tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43127369544689780642024-03-18T19:26:31.090-03:00Not Buying AnythingWhere every day is Buy Nothing DayGregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.comBlogger2117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-29192436113044272092024-03-17T14:41:00.001-03:002024-03-17T14:50:23.246-03:00No Modern Stuff - Still Happy<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiitHXUlL27lzEqT_eydSF3oEPrJ48Fktc7lzjaaIi9dyjaW1Iexs5IpujclFhy_VvmI1I5177eireioc00qxqjb_LZinho35wKIXMm6yZBCgc7XVuvnnNY6qb-bQ78KnQrQaTHnu0hCAj9K325HhAQyj7KgDP5hSIZmpY2SA8yw4DI7B7xXQHjBhcsNDM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="701" data-original-width="1140" height="524" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiitHXUlL27lzEqT_eydSF3oEPrJ48Fktc7lzjaaIi9dyjaW1Iexs5IpujclFhy_VvmI1I5177eireioc00qxqjb_LZinho35wKIXMm6yZBCgc7XVuvnnNY6qb-bQ78KnQrQaTHnu0hCAj9K325HhAQyj7KgDP5hSIZmpY2SA8yw4DI7B7xXQHjBhcsNDM=w851-h524" width="851" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The Amish have been walking away from modernity since arriving in North America hundreds of years ago.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">In that time they have changed, but not dramatically. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">For the most part, they have:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no electricity</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no iPhones</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no unnecessary medical procedures</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no computers</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no $70,000 Detroit automobiles</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no fashionable wardrobe</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no nails</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no heavy equipment</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no power tool built barns</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no nightclubs</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no Hollywood movies</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no TV</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no fast food</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- no annual resort vacations</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And yet, they are still healthy, and still happy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Miraculously, everything gets done.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Is there anything to learn from these simple living people? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Is there is a lesson here for the "advanced", high consumption peoples of the planet who haven't found happiness in stuff and status?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Go Amish!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Or almost Amish.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Even a little bit Amish would be an improvement.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSpr4AtztRQjUvVUbLDhchqgYNeQ-TAeEH7GGDJYxRso_ySjSF8wtRjVvC-TwwgLcwqljdxTgO34rB32xsWVNZ_vIV-oodS2iyRI98SvsjnA60VuH6AeUIefB6OpP8UtySof4bJfpIJB-NspApS_D5KOYavjZU_JSyHlYMWuk7_uJjIN3xYGIjhnCsN-M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="436" data-original-width="610" height="521" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjSpr4AtztRQjUvVUbLDhchqgYNeQ-TAeEH7GGDJYxRso_ySjSF8wtRjVvC-TwwgLcwqljdxTgO34rB32xsWVNZ_vIV-oodS2iyRI98SvsjnA60VuH6AeUIefB6OpP8UtySof4bJfpIJB-NspApS_D5KOYavjZU_JSyHlYMWuk7_uJjIN3xYGIjhnCsN-M=w728-h521" width="728" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-20578209423821215562024-03-14T11:23:00.003-03:002024-03-14T11:28:28.775-03:00Envy For Sale<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2uTAAWJY5WOnMN34ZNQKcdzAoeAJ1xT7nkC96n5aJxsnanSG4QlLZuaryWW7NllV5LJPuG0WDZdhiDJhZnuGXGGgjoCkZznuoA4_CaBQm4-4iQNLRoazuzpoy_fbSPfUWzvnvyNaDeniEaHPJmkNxJy9gWlT8ngGdCeUe6l-xl7DW5ZBt64GyVvz3T2I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="794" height="755" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2uTAAWJY5WOnMN34ZNQKcdzAoeAJ1xT7nkC96n5aJxsnanSG4QlLZuaryWW7NllV5LJPuG0WDZdhiDJhZnuGXGGgjoCkZznuoA4_CaBQm4-4iQNLRoazuzpoy_fbSPfUWzvnvyNaDeniEaHPJmkNxJy9gWlT8ngGdCeUe6l-xl7DW5ZBt64GyVvz3T2I=w500-h755" width="500" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Consumerism. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We have what everyone desires,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">for a price.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Just look what you can get.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">You can buy this or that, </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">or anything you want. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Anything you see!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Isn't that marvellous?