Fake olive oil on store shelves

http://www.naturalnews.com/035124_olive_oil_adulterated_canola.html



As someone who tries to spread the word about eating right and reading ingredient labels, I find this highly troubling. There have been many similar cloakings of ingredients in the past, such as the legality of labeling an item "trans fat free" if it contains less than half a gram per serving (which is still bad for you). But... but... companies like Newman's Own and Whole Foods are selling fake olive oil? What the hell is going on in the food industry?? This disturbs me on an entirely new level.

This is a very good time to note that canola oil is not good for you. That's the stuff of a future post, but Natural News probably covers it extensively if you want to see for yourself.

This dog needs life-saving surgery!!

http://www.giveforward.com/savebanjo




As so often happens, our most precious possessions are animals, and they need our help. Please read this story and donate to the cause if you can. Even if you are not able to donate, please pass this link on via blog, Tumblr, Facebook, or wherever you can!

Mike Rogers on health care

I feel as though I've seen very little of this perspective on the news lately. Granted, I don't own a TV at the moment, but in the past, other sides of the matter have been more widely presented. Just thought I'd put it out there.




Congressman Mike Rogers' opening statement on Health Care reform in Washington D.C.
By RepMikeRogers

http://youtu.be/G44NCvNDLfc

Foods that will actually improve your mood

A lot of crappy things happened to me today. I did my best to stay calm, but by 3pm I was eating cookies, and after dinner, I had ice cream... twice. Woops.

While many of the foods on this list might not strike you as appealing or happiness-inducing, give it some thought. Grocery store shelves are overflowing with products that the human body never ingested before 1940 or so. Without jumping atop the Always-Eat-Healthy soap box, I just want to point out that our systems would probably feel better if we ate other things now and then.

(And in case you're still not convinced, dark chocolate is on this list.)

Have a look, and have a happy day!



http://www.organicgardening.com/cook/11-instant-mood-boosting-foods?cm_mmc=GardentoTableNL-_-793888-_-01312012-_-11_instant_mood_boosting_foods



PS- If you like this article, click on the other links within it. I got so hooked that I ended up reading articles for at least an hour!

Why let them think this is okay?

health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/3-shocking-soda-facts



Anyone who knows me would probably roll their eyes rather than just read this short article. But to be honest, I actually did not know a couple of the things stated here, so I think that it's worth your time. If you're looking to kick your soda habit, or looking to persuade a friend to do so, please read this!

How the times have changed...

Some of these changes I've witnessed through my life, others no. However, they never cease to amaze me... funny, but pretty depressing as well.

Miss Representation, a movie actually worth watching

Cuba, China, Iraq and Afganistan have more women in government than the United States does.

Think about that.



Miss representation Trailer
By MrSamy1600

http://youtu.be/JFh5F8cFb3g

A different kind of support for those who are suicidal

Most of us are familiar with organizations to comfort people who feel hopelessly lost-- all you have to do is dial a number, and you'll have someone to talk to. Unfortunately, 30% of people who call one of these numbers hang up when they hear a voice on the other end of the line.

This site takes a different approach, following today's trends in communication. Instead of calling a phone number, you chat online with someone who can help. It's a far easier way to connect with somebody when you feel as though you're on a one-way street.

Good luck! <3



imalive.org

Gay parents are not bad parents

The title of this article is stretching it a bit by saying that gay parents are the best, but well... that's Yahoo for ya. That aside, I found this a fascinating read.



http://news.yahoo.com/why-gay-parents-may-best-parents-131902676.html

A transgender girl who just... "knew"

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/family/articles/2011/12/11/led_by_the_child_who_simply_knew/?page=full



This girl is a teenager. Think about that. As I read this, I felt as though I was seeing the words of someone much older. This gives me hope for the future.

Chick-fil-A is homophobic?

http://equalitymatters.org/factcheck/201111010001



Just found out about this. It irritates me to no end that, no matter what product you buy, you're supporting the entire infrastructure and belief system of the company, rather than just the damn product.

