Prices will vary in different areas of the country.
Posted By: Why doesn'f friend call around and get correct on 2007-06-05
In Reply to: Rough estimates on boarding pets? - ClinicMT
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In some areas of the country it isn't really inappropriate sm
Not to be disagreeable but where I live a simple kiss on the cheek is pretty normal when meeting someone, etc. So perhaps it is a more common thing where that person is from and therefore there may have been no ulterior motive behind it. I recently went to my brother's wedding and quickly realized that not everyone wanted a kiss on the cheek when I gave them their lei at the luau party - though it is custom here.
we always vary the budget
We have no discipline. If we have a good year or bad year it shows. Sometimes the kids remember the bad years, but so do the grown ups!
$3.50 a box in our area. It does vary
from place to place.
Plans vary according to where you live...sm
check your local paper for ads. You need to figure out how much you'd use a phone and use that for shopping the networks. You can also check with your phone company and cable company as sometimes they have special pricing available with a cell phone carrier that can save you $5-10 a month. Be sure to read the small print. For example, Verizon advertises you can get up to 4 free phones with an account; however, the "mice print" states that there's a 2 year commitment for each phone that is purchased. Therefore you might end up paying for the additional service that you wouldn't use if you have kids close to moving out on their own.
Good luck!
My downies vary a lot in size, which confused
me for a long time because I thought the larger ones might be hairies. The more I read the more I realized that hairies are significantly larger. The hairy we had yesterday was even bigger than a red-bellied with a very long, sturdy beak. There is really no confusing them up close. From a distance it is more difficult.
I have at least 3 red-breasted nuthatches this year. I just looked out and there were 2 on the tree eating suet and one on the wire watching the other two. They are so cute.
I guess, different men in diff areas...sm
It's funny the comparison here....as I have one daughter (an only) who is 26 and she is the most thoughtful, giving, so not a me-me-me type of person, it's amazing. However, I taught her to be that way, to always think of others, and she does. Perhaps I just *lucked* out. I'm not sure. But I am so thankful EVERY DAY for this type of daughter!!! BTW, she did NOT inherit these good traits that I speak of from her father, who is a me-me-me type. (European/French)
In many areas they also get free water too
Also even tho they don't pay property taxes they get the sevices of police & fire protection and possibly trash pickup!
I found this - it's from Oct 11, 2006. Interesting read!
Not so Separate Church and State—Should Christian Organizations Get Breaks from the Government?
The New York Times this week has run a series of interesting articles by Diana B. Hendriques about the ever decreasing size of the wall between church and state in a variety of matters. This particular blog will try to digest the evidence she presents. Here first are links to several of the articles
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/08/business/08religious.html?_r=2&pagewanted=6&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/09/business/09religious.html?th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/business/10religious.html?th&emc=th
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/11/business/11religious.html?th&emc=th
Take first the issue of Christian Day Care Schools. In many state they do not have to be run to the same standards nor have the same inspections as state run Day Care centers. For example a state run center in Alabama must: 1) have regular training for its staff; 2) submit to regular on-site inspections; 3) have a lock and key for the medicine cabinet; 4) have two sinks only one of which can be for food preparation; 4) have a license; 5) comply with the civil rights laws in regard to hiring; 6) file a report with the IRS of donations and grants to the center. None of these restrictions apply to the Church of God Day Care Center in Auburn Alabama or for that matter other such Christian Day Care Centers. One of the things that came as a surprise to me in reading the articles is that while some such exemptions are of long standing, many of these sorts of exemptions have been created in the last fifteen years. In fact, there has been a growing trend of such exemptions in the last decade or two--- more than 200 laws have been created since 1989 of this sort in a wide variety of states. One professor from Emory has bemoaned the changes in the laws and says that separation of church and state is no longer the law of our land—instead we have what he calls ‘religious affirmation action programs’. And what is especially telling is that it is low church Protestants who formerly screamed loudest about separation of church and state who are now taking full advantage of such new laws, while still preaching that the government is a menace to and is endangering the separation of church and state rules. What’s up with that?
