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I had a revelation the other night while I was reading in bed: Children's literature ruined my life. I am only kidding. But back when I was in elementary school, I practically lived at the Melvin Public Library. Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday ...
Read moreBaking with nostalgia - Iowa City Press-Citizen
Welcome to Head of the Class, the source for all your school news and updates. In this section you can find the latest reports on all of the town’s schools, including Shawsheen Technical School, as well as updates on former students going on to ...
Read moreHead of the Class, Jan. 8 edition - Billerica Minuteman
Scores of friends and fellow students at Herbert Slater Middle School Monday spent their lunch break writing notes of encouragement to hospitalized classmate Cruz Pineda. “Dear Cruz, Hey I miss you so much. Don’t give up now, you will make it ...
Read moreSchools rally to aid of students hurt in weekend crash - Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Take part in the “New Year’s Feathered Census” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at Oakwoods Metropark in Huron Township. Birding, hot cocoa and a warm fire are part of the free event. Tadpoles, for ages 2 to 5, will make crafts and listen to stories ...
Read moreFun for all - News-Herald
Story Tools Community United Methodist Church , 3214 U.S. 19, contemporary service at 9:30 a.m., traditional service at 11 a.m. Sundays. (727) 937-3268 or cumcholiday.org. Holiday United Church of Christ, 4826 Bartelt Road, Sunday worship at 10:30 a ...
Read morePasco religion notes - St. Petersburg Times
DJAdapt writes to tell us that LG has launched a new line of high definition TVs that will be capable of streaming Netflix videos with no additional hardware. This is just another in a long line of expansions from the once DVD rental service, which ...
Read moreLG High-Def TVs To Stream Netflix Videos - Tech.slashdot.org
Jerry Smith, one of the Food Bank's unsung heroes. Frank Hartzell photo. Jerry Smith hates to see good stuff thrown into the trash. That's one reason the big man loves his volunteer jobs at the Fort Bragg Food Bank and State of the Ark, the thrift ...
Read moreTough times will test volunteers' spirits, safety network - Fort Bragg Advocate-News
David Grunfeld / The Times-Picayune Daniella Powell, mother of Ja'Shawn Powell, holds a picture of her son on Sunday. Ja'Shawn was murdered by his father, Danny Platt on Friday night. Lately, 2-year-old Ja'Shawn Powell would jump out of bed, ready to ...
Read more'I never knew that it would be the last time I'd see him," says ... - New Orleans Times-Picayune
A panel advising Gov. Jon Corzine on immigrant issues is considering recommending the state allow undocumented immigrants "driver privilege cards" and in-state college tuition rates. Two Hispanic leaders told the Record that the state's public ...
Read morePanel suggests N.J. consider driving privileges for undocumented ... - Newark Star-Ledger
They took the three little piles, for the three boys' stockings, which was the worst of it. I had sorted the presents into three piles a couple hours earlier. There was nothing big or expensive in the piles. Just small things I'd collected over the ...
Read moreChildren Lunch Box Ideas Questions asked
Resolved Question: Help with my montessori project on practical life?
I am doing a Montessori teaching course and for my practical life assignment I am required to come up with an ORIGINAL exercise that will teach the child a practical life skill. For anyone that doesnt know what practical life skills are, they are simple tasks that adults would do daily so the idea of this project is to teach the child how to do it for himself. So any Montessori teachers or mums that have any ideas please let me know because a lot of my ideas have already been done! Some girls in my class have done things like Teaching the child how to load the dishwasher teach the child how to pack an over night bag teach the child how to pack his own lunch box for school teach the child how to pair socks teach the child how to make pizza, buns etc teach the child how to turn in a light teach the child how to dress the bed they are just some ideas...bear in mind I have to take photo's and present it in class and it should be suitable for a 2-4 year old. Thank you!! moreResolved Question: Mi corazon esta lastimado...my heart breaks...help...?
I sit here thinking that I will feel better if I answer and read the problems of others. However, to no avail, the tears start to flow...endlessly... I was fine this morning...I went about my business...went to college, studied, excecised, picked my daughter up from school... And then, I got home and the tears started to come... I am a Latina who was in love with a British man...like Cary Grant...he lives in the US. He came to my life when my daughter and I were like two broken-winged sparrows...he was there every step of the way...but, he admitted he could never be committed and he said he was not interested in children (later, that became totally untrue I will explain)... I accepted bc I never had a friend in 11 yrs. I was divorced and so my ex was my friend... Anyways...with time, this beautiful British man and I became closer. He called me ev'ymorning with his beautiful voice to wake me...he always invited me over for beer or tea. And we would cook outside 3x a week and share a bottle of wine... he even encouraged me to go to college.. he said, "You are not only hot and beautiful but you are smart!" So, if he was seeing women on the side, he hid it well... and he probably was...but he was always with me. Oh!!! How I miss mi amore!!! Composure... An event in my state happend and we were forced to live with him. My child and I were homeless for two weeks. He insisted. Those were the best two weeks of our lives... it was like a honeymoon...and he became madly in love with my daughter... Then, a girl came to his job...and he started to change. I could not bare the change in him... the indifference. I felt it was time for my child and I to leave his house as at the time I did not know why he was acting odd. He asked me not to leave. The second attempt, I did leave becasue I had no idea at the time.... Then, I had been in his house and found a condom box. And all his lies and cancelling his lunches made sense. I knew he was a non committer but this time, he bothered not to hide anything...I felt ashamed and stupid. I should have known what I wanted from the beginning and should have heeded warning that he could not ever be committed. I changed my phone number and blocked him from my email. I did this because the other two times I tried to end the relationship, he cried and he said he loved me as he did no one else and that he could not bear the thought of never seeing my child. But he is a zebra who cannot change his stripes. And I cannot stop my heart from hurting. Just once, I would like to take his face in my hands.... I fear you will not understand what I write...It is hard to write the history with a person I knew for so long in a simple message. Scars? Ok...I will... moreResolved Question: Will my step child grow up to enjoy real food?
I am a cooker - I grew up with a mother who is a wonderful cook and made most everything we ate from scratch and so now I enjoy preparing meals for my family in the same way. My step son spends weekends with us and the week with his biological mother who is a "plopper" basically she plops something out of a can, microwaves and calls it dinner. Usually by the time he gets to our house he has already eaten there so he only gets 2 days of healthy, meals made with love. I try to make them simple and basically fit for his age group - one lunch we had was cheese casadeas ( I have no idea how to spell that) and strawberries with a big glass of milk. Still at least it didn't come from a box or a can. If I make real mac n cheese or meat that isn't in hot dog form he is a good sport but doesn't eat much. I think it's normal to like hot dogs and box mac n cheese after all I remember being 7 and loving them. But I also had a positive influence to guide me daily, will he grow up embracing real food or is he doomed to an adult cuisine from the can and box isle because he spends more time at his biological mothers house? I'm sure she cooks with love too, I didn't mean to sound stuck up lol. I just feel frustrated when he doesn't like my food and everyone says it's wonderful because he would rather have Chef Boyardee and Go Gurt ( they are on food stamps so they can buy fancy things and a lot of canned foods we aren't on food stamps anymore and we have to budget really tight.) moreResolved Question: How do you spend less money?
What are things you have done to save money? I've many so many changes since two years ago, so I'm listing everything I'm doing now that I used to not do before. Here goes: Electricity -I unplug everything that is not in use. I save about half of my electricity. -I try to do all or most of my homework during the day. When its dark, I go to the library which is 2 minutes away and closes late so I wont use the lights at home. -I use my laptop and I charge it at school, library, or starbucks. -Over the summer, forget the air conditioner. I use a fan (and I always turn it off when I leave the room) or I stay outside and go hang out in air conditioned places. -My family tends to stay in the same room so we have the lights on in only one room at a time -We use fluorescent lightbulbs. They use so much less energy (75% less) and last a lot longer than regular ones (I used to have to replace my bulbs every 2-3 months. Now with fluorescent lightbulbs I haven't had to replace it in over two years) Extra Expenses -I dont have internet. I use someone else's wireless. -I don't have cable. You can find almost any show online at Hulu.com or something. Maybe even youtube. Besides, getting rid of cable means you'll have the TV turned on less often and you'll save electricity. -I used to have netflix and paid $20 a month. Then I realized I can get almost all of these movies for free at the library! For those movies I cant get at the library, netflix has this thing where you can put your account on hold for 90 days at a time. -When I go to the movies, I buy a child's ticket at the machine (they rarely really check anyway) and I see more than one movie at a time. Transportation -Since I live in New York City, we dont have a car. That way we dont have to pay $300+ monthly on parking. -For New Yorkers, sharing an unlimited metrocard with friends and family saves so much money. Food and household products -I always eat at home and I take my own lunch to school -When buying groceries or household items, I never get anything full price. Always one sale! -Eat less. I used to overeat a lot. I spent so much money on food and I got sick more. Now I eat normally and I spend less money on food and medical expenses and I have a better body. -It's really cheap, but I usually go into fast food restaurants and take napkins. I haven't bought paper towels in over a year. -I go to Costco's often (I carpool with friends) and I save SO much money. -I dont buy water bottles. $1 a day or twice a day is too much. I save $30-$60 per month and I buy a refillable SIGG bottle and get water from home. -I dont usually buy name brands. Medical -To avoid constant trips to the doctor's office, I have a notebook full of questions so I can ask him all these questions in one visit. When he prescribes something, I ask him for samples. If I need to get the prescription, I avoid the pharmacy and get them online. Much cheaper. Pets -They're really expensive. Expect to pay over $60 monthly on food alone. One annual check up with the vet can easily cost you $300. Emergencies/medications/surgeries can cost you thousands of dollars. If you dont have pets, then I suggest you keep it that way. But if you really want one or you already have pets and dont want to find them a new home (like me!), then you can still save. -I always buy my cats things on sale. And I mix their litter with shredded paper. That way one 25lb box of litter lasts about 4 months. -Don't overfeed your pets. Same reason you shouldnt overeat. More food expenses and more health issues. Entertainment/ Vacation -You dont always have to spend money. Hang out with friends at home, have a picnic (money on food, but that's minimal if everyone pitches in). -There are places that are free on certain days. For example, here in NYC, the bronx zoo is pay what you wish on wednesdays. For me that means free. The Met museum of art is always pay what you wish. -I tend to go on vacation when prices are cheaper. So I avoid holiday vacations and long weekend vacations. Living Space -If you're really short of cash, which many New Yorkers are, you can always rent a spare bedroom. You'd be surprised at how much people would pay for a bedroom in NYC. I also don't use toilet paper at all. I just wait until I shower the next day to clean myself. Just kidding. Since I started doing all these things, we've saved up at thousands of money annually. I just wanted to put some of these ideas out there and maybe find out what other people are doing? Dan, I get what you mean, and I've thought of it too. But when we share metrocards, its not like we go out of our way to share it. We usually have different schedules. I commute in the morning and she commutes at night, so we thought it didnt make sense to buy two metrocards. If we needed to though, we would buy a second one. And I figured if someone didnt want someone else to use their wireless, they would use a password, right? moreVoting Question: What is in you child's lunch box today?
