often translates to “supports the conventional beliefs on the subject.”
Yep. And yet the naive’ keep trotting it out as if it’s an unassailable proof of the veracity of the findings within (nutrition and climate science come to mind).
The other trope of the naive’ (and the scoundrels) is the notion that those who find some scientific truth that counters the conventional wisdom just have to publish their findings (a high hurdle of it’s own, of course) and they’ll be showered with praise and the Noble Prize as that truth is welcomed by the scientific community at large. (And therefore, they say, the notion that scientists would just go with the flow and publish what adheres to the “consensus” is preposterous!).
Uh huh, ’cause that’s what history shows over and over again.
I just call it the scientific version of peer-pressure.
Just the ones on steroids
It just gets better and better! I hope they fold like a deck of cards.
If they’re racking up a quarter-million in unpaid bills, their situation can’t be good.
Tom I found this thought-provoking piece on peer review and post it here so you’ll see it:
http://www.la.org.au/opinion/151209/self-serving-system-peer-review
Please do put it somewhere more appropriate if necessary.
Good luck with the coding!
“The closer the article gets to undermining confidence in the received truths of the guild, the less likely the submitter will be informed about why his article was rejected.”
I’d say that’s the problem in a nutshell. “Peer-reviewed” often translates to “supports the conventional beliefs on the subject.”
Yep. And yet the naive’ keep trotting it out as if it’s an unassailable proof of the veracity of the findings within (nutrition and climate science come to mind).
The other trope of the naive’ (and the scoundrels) is the notion that those who find some scientific truth that counters the conventional wisdom just have to publish their findings (a high hurdle of it’s own, of course) and they’ll be showered with praise and the Noble Prize as that truth is welcomed by the scientific community at large. (And therefore, they say, the notion that scientists would just go with the flow and publish what adheres to the “consensus” is preposterous!).
Uh huh, ’cause that’s what history shows over and over again.
I just call it the scientific version of peer-pressure.
Tom, I know it’s tough to work all of those hours. However, consider yourself lucky since obamanomics has given us 93 million unemployed Americans.
Exactly what I said to Chareva. It’s been a high-pressure couple of weeks trying to get all this done with everyone from the president of IT on down waiting for results, but it beats the hell out of unemployment.
Before 2009, I heard the term “the Bush economy” used disparagingly in I don’t know how many Hollywood movies and TV shows, not to mention in mainstream-media newscasts. I don’t seem to hear “the Obama economy” tossed around with anything close to the same frequency or glee by those people. It’s almost as if there’s some kind of left-wing bias at work.
It’s funny how the right blamed Obama for $4 gas, and now the left credits him for $1.75 gas. The reality is, he’s not responsible for either. Things go in cycles and it is the luck of the draw for the guy who happens to be in office.
People are stunningly ignorant about what affects the price of gas. That’s why when prices are up, economic illiterates come up with genius solutions along the lines of “Nobody buy gas on (name the date) and that will force them to lower their prices!” or “Everybody boycott just the Exxon stations, and then they’ll have to lower their prices.”
The latest stunningly-ignorant comment I heard was “Drilling for oil in the United States isn’t going to lower the price of gas because the prices are set by OPEC.”
I may be wrong, but I would say that somewhat blaming Obama for the high gas prices isn’t wholly wrong. From what I understand, he’s blocked everything that would expand our ability to explore for new oil or increase our access to cheaper oil or increase oil production. While that doesn’t directly indict him for high gas prices, it means he’s done nothing that would help bring prices down. Combine that with his speech where he says “Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket,” you get the idea that he cares more about pandering to environmental interests than improving the quality of life for the citizens.
Honestly, no president can be completely blamed for things that happen. However, their choices and decisions affect the choices of others who directly control economic factors. When there is uncertainty about taxes and economic policy, business becomes more conservative with money and hiring and tighten their belts rather than expanding or risk anything. When policy is made that is more friendly to business, they take more risks and spend more money, which can lead to more jobs and better pay. If businesses believe they are going to be targeted by the gov’t for whatever reason, their actions result in fewer people being hired and fewer investments in communities, which hurt the poor most.
I’m no economist nor am I an expert in any of these things. I have read the ideas of experts and I know what I’ve seen. Obama seems to make it hard for businesses to expand and invest, so they don’t and thus the regular folks suffer. I will gladly accept correction or clarification if I’m wrong.
