This past Sunday evening, my GF said she was meeting a “girlfriend” for drinks at the Penthouse, a swank bar at the top of a luxury hotel in Santa Monica called the Huntley. She doesn’t have much money and is unemployed so I thought it a bid odd for girlfriends to meet there as this place is known for charging $12-$15 for drinks and for being a bit of a meatmarket or a place you bring a date.

After a couple of hours or so I called her to see when she was coming home as we live together. She didn’t answer her phone. I called the hotel and was transferred to the bartender. I could hear her and she could hear me just fine. I asked if she saw my Gf and described her and said she would be with another girl or two. After looking around she said she didn’t see her. My GF called me a few minutes later from the ladies bathroom. I asked when she was coming home and she said she would be leaving in about half an hour.

I have been with my GF for about 18 months now. In all this time she has never introduced me to her supposed girlfriends and she never answers my calls but always calls me from the ladies room. Also, on at three other occasions, she has said she was out with a girlfriend when I later learned she was actually with a guy. Two of those occasions she was with her ex and on one of those occasions she slept with him.

So yes, I was getting suspicious. When she said she would be coming home in half an hour or so I said I would meet her there. After all, I wasn’t doing anything anyway and I was curious to meet her friend. She said “ok.”

I was at the Penthouse 12 minutes later. I looked everywhere but she was no where to be found! I called her phone repeatedly and she didn’t answer. Then after another five minutes she answered. I asked where she was. She said she was driving home! I was like, how could you leave and so fast! Especially when I said I was on my way! After all, they would have to finish their drinks, request the check, give a credit card then sign and leave a tip. She played it off, trying to say she thought I was joking! I hadn’t been joking even remotely.

So, she now says I’m being crazy. I think this situation is highly messed up and that she is hiding something from me! Why would someone say they will be there half an or so then 12 minutes later be already out of there! Especially when their BF said he would meet her there?

Am I being played for a fool here?

The next time you hear a politician use the

word ‘billion’ in a casual manner, think about whether you want the ‘politicians’ spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,

but one advertising agency did a good job of

putting that figure into some perspective in

one of its releases.

A.

A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B.

A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C.

A billion hours ago our ancestors were

living in the Stone Age.

D.

A billion days ago no one on the earth walked on two feet.

E.

A billion dollars ago was only

8 hours and 20 minutes,

at the rate our governments

are spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain …

let’s take a look at New Orleans ….

It’s amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator,

Mary Landrieu (D)

is presently asking Congress for

250 BILLION DOLLARS

to rebuild New Orleans … Interesting number …

what does it mean?

A

Well… if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans

(every man, woman, and child)

you each get $516,528.

B

Or… if you have one of the 188,251 homes in

New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C.

Or… if you are a family of four.

your family gets $2,066,012.

Imagine, now $700 billion bailing out banks in the US . That’s enough to fund complete medical care for every man, woman and child currently alive in the US for 11 years!!

50 billion to bail out the auto industry???

Washington , D.C.

&

Ottawa

< HELLO!!! >

Are all your calculators broken??

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax , Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel Permit Tax

Gasoline Tax

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax

Inventory Tax

IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Luxury Tax

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Service charge taxes

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Tax (Truckers)

Sales Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Tax

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone Federal Excise Tax

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax upon Tax

Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax

Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax

Telephone State and Local Tax

Telephone Usage Charge Tax

Utility Tax

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft Registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

Income Tax

Everything Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY???

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago …

and our nations were the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt …

We had the largest middle class in the world.

and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?

Can you spell ‘politicians!’

And I still have to

press ‘1′
If you think this is a worthwhile question - give me a star
If you think this is a worthwhile question - give me a star
If you think this is a worthwhile question - give me a star
If you think this is a worthwhile question - give me a star

My boyfreind of 2 years has a horrible younger sister. we are in our twenties and she is 2 years younger than us. Since day one she hasn’t liked me because she was more attached to his ex.. I can kind of understand that cz if my brother got a new gf it would take a while to adjust to the new one.. but surely after 2 years she would have become used to the fact that i’ve been around a while, and going to stick around a lot longer than she would like. She has always tried to exclude me by suggesting “family only” trips, weekends, dinners, outings, everything. She even went as far as telling me to leave and go home because they were going to have a family dinner and i wasn’t allowed to be there. She always talks about family only things infront of me, almost like shes trying to rub it in that im not considered family and i wont be included. Im sure if she had a bf it would be different.

