stevegoad

Well, conservative, liberal, republican, democrat... It doesn't matter. If it is only being reported on the internet or on talk radio (which has become tabloid news at best) it should be questioned.

Mistakes happen. I don't believe that your misplaced voter card was fraud, but most likely a mistake. I had that same problem in Florida in 2000 (and the press said it was only African American Democrats that were turned away from the polls there). I am a white man, registered independent, and at that time I would have voted for George W. if I wouldn't have been turned away. Sometimes mistakes happen. And that was a paper ballot thing... hanging chads and all that rubbish.

Well, in election years, there is never one who can bring us together. The divisions will be there because there are always people with deep set party affiliations. (the old "yellow-dog democrats", or "yellow dog republicans" ... "I would rather vote for a yellow dog than a _______" Often times issues go by the way with people voting party first. That is one thing that makes this election facinating. I know people who have been "yellow dog democrats" (including one uncle of mine) who, as am 80 year old man can't bring himself to vote for an African American. I know "yellow dog republicans" (including my own mother) who can't face the thought of a woman being vice president. What we need to look at are issues. Not what church the person went to, nor their friends, not even the herific time they might have spent in their military service. No one can be a unifier when running for office. If they try they will offend their own party loyalists. I fear in this internet-free society where any rumor can look official, we will always have disunity when it comes to politics. Of course, the statement "two things you should never discuss are politics and religion" is a statement that is as old as our country itself... so I doubt "unity" in an election year will ever come.

I am not an apologist for Obama... I believe his answer was much more general financial... dealing with we must get our whole financial house in order. I am not going to say that he gave a great answer here But that's why McCain's answer stood out in my mind. He made a point to say something like "My oponant did not give an answer, but I will..." and then went on not to answer. By calling Obama down for his lack of specifics and then totally throwing away the question, it seemed foolish. If he hadn't pointed out Obama's less than clear response, his might have gone unnoticed. Like I said, I am not an Obama Apologist... just pointing out facts that I believe he (as an African American, meeting the title of this topic) is just as reasonable a candidate as McCain.

I don't "spin" He said "the government will buy the bad loans." He did not say "we will tell the banks to reduce the principle..." So to stay within the time limit means you must give an arguement that would fail in a middle school debate class. Give me a break. It was a non-answer using time limits as an excuse.

OK, Plain... let's talk issues. John McCain wants to buy out all the bad morgages and give the home buyers better rates. I own my home outright, but my 75 year old mother has a morgage. I don't even want to think of the government being her landlord. That is an insain proposition. John McCain wants to complain that Obama doesn't have a financial plan, yet during the debate, his response to how to take care of social security was to say something like "it's simple... Ronald Reagan did it... we can do it again..." and then never said how he would do it. When asked about Medicare, he said something like "that's harder... I will get a group of the smartest people together and we will find out." That's not a plan, that is an I don't have a clue" answer. In the meantime, his vice presidental candidate is sounding like she gets all her news from Sean Hannity. The fact is, between the two candidates, Obama has a better plan. It is not about race, it is about ideas.

Well, I was hurting for about 6 days. After a week, it was only tenderness. My biggest problem, the shoulder pain, went down when I learned to sip instead of gulping liquids. It helps.

Welcome, welcome, welcome. I have a father-in-law in Fulton, MO. Pretty area.

From a male prospective, sex is much better. The weight loss is like viagra. :crying: Honestly, 2 1/2 months post op = no pain, no problems.

I've been doing deep Water aerobics for about 5 years now. Without diet, it doesn't do much for weight, but it definitely makes a difference as far as toning and stamina (I was doing it at 420 pounds, and when I would miss a few sessions, I could tell it immediately) Great work out. I recommend it to anyone -

You know... I can say that Sean Hannety and Alan Combs are gay lovers... it would be a complete lie. But if I said it on the internet in a blog, and made it look official, I could find someone to believe it.... then the ball would be rolling. So what if, when Obama was working in the legal end one of his clients was questionable - I use the word questionable since I don't have many facts on that specific case and can not make any judgements - some blogger putting his name in bold print doesn't make it some great conspiracy on his part. Maybe if you look at both candidates with an open mind (instead of looking for invented reasons to dislike a person) you might find some real information. A reminder... I did not say that Sean Hannity and Alan Combs are gay lovers.

