Eco Friendly and Patriotic Lifestyles

Japanese Whalers Ram Sea Shepherd Vessel Ady Gil

2010-01-06T07:27:00.000-08:00

I have few words today, but want to say I cannot believe the world stands by while Japan goes on flouting common sense and the overarching world body human consciousness. Please take a moment to fill out this survey and let Japan, and your politicians (especially the ones that support healthcare reform, which may indirectly make Japan richer than they already are) know how you feel!

When you are done, also please take a moment to send along a donation to Sea Shepherd. As I write this, their servers are busy; but please do not give up! BTW - I am not affiliated with Sea Shepherd, nor am I authorized to speak for them, etc. I am merely a concerned little person watching this all go on. And, I am fed up with "victimized" Japan constantly shoving their culture, their rudeness, and their lack of environmental consciousness down everyone's throat.

Freedom Admin

McCain: The Mathematical Magician

2008-07-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

No sooner I get done trying to wrap my mind around the insanity of killing whales in order to prevent them from going extinct, I decided to take a look at the websites of presidential hopeful Senator John McCain. While I think there is some merit to using a cap and exchange system, I found the dates and information presented in "Greenhouse Gas Emission Targets and Timetable” section nothing short of magical thinking. I have to wonder at how a man of McCain's purported level of experience; a man that "talks straight", and wants to work hard to resolve global warming could accept this kind of pure garbage as a reasonable blueprint for leading our nation. Then again, perhaps the most straight part of the website is the glaringly obvious fact that all of the deadlines are set for a time period after Senator McCain would finish a four year presidency.

Yet another red flag went up in my mind with the usage of statistics on this page, when providing the actual numbers would have been more efficient and revealing. As a result, I turned to the Statistical Abstracts of the United States in order to get the actual numbers. Here is what I found:

From Senator McCain's site:

“2012: Return Emissions To 2005 Levels (18 Percent Above 1990 Levels)”

As Per the US Statistical Abstracts, Table 919: In year 1990 total carbon dioxide emissions was 4984.8 metric tons. In year 2005, it was 5945.3 metric tons. Percentage wise, the 2005 levels are 16% higher than levels in 1990. Or, we could say it the opposite way: 1990 levels are 16% lower than 2005 levels. Based on the table I found, there were no projections for the specific year 2012, hence the “18%” listed on Senator McCain's website is either an error, accurate and based on other numbers, or some peculiar mystery beyond my understanding.

“2020: Return Emissions To 1990 Levels (15 Percent Below 2005 Levels)”

Now, I don't know about to the folks reading this, but when combined with the above statement, this is one humdinger of a magical math snarl. I can give it three interpretations:

1. If the first statement is essentially saying that the CO2 emissions percentage difference was 18%, how can the next statement say it is only 15%? In this I see a number of serious inconsistencies. Either that, or I'm not very good at ciphering with magical numbers.

2. Both statements are actually talking about the same amount of reduction; namely 16%, and not a 23% difference that is implied by giving us two percentage numbers, the terms ”above” and ”below”, and “target dates” to look at. In essence, I feel these are not the kind of numbers that should be coming from a man that claims to have so much experience in the ways of the world.

3. These numbers indicate that not very much will be done to curb global warming in the next 20 years. I could also infer that since this type of math will not support curbing fossil fuel usage, there will, in fact, be very little done to find alternative energy sources.

When it comes to the rest of Senator McCain's numbers, quite frankly, discussing the estimates about what global warming related disease rates and starvation may cause in the next decade is too much for one blog post. Suffice it to say CO2 emissions may well reduce on their own, but as a result of what McCain might think of as unintended consequences of following a timetable just like the one he doesn't want to follow for withdrawing troops from Iraq. In short - while an enormous decline in the human population as a result of disease, warfare, and starvation will cure global warming, it is an unintended consequence of failing to take immediate, and eminently reasonable action to put an end to CO2 emissions.

Freedom Admin

Yet More Damage to Babies from Plastic - Bisphenol A or BPA

2008-04-16T07:38:00.000-07:00

The results are in. The greedy plastic and epoxy industries just can't hide it anymore. Girls reach puberty sooner, and prostate cancer and breast cancer are skyrocketing because of Bisphenol A. This stuff is used in everything from plastic food tubs to baby bottles. On top of that, while the US Government is still behind the egg-ball, Canada has enough sense (one would hope they show the same amount of sense when it comes to murdering seals for the sake of a few rich people that want to run around in fancy fur coats) to call BPA a toxic substance. Hopefully Canada will hurry up and ban BPA's use (and seal hunting), and inspire other nations to do the same.

What is utterly amazing to me is that governments, and the public are acting so slowly on this issue. In 1999, BPA was banned as an inert element from pesticides. How bizarre is it that BPA is too dangerous to be used in a chemical that is made solely for the purpose of killing things?! And yet, we go on using it baby food bottles and other food storage containers.

As I was preparing to write this blog, I took a notion to wander around the web and see how the pro-BPA folks justify their egregious behavior. Needless to say, if I'm writing about my little adventure, I found yet another humdinger worthy of note. According to the "BishpenolA" website a person would have to eat 1300 pounds of food a day in order to ingest enough BPA to be hazardous.

Hmm... anyone remember Rachel Carson and what was learned about chemical toxicity? Basically, chemicals stay in your body for various amounts of time. I would not be surprised if BPA hangs around in the body long enough to reach a toxic level. Consider that we consume approximately 1500 pounds of food each year. Even if 10% accumulates each year, you would see prostate cancer, breast cancer, and well... early onset puberty in girls.

Clearly, we the people, again, need to take action to protect our own lives, because the government is not doing a proper job of regulating greedy businesses that harm us and our environment. If you are concerned about BPA in your life, or that of your children, simply stop using plastics to store and eat foods.
In addition, don't buy anything that comes packaged in plastic, or buy as little as possible. You can use anything from glass cups to pyrex, and enjoy safer foods. And besides all that, glass doesn't get as messy or smelly as plastic tubs do.

