BJean

About four months, I'd guess. Or a year, whichever comes first. :confused:

What, me worry?

Green: When I worked for the Attorney General in Richmond, VA, I was shocked to learn that there were laws around the Commonwealth that said that for legal purposes, anyone with one drop of Negro blood was to be considered a Negro. Boy doesn't THAT rock your world? It did mine. Just think about the implications of that. Holey smokes! One of the issues that the assistant attorneys general were dealing with was red-lining and "white flight" neighborhoods. I had moved there from Oklahomaa where everyone was of mixed blood, or at least most of the population. I never understood about the prejudices that I saw when I moved around the country. Not that there weren't prejudiced bigots in Oklahoma, there sure were, but it was not in a league with some of the other places I've lived. What I've never understood is how one person can look at another person's skin and think that their skin color in someway denotes the morality or goodness or badness in that person.

Poor Ron Howard for being compared to Howdy Doody! As for Clarabell, I think she was a man!!

Green is obsessing no matter how hard I try to divert her attention.

Tom has a limited view of the world? Tom is small minded? Don't you just mean that you disagree with him? I've never gotten that he has a narrow view of the world. Nor is he small minded. If you mean by that he has limited brain power. He focuses on issues that he thinks are important and thought provoking. He has some left wing leanings, I believe. But that doesn't mean he is small minded.

Churches may not endorse political candidates by name in order to keep their tax exempt status, but they can certainly address political issues in the context of church doctrine. That's what some churches and clergy are all about. Unless there is someone in the congregation who is willing to turn them in, or who is an official church policeman, no one knows how often it has happened. Many preachers are passionate enough to take the risk of leading the congregation in a certain direction with regard to politics. Although speaking the name of the candidate who is running who shares that direction, is not necessary. Everyone knows who they are. I am not painting all churches with the same brush. You are doing that!! Has no one else here been witness to what I'm talking about? Ever? I have listened to Pat Robertson speak from his TV pulpit and nearly everytime I have heard him, he has addressed a political issue. Maybe his televangelical church dosen't claim tax exempt status. Maybe it is a for profit organization. Enlighten me on that will ya?

Why do I have a sense that the intelligence quotient of all the Shrub team is about the same as a rock?

The fact that edie's mom's home is subsidized by the very wealthy Catholic Church is one important clue to her better care. Another is that the residents are not as old and infirm as they are many times in a regular "nursing" home. The residents in edie's mom's residental living arrangment have the ability to report problems themselves, and they have someone to lodge complaints to who has an interest in seeing that it maintains a good reputation. Also, when residents are able to do more for themselves, the staff is not so over-worked and depressed by the working conditions. The residents are also more apt to look out for each other if they notice a problem. Nice to know that some of the residents are willing to openly talk about one of the major problems in the Catholic Church - the molestation of young boys by Catholic Priests. For someone who was involved in the Catholic Church for many years, and who gave a tidy sum to her local parish as well as sending monthly checks to Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers for over 30 years, I am pretty inflamed thinking that some of my money may have been used for hush money.

TommyO: There's been much of that going around lately, even with most of us normally quite cheerful lot. I was very young when "Howdy Doody" was on TV. When I got older, someone made up a few new brilliant lyrics to the Howdy Doody song: *It's Howdy Doody time, It isn't worth a dime, And as for Clarabell, Well she can go to hell. (insert Honk, Honk here) *Sung to the tune of "It's Howdy Doody Time," the intro song to the Howdy Doody show.

Where's Guido when you need him?

Just got a joke from a Christian friend of mine that I thought I'd share to lighten the atmosphere a little. Hope you don't find it too irreverent. The story is told of a man who got a permit to open the first tavern (bar) in a small town. The members of a local church were strongly opposed to the bar, so they began to pray that God would intervene. A few days before the tavern was scheduled to open, lightning hit the structure and it burned to the ground. The people of the church were surprised but pleased - until they received notice that the would-be tavern owner was suing them. He contended that their prayers were responsible for the burning of the building. They denied the charge. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, the judge wryly remarked, "At this point I don't know what my decision will be, but it seems that the tavern owner believes in the power of prayer and these church people don't."

Karey, I too am having that sagging jowl syndrome. Seriously sux. I am intrigued with the procedure you're having! Keep us posted. laurigee: I have had quite a bit of bruising with my last fill. After the second and third fills, I didn't feel much restriction in my band but if I overate, my port would bulge, my stomach would bloat and it would hurt so much that I would have to keep pressing in on my port with my hand to get some relief. I keep forgetting to tell the doc about it because by the time I see him, it is not doing it anymore. I will try hard to remember to tell him when I see him in a couple of weeks. I'll let you know what he says. (I have not had the nausea, but bending over is uncomfortable.)

LetheaG: Your approach to all this sounds like one way to be able to sleep at night. We all need that. I can't speak for Tom, but I am outraged that the guy you told us about only got 7 years. What happened???

Thanks TOM. I'll sure sleep well tonight. Honestly when you were young did you ever think you would see the day that an American President would get away with what Shrub has? I thought we had too many checks and balances and too many intelligent people to ever have something like this happen again.

