HCA Sells Kids Weight Loss Surgery

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Tuesday June 14, 2011 · 7:36 AM PDT

2011/06/14 · 07:36

(I write a blog called Skipping Dessert about my experiences in seeking a healthier lifestyle and losing weight. The following was originally published there. Please take a look if you're so-inclined.)

I've known for a long time that HCA (Hospital Corporation of America) was one of the bad guys. As a refresher, it was heavily linked to Bill Frist and his family. I hadn't given HCA much thought until this past weekend I had lunch in a pub that used to be a favorite of mine many years ago.

While we were there the local top-40 hits radio station was playing, loudly. I never, ever listen to top-40 radio, so it was a bit of an education. One of the things I learned was that I’m not missing anything by never, ever listening to top-40 radio (I listen to a lot of music, just on iTunes and satellite radio). Frankly that wasn’t a surprise.

What did surprise me was that fully half the ads I heard were for diet clinics and weight-loss gimmicks. Now remember, this is an all-hits station. It’s target listeners are 12-24 years of age. And the ads they listen to (when they listen to the radio – young people, as a group, don’t, but that’s another story) are about quick and easy ways to lose weight. With a consistent “it’s not your fault” message. Wow. Nothing about healthy eating or exercise, just, “come give us money and you won’t have to worry about that unsightly muffin-top anymore.”

(HCA badness beyond the fold ...)

Poll

11 votes Show Results

Weight Loss Surgery for Kids

11 votes Vote Now!

Weight Loss Surgery for Kids

Sick

2 votes

Immoral

3 votes

Twisted

1 vote

Profitable

3 votes

Huh?

0 votes

Pie

2 votes

Calling All Floridians ...

ThirstyGator

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Monday February 14, 2011 · 9:14 AM PST

2011/02/14 · 09:14

Or just those interested in Florida politics. There's a new Group - DKos Florida - dedicated to all things political in Florida.

Poll

0 votes Show Results

0 votes Vote Now!

In Spite of Everything, I Will Vote Today.

ThirstyGator

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Wednesday October 27, 2010 · 7:42 AM PDT

2010/10/27 · 07:42

There is no Democrat running against the Republican Congressman in my District. In spite of that, I will vote today.

Every commercial break on every TV program includes negative, expen$ive and generally counterproductive advertising. In spite of that, I will vote today.

The Democrat in my US Senate race Democrat is polling in the low 20's and his presence on the ballot will probably help elect a truly despicable man. In spite of that, I will vote today.

ThirstyGator

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Tuesday April 27, 2010 · 7:56 AM PDT

2010/04/27 · 07:56

I don't expect this to be a well-received diary. I alluded to the issue recently in a comment on another diary and was told, essentially, to go away.

Here's the issue: I live next door to Florida House District 22, a heavily gerrymandered district in Gainesville and Ocala built specifically for republican victory. I've been looking on the web, the newspapers, on the phone - everywhere I can think to look - and I can't find out if there are any Dems running for the seat. I'd like to volunteer, give money, etc., but I can't get any answers. Republicans? Yeah, I know which republicans are running. Easy to get that information. But trying to get information about Democrats is next to impossible.

ThirstyGator

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Tuesday November 04, 2008 · 6:56 AM PST

2008/11/04 · 06:56

Forgive me, but I'm already thinking about November 5th and beyond. I'm thinking about November, 2010 and November 2012. I'm thinking about how hard the other side will be working to discredit our Democratic-led government. I'm thinking about how hard it is to maintain a majority after you've won. But I'm also thinking that what determines the majority of votes is one question: "Are you better off than you were four (two, eight, whatever) years ago?"

If the answer to that question is a resounding YES, the Democratic Party will be leading this nation into a New Deal-esque resurgence, and we'll hold Congress and the White House for decades. If the answer is no, well, we'll all have done a lot of political work for naught.

But we - you and I - can have a direct impact on whether or not this is a better place two, four, eight years from now. I, for one, pledge to do EVERYTHING I CAN to make my block, my city, my state, my nation and my world a better place. I'm leaving it all on the road for the next four years.

ThirstyGator

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Tuesday September 16, 2008 · 7:06 AM PDT

2008/09/16 · 07:06

Soon after completing his second term as Florida's Governor, the republicon party's favorite little brother took a job with Lehman Brothers. Now, that shouldn't be a big deal, I suppose. Hell, private citizens ought to be able to be able to work where they want. The problem is that it looks like Lehman sold the State of Florida (and by extension the municipalities and pensioners of Florida) some large (and, it turns out, shaky) investments while Jeb was still Governor, and while he was on the board overseeing state investments. This became kind of a big deal back in November, when several hundred million of that investment turned out to be worthless.

