The Cheap Street Times

danish navy on the hunt

2009-06-16T19:37:00.001-07:00

this is interesting bit about the danish navy:
http://www.monocle.com/sections/affairs/Web-Articles/Danish-Navy/

path to recovery?

2009-06-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

the anti stimulus package is maybe the way to go:
freeganism

here we go...

2009-06-10T18:34:00.000-07:00

get ready for some serious inflation...thank goodness!.... see wall st journal article here.

unbroke

2009-05-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

Un-Broke: The Seth Green Cribs Edition - watch more funny videos

2009-05-27T18:19:00.001-07:00

inflation is still the key to our survival...

great article

2009-05-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

This is a great article about the dangers of desire and unlimited resources. And ultimately, why the ponzi scheme that is our economy is going to fail us...

idler

2009-03-31T11:43:00.000-07:00

this is it: http://idler.co.uk/about/

junk book

2009-03-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

I played around on FaceBook for a bit...until i realized...IT's CRAP!

I realized the facebook is to social interaction what mcdonald's is to food...junk with no value...

A friend told me that the world's intellect is finite, it's population, however, is infinite...or something like that...i feel facebook is showing us the growing population...with very little depth.

nails it

2009-03-21T15:14:00.001-07:00

I think this post has it nailed.....

spend 'em if you got 'em

2009-02-22T14:14:00.000-08:00

"the dollar crisis" by richard duncan is pretty good. Although written in 2003 with updates in 2005, he seems to hit the mark on quite a few things...my take from the book is this...

the dollar is doomed, if you're rich in dollars, you ain't gonna be rich no more
if you got dollars, you may as well have some fun and spend your paper money. and at least you'll have some fun.

it seems there are always extreme (even not so extreme) situations which reset the monopoly board of life. this may be one of them...that cause people that thought they were rich to...well...not be so rich...

i think real richness in the 'next economic life' will come down to having family and friends to enjoy a nice game of 'monopoly', or my favorite the game of 'life'.

a rebuttal to igor

2009-01-05T09:31:00.001-08:00

Here's a good response to the Russian Professors predition on US disintegration.

oh boy!

2009-01-03T00:34:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of this? Russian professor predicts collapse of US.

throwing shoes at zombies...

2008-12-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

in writing to a friend about the latest fed action...it came up that...it's like using up all the ammo in the gun and then throwing your shoe at the zombies as they crash through the door...unless your shoe is made of gold...i'd say, "leave it on your foot and run!"

body swap

2008-12-02T20:21:00.000-08:00

body swapping isn't just for the movies anymore...this experiment(although very simple) is cool and shows me how our reality can be far different from the real: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/02/AR2008120202527.html

joan

2008-11-29T13:03:00.001-08:00

try having a conversation with joan...it's strangely compelling....even if joan is a bit wierd.

thank goodness

2008-11-04T21:08:00.001-08:00

now....we can all breathe a sigh of relief...maybe we had to go through 8 years of stupidity to the point of insanity to get to here...

now if only prop 8 gets turned on its head...

too absurd to be real...

2008-10-05T13:29:00.000-07:00

Reality has reached such a level of absurdity on so many issues i dont' know where to begin. It seems the United States of America has dug itself quite a hole. My favorite expression is, "when you're in a hole...stop digging."

I don't think there was a definite begining to the whole we're inn, but there were definite indicators that we were moving in the wrong direction.

I think one of those was when Janet Jackson had her wardrobe malfunction...seems small, but it represented the aburdity of where our country was heading...and, unfortunately, still heading...cheap and banal entertainment....too much glitz...a 'glitz bomb' if you will...

If there was ever a wake up call, it's that Palin is actually runnning for Vice President of the USA. If this scares you, think about what it says to the rest of the world. Man...how did we get here?

We've blurred the lines between reality entertainment (reality TV) and where reality is real...

"Sssssshhhhhh...I don't want to miss this...the good part's coming up..."

could this be a bigger joke?

2008-10-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Paulson is hiring money managers to dole out the $700,000,000,000...

Paulson is quoted as saying, "Did I tell you I'd deliever the biggest, #$@#^@# payday you wall street scum would ever see or what? Now PAY up MOTHER @!#$%@#!!"

let the last bubble begin

2008-09-22T20:21:00.000-07:00

and now cramer is plugging gold...so this is the begginning of the end for bubbles...once average system joe is scrambling for gold we'll see the last bubble in this bubble triology...a bubbliology...here's cramer on gold...

seed balls

2008-09-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

this is cool...from ran's site. a clandestine way to plant seeds...seed balls of course, who knew:

http://heavypetal.ca/archives/2007/03/how-to-make-seedballs/

a definition is nigh

2008-09-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

okay, "nigh" means "near"...in case you were wondering or never knew...or just didn't care but read this blog anyhow....

so it seems the US government is going to save us all from the bad investments of the few and/or the stupid or both.

What's going to happen?

If you own a home, it seems your house value will be supported and propped up. This also helps the govt by soaking up all those dollars out there...this is a case of "dollars dollars everywhere and not a penny to lend...". The world is awash in us dollars but everyone is clinging to them because of fear.
the next phase of fear will kick in and people will start scrambling to dump their dollars for gold. that's where this bubble leads next...'the bubble to end all bubbles' will be a bubble in gold prices. as investors, small and large, realize the us government is destroying the value of the dollar and in no way can every make good on their debts, there will be a flight to gold...thus driving up prices...
housing prices will continue to skyrocket, but this time, not because people think they will get rich, but only because the dollar is plummeting. if you have a 30 year fixed mortgage, you'll be able to pay the house off in full with a few tokens of gold...
the US will recover, but it will be about 5 to 10 years of recovery. the 'old-new value based economy' will be based on a gold standard again. this time leveraged with the efficiency of the Internet. think gold, PayPal and carbon credits (a whole new market will emerage) all combined...
the plus of all of this lowering of the American quality of life is...the US will once again be a good value for manufacturing versus other places in the world. the US will be able to compete with China on labor costs and good manufacturing jobs will start returning to US shores. while Google is cool, it just doesn't doesn't generate jobs the way manufacturing wire hangers does...

long term, this is good for the average Joe. this is the point at which the overworked leader (the US) realizes they are past their prime, need help and hand the reins to somebody else...rejoice America, our time is up...maybe now you'll be able to take some of that vacation time...you'll probably stay local on a 'stay-cation' and watch maybe the most exciting thing you've ever seen on your world-wide jaunts...a community developing right around you...

the end is nigh...

