BJean

The threat will turn from orange to red. Security will again be tightened in airports. People will probably start getting personally frisked - maybe even xrayed, and they'll definitely panic and march right along like good little Christian soldiers.

Karen: I have to tell you that I am very impressed with your posts. Very. It isn't easy for one to not be judgmental about someone with such polar opposite opinions as one's own. But it is important if we are to ever reach some compromises that work for the greater good for the people of the U.S.A. I have Jewish friends who are terribly frightened about the way Bush and his administration have made many decisions during their tenure, and how they continue to manipulate and use their power to get more power and make themselves richer than ever. My Jewish friends are some of the first to tell me that we shouldn't be so sure that what happened in Germany can't happen here. Perhaps not involving Jews specifically, but against people who do not share this administration's right-wing religious and political beliefs. I want you to know how much I appreciate your son's service to this country. What is his job now in Iraq? I have seen several reports on TV about people in Iraq who appreciate our presence there. (Those reporters weren't even working for the Fox network!) I do know that blood and mahem get more viewers than showing nice things. It has always been that way. I'm not so sure that the media homes in on the bad stuff because of politics. I think it has much more to do with grabbing the most viewers. The one thing I definitely wanted to say though is that I congratulate you for your soft, considerate and well thought out posts

Dang girl, that ain't being vain! You have plenty of reason to crow! You've done great! Every newly lost pound is a triumph and just as important as the last one. Keep up the great work!!!

My bags aren't packed yet, but I have them down from the attic.

They turned tragedy into victory - but not victory for this country, that is for darned sure - personal victory for themselves. And because of politics, and supposed patriotism, the public joined in and marched to their tune. The way their tune has been played, constantly since 9-11, the people are finally understanding, thank God.

Are you as reliable as Kevin? Have you built your ark?

Was anybody watching when George W. Bush, the president of the United States of America, was standing before the 9-11 workers who were charged with cleaning out the "rubble" of the disaster? I was and when one of the workers shouted out, "We can't hear you!" and Bush snapped (yes, snapped) back in a very condescending way, "Well I can hear you!" I knew without a doubt that Bush was irritated that someone had interrupted him and yelled out while he was trying to talk. That the media could turn this event around and make it into a positive thing for Bush is only one example of how and why Giuliani has been able to turn 9-11 into a politically positive thing for himself. I remember too. It makes me sick to my stomach, but I remember.

I was gonna say that you better learn to pack a pistol, TommyO, but TOM's suggestion is even better.

L8BlooomR: Thanks for your post. It is so difficult sometimes to know that other people have such opposing views when for the life of you, it doesn't make sense. If we all agreed I suppose we could share peace, love and understanding and reach nirvana one day...the extinction of all desires and passions. But that might just be too boring for some after what we've all been through in this fast-paced, crazy, greed-driven world. As far as George Herbert Walker is concerned, I frankly think he's a much better man than his sons. Maybe I'm wrong and he was just more discreet, or maybe it's all about the checks and balances he had to put up with in Congress during his presidency. The Iran Contra affair should have been a lesson to us about how easily power can be abused. We don't seem to have learned much from any of our past mistakes. Many of us trust our elected officials to do the right thing. Especially when we are assured that they are righteous, church-going people. (I'm getting to the point that when someone goes on and on about what a great Christian they are, I slowly back away.) Not learning from our past mistakes is one of the interesting things about stuff handed down from one generation to another. My children, for instance, are like a lot of young people today who don't understand the two-party system. They claim to vote just for "the man." No matter what I say, they don't understand how important the party's adopted platform can be. They haven't lived and experienced a time when abortion was done in dirty back rooms or in a woman's bathtub with a coat hanger. They haven't lived when we had to line up on certain days of the week to by gasoline. They'e never lived where they were ostracized for having a different or no religious affiliation. They haven't even lived when mortgage interest rates were 17% and many, many people couldn't qualify to own a home. I guess I'm sounding too much like my parents and I should just ramble on down the road to my ultra-convenient laundry room, after which I can jump in my Lexus and go to the market where fabulous foods are prepared for my evening meal and then ramble over to the mall to pick up a few goodies at Nordstrom. After all, I'm very lucky, my DH works for a defense contractor. Life is good. Much better than when the Democrats were in control.

Bitter: Love the moniker. You live up to it here. And who can blame you!! What so many corporations have done in the past 10 to 15 years to their employees is disgraceful. And should be illegal. Greed. Pure and simple. My Dad (a great old political Okie) always preached to his kids about loyalty to ones employers. I in turn have tried to instill that idea into my own kids. But times have changed. The employers are not loyal to their workers and they do not treat them fairly. No wonder kids today have no sense of loyalty to the companies that employ them. They quickly move to the highest bidder without a second thought. The greed factor filters down all through our society.

