Question #1:

About Getting Reviews on FanFiction.net?

Click Here

Hey so up ^ there is the link to my new story. I'm not gunna be one of those people who begs you to read it or anything, promise, although if you are a member of FF and it wouldn't bother you to check it out and review, I'd really appreciate it and would look into your stories in thanks. Why I'm here though is because while some stories on FF only get 1-4 reviews while some never even get any at all, I've seen others that number reviews in the thousands that aren't even as well written as the no review ones! I'm not bragging or calling myself on low self-esteem, so I'm not sticking my story/writing in either of those categories (well-written or badly-written) but I was merely wondering if those who DO have that many reviews have done anything to solicit them (advertised them on other websites or some other form of advancement) because I'm not asking for a million reviews, but one of the reasons I posted a fan-fic (which I don't usually write so much as original works) is so some people could review and judge my writing style. I really want to do something writing-related (journalist, advice columnist etc.) when I graduate college (I'm just a sophomore now, I've got time) and wanted to get some opinions on if it was worth pursuing, how well I write, any improvements I can make with my writing and so on. It'd be a great help to me if you'd either review yourself or just explain to me a good way to get some people to read my story and make suggestions about my writing. Thanks ^_^

By the way for any who would like to read? The link is at the top of the question. It's a Charmed fanfiction : ) Charmed is my all time favorite TV show. It centers on Paige (played by Rose McGowan) who is my all-time favorite character, with special appearanced from two people from the Charmed Ones' pasts. I'm not a rip-off and don't always write fan-fiction so please don't rail at me for that of all things. I love to write original work and am currently working on one. Fan-fiction is just an easy way to blow off steam and get some opinions about how I write.

Thanks in advance :)

Question #2:

A company homepage - Can someone translate this into plain English?

I'm having problems deciphering a company's self description on its homepage. can anyone help with this last paragraph?... see below for full self description


"We transcend geography, and establish industrial and functional specialisation, with an emphasis on the international, driver calibre, leader DNA at executive, senior and middle management levels".

JordanSheppard is an International Headhunting Practice operating within the Large Industrial Projects, Advanced Process Manufacturing and Services Arena. Established in 2001 and following several acquisitions and strategic investments JordanSheppard has expanded into 4 continents. We employ over 50 consultants in critical regional centres covering all developed industrial countries and emerging markets.

JordanSheppard partner with international leading Industrial and Technology Corporations that share common themes, such as; effective human resource strategies, execution of global supply chain and continuous improvement initiatives as well as investment in advanced process technology and services.

We enable and influence “best practice” through human capital and talent acquisition, retain intimacy to both the market and our partners and provide a gateway to talent amongst the worlds leading businesses.

We transcend geography, and establish industrial and functional specialisation, with an emphasis on the international, driver calibre, leader DNA at executive, senior and middle management levels.

Question #3:

I want Success in life what to do?

I work for a company that makes dvds i use to be in the molding dep as a maintenance dep and i spoke with my manager about becoming a sales rep he always said they cant hired me they only hired people with experience on sales. i told him i do have experience and his next excuse was their not hiring. i waited a bit and by the end of 2009 i decided to Speak with the owner. long story short i manage to get a promotion as a csr. afther 6 month im still in csr dep but i want to be bigger and more important in a company i want to be able to show what i can do in the company i want to be an accet but the company is slow and 20 people got laid of. i didn't graduate from high because i had to help my family pay the house so i had to get a job. i always belive if henry ford made it why can i. if soeone knows what i should do please advice me or if you thing there is someone who is willing to give me the chance of succes and become a big accet i dont want to becll over head i want to make a company millions. if i can make 1000,000,000 millon dollars it means i i will make 10,000,000 million for my self. here is my resume se if you can help me improve my life even if it means to travel. give me your point of view and hints in your life and what can i do? i will read all opinions and try to use it in life.


Rockyls400@yahoo.com

Objective:
To obtain stable, full time employment in a company where I can apply my skills and training to grow within the organization, and set my self for success
Personal statement:
I am driven, focused and a hard working person with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn new skills. I am a great leader and a great team player as well as a reliable independent worker.
Skills:
Office work- knowledgeable with Microsoft office/excel/word/power point/outlook-quick books, data entry, accounts receivable, receive Po’s, create sales order, invoice, and follow up with account terms. Great customer service.
Education:

Pacoima skill center certified in electrical-ac/dc

Experience:
DVD replication:
-Customer service rep. (November 2009)-(Jun-11 2010)
Create new accounts/follow up on existing accounts trough phone or e-mail,
Manage accounts, follow up on payments, and create invoices, scheduling orders and follow up on orders.
United improvement:
Marketing-advertising /promoting. (December 2008)- (November 2009)
Employee supervision/manage accounts; promote business to increase the revenue and productivity.
Mobile connection:
Dc technician -January2007-April 2007)
Mobile connection-installation tech
Custom installation/security systems upgrade
Trouble shooting diagrams
Multi meter knowledge
Future media:
Process and maintenance tech-(august 2004- December 2005)
Responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of seven DVD replication lines
Kept all machinery working at 100% capacity
Conducted monthly maintenance and inspection of duplication equipment.
Trained and supervised other employees on the use of the machines.
Managed shift schedules.

Letters of recommendation and references will be given upon request

Question #4:

Before deporting illegals, shouldnt we treat them to dance classes, bingo, continental breakfasts, etc?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are preparing to roll out a series of changes at several privately owned immigration detention centers, including relaxing some security measures for low-risk detainees and offering art classes, bingo and continental breakfast on the weekends.

The changes, detailed in an internal ICE e-mail obtained by the Houston Chronicle, were welcomed by immigrant advocates who have been waiting for the Obama administration to deliver on a promise made in August to overhaul the nation's immigration detention system.

The 28 changes identified in the e-mail range from the superficial to the substantive. In addition to “softening the look of the facility” with hanging plants and offering fresh carrot sticks, ICE will allow for the “free movement” of low-risk detainees, expand visiting hours and provide unmonitored phone lines.

ICE officials said the changes are part of broader efforts to make the immigration detention system less penal and more humane.

But the plans are prompting protests by ICE's union leaders, who say they will jeopardize the safety of agents, guards and detainees and increase the bottom line for taxpayers. Tre Rebstock, president for Local 3332, the ICE union in Houston, likened the changes to creating “an all-inclusive resort” for immigration detainees.

“Our biggest concern is that someone is going to get hurt,” he said, taking particular issue with plans to relax restrictions on the movement of low-risk detainees and efforts to reduce and eliminate pat-down searches.

