Imagine there is a railroad track. On that track there are 5 people standing there. A railroad cart is on its way going fast. You are standing far away but close enough to see it. Next to you is a lever that ,if pulled, will divert the cart onto a different track. The problem is that on that other track there is 1 person standing there. You DO NOT know anybody personally and they are all adults. They are COMPLETLY random. Would you pull the lever?

What if you were on a bridge that went over the tracks and the 5 people were beneath you. Same cart on its way. However, this time there is a very large person standing at the edge. If you push this person over they will fall down to the tracks in front of the 5 people. The cart would srike and kill that person causing it to derail and miss the other 5 people. Would you push that person? (I realize that is is unlikley that any one person could derail a railroad cart but that is not the point of the question)
if you are willing to pull the lever but you will not willing to push the person, I personally think that is hypocritical. What is the difference between pulling the lever and pulling a trigger?

I know, very immature… but I just started seeing a guy who invited me to a party this weekend.

This party isnt a "friend’s" party, its a friends family’s party… so everyone will be there. We are not exclusive, but I know he will be carting me around like a girlfriend, which is not something I feel up to dealing with so soon.

I made the mistake of saying yes, when the more I think about it, the less Im into it… and he really wants me to go.

What can I say that will make him okay with me not going?

That someone is in town? That I am sick with the flu/fever?

I’m 16 almost 17 and need a job. I dropped out of school and i’m going to adult ed this fall to study and get my GED. I want either a full time job or part time job and save up money to buy a car when i’m 18 and I get my license.

I wont be doing nothing this fall but sitting in my house all winter so I figured why not get a job.

Will they hire me if I put on "9th grade highest level of education completed"? The store is Meijer and I was thinking about filling out a application online. I would either want to stock shelves or push carts.
Like I have no idea what they do. Do they show you around and stuff?
Sorry the title should have been "Do they train you if you want to work at a store pushing shopping carts in"

I’m almost 15, and i’ve noticed for the past two years or so, adults are so condescending and rude to me. my friends have been noticing this too.

A lot of them treat me like i’m not an actual person and my opinions don’t matter. If i try to put in what i think into a subject they’ll laugh at me or just ignore me, and not because it was stupid it’s because of my age.
Why do they think they’re so much better than me because they’re older? I know my thoughts and opinions are just as good as theirs.

OHHHHH
and i’ve been getting a lot of "catiness" from a bunch of older women (:

Sometimes, i’ll just be in a store, minding my own business, and i’ll pass some older women.
they’ll do the whole thing (that nobody has done since they were insecure 12 year olds) and look at me up and down, totally talk about me and say rude remarks to my face even, and giggle, flick their hair, and just walk away.
WHAT THE HELL?
ARE THEY JEALOUS OR SOMETHING?
and no, i don’t dress like a sl u t.

also, this one time i was outside of walgreens with my friend and i got into a really small cart, but i was having a hard time fitting it because it was so small lol
so, basically me and my friends were just laughing and having a good time (:
and this lady who looked about 50 said "ohh, your parents must be proud!"
then we went into the store about 10 minutes later and saw the lady, and she kept giving us sarcastic smiles. i could tell she was imitated though, hahaha

but yeah, why do adults do this? it’s mostly women, but why? is it because they’re insecure?

I’m almost 15, and i’ve noticed for the past two years or so, adults are so condescending and rude to me. my friends have been noticing this too.

A lot of them treat me like i’m not an actual person and my opinions don’t matter. If i try to put in what i think into a subject they’ll laugh at me or just ignore me, and not because it was stupid it’s because of my age.
Why do they think they’re so much better than me because they’re older? I know my thoughts and opinions are just as good as theirs.

OHHHHH
and i’ve been getting a lot of "catiness" from a bunch of older women (:

Sometimes, i’ll just be in a store, minding my own business, and i’ll pass some older women.
they’ll do the whole thing (that nobody has done since they were insecure 12 year olds) and look at me up and down, totally talk about me and say rude remarks to my face even, and giggle, flick their hair, and just walk away.
WHAT THE HELL?
ARE THEY JEALOUS OR SOMETHING?
and no, i don’t dress like a sl u t.

also, this one time i was outside of walgreens with my friend and i got into a really small cart, but i was having a hard time fitting it because it was so small lol
so, basically me and my friends were just laughing and having a good time (:
and this lady who looked about 50 said "ohh, your parents must be proud!"
then we went into the store about 10 minutes later and saw the lady, and she kept giving us sarcastic smiles. i could tell she was imitated though, hahaha

but yeah, why do adults do this? it’s mostly women, but why? is it because they’re insecure?

yeah.
typical adults think they know everything and teens know nothing.

and i was ranting because i was explaining to you everything.
and if ALL of my friends have noticed this, then i’m not the only one.
so you’re saying all teens are obnoxious brats?
and i KNOW that i don’t know everything.

neither do you (:

but i know that my opinions are stupid or meaningless.
nooo

i don’t mean all adults are like that, i know they aren’t.

i tried to put "why do SOME adults hate teenagers so much?" as my question but it did the whole thing where it wasn’t posting, so i had to change the question around so that it would work. but i thought it would be obvious that i meant some adults.

sorry for the that, my bad haha
AMBER:

for one, you’re twisting up the way i am typing things and yes, if i did say the things the way you make it seem, that’d be immature.

but that other person was saying about how i think i know everything but i really know nothing.

and i was making about that i do know i don’t know nothing, and neither does he because nobody does.

okay?

it sounds like you really love to hate me.