She claims that i have pushed all his friends away (not true), that ive changed him, in a bad way, and that hes sees too much of me and shes getting sick of me being at his house. We would move out together if we could afford to but its not an option at the moment..

recently we all went away together, and she was so horrible to me that I went home a week early because I couldnt handle any more of her manipulative behaviour, and constant abuse. and now she hasnt spoken to me since. she ignores me when ever we are in the same room together, and told her brother( my bf) that im the problem, and if i didnt have such a “tone” she wouldnt be so mean.

I have been having a hard enough time at home with my parents and so have been relying on my bf for support. she is now saying that shes sick of me compaining and being upset, and that im just after attention and sympathy from his family. She has no idea what its like to have real problems in life because her mother worshipps the ground she walks on. she is incerdibly spoilt and never worked a full day in her life. she still doesnt work, insisting shes too busy, plus she gets $200 a week from her parents and unlimited use of daddys credit card so why would she work??

Im not jealous of her life of luxury, since i got my first job at 14 iv had to pay for everything myself.. it sucks compared to her siutaion but atleast i appreciate the money I have, and work hard to support myself. and atleast im not a spoilt brat.

I have supported her countless times when my bf has been mean to her, which has caused some problems in my relationship, but im sticking up for what i feel is right and sometimes he is a bit hard on her. But she just doesnt appreciate any help or support i have given her.

Bascally its horrible being around her because she is either insulting me or ignoring me and i dont know how to deal with her. I cant confront her because then she will turn their parents against me because she is so manipulative. she will twist every word i say, or just lie, to make me sound like the bad guy. My bf has already tried to talk to her but she just deflected everything off her and put all the blame on me. I know she wants me out but unfortunately for her im going to be around a lot longer than she would like.

The next time you hear a politician use the word ‘billion’ in a casual manner, think about whether you want the ‘politicians’ spending YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases.

A.
A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B.
A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C.
A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.

D.
A billion days ago no one on the earth walked on two feet.

E.
A billion dollars ago was only
8 hours and 20 minutes,
at the rate our governments are spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain … let’s take a look at New Orleans ….

It’s amazing what you can learn with some simple division.

Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans … Interesting number … what does it mean?

A
Well… if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528.

B
Or… if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C.
Or… if you are a family of four.
your family gets $2,066,012.
Imagine, now $700 billion bailing out banks in the US . That’s enough to fund complete medical care for every man, woman and child currently alive in the US for 11 years!!

50 billion to bail out the auto industry???

Washington , D.C.

&
Ottawa

Are all your calculators broken??

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax , Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax upon Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
Income Tax
Everything Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY???

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago …
and our nations were the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt …
We had the largest middle class in the world and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?

Can you spell ‘politicians!’
And I still have to
press ‘1′

I live with my best friend in a home that has been in her family for generations, so it has everything and more that one could ever need. I am moving about 30 minutes away, to a piece of property my grandparents bought and are building a house on. I will be staying in a small travel trailer on the property by myself. Nobody else will live on the property. The trailer is small, but I am a small person and I enjoy small spaces. I have a small kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom.

I won’t have much room for luxury items (I don’t even know how I am going to fit my tv in there yet), so what are the basic necessities that I will need? I won’t be cooking much, only about 1-2 days out of the week, so full kitchen gear isn’t very neccesary. Also, this is out in the country, so what are some things I might need for living out in the middle of nowhere?

Abundance and riches are your rightful heritage!

http://www.empowernetwork.com/almostasecret.php?id=steven

Having an intelligent plan is your first step to success.
With a plan, you know where you’re going. You’ll know what
progress you’re making. And you’ll have a pretty good idea
of when you can expect to arrive. Meticulous planning will
enable everything you do to appear spontaneous to other
people.

Your goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a
plan. One in which you fervently believe,and upon which
you will vigorously act. There is no other route to success.

What do you want to achieve or avoid? The answers to these
questions are your objectives. How do you go about
achieving
your desired results? The answer to this will be your
strategy.

A good plan permits you to frame your life so that at some
time in the future fact and your dreams will meet.

You have everything it takes to reach for whatever you
desire. Stop wishing. Use your time, your energy, your
thoughts and efforts to make it happen !

