Dec 21

Well, last weekend I saw both 'The Blind Side' and 'Precious'.. two very good films. I highly recommend watching them if you get the chance..I am 12 days post op. I have lost some weight. My highest, about a year and a half ago was 407. Now I am 354. I have about 155 more pounds to lose(or something like that) Well, life is easier here-I have a new washer. Yay! I am gonna go start a load. Good night.

Post surgery update

I had my surgery last Thursday. Right afterwards, I felt pretty good. The next day, I kinda felt like hell. I am taking something called Hydrocodone. Makes my tummy feel better. I feel slightly sick, but I am going to work tomorrow but will take it easy. No lifting more than 10-15 pounds, practicing breathing, taking appropriate medicines. My new washing machine comes in on Wednesday. Whoo hoo. I needed it last week. Shucks.

Dec 7 th

A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY. It happened 68 years ago. A few years ago, I went to see the U.S.S Arizona Memorial. Made me cry.

Preop appointment

I had my preop appointments at St Francis and Tallgrass surgical today. It was very intense, though most of the stuff I kinda already knew. I am down an additional 4 pounds making my weight loss in one month : 12 pounds. They drew blood, and there were tons of forms to fill out. It does turn out that I am getting the REALIZE BAND instead of the lap band. That is ok by me. They are very similar anyways. The nurses gave me the after surgery diet and looks like I will be on a liquid diet for a while. That is to be expected but I will probably get tire of liquids after a few days. I will just have to deal with that. First there are clear liquids, then the colored liquids, eventually I will move up to normal regular VERY small portioned food. I am looking forward to life with out diabetes and having to take all of the medicines for it.I have even started a walking routine(have done it for the past few weeks) and started incorporating some 2 pound weights into it. It is not long, only about 20 minutes or so, but I always feel great after getting done with it.!

Happy!

Happy Birthday to me! Yes, I am 41 today!

Hi

Hello. I just am updating my blog. I am doing well with my new regimen! I have lost a bit. My surgery date is getting closer! December 10! Yay! And next time I post here, I will post what my regimen is. I will even post before and after pics. I have a long ways to go but I am so inspired! I love watching those youtube videos of those who have lost a lot of weight.

Still going

Ok, It has been one week on my pre-op diet and so far all is well. I have had very few problems. I even spoke with my dr on Friday and she told me a few items I could add to this diet to keep me from getting bored with what is on the list. The list is short. I no longer eat bread or cheese.(I may work up to those things, little by little, but , for a long time at least, I can't have them. I will post the list of things that I can have tomorrow. After the surgery, I will no longer be able to drink anything that has carbonation in it. I quit eating rice and drinking the purple grape juice many months ago, and to tell the truth, I have not missed it. I am allowed to eat fruit, which is a great thing. After the surgery, for at least a few weeks, I am on a liquid diet. No alcohol is allowed. Fine with me because I hate the taste of alcohol anyway.Maybe somewhere down the line I will post pics here. My dr's office will take a photo preop and post op and if I can I will add them here. I won't post anything on youtube. Thats been done too many times by everyone else.!

Here we go

Tomorrow, Nov 2, I start my pre-op diet. I start it earlier than the ten days before surgery that the surgeon says to. Dr says that if I do that, it would be o.k. I will type more tomorrow as I am getting sleepy now, and I need to start getting more sleep as well as eating what I am supposed to and walking more. Goodnight for now.

Hi

I check out youtube a lot. I have been thinking of going to a movie when I am not at work. But the movies these days, not too many of them really hold much appeal for me. I used to go to them alot back about twenty or so years ago.I craved something sweet so now I am eating French Toast

From CJonline

Marek Edelman
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WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Marek Edelman, the last surviving leader of the ill-fated 1943 Warsaw ghetto revolt against the Nazis, died Friday at the age of 90. Edelman died of old age at the family home of his friend Paula Sawicka, where he had lived for the past two years. "He died at home, among friends, among his close people," Sawicka told The Associated Press. Most of Edelman's adult life was dedicated to the defense of human life, dignity and freedom. He fought the Nazis in the doomed Warsaw ghetto revolt and later in the Warsaw city Uprising. And then for decades he fought communism in Poland. His heroism earned him the French Legion of Honor and Poland's highest civilian distinction, the Order of the White Eagle. One of the few survivors of three weeks of uneven struggle in the Warsaw ghetto, he felt obliged to preserve the memory of the fallen heroes of that first large-scale Jewish revolt against the Nazis. Each year, on the revolt's anniversary, he laid flowers at Warsaw's monument to the ghetto heroes, and called for tolerance. 'Man is evil, by nature man is a beast," he said, and therefore people "have to be educated from childhood, from kindergarten, that there should be no hatred." He also felt obliged to appeal repeatedly to the world for freedom and peace - even when it had to be won in a fight. "When you cannot defend freedom through peaceful means, you have to use arms to fight Nazism, dictatorship, chauvinism," Edelman said in an 2008 interview with The Associated Press in his apartment in the central city of Lodz, which was filled with portraits of Jews and of scenes reminiscent of the Holocaust. He worked at a city hospital Lodz, almost to his last day. Edelman was born Jan. 1, 1919 in Homel, which was then in eastern Poland and is now in Belarus. His family soon moved to Warsaw. When the Nazis invaded Poland on Sept.1, 1939, Edelman was member of Bund, a Jewish socialist organization that later masterminded plans for resistance against the occupying Germans. The Germans set up the Warsaw ghetto in November 1940, cramming some 460,000 Jews from the city and from across Poland in inhuman conditions. After a year, almost half the people there had died of disease and starvation. The resistance plans were implemented April 19, 1943, when the Nazis moved to liquidate the ghetto by killing or sending some remaining 60,000 residents to the death camps. Thousands were put on regular transports to the death camps of Treblinka, Majdanek and Sobibor. But that April, the well-trained German troops encountered unexpectedly fierce resistance from a few hundred young, poorly armed Jewish civilians, determined to die fighting rather than in gas chambers. At the age of 23, Edelman took command of a brush-makers unit, based at a brush factory. "No one believed they would be saved," Edelman said. "We knew t h e struggle was doomed, but it showed the world there was resistance against the Nazis, that you could fight the Nazis." They had few guns and no food but were driven by a goal. The Nazis "wanted to destroy the people and we fought to protect the people in the ghetto, to extend their lives by a day, or two or five," he said. The ghetto fighters inflicted heavy losses on the Germans, but eventually succumbed. More than 55,000 people were killed or deported to Nazi concentration camps when the uprising failed. The uprising's leaders were rounded up in a bunker and, seeing no chance of escape, committed suicide on May 8, 1943. The Nazis razed the ghetto street by street, as part of their so-called "final solution" in which they killed 6 million people in their efforts to wipe out European Jewry. Edelman was not in the bunker. With a small group of survivors, he left through the sewers to the Aryan side of Warsaw, where he found places to hide a nd helped coordinate Jewish partisan groups in nearby forests. The deadly struggle was "worth it ... even at the price of the fighters' lives," he said later. "They could not be saved, anyway." In August and September of 1944, Edelman fought in the Warsaw Uprising, another ill-fated revolt meant to free the capital from Germans ahead of the advancing Red Army. After the war, Edelman became a cardiologist in Lodz. He joined the democratic opposition and the Solidarity freedom movement, and was interned under the Dec.13, 1981, martial law aimed against Solidarity. In the end, the Solidarity movement led to the ouster of communists from power in Poland in 1989. Edelman's wife, Alina Margolis-Edelman, worked as a nurse in the Warsaw ghetto and after the war became a pediatrician. With their son, Aleksander, and daughter, Anna, she left Poland for France following the communist-sponsored anti-Semitic purges of 1968. She died in Paris on March 23, 200 8 . But Edelman never wanted to leave Poland. "When you were responsible for the life of some 60,000 people, you don't leave and abandon the memory of them," he told the AP. He held honorary doctorate of the Yale University. He is survived by his son, Aleksander, his daughter, Anna, and grandchildren Liza and Tomek.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press

Hello Ok

Ok I know it has been awhile since my last post, but here goes.. I had to see the dr today and there was a bit of a let down. First got aon a regular scale, which it looked like my weight had dropped about 30 pounds since my last dr's appointment.. then the nurse had the idea that the scale could be off so we went to weight on a different scale and that my real weight showed up LOL. Well the dr said that my numbers like cholesterol and A1C looked good. I had to have bloood drawn for my primary care physician, (thyroid) and then had to have more blood drawn by my diabetes dr. One would think with me being diabetic, I would be used to all of the needles by now. I still hate em. Then I came home for lunch and then went to a local salon to have a manicure and to have my legs waxed. Oh I forgot my podiatrist had to check my feet and he removed an ingrown toenail which hurt like almighty God.

local economy

Tonight after I came home from work, I went to a local shoe store and purchased a new pair of shoes, approx 60 dollars on credit card. After that, I went to Target here locally and purchased a new shower head, shower curtain, some curtains for my living room window , a bar for the curtains, a brand new blender that crushes ice for my kitchen, some bones for my pooches, and went to a local Subway to buy my sandwhich for dinner, then stopped by the local gas station for fuel for my car. Total I spent about 300 dollars tonight. I can't tell you where all of the products I purchased were made in, but I didn't buy them on-line, I got them from all stores here locally. I hate shopping(I know kinda unusual for a woman lol) but I hope that in some small way I helped the local economy.

