Fuel Costs, Food Costs & Everything Else Is Rising!

Are you ready for Armageddon? I’m not talking about the biblical sense of the word, but rather the life changing alteration of most everything we know without the massive deaths that are associated with traditional Armageddon. I hope you are as it is upon us now. Look around and see if you see the same signals of life changing forever and the “new normal” beginning to form inch by inch. The signs are everywhere; first and foremost, the Middle East is on fire both figuratively and in some cases literally. The people of the Arab world are showing the anguish they feel after decades of suppression, torture and death. So how does that affect me, you ask? Since the late 60’s and early 70s, the United States has had a policy of allowing a large portion of our energy needs to be fulfilled by imports from other nations. The majority of those nations are located in the Middle East and though they may be marginally friendly to us now, once their governments change, they most likely will be somewhat hostile if not outright angry towards us in this nation. In fact as of 2-22-2011, the oil production workers in Libya are now being evacuated and though Libya is only 18^th on the list of oil production, it means a million or so more barrels of oil are no longer available on the open market.

Couple this with fears that Egypt will now ally with Iran, that Bahrain is in turmoil, Algeria has already fallen, and several more Middle East nations are teetering you could very well make the case of $5.00 per gallon costs for gasoline before the end of the year. Not possible you say? Actually it is very possible, nationwide we are looking at $ 3.25 gasoline now and in states with higher tax rates, it is even higher, (California $ 3.55 on average). Oil has already hit $ 100 per barrel in the last few days and if the turmoil in the Middle East continues for too much longer, the price of oil could reach and hold at $150 per barrel. Remember, we have shut down virtually all of our Gulf Oil exploration and drilling and have banned drilling in a number of other areas, so our dependence on outside sources of oil will only increase and we have no ability to pump our way out of the shortfall so prices will rise. Thus if you had a 20 gallon tank on your vehicle, that cost of filling it will move from $60.00 to nearly $100.00. How many tanks a week do you use? Do you have an extra $40 or more per week in disposable income that you can use to fill the gap?..........

Tax Season Is On The Way!

There are few people alive today in America who have not lived under the oppressive tax system we call the Federal Income Tax. The Federal Income Tax came into being during the first part of the 20^th century with the passage of the 16^th amendment. The amendment was first proposed during the Taft administration, (1-16-1909), in response to the public concerns over too few people having the wealth of the nation consolidated in their hands. The amendment was finally ratified by the required ¾ of the states on January 25, 1913 and thus the Internal Revenue Service came back into existence. Back into existence, you say? Yes, the IRS actually came into being during the Civil War during the Lincoln Administration, but that is another story.

The 16^th Amendment

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration..........

Enjoy!

Spring is Almost Here!

Man has been keeping bees for at least 2000 years; in fact we know that the Romans were keeping bees as early as 30 B.C. due to the writings they left for prosperity. The methods of keeping bees have been as varied as the flowers in a field. The Greeks and Egyptians used conical hives made of pottery, the Romans used just about anything available, from logs to mud to animal waste, anything that would contain a hive until the honey was needed. The British used thatch hives and holes in walls and continued to do so until the advent of movable hive frames in the early 1800s…..

After decades in the making, the first installment of the movie Atlas Shrugged is almost upon us. For those who are not familiar with the book by Ann Rand, it has long been a topic of inspiration as well as controversy since it publication in 1957. In it the author promotes the ideal of individual responsibility and achievement and derides those who wish to belittle and undervalue those very achievements, through regulations, taxes and the creation of laws. The movie is reputed to be the first of three parts, produced by Strike Production and will open on April 15, 2011. There will be a private screening held on February 24, 2011 at Culver City, California, but it is unlikely that any of us will be invited to attend……

It’s that time of the year, where we begin to look at the blooming flowers and thoughts gravitate towards planting a few trees to spruce up our empty yard. When considering what trees to plant, many of us simply trip on down to the local big orange box store and buy one of the standard trees that they carry each and every year. In the south, those trees would be pear, apple, fig, peach and a few citrus varieties. In truth, I never understood why they sold apple trees since it rarely gets cold enough to allow the fruit to set. So I ask, why settle for the same old trees year after year? Why not try and find yourself an exotic tree that not only will give your yard a bit of a lift, but as it begins to fruit, brings forth the envy of your neighbors? I have complied a list of a few of the more interesting trees that are available on the market today……

Enjoy!

Working with only 9 fingers....

I took part of my finger off the other day so I will keep this short. We now have an article on home gardening with children.... The first paragraph is below...