The timing of these new breaks in the law is especially propitious since the church is going more and more into non-traditional styles of ‘ministry’--- ranging from ice cream parlors to beauty salons to athletic facilities to funeral homes to day care centers to bookstores! Churches get property tax breaks, and lee way in using their land to a degree that other organizations can only envy. Here’s one telling sentence from the first of these articles which appeared in Sunday’s paper--- “In recent years, a church-run fitness center with a tanning bed and video arcade in Minnesota, a biblical theme park in Florida, a ministry’s 1,800-acre training retreat and conference center in Michigan, religious broadcasters’ transmission towers in Washington State, and housing for teachers at church-run schools in Alaska have all been granted tax breaks by local officials — or, when they balked, by the courts or state legislators.” Of course all these facilities have city water, city trash service, city fire and police protection and so on—they just don’t have to pay the taxes which pay for them.
In some cases, it is right to ask are all of these exemptions given to activities that are 1) not for profit; 2) could be called charitable activities that benefit the whole community and the like? It is easier to answer this question when it comes to soup kitchens open to all, drug rehab centers open to all, clothing and shelter services open to all. For example, my church runs a ‘Room at the Inn’ service for the homeless several nights a month. These sorts of services do indeed benefit the whole community and are a public service. But some of these perks seem to go well beyond the intent of First Amendment which of course says that Congress shall make no law in regard to the free establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. In what way is freedom of religion at issue in the establishment of a Christian beauty parlor? Inquiring minds want to know. When you discover tax exempt Christian old folk’s homes that are raking in huge sums of money, do not take the poor or indigent, and bleed dry every last resource of various old people, you have to say--- THIS IS NOT A CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION.
And then there is the issue not just of tax and land use breaks, but the actual garnering of federal grants. You will be interested to know that this growing trend began with Bill Clinton in 1996. There are now federal grants and contracts that churches can regularly apply for. Just another example of everyone’s tax dollars at work. Is it really true, by and large that radical courts have been gutting our religious freedoms, or would it be fairer to say that the courts have not done this, indeed quite the opposite in the last fifteen years, but it has become more particular about the public display of religious things on public property? It seems to me that the latter is nearer the actual truth.
Lets consider another aspect of the separation issue—employees of religious institutions. Many of them have few if any legal rights when it comes to their employment. They can be dismissed without due process or proper cause. Take for instance the story of Mary Rosati. She was a novice in training in an order of nuns in Toledo. One day she went to the doctor with her Mother Superior and discovered she had breast cancer and that it was serious. The Mother Superior then announced” We will have to let her go. I don’t think we can take care of her.” (not a religious ground for dismissal. Indeed one might say that dismissal for that reason goes against the religious teaching of Jesus). Some months later Ms. Rosati was told that she was being let go because the Mother Superior and her council had concluded she was not called to be a part of the order (a religious opinion). Mary Rosati lost her health insurance in them midst of battling cancer, and still has none. Now if it had been a secular employer, Mary Rosati could have taken the matter to court and won on the basis of the American with Disabilities Act. But when Ms. Rosati went to court, the case was dismissed as an ‘ecclesiastical’ matter which was beyond the court’s jurisdiction and indeed outside the Americans with Disabilities Act. Bottom line—here we have a Christian organization trying to selfishly protect itself, at the expense of one of its own noviates. In short, the law, or lack of a law, allows Christians to behave badly towards their employees. And there are many similar tales I could tell. Take the case of Lynette Petruska, who was a chaplain at Gannon University, a Catholic school in Erie Pa. In fact she was its first female chaplain. During her brief three year tenure in this job, she apparently did her work too well. She refused to co-operate in the cover up the sexual misconduct of a senior official at the school, she refused to support the slackening of restrictions in regard to on campus rules about sexual harassment, and she was demoted and then in essence force out. Here was a woman who went through 16 years of Catholic education, was very supportive of her institution she was serving at, thought that Christian ethics should especially apply there, and probably lost her job for it. Two years have come and gone, and no court so far will touch the case because of ‘separation of church and state’, even though Rev. Gannon says that her superior acknowledged he was demoting her because she was a woman. Or I could tell you the story of the 73 year old United Methodist minister who was forced to retire from his church in Stony Brook even though he wanted to keep serving as did his church, but he bumped into the mandatory retirement rule of our denomination. He has sued, to no avail thus far. Does age discrimination have a place in the Christian workplace?