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">You can even buy things you can't see,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">like a lifestyle,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">happiness,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">or a sense of well-being.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But best of all, </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">you can buy the admiration</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">of friends, family,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">neighbours and coworkers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">They will envy</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">your stereo,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">your car,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">your clothes,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">your house,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">or anything else you own that they want.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Consumerism.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What we are really selling</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">is envy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Get some today.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-63805004787549258042024-03-12T16:24:00.003-03:002024-03-12T16:56:30.987-03:00 Consumer Nations Not The Happiest<div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnRrv8fmc5SEkZE3zofjv1Wn7P2cHQrnObkgTnWyWT2EbHni1Lba6a6RjSkGxz7oG_nKawLDguKV1ZiB1OZgpoDdgiW9WCDvBTsMz-PnZTD9T07wixiUtQ7MlNz8ulh-MJQTANUy_Eb8pKACFIyhfY4vaKPf-HK7n6ignHFTduumulwX4GzQjy8i2jsPo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="451" data-original-width="395" height="778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnRrv8fmc5SEkZE3zofjv1Wn7P2cHQrnObkgTnWyWT2EbHni1Lba6a6RjSkGxz7oG_nKawLDguKV1ZiB1OZgpoDdgiW9WCDvBTsMz-PnZTD9T07wixiUtQ7MlNz8ulh-MJQTANUy_Eb8pKACFIyhfY4vaKPf-HK7n6ignHFTduumulwX4GzQjy8i2jsPo=w681-h778" width="681" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Newsflash! The citizens of hi-tech, rich consumer nations may not be the happiest people on the planet.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Wait, what? How can that be? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We have the best stuff, and more of it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We have the best democracy money can buy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We have freedom of choice, movement and speech. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We have more billionaires. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We have the most marvellous hi-tech toys.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Therefore, we must be the happiest. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Right?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Not so fast.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">In a survey called <a href="https://sapienlabs.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/4th-Annual-Mental-State-of-the-World-Report.pdf" target="_blank"><i><span style="color: red;">The Mental State of the World in 2023: A Perspective on Internet-Enabled Populations</span></i></a>, researchers uncovered some </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">trends that run counter to this fairy tale.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The report begins,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Dear Reader,</span></span></p><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">This is our fourth annual Mental State of the World Report that provides a perspective on the Internet-enabled global population. </span></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><blockquote><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">In focus this year is one key trend – that the dramatic decline in mental wellbeing that occurred between 2019 and 2020, and continued into 2021 through the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to persist with no sign of recovery. </span></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><blockquote><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The expectation may have been that once the lockdowns lifted and the threat of COVID-19 subsided that our collective mental health would begin a recovery towards its pre-pandemic levels. </span></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="color: #444444;">However, the data across 64 countries argues otherwise – that the effects of diminished global mental wellbeing have become a new normal.</span></span> </span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Indeed, many of the shifts that the pandemic brought about persist, from an increase in remote work to increased use of single use plastics, and could all have a contributing effect that must be studied and understood.</span></span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">As mental wellbeing has remained largely static across the world since 2021, so too have the rankings of countries.