I have a bad nose... I have always been prone to sneezing. (it is so bad, that I actually have my computer programmed to sneeze when an e-mail comes in). Since lapband, I have noticed that, while eating, about the time that I have reached my limit, but before I get to that reflux stage, I will have a sneezing attack. It is especially noticable if I am eating a bit too fast. I know it sounds strange, but once I get that sneeze going, which can easily go 10 or 12 sneezes, if I keep eating after that, even a couple of bites will send me to the pain of over eating. Usually, I am fine and find I am quite satisfied, nearly beyond, if I stop at that point. I haven't figured the science behind it yet... maybe it is somehow the gas building, tickling my nose, or what... but it seems to be a very real indicator that I am about to cross over into a not so happy place... a "this is your final warning" area. Anyone else have this sort of thing?

3 days, 2 hours, 34 minutes with gas-X. OK, that was sarcastic. It lasted for me about 3 days.

Welcome, Patti. What part of Texas (I know people in Rhode Island or other small states don't really need a city, but there is a lot of Texas you can be from). Glad you're here.

Yeah, of course I have. But it happens to everyone at times. I personally lost a career due to weight discrimination (a career that, 10 years later, I am paying on the 70,000 in student loans for the master's degree to get into). I was out of work for nearly a year after that. Of course, I have faced other, less important, discrimination, too. Shoe salesmen who lectured me on who bad weight is on your feet, strangers coming up in an airport and saying "Big Man, did you pay for 2 seats" etc. You know what. In the end, it doesn't matter. Everyone faces some discrimination. African-Americans faced it for centuries, and in many areas, still do. Women still face discrimination, even with the millions of "cracks in the glass ceiling" made this year. People who are homeless are discriminated against everywhere, and no one cares because they don't have money and they smell bad. People with mental retardation face it everyday, and it is completely acceptable because people think they don't know they are being discriminated against. There is discrimination in every walk of life. We can't do much to stop people who are idiots against us. We can't only try our best not to be idiots with them. Maybe if we show the world that fat people are not lazy, smelly, weak-minded, weak-willed people, some will see. Some never will, but then again, that's their problem.

Well, I made my thoughts on this sort of thing clear in the Olive Garden whine-fest. So I will just say "grow up" and move on.

Well I've been through Midlothian a few times. Hope it all works out well for you. Steve

I can't say that "don't know how I feel..." is really a proper answer for me. I know, but it is sort of in-between. I am happy that I am losing. I went for my second fill day-before-yesterday, and will no doubt will go back for another one in a couple of weeks, since I am still not at that "sweet spot" yet (I can tell it after 2 days). I am glad I was able to get this tool to help me do what I knew I could do but just didn't have quite enough in me to keep of what I have lost in the past. But can I say it was one of the best decisions I have made in my life... I wouldn't rank it nearly that high... Accepting Christ, asking my wife to marry me, taking the responsibility of guardianship over Theresa (age 41 with Down syndrome), bypassing some of the high-dollar comforts to work in non-profit organizations and churches, starting my own business to help struggling artists, etc., all rank much higher in my book than getting a lap band. The band? It was just a thing so that I can, maybe, do some of the other things a bit longer and a bit better.

