Is Aluminum really dangerous to our health?

For whatever reason, this extremely useful metal has had some attention brought to it over the last few years - concerning health-related issues. Many people claim that aluminum intake is very dangerous to our health, while others say that ingesting small amounts of this metallic substance is safe. Is this topic even worthy of the scrutiny?

I'm mean really, when you think about it, you breathe, absorb, and ingest all kinds of heavy metals and toxic substances daily without even being aware. You can really rack up on the heavy metals by simply eating a lot of seafood, for example. However, your body comes equipped with a liver and a set of kidneys that are used to filter out this crap, but sometimes unwanted toxins do accumulate in the body. Regardless of whether or not this post should turn into an elementary health lesson, this is not the topic at hand...

Is Aluminum really dangerous to our health?

In my opinion, minuscule intake should not be considered "dangerous," and especially since it's basically unavoidable. If you're really concerned about your body building up potentially harmful toxins, it might not be a bad idea to fast/diet once a week and only eat fruits & vegetables during your day of fasting, drink lots of juice or water, and/or eat a lot of foods that are high in sulfur - which also helps to purge the body of toxins. In fact, if you'd like to read about an excellent supplement that specializes in detoxifying the liver, visit: "Liver Detox - Milk Thistle"

Okay, now back to the original subject:

The reason for this post, is that I got reminded of this subject the other day. I've recently started recycling aluminum cans (mostly beer cans, ha!), and upon tying up another sack of empty cans, I started looking at all those sacks that consists of hundreds of aluminum containers that I have drank out of over the last several weeks and started thinking about the "aluminum is dangerous to our health" subject, which is quite debatable, by the way...

It isn't just cans, either; think about all the cookware, aluminum foil, and products containing this metal that we use all the time. Plus, some food contains aluminum. If it is so "dangerous," then how in the hell can a human use it so much without any noticeable effects? Sure, they can link it to certain illnesses, but I'm still yet to see how one can totally pinpoint it to just aluminum, especially with there being so many other unwanted substances out there that enters our body every day.

I think that some of these people really try to scare you about the "dangers of aluminum," just to sell you some detox product or perhaps some heavy metal testing kit, and so on.

Anyway, I'll drop down a couple links to get you started, if you're interested in searching and researching more about this subject. I'll provide one that is claiming this metal is dangerous, and I'll provide another that is saying it is safe in normal amounts.

This website is against the intake of aluminum, while also selling an "Aluminum Testing Kit" (among other things): http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/dangers-of-aluminum.html [Link is no longer active]

This website is basically saying that ingesting small to moderate amounts of aluminum shouldn't be harmful, but does seem to be a little concerned and warns about the potential sources of intake on page 2 of the article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/855663/aluminum_pan_safety_is_aluminum_cookware.html?cat=25 [link is no longer active]

In closure, by what I've read, Aluminum doesn't seem to be readily absorbed in the body, and a lot of it just passes through your intestines without entering your bloodstream. Of course, we are not talking about chunks of metal here; this whole debate is about whether or not these microscopic fragments of aluminum pose health risks, etc.
At any rate: Eat, drink, and be wary... Cheers!

---End of Post: "Is Aluminum really dangerous to our health?"

Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs vs. BallPark Franks - Who cares?

I've recently stumbled across a few articles and videos over this silly debate, which has ended up turning into a legal battle, lawsuit, etc., between Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs and BallPark Franks.
By the way, I'm spelling the brand name 'BallPark' because that is how it's currently printed on their packages and not "Ball Park' - not that it really matters.

Yeah, you'd think that there's surely more important things going on in the world today, other than seeing headlines like "Wiener Wars" and so on, in the news media, but whatever. I say, "who cares?," but obviously there are tons of people that do, so lets get on with it...

If you haven't heard about any of this and are interested in the recent culinary calamity at hand, I'll get you started with a link to a short article; you can do a web search if you prefer videos.

Anyway, it starts off by saying:
"Everyone knows it's a dog-eat-dog world, but in Chicago's federal court, it was a dog-sue-dog world. Monday marked the beginning of the end of the lawsuit of the century. Oscar Mayer (owned by Kraft Foods) and BallPark (owned by Sara Lee), the USA's two biggest hot dog brands, squared off in court in a trial to decide once and for all which frank is frankest." To read more, go here: http://www.delish.com/food/news/a38847/oscar-mayer-vs-ball-park-in-hot-dog-lawsuit/?GT1=47001

You know, I can't really say which is better; I rarely even eat hot dogs. I know for sure that I dislike Oscar Mayer's tasteless bologna, and I usually get Field or Bryan bologna instead, but this debate is about hot dogs and not pre-sliced roadkill (just kidding). It is just hard for me to remain serious while typing about the "heated debate" over who has the best Frank in the country.

When thinking about this lame subject, I can't help but think (other than "who cares?") that everybody has different taste buds and what one person likes, another individual may not. I also think about how unhealthy a hot dog is and how much sodium nitrite is put into those suckers. But, I'm not running a health blog over here. If you'd like to read about health & fitness subjects, click on over to my blog "Health & Fitness Guru."
Another thing that pops into my mind when I'm hearing about all of these "wiener wars," is how it has mainly just gave a bunch of writers a chance to amuse their selves with creative puns and senseless synonyms while typing or speaking about this poppycock.

I have a few questions... Instead of asking who has the best hot dog between Oscar Mayer and BallPark, I'd rather ask: Just what all goes into a hot dog? How exactly is it made? If I had seen how you made it, would I still want to eat it?
Those 3 questions, to me, seem more important.

At any insane rate, if I really wanted to know who had the best "dog" or whatever, I'd ask the hot babe depicted below:


---End of Post "Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs vs. BallPark Franks - Who cares?"

