Dear friend,

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not yet met. I have to say that I have no intentions of causing you any pains. As you read this, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Mr Mike Smith, a merchant in London, but taking  treatment now. now I have been diagnosed with prostate and esophageal cancer that was discovered very late due to my laxity in caring for my health. It has  defiled all form of medicine and right now, I have only about a few months to live according to medical experts.I have decided to give my money in a bank to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some  charity organizations in the Asia, London and Ireland, and i will want you to help me  distribute some of this money too and i will appreciate  your reply in my very confidential email: smith_m2008@yahoo.com.hk

I’m so tired of spam!  These people must get results or they wouldn’t waste their time doing this.  I recently read on a message board full of tips on how to make money, that some people actually spam the spammers by replying to the email and expressing an interest in “the cause.”  They inform the spammer that they would love to help, but to ensure the spammers truthfulness, ask that $20 be deposited into their PayPal account.  This has apparently worked for a few people, but it’s not for me.

So, has anyone else out there ever replied to a spammer?

To find out more about the great American pastime of dumpster diving, you need not go any further than your local library or book store.  (As I’ve mentioned in a previous post, THRIFT STORES are my favorite book stores.  The books might not be organized by category, but if you’re patient, you’ll evenetually find the books you’re looking for!)  If you’re strapped for time though, you can also order these books online.  I’ve included titles and links for Amazon below.  I’ve also included a clickable link so that you can search from over 200 online booksellers for the best price!

Happy dumpster diving!

Art and Science of Dumpster Diving (1993)
by John Hoffman, Jim Broadstreet (Introduction) , Ace Backwords
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Dumpster Diving : The Advanced Course: How to Turn Other People’s Trash into Money, Publicity, and Power (2002)
by John Hoffman

It’s been 10 years since the publication of John Hoffman’s cult classic of urban scavenging, The Art and Science of Dumpster Diving. Now the Garbage Guru is back with an advanced course in the unconventional economics of exploring the trash for fun and profit. Just some of the lessons you will learn include: the key secret to dealing with locked dumpsters; how to dive for information and use it to humiliate corporations, politicians and other evil-doers; the unusual profitability of diving for movie and celebrity castoffs; the BIG-bucks potential of industrial diving, including the top 10 most lucrative places to do it; how to sell your dumpster-dived wares through the flea market of the 21st century – eBay; how to parlay dumpster diving consciousness into finding cheap property, supporting radical causes, even landing political office; and much more!
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Dumpster Diving Saved My Life (2004)
by Leslie Fleming
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Empire of Scrounge : Inside the Urban Underground of Dumpster Diving, Trash Picking, and Street Scavenging (2005)
by Jeff Ferrell

In December of 2001 Jeff Ferrell quit his job as tenured professor, moved back to his hometown of Fort Worth, Texas, and, with a place to live but no real income, began an eight-month odyssey of essentially living off of the street. Empire of Scrounge tells the story of this unusual journey into the often illicit worlds of scrounging, recycling, and second-hand living. Existing as a dumpster diver and trash picker, Ferrell adopted a way of life that was both field research and free-form survival. Riding around on his scrounged BMX bicycle, Ferrell investigated the million-dollar mansions, working-class neighborhoods, middle class suburbs, industrial and commercial strips, and the large downtown area, where he found countless discarded treasures, from unopened presents and new clothes to scrap metal and even food.

Richly illustrated throughout, Empire of Scrounge is both a personal journey and a larger tale about the changing values of American society. Perhaps nowhere else do the fault lines of inequality get reflected so clearly than at the curbside trash can, where one person’s garbage often becomes another’s bounty. Throughout this engaging narrative, full of a colorful cast of characters, from the mansion living suburbanites to the junk haulers themselves, Ferrell makes a persuasive argument about the dangers of over-consumption. With landfills overflowing, today’s higly disposable culture produces more trash than ever before—and yet the urge to consume seems limitless.

In the end, while picking through the city’s trash was often dirty and unpleasant work, unearthing other people’s discards proved to be unquestionably illuminating. After all, what we throw away says more about us than what we keep.
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WEBSITES DEDICATED TO THE DUMPSTER DIVING HOBBY:

DUMPSTER DIVING FAQ: http://www.ranprieur.com/misc/dumpster.html

THE DUMPSTER LADY: http://members.aol.com/TheDumpsterLady/thedumpsterlady.htm

ON DUMPSTER DIVING: http://www1.broward.edu/~nplakcy/docs/dumpster_diving.htm

DUMPSTER DIVING: AN INTRODUCTION: http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/1/29/215523/088

Bicarbonate of soda or baking soda has many different uses in the household!

