What Mungo said. They are not capable of launching biological weapons on our country.

Can anyone here walk us through this? It's for a meteorology class he's taking and we're both stumped. We are given the surface temp. of the sun, 5780 K, and asked to calculate the irradiance using the Steffan-Boltzmann Law. Please and thank you!!

Yes, we drink only water and milk. I buy orange juice once every month or six weeks at most, for about $4, maybe less. Things just add up. Even eating oatmeal for breakfast, there is a tub of rolled oats each week ($4), plus the milk to make the oats ($3.50/half gallon), plus random nuts and seeds and maple syrup. Making my own salad dressing, there is still olive oil to buy at least once a month ($15). The salad is mixed greens or spring mix, not iceberg. We don't eat iceberg. I spend about $60/month on pull-ups and absorbent disposable pads for my bedwetters. I spend about $125/mo on formula for my toddler. She is dairy intolerant and I tried almond milk but it's just water and doesn't fill her up at all, and she wants something to drink besides water all day long, so I still buy the formula for her. Even keeping the pantry stocked adds up. Baking supplies, canned tomato products, oils, vinegars, peanut butter, dry herbs and spices, it adds up. I spend $4 per week on peanut butter alone. I am really picky about ingredients and try to avoid weird preservatives and things. There is exactly one brand of bread at my supermarket that doesn't contain mono- and diglycerides, and it's $4 per loaf. My kids go through two loaves per week by themselves. My dh buys a box of Life cereal each week for $2.50 to $4 per box. He buys beef jerky to take to work as a snack ($3 per package for the natural stuff). A box of butter costs $3. It all just seems to add up. I don't buy paper towels or plastic wrap. I do buy trash bags. I spend $10 every 3-4 months on laundry detergent. $3 per month on bleach.

My meat costs are high because when I buy it I buy organic -- I try to serve 4 oz per person per meal. The turkey comes in 12 oz rolls @ $4.99 per roll, so I use two and that is 4 oz per person. When I bought shrimp I got two bags to meet the 4 oz per person rule. When I serve eggs I do a dozen, which is one each for my two youngest and two each for everyone else. The pasta is 13 oz per box. There is no way that one box would be enough for my family as a main course! We are feeding two adults, four boys (the 14 and 10 yos eat a LOT), and one toddler. I can do one box if the pasta is a side dish, like pasta salad with bbq or something.

Okay, I'll bite on this thread because I'm in the same boat as Stacey. I am spending between between $1000 and $1200 per month for our family of 7, plus one dog. Here is our meal breakdown for last week: Breakfasts -- oatmeal (prepped with milk, maple syrup, a sprinkling of nuts or seeds), grits (prepped with water and one slice of American cheese per serving), muesli, dry cereal Lunch -- sandwiches (could be pb&j, tuna prepped with mayo and pickle relish, or tomato and mayo on toast), piece of fruit or serving of veg (cucumber spears, carrot sticks, etc, usually without dressing); once or twice per week we have leftovers or beans and rice Supper -- here is my menu from last week: 1. Penne a la Betsy -- WW penne (2 boxes @ .99 each), shrimp ($15), milk, tom sauce, fresh parsley, misc pantry staples, salad 2. Spaghetti w/ turkey meatballs -- WW spaghetti (2 boxes @ .99 each), ground turkey ($10), marinara sauce ($3), fresh parsley, misc pantry staples, salad 3. Pizza night -- homemade pizza -- misc pantry staples for crust, tom sauce ($2), cheese ($3), salad 4. Taco night -- meatless -- dry beans prepped in crockpot with one ham hock ($2), corn tortillas (maybe .40 worth?), lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion, sour cream ($1.49), fresh corn (7 ears @ .33 each), misc pantry staples 5. Grilled chicken ceasar salad -- chicken breast ($20/bag for organic, one breast left over and saved for chicken pot pie another night), romaine lettuce ($2-3), croutons (homemade, .99), misc pantry staples 6. Bean w/ bacon soup -- dry beans prepped in crock pot, chicken bullion, 8 oz tom sauce, 1 jar bacon pieces ($1.69), corn bread made from misc pantry staples 7. Breakfast for dinner -- eggs ($4), cheese, pancakes (misc pantry staples), maple syrup, salad Snacks throughout the week are popcorn (buy in bulk, pop in brown lunch bag in microwave, a little butter and salt), yogurt, fresh fruit, half of a pb sandwich. Places I *could* save money: Dairy/eggs/meats: I buy organic when available and it's double the price of conventional. I can't get past feeling sorry for the animals, so I try to limit our consumption of these products. Boxed goods: I buy one bag of Bob's Red Mill muesli per week for ds14 @ $3.59/bag, 2 boxes of dry cereal @ $2/box, a box of saltines (I am not making my own crackers!) I shop at the base commissary and there aren't really any alternatives here that don't involve commuting at least 30 minutes each way to the nearest walmart. My bill includes pull ups, formula, dog food/snacks, cleaning supplies, and toiletries.