2008-09-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

I always thought the guys walking around with "the end is nigh" were nuts...(what does 'nigh' even mean?) but guess what folks?

The End is NIGH...

With what is happening in the US Economy and how the US has bungled the management of the world's reserve currency, the end is near for the US dollar as the world reserve currency. How can the rest of the world ever trust the US government again?

So what does this mean for you and me and the average joe six pack?

There is the debate if the end will come in deflationary terms or inflationary..."for twenty points, i'm going to go with inflationary bob..."

Yes, Joe will be paying 20 dollars for his six pack (that's twenty bucks for a six pack of bud...the american...er...belgian beer)

Yes, interest rates are going to skyrocket...

Lock in interest rates now...

Chinese banks buying morgan stanley...

This whole situation is such a joke...who could believe...

more later...what fun!

dollar daze over

2008-09-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

the fear we are experiencing now in the financial markets is the fear of not knowing how bad things will get.

I'm thinking this is the end of the dollar. After this calamity...after this display of ineptitude of the highest magnitude on the heals of a flawless display of chinese teamwork at the olympics, who is going to have faith in the dollar as the world's reserve currency ever again? The sun is setting on the dollar...just too bad sunset are suppose to be beautiful..this is just pathetic.

thing is, no where is safe. the harder other economies fall, the more swiftly they will move away from a dollar based world economy. the days of the single world currency are over...

settle in folks...the storm is just getting started...let's look to floridians for motivation...they have some experience with weathering storms...

personal transportation

2008-09-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

I'm going to get a folding bike...the bromptons are really nice folding bikes. There is a lot of informaton in the blogosphere regarding all the different types of folding bikes.

I want the freedom to take my bike everywhere, the brompton is small enough when folded to allow me that.

They are really well made.

The are really not cheap...ouch...but much cheaper than a car.

political action garden

2008-08-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

bascially, no matter what you do for a living, you are a politician...

I'm in a community garden and i was talking to a woman in the garden today. She was telling me about some of the previous projects at the garden. She said, "oh yeah, blah blah blah was going to do this, that and the other thing. But he ended up quiting the garden."

She went on...

"Oh, that was going to be done by Mr. X, but he left the garden..."

And the thing is, it's a really cool garden. With cool people.

I think it's just that anything, no matter how cool something is, there's always a political component to it.

At work you deal with it. Put up with it. Complain about it. But you stay, because you have to. Because of a thing called a paycheck...

So anyway, no matter what you do...your a politician. Only without the perks...go figure...

squeekie kleen

2008-08-13T20:41:00.000-07:00

this guys rocks...burger king screwed up...they should have made this guy a great character in their ads!

watch this video:

and then this one:

no foot note

2008-08-11T16:24:00.001-07:00

Okay,

Here's a new post just to get those ugly feet off the opening screen.

It's simple, I think China's economy is a bubble and will burst after the olympics...let's see what happens...

a fetish demystified

2008-05-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

Some guys are breast men...some leg men...other men are men of the feet...

The foot fetish...

I often wondered why the female foot is an object of such admiration and beauty to some of us...then it hit me...I squandered one of my few epiphanies in life on why men like women's feet (at least cute ones...)...oh well...

men have evolved to pay attention to women with healthy...that is cute or sexy...feet because no matter how great a women is, if she can't move she's useless...she can't outrun predators, she can't forage for food and she can't protect offspring effectively...

I always thought a man created the high heel. But apparently the Catherine de'Medici was dimunitive and wanted to gain stature...not just in the social sense. So men...relax...enjoy the feet and the high heels, for there is not guilt here...blame Catherine.

(for insights into the high heels effect on the body click here)

apocolypse later

2008-05-20T18:54:00.000-07:00

SELL THE HOUSE
SELL THE CAR
SELL THE KIDS
FIND SOMEONE ELSE
FORGET IT
I'M NEVER COMING BACK
FORGET IT

A great scene in a great movie. I focus on the 'sell the car' part...which i did.

Have you seen oil prices?

The gasoline powered automobile is going the way of the music cd. the high tech wonder that was replaced with the barely had it's 15 minutes when it was shown the eject button....

I remember selling a bunch of my music cds...realizing they were on the way out. downloaded music now outsells cds...and cd sales are declining...i suppose i over-anticipated the fade out of the cd, and i probably overshot the mark with selling my car (it's almost a year i've been car free) but it's a matter of time before there is a glut of cars on the market...

and a lot of other things on the market as well...

"golf clubs anyone?"

i often thought that you would have to be really lucky (or unlucky) to live during a time of a major realignment or shift in the 'system'. but i'm starting to think that it's not that unusual. things happen really, really, really fast...especially when some momentum gets going. look how quickly the soviet union fell...enron evaporated overnight...and us...the american empire...is it unwinding?

i'd say the latest in cia torture protocols sums it up...

i'm not overly sympathetic with humanitarians, or too soft or leaning too far to the left...but i think just logically, a person only takes drastic measures, like torture, when they sees no other avenue left...when possiblities are running out...when they are getting desperate...

so i think we are really experiencing somthing here.. something big actually...

so you'd be wise to listen to kurtz...and sell the car...sell the house...but instead of selling the kids...buy something of real worth...

funny @!#^@#

2008-05-18T12:42:00.000-07:00

a friend recommended this on the "o crap that funny" factor...

one more reason...

2008-05-18T08:02:00.001-07:00

when you think about it, the amount of time we hold to be the historic norm through our personal experiences and those we've read about is actually very short. So, while gold prices seem to be very expensive, i ask, "In comparison to what?" in comparison to 5 years ago, 20 years ago? I don't know...

But I do know, this is one more reason that our past looks less like our future, however, if you go back far enough, gold has held value far before the dollar was even an idea...

enjoying what you don't understand

2008-04-26T07:10:00.000-07:00

believe it or not, Natasja Saad, is singing in enlish in the song below. Listen a few times, enjoy the song and try and guess what she is saying...after you give up...here are the lyrics...to me the song is great and you can't help but move to it...enjoy it. Enjoy it even though you have no idea what she's saying...but you want to learn what she's saying...

phase change

2008-04-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

this is a great opportunity to watch as the tide turns. remember these moments, b/c in 10 years you'll be thinking, "how did we get here?":

bearly there

2008-03-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Been out of the loop for a while...got back from the relaxing world of Trini...got the flu...realized i still had to work for a living...

it took bear stearns overnight evaporation to spur me into actually posting something again...posting something lazily, becuase this is all i'm going to write about it...i'm a bit concerned about the speed of the collapse which makes me wonder how solid the foundation is of this mortgaged house of cards...but read for yourself...

on d edge

2008-02-15T10:37:00.001-08:00

Greenspan thinks we are 'on the edge of a recession'. He thinks housing has to hit bottom.

