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town, 9800, but 20 minutes close to [2008-11-21]
houston

Do you have friends close by? Joining a church can be very [2008-11-11]
nm

Is cellphone bill of close to $400 a month typical?sm [2008-11-01]
I It isn I find it very high, but DH says it may be from texting or whatever. Person has state of the art phone, which does many things, but $400? Thanks.

She is only 19 and we are so close sm [2008-10-29]
I told her this week that I will always love her as her mom, support her like her mom, be concerned for her like her mom, but that we have both allowed our relationship to flower into a friendship where one happens to be 28 years older than the other and that one gave birth to the other. She has given me so much to be proud of, so much to be thankful for, and this is part of it.

Transfer your banking business to a free checking account [2008-10-22]
Washington Mutual Compass Bank, and many others offer completely free checking accounts. There’s no reason you should be paying maintenance and annual fees for a checking account.

No where even close....100Kyes?? No 5 is avg. sm [2008-10-11]
But no I have to wait (Express line only - can understand regular line) for somenone to fill out a piece of paper to be handed back to them? Um, No! Sorry, donget me out of here ASAP.

you are close-minded...sm [2008-10-07]
What about these other dogs such as German shepards and Rotties, and even some of the little ones like my sister's boston terrier that tried to attack my son? I didn't get angry. I just said you know I know she is sweet with ya'll but she has to stay outside when I go over because she is aggressive towards other people. I have had a poodle try to bite me. I don't ever get mad at the owners cause I know these dogs are gentle and kind with them, but I am not familiar and it is doing what its instincts are, which is to protect its territory and owners. My beagle does not like other female dogs. She will try to bite. If you knew this sweet little beagle you would say no way would she try to bite but with another female dog yes she will. ANY dog can bite. ANY dog can be dog aggressive. ANY dog can be people aggressive. But lets face it, the pit is prejudiced becaues it is a pit. It is a big muscular scary looking dog. So therefore it has no right to share the instincts most dogs have? It isn't a pit thing, it's a dog thing. Banning dogs is unfair. If we are gonna ban dogs then lets be fair and ban ANY aggressive dog. If that was the case and we banned all breeds who showed any aggression we wouldn't have any breeds left because all dogs can be aggressive.

Close friend has dog which is half pitbull. She is very gentle, but [2008-10-04]
nm

I just recently went out and got my own account sm [2008-09-20]
to avoid the arguments over money. He is not very happy about it, but I told him that after 18 years of being together I cannot have this argument any longer. My husband was a real mama's boy and he got whatever he wanted when he was a child (an ONLY child BTW). I came from a large family where I wore my brother's hand me downs and share clothes with my sisters. I have decided it is never going to change, but I needed to get that stress out of my life. I told him as long as you pay these bills, your leftover money is yours to do whatever it is you want to do. I am exhausted with this situation. I love my husband, the children adore him, so I am hoping this will help the stress in our marriage so we can stay together. I am sorry to stay this will only get worse. We don't even have a house, we rent an apartment for God's sake. He has no desire to even buy a house . . . I am going to try to qualify on my own. Wish my luck . . .

we are closing on a house next month and mortgage [2008-09-17]
need to come up with some cheap ideas too!! I have several baskets that i have collected over the years and plan on going to the Dollar Tree and getting girlie stuff and filling them up for around $5-10 each, depending on size. My family knows this year is going to be hard on us, so that helps!

Same here - closing on house end of next month [2008-09-17]
and these ideas are great. I did craft projects for Christmas last year and was a bit overwhelmed because I started to late, so this year I'll need to get started earlier. I love the family tree idea, as well. I may have to borrow that one. Thanks!

We had that happen with an old dial-up account [2008-08-31]
But there was no advanced warning or anything. One month our bill was what they said it would be and the next month it had doubled if not tripled. They told us it was because we were unusually heavy users. I don

Sounds like we work on the same account! [2008-08-05]
LOL I get irate too, report after report about illegals and all the free crap they get, and doctors even giving them advice on how to get more freebies.

How do you like to close your letters? [2008-07-25]
I use Cordially a lot. I have a new job where I'm writing to business people a lot and don't want to use Cordially all the time, nor do I want to copy what they use. I've received Best Wishes the most. I guess there are the old standbys, like Sincerely or Sincerely yours (capital Y in yours) but those feel weird. Can Thanks count?