Hi, everyone.. I am brain dead today. :) Would you give me some fresh ideas of what to pack for lunch for a 5 and a 7 year old? Trying to get out of a monotonous month :) Sure you can understand that! Thanks! moreResolved Question: Peanut dispute at childs daycare?
I'm having a dispute with my child's daycare director and I am really frustrated. First off know I am a person of principle.....here's the story. We have our child at a YMCA daycare full time. The school does not provide meals, a fridge or a microwave. Parents are expected to pack lunches which by the way I have no problem with b/c we have been goint there for 21/2 years and there have never been any stioulations on what we can and can not bring. We use insulated lunches and ice packs if necessary but I always send peanut butter and jelly b/c it's one of the few things my DD will eat that doesn't require cooking or refridgeration. Occassionally I will send soup in a thermos or pasta but honestly pb&j is fast, easy and affordabe. Parents were told last week that they were not allowed to send ANY food containing peanuts as a new child was coming in w/a nut allergy. No granola, no PB&J, no nut butters of any sort. I confronted the director about it and she said they have to change for this family b/c of the ADA(Ameican w/Disabilities Act). So I asked the director to come up w/alternatives. Microwave, refridgerator or hot lunch options. Hot lunches are out b/c the facility can't meet the requirements the stat requires for food strorage. Kitchen etc. Going back to the comment about being a person of principle....why should almost 100 families have to change their ways b/c one child w/an allergy comes in to the school? Why should the YMCA be able to dictate what we send in our lunch boxes when they don't provide a meal and charge just as much as other schools that actually do provide meals! As a parent wouldn't you choose a daycare that was alreay a nutfree envrionment if this was your child?! I'm so irked righ now, can I hear some feedback from other mommies? In the meatime any lunch ideas that are fast and easy? My DD doesn't eat lunchmeat by the way or creamcheese so no pinwheels or anything like that! Thanks! moreResolved Question: Please read my story its for tomorrow, and tell me what you think? It's suppose to be about a tragedy.?
I don’t think I was a bad child but maybe I was, in my Father's eyes. I was twelve years old, born and brought up in Edinburgh. I attended High school regularly, spent time doing my homework and socialised with friends often but not all the time as my Father, who is Muslim, was very strict. We’re Muslims and I was expected to practice my religion and be a good Muslim girl. We’re not supposed to socialise with males or have anything to do with them. I did have a lot of male friends, but my father didn’t know about them. One day at school, I was sitting in the cafeteria and a boy in the class above caught my eye, he was staring at me and all my friends said he liked me. I did have feelings for him, but I tried to ignore it because I knew my family would be disappointed in me if I got into any relationship with a boy. A few weeks passed and we had started smiling at each other. He came to my table at lunch one day and asked me if he could sit down. I thought it would have been rude to refuse, so I nodded. His name was Ross and we started talking, I really started to like him more. I don’t think it was love, but I was so young at the time I wasn’t to know. More time passed by and we got to know each other extremely well, going out after school while my Family thought I was at the library, or at my friend’s house. By this time I was thirteen. I would come home so happy from school, daydreaming about him and thinking about him at night. But when my Father asked me where I had been I would tell him a fib and feel so guilty afterwards. One day I came home from school, really tired. I went into my Mum's room and found her sleeping in her bed, so I got under the covers beside her and gave her a hug. I took my phone out of my pocket and saw a text from Ross, to which I replied. I was waiting for his reply when I must have fallen asleep with my mobile phone in my hand because, when I woke up, my brother was standing near the door holding it tightly. I asked him to give me my phone back but he said, “I’m telling Dad!” I was sitting up on the bed, frozen, my heart racing and my whole body shaking. I called on him but he didn’t answer. I was so scared; I didn’t know what to do. Time passed and I just sat there nervously analysing the situation and wondering what to do. I eventually got up and as soon as I walked to the door my Father barged in, his face red and pulsating. He came towards me and slapped me straight across my face. I fell to the ground; everything around me was blurry. I could feel the side of my face against the cold, hard floor. My mum came rushing in, screaming and shouting! My Father didn’t let me out of my room, not even to school. Weeks later, as Christmas was approaching, my Mum asked me if I wanted to go on holiday, without my dad. I said that I would love to and I asked her where she was going to take my Brothers, Sister and I. She told me it was a surprise. I had no idea where she was taking me and on the day of departure I asked her again and she told me that we were going to Tunisia. I had no idea where Tunisia was but after looking at the world map hanging in my room, I knew it was very close to my Dad’s home country. I didn’t care about that, I just wanted to be out of the house, away from my Dad. Once we arrived in Tunisia, I noticed my Mum looking at me a lot, in a concerned way. I wondered why! We went for walks and I explored the hotel. My Mum went to the phone box and I heard her phoning my Dad’s Brother telling him that we were waiting for him to pick us up. I wondered why and I asked my Mum and she got all embarrassed and just said that our uncle was taking us for a holiday to see the rest of his/our family. I became defensive and told her that we had to go back, because I had school. She said we were definitely going back and she showed me the return ticket with my name on it. I felt better after seeing that because it was a guarantee I was going back to Edinburgh. After a few hours that day, my Fathers’ family arrived to pick us up. We arrived in Libya and a day later they told me that I’m not allowed back to Edinburgh. I told them that I had a return ticket and that school starts in a few weeks but they just shook their heads and told me this was my home now. I had to stay against my will, and I hated every minute of it. I’d never see my friends in Edinburgh or my other Family members, and I’d never be free and independent like before. It got so bad that I thought there was no way out and I just took some pills that I found lying around the house. I took quite a few and found myself drifting off into another world. After what seemed like such a long time, I felt my Mum shaking me vigorously. I came round after a while and went into months of depression because I was so miserable. I missed my school, my friends and Family so much. Many weeks would pass by and I’d have nothing to do. The house was bare, my room had nothing in it and I hardly had any clothes. My Uncle tried My Uncle tried to take me out in the car to cheer me up, and to buy me some clothes, but it was useless. The shops were so old and the clothes so dull. The country itself seemed dull, and everyone stared at me because I didn’t wear the headscarf like the other Females. It made me feel embarrassed and my confidence gradually started to disappear. Months later my Dad arrived, appearing happy and glad that we were all there. I started school again; it was a Pakistani school because there were no other English speaking schools in the country. It was like a farm as the buildings were so old, and the classrooms dark and dirty. Everyone was talking in Urdu and I felt so out of place. The teacher would stand at the head of the class talking, and I’d just sit there daydreaming about how much I missed my life in Scotland. I so desperately missed Ross! Girls were kept imprisoned at home, not being allowed to socialise. The only place we were allowed to go was school but some girls had to be home be home taught. Gradually, I started learning and understanding the ways of life and the culture. Men were treated like kings, while women were their slaves. I hated everything about it and I couldn’t do anything but live with it, persevering until I found a way out. Five years have passed now and I’m 18-years-old. After gaining my Dad’s trust he let me come back to Scotland for a holiday, with my Mum, however, I decided to stay! Not for revenge, but because this is my home and the only place I’ll ever feel I belong. I bought some new clothes, registered for night school and I’m making many new friends. Life isn’t perfect, but I am working on it and want to build a life for myself here. I want to start over. Noodle: well its the truth isn't it? It's nice to see what the closed minded arabs say about it. Thanks ankaboot. 08 grad: Haha you make me laugh. Thats funny cause its actually a real life story! Maybe you get treated better than your brothers because your a spoilt little brat. paki scum. hate closed mindedness. hahaha and you just wrote all that then you said you dont have time to bother?? how pathetic thank you i<3psych and luwayla!! Thanks Malia, i really liked your answer. Wish you the best. THANKS H.K moreResolved Question: Please read my story for tomorrow and tell me what u think? Its suppose to be about a tragedy?
