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Right. I read the Narnia series (and to be honest, didn't particularly enjoy the books. I much prefer C.S. Lewis' nonfiction essays on theology). I agree with you that non-Christians might not even be aware of the undertones, as it is subtle (IMO). His Dark Materials is quite explicit. Maybe nobody would have read the books if the controversy hadn't exploded like it did (To be honest, I would have suspected the studio of stirring up the controversy for media coverage, if they hadn't caved and re-written the movie). I myself am an avid, almost complusive reader, and so I tend to imagine everybody else rushing out to read as well. Hmmmmm, maybe I'm a bit narcissistic, eh? LOL

lindata, I'd vaccinate if I were you. The potential benefits outweigh the potential risks, IMO.

Not to mention if you lose some weight before the wedding.....it'll make for a better wedding night...heh heh. :smile:

Well....to totally be a wet blanket / downer kind of guy...the last statistics I read was that there are about 33,000 cases per year of being "awake" during anesthesia (hospitals are slowly adding precautions such as EEG monitoring during surgery to prevent this). However, 33,000 cases divided by umpteen gazillion surgeries done means your chances of waking up during surgery is pretty slim. Remember, there is also a chance (however slim) that an airplane will fall out of the sky and strike your car as you drive. :smile:

Same as ATD for me. I don't have a very labor intensive job. I had my surgery on Friday and went back to work on Tuesday no problem.

Hi Fanny. It wasn't the movie I had a problem with as much as it was the trilogy of books the movie was based on. The three books "The Golden Compass", "The subtle Knife", and "The Amber Spyglass" make up the His Dark Materials trilogy. The series starts mildly, and doesn't start getting really blasphemous until the third book (of which I gave away the "surprise" in the post you quoted me on. Uh, sorry if I ruined it for anybody). Apparently, from what I read on IMDB, the movie was toned down before it was released in an attempt to pacify angry Christians. I always read for myself any "controversial" books before I judge them. There is still an anti- Harry Potter backlash from some religions here in the States. I found nothing wrong with the Harry Potter series. And I wouldn't have protested the making of "The Golden Compass"...I just wouldn't have seen it. So did I answer your question? I tend to ramble when I write late at night.

Sorry I scared you, Wasa. I'm sorry that I have no clue what I'm talking about when mentioning persecution. I'm sorry that I don't know what persecution even means......but hey, at least you can get some giggles whenever I bring it up, right?

I do believe (without conclusive, objective proof, I might add) that my daughter's selective mutism was because she was given double the vaccinations she should have been given (a long story). I don't disagree with the science behind vaccines. I believe the causitive agent was a preservative added to the vaccines to preserve shelf life (and thus make more money). My daughter is of the age to have been vaccinated when the agent was still present in the vaccines (it has since been removed). I think it a little suspicious that when doctors and lawyers were looking into the preservative, a law was passed that gave the "giants" of the pharmaceutical industry immunity from litagation over this particular preservative. But in the end......I've seen nothing conclusive.

No reason you couldn't go and hang with the buds! If anybody asks why you're not drinking as much, reply with "what's it to ya, Nancyboy?" and then clamp in a bearhug. Oh wait....that advice may only be applicable to my friends. Your milage may vary.

Hey BB. I have to agree with Jack. Putting off until November seems to be a pretty long wait. I don't know about you, but with my appetite I could easily have put on 30 lbs in 7 months. You have the chance to lose a substantial amount (I'm a believer that guys lose a lot faster) instead. Ultimately, it's your choice. Keep us posted, man.

Then why did the ACLU fight the law tooth and nail? In fact, they fought it all the way to the Supreme Court. There's a current challenge to the law in Illinois. And, what special perks have Christians historically enjoyed? Other than, I guess, the 1870 establishment of Christmas as a federal holiday... I know several atheists. I can usually catagorize them into 2 broad groups: 1) The athesist that doesn't believe in God, but doesn't belittle me for doing so, or 2) The angry atheist that jeers me because I do believe in God (I've gotten comments that my religion makes me a simpleton, that I'm partaking in the opiate of the masses, and how can I choose superstition over science?). Christians afraid of atheists? I'm not....at least until they toss me into the arena to battle lions! I don't think there are many lion tossers on this site.

Yup. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

It really makes me mad when doctors spread misinformation like this! Don't let anybody (including any of us here) tell you what WLS to go with, even your doc. You have to do your homework and come up with your own decision. It's much harder to make an informed decision when jackasses like this lie to people.

