Cleo's Mom

You know what I've always said when the posts get personal. It's because they have nothing to back up their emotional rants and opinions. We have the facts and that frustrates them so they have to resort to name calling. That's when I know I've been successful and hit my target. And BTW - just one more thing to add to this debate: There was a mosque on the 17th floor of the south tower of the World Trade Center. Muslims gathered there for their daily prayers. So a mosque in the towers is okay but not two blocks away.

I know you meant that tongue-in-cheek.

Laramie; Is the remaining surgeon a general surgeon, too, or only a bariatric surgeon? Mine was a general surgeon in practice with another one and they both took on bariatric surgeries but kept the general surgery practice. As a result, they were often called for emergencies and my appts. had to be rescheduled. It was very difficult getting a surgery date with them too because of their busy general surgery practice. Now, the one surgeon has left for another hospital leaving the remaining surgeon busier than ever, I guess. The reason I guess is that I left this practice about 18 months ago. I did not like my follow up care with this doctor. I don't think he was well versed in the band, it's expectations, and nutrition. My new surgeon is just a bariatric surgeon and much, much better. So, you should definitely look into these other doctors 70 miles away because good follow up care is the most important part of the band. Good luck.

I guess that's why you'll be getting one. I thought you were done posting on here? I knew you'd be back. And your name calling? Well I will use the words of an idiot (president) - bring it on. If you've read my posts on here you would know that I believe that when people attack me personally that means they've got NOTHING. Just like you.

I don't believe for a minute that all this controversy is about the location of the NY mosque. I think it just became a media story when that right wing woman decided to make it one - and the basis is this country's anger toward and hatred of Muslims. She decided to capitalize on it and make it an election year story to further fan the flames of the anger we have seen and give republicans something to yap about since they have zero to offer to help this economy. If it were just about the location then we wouldn't be seeing the burning of a mosque in Tennessee or vandalism and protests of mosques elsewhere in this country, not to mention the threatened burning of the Quran. The media picked up on this story and the angry populace now had a new cause to protest. The undocumented workers in Arizona are off the hook for the time being. Who will it be next week?

President Obama's great answer to a question by a fox news reporter about the mosque at today's press conference: "I think I've been pretty clear on my position here. And that is, is that this country stands for the proposition that all men and women are created equal, that they have certain inalienable rights; one of those inalienable rights is to practice their religion freely. And what that means is that if you could build a church on a site, you could build a synagogue on a site, if you could build a Hindu temple on a site, then you should be able to build a mosque on the site... "We are not at war against Islam. We are at war against terrorist organizations that have distorted Islam or falsely used the banner of Islam to engage in their destructive acts. And we've got to be clear about that. We've got to be clear about that because ... if we're going to successfully reduce the terrorist threat, then we need all the allies we can get. The folks who are most interested in a war between the United States or the West and Islam are al Qaeda. That's what they've been banking on. "And fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world are peace-loving, are interested in the same things that you and I are interested in: how do I make sure I can get a good job, how can I make sure that my kids get a decent education, how can I make sure I'm safe, how can I improve my lot in life. And so they have rejected this violent ideology for the most part, overwhelmingly. "And so from a national security interest, we want to be clear about who the enemy is here. It's a handful, a tiny minority of people who are engaging in horrific acts and have killed Muslims more than anybody else. "The other reason it's important for us to remember that is because we've got millions of Muslim-Americans, our fellow citizens, in this country. They're going to school with our kids. They're our neighbors. They're our friends. They're our coworkers. And, you know, when we start acting as if their religion is somehow offensive, what are we saying to them? "I've got Muslims who are fighting in Afghanistan, in the uniform of the United States armed services. They're out there putting their lives on the line for us, and we've got to make sure that we are crystal clear for our sakes and their sakes: They are Americans. And we honor their service. And part of honoring their service is making sure that they understand that we don't differentiate between 'them' and 'us.' It's just 'us.'"

So the muslims have money to buy land and they build mosques on that land. Does this mean that those of other religions cannot worship at their religious sites or practice their religions as they wish? If people are concerned with protecting the Judeo-Christian history, then they need to change their laws to protect the buildings that have historical meaning. And what law do the muslims act like it doesn't apply to them? This whole mosque issue is just a huge red herring by the republicans and tea baggers to divert the voter's attention in this elections season from the fact that they have NOTHING to offer the middle class. They use fear. It has worked for them in the past. So Trump offers to buy it if they move it at least 5 blocks away. Wow! 3 blocks makes all the difference. How ridiculous all of this is. I am glad I haven't been duped by it.

