Posts
The lowly yard sale; it goes by many names: tag sale, rummage sale, garage sale, moving sale, flea market, attic sale. What do they all have in common? At the base level, they consist of a group of people selling junk and a group buying junk. The yin and yang of used crap. But, why should you care, you say?
First and foremost, the yard sale is a great opportunity to find bargains. One can find items that are much cheaper than new, sometimes downright free. Most of the stuff you will see is unwanted by the owner...they are motivated to sell and the price should reflect this.
Secondly, these sales are a great way to help short circuit the rampant consumerism that is so pervasive today. By purchasing second-hand goods, you lessen the demand for new items and prevent these same items from an early grave in your nearest landfill. Don't forget the first 2 of the 3 "R's"...reduce and reuse.
So you're now interested, but you have no idea where to begin. When and where can you find these magical and wondrous sales? This may take some research on your part, since every area is unique. In my neighborhood, all one would need to do is drive around on a Saturday morning and look for the home made signs. These signs normally go up on Thursday or Friday, so you can get a feel for the prospects of the upcoming week. This may not work for your particular area, so here are some tips:
1. Newspaper
-Check the Classifieds
2. Internet
- http://www.craigslist.org
- http://www.garagesalesource.com/
- http://www.yardsalesearch.com/
- or just google 'how to find yard sales'...there are tons of sites
So you've located a few sales, now it's show time. It is a good idea to have some semblance of a plan to maximize your experience. As a rookie, you might get outmaneuvered by the pros; but keep your head on a swivel and your resolve strong...you will do just fine. Here are some tips and observations to help you out:
- It is a great idea to have a short list of items that you are focusing on. A strong focus will help you eliminate wasted time and missed deals. For instance, if you are only looking for kid's stuff and you see an old couple with a small amount of faded memories out front...just keep driving.
- Get up early and move quickly. The best deals will go first, so if you want them...you'll have to sacrifice a bit of sleep.
- Don't have too high expectations. Remember, this is mostly crap that people don't want, and you probably don't either. I have yet to find an iPod touch.
- Certain neighborhoods seem to have different offerings. New vs. old, townhouse vs. single family, etc. It will be up to you to discover the feel of your surroundings.
- While you can always generalize, the truth is that you'll never know what you may find. There is really some random stuff out there.
- Some folks you encounter will be truly 'salt of the earth'. This is not a fashion show, people are here to find deals. I've noticed bathing is optional.
-Some hunters will pull up as close as possible to the driveway, nearly hitting other scavengers; normally double-parking several other people in. They will leave the vehicle running, often with an obese matriarch-lookout riding shotgun. The driver will dismount with the remainder of the family and relay information back to the vehicle. Do not be these people. Thanks.
In summary, yard sales can be a great way to save money and help out the environment. I've found the following items to be the best bets: books, tools, kid's clothing, toys, and sports/workout equipment. In good condition, these things can be great bargains. I steer clear of underwear and toothbrushes.
I would love to hear other tips, or funny anecdotes, so let 'er rip.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Yard Sales
Friday, August 29, 2008
The New Kitchen Garden
The New Kitchen Garden. Anna Pavord. Recommended.
Another book review for your perusal...
This book is a fairly good reference to start or expand your garden. Its main focus is a small garden for the average household, surprisingly enough known as a "kitchen garden".
The first chapter highlights various garden styles and features. Being from the DK Press, the book has a definite British feel to it. (I have enjoyed all the books from this publisher, and will select books from them on name alone.) For those unfamiliar with the term "kitchen garden" (like me), it is a rather formal style, normally walled in, with a large variety of food plants for consumption by the household.
After the description and layout of the traditional kitchen garden, many other styles and features are shown; formal fruit garden, hedges, salad & herb garden, cottage garden, patio & balcony gardens, and a formal herb garden. These styles are each given rather extensive treatment.
The second section gives a biography of nearly every type of vegetable and fruit that one would care to plant. Each specimen is given at least two full pages, listing vital stats; large photographs, a basic history, how to optimally cultivate, and specific recommended cultivars. Many entries also have recipes as a suggestion on how to use your harvest.
