Do these numbers seem low to you

What's the last two numbers of your SSN? [2008-05-08]
They're sending them out that way. Mine is due on Friday. I've had a lot of friends get theirs. I guess we have to be patient.

Do these numbers seem low to you? [2008-02-11]
My fasting sugar this morning was 72, which I know is kind of borderline, but the others don't seem low enough to make me feel as icky as I have been.

I would say that none of these numbers would be [2008-01-29]
something to get alarmed about. The higher numbers could possibly cause problems over a period of time and I would have my doctor check anything that is higher than normal (120/80), though.

what about the kids who paint house numbers on curbs? nm [2007-10-02]
xx

1950s paint-by-numbers on Ebay (sm) [2007-09-30]
I just gave a quick look-see and I found everything ranging from $5 to $30. Who knew?!

If her numbers are fine [2007-07-23]
I would not worry. If the drugs are toxic and make her feel worse, then it really is about the quality of her life. Take care.

I disagree. Women have gotten killed by not moving or changing their phone numbers. [2007-03-17]
l

No, talking about when they are listed with numbers. [2006-12-03]
But I don't like this: PAST MEDICAL HISTORY: *Is* significant for hypertension.... LOL

Yeah, when I use numbers, I never do that... [2006-12-03]
but I do put a lot of times: MEDICATIONS Include Zocor, Ambien, etc... If I have to list with numbers though, I drop the include. That is just common sense to me.

Selfish parents [2008-11-24]
People are selfish these days...no one wants to be bothered with their own kids...and before you think I am TOO old, I am only 49 with 18 and 24 year old sons. I A DD too sounds like she resents having to help her children with homework and extracurricular activities. That is the price you pay for the joy of raising your children...get over it. My dh and I have been active in our kids sports and school all their lives and it just shocks me at how many people give their 8-10 year olds $20 and tell them go play somewhere while they are out at a hockey rink, or school gym and these are the kids causing trouble or running around like banchees. Someone could snatch them up at any time and then they Also I Before my kids started kindergarten they knew their numbers, colors, letters, could print their name and could read some words, because my husband and I spent the time with them to teach them, spent time WITH them. that is what you do when you're a parent...sorry but this is my biggest pet peeve about parents today.

Not exactly "art" but....... [2008-11-22]
I took some beading lessons. At first it was fun and rather expensive for tools, lessons, etc., some were taught by ladies I knew, others I paid for. I bought only the best crystal and silver. Then I found out the whole rest of the world was beading. If you went to a bead show you would not believe how many people go to these things and if you go to a craft show, you see booth after booth of beaded necklaces and earrings. I did get to make some beautiful gifts which paid for itself. You can make money at it but then you have to get into licensing, etc., sales tax numbers, and be really into it. I was just happy to have it as a hobby and sometimes make things for special occasions and am greeted with oohs and ahs from the receivers. You would have to check out a few craft shows if there are any in your area. I donartist per se, but others seem to think I have talent. Havenselling but I probably could, it's just that there are so many others doing it, it's a gamble and I can't afford to gamble right now. Just my input. I tried drawing lessons and I struggled with it, so I will leave that to the talented ones. There are those to whom it comes easily. I struggle with it. Beading is addicting though, kind of like eating popcorn, gotta know when to stop. I use Firemountain Gems for my supplies. They are online and also have online free lessons. Got to crimp or else you will lose your beads, have to do it properly and use good-quality supplies. I worry too much about quality and can picture a bride walking down the aisle and psssshhhh, so I double crimp and use good stuff.

Explaining a couple of things sm [2008-11-14]
I studied IQ as part of my Masterget you because your sense of humor is probably well off the beaten track. You probably lack social skills from an early age. Your peers would play childhood games while you preferred to try to improve upon the toys they played with. In school, you didn't have to work very hard in most areas. It all came very easily. You didn't learn how to learn, which is a very valuable skill. You probably have a low frustration level and when something doesn't come very easily, you are prone to giving up. Because you see the world in completely different terms than people of more average intelligence, those same average people call you crazy or mentally ill and tell you that you should be locked up. You don't fit in and despite the higher intelligence, you are remiss to know how to accomplish the feat of being more ordinary. I alluded to this in my previous post. I have the unusual combination of being very artistic, creatively gifted AND being rather intellectually gifted. Yes, I did fall at the 99.6% percentile on the Wechsler. I know what it means and I have a firm understanding that indeed, that score suggests that I possess more intelligence than 99.6% of the people who have taken that test, and only 0.4% are smarter than I am. It has been a life-long struggle to fit in. I am too cerebral for artistic people, and too artistic for intellectuals. I literally have no one I fit in with. I have learned to tone myself down to make it work. I didn't say dumb down, I said tone down. That means I don't intentionally talk over the heads of others and I won't cram what I know down anyone's throat. I have had those people in my life who have been jealous of me. I learn quickly if it is artistic, musical, creative, the written word, history and philosophy. I struggle with math. I took piano lessons 10 years ago. I had 40 of them and had never played the piano before. In 40, 1-hour lessons I could play the Moonlight Sonata in piano solo (not a dumbed down easy version). Most people cannot do that. There many other things I have done in a similar fashion, but this is an example for you. You ask why I am an MT if I am so smart. I make very good money as an MT and I enjoy the challenge. My photographic memory comes in very handy too. I often stop and read up on a disease process I am transcribing about, so that I know what it means. Show me a word once and I'll know it forever. It makes my job easier for me to accomplish. This all sounds like I am blowing my own horn, but I am merely trying to explain. Being highly intelligent wonreally smart is not only not helpful, I think it is the root of the housecleaning issues in my life. In short, it is just great to have a good ol' high number and in the end it makes absolutely difference...if you don't count the fact that people with IQs over 150 are 3 times more likely to be depressed and commit suicide than the average population. People who are 125 to 140 are the most fortunate. They succeed in greater numbers in school, in a job, in life. They are very bright, and likely have learned how to learn. They are more likely to persevere in the face of frustration and challenge. It really isn't all you think it is.

