http://www.answerbag.com/profile/107377 New Answerbag answers from Stableboy Mon, 28 May 2012 15:49:25 -0700 Mon, 28 May 2012 15:49:25 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2017837 Why do we always seem to segregate ourselves into the extremes? Fighter/Lover, Democrat/Republican,Pro-Choice or Freedom of Choice? Maybe if we stop placing ourselves at each end of the spectrum, hostility will lessen and we can begin to listen and hear!<br /><br />Extremism arises from a lack of stable identity. When you know who you are, the craving to solidify a sense of self by clinging to ideas diminishes greatly. I can always tell the person who knows themselves the least by listening for that telltale sign -- rigid beliefs and lots of... Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:27:47 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2017837 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2017120 Can we only understand the world by understanding ourselves?<br /><br />Welcome back, Highlander! I think a certain kind of understanding of the world can happen in the conventional way -- study and experience. We read, we travel, we discuss, we live our lives and are exposed to a variety of experiences and struggles, and it&#039;s inevitable that a kind of... Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:09:27 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2017120 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2003883 Verizon nightmare..charged for 1 wk before hookup - charged for remote dialup not ordered - no bundle credit given - not informed about billing one month in advance or $79 early cancellation penalty! What was your nightmare?<br /><br />My ongoing nightmare is with Sprint PCS -- they&#039;re customer service is atrocious. They made a billing mistake 2 months ago that took 4 lengthy phone calls to get corrected. One operator had the nerve to tell me they were &quot;willing to split the cost of the mistake with me&quot; -- THEIR... Mon, 07 Jan 2008 07:03:24 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2003883 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2001345 I have no idea what an X-box is? I thought it had to do with Porn. Is anyone way out of touch like me with today's lingo and gadgets?<br /><br />Well I think you may be on your own in this particular category, Frank. That&#039;s pretty far off the main beam :) Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:07:39 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2001345 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2001338 Whtat is the difference between bit, byte and word?<br /><br />A &quot;bit&quot; is a single one or zero. It has two states, and can only represent one of two values. A &quot;byte&quot; is (usually) 8 bits working together, such that each bit is double the value of the bit to its right. A byte can represent 256 possible values. A &quot;word&quot; is... Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:05:47 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2001338 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2000952 How can i not be shy around new people i meet? (some helpful pointers or something)<br /><br />First, stop putting pressure on yourself to be any particular way. All those thoughts about how you should be more confident and outgoing are part of the problem -- you can&#039;t just relax and be yourself, in part because you have all these idealized notions about how you SHOULD be, and that... Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:00:18 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2000952 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1997226 How Important is Relationship History? When you start approaching relationship status with someone, how important is it to know the other person's relationship history? How much of their history is important to know? Why?<br /><br />It&#039;s neither irrelevant nor all-important: people are likely to repeat the past in their relationships, but this isn&#039;t always the case -- we do change over time, and we&#039;re each different with different partners. But certainly if there&#039;s a recognizable pattern (i.e. he... Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:33:38 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1997226 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1997204 How do you react to the quote "Philosophy is a waste of time"?<br /><br />It&#039;s not a waste of time, it&#039;s time spent discovering the limits of philosophy. Very important to do, if you ever want to get beyond that. Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:29:03 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1997204 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1997124 Do you believe a lesbian can fall in love with a man or a gay man can fall in love with a woman?<br /><br />Gay, straight, and lesbian are all general categories. Like all generalities, there are gray areas and exceptions which get obscured by the label. So yes, there&#039;s a broad spectrum of variations between individuals in sexual preference, and some gay men can fall in love with women, etc. Sun, 06 Jan 2008 07:09:09 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1997124 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1993185 MADEA SWALLOWED SIMPLYKATE--:) How do you know, do you know him[david bowie]? And what do you mean by, interesting ones?<br /><br />I don&#039;t think she knows David Bowie. Pretty sure she&#039;s being tongue-in-cheek about that. If you want to speak to her, the best thing to do is leave comments on her answer, not ask questions with her name. There&#039;s no guarantee that she will see your question. Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:42:48 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1993185 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1993010 Would you say yes if the Answerbag staff asked you to become the site's next Community Leader? Why or why not? To the CLs who would answer this question, could you tell us your story? ;)<br /><br />I guess I&#039;m in an exception category, as a former CL. I was reluctant to accept at first, mainly because I thought it would take more time than the job actually required. I quit because I got annoyed with people trying to manipulate me because I was a CL, and also because the... Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:17:26 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1993010 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1991078 My voice changes when doing a presentation or speaking publicly in front of many people, along with heartbeat raises, hands getting cold, what should I do to maintain my real self and act like normal and sound like my real voice?