by the way, you’re probably going to edit the post again saying
I DON’T REALLY HATE YOU IDIOT!
.. but i didn’t mean it literally
Okay, I think amber and bondgirl are getting confused which one i’m talking to..

to bondgirl:
if teens most are obnoxious brats because we haven’t been there done that, unlike adults, and it’s okay for adults to be rude and disrespectful, then would it be okay for me to go up to 5 year olds because i’m more mature than them and just be a jerk because i’m better than them and i feel like it? and i’m just a teensy bit insecure?

amber:
whatever, same difference. you’re already name calling, which is already immature and obnoxious.
LMAO
amber, i just said i wasn’t being serious about hating you, jesus

I just sent a response like this onto the web, and I was surprised to get a negative response. Are we all thinking out there? We have to be full of wisdom, be extremely cautious when dealing with our children and what we let into their lives. Our children are innocent and learn from the social structure that we present to them. If we are careless and carefree it will come back to haunt us — and the cost is too extreme not to have wisdom when dealing with our children. I will go onto say that —

We live in a strange world.

Babies are too young to distinguish between who has good intentions and those who have bad intentions when kissing them on the mouth. I prefer to leave my sons with the wisdom that if someone kissed them on the lips that they would look at them strange. Please leave kissing babies on the lips alone — because you never want to give some crazy person an opportunity to violate your child — and if you instill in your child that there is nothing wrong with people kissing them on the lips especially adults when they are incapable of making distinctions, then you’ve just opened the door to what your lack of wisdom will get you or rather your innocent child. You always want to equip your children with right and wrong – and the mechanisms to protect themselves when we leave them with friends, relatives, daycare takers etc. Although you may not be a sexual predator, what about all of the people that are around your child that you do not know about? What about all of the other parents, friends of parents etc. that are picking up their children at a daycare center and you do not know them. Adults kissing babies on the lips is not right and we need to be equipped with wisdom in these harsh times.

Remember, babies in their early stages of development develop by taste, touch, sound, smell and sight. The lips are equipped with extra sensory perception so that touch to the lips can be pleasing to your baby. Think parents!

On another note, it’s just not sanitary, we’re in a flu season, ecoli bacteria on shopping carts. Let it be, kiss your baby on the forehead, they’ll know you love them.

I just sent a response like this onto the web, and I was surprised to get a negative response. Are we all thinking out there? We have to be full of wisdom, be extremely cautious when dealing with our children and what we let into their lives. Our children are innocent and learn from the social structure that we present to them. If we are careless and carefree it will come back to haunt us — and the cost is too extreme not to have wisdom when dealing with our children. I will go onto say that —

We live in a strange world.

Babies are too young to distinguish between who has good intentions and those who have bad intentions when kissing them on the mouth. I prefer to leave my sons with the wisdom that if someone kissed them on the lips that they would look at them strange. Please leave kissing babies on the lips alone — because you never want to give some crazy person an opportunity to violate your child — and if you instill in your child that there is nothing wrong with people kissing them on the lips especially adults when they are incapable of making distinctions, then you’ve just opened the door to what your lack of wisdom will get you or rather your innocent child. You always want to equip your children with right and wrong – and the mechanisms to protect themselves when we leave them with friends, relatives, daycare takers etc. Although you may not be a sexual predator, what about all of the people that are around your child that you do not know about? What about all of the other parents, friends of parents etc. that are picking up their children at a daycare center and you do not know them. Adults kissing babies on the lips is not right and we need to be equipped with wisdom in these harsh times.

Remember, babies in their early stages of development develop by taste, touch, sound, smell and sight. The lips are equipped with extra sensory perception so that touch to the lips can be pleasing to your baby. Think parents!

On another note, it’s just not sanitary, we’re in a flu season, ecoli bacteria on shopping carts. Let it be, kiss your baby on the forehead, they’ll know you love them.

“Lucky charms?” Asked John, waving the box in front of my face, before putting it in the shopping cart I was pushing around. I forced myself to smile and giggle. Ever since the kiss, we’ve only talked when we were in public, and you could tell that it was forced.

“Too sugary.” I said, snatching the box out of the cart and putting it back. “We are grown adults, John. We have to eat big person cereal.”

John sighed and grabbed a box of Fibre One cereal. I grabbed his free hand, and turned to face him. His eyes were cold, unforgiving, but the fake smile on his face showed that he knew we had to pretend like nothing happened. I broke his heart, he wouldn’t forgive me for it. I was so damn stupid. Why couldn’t I just love him? He was a sweet guy, who would always have my back. He would be a perfect boyfriend. I had to be an idiot, and only love him as a brother.

“I love you, John.” I said, in a whisper. “You know I do. I just, can’t love you like that. You can’t be mad at me for speaking the truth. Maybe one day, some day in the future, I’ll realise that I’ve loved you all along, but for now, we are best off pretending. And you know that it’s the truth. I’m sorry that you love me bu-” The lights in the store flickered, just as a women screamed. I automatically went into protective mode, grabbing John’s wrist, and dragging him to the ground. “In the back of the store, there is a staff and storage room. There is an exit in the back of it. Meet me outside that exit in fifty seconds. Be silent.”

I let go of him, and sprinted away from where we were, avoiding people as I went. A few people screamed, and I heard a display being knocked over. I ran faster. The door to the storage room clicked open before I laid my hand on it. I ducked. A masked man walked out of the room, a gun in his hand. I held my breath, making absolutely no sounds. He walked past me, shooting at random objects. Slowly, and silently, I slid into the back room, and out the exit. John wasn’t there.