Freedom Admin

Cellphones CAUSE Irresponsibility, Poverty, Disease, Serious Injuries, Death, and Environmental Hardship

2008-04-15T08:30:00.000-07:00

To say I am bug eyed at the latest spin the pro-cellphone sellers are trying to put on their obnoxious products is an understatement. On April 13th, the New York Times Magazine ran a story about how cellphones supposedly help lift third world people out of poverty. But one must ask - what is poverty? I must also ask, is everyone in these third world countries going to be lifted out in the same way, with equal means, and moreover, in a way that this planet can afford to sustain?

As it stands now, people in third world countries need food, water, shelter, clothing, acccess to health care, and an eco-friendly way to obtain these items. Period. Actually, that is all any of us need. That is all that should be included in the definition of being lifted out of poverty. Anything else is greed, and egregious destruction of this planet. And on top of that, the "need" to have cellphones to "lift us out of poverty" is one of the major factors that will only hasten the death of the environment that we all depend on. The bottom line is this. A cellphone can't fill your stomach like a bowl of rice can. It's that complicated and that simple.

Without a question, Jan Chipcase has more than he needs to be considered "lifted out of poverty". In fact, he is winging around the world enjoying the view of prostitute ads while millions of babies are starving to death. Those babies could easily be fed on the land now used to manufacture, pay for (as in consumer labor to pay for phone plus subscriptions), and generate the electricity going to power the cellphones he's busy trying to sell.

I will take the ills associated with cellphones issue by issue, for the folks that are being brainwashed by the latest spin being put out there by cellphone companies desperate to keep their nasty grip on our throats and our wallets. All I can say is don't be fooled by them. If you really want to help someone in a third world country get out of poverty, get rid of the cellphone and send money to them to buy and cultivate food with. Stop driving your car so that global weather patterns don't generate such destructive monsoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, and forest fires.

Irresponsibilty - Now this one really got my eye last night. Another blogger that worked among the homeless noted that approximately half of the homeless people have cellphones. This blogger also hypothesizes that kind, generous, giving, and concerned families can call a homeless person to make sure that they are ok!

...

Well - if that was not a humdinger of a justification for cellphones, I don't know what is. I mean, think about something. These "concerned" family members are calling a HOMELESS family member to make sure they haven't been mugged, robbed, raped, or murdered yet. Jeepers golly, what these family members must think when they get the answering machine! Oh the worry that must go through their philanthropic minds!

If these hypothetical people truly care about their homeless family members - why not take them into their own homes, and help them get back on their feet? Why not show that concern in a way that is honest and beneficial, instead of just trying to sop their conscience? And then we wonder why something like 2/3 of the people in America are on some form of anti-anxiety/panic medicine.

At any rate. I simply cannot believe that ALL of these family members of homeless people can't spare a couch, or clean out some crap from their home to make room for one poor family member. Whatever happened to family members taking care of each other? I mean - for pity sake! What these loving conversations with homeless family members must be like. Ya - I can just hear it now.

Dan (Homeless). "Hello Martha. Can you hold for a second, I see a great piece of hamburger a little out of my reach in the dumpster here."

Martha "Oh Dan... I'm soooo sorry you are homeless. I mean... well... just let me know you are ok and I'll let you go on foraging for your dinner. Just make sure there isn't any green mold... you know it will make you sick."

Cellphone operator cuts in. "I'm sorry Dan, but your minutes are running low. You have to pay your mothly bill or you won't have a chance to talk to Martha or get messages for a job interview."

Martha "Now Dan - you know you have to pay your cellphone bill. I sure hope you aren't spending your panhandling money on coffee every morning."

Sigh.

"It is just soooo hard being loving when you have a homeless person in your family. I'll have to talk to my spiritual counselor and see what I can do about this."

...

So goes the state of the world when cellphones are "lifting us out of poverty". And just what makes anyone think that an interviewer is going to hire a homeless person that hasn't taken a bath in weeks, and probably doesn't even have decent clothing to wear? Ah yes - I forgot - they have a cell phone...

Uh huh...

I'll spare you the dialogue on that one. I'm sure you can imagine it for yourselves.

Cellphones contribute to poverty. Just think about how much it costs every month to own a cellphone. You can use the money for other things, like paying your credit cards, your mortgage payment, or your car loan. On top of that, you have no privacy when you have a cellphone. You live like a hampster on a treadmill, always waiting for the next call, or worse yet, having to call someone else. You could use all of that time to make money on things like running a paper recycling business.

CellPhones Contribute to Disease. Cellphones are made of plastics. That means all kinds of harmful, and some carcinogenic chemicals are used in the process of creating them. These chemicals find their way into drinking water and soil used for the cultivation of crops. On top of that, when cellphones go into landfills they wreak even more havoc. Just think about the folks in China being poisoned by coming into contact with corroded batteries, and who knows what else, as they try to salvage electrical components.

CellPhones Cause Injury and Death. Next time you are on the road, take a note of the drivers yapping on their cellphones. They drive through stop signs, red lights, and go the wrong way in lanes. These people aren't using their phones to manage an emergency situation, they are wreaking death and destruction wherever they go! If you are lucky, they will just land in a guard rail on their own and not into your own car, or worse yet, a bus full of children.

Almost every day, there are studies coming out that reveal driving and using your cellphone has the same effect on your reflexes as drunk driving. On top of that, hands free headsets do not mitigate the problem at all. All things considered, if you really want to help a poor person in a third world country, there are much safer ways to do it other than using a cellphone.

Environmental Hardship. In a few words. Strip mining, oil drilling, pollution, and harmful chemicals. Our planet just can't afford any more destruction so that people can run around yapping on a cellphone. Third world countries need to have a way to produce their own food and meet the basic needs. We all need to go back to basics, and get rid of the cellphones, plus the fantasy that propagating them will solve the miseries of the world.

Freedom Admin

Make Money in Your Closet Space: Paper Recycling and Home Made Paper

2008-04-14T08:10:00.001-07:00

Good morning eco friendly readers! It's springtime, and the sun is shining!