</span></span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">At the top of the rankings are many Latin American and African countries while much of the core Anglosphere ranks in the bottom quartile.</span></span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">With national wealth indicators such as per capita GDP negatively correlated with average mental wellbeing scores (see our 2021 report), this year we have made substantial progress in our understanding of why this is so.</span></span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>Two key </span><span>findings published in </span><span>Rapid Reports </span><span>in 2023 show that younger age of first smartphone ownership </span><span>and ultra-processed food consumption are two major contributors to our mental health challenges.</span></span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>In wealthier countries, the age of first smartphone ownership is much younger and ultra-processed </span><span>food consumption much higher.</span></span></p></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><p><span style="color: #444444; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Other contributing factors are the relatively diminished family relationships in wealthier countries that are highlighted in our 2022 Annual Report.</span></span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></p><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">While this may seem upside-down, many have been trying to bring attention to such things for a very long time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Money and stuff does not make one happy past a certain point, we have been repeatedly warned, but few want to hear it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The following are key insights from the report.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 5"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">* Mental wellbeing remained at its post-pandemic low with yet again no sign of movement towards pre-pandemic levels.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="page" title="Page 5"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">* Younger generations, particularly those under age 35, saw the steepest declines in mental wellbeing during the Covid-19 pandemic while those over 65 stayed steady.</span></span></p><p><span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="page" title="Page 5"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>* As in </span><span>previous </span><span>years, several </span><span>African and Latin American countries topped the country rankings, while wealthier countries of the Core Anglosphere such as the United Kingdom and Australia are towards the bottom.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">These results may suggest that the response to the 2020 cold and flu season in the West was way, way worse than any virus, and that those negative effects could continue for years to come.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We may never recover from the lies, deceptions, and unnecessary, ineffective mandates perpetrated by what we were taught are democratic governments where the people have freedom of choice.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span> </span> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">In Canada, and much of the west, when concerned citizens came together to peacefully and legally protest all of that, they were cracked down upon in an unprecedentedly harsh manner.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It is not surprising that we were made mentally unwell by it all. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And that is only one of the problems that we face.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">On the other hand, Yemen, one of the poorest nations on the planet, ranked higher in mental wellness than wealthy UK (rated the second unhappiest country out of 71 countries surveyed).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Even Ukraine, currently being goaded into WWIII by the rich, sad countries highlighted in the report, ranked higher than the UK. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The Dominican Republic topped the list as the world’s happiest country, followed by Sri Lanka in second place and Tanzania in third. </span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">All of the top ten countries were African, Asian, or Latin American nations.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The authors of the report conclude, </span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">“</span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Altogether this suggests that greater wealth and economic development does not necessarily lead to greater mental wellbeing, but instead can lead to consumption patterns and a fraying of social bonds that are detrimental to our ability to thrive.”</span></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I wonder how many of us will listen this time? </span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And of those who do, how many will change their lives for the better by turning their backs on the lies and propaganda of rank consumerism and poor governance?