The final section is all about improving your gardening skills - planning & cultivating techniques. Plot design, soil preparation, crop rotation, starting seeds, and a plethora of growing methods are covered, just to name a few. There are many good tips to be found here.
I recommend this book for any gardener's library. I have already used some of the tips for strawberries in my own patch. As my garden expands, this will be a good reference.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
No Farms, No Food
I just received my snazzy "No Farms, No Food" bumper sticker in the mail today. You can get yours at http://www.farmland.org/.
Every year there are 1.2 million acres of farmland lost in America, mostly those that are closest to population centers. Farmland is one of America's greatest national treasures. The American Farmland Trust works to preserve these lands...the land that sustains us all. Please check out their site, and maybe get yourself a bumper sticker or environmentally friendly tote bag for your next trip to the farmer's market.
Please see the blog contest, as well.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Hypermiling: The ECO Pedal
This article from treehugger.com highlights some new technology that could improve your gas mileage significantly. As I noted in this post, instant feedback is a great way to quickly improve your fuel economy. The ECO Pedal seems to be a novel way to give the driver that instant feedback. From the Nissan website:
The ECO Pedal system is fed data on the rate of fuel consumption and transmission efficiency during acceleration and cruising, and then calculates the optimum acceleration rate. When the driver exerts excess pressure on the accelerator, the system counteracts with the pedal push-back control mechanism.Not only does the computer system calculate optimum acceleration, but it gives both visual and tactile feedback. The fuel savings are estimated at 5-10%. I think that this might even be an understatement as I have shown fuel economy improvements of around 30% by hypermiling, using the ScanGaugeII. Adding the fact that it can be enabled and disabled, I think this feature would be very desirable on any car.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Basic Country Skills
Storey's Basic Country Skills. A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance. Highly Recommended.
As I noted in this post, self-sufficiency may become increasingly necessary in the future. In that same post, I reviewed a very good primer on self-sufficiency. This one, dear reader, gives it a run for its money.
The book is divided into four simple categories: home, garden/orchard, cooking/preserving, and your barn/stable/fields. Each section has a wide range of skills that it describes in fairly extensive detail. Since one person cannot possibly be an expert on every single discipline that is examined, the author has compiled excerpts from other books and articles from authors who are experts.
I feel that this gives the book even more utility, since if you find a section interesting, you can head down to your local library and have a name of a useful resource at your fingertips. There are literally hundreds of sources for this book. I noticed that several sections were drawn from books that I have already featured, Dirt Cheap Gardening, for instance.
Home
This section, as you may have surmised, deals with your homestead. First selecting a good site, and then improving and maintaining it. There are many home improvement skills covered (which probably should only be used as a starting point). It also covers water, plumbing, electricity, and other utilities.
Garden & Orchard
This is the most extensive section of the book. There are tips to improve your ability to grow just about any type of plant; from vegetables to flowers to your lawn. Both pests and beneficial animals are highlighted in separate sections. Greenhouses, sheds and other structures are illustrated; and rock and water gardens are given a small treatment, as well.
Cooking & Preserving
This section has many recipes and techniques to preserve food and create new taste sensations. Even cheese and yogurt recipes are included (which I most likely will not be attempting). There are sections for butchering and preserving meat, but once again, I will most likely not be trying. It seems like butchering animals might be something you learn from somewhere other than a book. What could possibly go wrong?
Barn, Stables and Fields
Care of farm animals of all types are highlighted here; such as cows, swine, goats and rabbits. Even country pets - the outdoor dog and cat - are examined. There is also an extensive section on small scale farming which I found to be quite interesting. High value, labor intensive crops are suggested; pumpkins, bees, Christmas trees and many other cash crops are covered in detail. There are also chapters for farm structures, tools and implements.
As I have said before, there is no complete self-sufficiency guide. However, this book has a very wide range of subjects and is the best overall self-sufficiency book I have reviewed to date. It has applications for nearly anyone; from an apartment dwelling urbanite, to the most rugged independent homesteader. I recommend it for anyone's home library.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Cash Value Life Insurance
Northwest Mutual Life Insurance Pushers
I have recently been accosted by several of these Life Insurance salesman posing as financial advisers.
Correct me if I am wrong but it seems that you pay for a life insurance policy that you probably will not need, especially since my only dependent is one princely pup named Oscar. While your life insurance policy gains value you can take loans out against the policy.
