Poor People?

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son
on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of
showing his son how poor people can be.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of
what would be considered a very poor family. On their
return from their trip, the Father asked his son,
"How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people can be?" the father
asked.
"Oh Yeah" said the son.
"So what did you learn from the trip?" asked the
father.
The son answered, "I saw that we have one dog and they
had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of
our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We
have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the
stars at night. Our patio reaches to the
front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a
small piece of land to live on and they have fields
that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve
us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they
grow theirs. We have walls around our property to
protect us, they have friends to protect them."
With this the boy's father was speechless. 
Then his son added, "Thanks dad for showing me how
poor we are." Too many times we forget what we have
and concentrate on what we don't have. What is one
person's worthless object is another's prize
possession. It is all based on one's perspective.
Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave
thanks for all the bounty we have, instead of worrying
about wanting more.

Prepper Links and Stuff

So, because I don't believe the current economic model we've been running under for the past few decades is going to be sustainable for much longer and at some point the problem's our leader's (both the dog and pony show that we "elect" once in awhile to sit in political offices and the deep pocketed "captains of industry" who own them and tell them how things are really going to be run), anyway, those problems will eventually come home to roost and we (the majority of working class Americans) will likely see a huge change in our standard of living. Not to mention the poisons now being sold to us that they call foods and medicines in the stores.

For quite some time Em' and I have been looking at getting some land out in the country and setting up a homestead that works more the way my grandparents farm down in Whitney used to run but with some modern touches. We would like to use some forms of permaculture to grow our own food, produce our own energy and water and generally live off the land save for a few things which we can't produce ourselves. We think this will provide us with a much healthier, happier and sustainable lifestyle than the use it once and throw it away culture that predominates today.

To that end I have been spending a lot of time lately learning more and more about foraging, gardening, preserving food, etc. and have been learning a lot of really cool things that I would like to share here. To start off, here are some links I would like to recommend real quick:

The Survival Podcast - Jack Spirko does a daily podcast in which he talks about things you can do to prepare if times get tough, or even if they don't. Well worth listening to at some point in your daily routine. I have been listening on my commute to and from work.

Prepper Podcast Network - Jack's show is carried along with several other great shows on this network. So it you want more you can find plenty here.

Merriwether's Guide to Edible Wild Plants of Texas and the Southwest - A great place to learn about the many useful plants that you might see, trample on, pull up and throw away or otherwise disregard that actually have some great uses.

That's just a few to get started but I also have more I will post later on subjects such as aquaponics, hugelkultur, rocket mass stoves and heaters, etc. But for now, I need to get down to the Downtown Arlington Farmer's Market to grab some grub.

Google Plus Shared Circle Database

Looking to get up and running quickly on G+? Want to add a bunch of people who post things on topics you're interested in? Have you tried G+ but got bored because none of your friends from other social networks were getting on and posting things? Well friend, you need the Google+ Shared Circle Database.

>>>>>---Click Here------>       TRY IT NOW      <----Click Here----<<<<

In it you will find circles with lots of people posting on topics such as:

#Animals #ArtDesign #Authors #Aviation #Business #Celebrity #Comedy #Companies #Education#Entertainment #FashionStyle #FoodBeverage #Games #Geeks #General #Geography #Hobbies #Music #News #Occupation #Philosophy #Photography #Politics #RealEstate #Religion #Science#SocialMedia #Social #Sports #Tech #Web #Women #YouTube

This has been a Public Service Announcement by Primal Troy brought to you by the letter Y and the number 145,176,875,923,758,795.

I Just Deactivated My Facebook Account

I took a 1 week hiatus from FB right after they implemented their interface changes and announced their new stalking you all over the internet protocols but because a great many of my friends were still hanging on over there and not making the move to Google+ I went back and started seeing what people were up to and finding some cool things to share over on G+ as well.

Now as many of you know there has been a lot of posting lately about the Occupy movement and I have been very into that because there are a great many injustices that I think should be addressed regarding small businesses having the ability to compete effectively against multinational corporations and the odds of a kid born into a poor family still having the ability through hard work and education to rise up and realize the American Dream.

So, up until about 4 days ago my posts, both regarding Occupy issues and humorous ones were getting some thumbs up, comments, etc. Then all of a sudden, nothing, nada, zilch. Not one single post I made on FB since 10/10/2011 received any feedback whatsoever.

Now understand, I have over 900 friends on my friends list and have been on FB for several years now and that has never happened. I always get at least some kind of feedback.

I checked and saw that I am still seen when I comment to posts others have made but my own wall posts were apparently no longer being seen at all.

So, was I being blocked by all of my friends for being too spammy? Considering the content of my posts I could see that being the case were it only my friends who get all of their news from NewsCorp sources and believe everything MSM tells them but my more progressive minded friends would not be likely to do that.

Had someone reported my content to FB and they put a throttle on my posts? Possible I suppose although I didn't post anything particularly offensive and had in fact predominantly reshared posts others had already posted there so that didn't seem likely but who knows.

Had FB itself taken it upon itself to EdgeRank me into non-existence? Ya know, at the risk of sounding a bit paranoid, Mark Zuckerberg is a 1%er and could be engaging in some social engineering. Hmmm.

A bit odd indeed. Anyway, if anyone cares to keep up with me find me on G+, check my blog or email me. Of course I will still be on Digg, Reddit, LinkedIn (occasionally) etc. too.