The changes outlined in the ICE e-mail are planned for nine detention centers owned and operated by Corrections Corporation of America, including the 900-bed Houston Contract Detention Facility on the city's north side.

Some of the changes will be implemented within 30 days; others may take up to six months, said Beth Gibson, ICE's senior counselor to Assistant Secretary John Morton and a leader of the detention reform effort.

Other major changes include:

• Eliminating lockdowns and lights-out for low-risk detainees.

• Allowing visitors to stay as long as they like in a 12-hour period.

• Providing a unit manger so detainees have someone to report problems to other than the guard.

• Allowing low-risk detainees to wear their own clothing or other non-penal attire.

• Providing e-mail access and Internet-based free phone service.

Not about punishment
Gibson said the improvements are part of ICE's efforts to detain immigrants in the least restrictive manner possible while ensuring they leave the country if ordered to do so.

“When people come to our custody, we're detaining them to effect their removal,” Gibson said. “It's about deportation. It's not about punishing people for a crime they committed.”

ICE officials have faced pressure from immigrant advocates and some members of Congress to improve the detention conditions for the roughly 400,000 immigrants it houses annually. The agency has relied on a hodgepodge of more than 250 government-run detention centers, private prisons and local jails to accommodate its growing population — with roughly one in four detainees held in Texas.

At the CCA facilities that have agreed to ICE's changes, detainees will see more variety in their dining hall menus and have self-serve beverage and fresh vegetable bars.

CCA also plans to offer movie nights, bingo, arts and crafts, dance and cooking classes, tutoring and computer training, the e-mail states.

Click Here
I see no mention of soft serve ice cream machines. I mean, that exclusion is just barbaric

Question #5:

could someone review my essay and give me a review?

Help I need some to review my essay.


Client Issues, Approaches and Gaps

There are several issues that are facing our consumers at Mental Health Kokua. One of the major issues is for the consumers who are suffering from such illness of schizophrenia, Bi-Polar and nomadic-depression the decline of coverage for medicine and services that were previously covered under med quest. Decline in economy has put a lot of these consumers in dire straight, where to get these services and who can they rely on to fill the gap of no medical coverage for medication.
Due to changes in medical coverage many consumers are no longer able to get those services met. Changes in med-quest deny many consumers of Mental Health Kokua the use of services that are provided at our facility. Today they have no coverage and Mental Health Kokua is seeking to get services for the consumers in there program. Many are still receiving basic needs meet from the agency, such as food, clothing, some sort of housing assistance and help on medication, through Kahi Holomua. Community based case manager with the help of Adult Mental Health Kokua was able to assist these client.
The closing of MHK (Mental Health Kokua) homeless outreach was a major blow to the consumers who are houseless with a severe mental health issue. Many of them used our service to get connected to a psychiatric, finding a bed for a night, assisting in getting some medical attention in regards to sores and infections. The outreach services was the connection to reaching out to those who did not have transportation or unable to come to our door to receive mental health services.
Another is helping the consumer and some of the case managers address the issue of chemical dependency. Many consumers with mental health issues use substance abuse in order to self-medicate themselves, when not doing to well managing there prescribed medications many consumers use substance to feel better. The agency offers various training to the staff one is through Kahi Holomua’s, supervisor Ann Lang teaching them various techniques in identifying clients that are self-medicating themselves through alcohol or illicit drugs. Having these classes or training is making the case manager more efficient in there attempts to help the consumer become social, and productive in there community and contribute to resilience in there own recovery. Empowers the client to be successful in there recovery to live an independent life and manage there medication with a better understanding of the illness and not the self.
Finding community activities that are culturally informative has been an issue. Cultural can be a major issue, being that mental health has never been the norm of many cultural but the staff of Kahi Holomua does a wide variety of functions in the community that keeps the cultural aspect alive. Many activities are based around cultural information we attend arts shows at Maui Art and Cultural Center. Visit museums, walk around in the whaling town of Lahaina, visit the petting zoo in Haiku, and taro patches. Many of our consumers have never been to these places or some have vivid memories of living in that area that we visit. We also attend “Brown Bag”, it is an informative lunch event, and we bring our own lunch. They have a wide variety of topics that are discussed at the presentation Bipolar Illness, Eating Disorder, Postpartum Depression, and Teen Suicide. This event is open to the public, mental health consumers, and families.
In conclusion, MHK works tirelessly advocating for the client improvement, treatment and care on a daily basis with consumers with mental health issues. There maybe some gaps that I could have over looked. MHK still reaches out to those who are at need of there services. Dealing with the issue is only part of the problem helping the consumer is the goal of self-determination, empowering and building socialization instead of isolation. Having the client looking at themselves and not the disorder is the focus that MHK maintains.

Question #6:

Would you proofread my resume? Does it pass the sniff test? 10 pts?

is this up to snuff? what improvements? This is for IT work particularly with installation.

Qualifications
I am an Information Technology professional with a diverse background seeking to contribute my wide range of skills not limited to my knowledge of computer hardware and software but also my experience in face-to-face dealings, supervision, research and analysis as well as self-management, multi-tasking and efficiency to a technical service role. I possess broad insight and understanding to the needs and goals of my employer and bring a respectful yet assertive attitude towards completing my assignments to satisfaction. Adapt well to evolving roles within a project and work well with others. Easily identify and resolve technical issues and concerns. Excellent communication and presentation capabilities


Technical Skills

Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7-MS Office 2003/2007-Novell-Unix/Linux-Oracle-TCP/IP-Desktop and Work Centre Printers/Multi-functions-Routers/LAN/WAN-Norton-AVG-BASIC

Professional Experience

Oscar Robertson Solutions, Cincinnati, OH(08/2009-05/2010)
Optimization Associate(via Ajilon Professional)
Co-managed Manage Print Go Lives at various Procter and Gamble facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Solely managed Manage Print Go Live at Procter and Gamble Duracell facility in Bethel, Connecticut.
Networking and System Configuration for new Manage Print Devices.
Data collection and area mapping of old printer/fax devices as part of conversion.
Equipment roll outs and device assembly as well as troubleshooting and break-fix as needed.

Finlay Jewelry, Cincinnati, OH(8/2008-4/2009)
Operations Clerical
Performed various administrative duties such as balancing daily transactions, maintaining detailed inventory records, ensuring timestamp accuracy for all employees within company timecard application, mailings and maintaining corporate correspondence via MS Outlook and MS Access as well as training and motivating sales professionals.
Audio/Visual Marketing
Responsible for resolving customer issues and providing sales assistance as needed.

