6 - Saturday, October 8, 2016

Comics Commercial-News make that clear from the start rather than Andy Capp secretly snoop through unsuspecting kids’ messages after the fact. Unfortunately, cyberbullying can liter- ‘Dear Annie’ ally be a matter of life and death, so take it seriously. Visit StopBullying.gov for more Annie Lane information. Dear Annie: I would like to comment www.creators.com on the letter from “Shear Terror,” the man whose wife wants to cut her hair. I concur with your answer; it’s her hair, and it is Dear Annie: The other day, my teen- — From a Concerned Mom only hair. When I met my husband, my age daughter came to me because her Dear Concerned: “Why are people so hair reached below my waist. We started good friend is being bullied on social mean on the internet?” It’s one of the dating a year later, and as our relationship media. Her friend is a sweetheart, a pretty great questions of our time. I think it’s turned serious, he joked that he wouldn’t B.C. quiet kid but very polite. So needless to easy for people to forget about the real marry me if I cut my hair. We spent two say, I was outraged when my daughter human on the receiving end of their nasty months traveling in Europe after col- showed me the things that classmates remarks. Anonymity brings out the worst lege graduation, and I quickly discovered were saying to this girl. I was appalled in people, and this latest generation of what an inconvenience long hair was. that other teens could be so cruel. kids is especially connected to technol- That inconvenience and starting a new It’s easy for me to say, “Just ignore ogy and especially vulnerable to all its chapter in life, graduate school, helped them.” But these comments are mean dark sides. me decide to chop off all the hair. The and nasty: “Why do you exist?” “You’re You should tell the friend’s mother decision was not taken lightly, for some of fat and ugly,” etc. I would be bothered if that her daughter is being harassed so she my identity was wrapped up in that hair. someone wrote those things to me, and can intervene and ensure her daughter Several months later, we did get married. I’m a full-grown adult. I can’t imagine doesn’t spend too much time online, That was over 41 years ago. I have had reading such hateful comments as an exposed to that negativity. Her mother a variety of hairstyles throughout our impressionable teen. might also contact the parents of the kids marriage but never grew it back long I don’t understand why others feel doing the harassing. again. Obviously, the hair did not really Dog Eat Doug it’s OK to post such mean things on On the issue of teens and cyberbully- matter very much to our relationship, social media when they wouldn’t say it ing in general: Parents, pay close atten- and I would hope the same for “Shear to them in person. I see it all over the tion to what your kids do online. If your Terror.” (And if it does, then they have internet, too — not just with kids. I have child is harassing another child on the bigger issues.) seen acquaintances of mine get into huge internet, you should know about it, and — Alice B. fights on Facebook. I don’t get where this you should put an end to it — whether Send your questions for Annie Lane to aggression comes from. by revoking your kid’s devices or closely [email protected]. To find out more As a parent, what should I do? Do I tell monitoring usage. about Annie Lane and read features by the friend’s mother? Should I worry about Kids should have no expectation of other Creators Syndicate columnists and this happening to my own daughter and privacy when it comes to what they do on cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate limit her social media use? their phones and computers. You should website at www.creators.com.

tive, at least compare it with what’s Nest Heads rooted in reality and truth. ‘Horoscopes CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Memory Lane isn’t always nice- ly paved. You’ve a visceral reaction by Holiday’ to pictures from your past. History evokes a different emotion in you than Holiday Mathis it might for others looking at the same slice of time. www.creators.com AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Make them guess what your strategy is. Part ARIES (March 21-April 19). Control other person or to define the relation- of being a worthy opponent is in being is a hugely successful strategy for deal- ship in any different way. Evaluate each an interesting one. You don’t have to be ing with the external world, though moment as it comes, taking things at the strongest in the game to be the best you’ll need a different strategy for the face value. at playing it. Rugrats internal world, which can be about as VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You are PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your easy to control as the ocean. keenly aware of how the attention is rules for a relationship may be differ- TAURUS (April 20-May 20). A gift, distributed in a room and will move ent from the other person’s. It’s not or something you’re researching for to create balance in this regard. It gives something to talk out now; rather, it’s another person, will suddenly seem you no pleasure whatsoever to distract something to observe, as calmly as piercingly relevant to your own life. from the proper flow of focus. would a scientist. Take it. Explore it. Use it. You didn’t LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). It will not To write to Holiday Mathis, visit stumble upon this by accident. benefit you to correct others, though www.creators.com/author/holi- GEMINI (May 21-June 21). The sad they may be extremely wrong. Instead day-mathis and click “Contact.” fact is that sometimes people do good of making corrections, interrupt the things in order to feel OK about the pattern. If this can be done in a fun bad things they’ve done or are about way, you’ll find it. to do. It’s called “moral license,” and it’s SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). something to watch out for today. People’s behaviors are not always Flo & Friends CANCER (June 22-July 22). For a determined by personal motivation. relationship to work, work is required. Often, surrounding circumstances This weekend the effort will come affect the decisions more. Changing in the form of self-denial, which is the environment may be the easiest occasionally necessary in the develop- way to exert your influence. ment of healthy relationships and good SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). character. Comparison can lead to disaster, but LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Assumptions how else are you going to understand will only cause problems. There is no what is possible? If you must compare reason to question the intent of the something in your life to get perspec-

The Other Coast

The Wizard of Id

Heathcliff Sudoku Puzzle #4114-M 1 2 3 4 5 1 6 2 7 8 1 7 9 3 6 3 2 1 2 5 7 4 8 3 7 9 6 5 8 2 1 4

YOU WILL FIND THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S SUDOKU PUZZLE ON TODAY’S CLASSIFIEDS PAGE!