Tired_Old_Man

Like the McMartins?

One of the patients in my "emotional support" group which consisted of all forms of bariatric surgery patients, was gaining weight. Anyone can defeat any of the surgeries by drinking milk-shakes all day. Moderation is the key. Milk and other sugar-laden foods should be avoided to a large extent.

I have been saying that for years. I wonder what the insurance lobby thinks about that? This week, the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers was badly injured when involved in a motorcycle accident with no helmet on. If he had been unable to continue his career or had become a paraplegic, his earnings from sports would have sustained him (and his fans probably would have contributed). But for Joe Q. Average American, if he is seriously crippled by not wearing a seat-belt or motorcycle helmet, who do you think is going to take up the slack for his medical bills? It will either be increases in taxes, increases in medical insurance or increases in auto insurance rates. The American public will talk the talk about personal responsibility, but will not let them die. The other good reason for seat-belt laws is that my grandchildren buckle-up without even thinking about it. It is as automatic as closing their car door. The quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers was too macho to wear his motorcycle helmet, but he would never run one play in a football game without his football helmet. Why was he so macho about motorcycle helmets, but so compliant about football helmet? Training and tradition.

I will not flame. I will discuss rationally and intelligently any topic that any member feels like discussing in a like manner. I will break off my end of the conversation as soon as anyone decides not to be civil. I see no reason why any member at this forum can not be civil. You're asking me this question? Or someone else?As for "Why don't you commit a crime to take advantage of their easy life and benefits?" - because I don't need to. I generally write to no one and everyone simultaneously. That question was not addressed to you. Now back to my opinions on prisons. As I said in an earlier post: I take note note though, that both politicians on the left and on the right (including Florida's Governor Jeb BuSh and other "Red-State" governors) have come out for rehabilitating criminals. The main difference is that the "Red-State" governors only believe rehabilitation is possible if Jesus Christ is part of the program. I find that almost amusing when one looks at the results of the Massachusetts program's success rate. Do the "Red-State" governors believe that a Christian education and vocational training is good for both the prisoners (and the public that they will be released back into), but a college education without Christ is bad? The results say differently. Illiterates are most often illiterate, because they did not attend school and didn't pay attention when they did. They were also children when these transgression transpired, and many were brought up by people who were parents only in the ability to perform the sexual act. I am not saying that we should not hold them accountable for their crimes, which may have been avoided with proper parenting and proper nutrition, but I am saying to give them a second chance while doing their time. Many of the vicious attacks of criminals are caused by striking out in anger. Education and self-awareness care help relieve that anger. To not give them a second chance is to punish them twice for the sins and/or ineptness of their parents. The Massachusetts program let no one out of prison early for participating. Everyone paid his full legal debt to society. Two pieces of Iron can be coiled in a circle. When the pressure is released, one piece may stay in the circular configuration that was formed by the pressure, but the other piece, because of a different alloy makeup will spring back in a violent reaction to the pressures previously exerted on it injuring everything in it's proximity. Analogously, by education, we have the ability to transform the inmates so that they can be molded into the iron that is not going to spring back on us. I find in amusing that we can tell convicts that they better behave or else, and yet we can not stop ourselves from destroying ourselves with food. We all have our problems. Maybe we should have as much compassion for others as we would like for our own faults. Before you say, "there is no comparison, because they hurt others", weren't we hurting our loved ones who feared for our health because of our overeating. I know that my wife, son, aunts, uncles, etc. were all fearful for my future because of my heart condition, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. I am not crazy about paying taxes, but as the Massachusetts program proved, it will actually lower taxes to rehabilitate criminals. That is one of the arguments that the governors of the "Red-States" have been making, except that they want tax money to fund religious training.

If James Carville and Mary Matlin can be married, then I am sure you and your fiance can make it work. Note: Mary Matlin ran George Bush Sr's campaign in 1992 and James Carville ran the campaign of then Governor (and presidential candidate) Bill Clinton.

Life is how you look at it. I have never been too heavy. I have only been too short. About 18 inches too short for my weight.

When you hit bottom, the only way is up.

Your political compass Economic Left/Right: -7.13 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.69

I told people on "a need to know basis". Anyone else and I would have to kill them.