I remember the fuss over The Golden Compass. I confess, I wouldn't want my children to see it. It's not that I fear that the movie would make them question their belief (I think it is the duty of all Christians to question the faith. Belief without question leads to a very weak faith indeed, IMO). Rather, it's that I find the concept blasphemous (by the end of the series, God is shown to be a liar, feeble, and senile....He's killed) and my kids are too young right now. Once you see something, you can't unsee it. I have absolutely no problem with the Harry Potter series. Prayer in school. I totally agree that prayer shouldn't be forced on anybody. What I don't understand is how anybody could object to a moment of silence used to pray (to God of choice), meditate, or just reflect on whatevah. What's the harm in that? I do think the ACLU has a bias against the Christian faith. There is a publicly funded Muslim school that operates in New York City. The ACLU has not issued one writ about that school. Now don't get me wrong....I have nothing against an Islamic school. But if it's funded by taxpayer dollars, isn't the separation and church / state violated? If this were a Christian school, I'm pretty sure the ACLU would have shat their pants in excitement. So, I'm a Christian. I don't mind what other people do in the name of worship (as long as they don't break any laws). Most Christians I know feel the same way I do.....but it's the nutjobs that get all the media attention (and we all know that every religion / club / random group of people has a nutjob or two lurking about).

Maybe I'm naive. I think the the thing to stop racism is to quit focusing on society and history and start focusing on the people you see and interact with everyday. Be nice. If you have children, set a good example. Let's start changing things now and not get mired so much in the past. I know, pretty corny. But the most powerful role models I've had in my life never shoved their opinions down my throat....they just quietly did the right thing consistently.

Sorry, you ladies scare me! :blushing: J/K....

Ghost, that sucks. I'm sorry to hear it. I'll pray for you.

For my money, nothing beats the grin Matt Dillon had in There's Something About Mary. Those dentures were freakin' huge!!

Only slightly off topic: Has anybody seen Carie Otis since she became a "plus size model" (which probably translates as weighing more than 80 lbs)? She looks fantastic, much better at a real size than at artificially-thin model size. Brandy II - working nights, I see lots of late night TV and not too long ago I remember "Em" did have cancer. I think she's ok now, though.

LTD, as another dude, we both know that you can have the strongest abs in the world, but if you're much above 5% bodyfat, they just ain't gonna show. Your numbers sound good, but I'm exactly in the same boat as you as far as goal (I want to hit a 36 waist size to be more heart healthy). I would think your wife would be the one best qualified to make the call as to whether you need to lose more or not.

Like TerriDoodle and Bunny said...the band won't stop your desire to eat, per se. What it will do is help you to feel "full" with less food than you would normally take in. If you have a desire to eat even when you feel full (what some people on here call "head hunger", vs. "belly hunger"), the band won't help with that. The band is all about portion control. You'd still have to do your part and eat healthier food to maximize your weight loss. Personally, that's precisely what I like about my band...it tames my normally huge appetite to where I can eat like a normal person, and I feel better about myself for making good choices. I think a seminar will give you a lot more info!

It's been my experience that when anybody says they're not trying to advertise a product......they're usually trying to advertise a product. Everybody can believe whatever they want, but saying that the tongue is the main obstruction is just plain anatomically wrong. Does anybody else think it's a coincidence that a dentist is pushing the dental method? I'm a registered sleep therapist and misinformation regarding sleep is a huge pet peeve, so I thought I'd throw my $.02 in. Ask your doctors for information. To all bandsters that hope that their CPAP pressure may be decreased with a big weight loss.......maybe it will be turned down, maybe not. Weight certainly can affect OSA, but the main cause is how the airway is built. Some of the worst OSA patients I've had in my lab were very thin. It's all in the airway :coolgleamA:

I tried stuffing a sock, but it looked weird. Later, my wife explained that the sock was supposed to go in the front (ok, it's the punchline to a very old joke...). :coolgleamA:

I'm only saying what every dude (yes, even the 89 year old one) is thinking, heehee.

KayleighsMommy, I'm a registered sleep therapist. If the tech put oxygen on you, then something is going on with your sleep (It may not be apnea...there is a disorder called "Upper airway resistance syndrome" that is kinda like obstructive sleep apnea's lesser-known brother). Second, If the tech says she needed 3 hrs of REM, she is either 1) lying to your face because she figures you won't know, or 2) an raving idiot. Because normal REM time is approx. 20-25% of total sleep time (the only way you could get 3 hours of REM is if your study lasted around 12 hours, which is a near-impossibility in sleep labs). Probably, your tech was unregistered and didn't really know what she was doing. PM me if you have any specific questions.