Would it not be better to just invest your money in similar vehicles that they utilize and purchase a life insurance policy when you actually need one?
Can anyone comment on the cash value life insurance vehicle?
Lemond Poprad Review
Lemond Poprad 2008
I purchased the Poprad after riding several different Cyclocross bicycles. I preferred the Poprad over the Specialized Tricross and Surly Crosscheck.
Some highlights quotes from the Lemond website:
Poprad is a city in Slovakia where Matt Kelly won the first American World Championship in Cyclocross—on a LeMond.
Pros:
The front and rear derailleurs are the Shimano 105 and Ultegra; so smooth you can not even tell you have shifted. The feel of the ride is smooth but it also seems to handle more like a road bike than the Specialized.
The steel frame is made in the USA, which was a selling point for me. The seat post and front fork are carbon.
Aesthetically, the Poprad is a hands down winner. The white frame with white handlebars is SICK!!
Cons:
It set me back about $1500, whereas the Surly, my second choice, was a couple hundred less.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Specialized Langster 2007 Update: Part 3
a full two months(see original post) - here's what I think...
On an overall scale, I would say the Langster ranks 8.5 out of 10.
Pros - The Langster is light-weight and fun to ride, a good work out on hills, and a great conversation starter with the ladies. Not to dwell too much on that point, but the chicks dig the Langster. I use the bike 4-5 times per week and at least 5-6 miles per day. I know, not a heavy workout routine by any means, but for someone with a busy schedule and is not in the best shape in the world, I think the mileage and frequency is adequate enough. I feel my leg muscles tightening up and toning by the day.
Cons - While I liked the single-gear aspect initially, it can be a bit of a pain from time to time, especially when going downhill. Not uphill? No no, that's what I enjoy the most. If there is any type of downhill slope, pedaling becomes virtually impossible and you're at the mercy of the bike to "bottom-out", so to speak. The one long ride I did take, roughly 25-30 miles, I wished to have several gears just to switch things up, but in the end, it was not a huge deal.
So why did I rate the Specialized Langster at 8.5 out of 10? For the price range, I would rate it 9.5 out of 10, but I tried out other bikes during the interim since my previous post and more expensive bikes are obviously better. With that being said, I felt my bike at roughly a third of the price of the other bikes I rode is a steal to say the least.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Five Financial Costs of Obesity
Here is a Newsweek article that lists five major costs of American obesity. The results are compiled from several recent studies and other sources.
1. Lower Wages
2. Less Hours Worked
3. Higher Medical Costs
4. Higher Airfare
5. Less Fuel Economy
The last one seems to be a bit of a stretch. Even several hundred pounds will only slightly affect fuel economy. Over the entire country I suppose this would add up, but any small effect will add up if multiplied by 300 million.
There is another angle, however: larger individuals will no doubt opt for larger vehicles, which in turn does have a significant effect. Also, as the average American increases in size, automakers must continually readjust auto size, thus building larger and larger vehicles to keep up with demand.
Can you think of any other areas where obesity would have added, perhaps hidden, costs?
Read more here, here, and here.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Evaporated Cane Juice vs. Sugar, Part II
VanDien's assessment of sweeteners is pretty rigorous. She thinks virtually every commonly used sweetener is as bad as sugar when it makes up a significant part of the diet, as it does for too many Americans. "Whether you're talking about cane sugar, honey, barley malt or Sucanat (a tradenamed product), they're all primarily simple sugars, simple carbohydrates," VanDien explains. "People should be concerned that, if they're eating 150 pounds of sugar a year and you change that to 150 pounds of barley malt, you'll have the same problems with your immune system and blood sugar levels you would have if you are eating the sugar." The second expert, with a PhD in nutrition, agrees:
As I noted in this post, I was skeptical about the differences between Evaporated Cane Juice and regular table sugar. As I found, the difference is negligible, and the price would not seem to justify the small amount of nutrients that might be found in Cane Juice. I found an article that examines the issue a bit more, this time examining the health ramifications of simple carbohydrates.
