Overheard on Facebook

[marty998]

I always wonder about those signs in lifts e.g. there is one in my work building:

MAX 20 PERSONS (1440KGS)

____________

72kg per person... makes you think.

The increasing 'size' of the population has a number of implications...

- fuel economy of your average car
- weight distribution on aircraft
- load bearing standards of chairs and seats
- width of doors and corridors

My beauty standards at this point are 1) normal weight for a human of that height [normal means not overweight], and 2) not extremely unfortunate.

Pretty much any lady that takes care of herself passes the looks test. The rest is a lot harder to find...

I blamed women mags before but I will also blame snapchat filters and airbrushing apps. It changes what is perceived as normal.

Long hair does it for me. Almost any woman looks hot with long hair to me.

[Metric Mouse]

My beauty standards at this point are 1) normal weight for a human of that height [normal means not overweight], and 2) not extremely unfortunate. The rest is a lot harder to find...

Right? There's plenty of attractive people in the world. It's the rest of the package that is the standard most people fail to meet.

[ysette9]

Confidence and a positive attitude are attractive in all sorts of packages in my opinion.

[Playing with Fire UK]

On it's face, this seems like proof that the standards are "impossible," since so many people fall outside the standards.  But lets get real about the beauty standards we are talking about.  I don't personally think "not obese" is an unreasonable beauty standard.  I don't expect any real-life people to look like a photoshopped magazine cover, but unhealthy weight (over and under) is unattractive.

I agree with you Dragoncar. For otherwise healthy people, maintaining a healthy weight / body composition isn't difficult.

It does bother me that some people consider someone dangerously underweight to be 'super hot' rather than an indication someone could be really unwell.

[shadowmoss]

When I went to a doctor and stepped onto a scales for the first time in about 3 years, I was totally upset about the change in my weight.  I could tell my clothes fit differently, but the numbers made it real for me.  I was discussing his with my boyfriend.  For the record, I had gone from 130# to 115#.  I am 5'2".  I was discussing how to gain back up to my previous weight in a healthy way, when he said that actually I need to lose a few more pounds.  A dietician put me close to the top of tje perfect BMI, which is 101-120#, and essentially agreed with my bf.  I am floored.  I know personally that I do better above 120#, but everyone else seems to buy into that skinny is best mindset.  I'm a recovering anorexic.  It seems that the nuts are running the nuthouse.

Edit:. The dietician/nutritionist was at Mayo Clinic, and at 115# I am a size 3/4, not all that large.  Unfortunately, all the clothes I have are size 6, and don't fit now.  I'm good with being a size 6 myself.

[Playing with Fire UK]

*terrifying tale of supporting unnecessary weight loss*

It seems that the nuts are running the nuthouse.

This is bizarre. I hope you find someone who can help support your goals. You know your body. 

Would something like a body composition analysis be helpful for you? When I was training a lot I was told I was obese by the doctor. My body composition told me I was a strong athletic woman with healthy amounts of fat and a lot of muscle. I know that there are limitations to the technology but relative changes show up even on imperfect equipment.

[shadowmoss]

Getting back on the weight machines is on the list...  Further disclosure is that I am 62 (today!) And finishing up radiation for breast cancer, part of the reason I was at Mayo in the first place.  Once this is behind me getting healthy on many levels is a priority.  The institutionalized nature of the propaganda is what floored me.  I was seeing the nutritionist because of the impending surgery and radiation.  For the record, I'm blessed in all this as it has not spreadand I hhave a low chance of relapse.

[ormaybemidgets]

I was discussing how to gain back up to my previous weight in a healthy way, when he said that actually I need to lose a few more pounds.

Dump the boyfriend, lose 150 pounds.

[mm1970]

On it's face, this seems like proof that the standards are "impossible," since so many people fall outside the standards.  But lets get real about the beauty standards we are talking about.  I don't personally think "not obese" is an unreasonable beauty standard.  I don't expect any real-life people to look like a photoshopped magazine cover, but unhealthy weight (over and under) is unattractive.

I agree with you Dragoncar. For otherwise healthy people, maintaining a healthy weight / body composition isn't difficult.

It does bother me that some people consider someone dangerously underweight to be 'super hot' rather than an indication someone could be really unwell.