Call for Transparency in Legislation Amendment, force politicians to repeal the laws they defund behind closed doors. | The White House

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/call-transparency-legislation-amendment-force-politicians-repeal-laws-they-defund-behind-closed/h1ZHb638?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

Fresh Off The Easel

Lady Moon Gazing Upon Mother Earth is an acrylic painting on a stretched canvas measuring 12" x 16" for $100.

Glass Pyramid is an acrylic painting on a gallery wrapped canvas measuring "16 X 20" for $250

Fruit Of Peace was raffled off at CommuniTree on September 24th 2011 to raise funds for Earth Rhythms.

This new hand painted sign was recently completed as a commission for our friend Sherry Blue who will be using it to promote her business. Thank you Sherry! :)

This hand painted sign was recently completed as well and will serve as the logo for our friend Alana to use in promoting her business.




Stay tuned for more!

Transfer Your online Life From Facebook to Google+ | Simplified transfer from facebook to Google+

Here's a simplified tool to transfer your stuff from Facebook to Google+ and get you started nice and easy!

http://www.homeforgeeks.com/social/transfer-your-online-life-from-facebook-to-google-simplified-transfer-from-facebook-to-google/

First Barbary War

While reading the comments to an article on Digg today I ran across this comment which caused me to look into a piece of our history I was admittedly not familiar with. Interesting reading indeed...

 You've probably heard the hymn of the US Marines which includes the words "to the shores of Tripoli". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Barbary_War

 No oil involved, they just assumed the US were too weak to defend themselves. Oh boy, did the Barbary Arabs get a rude awakening. Pirate ships and crews from the North Africa's Berber states of Morocco, Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers (the Barbary Coast), although nominally governed by the Ottoman Empire, were the scourge of the Mediterranean. Capturing merchant ships and enslaving or ransoming their crews provided the Muslim rulers of these nations with wealth and naval power. In fact, the Roman Catholic Trinitarian Order or Order of "Mathurins" had operated from France for centuries with the special mission of collecting and disbursing funds for the relief and ransom of prisoners of Mediterranean pirates. The war stemmed from the Barbary pirates’ attacks upon American merchant shipping in an attempt to extort ransom for the lives of captured sailors, and ultimately tribute from the United States to avoid further attacks, much like their standard operating procedure with the various European states...READ MORE

What the Mayan Elders are Saying About 2012 by Carlos Barrios

Seri-Worldwide, http://lettertorobin1.site.aplus.net/id435.html Carlos Barrios, Mayan elder and Ajq’ij (is a ceremonial priest and spiritual guide) of the Eagle Clan. Carlos initiated an investigation into the different Mayan calendars circulating. Carlos along with his brother Gerardo studied with many teachers and interviewed nearly 600 traditional Mayan elders to widen their scope of knowledge. Carlos found out quickly there were several conflicting interpretations of Mayan hieroglyphs, petroglyphs, Sacred Books of 'Chilam Balam' and various ancient text. Carlos found some strong words for those who may have contributed to the confusion: Carlos Barrios: "Anthropologists visit the temple sites and read the inscriptions and make up stories about the Maya, but they do not read the signs correctly. It's just their imagination. Other people write about prophecy in the name of the Maya. They say that the world will end in December 2012. The Mayan elders are angry with this. The world will not end. It will be transformed."

Just Say No to GMO

This text will be replaced by the player

Where does gold come from?

Cosmic crashes forging gold: Nuclear reactions in space do produce the heaviest elements


(PhysOrg.com) -- Collisions of neutron stars produce the heaviest elements such as gold or lead. The cosmic site where the heaviest chemical elements such as lead or gold are formed has most likely been identified: Ejected matter from neutron stars merging in a violent collision provides ideal conditions. In detailed numerical simulations, scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics and affiliated to the Excellence Cluster Universe and of the Free University of Brussels have verified that the relevant reactions of atomic nuclei do take place in this environment, producing the heaviest elements in the correct abundances.

Mortgage rates fall to lowest level since 1950s, few qualify

Oh! Check out what the next headline says. Gee ya think?

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/50319086

Bernanke puzzled by weak consumer spending

Puzzled? Seriously? Let's see, we have witnessed the crooks on Wall Street who made this big mess by slicing and dicing home mortgages into investment scams, manipulating ratings and cheating the system to put people into homes they couldn't really afford and sell those mortgage bits as safe  investments when they were truly risky as hell. Then when the whole house of cards came crashing down those same homeowners who got stock with underwater mortgages in houses that are worth way less than they paid for them got to foot the bill as taxpayers on bailing out these fraudster banks, insurance companies etc. that were deemed "Too Big To Fail".

Then on top of it all credit gets tightened up and credit scores of these people who got hoodwinked by these slicksters are shot all to hell so they can't even qualify for a loan to buy a bag of chips out of a vending machine. 14 million people are out of work, those lucky enough to have a job have fewer hours and/or have seen their wages stagnated while energy and food prices soar.

So this guy, who is supposed to be the economic superstar is puzzled by consumer's being cautious? Really? If these are our best and our brightest folks we are in REAL trouble.

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/50323554

Audio reveals billionaire Koch brothers' secret political seminar

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/546092?articlePage=0

Organic electronic devices could be printed on ordinary CDs and DVDs

Organic electronic devices could be printed on ordinary CDs and DVDs


(PhysOrg.com) -- Organic electronics – those that involve carbon-based conductors instead of the traditional copper or silicon – have a number of advantages over metal electronics, including their light weight, flexibility, higher efficiency, and lower cost. But one of the biggest things holding them back is the lack of a simple, low-cost method for patterning and printing organic materials. Now in a new study, a team of researchers from the US and Australia has developed a patterning technique in which conducting polymers can be printed with a low-cost infrared laser on an ordinary CD or DVD using the commercially available LightScribe technology.

