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I just said "snarky" because I like that word. I wasn't suggesting that you were really at fault or anything. Sometimes things get deleted because it just helps keep the peace for EVERYBODY. I can see how that might not sit well with you. Again, anybody can ask me anything at anytime. Preferably, these questions will be sexual in nature, but....I'll try to answer the others too.

Of course not. We know you don't have sex. Very possible. Dove hunting is a "shotgun" hunt, and it's possible a bird got enough pellets to not die right away. Somebody's been peeking in my shower! Now I can't TELL you how much I'm looking forward to having my daughter grow up and experiencing this. Too late, I've already judged you (but it was really more about those "private" photos I shot through your bathroom window). And, I would never suggest anything illegal, but....I don't think Mexico communicates with the medicaid people??

Right. Ok, so I don't really know, but I believe that the two deleted posts (which I haven't seen) were probably something of a snarky / snarky nature, and they were deleted to de-escalate the situation here. Everything is now poised to return to normal, I hope. And in a totally non-related nod to PJTP, let me add here that any of you can ask any question. Obviously, if that question is not directly related to you, but to another party, then we need to take it to PM to protect privacy (I strongly, strongly believe in privacy rights). On another note, I realize that it comes across as kinda "wah, poor me" to complain about being a mod on here, but we all know that friendships and attachments are built, even on the internet....and it does hurt feelings to get a lot of messages being accused of "playing god", "being power hungry", and "getting a big head". I've gotten messages over the last two weeks accusing me of all the above (not from any of you guys, BTW). So yup, this is a volunteer position (or else somebody has been stealing my damn paychecks) and all the mods do it to help / support people that have been banded / thinking about being banded. Ok, know that I got all "inner feelings", I've got to strip off my shirt and look at my manly body in the mirror to re-establish my machismo. I'm a hell of a manly guy, and I think we can all agree on that point and use it as common ground. :blushing:

Fanny, you have my sympathy...

If it were me, I'd do protein shakes and sugar free beverages for a couple of days.

Hey marmar. Don't really worry too much about the exercising right now (or the total pounds lost, for that matter). Studies show that a rapidly implemented low calorie diet tends to reduce fat from around the liver. If you've been faithful to the preop diet, I'm certain that your liver will be fine, allowing the surgeon to move it out of the way to slap that band on! You're getting close now, hang in there!

Hi Marie. I don't have much useful advice for you, since I'm a wee bit south of where you are.......but I just wanted to say "That sucks!". You might have a little better luck looking for a doc if you go to the "Doctors and Hospitals" section here on the main page. It breaks down docs and hospitals by geographical location. Good luck!

Hi Karkies, welcome aboard! I would suggest you do a site search for the questions to ask your surgeon. There have been a lot of threads on that topic, and it might be more fruitful for ya than just waiting on smart-alecs like me to answer your post, lol. Good luck!

Hi momamia. I don't have any experience with that particular brand. It seemed to me that the higher the protein content of the drinks, the better it managed my hunger. Good luck!

Well hey! Welcome aboard stacielynn!

That dummy talks too much.... *edited to add - I just found this awesome link. Do you think a crime has been committed?? http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0901091outhouse1.html

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you disagree with this statement. What I was trying to say is this: it has been estimated that some 70% or so of medicare costs are attributed to care going towards the older population. President Obama wants to cut medicare by some 200 billion dollars. Now....if you were needing to cut your budget, wouldn't you trim the money from the areas where you were spending the most? In the case of Medicare, the end result is the rationing of care for some. So call it want you want: Death panels, rationed care, the answer to too many birthdays, whatever. That's what I was really trying to say. I already conceded that the term "death panel" is inaccurate, so why all the froth?

I posted quite a bit on here, then deleted. I'm tired of explaining anything in public. Tired. PM me if you feel like ranting.

Oh, that reminds me.....Here's your Big Book of Filthy Sexual Euphemisms back. Thanx for letting me borrow it, Tap, I learned lots.

PJTP: To all the ladies that refuse to put "organ meat" in their mouth, well......*snickering too much to finish boorish pun

Why do you think that? Van Jones doesn't influence this site. Yet. :mad::eek: :thumbup:

