stevegoad

If the person had (somehow) become a top professor at a major university, and had shown him to be a pillar of his community with no current charges over his head, and was not in any way partaking in said crimes, I would try to look at the person who they had become.

Don't be upset, lonestarloser. There is an off-topic sub-forum that's just meant for fun - of course, when you get into politics, fun gets pretty serious.

The "terrorist" was William Ayres... Yes, he did acts of terrorism, as did many during the vietnam era. A sad but true fact. He is now a distuingished professor. Another true fact. His association goes as far as being on a board of directors with him. (As I have sat on several boards - often times with people who I have no outside association with). I sware, I wish people would quite acting as though Obama were sitting next to him making bombs... geez The "Radical' was Rev. Jeremiah Wright. And he is so radical that he, while preaching God, actually expects that America would look at what it does instead of expecting that God will bless us just because we're americans. How radical is that. I may not like the way that Rev. Wright says things, but if you really think about it, he makes some great points. (If a white, middle class man in Texas who is proud to be in America, and proud to have served his country in the US Navy, even if it was in the peace time can agree with such radicalism). And just so we can be clear, if you go to a United Methodist church, a Lutheran church, a Disciples of Christ church, an Episcopal church, or the Catholic church in the United States, then your pastor is probably a radical, since in seminary, the most likely studied the works of James Cone, the Liberation Theologian that had such an influence on Jeremiah Wright. As a professor at Union Theological Seminary (A United Methodist seminary), his books are widely studied. After all, it is a well accepted theolgoical approach.

Where are you going to be having surgery (Texas is a big state).

Hang in there, brother. Yup. There are doubts going into it, and for a week or so after I had regrets. But it is a great tool to help you lose weight, and has enough challenge to make you know when all is said and done that you had accomplished something. (I don't want something to do it for me, just the tool to help me). Glad you're here, and know you're not alone.

Are you having regrets? I've turned down a few gigs as a musician, mostly because I didn't like the gig (wanted to tell me how to run my part, what songs I could sing or couldn't sing, etc).and I have turned down a couple of artists who wanted to record in my studio (they wanted my prices, but didn't want to follow the studio's mission). I guess I am wondering if there is something deeper (usually is when you want to tell the story).

Of course, that brings me to another question from the debates: When did Sarah Palin become an expert on Autism? I ask this question because it came up a couple of times in the debate without challenge. "she knows special needs... Autism is on the rise, and she can help..." From 1991-98, I was insturmental in developing programs for the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church for people with mental retardation. During that time I worked closely with numerous people with special needs and their families. From 2004 to late 2006 I was the director of the Houston Area Respite Center, serving children with mental retardation and autism. Sarah Palin has a 5 month old child with Down Syndrome. I look forward to seeing much about that child, and applaud her love for that child. But there is a big difference between infants with Down Syndrome and a child with autism. I know the first time I had a 16 year old child with autism walk over me look I wasn't there, changed an 18 year old's diaper, etc, it changed my view. I don't think either presidental candidate realizes that, if they get to finish their two terms, that they will be facing 1 in 150 of their 18 year olds having some form of autism. I don't know about Sarah Palin, but I would rather be in a room with 10 Down Syndrome children that try to corrall 2 children with Autism. It is rough, and something that all society will have to face. That is one that I don't think, in spite of both McCain and Obama mentioning it in the last debate, either have any clue about.

Well, while Theresa was still a teenager, he mother went through work of having her listed as a dependant adult, sometimes called an incapaciated adult. In the state of Texas, and I believe in most if not all states, when deemed incapacitated, there are several stipulations. One, you must have a guardian (after her mother's death in 2006, Lisa and I applied and we gained guardianship). Two, you will not have certain priviliges and responsibilities, (ie driving, voting, sitting on juries, military service,etc.) The background is that in all these things you must be able to legally sign for yourself. To drive, to vote, to be on a jury, you must sign for yourself. Since she can not sign for herself, she has no legal ability to participate.

I haven't heard of an attempt on Obama - But I will say that I have no doubt (I say regretably) that there will be one if he is elected. In my lifetime, Kennedy was assinated (though I was young), Reagen had a major attempt on his life (a very close call) Ford had a couple of attempts (not so near close calls), and every president has had threats. Obama has not only the typical presidential nutcases, but the nut case racists, but also the nut case internet conspiracy throrists who are popping up. Saddly, I fear he will have a very rough time as president, and there will be attempts. As with any world leader, it will be a time of great pain for the country if someone were to succeed. But I am sure that, as with Kennedy, as with Lincoln, as with others who have died in office, we will survive and recover from the pain.