Closing letters [2008-07-25]
How about Kindest or Kindest Regards,?

If you are set on closing, do not close the old ones, close a newer account first. [2008-06-18]
Your credit is based on a mix of things like history, types of accounts, mix of credit (revolving vs installment), usage/utilization of credit available, and payment history. Where closing could hurt your score is the part of the score that averages history of accounts/length of credit. If you decide to close, close out a newer account first. The best way to protect from ID theft as far as credit is to freeze your credit reports. It's around $10 per agency to freeze them. Each credit reporting agency tries to sell your their own monitoring plan when you get to the how to freeze information, so make sure you are freezing it. You can't freeze it over the net they each require a letter by registered mail. It takes about 1 month to freeze it. Right now you can place a fraud alert on your reports for free. The credit *should* not extend credit or do a credit line increase without calling the phone # on your credit report first. You only need to do it at one credit reporting agency and the other ones will be notfied. The number for equifax fraud alert 1-888-766-0008. It's automated. If you are concerned about ID theft try one of the monitoring plans. I've tried a few of them and Equifax has the best one. Their Score Watch is great, you set the limits to be notified and any change they send an email literaly the next day. I used it after I discovered ID theft. It might be a waste of money for you. I would place the fraud alerts, then the freeze, and check your reports 2x per year. I've had ID theft as far as my name/social but what concerns me more than credit ID theft is bank account theft. I don't know how we can fight that. It seems like consumers get the raw end of the deal as far rights when deposit accounts are stolen.

Close your eyes and imagine my situation...sm [2008-06-09]
It is 49 degrees, drizzly rain (had 1 cold, dry day out of 6),and we are expecting another week of rain. Mountains are expecting 6-12 inches of SNOW. Radio weather guy called this month Junuary. Now if only there was a way to mix your weather with mine we would have...tornadoes. Never mind. BTW: I used to live in PA so you have my sympathy.

Don't close them if you are thinking about [2008-06-04]
a mortgage, etc. I have been advised to leave them open as this raises your available credit, thus helping your score. I have read several articles and the general concensus is to leave them open. I have a couple the cards are just in the bill folder. Will not use them. However, if the temptation would be too great for you, perhaps you should close them.

Credit Score will hardly be touched by closing them [2008-06-04]
xx

Well, rats! So close and yet so far! - nm [2008-05-20]
x

We had an extremely close call...twice [2008-04-26]
One night our family went for a walk our neighborhood. DD had our Maltese on a leash and DS has our Jack Russel on a leash. It was just turning to dusk and a car was coming up behind us. Our neighborhood is a housing development so there are no sidewalks. We separated DH and DD went to one side of the road and DS and I went to the other side. Well our maltese is attached to me at all times and didn't like being separated from me. She pulled so hard she broke the little metal ring on the harness and ran right in front of the car. The car wasn't going that fast but some how Casey ended up running out the back of the vehicle and straight home he was so scared. I was screaming, we raced home and there he set on our front porch with a tiny little cut on top of his head. The people in the car did stop and then came to our house to check on him. The next scare was even worse. Took both dogs to the vet and DD was taking them to the car while I was paying the bill. She ran back inside and said Lilly (the Jack Russell) got loose. I ran out the door as Casey was running back inside (looking for me). Well went spent 20 minutes running all over the neighborhood trying to find Lilly. Finally she had run in someones garage and when they realized what was happening shut the garage door and then let us in their front door so we could get her. Thanks heavens there are real animal lovers out there.

My sister has a newer one than mine, sm [2008-04-04]
and it is not nearly as heavy or cumbersome as the older ones. Best vacuum in the world. I dump the water in a bag and then put it in the trash can. No problem. Also, you wonquickie cleaning.

Seems most poeple are not taking into account [2008-04-02]
that this man beat her! He may have not hit her in the past four years but believe me, there is a good chance he will do it again. She is NOT in love with him so why stay with someone you have NO feelings for and do not desire sexually? Is therapy REALLY going to make her fall in love with this man again? Is he going to be HONEST with her....he hasn in fact, sounds as though he shows no emotion at all. My question is - how do you stay with someone you do not love any longer no matter what unresolved issues there are. The only issue I would feel is that there is NO love - if there is NO love, I MOVE ON and did after 29 years.