Perhaps we don’t want the state to police the church for us, but in that case, should we not be policing ourselves? Should we not set up some sort of ecclesiastical court system for all genuine Christian denominations that such people could appeal to? Couldn’t we have an accountability system for Christian colleges and institutions? Something with some clout like the Evangelical Financial Accountability organization?
But there are other issues as well. In June of this year, Governor Jeb Bush signed a piece of legislation into law which exempted “the Holy Land Experience” from paying $300,000 a year in back taxes for the last five years. Seems this ‘Christian business’ has been raking in the dough. Now I have been to this Christian theme park. It’s o.k., but it has its hokey dimensions, and it certainly isn’t a charity. It’s a for profit organization that benefits from land use laws, property laws, and tax exemption as if it were a church. Only its not—it’s a business, a theme park, only a few miles from Disneyworld and other theme parks. It cost $35 for adults and $23 fir children to get in. Charity is not the word that comes to mind. Nor is it providing any public service of a social nature at least (it is providing some dubious Biblical interpretation). I don’t have a problem with them being a business—but shouldn’t they be paying for city water, lights, streets, fire and police services, like any other business? Inquiring minds want to know.
If we look at the issue of laws invoking or ruling on the separation of church and state issue two things seem clear. They were far stricter in the mid 70s than they are today, Secondly, we cannot claim that this change is due solely to the growing political influence of the Republican religious right. In fact it has come about because Christians who are both Democrats and Republicans in Congress, the Senate, and the White House have been in favor of doing more that weakens the separation of church and state provisions. Now none of this crosses the line such that we could claim that the government is establishing or prohibition a particular religion. After all, Moslems, Jews, Hindus and others are also benefiting from these laws. But as it stands the government, both federal, state, and local is now in effect fighting secularism on its own by passing such laws. Which brings me to a point and some final questions. I haven’t even touched the fact that clergy can opt out of Social Security and get housing allowance breaks with the IRS. There is incredible scope to the amount of privileges granted in the name of religion by various levels of our government.
QUESTION ONE--- IS IT TRUE OR FALSE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT IS ANTI-CHRISTIAN? I don’t really see how we can claim it is true in any global or comprehensive sense if one looks at the trail of legislation.
QUESTION TWO—DO WE CARE IF THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE HAS BEEN ERODED IN SOME RESPECTS, AND STRENGTHEN BY EXEMPTIONS IN OTHERS? It certainly seems that even many traditional Christian separatists care less and less about this.
QUESTION THREE—DO WE WANT THE GOVERNMENT HELPING US THRIVE IN BUSINESS, AND EXTEND THE SOCIAL GOSPEL IN VARIOUS WAYS? I don’t particularly see the latter as at all a bad thing, since it has some wide public benefit and does not amount to the establishment of religion in the doctrinal sense. As for the former, I have some questions.
QUESTION FOUR--- IF ALL THIS IS TRUE, IS THE CLAIM OF INCREASING LIBERALISM AND SECULARISM IN OUR CULTURE SIMPLY FALSE? Yes I think this is largely true on the latter issue (secularism). We are a profoundly religious people, its just not as much Christian religion as it used to be. As for the former question, I think the answer is yes and no depending on the issue. If you look at the way the nation votes as a barometer, the answer is that since 2000 signs point definitely towards no.
yep, those *pristine* areas never show REAL LIFE
PLEASE do NOT think that *pristine* neighborhoods are free of drugs, crime, domestic violence, child abuse, alcoholism, methamphetamine labs, and all the REAL stuff that goes on in MOST neighborhoods - because ALL these problems have crossed over ALL socioeconomic lines in this country!