Today, I am pleased to bring you the first of what will be many more posts on eco friendly and patriotic money making opportunities. In fact, I've been scouring the net for months now just looking for these opportunities, and even trying some of them out.

Believe it or not, the old magazines, newspapers, and scrap paper in your home or office are worth a small fortune. In fact, according to the Paper Stock Report, paper mills are paying over 200.00 per ton of paper. Not trees - paper. Chances are, you have tons of the stuff cluttering up your garage, your attic, and going out in the garbage on a weekly basis. Why not turn all that paper into cash?

If you think it is hard to get even one ton of paper, think again. A single ton of paper only takes up about 6 cubic yards of space. You can probably empty out one room of your home, or the attic and use it to store up your paper before you cash it in. YOu can even run this operation in your closet! While some people have been known to rent storage space for it, the fact is you have plenty of space already.

Now - chances are your local recycling facility will only pay you 50.00 or so per ton of paper. Nevertheless, there are dozens of places where you can get ahold of more paper to turn in. Statistically speaking, each employee generates 1.5 pounds of recyclable paper every day. On top of that, 50% of a business's rubbish bill is usually incurred for hauling office paper. A whopping 77% of that paper can be recycled. When it comes right down to it, making a deal with local business owners to take on their paper is good for them, and good for you.

To get started in this business, all you need is a phone and the yellow pages. Next, make sure of the particulars of what your local recycling or waste treatment center will accept, and how much they will pay you. If they don't pay, try another facility.

Once you know how much money you can make, call all the businesses in your area, and explain to them that you want to take on their recyclable paper for free. Even if they think you are nutty as a fruitcake, they will probably go along with your request. Why? It will save them some money. You may even want to let them drop the paper off at your home on a weekly basis.

If you really want to make more money, talk to your friends and neighbors. Ask them to give you their old newspapers and magazines. Arrange a day to pick these things up, so that you can create a manageable route around your area. Once these folks begin to enjoy lower prices on their trash bill (they won't need such large containers), clean attics, and clean garages, they will be more than happy to see you each week. In fact, you may even want to let them know you will accept paper they collect from their family and friends!

If you are creatively inclined, or don't have the intiative to collect tons of paper, there is another related business you can go into. With a few screens and access to water, you can make paper. This, in turn can be used to make everything from novelty items to specialty papers. Believe it or not, people love home made paper for scrap books, frames, and all sorts of things. All you will need to do is open up a webspace, or simply sell your creations on Ebay.

Over to the righthand side of this blog, there is a list of books that will help you get started. There is even a fine little book available to tell you how to make herbal papers. Now - if that doesn't seem very useful, just consider the millions of dollars people spend each year on room and car air fresheners. The bottom line is you can grow some aromatic herbs on your windowsills, and then add them to your home made paper. From there, all you will need to do is cut the paper into interesting shapes and sell them in packs of a dozen or so.

Today, almost everyone can get into eco friendly and patriotic action with recycled paper. The benefits to the environment are easily as valuable as the financial gain you will obtain. Among other things, for each ton of paper that is recycled, 17 trees will not be murdered, 225 kw of electricity don't need to be generated from rapist strip mining methods, and 6 cubic yards of landfill space will not be used. On top of that, recycling paper saves 60,000 gallons of water. Let me tell you - 60,000 gallons at approximately a dollar a gallon is an awful lot of principal spending, plus credit card debt! (please see previous post on The Other Hidden Cost of Cigarettes.)

Remember something. If the environment gets much worse, you will die, your children and grandchildren will die or never even have a chance to be born. If we keep murdering trees and using fossil fuel without getting really, really aggressive about limiting usage and recycling what we do use, we all die. While I am at it, I might add that suffocation, starvation, and dehydration are considered to be some of the most agonizing ways to die. There are no exceptions, there is no getting out of it because you are rich, poor, priviledged or handicapped.

The bottom line is you can change that ugly death scenario by taking action and making eco friendly and patriotic choices right now. Recycle some paper, and stop driving your car so much. If you have even 6 cubic feet of space in your home available, or that you can clear, you can start collecting or actually recycling paper for a profit.

With the summer coming along, you will have plenty of chances to find sources of paper, as well as flea markets and other places to sell anything you might decide to create. You can even keep your kids busy this summer sorting paper instead of wasting their time on useless, energy consuming, and expensive video games.

Freedom Admin

Boil Your Own Water

2008-04-08T05:51:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not, water costs money. As potable water becomes more scarce, it is going to get more expensive. Fortunately, you do not have to pay as much for clean drinking water as you may have thought. When it comes right down to it, you can take water right from the tap and boil it.

The task is actually very simple, and does not take very long. Simply put some water in a pot, cover it, and put it on the stove to cook. Yes... unfortunately you have to use electricity or gas to power the stove. Nevertheless, this is cheaper than the highway robbery and environmental damage associated with bottled water. And, aside from that, in the summer time, you can use a solar cooker to boil your water for free!

If you boil a little bit of extra water, you can even use it to make spaghetti. On top of that, if you boil water on the weekends, or on days off, you can do all of your other cooking at the same time. And, if you are fortunate enough to not need to commute to go to work, you will be able to use solar energy to do all of this in the summer months.

Without a question, this particular idea hit me like a ton of bricks. The other day I actually used some fossil fuel to go shopping. As if that was not insult enough to injury (wastes time plus money), I was actually out looking for items to do my own cooking with.

As I wandered around the store, people were relaying stories about being laid off, fired, or just plain unable to get a job. I could not help but think there has to be a better way. And, like any other shopper, the items just kept on going in my cart. Eh well... even I fall into the dirty old habit now and then.

Then, I got to the checkout. As my bill approached 80.00, I started thinking something must be wrong. As soon as it went over 80.00 I started doing a hasty check of my coupons and discount cards. The bill was not going down sufficiently. All of a sudden, I found myself wondering just what on Earth I was doing spending so much money!