Can you close the door on your relationship and not look back? sm [2008-03-24]
Of course, you will need to be in touch for the sake of the children, but you as a person need to be able to look back and have no *what ifs* to ponder about. You need to know in your head you have turned over every stone and mustered every bit of strength in your possession and tried everything you possibly could before you end this. Otherwise, it will forever sit like a huge weight on your back and make it hard on in life. You also need to be able to speak about your husband in an objective manner for the sake of the children. I agree with the other poster who suggested counseling for the children. Please consider that no matter what else you decide for yourself. Oh, how I do wish my parents had done the same for me as a child. Their relationship has left me withwounds so easily reinjured and made some things in life very tough for me. Best wishes to you.

If I was close to retirement, then I'd [2008-03-18]
work in a flower or gift shop or even a coffee shop part-time. It I Sorry to take it out on you, but you asked. I


Google

I used to live in a town of 200, but now (sm) [2008-11-22]
I live in a city in the southwest that I believe is close to a population of 1 million or will hit 1 million shortly. It was definitely a shock coming from a small, midwestern town of 200, but I love the big city! :)

Help is a safety net you have paid for sm [2008-11-21]
Food stamps are a safety net we all pay for, all forms of public assistance are things we have been paying for all along. TAKE the help you need! Do move closer to family if you possibly can. I have been in your shoes myself. I lost my home to foreclosure 4 years ago because of having a near-fatal drug interaction and losing my job of nearly 7 years. I made a couple of moves and finally ended up in a small town out of state from where I had lived for 30 years. I lived with a close friend for about 9 months and had the opportunity to buy a mobile home for $3000. The people I bought it from said I could make payments and I was able to pay it off in 5 months. It needed a lot of work and it has gotten it, most of which I have done myself. This project really helped me to regain parts of myself I had lost. It gave me a reason to get up and get going on my days off. I turned this ugly old thing into a lovely, comfortable home I cherish. I have lost about 50-60 lbs since living here and I have brought the idea of vastly cutting expenses in line with making more money. The end result is that I am very well off financially, better than in my entire life. DO get medication to help you if you can. I didn't have medication to help because I am allergic to every psychotropic in existence. I did this by pulling myself up by the boot straps, but if I could have had help, I would have. There IS a brighter future out there. You CAN have that brighter future because you DESERVE IT. That said, no one expects you to get there alone!!! Don't be embarrassed to ask and receive help. You will be able to help others later. Years ago, when my kids were young, I was a single parent, no support and it was Christmas time. My kids didn't even have adequate clothing or food. A neighbor I hardly knew handed me a Christmas card. Inside was a $100 gift card to K-Mart. She said that many years before that, she had been in my shoes and someone had given her $100 one Christmas, she was now paying this forward to me. The only provision was that I return this favor when I could, and that I bought something for myself too because I deserve nice things for my hard work. It was a turning point for me. I have been more of a giver since. Although I could have paid this back last year, I didn't know anyone who would appropriately benefit. This year, I do and I had to tell her that I was going to do this and why. She cried and felt embarrassed because, she said, she was usually in the position to give and it hurt a little to receive. I reminded her that she was GIVING me the gift of giving with pleasure. Others are going to give to you with pleasure, love, friendship and concern for your well being. TAKE IT. One day you'll post back here about how good things are and I'll want to hear it.

moving out of state [2008-11-21]
Check your divorce laws in your states. Many states will not let you or your (ex) spouse move out of state without permission of the other. Some even have a mileage radius. I think it's to keep both parents close to the kids and not having one parent run far away so the other can't ever see the kids again. My kids were 5 and 1 when I was in the process of getting divorced, and I moved out of state before I realized this. Fortunately my ex realized and understood the need for me and the kids to be close to my family for support, so it was written in the papers that it was okay for me to move out of state and he signed it.