Side Note: If you're tired of boiled, microwaved, or sliced & fried hot dogs and don't want to use an outdoor charcoal or gas grill, I'd recommend the electric George Foreman Grill - a.k.a. the Lean, Mean, Grilling Machine. Cheers!

Click the image (affiliate link) below, to view a wide range of George Foreman Grills:
---End of Promo

Ditch the cheap shoes and buy medium-grade running or walking shoes...

Unless you're unemployed, stay inside all the time, are a couch potato, constantly run around barefoot all the time, a beach bum with sandals or flip flops, etc., chances are that having a good pair of shoes is a very important thing.

Personally, I hate spending a lot of money on shoes because I know that I'm going to wear them out fairly quick. I do a lot of walking and quite a bit of fast walking, cover a lot of ground (I've wondered before just how many miles per week), on my feet a lot, and there is only about two days a week that I don't walk very much (when I'm off).

There is some debate on whether or not expensive shoes are actually worth the money - when compared to cheaper shoes. Over the years, I've tested the low-grade (cheap), medium-grade (affordable but not cheap), and even a couple times... the supposed high-grade (expensive) shoes. However, I have noticed that the quality has went down considerably over the last few years, so the low-grade shoes (the ones you should ditch) are now mostly crap that falls apart in a few weeks of heavy use; you know, the cheap shoes that are usually found at stores like Walmart. I could understand buying a new pair every 6 weeks if you're only spending 10 dollars, but many of these low-grade shoes are as high as 30 dollars while claiming they have some unique "foot technology" or some special insole, etc., which is simply marketing baloney and whatnot.

Anyway, by what I have found, the medium-grade shoes that are usually in the $50 dollar to $100 dollar price range seem to be the best overall value. For example, if I buy a 25 dollar pair at Wally World and they only last me 2 months, are not very comfortable to begin with, what's the point? I spent 60 dollars on a pair of medium-grade running shoes, like the Adidas brand, and they lasted me 7 months (6 good months, I stretched that last month) while being very comfortable. So you do the math... Do I end up buying 3 pairs of 25 dollar shoes (equals 75 dollars total) or one pair of 60 dollar shoes?
The only benefit I see from buying cheap shoes, is that you get a fresh pair of insoles more often, since you're throwing them away so quickly.

If you're wondering about all this "running / walking shoes" talk, and are curious as to what type of shoes you actually need, visit the Walking Shoes vs. Running Shoes article, below:
www.newbalance.com/performance/walking-toning/walking-shoes-vs-running-shoes/ [link is no longer active]

Even though I don't run, I have found that the running shoes hold up better to my fast walking and my stop-and-go motions, but under normal circumstances, most people would be just fine with the standard walking shoes. At any rate, many of you will find out that you're not saving any money in the long run, when you buy low-grade products and it may be time to ditch the damn cheap shoes...

Sample image of what the typical running/sports shoe looks like:
If you're interesting in buying some better quality shoes online, visit the (affiliate) link below:

---"Click Here to Shop for Running Shoes via Amazon"

If you follow that last link, you can always customize your search, get in the right category that's just for you, etc. I just directed the link to the "running shoes" search results page.

---End of Post "Ditch the cheap shoes and buy medium-grade running or walking shoes..."

'Prayer by Letters' Religious Scams & Stupid People...

I suppose that almost anybody can run a business/scam service via the almighty P.O. (Post Office) Box address and get away with it. It may very well be a simple competition that involves stupid people trying to manipulate their own ilk, but for us semi-aware beings who are witnessing these crazy acts from afar, we often find ourselves laughing and being mad at the same time! Speaking of scams, I spoke about a similar topic on my "Cramming Charges on Phone Bill - Scam" post, as most of the monetary rewards for their greedy little evil schemes landed in their good ol' innocent Post Office Boxes, of course...

But before I go any further, this particular blog entry calls for random images to be placed throughout this post that definitely relates to the subject at hand, so bear with us...

  Anyway, several days ago I got a religious letter (ha!) in the mail from a bogus church that claimed that they could bring all the answers to my problems and also provide me with monetary rewards from the one-and-only God, as long as I send 'em some money; uh, I mean give them a "seed gift to God's work," or however you want to say it and it still be tax free... This big slop of baloney that wasted my time and the natural resources (mostly trees, in this case) to produce the papers that this swill and utter divine poppycock was printed on, came filled with testimonials from these fictitious characters who "gave to the ministry" after receiving this "prayer by letters" opportunity...and...in return, got rewarded from God in a monetary fashion. Hmm, how charming... 

Well, well... Let's see... If I send my money to your P.O. Box under the name of Saint Matthew's Churches from Tulsa, OK., United States, and use your provided cheaply printed-off "prayer rug" to glorify my broke, desperate, hopeless, dying, gullible spirit upon, and so on, you say that I will be blessed (in due time, of course) with even more money and material things and physical rewards that can't even compare to the tiny "all-I-can-afford-or-can't-afford-but-will-still-give financial gift" that you want me to send during my supposed last-stab-at-life donation that I should gladly mail to your sacred PO Box? As always, I was only truly enlightened about what my life was really about and became aware of your scam, oops, I mean God - after reading the "special prophecy" provided in YOUR bogus letter of absolute bull-shit - BUT ONLY AFTER I have mailed the money to your Post Office Box will I be saved from the financial and physical hardships of living with other stupid people such as the original creators of these "prayer by letters" that are being mailed out to poor people like me? 

