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DILBERT ScottAdams PEARLSBEFORESWINE StephanPastis PICKLES BrianCrane BABYBLUES JerryScott&RickKirkman THEDUPLEX GlennMcCoy ZITS JerryScott&JimBorgman SHERMAN'SLAGOON JimToomey ARGYLESWEATER ScottHilburn BIZARRO DanPiraro DEARAMY»Mykidsister is 17. She has had a pretty normal, dysfunctional youth (parents divorced, changed schools, boy- friend drama) and she is going through what I think i s her "reb elliou s stage." She opened up to me about do- ing a drug called Molly (MDMA) a few times. Each time she told me that it was the last time she would take it. I have had experiences with the same drug when I was younger. I have seen friends use it habitu- ally. Luckily, I was not one of them. This summer, she de- cided to drop out of high school. My mom signed the papers, for reasons unbeknownst to me. I tried to talk to my sister, but she stormed out and blocked me in every way of electronically contact- ing her. A week later, my older sister and her husband went to a concert with us. We ended up bumping into my little sister and realized she was on Molly. It scared me, but I just tried to stay by her and keep her safe. That night, on the way home, my older sister was so wor- ried that she had a panic attack. I told my older sister I felt the need to speak up. She said she would rather not tell our mom because she didn't think my mom would stick to a punishment, and she wants our younger sister to trust us enough to talk to us about these things, but finally said, "I will back up whatever deci- sion you make." I reported this to our mother. Now, my little sister hates me. It has been 10 days and she won't even look at me. She will speak to my 3-year-old daugh- ter, my husband and my older sister, but not me. My older sister has not backed me up. Please help me under- stand. What should I do? —Sad DEAR SAD » MDMA is a potentially very danger- ous "party" drug. Your sister is reacting to you in this way because she is 17. She is immature and is trying to punish you. Your older sister is employing a common tactic not to make waves in hopes that the teen keeps talking. But if the teen reports what she's doing and nobody does anything, what's the point? Your mother seems to have given up on her. Don't do the same. She doesn't need to be punished as much as she needs help, some struc- ture and the realization that she matters in this world. Tell her, "I'm not giv- ing up on you." Don't take it personally when she won't interact — she is listening. Offer to help her. Find a counselor for her to see, and take her, wait for her and take her out for coffee afterward. Listen to her, without being judg- mental or preachy. Help her to find a part-time job while she gets her GED. Continue to care and to believe in her. It's OK if she hates you right now. Love her anyway. Older sister frets about teen's relationship with 'Molly' You can contact Amy Dickinson via email: askamy@tribpub.com and follow her on Twitter @askingamy. Amy Dickinson Ask Amy Sudoku Instructions:Theobjectistoplacethe numbers1to9intheemptysquaresso thateachrow,eachcolumnandeach 3x3boxcontainsthenumberonlyonce. AnswertoPreviousPuzzle CelebrityCipher ByLuisCampos Instructions:CelebrityCiphercryptogramsarecreatedfromquotationsbyfamouspeople, pastandpresent.Eachletterinthecipherstandsforanother. NEACrossword Leo(July23-Aug.22)— Emotions will surface, causing problems at home if you aren't cognizant of what those around you want. Do your best to please others without ignoring needs. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Don't leave anything to chance. Make domestic changes and use your money wisely. Compassion and understanding are sufficient when dealing with outsiders. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) — Get your chores out of the way and make the adjustments that will ensure you get to do something enjoyable before the end of the day. Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) — Set the standard. Share your intentions and move forward with or without the help of oth- ers. Trust and believe in yourself. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) — Refuse to let anyone guilt you into doing things you don't want to do. Arguing is a waste of time. If you don't like some- thing or someone, walk away. Work on self-improvement. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Listen to any tips or sugges- tions being offered in order to find a unique way to deal with a perplexing situation. Your timing will be uncanny. Love is in the stars. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) — Keep an open mind, but don't let anyone use emotional ma- nipulation on you. If something doesn't feel right, do your own thing. Personal change will lead to interesting results. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20) — Someone you have dealt with in the past will be your ticket to a new beginning. Don't hesitate to reconnect and make an offer that's impossible to refuse. Partnerships look promising. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Legal or financial contracts are highlighted. Negotiate on your own behalf. An idea you have will change the way you move forward professionally. Don't make the same mistake twice. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Do whatever feels right. It's a good time to turn an idea into a going concern. Make plans to celebrate with someone you love. Playtime will ease stress. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Proceed with caution. Get information firsthand. If you rely on someone else, you will be disappointed. It's up to you to bring about positive change. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — The lifestyle changes you make will encourage you to get back to the people and activities that you enjoy the most. Set the stage for a ro- mantic interlude or a fun-filled day with family. Horoscope By Eugenia Last WEDNESDAY, AUG. 10 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 2016 REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM |YOURDAILYBREAK | 3 B