Economics 101. 93 million unemployed (300 m population) Lower economy = Less demand for gas = lower price
It just gets better and better! I hope they fold like a deck of cards.
If they’re racking up a quarter-million in unpaid bills, their situation can’t be good.
Tom, I know it’s tough to work all of those hours. However, consider yourself lucky since obamanomics has given us 93 million unemployed Americans.
Exactly what I said to Chareva. It’s been a high-pressure couple of weeks trying to get all this done with everyone from the president of IT on down waiting for results, but it beats the hell out of unemployment.
Before 2009, I heard the term “the Bush economy” used disparagingly in I don’t know how many Hollywood movies and TV shows, not to mention in mainstream-media newscasts. I don’t seem to hear “the Obama economy” tossed around with anything close to the same frequency or glee by those people. It’s almost as if there’s some kind of left-wing bias at work.
It’s funny how the right blamed Obama for $4 gas, and now the left credits him for $1.75 gas. The reality is, he’s not responsible for either. Things go in cycles and it is the luck of the draw for the guy who happens to be in office.
People are stunningly ignorant about what affects the price of gas. That’s why when prices are up, economic illiterates come up with genius solutions along the lines of “Nobody buy gas on (name the date) and that will force them to lower their prices!” or “Everybody boycott just the Exxon stations, and then they’ll have to lower their prices.”
The latest stunningly-ignorant comment I heard was “Drilling for oil in the United States isn’t going to lower the price of gas because the prices are set by OPEC.”
Tom,
If I may humbly make a suggestion, add some buttons for each post. Three would work, “unlike”, “like”, and “heck yeah!”. This post would get the third pressed by me.
No idea how to do that. I just take what the WordPress template gives me.
I may be wrong, but I would say that somewhat blaming Obama for the high gas prices isn’t wholly wrong. From what I understand, he’s blocked everything that would expand our ability to explore for new oil or increase our access to cheaper oil or increase oil production. While that doesn’t directly indict him for high gas prices, it means he’s done nothing that would help bring prices down. Combine that with his speech where he says “Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket,” you get the idea that he cares more about pandering to environmental interests than improving the quality of life for the citizens.
Honestly, no president can be completely blamed for things that happen. However, their choices and decisions affect the choices of others who directly control economic factors. When there is uncertainty about taxes and economic policy, business becomes more conservative with money and hiring and tighten their belts rather than expanding or risk anything. When policy is made that is more friendly to business, they take more risks and spend more money, which can lead to more jobs and better pay. If businesses believe they are going to be targeted by the gov’t for whatever reason, their actions result in fewer people being hired and fewer investments in communities, which hurt the poor most.
I’m no economist nor am I an expert in any of these things. I have read the ideas of experts and I know what I’ve seen. Obama seems to make it hard for businesses to expand and invest, so they don’t and thus the regular folks suffer. I will gladly accept correction or clarification if I’m wrong.
Sure, simple logic says the more oil we produce here, the lower the price of oil will be. In the article I posted in another reply, that was one of the reasons listed for lower prices: the U.S. has doubled output in the past six years — and certainly Obama and many members of his party are less than enthusiastic about more drilling in the U.S.
Uncertainty about taxes and regulations is part of what kept business at a standstill during The Depression. FDR called his policies “a bold plan of experimentation.” To business owners, that translated to “We don’t know what the @#$% he’s going to do to us next.” So indeed, they stopped putting their capital at risk.
Economics 101. 93 million unemployed (300 m population) Lower economy = Less demand for gas = lower price
Several factors are involved, of course.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/13/business/energy-environment/oil-prices.html?_r=0
Actually, I believe you’ll find that OPEC lowering the price of oil, in an attempt to destroy US energy production, was the reason for the recent drop in gasoline/heating oil prices. Go research how many wells in the US have been taken offline in the last 3mos. Nothing to do with unemployment, though that is having other impacts.
I live in San Diego, and Julian Bakery is a popular spot on the road to a little tourist town to the east of here called (you guessed it) Julian, CA. I’ve been to the Julian Bakery once or twice, years ago (before Mr. Squealer took over), and I even bought the bread fresh from the bakery. It was pretty good, actually, but that was when I wasn’t carb-conscious. Julian Bakery bread is in the stores where I shop, but I haven’t bought it because ANY kind of bread, even low-carb bread, has way too many carbs for me to consider. Plus, my understanding of the Paleo diet is that it consists of UNPROCESSED real food, so “Paleo bread” is a non-sequitor.
