this and that from here and there

Disclaimer: Some of the stuff I read is, admittedly, a little to the fringe of what you might call normal.  But I find interesting reads from time to time, and like to share them.  Sometimes the things I read are about vaccines, and GMOs, and organic vs. conventional, and libertarianism.  My husband finds it all a little, well, weird.  He thinks I'm a crunchy-granola-libertarian-conspiracy-theorist or something.

A few nights ago I was watching this video about fluoridation in our water, when Nathan, overhearing, interjected, "Where do you find this stuff?!  I mean, does your mothership send it to you?  You need to be medicated."

{I'm proud to say that, without missing a beat, I replied, "Do I need to be medicated?  Or is the government already medicating me against my will?"}

So, there's my preamble.  My own husband thinks I'm crazy.  Maybe I don't help my case when I start talking to him about the President's secret kill list.

But I jest, at least mostly.  And I think the links I'll share today are things that even normal people will agree are just plain good.

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From The Elliot Homestead: Take That, McDonald's!  A Peek Into Our Food Budget.

I actually think her McDonald's comparison weakens the post a bit.  Does anyone really think that eating out, even at a fast food restaurant, is affordable?  And does anyone eating at McDonald's regularly wish to eat an organic, whole foods diet?  But nonetheless, she points readers to some valuable information as well as specific resources for finding affordable and healthful foods to feed your family.

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Good food aside, the world is a scary place.  I mean, there was the shooting in CT.  Shooting children.  And then Thursday in California.  It's just... utterly... beyond heart-breaking.

I know everyone is looking for something to blame (guns? SSRIs? video games?), and hoping someone can explain how a person can go so wrong.

Well, the American Psychological Association has this to say about the myths and truths about violence in video games:

Violent Video Games: Myths, Facts, and Unanswered Questions

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And I don't watch The View, but this brief clip a friend posted on facebook was quite good:

Listen to the end:  Teach your children to take personal responsibility.  Teach your children resilience.  Model empathy.

Pretty good stuff, right?