First, the author lists the plethora of alternate names that "sugar" has picked up in the health food aisle:Perhaps because it sounds like it fits in with a New Age mentality, a lot of manufacturers are using the word "crystals" in describing their sweetening agents nowadays. But sugar they are. To list just a few, there are: cane juice crystals, dehydrated cane juice crystals, unrefined cane juice crystals, raw cane crystals, washed cane juice crystals, Florida crystals (a trademarked name), unbleached evaporated sugar cane juice crystals, crystallized cane juice, and unbleached crystallized evaporated cane juice. There are also products with such names as organic dehydrated cane juice, unbleached sugar cane, evaporated cane juice, and evaporated cane juice sugar.
There are many supposed benefits to these products that have been processed less; and organic products are most likely better for the environment. But since these products are chemically equivalent to sugar, how will they affect your health? The first expert to weigh in, a nutritionist, laments that folks should not think these products are a healthy substitute for sugar:"It's a question of economics," says Fuchs. "Health food stores and manufacturers are capturing dollars from products that are not necessarily the best quality or the healthiest. Some of the companies that use things such as evaporated cane juice say they've studied it and find that people metabolize their sugars more slowly than refined sugar. But I find people who have the same problems with evaporated cane juice as they do with regular sugar. And I deal with people all over the country. I find that people who react to sucrose, or refined sugar, are reacting in the same way to evaporated cane juice," says Fuchs.
She does feel that some sweeteners are superior to sugar, however:Fuchs does feel that some alternative sweeteners are clearly better than sugar, or the so-called lesser refined sugars. "Sugar is 93 percent sucrose. That's different than barley malt, which is maltose and glucose, and different than maple syrup, or fruit juice concentrate. You can't say those are the same things as sugar when their chemical compositions are different."
The main point I gleaned from the article, is that while there is no really 'healthy' substitute for simple sweeteners, a little will not kill you.But while VanDien faults sugar for not being "nutrient dense," she also says that "almost anything, in moderation, is not bad. I think balance and moderation are the key words.
However, since most Americans eat very large quantities, they could kill you. In the words of St. Augustine, "To many, total abstinence is easier than perfect moderation."
Other Sugar posts:
Evaporated Cane Juice: Part I
Where to Buy
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Caramel Apples
Sugar and the Environment
Alternative Sugar Names
A Look at Agave
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Lest We Forget...
http://money.cnn.com/2006/11/01/magazines/fortune/pluggedin_taylor_SUVsales.fortune/index.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-08-12-small-cars-gas-prices_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Here are two articles that examine our amnesia regarding high gas prices. Even small, short term declines in prices seem to quickly return us to buying large vehicles. But, hey, we're America... large vehicles are our birthright.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
langster update
my latest bike ride
While on my latest bike ride with good friend and actor SHELLEY MALIL, we chatted on and off about a number of different topics. An obvious starting point was the 2008 OLYMPICS, and that over-achieving speedster, MICHAEL PHELPS, his obvious doping allegations (I'm peering into the future), but quickly wandered into off-topic topics, and you know how that goes. CATHERINE KEENER is the unsung love of his life, he loves brograbs and HI-5, short shorts and KERRI WALSH's buttcheeks. His heart goes out to CAYLEE ANTHONY and huffin and puffin (not so much) BERNIE MAC.
I'll just list the rest of the crap we talked about-
10. PATRICIA HEATON
11. MARIA SANSONE
12. LIL WAYNE
13. RUNESCAPE
14. WWE
15. NATALIE COUGHLIN
Last and certainly not least - the one, the only, MILEY CYRUS
I'm losing weight and my mind, but keeping it LANGSTER.
(the pic is a Chupacabra, from wiki:
Chupacabra (also Chupacabras /tʃupa'kabɾas/, from Spanish chupar: to suck, cabra: goat; goat sucker) is a legendary cryptid rumored to inhabit parts of the Americas. It is associated more recently with sightings of an allegedly unknown animal in Puerto Rico (where these sightings were first reported), Mexico, and the United States, especially in the latter's Latin American communities.[1] The name comes from the animal's reported habit of attacking and drinking the blood of livestock, especially goats. Physical descriptions of the creature vary. Eyewitness sightings have been claimed as early as 1990 in Puerto Rico, and have since been reported as far north as Maine, and as far south as Chile. It is supposedly a heavy creature, the size of a small bear, with a row of spines reaching from the neck to the base of the tail. Most biologists and wildlife management officials view the chupacabra as an urban legend.[2])
Hypermiling Update: 8/11/08
I've had two tanks since my last hypermiling update. They both were near my average; one above, one below. The results are as follows:
Updated overall stats for hypermiling (since 2/4/08):
Fuel price chart:
I have not blogged about the falling gas prices yet...I do not want to jinx it. Maybe if we keep complaining about the high prices, they'll just keep falling.