</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Now is a good time for the unhappy Golden Billion to start building a better, happier, more simple story together for the benefit of themselves, and the entire human family.</span></p></div></div></div></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-79232385515898170582024-03-10T15:38:00.003-03:002024-03-10T15:45:02.781-03:00Make A (Mental) List Of Everything You Own<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNCUBLUDpleAWX-t8o2PgSC-hWrIbp-O1K4HeyXx5XYEqYYE9IM9Dp2dwevAyPEZ4cZqJyNBU0xUHGekNEpX8XSmw2zzVmPVt1Q-V5iDhwQNH2sDZdK8Lq3z89II3_bf4JJGGE9Sa4JBDoQzGMTRmjd9bojOVxuSnq0YSaBy62XjamCmTbfeEdNce487Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="343" data-original-width="590" height="447" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNCUBLUDpleAWX-t8o2PgSC-hWrIbp-O1K4HeyXx5XYEqYYE9IM9Dp2dwevAyPEZ4cZqJyNBU0xUHGekNEpX8XSmw2zzVmPVt1Q-V5iDhwQNH2sDZdK8Lq3z89II3_bf4JJGGE9Sa4JBDoQzGMTRmjd9bojOVxuSnq0YSaBy62XjamCmTbfeEdNce487Q=w769-h447" width="769" /></a></div><br /><br /></span>
<span face="Verdana, sans-serif"><br /></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">How do you know you need to buy something if you don't know what you already have? How do you know what to keep, and what to jettison?</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The best way to truly see is to make a list of everything you own. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Everything.</span><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">In order to avoid buying things you already have, you need to make that scary list.</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">That advice seems extreme, and it is. Unless you like that kind of thing. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I don't, even though I don't have much stuff.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>But I do keep a mental list going. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>I am constantly aware of my possessions, so I know what I have and what I can do with it. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>Also, and maybe more importantly, because some of it is undoubtably crap that needs to go.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span>As I make my way around the house, and in the garage, I make a mental note of all these things that have wormed their way into the soil of my life.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">While observing everything, I ask these questions:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><ul><li>When was the last time I used that?</li><li>Will I use that again?</li><li>Does owning it improve my life?</li></ul></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It is easy to acquire stuff, but it is increasingly difficult to get rid of it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Occasionally I dream of having a ritual crap-burning fire in the back yard.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Impermanence. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dust to dust.</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fleeting nature of stuff and life. That kind of thing.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It could be my simple living performance art.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Very liberating just to think about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Make that list, mental or otherwise. You might be shocked at what you find out. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">So. Much. Stuff.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But it will be a good shocked, a wake up call for a light flight to a less burdened, more efficient life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-68564546798254792422024-03-09T21:44:00.000-04:002024-03-09T21:44:04.685-04:00Increasing Ecological Footprints<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9REwWpIwt-cJTdrXLNlKHvdN1a9H9JsKpZiAqjooEla5J5Pp8oZ0Dj6GssTirAHS4duup_BYx8CKS-B_Ow2WIqVREYFKr-QDtDHHbbGwh1XCr2D7oF4YvEV_4CPHW6etWcrXs9qqE-HQmToMxe3tgUtLmMFPl_AAr6VLb_gaPwzeHvyTqnBv-_Qub-M/s779/Ecological-Footprints.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="779" height="497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg9REwWpIwt-cJTdrXLNlKHvdN1a9H9JsKpZiAqjooEla5J5Pp8oZ0Dj6GssTirAHS4duup_BYx8CKS-B_Ow2WIqVREYFKr-QDtDHHbbGwh1XCr2D7oF4YvEV_4CPHW6etWcrXs9qqE-HQmToMxe3tgUtLmMFPl_AAr6VLb_gaPwzeHvyTqnBv-_Qub-M/w761-h497/Ecological-Footprints.gif" width="761" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">There is one important way that I can tell that politicians of the West are lying when they say they are concerned about climate change, and that is their promotion of high levels of immigration into their countries.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Why even talk about net-zero, or the end of oil, when you are in the business of increasing the ecological footprint of millions of people?