Here's what's going to happen:

The fed will contiue to aggressively cut interest rates. the thinking is, as long as housing prices are falling, then inflation is not a concern. once housing does bottom out and shows signs of stabilizing (maybe within 2 to 3 years) then the fed will fight a fight it knows how to fight...the inflationary fight.

The Fed will clamp down on credit availability in an effort to snuff out inflation. This will require a major tick up in the interest rates.

An increase in inflation from primarily food and fuel, and the corresponding increase in interest rates will solve the problem of excess liquidity (too many dollars floating around) as well provided those holding dollars with a greater return on their dollar holdings (China).

In this scenario, inflation is the fed's friend, and it will do nice work of bringing the the higher costs of house ownership down.

It should play out relatively painlessly for most. However, here are potential pitfalls:

large holders of dollars stand to lose through the loss of purchasing power (prices are going up but collecting less on your cash position). Have some cash to be flexible. Cash is essentially stored energy which you have to put to use. If you are counting on cash as a source of income you may want to consider a part time job.
Hold some commodities to offset the loss of purchasing power of your dollars. commodities have had quite a run, and i would be hesitant to buy more at these levels, that is unless you have none...then buy slowly
Be mindful of your job-casualties of the impending recession through job loss will be in a precarious possition. if this is the case, another reason to hold some cash.
holders of credit card debt (CCD) will get hurt when interest rates start cranking up. If possible, pay down CCD and/or lock into a fixed rate if at all possible.
stay flexible nobody knows for sure how this thing will play out. Although a smooth recovery is likely, it is not a sure thing and there are to be sure some bumps in the road to recovery.
For stocks, stick with companies with little or now debt, good dividends, industries which will be supported by consumers and/or governement spending.

a stock to drink too

2008-02-14T16:48:00.000-08:00

a while back i mentioned I was interested in Diageo (DEO) which is the largest maker of spirits in the world (and they own Guiness beer which is how I found out about the company) and here is an update...I think think the logic that in "good times people party and drink. and in bad times they cry and drink...even more..." may work itself out...plus it pays a nice dividend. which is another bonus in hard times.

i think the most interesting thing with stock markets and financial markets is you can participate in trends that span the glode...you can join the game...

in d trini

2008-02-14T16:42:00.000-08:00

So I am travelling in Trinidad and Tobago and just got back from Tobago...the resort and undeveloped island of this two island nation....and it was d best!

so much great food...something called 'bake and shark' is delightful...

it's nice to travel outside of the 'developed world' again...it's always refreshing to get a change of perspective.

The author's note

2008-02-10T04:21:00.000-08:00

So the author of 'Gone and Back Again' wrote me back and he's a really nice guy as well as immensely talented. Which makes me appreciate his work even more...humility is definitely a value I value. Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the book since it's about people finding (or not finding) their values in life.

Anyway, here's what he wrote:

Thanks for the kind words. Really. I feel so much for Caley, it's nice to hear when someone else does to. I agree that what he doesn't know about himself is that he is tough. In fact, he so frequently thinks the opposite.

And I'd love to write another book. I've even got the title and storyline.

As for Bilbo's tale, yeah, his is a journey not unlike Bilbo's, so there're numerous references, some obvious, some less so, throughout the book. If you ever get the gumption, please write up a little review for Amazon, because it really does help other readers understand what the books about, especially when it comes from people just like them.

No matter what, though, you were very, very kind to write and I'm just so glad that my book interested you.

Thanks so much... Jonathon

Writing the Author

2008-02-09T14:12:00.001-08:00

From time to time I write somebody famous and sometimes I hear back. I've written Jim Rogers, whose famous for calling the boom in commodity markets and writing books with word play in the titles...as in "Investment Biker" and "Adventure Capitalist". The only thing I remember from emailing him was him writing, "Unbelieveable..."

I wrote to the Author of "Gone and Back Again". Here's what I wrote:

Mr. Fuqua,

I just finished your latest book and thoroughly enjoyed it! It is a rare book that I pick up and actually get past the first few pages. But yours captured me and had me enthralled to the last page...thank you for writing it.

I'm sorry, but have to ask you a few questions/comments if you have time to respond:

I like the title's reference to Bilbo's tale, "There and Back Again". Would I be pushing things to think of other references to The Hobbit?
I am hoping you consider additional novels following Caley through his life. I'd be sad indeed if this is the end of the line. Cay, although he didn't realize it, was a tough kid. I'd like to see how he grows up.

Once again, thank you. Congratulations on the book!

And he wrote back! which was cool of him...he didn't have to do that...

gone and back again

2008-02-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the hiatus...but I'm on holiday in the Caribbean. Very relaxing. It's nice to have time again. time to read. Just finished a great book: Gone and Back Again by Jonathon Scott Fuqua.

I recommend it highly. consider it added to the reading list. the reading list is actually a reminder to myself of books to reread, since I find books I can actually get through a tough thing. Any Dan Brown book I find atrocious. I tried Digital Fortress and 'the angel' books...and even the davinci code...but all were a slog...a slog for the first 3o pages!

I used to feel bad 99% of books I put down after 30 pages, then 20 pages and now 2 sentences...but now I see it saves me a lot of time...

I consumer

2008-01-27T09:33:00.001-08:00

I just about fell over out of my chair this morning with laughter about the state of the economy (yes, only i find this stuff funny...) when i saw an advertisement from Circuit City for 36 months of no interest on TV purchases.

That's THREE years of no interest!

The American consumer is being subsidized (i.e. cheap credit and tax refunds of $600) to buy just as farmers or the sugar industry are subsidized. [I always heard (whether true or not) that farmers were subsidized to grow or not grow certain crops.]

WE, the consumers of America, are living in a golden age of free stuff my friends...so buy like there's no tomorrow...run, don't walk to you nearest Best Buy, Circuit City and other purveyors of hi-tech junk!

I suggest you maximize the use of 'consumer subsidies' for wealth generation and lifestyle enhancement...and why not...the world is counting on you! It is essentially your role...your job...in this global economy to consume.