That said, I will continue to vote with my pocketbook, in other words, NOT buy Julian Bakery bread, if only because it really annoys me when people are so steeped in their own rightness that they can’t see logic when it is so clearly laid out for them. Plus, I don’t understand why they can’t see that high blood glucose readings from multiple customers trump their obviously flawed lab testing. That, and the lies, of course.
I just found this blog, and I’ve ordered the Fat Head DVDs. Can’t wait to see them. Thanks for a really comprehensive and well-thought out resource. And for the record, as someone who has tried to write comedy on occasion, doing comedy in ANY form is probably the most difficult form of expression there is. It takes intelligence, wit, flexibility, and, oh yeah, a sense of humor, none of which are evident in either Mr. Squealer’s or Mr. Collins’ posts.
I’ve written comedy, performed as a standup comedian, and acted in comedic plays. The quote “Dying is easy, comedy is hard,” attributed to English actor Edmund Kean, is supposedly apocryphal. But it’s true nonetheless.
Chris Masterjohn once tweeted a picture of some new paleo bread and wrote, “Paleo bread, just like paleo man ate.”
Gary Collins: “I right my own books and there correct two. I right good u c. Maybe, if you, have brains and abs, like me, yew could learn to loose wait and right books gooder. I could care less what yew thank. Were did you you go to scool? Get it threw you’re head: I don’t need no crap from yew to due my job.”
And you’re only exaggerating a little.
I live in San Diego, and Julian Bakery is a popular spot on the road to a little tourist town to the east of here called (you guessed it) Julian, CA. I’ve been to the Julian Bakery once or twice, years ago (before Mr. Squealer took over), and I even bought the bread fresh from the bakery. It was pretty good, actually, but that was when I wasn’t carb-conscious. Julian Bakery bread is in the stores where I shop, but I haven’t bought it because ANY kind of bread, even low-carb bread, has way too many carbs for me to consider. Plus, my understanding of the Paleo diet is that it consists of UNPROCESSED real food, so “Paleo bread” is a non-sequitor.
That said, I will continue to vote with my pocketbook, in other words, NOT buy Julian Bakery bread, if only because it really annoys me when people are so steeped in their own rightness that they can’t see logic when it is so clearly laid out for them. Plus, I don’t understand why they can’t see that high blood glucose readings from multiple customers trump their obviously flawed lab testing. That, and the lies, of course.
I just found this blog, and I’ve ordered the Fat Head DVDs. Can’t wait to see them. Thanks for a really comprehensive and well-thought out resource. And for the record, as someone who has tried to write comedy on occasion, doing comedy in ANY form is probably the most difficult form of expression there is. It takes intelligence, wit, flexibility, and, oh yeah, a sense of humor, none of which are evident in either Mr. Squealer’s or Mr. Collins’ posts.
I’ve written comedy, performed as a standup comedian, and acted in comedic plays. The quote “Dying is easy, comedy is hard,” attributed to English actor Edmund Kean, is supposedly apocryphal. But it’s true nonetheless.
Chris Masterjohn once tweeted a picture of some new paleo bread and wrote, “Paleo bread, just like paleo man ate.”
Oh my goodness! I thought the name was just a coincidence. I ate there 26 years ago & still remember it. The bread was great – then. It’s too bad it’s being run into the ground. But then, I don’t eat any kind of bread anymore.
Yeah, it’s apparently been around for decades. I don’t expect it to me around for more decades.
Gary Collins: “I right my own books and there correct two. I right good u c. Maybe, if you, have brains and abs, like me, yew could learn to loose wait and right books gooder. I could care less what yew thank. Were did you you go to scool? Get it threw you’re head: I don’t need no crap from yew to due my job.”
And you’re only exaggerating a little.
Ever since I read that drivel about his military service making him morally superior to the rest of us and therefore what he says is unassailable, I’ve been trying to remember this quote:
“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” Samuel Johnson
Always puts that kind of argument into perspective for me.
My nephew, who certainly put his life on the line while being shot at in Iraq, was outraged by the notion that military service should exempt a person from criticism. He said his reaction to that was captured by Les Grossman’s reply to Sergeant Four Leaf in this scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLcNgawiCJM
Ever since I read that drivel about his military service making him morally superior to the rest of us and therefore what he says is unassailable, I’ve been trying to remember this quote:
“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” Samuel Johnson
Always puts that kind of argument into perspective for me.