I think the difficulty depends a lot on the person and their history.

Once you've been overweight it's exceedingly difficult to lose weight and keep it off.  The body will try to go back to that higher weight.  Especially true if you gained the weight as a child/ teen - when many new fat cells are made.  Was it Cathy? On a different thread talked about how wrong it is to judge someone on their weight, because it tells you nothing about how they are NOW.  Only maybe how they used to be at some point.

I am distressed at what is considered "healthy" aka skinny.  I recently went to the doc (this week), worried about what he *might* say, as my BMI is about 5 lbs into "overweight" territory.  And he said "perfect".  I was happy with that.  I'm 2 lbs under what I was this time last year and 28 lbs under where I was 3 years ago (post-40 baby weight is NO JOKE), and I have a lot of muscle - so I've always skirted the high end of the weight range.  Post 2nd baby I've been swimming, weight training, and carrying around a 30+ lb kid, and my ribcage and shoulders are a lot broader than they used to be.  Basically had to toss all the old shirts, but hey the pants fit, winning!

In fact, the shadowmoss info made me shudder a bit. I'm also 5'2", and 120lb perfect?  Ha!  It's a serious struggle to stay below 140 for me.  I was about 120 lbs for a couple of years late high school/ early college and it was way too thin.  Amenorrhea too thin.

[Kitsune]

I was discussing how to gain back up to my previous weight in a healthy way, when he said that actually I need to lose a few more pounds.

Dump the boyfriend, lose 150 pounds.

Word.

[ChipmunkSavings]

Getting back on the weight machines is on the list...  Further disclosure is that I am 62 (today!) And finishing up radiation for breast cancer, part of the reason I was at Mayo in the first place.  Once this is behind me getting healthy on many levels is a priority.  The institutionalized nature of the propaganda is what floored me.  I was seeing the nutritionist because of the impending surgery and radiation.  For the record, I'm blessed in all this as it has not spreadand I hhave a low chance of relapse.

As a dietitian working in a oncology setting, I can tell you that we never recommend weight loss for patients during treatments (radiotherapy, chemo or surgery) because the body needs all the calories and proteins to recuperate from this. Very weird advice you received...

[Stache it Away]

How about that secret sister gift exchange thing going around on facebook. You post on your wall and you only have to send 1 item (I've seen books and bottles of wine) and in return you will get between 6 and 36 items in return.

A friend posted it and I asked how if every person only sends 1 gift out, you get more back than the number of people participating. She never responded, but the post was deleted.

My mom participated in that, and tried to get me to sign up.  I didn't have the heart to explain it to her.

Edit:  I was also reminded of a friend who posts photos of this monthly clothing subscription box she receives.  Basically, this company sends you several items of clothing, every month, that they pick out for you, and you pay for them.  That's the deal.

To be fair: if I could find the mythical clothing service of my dreams, I'd pay for it. As it stands, it doesn't exist.

The mythical clothing service of my dreams would:
- Take into account exact size and body shape
- Take into account preferences (flannel button-down vs peplum top? Texture of fabric? etc)
- Take into account what's needed (aka: right now, I need button-down PJ tops and shirts, new black socks, high-waisted cotton panties for postpartum use, and 1-2 non-patterned cardigan in this specific range of colors, so ONLY send me that)
- Ship to Canada

Basically, if they could offer me a clothing service that was essentially an affordable personal shoppig service that delivered what I needed to my door without me needing to comb through 16 websites OR the mall, I'd totally pay an extra bit to avoid the aggravation. I don't need 6 cute tops that generally suit my tastes, nor am I willing to pay for them - eff subscription boxes. I'd absolutely pay for someone to find me the specific thing I want in under 6 hours of shopping, though. The mall near my old apartment had a FREE personal shopping service that did that. It wasnt well-known, but MAN was it useful.

stitchfix.com

We have several female friends that love this site.  My wife just did an order with them and they do an amazing amount of work to match things to all the specs you described and more.  Seems like they learn and refine what they give you over time as well. 

[Tjat]

I was discussing how to gain back up to my previous weight in a healthy way, when he said that actually I need to lose a few more pounds.

Dump the boyfriend, lose 150 pounds.

Word.

