Wheetsin

I'll give you a hug but it costs $1. What can I say, they're really good hugs... :heh:

Oh, that wasn't actually a question. It was a statement. And I certainly wasn't asking you why you believe in god. That's your business. It was just an observation. That it seems like there's a higher ratio of christians asking atheists why they don't believe in god, than atheists asking christians why they don't. Kind of gives the impression that one side is more forceful about their beliefs, while the other is more content with "to each their own". How about having a desire for people to be free to experience what they want to experience? Why does it matter to you that everyone share your experience?

Umm...wow. Am I sensing a little hostility, or not? Perhaps just gusto? What question did I ask, that was a good question? And more specifically, what question did I ask that would warrant that response? Please feel free to quote it, because I can't find it anywhere. Yes, I have done my homework.

It would be interesting, for those opposed to ending the war and who believe that having the troops in place is showing support, to actually ask our troops what they think. I don't know a whole lot of people who have been there, past or present, but none of the ones I know would equal "I want you to stay there" to "I support you".

Ugh I hate that. We have family in Iraq, and they get my support as often as possible, because they had to leave their families behind and do their duty. No qualms, they understood it's what they agreed to do by enlisting. I would give them the same support I would give anyone close to me who was taken away from their homes and "normal life", and put into a hostile environment. And B.S. (ode to TOM?) to anyone who would say that means I, in any way, support the chief idiot of the country.

I have no problems discussing it. It's been pretty much discussed into the ground during the last two years here, I'm not sure I can say anything I haven't already said. I wonder... in ratio with the opposite, how many atheists ask Christians why they believe in god.

Then do you believe that either a) the sperm carries the soul, :scared: the soul is dormant in the egg until "awakened" by the sperm's penetration, or c) something else? Not looking to debate your beliefs, not at all, just curious what you believe about this. I've had lots of conversations around this particular topic, and personal beliefs vary widely, even within the same religion.

Yes, I'm well aware of the difference between agnosticism and atheism. Which is why it says "token atheist" and not "token agnostic".

A common rebuttal you'll hear to that is "God does not give anyone more than he can handle" (huh?) or "Because there also has to be death" or "Because God has something planned for that child, and needed him/her to learn the lesson of a hard/diseased/whatever life" or... That's why debates based in theology are more difficult from our perspective. In my opinion. :scared: (I've posted this before, so I'm just giving the short version). One side has some unseen, unknown, unproven "magical" entity that can do everything and anything imaginable. Kind of like someone with every superpower ever conceived of, all rolled into one. The other side has to try and rationalize against that, which to us is "common sense", but when you believe in the entity, it's all the answer you need - apparently. We tend to see things in terms of the Epicurean riddle, while those with religious faith tend to see things in terms of Because it's god.

Our own media credible? Are you kidding? (There are lots of things I find credible, but anonymous emails are not one of them.) Yes, I am really an atheist. Can you believe it?! Why do I consider myself an atheist? Umm...because...I am? Seems self-evident to me, so perhaps I'm not understanding your question... Mousecrazy - I agree. While I do think that Europe is far ahead of us in many areas, and lightyears ahead of us in some areas, I don't necessarily believe that religious (or even race) tolerance is one of the areas where they excel. And I will add that I say that in reference to Europe in general. Particular "sub-divisions" - I can only speak with personal experience of Scandinavia (Protestant), and I do believe they are ahead of us when it comes to... not even tolerance, because it goes beyond that, but true acceptance of religious differences. Even when your difference is not to have one.

Kristin, I think I would rather admit to it being my own pee than having people think I'm walking around with someone else's pee on me. LOL your story cracked me up. I never had an accident like yours, but because of small stalls AND that they're even smaller considering the toilet paper is taking up about 8" on one side and the sanitary box about 4" on the other, I did have many times where I bruised the crap out of my leg standing up into the sanitary box. Oh and don't you love it when you have to walk out of the stall sideways because the entrance is too narrow? There's a certain "move" you have to do, similar to doing the limbo, when the space between the toilet and the door is less than the space you take up. So you have to kind of bend backwards over the toilet to be able to open the bathroom door (for the geniuses that make them swing inward). Fat moment... hmm... I think I've forcible blocked them from memory. Although I'm CERTAIN there were a few times when I sat down in one of those metal frame collapsable camping chairs, then got up, only to have the chair stay attached to my arse.