Just be prepared for the fallout...and then you can sit back, relax and watch the whole thing play out on your interest-free credit purchased HDTV...

bigger body

2008-01-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

In high school i was on the swim team and weighted 185 lbs. For the past 10 years i've been trying to lose weight and become a lightweight. Always counting calories. Always trying to run.

I think body physiques are just as trendy as hem lines, and I was caught in the body type hype. "Thin is in", as opposed to the bulking up body building physiques that were more en vogue when I was in high school.

I've recently, however, been doing at least 100 push ups a day along with dips and pull ups. I've notice my muscle mass increasing. It feels good. The feeling of 'Feeling more solid'. I've been running but only about 15 minutes a day along with a little biking to and from work. I've also noticed my weight stabilizing without me having to count calories!

So i've realized the natural trajectory of my body is to put on muscle rather than lose fat. I've been struggling against my body's natural inclination for the past 10 years...it's amazing, how hard it is to change our perception on something once we get an idea in our heads.

And now i have the idea in my head to get a cheap weight bench on craigslist...i'm excited to get bigger...

defensible position

2008-01-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

i have had a lot of thoughts about what to break my 'radio silence' with, but i suppose preparing for the coming recessionary storm (which is very timely given we are experiencing some pretty intense weather storms as well) is the most important...this article is a good place to start.

grab your booties...

2007-12-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

it seems the chill of stagflation is in the air...

"okay Santa...what i want for Christmas is...well let me just show you...

2007-12-16T14:33:00.000-08:00

I was just reading in the NY Times that a fashion executive was traveling in Morocco and gave a street beggar a crumpled up $1.00 bill. She looked at the crushed piece of paper, threw it back at the American exclaiming, "What is this? This is worth nothing!"

If that doesn't say buy gold I don't know what does!

2007-12-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

If we are going to survive...we're going to have to get a little crazy...

a look back at the evolution of dance

2007-11-28T19:14:00.000-08:00

I just read in businessweek about a move toward professionally produced videos for the internet now. Which is a move away from the amateur based productions. Which goes hand in hand with my latest behavior which has been watching the show 'lost'. We've been renting it on netlfix but the newest episode does not come out on DVD until Dec 11. It is available for free, however, on ABC. So it seems content owners will be putting forth their own content without the need for special distributors...it's great...the internet really has shaken things up...

but the article talked about a great video which was popular about a year ago. I never saw it...yes, i'm slow...if haven't seen it yet...check it out:

quick oats

2007-11-25T07:01:00.001-08:00

I remember about 10 years ago trying to find 'steel cut oats' and having a really difficult time doing so. At the time, the product seemed like an exotic relic from days long gone...like a cotton gin...or a dial up computer...

But I just had breakfast and ate steel cut oats produced by the cereal Goliath 'quaker oats'. It seems a concern about being left behind in the steel cut oats market pushed the company to start offering the product. I bought it at Target.

I often blame corporations for creating the society that we currently live it. But perhaps they are just giving us what we want?

Or at least what we think we want...

warning: falling dollars ahead

2007-11-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

Are you concerned about the falling dollar? Does it mean anything to you and me?

It does if prices have to get jacked up in order for companies to keep up with the declining value of the American currency. This is if inflation takes hold. We have not seen this hit us yet, because the fall in the dollar has been so swift.

For instance, take note of how the pricing difference on book covers regarding the Canadian dollar and the US dollar. Even though the Canadian dollar, or loonie, has achieved parity with the dollar these book covers have maintained the same pricing structure, which must be based on historical values. If the difference in currency pricing exists for a while, I suppose it's a matter of time before the methods used to determine these pricing structures catch up.

so is the falling dollar a concern to you and me? In this case, you just have to tell by the books cover...at least its price...

fortune cookie jokie

2007-11-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

looking back, I only wish I didn't have so many regrets.

biPolar Barely

2007-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

remember just about every child on the swing set 10 years ago had attention deficit disorder?

Apparently, now the mental illness de jur is bipolar disorder. And bipolar has more pricey drugs...

Mental illness works great for goosing profits for drug companies...and it keeps people thinking there is something wrong with them if they don't 'fit' the social mold...so it keeps people in line as well...

It's funny, because evolution works when it throws out concepts and ideas that fall outside of what everybody is...when it tries out new ideas...some work...some don't...

mental illness is one of those attempts by nature to force us to evolve...it's trying new things...and we label it as 'wrong' or 'incorrect' when in actuality, it's nature working...

eatwatch online

2007-11-11T07:04:00.000-08:00

a great application gets better...eatwatch is online now!

http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/online/hdo.html

rummaging through the attic

2007-11-06T20:20:00.001-08:00

I am reposting old posts I took off line because it thought I was going 'in a new direction'...

New direction?

I've heard that life is lived forwards, but understood backwards. So i'm rereading old posts to understand my backwards life...

I don't see any reason why you shouldn't look backwards with me...

it's fun...

whacked...

2007-11-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

well it was more...thudded...

i was biking from work to the train station and got 'thudded' by a car...at least it was a low emission vehicle...a prius...

i was just thinking how lucky i've been to have not been hit in almost 10 months of biking in the city...so now i'm a little more experienced and I have to find out what do do when hit next time...there's just so many cars in such a small space it's a given it'll happen again...

but's it reminded me of how much i think cars are over used today...

the most stressful thing about the incident was another motorist yelling at me that i was the one at fault...i'm actually not sure who was at fault, but it was a good lesson that i need to learn what my rights are as a bicyclist in the city...

i'd love to live in a car free community, but i don't think any exist..

but i'll be looking...so the worst that could happen would be to get thudded by a golf cart maybe...or a kid on a big wheel....

OUCH!

are you golden?

2007-11-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

this news is just going to spike gold up even more...crazy...like gold needs any more support...

gold will correct back to a stable price i would say of 550 or 600/ounce...i think the stable baseline price of gold will be higher than the historical one...

why is gold going up? I think because people's values and what they value are in question...interesting...

value squeeze

2007-10-27T08:01:00.000-07:00

another 'cheap' fortune cookie post:

if we are lucky, we get to find out what we value. we are very fortunate, if we find a life that allows us to live by those values. That is where we find harmony...or harmoney...or cheapony...

he who's values get squeezed, that is he who lives in an environment where his values get pressured or challenged, will forever be miserable.

within a relationship, fights usually erupt when these value disconnects are working themselves out. in time, harmony or a stable situation in which both people's sets of values can coexist will evolve if both people in the relationship express what they value. problems arise, when one person suppresses expression of values...

