Fluoride-Not the Super Hero We Thought He Was.

Is Fluoride necessary?  Now before you say I'm one of those environmental crackpots, read this excerpt from the EPA's own website:

What are fluoride's health effects?
Exposure to excessive consumption of fluoride over a lifetime may lead to increased likelihood of bone fractures in adults, and may result in effects on bone leading to pain and tenderness. Children aged 8 years and younger exposed to excessive amounts of fluoride have an increased chance of developing pits in the tooth enamel, along with a range of cosmetic effects to teeth.

This health effects language is not intended to catalog all possible health effects for fluoride. Rather, it is intended to inform consumers of some of the possible health effects associated with fluoride in drinking water.

Err...ok?  And what is excessive consumption?  A couple of glasses of water a day???
If that doesn't alarm you, maybe this might:

Fluoride ingestion has been associated with adverse health effects such as IQ deficits in children, depression, weight gain and heart disease. The "Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics" reports that "high fluoride intake has a damaging effect on intellectual ability," and human studies from China, India, Iran and Mexico found that elevated levels of fluoride in children resulted in reduced performance and impaired development of intelligence. The U.S. National Research Council has also found that fluoride affects normal endocrine function, which may contribute to hypothyroidism, or reduced activity of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism can lead to fatigue, depression, weight gain, hair loss, muscle pains and heart disease. Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/133760-side-effects-fluoride/#ixzz1aV66TOJh

It seems that Fluoride, you've got some explaining to do. 

You got too much oxygen in your blood. Here, let me put a giant leech on you.

Leeches.  They suck.

By the way, what do you think of the new show “Terra Nova?” 

Yeah, the whole living-with-the-dinosaurs thing is cool and all, but more specifically, what do you think of their grim portrayal of FUTURE Earth? 

My first thought was pure disbelief:  There is NO WAY we would let the environment get that bad!

But, here’s an even scarier thought that I had:  Even if we try to reverse our current environmental problems, maybe this is a snowball that we can’t stop rolling…maybe the damage we have done is irreversible and no amount of pollution control, CO2 emission control, or massive recycling efforts are going to change that...

Now before you start spitting facts and figures at me, trying to prove me wrong…I’ll admit right here and now…I could be wrong.   

I hope like hell I’m wrong. 

Here’s another personal musing:  There are people out there that care about Earth and they are trying like the dickens to do the right thing.  They recycle, they compost, they are conscious of the environment, and they aren’t wasteful.   However, I would say that’s only 20% of the population.  Ok, this is only a personal estimate, just by observation of my community.

But what I’m saying is, I think 80% just don’t give a damn.   That’s disconcertingly high, don’t you think?

And I have to admit, on occasion, I don’t do EVERYTHING I should to help the environment.  And I’m sure the other 20% of the people slip up occasionally. We have lives after all…we can’t constantly fret about where the recycle bins are located, or whether or not that juicy turkey that our mom cooked so hard to cook is cruelty and hormone-free, or even better, tofu! (Ok, BETTER is debatable!)

My point is:  20% caring most of the time and 80% caring NONE of the time…that’s a recipe for doom.  

Ok, look at this way, one person is diligently trying to save money for retirement.  He puts aside a good bit of money every week, hoping to have a nice nest egg for his golden years.  However, his wife and kids are pissed at him. ”Hoarding money, what an idiot! What about TODAY?   We want this, we NEED that,” they cry.  So they constantly make trips to the ATM, withdrawing from the husband’s nest egg, never putting back in.  The husband keeps contributing, but it’s totally useless; he and his wife will have nothing to retire on, because the family spends it faster than he saves it.

I’m sorry, folks.  The world is not your endless ATM.  Resources WILL run out.    If you don’t believe me, believe the savvy, rich people, like T. Boone Pickens.  You know, the oil tycoon?  Anyway he’s started buying WATER rights!  Yes, I said W-A-T-E-R.   Check it out:  http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_25/b4089040017753.htm

Yep, Clear gold.  Texas Pee.  (Ok, that’s gross. It’s not pee.   But I needed a substitute for “Texas T”…ok, moving on).

Trust me, I hate doom and gloom more than anyone.  I refused to watch “2012”.  In fact, I’m boycotting the whole year.  

I’m also pretty cynical, and I can sum up my feelings on “Terra Nova”, with one sardonic remark:    “Great.”  I said to my husband.   “Now they can get a million year head start on ruining another planet.”

So…what do you think?  Is my guess of 20% too low…too high?  Is the future Earth of "Terra Nova" inevitable?

Ever since happiness heard your name, it has been running through the streets trying to find you.- Hafiz of Persia

For years, I've been looking to the outside word to make me happy. Well, my WHOLE life really.

• If I had more friends, I'd be happy
• If I had more money, I'd be happy
• If this happened or that happened, I would be happy
• If everyone loves me and I have their approval, then I will be happy!!