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">These same politicians are incentivizing people to move from low eco-footprint countries to high eco-footprint countries. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Millions of people from places like Cuba, Haiti and Honduras, or from other low-footprint countries like Bangladesh and India, are being invited into countries that have some of the highest footprints on the globe.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The result is an overall increase of the average global eco-footprint, which means an increase in not only consumption, but also pollution and resource depletion.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I used to believe in the goals of environmentalism and climate change mitigation. Until about 2019 that is.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Over the past few tumultuous years I have discarded just about everything that I thought I knew and believed and am starting over from scratch.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I am going against the grain and doing my own research, and drawing my own conclusions from what I see.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I am afraid that the whole climate hand-wringing, like the pandemic and resulting medical tyranny, is just a power grab. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It is all about control and profit, and has nothing to do with "democracy", or "saving the Earth".</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Please, faux eco-politicians of the West, tell me how increasing the eco-footprint of millions of citizens of 1 - 2 planet countries by bringing them to 3 - 4 planet countries helps your green agenda?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Either you fight climate change, or you increase the average global eco-footprint through high levels of immigration.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">You can't say you are doing both and be taken seriously by rational thinkers. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Unless climate change mitigation is not your agenda. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And if not, what is?</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-60254692956838631912024-03-05T18:56:00.002-04:002024-03-05T18:56:57.365-04:00A Quiet, Boring Life<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtKEKSsEnNQIfWphPoiZrWG0GrYjoHQ6XZNsKHDDVf3FBfmm_2BOLsgtvxB4CKIGFglaAdi3CHbHMLAPJkp0j_Xoj_1RfYgEicKwL6B0cdovXsLg9TzCcQh9udAA-qJn9xKPf1Qi16Ncx586f8UJtzHZRxnZxDWeDCxVC9UXnq4cTYBbneperFVgFyLok" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="619" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtKEKSsEnNQIfWphPoiZrWG0GrYjoHQ6XZNsKHDDVf3FBfmm_2BOLsgtvxB4CKIGFglaAdi3CHbHMLAPJkp0j_Xoj_1RfYgEicKwL6B0cdovXsLg9TzCcQh9udAA-qJn9xKPf1Qi16Ncx586f8UJtzHZRxnZxDWeDCxVC9UXnq4cTYBbneperFVgFyLok=w826-h619" width="826" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I wrote a little poem for you today. I hope you enjoy it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A Quiet, Boring Life</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">All I want is a quiet, boring life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Free from harm and</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">free from strife.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A life like a monk, a hermit, or nun.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It looks slow,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But I am sure it is fun.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">You see, the American Dream, it's not for me.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">There's too much stuff,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">and not enough free.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">So I have been watching the green grass grow,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">the crows fly,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">and the falling snow.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nothing much happens </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">from day to day. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">My boring life is what it is,</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">and I like it that way.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Give me a life that's peaceful, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and quiet.