I would have divorced a long time ago....sm [2008-11-21]
when my husband had a drug problem. I didn't because my son told me he would not come with me but that he would choose to stay with his dad. He was around 7 years old at the time. I couldn't leave my son. So I didn't leave. He is so close to his daddy. He would pick his dad drugs and all over me any day of the week and that hurt me very bad because I have always been a good mom. So I stayed. I guess God helped me though because my husband quit using drugs miraculously later and we are doing pretty good now.

I have a friend who left her live-in ...sm [2008-11-21]
boyfriend of 11 years who she had a baby with because he was doing drugs and wasn't coming home at night, going to strip clubs after work and not coming home, etc. She lived in MS close to me and her parents and all of her family lived in Las Vegas, NV. She left and never looked back. She said it was the hardest thing she ever had to do but she doesn't regret it and is so much happier now.

Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation 1863 [2008-11-19]
Abraham Lincoln while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.By The President: Abraham LincolnWilliam H. Seward, Secretary of State

Don't use your debit cards [2008-11-19]
I had a problem with fraud on my account through them. Surely they have fixed it by now, as this was last year and the year before (yes 2 separate occurrences, both at xmas time). So I would not suggest using any cards there but cash only. I do agree that it seems to be a great idea for teens. Their prices are great and our location has always been helpful with advise, returns, etc. Another good idea I have found for teenagers is a gift card for restaurants or gas stations. It helps their parents a bit and if they have a girlfriend/boyfriend places like AppleBees or Red Lobster are nice so that they can go on a nice date and not have to worry about $30 for the bill. Even with a part-time job that's a lot of money for a teenager! :) My nephew actually requests it.

Here is how to measure yourself sm [2008-11-19]
Measure under your bust, around your rib cage where your bra band goes. Take that number and add 5 inches. That is your band size (i.e. 35 inches +5 you are a 40). Then, measure around the fullest part of your bust. This will determine your cup size. Using the BAND SIZE (adjusted measurement above)... 1 inch bigger = A cup 2 inches bigger = B cup 3 inches bigger = C cup 4 inches bigger = D cup 5 inches bigger = DD cup etc. By this method, I am supposed to be a 36C, but I know that Hanes Her Way and some Bali's I need a 36D. You still have to try stuff on, obviously (it should be obvious but I have bought thinking I knew and could not return them!) because styles and brands vary a bit. I will say this about Wonder Bras and others with removable padding in them...they just are not as nice and smooth as one that is molded foam for pushing up. I think it is either Vasserette or Bali that makes several styles with foam cups with the pad molded in. And...your bra should fit on the very last hook always and be parallel to the floor, not riding up in back or front. You should not look like your breastages are pushed squished up towards middle. That is not like pushing up, that is from cups that are too close together to start with, the wrong size bra! I used to wear a 38, but I didneven and only one cup would be full at a time. Umm they were too close together? I got a 38 and discovered I had more chest than I had thought. Now, I have dropped 55 lbs and I am back to a 36. So, if you shift weight, remeasure.

I'm in Florida and spend about $175/wk for 5 sm [2008-11-18]
I5 and 158 lbs,eats more than my husband, who is 6 and 345 lbs. FIL had to have a feeding tube put in last July, and I had to cut down meals by half because we were having so many leftovers and wasting money. Just when I thought I had it figured out, he was able to get the tube removed, so II donwe (FIL and I) will just eat a sandwich or leftovers from the fridge As far as special foods, we dona recipe, and for a while we were buying meat ata butcher shop but have had to cut that out for now. It was really good but was close to DH's work, and if he couldn't pick it up while he was in the area, it was a 45-minute drive. I cook most things from scratch, except lasagna because I hate making it. Once a month, we have a luncheon at church that I bring a dish and a dessert, and I cook Wednesday night dinner there one night per month, but I get reimbursed for the Wednesday night dinner. I do include paper products and toiletries in with my grocery budget but that's it, and I usually go to Sam's once a month for those. I have it easy compared to my parents though. My dad got paid once a month, and there were 4 kids at home all the time, 5 when my sister came up during the summer. They used to have 3 grocery carts slap full of food, and my mom figured out that it took something like 18 boxes of cereal to last a month, each one with a date marked on it so we didnWe also hada freezer to keep extra bread and other things, and my mom also used to mix in powdered milk when the gallon was half-way gone. I never knew until I was grown, so she definitely blended it well.