Seriously, I expect the prices to keep dropping a bit throughout the year. I am not much for predictions, however, since any type of crisis can send oil up again. It is interesting that the recent troubles in the Caucasus are not having a big, immediate effect. Anyway, my view is that the oil prices were mostly run up by the weak dollar, along with other (hopefully semi-temporary) factors. We will see how long the decline lasts.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Georgia On My Mind
As highlighted in this previous post, resources are becoming an increasing strategic and geopolitical tool. The ramifications of this may soon be much more apparent with Russia's recent 'smackdown' of its former republic, Georgia. Today I'd like to feature an article that examines this conflict: Welcome Back to the 19th Century.
Conflict between Georgia and Russia is very old and complex, and I'll readily admit I am no expert. While I knew Georgia was not just the Peach State; a week ago you could have told me South Ossetia was the setting for The Princess Diaries 2 and I would not have argued.
Back to reality ... While the conflict is obviously rife with cultural and ethnic tensions, I'd like to focus on one feature that could have grave implications for Europe, and by default, the rest of the West. I'm not sure if I agree that the conflict can technically be summed up quite so succinctly, but this passage is key:The object is pure 19th-century: domination plus winning the resource war. Georgia is the "last of the independents," so to speak, a critical conduit of oil and gas that goes around Russia into the Black Sea and (with a planned gas pipeline) via Turkey into the Mediterranean. It is no accident that Russian planes are bombing throughout the country, and narrowly "missed" pipelines. The message to the West is: "You don't really want to invest in energy here."
The 'critical conduit of oil and gas' is the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which is a newly built passage for vast Caspian sea resources to the West. As you can see from the map, it meanders quite a bit farther than a direct route (bypassing Armenia and Iran), for purely geopolitical reasons.
If/when Georgia is (actually or practically) reabsorbed into Russia's sphere of influence, Europe's access to Eurasian oil and gas will come from two sources: Russia and the Middle East. One can quickly see how this can be a negative outcome. Just ask Ukraine how the Russians approach customer service when they have a natural gas monopoly.
In this specific case, there was little the West could do to help Georgia. Georgia seemingly misplayed their hand and will most likely end up crippled and humiliated. Russia knows that our options are limited and are taking full advantage. The question becomes, Will this be the end of the revisionism? ...Or will the expansion continue?
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Veggie Wash
As highlighted by the recent Salmonella outbreak, fruits and vegetables may harbor a wide range of undesirable substances. Non-organic produce may have a plethora of chemicals applied to it throughout its life. Organic produce may be cost prohibitive or simply not available. Even organic produce may have been handled by dozens of dirty hands on its way to your home.
Since most fruits and veggies travel long distances, the producers use tricks such as waxes to ensure it will arrive with little damage. This wax is not necessarily very good to eat, and if you only rinse with water, it will trap all the chemicals underneath it.
Most soaps and cleaners will remove harmful materials, but they themselves may be toxic and at the very least can leave a bad taste behind. My family has used 'Veggie Wash' to clean all our produce for several years. It is made only of natural ingredients: corn, coconut, citrus oils, sodium citrate, and grapefruit seed extract. The label claims that it is laboratory tested and proven to remove unwanted residues.
I cannot really personally vouch for the effectiveness of the product. It certainly removes the wax coating from supermarket fruit. As for dangerous chemicals or microbes, I have not run any scientific tests. Also, most pathogens, like Salmonella, cannot really be washed off. I'm sure this is better than nothing, but sometimes the only way to get rid of microorganisms is to cook them. The thing that I appreciate is the lack of heavy soapy aftertaste. There is only a slight citrus taste, if anything at all.
What do you use for washing produce?