As you can imagine, I was not going to simply grin as the automatic checkout machine took all my money. No - not at all. I promptly went up to the clerk and explained to him that I needed to cancel the order, because the prices were too high. He thought I was plum daft, but honored my request.

From there, I started the task of figuring out which items to keep, and which ones to reject. Like every other shopper, I had several gallons of water in my cart. Before I knew it, I hit my pre-set limit of 60.00. The water, and several other items were still at the bottom of my cart. As I turned the matter over in my mind, it occurred to me that .89 cents for a gallon of water is astronomical.

Years ago, I drank water right out of the tap! Come to think of it, years ago, I don't remember all and sundry with gallons of water in their shopping carts. Clearly, this bottled water thing is some kind of expensive craze that has insinuated its way into our lives and pocket books.

While I was driving home, I spent some more time thinking about this whole bottled water issue. We spend millions of dollars each year pumping chemicals into water to make sure it is clean. Then, we turn around and don't use it for the purpose it is intended. On top of that, we then go and spend almost a dollar a gallon for water that is more dangerous than what we have available in our own homes.

There are some studies out there that actually discuss this very thing. Even the WHO has gotten into the act with this. Not only are we not getting the clean water that we are paying for, the water arrives in plastic jugs! These jugs go to landfills, and take all kinds of resources to produce. In fact, some of them may even have chemicals in them that cause cancer.

As crazy as it sounds, this is precisely what is going on in the world today. If you do not trust the quality of the water in your home, simply boil it. Chances are it will be safer and cleaner than the water you buy in the stores. On top of that, you will be spending less money and doing less damage to the environment.

Freedom Admin

Store Bought Soap Robbing You of Your Posterity AND Your Money

2008-02-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

When it comes right down to it, the soap you buy in the store costs quite a lot of money. Unfotunately, unless you enjoy being smelly, you wind up buying soap, soap, and more soap. Aside from costing money, store bought soap has another potentially seirous consequence. Very recently, yet another study came out that says pthalates, which are part of many soaps, cause damage to babies.

http://www.thestar.com/article/300509

Please also see this link for further information.

Of course, the response from the industrials is predictable. They tell us pthalates are perfectly safe. These are the same ones, quite coincidentally, that are making a profit while your credit card debt continues to skyrocket. One must wonder if they use the same kind of "scientific" reasoning as the folks that said pesticides like heptachlor and dDT caused no harm to humans or the environment.

This link expresses very nicely just what I mean. Notice that "good science" and "good governing" is equated with what is good for industry. Only later on is lip service paid to the idea that we have a right to safe products that don't harm our children and the environment.

http://www.phthalates.org/

As an aside, one must wonder how silly we consumers really are. After all - according to the industrialists, their profit margin must take precedence over our well being and that of our children. That said, mad cow logic begs two questions. What will they do with all their precious money when none of us are left to buy their garbage? Do they even realize that they may die in far more excruciating agony than what they are willing to visit upon us and this planet?

Unfortunately, while these... how shall we say naive "scientific" profiteers are assuring us their products are safe, we the people really and truly are being harmed. It is not just our wallets they are causing damage to, it is ourselves and our posterity. While I don't know or understand all the details, I did take a gander at wikipedia and a few other places. (Don't worry - they are all free to look at!)

In particular, I wanted to note that the wikipedia article on pthalates mentions that pthalates affect hormones. Among other things, cancers that are promoted by the presence of estrogen and other androgens are skyrocketing. While I don't know if there is a link to pthalates, there may well be a much more serious problem than the soap making industry is willing to admit. In particular, some scientists already concede that pthalates in the presences of certain pesticides can cause hormonal issues. Unfortunately, almost every person in America has a level of pesticide in their body from the foods they eat, etc.

This link is also of interest, because it states that 50 years of pthalate use has not cause problems. I must beg to differ. Consider that cancer rates have skyrockted, right along with birth defects. While many other causes are citied, once again, changes in hormone receptors within the body are emerging as key factors. Therefore, while pthalates may not be obvious or primary, they can be a very, very crucial background factor that affect genes which regulate hormone receptors.

So, how do we cure these nefarious people, protect our wallets, and our posterity? The obvious answer is do not buy soap, or other products that contain pthalates. If you don't want to be smelly, simply make your own soap and personal hygeine products. Here are a number of links to help you along.

Not only will the soap be cheaper, it will be much safer. As an additional note, if you are going to make soap for babies, please check with your pediatrician to make sure it is safe to use on them. There are some links out there that suggest lye can irritate the eyes. In addition, until you are proficient with mixing soap, you may want to use a more liquid form. Castille Soap is also said to be all natural, and safe for babies.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5911_make-homemade-soap.html?ref=fuel

http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/ht/makesoap.htm

http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-make-homemade-soap

This one tells you how to make soap with potash!!

http://www.colebrothers.com/soap/

http://www.catalogs.com/info/crafts/how-to-make-soap.html

These links discuss how to make Castille Soap and Shea Butter Soap; both of which are safe for babies.

The bottom line is fairly simple. Soap costs money, which is paid to people that wnat to make a profit. Unfortunately, under such circumstances, products get sold irregardless of whether they are safe or not. While we may not know the whole truth about pthalates, one thing is for certain. Before the industrial revolution and all these chemicals, we had a lot less financial and genetic problems. One of the best things you can do for your wallet and your family is to make your own soap

The Dino Principle and Your Computer

2007-12-12T17:35:00.000-08:00

Over the years, the sheer number of upgrades computer users go through never ceases to amaze me. To be honest, I haven't done the sorry deed in close to seven years now, and am not feeling any lack in computing power. In fact, I don't plan on upgrading for another three years, maybe more. The bottom line is I live by the Dino Principle, and am proud of it.

Basically, there are two elements to the Dino Principle. First, if I don't understand what it is, what it does, or how to use it, there is no point to my buying it. Second, if I can already do what I want with what I have, there is no point whatsoever to buying something new to do the exact same thing. (That said, I may take a notion to wander around and see if there is any freeware to experiment with.)