<br /><br />You can&#039;t &quot;maintain your real self&quot;, because the anxiety IS your real self! There&#039;s a conflict going on between your ideas about how you SHOULD be in public, and how you actually ARE. Because you don&#039;t grant yourself permission to have your nervous reaction,... Sat, 05 Jan 2008 07:41:48 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1991078 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1989689 Do you ever wish more interesting questions were asked on AB?<br /><br />There&#039;s plenty of good questions, you just have to know how to find them. Often the home page is the worst place to go looking... - Pick one of the better question creators, and dig back through their history. Answering one of those questions will bring it back to life on the main page,... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 22:39:21 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1989689 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987616 If I require any guests to my home to first knock, let me know they are coming in, and respect the rules of our house is that mean? If I lock my doors at night to prevent unlawful and illegal entry to my home does that make me "mean spirited"?<br /><br />It&#039;s not a very applicable analogy to the issue of border security. The issues are MUCH more complex there than in this simplistic metaphor. As for being &quot;mean spirited&quot;, there&#039;s no question that many of the people who are advocating so hard for tightened borders in... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:56:29 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987616 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987437 Do impossible thoughts exist or are they only imagined to exist such that we imagine the existence of an impossible thought and think we are thinking about it when we are in point of fact not thinking about it at all?<br /><br />Just relax, all drugs wear off eventually. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 15:18:39 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987437 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987304 I am seeing AB users names backwards, help me Obi Wan ? your my only hope....<br /><br />It&#039;s a sinister plot organized by Jodie44 (44eidoj) to pollute our basic bodily fluids by reversing the flow of Chi! Resist!! Fight back!! Do not let anybody talk you into reversing your username!! Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:50:26 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987304 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987148 Which answerbaggers name do you like the most?<br /><br />1. Jenniferocious - so clever. 2. CuriousFrank - reminds me of Curious George. 3. Firebrand - for irony. 4. HanginJudge - Best Use of Gravity 5. Jade - short and sweet 5. lizocat - Don&#039;t know what it means, but it purrs. 6. misshell - double meaning, no caps 7. SaraSmile... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 14:19:04 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1987148 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986869 When you hear your name, how do you respond?<br /><br />Depends on whether they are telling me to clasp my hands behind my head at the same time. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:29:12 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986869 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986675 I have a step-daughter, who is 21, and her step child living with us since March 07. We are paying for all their utilities and food and rent. Can we claim both on our income tax?<br /><br />Yes, as long as she isn&#039;t claiming herself or the child. Everybody gets to be an exemption on SOMEBODY&#039;s tax return, but only one. The person who gets the exemption is whomever is paying for more than 50% of their support. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:01:59 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986675 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986552 How to hack a web content filter<br /><br />We&#039;re not in the business of teaching unethical activities. Try google. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:34:55 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986552 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986507 Who wrote, ""If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."?<br /><br />Gary Coleman, at the Rose Parade. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:23:19 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986507 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986413 Isn't forgiveness overrated? To the point where people beat themselves up on choosing wether or not to forgive someone who's brought pain into their life. I think it is.<br /><br />It&#039;s not overrated, but there is a problem with how we relate to forgiveness -- there&#039;s a tendency to believe that you SHOULD forgive, which is what gives rise to the &quot;beat themselves up over it&quot; phenomenon. It&#039;s not true that anybody SHOULD forgive, that&#039;s... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 12:01:06 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986413 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986222 Is teaching creationism in public schools the same as teaching evolutionary theory in Sunday school or Church except switched around?The parents that want their children to know will teach them.Leave schools to teach science.<br /><br />I think it&#039;s valid to teach an objective view of Creationism -- not as religious indoctrination, but simply as social science... e.g. &quot;here is what some people believe&quot;. To leave that information out of the school curriculum is failing to provide a rich background for the public... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:31:57 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986222 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986209 I just spent two hours looking through the 'what do you look like" question by max power..you ever do that?<br /><br />Yes, I go through the new answers only about once a month. My policy has been to up-rate anybody who posts a photo. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:29:03 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986209 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986171 What does your AB name mean?<br /><br />Stableboy backwards. He is evil, I&#039;m here to destroy him with negative energy. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:21:42 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986171 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986108 Is there any psychological reasoning to why I like and prefer odd numbers?<br /><br />I like odd numbers too, especially 3 and 7. I think it&#039;s because you can pick the &quot;center&quot; item, and have balance on each side. When you have an even number, there&#039;s no center item -- nothing to grasp. Ok, it&#039;s weird, but there it is. :) Fri, 04 Jan 2008 11:08:38 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986108 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986009 Why is immaturity considered a negative trait?