Posts by mesize8

Check with your vet about a product called "Feliway."  It's a synthetic facial pheromone that is supposed to calm them, sort of like kitty valium.  I have some, haven't tried it yet, but plan to the next time we go away on a trip.  We, too, have cats that exact revenge when they are under stress.

Original Post by lysistrata:

Your fear of guns is your problem, not mine.

Nope, gun-toting bullies forcing their agenda down our throats is everyone's problem, not just mine.

Original Post by lysistrata:

Original Post by mesize8:

Original Post by kay_h:

Think on this - you all have the right to express whatever opinion you want,  but remember, it is the right to bare arms that protects your right to free speech.  

Actually it's the Constitution that guarantees my right to free speech.  Certainly the right to walk around with my arms exposed to the sun has no impact on my right to free speech.  Or perhaps you meant to say "right to bear arms".

Either way, I think as a citizen of the U.S., I should have the right to live in a society without a bunch of armed (concealed or not) "patriots" walking around.  I would feel safer if "carrying" wasn't allowed in this country.  But, that's just my opinion, and I am allowed to say it whether or not I carry a gun.

 

Yeah, because paper literally protects people all the time.  It protects the protestors whose heads get bashed in by the cops (see #28).  It protects racial groups from discrimination.  It protects the states from unwarranted interference by the federal government.

The constitution is an embodiment of principles.  Principles that have been fought for and defended.  That you don't share those principles just shows how little you appreciate the freedoms you have.

This is a ridiculous argument.  Because I don't think people should be allowed to be armed outside a town hall meeting and near the president, this means I don't "appreciate the freedoms I have."  WTF?  He has the freedom to own a gun, to keep it in his home, to carry it, and if need be, to protect himself from the government when they come for him because he hasn't paid his taxes (because this is really the only situation in recent history in which guns have been used for any purpose related to supposedly protecting oneself from governmental abuse).  In my opinion, the right to bear arms does not give you the right to intimidate other people with your world view.  I don't care if the law gives you the right to carry a gun to a political event, that doesn't make it the moral thing to do.  I have a right for my opinion to be heard, too, (freedom of speech, baby) and if the person I'm conversing with is packing heat, well, that pretty much puts a damper on the force of my argument AND infringes on my right to free speech, doesn't it?  In a free society, you can't decide policy on the basis of who's better armed. THAT is fascism. 

I disagree. I don't remember protesters ever being allowed to bring guns to presidential events when GWB was in office.  I think it's a new trend, I think it's crazy extreme rightwingers trying to stifle genuine political discourse, and I think it's disturbing. 

I realize lots of different kinds of protesters show up at Presidential events, but can you cite me an instance in which a person with a loaded gun or automatic weapon was ever openly allowed at such a rally?

Original Post by kathygator:

No, they simply bring in more agents.

If we defend a college kid's right to burn the flag in protest, we must also defend the right of a citizen to lawfully carry and display a handgun in protest.

The true wackos don't wear t-shirts  or carry signs announcing themselves. If they do, then they are too stupid to be a threat.

It may be perfectly legal and within their rights to bring guns to protests...but that doesn't mean it's not intimidating, and it could mean that well-meaning, good citizens interested in the political process are staying home instead of having their voices heard. 

And, they're protesting their discontent with Obama's healthcare plan by walking around outside a town hall meeting with a gun?  Huh?  Why not carry a sign that says, "Pres. Obama, I don't like your healthcare plan." That's pretty clear and to the point.  The symbolism of a gun is something else entirely.

Original Post by jewelsmcblah:

I think it sounds a lot like step 3 on the road to Fascism.

I'm not quite sure I understand your post.  Do you mean allowing them to carry guns at such events, or not allowing them to carry guns at such events is a step toward fascism? 

I agree that Americans are being fed a lot of scare tactics about the evils of nationalized health care, and I hope that people can learn the facts, lose the fear and let the government come up with something that will work for everybody.  Could it be any worse than letting the profit-driven insurance companies decide your fate?  They've proven their heartlessness over and over again.

I'm an American who's lived in Germany for the past 12 years, and although our system isn't perfect here, everyone has health care.  It's a two tier system, if you have a really good job, you're expected to pitch in a bit, but most people are entirely covered by the govt.  Here's what we do have to pay, though...every 3 month period, you have to pay a 10 Euro co-pay if you go to see a doctor.  Prescriptions are going to run you a 5 to 10 Euro co-pay per 3 month supply.  I have no trouble making appointments in urgent situations, and most doctors will see you that day. Dental care is covered, but strangely, cleaning isn't.  That you have to cough up 60 Euros for.  Orthodontics are completely covered.  After the births of my daughters, I never saw a bill, and I stayed a week in the hospital after the first birth and had surgery to boot.  The insurance company will pay for someone to come help you clean house and cook after the birth of a child.  Certain procedures might be recommended by your doctor ( i.e. yearly ultrasound to check for ovarian cancer), but aren't covered by insurance.  That costs about 30 Euros.   And another plus of the German health care system..."Cures".  If you're feeling run down, and nothing seems to help, you can apply to go on a 3 week cure, where you go to a spa-like clinic and have massages and aromatherapy each day while someone cares for your children on-site.  Then after a day of relaxing, you have a nice dinner with the children and fall blissfully into bed.  It may be an unsustainable way to run government health care...but I'm going to enjoy it for as long as I can!