Standard Textile, Cincinnati, OH(Summer 2008)
Clerical Assistant, temporary(via Trak Staffing Solutions)
Independently identify and catalogue hard copy files in company’s legal department warehouse
Created detailed spreadsheets in MS Excel to inventory and to allow easy and reliable retrieval of hard copy files for legal department personnel.
Sort, reorder, box and shelve files in office alphanumerical order.
General clerical duties as needed.

GE Money bank, North Canton, OH (04/2007-09/2007)
Customer Service/Collections, temporary(via Kelly Services)
Provided customer service support for users of GE Money lines of credit.
Promoted to collections department to recover payments for past due accounts.

Genie Overhead Door, Alliance, OH(11/2006-03/2007)
Tier 3 Technical Support, temporary(via Ryan Alternative Staffing)
Performed diagnostics and troubleshooting of device issues via telephone, documented ticket/resolutions, dispatched work orders and resolved customer issues and concerns.
Employee of the Week January 2007.

McDonalds, Navarre, OH(04/2004-08/2006)
General Crew/3rd Shift Supervisor
As General Crew handled food preparation, customer service store maintenance.
Promoted to Shift Supervisor(Experimental 3rd Shift) where high productivity and low overhead yielded average net profit of $7,000 per month for aforementioned shift. 3rd shift canceled in all other locations save mine.
Employee of the Month April 2006.

Shearers Foods, Brewster, OH 11/2003-02/2004)
Packaging/Maintenance, Seasonal
Product Packaging and Quality Selection.
Promoted to Maintenance Team handling equipment and facility care.

Hardee’s, Navarre, OH(09/2000-11/2003)
Crew Team Member
Food preparation, customer service and store maintenance.

Education

Raymond Walters College, Blue Ash, OH(09/2007-06/2009)
Radiation Sciences, No Degree.
Relevant Coursework: Linux/Unix, Oracle, Dreamweaver

Question #7:

Friendship problem!!!!?

Ever since last year my best friend has started to ignore me for a group of more "popular" girls in her eyes. When we're alone she can talk to me perfectly, but when there are other people around she completely disregards me. I've pointed this out to her numerous times and every time i tell her she breaks down and cries, however after a week of improvement she returns to her usual ways and continues to ignore me. This pains me greatly,especially since i do so much to help her and she takes it for granted. i find that i spend most of my hours obsessing over this situation. I also don't have a very high self esteem so i feel like this emotionally draining to me. I don't know what to do because we share many of the same friends so every time we get into a fight other people are dragged into it. Also, i don't think i could actually handle not being friends with her anymore. I don't despise her, but i greatly despise her actions and mentality now. Many people have noticed her change in personality, as she has become more self centered and uncaring towards others. However, she is completely oblivious to her change and every time i mention it to her she bursts out in tears. I think part of the reason she cries is because she's sensitive in general, but i don't think she actually cares deeply enough to actually change. Once she mentioned to my other friend that we were still a trio like years prior, and when he responded that everything's completely different and we never talk tgoether anymore she just ignored it. I think she envisions a perfect world in her mind where nothing's wrong, mainly because she doesn't want to deal with other people's problems beside her own. What should i do. she used to have at least one ounce of compassion, but now it seems like all has been completely drained out of her. It really takes a toll on my emotions.

Question #8:

Why do people keep claiming that our taxes have gone up?

Under Obama's administration, at least 95% of families got a tax reduction.

A look at the numbers tells the story. For starters: the non-partisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities reported on Wednesday that "Middle-income Americans are now paying federal taxes at or near historically low levels." How low? The average family of four right now is paying 4.6 percent of its income in federal income taxes -- the second lowest percentage in 50 years.

A report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers, meanwhile, asserts that the president's economic stimulus package has sent more than $200 billion in tax relief and other benefits to mainly middle- and lower-income families since its passage.

Citizens for Tax Justice, a self-described non-partisan organization, released a report on Tuesday that read: "The 2009 economic stimulus bill actually reduced federal income taxes for tax year 2009 for 98 percent of all working families and individuals." This total includes the 95 percent of working families that will or have received tax credits in the range of $400 to $800.

The health care bill passed by the administration, meanwhile, includes a tax credit that could cover up to 35 percent of the premiums a small business pays to insure its workers. The Recovery Act, meanwhile, included such tax breaks as a $1,500 credit for home energy improvements, and an $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers.

It has been a buffet of tax breaks and credits offered by this administration (occasionally to the chagrin of progressive economists, who want more focus on stimulative federal spending).

Yet polling numbers indicate that Americans are barely aware of these developments. Indeed, a good chunk of the country believes it has been saddled by this administration with tax hikes. Back in mid-February, a full 24 percent of respondents to a CBS News/New York Times poll said that their taxes had increased under Obama. Fifty-three percent said they had stayed the same. Only 12 percent thought their taxes had gone down.

Question #9:

Does this sound like a decent Inuyasha OC to you? Tips on improvement, please?

I need some feedback on my Inuyasha OC (from a fanfiction I'm writing *cringes inside* - yes, I know most fanfictions suck - mine's probably no exception) Akiko. I put this up on a forum on fanfiction.net, and haven't gotten any feedback yet. I figured I might as well try here, too.

I apoligize in advance for how long her profile is, and if you can read through the whole thing and not want to brick me, you're a trooper. Read away and write whatever comes into your head (even if it's flaming criticism, that's fine, too). I just need people to tear her apart, PLEASE! And yes, I'm one of those desperate author types. I crave feedback - positive or negative, I need it.


Name: Akiko (she doesn't have a family name)

Age: 200 (however, she has the physical and emotional age of a 17 year-old)

Gender: Female

Species: Inu-hanyou

Height: 5'6" (including ears, which are about 2" high)

Weight: 115 lbs. (but she gains 20 pounds about half-way through the story, and has a hard time taking said weight off)

Residence: An old, abandoned hut at the edge of a small village in Kamakura / Muromachi era Honshu, Japan. Later, with Kouga's tribe, in their extensive system of caverns that serves as their den.

Religion: None (I suppose if I have to put something here, I'll put Shinto, but she doesn't really believe it--"when have the gods actually helped her??")

