August 21, 2012

"Ugh: really torn about which presidential ticket to vote for based on body fat percentage."



Ah! That takes me back! My first ever political post, on the second day of this blog, January 15, 2004:
Our local free tabloid, The Isthmus, has a nice set of columns comparing the Democratic candidates for President.

Hmmm.... "Little known fact: at 59, Wesley Clark has only 5% body fat."

Christopher asks, "Should it be Wesley Clark is 5% body fat?"
The link didn't go to the article in the Isthmus. I wasn't reading the article on line, but on newsprint. The link went to the entry in the Philosophical Dictionary to the "mind-body problem." Chris's question wasn't political, but philosophical (and linguistic). The Philosophical Dictionary link has died though, so I'm replacing it with the Wikipedia entry on the mind-body problem.

Now, I'm clicking back sequentially through those oldest posts: the first post about art, the first post about suicide, the first post about law, the first and second post about hair, the first post about language usage, and the first post (about blogging).

37 comments:

Roger J. said...

It is comforting to know that body fat percentage is a factor in selecting the President of the United States--we have met the enemy and it is us. We get what we deserve, and, regretably, who we vote for, for whatever reason.

God help us.

Matt Sablan said...

Hah. Aren't you all glad we didn't draft Chris Christie now? We're competing for Michael Ian Black's vote!

Carnifex said...

Make's as much sense as voting for a mans skin color. I'm positive Mr. Black is joking...not even democrats are this dim.(he said hopefully)

Ann Althouse said...

If you don't think we're voting based on beauty, take a look at the pictures of candidates.

When's the last time the worse looking of the 2 major party candidates won the Presidency?

Chris said...

By that logic, Palin should have won it hands down.

wyo sis said...

When's the last time the worse looking of the 2 major party candidates won the Presidency?

I'd say 2008.
McCain and Palin are both very good looking.

roesch/voltaire said...

I am more worried about the brain fat of Akins and Ryan who seem obsessed with re-defing rape and control a women's body parts.

Anonymous said...

Some of the candidates carry most of their body fat above the neckline.

Roger J. said...

Great comment re Ms Palin--again: the American electorate gets what it deserves. and again: God help us. Fortunately I am old enough to take advantage of all the freebies--for you folks under 55--god help you. Romney or Obama--your choice.

wyo sis said...

roesch/voltaire

Try to stay focused. You wouldn't want to become ridiculous.

jr565 said...

I do seem to recall some pictures of Obama not wearing a shirt that made the rounds with the media and I do remember a lot of the fawning and gushing over how fit he was.

Anonymous said...

Back to old Althouse. Where has icepick gone?

Anonymous said...

"He has only 5% body fat -- but it's not his body fat, it's somebody else's."

h/t This is Spinal Tap

Christopher in MA said...

Ah, yes, RV - controlling a woman's body parts is a sin against God and man.

But controlling what women eat, what schools they are allowed to use and the portion size they can drink is just good public policy.

bandmeeting said...

Biden is a total fathead so that should conclude the discussion.

Icepick said...

Where has icepick gone?

I'm still RIGHT HERE ... watching ... lurking ... waiting for my chance ....

Anonymous said...

Politics aside, when I realized the 2008 election was going to be a tall, elegant, youngish man versus an old, gnarled dwarf, I had a bad feeling.

Also, it's not a lock, but generally the taller presidential candidate wins.

Anonymous said...

"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."

--C.S. Lewis

Thorley Winston said...


When's the last time the worse looking of the 2 major party candidates won the Presidency?
George HW Bush 1988 – what do I win?

damikesc said...

I am more worried about the brain fat of Akins and Ryan who seem obsessed with re-defing rape and control a women's body parts.

Can you name when Ryan did so? It's like saying "I worry about Obama and Whoopi Goldberg discussing 'rape-rape'"

Thorley Winston said...

Politics aside, when I realized the 2008 election was going to be a tall, elegant, youngish man versus an old, gnarled dwarf, I had a bad feeling.

Tyrion Lannister was on the ballot?

shiloh said...

Well, at least Alhouse admits she's all about superficiality and will cross party lines in search of the best looking dude lol.

Now we know why she voted for Obama. And of course naturally she's smitten w/mittens, who is only a couple years older than her :D and Ryan and Scott Brown and Scott Walker.

Indeed as the truth shall set you free!

btw, how did Jan "America's Sweetheart" Brewer get elected?

Paddy O said...

"I am more worried about the brain fat of Akins and Ryan who seem obsessed with re-defing rape and control a women's body parts."