Heydehooooooo

Well it is almost October 1st and just over 2 months until my surgery date. I am actually looking forward to it!!! Yay!

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Yes it has been a long time since my last post, hey I have been kinda busy. Well, update on the guy with the kidney transplant. Seems that everything is going ok, so far. He is back to working though he cannot lift very much right now and has to take a boatload of anti-rejection medicines for the rest of his life. I think he has completely quit smoking. The place at work has been cleaned up very well, the guys have done a great job. Our new guy has worked out very well. I have gotten caught up on most of my paperwork, too. My lapband surgery is scheduled for December 10 of this year.I am actually looking forward to it and since I had my biopsy done back in March, I am not too afraid of going under anesthesia anymore. I am looking forward to taking some time off, too. Have not had a full day off in about a month!

Update on kidney transplant guy and myself.

He had his kidney transplant last week and is now home and recuperating. He has to take a horrible amount of meds, I think he said about 25 pills a day for pain and anti-rejections. My surgery is scheduled for this December. Not looking forward to it. I have to go on this liquid diet for about 2 weeks prior to the surgery, and I have to pay for mine a bit in advance. I think that it will be worth it though. I will have excess skin that may not look too attractive but that is not the main thing.

From Cjonline.com

Deadly wildfire surges closer to Los Angeles Deadly wildfire surges closer to Los Angeles -->JOHN ANTCZAKAssociated Press Writer JOHN ANTCZAK -->Associated Press Writer -->

Firefighters light a backfire as a wildfire approaches homes during the Station Fire in La Canada Flintridge, Calif., Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)LOS ANGELES — A deadly wildfire destroyed more than four dozen homes as it blackened a wide swath of tinder-dry Southern California forest, forced thousands of residents to flee and burned dangerously close Monday to a vital mountaintop broadcasting complex. --> -->
LOS ANGELES — A deadly wildfire destroyed more than four dozen homes as it blackened a wide swath of tinder-dry Southern California forest, forced thousands of residents to flee and burned dangerously close Monday to a vital mountaintop broadcasting complex.
Fire crews battling the blaze in the Angeles National Forest tried desperately to beat back the flames and prayed for weather conditions to ease. The fire was the largest of at least eight burning across California after days of triple-digit temperatures and low humidity.
The fire scorched 164 square miles of brush, destroyed 53 homes and threatened more than 12,000 others, but the lack of wind kept them from driving stormily into the hearts of the dense suburbs northeast of Los Angeles.
The 53 homes destroyed included some forest cabins, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Dennis Cross. He did not have an immediate breakdown on how many of the structures were full-time residences.

In this Saturday Aug. 29, 2009 photo, smoke from the Station Fire billowing up from behind the famous Hollywood sign in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles. Wildfire threatened 12,000 suburban homes and rained ash on cars as far away as downtown Los Angeles on Sunday, spreading in all directions in hot, dry conditions. (AP Photo/Anthony Citrano)
Columns of smoke billowed high into the air before dispersing into a gauzy white haze that burned eyes and prompted warnings of unhealthy air throughout the Los Angeles area. Smoke could be seen billowing around the fabled Hollywood sign.
"It's burning everywhere," U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Dianne Cahir said. "When it gets into canyons that haven't burned in numerous years, it takes off. If you have any insight into the good Lord upstairs, put in a request."
The exact number of people injured or threatened by the fire was still not clear.
Among those evacuated were Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Rafael Furcal and his wife from their home in La Canada Flintridge. Furcal was given the day off for Monday's home game against Arizona.

A burned traffic sign sits on the Angeles Crest Highway during the Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Over the weekend, three people who refused to evacuate were burned when they were overrun by flames, including a couple who had sought refuge in a hot tub, authorities said.
Authorities revised an earlier report that five people were trapped in a canyon near Gold Creek. They later said five men and one woman refused several orders to evacuate the remote ranch.
"When we tried to get them out, they said they're fine, no problem, they didn't want to leave," said fire spokesman Larry Marinas.
Fire crews set backfires and sprayed fire retardant at Mount Wilson, home to at least 20 television transmission towers, radio and cell phone antennas, and the century-old Mount Wilson Observatory. The observatory also houses two giant telescopes and several multimillion-dollar university programs. It is both a landmark for its historic discoveries and a thriving modern center for astronomy.

Firefighters mop up along a ridge near Mount Wilson during the Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
If the flames hit the mountain, cell phone service and TV and radio transmissions would be disrupted, but the extent was unclear.
The blaze killed two firefighters who died when their truck drove off the side of a road with flames all around them.
The victims were fire Capt. Tedmund Hall, 47, of San Bernardino County, and firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones, 35, of Palmdale. Hall was a 26-year veteran, and Quinones had been a county firefighter for eight years.
Quinones' wife is expecting and due to give birth to their first child in the next few weeks.

Firefighters mop up along a ridge near Mount Wilson during the Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles, Monday, Aug. 31, 2009. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Hall and his wife have two boys, ages 20 and 21, and was described as a family man who loved riding motorcycles.
They died fighting a fire that showed no signs of subsiding Monday. People who fled returned to find their homes gone.
"It's the worst roller coaster of my life, and I hate roller coasters," said Adi Ellad, who lost his home in Big Tujunga Canyon over the weekend. "One second I'm crying, one second I'm guilty, the next moment I'm angry, and then I just want to drink tequila and forget."
Ellad left behind a family heirloom Persian rug and a photo album he put together after his father died. "I'm going to have to figure out a new philosophy: how to live without loving stuff," he said.

FILE - In this Jan. 31, 1931 file photo, Albert Einstein, left, poses with fellow scientists after visiting the Mount Wilson Observatory near Los Angeles, Calif. A massive wildfire on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009 was on the verge of reaching Mount Wilson, where 22 television stations and many radio stations have their transmitters. (AP Photo, file)
The blaze in the Los Angeles foothills is the biggest but not most destructive of California's wildfires. Northeast of Sacramento, a wind-driven fire destroyed 60 structures over the weekend, many of them homes in the town of Auburn.
The 275-acre blaze was 50 percent contained Monday afternoon and full containment was expected Tuesday. It wiped out an entire cul-de-sac, leaving only smoldering ruins, a handful of chimneys and burned cars.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger toured the Auburn area, where only charred remnants of homes remained on Monday. At some houses, the only things left on the foundation are metal cabinets and washers and dryers.
"It was embers traveling in the wind, landing on the roofs, landing on attics, getting into that home and burning the home on fire," said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

In this image rendered from video and provided by APTN, the Wilson Observatory is seen Monday, Aug. 31, 2009, in the mountains above Los Angeles. About 12,000 homes, as well as communications and astronomy centers atop Mount Wilson, are threatened by the fire. A massive fire in the Angeles National Forest nearly doubled in size overnight, threatening 12,000 homes Monday in a 20-mile-long swath of flame and smoke and surging toward a mountaintop broadcasting complex. (AP Photo/APTN)
Some mandatory evacuation orders were lifted, but most residents are still being told to stay away while crews work to restore electricity and hose down embers.
East of Los Angeles, a 1,000-acre fire threatened 2,000 homes and forced the evacuation of a scenic community of apple orchards in an oak-studded area of San Bernardino County. Brush in the area had not burned for a century, fire officials said. Flames burning like huge candles erupted between rocky slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains and the neat farmhouses below.
With highs topping 100 degrees in some areas and humidity remaining low, the National Weather Service extended a weekend warning of extreme fire conditions in the central and Southern California mountains.
Winds were light, which prevented the flames from roaring at furious speed into towns. In 2003, a wind-whipped blaze tore through neighborhoods in San Diego County, killing 15 people and destroying more than 2,400 homes. That fire burned 273,000 acres — or 427 square miles — the largest in state history.