Appearance: She has very sunburned skin that is covered in calluses and corns--especially on her hands and the bottoms of her feet. It is very rough due to her long work under a Feudal lord (essentially as his personal guard and war-machine) and to working in the fields for a time (as her mother did.) She has long white hair with silver-ish highlights worn down. Aikta ears are present atop her head. Her pupils are split (like in my first profile) and amber/brown-colored; they contract and expand with increasing exposure to light, like a cat's. She has claws that are sharp, as well as fangs in place of all four canine teeth that are sharper than they appear.

Clothing: She wears a plain faded blue kimono that doesn't quite fit right and a "wrap" (essentially, what the peasant women in InuYasha wear, but without the head-cover). She has a single fine kimono, but it is really not appropriate for everyday wear, as it was left over from her time as an oiran - the only one she didn't sell to pay back the debt accumulated from buying them... (Oirans must pay for their own garments) She is barefoot.

Personality: She is extremely greedy, and is very selfish and self-centered. Although typically not a coward, her sense of self-preservation is strong and sometimes overrides her need to impress upon others that she is not to be toyed with. She is belligerent, rude, and boastful. She can be kind, but is typically only so when it poses some benefit for her. At times, she is cruel to others of the same groups that she is caring towards, for real (or imagined) slights on her character. When she is caught off-guard or when there is no one else around, she is softer and less argumentative. She scorns people who use or mistreat others for their own gain (I would call this throwing stones in a glass house, except for the fact that while she may use others unscrupulously to further her own ambitions, she doesn't treat them with contempt.)

Skills: (copied from my own - almost finished! - character development form for Akiko, which I found at: Click Here ) Fighting, evasion, weapons handling, lying, dressing wounds (eventually), theft, lying, breaking-and-entering, running long distances, um… making herself desirable to others*, cooking.

Likes: Sake (drinks far too much, and often makes bad choices while drinking), a warm fire and decent food, money (oh, so much), Kouga (she marries him, but the liking him for anything other than...*cough, AHEM*...takes quite a while), dog treats.

Dislikes: Bad food, cold weather, Inagi - intensely (my antagonist, who lives in Kouga's tribe - more about him later), coming away empty-handed, being used by others for their own gain (ironically, she does this to others - like Kouga), modern music, reading and writing (she is illiterate, but eventually learns to read and write her name and her daughter's name), having to wait for anything / anyone, having to be patient, sitting around doing nothing (she is a busy-body and gets bored easily).

Bio: She grew up with Inuyasha and their mother, Izayoi, in a small hut at the very edge of their village. When their mother died, at the rough age of five, their hut was burned down, and the pair was forced into the forest outside of the village boundaries. Alone and angry, they turn to stealing to make a living. Several decades later, at the age of eleven, Akiko steals from the local lord, Mishima, but is caught. Instead of being killed, she is offered a job, as his personal guard - he also offers her and her brother an apartm

Question #10:

Is my writing any good????Improvements?

Well this is only page one of my chapter is it any good? some improvements? Description I know I need more of. Please read it all thanks.

The wind whistled in the dark sky night. As if to blow trees out of there roots and into the air. Birds hid in the hollow trunks of these larger towers for protection. Though the wind stopped eventually that didn’t mean that Mother Nature was through. Ari sat up in her bed looked out the window to her left. The clouds where crying softly leaving lakes of its tears on the ground to soften the earth. Washington wasn’t exactly a place of dry weather, it never was.
She rotated around towards the floor and placed her feet down gently. Ari looked around the room and found no one in there bunks. Each bunk was separated by a window on both of its sides. The room was about as big as a small barn and not an inch bigger. It was split down the middle so that it gave the boys and girls some privacy. She glanced over the curtains and found no one on the boys’ side either.
Ari exited the room and wandered around the building for a few minutes. She looked in the living room and in Mrs. Marina’s room as well. They were no where in sight, at least not where she looked. Ari walked over to the library and peered inside. Again no one was found. Her stomach let out a growl of hunger. Ari looked up and saw that it was ten o’clock exactly. She slowly closed the door and walked down to the kitchen. She flipped the switch on and a sudden cheer up roared from inside. Everybody stood around the table with their self made party hats. An oblong cake laid in the center of the table with five different candles on top, Ari let out a smile.
“Happy Birthday!” shouted everyone accept Holly and her robots.
“Appy birthay Awy” said a little girl named Molly. Her hands were behind her back and she was slightly swaying back and forth. Ari kneeled down and looked at Molly and said thoughtfully.
“What’s that behind your back?”
“It’s my bunny!” she said, her voice filled with joy. She looked back down at the bunny and looked back up at Ari “You can have it if you want”
“No its okay, it’s your bunny like you said” Ari stood up and patted her little head. She walked over to Mrs. Marina and frowned. “What is all this?” Ari whispered. The kids were thankfully not paying attention and were talking and playing amongst themselves
“You have never thrown a birthday for any one” mainly because the orphanage was very low on funds. “I don’t think this is fair, I won’t accept this”
“Well then since it is a new year I decided to get a few more weekend jobs to give all of you a birthday party” said Mrs. Marina with a smile.
“So two thousand ten is the luck year” Ari said.
“Yep, come on your thirteen now lets celebrate it” she said with a timid tone. Ari would have questioned her, but there was a great chance her answer would be rejected.
Everyone gathered around as Ari sat down next to the cake mostly because they haven’t ever had it and wanted it badly. Mrs. Marina went and turned off the light. The candles burned brightly on top of the strange cake. “Make a wish” whispered Molly and Ari blew out the candles. The phone rang and some of the younger kids screamed. Mrs. Marina found the switch and turned the lights back on. She ran over to the phone and answered it.
“Hello? Oh hi. Yes. Really! Oh thank you sir I won’t let you down!” Her expression was filled with joy. “I got a raise! A fifty dollar raise! Now I’ll be making seventy dollars a week!” Everyone looked at each other in shock and joy.
“I guess this really is your year” Ari said giving her a smile.
Thank you for your help mainly peppygirl it really helped and yes I get what your saying :)

Question #11:

How good is it? Room for any improvements?

