Because for many women, having a body that is deemed socially acceptable requires prohibitively long periods of intense exercise and a diet so poor in calories that it condemns them to a life of privation. A clean diet may keep most people healthy (barring various digestive disorders), but it won't keep everyone thin.

Wow, you really weren't exaggerating. Many of the comments are similar to the ones in the story caffeinequeen relates in the post below - this idea that because someone was privileged enough to enjoy certain luxuries (travel, fancy cars), they deserve to pay, regardless of how nice, interesting, etc. they were.

Break up? This is one of those situations where a three-party marriage would pretty much be in order, because they are all equally well-matched/co-depedent.

Thanks - it's one of those strange things that you understand rationally, but that it's harder to convince yourself to feel.

Definitely! I like Portman in some roles, but Doona Bae is probably a better match for the Somni, for all kinds of reasons.

Hm- that's interesting and you might be very right, but would you mind expanding? Do you think the problem is that we would be likely to assume that people from certain backgrounds will be faced with various limitations and to judge them accordingly instead of on their own merit, a bit like what we see happening with…

I don't agree. Barring abuse, parents definitely have a responsibility to get along, to treat one another respectfully, and to provide a stable environment for their kids. That doesn't necessarily mean staying together: it's possible to create those kinds of arrangements while living apart. Difficult, of course, but…

Exactly - I don't understand why this explanation doesn't get more play in primary research and popular media reporting.

Drunk is the best way to visit art galleries!

Oh I definitely agree with your caveats! Having children at work can definitely be disruptive if it's not done right; it can only work if everyone (parents, children, colleagues, supervisors, etc.) has actually planned things out really well.

To be fair, babies in proper business attire would be distractingly adorable.

That would make a lot of sense - thank you.

Then I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one! I haven't been attracted to anyone except my ex recently (a serious problem), but historically at least, I've never felt attracted to anyone until I had known them for a good while. At first it's a lot like what you describe - I can think about it in the abstract, but I…

Thank you for the advice and anecdotes - it's really reassuring! I didn't realize that it was acceptable to correspond for a long time before meeting, and that does make the perspective a good deal less terrifying.

Thanks a lot for the advice! I really love the idea of "embracing the awkwardness" - it's probably the sanest way of dealing with this issue :).

This feels a lot like some popular discourses about statutory rape (She's the one who came after me! She really wanted it! You should have seen how she acted! etc.). Who cares what a fourteen year old kid did, said, or wanted: the adults in the situation are and should always be the ones held responsible for their…

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Exactly. And many of the people deported by the US grew up in the country and speak little or none of the language of the country they were born in. It's inhumane to deport someone in that situation, but it isn't unusual.

Sadly, I would totally go for a Lentil Lads calendar.

Maybe for films? I know a few people whose paintings were rented (from art galleries) for movies. Until I heard about it, I had never really noticed how much art appears in film - in indoor scenes, you almost always have something in the background, helping to set the tone and mood for a space.