Wind Turbine to be used as a Teaching Tool at Eastfield College

Found this on Moonlady News

CONTACT:  Amy McDonald, Manager, Public Information and Technical Communication

972-860-7180 phone, 972-860-8324 fax.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 30, 2011

Wind Turbine to be used as a Teaching Tool at Eastfield College

(Mesquite, TX)  On August 27, the latest addition to the Alternative/Sustainable Energy program offered at Eastfield College became a reality with the installation of a 50-foot wind turbine. The 3.5 kw wind turbine will be used for instructional purposes, but the turbine is also tied into the college’s electrical system through a connection in the Technology (T) Building. When the turbine is not being used for instruction the electricity produced will flow back into the Eastfield system and help power the T Building. The turbine is located on the west side of the T Building on the Eastfield campus, at the intersection of the new Dan Sundermann Drive and Eastfield Parkway. 

The design of the turbine tower will enable students to work with the tower, the turbine and the wind blades as the tower is lowered and the turbine is brought to ground level. In addition, the students will be able to see how the system connects with the electrical panel in the T Building, and observe how the electricity generated flows back into the electrical system serving this facility.

The wind turbine was purchased with funds provided by the Texas Legislature through a Texas Comptroller's Office JET (Jobs & Education for Texans) Grant awarded in 2010. The grant award of $147,098 was to enable Eastfield to purchase additional instructional equipment for the Alternative/ Sustainable Energy programs.

The Alternative/Sustainable Energy program features the option of an associate degree or a certificate, both designed to prepare technicians to work in this new and rapidly growing Texas industry. As of August 2010, Eastfield College became one of two community colleges in North Central Texas to offer courses in Alternative/Sustainable Energy. 

For more information contact Chuck Dale at 972-860-7670.

Eastfield College, one of the seven Dallas County Community Colleges, is located at 3737 Motley Drive in Mesquite, just north of I-30.

###

Educational opportunities are offered by the Dallas County Community College District without regard to race, color, age, national origin, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation or genetic information.

Myschevia 2011

Myschievia is a temporary community that exists as a forum for participant driven creativity and artistic self-expression. There are no spectators, no cash transactions are permitted*, and the event is organized entirely by volunteers. Respect, community, inclusivity, and acceptance are driving principles of the event.

WHEN

Thursday, October 6th through Monday, October 10th, 2011

WHERE

Myschievia is hosted by Armadillo Acres outside of Hughes Springs, Texas

HOW MUCH

• Tier One: $45.00 until midnight August 12, 2011
• Tier Two: $50.00 until midnight September 2, 2011
• Tier Three: $55.00 until midnight October 4, 2011
• Kids Ticket: $35.00 until midnight October 4, 2011 (children 3 to 12)
• Children 2 and under are free
• All ticket sales will end at midnight on October 4, 2011 (12:00am CST on October 5, 2011).

• No comp tickets available—even the organizers purchase their own tickets.
• No tickets will be sold at the gate. If you do not have a ticket you will be denied entry.
• In/Out fee may be charged this year.

Find Out More at ntxb.org

Starting a business: You can't escape risk, so go for it!

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/50201314

Guitars not Guns new DFW chapter seeks Guitar teacher/volunteers


Contact: lila@lilawilliams.com

Guitars not Guns is an established 501(c) (3). We provide guitars and guitar lessons during 8 week sessions to children at risk in the 8-18 age range that normally wouldn’t experience the joy of music via lessons due to their family’s financial situation.
From the Guitars not Guns national web site our goal is clear:
“Using music as a catalyst we encourage children and teens to use their creativity to foster personal development and to help divert them from self-destructive influences such as drugs, alcohol and gang-related activities. By providing free guitars and lessons we hope to engage their creative potential and help them achieve their dreams.”
Studies have proven the benefits of studying music and for a population that is growing due to the world economy it’s more critical than ever that children are given healthy, uplifting experiences. And you never know who the next Stevie Ray or Bonnie Raitt could be! Classes are just forming so location and day/time of first class will be based on teacher and student schedules.

After a brief orientation/training the time required is approximately one hour of class time for the 8 week class session.

Contact lila@lilawilliams.com if you are interested in learning more about GnG.

Thank you

lila lila Williams
972 231 8085214 717 0223 mobile

Found On Moonlady News:

http://www.moonlady.com/indexnews.html

Levitt Pavilion Fall Concert Series - Arlington

2011 Texas Power Fall Concert Series
September 1 through October 1

http://www.levittpavilionarlington.org/ConcertCalendar/tabid/55/Default.aspx

Free admission. Open lawn seating on lawn chairs and blankets.
Picnics, snacks and coolers with beverages are allowed, including beer
and wine, but no glass containers. Concessions are available at the
pavilion, including burgers, veggie burgers, chicken and quesadillas
from J. Gilligans and snacks, kettle corn, ice cream and snow cones.

For more details about the Levitt Pavilion, please see Your Visit to
the Levitt Pavilion.

The Levitt Pavilion is located in Founders Plaza, 100 W. Abram St., at
the corner of Abram and Center streets, directly across the street
from City Hall.

For additional information, please visit our FAQs page, call the 24-
hour information line at 817.543.4301, or e-mail info@flparlington.org.

Click to download a printable Fall Concert Calendar.