I'm doing higher english and this is my first paper i'll be handing into my teacher. Could you please read it and tell me your opinions and anything i could do to make it better. I didn’t think I was a bad child. But maybe in my fathers eyes I was. I was twelve years old, born and brought up in Edinburgh. I attended high school regularly and spent time doing my homework, I did socialize with friends often but not all the time as my father was very strict. We’re Muslims. I was expected to practice my religion and be a good Muslim girl. We’re not allowed to socialize with males or have anything to do with them. I did have a lot of male friends, but my father didn’t know about them. Until one day at school, I was sitting in the cafeteria and a boy in the class above caught my eye, he was staring at me and all my friends said he liked me. I did have feelings for him, but I tried to ignore it because I knew my family would be disappointed in me if I got into any relationship with a boy. A few weeks past and we had started smiling at each other. He came to my table at lunch one day and asked me if he could sit down. I thought it would have been rude to refuse, so I nodded. His name was Ross and we started talking, I really started to like him more. I don’t think it was love, but I was so young at the time I wasn’t to know. More time passed by and we got to know each other extremely well. Going out after school, while my family thought I was at the library or at my friends house. By this time I was thirteen. I would come home so happy from school, daydreaming about him and thinking about him at night. But when my father asked me where I had been I would tell him a lie and feel so guilty afterwards. I came home from school one day, really tired. I went into my mums room and found her sleeping in her bed. I got under the covers beside her and gave her a hug. I took my phone out of my pocket and saw a text from Ross. I sent one back and was waiting for his reply. I must of fell asleep with my phone in my hand because when I woke up, my brother was standing near the door with my mobile in his hands. I asked him to give me my phone back, but he said, “I’m telling dad.” I was sitting up on the bed, frozen, my heart racing and my whole body shaking. I called on him but he didn’t answer. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do. Time passed and I just sat there nervously analysing the situation and wondering what to do. I eventually got up and as soon as I walked to the door, my father barged in, red in the face. He came towards me and slapped me straight across the face. I fell to the ground, everything around me was blurry. I could feel the side of my face against the cold, hard floor. My mum came rushing in, screaming and shouting. My father didn’t let me out of my room, not even to school. Weeks later, as Christmas was approaching, my mum asked me if I wanted to go on holiday, without my dad. I said that I would love to and I asked her where she was going to take us. She told me it was a surprise. I had no idea where she was taking me and on the day of departure I asked her again and she told me that we were going to Tunisia. I had no idea where Tunisia was but after looking at the world map hanging in my room, I knew it was very close to my Dad’s home country. I didn’t care about that, I just wanted to be out of the house, away from my Dad. Once we arrived in Tunisia, I noticed my mum looking at me a lot, in a concerned way. I wondered why. We went for walks and I explored around the hotel. My mum went to the phone box and I heard her phoning my Dad’s brother telling him that we were waiting for him to pick us up. I wondered why and I asked my mum and she got all embarrassed and just said that your uncle is taking us for a holiday to see the rest of your family. I got all defensive and told her that we had to go back, because I had school. She said we were definitely going back and she showed me the return ticket with my name on it. I felt better after seeing that because it was a guarantee I was going back to Edinburgh. After a few hours that day, my Fathers’ family were there to pick us up. We arrived in Libya and a day later they told me that I’m not allowed back. I told them that I had a return ticket and that school starts in a few weeks but they just shook their heads and told me this is my home now. I had to stay against my will, and I hated every minute of it. I’d never see my friend’s in Edinburgh or my other family members, I’d never be free and independent like I used to be. It got so bad that I thought there was no way out and I just took some pills that I found lying around the house. I took quite a few and found myself drifting off into another world. After what seemed like such a long time, I felt my mum shaking me vigorously. I came to after a while and went into months of depression. I was so miserable. I missed my school, my friends and family so much. Weeks would pass by and Weeks would pass by and I’d have nothing to do. The house was bare, my room had nothing in it and I barely had any clothes. My uncle tried to take me out in the car to cheer me up, and to buy me some clothes, but it would useless. The shops were so old, the clothes were so dull. The country seemed dull itself, everyone was staring at me because I didn’t wear the head scarf like them. It made me feel embarrassed and my confidence gradually started to disappear. Months later, my dad arrived. He seemed happy and glad that we were all there. I started school again, it was a Pakistani school because there were no other English speaking schools in the country. It was like a farm. Buildings were so old, the classrooms were so dark and dirty. Everyone was talking in Urdu and I felt so out of place. The teacher would stand at the head of the class talking, and I’d just sit there. Daydreaming about my life in Scotland and how much I missed it. I missed Ross. Girls were kept imprisoned at home. We weren’t allowed to socialize at all. The only place we were allowed to go was school. Some girls weren’t even allowed to do that and had to be home taught. Gradually, I started learning and understanding the ways of life there and the culture. Men were treated like kings, while women were their slaves. I hated everything about it and I couldn’t do anything but live with it and persevere until I found a way out. Five years have passed now and I’m 18-years-old. After gaining my dad’s trust, he let me come back to Scotland for a holiday with my mum, but I decided to stay. Not for revenge, but because this is my home and the only place I’ll ever feel I belong. I bought some new clothes, I registered for night school and I’m making loads of new friends. Life isn’t perfect like before, but I am working on it and want to build a life for myself here. I want so start over. I need a title too, i was thinking 'the light at the end of the tunnel' or just 'the light' not sure.. moreResolved Question: I've been asked to write a story for english class. About a tragedy.?
I'd like your opinions and what i could do to make it better. Thank you. I didn’t think I was a bad child. But maybe in my fathers eyes I was. I was twelve years old, born and brought up in Edinburgh. I attended high school regularly and spent time doing my homework, I did socialize with friends often but not all the time as my father was very strict. We’re Muslims. I was expected to practice my religion and be a good Muslim girl. We’re not allowed to socialize with males or have anything to do with them. I did have a lot of male friends, but my father didn’t know about them. Until one day at school, I was sitting in the cafeteria and a boy in the class above caught my eye, he was staring at me and all my friends said he liked me. I did have feelings for him, but I tried to ignore it because I knew my family would be disappointed in me if I got into any relationship with a boy. A few weeks past and we had started smiling at each other. He came to my table at lunch one day and asked me if he could sit down. I thought it would have been rude to refuse, so I nodded. We started talking and I really started to like him more. I don’t think it was love, but I was so young at the time I wasn’t to know. More time passed by and we got to know each other extremely well. Going out after school, while my family thought I was at the library or at my friends house. By this time I was thirteen. I would come home so happy from school, daydreaming about him and thinking about him at night. But when my father asked me where I had been I would tell him a lie and feel so guilty afterwards. I came home from school one day, really tired. I went into my mums room and found her sleeping in her bed. I got under the covers beside her and gave her a hug. I took my phone out of my pocket and saw a text from him. I sent one back and was waiting for his reply. I must of fell asleep with my phone in my hand because when I woke up, my brother was standing near the door with my mobile in his hands. I asked him to give me my phone back, but he said, “I’m telling dad.” I was sitting up on the bed, frozen, my heart racing and my whole body shaking. I called on him but he didn’t answer. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do. Time passed and I just sat there nervously analysing the situation and wondering what to do. I eventually got up and as soon as I walked to the door, my father barged in, red in the face. He came towards me and slapped me straight across the face. I fell to the ground, everything around me was blurry. I could feel the side of my face against the cold, hard floor. My mum came rushing in, screaming and shouting. My father didn’t let me out of my room, not even to school. Weeks later, as Christmas was approaching, my mum asked me if I wanted to go on holiday, without my dad. I said that I would love to and I asked her where she was going to take us. She told me it was a surprise. I had no idea where she was taking me and on the day of departure I asked her again and she told me that we were going to Tunisia. I had no idea where Tunisia was but after looking at the world map hanging in my room, I knew it was very close to my Dad’s home country. I didn’t care about that, I just wanted to be out of the house, away from my Dad. Once we arrived in Tunisia, I noticed my mum looking at me a lot, in a concerned way. I wondered why. We went for walks and I explored around the hotel. My mum went to the phone box and I heard her phoning my Dad’s brother telling him that we were waiting for him to pick us up. I wondered why and I asked my mum and she got all embarrassed and just said that your uncle is taking us for a holiday to see the rest of your family. I got all defensive and told her that we had to go back, because I had school. She said we were definitely going back and she showed me the return ticket with my name on it. I felt better after seeing that because it was a guarantee I was going back to Edinburgh. After a few hours that day, my Fathers’ family were there to pick us up. We arrived in Libya and a day later they told me that I’m not allowed back. I told them that I had a return ticket and that school starts in a few weeks but they just shook their heads and told me this is my home now. I had to stay against my will, and I hated every minute of it. I’d never see my friend’s in Edinburgh or my other family members, I’d never be free and independent like I used to be. It got so bad that I thought there was no way out and I just took some pills that I found lying around the house. I took quite a few and found myself drifting off into another world. After what seemed like such a long time, I felt my mum shaking me vigorously. I came to after a while and went into months of depression. I was so miserable. I missed my school, my friends and family so much. I couldn’t do anything but live with it and persevere until I found a way out. Five years have passed now and I’m 18-years-old. After gaining my dad’s t Five years have passed now and I’m 18-years-old. After gaining my dad’s trust, he let me come back to Scotland for a holiday with my mum, but I decided to stay. Not for revenge, but because this is my home and the only place I’ll ever feel I belong. I bought some new clothes, I registered for night school and I’m making loads of new friends. Life isn’t perfect like before, but I am working on it and want to build a life for myself here. I want so start over. moreResolved Question: Can I have your opinion on this short story I wrote?