My God! We have a possible miracle at hand! After reading their long letter that blasted the obvious symptoms for their feign illness of holy horse shit via ultimate scam by way of a PO Box, I can't help but notice how they have suggested that by giving them a "seed gift," better known as "give me your fucking money," that you will be rewarded the following, as they have printed on their letter: strength, good health, miracle healing, spiritual blessing, true love, happiness, caring friends, great joy, a happy family life, a money blessing, success, wisdom, peace, the return of a loved one, financial help, prosperity, willpower, a good loving companion, spiritual guidance, protection from evil (Ha-ha-ha! They actually said, "protection from evil." Look at them!), salvation, a secure future, and a good job." 

Damn, what a load of steaming dung! Anyway, just take a look at some of their testimonials that they are using for these stupid scams, I mean religious hogwash, I mean, uh...? But first, it is about time for another image of stupidity:

  Some endearing testimonials from some of these "Prayer by Letters" Scams: 

"Dear Saint Matthew's, my husband listed 7 things that he wanted God to do for him...he sent it [the prayer rug in the 'Prayers by Letters' scam mail with his generous donation] the same day which was the 2nd day of Feb., and last Saturday God blessed us with $10,700 dollars! He went out and bought us a car... Enclosed is another donation from us..." L.B. from Maryland. 

Just after reading that one testimonial from this scam mail, most of ya should already be thinking, "what a load of shit!" The testimonials continue below: 

Y.G. from an unknown location says: "On Feb. 22, which was a Sunday evening, my mom received a letter from a friend to a friend (oh, how convenient). It was about your Prayer Rug that was sent in the letter. After I read everything, I was alone and prayed for all, and that I would like things to go right for our own family and others as well...I prayed for us to have a blessing someday... I only had 50 dollars [that is, 50 dollars left after giving the rest of my money to your ministry - is what this is implying] and that was to last until next pay day - which had to stretch for food and gas as well... $46,886.20 has me out of debt. It seems as if it was just a dream, but that little dream came true." Ha-ha-ha! Even the title of this particular testimony scam says, "BLESSED WITH $46,000.00 AFTER USING PRAYER RUG..." (which this silly-ass, shoddy "prayer rug" depicting Jesus opening his eyes, is provided within the 'prayer by letters' scam mail, of course). 

Damn, I'm ready for another image featuring stupid people:

  More testimonials (short versions) continue below: 

J.B. from New York: "Dear Saint Matthew's, after I received the prayer package (Prayer package? WTF?), I was healed of severe pains that I was suffering from my left leg. I tried many prescriptions that didn't help." [So, I guess by sending them your money, you encountered some of that miracle healing stuff? Ha!] 

C.D. from Pennsylvania: "Dear [I'm filling in some blanks here] Ministry, after giving to your church, God blessed me with over $5,000.00." 

R.T. from Delaware: "...God made it possible for us to buy 17 acres of land..." ---Say what? 

Mrs. O.C. from Texas said to this particular 'Prayer by Letters' Ministry after supposedly sending them some cash: "...I've gotten a NEW CAR AND A JOB, and I've been blessed..." 

I could mention more testimonials from this particularly stupid religious scam of utter divine asininity, but I won't because the joke is actually getting old while I'm typing this nonsense (at least the images were funny). However, I will mention that they (whoever 'they' are) did accurately mention this profitable bible quote on their baloney page of legalized thievery that I received in the mail the other day, and that is: "With God all things are possible." All I got to say about that cute little quote is: "Ain't that the fuckin' truth! Ha-ha!" As they have obviously used the name of 'God' to make a lot of monetary things possible. Dang, maybe this whole PO Box business stuff is really lucrative and legit after all. Hmm... 

Well anyway, on a better note, look below for the first image on this lovely blog post that wasn't about stupid people: Related Links:

'Holier than Thou' Christians are Pathetic! 

Christian's Version of "Hell" makes no sense! 

---End of Post "'Prayer by Letters' Religious Scams & Stupid People"

Can Ultra Lights or Additive-Free Cigarettes help you quit?

This will now be a 2-part post since I've recently deleted an old website of mine and currently combining some of the related pages together, etc.

Part 1: Can Additive-Free Cigarettes help you quit?

Breathing smoke of any type is obviously bad for your health, and the lovely nicotine-laced smoke from cigarettes can be quite addictive. So, many people out there, especially the ones who have been smoking for years and are up to a pack or more a day, would really like to quit. With the way prices are today, many folks want to quit because of financial reasons about as much as they do for health reasons. For example, I smoke Marlboro Light 100's and they are currently being sold in my area for over 5 dollars a pack. That means, if I only smoke 1 pack a day, I'd be paying at least 150 dollars a month... Just think about those 2 and 3-pack-a-day smokers!

Anyway, a couple weeks ago I was going into a convenient store to buy my usual beer & cigarettes. Well, there was some little blonde sitting outside in a tight short skirt, had a couple sexy tattoos showing, and had a table set up full of additive-free cigarettes that she was promoting, trying to boost sales of her Seneca brand smokes. I walked by her and went on inside the store, since there were guys already lining up to flirt with her, uh, I mean check out the Seneca cigarettes that she was giving away free samples for.
I paid for my beer & cigarettes and talked to the guy working in the store for a bit. He told me about her promotion and we both agreed that by the way she was dressed, it looked like she was promoting something else... ha-ha!

Well anyway, I left the store and walked by her table and interrupted the guy that had been there the whole time, holding up the small line, and just quickly said, "so, what are you promoting?" She quickly told me about her product, how they had a high conversion rate for Marlboro smokers and how their cigarettes are a lot cheaper and are additive-free, 100% tobacco, etc.
I thought, "additive-free?" Anyway, she gave me a free pack and I went on my way. I think she needed a break from that other guy anyway (he left when I started talking to her). Not only did he need to wipe the drool and slobber off his face, he might need to start relieving his self before going out in public. Some people are just plain pathetic, to put it nicely...

