Ignore this message....I am just screwing with the mods.

By their own butt-hurt personal feelings standards, from what I can see.

I posted to Sarah recently - AS A PERSON, NOT AS A MOD - in which I disagreed with her about something she said that was snarky to DSers, in a way that did NOT violate TOS - which she did NOT bother to respond to directly, although she made excuses for her attitude in a response to someone else.  http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4467729/Stages-of-WLS/  I wonder if she got butt-hurt by what I said, and that may be coloring the heavy-handed moderation I am receiving now.  Frankly, although she has portrayed herself as someone who deserves special treatment because of her medical issues, I have long since tired of her thinking it gives her dispensation for some of the crap she posts - but you'd think I tipped over a cripple's wheelchair by not giving her a pass or by disagreeing with her. 

I sense a growing Amy-vibe from her.  Including the aspect that seems to reflect DS-envy - the DS would clearly have been better for both of them, statistically, and both of them seem to take pro-DS/anti-RNY stuff personally.  Which is fine with me - I don't give a rat's patoot what she thinks of me personally - but I think it is affecting her "professional" judgment in her role as a moderator.

I have also disagreed with Kathy S personally, though I don't recall if there has been a recent incident.

Barbara C is beyond annoying with her cross-posting every little thing that she thinks gives her a reason to put her face and "title" on every page on OH.  Most of the time when she posts that drivel on the DS forum, it is UTTERLY irrelevant to any of us - and I often say so.

I have also told Eric Klein - when he took a brief spin at posting publicly and ostensibly as a MEMBER - that I would NOT help him when he "invited" me to - for free - write an article for his OH rag that he didn't have time to write.  And I criticized his incomprehensible and factually inane postings here: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/4431266/Lap-Banders-W rite-a-Letter-to-Washington/#36630036  I wonder if he is butt-hurt about that?  I kinda doubt it - I don't get the sense that he has feelings that can get hurt, other than being frustrated that his attempt to interact with me didn't go his way - and OH is just his cash cow.

So, overall, it appears to me that the mods can't separate their feelings about my criticizing them as MEMBERS with their roles as moderators, and are using that as an excuse to apply different standards to my posts, and moderating them - or putting ME on moderation.  That's how it appears to me.  In my opinion, if they can't maintain professional impartiality as moderators, they should resign.  Am I allowed to have an opinion about this?

Those ads are here, and on all those billboards, and on TV, because they generate income for Google, for websites, for billboard owners, for the TV stations, etc etc. That story was news in NorCal as well, and probably nationally, yet the ads have only proliferated. 
     As Dave said, patients need to research their potential surgeon carefully, and also research the different types of wls, not just respond to a billboard or some equally poor source of medical information. Sadly, many people don't do this. If the ads weren't making $$ for the product's manufacturer and the surgeons who are affiliated with these facilities, you wouldn't see the ads any longer.

Larra

I wouldn't hold your breath. Advertiser dollars are more difficult to obtain today. I live in southern CA and also heard that news item.  I also see a ad for lapband removal at a hosptial this AM at the top of the page.  Each person should fully research their surgeon and surgery before surgery.  DAVE

I would be totally embarassed if I attended a support group, and then told them that I'm from Alta Bates, and the leader of the group started bi*ching about how much he/she does not like the practices of Alta Bates. I think that's inappropriate and can be a 'kill joy" for someone who is just attending to get support, feel welcome, and get some attention (if needed). That sort of a "welcome" can lead to someone "shutting down" and not asking questions that they normally would have out of concern that their questions are not welcome.

Everybody is different, some are more sensitive than others. I think the surgeon was out of line! If he does not want Kaiser to "dump off their patients" to his group for "freebie support', then he should have just a CLOSED GROUP!  My 2 Cents

It's because there are tons of events and often people have to pick and choose. If something happens every month (support group) and the alternate event is once a year (office Holiday Party), people usually pick the on off. People go out of town too.

But in Jan people are all fired up to make THIS YEAR better than last year.