Gardening can be an opportunity for a family to grow together through activities that all can enjoy. With children, learning to care for a garden can be not only an educational activity, but it can also help them develop a sense of appreciation for nature and our connection with the world around us. As spring approaches, we all have the chance to bring new wonders to our children and grandchildren with a simple home garden made from the scraps we have around the yard, a bit of soil, a few seeds or store plants, loving care and water. So why don’t you consider dragging those younger versions of ourselves from the television and begin the journey into home gardening with children........

Enjoy!!

Ethanol, Engine Damage, Concrete Slabs, Walking Onions, & Coupons!

Concrete is probably one of the greatest inventions ever invented by man or was it woman? The Romans used it to expand their empire by building some of the greatest aqueducts ever known to man. If fact, it was the Roman invention of underwater concrete that allowed them to build the first concrete piers ever known. This achievement alone allowed them to create or expand harbors in locations that until that time were useless as such. Yet, even today pouring concrete is considered a difficult, only to be sourced out project that in truth any homeowner can do with a little preparation and skill.

The best concrete project for any homeowner to tackle is that of a patio or short walkway. The advantage of these two choices is that they are both large enough for a concrete truck, but small enough for a crew of two to tackle. .......

We all like onions and if we added up the number of onions we actually use in the United States each year, it would total 20 pounds per person per year. In my family, we like onions a lot and use them in almost everything we eat. As I was writing this article, I calculated the amount of onions that we consume each year and it totaled 50 pounds per person. Sounds like a lot, but when compared to the people of Libya who actually eat over 66 pounds of onions per person each year it doesn’t seem quite so much. As onions have always been cheap, I never developed the skills needed to grow the amounts that my family would need if we ever decided that we were going to give up the grocery store and live off the land. I know, living off the land is a difficult thing to do, but one has to have a goal in life and this one is a lot of fun and it does help with the family budget! So after my repeated failures at growing onions, I looked into the possibility of having an onion in my garden that would give me the ability to harvest without the aggravation of replanting each year and the disappointments that go with it. After a bit of research, two types of onions came to light, the Welsh Onion and the Egyptian Walking Onion, both of which are perennials. .....

As you may have heard, the nation is on a “green” kick and things that we considered good and acceptable before are no longer treated as such. We no longer use lead in our paint as it causes brain damage, we have reduced the phosphates in our detergents so we can reduce the amount of algae in our rivers and streams. Many, if not most of these changes have been for the good, as I can remember living in Southern California in the late 70s and not being able to see the mountains for the smog that permeated the air we breathed. To this day, I swear my endurance and ability to grab a lungful of air has been affected by that smog, but one change that we have created in the name of going “green” has been anything but beneficial. That is the use of ethanol in our gasoline!.....

Are you looking to stretch your food dollars, but not willing or able to cook everything from scratch? It may be time to look at what our parents did in order to balance their food budget. Yes, it may be time to start couponing, that divisive practice that always seems to be slowing down the check out lanes at the grocery store and giving everyone in that lane a headache as coupon after coupon is scanned and verified by the beleaguered cashier before checkout. Yet, if you are willing to be diligent and methodical, couponing can be a viable alternative to the escalating costs an ever-expanding food budget.

Enjoy!

Story Time

This is one of those articles that are geared more to fun than profit or ranting. I have a friend who works as the local big blue superstore and he likes to tell me some of the funnier and sometimes sad shoplifting stories that happen from time to time. So when I have a new case of beer and he has a day off, he will come over and tell me a story or two. I have transcribed for your pleasure some of the more interesting stories. I hope you enjoy them, as they are 100% true.

The Nudist- is a story that occurred one summer evening when everyone is wearing those semi-short baggy pants with oversize shirts. It was a very hot summer day where everyone is cooling off by using the store’s air conditioning, so needless to say the store was crowded, especially the DVD section of the store. Well one enterprising young man entered the store about 8:00 pm with what appeared to be an empty backpack. I never learned what he did to catch the eye of the Loss Prevention people, (what we used to call Security), but for some reason he caught their eye as he made a beeline to the DVD section at the back of the store. ....

Enjoy!

Potatoes!

Potatoes are one of those staples that everyone should have in their pantry. The potato is a great source of the nutrients and vitamins that we all need. In fact, it seems that the Irish survived by eating potatoes and drinking buttermilk for what seems to be eons. If it hadn’t been for the potato famine of the 19^th century, they would probably be still growing them as the main staple food of Ireland. For those who are a little short on their history, the potato originated in South America presumably around the region of Peru and was brought back to Europe by the Explorers of the 16^th and 17^th centuries where it began its rise to the prominence it now enjoys in both Europe and America.