Sacramento Metro Fire fighter Ryan Puilis hoses downs the smoldering ruins of a home destroyed by a fire that broke out in Auburn, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. Fire fighters from more than a dozen different agencies battled the fire that broke out Sunday afternoon consuming 250 acres and destroying at least 50 structures including homes, out buildings and businesses.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Overall, more than 2,500 firefighters were on the line. A fleet of helicopters and air tankers dumped water and retardant over the flames during the day.
In La Crescenta, where the San Gabriel Mountains descend steeply into the bedroom suburb a dozen miles from downtown Los Angeles, 57-year-old Mary Wilson was experiencing her first wildfire after nine years of living in a canyon.
Her family was evacuated twice in the past five days, she said.
"We saw the flames. My daughter got really scared," she said. But she was philosophical: "You have to surrender to the natural forces when you choose to live up here. It's about nature doing its thing."

Sacramento Metro Fire fighter Ryan Puilis hoses downs the smoldering ruins of a home destroyed by a fire that broke out in Auburn, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. Fire fighters from several agencies battled the fire that broke out Sunday afternoon consuming 250 acres and destroying at least 50 structures including homes, out buildings and businesses.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
Also in La Crescenta, dispatchers overnight activated a "reverse 911" system that sent a recorded evacuation warning to people, but it turned out to be a mistake.
Whaling, the L.A. County fire captain, says the message applied to only a small number of residents closest to the fire but instead a large number got the sleep-shattering calls. He said he does not know how many people were involved in the call.
"They pushed the wrong button," he said.
Terry Crews, an actor promoting the new movie "Gamer" on KTLA-TV, talked about being forced to flee two days ago from his home in Altadena, in the foothills above Pasadena. He saw 40-foot flames, grabbed his dog and fled.

A United States Forest Service air tanker drops fire retardant next to a line of fire as the Station fire burns in the hills above a home in Acton, Calif. on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg)
"I've never seen anything like it," he said. "I'm from Michigan. I'm used to tornadoes ... but to see this thing, you feel helpless."
"This is like 'The Ten Commandments,'" he said, referring to the movie. "You go, 'holy God, the end of the world.'"
An animal sanctuary called the Roar Foundation Shambala Preserve, six miles east of Acton, was in the mandatory evacuation zone, but fire officials decided removing the animals would be "a logistical nightmare," said Chris Gallucci, vice president of operations.
"We have 64 big cats, leopards, lions, tigers, cougars. ... The animals are just walking around, not being affected by this at all," Gallucci said. "But if we panic, they panic. But we are not in panic mode yet."

Fire fighter Adam Cottrell, of the Auburn Fire Dept., hoses down a hot spot from a fire swept through the area in Auburn, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. The fire broke out Sunday afternoon consuming 250 acres and destroying a unknown number of homes and businesses.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
loadApVideo();
———
Associated Press Writers Samantha Young in Auburn, Tracie Cone in Fresno, and Raquel Maria Dillon and Solvej Schou in Los Angeles contributed to this report. -->
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Update

Fell asleep tonight at about 7 pm. Woke up at about 1030 and finally had dinner. I was planning to cook a KCstrip, but it was too late to cook so I settled for some cereal instead. Let the dog out. My boy is getting older and a bit less tolerant of the younger one. He barks and growls while the younger barks and growls yet just wants to play. The guy I work with is going to have his surgery on September 2, next week. Kidney transplant. His brother is giving a kidney to him. I have my elective surgery in December. I am actually kinda looking forward to having some days off then!

I am with the state of Arkansas on this one

Payday lenders ousted
A coalition that has fought payday lenders announced today that the last payday lending operation in Arkansas had closed its door. There are many heroes in this battle, notably including Arkadelphia lawyer Todd Turner (the current state Democratic Party chair), who labored long and hard in a battle that sometime seemed like nailing Jell-o to a wall. The bloodsuckers employed every trick, including a compliant legislature, to try to evade the Constitution and simple justice.
A summary of the battle is on the jump.
Something tells me that this is but one more chapter in a never-ending battle against usurers.
NEWS RELEASE
LITTLE ROCK—Arkansans Against Abusive Payday Lending (AAAPL) formally announced today that the last payday lender has left Arkansas, declaring victory on behalf of all those victimized by a predatory industry that drowns borrowers in triple-digit interest rate debt.
AAAPL hosted a news conference today near a former payday lending store in Little Rock once operated by First American Cash Advance. First American, the final payday lender to cease operations in Arkansas, closed its last store on July 31. AAAPL released its latest independent research report, which highlights developments over the last year that ultimately culminated in payday lenders leaving the state for good. The formal end of payday lending in Arkansas occurs eight months after the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that a 1999 payday lending industry drafted law violated the Arkansas Constitution, and 16 months after Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel initiated a decisive crackdown on the industry. Payday lenders charged borrowers triple-digit interest rates—despite the Arkansas Constitution’s interest rate cap of 17 percent a year on consumer loans. The industry-drafted Check-cashers Act as enacted in 1999 was designed to evade the Constitution by contending, nonsensically, that payday loans were not loans. Speakers at today’s news conference included AAAPL Chairman Michael Rowett of Southern Good Faith Fund; Arkansas Deputy Attorney General Jim DePriest; and Arkansas Democratic Party Chairman Todd Turner. Turner, an Arkadelphia attorney, represented dozens of payday lending victims in cases that ultimately led to the Arkansas Supreme Court’s landmark ruling against the industry. “Payday lending is history in Arkansas, and it is a triumph of both conscience and constitutionality,” Rowett said. “Arkansas is the only state in the nation with an interest rate cap enshrined in the state’s Constitution, which is the ultimate expression of the state’s public policy. More than a decade after payday lenders’ initially successful attempt to evade this public policy, the Constitution’s true intent has been restored. Arkansas consumers—and the rule of law—are the ultimate victors.” Arkansas joins 14 other states—Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and West Virginia—plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. military, all of which are protected under interest rate caps that prevent high-cost payday lending. The industry’s exemption to an interest rate cap in Arizona is expected to expire in July 2010, bringing the total to 16 states. Rowett said a significant share of the credit for ending payday lending in Arkansas goes to the Attorney General’s office, Turner, and H.C. “Hank” Klein, who founded AAAPL in 2004.
“Hank Klein’s tireless devotion, knowledge, and research gave our coalition the expertise it needed to focus on educating Arkansans about the pitfalls of payday lending,” Rowett said. “Ultimately, it was the decisive, pro-consumer actions of Attorney General McDaniel and his dedicated staff and the tremendous legal victories won by Todd Turner that made payday lending extinct in our state.” DePriest noted that McDaniel in launching his March 2008 crackdown on payday lenders had cautioned it might take years for all payday lenders to leave Arkansas. “We are exceptionally pleased that it took just over a year to accomplish what we set out to do,” DePriest said. “Payday lenders ultimately recognized that their attempts to justify their existence and continue their business practices weren’t going to work.” Turner said that Arkansas consumers ultimately are better off without payday lending. “In Arkansas, it was a legal issue of following our Constitution, but there’s a reason why all these other states don’t allow payday lending—it’s inherently predatory,” Turner said. “Charging 300 percent, 400 percent and even higher interest rates is, as our Supreme Court accurately noted, both deceptive and unconscionable.”
Posted by Max Brantley on August 11, 2009 10:55 AM Permalink

In my opinion

Lynnette Fromme gets out of prisonAugust 14 2009 at 6:21 PMNo score for this post
OneRedKansan41 (no login)from IP address 68.103.201.72
IMO, this woman should NEVER have been released. But here is the article:'Squeaky' Fromme Freed From Prison By RICH MATTHEWS, AP posted: 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES AGOcomments: 546filed under: Crime News, National NewsPRINTE-MAILMOREText SizeAAAFORT WORTH, Texas (Aug. 14) -- The Charles Manson follower convicted of trying to assassinate President Gerald Ford was released Friday from a Texas prison hospital after more than three decades behind bars, a prison official said. Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme was just 26 years old when she pointed a semiautomatic .45- caliber pistol at Ford in September 1975 in Sacramento, Calif. Secret Service agents grabbed her and Ford was unhurt. Skip over this content The Manson FamilyWalt Zeboski, AP16 photos After 34 years in prison, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, here in 1975, was released on parole Friday. Fromme, a member of Charles Manson's notorious "family" of followers, was found guilty in 1975 of trying to assassinate then-President Gerald Ford. Fromme is now 60 years old.(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker) http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=534972&pid=534971&uts=1250265976 http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf The Manson Family After 34 years in prison, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, here in 1975, was released on parole Friday. Fromme, a member of Charles Manson's notorious "family" of followers, was found guilty in 1975 of trying to assassinate then-President Gerald Ford. Fromme is now 60 years old. Walt Zeboski, AP Walt Zeboski, AP Fromme, now 60, left the Federal Medical Center Carswell in Fort Worth at about 8 a.m. Friday, spokeswoman Dr. Maria Douglas said in a statement. Fromme, who got a life term, became the first person sentenced under a special federal law covering assaults on U.S. presidents, a statute enacted after the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Ford was walking to the California State Capitol from his hotel when Fromme pushed through the crowd, drew the pistol from a holster on her thigh and pointed it at the president as he shook hands with well-wishers. She was restrained by Secret Service agents who wrested the gun away from her and led the president to safety. Fromme was granted parole in July 2008 and released "via good conduct time" after completing a 15-month sentence for unlawful escape from a federal correctional institution, according to the statement. That sentence was being served consecutively after a life sentence for threats against the president. Skip over this content She escaped from a female prison in Alderson, W.Va., on Dec. 23, 1987, and was recaptured about two miles away on Christmas Day after a massive search. She was sentenced to an additional 15 months in prison for the escape. Fromme had said she escaped from prison to be closer to Manson. It was unclear why Fromme was at Carswell, a facility that specializes in providing medical and mental health services to female offenders. A spokeswoman for the bureau of prisons did not immediately return a phone call Wednesday seeking comment. "I knew someday she would be released," said John Virga, the Sacramento attorney who handled her trial. Fromme served time in at least two other facilities before Carswell. Manson is serving a life term in Corcoran State Prison in California for the 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and eight others. Fromme, one of his "family" of followers, was not implicated in those attacks. Associated Press Writer John McFarland in Dallas contributed to this report. Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL. 2009-08-14 11:05:03