Let her rant and rave....nobody really knows what goes on behind closed doors! Pristine, white collar, no matter what kind of area - the blight has crossed over EVERYWHERE over 30-40 years now!
And her tail covering those "delicate" areas to prevent
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Cavities in areas no longer protected by enamel.
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Question. Do many of you have problems with streets, turns, etc. driving at night in strange areas
you are not familiar with. I am not thrilled by night driving in unfamiliar towns.
gas prices
$2.21 in south Miss; lowest I've seen was around holidays, down to $2.09.
Prices!!!
Where I live(S. GA) too they get out early like 6 a.m. and are through by dinner or shortly after. Some advertise, some do signs and some both, just according to how hard you are to find. I think it is important to have a price on everything! That's my pet peeve. Some people won't ask if it is not priced. Don't set your prices too high. My mother gets upset that she cannot get her money out of something, especially if she bought it at a sale. I try to tell her some money is better than none. Her regular stuff we do at yard sale, other stuff we do on Ebay. Price big items where you might go down a little bit and smaller stuff where you might be willing to deal. If you will let a dresser go for 50 put 60 on it. The fun in buying is bartering with the seller for a deal. People will buy more if you give them a deal. I say quantity over quality. We go through and put a tag on our stuff the night before. You can find garage sale stickers prepriced at an office store or somewhere like Walmart, priced from .25 to $10 with blank tabs to. You can also get color coded ones and just make a poster board and say Green dot 0.25, Red dot .75, yellow $10, etc. this saves a lot of confusion and is easier to count up. Happy sales. Offer some cookies or cupcakes, keeps kids occupied while moms shop!
Gas prices
$3.26/gallon at Sam's Club in Palm Desert, CA 
Gas prices
Paying $2.75/gallon at the Kroger Store in South Texas. Get either 10 cents or 3 cents discount which is tied to grocery purchases. Glad to be working at home.
gas prices
Um, $3.99 in San Francisco!
Gas prices.
Really getting difficult. I am grateful I work at home. A month ago here in S.C. gas price was 3.17 a gallon and not it is almost 3.70 a gallon. It gives me pause to think. There are more contractors in Iraq than troops fighting and dying, and that does not begin to account the wounded, disabled.
Really. If Colonel Sanders was elected president and the price of chicken went up over 80%, would that give you pause to think?
Gas prices here in NY State
It's anywhere from $3.19-$3.25 a gallon. We're going away for a few days next weekend and I can only imagine how much it'll cost to fill up (Usually around $60.00).
Heads up on gas prices!
One of my friends called today and gas in Marion, Illinois is over $5.00 a gallon. I guess it's expected to go up overnight. You may want to call your local gas stations and see. Her local Walmart station was going up at least $1.00/gallon within an hour of when she had talked to them.
Wow, our gas prices have been steadily going down
The other day I paid $3.67.
haircut prices
$35 to $40; less if you don't have it blow-dried. For the works (cut, color, highlights), about $150. Toner may be more,depending on the salon. Tip is 20%, & don't forget the shampoo tech.
These are Houston prices.
Wow, it's interesting to see the different prices sm
Thanks for sharing your info on the hair cuts. I'm from Missouri and they are running on an average of $20 for wash, cut and dry. I never really knew if I was tipping enough or not.
Not just gas prices, but the recession sure will.
We are staying home this year and saving every dime we can. Our fed and state refunds went right into savings, and our "stimulus" rebate will too.
First rule: Know your prices. sm
Second rule: Then again, it won't save you any money to drive all around unless you are making substantial purchases. If just one item is a little higher at Wal-Mart or the grocery store where you already are shopping, might as well go ahead and get it then. I shop first at the Dollar Store. Love Top Job and can't always find it anywhere else. Also, those old timey remedies include vinegar, cheapest and proven to kill as many germs as alcohol and bleach. Back in the day, I remember the ladies starting out the wringer washer (yes, I am that old) with the whites, then running those out to the side and reusing the water. I have actually wished a few times I had a wringer washer, especially after a hurricane. Then they started rinsing the clothes using the same water as long as they could for the rest of the stuff.