Thank you for answering me. I [2008-11-11]
had just read an article in the August Reader's Digest about a man being treated for throat cancer, stage IV. The name is The Farther Shore by Stephen Reynolds, in his 40's. There is an insert in the article that might interest you. HPV and You While few people with HPV get oral cancer, the number is likely to keep rising, says Maura Gillison, M.D., of Johns Hopkins. 20 million Americans are infected, with 6.2 million new cases each year. So far, there is no cure and just one test and only to detect HPV in a woman's cervix. Only a biopsy can tell whether an oral cancer is linked to HPV, but a test to spot high-risk oral infection in men and women and a vaccine for men are both in the works. What you need to know: Most people with HPV infections don't have any symptoms. At least half of sexually active men and women may become infected in their lifetimes. About 23% of women ages 14 to 65 have high-risk HPV, including 35% of 14 to 19 year old girls. Gardasil protects against up to 70% of the HPV types that cause cervical cancer, but it is unknown if the vaccine protects against oral infection in men or women. While most infections clear up on their own without patients ever knowing they were exposed, the consequences can still be severe. For instance, one type of HPV raises the risk of oral cancer of 3,200 percent. The virus speads through any form of sexual activity, and condoms can't fully protect against it. Having more than 5 oral sex partners boosts the risks of HPV linked oral cancer by 340 percent. Sorry this was so long, but this is the most info I have seen on this and the numbers are, I think, staggering. I notice it does not address the vaccine in Australia you mentioned.

I'm a dog lover, and most dogs love me. - sm [2008-11-10]
I can be walking down the street, simply make eye contact with one and smile without saying a word, and the dog will usually rush up to me, wagging his tail like crazy and acting all silly and lovey-dovey. In the past, some of the absolute sweetest dogs I'd ever known were pits & rotties. But that was in the ྌs, before the big 'gangsta-dog' thing became popular. Then people started breeding these dogs more for a surly attitude than for good temperament, and it seems to be a dominant trait that's getting passed forward, even when unintended. So fast-forard to 2 weeks ago. I was out walking in my neighborhood, and was coming up a long flight of sidewalk stairs that go up the steep hill I live on. Halfway up, I saw a big brown pit bull standing there looking at me. I had seen him running loose on my street earlier in the day, and wondered whose he was, but then forgot about him. He had an aggressive body-language that I didn't like. But I'm not afraid of dogs, and continuned on up the steps, and talked to him nicely as I reached the top. But then the dog totally went off, and began barking, growling, and making charges at me. I knew to stand my ground, and first tried sweet-talking him. Didn't work. If I tried to slowly move away from him in any direction, he'd come around and try to come in at me from behind. There wasn't a soul around. I tried scaring him off, but that only exacerbated the problem, so I decided to just stand there and let him do his thing. 20 minutes later, he was just as aggressive as ever, maybe worse, because his charges were coming closer and closer. The only 'weapon' in my possession was a single can of cat food in a plastic bag, that I'd walked down the hill to the market to buy. Considered whacking him with it, but didn't want to be in that close to him. Turns out the owners were in an apartment right across the street. A couple finally came out and called off the dog, stating Oh, we didn (I doubt that - the dog had been out all afternoon.) Anyway, I told them I'd call the sheriff and/or animal control if I ever saw him out again. When I got home, I called animal control anyway, and filed a formal complaint, so that if he bit anyone in the future, there would already be a complaint against him, and he likely would not be released from the shelter. Animal control said they'd follow up with the owner, which hopefully they did. In the meantime, I did 2 things: I programmed the sheriff's phone numberinto my cellphone, which I now slip into my pocket whenever I go out for a walk. Good thing to do, anyway. The other thing is I went to Army-Navy Surplus, and bought a cannister of professional-grade pepper spray. Not the wimpy, .02% 'dog-repellent'. I doubt that would stop a pitbull. I got the 15% stuff that will bring a 200-pound, raging crack-addict to his knees and keep him there for more than an hour. That goes into my pocket, as well. Now I can walk & bike with peace of mind. Meanwhile, those pitbull owners should consider themselves very lucky that their dog went after someone who knows dogs, is not afraid, and didn't RUN. If a timid woman, or worse, a child, had come up those steps that afternoon, the resulting attack might have made the 6 o'clock news that night. There are probably still some gentle pits left out there, but I think their numbers are declining because of the current fashion statement of being a 'big bad gangsta, with my big, bad gansta-dog'. They want their dogs to intimidate people, and then they wonder why they can't rent an apartment or get homeowners insurance to cover dog bites. In some cities you have to post a $30,000 bond in order to keep one. It's little wonder that unwanted pits and pit-mixes are clogging up our animal shelters. I feel sorry for the animals, but if I were adopting, I wouldn't want the financial liability of owning one.