It was so obvious that she wasn't interested in random weird perverts like him and was just dressed like that to get more customers, ya know, to help "promote" the product. Anyway, that's a totally different subject that is unrelated to this post, so I'll move on...

The question is: Can additive-free cigarettes help you quit?

The reason why I ask, is because when I got home that day I started reading up about this additive-free stuff, as I knew they pump loads of additives into the conventional cigarettes on the market - which just adds even more to the toxic list of reasons to quit smoking. Seneca isn't the only brand that brags about being additive-free; just do a web search if you're interested and you'll see.

During my quick research, I noticed a few unfair "studies" in which they were, at least it seemed that way to me, trying to say that additive-free cigarettes were worse than the regular ones that are loaded with additives. I tell ya, it made no sense to me! When looking at that particular study, they tested a non-filter additive-free cigarette versus a filtered additive-laced cigarette! Well folks, after seeing that, I just ignored whatever else they were saying.

I just did a quick web search again, and here's an example of some of these "studies" that they perform: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021203074357.htm
Dang, I never realized that additive-free cigs were so debatable...
On another note, I was reading somewhere that some people actually go through withdrawal after switching to additive-free cigarettes because their body is used to the ones with additives. Now, I cannot validate that statement nor say that it is absolutely true, but I mentioned it because I did read such things on some website on the web and I've read similar comments within comment fields, forums, etc.

If you've been smoking for years, especially if you're a heavy smoker, there will probably be no "easy way out" or a certain method that makes quitting any easier. I've always wondered if those "e-cigarettes" or whatever they are called, would be effective or not.
However, I did write a blog post about this whole "quit smoking" subject a while back, and you can find it here: "Can smoking 'Ultra-Lights' help you quit?" [Link is no longer active, but it is now Part 2 of this post.]

In closure, whatever method you choose, quitting smoking will definitely help save you money and, unless it is too late, it will improve your health. I know, I know, it's easier said than done...

---End of Part 1: "Can Additive-Free Cigarettes help you quit?"

Part 2: "Can smoking 'Ultra Lights' help you quit?"

Just after finishing the post “Secondhand Smoke vs. Air Purifiers,” I almost immediately thought of this question.

This is not very informative nor is it much of a blog post, but it’s more of a Q & A (question & answer) or no, it is more of a Q & O (question & opinion) post.

Many of the so-called experts tell you that smoking Ultra Lights or Lights is no better for you than full flavored cigarettes.

Well, I have to disagree with the experts on this one, albeit we should all know that all smoke is bad for us. However, I cannot fathom how a cigarette with so much more tar & nicotine can be the same as one with less. It just doesn’t make any sense, nor does a lot of the advice you often hear from “overly educated” idiots. It is also very apparent, that the amount you smoke also effects your health in different degrees along with how you smoke. Yes, I said how you smoke. The tar & nicotine, for example, that a person intakes is much greater from one who “hits it hard” as opposed to one who gently smokes or lightly sucks on the cigarette. For the most part, guys generally “hit it harder” than females, however that may sound to you.

Anyway, we’ve got off track here. The original question is: Can smoking “Ultra Lights” help you quit? When it comes to the nicotine/chemical addiction, my answer is a very definite “yes!”

I know many may disagree but, in my opinion, it is true. In fact, I have done this in the past and it worked fine, even though it is years later and I still smoke. But I did quit without much effort, using the Ultra Light method in the past. What my hang up is, involves circumstantial smoking; for example, I like cigarettes with my beer. There are many of these circumstances that get in the way for many people who try to quit and fail. It isn’t just the beer & cigarette combo either. A lot of folks particularly like to smoke after meals, after sex, with their coffee, break times at their place of work, et cetera. Hell, some people even smoke for dieting reasons to curb their appetite, and so on.

Anyway, back to the question at hand: See, I look at Ultra Lights as a good chance to wean yourself from the nicotine addiction, not the psychological or circumstantial addiction. If you can break the drug addiction by using Ultra Lights, most of the rest is all mental and/or willpower or resoluteness aside from the chemical addiction to toxins outside of nicotine? My problem with it, is that I have to want to quit, but if I ever decide to do so again, I’ll use the Ultra Lights for a while before stopping completely – as this sort of eases the process. Of course, there are many products on the market to help you quit, so pick your method and best of luck to you.

Out of all the nicotine replacement products I have tried, the nicotine lozenges have, without a doubt, worked the best for me. I personally get the 2mg, but they have 4mg for the strong version and 1mg for the weak version, etc.

Shopping (Affiliate) Link:

Click Here for Nicotine Lozenges via Amazon

---End of Part 2: "Can smoking 'Ultra Lights' help you quit?"

---End of Post "Can Ultra Lights or Additive-Free Cigarettes help you quit?"

If 'Heaven' really exists, wouldn't it be boring?

An odd query I'm sure, but really, when you think about it, wouldn't the "heaven" described by most religions be, uh, boring?

I hate to say it, but... What? Are we going to just sit around and hold each other under pink skies and blissful rainbows while living/dwelling under the roof of this supposed "eternal heaven" and tell each other just how much we love each other over and over and over and over??? Damn, I've met a few of those nutjobs before and they were anything but divine, let me tell ya!

WTF? No, I didn't mean to abbreviate; I mean: what the fuck?

If you're in the biblical state of heaven, then that means there's no thinking of your own, no creativity, no promiscuous fun, no freedom of choice, no nothing outside of being a human vegetable that is brain-dead and thinks and sees only under the rose-colored glasses of one side of life.

Once again, think about it... Most religions seem to want to divide the entire fabric of the universe into two sides, which is often labelled as good & evil, yin & yang, black & white, and so on. This is fine, cute, and easy to do - except when you actually think about living without both sides!

