Legislators Mixed Ideas of Safety and Common Sense About Guns Extends Even to Flea Markets

You can find anything at flea market including a variety of firearms and other weapons.

It amazes me that you need to register for a special license to sell any food product at local flea markets–-at least in Pennsylvania, but you can sell guns and multiple firearms at gun shows without the need to register at all.  Your state may operate in the same way.

Protection or a killing device?

More Regulation of Food Sales Than Guns

You would think that the state is only being careful to watch out for the safety of people from selling prepared foods that could risk their health.  However, I am not talking about those with concession stands, restaurants, etc. that handle, touch and prepare food for their customers.  I am referring to vendors that sell food that is already packaged in boxes and bags or cans like crackers, canned vegetables or bags of potato chips or candy.  These are food items that are never opened and sealed instead of served.  Yet, these vendors in my state and maybe yours also need a license and insurance to sell them at a flea market while firearms get a free pass.

Selling occasionally at the flea market is a fun way to get rid of some extra stuff, make some quick cash, and browse and snag some interesting treasures.  You would be surprised at how many weapons and firearms like an AR-15 to unexploded artillery shells that I have run across.  Trust me, the faces stay the same, but the displays with these firearms change, which means they are replaced and coming from somewhere.  Still, this “gun show loophole” is legal and a way to put more guns in the wrong hands.

Gun Show Loophole 

Legislators give this a pass because of the power behind the NRA and big money.  The little guy at a stand selling bags of chips and pretzels is hardly a danger to the well-being and safety of anyone, but realistically an easy target just trying to make a few dollars.

Since November 2016, 19 states and District of Columbia require background checks at gun shows.  Pennsylvania does require a background check for gun show sales, but only for the sale of hand guns.  

H.R. 1612 –Gun Show Loophole Closing Act of 2017 still is having a long way to go since being introduced in the House in March 2017.  

Legislators need to wake up and take action for the sake and safety of their constituents-–not just serve in the best interests of the lobbies that help fund their campaigns.  After all, the more lives that are lost, the more people will unite to eventually vote them out of office.

Valentine’s Day "No-No's" You Want to Avoid

Happy Valentine's Day!

Being a romantic, the mention of Valentine’s Day can get my heart pounding.  The thoughts of celebrating that cherished feeling with your special someone is enough to make me giddy with pleasure, especially when you’re anticipating what could be in store this year.   My guy has come to be quite creative when it comes to doing the unexpected the more that we are together.  Likewise, I try to return that outpouring of love to surprise him as well.  Regardless of how perfect your relationship may be going, it is always best to remember that life occasionally likes to sabotage us when we least expect it.  

Perhaps, he promised a romantic evening at a restaurant that is hard to get reservations for because he knew you wanted to go there for a long time.  He could be helping you into your coat or while in the car when his phone starts buzzing from work.  Instead of showing your anger that he forgot to turn off his phone as promised, try not to let your frustration show.   Try to put on a happy face and watch your body language even if he has to return home.  

In some lines of work, people can be on call at all hours.  Yet, others simply need to set some ground rules that work stops past a certain hour, especially on important dates.  A sensitive Valentine won't criticize.  Be clever in how you subtly remind him of how you value each minute of your date time together.  Make him feel like the most important person in your life.

Another unintentional romance spoiler is planning your guy a perfect dinner when your power goes out due to a storm or an accident by someone driving into the pole with the power line.  Trust me, if you cook with electricity, need to do your hair and get a shower, this definitely ruins the mood.  No one wants to serve their honey a sandwich for Valentine’s Day, but a thoughtful Valentine has to be understanding. 

Then again, you could be all set for a big romantic night that you have no idea where you’re going.  All you were told was to wear something fancy because he planned this escape weeks ago.  Of course, you went out and bought the perfect new dress when you learned of those plans about two weeks earlier.  As you start dressing, you suddenly notice that the same dress isn’t fitting exactly as it did in the store and is tighter.  You run for your shapewear, but even the spanx can’t hide those few sudden pounds that snuck up on you.  You feel horrible because your only option is wearing another dress.  Though it isn’t as fancy as your new one, a thoughtful Valentine tells you that you look just as beautiful in everything you wear.