Husbands and money [2008-09-19]
I keep a spreadsheet of our income and expenses for a two-month time span. That way, I know in advance how much, if any, extra cash is left over on payday and can plan for any unusual expenses that might be coming up. Every couple of weeks, I sit hubby down in front of computer and together we look over where the money is going and how much cash we have until the next payday. I update it every other day as we spend pocket money, unexpected expenses etc., and keep him informed if we are broker than expected. It's never richer than expected unfortunately! I also take care of all the bills, etc., so it is easy for him to fall into a state of ignorant bliss. But I am an organized computer nerd at heart, so I like playing with the numbers. But I think if your husband had concrete numbers of your financial situation, he would realize what a difference that $3 can make.

Husbands and money [2008-09-19]
I keep a spreadsheet of our income and expenses for a two-month time span. That way, I know in advance how much, if any, extra cash is left over on payday and can plan for any unusual expenses that might be coming up. Every couple of weeks, I sit hubby down in front of computer and together we look over where the money is going and how much cash we have until the next payday. I update it every other day as we spend pocket money, unexpected expenses etc., and keep him informed if we are broker than expected. It's never richer than expected unfortunately! I also take care of all the bills, etc., so it is easy for him to fall into a state of ignorant bliss. But I am an organized computer nerd at heart, so I like playing with the numbers. But I think if your husband had concrete numbers of your financial situation, he would realize what a difference that $3 can make. Or even see that if he didn't drive home, he would save a gallon of gas a day, x5 days = $20 bucks or whatever.

If you look in the Government pages in your local phone book. sm [2008-09-17]
If you look in the government pages of your local phone book, you will find numbers for their DC office and their local offices if they have one. You can also call the White House. That number you have to call information for. You could even get the numbers online. THe area code for Washington, DC is 202.

Have you checked your thyroid? [2008-08-29]
Also read up on it, as the numbers many doctors use as the normal range really isn't accurate.

CMC JOINT REPAIR [2008-08-25]
HAS ANYONE HAD A CMC JOINT REPAIR WITH COSTOCHONDRAL CARTILAGE AND TENDON ANCHORING? MY DOCTOR SAYS I NEED THIS FOR MY ARTHRITIS, ETC.. AM CURIOUS IF ANYONE HAS ANY INFORMATION FOR ME? FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME. *Edited by moderator: No Phone numbers allowed* THANKS

that is a lot! [2008-08-19]
i almost always fill out comment cards and call the 1-800 numbers on receipts to report great service. those people deserve it and they are few and far between.

assume this is true. God help you [2008-06-29]
and get away from him. get to the women's shelter, in fact, you probably need the witness protection program. he cannot legally drop insurance on the kids with a court order. There has to be someone legal to help you and the women's shelter or crisis abuse hotline knows all the numbers. outside of your kids it does not sound like you would be leaving much behind if you just went with what you could carry. I would take ANY death threat seriously and the fact he is now turning it on the kids is worrisome. Good luck.

I can't really think of a bad one. [2008-06-28]
My b-day is the day after Christmas, and usually it's a great day for me. Everyone else has the after-holiday let down, it seems, but I get one more day. As a kid it wasn't great, because I never really had a b-day party. Everyone was visiting with family or too busy with the holiday, so it was hard to have big parties with my friends. But now as an adult, hubby and I go out to dinner every year. No one is in the restaurants or out that day, so we usually have a great time. The numbers don't bother me too much. This year will be #47. Only a little gray hair and I haven't dyed it yet. I could certainly lose a few pounds, but I'm healthy, and that's a huge plus. My youngest is 18, and we can do pretty much whatever we like when we like, but we do have a simple life. A movie or a nice hike makes me really happy. Overall, the years have been pretty good. When the bad stuff happens, I'm able to put it into perspective and keep plugging along.

ID Theft [2008-06-26]
My neighbor had this done by someone that he worked with in the personnel department. They were stealing SS numbers off of worker files. Nice huh? You can't trust anybody anymore

Why not???? Although he may be an [2008-06-20]
awful and sick person, he played his numbers just like everyone else. Being a felon does not preclude one from entering the lottery.