What is this? Are you telling me that Jekyll & Hyde must be separated?

This whole subject reminds me of an old (the original series) Star Trek show that was entitled "Mirror, Mirror." That particular Star Trek episode (Mirror, Mirror) clearly demonstrated how we needed both sides to be who we really are and function at our best, and if we get out of balance and have too much of either good or evil, we'll end up being a very fucked up character altogether that can never make it nor face the cosmos for what it really is.

At any rate, try to understand this: Us, dearly beloved "human beings," are some very crafty, creative individuals who seek freedom and endless knowledge as a whole. Sure, we got many doltish dumb asses in our flock, but hey, who said we didn't have an ongoing Kindergarten class here via planet Earth, either? True, this thing seems to be eternal, and nobody said that you couldn't have some divine soul and journey throughout the endless void of space, time, experiences, and memories... But in all seriousness of divine dogma dung, if "heaven" really exists, wouldn't it be boring? Hmm, maybe the people that often imagine this ultimate, wonderful "heaven," are also the same hopeless romantics who wish, but only when everything is going good for them, that "this moment would last forever" or speak about being froze in such a romantic setting in such a way, that every second seemed like an eternity but only if it could, yet again, "last forever."

We all know that "Hell" is on the other divide of pompous, money-collecting dogmatic divine dogma dictions, as those lovely folks that are adhered to the "book of monkey rules," think it is totally fine to threaten others with some eternal blow torch of excruciating flames - just to get you to put money in their corrupt offering plate, of course!

Okay, well, I'll end this asinine post, before I go any further, by providing a YouTube video (located below), as this little horny-looking girl (Belinda Carlisle) once sang the song, maybe "heaven is a place on earth":

So, maybe heaven really exists after all, but only just under the misconception of "Hell on Earth" actually being "Heaven" after all... Hey, don't look at me, I didn't sing the damn song... Ha-ha-ha!

---End of Post

Bad SEO Advice & Blogging for Money...

As you should very well know, the world wide web is full of useless crap, incorrect info, bad advice, spam, scams, etc. The internet is also full of useful information, various forms of entertainment, social networks, and so on. However, if you're one of the many people out there that's taking part in this latest "blogging for money" craze, then you're likely to run into the world of SEO (search engine optimization) hogwash, sooner or later.

I know, many people have their own personal websites and blogs set up just to have a voice or a say, to share with family and friends, interact with other cyber junkies, get into heated debates on forums and on comment fields, or perhaps to simply talk to their own self (haven't we all did that before), etc.

But what really gets on my nerves, even more than the people typing poppycock for pennies, is the supposed "SEO Gurus" out there with their own "how-to" and "professional advice" sites, who just don't seem to really know anything about any one thing in particular. They often spout the same old cookie-cutter responses and useless tidbits of "advice," and more times than not, they ain't even successful with their own silly little websites and blogs to begin with. Sure, I can claim to be a lot of things, give myself fancy titles and tall tales of cyber-based financial achievement, ask you to buy my e-books and/or visit my websites, hope that you click on my advertisements, make a quick buck from knowing nothing or from actually being knowledgeable, and whatnot. But I refuse to go around acting like a fool and/or pretending I have unraveled the mysterious properties of Google's Search Engine's algorithms or that I have decoded the "secret technique for success" from an epiphany that I recently had, and blah, blah, blah.

By the way, I have a question for anyone that wants to answer:

What exactly is a professional blogger?

This is a common title that I'm seeing more and more of, from some of these self-professed SEO Sensations. So, what is your profession again? Blogging? Really? Okay, well let's look at the dictionary for a moment...

Profession, definition #2 per Merriam-Webster: a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long academic preparation.

So, to all the "professional bloggers" out there: You're telling me that you are answering to a calling that requires specialized knowledge in the ability to blog/type on an automated platform in such a professional manner and that you most likely have went through intense schooling and training just to operate a blog that most 9-year-olds can run without adults even noticing they are a kid. I find your boastful title to be quite interesting, in a humorous sort of fashion, dear "blogging professionals." However, if you're referring to the 3rd definition for the adjective version of the term 'professional', which is: "participating for gain in an activity often engaged in by amateurs," then it at least makes a little sense, but I mean really, blogging shouldn't be called a profession - due to the enormous amounts of blogs on the web that are created by people from all age groups. It's hardly professional if, uh, everybody is doing it! LOL! Okay, I've got to get off this particular subject. Anyway...

You know, all this "I'm an SEO expert" chatter on the web today, reminds me of the old get-rich-quick scams, where the only ones getting rich is the ones claiming to know how to get rich but yet, all they are doing is selling senseless baloney in their "informative packets" that tell you nothing about getting rich; ha! The next thing you know, we have the basis for a new religion, and you know how much money can be made off of religion! Arghh..., maybe I'm in the wrong profession! I may resort to selling pamphlets after all. Ha-ha! Just kidding, of course...

Anyway, I've almost come to the conclusion that anyone who has made 5 cents or more off an advert click, had more than 5 random visitors to their site that found them via an internet search, can call themselves an "SEO Guru." My god! That means I was an internet savvy "search engine optimizing guru," years ago when I first got a website and fumbled around clueless until I slowly learned a couple things about getting traffic and achieving search rank. Wow! There must be millions of SEO gurus out there by now! Damn, maybe I need to write an e-book called "Getting your first 5 visitors to your website" and join the rest of the overly promotional clowns with empty wallets while claiming greatness... ha-ha!