This is a critique that could have been written before the debate - you already had in your mind that McCain would win, and that Obama would lose. The debate I saw was basically one of the more boring debates. No one was an informed political guru. No one was a "slogan slinging" idiot." It was in general a tie. Now people who get their whole understanding of the news from Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh will certainly agree with you, since their only reason to watch the debate is to find some small talking point to blow way out of context. But people who watch with an open mind might want to see more. My opinion... a tie. Maybe the vice presidential debates will be more interesting (I have always wanted to see a debate between a hot-tempered politician and a pentecostal moose hunter. Blood will surely flow on Thursday night!) :bolt:

Whine, Whine, Whine. Personally I think that we need a grip on reality. We got banded. Olive Garden doesn't care, and doesn't have to. I own a recording studio. I have made a contious effort to say that all projects who record with me will be clean, and accept my Christian practices. I don't ever want anyone to come and tell me that they are a paying customer, and if they want to make trashy music with lots of foul language, I have to accomidate. Olive Garden has a policy. And they have every legal right to do so... So stop your whining and get over it.

Hey, Gang. I am back. I rode out the storm. Some shingles off the roof, a lot of downed branches off the trees... One tree down. 1 week without power. But I am blessed. We never lost Water or gas, so we had hot showers. A neighbor got food poisioning, and I had to take her to the hospital. Many neighbors took trees on fences and on their homes. My wife's daughter and son-in-law lost their trailer. So I am blessed. I read two books, (Biographies of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane). I wrote 11 songs, at least a couple of them I believe are pretty good. I cleared a lot of branches for myself, and several neighbors. And I lost about 3 pounds (not as fast as I have, but when you eat a lot of canned foods and such, it wasn't too bad). So now I'm back and alive. May everyone else be so good.

Well, I feel like Tina Turner as I am getting ready for Ike to come to my studio. Really, Tonight, I am updating all pictures, making sure all projects are backed up, and shutting down ItsaGodGig Music for the weekend to put muself in hurricane mode. My family has decided to shelter in place, and I will stay on line as long as the lights and cable will allow. We are listed as being about 10 miles outside of the "level C evacuation area" (those who should evacuate in a catagory 3 or higher storm). So while close, we are going to ride it out. Will board up the windows tomorrow morning (boards are already cut and fitted) and we have Water and food for about a week. I even have my slim fast Like I said, I will give updates as the storm progresses, but keep us here on the Texas coast in your prayers. Steve

I guess we will disagee, Kat. Serving you a child's plate is not a medical need. It is a choice. You will not die if they serve you a bigger plate. You will not go into cardiac arrest if you have to carry a box home. It is a choice. Yes, I know well that it was a medical procedure. I don't think it is a life-or-death procedure, in that it certainly improves the chances of a long life, but doesn't promise it. Some people live a long life overweight (my mom is 75, and after 60 years of weight problems had lap band 2 years ago) while others do not, even without weight issues (my dad, on the other hand who had no major weight problems died at age 43 of a heart attack). As risks go, I should have died before age 48, and yet I waited until 48 to have the surgery, and when I chose to, I am showing all signs of being a very healthy man who is twice the normal weight. Weight is a factor, but not a guarentee. Our weight, however, is not Olive Garden's problem. I don't know why they don't want to let you use the kid's menu, but they have no legal responsibility to do so. They don't have to worry if you can't eat a full plate, or why you can't, and they certainly don't have to worry about whether you like left-overs. They only have to make food, and hope you like it (Note that I am glad that there is a much better Italian restaurant close by so I don't have to go to Olive Garden anyway) But you make the choice to ask... they make the choice whether to serve you what you ask... you make the choice to go back. End of story.

Most overweight people do "stress eat." It is nothing new. I don't mean to diminish your self awareness. It is easy to say "people eat because of stress (sadness, loneliness, etc.)," it is far harder to say "I do it," and it is even harder to say "I need help." You did good reaching for a Crystal Lite. There are many Snacks that can be helpful. I just had a sugar free fudgecycle (40 calories). It was not a bad thing. So you're doing good. Just hang in.

As has already been said, Thick-It thickens thin liquids, doesn't puree. I worked in a nursing home in the late 80's. Thick-It isn't new... though hopefully it has been improved. At that time, the taste was about as bad as it came.