I could hear the horn of the car from my room, like a trumpet sounding the finalization of my mortal life. It was time. A fraction of me felt relieved I was finally leaving this place, but another part of me was afraid of where I was going afterward. I was relieved to leave this place because I was already getting attached and if I stayed longer I wouldn’t be able to depart. On the other hand, I’ve known that I would one day have to leave, but I wished that one day wasn’t today. Only when I saw the shaky diamonds that reflected on the wall from my earrings did I realize I was trembling. I felt like my heart would burst open any minute. Leaving my filthy rich life in Beverly Hills didn’t really affect me. I was just too fond of to people here. I hate my life. I felt like crying. No! Keep it together, Keep it together! I shouted in my head. Stopping me before I could get a major headache, the car horn went off again. Now I would have to go down in front of my family and friends and say goodbye. I said my farewell to my room which had always been my place of escape and I left to face my fate.
Everyone who knew me acknowledged that I was chosen to be a vampire and I would have to leave sometime and go to a vampire school. Now after seventeen years of mortality I would have to start learning my duties as a bloodsucker. People think, being a vampire is a great way of "having more lifetime opportunities" as it said on some magazine, but I think it’s a great way of having a life full of ripping peoples throats out. I wasn’t affected by that crimson liquid – yet. I knew I would someday (somehow).
I walked down the steps deliberately ignoring the photo of my family. Two years ago my sister, stepfather and mother had died in a house fire. My mother wanted my biological father to look after me. I lived in England. It was hard, having to move half way round the world. I’d never seen my father before because he had abandoned my mother when she was thirteen after she just found out she was pregnant with me. So he didn’t want me. Following that, my stepdad Joel came and picked up the pieces. He was like the dad I never had (which is accurate in a way).I made my way down the first flight of stairs.
My father Kyle is thirty now. His wife, Agnes, is thirty-one. She is really pretty and chirpy. She has this arrogant self-obsessed son, Tanner. He isn’t Kyle’s son, so I guess we’re not blood-related. We’re both seventeen. He has half the girls in school wrapped around his little finger. Me and Tanner never get on and never will. Kyle keeps on suggesting ways we could bond but then I give him this look and he knows to back off. When Tanner does talk to me he’s always teasing my English accent.
I was on the last flight of stairs. I’d always moaned about how long the staircase was but, strangely, today I wished it were longer. I inhaled profoundly. I walked past the imaginary boundary line to the living room. Conversation stopped and all eyes shifted on me. I rolled my own eyes.
There were, it seemed like, a million people from my school and some people I wasn’t even familiar with. Tanner and his friends were situated at the heart of the room. As customary, he was the centre of attention. Where they hiding something?
I made a huge error. Something I wished were a pencil mark I could just erase but it wasn’t as easy as that. I had shifted my long brown hair away from my face and exposed my neck to everyone. Every vampire had a special mark on their necks. It was like this dark star shape and it was all black (You were born with it and it identified you as a vampire).
I glanced around the room. Hell, with everyone looking at me I could feel myself becoming claustrophobic in the otherwise large room. They all looked so mystified. I always kept my neck covered and this was a shock to them.
“What am I, a science project?” I regretted saying that. Now was not an ideal time to use humour. Kyle and Agnes had faces of anxiousness painted on them.
“That’s my Deena, trying to crack jokes at a time like this, just like her mother.”
Someone joked. I couldn’t believe it. The best voice on the planet was calling to me. My Aunt Adele was here. Beside her were my Aunt Dakota, Uncle Allen and Grandpa Rio. I was so overwhelmed with happiness; it felt as if my heart was on a rollercoaster. I felt myself becoming out of breath.
“Hello, hello and hello.” I said it in my usual smart ass tone. “I can’t believe you’re here Aunt Ade –“
“What have I told you? It’s just Adele without the Aunt. It makes me sound youthful.” Everyone in the room relaxed a little and I even saw people smiling. This crazy lady was my mum’s sister. She always had a calm aura around her.
“But how did you make this journey all the way from Europe? It’s really expensive to travel now.” I didn’t want to sound disrespectful so I smiled in disbelief while I said it.
“Thank that young boy over there.” She went rig
Erm. . .not all of the first chapter seemed to load. The start sort of goes on and the other part is much more interestion but it never loaded. Or maybe I exceded the character limit.

Question #12:

Can anyone help me? I need some feedback on my Manga Series!?

Last few times I’ve asked about my series, I was looking for a place to publish it, and what to call it. Now, I just want some feedback on the series. Keep these questions in mind:


What do you think of the Characters?
Which Character(s) are your favorite(s)?
Are there any improvements you would suggest?
Which pair (What couple) do you like best?

If you would like to answer, please at least answer one of those questions. Also, I spent a long while developing these Characters, so feedback on them is what I really need. If you want any more info, there is some more in my previous question. Refer to that if you want.

Now, Here’s a more in-depth description of the series. Last time, I got an E-Mail saying I should better describe it, so here you go:

The series is about a group of ‘Death Gods’ (Or Shinigami, as said in popular Japanese culture). They become Shinigami after they have passed on from the human world- usually, they have had a terrible life, or they have unfinished business in the human world.
Some don’t realize they are dead, and walk the earth as transparent figures. (This is my Series’s explanation for Ghosts, or Paranormal Activity) but those who have embraced their set afterlife can walk the human world as solid figures, though they do have some setbacks- staying for too long in the human world can drain your powers (Or the light-based powers that they have) and can eventually kill you. Therefore, Shinigami staying in the human world usually are there for important business, such as escorting souls into their realm.

Anyways- not all Shinigami are result of angst-filled teens (Since a majority of the Shinigami are teens who overdosed on drugs, got hit by a car, ect. Since many teens aren’t emotionally balanced) some are born- meaning, the Double-Souls. They are said to be the most powerful, since they haven’t been born of human qualities. They are pure power, pure afterlife. When two souls of people who have passed on without feeling- people who have passed in sleep, or elderly who have gently passed on.

Since the merging of these two souls is so uncommon, there are only ten left in their realm (Some could call it ‘Limbo’, meaning between life and death, but it is correctly called Kumori by those who live there. Kumori, when translated back into English, means ‘Shadow’)

These are the three of Ten which the series focuses on:

Tora Kasekabe: (Nationality: Japanese) Has Curly, thick black hair and flawless tanned skin. He has one blue eye and one green eye. He is one of the main captains of the Zenjin (Meaning ‘Saints’) and has his own squad of Seven- Lena, Ei (Also known as Emi), Gavin, Gaijin, Shikon, and Chi, Himself being the Seventh member. He is cocky, confident, and sometimes self-centered and vain, though he is a valuable ally in battle, since he has had the most training since he was born- his first session was when he was twelve hours old, believe it or not.
His two souls are the souls of two twin sisters, both dead on the same day, at 87 years old.
His weapon of choice is a giant war hammer he took from the former captain of his squad, when he passed. Taking it from the grave, he re-painted it so no one would know of his robbery. His nicknames include ‘The Two-Faced Tiger’, ‘Tiger of the Desert’ and ‘Loser/Assface’ (His nicknames from Ei.) His destined age is 24.

