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I just wanted to let your girls know that it doesn't look like I will be able to go after all.  Had some unexpected car repairs so $$ is too tight.  Have a blast, and hopefully I will be able to join you all next time.


Linda

I am not and would not post this on the message board.  I beleive everyone has the right to their own opinion.  I just like making a informed decision on politics.  We coming into a very interesting election period and so I have watched both the Democratic and the Republican Convention so I didn't seem biased.  I was so disappointed in the convention last night.  So many untruths, so I thought I would enlighten those who maybe didn't pay attention.  Here it goes

Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer Wed Sep 3, 11:48 PM ET

 

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and her Republican supporters held back little Wednesday as they issued dismissive attacks on Barack Obama and flattering praise on her credentials to be vice president. In some cases, the reproach and the praise stretched the truth.

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Some examples:

PALIN: "I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending ... and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress. I told the Congress 'thanks but no thanks' for that Bridge to Nowhere."

THE FACTS: As mayor of Wasilla, Palin hired a lobbyist and traveled to Washington annually to support earmarks for the town totaling $27 million. In her two years as governor, Alaska has requested nearly $750 million in special federal spending, by far the largest per-capita request in the nation. While Palin notes she rejected plans to build a $398 million bridge from Ketchikan to an island with 50 residents and an airport, that opposition came only after the plan was ridiculed nationally as a "bridge to nowhere."

PALIN: "There is much to like and admire about our opponent. But listening to him speak, it's easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform — not even in the state senate."

THE FACTS: Compared to McCain and his two decades in the Senate, Obama does have a more meager record. But he has worked with Republicans to pass legislation that expanded efforts to intercept illegal shipments of weapons of mass destruction and to help destroy conventional weapons stockpiles. The legislation became law last year. To demean that accomplishment would be to also demean the work of Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, a respected foreign policy voice in the Senate. In Illinois, he was the leader on two big, contentious measures in Illinois: studying racial profiling by police and requiring recordings of interrogations in potential death penalty cases. He also successfully co-sponsored major ethics reform legislation.

PALIN: "The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes, raise payroll taxes, raise investment income taxes, raise the death tax, raise business taxes, and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars."

THE FACTS: The Tax Policy Center, a think tank run jointly by the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute, concluded that Obama's plan would increase after-tax income for middle-income taxpayers by about 5 percent by 2012, or nearly $2,200 annually. McCain's plan, which cuts taxes across all income levels, would raise after tax-income for middle-income taxpayers by 3 percent, the center concluded.

Obama would provide $80 billion in tax breaks, mainly for poor workers and the elderly, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credits for larger families.

He also would raise income taxes, capital gains and dividend taxes on the wealthiest. He would raise payroll taxes on taxpayers with incomes above $250,000, and he would raise corporate taxes. Small businesses that make more than $250,000 a year would see taxes rise.

MCCAIN: "She's been governor of our largest state, in charge of 20 percent of America's energy supply ... She's responsible for 20 percent of the nation's energy supply. I'm entertained by the comparison and I hope we can keep making that comparison that running a political campaign is somehow comparable to being the executive of the largest state in America," he said in an interview with ABC News' Charles Gibson.

THE FACTS: McCain's phrasing exaggerates both claims. Palin is governor of a state that ranks second nationally in crude oil production, but she's no more "responsible" for that resource than President Bush was when he was governor of Texas, another oil-producing state. In fact, her primary power is the ability to tax oil, which she did in concert with the Alaska Legislature. And where Alaska is the largest state in America, McCain could as easily have called it the 47th largest state — by population.

MCCAIN: "She's the commander of the Alaska National Guard. ... She has been in charge, and she has had national security as one of her primary responsibilities," he said on ABC.

THE FACTS: While governors are in charge of their state guard units, that authority ends whenever those units are called to actual military service. When guard units are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, for example, they assume those duties under "federal status," which means they report to the Defense Department, not their governors. Alaska's national guard units have a total of about 4,200 personnel, among the smallest of state guard organizations.

FORMER ARKANSAS GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE: Palin "got more votes running for mayor of Wasilla, Alaska than Joe Biden got running for president of the United States."

THE FACTS: A whopper. Palin got 616 votes in the 1996 mayor's election, and got 909 in her 1999 re-election race, for a total of 1,525. Biden dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, but he still got 76,165 votes in 23 states and the District of Columbia where he was on the ballot during the 2008 presidential primaries.

FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOV. MITT ROMNEY: "We need change, all right — change from a liberal Washington to a conservative Washington! We have a prescription for every American who wants change in Washington — throw out the big-government liberals, and elect John McCain and Sarah Palin."