Dharma and a sense of humor

2007-10-17T04:26:00.001-07:00

I love the quote from the Dalai Lama regarding China's outrage regarding his meeting with the President of the US, "That always happens."

"Stand-up Dharma"

lawrence of arabia

2007-10-17T04:09:00.000-07:00

I watched "Lawrence of Arabia" last night and it is a great film. It explains a little bit about why Turkey is interested in attacking Iraq in the current news and the history of The Ottoman Empire. The film touched on the intricacies of the life and personality of T.E. Lawrence...and hinted there is much more to his story...

fortune cookie post

2007-10-16T18:16:00.001-07:00

due to lack of time...the fortune cookie post is born:

"regret only exists when one believes all options have been exhausted"

blogging bottleneck

2007-10-06T06:50:00.000-07:00

You would think I have a lack of ideas and things to write about...it's quite the opposite...i have too much to say I don't know where to begin...

the 'value question' comes up a lot in what interests me...

I think that is something that is highlighted in what is going on in Britney Spear's life...she's struggling with what matters in her life...I feel sorry for her...here's an update...

I think she may have grown too much to identify with her idea of what or who Britney is...

I really like how Daniel Day Lewis stopped acting and went into cobbling shoes in Italy...he turned away from the system identity and carved out his own...

buffoonbia university

2007-09-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

this is an interesting article about Ahmadinejad (i can write it...i can't pronounce it...) speaking at Columbia University. According to the article the university president was rude to the speaker...that seems weird to me...but he really was an asshole...just watch:

into the system

2007-09-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

I can't wait to see Sean Penn's directing of "into the wild"!

I loved the book. The story. And the ideas that the story of Christopher McCandless communicates. The ideas that many of us have, but few of us pursue. the idealistic concept of pure freedom. That it lives out there...somewhere...Chris looked for it...

These days' I'm finding freedom much more locally...right in my own neighborhood, and within the bay area...I'm finding it in some good books...one of which I just started. One I have already fallen in love with...

"Finding George Orwell in Burma" by Emma Larkin is a story about a writer trying to find what inspired and changed George Orwell to, without warning, pull up stakes from a stint he had in Burma with the Imperial Police Force and begin a career as a writer. A writer focussed on the struggle of the self within an oppressive system. Some people say that George Orwell wrote a trilogy of Burma when he penned Burmese Days, Animal Farm and 1984. Both telling of the country's history, and the uncanny ability to peer into it's future.

I just started reading the book but its timeliness with the Buddhist monks of Myanmar pushing for freedom is compelling. I salute their courage. I briefly saw a quote from a monk effectively saying, "this is our fight. Please let us stand tall." This is the courage that sends a chill down my spine and a tear down my cheek.

I somehow feel that if Christopher McCandless had such a struggle for freedom he would have said something similar. There are some amazing people in this world...

not buying "not buying it"

2007-09-23T20:11:00.000-07:00

The aim of this blog was to address the issues covered in "not buying it". The author covered the issues so well, so thoroughly in a well-written manner that ...well...the job has been done....I love the book...check it out...literally...(unless you want to help the author out....then hit the 'barnes and noble'...getting all the contradictions here...)

not buying it

2007-09-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

Reading a great book right now about an author and her boyfriend, and their year of taking a break from the consumer lifestyle...a year of not buying stuff...a year of 'not buying it'....

don't buy it! hit the library! great read...

slow down...you move too fast

2007-09-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

man...where does the time go?

last night at a friend's birthday party i got to talking to two guys i didn't know. it's always fun meeting new people. I soon became to be known as 'mr. philosopher'...as we jumped from topic to topic...from 'the unabomber' to 'where is society is heading?'

it's amazing what range of topics you can discuss with strangers if you toss in humour and a little lite heartedness...

anyhow, one of the more shallow topics we discussed, but interesting nonetheless, was the speed of today's society...i later got into speed dating conversation with another movie loving fellow, but that's another story...

where are we rushing too?

and don't let anyone tell you different...speed is contagious....

I was in New York City for a fun little stint about a year ago. I was there as a tourist...as a relaxing tourist...

but i realized i was getting caught up in the fast walking, jay street crossing, new york speed...i got swept into the fast flowing currents of city life...i had to say to myself, "wow...slow down"...and i actually got out of the rip current, swam ashore and sat on the sidelines and let my heart beat slow down....and blood pressure drop...

i have to do that more these days as well...

now let me go...gotta run...

skilling on the loose?

2007-09-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

lock your doors...hide you children...a threat is on the loose...

jeffrey skilling from Enron may be released early...

monopolize my time

2007-09-03T07:37:00.000-07:00

I just played the game 'monopoly' for the first time in probably 25 years...and man it was fun! I forgotten how much fun that game is...it brought back a ton of memories from when I was a kid...

Buying properties, collecting rents...the unknown mysteries of the 'chance' and 'community chest' cards...the cheap, but mysterious 'tycoon' that is the monopoly logo...ahhhh, it was great...

is playing business in 'real life' supposed to be so much fun? Is that how Donald Trump sees the game of life...or does he actually identify with it?

The board game is great...the feel of the pieces...holding of the cards and money...i can't help but wonder how video games can compete...

For a long time, board games were seen as 'un cool'.

I remember playing 'risk' a lot in a high school (yes, I was a nerd) and had so much fun. I made a mad dash for the 'in crowd' my senior year and made it in long enough to have a look around. During a night of drinking beer (it was gross then) at 'the dike' that held back the eb and flow of the waters of the Everglades, I thought, "This is really boring. I wish I was playing risk..."

Maybe the 'un cool' feeling people had about board games was an effective marketing campaign by other growth industries, such as video games.

Board games are a minimal investment (i just bought monopoly for 11 bucks...) versus a video game system where you need the system, the games, the controllers, and of course the hi def flat panel tv...minimum for the 'bare bones system' will set you back ten times that amount...plus all that power you have to consume...

man...

video game suck......money and electricity that is...

fear this...

2007-09-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

we, as Americans, have the idea that we are the "tough guy" on the block of international politics. Will we always believe this? Will it take a new Chinese bully to knock us off the top of the mountain? What will that do to Americans concept of themselves?