AMEN! I love this place and I enjoy every thread I have time to read. Please don't ever get rid of Rants and Raves because it is a great learning tool. I wouldn't be nearly as calm and satisfied with my band if it weren't for sharing and comparing notes with all the other September Bandsters on our thread. This is such a well-run forum and the participants and moderators are very sharp people. Thanks!!

Think the Libertarians will split the vote again?

Are you familiar with the Patriot Act? What about what he's done to the prisoners in Guantanamo? He has appointed a couple of people to the Supreme Court who are so far right that it has very scary implications for some of the freedoms that I hold dear. I was around when his dad pulled the Iran Contra thing and believe me if George Herbert Walker is capable of doing illegal things because he decided it was right for the country, then Dubya is capable of them and more. He has had the power of a Republican Congress behind him all the way. That's the main reason he was able to pull off this war. There haven't been any checks and balances and he has more power than any president that I've been aware of. It is frightening! I am sure there are several people (like TOM) who can pull stuff off the 'net and prove my point. I don't use that resource to back up my opinions because I figure that my opinoins are just that... opinions. I suppose if you were to challenge me I might care enough to go find sources, but I am not that invested here. I enjoy this forum a whole lot. I learn a lot every day here. From all sides. But I don't want to get into any p$$$ing contests. I participated in one of those earlier and although I learned a lot there, it was too frustrating. Made my port bulge.

I think Rudy is very vulnerable in a race. I wouldn't mind if they ran him. Maybe they'll run John McCain and Rudy in the VP position. They both have a lot of charisma. Something I wish a couple of the Demos had more of.

TommyO: Was it Jack who said it? I feel like I should know this... darn! And you're a rascal for having fun in the sun! Lucky youse guys!

Bitter: Thanks for your post. I agree but I do think that as a nation we need to not only get the hell out, but we need to take some responsibility for what we've done there.

Bubble: I hear what you're saying. But remember after we came home from the Viet Nam war, many Vietnamese people were relocated to the United States. At first it seemed like it might have a negative impact, but it didn't. They have assimilated into society pretty darned well. And thank goodness that they now have better lives. It was the very least we could do after the damage we did in Viet Nam. Nobody is going to want to fix this Iraq mess. And relocating Iraqis to the U.S. may not be the answer, but surely you do not think it is right for us to go over there and kill and maim and destroy their cities, without helping to ensure that they have, at the very least a safe place to live.

TommyO: That's what I've been saying. Why have they made this into such a political issue? We all know exactly why! And to take constant pot-shots at Al Gore over it is frankly, laughable. The Republicans, I swear, are going to beat themselves in 2008. If they don't figure out some way to at least appear to be better people, the Demos will be able to run anybody they want and get elected.

Lap Dancer: Well that may be the way the current procedure is done. When they did mine, there is actually a line of tissue that connects the old and new, but the old one is buried in the groin and the newly formed one (my doc made my new one much like the old one, in the shape of a sad T) is located where the old one was. It's kinda spooky. Maybe they figured out a better way or maybe a Body Lift is done differently than a Tummy Tuck.

It's all in the political eye of the reader and TV viewer. I've read just as many comments about how biased Fox and WSJ are. What is so scary about Bush is his constant chipping away at and causing the erosion of some of the most basic and guaranteed freedoms in this country. If you're a person who agrees with his politics, that is surely not frightening to you. But if you do not agree with his politics, it is as scary as having someone like Hitler at the helm.

lethea g: Blasphemy is bad to be sure. You must agree that greed and meanness deserve our prayers as well, particularly when practiced by men of the cloth. Surely you don't accept their hypocritical behavior just because they present themselves as God fearing religious men. :rolleyes

When a new president takes office, so does a new Attorney General, usually. Under Bush, the place has been full of Republicans anyway, so there was not much need for a house cleaning. I could be wrong on this because I do not have the stats, like I should, but I've been around long enough to know how this has always worked in the past. Does it make anyone take pause to note that the Wall Street Journel endorses everything Bush does? Hmmmm, I wonder why?

lynn: Yes. I have had a very uncomfortable port after a fill. It was primarily after my second fill and everytime I ate or drank anything it hurt enough that I had to put pressure on it with my hand until it stopped bothering me. Sometimes that was as long as 20 minutes or so. I never did get an answer to the question of why this happens, but I have read other posts where people mentioned the same thing.

Puppy breath is only surpassed by baby's breath.

lap_dancer: I'm not sure about the two belly buttoned born agains, but if you have a tummy tuck, you have two. (First one is relocated to your groin)