<br /><br />Immaturity is only a problem if someone is behind their developmental curve -- i.e. a 15-year-old who wears diapers is a serious challenge for those who care for him. That behavior is normal for a baby -- you could say the baby is immature, of course, but it&#039;s not an insult, it&#039;s just... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:49:20 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1986009 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985762 What isn't a law that should be a law?<br /><br />Noise ordinances should specify the maximum sound level by FREQUENCY! A car stereo blasting away isn&#039;t normally a problem, unless it&#039;s equipped with bass-boomer speakers that shake the walls of all the apartments on the street. That low frequency noise penetrates ordinary sound... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 10:05:30 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985762 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985242 Me and my boyfriend just broke up out of a ten month relationship. A Lad told mi boyfriend i had cheated on him, when i didnt cheat on him because i love him more than anything. but my exboyfriend cant believe me or trust me, what do i do ? im so confused<br /><br />You might try setting up a meeting between you, your boyfriend, and the accuser (and anyone else who is in on the deal). Tell them that you want to clear up any confusion or misinformation. If the accuser doesn&#039;t want to participate, that tends to undermine his credibility. If he does... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:40:52 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985242 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985203 My boyfriend has kids 50% of the time and we are talking about getting married. I do LOVE him but, I'm not sure where my place is with his kids.. How should I deal with his kids?<br /><br />Each child is an individual. You deal with them just like you would deal with any individual: work on building and strengthening a personal relationship. The problem here is that you&#039;re relating to the kids as an abstraction -- a sort of &quot;unit of baggage&quot; he&#039;s carrying... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 08:31:53 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985203 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985040 Its my first time on the slopes, do i need to enroll in snowboarding lessons?<br /><br />It&#039;s not required, but you&#039;d probably find it worthwhile. I can&#039;t snowboard, but I can ski. When I first started, I could barely even stand on the skis on level ground... but after a 2 hour lesson I was able to ski down the beginner slopes with some confidence. Well worth the... Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:50:56 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1985040 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1984944 When will Highlander be back with his questions?Miss his' alot.<br /><br />I&#039;m not aware of any trauma that would make him leave. I suspect he&#039;s just on vacation for a bit. There&#039;s nothing in his profile or recent activity which indicates a permanent goodbye. Fri, 04 Jan 2008 07:27:19 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1984944 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1983426 Can anyone tell me why my 100W soldering iron won't heat up if its plugged into an outlet that also has a fluorescent bulb plugged into it also? Thanks.<br /><br />There&#039;s no logical connection between these. A soldering iron and a fluorescent bulb can get along just fine in the same outlet. Are you sure your soldering iron works? Does each item work on its own? Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:28:02 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1983426 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1982217 Do you want to see the film "Juno"?<br /><br />I saw it and found it quite enjoyable. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:28:26 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1982217 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1982208 What would happen if I drank oil?<br /><br />You&#039;d stop squeaking when you sang &quot;If I only had a heart&quot;. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:27:32 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1982208 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1982199 My parents have been arguing a lot lately and I know my Mom is not happy, I dont want them to get divorced. Should I do something, say something, or talk to a professional?<br /><br />You should tell your parents how you feel, as honestly and simply as possible. It&#039;s hard to be in that situation: you don&#039;t know what will happen -- they may get divorced, or they may just be going through a hard time. All you can do is be yourself -- make sure that they know how... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:26:15 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1982199 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981978 This guy i am dating says he really cares about me a lot but is scared of getting hurt and stays distant from me sometimes then talks to me others when we truly start to connect he backs off. my question is does he really mean it when he says he cares<br /><br />It&#039;s entirely possible that he&#039;s telling the truth. It&#039;s also possible that he&#039;s just not that interested. I would incline more toward the first explanation -- give him the benefit of the doubt. Certainly plenty of people see love as dangerous territory and shy away, he... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:44:52 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981978 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981963 Is it okay to have earplugs on while sleeping?<br /><br />As far as I can tell, yes -- I&#039;ve worn them for about 10 years while sleeping, and I can still hear you just fine! :) Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:41:18 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981963 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981835 Suppose you only could have a few choice words to end an argument or disagreement, what would you choose to say?<br /><br />&quot;I think you have some good points. Perhaps we&#039;ll talk more later, right now I don&#039;t see a way to make progress.&quot; Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:14:45 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981835 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981529 I have been offered a part-time legal secretary position in Atlanta. They asked me to name my price, but I don't want to go too low or too high. Top dollar full time can pay up to $65,000. My gas bill is going to triple. What would you ask for?