Consider this, the computer I'm typing this lovely blog on has a whopping 800 mhz CPU, and still running Windows ME. To this day, I can run image editing software along with a programming compiler, an internet browser, and word processing software. With the exception of the Windows OS and my compiler, almost all of my other software was for free. As an example, Pixia is a full capacity graphic editing package that does not cost one thin dime. Compare that to the price tag on similar Adobe, Microsoft, and Corel products.

The reason why I don't have to upgrade is simple. I use the exact same software I've been using for years on end. I don't need a brand new computer or Windows Vista to read my same old yahoo email, or type a letter to my public servants, let alone go through the bother of learning about these "upgrades" that are of no use whatsoever to me. Along with saving a bundle on new hardware, I am also saving thousands of dollars on software investments.

You can do the same. If you've already gone out there and bought Windows Vista, and a brand new computer, you really and truly are set for the next ten years. When it comes right down to it, as long as the people that sold you the computer didn't overclock your CPU - that puppy will run ten years without a hitch, maybe more. During that time, you don't need to buy new software or upgrades to do the same things you are doing right now. Unlike coupons and food, software doesn't have an expiration date or go stale.

The dino principle is as environmentally friendly as it is cost effective. My advice, if you haven't bought a new computer yet, just scratch it right off your list. Even if you are still running Windows ME, you can go on for years without needing an upgrade. Consider that every time you toss out a computer, it goes into a landfill. Even if you donate your old computer to some charity organization, chances are it is still going to a landfill as newer machines come in. Some computers also go to lanfills in China, where poverty stricken people are getting all kinds of toxic poisoning as they try to salvage electronic parts. And this isn't getting into the cost to the environment every time more raw materials must be mined in order to make computer parts.

Freedom Admin

The Automobile Industry and Mad Cow Economics

2007-12-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

As you are aware from yesterday, even a small dollar amount purchased with a credit card can cause a huge amount of interest to pile up. Along with cigarettes, fossil fuel used for travel is another one of those dirty habits that we know is expensive, but can't seem to get motivated enough to get rid of. Unfortunately, when it comes to automobiles, the industry that produces them is certainly a flagrant and highly vocal lobbyist when it comes to creating global as well as personal financial disaster.

Back in the 1970's, there were cars that got 40 + mpg. I should know, because I drove one for many years. Some of you might remember cars like the Pinto, the Rabbit, the Fiesta, and Volkswagon Bug (the cute little Herby kind). Today, the auto makers argue they "simply can't bear" to sell us cars as unsafe as these. I mean after all - there are all those big nasty old suv's and their drivers just itching to swat an ity bitty hatchback like a fly.

Well - tell you the truth - that is pure bunk. If you allow yourself enough room - you can drive just about anything, anytime, anywhere, and amongst any sized car. In my opinion, and based on personal experience, that "safety issue" is propagated in order to continue building cars that cost a lot more money. You see - the auto dealers know it takes more work to make one sale than it takes to keep a recurring customer hooked. Therefore, once they've succesfully hunted a customer to the ground, they want to get as much meat as possible in one sitting. That is kinda hard to do if the car you are selling is only worth $10,000, and what you really want is a $15,000 - $20,000 sale in order to show bigger numbers with the banks.

In any event, this post is about the mad cow running around in Washington DC known as the CAFE standards. For years now, the oil industry and automobile industries have been successful in preventing laws being enacted that would force auto manufacturers to increase the miles per gallon for cars that they make. As gas continues its steady rise towards 4.00 per gallon, simply look at the numbers I presented yesterday to get some idea of the debt being imposed on American's each time someone with credit cards buys one single gallon of gas.

To my thinking, we the people can no longer afford to sit by and sink any further into the terminal stages of bureaucratic mad cow disease as it continues to rob money from our wallets. My personal recommendations are fairly simple. First, if you are planning to buy a new car, don't do it unless the car gets at least 85 miles to the gallon. If it doesn't do that - buy something used, and as cheap as possible. Considering that new cars are only averaging 25 miles to the gallon - you don't need all the expense of a new car to get the same poor mileage. And besides that, second hand cars are cheaper to insure.

Together with this, start thinking about what you use your car for, how often, and how far you travel. In the spring, I will be starting a column to the right with a weekly gas reduction training program, as well as introducing software to help you stay with the program. It takes one day at a time, one goal at a time. While it may take 2 - 3 years become 95% independant of your fossil fuel usage, it is a little like dieting. You get the opportunity to see the benefits all along the way. And, when it comes right down to it - if I can do it, anyone can.

Even though Washington may be hopelessly mired in mad cow economics and protecting what they feel are "sacred cow" current wasteful CAFE standards, we the people can certainly take control of our lives and rid ourselves of the suffocating presence of greenhouse gases in the bargain. And, perhaps even better, we don't even need to buy a new car in order to achieve it.

Freedom Admin

The Other Hidden Cost of Cigarettes

2007-12-10T17:54:00.000-08:00

Most people already know all that stuff about the cost of healthcare related to cigarettes. Unfortunately, people that smoke don't seem to mind sharing that whole mess of cost with the rest of us. And on top of that, millions of acres of arable land are used to grow tobacco that could be used for food production to feed others that are starving to death.

That said, there is another very financial and personal cost that smokers don't consider. Every smoker that smokes one pack of cigarettes a day, and uses credit cards is paying an average of $7300.00 for one year's worth of cigarettes.

That's right - irregardless of whether or not you use a credit card, the money you spend on cigarettes could have been used to pay for something else that you used your credit card for. In order to pay for the cigarettes, it takes 93 months to pay off one $4.54 purchase. At 14% interest, and minimum monthly payment of 4%, that translates to $20.00 for one single pack of cigarettes. Multiplied by 365 days in a year, your habit costs you $7300.00.

In order to calcuate your actual cost do the following:

1. Determine your average cost per pack of cigarettes

2. Multiply by the percentage of payment you make each month on your credit cards. (As an example, 4% = .04. For a shortcut, just move the decimal two places to the left).

