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I had to get my Thursday Thirteen up this week, so I’m burning the midnight oil. I’m uber tired, though so a picture of all my goodies will have to wait until tomorrow. Here are the 13 best deals I got this week.

1. Bic Pencil 5 pk – Price = 2/$3
   - $1 coupon
   - $2 Single Check Rebate (SCR)
   = FREE
   
2. Renuzit Crystals Elements Starter Kit – Price =  $4.99
   - $2 coupon
   - $3 SCR
   = +$0.01
   
3. Glade 2oz. Fragrance Collection Candle – Price = $3.29
   - Get one free coupon
   = FREE
   
4. Softsoap Body Wash – Price = $3.99
   - $2.00 coupon
   - $3.99 Register Rewards
   = +$2.00 (that’s right – I made $2 buying this item!)
   
5. Starbucks Ice Cream – $4
   - Get one free coupon
   = FREE
   
6. (2) Paper Mate Pens – Price = $1.98
   - $1.98 Extra Care Bucks
   = FREE
   
7. (2) Bic Triumph two-pack – Price= $5.98
   - $4.00 coupons (2) $2 coupons
   = $1.98 ($0.99 each)

8. (2) Ponds cleansing cloths 30ct. – Price = $7.98 ($3.99 each)
   - $3.00 coupon
   = $4.98 ($ 2.49 each)
9. (2) Venus Embrace – Price = $15.98 ($7.99 each)
   - $4.00 coupon (2 – $2 coupons)
   - $5.00 Target Gift Card
   = $6.98 ($3.50 ea)
10. (6) Nature Valley Granola bars – Sale Price = $15 ($2.50 each)
    - $4.80 coupons
    - $5 coupon for my next order (Box Tops for Edu Deal)
    - $3.50 (General Mills Deal)
    - $1.70 ($0.28 each)
11. (8) Boxes General Mill Cereal – Sale Price = $16 ($2 each)
    - $4 coupons
    - $5 coupon for my next order (General Mills Deal)
    = $7 ($0.88 each)
12. (2) Hefty onezip bags – Sale Price = $3.00 ($1.50 each)
    - $2 coupons
    = $1 ($0.50 each)
13. Arm & Hammer Total 2-in-1 Dryer Cloths – Sale Price = $1.99
    - $1 coupon
    - $1.99 Mail-in-Rebate
    = +$1 (I earned $1! for purchasing this item!)

When was the last time you clipped coupons?

*****

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!

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Header by Samuli

A month or two ago, I met the lovely Susan of Transient Travels at a BlogHer get-together and we instantly hit it off. We’ve been keeping in touch via email and I recently received an invitation to attend a Girlfriends Guide to Gaming party in Boston to check out the new Nintendo DSi, the newest high-powered version of  Nintendo’s handheld video game system.

We had a fabulous time! Not only did we enjoy free-flowing champagne, snacks, amazing chocolate chip cookies and excellent company, but we each left with our very own DSi handheld game.

Here is a list of 13 of my favorite things about DSi.

1. It was FREE!
2. It came with Rhythm Heaven and 1,000 game credits that I used to download Suduko and Brain Waves.
3. It has two cameras – one on the outside and one on the inside to take pictures of you or those around you.
4. It has 11 different types of camera lenses to take fun and silly pictures.
5. It has WIFI! That’s right kids. You can hook right into any available wifi signal.
6. You can download a browser for free and surf the internet!
7. You can connect to other DSi users close by to chat, exchange drawings and play games together.
8. You can listen to your own music on an SD card inserted into the DSi port.
9. It’s slim and small and has a matte case which resists fingerprints and smudges.
10. It fits in my coach wristlet.
11. The battery last a long, long time and comes with a plug for recharging.
12. Not one, but two stylus pens because your bound to lose at least one.
13. Did I mention it was FREE?

Do you have a Nintendo DSi or another handheld game?
What’s your favorite game?

*****

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!

Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

This post was sparked by a Twitter conversation with @johncass.

When I first read the following “Breaking News Alert” from Boston.com, I knew it was a PR move.

“The Franklin Park Zoo may be forced to close its doors and possibly euthanize some of its animals as a result of the deep budget cuts imposed by Governor Deval Patrick, zoo officials said today.”

I don’t, for a minute, believe that the zoo would be forced to euthanize any of it’s animals. I think it’s a unethical PR tactic aimed to reach out to the general public and appeal to their love of animals and disdain for euthanizing them, to encourage the public to take political action against the budget cuts.

First of all, euthanization is only a possibility and seems to be highly unlikely since many animals can be shipped off to other zoos and PETA has already offered to do everything we could to help place the animals in appropriate sanctuaries and accredited zoos.

Once that’s removed from the argument, there aren’t many logical reasons to keep the zoo open. Times are tough, the economy is suffering and we have to make as many non-essential cuts as possible.

Zoos provide education and entertainment, yes. But are they essential? No.

So when the budget needs to be cut, there are tough choices to be made. Do we cut funding for law enforcement, education, services for the needy, and other essential services or do we cut millions of dollars in public funding for a zoo.

Don’t get me wrong, I like animals. I have been to zoos, but the better part of me thinks it’s a little cruel to cage wild animals for the education and entertainment of humans. If the public cares so much for animals, one would think they’d be against zooing animals – not championing the public funding for this cruely.

Here’s the bottom line. Zoos are a non-essential services and non-essential services should be cut before essential services that fulfill Massachusetts residents’ basic needs, which, as illustrated in Maslow’s heirarchy of needs, include food, water, shelter, clothing, healthcare, and personal and financial security.

Let’s put our effort into saving the humans first, so they can then take care of animals. It’s like they say on an airplane – be sure to secure your own safety mask before attempting to assist your fellow passengers.