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A good example of capitalism! If Starbucks needs more workers, they raise wages (so maybe the workers don't have to leave the area)......they will also probably raise prices to offset the profit losses from the wages....when the prices get too high, consumers will balk from spending money there......new company with sleeker business model takes over to serve coffee-based beverages....repeat as necessary.

Agree.....Monsters V. Aliens is a 3. The 3d effects, however, really surprised me. I was a little bitter that they didn't have cool stuff like this when I was a kid...

But my point is that for your above family, 40K / yr would put them in the 15% tax bracket anyway. So no matter what their cost of living is, or if we're using a flat or graduated tax as a model, they still owe that 15%. If the flat tax for the above family was 10%, they'd actually be saving money over the current system. I would put forth that the area that person is living in is simply "too wealthy" for their income. That's why I don't live in a super swanky area of Dallas (ok....that's actually not the reason, but you get my point?)

Hi Diane, welcome to lapbandtalk. I know the progression of foods postop sucks and feels like it will last forever, lol. It won't! Hang in there!! Remember, the reason they don't allow for more substantial food is because they don't want your stomach to move by "digesting" foods. Being on liquids for awhile will give your band time to "scar in". Knowing the reason helped me to tolerate the diet a little better. Good luck!!

First, let me offer this highly sexist remark: As a female, the difference between how you view your body and how a potential sex partner views your body is vast. Second, I don't mean to brush aside your feelings. If you are really really self-consious, then maybe turning the lights out might help your confidence?

Thanks for raining on my and Andrew's parade, Fanny!! lol.

Well, actually, that was the quintessential "post just to post"....perfect for this thread.

I think a flat tax would be perfect.......although I'm not an economist. It might be bad for small business, or big business, or group XYZ. I think that something needs to be done with the overly-complicated tax code, though.

I think I'm in love. :biggrin:

You're correct, ma'am! Bounce, bounce, bounce....um, I need to be excused. Yay! Congrats FF!!! I'm assuming then, that the goats are female? :crying: Are you saying you're built like an 11 yr old girl? Sexy....:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: Weirdly enough, it is kind of a "non-issue" for me. I'm usually extremely careful in public.......but I can tell when something is coming back up waaaaay in advance. Guess I better knock on wood, eh?

But....how is that any difference from what you pay in income taxes anyway? If you normally pay 10% to the government, and Bill pays 10% to the government, then the only "unfair" part of that is that you think he should pay more.

Lellow, Your husband and I are obviously cut from the same cloth, lol. I just wanted to interrupt the powder room with some chauvinistic humor. It's what they pay me to do.

Ladies, I just wanted to interject this: All this talk of shrinking boobies makes the saints cry. Carry on.

*holds fingers about 12 inches apart in a crude sexual innuendo*

Eh, I can see not paying tax in Mac's situation (um....by that I mean legally not qualifying), because start up and small business are so vital for our economy. The thing that's hard for me to swallow is "generational welfare", ie 4 generations of a family being on welfare (like that which was discovered in the wake of Katrina). That's where the system is flawed.

Well....I'm not a doc, or even a nurse. Heck, I don't even play one on TV, so any other "medical" person wanna jump in? My $.02? If you were bleeding any significant amount, you'd probably know. The symptoms would vary, depending from what area the bleed is located in. I'd think it is absolutely normal for you to be sore and swollen from all the trauma that you went through taking them damn pills!!

Actually, the percentage of sleep apnea that will be cured, or even greatly reduced with weight loss is minimal. Most sleep apnea is genetic, that is to say, depends on the shape and size of the airway your parents gave ya. As to why the band would be better than the RnY.....I have no idea. It might be one of those weird tertiary reasons, like with the dental plaque / heart disease study.

Snob! But to be fair....I'm one o' them guys that eats cupcakes in my wifebeater in Wal-Mart while my barefoot kids run amok.

Hello Just Banded. It is my understanding that our stomach's don't really "shrink", per se...they are kind of "sectioned off" with our band, but the part below the band remains a constant size. I could be wrong about this, but I believe that's what my doctor told somebody on his website.

Hi Savannah. There's a section on the home page that's called "local support" or something like that. That section breaks down people by location....so I think you might get more answers to your question if you look there. Good luck!

Hey Albert, welcome to lapbandtalk. Sounds like you are doing great so far! Stay focused and keep kicking ass!!

Hey Tim, welcome to lapbandtalk. If you're looking for info about specific doctors, there's a section on the main page where people post thoughts and opinions about their different docs. That would probably be a good place to start. I think you're absolutely correct in being concerned about the violence, so please be careful. Good luck!

Hi lady, welcome to lapbandtalk. Most of us had some post op diet that slowly progresses us towards eating real food. I After my surgery, I had a week on clear liquids, then a week on full (thicker) liquids, then a week on mushies. I was eating real food by week four. Good luck!

Hello Grazia, welcome to lapbandtalk. Good luck!!

Like Big mama said.....Eating more substantial food causes peristaltic movements when your stomach digests. It's this movement that the docs want to avoid while the band "scars in" and the sutures heal up. So......No more real food until the doc says it's ok!