1. To make your own baking powder, stir and sift together 2 parts of Cream of Tartar to 1 part baking soda and 1 part cornstarch.

2. Be sure to keep an extra box of baking soda by your stove in case of grease or electrical fire. Scatter the powder by the handful to safely put it out.

3. Keep a container of baking soda in your garage as well as in your car to put out a fire. It won’t damage anything it touches.

4. Baking soda will also put out fires in clothing, fuel, wood, upholstery and rugs.

5. Clean vegetables and fruit with baking soda. Sprinkle in water, soak and rise the produce.

6. Wash garbage cans with baking soda.

7. Soak and wash diapers with baking soda.

8. Oil and grease — stained clothing washes out better with baking soda added to the washing water.

9. Clean your fridge and freezer with dry baking soda sprinkled on a damp cloth. rinse with clear water.

10. Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors. Stir and turn over the baking soda from time to time. Replace every 2 months.

11. Soda absorbs kitty litter odors. Cover the bottom of the kitty box with 1 part baking soda; then add a layer of three parts kitty litter on top.

12. Always add 1/2-cup baking soda to your washing machine load.

13. Clean combs and brushes in a baking soda solution.

14. Wash food and drink containers with baking soda and water.

15. Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3-tablespoons of baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse.

16. Clean formica counter tops with baking soda on a damp sponge.

17. Wash out thermos bottles and cooling containers with baking soda and water to get rid of stale smells.

18. To remove stubborn stains from marble, formica or plastic surfaces, scour with a paste of baking soda and water.

19. Wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots (but not aluminum) in a baking soda solution ( 3-tablespoons soda to 1 quart water).

20. Run your coffee maker through its cycle with a baking soda solution. Rinse.

21. Give baby bottles a good cleaning with baking soda and hot water.

22. Sprinkle baking soda on barbecue grills, let soak, then rinse off.

23. Sprinkle baking soda on greasy garage floor. Let stand, scrub and rinse.

24. Polish silverware with dry baking soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.

25. For silver pieces without raised patterns or cemented-on handles: place the silver on aluminum foil in an enamel pot. Add boiling water and 4 tablespoons baking soda. Let stand, rinse and dry.

26. Reduce odor build-up in your dishwasher by sprinkling some baking soda on the bottom.

27. Run your dishwasher through its cycle with baking soda in it instead of soap to give it a good cleaning.

28. To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in baking soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.

29. For a badly-burned pan with a thick layer of burned-on food: pour a thick layer of baking soda directly onto the bottom of the pan, then sprinkle on just enough water so as to moisten the baking soda. Leave the pot overnight, then scrub it clean next day.

30. Rub stainless steel and chrome with a moist cloth and dry baking soda to shine it up. Rinse and dry. On stainless steel, scrub in the direction of the grain.

31. Clean plastic, porcelain and glass with dry soda on a damp cloth. Rinse and dry.

32. Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with baking soda and water.

33. Sprinkle a bit of dry baking soda in your ashtrays to prevent smoldering and reduce odor.

34. Clean your bathroom with dry baking soda on a moist sponge — sink, tub, tiles, shower stall, etc.

35. Keep your drains clean and free-flowing by putting 4 tablespoons of soda in them each week. Flush the soda down with hot water.

36. Soak your shower curtains in water and baking soda to clean them.

37. To remove strong odors from your hands, wet your hands and rub them hard with baking soda, then rinse.

38. Sprinkle baking soda on your wet toothbrush and brush your teeth and dentures with it.

39. Sprinkle baking soda in tennis shoes, socks, boots and slippers to eliminate odor.

40. Add 1/2-cup or more of baking soda to your bath water to soften your skin.

41. Putting 2-tablespoons of baking soda in your baby’s bath water will help relieve diaper rash irritations.

42. Apply baking soda directly to insect bites, rashes and poison ivy to relieve discomfort. Make a paste with water.

43. Take a baking soda bath to relieve general skin irritations such as measles and chicken pox.

44. Take 1/2-teaspoon of baking soda in one-half glass of water to relieve acid indigestion or heartburn.

45. Gargle with 1/2-teaspoon baking soda in one-half glass of water. Freshens and cleans your mouth.

46. Used as a mouthwash, baking soda will also relieve canker sore pain.

47. To relieve sunburn: use a paste of baking soda and water.

48. Bug bites: use a poultice of baking soda and vinegar.

49. Bee sting: use a poultice of baking soda and water.

50. Windburns: moisten some baking soda and apply directly.

51. Making Play Clay with baking soda: combine 1 1/4 cups water, 2 cups soda, 1 cup cornstarch.

52. Use baking soda as an underarm deodorant.

53. If your baby spits up on his shirt after feeding, moisten a cloth, dip it in baking soda and dab at the dribbled shirt. The odor will go away.