If you plan to grow potatoes this year, you should know that the potato is an easy and fun crop for most gardeners. In fact, if you have small children it is an ideal tuber for them to begin their experiences in gardening with. Potatoes can be grown in almost any container, ranging from tires to plastic bags to even trash cans if you are so inclined, but most people will use mounded dirt for their potatoes. Just be sure to empty and clean the trashcan before you begin your new potatoes or they just will not taste right. .....

Enjoy!

Gardening Time!

Peppers are a great addition to any summer garden and if you plan well, will save you oodles at the grocery store each summer. In our family we like to plant the standard Bell pepper, with Habanero and Jalapeno peppers to give a little kick to our spaghetti sauce. How many people realize that the variety of colors that Bell peppers are sold in are really the same pepper, but at different points in its life cycle? When Bell peppers are young, they are green then yellow, orange and end up being red when fully ripe. In addition, unlike the peppers you buy in the store, homegrown Bell peppers actually have a delicious taste that grows sweeter as they mature. .....

Zucchini and Summer Squash is probably the most hated garden plant known to man. Who hasn’t had that neighbor who planted a yard full of the stuff and now is chasing, calling and even dropping off bucketfuls of the vegetable to anyone and everyone they know and many they don’t. Zucchini / Summer Squash is one of those easy to grow plants that has the nasty habit of starting off as a cute little flowering plant and ends up being a monster of a plant with baseball bat sized fruit if you are not diligent in your harvesting duties. Despite that everyone should have a bit of zucchini or summer squash in their garden, the trick we must learn is not to plant too much or you will suffer the consequences. ....

Sweet potatoes are a staple at most Thanksgiving dinners, but how many of us actually eat them at any other time of the year. I would think that many would not, unless someone else prepared them, but it may be time to reconsider. Sweet potatoes were once a staple throughout most of the southeast, but after the Great Depression, it was considered a hard times food and lost it popularity as standard of livings increased in the later half of the 20^th century. It is relatively good in dietary fiber, vitamin C and beta-carotene. The sweet potato is also called a yam, but really isn’t one; in fact if you buy canned yams, they will have the notation, “sweet potatoes” if they are not actual yams. The sweet potato has been cultivated by man for about 5,000 years and is believed to have originated in South America and spread throughout the world from there. ....

Does anyone want Eggplant for dinner? Most would answer no, but not just no, but @#$@ NO, as the eggplant we are most familiar with is the purple overgrown garbage that our mothers bought from the store. Until last year, I was one of those who had never had an eggplant that wasn’t store bought and generally hated even the thought of eating one. Whenever my wife wanted to add a few eggplants to our garden, I found some reason to leave them out. Well, leave it to wives to find a way around a husband’s stubborn nature and while we were growing eggplant, my mother was. One day late last summer, we visited my mother and she had a pair of eggplants growing next to her walkway, (the squirrels eat anything not at least 20 feet from the nearest tree), and unbeknownst to me, my wife brought a couple of the purple monsters home. A few days later, dinner was a simple stir-fry and lo and behold there was a purple thing in my food. Well being the person I am, I was able to finish the dish before my mind registered the fact that I had eaten some of the foul tasting monstrosity, yet as I sat there I realized that it didn’t actually taste bad. So after some experimenting, I came to the conclusion that store bought eggplant is not the same as homegrown eggplant.....

Enjoy!

Gardening Season Is Almost Here!

Are you looking for that one plant that will grow so much produce that you can’t give it away, yet it has a flavorful taste and is good in either a salad, deep fried or just simply eaten raw with a bit of blue cheese dressing? Well, your search is over! For the cucumber is an excellent plant that doesn’t take too much room to grow, and with just a few plants, a bit of regular watering and some fertilizer, can produce more than a family of four could possibly use in a summer. When searching for that perfect cucumber variety to plant, there are one or two things to be aware of before you begin. First, be sure to buy a variety that is considered an “outdoor” plant instead of a “greenhouse” or indoor versions that is much more fragile and won’t do well in most outdoor situations. You can typically find these at the big orange box store or on the Internet. We generally, like to buy ours on line as it gives us a larger selection to choose from with the characteristics that we want. ......

Radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, but like any vegetable there are more varieties than you can shake a stick at. Unfortunately, food diversity in the United States is not what it could be, so when you plant your garden this year, try planting a few varieties that are not commonly sold in your local supermarket. In general, most radishes that we are familiar with are the types that known by the names of Cherry Belle and Scarlet Globe, that is they are red, round and have no taste, but are filled with water. Yet, there are summer and winter radishes, they are small and round, long and thin, large and fat! Radishes also range in colors and if you search you can find them in red, yellow, white, purple and black. They range in size from the 1” 1-2 ounce variety we know and love to the 4-½ pound 24 inch monster known as the Asian Daikon radish, (very turnip like in size). .....

