Dan There is a rich literature in the psych, marketing, communications and soc disciplines that explains the fact that information 'being available for years' has little relevance to information being understood, compelling and actionable. In addition, it is the responsibility of the federal government to incorporate valid limits on chemicals proven to be destructive to life and the environment, which you've already mentioned. If the EPA has the research and at one time set standards pertaining to Atrazine but then ignored them for the past several years, many people are going to ignore whatever information IS published that they have access to, "confident" that the government is carrying out its responsibilities. It doesn't matter what reports are published from one perspective. If the feds ignore the poisoning of America's water supply, there's no other agency with the legal authority to act against companies that are selling these products. The responsibility then falls to individuals, most of whom are unaware of the research and not part of a political entity that could have much influence even if they did know. If I recall correctly, American individuals or groups of individuals cannot sure agribusiness or anyone else for polluting the earth. The Superfund sites are still sitting there, polluting everything around them. There's no more action on them as far as I know. So, maybe the only thing that responsible people can do is keep publicizing the research and hope that the public eventually catches on and demands that Congress develop a backbone and do something.

Hey, I've had this happen to me a lot this season. Some of my plant's leaf branches are pointing almost straight down! The lateral branches push the leaves downwards sometimes, but it also seems, on closer inspection, that the leaves bend down on their own when the plant matures. After the plants are set out in their final locations and their stalk thickens, it seems that the lower leaf stalks also thicken at the base, pushing the angle of the leaf down. Not sure why it's happening more this season than others, but those were my observations so far...

bnicebkind, I am sure you are suspect about my advice. However, I have an exact replica of OP's MIL. MIL is the most overbearing, rude, miserable, critical (and those are the nice descriptions) individual I know. I found that once I stopped taking her comments to heart and let it go in one ear and out the other (rather than engaging her and allowing her to make me feel insecure), I was able to straighten my back, listen to her comments, consider the source, respond politely and wait for her to leave. My MIL is a person who's thoughts never process in her brain, they come straight out of her mouth without thought that one or another comment may be offensive, hurtful, critical, etc. If you don't allow someone to hurt you, you take the power away from them. Fake it at first if you have to, and eventually you will actually feel it. I spent years crying to my husband when I would have to be in her presence and she belittled me. DH gave me good advice. Call her on it. When she says something that you don't like, tell her. I do now. I never raise my voice, I never get worked up, I just tell her straight up what I don't like. I do not let her ruffle my feathers. It works better to disagree with her in the moment and then there aren't residual feelings of hurt or insecurity. It actually works like a charm. The incidents are fewer and further between. I also realized that I did not want my husband to fight my battles and I certainly did not want my husband to insist his mother like me. If she doesn't like me, I no longer care. When I started realizing that my life was none of her business, I did have the backbone to tell her so when she asked an improper financial question or a question I felt was too personal. Everyone has to go with their own comfort zone. I hated that she got to me regularly. I was feeling insecure, which I hated since that is not me. MIL knew she was pushing my buttons and worse, I was letting her. I have now diffused her and she no longer has that power to aggravate, hurt or insult me. I posted about just taking a seat in another room rather than ruin the whole family dynamic. That is what I do. I don't want to be the cause of everyone not being able to celebrate a holiday together. If MIL has pi$$ed me off recently, I just say hello when I walk in and go on my way to a different room. Of course, we will have to sit at the same table for dinner, but there are usually other family members and actually, they all know how she is. It isn't just me she unleashes this behavior on. She is rude to everyone at times, including strangers in public. We joke in the family that she has Turrets. Who would be hurt if I refused to go to family functions that she was attending. My DD wouldn't see her cousins, I love my SIL and the other family members. Actually, I'd be spiting myself. When I came into DH family, the dynamic was different, I was younger. I soon had a baby with many health problems which were not expected. MIL found a place to be critical and be overbearing in the advice department. I finally just told her that I was following what my DD's doctors wanted me to do and that when she completed her medical degree I would take her advice. Now, I don't feel insecure at all, I ignore her, come back at her, listen and let it go in one ear and out the other, or whatever it takes so as not to give her the satisfaction of upsetting, insulting me. I think as I grew older I also got alot wiser and realized that in the whole scheme of things, MIL was a blip on the radar. Example - new floor laid recently in kitchen, laundry and my office. MIL comes over unannounced/uninvited. Comments how nice the floor looks but the color really isn't right, such and such color would have been much better. Response: This is the color I chose because DH and I like it. End of subject, diffused her. Do I hate that she is the way she is, yes indeed. Will I allow her to abuse me the way she did for years, never again, nor will I have my husband fight my battles for me. Example: I attend a family (DH relatives) shower. Arrive with MIL & SIL. We sit down to eat at a very long table full of women. MIL stands up and introduces SIL to several women SIL did not know. I knew a few, but not many. She did not even acknowledge that I was seated in the room. When she was finished her introductions, I stood up and introduced myself as my DH's wife. It got the point across that I am worthy, whether she thinks so or not. I think she also looked badly to the relatives whom I did know who were watching her intentionally ignore me. I am sorry if my examples seem pollyanna, but they have worked for me. I don't feel badly, insecure, hurt or any other adjective that I formerly felt when MIL would descend on my home or when I had to interact with her. I also have never asked my husband to choose to one of us. That would be wrong in my opinion. As much as dislike her, she is his mother, the only mother he will ever have. I wouldn't want to have to choose my husband or my mother, why would I ask DH to do so? The way I deal with this situation is not for everyone. You need to have alot of self-esteem and a bullet proof vest over your heart. It starts with mostly false bravado, which eventually becomes actual bravery.

I feel like my life is tied to those books. They represent who I am. Is that why it's so hard for me to weed them out? Yes, that *IS* why it's so hard for you to weed them out. You don't want to let go of all of those identities. Thinking through that issue may help you. Are you *really* someone who will start a business? Or are you someone who will pipe-dream about it only (that's acceptable, btw; are don't need to act on every dream). I would say, don't go by cost. (do a Google search on "sunk cost"--the money is spent, don't worry about how much it was, bcs it's never coming back) Go by, "how much difference would it make in my life if I wanted them but didn't have them?" Will you be able to find info like it, in a book from the library? (even if the ones you donate aren't there)? Starting a business--there are tons of books in the library about that. Organizing--personally, I find doing it to be more useful than reading about it. Medical--I'd have said keep the ones you'd look in if someone was sick or injured in the middle of the night or weekend, but honestly I find very credible info on the Internet now, in just as much detail as you'd get from most of those books. How to write--are you writing? might you look up a grammatical turn of phrase? I might keep reference books. Diet--are there any details in those books that isn't covered by: "eat less, move around more"? LOL I would bet that you could get rid of nearly all of them.