Yeah. It's hard to imagine a partner telling the other, who lost 11% of their weight in conjunction with cancer treatment that they still have a few more pounds to go... what a putz

[Travis]

When I went to a doctor and stepped onto a scales for the first time in about 3 years, I was totally upset about the change in my weight.  I could tell my clothes fit differently, but the numbers made it real for me.  I was discussing his with my boyfriend.  For the record, I had gone from 130# to 115#.  I am 5'2".  I was discussing how to gain back up to my previous weight in a healthy way, when he said that actually I need to lose a few more pounds.  A dietician put me close to the top of tje perfect BMI, which is 101-120#, and essentially agreed with my bf.  I am floored.  I know personally that I do better above 120#, but everyone else seems to buy into that skinny is best mindset.  I'm a recovering anorexic.  It seems that the nuts are running the nuthouse.

Edit:. The dietician/nutritionist was at Mayo Clinic, and at 115# I am a size 3/4, not all that large.  Unfortunately, all the clothes I have are size 6, and don't fit now.  I'm good with being a size 6 myself.

I got to watch one of my high school friends transform on Facebook a few years ago from 300lbs to 120 pounds in just over a year.  She's around 5'6" and her doc (whom she visited every other month) ended up telling her to put on another 10 pounds after she reached that number.

[Goldielocks]

The point for me is that the anti-mustachian mocking is done with anonymised targets.  Those "memes" are bullying identifiable people.

I think everyone here agrees that those "memes" are stupid.  Chris22 seemed to be making a joke based on the fact that his name happens to be mentioned in the image, and apparently broke the "no calling people fat" rule.  But calling an anonymous fat person fat, without them being a reader of the forum, is not bullying, and although the person is identifiable in the broadest sense, they are not actually identified (nor can they be easily identified).

Anyways, here's a real meme:

Isn't it obvious?   he broke the "no calling women 'chicks' rule"....   what does 'fat' have to do with it?

:-)   LOL

[cheapass]

Finally saw a FB post I can share to get us back on topic.

For context, this acquaintence is always bitching about how they're broke by payday, living is so expensive, just can't seem to get ahead, etc. You know what will help?  Two brand new car payments!

....the day after Christmas & the husband & I got ourselves 2 brand new 2016 Jeep Renegade TrailHawks!!!!
No more '08 Commander or '04 Mazda....
Merry Christmas & definitely a Happy New Year (to come)!!!!
 We both work hard & sacrifice to make this family & household run as smoothly as possible....Thank You, God for guiding us through it all.
#BLESSED #GRATEFUL #THANKFUL #TWINJEEPS #POWERCOUPLE #MAKEITHAPPEN

[Joggernot]

Finally saw a FB post I can share to get us back on topic.

For context, this acquaintence is always bitching about how they're broke by payday, living is so expensive, just can't seem to get ahead, etc. You know what will help?  Two brand new car payments!

....the day after Christmas & the husband & I got ourselves 2 brand new 2016 Jeep Renegade TrailHawks!!!!
No more '08 Commander or '04 Mazda....
Merry Christmas & definitely a Happy New Year (to come)!!!!
 We both work hard & sacrifice to make this family & household run as smoothly as possible....Thank You, God for guiding us through it all.
#BLESSED #GRATEFUL #THANKFUL #TWINJEEPS #POWERCOUPLE #MAKEITHAPPEN

Please let us know when they get repossessed...

[dude]

Finally saw a FB post I can share to get us back on topic.

For context, this acquaintence is always bitching about how they're broke by payday, living is so expensive, just can't seem to get ahead, etc. You know what will help?  Two brand new car payments!

....the day after Christmas & the husband & I got ourselves 2 brand new 2016 Jeep Renegade TrailHawks!!!!
No more '08 Commander or '04 Mazda....
Merry Christmas & definitely a Happy New Year (to come)!!!!
 We both work hard & sacrifice to make this family & household run as smoothly as possible....Thank You, God for guiding us through it all.
#BLESSED #GRATEFUL #THANKFUL #TWINJEEPS #POWERCOUPLE #MAKEITHAPPEN

Good lord, the idiotic consumer culture in this country. So sad.