I live in a gated community with houses ranging from .2 .7 million, every house backs up to the golf course and everyone is wonderful to live by. Problem is the other day I hear Boom! Boom! Boom! so I went outside. Two cars pull up and 11 people get out. They were looking at the house two doors down. One of the kids starts peeing in the street and one jumps on my neighbors golf cart and starts driving it over the flowers. The adults did nothing but say aah you gonna piss of the crackers and then laughed. I found out the names of some of them and they all have multiple arrests for drugs, theft and violent crimes.
We are going to have a community meeting at the club house tomorrow to talk about the situation. I came home the other day to find my fiance locked in the house, alarm on and she had a gun on the counter and pepper spray. She is scared that they will come back and so are others. We don’t know how they got the money to afford a house in our gated private community.
What can be done? Our neighbor is an attorney but is out of town. There will be at least 2 hired attorneys at the community meeting.
Has anyone dealt with an issue like this? We don’t want our neighborhood ruined or our property stolen. Please we need help! I worked very hard through my early 20′s to get to where we are and have spent months and tons of money to get my home the way I want it. I don’t want to move. Is there a way to keep felons out of your neighborhood? What can we do?

My friend has a family member who has 2 daughters, 1 is 4yrs old and the other is about to turn 2. They are both VERY overweight they are nowhere near the 75th percentile for weight and to make matters worse, they both have being short in their genes. Anywho, ALL they do is eat kraft mac & cheese, bologna, fruit gummy snacks, freezer waffles, cereal (reeses puffs, fruit loops, etc.) pieces of cheese, cottage cheese, mcdonalds and any other fast food you can think of. It’s sick! Very FEW times have I seen either of these babies eat anything healthy. And the almost 2 year old has been eating like this since she was 9 months old! Once she got a taste of food adults eat she wouldn’t eat baby food anymore. Is this considered child abuse? I don’t personally agree with the way the mother raises these babies either. If they want something, they automatically get it…especially food! And all they do all day long is eat! If the youngest cries, they used to stick a bottle of formula in front of her, now they stick any food they can find in front of her. But anywho, when they go to a store, the MOTHER asks them if they want to go look at toys! The kids never ask to, the mom offers it and then lets them get whatever! And one day i seen them in the store and the eldest was throwing a complete fit so the mom stuck her in the cart and she proceeded to throw a fit and threw across the store, the toy that the mom was going to get her….the mom went and picked it up a nd LAUGHED and handed it to the cashier to get paid for and then handed it back to the daughter who threw it AGAIN because she didn’t get it when she wanted it. is all of this considered child abuse? I don’t know what to do but I can’t stand to see her raise these kids like this! Especially with how downhill our society is going already!
As$ that gave the definition: MALTREATMENT to me is the same as MALNUTRITION!

I know so much about them because I’m a close family friend and am around quite a bit, thanks.

And neglect is also a factor, she has an unattatched garage and leaves the babies inside so she can go outside to smoke when she has a "stressful" day.

Clothed? These kids are half naked all the time. They don’t wear shoes when they go out. The eldest is not potty trained yet and both kids sit in diapers all day long. They have prescribed rash treatment because their rashes get bad to the point that their poor butts and vagina’s bleed.

Anyone else want to criticise? Encouraging your kids to be fat and unhealthy is basically wishing death upon them. Their dad already has diabetes and has had half of his limbs partially amputated.
Also look up the ingredients in that crap…all PROCESSED. None of it is natural or healthy..especially at that age!

Ugh I am desperate to Talk Right now, I’m living at my parents I’m 20 years old. I just moved home recently to help my dad sell the house, he’s 60 and needs an extra hand. well I really am not a bad kid OR adult and I know that within my heart. That’s why i feel overwhelmed living here and I feel like I cart get anything accomplished for the goals I set for myself.this year. I mean I really can’t even get up in the morning cause I dread hearing the awful comparisons my dad will make on the morning and like. just all the nagging. he’s always been like this. but after graduating high school I felt a lot of guilt for the things I felt about him and felt like it was unjust,,, I wanted to you know.. have relationship w him. that’s why I moved bac. but now I’m the one who is getting affected… my confidence in myself has declined significantly and I can’t even get out of the bed. I really like hate existing right now lol to be dramatic. not suicidal or anything like that. I feelvlike I let myself down putting myself down by putting myself in this situation to be ridiculed by him. he’s an awful communicator. but anyway please help.. I really feel like I have no body to go to b besides G.od who is great to pray to but let’s be serious he’s not a breathing human being. I have serious potential to be who I want to be but I right now but in this house I feel like a piece of trash in a trash can and even the people at Church are extremely helpful I feel like I have No body to console in and I just feel ugh

What I’m looking for in a chair:

-comfortable
-not huge (its going in my bedroom), but big enough for an adult
-not a desk chair, but something that reclines or has a foot rest/stool
-fits the color scheme of my room, white/black/brown/tan/pink
-something that is compatible with the laptop cart I’m also buying ( http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=1-4/qid=1250566948/ref=sr_1_4/192-4682127-1470228?ie=UTF8&search-alias=tgt-furniture&frombrowse=0&pricerange=&index=target&field-browse=1038614&asin=B001U1W5NS&rh=k%3Alaptop%20desk&page=2 )

I’m willing to spend a considerable amount of money if it’s a nice chair.