If you would like to further educate yourself on this issue [2008-06-12]
INTERESTING ARTICLE I realize this is very long, but as an expert in this field, I want to re-post information I sent, in September, to another blogger concerned about the Best Friends summit. I want to emphasize that the following information is based on years of dedicated research, and decades of dog training experience. I do not simply pass along information I've heard or read somewhere...which is sadly what most people, on all sides of dog-related issues, do. I recognize that some of your readers may find parts of it quite controversial. That's okay. Facts are facts, even if they conflict with some other [expert's] unresearched opinions. As such, I've opted to leave those sections in, because they're vital in refuting unfounded notions about dogs, canine genetics, and dog behaviour, which lead to myths about canine aggression. Any individual point of controversy should not take away from the overall message of fact and reason that does not support the view that any entire dog breed could be considered dangerous. Only once people stop repeating inaccurate information (no matter how good it may sound), will we ever hope to get to the heart of this issue, and start reducing the number of unprovoked dog bites. The following was written off the top of my head, in response to concerns about the Best Friends' agenda. It is not a composed article meant for publication. Please also keep in mind, it has a decidedly Canadian perspective, although there is ample U.S. data referenced. This is what I wrote (with a few minor clarifications): Dear (blogger), As you know, I am an expert in Canadian dog bite statistics. After years of research, there are a number of interesting facts I right here, in one place. The situation with unprovoked dog bites is not what nearly everyone believes it to be. If I had one pet peeve, it is that most people merely repeat things they�ve heard or read. They don�t really know if what they�re saying is true or not. They merely �believe� those things to be true, and that�s enough for them, I guess. You know what I say, �No matter how often or loudly a myth is repeated, it is still just a myth.� Some people simply like agreeing with others. Some like to pretend they�re especially knowledgeable or have unique insight. Whatever the source for so many of these myths, years of research has proven the majority of beliefs I encounter about dogs are simply untrue. Whenever discussing the issue of dangerous dogs, it's always important to remember a few key points about the dog bite statistics (especially as they pertain to Canada): 1. The most dangerous breeds in Canada are, in order: German Shepherd, Cocker Spaniel, Rottweiler, and Golden Retriever. Why do I say this? Well, this is not dog bite data, but rather dog attack data based on the reporting information from the Canadian Hospital Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP). The CHIRPP members (hospitals, and reporting physicians and nurses) have no reason to lie about the information they receive, surrounding the breed of dog that has attacked. Why do I say the most dangerous? Well, because the CHIRPP data only applies to the most severe dog attacks (i.e. those injuries serious enough to require treatment in hospital). These are not little nips that can be treated with ice or even a band aid. These are severe dog bite injuries that need to be treated in hospital. The dogs that cause the most serious injuries in Canada belong to the above-mentioned breeds, more than any others. Unlike municipal dog bite data (where any bite, no matter how inconsequential, or even against other animals, is counted), the CHIRPP data only relates to the most serious dog attacks against human victims. 2. 'Pit bulls' are rarely in the #1 spot in dog bite statistics. Any measures to restrict or ban the #2, #5, or #37 'breed' of dog in the dog bite statistics, but not #1, is pure hypocrisy. As faulty as the logic may be, if you're going to ban or restrict a type of dog in an attempt to reduce the number of dog bites, then it must be the ones who bite the most and/or cause the most serious injuries. Either way, that 'breed' is not 'pit bulls'. 3. There hasn't been one confirmed death of a child attributed to an unprovoked attack by a 'pit bull' in Canadian history. (There has been one unconfirmed death.) 4. The very first human fatality attributed to an unprovoked attack by a 'pit bull' in Canadian history occurred in May of 2006. Until then, every insinuation or claim about Canadians being in danger of being killed in unprovoked attacks by 'pit bulls' was totally unfounded. (In the Ontario case in May, the dog was actually only part 'pit bull'. It was a Labrador Retriever/'pit bull' cross, and the dog's owner was the victim.) (It should be noted that there have been at least two human fatalities in Canada attributed to unprovoked attacks by Labrador Retriever crosses, yet this was the first for a 'pit bull' cross.) 5. Municipal dog bite statistics often combine reported dog bite data against both humans and other animals. While I don�t have any problems with doing so, those citing combined statistics must be aware that the majority of the dog bite reports aren�t against people. To imply otherwise is, at best, misleading and, at worst, dishonest. For example: Toronto has arguably the largest municipal �pit bull� population in Canada. In 2004, 12 of the city�s estimated 30,000+ �pit bulls� had been reported for biting. (That�s about 0.04% of the population, by the way; leaving 99.96% of Toronto�s �pit bulls� completely innocent of such allegations.) However, the majority of those reported bites were against other animals. Only 2 of the 12 could even begin to be called �attacks� against humans. So, when 2 out of at least 30,000 dogs of a loosely-defined type are involved in attacks in an entire year, is that really justification for not just trying to ban or restrict them, but for making sweeping generalizations about all the rest? 6. No matter what dog �breed� tops the dog bite statistics, the vast majority of bites are still attributed to other breeds. To better help people understand the absurdity of a breed-based approach to dog bite prevention, let�s imagine that �pit bulls� are responsible for a virtually unheard of 10% of bites in some Canadian city. That still leaves 90% of biting dogs unaffected by any breed-based approach. This is the primary reason why breed bans have been such a colossal failure wherever they�ve been tried. The majority of biting and attacking dogs are not affected, so their owners are free to continue to behave negligently. 7. All dogs can bite. There is no such thing as a breed of dog that has never bitten, never attacked, never maimed, or never killed (a person or other animal). 8. It is the size of the victim, not the dog, which best predicts severity of injury in an attack. While even the very smallest dog breeds have killed humans, the very largest dog breeds are rarely involved in attacks. 9. Adults are rarely seriously injured by dogs of any size, while children are the most common dog bite victims. Their attackers range from the very smallest to the very largest dog breeds. 10. The dogs actually involved in attacks are not genetically related in any meaningful way. This goes right to the heart of common, yet completely unscientific, baseless claims about allegedly inheriting aggressive behaivours or being bred for aggression. In short, the dogs involved in attacks are not closely genetically related to one another. This tends to refute the idea that the attack was due to some aberrant inherited gene. Think about it. What could the Dalmatian that bit off a boy�s nose 10 years ago and the Golden Retriever that left 76 stitches in a girl�s face, just a few years ago, possibly have in common, from a genetic standpoint? Is anyone really trying to suggest they�re genetically related, and both inherited some sort of as-yet-undiscovered �attack gene�? Even the Rottweiler that killed a child in New Brunswick and the Rottweiler that killed a child in Ontario don�t share any common ancestors in their pedigrees; making the whole notion of a shared genetic cause for attacks completely ludicrous. Put simply, the individual dogs involved in unique attack incidents are not genetically related in any way other than that which makes them dogs. 11. Psychology defines aggression as learned behaviour. I�ve been researching dog biting incidents since 1999. I have yet to find a dog involved