I was just sitting outside at a store eating lunch in the city and saw a guy walk by with an American flag on his t-shirt with the words, "fear this" beneath the flag. It didn't say:

“love this...”

“when you need help...”

but “fear this...”

As I watched him drive off in his oversized pick-up truck...I couldn't help but think maybe his shirt should say:

"pity this..."

P.S. But I was afraid to think it...was that wrong?

immigrant inventors

2007-08-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

What will happen when Indian and Chinese immigrants decide to stay home and stop inventing for America?

Perhaps corporations will still be fine...they will have to separate themselves from America so as to not we weighed down by American politics.

human desire

2007-08-25T07:42:00.000-07:00

I heard of this site, What a Way to Go, through Ran. Which hits on the conflict between our basic human desire to survive, which has been based on consumption and desire, and that desire destroying us. As individuals through obesity and over financial debt and as a society through socieital excess, enter the ARMs run amok. I haven't had time to see it or review it thoroughly, but I plan too... Check it out...

A Busted Best Man

2007-08-25T04:23:00.000-07:00

I am 'co' best man (full disclosure...if you read the wikipedia link...i did zero of the duties so far...is that bad?) tonight for a wedding.

So I am going to give a toast that highlights three funny stories of my friends life up to the time when the other co best man entered the picture, at which point I will pass the 'mic' and he can continue with the saga.

The three funny stories are going to highlight three values i admire in the guy...intelligence....ability to entertain and put on a show...stand up for what you believe, even when it seems crazy...

how do you feel about weddings? does the modern wedding reflect values you have or are you just jumping through hoops prearranged by somebody else?

Sometimes it's hard to go with your values and still keep friends and a network of people. That I think is one of the challenges presented to all of us...hold onto your values...not get too bent out of shape trying to conform to others values, but still keep and grow your friendships and relations with others...

undefined values

2007-08-23T05:40:00.001-07:00

Do you know what your values are? What exactly are values?

Are they what is important to you as a person? How do you determine them and where do they come from?

I have wondered about this for a long time. I grew up in the suburbs of Florida, where the values are different from what I value...how does that happen?

You would think my values would stem from where i grew up. Not so. I was always conflicted with the value system in suburban florida...

then I went to Malaysia with a science program as an undergrad and that solidified my differing world view and value system. I found a perspective that I connected with. A perspective that was greater than the suburban view of the world.

I am not exactly sure how to define what Florida suburban values are... I can't put my finger on it...

It's definitely not money per say, because everybody, everywhere values money...it's not that...it's something else...

It's not home prices, because those are talked about in San Francisco too...

I once heard that people from the East and West Coasts had more differences in common than Americans and Non-Americans...i wonder if that's what I'm detecting...

One thing for sure...A love of good pizza is one East vs. West value i'm not going to redefine any time soon...

ground zero

2007-08-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

i'm in tampa florida for a wedding for a friend for high school....and I have family here...and this is where the real estate market correction is experiencing some of its greatest pains...

looking around at ground zero, there are a lot of 'for sale' signs...other wise people seem healthy and there is no large exodus of refugess. they seem okay. that's the big picture...I am waiting to hear more one on one stories...

outsourcing chinese manufacturing

2007-08-17T06:46:00.000-07:00

Parents want to be able to buy, 'NOT made in china' toys and i think this is a start of a return to local manufacturing...local manufacturing movement will increase overtime especially when carbon credits and the cost of moving those good across the globe catch up with production costs...

Some indian call center companies are offering an option to have call centers based in low cost centers in the us. it cost a bit more, but you get 'that cultural connection' with the caller...

inside boys

2007-08-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

We may yet avert disaster. It seems warren buffet was given 'an inside word' that a rate cut could be expected. Minutes ago a cut to the discount rate, or the rate banks get charged by the central bank to get money, was cut by 50 basis points...that's a half of a percent to me and you...that dramatically turned around stocks in europe and what wall st is going to open at. the reaction is akin to giving candy to a child...the child get wound up with energy and enthusiasm...or promising a fix to an addict...

how can changing one number affect so much money? can something so manipulated survive in the long run? or does the manipulation ensure it's survival?

rest easy folks, it seems the perfect storm just petered out...

The thing that confuses me...if the fed can't increase rates now...if we are so dependent upon low interest rates to finance our debt...how does the fed have any control? It seems they will never be able to increase interest rates again...

how long can that last?

not making sense...

2007-08-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

this is scary...from cnbc.com:
"No one thing explains such dislocations, except that there is a flight to liquidity and a lot of things that used to make sense, don't make sense anymore."

weather report....

2007-08-14T21:04:00.000-07:00

things are looking sketchy for...well...everything...real estate...stocks...currencies...i'm getting concerned about things...very concerned...it seems a perfect economic storm is coming ashore...i hope i'm like most weather men...

DT on the economy

2007-08-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

Many people are crying "Uncle Bernanke" to cut rates....James Cramer...Donald Trump...

What is their motivation? the good of the American home buyer? Or their own greed...

Listen to Mr. Trump, the 'deal junkie'...you decide...I think these guys identities and purpose are tied up with cheap and free money. High rates are the equivalent of taking the 'junkies' fix away.

We've gotten used to and gotten addicted to easy money.

I don't think Mr. Bernanke should cut rates, and he knows this, but he may crumble to popular opinion and cut...and run...

a listed nation

2007-08-09T21:07:00.000-07:00

We, dear Americans, are a nation of lists. Ever notice how everybody has a 'To Do:' list?

"okay, I gotta become a better climber by practicing on the 5.9 climbs..."

"okay, I gotta go do this....do that...and then make another list..."

I don't think other nations are as obsessed with productivity as we are. Where does this come from? the top? or do we send it up?

one this for sure...I gotta write more blog posts...if only i had more time and more space on my damn, stupid-ever-growing list...

PS I added a new book to the book list...

An idea crazy enough to work...

2007-08-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the expression, “That idea is crazy enough it might just work?”

Well an idea that isn't all that crazy is working in: Paris, Barcelona, Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Lyon and Pamplona. The 'not-so-crazy' idea is Bike Sharing.

The concept is simple and summed up by “The New York Bike Share Project”:

“Imagine walking to a sidewalk corner and finding a public bicycle. With a cellphone call or swipe of a card, you unlock it from its bike rack and ride it across town. Once at your destination, you steer to the closest bike rack and, with one more call or card swipe, return the bike to the public network. You pay less than $.50 for the trip, and the bike is once again available for the taking.”