Of course, now that Lehman is bankrupt, there are even more questions and worries for Florida's future. Follow me below the fold as I fret about my pension ...

ThirstyGator

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Wednesday July 16, 2008 · 7:49 AM PDT

2008/07/16 · 07:49

Sigh. Here I was with a full workday ahead of me and I was planning to stay away from this site all day. Then I read this piece in Slate with this sub-head:

Does the Bush administration have a secret succession order that bypasses Congress?

Oh sure, I thought, they're just trying to grab my attention. It's probably something minor, but I'm curious anyway. I'll give it a look.

So I gave it a look and it SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. Go read the piece, then follow me below the fold ...

ThirstyGator

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Wednesday September 05, 2007 · 8:30 AM PDT

2007/09/05 · 08:30

As a Floridian, maybe I should just get used to the idea that my presidential vote isn't going to count. It's never really counted in a primary, after all, since our primary has traditionally been in March, well after the wiser voters of Iowa and New Hampshire have already chosen our candidate. And since 2000, I'm pretty sure Democratic votes don't get counted in the general election.

But these days, it's not just an unspoken understanding that my vote won't count, it's the stated policy of the Democratic National Committee. My primary vote is officially a waste of my time. Of course, there will be other important issues on the January 29th ballot, but those attract less flash, which means Democrats will stay home in droves that day. The RNC, it should be noted, has yet to exclude Florida Republicans.

So how did all this happen? Well, the Republican party made it so.

Poll

41 votes Show Results

Do you care if YOUR primary vote gets counted?

41 votes Vote Now!

Do you care if YOUR primary vote gets counted?

Yes

22 votes

7 votes

Shut up and toe the party line

12 votes

More Mattel Recalls

ThirstyGator

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Tuesday August 14, 2007 · 8:56 AM PDT

2007/08/14 · 08:56

Wow. One of the world's largest toy marketers (if not the largest) is recalling another 9 million toys.

On the heels of the recent lead paint fiasco, Mattel admits to having stepped in it again, this time with magnets that freely dislodge, causing choking and intestinal hazards. No word, as far as I could tell, on the nation of manufacture for these toys, but I'm guessing it's not the US. Mattel does not seem to have an updated link yet, but when they do it should be here. This time the toys in question are Barbie Doll and Tanner dolls, Batman Magna series action figures, and Polly Pocket playsets.

What does this have to do with politics, you ask? Everything, I answer. Follow me below the fold for the quote from the top ...

ThirstyGator

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday June 05, 2007 · 6:58 AM PDT

2007/06/05 · 06:58

I haven't seen this diaried yet today, but I found it interesting. Sojourners sponsored what the Post calls an "unprecedented forum" on personal faith. Of course, there will be those who think the idea entirely inappropriate, but I think any chance we get to hear the candidates answer questions the better off we all are.

Of course some of it was pretty vapid, as I expect from host Soledad O'Brien. Some highlights ... and (what I think was) a strange statement from Senator Clinton:

ThirstyGator

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Friday May 25, 2007 · 6:48 AM PDT

2007/05/25 · 06:48

Good news! According to an International Herald Tribune story, less than a third of Americans think there are too many immigrants in our country! Even more interesting, 13% believe we don't have enough immigration.

What is most interesting about the survey (done by Harris Interactive, who swears they've adjusted for propensity for online usage) is that of the US, France, the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, only France is less concerned with immigration. Follow me below the fold to see this in handy graphic form...

Poll

52 votes Show Results

Do you think there are ...

52 votes Vote Now!

Do you think there are ...

Too many immigrants in the US?

18 votes

About the right number of immigrants in the US?

12 votes

Not enough immigrants in the US?

11 votes

Not enough pie fights on DKos these days?

11 votes

T-Shirts! Get Your T-Shirts Here!

ThirstyGator

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday May 17, 2007 · 1:11 PM PDT

2007/05/17 · 13:11

No, not DailyKos shirts, "Support the Troops/End the War" shirts. And bumper stickers too. Yes, you'll need to send $20 to the Edwards campaign, but if you do so right now you'll have 'em in time to wear for Memorial Day.

Poll

46 votes Show Results

Ending the war

46 votes Vote Now!

Ending the war

an idea whose time has come

41 votes

a silly t-shirt

0 votes

pie

5 votes

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HCA Sells Kids Weight Loss Surgery

Calling All Floridians ...

In Spite of Everything, I Will Vote Today.

Frustrated in Florida

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Constitutional Crisis or Just Another Day in the Oval Office?

The DNC, The "Four State Pledge" and a Florida Voter

More Mattel Recalls

Top Tier Candidates on Faith

Who's hates immigrants the most? (hint: it's not the US)

T-Shirts! Get Your T-Shirts Here!