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

It is really a shame that the Massachusetts pilot program was terminated in the mid-1980's. If it wasn't we might have crime rates to compare between Massachusetts and the states with the harshest forms of incarceration. For all those who think that incarceration is much too easy on the convicts and that the convicts get things that they can't afford, I ask, "Why don't you commit a crime to take advantage of their easy life and benefits?" For those that think that harsh prisons are a deterrent to people with criminal minds, then realize that you believe that people with criminal minds think the same way as you do, but if they did think the same way as you do, they wouldn't be criminal. Giving them an education gives then a mind similar to yours and deters recidivism. As far as our judicial system being fair, I went to college with a man who founded a group that has gotten over 30 death row inmates out of prison. No! Not on technicalities, but because they were totally innocent. And let's not forget that a group of Northwestern college students got 13 of the 25 Illinois death row inmates released and found the real killers (who each confessed when confronted) for a class project in 1999 or 2000. The added cost of education for convicts is minimal compared with the total cost of incarceration. I would allow all convicts to participate. My argument about the benefits to the public was not a way of separating the inmates, but a way to prove that it is a worthwhile goal. The prison violence would go down if all, including lifers were given an education, which would be a benefit to the correctional officers. Do you think Christ would have wanted the most downtrodden of our society to be treated like animals? I believe in Love, compassion and forgiveness. I believe that is why Christ died on the cross. Do not only quote “an eye for and eye', try quoting some of the Beatitudes of Jesus.

I would assume that some bands go on tighter than others. Some bands may do little without liquid inside, while others may have a restrictive effect without liquid. It is not a matter of liquid inside or not, it is a matter of "does it restrict you from over-eating?" See if you are losing weight at a rate that satisfies the doctor. Let him decide. There is nothing to fear. Although some of us have had problems with fills, I am sure we are a small minority. Some of us had no problems until after our first or second fill, because the filing was too aggressive.

No one said being illiterate was an excuse for crime, however illiterate people commit violent crime at about 5 times the rate as literate people. Forget (for a moment) what benefits the criminals are getting. Let's only look at the benefits to the non-criminal population. #1. Less crime committed on the non-criminal population A. In a Massachusetts pilot program, x-cons who received a college education in prison only had one out of 200 commit a violent crime compared with 167 out of 200 who did not get an education in prison. That means there were at least 166 less victims among US because of the program. Benefit for US B. There may have been more than 166 less victims. If each non-educated criminal was caught on his first crime, then there were only 166 extra victims compared to not having the program, but if some committed 2 or 3 crimes, the number of victims could be 300, 400 or 500. Benefit for US. C. When someone kills me, not only am I a victim, but so is my wife, my children, my grandchildren, etc. One person killed actually incurs many victims. This could bring the number of extra victims to 2000 to 3000 or more. Benefit to US. D. Look at the cost to the tax-payer of the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of the extra 166 x-cons who were not educated in prison. It will cost about $300,000 to put the criminal back behind bars and over $30,000 per year to keep him there. That comes out to $50,000,000 to convict and $5,000,000 a year to keep them in jail. If the average sentence is 10 years, the total savings to the tax-payer for educating the 200 convicts is 100 million dollars. Benefit to US. E. Lower crime rates mean lower insurance rates for homes and cars (fire & theft). Benefit to US. #2. X-cons with educations get jobs A. They pay taxes while they work. And because they get better jobs, they pay higher taxes. Benefit to US. B. They get jobs helping prospective criminals go straight. Who knows more about stopping crime than an x-criminal. Benefit to US. #3. Intangibles A. Do you remember the stories we have seen in the last couple of years about conjoined twins. Well one of the leading doctors on these cases was a criminal in his early years. He was turned around from being a gang member who would have led a violent life of crime, hurt many victims and been a drain on the criminal justice system and instead is performing surgery bordering on the miraculous. How many more people who can make a real contribution to society are there among these uneducated people? Benefit to US. B. It makes better people out of the x-cons. History: The program I described was killed because the Republican candidate for governor used the same arguments that you have used. He was elected and killed the program. But the people who ran the program have continued to follow the x-cons who were educated and they have been a benefit to society rather than the drain that the x-cons who did not take part in the program have been. The conservatives said the program was a waste of money although they can not refute the results. But now, some states including Florida have opened faith-based prisons where convicts are given an education as long as they join the religious program. The results are similar. The conservatives there (and in other states) do not mind giving an education to criminals for free as long as they can have their souls too. In at least one state, a judge has ruled it unconstitutional to use tax-payer's money for religious training. The sponsors of the faith-based prison's educational system contend that without religion, education is worthless, but the Massachusetts pilot program showed equal results.

I don't doubt that you are correct. They often don't take the test, if they know they won't pass. They duck out the back door and call in sick for a couple of days. I don't know what airline your husband works for or what procedures they use, but where I worked, management handled the testing notification and failure to take the test meant "goodbye" just like failure to submit to a breathtest after a car accident. Attendance was taken before test notification and if someone decided he was too sick to take the test, then he was too sick to work for my company. I have spoken to many mechanics at other airlines and it was the same way there. I was so busy one day on a major problem that I wound up getting paid overtime to take the test prior to going home.

You just did.:confused::faint: Seriously, if you mean start a new discussion, you just click on a forum and then about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way down the page on the left, there will be a bubble saying "New Thread". Click on that.