3. Subtract minimum payment from your remaining principle. Repeat step 2 until you have the intial cost of the cigarettes paid off.

4. Take each derived principle and multiply by your monthly interest rate. As an example, 14% would be .14.

5. Add each derived principle by the monthly accured interest rate.

6. Add up this column to determine how much you are actually paying for cigarettes.

7. For an example at 14% interest, please click on the image below this post.

Now, one final point. I want to make a brief observation about the manipulation in the change from a 2% to 4% minimum monthly payment. At 2%, your credit card company would have collected on that one pack of cigarettes for 186 months instead of only 93. Is it not strange that as soon as this almost became mandated, many credit card users found their interest rates soaring? Hmm... One must wonder if the credit card companies simply exploited a mathematical loophole, much as Japan did when it came to the moratorium on commercial whaling. (For those that are not aware, instead of abiding by the spirit of the law, Japan started lethal "scientific whaling" in order to go on with practices harmful to the environment.)

When it comes to your lenders, instead of your debt costing less, you are paying almost as much, and having to do it faster. Now folks - if you smoke and feel like you've been mathematically experimented on, that's a good sign. All those numbers directly effect your pocketbook, as well as your life for years to come. Today, you can take control of your wallet and your credit. Just stop smoking and know that for every pack of cigarettes you don't purchase, you are eight years ahead in the financial rat race.

Freedom Admin

How To Save Money On Food

2007-12-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

Unlike fossil fuels, which we really and truly can stop using at any time, cutting back on what we spend for food is difficult (but not impossible). It is also a bit of a problem to limit the impact of food production on the environment, as well as corruption in food production system. That said, I wouldn't be discussing this topic if I didn't feel that we, the average citizens, actually have more control of the situation than governments and businesses.

Among other things, we have the power to grow foods at home, and in our neighborhoods via hydrophonics. I hope to be unveiling some plans related to this later in the spring. As an example, tomato farms, and tomato processing can be completely eliminated if people grow enough at home. On average, each person consumes 80 pounds of tomatoes per year. That amounts to about 7 pounds per month. By planting two plants per person each month, you will have more than enough tomatos. In addition, herbs are easily grown on any windowsill. For the moment, however, the snow is still flying, and all those cheap seed packets aren't out yet. Therefore, today I wish to discuss coupons, and then take a look at some incentives to start clipping and saving as soon as possible.

Did you know that you can purchase over $200.00 worth of groceries for less than $30.00? Some of the links on About.com's Frugal Living website show you how.

If the money you can save isn't enough to encourage you to clip coupons, consider just how horribly wasteful the food production industry is. According to some sources, something like 40% of all the animals raised specifically for this purpose die in transit to the slaughter house. Translation - before we even sit down to dinner, 40% of what is available to us is lost due to shoddy management. To my thinking, that also means the price of meat is well over 50% higher than what it should be. This also leads me to conclude that millions of people that have starved, and are starving to death could easily have been fed.

This doesn't even begin to assess other financial costs. Among other things, food stamps and school lunch programs cost more to implement because the price of the food is 50% higher than it should be. Not only does this deprive needy people of food they would otherwise have, it robs taxpayers. And then, there is the question of how much debt has been racked up on credit cards and other types of loans in order to pay for food. When it comes right down to it, the cost of wasted food is every bit as dangerous to the economy and the planet as global warming.

At any rate, once again, I digress. The results are absolutely mind boggling no matter which way I look at this. Farm animals are stuffed to the gills with food, chemicals, and hormones in order to make them grow as quickly as possible. In 40% of the animals, not only is this a horrible torture for their short lifespan, it is a whole lot of money wasted.

Some people feel that the answer to cutting the meat industry down to size means becoming a vegetarian. Unfortunately, I don't necessarily believe that is a perefct answer, and for several reasons. Among other things, reduced red blood cell count,weight gain caused by protein malnourishment (humans need a certain amount of animal protein), and the tendency to get depressed/anxious are all very real and serious health conditions. All of them can happen in a vegetarian diet.

That said, I do think spending as little money on food as possible is highly recommended, and taking meat consumption down to one or two pieces of lean beef a week is a good way to do it. Personally, I recommend beef because it has the most concentrated and wide range of animal protein ounce for ounce. Also, consider that killing one cow feeds many people, while one fish or one chicken feeds far fewer.

I also don't think that vegetarian diets are a way to end all of the problems in the food production industry. When it comes to farms and farm subsidies, please also realize that farmers are encouraged to dump things like milk and fruit, and vegetable foods rather than allow them onto the market. On the other hand, coupon clipping and spending less certainly will help reduce the amount of money you put into harmful and wasteful industries. This, in turn, will encourage them to either drop their prices or reduce their impact on the environment.

Again, while we may not think about the enforced manipulation of demand via supply reduction, it plays a huge role on the well being of our pocketbooks, and thereby, on the well being of this planet. It is important to remember this. In order to drive up food prices, foods organisms are either handled wrecklessly, or routinely destroyed. This, in turn, translates to increased reliance on destruction of rain forest lands to create yet more farms. At the same time, millions of people are starving to death each year, while the food that would give them hope and life is destroyed for the sake of a profit margin.

Unfortunately, for the moment, food is an area where we can only seek to reduce current expenditures via coupons and sales monitoring. That said, starting this spring, and from there forward, we can learn to grow certain foods at home in sufficient quantity.
Freedom Admin

Japan's Whale Hunting Illogic, and The Bali Summit: An Economic News Commentary

2007-12-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

As I was browsing around today, I was decidedly fascinated by the news coming out of the Bali Summit on global warming. It isn't so much that America's lack of scientific education is showing, it is the poorly conceived economic logic presented by the Bush administration. As you may be aware from reading this blog, I feel that the best way to put an end to global warming, and many other problems is to reduce consumer spending as much as possible. The Bush administration holds the opposite position, basically saying that we should spend more, and wait for the auto dealers and so forth to change their dirty habits all by themselves. And of course, we all know coroporate America's motto, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

In comparing the two concepts, I couldn't help but think of the whale hunt Japan is embarking on this year. Despite their claims that they want to save whales from extinction by killing more and more of them; it is my opinion they intend just the opposite. Ie. I feel they want to drive whales into extinction so that they don't interfere with the fish migrating into the already overfished waters around Japan.