in an attack that didn�t have a known history of aggressive behaviour. Aggression has to be learned and practiced before it is perfected. I have yet to come across a case of a dog that attacked unprovoked, without ever having barked menacingly, growled, lunged, snapped, or what have you. This completely refutes the (quite silly) urban myth that �some dogs just turn�, or that dogs can be THIS unpredictable. (i.e. friendly family pet with no history of ever having behaved aggressively one minute; then savage, unprovoked attacker the next) As an experienced dog trainer (one who has spent many of those years SUCCESSFULLY re-training aggressive dogs), I can attest that dogs are not all that unpredictable. Sure, they might do something out of the ordinary, every now and then. However, for a dog to suddenly behave aggressively in a way that is truly threatening or injurious, it must have practiced those behaviours in the past. This is the nature of all learned behaviours. Only practice makes perfect. (I can elaborate more on that, if you wish.) It�s as though people can�t imagine any other form of aggressive behaviour, other than biting. To help them along, I must point out that aggressive behaviours follow a fairly predictable scale of escalation. It may begin with staring or raised hackles (all merely indicating discomfort with a situation). That can lead to raised lips, growling, stiffened body posture, menacing barking, lunging, and attempted bites. Long before an unwarranted bite ever occurs, there are a litany of warning signs that the dog will eventually bite. Even the most die-hard dog fighting breeders admit they have to start their puppies very young (often at six weeks), to turn them into superior fighters. When asked why they have to spend so much effort training their (allegedly bred-to-fight) dogs, none can provide a scientifically or practically sensible response. Most use made-up terminologies to emphasize what they believe are inherited traits, while playing down the daily training they force on the dogs. Yet it is clear that, without this ongoing encouragement, the dogs don�t become proficient fighters. I�ve researched so many cases where the owner has allegedly claimed the attack was the first time the dog behaved aggressively, I now pay little heed to such statements. The neighbours almost always tell a very different story. To use a more famous case as an example, little Courtney Trempe was killed by a dog the owner claimed had never behaved aggressively before. The owner went on to say he �couldn�t have known� the dog would attack, because it had never tried to bite a person. Well, it turns out the dog had not just attacked previously, but had actually killed two neighbourhood dogs in the past. That is an aggressive dog, by anyone�s standards. But it does bring me to my next point� 12. Aggression is aggression is aggression. The idea that aggression can be species-specific is not based in any kind of scientific, statistical, or practical data. It seems to be little more than wishful thinking. Those perpetuating this notion tend not to have even attempted to validate this theory in any way. There is a very disturbing myth being promulgated by a number of groups that should know better than to perpetuate unfounded myths. The idea that aggression towards other dogs is markedly different than aggression towards humans is scientifically and statistically baseless. (But I realize a lot of people learned this myth, and repeat it as though it is true.) I have to point out that the real-world data, in no uncertain terms, clearly refutes such theories. Of the dogs involved in their first aggression incident towards a human, the vast majority had behaved aggressively towards other animals (usually other dogs) in the past. Of the dogs involved in their first bites against humans, where the dog had no history of aggression towards humans, the majority had behaved aggressively towards other animals (usually other dogs) in the past. Of the dogs whose first bite against a person resulted in that individual�s death, and where the dog had no history of aggressive behaviour towards humans, every one of the cases I�ve investigated involved dogs that had behaved aggressively towards other dogs in the past. (see the Trempe case example, above) So, while some aggressive dogs may, for now, limit their aggressive behaviour to other animals, it in no way guarantees it will remain that way forever. Most, if not all, the first-time human biters had only behaved aggressively towards other animals, in the past. Their owners, having believed the myth that aggression is species-specific in dogs, are always surprised when their dog-aggressive dogs bite someone. Again, dog-aggression could remain contained, for a number of social and environmental reasons. Statistically, these dogs are equally as likely to bite a human, one day. Dogs with histories of aggressive behaviour (towards either humans or other animals) are almost exclusively involved in unprovoked biting incidents. 13. Nearly all unprovoked dog bites would not be prevented by dog control laws. Since dog control laws typically only apply to the conduct of owners (and their dogs) when they�re on public property, it completely negates their ability to affect the circumstances that lead to the vast majority of unprovoked dog bites. When it comes to total dog bite numbers, almost all take place on the owner�s property. When it comes to reported dog bite numbers, the overwhelming majority take place on, or directly adjacent to, the owner�s property. Supervised dogs in a public place account for less than 1% of all bites. This makes public restraint laws especially ineptly-aimed and ineffective in reducing dog bites. Most unprovoked biting incidents involve (typically an unsupervised) dog known to the victim. Whether or not the victim knows the dog, the bite usually takes place on the owner�s property (where the dog is either loose or tethered), or directly adjacent to the owner�s property (where the dog was either allowed to venture off the owner�s property, or �escaped�). Very few unprovoked biting incidents involve a supervised dog. Simple supervision appears to be very effective in preventing dog bites. When bites take place far from the owner�s property, the dogs involved were most likely loose, roaming, unsupervised dogs. Simply put, public restraint laws don�t target the situations that actually lead to unprovoked dog bites. 14. Cities that address the real causes of unprovoked dog bites (i.e. lack of supervision & lack of socialization and training) are hugely successful in reducing the number of dog bites. Calgary is the best example we have in Canada. They reduced dog bites by 70%, even during a period where the population doubled. Calgary�s approach was to first enforce existing laws. They strictly enforce licensing, and boast a licensing rate of 90% (compared to most cites� 10-20%). In this way, they have a better handle on the dog population in their community, which helps in making decisions and drawing conclusions. They also have a zero tolerance policy for acts of aggression. (Something I�m personally totally in favour of. Dogs are not weapons, and anyone who unethically uses a dog for that purpose shouldn�t be allowed to own one.) Any report of aggressive behaviour of any kind results in a visit from animal control and a warning. City officials are clear, in that they agree one of the biggest aspects of their success was the creation of ample off-leash areas for dogs to be exercised, socialized, and trained off-leash. With reportedly the largest number of off-leash parks in Canada, it�s no coincidence that Calgary also has the lowest dog bite rate of any major city in Canada. Several years ago, I made this prediction, �When the studies are done, we�ll find the cities with the best access to off-leash parks are also the cities with the lowest percentage of dog bites.