Actually, the tide is turning. While the majority of people polled still oppose it, fewer do and more support it. I think people are seeing that this is being made into a more important issue than it is and it is fueling hatred like the guy who was going to burn the Quran. Our government has no power to stop this mosque from being built so your statement that our government is a pushover in this matter is inaccurate. They also have no power to stop that guy from burning the Quran if he isn't breaking any local zoning laws, fire laws, etc.. in doing so. And if the Muslims are buying land in Holland then someone is selling it to them. It's all about money. If those who own the land don't want mosques being built then don't sell them the land. But money talks and bulls**t walks.

FYI: Imam says NY mosque will have prayer spaces for other religions By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS • September 7, 2010 NEW YORK - The imam behind plans for an Islamic community center near ground zero writes in a newspaper editorial that the facility will include "separate prayer spaces for Muslims, Christians, Jews and men and women of other faiths."

BJean - I didn't know you had the revision to a sleeve! Did you post anything on R&R about it? Anyway, congrats. I think the sleeve is the surgery I should have but I don't think insurance covers it yet, does it? The band is not working for me like it should. I have a 4cc band and have been filled up to 3cc where I had a lot of problems. At no point did it ever reduce my hunger or give me a feeling of satiety. And hunger is my biggest problem - not eating bad foods. Or junk food. Or fast food. Just having a lot of hunger and a huge appetitie. I am so glad you found something that works for you. Did your insurance pay for the revision and did the same surgeon do it? Good luck.

Ah, what a difference a week makes. :blushing: Republicans and Democrats are tied at 46% among registered voters in Gallup’s weekly tracking of congressional voting preferences, marking a shift after five consecutive weeks in which the Republicans held the advantage.

Of course the republicans are opposed to it. Because it comes from Obama. You know how they are always yapping about cutting taxes and helping small business? Well, Pres. Obama has several bills that will do that. It will increase the republican idea of allowing businesses to write off 50% of their capital investment to 100%. Opposed. He also has several bills that incorporate tax breaks for small business. Opposed. Just because it comes from Pres. Obama. And these are the people some want to elect more of?

The Taliban take-over of the country has imposed the strictest interpretation of Islam in the world today. The results have been devastating for the economy and for the lot of women in society. All Afghans must comply with the strict codes imposed on dress, beards, education and observance of shari'a law. What little religious freedom existed has been terminated. ReligionsPopulation %AdherentsAnn.Gr .Muslim97.8922,241,015+ 2.9Parsee1.50340,806+ 2.9Hindu0.3579,521+ 0.2Traditional ethnic0.1022,720+ 2.9Baha'i0.1022,720n.a. Christian0.023,000n.a. Sikh0.024,544+2.9 non-Religious0.012,272+2.9 Non-Muslim figures may be now much lower than these stated. No Christian churches are permitted. The number of Afghan Christians is estimated to be 1,000 to 3,000. Some Christian expatriate workers have been permitted to serve in relief and social uplift programmes. This is all I could find. No, the Taliban doesn't allow christian churches. Are we better than the Taliban when we don't allow mosques? It's not just the one near ground zero - all over the country they are being vandalized, burned or their religious books burned. We are either a nation that is better than our enemies or we are a country that is the same as our enemies.

KABUL—The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said the planned burning of Qurans on Sept. 11 by a Florida church could put the lives of American troops in danger and damage the war effort. Gen. David Petraeus said the Taliban would exploit the demonstration for propaganda purposes, drumming up anger toward the U.S. and making it harder for allied troops to carry out their mission of protecting Afghan civilians. "It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort," Gen. Petraeus said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here, but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community." Is this who we have become as a nation? To burn the books of those whose religion we disagree with? Remember who else burned books? Hitler. And to endanger our troops, too. It just shows the mob mentality that has developed with this mosque issue.