The point is, if you're new to this "blogging for money" stuff, then chances are you'll be reading bad advice on what not to do and what you should do, theories about black-hat seo vs. white-hat seo, newly released "methods for success," how to get on the front page of Google for the keywords you want, and so many other loaded topics fueled by morons. Sure, there are some knowledgeable people out there amid the masses, but in the long run, you'll be better off learning through your own personal experience and hard work. Besides, no matter what people tell ya, only Google's engineers and certain employees know about the inner workings of their Search Engine and the algorithm therein... AND, it is always changing, getting tweaked, etc., so what works today, may not tomorrow. It's a guessing game, but the best advice is to be original and generate high-quality content as much as possible.

Now of course, none of this really matters if you're not "blogging for money" or building websites for cash return, affiliate sales, etc. For example, I have several websites and blogs over various niches, and so on. They are not all commercial, and some of 'em I just do for fun. Take this blog, for yet another example: I'm not worried about making money off this free blog, especially since some of my other sites earn me a little extra money each month (not much, but it all adds up). I started this blog a few days ago, mainly because I wanted a blogspot to occasionally type about random subjects without the feeling that I needed to stay within a certain genre, category, or that I had to maintain a certain level of creativity - all without having to worry about how a certain post is going to perform in the search engines, if this or that will make money, etc.

Here, I can talk about stupid shit or informative stuff, interesting subjects or nonsensical topics, have short posts or long posts, whatever, it doesn't matter.

Whether any 'Mun' (money) gets pumped through to this 'Mundane Blog'... only time will tell; ha-ha!

---End of Post "Bad SEO Advice & Blogging for Money..."

Naming Cloud Formations is simply Childish...

I'm so sick and tired of hearing about this "amazing" cloud formation that supposedly formed a face recently. I remember seeing things in the clouds as a child, but never took it for more than what it was worth, unlike many "challenged" individuals of today. Anyway... Uh, yeah, the supposed "astonishing" video that has recently been flying all over the world wide web, is located here: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/44095624 [Video is no longer available]

So... A few clouds gather together, form a face due to our imagination and hopeful perspective of some divine artist from a cloud-forming crayon that scribbles from outer space while wearing a god-like pink robe and waving an ancient twig used to slap the innocent asses of humanity... just because "he" can, and presto; we have news media coverage about this asinine baloney - all over the fucking place.
Ahh, who cares? What, is this really a cloud formation that's forming some mythical being that's about to present itself upon mankind? No. Will this super atmospheric cloud save the world? No. Is this some sign from above? No. Is this God's comic strip live via the world's polluted recycling of water vapor? No. Is this all just a bunch of hyped-up bullshit, hogwash and nonsensical dung? Yes.

Well folks, all I can say is: Whatever floats your boat, but if I catch your fictitious ass in my shipyard, you'll be sinking fast, mate. Ha!

I hate to be so anti-unreal, but my realist side shows most prominent when dealing with idiots; oops, my bad...

On an even more sorry-ass note, is this the guy (pictured below) you have seen in the clouds?

---End of Post "Naming Cloud Formations is simply Childish..."

Mowing your yard in excess = mental problem!

Well, I guess you could call it the "superfluity of grass trimming disorder" or perhaps "intemperate yard mowing syndrome" or simply say "that guy has a mental problem," but it is a pet peeve of mine to see someone mow their yard every two days. Not only does it waste gas and time, and helps pollute the planet just a little more, etc., it is also an eye sore and an aggravation to live beside some of these lawn mower freaks who mow in excess! 

Yeah, yeah, some people are more neat and tidy, but my god! I've seen some people before, mowing with hardly anything coming out of the mower because what grass they were "cutting," is already as short as what you'd find at a golf course. I've also seen some of these lunatics mow during a drought. Yes, I said during a drought; you know, when it doesn't rain for a long period of time and the grass quits growing. Yep, when that happens, it ends up being a dust bowl and big clouds of dirt-filled air and debris flying around the neighborhood, onto your cars, house, etc... Uh, yeah, how thoughtful of ya! At any rate, most of these folks use riding mowers - even if they have a small yard. Maybe they would find something else to be addicted to, if they had to push mow their silly yard! 

I'm going to tell a short story to make my point even more clear, as I'm describing a neighbor of mine who might need to be medicated, be subjected to shock treatment, or seek therapy due to this yard mowing mental problem of his: 

Yesterday, I was looking at my yard as I was contemplating about mowing since it had been more than a couple weeks and it had recently rained a few times during the last day or so. The grass has been growing really slow the last month or so, since it is that time of year when it is really hot and dry. Anyway, I decided to mow. I get my mower out, put gas in it (damn, I forgot to check the oil), prime it up, and start it. Within seconds, you can see the lunatic living in the house across from me, peeping through the blinds. We'll call this neighbor of mine "Pretty Boy," since he is just so insanely tidy when it comes to his yard. As Pretty Boy feverishly paces the floor inside his house, the noise of my "push mower" is driving him nuts. He is thinking, "I just mowed 2 days ago and had the shortest yard on the block; now this guy is mowing and he always has the highest yard around; I can't allow this to happen, my yard must be shorter than his!" 

I continue to mow, hoping his insane ass stays inside. Nope. Pretty Boy can't stand the pressure, his nerves are going haywire so he has to go grab some beer and then goes outside. He stands there watching my mower cut all that grass as he is calming his self with alcohol while talking to another neighbor across the fence. As I'm making my laps in the yard with my cheap Chinese push mower, I can't help but look over at his yard that looks like it has been mowed down to the ground, and think to myself: "No, surely not. No-no, there's no fuckin' way his crazy ass is going to mow today." 