� Calgary certainly suggests my prediction was correct. Finally, Calgary increased the penalties for some transgressions. Combined with increased enforcement, the large percentage of licensed dogs, along with the higher fines, has led to Calgary�s animal control department becoming financially self-sufficient. It�s win, win, win, in Calgary, all because they addressed the real causes for unwarranted aggression in dogs. 15. Breed-specific approaches to dog bite prevention have failed. There isn�t one region that can claim a reduction in the number, or severity, of dog bites as a direct result of banning a breed of dog. In Winnipeg, officials promoting the city�s long-time ban on �pit bulls� often misleads the public by stating ��pit bull� attacks� have been eliminated. Well of course they�ve been eliminated. �Pit bulls� are banned in Winnipeg. You don�t have to be rocket scientist to figure that out. There are also no wooly mammoth attacks or saber toothed tiger attacks, either. When Winnipeg banned �pit bulls�, German Shepherds, and their crosses, were far and away the most common biters in that city. After �pit bulls� were banned, there was an average of close to 50 more bites per year, for the following decade. In addition to the rise in overall dog bites, the number of bites by German Shepherds and crosses, Labrador Retrievers and crosses, Terriers crosses, and Rottweilers and crosses, skyrocketed. Kitchener is another example. The city of Kitchener banned �pit bulls� in 1997, without ever having done an analysis on the city�s dog bite data. Only after �pit bulls� were banned was it discovered they were #8 in the 1996 dog bite statistics, �right behind #7 Poodles,� as it is commonly said. In what could only be a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, officials immediately halted the collection of dog bite data by breed. Even so, while we don�t know which breeds have been doing the biting, we can still determine if the �pit bull� ban has been effective in reducing dog bites in Kitchener. Every animal bite is required, by law, to be reported to the Medical Officer of Health. With a sleuthing, it was discovered that dog bites haven�t been reduced at all, since �pit bulls� were banned in 1997. They�ve remained pretty constant. According to a BBC report, hospitalizations due to dog bites rose 25% after �pit bulls� were banned in England. Officials from most of the cities that have repealed breed-specific laws have used terms like �ineffective� and �unenforceable�. 16. All dog breeds are genetically identical. Even DNA can�t distinguish between a Chihuahua, a �pit bull�, a Great Dane, and a wolf. (Yes, while there are occasional claims of in-roads, in this area, using markers, all dogs are still considered genetically identical.) Those rare individuals with the personal expertise necessary to accurately attempt to determine a dog�s breed based on appearance alone typically are not employed in the various occupations charged with enforcing most breed-specific legislation. This leaves the subjective determination of a dog�s breed to the very inexpert animal control and shelter workers. In some cases, police officers must decide the dog�s breed, yet not one police officer is trained to (accurately) differentiate between dog breeds. The same can be said of veterinarians. A veterinary license infers expertise in diagnosing and treating illness, for the most part. Neither practicing veterinarians nor veterinary students are required to prove any expertise in breed identification in order to obtain a license. Any expertise an individual veterinarian may possess, in terms of breed identification, or even dog training and behaviour, was most likely acquired outside the requirements of licensing. Because the people enforcing breed-specific laws are not dog breed identification experts, the likelihood of misidentification is unconscionably great. (In Ontario, several dogs have already been misidentified, under breed-specific ordinances.) 17. The public is not in danger of unprovoked dog bites. For instance, every recent dog-related fatality in Canada has involved dogs and victims residing within the same home. The same could be said for the majority of bites and attacks, as well. This is very important information, in terms of quelling the public�s hysteria. �The public� is rarely involved in unprovoked biting incidents. Most bite victims knew the dog and were voluntarily interacting with it at the time of the bite. Most bite victims are bitten by their own dogs. If you don�t own a dog, your risk of being bitten is very low. If you also don�t interact with dogs, or live next door to a dog that is routinely left unsupervised, or one that is known to behave aggressively, then your risk of being bitten is virtually nil. Even when we don�t account for contributing factors (such as proximity) you are still more than 100 times more likely to be hit by lightning than killed by a dog. (In Canada, the likelihood of being killed by a dog you don�t know or live with is virtually zero.) 18. �Pit bulls� are, if anything, less likely to bite. In the U.S., �pit bulls� are estimated to make up 9% of the dog population, yet they typically only make up 2-4% of dog bites, nationwide. In case your readers don�t understand what that means, it would be expected, purely on population alone, that 9% of dog bites would be attributed to �pit bulls�. Since less than half (even a third) of bites are reportedly caused by �pit bulls�, this suggests they�re much less likely to bite than should be expected. 19. �Pit bulls� are less likely to kill than people. In the U.S., even extremely conservative estimates suggest that only 0.00002% of the �pit bull� population has killed. This is much lower than the human population (men, in particular). Whatever someone�s views about �pit bulls� might be, it can�t change the fact that at least 99.99998% have never, and will never, kill anyone. 20. 99.9% of all dogs, from all breeds, will never be involved in an attack. Huge generalizations about dog breeds is not only unscientific, it�s not even practically accurate. I like to put it this way, �If any �breed� were genetically programmed to attack, certainly more than 0.1% of them would.� 21. The media. While I don�t want to get into a protracted discussion about the lack of honesty in media reports of dog bites, I will summarize by saying that reviewing media reports of dog biting incidents is not �research� because the media is extremely biased in regards to which stories it chooses to cover. The media reports dog biting incidents involving �pit bulls� to the near-exclusion of all others. In addition, they use other tactics to exaggerate the details, such as salacious language, or references to other dog biting incidents involving �pit bulls�. There are countless incidents of media bias. In Ontario, a �pit bull� killed another dog, and it was front-page news, that reappeared in the media for weeks. The owner was swiftly taken to jail. Around the same time, two Labs killed another dog, and attacked a �pit bull� without any real media interest. The owner of the Labs was not charged with any serious offence. There are other blatant incidents, as well. One weekend, two off-leash dogs (one of them being a �pit bull�) got into a squabble, and every major media agency reported the incident. That same weekend, a child was mauled by the family�s Golden Retriever, and not one media outlet covered the story. A child was mauled so savagely by his grandfather�s Labrador Retriever, he required treatment at two Ontario hospitals. Only one media outlet covered this story in just one broadcast. Again, relying on the media for the facts of dog biting cases is not advised. Naturally, I could go on. But there you have a pretty good primer (off the top of my head), regarding the facts about the who, what, where, when, how, and why dogs bite unprovoked. Because I kept encountering the same story, over and over and over again, in my research of dog biting incidents, I was led to create a dog bite prevention strategy that deals with the factors common to nearly all the cases I�d investigated. I made it simple, and easy to remember. And I made sure not to include anything that would require an individual to develop some kind of expertise. People who don�t own dogs or aren�t experienced dog trainers still have a right to protect themselves from unprovoked dog bites. The following is what I call, the �3 Simple Steps to Dog Bite Prevention�: 1. Avoid unsupervised dogs. 2. Never leave children unsupervised with dogs. 3. Ensure our own dogs are properly trained and adequately supervised at all times. By following these �3 Simple Steps�, we could virtually eliminate unprovoked dog bites in Canada. It is not just important, but vital, to know what ACTUALLY causes dogs to bite unprovoked, if we ever hope to reduce those numbers. Obtusely theorizing about possible causes or solutions is not helpful and, as in the case of breed-specific legislation, is often harmful to both humans and dogs. If you would like more information, please don�t hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Marjorie Darby Founder,