GOP Continuing Hostility to Jobs as Economy Shows Signs of Life Mon Sep 06, 2010 at 10:50:51 AM PDT Crossposted from The People's View. In the fledgling economy, Friday's jobs data showed some signs of new life. Private sector employers added 67,000 jobs in August, better than expected, while the private sector data for the rest of this summer was revised up (see chart on right, credit: New York Times). Overall, however, public sector job losses -- mostly the loss of temporary census jobs, but also about 6,000 other public sectors jobs were lost -- netted a loss of 54,000 jobs, ticking the unemployment rate up to 9.6%. There are other signs of life in the economy. Prices for single family homes have stabilized, manufacturing is gaining for the first time in a long time, and business spending on new equipment and software spending is up an impressive 22%. Half of the Federal Reserve's 12 districts have noted signs that the economy is starting to rebound. The Rockefeller Foundation finds that state tax revenues are up by 1.4%, compared to a devastating decline of 17% last year (hat tip to "Beet" in the comments). As the economy struggles to gain back some footing, Republicans are going for a full court press to try to keep it from making a comeback. The GOP leadership in the House and the Senate were hoping for far worse jobs numbers in the public sector, as they blocked and delayed the passage of a $26 billion state aid bill that is expected to save up to 300,000 jobs. Already, states and local governments have shed 170,000 jobs this year. State and local governments shed 48,000 jobs last month, bringing this year’s losses to about 170,000, according to the Labor Department. The bill would provide $16 billion to help cover states’ Medicaid bills plus $10 billion for teachers. So what's the Republicans' beef with this bill? You see, the bill was partly paid for by eliminating tax breaks on corporations that offshore American jobs to other countries in the search of slave cheap labor. The bill would be financed in part by a $10 billion tax increase on multinational corporations, which split lawmakers along party lines. Democrats said they are cracking down on the abuse of foreign tax credits intended to ensure companies aren’t taxed by both the U.S. Treasury and foreign governments on earnings abroad. Republicans, along with trade groups such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable, called the tax increase a jobs killer. Since when is not giving tax advantages to American multinational corporations to create jobs in China a "jobs killer?" Unless of course, your intention is to create jobs in China rather than in the United States. I hope the Republicans take this message to voters in November, and I hope Democrats remind voters just what is at stake. The modern GOP simply can't stand Americans. The GOP is not just hostile to public sector jobs -- which, apparently they do not believe are real jobs. The GOP is just as hostile to job creation in the private sector. They have consistently blocked clean energy legislation that is expected to add jobs. The Republicans in the Senate are still blocking a small business jobs bill that, if passed, would create hundreds of thousands of jobs. As the Senate Republicans all voted to block the bill from even coming up for an up or down vote, they came up with an excuse even more novel than "big corporations would have to stop being coddled" -- the argument this time is that not enough GOP amendments were allowed (although each side would get votes on three amendments). Just what is wrong with an up-or-down vote on a bill to help community banks help businesses in their community, Leader McConnell? The big GOP argument on opposing everything the President supports is this: Obama is introducing all these reforms, which is rattling the markets, because they're uncertain, ergo they are not hiring. No new regulations, no new reforms, and rescind the reforms enacted so far -- that is the GOP battle cry. Ezra Klein took that hubbub to the woodsheds: For the past few months, the GOP has been arguing that the jobs numbers are grim because of the policy uncertainty caused by Barack Obama's radical legislative agenda. So, do today's numbers provide support for that? Well, no. The private sector added almost 70,000 jobs. Now, it's possible that they would have added more new jobs in the absence of the Obama agenda. But then you look at where the jobs came from: The largest gains were in the health-care sector, where 28,000 jobs came online. Health-care reform doesn't appear to be scaring that industry out of hiring, which is as you'd expect, as the bill makes demand for the services more, rather than less, likely. This evening in Milwaukee, WI, President Obama is going to lay out a $50 billion plan to invest in rebuilding and strengthening our nation's infrastructure. I am quite certain the Republicans will find a way to oppose shoring up America's infrastructure as well. There is an impediment to job creation in this country that is man-made. Insofar as the impediment to job creation is a result of policy, it is a result of conservative policies, not progressive ones. Republicans have consistently opposed aid to states, aid to the unemployed, and even aid to their own favorite talking point: small business. The professional poutrage manufacturers on the political right would like to assume the mantle of fiscal responsibility after causing the economic meltdown. They want to do so by stopping all help to ordinary Americans and small business, and delivering the money to the ultra rich. dailykos Take a look at the chart and the direction jobs are going. Is the American public really that "uninformed" as to think this is the wrong direction for this country? Would they prefer to go back to the direction it was in the last 18 months of bush? I guess I just can't understand the mindset of those who would vote for those whose policies got us into this mess - the republicans.