Well, about this time, I'm halfway through with my yard, so I decided to take a break, smoke a cigarette, cool off and go grab a beer. By the time I come back outside, this crazy bastard has his weed eater out. I'm now thinking, "Okay, he is insane but surely he won't mow today; it hasn't even been 48 hours yet since his last mowing, so maybe Pretty Boy just missed a couple blades of grass along the fence and is just going to use the weed eater for a bit." Wrong! I finally finished my yard, put the mower up and looked back over, and this mental patient was mowing! Mowing what, I don't know, but it was using a mower for a long while - just because my yard may have been slightly shorter. Actually, I think my yard was still higher after I mowed, than what his was before he mowed this time, if that tells ya anything. 

I don't know why I wasted blog space typing about this crap, but I'm not the only one who feels this way. I've heard many people talk about how they can't stand seeing these lawn mowing lunatics waste gas while mowing their yard in excess. 

Related link: "Lawn Mowing Lunatics - Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder" 

---End of Post "Mowing your yard in excess = mental problem!"

How to make Beer Battered Onion Rings - Video

After recently doing a recipe post a few moments ago, I got to thinking of something else that I ran across the other day. It was an instructional video showing how to make beer battered onion rings. Normally, I'd type the step-by-step recipe instructions down, but this video was so easy to follow, there's no point in me typing out instructions. Of course, if the video, for whatever reason, becomes unavailable in the future, I'll provide the written instructions, etc. Anyway, it was less than 5 minutes long and you can find it below:

Onions rings may get a bad rep for being fattening, unhealthy, and so on, but it doesn't hurt to binge a little and enjoy some good fat-filled eats! Besides, the onions are at least good for you and the finished product is about as fattening as most fried foods, so what's the big deal?

Anyway, I used to only eat onion rings when I would go to the Sonic Drive-In Restaurant. The Sonic usually has some pretty damn good rings, as well - depending on who's working, if they are cooked right, or how fresh they are. Later on, I tried the frozen food version of onion rings at the local grocery stores, and they just weren't the same; I'd dip them in ketchup just to make them more palatable. Fair warning: if you're buying onion rings from the frozen food section that are already battered and ready to bake or fry, read the package and make sure they didn't use minced onions instead of whole slices. Yes, I've bought some before that used minced onions and it ended up being some tasteless mushy crap on the inside. Ore Ida's rings are okay, but nothing beats the fresh ones that you make from scratch!

Regardless of my senseless chatter and culinary rambling, I provided the video link in case you wanted to try the homemade beer battered version. Normally, I'd hate to see beer getting poured out, but go ahead and pour that beer into the batter mix full of flour, corn meal, eggs, seasoning, etc., dip those freshly sliced onions, fry those suckers in pre-heated oil, and enjoy!
Side Note: I'd choose the sweet onions and/or Vidalia onions for this recipe... Cheers!

---End of Post "How to make Beer Battered Onion Rings - Video"

Cramming Charges on Phone Bill - Scam

Often known as "phone-bill cramming," it is something more people need to be aware of.
I've known several people with billing issues when dealing with phone companies, and I've recently had some of my own. Although my phone bill issues was petty compared to other people, nobody wants to see unwarranted charges and/or pay for services they didn't use nor ordered.

I watched a video the other day, that went in full detail about this horse shit, but I'm unable to find it again after a quick search. I just sort of run into it via a link on a web page, so who knows what the address was... Anyway, you can do your own online search for videos about "phone-bill cramming," and I'm sure you'll find plenty.
This scam widens with cell-phone users; few customers notice bogus charges... If you'd like to read more about this subject, visit: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43728825/ns/business-consumer_news/

Anyway, this is total bull-shit. These big, well-established phone companies make money off of these other "outside companies" that often only have a P.O. Box for their "operations and services," by allowing them to bill you for services you didn't order, and so on. Many people pay their bill without even noticing these extra charges, assume it's due to inflation, too lazy to read, and so on. Often times, their bill just never seems to stay the same, goes up gradually over time, and the next thing you know, you've paid a shitload more money than you should have.

This type of scam has been around for several years, but has really picked up the pace the last few years. It used to just be limited to landline phones, but now the cell-phone users are getting screwed as well. Even minuscule charges add up, especially when additional ones keep getting added over time. For example, I spotted a bogus 5 dollar charge for some long-distance service that I never ordered. I've had it dropped before but over time, it keeps coming back and with a larger fee. I called my phone company and, while being pissed off, I told them about their "magical fees" that seem to pop up out of nowhere without my consent. I mentioned how I hate the phone and that I just have a house phone for local calls only!

Why in the fuck would I need a long-distance service when I don't know who in the hell I'd be calling outside of my area? If I do have a distant relative or friend, then they can call me. Trust me, I'm just not a phone person. If I'm on the phone for an extended period of time, I feel like my insides want to jump out of my body. I hate being tied to a damn phone cord like a dog on a leash. Anyway, that's enough about this hooey. Just a fair warning about this growing phone-bill cramming scam; check your bills!

Related Posts:
---Cell Phone 'Texting' Gone Mad

---Put the Cell Phone down while Driving

---End of Post "Cramming Charges on Phone Bill - Scam"

Black Walnut Trees Killing + Growing Tomatoes Naturally in the Garden

This will now be a 2-part post, since I recently deleted an old website of mine and decided to combine the related pages together before I start adding all of the stand-alone articles amid multiple blogs, etc. The post that was originally on here was called "Garden Experiment: Growing Tomatoes Naturally," but it will now be Part 2.

Part 1: "Black Walnut Trees killing Tomatoes"

Original Post Date: 6-26-2010

This is one of those things that many people are not aware of, as you would have to be trying to grow tomatoes near Black Walnut trees to encounter such a gardening debacle.

Black Walnut trees emit a substance known as “juglone” that can damage and/or kill tomatoes along with several other plants, but most commonly the tomato plant. This harmful substance comes from the leaves, branches, walnut hulls, roots, and pretty much the entire tree. English Walnuts, Pecans, Hickories, and Butternut trees also produce juglone, but not near as much as Black Walnut trees.