THE FACTS: A Back-to-the-Future moment. George W. Bush, a conservative Republican, has been president for nearly eight years. And until last year, Republicans controlled Congress. Only since January 2007 have Democrats have been in charge of the House and Senate.

___ I am not posting this to piss anyone off, like I said I am going into this election with my eyes WIDE OPEN and hopefully everyone else will do the same.

Well, I am three weeks post op.  Generally things are going well.  I have lost 27 pounds. It's weird, each day I step on the scale, I keep expecting to see the numbers go back up.  I don't think that reality has set in yet.  Surgery went well. In fact I had no problems following the surgery while I was in the hospital.  The only complaint I have is that I developed this horrible burning pain in my stomach a little more than 2 weeks post op.  So bad that I went back to my surgeons office.  I was told that this is normal. (I have yet to find anyone on this site that experienced this) So I get I just have to tough it out.  It's aweful. But even with all the pain, there isn't one moment that has gone by that I have regretted the choice I made.  I am already in one size smaller. The last couple of days of the "full" liquid diet was grating on my last nerve.  In fact if I every see Jello again, it will be too soon.  Today is my day to start pureed foods.  I never thought I would be so happy to eat pureed chicken.  LOL  YUMMY I am hoping I will start feeling better now that I am able to eat a little more.  My protein goal will be alot easier to meet now.  As soon as my burning pain goes away, I can't wait to start walking again.  My doc told me I should have taken the full 6 weeks off. But I went back to work a week and a half after surgery.  So far so good, I am just really tired.  Sometimes I wish I could fast forward the next 2 months, just so I didn't have this stupid pain, but I guess it will go away quick enough.

Linda

Tomorrow is the beginning of my new life.  I feel like I have been waiting forever, although I feel guilty because I know there are so many that have had to wait alot longer than me, and some that are still waiting.  I am not nervous yet.  Everyone is asking me if I am, but so far.  I am not.  Excited?  yes.  The people on this website are so incredible.  I have met some, and talked to so many.  What a wonderful support system.  I have felt so connected to some, and hopefully more in the future. 

Thank you all that have been so supportive.  I will post again soon

I am so excited and nervous.  I got my date.  July 23rd, 2008 will be the beginning of my new healthier life. I can't wait to see the numbers on the scale start moving in the other direction.  I went to Belmont Shore yesterday to do some window shopping on 2nd St.  But my back kept going into one giant muscle spasm, and I wound up leaving.  I just can't wait to be able to walk again without everything hurting.  I wan't to wear shorts again and pants without elastic.  I want to wear a tank top and be proud of my shoulders and arms.  I can't wait to start this incredible journey.

Linda

I haven't posted in a while.  I am still waiting on my date.  I had my cardiac stress test on June 9th.  That was an aweful experience.  They had to do the medicine induced stress test because I was unable to walk on the treadmill.  Thank God my insurance required my Dr to do the test in the hospital and not in his office.  I wound up having a reaction to the medicine and started to go into cardiac arrest. (not a fun experience) But they got me stabilized and then I had to have an emergency angiogram which came back totally normal.  My cardiologist did clear me for the surgery.  On June 11th I talked with Ann at Dr LePort's office and she said she did receive the clearance from my cardiologist and that my chart was sent to the surgery scheduler.  She then told me that the scheduler has up to 10 working days to call me back.  That would be June 25th.  I am so anxious to get my date. 

Well, I got the authorization from my insurance company on the first letter.  but I didn't get cleared by my cardiologist. (damn high blood pressure) so I have to go thru a medicine induced stress test since I am so out of shape and can't walk on the treadmill .  My cardiologist had the nerve to tell me "you know if you lose weight it would help"  WTF!!!!! why does he think I needed the surgical clearance. So here I am again waiting for the authorization for the test to be approved.  I know it's for my own good,  I want to go into this as healthy as possible, but it's like a double edged sword.  I wouldn't have these problems if it weren't for all the extra poundage, but when I am trying to fix that problem, I keep hitting obstacles.  I know everything happens for a reason.  I will be on the losers bench soon.  Hopefully

Today was a rough day.  I was getting ready for work and was so disgusted with who I saw in the mirror.  I can't wait to have the surgery.  From being so heavy, I have really severe plantar fasciaitis and have to wear athletic shoes all the time.  I work in a office/professional/office casual enviroment.  And I am so tired of wearing tennis shoes with my dress pants.  I just went up another size too.  I am now in a 24 .  Tomorrow will be a better day