Make a list and stick to it, no impulse buying, take your coupons, maybe include a small cooler or thermal bag in your vehicle especially in the summer.
Check out the new lightbulbs, LED's and these new fluorscents, but beware of mercury in broken fluorescents if you are of childbearing age or have small children about, especially if one breaks. These are for heavy duty areas, the "light that is almost always on". From what I understand, there is no real saving if you just turn it on to get something, then turn it right back off. I had motion detection lights outside, but had to unplug it, too much breeze here on the coast and the trees constantly set them off. Almost choked on that light bill.
Some economist on TV was saying to shop the perimeters of the store and avoid the center aisles, this for both money and health reasons.
See something really cute and not too expensive at wal-mart? Started telling myself I bet I could get 50cents for that in a garage sale in 6 months. Not doing the impulse buying will save a small fortune; it really adds up. Don't look at the stuff while you are checking out, either.
Check out America's Test Kitchen, not long ago they had a program on making your own pizza in 30 minutes. If you have kids, that can save you a fortune, that is about the most expensive thing out there.
my grandmother made the most wonderful soup - from a soup bone and leftovers. She never threw away leftover veggies; they went into the freezer in little bags until needed.
That is another thing, cut back on the meat and up the veggies.
I do splurge on some things. I usually have canned chicken ready for cheater pot pie and frozen pie crusts. All 3 of my daughter-in-laws use that recipe now, great with leftover chicken or turkey, another thing to be frozen when left over.
If you do eat out, make it during the day when prices are down.
maybe I gave you one or two things anyway. Good luck.
Grocery prices
I haven't done any baking in almost two years, but decided to try to get going for this Christmas. So, I get my list all ready and get my fanny out the door and to the market.....just to give myself a heart attack!! A small jar of honey, store brand, $6.00, a large can of Crisco, almost $7.00!! Flour, $3.50! I wanted to make some Italian annisette cookies, almost $5.00 for a small bottle of anise flavoring. forgetaboutit! Holy Cow!!! How the heck do families with kids manage?
On our news last night, they said here in RI, where the unemployment rate is 9.3%, they said that 1 in 6 kids will go hungry....that just makes me sick.
I think I won't be doing much as much baking as I had planned on. This is just nuts! Oh, and have you seen the price of them lately?!!
Prices just keep getting worse s/m
Instead of throwing the meat away here, they have a list of churches that will take it for the soup kitchens, etc. At least they know it is going to a good cause.
We have been skimping more and more on meals. We are having more grilled cheese with soup, french toast or pancakes with sausage or bacon (when I find it on sale) and we were just given a deer that we had processed for ground meat and such. I have cut way back on snacks, a bag of chips and a bag of apples or oranges for the week. With 4 kids in the house, that goes fast!
Western NY prices
I live in Western NY and the major chain here, Wegmans, just lowered prices on a large amount of their groceries. The staples we all need. I really noticed a different in my grocery bill the last couple weeks. Flour 5 lbs $1.49, sugar 5 lbs $1.99, 10 lbs potatoes $2.49. Those are things I can think of off the top of my head. i go there and to the super walmart to keep my grocery budget somewhat reasonable and I use coupons.
I am getting really nervous about gas prices
creeping back up again. In my area it went from $1.59 to the present price of $1.99 a gallon. Any hope that it won't get to $4.00 again? 
Haven't seen prices that low in years around here - (nm)
nm
The reason is high gas prices.
All that stuff is transported by truck... they run on gas...
Did you check out the profits the oil companies made last quarter?
My husband says it is because of fuel prices...sm
The stores have to pay so much to have the food delivered because it costs the trucks so much in fuel. My husband drives an 18 wheeler and you would not believe what it costs to deliver those loads. He doesn't haul food. But the fuel price for what he hauls is insane. It cost about $6000 just in fuel to haul some chemicals in a tanker to Montana from Mississippi. That is not counting what the owner of the truck has to pay the driver for taking the load up there. So you can kind of get an idea now why the food is going up like it is.
