BJean

I doubt if there are many African-Americans in the U.S. now. That is to say, Africans with no mixed blood. I would be interested in seeing a statistic, but I think that they have been intermarrying maybe not as long, but the same way that American Indians and all other races have been in this country. That's part of the reason for the term "melting pot" isn't it?

My what an harrowing indictment of our nursing home facilities and the care they provide. I agree that we have our priorities all messed up when a pro-athlete makes more money than school teachers, nurses, firemen, policemen, etc. But the reality is, we're living in a capitalistic society. Money is the bottom line. Nursing homes are not able to be profitable if they pay for top-quality nursing care and staffing. Think about the usual sources of income for nursing homes: Medicare, Medicade and supplemental insurance. Football players get paid what they do because the people who own football teams are making huge money. Team owners pay pro-athletes obscene sums of money to insure they have a winning team. I'm not sure that the answer lies in protesting pro sports. It might be a start in waking us up to the problem, but beyond that, unless you create a law that says that team owners must pay into a pool of money that will be used to increase salaries of nurses, etc., I don't see how it is going to affect a change in pay scale for nurses, teachers, etc. One of the largest problems in the U.S. with regard to medical care of all kinds is insurance companies. They are fat cats with million dollar lobbyists taking care of business in Washington. Until we get a handle on them instead of them having a strangle-hold on us, things are going to continue to be upside down in this country in the medical profession.

This political discussion is much more interesting and informative than the religious one on previous pages. I feel very fortunate to be able to read the words of GeezerSue, TruBluSue, and others who have unique experiences and perspectives to share. I would like to thank you too, for your service to this country. You are very impressive women.

GeezerSue: Just curious, was Dody a good speller?

Maybe someone would like to find a profile on Obama and post all the information people seem to be looking for about the man.

TOM I agree with all of your suggestions for solving some of the problems. I have a friend who worked in a nursing home and her advice to me has always been do not put anyone you love in a nursing home. She took care of her mother at home until she died. She took care of her husband's mother and his aunt until they died. She's a better man than I am. I feel like a real heel admitting that, but it is the way of the land these days. In the old days, people's families lived together and they took care of each other. Today we're all so mobile in our jobs, we don't even live in the same state most of the time. edie: your Mom took the bull by the horns and was proactive about her life as she ages. I'm impressed. We need to all be realistic and make some decisions while we can still make decisions. We shouldn't leave it to our children to have to make decisions that will cause everyone such heartache. Unless you're like my friend Liz, and resigned to the fact that taking care of old people is your lot in life. This thread makes me very sad. It doesn't help that I'm not that much younger than edie's mother.

A fanatic Christian is one thing. A fanatic Muslim is another. I would be very careful about saying that they are the same. A fanatic is a fanatic, but a Christian is not a Muslim, or vice versa.

Fundamentalist Christians have been referred to as fanatics by people throughout my entire life. That is not something new. No one here made it up for the sake of argument. You've been pushing the point, and someone decided to let you know how the dictonery defines those words.

My beliefs are my BELIEFS. Of course I believe them. I'm not uncomfortable with my beliefs or anyone else's. I'm uncomfortable with someone who says that their beliefs are the only truth in the entire world and that everyone in the entire world who does not believe in their "truth" is going to hell and is a (insert his insulting words here.) I understand why he believes as he does. I am uncomfortable with his demeanor and his insistence on his hell and damnation of others. How many ways to I have to explain it? Why don't you understand what I'm really saying, not what you decide that I mean? I haven't heard one person here, who has said that they are an atheist, say that they believe that you specifically are going to rot when you die because you are not an atheist. I have read that they believe that there is no heaven. I have read that they believe that they are going to just die, period. They didn't drag you into to it. They have their atheist beliefs, they don't expect you to. Or even care that you believe as you do.

Which is why some of us who do not believe in the Bible as a literal record of God's words, and do not believe that the Bible PROVES that the Bible is written by God, are so uncomfortable with the views of someone who insists that his belief of those things is the only TRUTH and that those who do not share his beliefs are going to hell - 100% of them.

My MIL is currently in a rehabilitative nursing home. She's been there almost 2 weeks after a 3 week stay in a hospital due to a stroke she had just before Christmas. She still has all of her speech and mental faculties. They have dropped her twice. Once, fortunately on her bed as they were bringing her back from rehab and a wheelchair. The second time, they dropped her in the floor as they were putting her in the wheelchair. They claimed that the wheelchair was defective. It wasn't. The doctor that came to see if she had cuts, bruises or broken bones, told my FIL that "these things happen." It isn't as if my MIL is a heavy person. She weighs 110 lbs. We are thankful that she is able to tell us what kind of care that she's receiving. This is a well thought of and highly recommended facility. My SIL's grandfather, a healthy robust 84 yr. old, had a problem knee. Didn't keep him from being active, but was painful. They had an Alaskan cruise planned and he decided to go ahead and have the recommended knee replacement so that he would be more comfortable on the trip. He had the knee replaced and everything post-op was great. Then they put him in a nursing home temporarily for rehab. He immediately contracted a staph infection in the knee replacement which rapidly raced throughout his entire body. The pain was unbearable. He only stopped screaming when he was completely medicated with morphine. They wound up replacing the knee replacement and did other things that no human being should have to endure and by June he was dead. At that point, his wife was thanking God that he was out of the indiscribable pain. She is still in shock. In interviewing nursing homes for my MIL recently I discovered that many nursing homes, even rehabilitative up-scale ones, do not have a nurse for each wing. They have an aide of some sort. I do not know what their training consists of but there is a granddaughter in the family who is 21 and has been working as an aide in a nursing home for over 3 years. She didn't finish high school, so I have a feeling that the training they get is not too advanced. TOM if you could come up with a grand scheme that would solve some of these nursing home problems, all of society would be in your debt.