[johnny847]

Man my Facebook feed is really boring from an overhead on Facebook point of view. I think I've only shared a story once on this thread.

On the upside I guess my Facebook friends aren't making poor financial decisions. Or at least, if they are, aren't bragging about them.

[Malum Prohibitum]

Thank You, God for guiding us through it all.

  All the warnings God made about debt in Proverbs, and these people still think God guided them into debt.

#POWERCOUPLE

  LOL!  Yes, the car you drive makes you powerful!

#MAKEITHAPPEN

  Well, I guess it depends upon what "it" is . . .  right?

[No Name Guy]

72kg per person... makes you think.

The increasing 'size' of the population has a number of implications...

- weight distribution on aircraft

No worries on that one.  Know that kerfuffle not to long ago where the Samoans were suing since an airline supposedly "discriminated" against them due to weight?  I laughed since the airline in question was following FAA guidance on the matter to the letter (Google "Advisory Circular AC120-27E").  I'm sure the airlines lawyers slid the FAA regs and said Advisory Circular in front of the judge and asked for summary dismissal, which they obviously got.  Shows how ignorant the plaintiff's lawyers are - they could have found that in about 5 minutes.

The TL/DR version is airlines are required to occasionally survey their passenger actual weights and use those in aircraft weight and balance and loading calculations to insure compliance with aircraft capability limits.  If a particular group of passengers or a route deviates from the rest of an airlines typical (think sports teams, or a military group with their gear like body armor, or in this case, Hawaii to Samoa etc) and the airline doesn't have data on that group type, they're required to weigh individuals and use those weights in loading and balance calculations.

[infogoon]

I've seen other people using that #POWERCOUPLE hashtag -- it's always people who earn two high incomes and spend all of it on an inflated lifestyle. I wonder how these tags start.

[Paul der Krake]

Someone who uses #powercouple is not in one.

- signed: a nice guy

[limeandpepper]

Some very angry people over here... https://www.facebook.com/news.com.au/posts/1558886224138745

And to think my first thought about the 50-30-20 thing is that it's not ambitious enough from a frugal standpoint... I get that it is genuinely tough for some people who aren't as fortunate, but I doubt that is the case for every single person complaining...

[ringer707]

Girl from high school posts on Facebook the other day how ~blessed~ she is that her income-based payment for student loans this year is $0/month since she had her baby and how excited she was to have that money back each month. I guess she missed the memo that the interest on her loans will continue to grow.

[Zikoris]

Okay, I want to be a #powercouple. I guess we kind of are - a DINK household stashing most of our money for ER in our 30s.

[marielle]

Guy that graduated a couple years ago (engineering) has three cars. A brand spanking new Camaro, an older Miata he uses for racing, and a V8 Pontiac Bonneville. He constantly posts pictures of them, like before and after wash pictures. I'm pretty sure he's still entry level or maybe slightly above.

Several others have two cars. Like a jeep and a truck, a jeep and a new Lexus, a van and a new Camaro (this one graduated just a few months ago and also bought a house shortly after graduation), just to give a few examples. Half of them are single, other have are dating (not married). None of them have kids. These cars do not include the girlfriends' cars either.

[johnny847]

Girl from high school posts on Facebook the other day how ~blessed~ she is that her income-based payment for student loans this year is $0/month since she had her baby and how excited she was to have that money back each month. I guess she missed the memo that the interest on her loans will continue to grow.

She may have gotten the memo that loans are for given after 25 years of on time payments, but that's a terrible way to live your life, carrying student loans for that long.

[jinga nation]

Guy that graduated a couple years ago (engineering) has three cars. A brand spanking new Camaro, an older Miata he uses for racing, and a V8 Pontiac Bonneville. He constantly posts pictures of them, like before and after wash pictures. I'm pretty sure he's still entry level or maybe slightly above.

Several others have two cars. Like a jeep and a truck, a jeep and a new Lexus, a van and a new Camaro (this one graduated just a few months ago and also bought a house shortly after graduation), just to give a few examples. Half of them are single, other have are dating (not married). None of them have kids. These cars do not include the girlfriends' cars either.

In senior year in engineering school, my fav prof told us that lifetime earnings for EEs are over $2M, and we should focus on saving. There's a lot of vultures who will use high voltage words to magnify the frequency of wallet manipulations in exchange for shiny trinkets. (We were learning about V-to-F and F-to-V converters.)