<br /><br />I would sign up for one of the salary survey web sites... they&#039;re worth the money when you&#039;re talking about a decision that could affect your income for years to come. Here&#039;s one of many available by googling &quot;salary survey&quot;: ... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:10:48 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981529 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981400 It seems that a lot of long-time Answerbaggers originally joined at the beginning of the year(of whichever year they joined), would you mind posting when you joined and how long you've been on Answerbag?<br /><br />Sept. 1, 2006. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:46:27 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981400 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981336 What is the point of music appreciation class?<br /><br />Well, really the point is to be able to appreciate music! But that&#039;s not a very interesting answer, is it? Being able to appreciate something isn&#039;t automatic: every domain of life has it&#039;s own &quot;language&quot;... details and distinctions that are important in that area, and... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 14:37:26 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1981336 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1980527 I am 34, want to get married and be a mom before 40, if i do not acheive any of this, eventhough all of my friends and cousins have, should I feel really depressed and upset, or just TRY to find comfort in the fact that it was not to be??feedback pls<br /><br />It&#039;s fine to have a goal, but you&#039;ve got this thing wrapped around your neck like a noose. The idea in life is to be ALIVE, not to be so fixated on a particular outcome that you lose the ability to function. If you&#039;re so obsessed with your idea of how your life MUST go that... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:02:01 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1980527 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979835 Hey people happy new year to you all, i just found out that i am going to be a mommy i am pregnant , i am about 6 weeks and 3 days what are some main rules to follow?<br /><br />Wow, congratulations Sandra! Time to cut back on the deep sea diving, Sumo wrestling, and chainsaw juggling! Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:19:06 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979835 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979815 What do you personally believe is the most important life lesson you have learned thus far in life from your past experiences is?<br /><br />That I&#039;m not separate from others. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:16:46 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979815 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979750 My boyfriend is in a band, and i manage their website/myspace. today he called me to say that they are going to get signed. i read the email, and i want to be happy, but i am afraid that if and when this happens, things will change. please.... ADVICE?<br /><br />I think your situation is completely understandable -- this kind of change can certainly make you anxious. Some people will tell you to be happy for him, and don&#039;t worry... but it&#039;s unlikely that you&#039;ll be able to do that. You ARE worried, yes? And there&#039;s no magic wand... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 10:03:24 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979750 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979610 Does anyone else feel like AB has lost a great deal of it's allure? (And isn't it ironic that I'm posting this as an AB question?)<br /><br />For me, AB has lost and regained its appeal many times over... I&#039;ve long since lost count. I no longer treat this as a novel event. Thu, 03 Jan 2008 09:39:37 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1979610 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1977251 If my husband and I seperated (not legally) in April 06 but he uses the same address as me can I file Head of Household as he didn't contribute any $ towards the 3 kids?<br /><br />Yes, you can file as head of household if you&#039;re providing more thatn 50% of the support. The addresses are irrelevant -- he can live in the same house or a different house. The question that matters is &quot;who&#039;s paying the bills?&quot; Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:15:42 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1977251 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1977073 Because most people don't want to be murdered, it makes logical sense to outlaw murder in our legal system. But technically, it's not IMMORAL is it? Animals do it all the time, right?<br /><br />Yes, it&#039;s immoral. But asking &quot;why?&quot; IS legitimate, and it&#039;s not a slam-dunk question to answer. The short version is that in order to understand why it&#039;s immoral, you have to have a coherent &quot;basis for morality&quot; -- something which provides a way to tell... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 21:40:04 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1977073 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1975946 What would be easier to develop: a program for creating random questions - and I don't mean just choosing them randomly from a list - or a program answering them?<br /><br />If relevance and quality matters, the question program is much easier, because producing answers which are relevant to an arbitrary question is a very complex problem -- when compared to simply producing questions which are syntactically valid and semantically meaningful. The answers have to... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:23:52 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1975946 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1975392 I own a business in South Dakota and my family is heavily Christian. Would it be a mistake to start a professional, forward-thinking atheist/freethinker group in my home state?<br /><br />It sounds like you&#039;re concerned about what your family will think, yes? Do they know you&#039;re an atheist? If you haven&#039;t &quot;come out&quot; with your family, I think that&#039;s a good place to start. Usually family is pretty fundamental in your relationship with others, being... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:04:53 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1975392 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974817 Why do we look for happiness outside ourselves,when happiness is a state of mind that can be accessed at any time within,and does not need to be looked for?