Thanks guys

Help
8 turning 9 birthday party in Orlando suggestions desperately needed?
The most economical thing would be to hold it in our home – but that is ABSOLUTELY not an option. The weather is scorching outside, so if we were to do something outdoors it would have to include water. Blow up Waterslide at home, again, would be perfect but not an option. We’ve done bowling, Chuck E Cheese, go carts (first birthday outside and kids were dying). The theme parks are all asking + per kid, not to speak of an adult so that’s out of the question. I’m kinda stumped. Thought about doing a Bakugan thing, but not all kids have/or are into that – there’s approx a total of 6 kids + 4 siblings and 5 adults. At a complete loss this year – its for next month. Maybe Wekiva Springs nature thing, my kid likes to fish – but other kids might think it lame? Any Ideas?

Here is my Costume: http://halloweenmart.com/adult-costumes/police/super-trooper
My husbands: http://cgi.ebay.com/Hard-Time-Convict-Prisoner-Mens-Halloween-Costume_W0QQitemZ200266599328QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item200266599328&_trkparms=72%3A1205|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14
My dogs: http://cgi.ebay.com/Prison-Pooch-Prisoner-Dog-Halloween-Costume-MEDIUM-M_W0QQitemZ250310621508QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250310621508

Under my costume I’m going to have this on http://cgi.ebay.com/Pink-Shaper-Waist-Cincher-boning-g-string-size-6-8_W0QQitemZ130264208325QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item130264208325&_trkparms=72%3A1205|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

I have everything I need but the shoes. Here are my ideas, tell me what you think or find me a cute pair that I should buy.
Pair 1: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001BHLOTW/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A29OHPJB8KGBJQ&v=glance
Pair 2: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001DVVW9S/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A39U745IDK2WMA&v=glance
Pair 3: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B001G3C2LK/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=A2DV9LL9M050XY&v=glance
Pair 4: http://www.amazon.com/Chunky-Platform-Slingback-Hot-Fash/dp/B001DVRJKY/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&m=A39U745IDK2WMA&s=apparel&qid=1224768877&sr=1-24

The Shoes should all show up as some sort of pink color (there are other colors of the same shoe but I would be getting pink)

In late December I was riding my bike along a scenic strip near my grandfather’s beach house when his longtime neighbor lost control of his motorcycle after swerving too hard in reaction to kids on a golf cart darting across the street. He was ejected from the motorcycle and died on the side of the road from a broken neck and head injuries. I didn’t know him very well, but he’d been my grandfather’s friend for over 20 years, and was always so friendly, spirited and kind to us. I watched him go from being animated and full of life to being broken and gone in under a minute, and it was horrible and terrifying and just so surreal. I was already experienced with loss then and understood the fragility of ephemeral nature of life, and yet seeing it actually happen was just incomprehensibly awful.

I’d been bracing myself for the loss of two friends who’d both been gravely ill, and yet their deaths have also been so startling to me. The leader of a support group I’d belonged to for teens with cancer relapsed with breast cancer last fall, and we knew she hadn’t been doing well. I had tried to mentally steady myself for her passing, but still had this abundance of optimism that it wouldn’t actually happen. I truly believed she’d be fine. Tomorrow I am supposed to sing at this really iconic venue my church rented out for our Easter service, and when I received a call from her house number this afternoon I felt this surge of joy and relief because I hadn’t heard from her in a while and thought she must finally be better and calling to tell me that she had gotten my invitation and was coming. But it wasn’t her, it was her was son calling to tell me she had passed away earlier this week. I was in a parking lot and just stayed there for the longest time because I couldn’t even get myself to function properly and drive. I cried in my car and people starred at me like I was some teenage drama queen. (Why is it that when a child cries in public people are usually so gentle and compassionate, but if it’s a teenager or adult expressing raw emotion even in the semi-privacy of their own car people seem to be disgusted or embarrassed by it? All I was doing was crying, not like sobbing loudly or anything.) I came home and my mom and stepdad were at my dad’s house, which was weird, and she told me my friend Hannah who’d been in our group had died this morning. It’s just so surreal. All I could think about in that moment was how I was supposed to have redecorated her room for her as a surprise birthday present. I feel so much guilt because between her mom’s schedule and mine we were never able to coordinate getting Hannah’s room finished. She had just turned 17. She’d been sick for a long time, but once again, I’d felt so confident that she’d recover. The leader of our support group was in her 50s, but she still seemed way too young to die. I told my parents about the call from her son, and they were startled that she had died so shortly before Hannah, but not surprised at her death itself. My mom is a doctor, and has dealt with death personally and professionally so I guess it’s not as bizarre to her, but it really is to me. I feel like I do when I’m up at a really high altitude and it’s so much harder to breathe and makes me dizzy and disorientated. I’m not being normal.

It’s so odd because I was much closer to my friend and the leader than to my grandfather’s neighbor, but it’s his death months ago that just keeps replaying in my head. I keep thinking about how it seemed like a light switch being turned off, like that’s how fast the moment between life and death was. Several of my favorite people, my family members and friends, have died in recent years, and so I’m familiar with grief now. I understand the five stages of it and realize that I’m in shock and denial. I just feel like it’s odd that I’m in such a shock since I knew it was coming this time. For so long my head had been telling my heart to prepare for this day, but my heart just wouldn’t listen because it seemed so unreal. I just can’t get over how extraordinary and unnatural death seems to be, regardless of the person’s age or circumstances, or the fact that death is such a natural and necessary part of life. I felt like death was a little surreal even when my great-uncle passed away at 98. Just the juxtaposition of two opposite state of beings, of life and death, within the same minute is just so…….. strange. Does anyone else feel this way? Maybe I’m being immature to think of it as being so odd? I can be naive sometimes.
I’m sorry this question is long and rambling. I’m just typing without really thinking about whether this makes sense. I’m not asking this out of self-pity or a desire for sympathy. I apologize if anyone construes it as being a plea for attention or condolences. I’m just curious to know how others have reacted to death. How old are you? Have your reaction and attitudes towards death changed as you’ve aged?