Just about everybody? And here I was thinking that the only federal liason to my financial info was the IRS. Who else has that kind of access? I'd like to know. Ah, well it's a good thing that President Obama reversed that abuse of power....oh wait, he didn't. Doesn't that support my claim all along that once government is given a power that it never relinquishes that power? That what power you give Obama's administration today, you're giving a republican administration tomorrow? I thought TARP was a crap sandwich when Bush choked and introduced it. I still don't think the theory was sound....BUT....I hope it pays off. It's too late for anything else, right? Calm down BJean. If you'll go back and read, you'll see I wrote every major poll. There's only a few that I think even approach semi-validity. The way you have consistantly avoided any semblence at factual debate in this matter (preferring to attack me personally) tells me that you actually do see that the majority of Americans are going to scuttle this bill. And that pisses you off. Calm down, man. I don't agree with KartMan on most things, but at least he doesn't go off on some nonsensical, mouth-frothing tangent. But here's where that particular line breaks down. I don't support the bill. And I'm not a minion of the insurance company. And I'm not some simpleton that swallows insurance propaganda. So why don't I support the bill? And isn't there at least a possibility that there are more people like me out there? You're right. Polls are often incorrect. They're particularly bad as predictors. However, as trending tools, they can yield some useful information. So, am I sure that, say, 55% of Americans oppose the bill? No. But when I look at past polls and see in the past, say, 20% of people opposed the bill, then the increase of opposition over time gives me an idea of how the country is trending. Sorry, I couldn't open it. My work firewall is fickle in what sites it lets me access. That's true, KartMan, but betting a trillion dollars or so isn't a gamble I'm comfortable with. Why not reform things piecemeal, or at least be very clear on how exactly this bill will cause much-needed reform. Sure. I think it IS possible for the government to do something right. I'm not universally against Obama's administration reforming healthcare.....but I am against this particular bill (as are the majority of Americans). I'd be more than willing to listen to version 2.0 Look, I agree that saying "there are death panels" is inaccurate. But, death panels could be the inadvertant result of the overburdening of medical resources. I agree totally and utterly. Which is why I strongly disagree with giving the government even more chances for its departmental workers to do the wrong thing. A 6ft chain has a chance of having a weak link. A 60ft chain has exponentially more chance of having a weak link. And why the need to create a new department anyway? We're going to cut medicare, but establish a whole new department? Sounds skeevy (highly technical term). Well, not really. There does need to be some protections against fraud, but establishing a whole new department isn't the sole means to do that. What smacks of hypocrisy to me is that no politician ever mentioned this in any townhall meeting. President Obama never mentioned that this new department would have access to people's bank records. Why? Because 1) they didn't themselves know, or 2) they knew the public wouldn't like it.

Every major poll is trending that way. Every one. I actually mean regular folks, the folks that work and struggle everyday vs. the pseudo-intellectual politicos that think they know better than the people themselves what the people need. Well why hasn't a bill been passed then? Dems hold the majority in congress and the senate. If the majority of people are for the bill, what's the holdup? Well, to be fair, this data is only from the few banks that have been allowed to repay their TARP funds. And while it's true these banks have made an impressive profit (4 billion, I think is what I read), the amount lent was way, way more than that......so to say the TARP program has made a profit is not really an accurate statement. Hopefully ALL the banks will go this route soon, though. IDK about all that, KartMan. There are a lot of skeevy things in the bill. Take for instance the proposal that the government would have access to your bank info (this is from CBS): Democratic Health Care Bill Divulges IRS Tax Data - Taking Liberties - CBS News

*raises hand* Glouc, It's not really that cut and dried. HH wasn't bounced "out of nowhere". He had ample opportunity to follow the rules. He chose not to. Besides making his 2nd fake account to get around being banned? After he was warned repeatedly when he made the first fake account? [Gloucester;1315535]If folks who have issues can't PM their Mods, and they can't open new threads, then what do we do? Drink the Kool-Aid and smile? I think it's perfectly acceptable to PM a mod. I'd prefer it to remain civil, though. I've had my share lately (and even one public post in the politics forum) accusing me of abusing my mod power, how I think I'm God, etc, etc. I try my hardest to remain neutral in these dramas (and the good lawd knows I've defended people that I thought needed defending.....even if I cannot stand them personally), but it gets difficult when people tend to think the worst. Believe me, that suggestion was offered. Repeatedly. 1) Even in the rants section, there are rules to be followed. Attack the idea, not the person. Now, there is way more "slack" given in R&R (and in a couple of "silly" threads, where the abuse is consentual and satirical, there is tons of slack given) 2) The threads that are at the nexus of this argument weren't even contained to the r&r section! 3) Dictatorial? Really? That may be true. However, we all have a choice in what we say or how we react. "She started it" is not really a valid defense when you're an adult (and I should know...."She was asking for it, dressing that way" did not help my sexual assault case) But he was the only one that broke the rules. Repeatedly. Again, he could have put Donna on "ignore". Or he could have formulated a response that was within the rules. He chose neither. Well pay up, sister, because I've been neck-deep in this drama for awhile now. Uh...that's one way to look at it, I guess.....

Maybe you should put on yer "dancin' shoes" and wow everybody with a big musical theater-style production? It always works for me.

Ladies, it's totally true. You can trust me....I'm a doctor.

The Soup is one of my favorite shows!

Glouc, a lot goes on behind the scenes, with PM's and such. Nobody is ever banned (except for blatant spam posts) without debate amongst the mods and several PMs with the person in question. PM me if you want. I won't say too much in the public part.

I don't think that's going to happen. Just saying. I had Multiquote "highlighted" a lot of posts with sage advice, but stuff progresses so quickly when I'm away that I found I didn't have much to add. So all I really have to say new is "welcome back, tap. Missed ya."

Again, I respectfully assert that you'll never be able to understand America's opposition until you get more in touch with the majority of regular people. You're too far to the left to see why. And apparently, I can't explain it to you, because when I try, you let loose on my character, my condescending attitude, my power-mad, post-correcting tendencies.