My nephew, who certainly put his life on the line while being shot at in Iraq, was outraged by the notion that military service should exempt a person from criticism. He said his reaction to that was captured by Les Grossman’s reply to Sergeant Four Leaf in this scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLcNgawiCJM
Observation on Julian Bakery…
I have worked for several different companies during my long career, and I have an observation about some of those companies.
Whenever a company decides to screw its customers, its vendors, or its employees, it’s only a matter of a (short) time before it gets around to screwing all three groups. That’s because the notion that it’s ok to screw people becomes the corporate mindset.
I’ve seen this behavior enough times to be convinced that the above observation holds true.
Julian Bakery’s attempt to screw their vendors (FedEx in this case) comes as no surprize to me after seeing them screw their customers. I would next expect a report of them screwing their employees.
P.S. Tom, are you going to be on the May cruise?
I agree. It’s an attitude that affects all their interactions.
Just booked the cruise today. For the first time in years, the cruise doesn’t fall during finals week for the girls. They’ll be done with school, in fact, so we’ll all four be aboard.
Observation on Julian Bakery…
I have worked for several different companies during my long career, and I have an observation about some of those companies.
Whenever a company decides to screw its customers, its vendors, or its employees, it’s only a matter of a (short) time before it gets around to screwing all three groups. That’s because the notion that it’s ok to screw people becomes the corporate mindset.
I’ve seen this behavior enough times to be convinced that the above observation holds true.
Julian Bakery’s attempt to screw their vendors (FedEx in this case) comes as no surprize to me after seeing them screw their customers. I would next expect a report of them screwing their employees.
P.S. Tom, are you going to be on the May cruise?
I agree. It’s an attitude that affects all their interactions.
Just booked the cruise today. For the first time in years, the cruise doesn’t fall during finals week for the girls. They’ll be done with school, in fact, so we’ll all four be aboard.
Off topic, but have you seen this? Mainstream news covering data that the low-fat guide-lines should never have been implemented due to lack of data.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/9/8003971/low-fat-dietary-health-goals-bad-science
It’s stuff we already knew, but it’s nice to see more news stories and scientific groups acknowledging this.
Definitely a positive trend. It was only a few years ago that if I told people the low-fat diet was never based on good science, they’d look at me like I had three heads.
Off topic, but have you seen this? Mainstream news covering data that the low-fat guide-lines should never have been implemented due to lack of data.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/9/8003971/low-fat-dietary-health-goals-bad-science
It’s stuff we already knew, but it’s nice to see more news stories and scientific groups acknowledging this.
Definitely a positive trend. It was only a few years ago that if I told people the low-fat diet was never based on good science, they’d look at me like I had three heads.
It really is too bad about Julian Bakery. While I avoid a lot of the breads in general this company produces, I do give them credit for their Paleo Chocolate brand, which really does minimize the carbs and sugar, and are very tasty. Hopefully saner heads will prevail at the company and get it back to doing more good things like that instead of letting a spoiled brat needlessly attack people who might otherwise be their ally.
Saner heads would have to fire the CEO, who is also the founder’s son. Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
It really is too bad about Julian Bakery. While I avoid a lot of the breads in general this company produces, I do give them credit for their Paleo Chocolate brand, which really does minimize the carbs and sugar, and are very tasty. Hopefully saner heads will prevail at the company and get it back to doing more good things like that instead of letting a spoiled brat needlessly attack people who might otherwise be their ally.
Saner heads would have to fire the CEO, who is also the founder’s son. Maybe, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
Update on the Fedex suit: it settled, and the case was dismissed “Without Prejudice Pursuant to Stipulation of the Parties” on 2014-11-04.
“Without Prejudice” means that Fedex could re-file if the check didn’t clear.
Given Julian’s behavior (meaning the CEO’s behavior) I kind of hope that check bounced.
Update on the Fedex suit: it settled, and the case was dismissed “Without Prejudice Pursuant to Stipulation of the Parties” on 2014-11-04.
“Without Prejudice” means that Fedex could re-file if the check didn’t clear.
Given Julian’s behavior (meaning the CEO’s behavior) I kind of hope that check bounced.