FreedHuman

FreedHuman]
If someone wants to buy health insurance, someone is willing to sell it to that buyer, there is no fraud or extortion involved, the insurer is financially sound, both parties agree to the terms -- it's NONE of the government's business. For the government to interfere or dictate terms other than what they agreed on -- is arrogant meddling, and wrong. Whatever two competent consenting adults wish to do with each other is nobody else's business. Thus, the proposal to outlaw insurance companies must be rejected summarily as a gross invasion of privacy. (Such proposals seem to be motivated by blind irrational hatred of insurance companies.)
Some people may NOT wish to enroll in Medicare. So government should NOT force anyone to enroll -- that would be an invasion of a person's private business.
And of course, nobody should be forced to pay for others' health care.
I agree that it's time to get serious about health care. The overall objective should be to get government out of the way. It's time to get serious about allowing individual freedom to exist in this important aspect of life.

embarrassing

Today when leaving for work, I backed into my garage door. Now I have to deal with insurance agents. Yay.

Yay

I had a day off today. It was nice after working about 55 hours this week. I took it easy today, accomplished nothing, and slept in. It was .. LOVELY. I have Zorn and Donner with me and they have been very well behaved. I feel good.!

Freedhuman

FreedHuman]
Tax money IS obtained by force, in that a govt. demand to pay up is backed ultimately by the threat of using initial or offensive force. A tax is NOT a debt that one voluntarily contracts -- no more so than protection money demanded of a shopkeeper. To say that tax is voluntary based on voluntarily engaging in acts that are taxed -- is as silly as saying that protection payments are voluntary based on voluntarily selling stuff in the neighborhood where protection money is demanded. The ideas of taxation and protection rackets are really based on the false notion that some may take money by force instead of negotiating voluntary trades to earn it.
If some people get upset when I describe taxation that way -- too bad -- I'm just explaining the true nature of it.
Consider roads. Financing roads by charging tolls to users is morally superior to forcing gasoline dealers to pay taxes. The distinction is even clearer if you consider toll roads that are privately owned -- to use property that's not your own, you pay the fees charged by the owner(s).
We tolerate modest taxes because we understand that we need some essential services like police and courts, and we don't think there are "practical" ways to finance them other than forcing people to chip in.
But since we have reluctantly conceded to govt. the right to get revenue by force to finance necessary functions -- governments have abused that privilege terribly, BIG TIME. Governments have taken upon themselves numerous functions far beyond legitimate necessary functions, which gobble huge amounts of revenue, and have taken huge amounts by force to finance them. Some of those extraneous functions have been to enrich private parties and buy votes. Governments have also become financially irresponsible, through waste, inefficiency, and heavy debt. Even though governments extract huge amounts of revenue, their greed has been even greater.
It's long past time to rein in out-of-control governments.
First, we need to adopt the premise that a government is entitled to only enough revenue to perform its essential functions such as police and courts.
Second, we must stop all further expansions of government, and disallow any new programs. That rules out creating govt. health care and health insurance programs, for example.
Then, we should simultaneously phase out extraneous govt. programs and find ways to replace involuntary revenue with voluntary revenue. For example, some places of business might want more intense police patrolling and would voluntarily pay fees for it. Another example is the toll road example mentioned earlier. For yet another example, prisoners should earn their keep as much as possible, rather than lodging at taxpayers' expense. --- [the end] [ FreedHuman ] ----

Bird handling

Today, while at work, I had to rescue(ok maybe the word rescue isn't the best word) a bird-it looked to be sort of like a sparrow, maybe a bit bigger, who was crashing into one of our large windows trying to get out of the building. There were open doors all around, and I was trying to get the bird to go out the window. Finally I got a broom and kinda got him cornered with that, and sort of held him down with it while picking him up from the window sill with my other hand. He tweeted as loud as he could, guess he thought I was gonna squash him or something. Anyway I took him outside and off he flew. Afterwards I thought maybe that wasn't the best way to handle him but it was all I had to work with at the time. If there is anyone here who knows about birds, my question is why do they crash into windows if there is an opening near by? Is it that they cannot see very well?

Ann Coulter is right on the money with this one

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-->order GUILTY - Liberal "Victims" and Their Assault on America

QUOTATIONS FROM CHAIRMAN ANN
July 25, 2009, 7:55 PM
Chutzpah: Acorn Claims Buying Votes is Constitutional - In Vote Fraud Case, Acorn Challenges a Law as Unconstitutional