The purpose or shall I say the advantage gained by secreting juglone, is the effect it has on inhibiting the surrounding plant growth near the tree itself albeit there are still several varieties of plants & weeds out there that can grow near this tree.  This process of releasing juglone into the ground, allows for these pesky trees to compete and combat any potential nutrient-robber around.

Walnut trees are nice to have, provide decent wood, and are worth a good dollar value and so on, but if you plan on having a garden, especially if you’re growing tomatoes, you need to take precautionary measures. I’ve recently relocated, and last year I had to chop down roughly 8 to 10 of these lovely garden pests since I wanted to have a decent size crop this year.

The person who lived there before, could not understand why they never could grow anything or have good yield in the field that was surrounded by these trees. Upon moving into the area, I quickly realized what the problem was and, since I also built a fire ring, I got to chopping. I also cut down a few other trees as well. I used the Black Walnut wood to repair an old bridge, and I used the other trees for the fire ring. I saved some of the ashes from the wood I burned, but only from the trees that didn’t contain juglone, and used it for a soil amendment this spring, as I explained in my post titled “Organic Fertilizer – Natural ways to fertilize your garden.”

Anyway, back to the subject… If possible, simply grow your tomato plants and/or plant your garden far away from any Walnut, Pecans, Hickories, and Butternut trees. If you do decide to cut down the trees, remove the debris from the area. It often takes many years for these types of trees that emit this toxic substance, to affect your garden plants due to the slowly developing underground root system. Adding organic matter into your growing area, like a rich compost, will help enhance the microbes in the soil which, in turn, helps break down juglone and promote plant survival. One final note, as a gardener, you should always be on the lookout for any type of garden pests, potential problems or possible poisons near your garden and, as always, good luck with your crop……

Image Caption: A tomato plant's foe, the Black Walnut tree...

Image Credit: It's within the Public Domain and is not under Copyright.

---End of Part 1: "Black Walnut Trees killing Tomatoes"

Part 2: "Garden Experiment: Growing Tomatoes Naturally"

Original Post Date: 8-7-2011

I usually try to put out at least some sort of garden every year, ranging from a small patch to a big corn field - depending on how much free time I have, if I got a late or early start, etc. However, I always grow tomatoes regardless of how much land space I'm using, whether I have room to plant anything else or not. 

The two most common methods for growing tomatoes both involve the plant growing upright. One method uses a long pole or stick, in which the plant is tied to the stick/pole at various points as it grows. The other method uses a big cage, in which the plant uses as support as it grows into a big fruit-yielding weed. 

A few years ago, they came out with all that "grow your tomatoes upside down" crap, and I never even bothered giving it a try. You know, I think they promoted it by saying how you can grow tomatoes on your porch or patio by using these upside-down hanging basket thingies. I must say, whether it works good or not, that it just looked too stupid for me to try; plus, I don't want red-fruit-bearing weeds all over my damn porch. I thought that was what the yard was for? 

Anyway, I've always used the old, traditional upright growing methods when it comes to growing tomatoes, but this year I tried something different. My garden experiment this year was to allow the tomato plants to grow naturally (except for the use of miracle grow/fertilizer) without my control on what direction they take. By saying "naturally," I mean that I didn't use any cages, sticks, upside-down methods or anything; I just planted 10 plants fairly close together and let them grow however they wanted, tumble over each other, etc. 

Most people will tell you it's a big no-no, but I thought about it and figured I'd give it a try. Many people will say how if you don't get them off the ground they will rot. Hey, I'm not saying that it won't happen to a few tomatoes, but who cares? You should have loads of tomatoes anyway, so it's no big deal. Besides, you are always going to lose some due to garden pests, bad weather, etc. To make a long story short, my garden experiment was a flying success. It wasn't a very pretty patch of tomatoes, but the yield was good, and I didn't have to worry about keeping them tied up - nor did I have to go out and buy a bunch of cages, and so on. 

I did notice a couple other things about letting them grow low to the ground: 1) they seemed to retain more moisture and did better during periods of drought; 2) they held up to high winds during bad storms. In fact, I know somebody that lives close to me, that lost a few of their tomato plants due to them breaking (during a windstorm) while being tied to a stick, but my ugly tomato patch wasn't even affected. That reminds me: a few years ago, I had a couple plants get so big, that they literally broke while being tied up - due to gravity working against them. 

In closure, if you really don't care about how they look, don't mind the extra weeds, and you don't want to be bothered with sticks, cages, and upside-down growing gimmicks, just let 'em grow like they do out in the wild, and grow your tomatoes naturally and let whatever happens, happen. Just remember, if you choose this natural method, make sure to plant your tomato plants a little closer together than you normally would because they will use each other as support. Anyway, I hope everybody had a good yield this year... Cheers! 

Related Posts:

 

* Garden Pest: Tomato Hornworms

* Fried Green Tomatoes - Southern Tradition 

---End of Part 2: "Garden Experiment: Growing Tomatoes Naturally"

---End of Post "Black Walnut Trees Killing + Growing Tomatoes Naturally in the Garden"

Test Post

This is just a test post; trying to decide on which type of background to use at the moment.

Hell, I may leave this test post up, although I normally delete them after I make up my mind. I sort of like the image above; it seems to be very fitting as I'm contemplating my blog's template. Yeah, I sort of feel like those penguins, all brainstorming and shit... Ha-ha!

Anyway, this blog will, whenever I decide to come back and work on it, consist of various/ random subjects ranging from A to Z, up to down, left to right, uh, yeah, you get the point. At any rate, the diversity will increase over time as this silly site grows, that is, if I have the time for it......

Cheers!

---End of "Test Post"


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