Believe… and all things are possible !

http://www.empowernetwork.com/almostasecret.php?id=steven

If you’re like many people, then you have always dreamed of
working from home. Imagine waking up and having a commute
of
only 10 ft to the office. You could even work in your
pajamas if you wanted to.

Thousand and thousands of people across the country are
doing just that. They are enjoying more time freedom
because
they don’t have to fight traffic for two hours a day. They
are spending more time with their family. And, they are
even
earning more money.

The sky is the limit to those who are willing to do
something to make them happen.Don’t let anyone steal your
dreams, and don’t let them die. They were important once.
Open them up again and journey to the Life of Luxury you
deserve.You can start receiving cash daily. Success is a
matter of choice…your choice always!

Thanks and I look forward to speaking with you soon.

http://www.empowernetwork.com/almostasecret.php?id=steven

PS. If you want to be successful you can start any time.
Your only true failure lies in the failure to start. The
reason why so little is ever done, is generally because
so little is attempted. The great thing is the start.

To see an opportunity and to pursue it.Even though in the
beginning,you’re not totally sure of all the answers to
your questions.

Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear
most. Don’t wait to overcome all your possible objections
before you start, or nothing will ever be attempted.

If you can get up the courage to begin,
you have the courage to succeed !

So if you want to LIVE life, and build a REAL INC0ME that
is
SENT right to your HOUSE then get started… If you wish to
review the information on our site please use the
following
link below.

http://www.empowernetwork.com/almostasecret.php?id=steven

Let’s Make This Your Year!

skype me at fedupski2008
empowerlife@mail.com

Success or failure is often determined on the drawing board.

http://www.empowernetwork.com/almostasecret.php?id=steven

Okay this is kind of me venting here because I have no where else to express my thoughts and feelings so, maybe some one on here will read this lol.

Any way, So really I understand that we should be happy with what we have and everything and I am happy. I just get to thinking every night (nights are the only time i have time to really think about anything). I am not going suicidal or anything but like EVERY single thing in this world cost money. People say money does not buy happiness but it sure seems that way. Yea sure there is allot of little things to enjoy but then you die only doing those little things. Like lots of people will never get to drive a really cool car like a Ferrari because it is so expansive. Plus the cost of gas is insane and is only gonna go higher so we are going to have to turn to crappy slow hybrid cars. Or if you are not a car person I am sure every one can relate to this. A lot of us will never even get to experience the luxuries that rich people get to. Most of us will stay in an apartment and drive a crappy slow car to work everyday and come home to your family then go to sleep. You’re kids will want stuff you cant afford to buy them so you have to come up with excuses as to why you cant buy them these things. I mean basically what I am getting at is, it seems like in America you just have to be rich to be able to enjoy your life and not stress as much as an average person. Yes in the end I will be happy with my wife and kids as long as our stomachs are full and we are healthy that is all that really matters, but you never get to drive a cool fast car at a track or live almost worry free or go on vacation at some fancy 5 star hotel at a beautiful island. You know what I mean? Sure those things are not necessary and will not make you truly happy but it would be nice to experience all those things before you leave this planet. That is my problem I have a wonderful girlfriend we are both in love and soon we will get married and have kids and I am going to college and going to be a business major doing financing and I will have a decent life but, we will never get to do really crazy fun things =/.
Clara, I am not trying to say I deserve to be rich and have more than any one else. I am not only aiming this at myself I was trying to reach out to every one. I am grateful for everything I have. I realize there are people that live a lot harder than I do and they really have to fight. My point is just it seems like money really does buy everything (except everything you mentioned and yes all those things you said said are enough for everyone to be happy). I was just letting out what I thought and nothing more in the end I will live a decent life and be very happy and that is worth a lot more to me than all the fancy stuff in the world.
terri e Yes I do agree with you. I am 19 still VERY young so I guess that is why all these materialistic stuff matter to me.

Can anyone tell me what books are good and you recommend to a 16 year old girl. I have to read one of these books for Advanced Placement English. And i dont know what book i should read. So i would appreciate the recommendations. Could you please tell me which ones i should definately NOT read! THanks Guys :D!