2011 Texas Power Fall Concert Series
Thursday
7:30 p.m.
Friday
7:30 p.m.
Saturday
7:30 p.m.
Sunday
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 1

Brave Combo
Our fall tradition: Everyone’s favorite mosh-pit polka band

2

Jason D. Williams
Reckless rock, Jerry Lee Lewis style, from the Pianimal
3

Melissa Lawson
Heartfelt songs from Arlington’s favorite
country music star

4

Ruthie Foster
Blues delivered straight from the heart of a down-home diva
8

Salero!
High-energy salsa with
a Latin pop
9

Brad Thompson &
Lannie Flowers
A celebration of songwriting from two local lyricists

10

Jamie Richards
Resurrecting the roots of timeless country music

11

Luminate
Spreading light with a crisp, contemporary Christian sound

15

Eleven Hundred Springs
Home-grown, foot-stompin’ Texas music
16

The Burning Hotels
Indie-rock with an
edge all its own

17 Ecofest

Velvet Love Box
(6:30 p.m.)
Acoustic anarchy

Spoonfed Tribe
(8 p.m.)
Persuasive percussion
and melodic mood manipulation

18

No Concert

22

Wayanay Inka
Lose yourself in the enchanting music of
the Peruvian Andes
23

Calhoun
Irresistible indie-pop
and a flawless style
24

Bruce Robison &
Kelly Willis
The master of countrypolitan and alternative country’s
golden goddess

25

Jeff Coffin & the
UTA Jazz Orchestra
Grammy-winning saxophone from a Dave Matthews Band musician

29

Soul Rebels Brass Band
A rebelution of jazz
and funk with a hip-hop sensibility
30

Carolyn Wonderland
A Texas treasure with a dollop of Janis, a slice of Stevie Ray and the
wit of a poet

Oct. 1

Deryl Dodd &
The Homesick Cowboys
Rambunctious Texas music with a contemporary flair

Found On:

Moonlady News
www.Moonlady.com
moonladynews@gmail.com

Unschooling

http://www.unschooling.com/library/index.shtml

KatsüK, Interstellar Transmissions & My Wooden Leg - 10/8


More Info
FULL BAND SHOW!!! An out of this World-Beat Gypsy Carnival. Invite your friends, dress in your imagination.

KatsüK - 12
http://www.reverbnation.com/katsuk

Interstellar Transmissions -11
http://www.reverbnation.com/interstellartransmissions

My Wooden Leg - 10
http://www.reverbnation.com/mywoodenleg

Sprint to Get iPhone 5 in October

http://m.usatoday.com/article/tech/50109148

Genius 13-Year-Old Has a Solar Power Breakthrough

When I was 13 I was smoking cigarettes I'd found on the ground and playing Super Nintendo like it was my life's work. This kid discovered a way to draw 20-50% more power from solar cells. He is way cooler...

http://gizmodo.com/5832557/genius-13+year+old-has-a-solar-power-breakthrough

Green Games Getting Popular

The fate of Earth is often at stake in popular video games, such as the sci-fi space sagas Halo and Mass Effect. But a growing movement of ecologically conscious games deals with the real destiny of our actual habitat.

http://m.usatoday.com/article/tech/50025992

Nice Dragon

Saw this painted on the side of a drum up at Feed Your Head yesterday. Thing is, we have a drum just like it with nothing on the side. Hmmmmm..... hey Em! ..... Honey! :)

Buffet says Stop Coddling Megarich

Thank you!

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/49975144

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

AnonOps Communications: UK may disrupt social networks during unrest (fals...: "UK may disrupt social networks during unrest Britain is considering ways to disrupt online social messaging and networks such as Blackberry..."

What Are We Capable Of - THIS IS ANONYMOUS!

Animito

This free and easy to use web based application turns your photos, video clips, and music into masterpieces to share with everyone. How cool is that?!.... Well, I don't know for sure just yet, but I intend to find out.

http://animoto.com/

The magic button — Make Everything OK

Try it! It really works!

http://make-everything-ok.com/

Hey Ya'll, I have 150 Google+ invites to share so here's a link. Come join me!

https://plus.google.com/_/notifications/ngemlink?path=%2F%3Fgpinv%3Dushpc-aJFLE%3AwrpHqLSAOpM

ARE THEY METEORITES OR "METEOR-WRONGS"?

Swiped from Moonlady News

FIND OUT DURING THE AUGUST PUBlic KNOWLEDGE
Tuesday, August 2 - 7 p.m.
Magnolia Motor Lounge
(3005 Morton, Fort Worth, TX)

Can you tell a "meteorite" from a "meteor-wrong"? Join Linda Krouse
and Don Garland from the Noble Planetarium for "Look Out For Those
Space Rocks!" as they test your meteoritic knowledge and show off some
real "rocks from space." They'll also provide a brief backgrounder on
the Hubble Space Telescope and what you'll see in the Omni Theater's
summer IMAX feature, Hubble. Attendees will also have an opportunity
to win Omni and Noble Planetarium tickets. PUBlic Knowledge is free to
all guests 21 and up.

Flock A Friend For Charity!!

Yes, that's not a flamingo, it's a toucan.

Heard about this one on Moonlady News ya'll http:// www.moonlady.com/indexnews.html

There is a flock of pink flamingos moving around North Texas while we sleep. You may wake up one morning this summer to discover you have been "flocked" for a great cause.