Some other worthy mood killers are being ready to go out for your Valentine’s Day dinner when the babysitter suddenly can’t make it.  You call all your relatives and friends for backup without finding a babysitter.  As disappointing as it may be, a good Valentine knows how to make the best of any situation.  After all, you are with your Valentine, which is special just as it is.  A thoughtful Valentine is understanding and does what it takes to put a smile on your face and warm your heart.

Getting sick for Valentine’s Day is hardly anyone’s idea of a romantic evening.  Nonetheless, illness happens such as the flu.  Valentine’s Day plans may need to set aside.  It’s natural to feel disappointed, but a great Valentine is sympathetic and caring.  My advice is this is the time  to play nurse and later when the illness subsides is the perfect time to play doctor.

These are just a few bumps in the road to romance that can spoil your Valentine’s Day.  To all those Valentines, all that I’m saying is compassion, understanding, thoughtfulness, and compliments go a long way to keep the romance burning.  

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Why Are Consumers Getting Cheated With Inferior Products That Always Cost More?

This should not happen after six weeks of wear.

Why are prices continually on the rise for practically everything while quality keeps going down?  Is this the new ploy companies are using these days to boost their bottom line since whatever we seem to buy needs replacing much sooner than years before?

Let me illustrate.  My guy bought a pair of inexpensive Champion running shoes from Target. Instead of wearing them right away, he forgot about them for a while and set them aside in their box.  Finally, he decided to wear them.  Everything seemed fine for about six weeks.  

This is the pair of shoes after six weeks of wear.

Driving home, he felt something under his feet like the car’s floor mat slipped and coming up, getting in the way of his gas and brake petals.  However, this was not due to our floor mat since ours does lock in place.   When he finally came home, he noticed the shoes had separated at the sole on one shoe.

I don’t know about you, but I think consumers deserve longer than six weeks of wear before needing to buy another pair so soon.  He called the Champion Company about the substandard quality of those shoes and the bad glue used.  

Instead of showing any regard for the consumer, the company never returned his call as they said they would.  Why would they bother?  They know the consumer has no other choice because this is the extent of the quality that you can expect these days. 

Therefore, it is a good idea to always pack an extra pair of shoes in your car. Yet, shoes are just one example of this substandard quality these days.

Cleaning products are another.  I had bleach that I assumed was in the same plastic container as always, only the ingredients of this new plastic were so weak that it leaked through the bottle all over my laundry room floor.  The bleach was powerful enough to eat through this thin material to make a hole.  Watch your cleaning products carefully because they are not to be trusted.

Makeup is still another.  I remember compacts and palettes used to be made of plastic, not cardboard and come with brushes and sponge tipped applicators.  Of course, those tools were not the best, but they were inside and handy. 

I can go on and on about the dropping quality of things we buy today, which is really sad when you think about it.  Profit is one thing, but making products that the companies manufacture deliberately with cheaper materials just to keep us buying is wrong.  Did you have any experiences like this lately?

Keeping Track of all the Passwords is Getting to be Overwhelming!

*Disclaimer:  This post was not  compensated by Dashlane in any way.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

You need to be one step ahead of all those waiting to get into your computer.

If you’re like me, you have a lot of passwords and you need to keep changing them to stay one step ahead of the crooks.

I found one nice program recently called Dashlane and it’s free!  It got good reviews and will store the passwords so you don’t have to remember them.  You create a “master password” and you better save that one somewhere because Dashlane doesn’t save it.  Then when you go to a site that needs a password Dashlane can fill it in.

This is a cool program.  I’ve used smart cards that hold the passwords but sometime the physical readers start to break down with use.  

This program stores everything you need making it easy managing dozens of passwords and even has a secure digital wallet.