The NY version of the concept was inspired from a trip to Paris by David Haskell, executive director of the Forum for Urban Design. The Forum is an organization of architects and planners that is testing the Bike-Share concept in New York.

Indeed the timing for the project may be fortuitous, since New York City's mayor, Mr. Bloomberg, London's inspired congestion-tax for a less car-crazed Manhattan recently ground to a halt. So the New Yorker City business-minded billionaire boss may want too look to his fellow New Yorkers, and the Parisians, for ideas. The progressive French city launched an ambitious 10,000 bike strong program enabling people to get out of their cars and start sharing bikes.

Next time you are in Paris, be sure to take a tour starting at one of the 750 “docking stations” scattered throughout the city every 1000 feet. All you will need is your credit card, enough room on the card for a modest fee and where to pick up your next croissant. Since the stations are conveniently located....well...everywhere, including popular tourist destinations, locating a return station next to that favorite cafe will be no trouble at all.

The program is slated by Parisian City Hall officials to generate €30 million for the municipality, as identified by International Tribune writer, Katrin Bennhold.. The city swapped use of about 1,600 billboards throughout the city for the costs of the program including the docking stations, the bikes and bicycle upkeep.

The Parisian model is just one version of a system for Bicycle Sharing. In Frankfurt you can pay with a cell phone. And in Copenhagen you can just grab a bike and go, no fee.

Many versions are possible. In San Francisco? Who knows. But, once you get people to step outside of a car, anything is possible.

Home Mortgage Applicants

2007-08-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

Wamu is now forgoing applications for a mortgage. Their new policy is "Sleep right here!"

But seriously, I am interested in the homeless, how they got to be homeless and how unbelievably close we are all to homelessness, especially with foreclosure rates skyrocketing.

I do not yet know how to get involved in working with homeless people, or what I could even do to help, but I would like to do something...to me it strikes at the core of a society with a lack of community with a lack of priorities...

so right now I will just put up some pictures and thoughts...evaluate what my options to help are and go from there....

doing the right things...doing them right...

2007-08-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

I think i got that slogan wrong...

that slogan was for a company i interacted with some years ago...it always annoyed me...

i think it's horrible to try and live life 'the right way'...what is the right way?

running late...and lazy

2007-07-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

things just can snow ball and take on a momentum of all their own...missing a blog post...or two...or three...and so on...is a great example of how things can get away from you...

gotta start writing more...i've missed it...

gotta start working out more...i've missed it...

gotta start....well you know...the list goes on...and i love it...

death match and taxes

2007-07-21T22:15:00.001-07:00

a well written blo g (http://honesttaxpayer.blogspot.com) on exchanging blows with the IRS. Not a position any of us want to be in....

i don't feel good anymore...

2007-07-21T21:56:00.000-07:00

are you happy?

Does your country reflect the values you have? do you feel the values flow from the country to you or from you to the country?

how did this happen?

my own ad

2007-07-18T19:42:00.001-07:00

I don't think i am suppose to click on the ads on my blog, but i did...it was interesting...check out the video it led me too...this is great...with a great song...is that Jewel...ahhhhh jewel....

relationship angst

2007-07-17T21:48:00.000-07:00

the movie, "Gabrielle" captured the potential torment of two human spirits trapped in a relationship that shouldn't be...

Best pizza in SF...so FAR

2007-07-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, I love New York Pizza. It's actually an obsession and a big Value of mine. So I am going to continue to blog about finding the best New York Pizza in San Francisco...

Right Now I am zeroed in on Victor's Pizza on Polk...

More to follow

bernanke will sing the blues, so go gold

2007-07-15T18:01:00.001-07:00

I have said it before...I'll say it again, Bernanke, the fed chairman, is in a tight spot. It is very unlikely we are living during the time of a global depression, but then again why take a chance. What is more likely: that we have mastered financial markets to such a degree that unforeseen events will never occur leading to corrections in the system, or, we cannot account for everything and shocks to the system will still occur?

You pick...

and kids....don't forget about the wildcard from the sub-prime situation...

I'm not saying that the world is falling apart. I am not saying that the economy is crashing. I am not saying that civilization as we know it is at and end....There is not need to re-watch the 'Mad Max' series to get 'psyched up' for a post apocalyptic Mel movie...but I am saying think...

before you buy that next BMW you so want...

before you say, "Well I'll pay off the credit card next month..."

before you think, "My job is secure, I'm going to just buy this house even though it'll be stretch, a strain and a great stress to my life..."

before you proclaim, "Life is great and this is how things are always going to be..."

about simplifying your life...your desires and your wants...

common but not well understood

2007-07-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

IQ tests become stupid after a certain age.

why?

I think after a certain age general knowledge and problem solving abilities become commonplace. Anything the test can test falls within the 'realm of the known' so you are measuring a person's potential for greatness within a box.

I think of the scene in the jerk when he's at the carnival...great scene...he has to guess your weight within a pound or two...if not you win a prize... the window from which you can pick your prize and the window keeps shrinking...

back to the action...here's the dialog:
-----------------------------------

"Now, what do I win?

           
Anything in this general area right in here.

           
Anything below the stereo and
on this side of the bicentennial glasses.

           
Anything between the ashtrays
and the thimble.

             
Anything in this three inches
right in here, in this area.

              
That includes the Chiclets,
but not the erasers."

--------------------------------------

So funny...I always loved that scene, but i've only seen it once...don't know why it has stuck?!

anyway...real IQ finds a prize you really want with new connections made with in the 'chicklet window'...to think creatively...IQ tests don't let you make new connections...you have to pick the chicklets...

that said the only way to do anything interesting is to make new connections between already existing concepts, ideas and values.

haunted housing

2007-07-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

It's not even Halloween yet, but the housing market is scaring investors. And rightfully so...and maybe not scaring them enough. The Fed has ascertained that the sub-prime woes will not hurt the financial system. I find it hardly comforting that they have to tell me that. To me, it's kind of like when the plane is going down, things look bleak but you...without missing a beat...tell the child next to you that, "don't worry, everything is going to be okay."

I'm do not think that the housing market is going to suck the rest of the economy with it down the drain. But I do think that nobody really knows how this is going to play out. My bet is on things being a little worse than the rosiest scenario, but not as bad as the worst. There...did not clear things up for you...but...don't worry...Everything is going to be okay...

just keep it light...