[jinga nation]

I've seen other people using that #POWERCOUPLE hashtag -- it's always people who earn two high incomes and spend all of it on an inflated lifestyle. I wonder how these tags start.

Doesn't the Power come from having a fatter wallet, not thinner?
Bulk that wallet up! Ka Pow!
Any fool can spend, but it takes guts to save.

[ringer707]

Girl from high school posts on Facebook the other day how ~blessed~ she is that her income-based payment for student loans this year is $0/month since she had her baby and how excited she was to have that money back each month. I guess she missed the memo that the interest on her loans will continue to grow.

She may have gotten the memo that loans are for given after 25 years of on time payments, but that's a terrible way to live your life, carrying student loans for that long.

Not to mention the remaining balance is taxable income. The government will get their money one way or another.

[johnny847]

Girl from high school posts on Facebook the other day how ~blessed~ she is that her income-based payment for student loans this year is $0/month since she had her baby and how excited she was to have that money back each month. I guess she missed the memo that the interest on her loans will continue to grow.

She may have gotten the memo that loans are for given after 25 years of on time payments, but that's a terrible way to live your life, carrying student loans for that long.

Not to mention the remaining balance is taxable income. The government will get their money one way or another.

Yeah that too. Loans forgiven under public service loan forgiveness and student loan forgiveness for teachers aren't taxable, but purely income based repayment plans don't have that benefit.

[mm1970]

Finally saw a FB post I can share to get us back on topic.

For context, this acquaintence is always bitching about how they're broke by payday, living is so expensive, just can't seem to get ahead, etc. You know what will help?  Two brand new car payments!

....the day after Christmas & the husband & I got ourselves 2 brand new 2016 Jeep Renegade TrailHawks!!!!
No more '08 Commander or '04 Mazda....
Merry Christmas & definitely a Happy New Year (to come)!!!!
 We both work hard & sacrifice to make this family & household run as smoothly as possible....Thank You, God for guiding us through it all.
#BLESSED #GRATEFUL #THANKFUL #TWINJEEPS #POWERCOUPLE #MAKEITHAPPEN

On the mustachian side: A friend of mine from college just bought a car the day after christmas (2013 RAV4) to replace her 17 year old Camry.  So, yay, people making better choices!

On the anti-mustachian side, FB friend so excited for a last minute trip to Disney with her kids!  Driving. 1100 miles each way.  In an Acadia.  That's easily a few hundred bucks in gas, then $600 in hotel fees, and how much for 3 days at Disney World?  I dunno.  I think they drove straight though, one driver, 16 hours.  Ouch.

[dragoncar]

I've seen other people using that #POWERCOUPLE hashtag -- it's always people who earn two high incomes and spend all of it on an inflated lifestyle. I wonder how these tags start.

Doesn't the Power come from having a fatter wallet, not thinner?
Bulk that wallet up! Ka Pow!
Any fool can spend, but it takes guts to save.

I always thought a power couple was a pair of power hungry people.  Like, my wife and I are both professionals, but I wouldn't call us a power couple because we aren't scheming to climb the ranks in our industries.  And often to do so, you do need to spend money to keep up appearances to fit into the existing power structure

(I'm not sure keeps qualify, I was thinking more dressing the pet and attending charity events, culture, etc. to mingle with the right people, money to throw parties and so on)

[kayvent]

Girl from high school posts on Facebook the other day how ~blessed~ she is that her income-based payment for student loans this year is $0/month since she had her baby and how excited she was to have that money back each month. I guess she missed the memo that the interest on her loans will continue to grow.

It depends the program. In Canada, federally backed student loans don't accumulate interest if you are on debt repayment assistance (the assistance is that they forgive the ongoing interest and reduce the the minimal payment).

[ringer707]

Girl from high school posts on Facebook the other day how ~blessed~ she is that her income-based payment for student loans this year is $0/month since she had her baby and how excited she was to have that money back each month. I guess she missed the memo that the interest on her loans will continue to grow.

It depends the program. In Canada, federally backed student loans don't accumulate interest if you are on debt repayment assistance (the assistance is that they forgive the ongoing interest and reduce the the minimal payment).