Fast Food Nation Eric Schlosser
Nickled and Dimed Barbara Ehrenreich
The Places in Between Rory Stewart
Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston
A Chronicle of a Death Foretold; One Hundred Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Years of Solitude ,The Stranger Albert Camus
A Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess
Mascara Ariel Dorfman
Einstein’s Dreams Alan Lightm
The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver
The Invisible Man Ralph Ellison
Native Son Richard Wright
Middle Passage Charles Johnson
Kiss of the Spider Woman Manuel Puig
Beloved Toni Morrison
A Hope in the Unseen Ron Suskind
Going After Cacciato :Tim O’Brien

Reading Lolita in Tehran Azar Nafisi

Mountains Beyond Mountains Tracy Kidder

Atonement Ian McEwen

Catch-22 Joseph Heller

Power of One Bryce Courtenay

Snow Orhan Pamuk

Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Ken Kesey

Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut

House of the Spirits Isabel Allende

Like Water For Chocolate Laura Esquivel
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
The Age of Innocence; Ethan Frome Edith Wharton
All the Pretty Horses Cormac McCarthy
Anna Karenina Leo To
As I Lay Dying; Light in August William Faulkner
Bleak House; David Copperfields
Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens
The Brothers Karamazovn
Crime and Punishment Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Candide Voltaire
The Color Purple Alice Walker
Emma; Northanger Abbey; Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen
For Whom the Bell Tolls Ernest Hemingway
The Grapes of Wrath John Steinbeck
The Handmaid’s Tail Margaret Attwood
Invisible Man Ralph Ellison
Jude the Obscure; Return of the Native;
Tess of the d’Urberville Thomas Hardy
Madame Bovary Gustave Flaubert
Middlemarch George Eliot
Mrs Dalloway; To the Lighthouse Virginia Woolf
Native Son :Richard
Nineteen Eight-Four George Orwell
One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Optimist’s Daughte Eudora Welty
Portrait of a Lady Henry James
The Power and the Glory Graham Greene
Ragtime E.L. Doctorow
Things Fall Apart Chenua Achebe

Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte

Hello, I’m just a mother in dire need of any advice anyone could give me, I’ve thought about everything and I can’t find a solution.

Well to get to my question. My son is 32 years old and he has always been a bit rebellious, he never wanted to do his schoolwork, he never had friends until middle school and when he did they were the wrong type of friends, like the type of people that smoke (including pot) have long hair, drink, skip school, wear black clothing, and when this happened I thought it was just a phase, which it was, but the wrong type of friends remained, I just don’t know why, but throughout high school Jake just did not do his school work did not study and just kept partying, showing up drunk at home, smoking pot, bringing girls home and actually sleeping with them in our home, that we didn’t know what to do, we just kept hoping it was a phase until he dropped out of high school when he was 20 (yes he was still in high school at 20 he practically left because they told him that at 21 he was getting kicked out and he was still in 10th grade).

Ok so jumping a few years ahead, he lived with us at the time, and lived in a lot of luxury, my husband and I have quite a bit of money and we always gave him everything, but my husband is different minded than me, he was very poor when he grew up so when my son started acting like this he wanted to kick him out, but I prevented him from doing it, it was all so hard for me especially since about 10 years earlier my other son died in a skateboarding accident and Jake was now my only son and the worst part was that at the time Jake was dating this woman that I really hated and she ended up overdosing on heroin, while my son was in the room. This really devastated him and he started drinking heavily after this.

So, anyway about 3 years ago, after years of enduring Jake’s drinking “incidents” and him just leeching of us without getting a job, it started to get worse, there were incidents everyday, the police were called and he was just ruining our lives, so during one of the incidents, I told him something horrible, to this day I can’t believe that as a mother I said this to my son, but I told him that I wished it had been him that died. When I said this, he just looked at me started crying and left the house, I thought he would be back the next day as always but he wasn’t, a few days later a moving truck came for his stuff and he called me and told me that he wasn’t ever coming back and we got what we wanted.

I started getting really worried and depressed so I hired this woman who used to work for my husband that had a military background to try to keep an eye on him without intervening, I thought it would be temporary, but Jake never came back, the woman I hired (without even telling my husband) just kept telling me that he was on the streets for a few days and then he rented an apartment, but a few months later he got kicked out of there for not being able to pay rent and I tried reaching out to him getting him to come back and he didn’t.

Anyway for the past year he has lived with this woman that he knew in high school and her husband, it is so sad to see him like that, having other people support him. Additionally, the woman I hired told me that he is drinking all day and walking around by himself at night drunk with a liquor bottle and crying. She even took pictures and they made me feel so depressed, now I have a drinking problem, I want him to come back and live with us, but he won’t even take my calls and now I hate my husband because when I told him about it he said he was much happier without Jake.