54. When scalding a chicken, add 1-teaspoon of baking soda to the boiling water. The feathers will come off easier and flesh will be clean and white.

55. Repel rain from windshield. Put gobs of baking soda on a dampened cloth and wipe windows inside and out.

56. Add baking soda to water to soak dried beans to make them more digestible.

57. Add baking soda to water to remove the “gamey” taste from wild game.

58. Use baking soda to sweeten sour dishcloths.

59. Use baking soda dry with a small brush to rub canvas handbags clean.

60. Use to remove melted plastic bread wrapper from toaster. Dampen cloth and make a mild abrasive with baking soda.

61. To eliminate dog odors or just freshen up the air, sprinkle baking soda on your carpet where your dog lies and vaccuum up. Leave the soda on the carpet for half an hour. It also eliminates odor in your vaccuum after it has been vaccuumed up. A great way to freshen up your home air during the winter when everything is closed up.

Baking Soda : Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You’ve Probably Never Thought of(2004)
by Vicki Lansky, Martha Campbell (Illustrator)
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Baking soda gets its due in this fun collection gathered by Vicki Lansky and her readers over more than twenty years. From making an omelette extra fluffy or deodorizing those musty household smells, to improving flossing and mouth freshness or washing clay flower pots without leaving residue, the book offers hundreds of tips for making the most of this environmentally friendly and inexpensive product.

25 Amazing Uses for Baking Soda You’ve Never Thought Of

Use Baking Soda to Make Your LIfe Easier Than Ever

1. One part baking soda mixed with two parts of ground oatmeal makes a great scrub for your face. Just mix together the two ingredients and add enough water to make a paste. Gently rub the paste onto your face, avoiding the eye area. Leave the facial on for a few minutes. Then, gently remove it with plenty of cool water and a wash cloth. Your face will feel noticeably soft and smooth!

2. Is your skin suffering from a case of Poison Ivy or Sumac? Or, do the kids have Measles or Chicken Pox? Add a half cup of baking soda to a bath tub full of warm water. Soak the entire body. The baking soda will help relieve the itching and irritation. It will also help to soften skin!

3. There are many teeth whitening products on the market today, but the most natural is plain old baking soda. Simply dip your toothbrush into some soda everytime you brush! Not only will it help whiten your teeth, but it will help to clean your breath as well!

Baking soda can also be used to safely clean dentures, partials, and other dental apparatus.

4. You can use baking soda just like a dry cleanser to clean sinks, bath tubs, and toilets. It works especially well on chrome fixtures! It rinses off easily and you don’t have to worry about scratches either.

5. Hairbrushes and combs pick up not only loose hair, but they also get oily.
Clean yours once a month by soaking them in a solution of warm water and a teaspoon or two of baking soda. Scrub them with a soft brush, if needed, then rinse them with clean water and let them air dry.

6. Is your hair dull and dingy? Maybe you have a build up of shampoo, spray, mousse, and other products in your hair. Mix a teaspoon of baking soda in with your shampoo the next time you wash your hair. The soda will remove any build up and leave your hair soft.

In the Kitchen

7. A pan with burnt food in it can be cleaned with less effort if you soak it in baking soda and hot water first.

8. To open up a partially clogged drain, pour a half cup of baking soda into it. Follow this with a cup of vinegar. Allow the solution to bubble for several minutes, then run hot water down the drain.

9. Do you love dried beans, but not the gas and bloating they cause? Sprinkle a teaspoon of baking soda in the water when you soak beans. Oila! No more digestion problems!

10. You don’t need a store-bought cleaner to remove dirt and insecticides from your fresh produce either. Just mix a quarter of a cup of baking soda in a sink full of water. Wash your fruits and vegetables in the solution, then rinse with clean water.