Not that I'd ever want to buy that poor excuse of a food substitute.

Cheese cubes full of nails found in dog parks?!

The photo above appeared in my Facebook news feed today, and as an animal lover, I was very concerned. Thankfully, someone looked into the story and now we know that this is not a widely-occurring crime.

NO MATTER WHAT, ALWAYS KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR DOG WHEN HE OR SHE IS OUTSIDE-- THERE ARE PLENTY OF DANGERS TO BE FOUND. But please do read through this short report to understand where the nailed cheese-cube story came from.



http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cheese.asp

Wait, so humans came from... multiple types of humans

I can't even fake an intelligent comment here. This isn't a field that I understand particularly well, but from what I gather, this is pretty cool.



http://news.yahoo.com/wasnt-just-neanderthals-ancient-humans-had-sex-other-171119367.html

Time to quiet your mind

I promise, absolutely promise you that this is not one of those sites where a freaky screaming face will pop up on the screen. Although, you could always watch it the first time peeking through your fingers... I did that for about half of it.

Anyway, the point is to relax. Follow the instructions, and relax.



http://amitaytweeto.com/thequietplace/



Enjoy.

Yeah, they bite. Ew.

Bed bugs! Awesome! Great!... I've never encountered any, so to me they seem like a far-off, semi-mythical creation of mothers who needed something to say to their kids when putting them to bed. But if I plan to travel in the future, I guess my days of ignorance are over.

Take a look at the top cities affected to see if you should be on high alert next time you check into a nice hotel. Bleh.



http://www.komonews.com/news/local/128352503.html

This makes me want to smoke a hot dog

...well... not really, but it's terrible news!



http://www.christianpost.com/news/eating-hot-dogs-as-risky-as-smoking-cigarettes-53068/



I love organic food and saving the planet, but hot dogs are one of my favorite foods ever. God, there has got to be a way around this! (Although I will add, they should also be talking about cold cuts in this article. Hot dogs are not entirely to blame.)

It doesn't pay to help people

When I say "pay", I mean actual money, not karma. And that's beyond upsetting. Every time I wonder how things in our society have gotten so horribly screwed up, something new is thrown at me. People are mentally and emotionally unstable these days with all of the pressure of the 21st century, filling their bodies with crappy food and chemicals that further mess with their health, and now every health industry in the country seems to be failing us.



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/06/health/policy/06doctors.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&emc=eta1



Here's to hoping that, the more people realize there's a problem, the harder they can work to fix it.

Keep your pets happy and patriotic!

Well, first off, happy Fourth of July! Yes, it's still very early in the day (haha) and the fireworks won't be for, like... 17 more hours, but still.

While I love fireworks, they really freak me out because they're so dangerous, and are harmful to animals and the environment. I remember spending one Independence Day on the beach with my family and finding a few dead seagulls as the night wore on. But, this link is not about that, it's about animals that are much more personal to you-- your pets!

Yeah, they look cute with Uncle Sam hats on their furry little heads, but they so totally do not understand the concept of fireworks. This list has great tips for keeping your pets safe this holiday weekend.



http://www.sanjoseanimals.com/pdf/July4_Safety.pdf



Have an awesome Fourth!!

Don't give spiders drugs

Doing so can seriously damage the lives of all involved. Think of the crying children!




http://youtu.be/sHzdsFiBbFc

*Totally not recommending these*

AMAZINGLY SIMPLE HOME REMEDIES

WARNING: DO NOT TRY THESE HOME REMEDIES AT HOME.


1. If you're choking on an ice cube simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself

2. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold while you chop

3. Avoid arguments with the Mrs. about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

4. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.

5. A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

6. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you'll be afraid to cough.

7. You only need two tools in life - Triflow and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the Triflow. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

8. Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

9. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.