FOREIGNERS [2008-06-04]
Think about it ---- our politicians have allowed foreigners to create the perfect storm in this country. Every family in American has been devastated by the gas expense crisis. This gas issue has affected most businesses in America to some degree, many of which are going under. People are also loosing their homes in record numbers. Auto plants are closing, causing tens of thousands of people to be unemployed. The only ones with money are the foreigners, and they know it. While we are paying, monitarily and with the lives of our young people, these foreigners are taking full advantace of us --- and our politicians are letting them. Even illegal immigrants in this country are entitled to free unlimited health care, free social services, free legal services, etc., all on the backs of already sinking Americans. AMERICANS FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does my hubby love me? [2008-05-25]
Guys, I feel so sick to my stomach right now. I really do not know what to do. Some time last year I posted on here about how I had caught my hubby looking at gay and transexual porn on the net. He had also been calling a lot of phone sex numbers. The looking at gay and tranny porn stopped so I never confronted him about that but I did confront him about the phone sex lines and he said he just called to listen and never talked to anyone. He said he did it to get back at me b/c I had been chatting with some guy friends online. Yeah...whatever. That did not even make since but I let it slide b/c we were going through a tough time with us losing our house. Well now we have an apartment and I really though things were going to be better but it I feel sad and unhappy most of the time. I love him sooooo much and would die for him but I feel like he does not love me like I do him. We have been married for a little over a year and I have to beg him for sex, he never touches me, never kisses me except for them to be chicken pecks like you would give your mom and dad, never cuddles me. I feel so alone. And he has a child from a previous relationship and the only thing he loves and cares about is that child. I know he is not going to put me before his child and I understand that, but I would like to be as important to him as he is...I mean I When his son is here, I am invisible. I could get in my car and be gone for hours and I do not think he would even realize I I bend over backwards for him and do anything and he won He always talks about all this crap he wants and I have to listen to it and I never ask for one single thing. When I want to talk about something concerning me he don He never tells me I look good anymore or anything. I feel like I am fat, ugly, and a waste of oxygen sometimes. I know I shouldn I feel so unloved. I got married hoping to never feel lonely again and now I feel more lonely than ever. I don I miss it so much. I feel like it Anyways, besides all that, after having caught him looking up gay and tranny porn I installed spy software on the pc to monitor what he does. He has been looking at regular porn which i do not mind but now he has stopped that and has been looking at craig Porn did not bother me because it is not real..it but craig And he is not looking for women, he is looking at tranny He did it yesterday with me right outside! Oh God what do I do? What if he is looking to really act out on this? Is he gay? Tell me what you guys think. I just wish I could go to sleep some times and never wake up. I just want to go home to my mom, dad, and bro and be happy again.