OK...I know I am going to get in trouble walking into the power room... but my liife, my choice (as I keep hearing). My question is: Is your desire for more tats really worth messing with your husband? So what if you want a skull and crossbones on your hip - he, as your lover, your companion, your friend, etc., should has some stake in it - not that he should have the say, and not that you have to listen to him, but yeah... he should have an opinion that should be listened to. My wife, no post retirement, took a job. She asked, I gave her my opinion, she made up her mind. When I wanted lapband, I asked her opinion, she gave it, we made the decision from there. As a partnership you decide these things together. Of course, like you said... your body, your choice. But if you cut him out of the mix, don't whine if he cuts you out at some point.

The exact reason I don't tell many. Most it is the lie of "The easy way out." The only exception to that is my mother. I didn't tell her because (1) she has very loose lips and would tell everyone... and (2) she would be too all up in my business as to how I could pay for it. I don't want her to be questioning my finances.

I am not offended by women breast feeding, and I think it is somewhat childish for adults to be offended. But that said, I'm a fan of modesty - cover up if you can, go to a less-crowded area if possible. While I am not offended, it doesn't hurt the child in any way for the mother to try to be less-conspicuous. I say this with the clear memories of being a pastor, and watching a mother "whip it out" on the front row of my church while I was preaching one week. In my mind, she was not being considerate to me. It would have been no problem for her to sit on the back row, take the baby out, or at least try to cover up a bit. So, yes, while I always would encourage being to those around you, I don't think you need to go hide or make your baby starve.

For me, my wife, my pastor, 3 friends. Most friends, co-workers, and family members don't know. Of course, that makes me work harder to keep the Protein up (weight loss and sudden balding would start too many rumors that I am dying).

Well, I was suffering depression, missing important business meetings, having traffic accidents because I would just "zone out" in traffic. I was diagnosed in 1998, and I knew my life was going out of control, but I didn't know why (Apnea is diagnosed much more often than it was even 10 years ago). So there was not any question this year when I went in for surgery. But then again, my wife loves my mask (at 50, she likes to steal my hose when a hot flash sets in)

I'm going to say something that people will think is crazy. I own a small business. This is the first year, and this year like many new start companies, I am going to lose money - I invested more into the business than I earned. One day, I do hope my recording studio earns more than 250,000. When that time comes, if I am asked to pay a bit more in taxes, so be it. I will be making money, and I won't be offended to pay taxes. (BTW... I expect I will still give more to charity than I do to taxes anyway for what that's worth). For me, it is not I am not as worried about what the want me to give as I am what they do with it. I am glad to pay taxes as long as government is responsible.

How do I feel about gum? I like chewing it, though I obey my doc when he says no. But other than not liking to step on it, I feel OK, but not fanatical.

I am one of those in complete agreement with what is said here. In 1998, I said "the internet is the electronic Tower of Babel, giving us common language, and if not used right, will be the downfall of society." Strangely enough, that extremely wonderful, 10 year old statement never caught on. The net does have the capability of putting real information at our fingertips, but as easy as it is for the internet, with other computer technologies, to make any idea seem authentic, people need to take what they find out there with a grain of salt. If not, we could go into this coming election season seeing that Barack Obama is not really a legal American Citizen, and Sarah Palin is really the grandmother of her son, Trig (both internet RUMORS with no basis in fact). No, the net is not gospel. We need to look at the net like reporters of old looked at things... varifying our sources before we spread the rumors.

Hey gang... I just finished it... my "Ike Special" guitar. The three-string guitar, based on the depression-era "cigar box" guitars, was made from debris of hurricane Ike. It's an ugly guitar, but a fun thing. See it at my website, www.itsagodgig.org. Let me know what you think. Steve

I won't argue John McCain's education - the Naval Academy is a fantastic school - even if you rank 894 of 899. I won't even argue his plain crashes (after all, when your flight instructors are Orville and Wilbur Wright... sorry, couldn't resist) But I will agree that a BA in Journalism doesn't prepare you to be president (and yes, the VP needs to be someone prepared to be president).