Honda Honda Honda [2008-11-17]
I has 286K miles & still runs perfectly first time, every time. I LOVE my car, & if Detroit had been smart enough & had the foresight to do something similar way back when, they wouldn't need a bailout now.

I say forgive, of course, but forget, NO WAY......sm [2008-11-16]
To be a true friend and truly care for someone, you first have to respect them and honor their dignity....how can care for anyone, friend, lover, or whatever, if you cannot be TRUTHFUL? How can you say you respect someone whiile blatantly lying to them? As a Christian and hopefully good person, I belive we always have to forgive, but to forget as if nothing had happened, that is impossible, I would think. She betrayed you by lying, not by seeing your ex, that is HER problem if she wants a second-hand loser, but friendship is a sacred bond, I am sure you can forge some newer, better friendships, can you ever feel any confidence in this woman again? Just my firm opinion, I had this done to me many years ago when very young, and although we tried, the friendship was never the same, for obvious reasons. God bless in your decision!

What I 'used' to do [2008-11-14]
They had a store in my area where you could buy canned goods without labels by the case. That was nice. The store is no longer there. If there is astore that have off-brand names, buy there. For example,I bought 16 ounces of extra virgin olive oil from Italy for $4.99. There is also a store in my area that have name brands but they are close to expiration. I haven't been there yet, but you can buy Hamburger Helper at 4 for $5 every day. Buy store brands instead of national brands. When there is sale, buy more than one and use coupons whenever possible. Two other stores have sales where you can buy items 10 for $10. Examples of the items are Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes, canned tomatoes, tuna, pasta, Pregoor Hunts spaghetti sauce, ketchup, etc.I stock up then. Canned and dehydrated items are good items to stock up on, as are canned meats (good for casseroles). Butter and cheese is a bit tough to store. They say you can freeze butter without much of a problem, and I tested cheese, but it crumbles when it thaws. If you have a farmer's market in your area, buy tomatoes and freeze them. They're good for casseroles and soups. Peppers and onions freeze okay for the same reason. I don't like frozen green beans, but they freeze well, as does corn. Root veggies keep well in a cool, dry place for a few months. A book I have said you can keep them for a few months if you put them in a box andcover withsawdust (I haven' t tried this). They supposedly also keep well in the ground itself if you cover with large bales of hay. If you live in a city, that could be a problem.

Been there done that [2008-11-13]
If you haven't already, read books about Adult Children of Alcoholics. My dad was a serious alcoholic who managed to hold down 2 full time jobs. He was either coming home drunk in the middle of the night and waking up everyone fighting with my mother, or when he would have a day off, he was an awesome fun Dad. He never drank at home or in front of us. So it was very confusing. Fast forward many years, at 63 he was diagnosed with cirrhosis and bleeding ulcers and had an emergency subtotal gastrectomy because he almost died. From there on, he stopped drinking because he had to, not because he wanted too. He died less than 3 years later. He lived with me for the last 2 years and I took care of him, and we became very close. It didn't erase all the bad stuff, but I was at peace when he died. I would try to make amends with your Dad now and let go of the past, because to put it bluntly you are a big girl now and you can't be angry about your childhood forever. It is not healthy.

Wow, Perfect example. [2008-11-13]
That should have never happened. It was malicious or intended but things happen through carelessness. I don't think teenagers or young adults really get that until they either experience something like this or close to it first hand or have children who depend on them. It puts life in a completely different perspective. What a shame.

Always, always call the cops sm [2008-11-13]
My husband was nearly killed by a tractor trailer driver who changed his story a dozen times, themedics were called but unfortunately, the other driver went his merry way and was not cited until days later for following too close, reckless endangerment, speeding, mistake in log book, and a laundry list, first he said my husband going too slow. Reconstruction said no way, but while my husband was in hospital having his scalp sewn back on, this guy ran away. Had to hire a detective to find him, went on for years before we got our bills paid, he got off with heavy fines and warnings he would go to jail if it happened again. It had happened in another state previously but could not bring that up in court. My sorrow - I should have had him arrested right that moment but I was not there. He should have been tested for drugs, etc. He went from saying husband's fault to that he dropped his coffee and was picking it up off the floor and then changed it again to something else. He still drives and my husband is totally disabled. Please get the cops involved the minute something happens - don't wait. I had no choice, I had to travel to another state to the hospital. I wish my husband were conscious enough to have him arrested right there. You did the right thing calling the cops, everyone should do that. Believe me, she could have killed you or someone else later. I hope you scared the pants off her.