Ei Hayai (Nationality: British) Has wavy, shoulder-length brown hair, with bangs covering her right eye (Dark brown) and leaving her left eye (Light Brown) uncovered. She has alabaster skin, paler than a dead person. She likes the color black, and chocolate, so much that she’ll stop a fight if she spots a chocolate bar (In one fight, she is battling someone from the Ryouken in the human world, when she suddenly stops, grabs a chocolate bar from the concession stand, grabs a Shounen Jump magazine, and sits down and starts to read) She is a very Avid reader of Shounen Jump, her favorite Mangas being Bleach and One Piece. When there is a brief glance of her boarding room, you can see piles and piles of old Shounen Jump, up to the ceiling. Her trademark is her ‘666’ ring, something she uses when she unleashes her ‘Fire’ technique, heating the ring and branding the 666 into her dead opponents neck. Her weapon of choice is a giant Scythe, but later on it is broken and she goes for hand-on-hand combat. Her destined age is 18.

Dokuro (Skull): (Nationality: Australian) A man with no name but the one he chose for himself, he has straight black hair, with a few purple tips. He is excellent with motor vehicles, and prefers to battle with a motorcycle helmet on. His has one gray eye and one green one, thought his green one is covered with an eye patch, since Tora almost took it out. When he takes the eyepatch off, he has a scar running over his eye, but both are intact. He is the ‘Pet’ of Kogetsune, leader of the Ryouken (Meaning ‘Hounds’) and is kept on a leash and collar for a long period

Question #13:

Do you agree that most humans are Emotional Beings first and Rational Beings second?

Do you agree with this? Our brains are wired to make us emotional creatures. We experience the emotional response to an event first making our primary feelings strong motivators of our behavior.

Emotional intelligence (EI) requires effective communication between the emotional and rational centers of the brain. The physical pathway for EI starts in the brain at the spinal cord where primary senses enter and an “Emotion” is the first thing to be experienced. The information is the processed by traveling along the brain’s Limbic system to the front of the brain where its “Reasoning” center is located and a person can then think rationally about what they are experiencing.

To sum it up we see people often react emotionally first and then rationally. Are emotional responses a problem on AV? Can we do anything about it?

Just some self improvement on my own part and wanted to share if case this concept could belp others a it has helped me. Peace, BosM

Question #14:

My brother's poor choices are driving me CRAZY... What can I do?

To make a long story short, my mother is living with a mental illness and is heavily medicated. I'm not sure if that is the reason, but in my humble opinion she does a lousy job of parenting. My brother basically calls the shots around here, and the concept of discipline never seems to enter my mom's thoughts.

So, basically, my brother is 15 and is ending his first semester of high school. He has never been a good student, and our parents have never done ANYTHING to help us succeed in school or encourage improvement. I was a very anxious but self-motivated child, so I got straight A's, and I'm now in college. My brother, on the other hand...

Part of me wants to say that he's extremely lazy and self-centered. He's smart, but because of his lack of effort in school he was transferred to a special education classroom. He comes home and goes straight to his room to watch tv, surf the internet, and play video games, usually until 12-1 am. A bed time has never been enforced. No one bothers him during this time except me. I feel like I'm the only one in the house who cares about his future. I'm the only one who puts forth personal effort to make sure he gets any work done. Whenever I get on his case about doing his homework, he claims that any work outside of normal school hours is encroaching upon his "personal time," and therefore he refuses to do it. Usually you have to sit right next to him and all but hold his hand to make him get anything done. It's EXHAUSTING. So, it's the middle of finals week for both of us, and while I'm sitting in here trying to finish my last paper for the semester I can hear him in his room, when it's almost 11 pm, playing XBOX Live. He has to wake up for school in about six or seven hours. I don't think he's studied for any of his finals, and he's already on the brink of failing most of his classes. I finally told him that I'm turning his games off at 11 whether he likes it or not.

I'm just so terribly frustrated right now.. I know it's not my responsibility to look after him, but he's my brother, I love him, and I've been trying to coax our mom into parenting him for years now. He's not a bad kid, but I worry about how lazy and self-centered he can be, and how he never seems to think about the future. I just want the best for him. I don't want him to have to settle for a dead-end job because he couldn't make it through high school. Plus, I just feel like his work ethic is crap and his overall outlook on life is going to come back and bite him in the future.

Sooo... What can I do? And if there's nothing I can do, how can I deal with my own frustration?

Question #15:

DO you know our Futures destiny?, I do!?

2012
a proposed super computer built by Intel and SGI for NASA's Ames Research Center, will be completed, reaching a peak performance of 10 Petaflops

a proposed super computer built by IBM for the National Nuclear Security Administration will be completed, reaching a peak performance of 20 Petaflops

2013
The new fuel efficient, Airbus A350-900 is scheduled to enter airline service in the summer
Click Here

Solar power will be cost-competitive with fossil fuels by 2013.

2014
The Masdar City is scheduled to be completed. Its goal is to be the world's first fully sustainable, zero-carbon, and zero-waste city. Click Here

The United States Government ban on incandescent lightbulbs to take effect.

2017
O. J. Simpson may be eligible for parole from the Nevada correctional system.

2018
China's One-child policy is expected to end.

NASA currently projects that its Vision for Space Exploration program will reach the Moon by 2018 Click Here

According to notable futurist Ray Kurzweil, by 2018 “there will be a drug that lets you eat whatever you want without gaining weight.

The Giant Magellan Telescope will be completed.

2019
Super computers are projected to reach 1 Exaflop.

2020
NASA starts moon colonization for future human exploration to Mars

JAXA plans to send robotic astronauts to the Moon, followed by human astronauts

Last nuclear power plant in Germany will be shut down

British newspaper The Guardian published a series of magazines in September 2004 predicting life in 2020. These predictions include widespread use of artificially intelligent cars, "smart" clothing incorporating computer chips, and green energy sources.

Global oil production is expected to peak

According to current plans and workings for Project Constellation, NASA should be returning Humans to the Moon by 2020.

Volvo hopes to use radar, sonar and other advanced technologies to create a crash-proof car by 2020

all automobiles will have some level of hybridization by 2020. all Toyota cars produced will be hybrid vehicles by the year 2020

2021
Intel scientists predict that the shrinking of microchips roughly every 18 months (Moore's Law) will reach a fundamental limit by 2021.