Happy Labor Day! This sums up why I am a democrat: A partisan holiday by Laurence Lewis Mon Sep 06, 2010 at 09:30:03 AM PDT Labor Day shames Republicans. They campaign against unions. Their media propagandists rail against unions. Their policies consistently favor corporatists over workers. If the Republicans had their way, minimum wage would be kept to a minimum. Regulations that protect workers would be slashed or eliminated. Consumer protections would be slashed or eliminated. Environmental protections would be slashed or eliminated. Republicans like to claim they are about less government, but they are really about less government protection of people and workers from corporate abuses. Republicans want to regulate our personal lives, telling us who we can and cannot love and marry, what women are allowed to do with their own bodies, and how we all are to respond to our bodies' natural rhythms. But they want corporations to have complete freedom. Unions and union workers played a huge role in creating the best of what America has been for the past century. They built our national infrastructure and our national security. They taught us and fed us. They protect us in our homes. They protect us from natural disasters. Republicans love to stoke fear and hatred based on the 9/11 attacks, but they have opposed helping that day's first responders who saw friends and colleagues die, who risked their own lives, and who continue to suffer the after-effects from those attacks. Those who fought and died to create the labor movement helped end child labor and legal employment discrimination, and they helped create the forty hour work week, paid overtime, workplace safety, workers' comp, unemployment protections, pensions, guaranteed health insurance, sick leave and guaranteed vacations. When Republicans criticize unions and talk of reducing government, they are talking about ending all of that progress. More than any other holiday, Labor Day is partisan in nature. Republican presidents and Republican elected officials may pay it lip service, but they rarely mean what they say. Their actions speak their true intentions, and they rarely act to the benefit of workers or unions. The only surprise is that they haven't attempted to abolish the holiday altogether. Perhaps someday they will seek a balance by attempting to establish a holiday that equally reflects their values and their agenda. But Corporate Plutocracy Day just doesn't have the same ring to it. dailykos

You nailed it, BJean.

Enough Said: Ground zero's neighbors Sunday, September 05, 2010 As you can see there are two blocks of buildings blocking the view of this community center from ground zero. Additionally, you can see the existing building and the proposed addition. The current building has been used weekly as a mosque without any controversy before the proposed addition.

bob, I couldn't find this article in the trib. But giving to a charity that then contributes to Hamas does not make the charity contributor a contributor to terrorists. I gave to the Haiti relief fund - what if later I found out that some of that money somehow got into the hands of terrorists. Does that make me a contributor to terrorists? To cut and paste. Drag your mouse across what you want to paste to highlight it in blue. Then go up to edit and click copy. Then when you get on here and post, just click your mouse where you want the post to go, then go up to edit and click paste.

We just had that nut at the Discovery Channel building. Things could have ended much more tragically for everyone since he had explosives strapped to himself. There are people all around us with various mindsets who would do us harm. As for the mosque. Maybe those building it could have a plaque on the outside of the building that says something like this: We of the Muslim faith are committed to a peaceful world in which we are all free to practice our religion in harmony with others. We reject terrorism in any form, especially that done in the name of any religion. We therefore share in the grief of the people and this nation resulting from the terroristic acts committed on September 11, 2001. It is our hope that those who enter this building will be seeking to learn and to share in our desire for a united community of people. Something like that might go a long way to calming the emotional rage that we have been seeing. I mean, they are burning mosques in other states. Is that the direction we want to go? And BJean - take my poll.

If republicans take over and control congress then they will own the problems. And as I've said before, I will be more patient than they were with Pres. Obama and give them to Feb. 1, 2011 to create 8 million jobs.

He's not the only one laughing about his followers. So is limbaugh about his dittoheads and Murdoch, the Koch brothers and Dick Armey about the teabaggers and Sarah Palin about her grizzly mamas. They are all making a ton of money off of ignorance of their followers. Imagine their hilarity when they see one of their poor slobs who doesn't have a pension, who's saying "welcome to walmart" at age 70, protesting estate taxes for the wealthy.

Thanks. And the sad part of it is that Koch and Murdoch are laughing all the way to the bank while they have these tea partiers do all their bidding for them by aiding and abetting their selfish interests. Like I said, those who control the money control the message.