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">You can offer me more, </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">but I won't buy it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-15824971409385145282024-02-29T18:14:00.002-04:002024-02-29T18:15:32.559-04:00More Wood, Less Plastic<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwBcjA4r6bXPJb9h8-9V8J6UBL1WL3SQVns6Y8pPMFXaWXtC-AZXPYYQ40_7WrW_-bUDw6KkyXTGV_gpSmnk4k_nllmEQoiBu-CEtYJu3sq5urzrw6SXQtzIODLmqEFn_1be8Pdy1DQdlr7gSYquLsiJePuAuZbmuZj-zLL_WVB6USSWuB61gjzrgVCw/s1588/ee7635285ca70d04b2d8c105595805f0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1588" data-original-width="1588" height="783" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcwBcjA4r6bXPJb9h8-9V8J6UBL1WL3SQVns6Y8pPMFXaWXtC-AZXPYYQ40_7WrW_-bUDw6KkyXTGV_gpSmnk4k_nllmEQoiBu-CEtYJu3sq5urzrw6SXQtzIODLmqEFn_1be8Pdy1DQdlr7gSYquLsiJePuAuZbmuZj-zLL_WVB6USSWuB61gjzrgVCw/w783-h783/ee7635285ca70d04b2d8c105595805f0.jpg" width="783" /></a></div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Wood, is 100% biodegradable, but with careful use and proper care, there is no reason some wood products would ever need to be tossed in the bin.</span></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A lot of stuff on the internet says you should replace your wooden spoons every 5 years or so. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That has not been my experience. I could be slowly poisoning myself and not know it, but I don't think so.</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Although wood is naturally anti-bacterial, you certainly don't want to be stirring your food with an old woody bacteria trap. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T_L1Hi9IFqiwuAtQ_sqYP5vPAQBBP5jDVCAEkob27KLt2NbRxAw5iYSlOVxWgP-nEBrgbRhyphenhyphenGOHaOPQMg-x1F39_r3sQwzjquER7wCDX1o6i_mZUY6QED1mGhAqip9-XnwUgW1YXNPs66Sdn8ZV_QAokl2NcYcNWESXdNDNhwe5U6Fd9uBkjarIY03Q/s750/Spruce_Are_Wooden-Spoons_Sanitary_909328_V3-7e6835ff5d5b435e8b42a44573aa6f37.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="545" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3T_L1Hi9IFqiwuAtQ_sqYP5vPAQBBP5jDVCAEkob27KLt2NbRxAw5iYSlOVxWgP-nEBrgbRhyphenhyphenGOHaOPQMg-x1F39_r3sQwzjquER7wCDX1o6i_mZUY6QED1mGhAqip9-XnwUgW1YXNPs66Sdn8ZV_QAokl2NcYcNWESXdNDNhwe5U6Fd9uBkjarIY03Q/w818-h545/Spruce_Are_Wooden-Spoons_Sanitary_909328_V3-7e6835ff5d5b435e8b42a44573aa6f37.png" width="818" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Just like a wooden cutting board, if the wood spoon is cared for properly, and isn't cracked, split, or smelly, I don't see why it couldn't last for decades. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">There is one in my kitchen that gets regular use that belonged to Linda's mom, who used it for who knows how long before she gave it to us. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We have had it for 30 years. When I use it I can feel its power, more like a cooking wand than a spoon. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It crackles with the power of creating thousands of handmade meals over the years. Or maybe that's the bacteria.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRjhhj4nWwzSbQ_fSP1_2KiyMwH_evq9L8n2P0kRgtGRdapj5jSNVRGYwkMCb6AG8JA5QMuRBYzGCj3s7wYNwF4tUn7wYHuSa_TQ8O6Z8h0iRl2XzxZlhpWNLTKmy4XA9_0HCCLWkWjNAa39NcaDmmuW_2tkYqKZlcPT3yjJIKYDiV3nQcm0_6ru7Re8/s1280/4ab623bc0eb100add38087ab4c8523a8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="664" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRjhhj4nWwzSbQ_fSP1_2KiyMwH_evq9L8n2P0kRgtGRdapj5jSNVRGYwkMCb6AG8JA5QMuRBYzGCj3s7wYNwF4tUn7wYHuSa_TQ8O6Z8h0iRl2XzxZlhpWNLTKmy4XA9_0HCCLWkWjNAa39NcaDmmuW_2tkYqKZlcPT3yjJIKYDiV3nQcm0_6ru7Re8/w885-h664/4ab623bc0eb100add38087ab4c8523a8.jpg" width="885" /></a></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Most people would agree that wood products like toys, furniture, boxes, trunks, and kitchenware are much more attractive than plastic or metal alternatives. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Wood generally ages well and becomes more beautiful and full of character over time. Just like humans! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg610LHl0X7JKryCdNAq6_rUr9KJoRU4FMn5bBYVbKLqLaeY4pnzMNToftnH1D1L192FElJ2Iw6IDn0VhjDkg3Gs5ETPHRrPzgm0fI2_T3u0onwO7wbfEkWPt8Aye0wIixPS1oEYn4PNlqOzmsBy7LuNmSRhHwmCsmxzp4yFf72qv2LeUIj409Aubb0-1k/s1500/8b1a50b260f9a04b665ed5abdecafdea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="1500" height="723" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg610LHl0X7JKryCdNAq6_rUr9KJoRU4FMn5bBYVbKLqLaeY4pnzMNToftnH1D1L192FElJ2Iw6IDn0VhjDkg3Gs5ETPHRrPzgm0fI2_T3u0onwO7wbfEkWPt8Aye0wIixPS1oEYn4PNlqOzmsBy7LuNmSRhHwmCsmxzp4yFf72qv2LeUIj409Aubb0-1k/w789-h723/8b1a50b260f9a04b665ed5abdecafdea.jpg" width="789" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Wood products are not only naturally non-toxic and beautiful, they are also completely biodegradable, and if done right are 100% sustainable.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What this old world needs is more wood, and less plastic.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcnBhE3EZUx1UIkKmH-_FdQMoMKuDdKaUluyDYeekrbkso6J4rHy1JNlo6sRJmkbBD7OlHHAXMBfLUU0qZcdEvUOZi4zwWOlI5N6y7MQCJG7S1WBQ5VWqY7Ek-myMk19VTSHjXENNEvUb8_blFmxDSaZQPM3Qurf1Pwdv0OGN3tbivK_vvAthHW47WQE/s3648/8bcf28e0606e85de851b368391254341.