I didn’t think I was a bad child. But maybe in my fathers eyes I was. I was twelve years old, born and brought up in Edinburgh. I attended high school regularly and spent time doing my homework, I did socialize with friends often but not all the time as my father was very strict. We’re Muslims. I was expected to practice my religion and be a good Muslim girl. We’re not allowed to socialize with males or have anything to do with them. I did have a lot of male friends, but my father didn’t know about them. Until one day at school, I was sitting in the cafeteria and a boy in the class above caught my eye, he was staring at me and all my friends said he liked me. I did have feelings for him, but I tried to ignore it because I knew my family would be disappointed in me if I got into any relationship with a boy. A few weeks past and we had started smiling at each other. He came to my table at lunch one day and asked me if he could sit down. I thought it would have been rude to refuse, so I nodded. We started talking and I really started to like him more. I don’t think it was love, but I was so young at the time I wasn’t to know. More time passed by and we got to know each other extremely well. Going out after school, while my family thought I was at the library or at my friends house. By this time I was thirteen. I would come home so happy from school, daydreaming about him and thinking about him at night. But when my father asked me where I had been I would tell him a lie and feel so guilty afterwards. I came home from school one day, really tired. I went into my mums room and found her sleeping in her bed. I got under the covers beside her and gave her a hug. I took my phone out of my pocket and saw a text from him. I sent one back and was waiting for his reply. I must of fell asleep with my phone in my hand because when I woke up, my brother was standing near the door with my mobile in his hands. I asked him to give me my phone back, but he said, “I’m telling dad.” I was sitting up on the bed, frozen, my heart racing and my whole body shaking. I called on him but he didn’t answer. I was so scared, I didn’t know what to do. Time passed and I just sat there nervously analysing the situation and wondering what to do. I eventually got up and as soon as I walked to the door, my father barged in, red in the face. He came towards me and slapped me straight across the face. I fell to the ground, everything around me was blurry. I could feel the side of my face against the cold, hard floor. My mum came rushing in, screaming and shouting. My father didn’t let me out of my room, not even to school. Weeks later, as Christmas was approaching, my mum asked me if I wanted to go on holiday, without my dad. I said that I would love to and I asked her where she was going to take us. She told me it was a surprise. I had no idea where she was taking me and on the day of departure I asked her again and she told me that we were going to Tunisia. I had no idea where Tunisia was but after looking at the world map hanging in my room, I knew it was very close to my Dad’s home country. I didn’t care about that, I just wanted to be out of the house, away from my Dad. Once we arrived in Tunisia, I noticed my mum looking at me a lot, in a concerned way. I wondered why. We went for walks and I explored around the hotel. My mum went to the phone box and I heard her phoning my Dad’s brother telling him that we were waiting for him to pick us up. I wondered why and I asked my mum and she got all embarrassed and just said that your uncle is taking us for a holiday to see the rest of your family. I got all defensive and told her that we had to go back, because I had school. She said we were definitely going back and she showed me the return ticket with my name on it. I felt better after seeing that because it was a guarantee I was going back to Edinburgh. After a few hours that day, my Fathers’ family were they to pick us up. We arrived in Libya and a day later they told me that I’m not allowed back. I had to stay against my will, and I hated every minute of it. I’d never see my friend’s in Edinburgh or my other family, I’d never be free and independent like I used to be. It got so bad that I thought there was no way out and I just took some pills that I found lying. I took a few and found myself drifting off into another world. After what seemed like such a long time, I felt my mum shaking me vigorously. I came to after a while and went into months of depression. I was so miserable. I missed my school, my friends and family so much. I couldn’t do anything but live with it and persevere. Five years have passed now and I’m 18-years-old. After gaining my dad’s trust, he let me come back to Scotland for a holiday with my mum, but I decided to stay. Not for revenge, but because this is my home and the only place I’ll ever feel I belong. Life isn’t perfect like before, but I am working on it and want to build a life for myself here moreResolved Question: Lunch Packing Question: Can you freeze Juice box/bags?
Does anyone know what kinds of juice boxes or juice bags can be frozen without splitting open? My child goes to a charter school and they pack every lunch so I want to keep her lunch cool and thought about freezing the juice. Any other ideas on cold beverages or good lunch packing tips? moreResolved Question: What's in your child's lunch box today?
Today is my son's first full day of school. Just wanted some ideas on what to pack in his lunch box. I dont want it to get boaring :) moreResolved Question: Can you tell me some healthy, kid approved and friendly lunchbox ideas?
Just looking for some healthy, kid approved lunch box ideas for school beside the ordinary PB&J. My children will appreciate it! moreResolved Question: 20 Reasons she'll cheat on you!
Saw this in Maxim magazine. Is there any truth to this? 1. Because she hasn’t sown her wild oats. Congratulations for catching her back when she was in her virginal bliss. But now she’s wondering what she missed, so she wants to test her motor oil—with someone else’s dipstick. 2. Because you don’t listen. While you yawn and glaze over as she yaps on about her day, that guy she met at the gym is laughing at her puns, paying rapt attention to her work skirmishes and mother issues, and remembering her birthday. 3. Because her best friend is a cheating tramp. It’s hard to stay on the sidelines when your best pal is playing the field. And chances are, the bit her buddy is getting on the side has a handsome friend who’d love to meet your honey. 4. Because you treat her like your little sister. Mussing her hair as if she’s 10 years old and calling her Shorty doesn’t help her feel like the live-action Jessica Rabbit she yearns to be. Yeah, it’s great the two of you get along like Jerry and Elaine on Seinfeld. But if you don’t stroke her hair, hold her hand, and make her feel some passion, she’s going to look elsewhere for validation of her sensuality. 5. Because you treat her like a sex toy. On the other hand, if all she thinks you want her for is her body, she’s going to look elsewhere for confirmation that her thoughts on the crisis in East Timor really matter, even if she’s espousing them with her ankles around her ears. 6. Because your favorite couple just split up. The great pair you always double with to ball games and the movies just moved to Splitsville. Now your squeeze is enviously watching her fellow female flex her sexual freedom—and is getting ideas that involve more than routine shagging with you. 7. Because she’s upset about turning 25 (or 30 or 35). And she wants to recapture her wild-child past by coming on to guys like it’s homecoming weekend at the frat house once again. (It may seem cool when she comes home with a keg tapper, but be afraid—be very afraid.) Birthdays can be stressful events, and she may feel it’s time to reevaluate her relationships. 8. Because that new guy at work is so attentive. You can’t know the daily traumas she faces at work, and you can’t bat around the corporate jargon she speaks from nine to whenever. But that guy at the office, the one she has a flirty friendship with, understands exactly where she’s coming from. No wonder she’s been working late. 9. Because she’s depressed. You’ve tried everything to lift her spirits—to no avail. Kudos to you, but she may just try to pick herself up by getting herself picked up. Which won’t be hard. Women with low self-esteem are magnets for men: We come across as vulnerable. Read: easy. 10. Because she wants you to make a commitment. She wants to leap over a relationship hurdle (shacking up, getting an engagement rock), and you’ve been dragging your feet for so long that all she can smell is burned Nike rubber. So she’s straddling her tennis coach so you’ll stop straddling the fence. 11. Because she’s got unfinished business with her ex. And he’s recently started cropping up in a “we’re just friends…we’re just having lunch” type of way. Translation: “We’re way more than friends…we’re having each other for lunch.” If she never really put closure on her last relationship, there’s always a chance she’ll sneak back to resolve things once (or twice) and for all. 12. Because you’re just too damned cocky. You think you’re the greatest thing since seedless watermelon, and as far as you’re concerned, she’s lucky to have you! Well, while you’re busy convincing her that the Dunkin’ Donuts cashier has a crush on you, she’s found a sure way to bring your ego down a notch. 13. Because she wants to live in the land of grownups. You’re charming and funny in a frat-boy way, still wearing flannel shirts and eating Crunchberries out of the box. Great, but she’s ready to evolve and wants to find some guy named Blaine or Jean-Luc who understands her need for a $65 dish drainer from the MoMA bookstore. 14. Because you’ve stopped trying in bed. But in her slightly repressed little heart, she fears asking you for something new, because it implies she hasn’t been enjoying your basic boinking thus far. Her rationale: Better to go wild with a random sex-machine boy and help you keep your self-respect. 15. Because you had a huge row. After a blowout battle, she concludes, much like Ross on Friends, that you two are on a “break” and it’s legal for her to drink a lake of liquor and give blow jobs to a local intramural basketball team, who, she’s pleased to discover, appreciate her much more than you do. 16. Because she’s bored and wants to try a new flavor. Look, women like variety, too. No, you can’t be a soap star/lumberjack/New Age author all in one, but you can say yes when, out of the blue, she asks you to accompany her rock climbing or day trading, or to a yoga class. 17. Because she wants to have it out with you. You’ve had exasperating arguments about the same topic—money, kids, the hairball you won’t clean out of the drain—for so long that now she wants to passive-aggressively pick a real fight. And what better way to piss you off than to play weigh-my-package with the UPS guy? 18. Because she wants out. Deep down inside she wants to call it quits, but she doesn’t have the babe-balls to give you the ax. Cheating on you is a way of breaking up without her having to do the heavy lifting. She just wants to hear the slamming door while she’s doing it doggy style with the delivery boy. 19. Because you flirt with everything that walks. You’ve ogled so many other babes’ hot pants and tube tops that she feels as if her body is second-team, so she’s going to seek out a self-esteem-bolstering sex buddy who swears she’s his first-string fantasy girl. 20. Because you pay her too much attention. No, you can’t win. You bring her flowers, you write her notes, you listen intently to even the most agonizing retelling of last night’s Lifetime movie. Then you come home one day to find the gardener showing her how he likes to use a hoe. What happened? moreVoting Question: Leak proof container to send child's milk in for school lunch?
Has anyone had any luck finding a container to put their child's milk in that doesn't leak? My sister and I used to use the Rubbermaid bottle w/ the straw but they still leak and when too much pressure is built up in it, it overflows and goes all over sometimes. We are trying to figure out what else to use (maybe one of those thicker plastic bottles w/ a screw on top to re-use). I would have to remind my son daily to make sure the top is on well. Other than that, I can't think of any other container that would be small enough to fit inside a lunch box and leak proof. Thought maybe someone here would have an idea. I don't want to spend the extra $3.75 a week to have him buy milk. Sorry...No sippy cups here for a 7yo! I put an ice pack in w/ his lunch and it stays fine. He wouldn't want to drink it if it were not cold. moreResolved Question: what do we learn from this story?
moreResolved Question: Healthy food for children?
Healthy lunch box ideas for children in childcare? moreResolved Question: Chapter 1, What do you think?
moreResolved Question: Chapter 1? What do you think?
moreResolved Question: Baby Shower Invitations...?
I'm having my third daughter and would like to give her a baby shower too. Only thing is, our youngest is only 18 months old and we have EVERYTHING..! So... I was thinking of having a baby shower but with men and women invited, having a bbq or some sorta lunch, still playing the games (I think it'd be funny for the guys to play the girlie games!!) but on the invitations, instead of saying "no gifts please," how do I say we're going to have a donation box so we can give a cheque to either the Children's Hospital or SIDS (some childrens' charity) etc Also, I have had some mixed responses about this idea. My s-i-l says don't bother having one if we're not going to accept gifts but I really want to.. What do you think? Advice much appreciated! moreResolved Question: Working at a daycare/preschool so your child can attend?
I have a very active and social 9 month old. I currently stay home with him but I really feel like he needs more. I have found a "School" that he could attend from 2-5 times a week from 830-230. They are in session like a regular school year and do their best to mimic a school. EX: 1 year olds have lunch boxes and backpack,, so cute! Anyway I have the opportunity to work there as well. However I would have to work the 5 days but he could go as many as he wanted and be with daddy at home the rest of the day and we would both be off durning the summers. My question is would I get tired of taking care of other kids and then my guy at night. Or would it just be a job. The pay is not much but enough for extra spending and his school would be 1/2 off. Good or bad idea Oh yeah, his "school year" would begina in Sept. He would be 14 months by then. moreVoting Question: Vegetarian Lunch Box ideas for children?