July 25, 2009, 3:34 PM
COULTER TV - SAT & SUN NIGHT, 10pm: GeraldoMONDAY Morning: CBS's Early Show
July 25, 2009, 10:02 AM
MORE FABRICATIONS IN OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE TALK - NYT: Experts Dispute Some Points in Health Talk
July 24, 2009, 3:29 AM
Why are liberals always telling lies to support socialist health care? - White House Won't Name 'Colorado Woman' In Health Care SpeechNYT: THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE VICE PRESIDENT; Under Attack, Gore Reshapes Censure of Drug Industry
July 24, 2009, 3:26 AM
Maybe Axelrod Shouldn't Have Planted the Gates Question - Obama Remark on Black Scholar's Arrest Angers Cops Nationwide
July 24, 2009, 2:42 AM
Alan Keyes: I broke into my own house without arrest - Keyes: Which 'ism' on display at Harvard arrest?
July 23, 2009, 7:31 PM
"Waste, Fraud and Abuse" We Shall Always Have With Us - Even the Swedes can't get rid of it. -- Bunny pic unmasks Swedish benefits cheat
July 23, 2009, 12:47 PM
Black officer among those Obama accused of acting "stupidly" - See the Photo
July 22, 2009, 6:00 PM
Beautiful People Represented By Ugliest Congressman - Hollywood Deserves Better Than Henry Waxman
July 22, 2009, 8:47 AM
A HATE CRIME - Charge against Harvard professor dropped
July 22, 2009, 8:44 AM
NOT A HATE CRIME - Transcript: Davidson says he told Christian he would 'make sure she got out'
July 22, 2009, 8:36 AM
SHOCK - Toomey Ties Specter In Pennsylvania, Quinnipiac University Poll
July 22, 2009, 7:51 AM
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . - VIDEO: Ann Coulter on Hannity: "How bad can the Democrats be?"
July 21, 2009, 5:01 PM
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED VIDEO! - Steven Crowder Investigates Canadian Health Care. Lots of waiting . . . VIDEO: ObamaCare Yay Or Nay? The Truth About Canada!
July 21, 2009, 12:41 PM
The Compilation You've Been Waiting For! - RWN: The Best Quotes From Ann Coulter's 2008 Columns
July 21, 2009, 12:08 PM
MOON OVER HANOI - A different take on moon landing
July 20, 2009, 6:49 AM
TEDDY'S ANNIVERSARY - FLASHBACK: AnnCoulter.com: TED KENNEDY'S PRIVATE PARTS: PART I AnnCoulter.com: THE PERFECT ALIBI ... I'LL DRINK TO THAT! (PART II)
July 20, 2009, 6:21 AM
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . - VIDEO: Ann Coulter on Glenn Beck, Liberals Want to Be Black 7/17VIDEO: Ann Coulter on Geraldo, 7/18 Fed up with horny hicks Republicans
July 20, 2009, 6:12 AM
OBAMA'S APPROVAL RATING ON HEALTH CARE FALLS BELOW 50% - WAPO: Poll Shows Obama Slipping on Key Issues
July 19, 2009, 4:58 PM
Stop Driving and Talking Before the Law Stops You - Drivers and Legislators Dismiss Cellphone Risks"[D]rivers using a hand-held device are at 1.3 times greater risk of a crash or near crash, and at three times the risk when dialing."
July 19, 2009, 4:26 PM
Taliban or NBC? - Note how the Talibanists prompt the U.S. soldier to give the statements they want: U.S. soldier: "I have my girlfriend who is hoping to marry. I have my grandma and grandpas. I have a very, very good family that I love back home in America." Voice off camera: "Miss them." Soldier: "And I miss them every day that I'm gone. I miss them and I'm afraid that I might never see them again and that I'll never be able to tell them that I love them again. I'll never be able to hug them." Voice off camera: "Any message to your people?" "Yes. To my fellow Americans who have loved ones over here, who know what it's like to miss them: you have the power to make our government bring them home." -- FACTBOX - Transcript of missing U.S. soldier in Afghanistan
July 19, 2009, 2:05 PM
Levin Reviews Review of his Book - Conservatism in defense of libertyExcerpt: "While claiming to embrace tradition, Berkowitz does no such thing. Remarkably, he seems to think that American tradition started with the New Deal."
July 19, 2009, 2:27 AM
Obama's Agenda of Unpopular Ideas - What's Next, Mr. President -- Cardigans?
July 19, 2009, 2:22 AM
The Only Man Who Could Save NY - Giuliani Would Be Strong Contender for Governor
July 19, 2009, 2:09 AM
NATIONAL HOUSE CARE: BULLDOZE YOUR HOUSE AND MOVE INTO PUBLIC HOUSING - Another Example of “Reduced Rationing on the Basis of Price and Ability to Pay”
July 19, 2009, 1:25 AM
The MSM on the MSM - Time: Cronkite, the 'Patron Saint of Objectivity' -- Well, Actually, Thankfully, No
July 18, 2009, 12:52 PM
No wonder the MSM is going out of business - Cronkite – News Media ‘Gold Standard’
July 17, 2009, 10:31 PM
Will Rachel Maddow Cover THIS? - Same-sex penguin couple split
July 17, 2009, 10:28 PM
The Plot Thickens . . . - George Soros Behind Attacks on Sarah Palin
July 17, 2009, 10:26 PM
PRESIDENT OF THE HO CHI MINH ADMIRATION SOCIETY DIES - NYT: Walter Cronkite, Voice of TV News, Dies
July 17, 2009, 10:08 PM
Sotomayor would deny him a job - Ex-Marine fends off lion with chainsaw
July 17, 2009, 2:08 PM
ANOTHER MAJOR SOTOMAYOR RETRACTION ON FOREIGN LAW - Sotomayor's foreign ideasIn April 28, Judge Sotomayor delivered a speech in which she worried that "unless American courts are more open to discussing the ideas raised by foreign cases, and by international cases ... we are going to lose influence in the world." . . . In a 2007 forward to a book called "The International Judge," Judge Sotomayor wrote that judges should "all attempt to cobble together a culture of justice-seeking in a changed world."
July 16, 2009, 10:31 PM
House Health Care Bill Makes Private Medical Insurance Illegal - IBD: It's Not An Option
July 16, 2009, 10:24 PM
ALZHEIMER'S ADVANCE - Are We Taking the Wrong Approach to Curing Alzheimer’s?
July 16, 2009, 9:52 PM
SOWELL EXPLAINS "DISPARATE IMPACT" LAW - A Personal Inequity
July 16, 2009, 9:43 PM
Law-Abiding Employers Bring Class Action Against Employers of Illegal Aliens - Psst! Wanna Join A Class Action Suit Against Employers of Illegal Immigrants?
July 16, 2009, 9:29 PM
Liberal Critic of Sotomayor Vindicated - Rosen Was Right"Rosen was trying to warn his liberal compatriots that they could do “better” than Sotomayor. He was right and should get some credit for his effort. Imagine if Diane Wood or Kathleen Sullivan, both liberal in philosophy but undeniably impressive, had been up there over the last couple of days. I suspect that conservatives would have been staring at their shoes, struggling for reasons to say “no” and grudgingly acknowledging that the nominee was going to add something to the Court beyond her gender.
July 16, 2009, 9:25 PM
NY: 1.2% of Taxpayers pay 50% of Taxes - City Journal: The Obsolete New York Model
July 16, 2009, 9:24 PM
Lonely Guy Beaten Up by Girlfriend - Police: Girlfriend stabs man watching porn
July 16, 2009, 9:21 PM
Look for the Democrats in Congress to fire everyone at the CBO - CBO: Health bills will be more costly under national health care bill
July 16, 2009, 9:09 PM
REPUBLICAN SENATORS TAKE NOTE - "Liberal activists, by contrast, hope the hearings demonstrate that a Democratic president has nothing to fear from Republicans who have not rattled Judge Sotomayor. If she is confirmed by a commanding vote that includes a number of Republicans, the activists argue, they will have given Mr. Obama more political running room next time to name a more full-throated champion of liberal values.-- Front-page, above the fold article in the NYT: Future Nominations Are at Stake in Hearings
July 16, 2009, 9:02 PM
The Dark Side of Socialist Health Care - City Journal: The Ugly Truth About Canadian Health Care
July 16, 2009, 5:40 PM
Angry CNN Tea Party Reporter's Contract Not Renewed - Susan Roesgen Out at CNN
July 16, 2009, 5:35 PM
Another Open-Minded College Professor - 'Ask God What Your Grade Is' ... Judge Rules in Favor of LACC Student Defending Traditional Marriage
July 16, 2009, 5:22 PM
John Lott Analyzes Sotomayor's Statements - Did Sotomayor Lie to Senators?
July 16, 2009, 12:44 AM
WHAT'S OBAMA'S "EXIT STRATEGY"????? - Climbing Death Toll Raises British Doubts on Afghanistan MissionMy recollection is that during the Bush years, the dedicated press corps provided us with daily casualty figures on front pages, headlines, lead stories, and classrooms. Haven’t heard much about war deaths in the last six months.
July 15, 2009, 6:16 PM
Sotomayor Gets Property Rights Question Wrong - Sotomayor's Kelo Mistake
July 15, 2009, 6:14 PM
Advice from a lowly white male - Buchanan: How to Handle Sonia
July 15, 2009, 6:11 PM
Interesting, despite the confusing title . . . - An Honest Liberal Law Professor Takes Sotomayor to Task
July 15, 2009, 5:57 PM
Pro-Infanticide Peter Singer: - Why We Must Ration Health Care
July 15, 2009, 4:31 PM
COULTER ON GLENN BECK THIS FRIDAY! -
July 15, 2009, 9:40 AM
Obama's Baseball Bounces - Barack, Boos and Bud: Baseball in Limbo
July 15, 2009, 1:05 AM
Obama Throws Like a Girl in First Pitch at All Star Game - MSM camera pointedly avoids showing the bounce: VIDEO
July 14, 2009, 10:04 PM
SOTOMAYOR'S EXPLAINS "WISE LATINA" SPEECH - REVIEW!
July 14, 2009, 6:43 PM
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . - VIDEO: Ann Coulter on Geraldo "Biden is Delusional" 7-11-09 VIDEO: Ann Coulter on Geraldo "Sotomayor is Ethnic Politics at its Worse" 7-12-09
July 14, 2009, 6:21 PM
Gasparino on Goldman Sachs - How the Wall Street giant used your money to make $3.4 billion in profits
July 13, 2009, 8:49 PM
Teleprompter-in-Chief Collapses, Cites Exhaustion - Obama’s Teleprompter Commits Suicide Sweetness & Light
July 13, 2009, 3:55 PM
Here's some "context" for you! - S&L: Sotomayor's full "diversity" speech "Although I agree with and attempt to work toward Judge Cedarbaum’s aspiration, I wonder whether achieving that goal is possible in all or even in most cases. And I wonder whether by ignoring our differences as women or men of color we do a disservice both to the law and society. Whatever the reasons why we may have different perspectives, either as some theorists suggest because of our cultural experiences or as others postulate because we have basic differences in logic and reasoning, are in many respects a small part of a larger practical question we as women and minority judges in society in general must address. . . . there is not a single voice of feminism, not a feminist approach but many who are exploring the possible ways of being that are distinct from those structured in a world dominated by the power and words of men.
July 13, 2009, 3:49 PM
What Happened to that Racist Country Club Story? - ANSWER: The club director turned out to be an Obama supporter . . . That Story Sort Of Veered Left...Philly Pool Kids Booter Is Obama Fan
July 13, 2009, 3:42 PM
Excellent -- and Personal -- Analysis of Socialist Health Care - Glenn Reynolds on the hidden cost of national health care"The normal critique of socialized medicine is to point out that people have to wait a long time for these kinds of treatments in places like Britain. And that's certainly a valid critique. I'm sure my mom and daughter would still be waiting for their treatments, while my father and wife would probably be dead.The key point, though, is that these treatments didn't just come out out of the blue. They were developed by drug companies and device makers who thought they had a good market for things that would make people feel better."
July 13, 2009, 12:12 AM
Obama Backs the Lies of Our Enemies - Liz Cheney: Obama Rewrites the Cold War
July 12, 2009, 7:41 PM
How about a sub-country of wise Latinas? - Buchanan: It Can't Happen Here
July 12, 2009, 6:56 PM
NYT: Interview with Ruth Bader Ginsburg - The Place of Women on the CourtExcerpts -- Q: Did you think that all the attention to the criticism of Sotomayor as being “bullying” or not as smart is sex-inflected? Does that have to do with the rarity of a woman in her position, and the particular challenges? JUSTICE GINSBURG: I can’t say that it was just that she was a woman. There are some people in Congress who would criticize severely anyone President Obama nominated. They’ll seize on any handle. One is that she’s a woman, another is that she made the remark about Latina women. . . .*** Q: I wanted to ask you about the academic research on the effect of sex on judging. Studies have found a difference in the way male and female judges of similar ideologies vote in some cases. And that the presence of a woman on a panel can influence the way her male colleagues vote. How do these findings match your experience? JUSTICE GINSBURG: I’m very doubtful about those kinds of [results]. I certainly know that there are women in federal courts with whom I disagree just as strongly as I disagree with any man. I guess I have some resistance to that kind of survey because it’s what I was arguing against in the ’70s. Like in Mozart’s opera “Così Fan Tutte”: that’s the way women are. Q: We started by talking about the idea of three or four women on the Supreme Court. Could you imagine a Supreme Court that had five or six or seven women on it? JUSTICE GINSBURG: Yes, we’ve had some state Supreme Courts that have had a majority of women. Q: Do you have a sense of what that would be like to actually work on and how it would be different? JUSTICE GINSBURG: The work would not be any easier. Some of the amenities might improve.
July 12, 2009, 4:35 PM
Then can we get around to reading and writing? - Obama: Let's Teach Kids About SlaveryYes, by all means let's spend more time dwelling on America's racist past. What better way to empower black people and improve their lives and prospects for having better lives today.
July 12, 2009, 4:31 PM
NO WONDER O'REILLY HAS MORE VIEWERS - One of 4 jokes featured in the print edition of Sunday's NYT Week in Review: "But Governor Mark Sanford didn’t really enjoy this year’s Fourth of July. He left his favorite firecracker in Argentina." -- David Letterman, former comedian
July 11, 2009, 2:27 PM
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . - Ann Coulter on Glenn Beck -Biden, Palin, Qadafi, Stimulas2, CapTax and Sotomayor
July 11, 2009, 2:25 PM
FEATURED INTERVIEW - Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne on Jim Cramer, Carolina Liar, and Mark Cuban's IQ
July 11, 2009, 4:52 AM
IMMACULATE DECEPTION - 'Pool got my daughter pregnant'
July 11, 2009, 4:49 AM
More bad news for Sotomayor - Poll: 86 Percent of U.S. Wants Abortion Restrictions
July 10, 2009, 9:05 PM
COULTER ON FNC'S GLENN BECK FRIDAY - GERALDO SAT & SUN NIGHT 10PM
July 10, 2009, 2:40 PM
Is Obama Naive or Does He Just Prefer Communism to Democracy? - ESTRADA: Honduras' non-coup
July 10, 2009, 9:38 AM
AT LEAST BUSH'S "VEIL OF SECRECY" IS GONE - 'Put nothing in writing,' Browner told auto execs
July 10, 2009, 9:03 AM
White Family Attacked by Black Gang, But It's Not a "Hate Crime" - Is there a double standard when it comes to hate crimes?
July 10, 2009, 8:50 AM
Roubini: "Every element of the labor market is worsening." - Brown Manure, Not Green Shoots
July 10, 2009, 8:46 AM
SOWELL ON SOTOMAYOR - Equality on Trial
July 10, 2009, 8:38 AM
We'd Rather Be Home - Schlafly: Why Women Are Unhappy
July 10, 2009, 7:46 AM
The Final Epitaph on Michael Jackson - Joseph: The Lessons of Michael Jackson
July 10, 2009, 3:21 AM
UNDER THE NAME OF "LIBERALISM" AMERICANS ACCEPT SOCIALISM - VIDEO: Reagan Vs. Obama Debate
July 10, 2009, 12:10 AM
OBAMA SIDES WITH ORVAL FAUBUS IN HONDURAS - Will Obama blackmail Honduras into installing a bullying would-be dictator?Obama nominee: Corrupt foreign rulers have right to remain in office absent "judicial process" Obama stands with tyrants, sides with Chavez, Castro against Honduran democracy, newspapers say
July 10, 2009, 12:09 AM
"The Stoning of Soraya M" Hits Florida! - ‘Stoning’ Director on Hannity — Film Expands This Weekend
July 9, 2009, 1:07 AM
Is it "Real Time" or "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?" - Bozell: Oliver Stone, Lousy Historian
July 8, 2009, 2:00 PM
-
July 8, 2009, 1:46 PM
God is in the DNA - David Klinghoffer: The Alphabet of Life
July 8, 2009, 1:33 PM
A 30-Strikes Law Would Have Stopped S.C. Serial Killer - SC serial killer shouldn’t have been free
July 8, 2009, 1:29 PM
So much for "wind power" - Forbes: Pickens Scuttles Wind Power Project
July 8, 2009, 1:03 AM
That's odd -- the first one worked so well! - Just 27% Favor Second Stimulus Plan This Year, 60% Oppose
July 8, 2009, 12:59 AM
GALLUP: COUNTRY GETTING MORE CONSERVATIVE - (And after only six months!) -- Special Report: Ideologically, Where Is the U.S. Moving?
July 7, 2009, 9:24 PM
CA Bankrupt: Dems Decide to Raise Taxes - Tax Fiction Sells In Hollywood
July 7, 2009, 5:29 PM
Not Far From the Truth - BREAKING: Sarah Palin Uses The Telephone
July 7, 2009, 5:27 PM
And liberals think Palin is batty . . . - Al Gore: Climate-Change Fight Like Battle Against Nazis
July 7, 2009, 5:25 PM
About half past midnight and noon on July, 8th, it will be.... - 12:34:56 7/8/9
July 7, 2009, 1:51 PM
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT . . . - VIDEO: Coulter on Hannity 7/6/09 -- on Palin!
July 7, 2009, 2:06 AM
Report from MN: How to Steal a Senate Election - WSJ: The 'Absentee' Senator
July 6, 2009, 7:00 PM
Liberals Getting You Fatigued? - Try this new Energy Drink!
July 6, 2009, 1:33 PM
COULTER ON HANNITY TONIGHT, MONDAY, 7/6 -
July 5, 2009, 6:10 PM
JOE BIDEN: UNPATRIOTIC RETARD - The fabulous Ned Rice reports.
July 5, 2009, 4:29 PM
Much More Romantic than Mark-Maria - NYT Vows: Erika Fredell and Ted Skala
July 5, 2009, 4:27 PM
Obamanation Enjoys the Hip Economy - NYT: Say Hello to Underachieving"The well-paying summer jobs that in previous years seemed like a birthright have grown scarce, and pre-professional internships are disappearing as companies cut back across the board.
July 4, 2009, 10:35 PM
Another Theory on Print Media's Problems - You Know The Real Reason Why Time Mag Is Going Down the Drain? The Content!
July 4, 2009, 10:32 PM
More Palin News - Palin Quits to Spend More Time with Couric, Gibson
July 4, 2009, 10:10 PM
Independence Day Video - Alfonzo Rachel Explains the Tea Parties
July 4, 2009, 9:39 PM
TV THIS WEEKEND! - Sunday night: FNC's Geraldo, 10pm
July 4, 2009, 3:03 AM
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! -
Item Archives