2026
Automatic mission to Mars as proposed in the Aurora Programme

2027
Release of FBI documents pertaining to Martin Luther King, Jr

2028
Institution of the Afro as the official currency of the African Union

By this time, according to notable futurist Ray Kurzweil, all our energy will come from clean sources, such as solar power

2029
Intel predicts the performance of supercomputers to reach zettaflops scale.

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is scheduled to leave the solar system.

2030
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will construct a manned lunar base.

All New Zealand cars will be hybrid, bio-fuel, or electric.

2031
Researchers and investors in space elevator technology hope to start funding the construction of the first elevator by 2031. Click Here

2037
The 2037 Bomber, an optionally manned, stealthy, hypersonic, heavy-bomber is scheduled to enter service this year

2039
According to the Kabbalistic commentator Nachmanides, the Messiah must come by this time or else Armageddon will occur.

2040
The population of Earth is expected to be 9 billion people

2042
According to the United States Census Bureau, Americans who identify themselves as Hispanic, African American, Asian, Indian American, Native Hawaiʻian and Pacific Islander will together outnumber non-Hispanic whites

2045
Futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts a Technological Singularity for 2045, i.e. a runaway cycle of self-improvement by intelligent machines, resulting in explosive technological development

2046
World coal supply presumed to peak.

Robotics experts predict that around this time most work in advanced industrial nations will be done by Robots (news reports, December 2006).

2050
In July 2008, the G8 agreed to halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

In October 2007, artificial intelligence researcher David Levy predicted that by 2050, human-robot marriages and human-robot sex will become common.

Question #16:

Might Atheists benefit from a type of "praying"? (see details)?

When I pray in the morning, I think I succeed better at being the kind of person I want to be.

I pray that God will help me to be a better, kinder person, to have more patience in my dealings with people, and so on. I also say prayers of thanks for the beauty of creation.

I was thinking that there's no reason that an Atheist could not benefit from a similar practice. Instead of saying "God help me to be patient as I encounter people today" they could say to themselves, "Today I will try to be patient as I encounter people." Saying something like this each day, centering oneself on his/her values, seems to be effective. And stopping to say, "wow, the world is so beautiful, I'm glad there is sunshine" can lift the spirit, whether you think God created it or not. Just the act of reminding yourself of your personal goals and what you have to be happy about can be very helpful. Perhaps that is the main reason that prayer for self-improvement and thanksgiving works. It is not so much that God has granted it as much as one is constantly being reminded through such prayers.

Do you as an Atheist do anything similar to this? If not, do you think it would be a good practice? Why or why not? Do you have another type of practice or something that helps keep your mind set on your values? If so, please share.

Thanks!
yes glenn - that's exactly what I'm trying to say.
A lot of you are missing something here. I am NOT saying to say these thoughts to a god or any "imaginary" being. I'm saying to say it to yourself. Just like you say to yourself, "Oh, I need to call that person..." I feel like some of you didn't even read what I wrote.
well, I did put "praying" in quotes. You can call it self-affirmation, self-reflection, meditation, or whatever. The point is not what you want to call it. I can understand an aversion to the word "prayer" just because of its traditional connotation as being to God. But the name of it is not my point.

Question #17:

Is Nietzsche the devil? Did he inspire fascism, genocide, Communism, and consumerism?

First of all, I believe Catholicism and the Papacy were corrupted evils that were responsible for widespread murder, tyranny, and genocide especially in the New World. However, it seems the Protestants and English and German Idealists and Relativists and Nietzsche followers went too far the other way. While the Pope proclaimed that he was the center of the universe and everyone should sacrifice and toil for him, the English and Germans argued that they were the center of the universe. Idealism is believing that the world is a figment of your imagination. Nietzsche did not kill God, he became God, his own God. It's all about me. The pain and suffering of others is just a figment of my imagination, so who cares about rounding up 6 million Jews and killing them? Who cares about rounding up tens of millions of Russians and Chinese and killing them, so long as my vision, my ideology, my interests are fulfilled. Communism is not about sacrificing for the collective but rather just an old Plato vision of a few elites ruling the world. Is it no coincidence that modern psychology is rooted in Germany, in this Nietzsche nightmare? It's all about self-analysis, self-help, self-improvement, self-awareness, self-actualization, self-esteem, self-efficacy. Therapists ask, "How did that make YOU feel?" instead they should ask, "How do you think your actions that made THEM feel?" and make people more empathetic and compassionate as the answer to all their problems and feelings of alienation and isolation. Didn't the Idealists and Relativists forget that we are social creatures who need social reward and fear social isolation? If you have a friend who thinks you are a figment of his imagination, aren't you afraid he will hurt you or exploit you for his own gain? If you have a friend who answers to a greater authority and submits and sacrifices for the collective good, wouldn't you share, trust, and support him more?

Isn't this where we all went wrong? I'm not saying believe in God, but believe in the collective good and believe that the suffering and pain of others is REAL, as real as your own pain and suffering. Am I overgeneralizing? What are some flaws in my argument? Basically, we were teenagers who discovered our parents were abusing us and using our money to live lavishly while we suffered, so we went the other extreme and made ourselves the center of the universe and spoiled ourselves, but should we not have chosen the middle path and become Absolutists, Materialists? Even if the world IS a figment of our imagination, why not choose to believe it ISN'T and benefit from social collaboration and trust. How can anyone trust us if we think we are the only things that exist and matter? We consume and pollute to maximize the utility of our pleasures, yet we are left empty so we take drugs to lift our mood and make us more amenable to more pleasures. Nietzsche did not liberate us from God but enslaved us to our selfish needs and fears. Isn't that basically the definintion of evil and the devil? No freedom or free will, but calculating like a crazed accountant, what will give me more pleasure with the greatest intensity and duration? Nobody else matters, because they possess no matter, just my distracting imaginings that serve no purpose for my pleasures. If thinking about the suffering of others is not pleasureful, then why do it?

Question #18:

Why is Scientology a church?

They have courses on self improvement and building confidence..ect.

They are more of a psychology help center because it costs to take the courses and buy the books?

Question #19:

PROFESSIONAL JOB RECRUITERS PLEASE CRITIQUE MY RESUME.?

Please critique my resume. Anything will help.


