Lets have some fun . . .

Today I had the big idea. Here it is. I need to plan each writing week. Put together an outline. For example, on Monday, I list the topics I'm going to be looking into during the week. Along with that I include a list of favorite posts from the past. Tuesday, I start the story for the week, introduce the character, set up the plot, foreshadow a bit. I, also, include updates on the weeks topics and the research results. Wednesday, I start with the continuing research results. Part two of the weekly story. Posts from blogs/sites I've visited for entertainment are next. Thursday and Friday, I review a book/magazine/blog. Saturday, the story concludes. Sunday, the week's research concludes.

Here are some examples: Monday: Topic one - A history of money. Topic two - Middle class America's salaries. Topic three - Politics and money. Tuesday: The Man with $20 Bill. Wednesday: blogging and the arts. Thursday and Friday: Lets take a look at Adbusters.

As I said, lets have us some fun next week.

More news

The Arguement, Eli Pariser, Paul Wellstone, and assembled thoughts. Things really can't help but come together when the connections are just a click away. Today after reading another chapter, this one on the development of Moveon.org, I found myself Googling Paul Wellstone just to see what the news would bring. Of course, earlier today I posted more about the idea that it may be time to give up our newspapers. But then I went down to the B&N to buy my Sunday times. So I don't know, it's easy to see the forest but man I would really miss the trees.

The News

First some research: You know the Google kind, pages of hits on the subject, newspapers, and some interesting options to the process of reading a newspaper. For one thing if you are really interested in finding out what the world newspapers think about a specific topic then starting online is a much better way to go. Besides, the economics of the situation may take the decision out of our hands. We may not be able to support our habit. Though I have to use that word habit advisedly. My wife never read the newspaper until we met. Our son, a 22 year old, only uses computers to find out what is going on. So maybe the habit will be a generational thing and just as fewer people read books so will fewer read papers. Of course, this doesn't rule out the possibility that the political arena will always need analysis from the underground.

Still, the idea I am trying to espouse is the necessity that we face as we try to harness our remaining resources and learn to live within our means not just as an individuals but as world wide society. Maybe that's what this Blog Day will presage?

This blog day thing

I've been thinking about this Blog Day for the environment and I am leaning towards writing a post about why and how we should give up our need for paper. For example, I read the LA Times most days but really from day to day the news isn't that new, and some days I just scan the sections before I move to the comic section which I always read. But we have here in Encinitas, five newspapers plus several weeklies that really are just vehicles for ads. I want to think about this more and I do know what a momentous thing this would be so I am going to look at transitional ways to ease into this.

I guess I really started thinking about this when I was reviewing "Deep Economy" and wondering about what happens to the recycled plastic bags and how do we form a habit of bringing a recyclable bag or two with us when we go shopping. I have a theory about habits and learning. Instead of trying to break old habits, I usually try to establish new ones and let the old ones fall by the wayside with disuse.

Anyway, I have to do some research on this idea. And at the same time, I'm wondering about the advisability of this whole idea in the light of how the politicians play.

Politics . . .

Yesterday, admidst the various blogs I travelled I came upon a discussion of some merit that had to do with how one goes about judging a candidate's merits especially in regard to their stance on lowering taxes and I really enjoyed the intelligent tone of the discussion. But more than that, I found myself thinking about the real situation that our country has gotten into and how looking at the problems and needs through a personal finance perspective might just be what we need. Frugality first. Not by cutting taxes to please a rich and powerful minority but by actually starting out with the idea that we need to care for our money and our lives and our planet in equal amounts.

Some sense, cents, scents . . .

Is there really a future in ethanol or hybrid vehicles or lithium powered super bikes? A recent article in the LA Times about the transmogrification of motorcycles got me to thinking about this especially since every once in a while my partner T. gets it in her mind that that's just what she needs to go to work. Sometimes it's a Harley, sometimes a Vespa but either way when she's feeling frugal or adventurous she says she's ready to jump on a bike. And I don't doubt her. I just don't believe her. In my mind if you want to do something you do it. Not doing it means just that. Like when I drive on our California freeways and I see 50 cars with single drivers for every one car in the carpool lane. So while I applaud the creativity of these bike manufacturers for creating a lithium-battery proto-type, I still don't believe that it will have any effect on what people will choose for their transportation in the future.


What's the connection between the green revolution and the world's immigration problems? So we revolutionized the farming techniques and created a jobless, homeless hoard of wanderers who are like flotsam washing up against the shores of richer countries, and cities around the world. Australia, Paris, Jackson, Mississippi - we take away their livelihood, refuse them entry, decry their unwillingness to fit in, and there you have it, the unsolvable problem. Get those emergency funds ready folks. Here they come.

Ads in our restrooms. I wrote about this just the other day. Do you think we are ever going to reach a saturation point (tipping point?) where the advertising agencies finally realize that the real message in TIVO and fast forwarding is that people are really, really, really fed up with the bombardment. Or will that mean that the people in charge have finally come to their senses and decided to base the economy on less instead or more?

What's really up with China? Is China a democracy now? Has economics driven the country to change its politics. They use to be our enemy, The Yellow Peril, are they now US? I can't help but laugh as they become more like us with our gas hogging, over-producing ways. Because from what I understand the majority of the population in China isn't able to afford what the country is producing for the rest of the World's economy while their growing middle class and younger generation of bloggers are creating a tremendous pressure that someone is going to have to deal with. Wait I take that back, it doesn't make me laugh it makes me curious.

Wow! Things are moving fast now

Paper or plastic has become recycle heaven as more and more news sources have jumped on the band wagon. But who cares as long as it's happening. And thanks to the Frugal Momma, I found another source that seems even better than the unresponsive folks at earthwise. The price is better and the service quicker at www.cleangreenbags.com which I found when I followed the google link from the momma.

More Deep Economy

I haven't read McKibben's first book, The End of Nature, but it is clear that whatever thoughts he brought to the state of our world then have only intensified now. But I really liked the balance that he provided in his analysis of the issues. I had to envy the travelling he did, too. I think of China and the city streets used to be crowded with bicycles not SUVs. But as he points out, countries that have used our model of endlessly expanding economy and increased efficiency are not at fault for doing so. It's just that we haven't yet, and I point to the personal financial bloggers when I think of this, shown them what to do next with all their abundance. We have a chance to model through our own efforts at controlling and understanding our personal finances to be a part of the change that may still save "the cheerleader, Save the world."

Strange but true . . .

This may not mean anything but yesterday I decided to do a review of McKibben's Deep Economy, and because I had seen but not read a review of it in the LA Times Book Review, I knew that readers might be aware of it. But at the dry cleaners I happened to glance at a local street magazine and lo and behold there it was - another review. Talk about timely. It's not serendipity if you can't take advantage of it, is it? Anyway, after I'm done writing mine, I'll at least have two ways to compare it.

Meanwhile, our contracts for the fair haven't arrived and it's driving me sleepless.

Things to do . . .

While noodling around in my thoughts the other day I realized that it had been awhile since I listed out the possiblities for writing. So here in no particular order of importance are several topics that I will be writing about as the weeks become months in the endless days of summer. Where's the money?, Partners and Partnering Up, Seller's Financing, Carrying Your Own Paper, Hard Money, OPM, 0% Interest Purchasing, and Life Without Credit Cards.