And FWIW, was in response to "tomorrowsdream", not "Ron Cusano". That may help with clarity as to the intention of what I said.

I'm not saying there is or isn't a revival of anti-semitism in France. Because I don't think anyone here would really believe this would be the first time ever. Far from it. I'm saying it's foolish to put much credibility into an anonymous, uncredited email, whether or not it references actual events, and whether they're references in or out of context. To debate the idea of anti-semitism in France - fine. But when the topic starter is an email, to me that's what you focus on. At least for the first post or two. :scared:

Are you asking if I mean token or if I mean atheist?

And as for the validity of the article, snopes isn't the only place that references it, but it's the first I came across. Doesn't matter to me. That it comes up in Google searches isn't enough to make it credible in my eyes. Lots of things come up online that aren't credible to me, and I still stand by my words that it's foolish to believe something with no referenced data, especially something circulated via the Internet. That email appears to be someone's opinion, good for them. We have some French bandsters on this board, it will be interesting to see if they reply. Tho I have no idea if they frequent RnR.

Point of views are welcomed here. I think the majority of people who use this forum, if not all, would agree. But this is Rants n Raves, and you can't expect to be agreed with, or to post something and have it go unrebutted. That's the nature of the beast, and why this is our "no holds barred" area, so to speak. Not sure what you mean by "not accepted". Was it deleted, or is it still there? Is that acceptance? Or is acceptance "oh my that's tragic France is horrible?" Or something else? As for the firs tpost, smelled like troll to me. Probably would smell like trolls to others. It seems that's not the case, and I'm glad - but when you (or anyone else) is looking for opinions, truly wanting people's perspectives, it helps to mention that.

Interesting first post. Introduce yourself to us. Are you banded? Researching? SO to a bandster? Only a fool believes everything they read on the Internet, in alleged emails, on messageboards, or otherwise. I hope you're using the term "article" loosely. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/petition/lieberman.htm You'll find that the second letter on Snopes is virtually identical to the letter you're sharing. I could write a letter from the perspective of a thin, short, black. Jewish midget claiming that Norway kicked me out of their country because they're anti-semitic, circulate it via email, and someone somewhere out there would believe it. And maybe even have it be someone's first post on a WLS message board.

Oh I've been there - not fitting on the doctor's scale, that is. And there were times where I probably should have gone to the doctor and didn't, because - no fun - having to tell the nurse "I won't fit on that..." You know what? 2 years ago I was at my pre-op highest and went on Atkins, and said F the scale, I'm going with measurements. And I had to go to the fabric store and buy a freaking DRAPERY measuring tape, because regular measuring tapes would fit around my hips. For a lot of years I would only go to a movie theater an hour and a half from us, because it had arm rests that raised up and that would let me spill over into DH's seat. Or I would always wait extra for a table at a restaurant b/c the booths cut into my gut. And even then I had to HOPE that the charms didn't have armrests on them. Try being 28, working in a trendy corporate office in the heart of downtown, in a high profile position, and Catherine's is all you can wear. Don't get me wrong, they have nice stuff, but what thin 28 year olds have to wear elastic waist sack skirts and rayon tops to work?!? And while I'm ranting at my own expense, why does a FREAKING T-SHIRT at Lane Bryant cost $19? Why do they charge $350 for a coat that I bought at Gordman's for $79? Because as much as they say "size doesn't matter", what they're really saying is, "We know you have no choice so you're going to pay whatever we charge." But I still shop there. :scared: Some day you'll be strutting around in your J-Lo pepto-bismol pink velvet tracksuit. :clap2:

On a more serious side, I've been tasered. (As part of a law enforcement explorer program I was part of back in highschool). Many years ago, but the memory of the pain is crystal clear. My father has also been tasered. He's an assistant warden, and whenever the prison personnel go through their annual whatever it is they go through, they get tasered, pepper sprayed, etc. Theory behind it is that it's supposed to better enable them to work through it because they'll know what's going on, should an inmate ever get ahold of the "weapons" (yes, they're classified as weapons) and strike back. It's not fun. And unlike TV, you don't just get up & brush it off afterwards. It took me 2 or 3 days to no longer feel the effects of it. And if anyone ever wrongfully tasered me, as much as I'm anti-lawsuit-at-the-jump-of-a-gun, you can betcherass my first call would be to an attorney.