My opinion (and I imagine many will disagree with me) is that a person should use only one scale and weigh themselves at the same time of day and in the same state of dress each time they weigh themselves. My weight can fluctuate as much as 4 or five pounds during the day. Each pint (or 500ml or 1/2 litre) bottle of Water that you drink weighs over a pound. If you drink 3 bottles of water before going to the bathroom, you have added 3 pounds to your scale reading. A cup of coffee weighs about 1/2 pound. Having Breakfast with 2 cups of coffee (decaf or regular) can add 2 pounds to your scale reading. The doctors have this technique of subtracting 3 pounds from your weigh scale reading. I debated with the nurse and then emptied my pockets. I lowered my weight by 4 pounds and still had on my pants and shoes. I have a top of the line electronic scale. I brought it to my doctor's office and proved that it was within a pound of my doctor's scale. From then on, my doctor accepted my weight verbally. I have repeatedly compared my scale readings the way I walk the street and the way I normally weigh myself; with just underpants and undershirt on. There was a 7 to 8 pounds difference depending on my street garb. I weigh myself every morning as I leave the bathroom after taking care of my morning obligations (who said that I couldn't be tactful?). It is then marked into my computer on a spreadsheet. If I go away for a few days, I fill in the blanks with a proportional change everyday. Example: I go on a week long vacation and come back 7 pounds heavier. I add one pound per day in the missing cells. That is only an example (I would hope).

Close. The answer board changes every round. That's why you can get a different symbol each time. So each time you play, when you pick a number xy for example and then subtract x+y from xy you get a number; lets call it z. If you picked a number higher x(y+1), you would subtract x+(y+1) and still get z. all z's have the same symbol each round.

I was an airline mechanic for 35 years. I was tested randomly. Less than 1/10 of one percent of the tested mechanics came back positive. The vast majority of that was for marijuana which like most people is prejudiced against overweight people. The more fat in your body, the longer it will be that the test will give a positive reading. Someone like me could test positive 2 months after smoking once. Theatrically, I could go to a country where smoking pot is legal for a vacation, smoke only on the first day of the two week vacation and then 6 six later be fired for pot turning up in a random drug test. A guy who worked with me drank every night and reeked of it every day at shift start time (2pm). He was not drunk, but he was so hung over, that he was lazy and lackadaisical. I doubled checked his work quite often. He would pass the random tests. Fact: No commercial US airliner has ever crashed because of a mistake caused by a mechanic 's drug use. Many employers use a $6 pre-employment screening test to weed out drug users. The airlines use a test that costs over $400. It can not be beaten and has no false positives except for poppy seeds testing positive for heroine. But that is not really a false positive, because heroine is made from poppies. The airlines have spent billions doing worthless testing, while all it would take would be supervisors keeping an eye on the demeanor of the workers. How about drug testing for cab drivers and bus drivers and train engineers, school crossing guards, policeman, fireman, pharmacists, surgeons, teachers, lawyers, judges, baby-sitters, nannies, etc? A case can be made for almost any profession. Yet besides airline workers, we only test professional athletes, who can not harm the public. Are our priorities screwed up or what?

I will ask my wife to ask her friend if she took any other medication besides the antibiotic. I was taken two Nexiums a day and having the terrible reflux problems.

I Pride Myself in Figuring Out How Most Tricks Work, BUT, I Do Not Know How This Works.

Maybe his weakness is that he is not flawless, but has to wear that shell of invincibility. Just think of how much love, friendship and emotional contact he excludes from his life. When I was a kid (1950's) there was a full page advertisement on the back of many comic books for a Charles Atlas body building program. It showed a thin man on the beach with his girl-friend. A muscular bully would come by, throw sand in the thin man's face and steal the girl. The thin man would next be seen sending in for the Charles Atlas body building program, working out and finally going back to the beach to take back his girl from the bully by throwing sand in the bully's face. Question: Why would he want her back? Well, many years later, I was talking to a woman who was like your boss, so I told her a story, that I had made up, based on that Charles Atlas add. It starts the same, except instead of sending for the Charles Atlas body building program, the thin man enrolls in a Karate class. He is taught to thrust his hand into a pail of small pebbles. At first, his hand stops at contact, then after a few days he gets in about an inch. Every day for months he continues. Eventually he is reaching the bottom of the pail and for many more months, he continues until he feels no pain and his hands are weapons. He goes back to the beach and with one blow, takes back his girl. She is so enamored at his fighting prowess, that she takes him back to his apartment to make love. After undressing her he touches her breasts and feels nothing. His hands are too calloused to feel. Your boss and my female friend may have soft hands, but I wonder how much they feel. That may be your bosses weakness. You may never get to exploit it, but you may not have to. He is doing it for you. My female friend, laughed at my story, but gradually changed. Many months later she confessed to me, that she had taken my story to heart, had gotten back with her boy-friend and were engaged to be married. She realized it was her shell, her lack of feeling that had ruined their relationship and with the help of her understanding of the moral of my story, she had corrected the situation.

I had no problems and that was almost 4 years ago. They are making amazing gains in anesthesiology, so it should be even easier for you.