John Smith
78 XYZ Avenue (123)456-7891
San Francisco, CA 94124

Career Summary
Seeking an entry level Marketing position which will enable me to apply my educational background and work experience to the growing success of the company

EDUCATION
B.A. in Business Management Economics, June 2009
University of XYZ, XYZ

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
 Proficient in Excel 2007, Word 2007 and Photoshop CS3
 In-depth knowledge of marketing concepts and strategies through relevant marketing course work
 Creative and able to identify current trends for marketing and advertisement
 Excellent written and oral communication skills
 Ability to multi-task and adapt to fast paced environments
 Work well independently or in a team-setting

EXPERIENCE
(07/07 – present) Freelance Marketing Consultant, Self-employed, San Francisco, CA
• Design business cards, promotional flyers and price lists for family-owned and operated salon business
• Maintain updated content and images for website
• Review online customer feedback and escalate issues to management for salon improvements

(04/09 – 06/09) Marketing Intern, Barrios Unidos, City, CA
• Designed the company’s official business card and promotional flyers for advertisement
• Researched new leads through the Internet
• Performed email marketing functions through creation of email ads and sending emails to prospective clients

(09/05 – 06/09)
Computer Consultant
Instructional Computing,
City, CA
• Researched and troubleshot complex application issues
• Provided one-on-one application training for lab students
• Assisted students in computer setup and logins
• Enforced lab rules and regulations to ensure equipment operability and cleanliness
• Safeguarded equipment against student vandalism and/or theft
• Escalated non-functional hardware issues to management
• Maintained and order lab supply and computer hardware inventory

(07/08 – 09/08)
Sales Cashier,
IMPARK Parking
City, CA
• Collected parking fees from SF Giants staff and affiliate partners
• Maintained high customer experience and satisfaction through providing a professional and positive demeanor at all times
• Collaborated and worked efficiently with peers and Area Managers to reduce long customer wait-time and traffic during parking peak hours

(07/07 – 12/07)
Sales Associate
Banana Republic
City, CA
• Ensure that each customer receives outstanding service by providing a friendly environment, which includes greeting and acknowledging every customer, maintaining solid product knowledge and all other aspects of customer service.
• Maintain an awareness of all promotions and advertisements.
• Performed inventory checks to assist customers in locating merchandise from various retail locations
• Communicate customer requests to management.
• Assist in completing price changes within the department.
• Complete customer transactions at register for merchandise sales

ACTIVITIES
Leadership
05/2006 – 06/2009
Vice President and Publicity, Psi Pi Alpha, City, CA

• Responsible for outreaching and maintaining good relations with other college fraternities and sororities
• Promoted and publicized the organization and its events through creating flyers and t-shirts using Photoshop as well as using online social networks such as, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and the organization’s website
• Organized an on-campus event for Bone Marrow Drives for the Asian American Donor Program

04/2007 - 06/2009
Publicity Chairman and Core Member
Vietnamese Student Association
City, CA

• Promoted and managed all aspect of public relations for the organization
• Raised funds through design and creation of organization’s official t-shirt


Extracurricular Activities
Santa Barbara Senior Center
Habitat for Humanity
Breast cancer awareness marathon

Reference Available Upon Request

Question #20:

Christian response: Distant dad, difficult brother?

Yes, this is long. If it's too long for you, don't waste time saying so please. Constructive/mature answers pleaaase.

My father has often sat outside by the fire, when we, the rest of the family would be inside doing our own things. Admittedly, we weren't the best kids growing up... but only recently he's been sort of surly, and it's just not fair because two of the three of us kids have matured... we're all "kid adults now"... and so for the passive-aggressive/surly part, he just leaves his shoes, underwear, and socks around the house... not fun when I have to explain to a friend who they belong to as I'm picking them up. I've tried talking to him, but he just makes this odd face and basically says "yeah right". He'll also just start talking to some of my friend's parents about things like how my room wasn't too neat... I know he has stress from work - He's overqualified, and a lot of people who like to blab (and have little idea of what they are doing) are given "Man of the Year" awards, promotions, etc... but this doesn't mean that he has to take that and past actions out on his family. I mean being away at college during the schoolyear, I won't be affected too much by this firsthand but it's frustrating that he's being so creepy. I don't know how to handle it. I've tried confronting him before about it, there hasn't been a lot of improvement.

My brother doesn't help the situation. He's very "me, me, me".... Always asking for the most expensive thing on the menu at restaurants, using most of the internet line when he's home... even being on two computers at once and saying we can't use the other. Trust me, there is no good reason why. Just a day or two ago, he was on the family computer streaming Hulu (it has speakers, his doesn't now for whatever reason).. and I said okay, if you're using that computer then I'm getting on yours, seeing as I just did some work and I want to check my email, etc. (He had gotten up within the last hour or two, it being 2-3pm) ... I open a new tab, and I see some "questionable" sites, so I confront him about it and he tells me to shut up and that I shouldn't be "snooping" on his computer --- which was hardly my fault seeing as when I opened a new tab it showed "Most frequently visited websites." Bleh.

This only upsets my dad more, these petty disagreements that my brother tends to start.. I mean he has graduated from college, has a degree... but he's not really keeping up with his degree, working on his portfolio. What he is looking into doing -- they want him to have developed a game (most companies) or have a very, very impressive portfolio... so things aren't looking good for him. If it were up to my dad, he would probably be on the street. My mom tends to intervene... and try to work things out in other ways, but she's only one person and he just won't change his self centered ways. Just living here at our house, not contributing anything... I feel almost horrible writing this out, knowing that we are supposed to be "loyal" to my family (like not telling other people every little thing so as to shoot someone's character)... but at the same time I feel like this needs to be addressed. Another thing... when I'm on facebook, he hovers over my shoulder, trying to read what I'm doing. He noticed I was looking at a group event for Harry Potter sometime next week, and he was like "Oh, so you're snooping on things I'm doing?" --- and he's not kidding at all, he's totally serious. We have some of the same friends now, especially us being older.. you know, his friends and me being on a closer maturity level. Thing is, he gets super upset if I were to hover over his shoulder. And when I ask what his plans for the day are, he starts telling me to shut up and says that I'm "judging him"...? I don't know where he gets all of this from, and I just don't know how to respond to him. Like I've said, parents don't do much about him... so that's almost out of the question. And I hate to ask them about it because they always sigh and say something to the effect of "We'll handle it"...

I know prayer is something I should be doing, and I try not to engage in arguments... but sometimes I feel like I just can't help it. Often when my brother argues about something, he's very black and white about it -- how he was unfairly treated or something, and he keeps repeating the same thing over and over, half the time shouting it. I feel like I just need to point out where he's wrong... but it never seems to help when I do. It bugs me when I don't though because I feel like he may not realize how absurd some of the things he's doing/saying are.

And yes, I do realize I'm ranting a little here... but how else can I try to impose on you the gravity of my situation, without examples? Please give constructive, mature answers.





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