Thoughts?? She could use a copy of The Fallacy Detective. :D

You should be very proud of yourself! It sounds like maybe it's getting a bit easier. Remember that we are all here cheering you on!

I'm also 5'3" and super tiny. When I'm pregnant it's ALL belly and it does look really big! That doesn't make it great for people to say it out loud. I really don't think most people mean any harm by it at all. :)

You wanted the swing to be a blessing to someone and it was. She obviously needed money more than a swing, so be it. No big deal. If she lied to you I'm sure it was because she was embarrassed.

You are doing a GREAT job, OP! Bravo!!

I tried it once in high school and it burned my throat and made me cough and I never tried it again. Gross. I don't know that I have a problem with recreational usage, theoretically. I really don't see how it's any worse that smoking cigarettes or drinking in terms of impacting one's health and/or impairing one's judgment, etc. That said, I have extended family members that have smoked and do smoke a LOT and they are all bums. I realize that I may be way off base, but my perception from having grown up around it is that smoking weed is for losers.

This. I remember shopping with my Mom at Aldi when I was a teenager and we lived in Germany. It was like shopping a regular supermarket. The ones here in the states remind me of Sav-A-Lot or Big Lots or something.

Our troop has not previously covered adult leaders' registrations nor the Scout Master's summer camp fee. This year we are starting off with a very small group of boys and involved parents and we have discussed covering these fees in the future, as well as adult chaperone's fees for campouts and such.

Toss it. No biggie.

I agree that it seems silly, but I think the experience is probably a valuable one and I would just pay and be done with it. I hope she has a rewarding experience this year! Best of luck. :)

Cough, sore throat, persistent low-grade fever = sick. I would keep them home.

Well, they are supposed to use dishwashing liquid to locate the leak, for one thing. I would insist that the pipe be replaced immediately, TODAY. Not next week. Not tomorrow. Not "if it happens again." Today. If they buck at the request then tell them your family will be checking into a hotel until the situation is remedied, and in the meantime you'll be consulting with the city fire department, the city building department (check with city hall for contact info), and an attorney. Carbon monoxide is deadly. Your landlord needs to take this more seriously.

Come on little man!! So glad the appointment today went well.

Thanks for the recs, ladies!

I only order diapers at the moment but I didn't realize you could save so much if you ordered 5 items. I'll have to check it out!

The title says it all. I'm looking for true crime recommendations. I'm also open to other non-fiction if you've read something particularly good lately.

If you are GBS+ then internal exams are contraindicated because of the risk of introducing the bacteria into the uterus. Just FYI.

Why is your dh opposed to your cancelling the appointment, if I may ask? "Thank you for your advice, Dr. So-andSo. I am going to pass on the internal exam. I'm not comfortable inducing without a serious medical indication. My baby's health is, of course, my utmost priority; as such, I'd be happy to come in every other day for [fill in the blank: ultrasound to monitor fluid levels, NST]. Can I schedule something with your receptionist on the way out?" End of conversation. How are you feeling today, Dustybug?