TAKE TWO ASPIRIN AND CALL ME WHEN YOUR CANCER IS STAGE 4July 22, 2009All the problems with the American health care system come from government intervention, so naturally the Democrats' idea for fixing it is more government intervention. This is like trying to sober up by having another drink. The reason seeing a doctor is already more like going to the DMV, and less like going to the Apple "Genius Bar," is that the government decided health care was too important to be left to the free market. Yes -- the same free market that has produced such a cornucopia of inexpensive goods and services that, today, even poor people have cell phones and flat-screen TVs. As a result, it's easier to get your computer fixed than your health. Thanks, government! We already have near-universal health coverage in the form of Medicare, Medicaid, veterans' hospitals, emergency rooms and tax-deductible employer-provided health care -- all government creations. So now, everyone expects doctors to be free. People who pay $200 for a haircut are indignant if it costs more than a $20 co-pay to see a doctor. The government also "helped" us by mandating that insurance companies cover all sorts of medical services, both ordinary -- which you ought to pay for yourself -- and exotic, such as shrinks, in vitro fertilization and child-development assessments -- which no normal person would voluntarily pay to insure against. This would be like requiring all car insurance to cover the cost of gasoline, oil and tire changes -- as well as professional car detailing, iPod docks, leather seats and those neon chaser lights I have all along the underbody of my chopped, lowrider '57 Chevy. But politicians are more interested in pleasing lobbyists for acupuncturists, midwives and marriage counselors than they are in pleasing recent college graduates who only want to insure against the possibility that they'll be hit by a truck. So politicians at both the state and federal level keep passing boatloads of insurance mandates requiring that all insurance plans cover a raft of non-emergency conditions that are expensive to treat -- but whose practitioners have high-priced lobbyists. As a result, a young, healthy person has a choice of buying artificially expensive health insurance that, by law, covers a smorgasbord of medical services of no interest to him ... or going uninsured. People who aren't planning on giving birth to a slew of children with restless leg syndrome in the near future forgo insurance -- and then politicians tell us we have a national emergency because some people don't have health insurance. The whole idea of insurance is to insure against catastrophes: You buy insurance in case your house burns down -- not so you can force other people in your plan to pay for your maid. You buy car insurance in case you're in a major accident, not so everyone in the plan shares the cost of gas. Just as people use vastly different amounts of gasoline, they also use vastly different amounts of medical care -- especially when an appointment with a highly trained physician costs less than a manicure. Insurance plans that force everyone in the plan to pay for everyone else's Viagra and anti-anxiety pills are already completely unfair to people who rarely go to the doctor. It's like being forced to share gas bills with a long-haul trucker or a restaurant bill with Michael Moore. On the other hand, it's a great deal for any lonely hypochondriacs in the plan. Now the Democrats want to force us all into one gigantic national health insurance plan that will cover every real and mythical ailment that has a powerful lobby. But if you have a rare medical condition without a lobbying arm, you'll be out of luck. Even two decades after the collapse of liberals' beloved Soviet Union, they can't grasp that it's easier and cheaper to obtain any service provided by capitalism than any service provided under socialism. You don't have to conjure up fantastic visions of how health care would be delivered in this country if we bought it ourselves. Just go to a grocery store or get a manicure. Or think back to when you bought your last muffler, personal trainer, computer and every other product and service available in inexpensive abundance in this capitalist paradise. Third-party payer schemes are always a disaster -- less service for twice the price! If you want good service at a good price, be sure to be the one holding the credit card. Under "universal health care," no one but government bureaucrats will be allowed to hold the credit card. Isn't food important? Why not "universal food coverage"? If politicians and employers had guaranteed us "free" food 50 years ago, today Democrats would be wailing about the "food crisis" in America, and you'd be on the phone with your food care provider arguing about whether or not a Reuben sandwich with fries was covered under your plan. Instead of making health care more like the DMV, how about we make it more like grocery stores? Give the poor and tough cases health stamps and let the rest of us buy health care -- and health insurance -- on the free market. COPYRIGHT 2009 ANN COULTER DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE 1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106
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Beddy bye time