You have to try and stay one step ahead of the hacker.  Complex passwords are great if you can remember them.  Dashlane remembers it for you!

Are You Ready for a New Year?

By analyzing her past year and writing out what she wants to change before the New Year helps this beauty manifest her goals.

Another new year is about to be here.  Now is the time to start thinking about your New Year’s resolutions, if you’re intent on having a better one.  

Mine for one is to think about all the food I buy and try to make it a habit of analyzing every food label before I put it in my shopping cart.  

What will your first New Year’s resolution be?

Now Is the Time to Prepare Your Vehicle in Case of a Winter Road Emergency!

Weather can change quickly so be prepared to handle it. 

Winter is not my favorite season.  Though some people look forward to all the snow for skiing, ice skating and sledding, I feel differently.  Even though a fresh coat of snow paints a beautiful picture or watching the falling snowflakes from the warmth of your home can be mesmerizing, I view it more as an obstacle course as far as winter driving is concerned with the ice and frigid temperatures that always seem to accompany it. Therefore, now is the time to get your car, van or truck prepped just in case you find yourself suddenly caught by surprise or stranded on the side of a road somewhere when that snow starts to fall.

Happy Labor Day!

Nuts 4 Stuff wishes you a happy Labor Day!

Since I have been laboring extra hard this year, I am taking a much needed day off to relax and picnic with family and friends this holiday. However, tomorrow Nuts 4 Stuff will return to normal operation with something special that you don’t want to miss–-a huge giveaway worth nearly $200!

Intrigued are we?  

If you’re wondering what I could possibly be hinting at, then you are just going to have to be patient because my lips are sealed.  Everything will be explained further to you on Tuesday, September 6 so be ready to check Nuts 4 Stuff and enter!

Trust me, but you’ll be excited and jumping for joy once you read the review and see this fantastic prize.

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Mother’s Day!

These cute guys will put a smile on any mother's face.

To all the mothers out there, today is your day.  Let me wish you a happy Mother’s Day!

To mark the occasion, I will be taking the day off to celebrate and show my mother some extra love. However, tomorrow Nuts 4 Stuff will return to normal operation.

Until then, take care.

A Dentist Recommended Solution for Cleaning Your Dog’s Teeth!

This guy doesn't want that doggie toothpaste shoved in his mouth judging by his expression.  Why would he when he has a tastier option for cleaning? 

Yesterday it was time again to go to the dentist.  This time, however, it was nothing scary but a routine cleaning.  While I was there, I learned something from the dental hygienist that I thought you might be interested in learning.

The hygienist told me how my dentist regularly buys bagels for everyone at the office.  When there are leftover bagels, he takes them home and cuts them into small bite size pieces, wraps them up and freezes them for his dog.  Instead of giving his dog one of those commercial chew bones, he just reaches into the freezer and gives the animal a piece of frozen bagel.  This is what he says works better to clean his dog’s teeth than what he was buying for the same purpose.

The hygienist told me everyone at the practice that has a dog was supplied with bagels for their dog courtesy of my nice dentist.  In fact, she said those with dogs thought the frozen bagel method gave them cleaner looking teeth as well.

If you have a dog, I hope you try this sometime on your animal and let me know what you think.  

The Power of Perfume!

For some reason, my side of the street always seems to get more snow than opposite us.  There was just enough snow still falling to wet your coat and hat, but I wanted to clear my sidewalk for my mailman and any deliveries before the temperatures plunged into the negative range.  I wasn't out there all that long and then something horrible happened once I tried to let myself back in.

The latch on my storm door had frozen shut.  Thank goodness, I thought because there was someone in the house to let me back inside.

I knocked and knocked, but my attempts went unanswered.  When the wind picked up, I pounded against that door as loud as I could.  Still, no one came to my rescue.

Disgusted, I trudged up my long driveway and headed to the front of my house.  I tried ringing my door bell, but that thing had frozen and was of no use to me.  