Which is odd to me because when Clinton was president, no Democrats seemed interested in politicians who raped or controlled women's body parts.

Paddy O said...

"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."

--C.S. Lewis


Lewis engaging in some of his occasional gnosticism.

A religion that asserts resurrection as one of its core doctrines is not one that depreciates the body. It mourns its corruption and death precisely because it of the value it has and the importance for who we are as a human.

Anonymous said...

Thorley Winston: However, GHW Bush was 6'2" vs Dukakis at 5'8". Bush was half a foot taller. That's huge.

Dukakis was short for a US President, especially a modern one.

Romney has an inch on Obama. Good news!

purplepenquin said...

But controlling what women eat, what schools they are allowed to use and the portion size they can drink is just good public policy

I don't think those are a good policies at all...especially the one about what folks are allowed to eat.

Are you gonna vote for someone that wants to control what people eat/drink/ingest or are you voting for a 3rd/4th party?





shiloh said...

"Romney has an inch on Obama. Good news!"

Not according to Michelle :-P hmm, one wonders how many inches Meade ... never mind!

Chris said...

The only people with body fat as low as 5% are competetive body builders at competetition time - it's not a healthy level for day to day living. 9% would be on the low end of healthy.

Curious George said...

"roesch/voltaire said...
I am more worried about the brain fat of Akins and Ryan who seem obsessed with re-defing rape and control a women's body parts."

This is the inane drivel that passes for intellectual discussion in the echo chamber of liberalism. THis is also why r/v always does "drive-bys".

Icepick said...

Tyrion Lanister isn't an old dwarf, he's a young dwarf.

Christopher in MA said...

Are you gonna vote for someone that wants to control what people eat/drink/ingest or are you voting for a 3rd/4th party?

My only objective this year is giving the Kenyan dog-muncher his walking papers, though as I am deep behind enemy lines, a Gary Johnson or Jill Stein vote would carry as much weight as one for Romney.

That being said, almost every party wants to control what you ingest in some form (I'm not familiar enough with libertarians to know what they want to ban). I am an opponent of smoking bans. I think the continuing efforts of MADD and the neo-prohibitionists to make even the ingestion of a rum ball cause for arrest when driving is inimical to freedom. I utterly loathe the creeping police state mentality that has only been growing since 9/11.

If you wish to smoke, you should be able to, within the bounds of politeness. If you wish to establish an all-smoking bar or restaurant, you should be able to. If I want to eat foie gras, raw milk or transfats, that is my right as a free citizen.

My comment was directed at RV, who labors under the delusion that the GOP wants to "control lady parts" when, as is quite obvious, the left (as well as nanny state righties) desire control over your food intake (Moochelle, Bloomberg), your right to speak (the Fairness Doctrine) and, ultimately, your body (Obamacare).

The only thing sacrosanct to the Democrats - the one "choice" that must never be abridged - is, and will always remain the opportunity for a woman to sandblast her uterus right up until 8 months and 29 days.

Curious George said...

"creeley23 said...

Romney has an inch on Obama. Good news!"

Wow, if true. Because Joe Biden promised.

Known Unknown said...

Tyrion Lannister was on the ballot?

Dinklage is pretty hot as far as dwarfs go ...




And how far do dwarfs go? Why, as far as you can toss them!

purplepenquin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
purplepenquin said...

as I am deep behind enemy lines, a Gary Johnson or Jill Stein vote would carry as much weight as one for Romney

Actually...with the way ballot access, media perception, and invites-to-debates are handled a vote for either of 'em would carry a lot more weight.

I am an opponent of smoking bans. I think the continuing efforts of MADD and the neo-prohibitionists to make even the ingestion of a rum ball cause for arrest when driving is inimical to freedom. I utterly loathe the creeping police state mentality that has only been growing since 9/11.

If you wish to smoke, you should be able to, within the bounds of politeness. If you wish to establish an all-smoking bar or restaurant, you should be able to. If I want to eat foie gras, raw milk or transfats, that is my right as a free citizen


Looks like we have a lot in common.

Big difference, of course, is that I ain't gonna vote for a President who is strongly against those stances.

No offense meant, but I'd have to say that anyone that votes for Romney or Obama is only paying lip service to those ideals you stated.

Don't underestimate the power of voting outside the duopoly. History has shown that it can bring about major changes, but only once enough people start actually doing so...

Ann Althouse said...

"I am more worried about the brain fat ..."

Would you like to rid your brain of fat?

60% of the brain is fat.

Known Unknown said...


60% of the brain is fat.


Then why are most zombies so thin?