2007-07-09T19:52:00.001-07:00

Every notice people that are native to San Francisco pronounce it correctly...and that is 'Sar-AN-CIS-Co'...it's all one world...as opposed to the tourist barking out, "Yeah, we just spent one hell of a time over dere in FRISCO!..."'

Gotta make up some T-shirts for the tourists with the correct pronunciation...so I can stop that wincing pain that goes up my spine every time i hear it...

"honda civic $43,000 or OBO"

2007-07-07T07:12:00.000-07:00

check out edmunds.com true cost to own to get an idea what you thought was your cheap car, you might be surprised.

I am reading a book now called 'live well on less than you think' and he hits on this. He does not advocate going totally carless, but dropping down to one car per household, while a burden, will save you a tonne of cash!

he also talks about generation xer's and their views, "...the Xer's have developed the art of the short career. they do something for five years and then go onto something else. That kind of flexibility his how Xers work. They don't believe in long-term commitments because their experiences growing up included watching mom and dad get a divorce, dad getting laid off [i watched this with my dad]...things don't last and you can't depend on them...they want to be flexible and reinvent themselves when they have to."

Well said! that about sums me up!

Some other books i got at the library are: 'don't spend your raise', 'when you lose your job' (just in case....sticking with my generation x programming), 'six months off' (for if the last one happens..)...

and this one looks interesting: 'will work for food' about a 60 year old guy that gets fired from his job and is now homeless...takes place in contra costa county. he went there from San Francisco so people wouldn't recognize him as he panhandles...

at my last job i became friends with a guy that was homeless in Oakland for some time, about a year. He had a great saying, "keep it real". Meaning, don't get lost in all the BS that is out there. Great guy. He said, while he wouldn't want to be homeless again, that it was a great learning experience. I bet it was...

"I live at 222 Road Rage Drive..."

2007-07-06T16:32:00.000-07:00

Being on a bike, can I get road rage? Although I don't get road rage, I find I have to bike aggressively sometimes in order to get where I am going...or cars will not let you in...out...or by...

It is speculated that road rage results from a sense of anonymous power from driving a car. I have heard of bikers at 'critical mass' smashing cars, particularly mini-vans, but I have never seen this. Although, in a large group, a sense of anonymous power could be sensed, even if on a bike. And the mini-van smashing incident would support the anonymous sense of power theory.

Critical mass is a good idea, but i think they need to develop a little more sensitivity to people in cars. I feel sorry for so many people locked in their cars...critical mass should show there are good alternatives to the car. Good, peaceful alternatives...

and they should also just let the mini-vans go in peace...

the future of idea management is non-profitable

2007-07-05T22:36:00.000-07:00

non-profits are where the future of idea development lies, not the corporation. Resistance to a few benefiting off of the many will continue to pressure corporations. Recently the non-profit, One Laptop per Child (OLPC), has pressured Intel to start passing out laptops to kids in the developing countries of the world. It has brought Intel to the negotiating table. The two may work together.

I think this trend will continue. The pressure on corporations to become good corporate citizens also reflects this trend.

who killed the electric car?

2007-07-04T08:21:00.000-07:00

I watched 'who killed the electric car'. A great movie and worth a watch. The EV1 that GM put out looked like a really neat car and the owners of the EV1 were really passionate about them. Some were even arrested in protesting the 'collecting' of their cars when GM killed the program. It was sad...the killing of an idea...but maybe good riddance because check out Tesla's cars...

But I wonder if Tesla is only 'allowed' to be in the marketplace because it's niche is so small? And that's why it has such a high priced car to limit it's mass market appeal? One has to wonder?

All of the policy and guidance shaping our markets (such as the success or failure of the electric car) and society as well as what our values are really gets set from the top down. And it's a shame that our leaders are really just self-promoters interested in making money whose values don't always reflect those of the community. I suppose one value that is universally accepted is that of money. So when money is most valued, those individuals who value it most will rise to the top.

Perhaps this can only last so long. I suppose Bush knew, as well as those that put him in power, that his popularity would dissipate, but that it doesn't matter. He did what he had to do...his job is done...

asset lite and a core

2007-07-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

Jeff Skilling at Enron pushed for an 'asset light' concept for the company. While Enron ended up creating a new definition for "go big or go home", innovations that the company was responsible for and still in use today are not credited to the company. It's amazing to think that Enron was selected for six years in a row as the 'most innovative company' in the world by Fortune Magazine. I think the asset light theory truly is/was innovative, as long as it had a 'liability lite' side as well.

I think true happiness and freedom comes from not buying and identifying with the expensive house, the car, or the iphone...as my grandmother used to say, "Keep your Assets light, and your Dreams in sight."

In a totally different mode...i've joked that we need a peace corps type unit within the military which consists more of police and social enablers to go into Iraq...John Edwards has received some out of context 'slams' for his bumper sticker comment but his ideas seem very sound, which includes a 'Marshall Corps'....Read for yourself...

BBQ

2007-06-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

Grilling...grills...BBQing (for a history of)...represents how we can take something as simple and as primitive as cooking meat via burning charcoal and elevating it to the 'realm of the expensive'.

I just grilled last night on a fold up grill bought at Lowes for under $10. A grill for under $10! amazing! (Which is cheaper than this grill cover...and my 'cheapgrill' can easily be clean up, folded up and stored away...not cluttering up my living space....)

And compare that to the price of this grill.

We take something simple, make it complex and expensive. We have to elevate everything to the "realm of the complicated". I think if we kept grilling, or transportation or life simple, we would then be saying to ourselves, "what else is there?" and have to come to terms with the simplicity of everything. And that everything boils down to a grilled piece of chicken is a grilled piece of chicken. So a lesson in 'applied philosophy' is keep life simple and pure....buy the ten buck grill and use your $689 saved to buy chicken for the next 10 years....

who needs a home?

2007-06-29T00:08:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we have to question things that are given to us as 'givens'. I think home ownership is one. Here's an excerpt from a Forbes article:

Certainly there are plenty of stable, wealthy, well-educated places in Europe, at least, where homeownership is far rarer than it is in the U.S. Nearly 70% of all Americans own their own homes; only 34% of the Swiss do. Thriving cities like Hamburg, Amsterdam and Berlin have rates of ownership of just 20%, 16% and 11% respectively, according to the United Nations.

REI bike class

2007-06-23T13:40:00.000-07:00

Love the REI...did you know they are offering bike maintenance classes?