Nope. Good ole fashioned US of A here. I then checked to see where she went to college thinking perhaps it was at least a lower cost in-state school. Nope, a private school I've never heard of with an absurdly high acceptance rate (84%) that is $27k/year.

[bebegirl]

An FB post on Christmas day in one of ladies' groups I am in:

A scared man and a note above "Checking your bank balance at Christmas".

Comments below:

-Yap :D
-That's me!! ))
-Too funny!
-Exactly :D

I added that I stay within the budget - no need to suffer on Christmas day.

:)

[BTDretire]

Isn't the average American woman 170 lbs for 5'4 of height?

These impossible beauty standards must not be observed by that many.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/average-weight-american-men-15-pounds-20-years/story?id=41100782

168.5lbs, up from 140lbs in 1960 @ 5'4".

Men went from 166.3lbs in 1960 to 195.7lbs.

Oh, weighed myself an hour ago, I'm a perfect 166lbs.
But I should really lose 10lbs or 12 lbs.
I'm going to start right after I find something to eat!

[LadyStache in Baja]

#powercouple....oh bless their hearts

[dragoncar]

#powercouple....oh bless their hearts

don't you mean

#blesstheirhearts

[No Name Guy]

Keep in mind in re weights:  when comparing from the 50-60's to today that adults from that time went through the great depression and the war.  The malnutrition from those events in childhood and teen years permanently stunted their growth.  Need proof?  Look at the two Korea's.  Genetically identical populations.  One well fed.  The other half starved.  South Korea is showing the full genetic potential of the population in terms of height, muscle mass, etc which naturally will be heavier.

[gaja]

Keep in mind in re weights:  when comparing from the 50-60's to today that adults from that time went through the great depression and the war.  The malnutrition from those events in childhood and teen years permanently stunted their growth.  Need proof?  Look at the two Korea's.  Genetically identical populations.  One well fed.  The other half starved.  South Korea is showing the full genetic potential of the population in terms of height, muscle mass, etc which naturally will be heavier.

Due to mandatory military service, Norway has very good statistics for the height and weight of 18 year old men. The height data goes back to 1878, but comparable weight data only goes to 1995. Still, it is a very clear development, with a relatively steep increase in BMI from 2001 to 2010. In this article, the researches have accessed similar data sets from the 1980s that show an increase in BMI the last 30-40 years. https://www.ssb.no/helse/artikler-og-publikasjoner/vernepliktige-opp-i-vekt

[Toffeemama]

Apparently, people were going crazy to get their children something called Hatchimals for Christmas.  Someone posted this article on FB: http://www.scarymommy.com/some-hatchimals-didnt-hatch-on-christmas-and-parents-are-out-for-blood/?utm_source=FB

[dragoncar]

Keep in mind in re weights:  when comparing from the 50-60's to today that adults from that time went through the great depression and the war.  The malnutrition from those events in childhood and teen years permanently stunted their growth.  Need proof?  Look at the two Korea's.  Genetically identical populations.  One well fed.  The other half starved.  South Korea is showing the full genetic potential of the population in terms of height, muscle mass, etc which naturally will be heavier.

Due to mandatory military service, Norway has very good statistics for the height and weight of 18 year old men. The height data goes back to 1878, but comparable weight data only goes to 1995. Still, it is a very clear development, with a relatively steep increase in BMI from 2001 to 2010. In this article, the researches have accessed similar data sets from the 1980s that show an increase in BMI the last 30-40 years. https://www.ssb.no/helse/artikler-og-publikasjoner/vernepliktige-opp-i-vekt

I think he's saying increased BMI could be due to increased muscle mass.  And it could.  It could also be due to increased brain size.  Americans are basically just so much smarter and muscly than we used to be.   

[Paul der Krake]

Keep in mind in re weights:  when comparing from the 50-60's to today that adults from that time went through the great depression and the war.  The malnutrition from those events in childhood and teen years permanently stunted their growth.  Need proof?  Look at the two Korea's.  Genetically identical populations.  One well fed.  The other half starved.  South Korea is showing the full genetic potential of the population in terms of height, muscle mass, etc which naturally will be heavier.