Posting this just right before I head off to sleepyville.. it is only just after 11 pm CST and yes I am going to bed much earlier than usual. I must get up very early tomorrow, as tomorrow, yes, ...I will say it here.. I am going to do something that I have not done in a long, long ,loooooong time: Eat a healthy breakfast at home. AT HOME.

Ahhh well

Just typing this before I go to bed.. yawn.. pup goes back to the vet tomorrow.. she better behave herself this time. I am doing ok, it is getting closer and closer day by day to my surgery in December. The funny thing is that I am looking forward to taking the time off. I have not been on a vacation in years. YEARS. I can't spend too much money-I am saving as much as I can for a new or newer house.

Honig

I took one of my female GSDs to the vet this morning. She was such a good dog on Saturday eve and Sunday afternoon, I thought that she would be a good dog at the vet. She WASN'T! I dropped her off at about 8 am and left for work. Well, I get a call from the vets office and they say that they could not draw her blood nor give her the thyroid medicines because she was nipping so much! She was just nervous, but it really is not like her to nip. So they called me and told me that they would have to reschedule, and I will come in with her next time, which is Thursday. This girl is about 81 pounds which I guess is avreage for a shepherd.

Today was a good day

Today was a good day. I took the day off, got my grocery shopping done this afternoon. I tried to go to the zoo, but there were just too many people there and I didn't bother to get out of my car when I saw the lines both at the zoo and the park. Then I dropped my paycheck off at the bank, did the shopping. I just hate unloading the groceries when I get home. My dog was no help. Can't set groceries on the floor, or she will then try her own version of 'help'. LOL. I look up from where I am sitting and see that it looks as if my chandalier is going to fall out of the ceiling. Well, tomorrow I must call my handy-man..

Today

Well, our poor guy looks like he won't have his kidney surgery until September. He told me today that his kidneys are in such poor shape that he could have to go on dialysis tomorrow. Damn. That sucks. He has to wait until September to get his brother's kidney. Damn. Then I am supposed to have my lap band surgery in December. The band is going to stay in me FOR LIFE. That is ok by me. I need it . I do not at all object. There is a port that goes along with the band. It will fit somewhere under my skin. I wonder if I will be able to feel it. It will be very interesting.

Bad news

Well, he is not getting his kidney tomorrow. The Doctors have had to postpone the surgery again, for reasons that I do not know and I am afraid to ask of. He said that the doctors are looking at performing the surgery sometime in September. This poor guy is frustrated, but there is not much he can do if the doctors keep changing his surgery date. I hope that he gets his surgery done soon, hopefully sooner than that, as there is recovery time involved and I am supposed to have my surgery in December . Why they keep changing the date I don't know and I don't ask the guy because I know it'll just aggravate him. On top of that, my father may have to go in for jury duty next week, it is one of those you-need-to-call-on-Sunday-evening-to-find-out-if-and-when-to-show-on-Monday-morning kind of things. I hate em, but what can you do? Oh and tonight, chores: Wash my bedsheets. I don't mind the washing or drying, it is the putting them back on the bed that I don't care for. Especially the fitted sheets. Yuck.

From About.com

This is what I have to look forward to in December:
What Happens After Adjustable Gastric Lap-Band Surgery?
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By Tracee Cornforth, About.com
Updated: June 06, 2004
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board
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(Continued from Page 2)When you are ready to leave the hospital, you may receive a visit from the hospital dietitian who will go over the required diet for Lap-Band patients. It’s important to fully understand the Lap-Band diet before you decide on this type of weight loss surgery. The first 3 to 4 days following Adjustable Gastric Lap-Band surgery patients must follow a clear liquid diet. Failure to follow the prescribed diet can cause complications such as band erosion or slippage that require additional surgery.
If you are a regular coffee, tea, or soda drinker you should be aware that no caffeine is permitted for the first three months after surgery. Carbonated beverages; both diet and regular may cause gas, bloating, and an increase in stomach size due to the carbonation and are not recommended at any time for Lap-Band patients.
The second phase of the Lap-Band diet consists of 5 to 6 weeks of a modified full liquid diet; the key component of this phase is consuming two ounces of a protein shake every hour for ten to twelve hours a day with two ounces of other liquids such as soup, baby food, or sugar-free gelatin three times a day.
During the second six weeks following Lap-Band surgery patients may eat food that is shredded in a food processor prior to eating. The basic foods on the Lap-Band diet include meats or other forms of protein, vegetables, and salads. The Lap-Band diet does not include most bread, potatoes and other starchy vegetables. The length of these phases may be altered according a patient’s personal weight and weight loss goals – my first phase is five weeks, followed by a two week second phase.
Protein is especially important following Lap-Band surgery. After Lap-Band surgery the stomach will never hold more than 4 to 6 ounces per meal, so making every bite count is essential for healthy and nutritionally rounded weight loss success.
Lap-Band patients are advised to consume fifty to sixty grams of protein daily to avoid protein deficiency. Protein deficiency causes hair loss, fatigue, edema, muscle weakness, and a delay in wound healing. A lack of adequate protein may also lead to depression, anxiety, irritability, apathy, and other mental health conditions, as well as cause a number of physical health issues from gallstones to colds, headaches, low blood pressure, anemia, irregular hear rates, and, in extreme cases, death. A lab can measure the amount of protein in your blood by performing a serum albumin blood test.
Eating after Adjustable Gastric Lap-Band surgery means taking tiny bites, and eating very slowly. You should think of your new stomach as a “baby” stomach. You’ll be drinking protein shakes and relearning eating skills much the same way as a new baby eats formula (or breast milk), and slowly adds new foods from blended baby foods to chunkier baby foods.
Certain foods may never be well tolerated by Lap-Band patients. These foods include:
Meats that are especially tough such as steak and pork chops. Some Lap-Band patients have difficulty digesting other meats that contain gristle such as hamburger.
Oranges and grapefruits may not be tolerated unless the membrane is removed before eating.
The seeds and/or skins of all fruits and vegetables.
High fiber vegetables such as celery and sweet potatoes.
Spicy foods.
Fried foods.
Certain spices including cinnamon, pepper, or onion or garlic salt.
If you are unable to tolerate milk, it’s important to add other calcium and protein rich foods such as cottage cheese. Dry milk can be added to foods for added protein.
Any medicine you take may need to be adjusted following Lap-Band surgery since you will not be able to swallow pills that are aspirin-size or larger, or capsules or irregular-shaped pills. For me this has meant breaking a blood pressure pill in half, changing my tri-estrogen capsules to a cream form, and taking liquid antibiotics and painkillers for an unrelated infection.