The National Autism Association of North Texas is having a summer fundraiser that allows anyone to call in and have a friend or neighbor"flocked" for any size donation! Four dozen pink yard flamingos will appear in their yard overnight along with a sign announcing they have been "flocked" for charity-there is a # for them to call to find out who flocked them where they can donate and also have the flock moved to another location if they want to join in the fun.

They of course do not have to donate, but I am surprised at the generosity of most people. To find out more on the non profit NAA-NT and autism please visit their website http://naa-nt.org/ or contact 214-684- 8940 to have someone "Flocked" for charity!

Aspire To Inspire Before You Expire...:  http://PrimalAspects.com

I've been watching a lot of the videos on YouTube and listening to the music this group has put together and it's some really inspirational stuff. Check it out:

The Inspiration
Playing for Change is a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music. The idea for this project arose from a common belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. No matter whether people come from different geographic, political, economic, spiritual or ideological backgrounds, music has the universal power to transcend and unite us as one human race. And with this truth firmly fixed in our minds, we set out to share it with the world.

Playing For Change | Peace Through Music

I PREFER TO CHOOSE MY OWN FRIENDS THANK YOU VERY MUCH FACEBOOK!

Because I want to save these articles for future reference and because the vast overwhelming majority of my friends on Facebook will never see the articles I shared there I am posting a copy of the links here on my blog as well. I was aware of the shift toward social irrelevancy that Facebook decided to make when people with fan pages began noticing less interaction from their fans beginning in December 2010 but thank you Tom Anderson for really driving this home.


Is Social in Google's DNA?

How Facebook Secretly Ends Your Relationships

EdgeRank: The Secret Sauce...

Freedom for Whom?

"We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United,
and Move to Amend our Constitution."

* * *

"We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens United, and Move to Amend our Constitution."
  
*  *  *

Pending "free trade" deals enslave workers and benefit corporations

Dear friend,

The picnics, parades, and fireworks celebrating our Independence Day have come and gone, and in reality, so has our independence. We are perhaps more enslaved now then we were when we were under the thumb of the British East India Company and the Hudson Bay Company in colonial days. 

Corporations have a long history of interference when it comes to governing.

The current trade deals with Korea, Panama, and Columbia are fast-tracking their way through Congress -- more examples of corporations running amok.

Since NAFTA passed, over 28 million jobs have been exported, yet we still have a growing trade deficit.  In an effort to "balance the trade deficit", even more Americans will see their jobs exported (which is fully supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce).

Why are we going down this road in a period of extended high unemployment?  Why are we going down this road at all?

• South Korea 'Free Trade' Deal: Another Funnel for Exploitation
• As Obama Meets with Panama's President Martinelli, U.S.-Panama Trade, Tax Agreement Folly Comes into Focus
• Why the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia Is Still a Bad Idea 
• Watch this episode of Alliance for Democracy's Populist Dialogues with Arthur Stamoulis of the Oregon Fair Trade campaign.

Congress must hear our outrage over these pending deals, or they will pass them. Please call your senators and representatives and tell them:

• You oppose the Korea, Panama and Columbia free trade deals.
• The deals export American jobs to repressive low-wage countries. (No amount of trade assistance dollars will replace lost jobs.)
• You stand on the side of American workers, not multinational corporations, and that you'll be sure to vote accordingly.

Click here for more talking points.

Need contact info?

• Find your senators' contact info here.
  
• Find representative's contact info here.

We know that calling our Congress people won't be enough to take our democracy back -- we need a Constitutional Amendment to get corporations out of our elections and our government.

Large corporations are the barrier standing in the way of the democracy we deserve. Don't let them add another brick to that wall. Please make your calls today, and invite your like-minded friends and family-members to join Move to Amend for a systemic solution to corporate rule.

In solidarity with workers world-wide, 
The Move To Amend Team

 

Move to Amend

P.O. Box 260217
Madison, WI 53726-0217
United States

End Corporate Rule. Legalize Democracy. Move to Amend.

We're on Facebook & Twitter!

Economy adds a weak 18,000 jobs; unemployment rate is 9.2%

Meanwhile, as the CEOs rake in huge payouts...

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/49197570

CEOs reap huge payouts in 2011, corporate filings show

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/49186424

Facebook is funny sometimes.

So I get a wall post from a friend I have known since 7th grade. This is a dude I have been friends with for more than three decades. We went to junior high and high school together. Survived many teenage pranks that probably could very well have landed us in jail, the hospital or dead but somehow didn't. We narrowly missed going to jail one night after getting off work at Taco Bell while still in High School, pulled over by 5 police cars from three different cities who searched my friend's car and us but upon finding nothing gave us a firm talking to and a warning not to be seen in their town for at least a month. Between the two of us this friendship has outlasted 3 marriages, many good times, bad times, rich times and poor times. So at the bottom of this post Facebook has a link that says "See Friendship".

See Friendship? Really Facebook? LOL! You have NO IDEA!

Despite the loss of a leg, Army Ranger is back in the fight

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/48628556

Primal Aspects Art Studio now running on Solar Power - http://PrimalAspects.com

Declaration Of Orders We Will Not Obey

http://oathkeepers.org/oath/2009/03/03/declaration-of-orders-we-will-not-obey/

Primal Aspects Art Studio now running on Solar Power - http://PrimalAspects.com

Blind Men and An Elephant

I first read one of the versions of this story years ago and have always found it inspirational and instructional...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant

How safe is that foreign airline?