Let me adduce some more background facts. I am an immigrant from a European country and my skin color is white. I’ve lived in the U.S for less than 7 years and I recently moved into a predominantly black area after having lived in white suburbs. The incident happened at my local Walmart where I was almost assaulted by a mid-aged black man (slightly taller than me, ordinary build). I returned to my car because I forgot some plastic bags when I saw this black man dump his shopping cart next to my car. I instinctively asked him if he was just going to leave his cart there where it could damage my car. I guess he didn’t hear me because he sat down in his car. His kid, a young black girl (age probably between 10-12) came out with a second cart and I so I asked her the same question. No answer, she just dumped the cart.

So I start walking back to the store thinking it wasn’t worth any more effort and the father suddenly storms out of the vehicle shouting and yelling. He is very agitated and he rapidly walks up to get in my face "yeah I am gonna leave the cart, watcha gonna do about it?". I immediately turn around and walk away to avoid any physical confrontation like a civilized person. He keeps shouting obscenities "walk the walk mother f**er" and I am completely shocked. I didn’t know if I was going to call 9-11 or what. I was afraid he would vandalize my car.

I am a peaceful person, I resolve my conflicts with words. I haven’t been in a fight since grade school and I am not built for fighting. I am scholar, and I’m going placed once I’m done with graduate school. I’ve been told that I galvanized him when I confronted his child but in my culture it is common to correct other children as an adult. I wasn’t disrespectful, I simply asked a fair question.

I want to know why black people are ostensibly incapable of resolving conflicts with words. Why do they feel the need to fight all the time? I’ve lost all my respect for black people after this conflict and I’ve begun working out. I plan on buying mace and possibly taking self-defense classes so next time I won’t back down. The problem is I used to be at peace but now I am angry all the time. I don’t want to feel such resent towards black people.

Any input especially from members of the black community would be appreciated.

We all have at one time worked minimum wage jobs when we were teenagers. Minimum wage jobs are something you do when you’re in high school … maybe college, and in less common ways in graduate school. Then you move on and do something more productive. There is nothing I find more self satisfying than seeing the 32 year old pizza guy delivering pizza to my house. I just absolutely love it! In this country, everybody has at least the opportunity to go to a community college, and it isn’t that difficult to go to a state university, if you choose to do that. So anybody who is 32 and is asking me if I want paper or plastic … At one time we drank milk from our mommy’s baba, but eventually you put the baba down and drink from a cup. If somebody is 32 and still drinking out of a baba, then you got a problem. People get mad at me when I bag on those who work low run jobs. Have I worked at a Carvel Ice Cream store? Yes I have. Was I a telephone solicitor and did I sell bottom of the barrel stuff? Yes I have. Did I work as a cashier at a grocery store as I was a kid going to college? Yes I did. Did I deliver newspapers? Yes I did. Did I sell advertising in lousy community newspapers over the telephone and make minimum conditions. Yes, but I did these things while I was working my way towards something better. I am not coming over to wax your car today. I don’t do detailing. I’m not coming over to your place to deliver pizza. I’m not going to bring groceries to your car. Ok.

Here’s a rewarding career. Here’s someone who knocked up his girl friend, and you know who I’m talking about. The guy who stands at the exit at Costco with the yellow high lighting pen. And he looks … of course you got 6 worth of stuff in the cart … and he gives this cursory glace to your cart … you can’t see everything that’s in the cart. Then he takes that yellow marker and runs it through the receipt, so you can’t try going through the exist again. That’s very rewarding work. *sarcasim* I just want to know the name of your bastard child and where the mother lives. When I see that guy, I’m sorry, but I can’t help thinking about that.

Ya know, when I’m in a fast food joint and I’m deciding whether I want pastrami on my burger or cheese steak. I’m sorry, but I can’t help thinking, "what time does the baby sitter have to go home tonight?" I’m sorry, but I can’t help thinking it.

When I go in for a .99 oil change, and there you are draining all the transmission fluid out of my car. I’m sorry, but I can’t help thinking, "does this place actually have a retirement plan?"It’s just the way it is.

Ya know, we all start at ground zero. Most of us start with very little. Some of us with nothing. We all have the same public school systems. And we have community colleges. We have state universities. We have opportunities to do things with our lives. We also have the opportunities to use condoms, to not have sex with trailer trash that’s gonna get knocked up. We have opportunites. We have decisions to make during our lives. Yes I think it’s perfectly fantastic when you’re a senior in high school and working as a cashier at Costco. I think that’s great. When you’re 16, 17, or 18 … that’s great. But when I read these stories in the newspaper about people working at Albertsons the supermarket, talking about going on strike, and you got interviews with 38 year old people who are cashiers … I’m laughing my butt off at you. I’m laughing my butt off. I’m sorry, I know it’s politically incorrect to say this, because you’re suppose to say that everyone is equal, everything is beautiful in it’s own way, you’re suppose to say these things, right? And every job is good and great to have hard working Americans … that’s what you’re suppose to say. But the reality is that some of you guys just decided to ride bear back when you were 16 and now you’re stuck going on strike at Albertsons or where ever you’re going on strike. You kidding me?