At any rate, I digress. My goal is to illustrate my opinion that Japan's argument that more whales must be killed in order to prevent their extinction is very similar to Bush's logic when it comes to global warming. Ie. Bush and his administration appear to be saying the following: in order to stop global warming, we need to keep on using fossil fuels and keep on releasing large amounts of fumes until the big corporations decide to change their methods of production. And of course, we all know how ineffective Bush and his administration are when it comes to formulating means of getting out of situations they blundered into; like Iraq.

Consider the very short amount of time before the ruanway greenhouse effect/free fire zone takes hold in a very lethal way. Let me be clear about something - I don't think big business or government changes can get this done fast enough, and it isn't just the time it takes to plan and make laws. It has to do with a lack of technology in a number of areas.

The Bali Summit is a great thing. Personally, I'm glad to see so many nations getting together to try and get something done. But, folks - the bottom line couldn't be clearer. We the people account for 2/3 of every single dollar spent in America, and therefore, well over 50% of all greenhouse gas emissions. These numbers are probably very similar all over the world. That isn't counting what I would estimate as another 25 - 40% being spent by manufacturers to sell us all kinds of things we really don't need. As I have said it before, and will say it many times more, it isn't up to just big business and governments to stop global warming.

It is up to each individual citizen to become a Planetary Patriot, and act to reduce their fossil fuel footprint via alterations of money making and spending habits. This is well within the means of every person that utilizes money. And when it comes right down to it - what massive governments and big corporations can't achieve, We The People most certainly can.

Freedom Admin

The Dino Principle and Your Cell Phone

2007-12-05T14:11:00.001-08:00

Not so long ago, it was fairly easy to tell if someone was on the verge of, or already decidedly out of their minds. For centuries - the shrinks have advised us all that "having conversations with yourself" is a sure sign of lunacy. That all said, I'm sure there are days when you walk around the department store wondering what is going on. I mean - there are people walking around having in depth conversations with thin air! In fact, perhaps you are one of those folks. You know what I mean - one of those people that HAS to have the latest cell phone.

Years ago, when you got in your car alone - it became your sanctuary, your haven away from the family, the boss, the dog, and everyone else. It was just you, your car, the road, and rockin' out to heavy metal. Likewise, when you went to the store, you could rock out in peace, just wandering around the aisles and thinking about whatever came to mind. Today, even if you are in the bathroom, all and sundry have a direct number to reach you at!

In light of what we give up when we have a cell phone glued to our ears, one must wonder what drives this impulse with cell phone mania. The sales folks tell us about convenience and emergency use. But seriously, since when is discussing next week's hair appointment with your disapproving hubby more important than seeing that red light straight ahead? And furthermore, why stretch your ears out with all that weight, plus the stress?

Now - please understand something. I see nothing wrong with having a cell phone for emergency purposes. In fact, I have had one for many years in case my favorite pet lemon breaks down and needs yet another ride on a flat bed truck (in case you are wondering why I have the VIN number memorized).

Consider something, you are PAYING MONEY, a "monthly minimum fee" in order to get "free minutes". The bottom line is this. You don't need those "free minutes", because you didn't need them before you decided to glue a cell phone to your ear. All you are really doing is spending more money than you need to, and upping your stress levels. In the bargain, your cell phone plus the transmission system require energy to operate. So, while you are spatting with your spouse, children, or boss, someone, somewhere is strip mining coal out of this poor earth in order to keep your conversation going. On top of that, when you ditch your current cell phone in order to be politically correct and "in" with the next new cell phone design fad, you will be adding to the rubbish currently overflowing the landfills, the oceans, and China.

Me? My secret? Simple. I completely avoid the temptation of "free weekend minutes", camera phone, etc etc ad nauseum by having prepaid phone service. I spend under $100.00 a year for my Trac Fone. Not only is the phone itself cheap (I got it on clearance), I have more minutes rolled over than I know what to do with.

I have the best of all possible worlds - a cell phone for travel emergency purposes, and my privacy firmly intact. My advice for today - toss out the cell phone contract you have now, and get yourself a prepaid service. Then, just sit back and savor the blessed silence and knowledge that the rest of the world can't chew your ears off 24/7.

Freedom Admin

Planetary Patriotism and the Law of Attraction

2007-12-04T21:14:00.000-08:00

After reading Rhonda Byrne's,The Secret , sometimes I wonder at why people don't realize what their spending habits say, and exactly what they are attracting. Basically, like many other authors, Byrne tells us that what you send out is exactly what you attract. In a sense, then, I could say what you spend your money on only serves to attract more of the same.

As an example, let's consider the fact that indigenous people all over the world have believed "Earth Mother" or "Gaia" is alive just like you and me. Let's also consider that human thoughts create reality, thus this planet has some kind of "consciousness" that is capable of mirroring back everything that we do. Now, ask youself how you would feel if someone gouged holes in your flesh in order to make other items, or ruthlessly drilled in order to extract your blood. Painful, no?

So, what really happens when you spend money on the kinds of merchandise that are "for entertainment", or not necessary to helping you achieve freedom from debt, etc? Each one of those products is made for a profit, and in a way that causes "pain" to this sentient planet. Thus, perhaps it should come as no surprise that many people are experiencing financial pain, stress, and other disorders.

On top of that, if you use credit cards or loans to pay for your purchases, you are accruing debt. And, when you go to pay your bill, you will actually be sending money out to pay a debt. The result, if you don't get out of debt and stay that way, you will keep attracting more of it with every interest payment you make!