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="555" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcnBhE3EZUx1UIkKmH-_FdQMoMKuDdKaUluyDYeekrbkso6J4rHy1JNlo6sRJmkbBD7OlHHAXMBfLUU0qZcdEvUOZi4zwWOlI5N6y7MQCJG7S1WBQ5VWqY7Ek-myMk19VTSHjXENNEvUb8_blFmxDSaZQPM3Qurf1Pwdv0OGN3tbivK_vvAthHW47WQE/w740-h555/8bcf28e0606e85de851b368391254341.jpg" width="740" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-28168246904558808742024-02-28T22:56:00.006-04:002024-02-28T22:57:20.652-04:00Inflation Fighters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajwB-_Qauf-QM62jRVV1Mm10SgpJcrG5OjozXnU_pox5QqARIlln0tRqIgWYXmeChSZ0756fKkj1Njpzze78mSMOfTU0oDtZYAqsAWRtubpoJhEcrJYfuzxelSh5crWshPkCrMmr7VwSewysLCuZ0i1dS7eE67HTf73HYBG5gmMxtCg-E1oAW2Aq8Ljw/s462/DWCYOHlV4AAjJEa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="462" height="592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajwB-_Qauf-QM62jRVV1Mm10SgpJcrG5OjozXnU_pox5QqARIlln0tRqIgWYXmeChSZ0756fKkj1Njpzze78mSMOfTU0oDtZYAqsAWRtubpoJhEcrJYfuzxelSh5crWshPkCrMmr7VwSewysLCuZ0i1dS7eE67HTf73HYBG5gmMxtCg-E1oAW2Aq8Ljw/w783-h592/DWCYOHlV4AAjJEa.jpg" width="783" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">While we are experiencing the worst moment of inflation since the 1980s, there are always options for consumers. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Amongst those options are:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- switching to cheaper products </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- switching to cheaper brands </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- asking for a pay rise</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- getting a second job (we don't recommend this one)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- shopping around for best deals</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- using discount offers like cards, coupons, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">and cyclical sale loss leaders</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And finally, my personal favourites,</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- using less by cutting the amount of the item consumed, and </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- not buying the product at all</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What are your favourite inflation fighters?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-22376321791294682202024-02-26T18:12:00.006-04:002024-02-26T21:54:53.949-04:00Buddha's Last Words<div><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: Garamond, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: xx-large; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-align: -webkit-center;"></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjK0Qn_NpztcOB7Wffdq-1Shj5njfErxEVetdefBlZ1bPcwBP2J_LTwHjhxD_3zo9qjPOkg9pQFYQEgifWkFrvEPhyjGefF6ufu5mjOLqmBkgYpzdSGSSB8d9f0_I6fA-qyLEdGhY5v-QeDv3O5JPirHKyk6AWA7NdUVHqlNpsKLhpzmQcZ20nYJe2ys/s720/death-of-buddha.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="720" height="749" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjK0Qn_NpztcOB7Wffdq-1Shj5njfErxEVetdefBlZ1bPcwBP2J_LTwHjhxD_3zo9qjPOkg9pQFYQEgifWkFrvEPhyjGefF6ufu5mjOLqmBkgYpzdSGSSB8d9f0_I6fA-qyLEdGhY5v-QeDv3O5JPirHKyk6AWA7NdUVHqlNpsKLhpzmQcZ20nYJe2ys/w793-h749/death-of-buddha.jpg" width="793" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The last words of Buddha were his final advise from which we could all benefit.</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;">“Behold, O monks", he said, "this is my last advice to you."</span><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;">"All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting." </span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;">"Work hard to gain your own salvation. Do your best.”</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;">Consummation, skills, and heedfulness is required we are told.</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;">Roughly, it is done through meditation, and protecting oneself from "outside effluent", desires, and resulting suffering.</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;">And how optimistic is it to be reminded that all things that arise, will eventually fade away? </span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;">The way we are today is not the way it will always be.</span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-align: start; text-indent: 4%;">The Buddha tells us that our actions do make a difference, and that they can make a very positive difference.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-align: start; text-indent: 4%;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">We can improve, if we work diligently to be our best and become more skilled at this thing called life.</span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; text-align: -webkit-center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Working on that, we will assuredly bring peace, freedom, and happiness to all beings.