And as an aside, it has been shown recently by epidemiologists that the average lifespan of Europeans is increasing....but that of Americans is static.  Health care, kids, health care.

5'8" and 165 lbs,  shooting for 155.  Any lower and I've got no boobies to speak of! 

Original Post by madamq:

 I dont know about stress but I used to have a terrible tinnitus problem until I figured out my triggers.  I have several triggers.

1.  sinus trouble

2.  asprin or advil, but not tylenol

3. some medications with chemical similarity to asprin

My first thought is that you have been taking advil (derived from asprin) for stress headache and this is causing the problem. 

There are a lot of triggers including food allergy and dehydration. 

There are even other reasons for tinnitus such as ear or brain damage.  But these are so highly unlikely there are not even worth considering.

 

Thanks for your ideas Madamq.  Unfortunately, I don't think any of them apply to me.  I haven't been having sinus trouble, and it doesn't seem to matter whether I take ibuprofen (advil) or not.  You're right that there might be other triggers, but I don't think I've been doing or eating anything too differently lately, except that I've been under a lot of stress.  I've always been the kind of person who was motivated and fueled by adrenalin, but as I get older, I think I have to realize that I need to make slowing down and relaxing a regular part of my day.  Not easy to do.

Original Post by neanderthin:

Original Post by mesize8:

In a recent study from the Univ. of Texas, they found that people who drank diet soft drinks actually ended up gaining more weight than people who drank regular soft drinks, although they're not sure why:

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20050613/drink -more-diet-soda-gain-more-weight

So, I would say that drinking diet sodas is a real no-no if you're trying to lose weight.  Sodas of any kind are also very bad for your bones, as someone mentioned above...I knew a man in his 30s who drank at least 6 cans of coke a day and developed osteoporosis...a man in his 30s!

 

That's a pretty common type of study or non clinical study. The basic flaw is that people that aren't overweight or obese who also drink either regular or diet pop, it's pretty much a non issue. Studying obese people is a little different because as people become more obese and overweight they will try and reduce their total calories and regular pop is an easy one because they can still drink diet, therefore a corrolation can be made as people gain more weight they increase their intake of diet pop. Correlation is not causation.

Point taken...and as it turns out, the guy with osteoporosis was in fact quite thin.  I don't drink the stuff because I don't like putting crap in my body, with sugar or with aspartame, it's all junk in my opinion. 

Original Post by zebulancherry:

Well if you weren't being rude before, you certainly are now.

And if you were so blind to see - I am not a vegetarian, I simply said this was an interesting thread and that I think is worth checking out. Get your facts straight. Don't you have better things to do than bully teenagers online? Get a real life.

Umm...you, in your naivete, called her comment "very unintelligent" so I would say she has the right to defend herself.  And don't you have some homework to do, young lady?

Original Post by alphawordsmith:

Original Post by mesize8:

So I checked a couple of other websites, and for a 6 oz McFlurry with smarties, the calories listed is 198.  American McFlurries with M&Ms are 12 oz, so should be 496 calories?  But here on the calorie count database they're listed as 620 calories?!?  Weird.  Maybe there is more sugar in an American McFlurry?  Europeans generally like their desserts less sweet than Americans.

I suspect that that is exactly the answer. I, myself, prefer Ritter Sport bars to any American chocolate. My friend Ulli, in Pfaffenhofen an Ilm, sends them to me twice a year. I'm not currently eating chocolate, but when I DO, I eat those or Lindt Lindor truffle balls.

 

Ritter Sport Cappuccino and Lindt Lindor balls are my favorites, too!  Can't keep them in the house because they disappear!

Original Post by me__:

Original Post by mesize8:

No wonder Americans have trouble keeping their weight down.  You people are soooo being taken for a ride.

 

 I find this so funny, though.  I love it when someone attempts to shame Americans and it ends up a big "oopsie" on their part.  Oh well.  It happens, I guess..lol!

Well, the really funny thing is that I AM an American.  And I'm not attempting to shame Americans.  I just think it should be possible to go into a restaurant in the States and eat reasonable-sized portions of food if you want.  The last time I went to a Mexican restaurant in the States (last summer), I was only able to eat a third of the food on the plate. 

Original Post by jenningermany:

Huh.  I find that the German McFlurry with Smarties is 415 cals.

Which website did you find that?

So I checked a couple of other websites, and for a 6 oz McFlurry with smarties, the calories listed is 198.  American McFlurries with M&Ms are 12 oz, so should be 496 calories?  But here on the calorie count database they're listed as 620 calories?!?  Weird.  Maybe there is more sugar in an American McFlurry?  Europeans generally like their desserts less sweet than Americans.