<br /><br />I think it&#039;s a mistake to say &quot;happiness is found within&quot;, because it preserves one of the most basic errors which contribute to unhappiness: the illusion of separation between self and not-self. Where is &quot;within&quot;? What is &quot;external&quot;? When we go looking for... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:23:32 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974817 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974727 How can I add my email address to my profile?<br /><br />There is a field for this when you edit your profile, but it&#039;s best not to use it. Instead, just add text to your profile which &quot;morphs&quot; your email address into a form that can be read by humans but not by spam-harvesting robots, e.g.: fabulous [at] gmail dot com This will... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 15:09:57 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974727 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974693 With all the debate about what women really want and what men really want, doesn't it boil down to everyone just wants respect?<br /><br />Well I think that&#039;s a good mid-level answer. I think the next level up is &quot;we want to not be dependent on getting respect from others&quot; -- i.e. we want to be the source of our own wholeness. Interimly, we look to others to reflect ourselves -- to know who we are. Ultimately,... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:59:50 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974693 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974663 Why are so many freaked out by the natural process of aging? Especially when you can still look and feel this good!<br /><br />Aging reminds us that we don&#039;t have much time left. For those who want to keep on living (like me!), that&#039;s annoying... but it&#039;s also a potential wake-up call: the wrinkles around my eyes say &quot;you had better do your best each day, and try to appreciate life and others to the... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:52:02 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974663 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974619 I love my girlfriend very much,we've had our ups and downs.some of her insecurities stem from previous relationships and a divorce.i thought i was strong enough to build her up again,but with every 1 step i feel i get 2 steps behind.any advice?<br /><br />It&#039;s good that you love her and want to support her, but there&#039;s some serious mistakes in what you&#039;re saying: - Her insecurities do not stem from previous relationships or divorce: those are just the circumstances of her past. Her insecurities have to do with who she considers... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:41:30 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974619 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974529 If you'd like to share - What was your first kind action of 2008?<br /><br />Watching the Rose Parade on TV without thinking a single nasty thought about Stephanie Edwards -- the former co-host with Bob Eubanks :) Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:26:05 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974529 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974514 If the majority of people dont make eye contact where you live with each other what does that mean is there something wrong with these people,is that normal?<br /><br />It&#039;s not unusual, and it&#039;s not really a problem. Sometimes we have this idealized notion that everyone should be friendly and outgoing all the time. While there have been cultures where that&#039;s the norm, it&#039;s more the exception than the rule. In general, we&#039;re not all... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:24:20 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974514 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974487 My brother has a laptop with Windows Vista but much prefers the Windows XP on our desktop. What is the easiest way to change his laptop operating system to XP and can it be done for free?<br /><br />- Yes, it&#039;s free (the Vista license allows you to install XP instead, but doesn&#039;t provide the physical media) - Make sure his specific model will run XP. This isn&#039;t always the case, newer hardware may lack drivers for XP. I have just such a laptop -- it cannot be rolled back... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 14:19:33 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1974487 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973674 I am not pregnant so far as I know but yet I am so irritated by husband. Every little thing bothers and I just want to be left alone. Anyone know why?<br /><br />I like msFortunate&#039;s answer, which focuses on the hormonal aspect of this (http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973609) I also think you should do some self-examination: not physically, I mean studying your own thoughts and feelings. Find a quiet place for 10 minutes each day, get rid of... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:00:28 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973674 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973548 Many world economies demand an increase in consumers and consumer spending. The population is too high for the planet to sustain and repair itself. Various groups, religious and others prohibit birth control. Where/when do we start to deal with this?<br /><br />The &quot;produce and consume&quot; economy is a narrow-minded perspective which isn&#039;t conducive to a healthy planet. Advertising generates demand for things we don&#039;t really need, then we go to work to make those things and earn the money to buy those things, then we need more energy... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:39:48 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973548 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973419 I'm a car salesperson. As customers, would one be offended if I "asked for the sale"? For example: "So, sir. What's holding you back from buying this car today? Is there any way we can get you in it today?"<br /><br />It depends on what your goal is: if your goal is to make the most money, by all means have an automatic &quot;ask for the sale&quot; practice. But there&#039;s more to life than money, and some of us smell something fishy about this policy -- what is that smell? Here&#039;s one way of... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:11:30 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973419 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973267 Can you be a creationist and not a Christian?<br /><br />Yes, the Genesis account of creation has been around a lot longer than Christianity. It&#039;s common to Christianity, Islam, and Judaism... although many people of those faiths have adopted modified beliefs about the story in light of modern science. Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:44:08 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973267 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973192 What dus think global act local mean? please dont copy n paste, explain briefly and giv examples<br /><br />&quot;Think globally, act locally&quot; is the proper phrase. It means &quot;recognize the interconnectedness of all life at the global level... see that YOUR actions affect the whole. But don&#039;t try to save the world, save your neighbors.&quot; The ability to see the &quot;big... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:30:52 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973192 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973133 Does anyone not like penguins?<br /><br />My grandfather was a Canadian, he loved ice fishing. On a &quot;nature exploration&quot; trip to the Antarctic edge, he was peacefully sitting on the edge of an ice hole waiting for a bite when he was brutally attacked by a dozen rogue penguins, who left him bleeding and unconscious and stole... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:20:26 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1973133 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972944 I have a problem. As soon as something amazing comes into my life, I start doubting it's real. There's a guy I really like. He told me last night he "hearts" me. I woke up this morning, and now the doubt is setting in. What should I do?<br /><br />You need to learn how to &quot;manage&quot; your self-doubts, just as you might manage a chronic medical condition. Lots of people have diabetes and live relatively normal lives. Lots of people have self-doubt and live relatively normal lives. Here&#039;s the basic strategy: 1. Tell the... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:53:04 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972944 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972890 If you still loved your ex and they were in a failing relationship, would you stay close to them in hopes that you got back together? She is beginning to flirt with me and act the way she did when we were together.<br /><br />Really, this isn&#039;t a healthy situation. I know the temptation to hang around her is strong, but here&#039;s the problem: as long as two people have chosen each other and are trying to make it work, EVERYONE else around them has an ethical obligation to support that relationship -- even the... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 09:44:49 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972890 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972474 I devoted a lot of time to helping my boyfriend when he was feeling down. I supported him in every way and in the end the final result was that he put me down, by telling me I did not have my own identity and interests. How and why can someone be so cruel<br /><br />I&#039;m sorry about what happened, but why are you asking this question? Obviously people can be cruel... what matters for you now is (a) healing and (b) moving on. Digging through your past memories and trying to figure out what it all means isn&#039;t going to help with either of those... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:16:06 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972474 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972413 My avitar and name was just hijacked. Shout out to those who have been hijacked! Have you been hijacked on AB? And do you really care? Random subject for fun!<br /><br />No, I doubt anybody would want to hijack my identity... that would be like joyriding in an abandoned Chevy with no wheels :) Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:03:33 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972413 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972400 Different sources from different times in history, say 2012 is going to be THE END of life as we know it, on earth. Have you altered your life with this in mind?<br /><br />I&#039;ve lost track of how many ends-of-the-world I&#039;ve survived so far. It comes every few years... some group claiming a prophecy that&#039;s as solid as a rock -- we&#039;re all going to die on Sept. 19th, 1989, or January 1, 2000, or ... pick your date. There will always be... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 08:00:31 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1972400 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1971652 Every time I shut down an open internet browser it shuts down every one I have open. Say I'm on one page and shut it down it says internet explorer encountered an error and must shut down. It then proceeds to shut all pages down. What is wrong?<br /><br />Probably you have installed some add-in or toolbar which has a bug. When you close a window, the bug fires off and cause the browser program to crash and close all windows. Without knowing all the details of what you have installed, nobody can really solve this for you. In general, you... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:57:07 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1971652 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1971645 What is the difference between being spiritual and being religious? Can atheists be spiritual and not religious?<br /><br />Spirituality is a basic aspect of human development, it deals with the core questions of life... questions like &quot;who am I?&quot;, and &quot;what is the meaning of my life?&quot;, and &quot;how am I related to the rest of humanity?&quot;. Any mature human is likely to be interested in... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:51:17 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1971645 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969739 Why does the growth of a seven pound baby into a 100 pound adult not violate the second law of thermodynamics?<br /><br />The 2nd law of thermodynamics says that entropy of an isolated system will tend to increase over time. So how is it that the &quot;system&quot; called a human being doesn&#039;t become increasingly chaotic over time? Simple: a human being is NOT an &quot;isolated system&quot; -- a human being... Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:10:25 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969739 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969702 Would you like to help me congratulate Eltinwe for reaching Sage level!?<br /><br />Yes, Eltinwe has always been gracious and intelligent... to call her a &quot;sage&quot; is being too restrained! :) Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:03:02 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969702 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969683 I teach at a college as a prt-time contract instructor. Can I use Schudule C for expenses ... classroom, travel to campus?