In my house, my parents demand respect. It doesn’t matter how rude they are, they can still make me do whatever they want, just because I’m not a legal adult. Today, my mom pulled a sheet Ot of the closet that wasn’t folded, started yelling at me for it, and I told her I didn’t do it. She yelled at me, made me fold it, and told me she has to cart my (term for butt) around and that I’m always ungrateful. I am grateful and I do thank my parents when they do things for me. Somehow, I never get thanked or any respect. They dont expect too much, it’s just the way they ask that makes me unwilling to do what they want. My mom seems to think just because she gave birth to me, she deserves respect. Last time I checked, respect was earned not given. It also goes two ways. why can they be rude and cuss, just because they’re older. When I say shut up, I’m being a horrible example to my little sister and that’s where she learned how to say shut your nasty (term for butt) mouth (which is a phrase my dad uses daily) or where she learned a term fo feces which every last person in my house uses. Sorry about the rant guys, I just hate double standards and lack of respect. It irritated me when people yell at me and then ask me to do things. Ask nicely, it might just get you somewhere.
I love when people feel the need to point out one little typo just for their two points. What if I had a learning disability? I bet you’d wish you knew the whole story before you spoke.
Well you didn’t have I be a dick head about spelling on a question that was clearly not about spelling. I could understand if there were a lot of mistakes but there isn’t. Please go troll somewhere else

Okay, my sister went off and married this guy (after becoming pregnant) that she met at Dillons like, 5 years ago. She was 17ish. Her whole life, she messed up. She chose to. Her parents (my mom) were divorced. Everytime she didn’t get her way, she’d be like "Okay, I’m gonna go to Dad’s then!" so she’d get her way. Through her childhood AND teenage years. Now as an "adult" she has left him with me and my mom. HE IS TERRIBLE. He is rediculously smart. He knows how to do something and get away with it, just like his mom. Like, he can fake trip. Or fake laugh. Or barge into conversations. Or lie. Or act like he knows everything. He is adorable, I’ll admit, but his personality, my GOD. And hes like, 5. He will scream just so people think I hurt him. he makes me want to HURT HIM. I can’t even describe the way he acts. Normally, I love kids. I think they are soo sweet and angelic. But he isn’t. If hate wasn’t so frowned upon, I would hate him.

My mom? She is BLIND to this. My family that has seen this side of him, think he is awful. My mom is really close with her sister, and I talked to her, and she thinks my nephew is going to be a really good criminal. She wasn’t joking. They would agree to every word of this. My mom sees him as a perfect child. I don’t even know what to do anymore. Today, I went grocery shopping with him, my Mom and my friend. He would take random things, plop them in the cart, and my mom wouldn’t care. Sometimes she’d be like " no, put it back." but he’d be like "NOOOOO I WANT IT!!" and she’d be like *sigh* okay…
I hate it sooooo much.. even my friend thought it was rediculous. He gets everything he wants. Anything. I try telling my mom about my feelings, and she thinks I’m talking back. I can’t even talk to her without getting in trouble. My dad screams at me about everything.. so I can’t talk to him. One time when I did, he told me "I know, but we just have to ignore it."

I.Am.Done.Ignoring.This.
I need some serious advice..

p.s. My mom wants family counceling. THATS FUNNY, maybe if she wouldn’t be doing this, we wouldn’t have a problem. I feel like she loves him more than me. I’m told that isn’t possible, but my Lord, she acts like it….

My son will be 13 in a few months and he still wets the bed almost every night. According to halacha, he’ll still become an adult whether there is a ceremony in shul or not. But he certainly isn’t a "man" if he still wears diapers to bed. I’m sure you can imagine how I feel having to buy him "goodnites" at the supermarket. I fill up the cart with other things, then go to the diaper aisle, look around to make sure no one can see, then I put the goodnites in the cart under other things. Is taking away his bar mitzvah an acceptable punishment? Of couse, he can have the party as soon as he starts waking up dry.

My son will be 13 in a few months and he still wets the bed almost every night. According to halacha, he’ll still become an adult whether there is a ceremony in shul or not. But he certainly isn’t a "man" if he still wears diapers to bed. I’m sure you can imagine how I feel having to buy him "goodnites" at the supermarket. I fill up the cart with other things, then go to the diaper aisle, look around to make sure no one can see, then I put the goodnites in the cart under other things. Is taking away his bar mitzvah an acceptable punishment? Of couse, he can have the party as soon as he starts waking up dry.

Hello everyone. I hope everyone is having a wonderful morning.

I have no doubt I will receive flames and obnoxious answers, lol..but I’m ready for that!

My question as stated above has been weighing on my mind for quite some time now. After reading quite a few of the questions posted here, and observing people in public, in the news, etc…my wonderment increases. I’m just wondering where so many peoples’ values, morals and integrity went? Was there some sort of sonic boom that erased all these things from the fiber of an ever-growing majority?

COURTESIES: 1)My husband opens my car door for me…and I get strange looks from people. I even had one **woman** ask me if I was handicapped. lol I thought this was supposed to be a common courtesy and sign of love from a husband to his wife? I am not pointing fingers at *all* people, but very rarely do I hear "excuse me" or "pardon me" if someone decides to run me over with a shopping cart in the grocery store! It’s rare for me to even hear ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ anymore.

CLOTHING:
What is with parents these days letting their children run rampant through the city half-naked? Or with vulgar logos on their clothing? Or with their pants hanging down to their thighs, showing their ‘undergarments’?? Some may say ‘well kids can change clothes after they leave the house’, etc—-I don’t buy that excuse. Unless a child is 16 and has a job—their parents are financing their clothing purchases. And, most **children** do not frequent clothing stores unless accompanied by an adult.