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/48517212

Primal Aspects Art Studio now running on Solar Power - http://PrimalAspects.com

More U.S. homes lease solar panels with no upfront costs

http://m.usatoday.com/article/tech/48365542

Primal Aspects Art Studio now running on Solar Power - http://PrimalAspects.com

Science fiction? Airbus shows off aircraft of the future

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/174521

Primal Aspects Art Studio now running on Solar Power - http://PrimalAspects.com

Pay TV boxes hike electric bills, waste energy

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/174344

Primal Aspects Art Studio now running on Solar Power - http://PrimalAspects.com

New battery design could give electric vehicles a jolt

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-battery-electric-vehicles-jolt.html

Primal Aspects Art Studio now running on Solar Power - http://PrimalAspects.com

SOLAR POWERED ART STUDIO

People have been asking me for details on how I set up Emily's newly converted 250 square foot backyard storage building art studio to use solar power so here is a run down of the project.

Originally I was going to run 2 20 amp circuits from the house for her to use for power out there to run the lighting, tools and a window unit air conditioner for cooling in the summer and a space heater for winter. But then I happened upon this article from treehugger about getting a basic starter solar power system going for $600.

So, I thought, hmmmm, why not?


And so it began...

I started shopping around on Ebay and doing some research on solar panels. Eventually I want to start buying the bricks of cells and soldering together to build our own panels but that's time consuming and this is something we wanted to get going quickly. I ended up going with a pair of 45 watt panels from UL Solar that I snagged for $218.

In the article mentioned above they suggested going with an 800 watt inverter but I wanted something I could run a circular saw, compressor or pretty much anything I might want to plug into it so I sprung for the 3000 watt Tiger Claw from OSP and let me tell ya, that dude is bad to the bone. I've run my saw, compressor, sander, the pump for the kid's swimming pool, the electric weed eater and a bunch of other things without so much as a hiccup. Now the inverter needs to be grounded and there wasn't a good grounding source near the building so I drove an 8 foot grounding rod in next to it and ran a 6 AWG wire to it. Thank goodness for all that rain we had the week before I drove that rod in the ground!

Of course also as the article mentions you need to have a charge controller to keep from over charging your battery(ies) on those hot sunny days when you're not using much power in the studio. Because I plan to expand the system later I went with the 40 amp charge controller from Coleman Air which I snagged off Ebay for $40.

Now, I kinda messed up on the battery because I just went down to AutoZone and picked up a yellow top Optima deep cycle marine battery for just under $200 that's rated at 55 amp hours. But afterwards I learned I could have got a 92 amp hour battery elsewhere for about the same price. Will keep that in mind as I expand the system because from what I've seen so far battery capacity is the first thing I want to upgrade. But I was in a hurry and wanted to get all this working as soon as possible so there it is. It's performing well enough though. Other than mounting the panels to the roof, running my wiring and cables, etc. that's about the gist of it. I ended up just running one 20 amp circuit from the house for backup power and to run the window unit A/C because while this system will run it, the battery can only keep it going for about an hour before it's tapped. Everything else the studio usually runs on does just fine off the battery though and as I said, I sometimes use it to run power tools and the 1.1 amp pump for the small swimming pool too. The best way to make an investment in solar power pay for itself is to use it as often as possible.

So now, on to some of the questions I frequently get asked about all this:

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to get a generator?

Initially yes but generators make noise that the neighbors might find objectionable and solar panels are very quite, in fact I haven't heard a peep out of them since they got here. Also, generators run on gasoline and as I'm sure you've noticed around the stations where they sell that stuff, it ain't cheap. Sunlight, however is still free. So over the 25 years the panels are warrantied for they will more than pay for themselves.

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to have gone ahead and ran that second 20 amp circuit from the house?

Yeah, it would have been but it wouldn't have been nearly as much fun and hey, we now have a backup power source in case of a power outage. Plus, there again, over time the free electricity will pay for itself.

What if we have a hail storm?

The panels are rated to take a 1 inch hail stone at 50 miles per hour and come with a 25 year warranty. Could we get bigger hail, oh yes, and if we do I'm sure a lot more will be damaged than just the solar panels. Let's hope not to see it.

How did you mount them?

I used hangar bolts tapped into the rafters with a good portion of sealant then attached two by fours which I then attached the panels to. But there are mounting kits you can buy too if you're not a cheapskate like me. ;-)

Are you nuts?

Well, yeah. ;-)

USA TODAY

http://m.usatoday.com/article/money/172781

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DeviantART In The News

http://m.usatoday.com/article/tech/47857478

Primal Aspects artwork is an important part of a balanced diet. - http://PrimalAspects.com

Chameleon magnets: ability to switch magnets 'on' or 'off' could revolutionize computing

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-05-chameleon-magnets-ability-revolutionize.html

Primal Aspects artwork is an important part of a balanced diet. - http://PrimalAspects.com

Satellites discover lost Egyptian pyramids

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-05-satellites-lost-egyptian-pyramids.html

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Details of new type of electric car battery released

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-05-electric-car-battery.html

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Who Is To Blame When Gas Prices Are $1 More Than Last Year?

http://m.usatoday.com/article/news/47725848

Primal Aspects artwork is an important part of a balanced diet. - http://PrimalAspects.com

Solar Power News | 95 Percent of Light Energy Captured by New Solar Product

http://solarpowernews.org/95-percent-of-light-energy-captured-by-new-solar-product/

Primal Aspects artwork is an important part of a balanced diet. - http://PrimalAspects.com

Device can heat home, save money

(PhysOrg.com) -- A new polymer-based solar-thermal device is the first to generate power from both heat and visible sunlight – an advance that could shave the cost of heating a home by as much as 40 percent.