You get the picture.

Well, I'm here to tell ya, it anit working. Huh.  Go figure.

Today, I think I had a break through of some sort.  Ok, it's not a genius idea, and certainity not a new idea...self-help gurus have been preaching it for years.

I heard, but never LISTENED. 

Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves.

- Helen Keller

Today, for some reason, my heart decided to listen.

• To be happy, I need to be less judgemental.
• To be happy, I need to be less negative.  A LOT less negative!
• To be happy, I need to not win everyone else's approval.  The only approval I need is mine.
• To be happy, I need to find Me.  Me has been buried under a pile of crap.  It's going to take me a while to sort it out.
• To be happy, I have to be thankful every day for all that I have...I have so much to be thankful for!
• To be happy, I need to learn patience.

Hair glop ?

I admit it, I'm an Earth hugger, a neo-hippie, a cu-ba-ya freak....and sometimes it's not easy being green.  But sometimes it pays off.

Instead of dumping harmful and expensive liquid plumber down your clogged sink, try this:  Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain.  Follow up with a cup of vinegar.  Then wait about 5 minutes and pour a kettle of boiling water in the drain.   Repeat if neccessary.  This is cheap and chemical free!
If that doesn't work, buy a sink plunger!  http://www.bing.com/shopping/search?q=sink+plunger&FORM=HURE.  You can usually get a good one for $3 to $5.  That's the cost of a bottle of that nasty liquid stuff!

Cheap as a Feather!

$15 for ONE those feather hair extensions?!? Ha! I got 7 of them on ebay for $9.99!

Shop around people! 

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1312&_nkw=grizzly+feather+hair+extensions&_sacat=See-All-Categories

Everyone Needs a Vacation

And I'm on mine...but don't worry, I'll be back soon with new goodies in my sleigh!  (No this isn't me)

I love Mysteries...

I've been doing Mystery Shops on and off for about 10 years.  For a little bit of time, I've gotten to see free movies, had free meals, and just recently, I got my daughter an eye exam and glasses for ALMOST free.  (They reimbursed me about $120.  Really, not too shabby!),   This was so awesome for us, since we don't have eye care insurance.

Everything is independent contracting work, which means taxes are your responsiblity.  Yeah, I know, it sucks, I hate it, but that's the deal.  Also, be aware that sometimes it takes a month or more to see your reimbursement.  I can't vouch for all Mystery Shop companies, but the ones I've worked for, I get my payment eventually.  Sometimes I have to hound them, but I do get it.

http://beyondhello.com/ is the place that I did the eyeglasses shop for.  Now, you aren't just going to waltz in, buy glasses, and BAM, you got $100!  This is a job, you have make sure you get all the details they ask for and keep good notes...oh, and remember, you are incognito.  Acting!!! 

Half.com

This is for you, Lizzie :)

http://www.half.com/, I've used them for about 11 years now. They used to be their own entity, before Ebay bought them out in 2000.  

Let's take one example of a good deal: a recent bestseller turned movie, "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.  Right now, the list price is $16; you can get it like new on Half.com for 4.99 (+shipping)!

Like Ebay, there is a seller rating system, so you can see feedback and know how repetable your seller is. 

Sometimes you feel like an auction, sometimes you don't.  With Half.com, you can get great deals without the auction hassle. Oh, and you can sell your books too!   

If you are a huge bookworm like me, Half.com is a must.

Your opinion = points for free stuff!

http://harrispollonline.com/

I've been a member of Harris Poll for about 8 years.  I They send you emails on surveys, you do them, you get points for free stuff. 
No, I'm not talking about crappy little trickets....it's GOOD stuff...like gift cards, cameras, CDs, cookware, techie stuff.  I've got a lot of great stuff, and filling out the surveys are easy and fun.  And ZOOWIE, you get those prizes FAST, usually within 3 days!!!

Trust me, Harris Poll rocks!  

We don't need no stinkin' Sunday paper

Ain't the internet just peachy?  You can print your own coupons! 

http://www.couponsurfer.com/

They have a wide variety and it varies from week to week.  The only downside is: you have to download their software, and once you have it, it's almost impossible to get rid of...if you are really paranoid about Big Brother, this may freak you out too much.  Truthfully, I'm not real comfortable with it, but it hasn't given me any issues.   It's a give and take relationship...I get some extra money in my pocket, they get to creep on me.

Hey, don't judge...after all, most of you have Facebook.  :)

Free Samples

Here's a website for freebies...they send you a daily e-mail of companies who have free samples!   I've received free gum, perfume, cereal, snack bars, dog food, etc, etc, etc!!!  It's like Christmas every time you go to your mailbox.  Well, it's better than more bills, anyway.

http://www.samplestuff.com/. 