Have you asked him why he brings it up now, but not 52 pounds ago? Has your financial status changed, to where it wasn't a lot of money but it is now? Etc. libra - we're sharing the husband experience a bit, I think. I was thin when we met. Part of what he liked was that I dressed/appeared "classy", as he calls it. Not high maintenance, but I paid a lot of attention to being put together. As I got fatter, I cared less. For a while I took to sweats, oversized t-shirts, and crocs. Or jeans & tennis shoes all the time, with whatever top was oversized enough to hide under and wasn't yellow. I know he always hated that, but would only rarely say something. But when you weigh nearly 400 pounds, it's a LOT more about "what fits" than "what I like", you know?! But I think he got used to it because now he thinks I "fuss", even though AFAIK I'm doing the same things I did last time I weighed this little. I asked him the other day, why he never comments on my weightloss. I've lost 8 sizes so I know it's noticeable. He'll say some things, but I always take them as jokes... like he'll hold me and say "You're thin" (yeah right, how can I take that seriously?). He replied, "Because you're always asking me, I never get a chance to just say it on my own" LOL

I don't diet, but I do watch my carbs. I workout when school is out of session, but am really too liberal about it when school is in. My biggest factor in "success" (I use that term lightly, I'm still about 70 lbs from goal) is being able to get out of "live to eat" and move into "eat to live". It's very liberating when you realize that food has become more of a nuisance than a motivator. And it makes it that much easier to control your intake. Which is my other factor - being able to stop eating when I'm no longer hungry, versus when I'm full. And for me, "full" often meant one of two things: 1) no more food on my plate or in the pots & pans, or 2) miderably full, to where I really couldn't comfortably eat another bite.

Healing first, then calories. You aren't healed yet. The only number I cared about at first was the carb count in my Protein shake, per my dietician's guidelines. The protein had to be at least 20g protein per serving, and no more than 5g carbs.

Can't speak to evaporation because AFAIK never had it, but: Why first. Because organs are different shapes and sizes, and what fits me may not fit you. Just like bracelets come in different sizes to fit around our wrists, so bands come in different sizes to fit around our esophagae. The surgeon will select the band that fits your organ the best, which is why most of the time they can't tell you in advance which band you will receive (if they use multiple sizes). Some surgeons only use one size. Some prefer, say, the 4cc to the 10cc because it takes less time to reach restriction, while some may prefer the 10cc because you have more room for fine tuning, while others prefer the 4cc because they feel the single pillow makes fine tuning easier to achieve than the multiple pillows which could hold uneven amounts of Fluid. BioEnterics bands: 9.75cm/4cc 10cm/4cc 14cm/10cc There are other bands out there, but I'm not sure about their capacity/length.

Both on Atkins and now that I try to watch carbs as a general guideline, I look at total carbs minus fiber. In other words, I don't subtract sugar alcohols, I count them in the carb total. For the same reason - seems like sugar alcohols can mess me up. Plus they don't do nice things to my digestive track. We can't digest the fiber, and it doesn't add any ill effects, so I go ahead and subtract it.

You know I've been there. Actually before surgery I quit going to the gym because I felt so singled out when I was there. And hello?! What genius covers the wall in front of the treadmills with mirrors? If you haven't yet, look into Asics. Asiics. Assics. Whatever. They make the MOST comfortable walking/running shoes, and I get mine at Shoe Carnival for under $100, and they usually have them in sz 14. I wear the men's intentionally, because they're just wide enough that there's no breaking in to do. I have to break in the women's. Have you tried www.junonia.com for workout clothes? I bought some of mine there. I haven't been there lately but they used to have a lot of workout clothes, even aqua suits for water aerobics and stuff. They aren't cheap, but their stuff holds up well & is generally worth it.