Maybe we should give it up for Lent?

Wheetsin: You sure you aren't pulling our leg on this Flying Jacob gourmet dish? I could follow you until you threw in the olives, pink stuff and topped it with sardines? And to think I used to give my mother a hard time for her bean and onion white bread sandwiches.

I think my family is planning an intervention.

lisalee: Your post makes me more confident than ever that I am not adjusted properly. I can drink beer. In fact, more than one beer if I choose. I can eat white bread and eggs cooked any way. I haven't tried a coke, I've been off of them since before the band. Anyway, thanks for the reinforcement. I am almost envious of where you are. It has to be a big adjustment and a little sad to be where you are and know that it is where you need to be to accomplish your goals. Sad in that you have no choice but to eat the lap band way. Eating that way will cause weight loss and afterall, isn't that what this is all about? But we're bound to miss some of the things that we loved (and that we were a bit addicted to perhaps.) I won't be envious. I'll join you! I just am realizing that I have to keep working it, keep getting fills, keep adjusting until I reach that place like you Sandranoelle, MimIN, kareyquilts and other September bandsters are. Keep posting you guys, it's sure helping!

mdicurn: I've been trying to sit back and read and to stop being so passionate and feeling so disturbed about some of the things that have been said here. I've been trying to be objective about both sides in this argument. You have done a really good job of stating how you feel in a very calm, confident way. And I share in many of the same feelings that you expressed. In your last sentence you say that you believe that there are people on the opposite side of the fence from Ron who are relishing in the error of his ways in order to give voice to their own agenda. It is true that I am glad that his errors have become so apparent, but not because of a political agenda. I am glad because I want people to know that the Bible does not say that to spread the word, you must hound people and belittle people who do not respond to your mission. This type of behavior by a Christian(s) has caused great discomfort to some of us and it's no surprise to anyone that we are relieved to see that most people posting here have apparently finally gotten the message.

Good to know some of us have each others' backs!

Wow. Four weeks into the challenge and I am down a whole 2 lbs. Color me red-faced. I read a nice story today from a guy who has lost a lot of weight since his LB in July. He said that he didn't do well at all until his band was adjusted properly. It took seven (7) adjustments!! That made me feel better and made me realize that I'm not alone in my quest for the sweet spot! Once he got to the proper fill, he's still having to stay conscious, but he just isn't able to eat a lot and he has to eat very slowly. The weight is going, going, gone! I'm going to keep at it. Keep working on the adjustment problem, and I will catch up with some of you who have found your sweet spot and are happily becoming all you can be!

Amen Brother!

Shame On You!!!

We probably all have a pretty good idea what the definition of mockery is. I was referring to what exactly mocking God means to you. Anything that isn't within the realm of your definition of Praise to God? If that's the way you see it, that's fine. It fits within the whole dialogue here that has now become outrageous in its' accusations toward Christians. Christians who are being spoken down to I guess because their way of Praising God and proving their faith are different from yours. Now you're not just fighting non-believers, you're fighting everybody. What the heck is wrong with you people?

lisa25: I think you and I have been reading this from a similar viewpoint. The difference between you and me is that you are able to keep a sensible, quiet way about your posts. I have been sucked into this, outraged by the terrible picture that is being painted of Christians, not by the atheists, but by some of the other so-called Christians. The atheists are no threat. The tell it like they think it is. We know who they are. They are being honest in their communications. They may be wrong, but they're not really a threat to Christianity or faith in God. Some of the people who claim to be Christians are the ones who are making all Christians look like nincompoops. It isn't fair. It isn't right and I'm sick of it!!!

OMG, surely you don't think that the Flying Spagetti Monster thread is making a mockery of Christianity... it's a joke. You're like some of the people I've heard say that they think that South Park is dispicable. They say that children shouldn't be watching it. Well duh. It isn't for children. And it's satire. It's a joke. If you think that it is actually mocking God, it's your mind that is messed up. Maybe we need to debate what Mocking God consists of. Have you ever heard of Greek Mythology? Are they making a mockery of God? Is this an even more right wing, fundamentalist, neo-con thread than I thought? I guess I'm bad about taking too much at face value. I don't go around trying to read horrible things into everything eveyone else says. I think that if someone says they carry a shotgun to ward off boys, that they mean it. In fact, I kinda wonder if that isn't the truth of the matter.

gadgetlady: Maybe having read that other thread mocking Christianity has made you think that people have said the same things here. Or they've gotten intertwined in some way in your head. There has been nothing said here that deserves the venom that Ron is spewing and that you are endorsing.

Aw Ron. Don't be such a putz. Whatever that is. I have no earthly idea, but the sound of it seems to fit. You CAN'T be rude to lisa25, you just can't. She's the kindest, least insulting Christian person posting here. Now I know without any shadow of a doubt what you're up to. Because there you go again, proving right out of the chute that you are looking for a fight, pure and simple. Religion seems to be your topic du jour. A topic that is sure to get everyone's shorts in a wad. But just a topic. It obviously doesn't have much more meaning to you than that or you would stop being so ugly. Just because you and a couple of others say that your intentions are honorable doesn't make them honorable. You sound like you are accusing me of being an atheist along with lisa25 I suppose? You're a very smug, self-righteous, small minded, ill-tempered, ugly little man. There, is that plain enough for you? I'm not attacking your faith. I'm not attacking the Bible. Are we clear?