Holiday memories.... [2008-11-12]
My dad saying (when I was age 4 to 6) that there was an elf that would hop on his shoulder every morning when he got in the car to go to work and ask if I had been good the day before. I can remember waiting for him to get home and then excitedly asking him if he talked to the elf...ok, now I'm misty eyed! Waiting in the longest line to get Cabbage Patch Kids for my daughters when they first came out....lucky enough to get ones with decent enough names and birthdates close to my girls' birthdays. Making the dreaded yam/sweet potato casserole at Thanksgving and ALWAYS setting the marshmallow bag on the hot oven door, thus melting the plastic, nice touch. Realizing that I don't care if I have to pay full price, I do not shop the day after Thanksgiving any more!

Hot mail change and no pics [2008-11-11]
My hotmail email account sometimes changes the way it looks with upgrades or whatever they are doingl. Ever since the last time, when someone sends me an email with a picture in it (not an attachment), the pictures are blank. What can I do?

Considering my circumstances I am looking - sm [2008-11-11]
forward to the holidays. I'm the one with the mega debt who confessed to her DH a month ago, etc. We will have his debts paid off in full in about 10 days. I still have quite a mess though. We sold back 2 weeks of his vacation time (lucky for us his work allows you to do this) and half of that is paying for Christmas, the rest is being banked in our savings account which needs restoking (used to have $5K in it but only $200 now). We are taking a night and going to the beach to see the lights (free hotel stay due to his travel points) and a nice dinner-- all of this is his idea too--, and he suggested I go up (with the kids of course) and spend New Years with my friends/family up in PA so I am surprised about that. He is going to try to come too for a day or two to have a late Christmas with my family as well. Things are all roses, but considering everything I am looking forward to seeing my dad and one of my brothers, the other is in England and his family is going there to spend Christmas with him in Ireland with his wife's family there. But DH is trying really hard, he even bought me a dozen roses on my birthday a couple days ago and a really nice card, I couldn't have been more surprised....normally I get nada, not even a card. Granted my daughter told him to get me flowers, but still, he went over the top. But I digress as usual....everyone just needs to stay within what they can afford, we are cutting back some of course, but I have a bit more wiggle room now that I have that vacation money coming. Do it every year and it is a lifesaver.

Those pit bull attacks are ashame...sm [2008-11-10]
I don't know why these dogs attacked. I don't know if these dogs were provoked or what. It is hard for me to imagine a dog just attacking for no reason. I can't imagine my dog ever doing that. I know other people who have pits as pets and they have never had a problem with attacks. I think every good owner should know their dog inside and out and know their little quirks. Now I could see a pit bull attacking an owner who was sometimes mean to them or mistreated them in some way. I could see them getting enough and attacking. A lot of times I think that is really behind attacks and we don't know that. Still a dog never should kill a human. When you own a pit you have to have the utmost respect for the fact they could kill an animal or human if they wanted. They are physically capable but most are not emotionally capable. My dad had a couple different pits and I have learned my great grandfather had pits for many years. He would only have one at a time. He took his pit hunting hogs and the pit would hold the hog and my great grandfather would put a rag over the dogs nostrils to cause him to have to let go of the hog and he would do whatever it was he then did with the hog. I didn't ask details. But what I am saying here is this was an man who was in close interaction with a pit and was right there when they attacked hogs and he intervened and had to pull them away from the hog by cutting off breathing from the dog so he would let go. He was never attacked or bitten. My dad said that was never an issue. The dogs knew he was the master and they never got out of line. If these were as unstable as some are made out to be and some may be but if they were really that unstable they could have attacked and killed this man. But he never had to worry about this. All of his pits loved and respected him as their owner. Now one deciding factor could be he never mistreated his dog. Never ever. He always treated them good. I think this may be why his dogs never showed him anything but kindness. Again there are some dogs (pits and others) who are unstable. They are just flat out mean and would do anything. But not all dogs are like this. My husband often says when people say aren't you worried CJ could hurt you one day. He says no I KNOW in my heart with everything in me this dog would die before he would hurt one of us. This pit is the most loving affectionate dog I have had the joy to own. Don't ask me how I know.. You would have to know CJ.