11. Baking soda makes an effective cleaner and deodorizer for your refrigerator too! Sprinkle a little on a damp sponge and clean the inside of the appliance as you normally would. Rinse clean, and see and smell the difference!

12. Your oven is another appliance that baking soda can easily clean and deodorize. Mix some baking soda and enough water to make a paste. Use a sponge
to spread the paste over the inside of your oven. (Make sure that you don’t touch the element if your stove is electric!) Allow the paste to set undisturbed for several hours. Then, scrub your oven clean!

In the Laundry Room

13. Do you need to use a laundry booster to help get your clothes clean? Then pour in a half cup of baking soda to every washer load of laundry. You can also use baking soda with bleach too. Your laundry will look brighter and smell fresher!

In the Living Room

14. Carpet and cloth-covered furniture make beautiful additions to your house. But, they do tend to hold body odors, pet smells, cigarette smoke, and other unwanted aromas in your home. To freshen your carpet and upholstered furniture, sprinkle them with baking soda. Allow them to sit undisturbed for a half hour or so. Then, simply vacuum the baking soda up.

15. Fireplaces can also help make your home warm and cozy. But, the soot can also give your house yet another unwanted odor. To help freshen up your fireplace, clean the ashes out, then place a bowl of baking soda in it.

16. Fill a pair of old socks with baking soda. Tie a knot in the top of each sock. Then, place the socks in a pair of shoes or slippers that you want to deodorize and freshen up!

17. Are there light water rings on your finished wood nightstand? Mix together a paste of baking soda and toothpaste. Dip a soft cloth in the paste and rub the water spots away!

In the Garage

18. A paste made up of baking soda and water will clean and polish the chrome on your vehicles!
19. A box of baking soda can make an effective extinguisher if a small fire erupts in your garage.

20. Baking soda works better than one of those hanging pine trees in your vehicles. If your vehicle smells musty or smoky, fill up the ashtrays with baking soda. The soda will absorb the odors and effectively freshen the interior.

21. Corroded battery terminals can make your car, truck, van, or SUV refuse to start. Eliminate this problem by periodically cleaning the terminals with a paste made of baking soda and water. Wipe the paste and grunge off with a clean rag.

Elsewhere Around Your House

22. Does the smell of the litter box in your house announce to visitors that you have a cat? If so, you can remedy the problem by starting with a clean box. Then, pour baking soda in it until it’s a couple inches full. Finally, add kitty litter as usual. The soda will help absorb the ammonia smell.

23. Ants in your house? Keep them out by mixing up equal parts of baking soda and salt together. Then, sprinkle the mixture wherever you see the intruders coming in at.

24. Do you need to fill in some nail holes in a plastered wall? If you don’t have any spackling handy, you can simply mix together some white toothpaste and baking soda. Fill the holes in completely, then allow the mixture to dry. If you want to match the wall color, add a drop or two of food coloring to the mix before you use it.

25. And finally, many flowers, fruits, and vegetables need to be planted in acidic soil in order for them to grow to their fullest. If you’re not sure whether the soil in an area is acidic or not, then perform this test: mix up a quarter of a cup of baking soda with two cups of water. Then, stir in a cup of the soil. If the mixture foams up, then the soil is acidic.

Sources:
http://www.bellybytes.com/articles/bakingsoda.shtml
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/14781/25_amazing_uses_for_baking_soda_youve.html
http://www.greenlivingtips.com/articles/154/1/30-baking-soda-tips.html

Thanks to Bealls Outlet, deals like this are possible.  Bealls Outlet stores originated in Florida and are now in several states throughout the south and southwest.  In Texas, they are known as Burkes Outlet.

Bealls Outlet discounts their merchandise after it’s been on the shelves/racks for about 6 months or so.  They have a colored “dot” system that reduces their price by 30% during it’s first month as “clearance merchandise.”  During the second month, said merchandise becomes 50% off, then 70% off during the 3rd month and a whopping 95% off during the 4th & 5th months–or until the merchandise is finally sold.  My underwear was 95% off of ticket price which cost me a grand total of 91 cents!

I stocked up on underwear just a few months ago when the 99 Cent Only store had a sale on Hanes for Her 3-packs for 99 cents each.  So now, if I dared do it, I could go for over a month without washing underwear and still have brand-clean drawers in my drawers!

Bealls and Burkes Outlet stores are regional, but other outlet stores like TJ Maxx and Ross are nation-wide I believe.  It’s always worth a look!