Teenagers are backtalking their parents in public places *all the time*. I heard a boy (couldn’t have been over 12) tell his mother to "shut up" a couple of days ago in the Hallmark store. I marched right up to him (to be honest) and told him that when I was his age, I wouldn’t DREAM of speaking to my parents in such a disrespectful manner! His mother tearfully thanked me….and the boy just sort of rolled his eyes and shrugged. Whatever happened to "Honor thy father and mother"?

People used to wave at each other on the streets (at least where I am from they did). These days, you wave at someone and they look at you suspiciously like you’re up to something. You ask someone how their day is going, and they think you want something. What happened to "Love thy neighbor as thyself"??

Maybe I’m living in the dark ages….? LOL All I know is that I am seeing morals and values less and less in this day and age and it **floors** me the way some people treat other human beings. Degrading them, instead of showing compassion and sincerity.

Anyone else care to share your thoughts on this? What happened to people? lol
**Updating**
If I come across as being judgmental I apologize. Perhaps I am being a bit judgmental, but more than anything else I’m truly curious as to what happened, and when. I’m not trying to ‘throw the first stone’ or ‘pick at slivers instead of the beam in my own eye’…….honestly. I have faults of my own of which there are MANY. hehehe….but treating others with respect and dignity isn’t one of those faults. I’m really just baffled by society today.

When I was growing up my mom and granny weren’t like how they are today. I could walk through a small patch of woods to a friends house,walk all over the neighborhood ( was told to never talk to strangers,let them touch me or get near their vehicle) If I fell down and skint my knee, I would just wash it ,put a bandage on and get back outside. Then when I became a teen they started to get a bit overbearing,suddenly it was no friends over to the house,no going to other houses or churches. Then as an adult it was no opening the doors unless one of us is watching (first floor houses) no going outside at night. I’m 29 years old and I can’t even go out of my bedroom without granny standing there,use the bathroom without granny telling me what to do when I get out or even take out the trash without granny watching me.If I cook a microwave dinner she stands in the kitchen watching me. If I turn my bedroom light on after 8 pm she’ll open my door crying saying "are you ok? Why is your lights on" I mean she really does cry. As for mom, when we go grocery shopping she’ll scream my name out loud if I walk out of eye sight (even to the next aisle). It’s embarrassing If I put something in the cart,granny will look at it and put it back and won’t say why. If I do buy something to eat,she’ll try to eat it then complain about it being too salty,hard or sugary (she has no teeth) If I spend more than 2 minutes in the bathroom,they’ll open the door. If I’m on my cell,they’ll stand there wanting to know who I’m talking to and want to talk to them.They act like they can’t even do simple stuff like put batteries in the remote .If I take out the trash they want to watch me walk to the end of the drive and talk to them on a cell phone . None of us have any mental problems or disabilities in any sense so how does one deal with helicopter parents in adulthood? btw, I’m 29, they get worst as I get older too
They never did this to my other siblings and as for the moving out I really can’t afford to move out I don’t make that much money.
I don’t exactly want to work longer hours for more money nor do I want to get married just to get out.

Men vs. Women
Some subtle (and some not so subtle) differences
Handwriting:

Men: To their credit, men do not decorate their penmanship. They just chicken-scratch.

Women: Women use scented, colored stationery and they dot the "i" with circles or hearts. Women use ridiculously large loops in the "b" and "g". It is a pain to read a note from a woman. Even when she’s dumping you, she will put a smiley face at the end of the note.

Groceries:

Women: A woman makes a list of things she needs, then goes out to the store and buys those things.

Men: A man waits till the only items left in his fridge are half a lime and a beer. Then he goes grocery shopping. He buys everything that looks good. By the time a man reaches the checkout counter, his cart is packed tighter than the Clampett’s car on Beverly Hillbillies. Of course, this will not stop him from going to the express lane.

Relationships:

Women: When a relationship ends, a woman will cry and pour her heart out to her girlfriends, and she will write a poem titled "All Men Are Idiots". Then she will get on with her life.

Men: A man has a little more trouble letting go. Six months after the break-up, at 3:00 a.m. on a Saturday night, he will call and say, "I just wanted to let you know you ruined my life, and I’ll never forgive you, and I hate you, and you’re a total floozy. But I want you to know that there’s always a chance for us." This is known as the "I Hate You / I Love You" drunken phone call, that 99% of all men have made at least once. There are community colleges that offer courses to help men get over this need.

Sex:

Women: They prefer 30-40 minutes of foreplay.

Men: They prefer 30-40 seconds of foreplay. Men consider driving back to her place part of the foreplay.

Maturity:

Women: They mature much faster than men. Most 17-year old females can function as adults.

Men: Most 17-year old males are still trading baseball cards and giving each other wedgies after gym class. This is why high school romances rarely work out.

Magazines:

Men: Men’s magazines often feature pictures of naked women. Men are turned on at the sight of a naked woman’s body.

Women: Women’s magazines also feature pictures of naked women. This is because the female body is a beautiful work of art, while the male body is lumpy and hairy and should not be seen by the light of day. Most naked men elicit laughter from women.

Bathrooms:

Men: A man has six items in his bathroom — a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of Dial soap, and a towel from the Holiday Inn.

Women: The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 437. A man cannot identify most of these items.

Shoes:

Women: When preparing for work, a woman will put on a wool suit, then slip on Reebok sneakers. She will carry her dress shoes in a plastic bag from Saks. When a woman gets to work, she will put on her dress shoes. Five minutes later, she will kick them off because her feet are under the desk.