The reason I’m asking this question now is that about 2 weeks ago my son almost died, had it not been for the woman I hired to keep an eye on him he would have died. So what happened was that he was on his usual drunken night walks and he went into the forest, now I’ve always told the woman I hired to never let him see her no matter what but just follow him, but during his walk in the woods she said he started vomiting and passed out, so after waiting a while she carried him back to her car and took him to the hospital. He had alcohol poisoning! he almost died! he’s back with his friends now but I’m so worried that he’ll die one of these days!

How can I help him or get through to him? I just want him to move back in with us! Now this is hurting me! I’m drinking almost as much as I assume he drinks everyday!

Please give me some advice, I beg you.

By the way- if this is too long for you or you want to make fun of me don’t bother answering.

Hello, I’m just a mother in dire need of any advice anyone could give me, I’ve thought about everything and I can’t find a solution.

Well to get to my question. My son is 32 years old and he has always been a bit rebellious, he never wanted to do his schoolwork, he never had friends until middle school and when he did they were the wrong type of friends, like the type of people that smoke (including pot) have long hair, drink, skip school, wear black clothing, and when this happened I thought it was just a phase, which it was, but the wrong type of friends remained, I just don’t know why, but throughout high school Jake just did not do his school work did not study and just kept partying, showing up drunk at home, smoking pot, bringing girls home and actually sleeping with them in our home, that we didn’t know what to do, we just kept hoping it was a phase until he dropped out of high school when he was 20 (yes he was still in high school at 20 he practically left because they told him that at 21 he was getting kicked out and he was still in 10th grade).

Ok so jumping a few years ahead, he lived with us at the time, and lived in a lot of luxury, my husband and I have quite a bit of money and we always gave him everything, but my husband is different minded than me, he was very poor when he grew up so when my son started acting like this he wanted to kick him out, but I prevented him from doing it, it was all so hard for me especially since about 10 years earlier my other son died in a skateboarding accident and Jake was now my only son and the worst part was that at the time Jake was dating this woman that I really hated and she ended up overdosing on heroin, while my son was in the room. This really devastated him and he started drinking heavily after this.

So, anyway about 3 years ago, after years of enduring Jake’s drinking “incidents” and him just leeching of us without getting a job, it started to get worse, there were incidents everyday, the police were called and he was just ruining our lives, so during one of the incidents, I told him something horrible, to this day I can’t believe that as a mother I said this to my son, but I told him that I wished it had been him that died. When I said this, he just looked at me started crying and left the house, I thought he would be back the next day as always but he wasn’t, a few days later a moving truck came for his stuff and he called me and told me that he wasn’t ever coming back and we got what we wanted.

I started getting really worried and depressed so I hired this woman who used to work for my husband that had a military background to try to keep an eye on him without intervening, I thought it would be temporary, but Jake never came back, the woman I hired (without even telling my husband) just kept telling me that he was on the streets for a few days and then he rented an apartment, but a few months later he got kicked out of there for not being able to pay rent and I tried reaching out to him getting him to come back and he didn’t.

Anyway for the past year he has lived with this woman that he knew in high school and her husband, it is so sad to see him like that, having other people support him. Additionally, the woman I hired told me that he is drinking all day and walking around by himself at night drunk with a liquor bottle and crying. She even took pictures and they made me feel so depressed, now I have a drinking problem, I want him to come back and live with us, but he won’t even take my calls and now I hate my husband because when I told him about it he said he was much happier without Jake.

The reason I’m asking this question now is that about 2 weeks ago my son almost died, had it not been for the woman I hired to keep an eye on him he would have died. So what happened was that he was on his usual drunken night walks and he went into the forest, now I’ve always told the woman I hired to never let him see her no matter what but just follow him, but during his walk in the woods she said he started vomiting and passed out, so after waiting a while she carried him back to her car and took him to the hospital. He had alcohol poisoning! he almost died! he’s back with his friends now but I’m so worried that he’ll die one of these days!

How can I help him or get through to him? I just want him to move back in with us! Now this is hurting me! I’m drinking almost as much as I assume he drinks everyday!

Please give me some advice, I beg you.

By the way- if this is too long for you or you want to make fun of me don’t bother answering.