YES, sorry... you NEED to give out your e-mail address.  (If you are worried about crazy amounts of junk e-mail being crammed into your inbox, my suggestion is to start up a hotmail or gmail account specifically for all the deals you sign up for.  This way you aren't cluttering your main email account with a bunch of unsolicated crap.)

Amazon Turk-Start work TODAY.

Requirements:  Internet, PC, bank account.  That’s it!

Qualification: Sign up for an Amazon account if you don’t already have one, it’s totally free!  Then go to https://www.mturk.com/mturk/welcome.  There are two sides, left side is for workers and the right side is for employers.  Click on the left side, it will pull up your “hits”.  In the right hand corner, there is a “sign in” prompt.  It will probably ask for your bank account info to get started.  I didn’t worry about this too much; I’ve never had a security problem with Amazon.   After you get all your info situated, you can start work.  Some hits you can work on with no qualification whatsoever, other hits require a qualification test.

How it works: You are doing very simple tasks, looking up info, looking at pictures and doing different surveys and psych tests.  Caution:  If you don’t read directions carefully, you may not get paid for the task! 

Pay:  The pay for each task will be listed.  You probably won’t get paid for the task right away; it may take a day or so for them to accept the task.  If you don’t do the task to their standards, they may not pay you at all, but I rarely have this problem.

After the requester approves your work, money is deposited into your Amazon Payments account. Minimum Withdrawal Amount: $10.00 minimum withdrawal to a bank account/$1.00 minimum for an Amazon.com Gift Card purchase.  If you like to shop on Amazon (like me!) this job could lead to a sweet discount toward that special book or DVD, or even free stuff!!  Of course, if you just want to grab the cash, that's cool.

Black Mamba says:  I've made $14 here so far, but I don’t work there every day.  The great thing is you can log on any time and work as long as you want!  The downside is, it can get very tedious!  God my eyes...my precious eyes!!  Plus, you aren’t making buckets of money here; you’re lucky to make $2.00 an hr.    My advice: pick your projects wisely.    Sometimes .01 per hit is better than .03 per hit; the .01 hit might take 10 seconds to do, whereas the .03 hit might take 10 minutes. 

Textbroker

http://www.textbroker.com/

Requirements: Internet, PC, fairly good English composition skills, and a Paypal account.  You don't need to be an professional writer, but you do need to have some writing skills and creativity!

Qualification: You will have to submit a sample of your writing, a brief article, to be accepted.  They will rate your article anywhere between 2 and 5 stars.  You will only be able to write articles that correspond to your rating, (If you get a 3 star rating, you can only choose articles that are 3 stars or lower).  HOWEVER, you can improve your rating with subsequent articles.

How it works: After you pass the test, you are free to chose articles (in your qualification range).  There are many different topics, and usually you have to write 150 to 400 words.  The client will give you instructions that you need to follow, but you have a lot of creative breathing room!   After you write the article, you submit it to the client and wait for their response, usually within 1 to 3 days.

Pay:  Yeah, you probably won't get rich doing this.  The average rate per word is 1.5 cents.  You get paid through Paypal, and you need to have a balance of $10 in the Textbroker account before they will pay you.

Black Mamba says:  I've made $30 here so far, and I've done 19 short articles.  Hey, that's not bad!   I suppose you could possibly make a few hundred dollars a month, if you are consistent.  Bottom line, it's a nice little egg to have if you like to write!  I've never had a client not pay me, and Texbroker is usually very prompt with their pay out.

Abe Books-Cheap books, free shipping!

http://www.abebooks.com/
I've saved up to 90% on this site! It's definitely Black Mamba approved!

Many AbeBooks.com booksellers from around the world offer Free Shipping and that means you can search through millions of new, used and out-of-print books and find countless reads at unbelievable value. There’s no minimum purchase – the price you see is the price you pay.

1. If you are in the United States, select the ‘Free USA Shipping’ option and search for books offered with Standard Free Shipping to the US.
2. If you are outside the USA, select ‘Free Worldwide Shipping’ and search for your books

Meet the Internet Guru

You can call me Ms. Guru.
I was surfing the net when Justin Biever was a glint in Mr. Biever's eye.   
I've had a dozen internet jobs, one of which I've held for 9 years. 
I pitch a penny so hard it howls, so I don't buy anything online until I search endlessly for the best deals.
I definitely know the scams.  In other words, if something is rotten in Denmark.com, I can smell it.
I'm going to share my wealth of knowledge with you, dear reader.  Lucky you!
A little about me: I'm a stay-at-home mom of 2 lovely girls, and married to my husband for 12 years...and yes, I met him on the internet! 
I enjoy reading Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and emails from my friends (HINT HINT. Yeah, you know who you are.)
Love: coffee, animals, writing, sci-fi, nature, and Tequlia Sunrises.
Hate: ignorant people, lima beans, and cold weather.