Getting bumped and gold

Bit of sad news. Seems that he didn't get his kidney transplant today. He goes back in next Tuesday for the transplant. The Dr had to bump his appointment, for some reason. on to another subject, gold:Gold is not a good investment. I do not invest in gold. Yes, gold may be up right now, but it has a horrible track record. It is not a hedge against inflation, and if my accountant or financial advisor told me anything otherwise, I would fire their butt.The only thing that I have that has gold in it are a pair of earrings I own and wear on occasion.

Kidney transplant

This guy that works with me is getting a kidney transplant tomorrow. I imagine that he must be nervous, unable to sleep tonight. I don't envy him. His brother is giving him a kidney. What a wonderful gift to give someone. Well, this employee is expected to be back to work in about 2-3 weeks. I guess that he will have to take some sort of anti-rejection medicines. I think that this guy told me that his brother will go into the operating room first, then the Drs will remove the kidney, and then sometime later -don't know how long later, this guy will go in for his new kidney. Total time for surgery is approx 6 hours. Ugh.

4th

I had a great 4th of July Independence Day. Well, I worked, and that is great. I took 3 shitheads home, and while I was gone, one of them pissed in my guest bedroom. Guess that could have been worse. I visited with the folks for a while. For some reason, I am not really into the fireworks this year. It is just background noise to me. But it scares the shitheads, thats why I took em home. Fed em, gave em their meds, let em out side to do their business, and let em guard my small house while I am gone for a few hours.

Fox News

Canada Sees Boom in Private Health Care Business
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 By Molly Line
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Private for-profit clinics are a booming business in Canada -- a country often touted as a successful example of a universal health system.
Facing long waits and substandard care, private clinics are proving that Canadians are willing to pay for treatment.
Click here latest details on LIVESHOTS: Canada: Private Clinic Controversy
“Any wait time was an enormous frustration for me and also pain. I just couldn't live my life the way I wanted to,” says Canadian patient Christine Crossman, who was told she could wait up to a year for an MRI after injuring her hip during an exercise class. Warned she would have to wait for the scan, and then wait even longer for surgery, Crossman opted for a private clinic.
As the Obama administration prepares to launch its legislative effort to create a national health care system, many experts on both sides of the debate site Canada as a successful model.
But the Canadian system is not without its problems. Critics lament the shortage of doctors as patients flood the system, resulting in long waits for some treatment.
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“No question, it was worth the money,” said Crossman, who paid several hundred dollars and waited just a few days.
Health care delivery in Canada falls largely under provincial jurisdiction, complicating matters.
Private for-profit clinics are permitted in some provinces and not allowed in others. Under the Canada Health Act, privately run facilities cannot charge citizens for services covered by government insurance.
But a 2005 Supreme Court ruling in Quebec opened the door for patients facing unreasonable wait times to pay-out-of-pocket for private treatment.
“I think there is a fundamental shift in different parts of the country that's beginning to happen. I think people are beginning to realize that they should have a choice,” says Luc Boulay, a partner at St. Joseph MRI, a private clinic in Quebec that charges around $700 for most scans.
Yet advocates looking to preserve fairness claim that private clinics undermine the very foundation of the country's healthcare system.
“Private clinics don't produce one new doctor, nurse, or specialist. All they do it take the existing ones out of the public system, make wait times longer for everybody else while people who can pay more and more and more money jump the queue for health care services,” said Natalie Mehra, member of the Ontario Health Coalition.
Canada spends $3,600 per capita on health care -- almost half of what is spent in the U.S. And while some in Washington look to its northern neighbor for ideas, the Canadian system is still changing.
“One can understand that this is evolving and a mix of private and public seems to be favorable in some context. On the other hand, we need to be really careful that we're not treating health care the way we treat a value meal at McDonalds,” Dr. Michael Orsini from the University of Ottawa told FOX News.
Provincial governments now face the difficult job of finding a balance in meeting the country’s health care needs — reducing wait times and maintaining fair access without redefining the universal ideals at the core of Canada's health care system.

Today

Was sort of a busy day. Woke up late, but I was fasting. I had some blood drawn today(and you would think that me being diabteic, I would get used to that) and I still kinda don't like it. I still have to look away and wince. Then there is a pinch. Then, to help get my mind off of this, I try small talk with the phlebotomist. Well, I thank her,. and then they tell me that I should expect to hear from the Dr on my results sometime next week. Then I go to work until about three fifteen and I leave to take two dogs to the vet for their physicals and rabies vaccinations. Turns out they are both in pretty good shape except for one thing: Zornfaust has whipworms! UGH!Now all of our dogs have to take this whipworm medicine called Panacure(or something like that).

Blood drawn

I must get my blood drawn tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. It is one of those deals where I have to be fasting, so no food or drink after 11:30 p.m. tonight. I am not sure what the Drs are testing for right now. After that I can have a light breakfast, that I will bring to work. I will work until about 3 p.m. and at 3:30 , two dogs go to the vet for vaccinations. I got my lawn service bill today, which is not too bad at all. Since there is no due date listed on the bill, I think I can wait a week or two to mail the check. Next week, I will pay my Cable television and my water bill, plus I will add to my Roth IRA and my regular savings account, plus my Cash Management Accounts-just like I do normally every week. Then most of the time, I send a small tithe to my church.

July

Time has gone by so fast! Already it is July 1. Soo sleepy now. I watch a lot of infomercials. Sad to see that Billy Mays died last weekend. I did find his commercials kind of irritating though, when he always came on screaming. Seems that many folks , famous folks are kinda dying young these days. I am sick of hearing about Michael Jackson, too. In a few days there will be a funeral, and then the press will eventually start to fade and move on to others and other issues. Well I must say zzzzzz now.

Work is paying off!

Well, I went to the Dr for my annual physical today and I found out that I have lost 35 pounds since April! Yay! All this running around is paying off. Now only 120 more to go! LOL. Hell, it is not hard. Life is good.

Enoooough

Michael Jackson died yesterday. He was 50 years old. A pop icon. I remember when THRILLER came out. He was HUGE. I was never a big fan, but seems like almost every other teenager was. Personally, I liked him better when he was singing lead for the Jackson 5. But he has only been dead for a day and frankly I am already tired of hearing about it. There is just too much media coverage about it. Farrah Fawcett also died yesterday, and there was a lot of media coverage but not as much as about Jackson. I tire of it, so whenever I hear something about them on the radio or tv I change the channel.

Thunder!

Tonight is one of those nights that I will just go to be early with the television on. I fall alseep to my crime stories then I also dream about them.. well, about 830 pm cst tonigt it starts to rain, my weather radio sounds off. Then it is quiet again for a while, then the thunderstorm starts. There is a LOUD clap of thunder which scares the beejesus out of my dogs Donner and Honig. Poor things. They think the world is coming to an end. They say that if thunder scares your dog, you are supposed to just act like everything is normal, resist the urge to comfort them. They both came into my room after that loud clap. I told them to go back into their rooms and lie down.

Random thoughts

My life is kinda boring right now. Well, in comparison to what else is going on around the world it is. That is ok by me. I really don't like excitement in my life. Excitement in my life is usually negative. Like waiting to get the results from a test that you think you didn't do too well on. It is hot here in Kansas. Steaming hot. Make you want to stay inside all day and hang out inside the refridgerator/freezer hot. Today was one of those hot hot hot days. Burn your ass hot when you sit on vinyl seat days. I am fat, and fat people, generally speaking do not do heat very well. We tend to prefer the cold. At least I do. Now I am typing this blog to avoid paying my bills tonight. Ha. I am too sleepy, so I will pay my bills tomorrow. Good night. God Bless.