I am looking for any vegetarian lunch box ideas you have for children. Anything fun, colorful, tastey, child friendly would be much appreciated! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! moreResolved Question: Vegetarian Lunch box ideas for children?
I am looking for any vegetarian lunch box ideas you have for children. Anything fun, colorful, tastey, child friendly would be much appreciated! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! moreResolved Question: Peanut allergy???
My son is in grade one this year, and a child starting prep has anaphalaxis??? (severe peanut allergy). The school has banned all kids bringing nut based foods and also those with even traces of nuts. I am going mental trying to vary his lunch box each day, does anyone have any ideas on what I could pack??? Thanks. moreResolved Question: please read and review (go easy im 14)?
its for a writing contest Dont steal it i worked hard on it. It just isn't fair! All I want is a friend. Someone who cares about me, and will tell me that everything is all right. It’s too bad a life like that is only good enough for people like my big sister, Nichole. She is everything to my parents. She's smart, pretty, athletic, and everything else a perfect daughter is. She is constantly being complimented on her long, silky blond hair and big, blue eyes. I can't stand it! She gets the royal treatment, and I get to be the little rat that lives in the cramped attic. I can barely fit a bed in my room! I don’t understand what’s wrong with the way I look. I think I’m just a normal girl, but apparently my parent’s opinion is slightly different. From the moment that I was born I have been told by other family members that my resemblance to my aunt, Rebecca, is remarkable. We both have shoulder length, auburn hair, and bright, green eyes. Unfortunately, my mother and father haven’t spoken to her for over 15 years. I suppose that is one of the reasons that they resent me so much. "Dana. Dana! Dana get down here right now!" I groaned inwardly. Why did my mother have to get me up at 4:00 A.M. every morning? I could do my chores when I got home. I mean, it's not like they let me be in any after school activities. "Dana!" my mother screamed again, "You get your butt down here right now or I'll send your father up there to teach you a lesson!" That got me up right away. The only person crueler than my mother was my father. Everything about me disgusted him. He thinks that everyone’s life would be easier if my mother would have gotten an abortion. "Alright, I'm coming" I hollered as I ran down the steps. "Well, it's about time you got down here!" She replied in a cold, cruel voice that could have made a grown man want to run for it. "Alright what are my chores today" I said with little interest. "Well, you can start out by doing everyone's laundry, making breakfast, making your sister’s lunch, fixing the heater in the basement, mopping the kitchen, sweeping the porch, vacuuming the rest of the house, and cleaning your sister’s room after she wakes up. I'll give you the rest of the list later. I'm going back to bed." I sighed and said, "Alright" "Excuse me?" she exclaimed as she looked at me expectantly. I sighed again, "Yes ma'am." As I walked up to my room to get my laundry I heard a faint rustling. I couldn't imagine what it could be. No one, besides my father, had set foot in my room since I had learned how to crawl. I was always expected to take care of myself. So, I figured the sound was just a mouse or something. I would have never guessed that it was actually the best thing that ever happened to me. When I got into my room everything seemed the same. Same cramped room, same low ceiling that leaked when it rained, and same raggedy bed that was almost worse than sleeping on the floor. It never occurred to me that someone else might be in the room. When I reached over my bed to get the little basket of dirty clothes I heard someone sneeze. I immediately froze. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity just waiting to hear another sound. Finally I got fed up with waiting. "I know someone's in here," I said in a panicked voice, "come out now or else." All of a sudden something grabbed my leg from under my bed. I screamed as loud as I could. I didn't care what my parents thought. I was scared to death! "Ssssshhhh…. Be quiet. Do you want to get in trouble?" a mysterious voice whispered from under my bed. "Wh…w...who are you?" I stammered as a boy with short brown hair, and chocolate brown eyes climbed out from under the bed. "Tyler Anderson's my name. I'm your new neighbor. Sorry about sneaking into your room, but when I heard that there was a kid the same age as me in the neighborhood I just had to check it out. What's your name?" "I'm Dana. Are you 13 years old, too?" "Yep, I sure am." "Cool…, but you should probably get out of here." "Why is that?" "If someone sees you talking to me the whole town will shun you." "So, what's your point?" "Don't you want to make friends?" "I want you to be my friend. I don’t care what anyone else thinks." "Ok, but we have to keep it a secret. By the way, how'd you get in here?" "Like this…," Tyler walked over to one of the walls and pressed on it. A small part of the wall lifted up and a small staircase was revealed. I was amazed. It was perfect for sneaking in and out of the house. Then Tyler turned to me and said, "You know what? You're pretty cool." Then he smiled and closed the secret staircase. My face turned beat red. "Uummm…thanks, you too." So we talked for a while. He told me all about himself. He had an older sister, too, but he said that they were treated as equals. How I wish I could live as Nichole's equal. "So what's your life like? How come you don't have any other friends?" I was glad he considered us friends. I told him about the day I was born, and about all of the horrible things I was forced to do in the past. He frowned the whole time. "You deserve better than that Dana. I promise that someday I'm going to get you out of here." It meant a lot to hear him say that. It had only been an hour or two since I met him, and yet it seemed like we had been friends for years. "Thanks Tyler," I whispered, "thanks for everything." He smiled and nodded as he silently entered the secret staircase. I closed the entrance behind him, grabbed my dirty laundry, and went to do my chores. Everyday after that, Tyler came back at 4:15 A.M. There were a few close calls where we had gotten a little too loud, and my father had threatened to come up to my room. One time Tyler asked what would happen if my father did come up there. It was a topic I didn't like to talk about, but I told him anyway. Usually my father yelled at me, backed me into a corner, and then walked away. There had been one time, however, when he had struck me, but my sister said that it had been my fault. Everyday when Tyler left he would whisper "Soon, Dana, I promise." I really hoped that it was true. On my 14th birthday, January 18, 2007, Tyler came into my room with a big grin on his face. "Happy Birthday Dana!" he almost shouted. I giggled slightly, "Thank you, Tyler." He was the only person in the world who could make me laugh. "Guess where I'm going to take you for your birthday." He asked anxiously. "Ok, where?" I responded obviously confused. "I'm taking you over to my house for breakfast!" He exclaimed. He sounded extremely exited. "To…your house?" I asked. I had always wanted to go to Tyler's house, but I was only allowed to leave the house for school, and to get groceries. It was my parents' biggest rule. I couldn't imagine what they would do if they found out I had broken it. "Oh Tyler I would love to but…" He cut me off saying, "But nothing. It's your birthday, and we're going to celebrate it whether your parents like it or not. It's a Saturday, Dana, we don't have school, so you have all day to do your chores. You can spare an hour or so." "Well…I don't know…isn't it kind of early to be eating breakfast? It's only 4:30." I responded. "That's why I'm going to come and get you later on. You said that the rest of your family goes out for breakfast on Saturdays around 8:00 A.M. I'll come and get you at 8:10, Ok?" "Tyler…" "Don't worry, Dana. It's going to be ok. I'll see you in a few hours," and with that he climbed into the secret staircase and went home. I closed the staircase behind him and sighed. "I hope you’re right, Tyler," I whispered to myself as I went downstairs to start my chores. I had just started doing the laundry when Nichole came and told me that our father wanted to talk to me. "Why? What does Father want with me?" Father never wanted to talk to me. The only times I even existed in his eyes was when I was doing something wrong, and then he just yelled up the stairs for me to stop. "I don't know," She replied with a smug smile on her face, "but it can't be good for you. Daddy better tell me what you did because if you did anything to any of my stuff you're going to be hearing from me, too." "Yeah, yeah I always do" I murmured quietly as I turned and walked to my father's office. He was a very successful lawyer. The only person he wasn't usually too busy for was Nichole. Even mother got pushed aside, sometimes. I knocked on the door of father's office and said, "Father, It's me, Dana. Nichole said that you would like to speak with me." "Hurry up and get in here. I want to get this over with as soon as possible." He said in a gruff, manly voice. I silently walked into the room and stood in front of his desk. Once when I was little I had sat down in one of the chairs, and he had started yelling at me. He said that those chairs were for clients only, and that I should know better. I don't even dare to touch the chairs now. "If you can't even do simple chores correctly, then I don't see the point of us housing and feeding you anymore!" he said abruptly. "I don't understand father" I whispered. "Yesterday you were told to make us lunches." "I did make the…" "Silence!" he yelled, "I know that you made the lunches. I'm not as stupid as you are. The problem is that you put peanut butter on my sandwich. I'm allergic to peanut butter!" "I…you…you never told me that," I stammered as he glared at me. "I shouldn't have to tell you things like that. You are responsible for figuring it out on your own. Now, if anything like this ever happens again you are going to wish that you were never born. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes, sir" I said mumbled quietly. "Now get out of my sight. I can't stand to look at you," he said with harsh voice. I walked out of the office quietly. I saw Nichole peek her head out of her room. She had a big grin on her face. I assumed that she was eavesdropping on the lecture I had just been given. I glanced at the large silver clock hanging in the hallway. It was 6:10. It would be another 2 hours before Tyler got here. I couldn't wait. It seemed like 8:10 would never come, but it finally did. Nichole, Mother, and Father all left the house for breakfast at 8:00 A.M. sharp. As always they told me that they would be back at 10:00, and that if they found anything damaged or missing when they got home I would be severely punished. As soon as they pulled out of the driveway, I ran up to my room to brush my hair and wait for Tyler. At last Tyler arrived. I was so happy to see him. I was still a little upset about my talk with Father. It seemed like he was always in a bad mood on my birthday, but he had never threatened me like that. "What's up, Dana? Are you ok? You look a bit shaken." Tyler asked after he had gotten out of the secret stair case. "It's nothing, Tyler. Don't worry about it." I replied. He had a doubtful look on his face, but he just nodded. "You ready to go?" he asked after a minute. "Are you sure this is a good idea Tyler?" "Come on Dana, what could possibly go wrong? As long as you're back before 10:00, your parents will never know that you left" "Ok, I guess you’re right. Let's get going," and with that we both entered the secret staircase. As I walked into Tyler's house, I noticed that it was very different from mine. While my house looked boring and stiff, his looked fun and energetic. The walls were all painted bright colors, and there were several interesting paintings hung around the house. "Did I ever tell you that my mom is an artist, Dana?" He asked as we walked through the living room. I simply shook my head no. "You must be Dana!" I heard someone say with excitement as I rounded the corner into the kitchen. I looked up to see a woman that appeared to be in her late thirties. She had brown eyes like Tyler, and black hair. I assumed that she was his mother. "Welcome to our home." She said as she smiled at me. "Uummm, you must be Tyler's mother. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Anderson." "You can call me Sherry, dear." She replied "Yes ma'am." I whispered. "Loosen up dear, I won't bite." Sherry said with an amused smile on her face. Tyler gave his mother a warning glance. I decided that it was time to change the subject. "You have a beautiful home Mrs. Ander….I mean, Sherry." "Thank you! Well, we should probably go get some food. You look starving." I smiled. I was quite hungry. On school days I ate right before I walked out the door, but on weekends I had to squeeze meals in when I was doing something like a load of laundry. There had been days when I didn't eat until that night after all my chores were done. As they all sat down at the table, Sherry asked, "So Dana, How has your birthday been so far?" I didn't know what to say. Had Tyler told her about where he went every morning? I was thankful when I heard Tyler say, "Uummm Mom, shouldn't you go wake sis up?" "Oh yes, Julie will want to meet you too. We can talk more in a little bit Dana," and with that she walked out of the kitchen. "Sorry about that," Tyler whispered. "It's no problem. I just didn't know if you had told your mom that you come over every morning." "She knows that we meet every morning, but she thinks that we go on a walk together before school. I haven't told her about how your family treats you because I didn't know if you would want her to know." "It's not that I don't want her to know. I'm just afraid that she will either say something to my parents, or she won't want you to come and see me anymore." I didn't want to have to say goodbye to my only friend. "My mom wouldn't tell us to stop hanging out. In fact she would probably try to encourage you to come over as much as you can, but for now well just keep it a secret." I nodded and smiled. Turning to my plate of food I began to eat hungrily. A few minutes later Tyler's sister came into the room along with Sherry. "How is your breakfast Dana? Do you need anything?" Sherry asked me with a smile. "It's delicious! Thank you for inviting me." I replied "Well when Tyler told me that you weren't going to celebrate your birthday I just had to do something." Sherry and Julie sat down at the table and began eating. Julie was a beautiful girl. She looked about 17 years old, the same age as my sister. She had beautiful shoulder length brown hair, and sapphire blue eyes. "So…why weren't your parents throwing you party?" Julie asked as she took a drink of orange juice. "Uummm…Well… I've never really celebrated my birthday." "Is it something with your religion dear? If it is we don't have to make this a birthday party. It can just be a normal breakfast," Sherry questioned with a look of concern on her face. "No it's not that. It's just…Until now I've never had any friends to invite to a party, so I never really saw the point of having one." "Well from now you will be celebrating holidays with us," Sherry said with a grin. I smiled back at her and glanced over at Tyler. He had a smile on his face too. For the first time in my life I felt at home. After breakfast, we all went into the living room. I was shocked when Julie placed a present in front of me. "What's this?" I asked as I picked up the small, rectangular box. "Open it and you'll find out" Tyler said excitedly. I slowly began to rip the pink rapping paper off. Under it was a velvet box. When I opened the box I gasped. Inside was a necklace. It was a very simple necklace, but I still thought it was gorgeous. The necklace was a golden heart with a small ruby diamond in the middle that hung from a golden chain. I was speechless. "Tyler picked it out himself," Sherry said with a smile on her face. "I had some help from Julie." Tyler said as he blushed crimson red. "Thank you so much everyone," I whispered, "This means a lot to me." We all talked for a while longer. Julie had seemed very quiet at first, but as we started talking I really began to like her. While Tyler was talking to Sherry I quietly asked Julie where her father was. A sad expression crossed her face. "Our Father died not too long before we moved here." She whispered. "Oh…I'm so sorry." I whispered back. The last thing I wanted to do was upset them. They had been so kind to me. "Don't worry about it," Julie said as a smile replaced the frown. I was about to ask her another question when I spotted the baby blue clock hanging above the doorway going into the kitchen. It was 9:56. I turned to Tyler, "Tyler I think its time for me to go." I say to him as I stood up. He nodded, but Sherry said, "There's no need to rush off, Dana, why don't you hang around a little longer. I'm sure your parents wont mind." "I would love to Sherry, but I have to be home by 10:00, so I better go." I said as I headed for the door. "I'll walk you home," Tyler said walking right behind me. I nodded, "Thank you for having me over," I say as I walk out the door. "You come back soon, dear. You are always welcome here." I heard Sherry say as Tyler closed the door behind us. As I turned around to head home, I looked down the street only to see my family driving down the road. I grabbed Tyler's arm and yanked him behind the bushes in front of his house. My heart was beating a mile a minute. We sat there silently until my Mother, Father, and Nichole entered the house. Then we sprinted across the street and over to the entrance of the secret staircase. "I can go the rest of the way by myself," I say breathlessly as I enter the secret staircase. "Good luck," I hear him whisper as he closes the entrance behind me. I scrambled up the staircase as I heard my father yelling for me to come downstairs or he was coming up. As I climbed out of the staircase and closed the entrance in my room, I heard my father start climbing the stairs to get to my room. I swung my bedroom door open right as he got to the top of the stairs. "I'm sorry for not responding father, I was just…" He cut me off by yelling, "How dare you disobey me! When I call for you, I expect you to come no matter what you're doing." "Please forgive me father I…," he held his hand up to silence me. "I am so close to just…," He stopped suddenly, "Never mind… you are nothing but a burden! Now go do your chores." "Yes sir," I whisper as I quickly walk down the stairs to begin dusting the house and scrubbing the floors. The next day Tyler hurried into my room. He looked incredibly relieved to see me. "You're wearing it!" He whispered with a smile. I followed his gaze to my neck. Around it was the necklace that he and his family had given me the day before. "Yep, I am, but I have to take it off when I'm not up here alone. If my parents see it they are going to know that I broke one of their rules." "Did you get caught, yesterday? He asked as a concerned looked appeared on his face. "They didn't find out that I left, but I did get a stern yelling from my father for not responding when he called me." "Next time we'll just have to make sure you leave my house at least 15 minutes before your parents get home. "Next time?" I asked obviously shocked. Did he really think that I was going to risk getting caught again? "Yeah my mom said that you can come over anytime you want to." He said as he grinned at me. "We'll see," I said. We talked for a while, and then he went home. After closing the entrance to the secret staircase I headed downstairs to see what mother wanted me to do. For the next couple months I went to Tyler's house every Saturday for breakfast. It was so much fun! We played games, and told each other stories. Once I got to help Julie pick the fabric that she was going to make a dress out of. She was going to a big party soon. I had never seen so many sublime fabrics. Sherry said that fabrics were like people. Each one was unique. She said that our personality and the choices we make determine what fabric we are. I wonder if that applies to me as well. "Ready to go, Dana?" Tyler asked me as he opened the secret staircase. I finished tying my right shoe as I said, "Yep, I'm all set. Let's go!" We walked across the street to Tyler's house just like we did every Saturday morning. As I entered his house, I was greeted by the sweet smell of pancakes and sausages just like always. Julie and Sherry came out of the kitchen to greet us as we walked into the living room. "You're right on time, Dana." Sherry said smiling, "We just put the food on the table." "It's your turn to pick the game that we play, Dana." Julie said happily. "I think I'll choose…"I froze instantly. This couldn't be happening. As I looked through the big window in the living room I saw the one thing I had feared over the past couple months. My parents' car was in the driveway and the lights in the house had been turned on. "This is bad," I whispered as to myself. Unfortunately Sherry heard me. "What's wrong, Dana?" She asked in a concerned voice. "I…I'm sorry…I have to go," I was petrified! Had father noticed that I wasn't there? What would happen if he did? This was bad, very bad! "Dana what's…Oh no!" Tyler said as he dashed into the living room and glanced through the window. "Ok what is going on?" Julie demanded. The whole situation was clearly confusing and worrying her. "Uummm…well…I…" I stammered. "Whatever it is dear, I'm sure it's not that bad. You can tell us," Sherry said soothingly. I hesitated but finally said, "My parents don't know that I've been coming here every Saturday. They take my sister out for breakfast every Saturday morning. They get home at 10:00 exactly. That's why I always have to be home by then, but…but…they came home early. Who knows what they'll do when they find out." I shuddered just thinking of all the possibilities. "Now, now I'm sure your parents will understand." Julie said coming over beside me. Tears stung my eyes as I hear Tyler say, "That's the problem. They won't understand. The only time Dana is allowed to leave the house is when she is going to school, or getting groceries." Tyler's eyes held the same fear and panic that I knew mine did. I looked up suddenly and said, "Maybe they haven't noticed that I'm missing yet. If I hurry I might make it in time." I doubted that was true, but I hoped that it would convince them. This was my problem. I am the one who decided to sneak out of the house. I could see no reason to get them involved. They all looked skeptical, but Sherry replied, "It's worth a shot." I nodded silently and with that I was off. I bolted across the