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.

My brother has has Boxers and he took [2008-11-09]
How about the surgery was $6,000.00 and the PT was $125.00 a visit for about 8 weeks. Only the best for his dogs. Now, he's contemplating putting him down because he still can't walk. The other one had pancreatic cancer and surgery and just had an eye removed due to cataracts. This totals you guys are giving aren It's a shame these vets charge so much.

All they do around here for Copperhead bites - sm [2008-11-09]
is antibiotics, people included. We have lots of Copperhead here though they seem to keep to themselves for the most part, have only seen 3 in our yard in 10 years, but I know they are out there. But their poison is not poisonous enough to require antivenin luckily. It basically does nothing to dogs neurologic wise (neighbors dog has been bit by copperheads numerous times, dog is fine, only treated with antibiotics), though it can cause neuro problems in people, it cetainly won't kill you, not like your rattlesnakes there. Used to watch that show Venom ER, nasty around there, you really have to be on your toes in that area. I have almost stepped on 2 copperhead just while walking on our road, since they like to come out and lie on the rocks of the gravel road we live on, I never look down at the road while walking.....not good. I can spot the black snakes a ways off as they obviously stand out, see lots of them, just go around them and they usually sliter off when they hear someone coming close, the copperhead don't unfortunately, stand their ground, so have to be careful when walking, luckily it is getting colder now though so they should be going into boroughs for the winter.

All they do around here for Copperhead bites - sm [2008-11-09]
is antibiotics, people included. We have lots of Copperhead here though they seem to keep to themselves for the most part, have only seen 3 in our yard in 10 years, but I know they are out there. But their poison is not poisonous enough to require antivenin luckily. It basically does nothing to dogs neurologic wise (neighbors dog has been bit by copperheads numerous times, dog is fine, only treated with antibiotics), though it can cause neuro problems in people, it cetainly won't kill you, not like your rattlesnakes there. Used to watch that show Venom ER, nasty around there, you really have to be on your toes in that area. I have almost stepped on 2 copperhead just while walking on our road, since they like to come out and lie on the rocks of the gravel road we live on, I never look down at the road while walking.....not good. I can spot the black snakes a ways off as they obviously stand out, see lots of them, just go around them and they usually sliter off when they hear someone coming close, the copperhead don't unfortunately, stand their ground, so have to be careful when walking, luckily it is getting colder now though so they should be going into burrows for the winter.

I understand that your dog loves you, [2008-11-08]
but your dog is a pit bull and they can attack spontaneously whether they are provoked or not. There is no way to predict it. Why risk someone's life? I don I would never, however,choose a breed that is known to be unpredictable and dangerous and could maim or kill someone I love or a stranger walking down the street were I too slow to close the door or forget to close a gait securelyand an accident occur. There are lots of breeds that demonstrate the kind of dedication and love that you describe. My mom has a mixed dog (Pyrenees/St. Bernard) who is a genuine companion to her. She is obedient and trustworthy and gentle. You can get a dog who genuinely loves you who is not a pit bull. I truly hope you never encounter a time when your dog misconstrues your actions andyou trigger some instinct that tells her she is in danger, or that you are in danger from another person. Tragedy could strike so quickly.

Yes, I got them when I was 27 or 28 (sm) [2008-11-07]
The first thing is your teeth/gums (feels like your teeth!) are going to be really sore. Really, really, really sore. You will need some kind of anti-inflammatory if you can take them, and very soft foot. I mean you will not even be able to bite through a peanutbutter sandwich at first without pain. That lasts several days. After that they get pretty sore for a day or so after you have them adjusted (once or twice a month). Just brush really well (at an angle, all angles of the braces) and use mouth rinses because it is very hard to floss and you probably won't do it very often. A WaterPik (or whatever the newer version is) is also very good to have. Get wax for your braces and use it wherever they rub against your mouth so you won't get ulcers. I guess that's about it, other than that they are really worth it once you get them off! Good luck



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