I tried to open the front storm door, but I also found it had frozen shut.  Therefore, I began pounding at the front door this time.  Surely, I thought I would be heard--or at least missed.

After waiting and pounding without any luck, I marched back down my driveway.  I thought maybe I just might have been overlooked on route.  My person could be waiting for me at that other door--at least, I was hoping that would be the case.

Now, you probably are thinking why wouldn't I just head over to a neighbor and seek their help.  Simple.  Everyone left already for work.  Otherwise, I would have got them to call over to my house to let me back in.

Unfortunately, it took a couple of laps and lots of pounding before I was finally discovered. 

After I got warm with a pot of tea and had use of my brain again, I remembered that perfume can melt frozen locks.  I knew it worked on frozen car door locks, but I wasn't sure how well it would be on a storm door latch.

Without waiting another second, I grabbed a bottle and headed back down to my door.  I sprayed a few times and watched the ice melt before my eyes, dripping away.  Because of perfume, the latch was unfrozen and opened easily again.

I do keep a small spray bottle of perfume in my handbag, but when you go out with your shovel or broom, you don't usually carry anything else. From now on, I plan to keep a small bottle in my coat pocket to avoid being stuck in the cold. 
 
Thank goodness for perfume because it can save your life besides just beautify it! 

Healthcare.gov Outdone by Alternative Website: The HealthSherpa

People are frustrated right now about the new health care law, and it's website www.healthcare.gov, and I'm one of them.  But I got some good information, as a result of a news story, I heard on ABC News about another website. 

Three young tech guys, George Kalogeropoulos, Ning Liang and Michael Wasser, looked at the troubled  health care website and decided to put up a website of their own.  Their site called The HealthSherpa at http://www.thehealthsherpa.com/  lets you input your basic information and it will generate a list of your choices in health plans. I tried it and it works wonderfully. 

There is an issue with their site.  They missed the major gap dealing with subsidies for people earning LESS than $11,490 where you don't qualify for a subsidy.  I played around with their site and entered different income estimates for 2014 to demonstrate how this site works for this story.  

First you enter your zip code and tell it to FIND PLANS:

When I entered a local zip code, an income of $25,000, an age of 33, nonsmoker, and I clicked the ALL radio button under PLAN TYPE I got this listing of plans:

You then should figure out the possible subsidy you're entitled to by select your family size and your estimated income for 2014.  I entered 33 for age, and 1 for family size (so you get an idea of a single person) at the section TITLED Subsidy and that's when you'll see the numbers lowered by any subsidy under the law.

Now this selection shows ALL THE PLANS for you.  The first two are catastrophic plans.  You can scroll through a series of pages.  This is no big deal because this site is very fast. 

To show you more plans, I changed the radio button on PLAN TYPES to SILVER.  (Silver plans are plans covering 70% of expenses) and I got these results:

I was AMAZED at the speed and efficiency of the site.  You still have to go to either www.healthcare.gov site, or your state exchange site, or call one of the call centers to sign up.  But The HealthSherpa website provides buttons to prompt you to do that. 

Kudos The HealthSherpa!  You should go to The HealthSherpa website and play with it using your information and you'll have a better idea of where you stand with the new health care law.

Grow Back Your Favorite Shrunken Sweater With This Simple Trick!

Usually, the pieces that you love the most are the ones that get accidentally ruined.  How your favorite sweater went from fitting you like a dream into one better suited for a child can be frustrating as well as expensive.

So instead of blaming yourself for what happened because you suddenly need to buy another to replace it, I have a simple trick that you may want to try to grow your shrunken sweater back.

All you need is to take that shrunken garment and soak that sweater in cold water for three hours with one-half cup of plain salt (without iodine).

When that amount of time is up, gently wash your sweater as you normally do.

However, you will need to add one-half cup of a hair conditioner to the rinse water. By doing so, you will be delicately loosening those stressed and tightened fibers.

Some sweaters will return and grow back better than others. Nonetheless, this sweater trick did seem to work miracles on a few of my sweaters that I, otherwise, would have given up on as hopeless.