Yesterday while I was out looking for another job to replace my present one, I happened upon a couple of thrift stores.  I didn’t need anything in particular, which is usually the reason that I shop, but I am a book junkie and I just couldn’t resist!

Now, everybody is interested in SOMETHING!  Most people that I know go to a bookstore to browse, not to look for something in particular.  So why not browse at a thrift store or used book store instead?  (I like the thrift stores better because their books are usually much cheaper than a used book store’s.)

So today, I found the following books for the following prices:
(Included is what I paid vs. the lowest available price on eBay + shipping.)

The Good Goodies: Recipes for Natural Snacks ‘n’ Sweets, by Stan and Floss Dworkin (Hardcover)
   I paid $1.85, eBay price: $6.03
Chilton’s Service Manual for the Granada Monarch 1975-1982 (Softcover)
   I paid 49 cents, eBay price: $7.48
Your Household Guide: 1001 Time-Saving Ideas (Pamphlet)
   I paid 25 cents, eBay price: N/A
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg (Softcover)
   I paid 49 cents, eBay price: $4.99
Crockery Cookery, by Mable Hoffman (Paperback)
   I paid 49 cents, eBay price: $2.24
CBS: Reflections in a Bloodshot Eye, by Robert Metz (Paperback)
   I paid 49 cents, eBay price: $8.85
Deciding What’s News: A Study of CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Newsweek and Time, by Herbert J. Gans (Softcover)
   I paid 49 cents, eBay price: $7.48
Who Killed Jesus?, by John Dominic Crossan (Softcover)
   I paid $1.49, eBay price: $6.79

So as you can see, I saved considerably!  I paid $6.04 plus 49 cents in tax for my books.  On eBay, I would have paid $43.86!  That’s a savings of $37.33!  At cover price, I added up that my books sold new for about a total of $50.  Keep in mind, some of them are 20 and 30 years old, so I’m sure that I would have easily paid $100 or more buying them new at Barnes & Noble!

Don’t pass up the thrift stores!  You never know what you’ll find!

Most of the books that I found today are available at Amazon.com.  The links to each book can be found below.  (Keep in mind, some out-of-print books could be available today, and unavailable tomorrow.  Keep on trying!)

The Good Goodies
Chilton’s Service Manual for the Granada Monarch: 1975-82
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg
Crockery Cookery, by Mabel Hoffman
CBS: Reflections in a Bloodshot Eye, by Robert Metz
Deciding What’s News: A Study of CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, Newsweek and Time, by Herbert J. Gans
Who Killed Jesus?, by John Dominic Crossan

I’ve decided on a Honda Metropolitan.  Although the Metropolitan will only reach about 35 to 40 MPH, it gets 90 to 100 MPG–which was what sold me on the scooter.  It is intended for in-town driving only as it doesn’t reach speeds high enough to take it on the highways, but if the bulk of your driving IS in-town, than this scooter is made for the job.

The Metropolitan is a retro-styled 49cc scooter, which means that in most states it is classified as a moped and doesn’t require a special motorcycle license or provision.  It is street legal and does require insurance and a driver’s license, as well as registration, but the insurance and registration, (according to the research I have done), will generally cost less than $200 to $300 a year.

Of course, there are bigger and better scooters out there that go much faster, but if you don’t need to reach speeds higher than 35 to 40 MPH for your daily errands or commutes, a 49cc scooter will suffice and will also prevent you (in most states) from having to obtain a motorcycle license.

Used, the Metropolitan can go for around $1000 and up.  (If I end up buying used, I am 1/4 to 1/3 of the way there!)  The new Honda Metropolitan has a MSRP of $1,899.  I still haven’t decided whether to buy new or used, and ultimately it depends and what kind of deals I am able to find on Craigslist, but I’m hoping to make this green purchase in the next three months or so–and sell my gas-guzzling 1992 Jeep Cherokee immediately afterward!

Motor Scooter T-Shirts & Gifts:  http://www.cafepress.com/greenlinegifts/5558301

To contribute to Vicki’s quest to buy a motor scooter on a shoestring budget, you may click on the above link and buy a T-shirt or a button, or to donate a few dollars via paypal, click on the following link:  http://used-scooter-marketplace.tripod.com/

Although I don’t have it quite down to an artform yet, I’m working on it.

I hope to, with this blog, cover topics that may be useful to those who happen upon my site.

So thanks for stopping by.  I’ll be posting very soon!