" Unfortunately, people are judged for being fat -- judged as lazy and gluttonous, unable to control their appetites. And I daresay that is true of many overweight people. But others are bound by genetic problems and conditions. I was a super-fit athletic female of 124 pounds at 38 years old, frequently quite literally mistaken for under 25. One day, I started to gain weight -- fat, not muscle. No reason, on the contrary. I continued to workout and eat right -- I continued to gain. I got a personal trainer and a nutritionist and have stuck to their programs like glue. And I continue to gain. I have been to see all kinds of doctors and eliminated diabetes, thyroid, hormones, all kinds of things. Best they can tell me is -- you have a "constitutional tendency to gain weight at this age." I still do 60+ minutes of cardio (balanced between long moderate fat-burning cardio and interval training in powerful bursts) 6 days a week, do strength training in addition to that 3-4 days a week and eat a diet based on my age and activity level carefully designed, refined and tweaked by a nutritionist -- and am now 40 pounds and 8 inches around bigger than I was 4 years ago. I am not yet hugely fat -- just frustrated with a dumpy, average, middle-aged body which I shouldn't have given the amount I work I do and the discipline I have towards both working out and eating. (I get violent urges towards people who tell me I "look good for my age." ;-) But I know you are judging me when you see me -- I am not (yet!) one of those you judge for being obese, but one you pass over as inconsequential because I am so boringly average and dumpy. It's not right, but it is a reality. Bottom line -- you don't know me, or any of these other people you are judging harshly, and don't know that their physical condition is due to laziness and gluttony. (If you want to be peeved with people for their inconsiderate behavior, that's another matter). But when it comes to the bodies we all have: Judge not lest you also be judged so unfairly -- judge not lest someday the Evil Metabolism Fairy comes and taps you, or you have an accident that renders you incapable or exercise, or you come down with diabetes, etc. "

" Actually, I'm a poor white person, who is looking for a job in Auburn, too. Why don't you wake up, and tell the Citizen to quit printing false job advertisements in the paper,too. There is no discrimination, there are NO JOBS. "

" Maybe if food manufacturers left out the high fructose corn syrup, there would be less fat people clogging the aisles in Wally World, and then there'd be more corn to make more ethanol for fuel, so those formerly fat people can drive their 1988 Dodge Caravans with the sliding door duct-taped shut back to Wally World, and with the money saved on fuel, afford to buy that extra pair of sweat pants and a Disney t-shirt. Or maybe even a bottle of laundry detergent so they can finally wash the ones they already own. "

" Stop trying to start a weight war here in Auburn, We do not need it! Keep it up, and I will find you and sit on you! Maybe you should stop preaching about me being fat and instead ask yourself how come you do not work with any people of color. Is it becuase you and the business you work for are full of Racists? Wake up Auburn!!! Make the World a better place, stop denying that racism is alive and well in 21st century Auburn NY!!! "

" An office building sure could have vrought some jobs. Who knows, maybe we could have brokered a deal with Excellus or someone else who does not have enough parking available to them in Downtown Syracuse. There is very few people in Auburn now that can afford this Government Subsidized housing!!! "

" Speaking of Wal-mart and rude customers who block the aisles, how about those speed demons in the electric carts who think just because they are riding and not pushing, that everyone has to jump out of their way? I'm sure most of the people riding really need to, but I often think the riders would be a lot better off walking and losing some weight - then maybe they wouldn't need a rider cart. "

" A useless factory building that will never create jobs because the ecomy has changed can be turned into condos that will bring in property tax revenue and higher income people that will spend money in the community. If you don't have a job then get one. With a little hard work you might be able to afford that condo. Or we could leave that factory building for years to come to give a home to the rats and be an eyesore for decades. "

" I can't believe that the hotel tax didn't pass. Our legislators vote to raise OUR taxes, but when we can get some relief and raise taxes for outsiders only,they vote no "

" To "I LOVE IT": Thanks for the laugh, I needed that...STUPID SMACKS, LOL! "

" You know it's pretty sad, when you see an old building that was meant to be a factory, a place where people work and make money, turned into condos. I NEED A JOB, not a condo that I can't pay for without a job. "

" The aisles are big enough, it's the RUDE, INCONSIDERATE people who leave their cart in the middle of the aisle, while they have their large behinds bent over a row of cookies, trying to decide which ones to buy, SUPER FAT or MEGA FAT. And It takes them a long time to move, because they are so huge. And then you have the family with a bunch of loud, obnoxious kids who fight over which cereal to buy, BRAT FLAKES, or STUPID SMACKS. And you know that they see you. So, I just run into their carts, and then say sorry, that makes them move. "

" NO, Maybe Wal-Mart should make smaller grocery carts. Wal- Mart uses subliminal tactics in order to get their customers to buy more. Bigger carts, more room for uneccessary food that it is filled with high fructose corn syrup. Wal-Mart is it's own worst enemy, just look at what they have done now, they made their customers too big to fit in the isles. Their plan has backfired. HA HA HA "

" The aisles in stores aren't any different than before, It's the people who are bigger. Lose some weight and the aisles will be fine. "

" Ithaca got about $40,000 and used it to improve twelve playgrounds. Auburn got over a Million dollars to give to PRIVATE ENTERPRISE. If this was going to employ a bunch of people, I wouldn't be complaining, but it isn't! It is just going to be used to defray costs so that a PRIVATE DEVELOPER can start lining his pocket with taxpayer money. It borders on criminality!!! "

" Ray, I can't believe that you wasted that time & effort on such a posting. They don't care about that kind of stuff on here!! "

" To all posters: Please eliminate the use of ambiguous "they". They should build this, they should eliminate that. In a free market society consumer preferences and supply and demand determine what shops should be built and what products are developed or changed. We are not yet in a dictatorial society. "

" To citizen customer for many years, use the internet. Leave the high fructose out? - it makes it taste better. "