Merralea

In order for a contract, or anything else, to be implied (literally, "something suggested but not stated directly"), an action must be undertaken or a statement made that implies it. If I order at a restaurant, I imply that I am going to pay. If I'm in an 80's movie, ask if you want to have a good time and you give me some sum of money, it is implied that we will be having sex. Such 'contracts,' while not the most enforceable thing in the world, and subject to complications whenever the implication was not properly inferred (lost in translation), are as valid (assuming both parties understand the communcation) as if the contract had been stated outright, as the same agreement was communicated and mutually understood. However, in the example of the social contract, and many others like it, a case is made of an implication where nothing has been said or done to imply agreement-- *inaction,* rather than an action, is taken as implication; e.g., by *not* leaving a "country," you imply agreement to abide by its laws. This is equivalent to having my car stopped at a light, when a drifter comes up, washes my windows, then mugs me, and saying that this is all perfectly legitimate as my non-moving of the car "implied" my consent, or that it is okay to rape someone in a coma and leave some benjamins on the nightstand. By the definition of the word imply, inaction cannot imply.

First of all, congratulations. 30 pounds down is no small feat. I agree with the earlier statement about false self being non-verifiable. It seems like more of a mental trick/tool to help with willpower, like associating a number five pounds above your current weight with cake. From my experiences with overeating (both my own and of others), it definitely seems to be a mechanism to avoid thinking about or doing something else. For some it's a trauma, others a conflict with loved ones, etc. Were there any major events in your past that hurt you? Once things like that are resolved (if that is the case for you), there's nothing to avoid, so less reason to keep eating. As far as diet, I cannot recommend atkins/primal too highly. Of course, I'm by no means an expert; it's just what works for me. If you want to look into it, marksdailyapple (blog), rawfoodsos (blog), Wheat Belly (book), and forum.lowcarber.org (forum) are helpful.

I think most knew this would be a result, but interesting to see it beginning. It'd be fun to track the number of companies with exactly 49 employees over time. I worked with a year-old cleaning company over the summer that was small enough that I talked to the owners regularly, and they knew they'd have to either stay under 50 or start hiring under the table to stay in business.

Not that the point of your post was to find a place to get drugs, but the Silk Road does exist. As far as personal stuff, I know what you mean about pushing people away/losing touch without necessarily knowing why. For me it boiled down to thinking that I somehow wasn't good enough/didn't 'deserve' to have friends, or that anyone who reached out to or tolerated me was only doing so out of pity. Is it possible that this is a similar issue for you?