Men: A man will wear the same pair of shoes all day. Let’s not talk about how many days he’ll wear the same socks.

Cats:

Women: Women love cats.

Men: Men say they love cats, but when women aren’t looking, men kick cats.

Children:

Women: A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and soccer games and romances and best friends and favorite foods and secret fears and hopes and dreams.

Men: A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

Dressing Up:

Women: A woman will dress up to: go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, get the mail.

Men: A man will dress up for: weddings, funerals.

Laundry:

Women: Women do laundry every couple of days.

Men: A man will wear every article of clothing he owns, including his surgical pants (the ones that were hip about eight years ago) before he will do his laundry. When he is finally out of clothes, he will wear a dirty sweatshirt inside out, rent a U-Haul and take his mountain of clothes to the Laundromat. Men always expect to meet beautiful women at the Laundromat. This is a myth perpetuated by reruns of old episodes of "Love American Style."

Eating Out:

Men: When the check comes, each man will each throw in bills, even though it’s only for .50. None of them will have anything smaller, and none will actually admit they want change back.

Women: When the girls get their check, out come the pocket calculators.

Mirrors:

Men: Men are vain and will check themselves out in a mirror.

Women: They are ridiculous; they will check out their reflections in any shiny surface: mirrors, spoons, store windows, bald guys’ heads.

Menopause:

Women: When a woman reaches menopause, she goes through a variety of complicated emotional, psychological, and biological changes. The nature and degree of these changes varies with the individual.

Men: Menopause in a

before the jokes just won’t to let you know I’m not trying to offend anyone I’m good person don’t judge me by jokes

Man: Haven’t I seen you someplace before?
Woman: Yes, that’s why I don’t go there anymore.

Man: Is this seat empty?
Woman: Yes, and this one will be if you sit down.

Man: Your place or mine?
Woman: Both. You go to yours, and I’ll go to mine.

Man: So, what do you do for a living?
Woman: I’m a female impersonator.

Man: Hey baby, what’s your sign?
Woman: Do not enter.

Man: How do you like your eggs in the morning?
Woman: Unfertilized.

Man: If I could see you naked, I’d die happy.
Woman: If I saw you naked, I’d probably die laughing.

Man: Your body is like a temple.
Woman: Sorry, there are no services today.

Man: I would go to the end of the world for you.
Woman: But would you stay there?

RELATIONSHIPS: When a relationship ends, a woman will cry and pour her heart out to her girlfriends, and she will write a poem titled ‘All Men Are Idiots’ Then she will get on with her life.

A man has a little more trouble letting go. Six months after the breakup, at 3:00 a.m. on a Saturday night, he will call and say, ‘I just called to let you know you ruined my life, and I’ll never forgive you, and I hate you, and you’re a total floozy. But, I want you to know that there’s always a chance for us.’

This is known as the ‘I Hate You I Love You’ drunken phone call, and 99% of all men have made it at least once. There are community colleges that offer courses to help men get over this need.

LOCKER ROOMS: In the locker room men talk about three things: money, football, and women. They exaggerate about money, they don’t know football nearly as well as they think they do, and they fabricate stories about women. Women talk about one thing in the locker: sex. And not in abstract terms, either. They are extremely graphic and technical, and they never lie.

MATURITY: Women mature much faster than men. Most 17-year old females can function as adults. Most 17-year old males are still trading baseball cards and giving each other wedgies after gym class. This is why high school romances rarely work out.

MAGAZINES: Men’s magazines often feature pictures of naked women. Women’s magazines also feature pictures of naked women. This is because the female body is a beautiful work of art, while the male body is lumpy and hairy and shouldn’t be seen by the light of day. Men are turned on at the sight of a naked woman’s body. Most naked men elicit laughter from women.

BATHROOMS: A man has five items in his bathroom – a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of Dial soap, and a towel from the Holiday Inn. The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 437. A man would not be able to identify most of the items.

GROCERIES: A woman makes a list of things she needs and then goes out to the store and buys these things. A man waits till the only items left in his fridge are half a lime and a beer. Then he goes grocery shopping. He buys everything that looks good. By the time a man reaches the checkout counter, his cart is packed tighter than the Clampett’s car on Beverly Hillbillies. Of course, this will not stop him from going to the 10-items-or- less lane.

CATS: Women love cats. Men say they love cats, but when women aren’t looking, men kick cats.

OFFSPRING: Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and soccer games and romances and best friends and favorite foods and secret fears and hopes and dreams. A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

DRESSING UP: A woman will dress up to: go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage, answer the phone, read a book, get the mail. A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

LAUNDRY: Women do laundry every couple of days. A man will wear every article of clothing he owns, including his surgical pants that were hip about eight years ago, before he will do his laundry. When he is finally out of clothes, he will wear a dirty sweatshirt inside out, rent a U-Haul and take his mountain of clothes to the Laundromat. Men always expect to meet beautiful women at the Laundromat. This is a myth perpetuated by reruns of old American sitcoms.

MIRRORS: Men are vain; they will check themselves out in a mirror. Women are ridiculous; they will check out their reflections in any shiny surface: mirrors, spoons, store windows, Joe Garagiola’s head.

MENOPAUSE: When a woman reaches menopause, she goes through a variety of complicated emotional, psychological, and biological changes. The nature and degree of these changes varies with the individual. Menopause in a man provokes a uniform reaction…he buys aviator glasses, a snazzy French cap and leather driving gloves, and goes shopping for a Porsche.

**