Due to mandatory military service, Norway has very good statistics for the height and weight of 18 year old men. The height data goes back to 1878, but comparable weight data only goes to 1995. Still, it is a very clear development, with a relatively steep increase in BMI from 2001 to 2010. In this article, the researches have accessed similar data sets from the 1980s that show an increase in BMI the last 30-40 years. https://www.ssb.no/helse/artikler-og-publikasjoner/vernepliktige-opp-i-vekt

I think he's saying increased BMI could be due to increased muscle mass.  And it could.  It could also be due to increased brain size.  Americans are basically just so much smarter and muscly than we used to be.

Nah, it's all the Asian meathead tech workers who come here for work skewing the stats.

[Malum Prohibitum]

I think he's saying increased BMI could be due to increased muscle mass.  And it could.  It could also be due to increased brain size.  Americans are basically just so much smarter and muscly than we used to be.

  I was all geared up to write a rebuttal, then I read your post again and busted up laughing.  Good one!  You got me.  It went right over my head until I slowed down and read the last sentence again . . .

[kayvent]

Apparently, people were going crazy to get their children something called Hatchimals for Christmas.  Someone posted this article on FB: http://www.scarymommy.com/some-hatchimals-didnt-hatch-on-christmas-and-parents-are-out-for-blood/?utm_source=FB

People were going crazy! Canadians importing them from Germany or buying ones for hundreds of dollars on the ebay market. My daughter mentioned them to me months ago and was sooooo excited. Being older now it freaks me out to see how targeted and effective advertising is.

[cheapass]

Apparently, people were going crazy to get their children something called Hatchimals for Christmas.  Someone posted this article on FB: http://www.scarymommy.com/some-hatchimals-didnt-hatch-on-christmas-and-parents-are-out-for-blood/?utm_source=FB

People were going crazy! Canadians importing them from Germany or buying ones for hundreds of dollars on the ebay market. My daughter mentioned them to me months ago and was sooooo excited. Being older now it freaks me out to see how targeted and effective advertising is.

The facebook garage sale sites had several postings, one of them had hundreds of comments from people bitching about how greedy people were making a profit on them. I guess the manufacturers and retailers are exempt from scorn for their profits.
 
It provided a great lesson on supply and demand for everyone involved though! Pay a high price or don't get one. The free market ensures there will always be adequate supply (see Uber surge pricing).

[JLee]

Guy that graduated a couple years ago (engineering) has three cars. A brand spanking new Camaro, an older Miata he uses for racing, and a V8 Pontiac Bonneville. He constantly posts pictures of them, like before and after wash pictures. I'm pretty sure he's still entry level or maybe slightly above.

Several others have two cars. Like a jeep and a truck, a jeep and a new Lexus, a van and a new Camaro (this one graduated just a few months ago and also bought a house shortly after graduation), just to give a few examples. Half of them are single, other have are dating (not married). None of them have kids. These cars do not include the girlfriends' cars either.

You'd judge the shit outta me, then. I haven't had just one car since 2005.  :)

[cheapass]

Finally saw a FB post I can share to get us back on topic.

For context, this acquaintence is always bitching about how they're broke by payday, living is so expensive, just can't seem to get ahead, etc. You know what will help?  Two brand new car payments!

....the day after Christmas & the husband & I got ourselves 2 brand new 2016 Jeep Renegade TrailHawks!!!!
No more '08 Commander or '04 Mazda....
Merry Christmas & definitely a Happy New Year (to come)!!!!
 We both work hard & sacrifice to make this family & household run as smoothly as possible....Thank You, God for guiding us through it all.
#BLESSED #GRATEFUL #THANKFUL #TWINJEEPS #POWERCOUPLE #MAKEITHAPPEN

Well the #POWERCOUPLE keeps posting photos and status updates about their latest "accomplishments", of course there's lots of "Congratulations! "

... congratulations on not having credit so abysmal that you still qualify for a loan?
congratulations on sacrificing your family's long-term financial security for some expensive toys?
congratulations on teaching your kids that it's a good idea to pay thousands of dollars of depreciation in a single day, and to go broke trying to look rich?

Latest update -
...when that new car smell makes you feel like the BOSS that you ARE!!!!
💯👊👑💪🙋🌟