Are you f***ing kidding me?? Who exactly does George W Bush think he is?!? This man committed a CRIME! He outed a CIA operative, someone whose very life depends on secrecy. He was convicted by a jury and sentenced by a conservative judge. And King George says his sentence was "too harsh" since his life and career have already been ruined. Give me a break. He'll write a book that all the extreme right wingers will buy as fast as they are printed and he'll be set for life. Or maybe after Dick Cheney's out of office he'll just put him on his payroll. Oh wait, that's where he was when he did all this in the first place. This is nothing short of blatant corruption. 2008 can not get here fast enough...

If you believe in the infallibility of the justice system, then you also believe OJ is innocent? Is there ever a time when the justice system gets it wrong?

Do you simply live to be argumentative?

Do you simply live to be argumentative?

That's a bit obnoxious, don't you think? Am I not allowed to have an opinion on this issue lest I be considered argumentative? I was responding to YOUR post, saying there was no debate because he was convicted. I could just as easily respond that YOU were being argumentative when you responded to MY post! I am being quite serious, because I KNOW the justice system doesn't always get it right.

That's a bit obnoxious, don't you think? Am I not allowed to have an opinion on this issue lest I be considered argumentative? I was responding to YOUR post, saying there was no debate because he was convicted. I could just as easily respond that YOU were being argumentative when you responded to MY post! I am being quite serious, because I KNOW the justice system doesn't always get it right.

No, I'm not stupid enough to think the system is always right. But sometimes you just have to agree to disagree and you seem to always have to have the last word. Why else would you have posted all the anti-Clinton stuff after I had already posted how disgusted I was with his pardons/commutations too? I really don't care if the president is a Republican or a Democrat, a Conservative or a Liberal - wrong is wrong. So if you want the last word on this, have at it. I won't debate the issue anymore because it doesn't matter who did it, it was wrong.

But sometimes you just have to agree to disagree and you seem to always have to have the last word.

I didn't realize the discussion was over. I assumed it would continue after my post and therefore what I said was not the "last word."

I don't expect to alter your decision; you seem to be pretty firmly entrenched. So I'm happy to agree to disagree.

Why else would you have posted all the anti-Clinton stuff after I had already posted how disgusted I was with his pardons/commutations too?

Because you're not the only one reading this thread. And to offer another perspective. And because I received the email newsletter and planned to post it before I read your response. There are many reasons, and they don't always involve you.

I don't expect to alter your decision; you seem to be pretty firmly entrenched.

You're right there.

Because you're not the only one reading this thread. And to offer another perspective. And because I received the email newsletter and planned to post it before I read your response. There are many reasons, and they don't always involve you.

You're right again. Point taken.

That's a bit obnoxious, don't you think?

Damn, right again! My 17-year-old son is being a jackass today and I was still riled up when I posted that. I'm sorry...

Thank you, MsDad. I must say throughout all of my experiences with people on this board with whom I disagree, I have always found your posts insightful and well thought out. I appreciate that you are so even-keeled :-)

Damn, right again! My 17-year-old son is being a jackass today and I was still riled up when I posted that. I'm sorry...

Wow. I appreciate that. I was actually surprised to get that post from you because it's not in your character (as far as I have seen from your previous posts). I wrote my last post after having been back and forth to the computer a few times, so I didn't see this one until just now. I'm sorry your son is giving you trouble. Isn't it amazing how our kids learn to push our buttons?

Wow. I appreciate that. I was actually surprised to get that post from you because it's not in your character (as far as I have seen from your previous posts). I wrote my last post after having been back and forth to the computer a few times, so I didn't see this one until just now. I'm sorry your son is giving you trouble. Isn't it amazing how our kids learn to push our buttons?

Well, I have to admit when I spend time in R&R no one really sees the "real" me. I tend to focus on whatever it is I'm posting about. Now that I've realized that, I also now realize that's the only side of you I really see. I guess there's more to both of us than our R&R posts, huh?

Well, I have to admit when I spend time in R&R no one really sees the "real" me. I tend to focus on whatever it is I'm posting about. Now that I've realized that, I also now realize that's the only side of you I really see. I guess there's more to both of us than our R&R posts, huh?

Very, very true. We all assume things about others based on single (or multiple) opinions on controversial issues, but very often our assumptions are way off base. I've been accused of being someone who is so diametrically opposed to who I am it's ridiculous. I learned a long time ago that when people are going off the deep end on a subject, there's usually something behind the scenes that no one's aware of. For example, when someone rants about how intolerant Christians are, they usually have had a horrible experience in their lives with someone close to them (friend, family member, etc.) who they view as representative of the group as a whole. They then apply the (awful) model that that person created to everyone they meet who's a Christian. I'm sure you've experienced the same things in your life. I like to think I learned long ago never to put people in a box.

So, how about you and I hop out of the box and call a truce? :rolleyes

Didn't we already do that?

I'm claustrophobic anyway, so I never much liked being in a box.

LOL! Thanks!

I know this is off-topic, but I saw one of your posts from a while back about being restricted in the morning, but not at night. I'm going through that right now. I had my 2nd fill a week ago and can barely get even Water down in the mornings but can eat a ton at night. Did that ever resolve for you? If so, how did you get past it? It's really getting to me. That and the fact that DH was banded on 2/21 and has lost around 70 pounds and I've struggled to lose 13 in 7 weeks. I should be ecstatic - I'm off all my diabetes meds - but I really wans to shed the pounds. Any advice?

I know this is off-topic, but I saw one of your posts from a while back about being restricted in the morning, but not at night. I'm going through that right now. I had my 2nd fill a week ago and can barely get even Water down in the mornings but can eat a ton at night. Did that ever resolve for you? If so, how did you get past it? It's really getting to me. That and the fact that DH was banded on 2/21 and has lost around 70 pounds and I've struggled to lose 13 in 7 weeks. I should be ecstatic - I'm off all my diabetes meds - but I really wans to shed the pounds. Any advice?

Yeah, sucks. It never did resolve for me. Some days are better than others, and some days I can barely get down a shake until dinner. I'm going through a decision right now where I think I need a very slight unfill, despite the fact that I can eat just fine at night. I'm taking Prilosec (and equivalents) twice daily because of reflex. Anything I eat or drink during the day causes a lovely burning sensation in my chest and I just think it can't be too healthy to be popping those pills every day. The problem I have is if I can't get anything down, I tend towards junk, which definitely doesn't help me lose weight.

I wish I had better answers for you. I don't think they're out there, because I've looked, too.

Ah, well, it's better to be in this position than unbanded and able to pig out, right? Good luck to you!

Frankly I found it extremely amusing that someone posted a list of Clinton's pardons to distract from the current events of the day. That always seems to be the response when Dubya does something blatantly gross. Yeah, that's right, blame it on Clinton... it's all his fault. Hilarious!

Fact is, all past presidents have given numerous pardons. If anyone took the time to read all of the information about the cases of those pardons, they might think again about whether they were proper or not. Scanning the Clinton pardon list only showed that the majority of them were probably not primarily as political as some that were given by previous presidents. There is a reason that the President of the U.S. has the ability to pardon convicted people. Just as someone said, mistakes are made and need to be rectified.

Too bad many conservatives do not understand that fact when they press for the death penalty so hard.

Often the blatantly political/cronyism pardons are left to be done until the president is about to leave office. It was surprising to a lot of people that this president just doesn't care what anyone thinks. Although I can't imagine why it would be surprising... he has proven time and time again that he's the "decider" and the rest of us be damned.