On other hand, if you curb your spending, you will stop attracting things that are essentially "junk", or have no potential value in assisting you to create a more stable future for yourself and your family. In the absence of all these "things", like TV's, radios, cell phones, designer clothes, and new cars, you will have the time, space, and energy to attract things and information that will help you make money in a way that does far less harm to the planet.

Freedom Admin

The Principle of Planetary Patriotism

2007-12-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

Today, many people think "patriotism" means waving a nation's flag on their car antenna, and blindly following public servants into whatever war they decide to make. That said, some people also realize that the dictionary defines patriotism as "love or devotion to one's country". At the same time, some "love and devotion" to preserving this planet's habitats and ecosystems is badly needed. In fact, I strongly believe that if individuals in all nations don't implement Planetary Patriotism, all our beloved nations will be rendered dead as doornails via global warming, desertification, deforestation, and global famine.

Unfortunately, this silly mud ball we live on (better known as Earth), has neither flag to wave nor a war to wage. And, no matter how much the Velikofskian and John White followers out there may belive in Pole Shift - Ma Earth just don't and ain't gonna do the warpath bee bop with Saturn. So, now it must be asked, precisely how do we all go about enacting "Planetary Patriotism"?

To begin with - it is a little different from what you would do to support a nation. Along with not having a flag, Earth also does not have its own tax collector. In fact, I could well argue that spending money is the worst thing you can do for the planet. As an example, every time you buy an item in a store, it must be manufactured from materials that are either dug out of the planet, or grown on it. By the time the product is manufactured and shipped, not only has some part of the planet been irreversibly changed, it has also used up some fossil fuel in the construction and shipment.

So - if you want to follow the principle of Planetary Patriotism, here are a few guidelines:

1. Separate wants from needs. Examine your needs, and reduce them to absolute essentials for survival. Ie. you don't need another new TV, cell phone, etc, and so on.

2. Use what you have, and when it wears out or breaks, replace it with something second hand or used.

3. If you really have to buy something new, select items that were made as close to where you live as possible. Not only will you be buying something that cost less fossil fuel to ship, you will be helping prevent money from falling into the hands of other nations that insist on building weapons and waging war. This in turn, will induce nations to stop wasting so much time on warfare, and start spending more time on cleaning up the mess we have all made.

Freedom Admin

How to Purchase With the Mindset of a Bill Collector

2007-12-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered just how bill collectors take control of your wallet? I don't just mean their imperialistic demands and subtle attitude of being better than you because they "have a job". I speak of their entire mindset. You know the one I mean. The one that says, "My computer says you will have the money by this date, therefore it must be so". In the meantime, you are sitting there, without a job (or on the verge of losing a job), the food cupboards are empty, or that busted down car has given up what little ghost it had. If you are wondering just how all the money will materialize that your bill collectors envision, you are not alone.

Well, we all know money doesn't grow on trees, nor does it just pop out of the sky. Even though our bill collectors may believe we know all there is to know about Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret", we really haven't got a clue. That said, there is something decidedly interesting about the bill collector's mindset that we can utilize in forming healthier spending habits. In fact, we can become so effective at utilizing the bill collector's mindset that we need never worry about another bill collector for the rest of our lives.

It is called the Principle of Partnership. Basically, no matter how much we hate our bill collectors, they are our financial partners for the duration of the time that bills are outstanding. Please note - I said partners - not spouses. We are most certainly not obligated to have bill collecting partners hanging like millstones from our neck for the rest of our lives. In fact, once we are done with a bill collector, we need never do business with them again. But until then, their mindset can be of immense help to us. Basically - if they have decided to up and believe we have the money to pay them, we must only need go ahead and do the same thing. Simply put - have confidence in yourself and make it happen.

Now, the mindset of a bill collector can help us long after we are done paying our bills. Among other things, the mindset of a bill collector is based firmly in his/her own principles, irregardless of what is happening in your life, and elsewhere in the world. Therefore, we must do the same. As they forget about the salesman next door trying to do business with people like you, you must do the same when it comes to making more purchases.

Day in and day out we are bombarded with advetisements for products that we really don't need. I mean - since when is a TV and designer clothes a necessity? Whatever happened to the real basics like healthy food, clothes that are clean and durable, and a house that is sound enough to live in? Whatever happened to having real friends that share more in common than having viewed the last episode of some "real life" TV show.

Herein lies the heart of using the mindset of a bill collector to your best advantage. Unless what you are going to purchase will advance you in some finanical way, or give you the very real basic necessities of life, don't buy it.
Instead of buying more, and getting deeper into debt; simply buy less, or not at all! Every time a salesperson lands in your email, or your mailbox, or your TV screen, simply remember the mindset of a bill collector. Hold to your principle of gaining freedom from soaring interest rates, freedom from the crucifix of financial stress, and freedom from the ability of others to control your life, your liberty, and your lifestyle.

Freedom Admin

Words Mean Nothing Without Action

2007-12-01T20:40:00.000-08:00

Hello, and welcome to my blog.

Many people are waiting for the politicians and large scale business people to take action on global warming and humanitarian atrocities. Unfortunately, by the time they are all done talking and "making plans", we will more than likely have gassed ourselves to death (if we don't run out of fossil fuels first), starved to death, or died by dehydration.

I feel there is another answer to all of these problems. When it comes right down to it, we already have all of the power generated by our work and money. And, in addition, that power is enough to create all of the things that we want for ourselves, our children, and our future generations.

Today, it is time to take control of our lives, and use our money and resources wisely. We know what needs to be done. It is time to stop sitting around and waiting for the governments and big businesses to fix the problems of this world. It is time to realize that we aren't just what we eat, we are what we make and spend our money on. It is time to take action, to make changes, to live lives of self-autonomy and freedom.

This blog is an attempt to help people rip off the mask of death and apathetic suffocation. Over the next few weeks, I will be introducting a series of blogs and products to help you (and me) live more eco-friendly and patriotic lives. If you think it can't be done - watch and wonder! I invite you to join me on the journey of a lifetime.

Freedom Admin