street and up the secret staircase. While closing it I heard my father yelling downstairs. "Where is that incompetent brat? She has crossed the line this time." I quickly picked up some dirty laundry on the floor and scurried down the steps. "Mother, Father, is that you?" I called as I entered the living room. "You!" They both screamed in unison "How dare you leave this house! I warned you not to disobey us! Now you're going to be sorry," Father roared. "Wait Father I..," I tried to say, but the look on his face showed the cold, hard truth of the situation. There was no getting out of this. "I have fed you, given you a place to live, and even let you go to school! All I ever asked of you was for you to stay in the house, and do some simple chores. Instead you deliberately break all of my rules, and then try to get out of it with those little whimpering, whiney excuses of yours." Father spat out. Out of the corner of my eye I saw my mother scurrying out of the room. Nichole followed her with a smug look on her face. "Father, I'm begging you. Please for…" I suddenly felt myself being shoved against the wall. Father had one hand on each of my shoulders. His eyes were filled with such hatred, and disgust. The thing that I hated the most was the fact that all of that hatred was aimed directly at me. I shuddered as Father's grip on me tightened. In the next instant I felt myself being thrown to the ground. A sharp, throbbing pain engulfed my lower arm as I hit the hard, wooden floor. Struggling to my feet I tried to figure out what I should do. My mind was telling me to scream at the top of my lungs and pray that someone heard it, but my mouth wouldn't obey. The only thing I could do was slowly creep backwards as Father inched closer to me. "I knew you were trouble. I could feel it the moment you were conceived, and that feeling has done nothing but grown as you got older! You are no better than that disgusting aunt of yours." Father mumbled before lunging at me. I was tackled to the ground with such a great force that the wind was knocked out of me for a moment. Kicking and thrashing was all that I could do while Father tried to strangle me. My thoughts were slurred and mixed together. The only thought in my head that was clear was that this was the end. Father was finally going to do it. He was going to get rid of me once and for all. All of a sudden I heard footsteps on the stairs. Had mother or Nichole snuck up there to watch? I watched Father raise his hand to strike me when another pair of hands grasped onto his. I was dumbfounded! Who could it be? In the distance I heard police sirens. Could it be? Had someone heard the commotion, and decided to call the cops? Sitting up, I glanced at the face of my rescuer. I was shocked to find that the person holding my fathers arm back was Tyler! "You ok, Dana?" Tyler asked. I simply nodded. I was too tired and confused to speak. A moment later the police barged into the house. By then both Mother and Nichole had joined us in the living room. Both of them had ghostly white faces. Father had sunk down on the floor. The police had taken over by then, so Tyler was able to release Father’s hand. A look of shame and defeat had crept onto his face. The rest of the afternoon was mostly a blur. Apparently Tyler had decided to sneak into the house and make sure I was ok. When he heard the racket downstairs he had used his cell phone to call the police and Sherry. When he talked to Sherry, she had told him to stay put until the police arrived, but when he saw what Father was doing he couldn't just sit there. The police interviewed each of us and then they took Mother, Father, and Nichole downtown for further questioning. After a medic looked at me, and said I just had a sprained wrist from being shoved around so much, I went over to Tyler's house to spend the night. One of the officers, Officer Groundling, said that he would stop by with a full report tomorrow afternoon. Getting into the bed that had been prepared for me, I said goodnight to everyone. I thanked them all before they walked into their own bedrooms. Gently, I lie down, and let myself be consumed by sleep. "Dana, it's time to get up dear," Sherry whispered startling me out of a dreamless sleep. "Just let her sleep, Mom," I heard Tyler say in the background, "She had a rough day yesterday." "It's ok, I'm awake," I said groggily while sitting up. "I've got breakfast ready if you're hungry. Nothing is better than a good breakfast." Sherry said while walking towards the door. "Ok thanks!" I said. I stood up, stretched for a minute, got dressed, and went into the kitchen. The breakfast was marvelous! We had scrambled eggs, biscuits, toast, bacon, and apple juice. We all laughed and joked through the whole meal, but I couldn't get my family out of my head. What if there wasn't enough evidence? What if I had to go back and live with them? What would they do to me? "Dana, are you ok? Do you need anything?" Julie asked with a distressed look on her face. "No, I'm fine," I said with a smile. We finished our meal around 10:30, so we all gathered around in the living room to play monopoly. About 15 minutes later Officer Groundling knocked on the door. "Well, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is not only is your father, Mr. Collins going to jail for child abuse, but they are both losing custody of you. That means you don't have to live with them anymore," Officer Groundling announced. I know I had a huge grin on my face. "What's the bad news?" Tyler asked. "Since we don't have any foster homes in the area you are going to have to live in the orphanage about 2 hours from here until someone agrees to take care of you. It's not the prettiest place on the planet, but it's better than the attic that you were living in." I couldn't believe it. 2 hours away! Were they really going to take me away from Tyler, Sherry, and Julie? "We better get going," Officer Groundling said. In his eyes I could see that he didn't want to take me away from them either. It was clear that he had no choice. I went and got my things from both houses. Before I left I turned to the 3 people who had been so kind and friendly to me. They all had depressed looks on their faces. "Well, I guess this is goodbye," I said as I turned to leave. "Dana, wait," Tyler said as he grabbed my arm. "Tyler…" I began, but he cut me off. "This isn't goodbye. I'll see you again soon, I promise." I smiled at him, but said nothing. Quickly I turned and followed Officer Groundling out to his car. I didn't want Tyler, or the rest of his family, to see the tears that were about to fall from my eyes. It was a long 2 hour drive to the orphanage. When we got there, the first thing I noticed was how melancholic it looked. The grey, brick walls of the building looked as if they could collapse at any time. The hinges on the scratched up, wooden door looked rusted and ancient. A few children were sitting on the steps that led up to the door. They were wearing ragged clothes that looked like they had never been washed. Officer Groundling led the way into the run-down orphanage with a scowl on his face. "I really hate to leave you here, but I don't have much of a choice," Officer Groundling said when he was about to leave, "I can assure you that Ms. Summerland will take good care of you." I glanced over at the woman that he was gesturing to. She looked as old and run down as the building was, but her eyes held kindness and compassion. Maybe she was alright after all. I spent the rest of the afternoon learning the rules, being introduced to all the other children, and doing simple chores. I had to admit it wasn't nearly as bad as living with Mother and Father had been, but I still missed Tyler, Sherry, and Julie. The next day I was called to Ms. Summerland's office after breakfast. I wondered what I had done wrong. Memories of the day that Father had called me to his office flashed through my head. Had I done a chore wrong were they kicking me out on the street? "Ms. Summerland? It's Dana Collins. You asked to speak with me." I whispered after knocking on the door. I waited for her to yell at me and tell me to get my butt in there, but she simply said to please come in. "Uummm did I do something wrong ma'am?" I asked. I could feel my hands trembling. "Of course not, why would you think that? I just wanted to tell you that your new family will be here to pick you up in 1 hour." She responded with a gentle smile on her face. "What do you mean my new family? Officer Groundling said that they didn't have anyone for me to go and live with." "They didn't, but last night not long after your arrival we got a call from a family that said they would love to adopt you. You're going to have 1 brother that's about your age, a 17 year old sister, and a mother that's in her late thirties." I was so excited! I was going to have a real family. The best part of it was that they had called specifically for me! I instantly ran into the girl's quarters to pack up my belongings. About an hour later Ms. Summerland escorted me outside. I was about to meet my new family. The bright sunlight outside temporarily blinded me, but when I was able to see again I could scarcely believe my eyes. There standing in front of me was Sherry, Julie, and Tyler with big grins on their faces. "But how…," was all that I could say. "I told you that this wouldn't be the last time we see each other," Tyler said with a mischievous grin on his face. "It only took us about 15 seconds to realize that none of us wanted you to leave," Julie stated. "So we decided that the simplest solution was for you to join our family," Sherry finished as they all walked up to me. Tears stung my eyes as I hugged them all one by one. "Thank you," I whispered as we all got into the car and drove home. I became part of the family. I was given my own room, Sherry bought me a whole new wardrobe, and I lived at their house permanently. The thing that made me the happiest, though, was the fact that I wasn't Dana Maria Collins anymore. I was Dana Maria Anderson. I finally had a family. For the first in my life I knew I was where I belonged. moreResolved Question: Story i wrote for a contest please read and tell me what you think (im 14 go easy on me.)?
moreResolved Question: Ideas for scrapping a metal-type lunch box?
I am interested in covering this type box with fabric, ribbon and embellishments in general. It will be given to a child to be used as a crayon box. Looking for some good ideas that would work for this purpose. moreResolved Question: Good ideas for a child's morning snacks?
I have a 7 year old boy in 1st grade and it's common practice at his elementary school to have a morning snack. Parents are expected to pack a health snack every day. Lunch is either brought from home or may be purchased from the school cafeteria. I am pretty comfortable with packing a healthy lunch. Mostly I give my child half a sandwich with bologna or ham and some lettuce. Half a sandwich is about all he'll eat so I may get some criticism not serving a whole one. I pack either cut up apples, pears, or small carrots. I always put in some form of carbohydrate usually chips. The drink is a juice pack or lemonade. I know some parents say this should be milk but I give him milk during other times of the day. The question I have is about this snack. Usually I pack a box of milk, granola bar, and dried fruit. These are items that don't need to be refrigerated and I can store them in a paper bag in his back pack. This is ok but I'm looking for other ideas. moreResolved Question: Please help. A sudden Loss.?