My goodness that is a horrid, grizzly story. I am so sorry that happened! How in the world did he only get 7 years? My cousin was the young man who was killed at point blank range by a man in a convenience store in California many years ago. The guy didn't like my cousin's pale skin and red hair. He made Al lie on the floor, then took his shotgun and shot him at point blank range. He was a hardened criminal who was notorious and involved in gangs out there. He had also killed an Asian couple. Last year his time finally came up. You would not believe the media coverage. It was all over national TV, in People and US magazines, the Today show, everywhere you looked. He had been "born again" and had the support of Al Sharpton and other high profile people. They had written letters, staged sit-ins, the whole 9 yards. It kept him alive for I believe (if I remember correctly) 20+ years on death row. California finally put him to death. You probably heard about it. For years, we hated the guy who took Al's life - Albert was fresh out of the military and had a wife and small children. He was looking for a job right after his honorable discharge and working at the convenience store temporarily. Believe it or not, I was conflicted when it came time for Al's murderer to be put to death. He had written a book while in prison. If he was really born again, could he be a productive citizen while living out the rest of his life in prison? He was not old when California carried out his death sentence. Was he repentant? Was he a child of God? I could not have made the decision. I am not his judge and jury. In some ways I believe it was much easier on him to just die rather than live with what he had done. That's why the death penalty is so controversial. Too many questions. Too many components and variables. I have no right to kill someone. I don't think I could ever live with a decision like that. I am not God.

Wheetsin: You poor dear. It is so sad that you do not have any of the joys of having an extended family - just the horrors. When my dear, sweet mother died (too young) and I was absolutely devastated, in my grief the day of the funeral, I turned to my MIL and said through my sobs, something like, I guess you'll have to be my mother now. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes bugged out and she looked away. Believe me, she could never be my mother. And that was an obvious lesson in understanding that in-laws will always disappoint you if you expect them to treat you like their own child. Sunta: I dated a Vet student in college. He was madly in love with me. He was from the deep, snobby south. He was from a wealthy family and he was an only child. When his mother found out that I did not belong to the Catholic Church, she wrote a scathing letter to him, which he let me read, telling him that it was me or their financial support. He chose me, of course. Except unbeknownst to me, he didn't TELL them he chose me. When I found out, I told him it was not a match made in heaven. I could just imagine living with that woman as a MIL! Not happenin'!

letheaG: I do think that because you have a good heart and you relate to his comments from that perspective, it is understandable that you feel that the media has gone too far with it. For those who do not look at it from your perspective, his comments are absolutely frightening and that's why such a big deal has been made of it.

Frankly, I have heard George W. speak and I have seen him make various decisions, and I in no way think that his comments were stetched or taken out of context.

letheag: Are there any reasons why you think capital punishment is wrong? Do you never worry about innocent people being executed? Do you believe in forgiveness? If you do, do you believe that someone can be "born again", repent of their sins and live their remaining life as a good Christian afterwards? Since we know that capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime, do you think that the Christian beliefs that we hold dear could be compromised by taking a person's life, no matter who they are? (Putting aside the eye for an eye argument, of course.)

I believe that many nurses do it out of love too. The problem for a very dear and wonderful friend of mine, who was an oncology nurse at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, got so burned out after a while. She was not able to do the job they hired her for with the patients because she was drawn in too many directions. Even that hospital was under-staffed and it has a sterling reputation.

It has been written in hundreds of books by many, many impressive authors that capital punishment is not a deterrent to crime. People still argue it, in spite of the fact that more murders happen every year than the year before. The only justifications that I can see for capital punishment are: 1) An eye for an eye. 2) Less expensive than housing a convicted murderer for the remainder of his life. 3) No chance of escape if they're dead. Anybody got anything else to add? Anybody witnessed an execution of a convicted murderer? Anyone who is all for capital punishment should get to witness one.

Hey folks. I have no way of proving this, but I can tell you for certain that there are sermons and homilies, from pulpits of churches all over the country that very defnitely directly relate to politics. If you have not been witness to it, I am not only surprised I am not sure I believe you. There is a chance that because you agreed with the sermon, and the directive from the pulpit, you did not recognize it as being politically driven. My father attended a First Christian Church in Florida that told people exactly how to vote. He invited me to come and listen because I thought he was exaggerating. I did and he wasn't. He finally started going to another church that wasn't as close to his home. The Methodist Church he transferred to was much less direct in politics. They were more concerned with the interpersonal relationships and problems their congregation faced every day in society. I attended Catholic Church for many years in several different states. The priests always told parishoners how the Church viewed certain political issues. And they all told parishoners that they would be violating the Pope's wishes if they did not vote or believe what the letter from the Bishop said. Pat Robertson mean anything to you? Jerry Falwell? They are both two of the most political animals on the planet. They have millions of followers who hang on their every word. Billy Graham was very political. He was not as political in his sermons, for sure, but he sat at the right hand of many presidents. I personally did not hear George W. say it, but I have read that he said that he believes that he was directed by God Himself to become president and to do what he has done and is doing in the White House.

Bitter: You are so right! But I'm one of those boomers who's going to hang on for a while. I didn't this lap band for nothing. And maybe it's us boomers who will ultimately resolve some of these troublesome issues for silver haired people. Btw, Hillary is a boomer and she's been trying to tell us all for at least 6 years that our medical system has to change. Maybe the younger generation won't be so afraid of changing the way we get and pay for our medical care in this country. My DH has been saying for years that the higher ups are going to have some rude awakenings when they try to fill the jobs that the boomer retirees vacate. The younger generation may get a good deal on a big house, but they better be able to pay for the utilities and taxes and maintenance. Remember all the huge houses that were built in the late 1800s? So many of them went vacant for years or were broken down into apartments. Yes, things are going to change. If we don't learn how to orchestrate some world-wide peace in this old world, things are going to change REAL fast.

TommyO: Nothing would surprise me. It does make sense in light of the tone of that thread. I reckon Mexico would be more doable than Bali. Sigh. I'd probably be lucky to watch a re-run of "South Pacific." "Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair!"