Just in case you find yourself in this situation, I hope you try this tip because it does help grow that sweater back!

Welcome in the Season With This Homemade Holiday Air Freshener!

Of course, you can buy potpourri, air fresheners, home fragrance sprays, and candles in seasonal scents.  However, if you want a unique fresh scent to fill your home than what you have already smelled countless times for next family gathering or holiday party, then are going to love my recipe.  It keeps a continual flow of warm and spicy aroma circulating exquisitely throughout the house instead of just one room.  

You will need to use your stove to cook the ingredients to a boil before simmering that fragrant spicy-citrus blend.  This festive aroma can be replenished as water evaporates simply by adding more, releasing that delicious scent for the time you need.

I do hope you try this recipe because it is wonderful and so inviting to make that special celebration even more special.

My Homemade Holiday Air Freshener

1/2 orange peel (cut in small pieces)
1 large stick of cinnamon
2 bay leaves
1/2 lemon peel (cut in small pieces)
6 cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all the ingredients and place in a one-quart sauce pan.

Start with two cups of water and boil the ingredients.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat and allow those ingredients to simmer.

Occasionally, check the water and add more when it evaporates.

Keep this simmering until you finish your party and the guests leave.

Discover Glipho for More Social Media Connections (Review)

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Glipho

Have you heard about Glipho yet?  This is an exciting new social blogging community that connects Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram to drive traffic and influence from all social networks for the content you're passionate about and need to share with others.  

You can create posts or "Gliphs" directly on the site or download posts from your existing blog and gain additional exposure for whatever you write.

Posts are organized by like topics in linking the same interest seeking users together for maximum effectiveness of your post, otherwise known as the "Gliph."

Once you become an official Glipher, you can put your creativity to further use by dragging and dropping images and video from YouTube, Instagram, Picasa, and Flickr accounts directly into your "Gliphs."

Besides sharing articles, you can use Glipho's discussion tools and discuss "Gliphs."  You can also "like"  fellow Gliphers' content or even compete to be among the trending writers.  

The possibilities of what you can bring to life and throw out there are endless with this platform.

Check out the Glipho website and I will see you there as well.  Look for my Nuts 4 Stuff "Gliphs" coming soon to you!

Disclaimer:  I did not receive any financial incentives or other benefit from Glipho to share what I found with you through my honest take on this website.  

Look for Nuts 4 Stuff in Beauty on Alltop, Your Online Gateway to The Best Information Available!

Alltop

I am proud to announce that Nuts 4 Stuff is now on Alltop.com beauty! 

If you haven't discovered this amazing website, then you need to get a move on and check it out.  This is the place to be for all the best news in whatever subject that you're interested in from tons of topics.  Think of Alltop as your own online personal magazine rack of more than 32,000 informational sources. 

Create your own Alltop page and add Nuts 4 Stuff's feed along with all the others that interest you for great reads all in one convenient place. 

I'm nuts about Alltop.com and all the fascinating info constantly pouring in from the best blogs and websites from around the world.  Do explore this website because it is an online informational treasure trove that is free for the searching.

Set Aside June 28 at 8:00 p.m. EST for Mally Beauty Bridal USTREAM Event of Tips & Prizes!

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Mally Roncal of Mally Beauty

Brides Magazine's Beauty Director, Dana Wood, will be joining Mally Roncal, celebrity makeup artist and president of Mally Beauty, for a very special Bridal USTREAM on Thursday, June 28 at 8:00 p.m. EST! To kick off the bridal season, Mally is so excited to be sharing the screen with wedding expert, Dana!

Mally and Dana will share their "fave" celeb weddings, top bridal beauty tips, and much more! Also, they will be giving away exclusive prizes, products, deals, tips and tricks! You don't want to miss out on the fun -- please see details below:

Day: Thursday, June 28
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
Location: USTREAM: http://www.facebook.com/mallybeauty/app_196506863720166

Mark your calendar, Nutsters, because this will be a blast!