they have a date list on the IRS website [2008-05-23]
If you go over to http://www.irs.gov you can check on when you should get your money. They also have a spot somewhere on there where you can check to see how much you should be getting. You should get your check based on the last two numbers of the main social security number, the bigger the number, the later your check will come.

Bread at Sams [2008-05-21]
I know this isn't latte, but my husband and I found a certain organic wheat bread at Sam's Club that we absolutely loved. It was 4 loaves in a bag for around 5 bucks....great price and great bread. It was fresh bread, so 15 minutes in the oven and it was ready!!!! They discontinued it and I called them. The marketing guy said he knew exactly what I was talking about because he and his wife loved it also, but the numbers showed it wasn't selling as well, so they placed it in different places in the store locally, but it still didn't sell well, so they discontinued it. I can't imagine that because every time I went in, there were tons of empty boxes I had to move around to get to the new ones. Did they tell you it wasn't selling well?

I have economized and it has paid off sm [2008-05-13]
I live in a mobile home I bought excessively used. It is fully paid for. My car is 1996 and while it has 123K for mileage, it is still running just fine and I am told will go to 200K. It is paid for. I own a lovely piano, paid for. Clothing I either make or buy on the sale tables from Walmart. I especially like that most of my tops only cost me $3 or $5. I take good care of my clothing and much of it I have had for several years. Since I have chosen carefully I like what I have. Same for shoes. Same for what little costume jewelry I have. Same for my budget bedding. I buy household stuff second hand because I like certain tacky nick nacks from the 1950s. I even shop for the lowest prices at second hand shops. Now, I have not had a vacation in 13 years, it is true. I am just now getting used to having to take 2 full days off every week and managing those 2 days without sitting down to work is hard. I do, however, have a lovely home and no debt. I only work one job and I do pretty well ($40K a year). I am able to have enough taxes withheld not to worry about it. I have insurance too. After that, I can pay my bills and I manage to put back about $500 to $700 a month, depending on my line counts. I have no idea what I am saving for right now, but it feels good to watch the numbers climb. I literally put every fourth paycheck in the savings account. I DO eat what I want when I want. I have also stock piled canned foods because of food prices. I buy lost leaders at the grocery store for the most part. If it has a store special tag on it, I am going to choose it over something else. I am at a point where I don There is no place close I I am an avid sale and clearance shopper, and while I am not longer at the point in my life where this is a necessity, it is so ingrained (did I spell that right?) that I can Some people may get off on buying an expensive item, but I get my thrills out of seeing how little I can spend to get what I want. Example is a flat pack entertainment center I wanted. Original price was $120 and I got it for $32. Nothing wrong with it and it was easy to put together, just clearing out for new styles. I had wanted one for a year before I bought this one, but found that price and jumped on it with great joy. Since I know perfectly well that working harder and longer is not really an option, I chose to cut my spending and now I am really happy.

To all those wondering about stimulus checks SM [2008-05-12]
who are not direct deposit . . Got mine in the mail Friday and my last two numbers were 06.

schedule for lynn [2008-05-03]
http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=180250,00.html DIRECT DEPOSIT Last two SSN digits: Payments will be transmitted no later than: 00 through 20 May 2 21 through 75 May 9 76 through 99 May 16 Paper checks will also go out based on Social Security number. For Social Security numbers ending in 00 through 09, the paper checks will be mailed starting May 9 and will continue through May 16. A similar process will be repeated in the following weeks. PAPER CHECK Last two SSN digits: Payments will be mailed no later than: 00 through 09 May 16 10 through 18 May 23 19 through 25 May 30 26 through 38 June 6 39 through 51 June 13 52 through 63 June 20 64 through 75 June 27 76 through 87 July 4 88 through 99 July 11 People who file a return after April 15 will receive their economic stimulus payment, but probably later than the schedule shows. A return must be filed by October 15 in order to receive a stimulus payment this year. See the online calculator for an estimate of the amount you will receive. A small percentage of tax returns will require additional time to process and to compute a stimulus payment amount. For these returns, stimulus payments may not be issued in accordance with the schedule above, even if the tax return was processed by April 15. Related Items: IR-2008-66, Economic Stimulus Payments on the Way; Some People Will See Direct Deposit Payments Today IR-2008-44, IRS Announces Economic Stimulus Payment Schedules, Provides Online Payment Calculator Return to Economic Stimulus Payment Information Center

ESL students in elementary schools [2008-04-02]
They probably bought the store from a cousin. I grew up in public schools where about 1/3 of my fellow students in elementary school were SE asian refugee children and some spanish speaking children and some who spoke other things. My teachers did not know what to do with classes of 33 students (5 over limit) where they had students speaking Laotian, Cambodian, Vietnamese, Spanish, and who knows what else, and little to no English. These kids spent an hour a day in ESL but they never caught up (maybe by senior year in high school, some of them) . There is another method where they spend their first year in intensive ESL study before going into the regular classroom. Since kids learn languages better the younger they are, this makes a lot more sense. I know that I and other students were slowed down by this problem in the classroom (as well as the fact that the school could not keep up with the numbers and our classes were overcrowded).

We got rid of our landline. [2008-03-14]
We have 3 cells in this house (mine, DH's, and DS's) the girls know how to use them and know all the phone numbers and our address. We do have that locator feature on the phone..that if you dial 911, they can locate you. We live pretty close to neighbors and the fire station too...we could run over to the firehouse/ambulance station faster then 911 could dispatch them!