Thelardlad

Im sure we all know someone in our lives that is never wrong and whats more they seem to want you to know how right they are all the time.

While its often tempting to just want to punch people like this in the face...im sure we would all agree that does little to solve the actual problem.

What are some good tips that people have used in their own lives when dealing with argumentative people??

Respectful and thoughtful answers only please - unhelpful answers will be removed

With 5 tests being played in England and 5 in Australia this year, who thinks it would have been better to have turned this into ONE 10 match series??

Im wondering to what level people feel its appropriate for married couples to vent their frustrations to other family members following a disagreement. For the record, I am NOT asking about very serious matters such as physical abuse etc... Im asking about the normal type of fights that occur between couples from time to time.

Take this story as an example. John and Jill are married. John and jill have a fight over buying the red car or the blue one. Jill ends up feeling quite hurt and decides to tell her sister all about what happened. Jills sister agrees totally that John was being unreasonable about liking the red car when Jill really wanted the blue. Jills sister also for good measure reminds Jill that this is not the first time such an argument has come up and she should stick up for her self more and to not worry cos sister will always be there to confront John if things get too tough.....The following day John learns of the conversation that took place between Jill and her sister. John is left feeling quite betrayed by this conversation and feels that unless it was very serious Jill should not have involved her sister.....and the story goes on

So what do people feel about such a situation? Obviously its unreasonable to suggest that people like Jill should never speak a word about their marriage to others. However, when the matter is not all that serious should others be involved at all? Or does this just cause more trouble by painting a bad picture of the other person. Also there is the possibility spreading of bad news could further enhance an already lowly opinion that say a relative or friend of one partner may hold. (example - lets say jills sister never really liked john even before they were married....does jill venting to her sister then only serve to increase jills sisters dislike of john and create a "you see, that john, hes alwasy been an a-hole" situation??)

Respectful and thoughtful answers only please

Why on earth do Mac owner seem to embrace this impulsive need to try and tell you how good a Mac is every time they draw breath. Do such people actually believe half of the advertising claims made by this company?

Im no computer genius, I do certainly know how to use a computer, but I NEVER encounter any of the so called problems that "apparently plague PC world".

Is there a formula for working out a 95 and 99% confidence interval on a CUSUM chart?

Example data: 10, 11, 10, 9 ,9 , 8, 11, 9

CUSUM: 0, 1, 0, -1, -1, -2, 1, -1

Show working plz

120 are in a clinical trial. 71 are on a new drug, the remaining 49 are on a placebo.

22 of the 71 taking the drug still became sick

25 of the 49 taking the placebo became sick too

How do I calculate a) and odds ratio and b) a P value (both to a 95% confidence level)???

Can ppl show working please

Does anyone know the name of the classical music that was played before old NRL finals matches. Was played at State of Origin I think too.

Hit the link below to hear it in the background as the players are coming out onto the field

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU2rXPUze4g

Who else thinks its bullpoo we still get only 1 live game of NRL per week despite the fact Channel 9 now hosts 3 free to air channels.

And they wonder why AFL is gaining popularity in the league homelands when you can get up to 4 live games per weekend of that boring ****!

Has anyone out there got some tips on dealing with particularly difficult and controlling family members?

When I married into my wife's family several years ago it was widely know this particular family member was both very difficult and controlling in her behaviour. She is very well known for pushing and pushing till things are done till her liking or throwing her version of an adult tantrum when things don't go her way.

What I didn't know at the time was how my wife's family respond to this behaviour and in a way even support it. Most of the time family decisions are moulded around what is likely to suit this person best and at all costs situations are avoided that wont be to her exact liking. Ive lost count of the number of times Ive heard the phrases "dont tell **** about that, dont let **** find out or dont do that around ****.

With all due respect to my wife's family, I honestly have never met a group of adults more afraid of one person. Im honestly dumbfounded as to why such behaviour is tolerated. I find this this even more perplexing when the worst of this behaviour is directed squarely at other family members. Such behaviour would never be tolerated among friends. Why is it, it seems, that this behaviour is allowed to continue and no real action is taken against it? They seem locked in this series of placation and no one seems to be willing to stand up against it.

I have always thought the best way to deal with such behaviour is to stand up against it in a respectful and caring way, and simply say no. I mean sure, the first few times a person who is used to getting their own way is told "no", its going to set off a few fireworks. But if you stand firm, surely after a while the message starts to sink in that some behaviour might not be appropriate.

Im not sure a system of placation is good for anyone. It seems oddly short sighted to me. Sure it might stop a fight this week, but what about next week, and the week after and next year? If you get locked in this cycle, how are things supposed to change? Many of my family members have expressed their dislike of the relationship they have with this person. Do they really want this exact same relationship to exist in 10 years time? My thoughts are if you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten?

What are other peoples thoughts on this?

Does anyone have any handy hints for how to deal with people like this?

(respectful answers only please)

Plenty of you-tube videos and conspiracy theorists would have us believe in 2 days something major is going to happen in our world. This will all start (apparently) with the bombing of the London Olympics and the ushering in of a "New World Order". Supposedly this is to be the master stroke of the Illuminati, that illusive secret organisation that has apparently infiltrated every government and major corporation on earth.

What are peoples honest opinion of this? Are there actually people out there who believe such an organisation exists? Do some think that the illuminati could be so secret, yet so powerful? Likewise, do people believe that things such as the shape of the lighting at the Olympic stadium to be all deliberate hints caused by this infiltration, so the illuminati can tell all "believers" what is "really" about to happen?

In my opinion, even if all "beliefs" are put aside, some very simple mathematics should tell any person of the infinitely small probability that any of this could be true. Some call that logic.

But thats just my opinion - what about you?