<br /><br />Normally a contractor does operate as a business entity, filing schedule C and claiming mileage and other expenses. It&#039;s possible that there&#039;s some sort of exception for your particular profession, but I&#039;m not aware of it. If you don&#039;t find it listed as an exception on the... Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:59:29 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969683 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969667 How much do you pay for a haircut?<br /><br />If I want an ordinary cut, it&#039;s $0. That&#039;s also the same price I pay for extra services. It&#039;s called &quot;take a #3 comb, clip it onto the trimmers, and whack away!&quot; This has worked for a number of years now. I may never win a fashion contest, but it&#039;s joyously... Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:57:01 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969667 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969535 What's the best way to deal with someone who claims they are a genius even though the evidence suggests otherwise?<br /><br />Presumably you&#039;re annoyed with them, yes? Or you wouldn&#039;t bother asking the question probably. There&#039;s two kinds of answers: the helpful kind, and the FUN kind! :) The helpful kind are long and dreary, involving restraining yourself, seeing if there&#039;s a crack in their... Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:36:15 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969535 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969351 How to achieve Self Belief?<br /><br />What exactly are you trying to achieve? Self-confidence? Self-understanding? What is &quot;self belief&quot;? It helps to get specific. &quot;Believing in yourself&quot; is a pretty broad topic, it&#039;s easier to tackle if you pin down exactly where you have doubts about yourself and... Tue, 01 Jan 2008 18:05:10 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969351 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969047 If i want to move to america. what are the first steps i should take and how, condering that'l i need a job straight away<br /><br />That can be quite a challenge. There are a number of categories under which you could get a visa, but to become a permanent resident the requirements are rather stiff. The most common ways to become a resident are to get a work visa (generally allocated only to highly-skilled workers who are... Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:15:39 -0800 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1969047 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/741618 When I was at work today a co-worker was talking bad about another co-worker to me and I did not know what to say because the person who she was talking about is a friend of mine.This has happened twice now, how do I tell the co-worker to back off?<br /><br />How about &quot;well, she&#039;s a friend of mine... if you like, I&#039;d be happy to go with you now so you can discuss the issues with her. Maybe the three of us can work them out together&quot;. Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:22:55 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/741618 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/741597 Is Scientology a cult?<br /><br />Any question like this is fraught with peril, because rigid categories don&#039;t make a very good parser for reality, in which subtleties, gray areas, and complexity rule the roost. Certainly there are some cult-like aspects to Scientology: the apparent control the church exercises over... Sun, 15 Apr 2007 07:01:56 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/741597 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740958 Steven Weinberg once said "With or without it, you'd have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, it takes religion" Do you agree?<br /><br />No, but it&#039;s not a bad start. For good people to do evil things requires... in general... that they honor some IDEA more than they honor their VALUES. I call this &quot;clinging to beliefs instead of standing for values&quot;. Now, it just so happens that religion provides a fertile... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 23:02:46 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740958 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740877 Who was Answerbag's first ever Sage?<br /><br />Technically, it was Auntie Em. At the time AB 4.0 was rolled out, she had the most points. One day the staff inserted a bug into the system which miscalculated the badges a bit, and we got a preview of what came after Brain -- suddenly, Auntie Em was a &quot;Sage&quot;, even though she was only... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 22:41:03 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740877 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740795 Today is Carmella's birthday. Would you like to join me in wishing her a Happy Birthday?<br /><br />Carmella is one of my favorite &#039;baggers of all time. Heck, one of my favorite PEOPLE of all time. (If I were any kind of decent friend, I&#039;d have a nice poem all written for her and I&#039;d post it here. But my excuse is that I&#039;ve been out of town... &lt;&lt;covers ears to... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 22:16:46 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740795 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740639 Does it feel like AB sortof died a little? It seems to have slowed down alot.<br /><br />I used to wonder about this sort of thing... whether AB was dying or not, what the changes in the rating system meant to the future quality of the site, whether trolls should be shot or hung, etc. But it always seems that whenever I get concerned about those kinds of questions, I stop having fun... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 21:45:54 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740639 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740565 Why do you suppose that atheists have a lower divorce rate than Jews and Christians?<br /><br />As I mentioned on Riff-raff&#039;s answer, I think the stats on this deserve dispute, and the notion that there&#039;s a causal connection between the divorce rates and theism or atheism is suspect. But I could go on and on about the Bible and marriage. My father was a Baptist preacher, and... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 21:31:29 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740565 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740435 In an extremely drunken state the other week I sent a topless picture to a male friend, the moment I'd done it I felt overwhelmed with guilt. My bf of 8months now knows and is finding it very hard to get o<br /><br />Well it seems strange to me that nobody has yet suggested &quot;stop drinking so much!