It is a sad fact that the question of photo ID's has been (somewhat rightfully so) equated with the Democrats. I know the arguments (how it's not fair to low income minorities) - they don't make sense. I am a great proponant of people having photo ID's. My wife and I have guardianship over a 41 year old woman who has Down Syndrome (no, Theresa does not in any way make me want to vote for a moose hunting mamma with a Down Syndrome baby - What kind of name is "Trig" for a Baby, anyway). When Lisa and I married 2 years ago, we took guardianship over Theresa, the daughter of a friend who died right before the wedding. One of the first things I did was work to get her a state photo ID (a difficult thing, since in Texas you need 3 forms of ID to get a state photo ID). It took a month's work to get things going for a girl lost in the system, but it was well worth it. If it is worth it for a woman who will never be legally allowed to vote (and God help us if she ever gets the right), it should be worth it for anyone who wants to vote. I suspect that photo ID's would not stop all voter fraud, but it would help. But that said (before I get into too much agreement with gadgetlady) I cannot hold what a lobby group says or does against the candidate. It just doesn't sway me, especially when he has made it clear that ACORN does not speak for him. If you want continue to argue that he took the money as proof of guilt... let's follow the money issue, let's talk money. After Sarah Palin rejected the "Bridge to Nowhere," what happened to the money that it seems she accepted for the project?

(speaking to myself now..."stay calm, steve... this person did not just try to say that you can't be fair like they actually know your mind... stay calm... breathe... breathe. There... I'm better now.") You really don't know me at all. I am quite confident that, had the situation been reversed, I would make the same arguement, knowing how I have looked at presidential elections since my first vote in 1978. As far as ACORN, it might be an issue with them that needs investigation. As far as Obama is concerned, it is not. I will let you in on a secret. I voted for GWB in 2004, and in spite of people saying the election was stolen in Ohio, it wasn't. He won the election fair and square. In spite of people saying that GWB stole the election in Florida in 2000, he didn't steal it. Every "non-official" group that was given access to the ballots say he won, hanging chads or not. I am not some democratic party wag. I have voted republican more often then democrat. I am still not 100% sure who I will vote for in this election. But I chose to vote on what the candidate says and does, not what lobbiest, Which is why ACORN will not get a donation from me. (of course, I don't regularly give to political groups anyway. I would prefer to give through my church or other non-profit organizations that I know well what they do). But again, that doesn't affect either of the presidential candidates. Now who's making silly arguments. If our whole society is going to be shaken by ACORN, then we have far worse problems than that. My gosh. The country survived the impeachment of Bill Clinton, it survived Nixon, it survived the assination of Kennedy, it survived a civil war and numerous other things the "epic proportions" of this event silly.

No doubt about it, it happens. I too have been one who has lost weight in the past (in 2003/2004 I lost 150 pounds, kept it off for nearly a year and picked it back up plus some). I, too, enjoy life as a fat person, and weight loss is much more a health issue than a "like myself" thing. Keeping healthy for my wife and our lives together is important. When I lost weight, I certainly was more confident, though I put it more on the "outside forces" (less "fat" prejudice) than my internal forces. It was as though when people didn't first see me as a fat man, I could get more done. But just hang in there, remain true to who you are, and if worse comes to worse... I'm sure there are people around here who will tell you if you're changing for the worst. :regular_smile:

My point... there are attempts at voter fraud in every election by people who claim on all sides... and it is not something that has been a problem. Obama had some dealings with ACORN, but there is no sign that they acted under his orders. Remember, John McCain spoke a couple of years back at a rally that was sponsored by ACORN as well (I believe it was a rally regarding housing and immigrants in the Miami area, but I was not paying that close attention to the report). But John McCain is not part of "voter fraud." In this case, neither is Obama. If ACORN was part of registering Micky Mouse, or the Dallas Cowboys, or dead people... guess what.. They're not going to show up at the polls... That's why I say it's not a big threat... and I will now ammend that to say it is not a threat at all. Personally, I think it is a stupid issue to keep our minds off the real stuff. A general waste of time.

The St. Petersburg times is a real paper, no doubt... but the report says that fraudulant registrations came in with an Acorn stamp. Oh wow... a rubber stamp. Could be fake. I doubt Micky Mouse would have shown up at the polls anyway. If ACORN really did try to commit this fraud, they are pretty stupid. So, no, I don't think this should be considered a big threat.

Oh... and by the way - New York Post... I've read it... It's a tabloid.