Cool Without AC? 3 Homes in the South Prove It Can Be Done

http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-home-living/cool-without-ac-3-homes-in-the-south-prove-it-can-be-done.aspx

Primal Aspects artwork is an important part of a balanced diet. - http://PrimalAspects.com

Applying Moore's Law to Solar PV

http://www.v-techinc.com/Blog/post/2011/04/26/Applying-Moores-Law-to-Solar-PV.aspx

Primal Aspects artwork is an important part of a balanced diet. - http://PrimalAspects.com

How to Terminate a Patch Panel - wikiHow

http://www.wikihow.com/Terminate-a-Patch-Panel

Primal Aspects artwork is an important part of a balanced diet. - http://PrimalAspects.com

Inexpensive DIY Solar Power - The $600 Kit : TreeHugger

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/10/inexpensive_diy.php

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Religious groups question Goldman on pay - USATODAY.com

Religious groups question Goldman on pay http://usat.me/46873570

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Companies' profits march 17% higher - USATODAY.com

Companies' profits march 17% higher http://usat.me/46820108

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Online scammers jump on bin Laden news - USATODAY.com

Online scammers jump on bin Laden news http://usat.me/46811674

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'Flash sale' websites grow, but so do consumer frustrations - USATODAY.com

'Flash sale' websites grow, but so do consumer frustrations http://usat.me/46614884

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ExxonMobil's $10.65B earnings are second-best in company's history - USATODAY.com

There they go again...

ExxonMobil's $10.65B earnings are second-best in company's history http://usat.me/46597844

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E.T.E. Tricks of the Trade

http://www.elec-toolbox.com/tricks/enttofish.htm

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Builders offer green tract homes with nearly zero utility bills - USATODAY.com

Builders offer green tract homes with nearly zero utility bills http://usat.me/46295476

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Creative conduit | Breaktime

http://forums.finehomebuilding.com/breaktime/general-discussion/creative-conduit

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American Prosperity: Made in China

http://rationalrevolution.net/articles/americanprosperity.htm

Are You Suffering From Art Deficit Disorder? - http://PrimalAspects.com

Ampacity Calc: 10 AWG: 35.0A

Wiring/Table: Conductors (310.16/18)
Temp/Conductors: 75c Copper

Types:RHW, THHW, THW, THWN, XHHW, USE, ZW

Wire Size: 10 AWG
Base Ampacity: 35.0A

# Current Carrying Conductors: 1-3

Ambient Temperature: 26-30c, 78-86F

RESULT: 35.0 Amperes
Be Aware of 240.4(D) OCPD Limitations

Ampacity: 35 Amperes
Continuous: 28.0 Amperes
Be Aware of 240.4(D) OCPD Limitations

Are You Suffering From Art Deficit Disorder? - http://PrimalAspects.com

Couple builds solar-powered home with help from Google - USATODAY.com

Couple builds solar-powered home with help from Google http://usat.me/46212406

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Future farm: A sunless, rainless room indoors - USATODAY.com

Future farm: A sunless, rainless room indoors http://usat.me/46165046

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Net neutrality: End of the Web as we know it? - USATODAY.com

Net neutrality: End of the Web as we know it? http://usat.me/46147654

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Oil spill victim feels forgotten - USATODAY.com

Oil spill victim feels forgotten http://usat.me/46096178

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cab drollery: Workers Are Consumers (Business Is Not)

http://cabdrollery.blogspot.com/2008/04/workers-are-consumers-business-is-not.html

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Outgoing Aetna chairman gets a $68.7 million goodbye - USATODAY.com

Outgoing Aetna chairman gets a $68.7 million goodbye http://usat.me/46016640

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CEOs hold on to perks - USATODAY.com

CEOs hold on to perks http://usat.me/46023466

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Adobe turns the tablet into a Photoshop companion - USATODAY.com

Adobe turns the tablet into a Photoshop companion http://usat.me/155377

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Acer unveils 2-screen tablet - USATODAY.com

Acer unveils 2-screen tablet http://usat.me/45920700

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The Commodore 64 gets a reboot - USATODAY.com

The Commodore 64 gets a reboot http://usat.me/154988

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San Luis Obispo: The happiest place in the USA - USATODAY.com

San Luis Obispo: The happiest place in the USA http://usat.me/45900412

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Why aren't the biggest U.S. companies hiring? - USATODAY.com

Why aren't the biggest U.S. companies hiring? http://usat.me/45811786

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Detect Arrogant People - wikiHow

http://m.wikihow.com/Detect-Arrogant-People

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Japan nuke plant spews more radiation into sea - USATODAY.com

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U.S. productivity gains stifle job creation - USATODAY.com

U.S. productivity gains stifle job creation http://usat.me/45766466

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Americans have been watching protests against oppressive regimes that concentrate massive wealth in the hands of an elite few. Yet in our own democracy, 1 percent of the people take nearly a quarter of the nation’s income—an inequality even the wealthy will come to regret.


Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1% | Society | Vanity Fair

Google adds +1 button for search recommendations - USATODAY.com

Google adds +1 button for search recommendations http://usat.me/150189

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CEO pay soars while workers' pay stalls - USATODAY.com

CEO pay soars while workers' pay stalls http://usat.me/45634384

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Study: Fresh food diet cuts exposure to chemical BPA - USATODAY.com

Study: Fresh food diet cuts exposure to chemical BPA http://usat.me/149903

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Troy Young wants to stay in touch on LinkedIn

LinkedIn I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. - Troy Young Troy Young Chief Technician and Packmule at Primal Aspects Dallas/Fort Worth Area Confirm that you know Troy © 2011, LinkedIn Corporation Tuesday, March 29, 2011 In your own image... "You can safely assume you have created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates the same people you do." - Anne Lammot http://digitalcuttlefish.blogspot.com/2008/05/in-his-own-image.html Friday, March 25, 2011 Google debuts new online magazine - USATODAY.com Google debuts new online magazine http://usat.me/149176 All major and some not so major credit cards accepted! - http://PrimalAspects.com Small Business Strategies: It's time to tax Web sales - USATODAY.com Small Business Strategies: It's time to tax Web sales http://usat.me/45323652 All major and some not so major credit cards accepted! - http://PrimalAspects.com Wednesday, March 23, 2011 Facebook, Twitter can't stop poisoned links - USATODAY.com Facebook, Twitter can't stop poisoned links http://usat.me/45216380 All major and some not so major credit cards accepted! - http://PrimalAspects.com Monday, March 14, 2011 Hunter-gatherer groups make humans unique - USATODAY.com Hunter-gatherer groups make humans unique http://usat.me/44809754 Art is environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and easy to maintain. - http://PrimalAspects.com Tuesday, March 01, 2011 Fwd: NY Times Report: Fracked Water Thousands of Times More Dangerous Than They're Telling Us NY Times Report: Fracked Water Thousands of Times More Dangerous Than They're Telling Us http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/508316/ny_times_report%3A_fracked_water_thousands_of_times_more_dangerous_than_they%27re_telling_us/ Please voice your opinion of this issue, pro or con, by sending emails to your state representatives using this simple form. Take action right now. Hi, Why does Gov. Rick Perry want to make it easy for a big corporation like ExxonMobil to use eminent domain to force you from your home and your land? I have no idea. But one thing is clear: If we want to stop this massive land grab and special-interest giveaway, we need to act fast. State senators have just rammed through one of Gov. Perry's so-called "emergency bills" — to "reform" eminent domain laws — that will open the floodgates for corporations to take private land for their own gain — much to the delight of the oil and gas industry, real estate developers and private toll road investors. The House is taking up the issue today, and we need to get a thousand e-mails into our representatives' inboxes before the end of the day. Take action right now. Here's why I, and many other public interest watchdogs, think this bill is a blatant give-away to special interests: • Even though Gov. Perry claims this bill will protect property owners, it allows a company like ExxonMobil to buy your property for a song, and simply claim it's for the public good. Meanwhile you'd have to hire lawyers to prove that Exxon doesn't have the right — and the legalese of the bill would make that fight nearly impossible to win. • The bill leaves critical terms like "public use," "private benefit" and "blighted areas" wide open to arbitrary interpretation, leaving property owners vulnerable to profit-driven land grabs for economic development. • Even the bill's authors admit its weak and inconsistent language will lead to more expensive lawsuits for Texas' property owners who will end up defending their own interests against the well-connected, well-funded special interests and their powerful attorneys. • The bill fails to protect property owners from being exploited by private corporations that can buy Texans' land, without their approval, and pay less than the land is worth. Is there any limit to what the Texas Legislature will give away to special interests? The governor and his allies want the House to get the job done quickly so the public won't notice their property rights are being sold off to private corporations. We need our representatives to stop this bill in its tracks, and make sure the public is heard. Please send a message right now: This bill does not protect property owners. Don't pass it until serious improvements are made. Sincerely, Melissa Cubria TexPIRG Advocate Staying optimistic may keep your heart healthy, study says - USATODAY.com Staying optimistic may keep your heart healthy, study says http://usat.me/44303586 Art is environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and easy to maintain. - http://PrimalAspects.com Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) Search This Blog About Me Unknown View my complete profile Links I Like Our Pantheons Way - My Current Blog Primal Aspects Art Gallery Troy On Google Plus Troy On Facebook My Wish List on Amazon.com Merriwether's Guide to Edible Plants Lindsay's Technical books Affluenza Craig's List Blog Archive ▼  2016 (1) ▼  December (1) Moving Right Along Again ►  2012 (23) ►  February (4) ►  January (19) ►  2011 (123) ►  December (6) ►  November (1) ►  October (2) ►  September (13) ►  August (16) ►  July (7) ►  June (12) ►  May (13) ►  April (25) ►  March (10) ►  February (10) ►  January (8) ►  2010 (199) ►  December (11) ►  November (10) ►  October (15) ►  September (4) ►  August (5) ►  July (15) ►  June (47) ►  May (51) ►  April (13) ►  March (19) ►  February (6) ►  January (3) ►  2009 (18) ►  December (1) ►  November (1) ►  October (8) ►  September (5) ►  February (1) ►  January (2) ►  2008 (47) ►  December (22) ►  November (16) ►  October (4) ►  September (1) ►  August (1) ►  July (1) ►  March (2) ►  2007 (8) ►  October (2) ►  August (5) ►  June (1) ►  2006 (3) ►  August (2) ►  July (1) ►  2005 (7) ►  August (2) ►  July (2) ►  May (2) ►  January (1) ►  2004 (44) ►  August (3) ►  July (2) ►  June (2) ►  May (2) ►  April (2) ►  March (16) ►  February (17) Popular Posts Transfer Your online Life From Facebook to Google+ | Simplified transfer from facebook to Google+ Here's a simplified tool to transfer your stuff from Facebook to Google+ and get you started nice and easy! http://www.homeforgeeks.co... 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