My wife and I have are from Oklahoma and recently had a Seal-point Snowshoe Siamese in full black mask (robber mask) that passed away last Thursday night around 10:45 pm on August 2, 2007. It was a sudden death. He showed no signs of anything. He had just turned 5. It is very devastating and he (Buster Boots Bob Stoops) was like our child. He would walk with us everywhere around the house. He would always lie at our heads at night, talk in his gentle voice to us, sit on our laps and was very affectionate. We ended up letting him outside for the last three years for about 2 to 6 hours every day. He would come in at night. He seemed to stay away from danger and had his favorite place in the shade. He always looked at us sincerely to go outside. I wonder if it now a mistake. We found him at our doorstep in the garage as if he were sleeping like he normally does (so peacefully) as he was waiting to come in. He was still warm and very limp when I found him. There was no puke or blood anywhere to be seen. He had clear liquid that came out of his mouth and bottom after we had picked him up. I guess that is normal but still do not have any idea. We do not know if he got into any flowers, there was a sunflower like plant in the back yard and nothing else any where. We do not know if he was bitten by a spider black widow or brown recluse as we have them. I would assume that there would be some sort of swelling. Perhaps he was bitten by a mosquito or played with a mouse that was infected with d-con or something. Next door the neighbors cleared all of the bushes out and finally mowed. Maybe he was hit by a car, there were no broken bones and he would have had to jump a 6-8 foot wooden fence if that were the case. Could internal bleeding give him that much energy? I do not know, because there was no sign of blood anywhere. It was as if someone placed him in our backdoor inside the garage as he looked so peacefully. I doubt it though because the fence was locked. I regret that we buried him in a box the next day without giving him an autopsy. We buried him on a family farm in a box with his favorite needing blanket. A golf ball that he used to roll around (he also would follow me from hole to hole and rest in between or look around in between shots. When calling upon him, he always would lift his head and gently meow back at us and jump and run to catch up.) He also always greeted and meowed at us as we came home. Please help if you have any idea. It is very hard. He is a great loss and it feels as if a part of our heart is missing. He was too young to die. Of his past, he was caught up on all of his shots. We gave him treats and sometimes a piece of grilled chicken or a little piece of sliced ham lunch meat when making a sandwich for work. He was very picky. He always played with and chewed on sticker type paper and photographs. We would try to keep it out of his sight whenever possible. He had a sensitive stomach. He always regurgitated his food. We thought it was because of hairballs. Most of the time there was no hair there. A week or so ago, we found green vomit on the bed. To our dismay, we did not think much of it as he always puked undigested food out. Was it a mistake to do nothing? I keep asking only ifs and whys. It hurts so much. On his last day, he was rubbing around our feet as if he wanted a treat or to go outside. He used the rest room, ate some and drank a little water. The temperature was about 90 deg. He would go to his favorite resting place in under a bush in the front yard. He seemed perfectly normal. Questions: -Could he have been hit by a car? There seemed to be no broken bones nor blood any where around the house on the road in the vicinity or in his mouth, ears, privates or nose. Would internal bleeding show any sign. -Could he have been poisoned? There was no evidence in puking and his mouth looked clean and clear saliva came out of it and his privates only after we picked him up and inspected him. -Could he have been bitten by a snake or spider? Wouldn’t there be any swelling? -He lay peacefully as if he were comfortably sleeping in a normal position; however, his eyes were slightly opened. Is it normal for cats to look like that after they die? moreResolved Question: I need soft food diet ideas for lunch box for child with tongue laceration.?
4 yr old child bit tongue severely - on antibiotics after trip to ER to be sure no stitches were needed. Crumbly and acidic foods are to be avoided - so what can I send in his lunch box?? moreVoting Question: Any body has an idea? u can tell me what u think about it.?
FOR SALE: 24 Small Children that come with their original warranty papers, clothing etc.. 8 of them have over-sized heads, and were supposed to be called back, but never were. All are ages 2-5, and have had as many years experience in the Japanese language. All of the children above age 3 have already had training in factories owned by Disney, making Donald Duck Velcro wallets. I am asking $14 dollars a head for this bunch, or take them all for $6,000! Also available - GRAB BAG! Receive in your grab bag: 3 random children and a fun, free mystery prize. Shipping costs vary depending on order size and how large my friend Jerry and I have to make the wooden box. Boxes range from $35 to $65 dollars, food, water and air holes cost extra. (2004), What the heck.com. The above listing is an actual item that appeared on an eBay auction February 20th, 1999. The bidding got to $51 dollars before it was halted. According to Hoovers (2004), eBay currently has sales of $2.1 billion with net profits of $441 million. Hof (2004) writes, “Sure, it already boasts more than 25 million items at any one time -- from vintage lunch boxes to new DVD players. But its heady growth suggests a need for even more stuff. Last year, more than 40 million active buyers bought $24 billion worth of goods, up 60% from 2002.” (par.1). More than just a growth company, eBay is changing the way business is conducted around the world. Please describe the four market structures in terms of both allocative and productive efficiency. Then examine how eBay (and companies like it) are impacting each? How might you respond to this challenge if a company you worked for was directly affected? moreResolved Question: Why do Liberals Spread Poverty?
Why Liberals Spread Poverty Liberals would prefer more people to experience poverty. Their actions demonstrate their massive desire to see more people unemployed, and under paid. One of their chief political goals is to cripple the chance for the impoverished from improving their lot in life and thus become even more dependent upon entitlements that only they (liberals) will dole out. Thus the greatest con in elective politics begins again. It's called a "surcharge." You and I would call it a tax increase. One more way and reason for the political class to take even more of the money that you and I slave for by slugging it 9 to 5 everyday. In their funny little semantic sideshow this "surcharge" would be their answer to resolving the problem of the "alternative minimum tax." This year the "AMT" (another hostile attempt for elected leaders to pick-pocket us) will hit 23 million people. Some making as little as $50,000. The original idea of the AMT was to purposefully inflict pain upon 155 wealthy people a gazillion years ago. But it has never been adjusted for inflation - and you know liberals - they've never found a tax no matter how ill conceived that they've ever had a desire to do away with. So now the liberal congress is about to unload a ghastly holocaust of earnings redistribution on many working class families if the leadership in Congress doesn't take action to care for the AMT. Their idea? A 4.3% "surcharge" on "rich people." Particularly those who make $250,000 or more. And one important note - the plan, since it is a "surcharge," would be in addition to the tax rate you already paid last year. Why they do it makes absolutely no sense - especially to the poor. The data speaks clearly to this matter. When you place uber-taxes on the rich you create higher unemployment, greater poverty, and most importantly for people like me who care about the poor - less money in the treasury to provide the important safety nets for those who truly need them. When you do the opposite - you get an opposite result. Cutting the top marginal tax rates - particularly on the upper middle, and upper class tax brackets has a stimulus effect. Jobs are created, poverty turns into ownership, and the treasury takes in oodles of dollars. The liberals' motivations, if impure, make perfect sense. If liberals are in charge of the public sector programs that people become dependent on for day to day living - then liberals can always campaign on the issues of "not taking food out of school children's tummies." Thinking people understand that while offering a hot lunch for a child at school is a wonderful thing for those children who need it. How much more wonderful would it be if that family grew their own economic ability to not be dependent upon the government issued lunches. A family that has the ability to send its own children to school with lunch boxes packed full of Mom's special goodies doesn't need liberals to force feed them the high-carb, mediocre nutrition that one can only get from government processed lasagna. But Mom and Dad seeing Sally and Johnny off everyday fully independent of state aid - is bad political business for liberals. If liberals can't be the family's provider, then they won't be as likely to need such politicians in place and government might actually begin to address what is best for said family. If you haven't noticed - this didn't used to be such a partisan issue. It was a Democrat who in fact first demonstrated the soundness of the fiscal propriety of reducing taxes and increasing revenues - John F. Kennedy. Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush followed in his steps and the results have always been the same. Each of them lowered, and in Reagan's case - greatly reduced, the top marginal rates - and the following year revenues poured into Washington in record numbers. I know... some of you educated in public schools are scratching your head wondering, "How’d they do that?" Follow the simplicity. Top marginal rates are reduced on the people earning the most - many of whom own businesses. Many of them take the savings and reinvest it - in business, in the market, in expansion, in additional services, franchises, or product lines. Every time they do they are giving work/employment to advisors, consultants, contractors, assembly line workers, systems analysts, and the list goes on. Many of those people have employees, or have to hire additional employees to complete the work that they are hired for. And every employee that they hire, earns a little more than they would have - had that company, small business, etc - not been able to grow. And one other thing... all those employees pay taxes. (At least those who are here legally.) Liberals see the economic pie as something that is static, does not grow, and must always be redistributed. Of course they fancy the idea that they know best how to redistribute it all - and in doing so they buy into the Marxian idea: "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need." An utterly immoral viewpoint! Conservatives see the economic pie as something that is somewhat unlimited and can be grown and that when it is grown - people will actually pay MORE in taxes - but will do so off of greater earnings. And the lesson of Kennedy, Reagan, and Bush confirm that it is true. If liberals truly cared about helping people - especially the poor - they wouldn't try to thieve more tax dollars from the only sector of the tax base that can help grow the pie. Instead they would abolish the AMT all together, and give increased tax reduction incentives for those who would use their reductions to further expand their business ventures. They should also give the greatest incentives to those who could demonstrate that they had grown their employment base by more than 4% - since that is roughly the record low rate of unemployment we are now experiencing thanks to the "grow the pie" economy now in place. But they won't. As long as liberals will live they will attempt to take more of what does not belong to them, even if it means growing the rate of unemployment, seeing the number of Americans who live below the poverty line increase, and reduces the amount of dollars Washington can use to help those who truly do fall through the cracks. Just remember - raising taxes lays people off, cause poverty to increase, and reduces the resources that are available for government to help those who are in desperate need. Reducing taxes increases jobs, moves people from poverty to ownership, and fills the federal coffers with help for those in need. Can it be said any more plainly? moreResolved Question: The way children see things?
Willys cynical thought for the day; I have no idea what the formula for success is, but I do know the guaranteed recipe for failure; try to fugging please everybody! NUDITY I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a Woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was stark naked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!" HONESTY My son George, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell me he'd dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the garbage. George stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush. He held it up and said with a charming little smile, "We better throw this one out too then, 'cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago." OPINIONS On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents." KETCHUP A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup to come out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answer the phone. "It's the minister, Mommy," the child said to her mother. Then she added , "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle." MORE NUDITY A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, "What's the matter haven't you ever seen a little boy before?" ELDERLY While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. The various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs, unfailingly intrigued her. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The tooth fairy will never believe this!" DRESS- UP A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, "Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit." "And why not, darling?" "You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning." DEATH While walking along the sidewalk in front of his church, the minister heard the intoning of a prayer that nearly made his collar wilt. Apparently, his 5-year-old son and his playmates had found a dead robin. Feeling that proper burial should be performed, they had secured a small box and cotton batting, then dug a hole and made ready for the disposal of the deceased. The minister's son was chosen to say the appropriate prayers and with sonorous dignity intoned his version of what he thought his Father always said: "Glory be unto the Faaaather, and unto the Sonnn ... and into the hole he gooooes." SCHOOL A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!" BIBLE A little boy opened the big family bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mama, look what I found", the boy called out." What have you got there, dear?" With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear!" http://www.total-knowledge.com/~willyblues/ From; Willys Jokes archives! Best Damn Jokes anywhere!!!! moreTop Children Lunch Box Ideas Links
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