Yes. Gas prices have shot up $.60 per gallon
in less than two weeks here. I drove the kids home from school one day, made a mental note to get gas, and the price had gone up $.25 by the time I got back to the gas station. Ridiculous!
I got it at QT in Austell.... you can check Atlanta gas prices....sm
at http://www.atlantagasprices.com - I'm seeing prices all around $1.99 to $2.04 posted on there from consumers.
Fashion Bug - Good prices, very comfortable! - nm
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Has anyone else noticed food prices going SKY HIGH???
Seems like everything is outrageous anymore!!
Agree totally; best prices and no union BS
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Yep, we switched to Liberty Mutual last year. Best prices over everyone else.
No one could touch what they offered to insure us at. I do medical billing also and I work with them on WC claims so I know they are a good reputable company. Good luck.
I use Firemountain Gems - pretty good prices.
....
You can check prices on line at places like Wal-Mart and 1-800-Mattress, etc.
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will high gas prices affect your spring/summer travel
j/c. I wanted to go to the beach this year but I don't think we will now. 
Gas prices hinder my trips, nope, got 3 planned for this year
Had planned 1 by air about 3 months ago and 2 others by chartered bus the end of the year so nope, prices are not hindering my traveling.
With the prices of homes and property taxes today, just about everyone is house poor.
It's so sad when you can't go out to dinner often, buy nice expensive things for yourself *just because*, go on lots of trips, go to sports things, see shows/concerts, etc., all because you own a house. I'd truly rather rent and ENJOY my life! :)
check out orientaltrading.com; has lots of pre-made kits you do yourself and good prices. nm
@
sorry. forgot to mention Linda Chavez is in refernce to threads about high food prices.
nm
OMG - No wonder this country is
 - I'd rather spend my money on my family then on a gas guzzler.
We do need to be in the country
That's exactly what we need (country). We don't mind driving a little further to go to the stores. We are both home during days (yes that could drive one nuts in itself), but DH does computer work so he's home too. The only time we go out is once a weekend to go grocery shopping, so a longer drive is fine for us. We moved to this neighborhood because we used to live out of state (close to Canada border) and wanted to be closer to family, and not in the harsh harsh winters, so did research for about 6 months and chose this area. Because we were out of state we couldn't just come down here everytime there was a house for rent (and we had a certain timeline when the lease ended up there), so only had about 30 days to get it all together between finding a place close enough to our end lease date, pack it all up up there, drive down (a 2 day drive), and get moved in. So, we didn't know the neighborhoods and we said it doesn't matter at that time, just get down here and then have time to look around for a better place. Luckily we're month to month now so can leave at any time. So, now its trying to find a place with some "space". We don't mind the occasional noise, but with so many neighbors around us so close in proximity they are all making noise, and they are all making noise at different times. So its on with the hunt for us.
our country
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24882849/
Another post that was removed mentioned golf course in Florida that was now owned by the Japanese. Jobs, property, borders, etc. Why are our leaders allowing this? I do not believe the average citizen want this.
in the country
at my husband's great uncle's house out in the woods in Ruston, LA - on a Sunday - the preacher came to the house. . we wore jeans and wouldn't allow any family other than the great aunt & uncle and a cousin. . we were strange. . We did let some great aunts bring punch and cake later.
Gone Country
I have been watching Gone Country... I didn't see it at all last season, but one of my friends told me to start watching it this season since Sebastian Bach is on it (he used to be the lead singer of a rock band called Skid Row back in the 80s ~ I had such a huge crush on him back then!! LOL!)
What is up with Sean Young?!?!?!? I really don't know much about her, but is she "cuckoo" like that in real life? Has she ever done any singing before? (it sure doesn't sound like it!)
And this is why our country is going to h@ll in a
++
1st of all I said this *country* - not world...sm
Secondly, it's not just the Christians, I beg to differ.......there's plenty of other religious groups in the USA - that this effects.....and who have been oppressed for a couple of centuries as I see it. 
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