Simple Ways To Turn Up The Heat This Valentine's Day!

Are you searching for a way to fire up the romance this Valentine's Day?  If so, I have a few tips to set the mood for that perfect day.

Become his alarm clock and wake him up on Valentine's Day morning with the power of your kisses!  (Of course, you need to get up ahead of time to do your makeup and teeth and become so tempting that he won't be unable to resist pulling you back into bed as you slowly and expertly deliver them, covering your lover in kisses from head to toe.  Depending on how much time you have until work, you might want to wake up a bit earlier than it takes to get glamorous because he probably won't let you go.)

If your lover is the shy type when it comes to taking his shower, then I have a nice tip to send him off this Valentine's Day.  Warm his towel with your blow dryer and as he comes out of the shower, wrap him in cozy comfort.  Watch his eyes light up as you pamper him over with this simple loving touch.

On the other hand, I suggest start Valentine's Day right and just jump into that shower can also be a fun way to begin celebrating!

The workplace can be tricky.  However, you might be able to send a flirty text or demand an urgent after-hours appointment (if you get my drift) for later.  Do watch emails and don't get over descriptive because some businesses do monitor email messages!

Now I hope I gave you some fun inspiration and a great jump start to making a memorable Valentine's Day!

Free Tax Filing Software!

Want to use tax software from H & R Block or Turbotax for free?  And these are not your only choices of FREE programs.  Depending on your income or age, there are many free programs you can use through the IRS's Free File program. 

This program allows qualified users with an adjusted gross income of $57,000 or less to use commercial software products to file taxes online OR print out their tax return and mail it in.  The income and other qualifications vary for each free file provider.

 

And the IRS also offers e-file with fill-able forms that are available to almost EVERYONE.  Now, of course, there are some instances where you can't submit a return electronically.  But for most of us this is a great and FREE option.

Use this link to find the best free file company for you.

 

And some lucky folks can EVEN use these programs to do their state income taxes as well for FREE too!

Happy New Year and Good Luck Wishes!

Happy New Year!  I am sending each and every one of you my sincere wish for only excellent health, happiness, success, love, and all the best that life has to offer for this upcoming year.

Today, I am making the traditional good luck foods of pork and sauerkraut.  This year, I am adding some black-eyed peas since it is also rumored to help usher in good luck. 

Though food will hardly change your fate, I think good luck traditions are important this one day of the year.  Regardless of how our current lives are going, they allow us to keep that candle of hope burning through that childlike bit of magic within us instead of letting the problems of our current life extinguish it. 

Therefore, I will serve those particular foods and with every bite, I will also be expecting a happier and more prosperous year than the last.  So for this one day, I will be a child again and believe in magic and the power of my good luck pork, sauerkraut, and black-eyed peas to unleash only the best the universe has to offer. 

If you hate pork, sauerkraut or black-eyed peas or think I am silly for doing so, I understand and do not take offense.  In that case, I will share some of my good luck with YOU while I eat mine.  After all, it is the least I can do to thank you for reading and letting me into your lives.

So keep smiling and do remember that you always have a friend here at Nuts 4 Stuff!  I mean what I say and those words come from my heart because we all are searching for the same things from life. 

Do You Have Any New Year's Resolutions?

Every year I resolve to exercise more especially adding leg lifts to my routine.  I start out well and stick to the plan, but then I always seem to get sidetracked.  This year, however, I am ready to give it another shot since I moved my full length mirror.  Glancing at my whole less than perfect body should provide better motivation. 

Strange how when I lose weight that I find  it vanishes only from the top and not the legs.  Why I am so lucky in that respect baffles me to no end.  However, this year I am prepared to tune those puppies up once and for all.

I don't know how well this full mirror trick will work to keep me practicing those leg lifts.  Nonetheless, it is what I'm going to try this year to help me shape up and tone my legs.

Do you have resolutions set for this new year?  If so, tell me what they are and how you plan to go about it?