&quot;. I don&#039;t like to finger-wag: I had a real problem with alcohol for a number of years myself. I know what it&#039;s like... you do things that are just plain STUPID when you&#039;re drunk. It... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 21:04:19 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740435 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740072 Is it wrong to distract yourself and pretend that everything is fine when you know that a friend or loved one is suffering? Even if you know there's nothing more you could be doing to help them?<br /><br />Why would you need to distract yourself or pretend? Regardless of the cause, I&#039;m generally opposed to self-distraction and pretense. Life will not be escaped... it just keeps following us around until we stop and pay attention. Presumably this person&#039;s suffering (I won&#039;t... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 19:22:19 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740072 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740012 What is your personal definition of True Love, or your views on this?<br /><br />Love is damnably difficult to define... there&#039;s different kinds, different aspects, different levels. Volumes and volumes have been written about this. How about an easier question... like &quot;who ELSE shot J.F.K.&quot;? OK &lt;&lt; sigh &gt;&gt;, what is love? Love is... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 19:07:22 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/740012 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/739943 Has anyone else had answers deleted from this section because they were critical of Scientology? Or am I the only one?<br /><br />There have been some pretty harsh criticisms of Scientology posted on AB, but I don&#039;t recall what categories they were in. You can still find deleted answers with a Google search, if you put &quot;site:answerbag.com&quot; in your search terms. I can&#039;t recall seeing more than one... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:52:54 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/739943 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/739903 Must a roman catholic seek permission from his church to convert to another religion?<br /><br />The question really doesn&#039;t quite make sense to me: if someone no longer trusts the Catholic church to provide their spiritual guidance -- i.e. they want to convert to another faith, why would they consult the church for permission? It&#039;s just too strange. Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:44:59 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/739903 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/739481 Why are Fundamentalists always the most ignorant people?<br /><br />This question is a problem. I&#039;m not a Christian, and certainly not fundamentalist, and I have many disagreements with them. But questions like this don&#039;t even approach being valid debate material -- it&#039;s nothing but an open-ended insult. What an attitude like this does is... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:26:27 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/739481 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/738839 Do people treat "Anonymous" users on Answerbag differently?<br /><br />Yes, definitely... I&#039;m less inclined to engage in long dialog or put in a lot of effort answering a question from &quot;anonymous&quot;, simply because there isn&#039;t the relationship factor -- a lot of the good stuff on AB occurs inside the friendships (and enemyships?) that form. ... Sat, 14 Apr 2007 18:04:31 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/738839 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649761 It's your first date with a new partner. Girls and guys, what do you expect from the other? It could be gifts, reactions, actions...etc...<br /><br />Well... I haven&#039;t had a first date in many years (I&#039;ve been married a long time). But the best expectations are no expectations: to just be present and participate fully with whatever happens. There is no &quot;right way&quot; for a date to go... every one is different. My job... Mon, 09 Apr 2007 19:36:57 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649761 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649483 Do you think that positive stereotypes are just as damaging as negative stereotypes (e.g. all Asians are good at Math)?<br /><br />No, I don&#039;t think positive stereotypes are as damaging as negative stereotypes. &quot;Stereotypes&quot; is just another word for &quot;categories&quot;... we all have them about many things (and people). The basis of our ability to think abstractly is completely dependent on the... Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:37:28 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649483 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649434 Do you think anyone has noticed that Tranny and I know each other in person, not just through AB?<br /><br />Hmm... I didn&#039;t know that. Are you also xxSUNSHiNExx? If so, then yes -- I knew... Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:28:09 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649434 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649403 Why is it when you have a computer problem is seems to be 10 times more frustrating than anything else?<br /><br />Because computers have a special knack of making you feel STUPID when it&#039;s their fault. (My ex-wife could do this too...!) Mon, 09 Apr 2007 18:19:48 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/649403 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/648690 Do you believe in Steelhamster?<br /><br />I believe that you believe, and isn&#039;t that what really matters? Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:53:28 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/648690 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/648607 What would be a good name for AntigoneRising's male kitty avatar?<br /><br />Catigone Felonious, III. But what are you talking about? Her kitty is definitely female... no guy dances like that. Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:35:19 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/648607 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/648496 Is suicide ever the only option left?<br /><br />Certainly there are people who are in such chronic, persistent pain that it seems like the only answer. I know someone in this condition right now: in constant physical and emotional pain, who can look forward to a future of more of the same, with no realistic hope in sight. In addition, this... Mon, 09 Apr 2007 14:05:45 -0700 http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/648496