Enjoy!

A Book Review As Well As Some Gardening Prep!

Archangel’s consort is the 3^rd book in the Guild Hunter’s Series by author Nalini Singh. If you haven’t read the books Angel’s Blood or Archangel’s Kiss, I would recommend that you do so before reading this book. This book is similar to the series by Nalini Singh, Psy Changeling, but a bit darker in nature. No matter, I do love all of the books by Nalini Singh, as she sets herself apart from other authors with her character depth and complexity. The characters are so compelling, that they seem to be almost 3D in nature and just jump off the pages.

This the latest book by Nalini Singh, picks up where Archangel’s Kiss left off with Elena the no nonsense Guild Hunter turned Angel and Raphael, the powerful and scary Archangel, who returns to Manhattan. As Elena prepares to return to her duties as a Guild Hunter, she deals with the shock of becoming an Angel as well as everyone’s reaction to the change. Despite having wings, her life is anything but easy as she is accustomed to being the deadliest hunter in the guild and the new rules of being an Angel adds complications she just doesn’t need right now. Unfortunately Raphael’s Seven, a personal security force of vampires and angels, still see Elena as a liability to Raphael. Thus the ancient hostility between Guild Hunters and Archangels continues as Raphael and Elena work to build a partnership of trust and mutual respect, combine this with the budding love Raphael has for Elena and things really start to become complicated.......

Spring is just around the corner and the urge to plant our gardens is upon us. One of the more popular vegetables that people enjoy growing is the tomato plant. A good plant can produce up to 10 pounds of fruit in a single season. Yes, the tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable, but who am I to argue with popular opinion. In general, tomato plants can be grown just about anywhere you want, but like any plant it will need the basics of 8-10 hours of direct sunlight, warm temperatures of 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit, a decent soil, plenty of fertilizer, (I like Miracle grow), and plenty of water. If you fail to water your plants regularly, you will either have fruits that are anemic and small or split depending on your particular watering habits. So if possible, put your plants on a timer and water on a regular schedule. If the temperatures rise above 90 degrees for too long, you will find that your plants will not be able to set their fruit, so if you live in a too warm of a climate, you may need to shade your plants.

There are a number of varieties of tomato plants, probably as many types as there are ways to describe them, but they are still good never the less. My particular favorite is the cherry or grape versions, but I have had a few of the blood purple and even a zebra striped tomato from time to time. In order to help you on your journey into spring and all that it brings, I have made a list of some of the varieties of tomatoes that you can order by seed online. Try it, as you may find these much more fun to grow and eat than those that are normally sold at the big orange box stores.

Back Again! Veggies, Herbs and Horseradish!

Sorry folks, I've been gone for a few days! We have three new articles for you to review.

An herb garden is an excellent addition to anyone’s landscape. It can provide those extra flavors that will make any dish you cook just that much better. For who doesn’t like a bit of fresh mint in their iced tea during that hot summer day or a smattering of sage mixed with your spaghetti sauce. No matter what your tastes having a few perennial herbs in your garden is a great way to a healthier lifestyle. So in order to help you with creating your own herb garden, I have a list of my three favorite herbs that anyone can have around the house......

How would you like to plant your vegetables once and harvest the results for years to come? We all would, but how do you get around the effects of the winter cold on your vegetables? Simple, instead of planting the standard vegetables like tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc, plant a few perennial vegetables that will allow you to have the benefits of fresh vegetables every year without the work and expense of replanting, worrying about crop rotation, etc. Believe it or not, such vegetables do exist and in the case of the asparagus plant, you can harvest from these plants for up to 20 years with just a little care and tending each year. As good as that sounds, don’t think for a moment that you will be able to plant these perennials and forget about them! With any crop you will have some of the standard issues to worry about, such as weeds, critters and general pests. Despite this, having perennial vegetables is a good step forward in living a better life through the control of your sources of food.......

Horseradish has a long history; the Egyptians first used it as early as 2,500 B.C. and it has been known through the ages by several names such as Redcole and Stingnose. Some of its reputed medicinal uses have been for rheumatism, a rub for lower back pain, and a cough medicine and even as a cure for tuberculosis. In truth, there is no evidence that horseradish is a healing herb or can cure any of the illnesses described above, but it is a great condiment for your table. Horseradish is believed to have reached the western parts of Europe, (read England), in the early 1600s and arrived in America in the 1840s with German settlers....

Enjoy!