</span></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large; text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: -webkit-center;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-82347615803052293452024-02-25T11:51:00.000-04:002024-02-25T11:51:23.420-04:00Groupthink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzS01mNd3xdzbAv7dVMHGzfxVp0dgdG8e7tv-YpZfLUKRWjkrhDfT37xUHrPVMS1Uqoigem1TnM1cN1KElp_LBn2HvsLDxq54mOATKv5Kpg9VZ1ZuLpDzcRdvReVCSorAXz2XuWccGVbeb_oUs3CV1YKnlzkO_dylZQzZiIW_qzOrQNsSSMvXlmDwT-c/s646/d8cbb88b-ae6b-4507-afec-4a68d9355f07_646x607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="646" height="672" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRzS01mNd3xdzbAv7dVMHGzfxVp0dgdG8e7tv-YpZfLUKRWjkrhDfT37xUHrPVMS1Uqoigem1TnM1cN1KElp_LBn2HvsLDxq54mOATKv5Kpg9VZ1ZuLpDzcRdvReVCSorAXz2XuWccGVbeb_oUs3CV1YKnlzkO_dylZQzZiIW_qzOrQNsSSMvXlmDwT-c/w715-h672/d8cbb88b-ae6b-4507-afec-4a68d9355f07_646x607.jpg" width="715" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What the heck is going on in the collective human brain? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Whatever it is, it has accelerated over the past four years, making me think long and hard about societal mental decline.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The psychological phenomenon of groupthink goes a long way to describing current conditions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><blockquote><span style="color: #444444;">"Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome. Cohesiveness, or the desire for cohesiveness, in a group may produce a tendency among its members to agree at all costs." </span></blockquote><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #444444;"> - Wiki</span></p></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We are social animals. Fitting in is an important survival instinct. But at what point does going with the group begin to reduce our chances of survival?</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What are the symptoms of groupthink?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>Illusions of unanimity</b> lead members to believe that everyone is in agreement and feels the same way. It is often much more difficult to speak out when it seems that everyone else in the group is on the same page.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>Unquestioned beliefs </b>lead members to ignore possible moral problems and not consider the consequences of individual and group actions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>Rationalizing</b> prevents members from reconsidering their beliefs and causes them to ignore warning signs.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>Stereotyping</b> leads members of the in-group to ignore or even demonize out-group members who may oppose or challenge the group's ideas. This causes members of the group to ignore important ideas or information.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>Self-censorship</b> causes people who might have doubts to hide their fears or misgivings. Rather than sharing what they know, people remain quiet and assume that the group must know best.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>"Mindguards"</b> act as self-appointed censors to hide problematic information from the group. Rather than sharing important information, they keep quiet or actively prevent sharing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>Illusions of invulnerability</b> lead members of the group to be overly optimistic and engage in risk-taking. When no one speaks out or voices an alternative opinion, it causes people to believe that the group must be right.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">*<b>Direct pressure to conform</b> is often placed on members who pose questions, and those who question the group are often seen as disloyal or traitorous. </span></div></blockquote><p> </p><blockquote><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- Kendra Cherry</span></div></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Doesn't that all sound creepily, accurately, and depressingly familiar?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Groupthink causes us to think, and therefore do, things we wouldn't ordinarily if we were thinking for ourselves.</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It blinds us to the truth. It sidelines rational thinking, understanding, compassion and love all at the same time which makes it a powerfully destructive force.</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I have always tried to resist groupthink, and be confident enough to stand up for who I am and what I believe in. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It is possible for the group to be wrong, and in many cases, catastrophically wrong. Historically there's no lack of examples, including a few horrific cases that are ongoing right now.</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I'm not buying into any of their self-serving manipulations by way of getting us all right where they want us - working for them, buying their stuff and their lies, and bending obsequiously to their will. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Instead, I am dangerously flirting with an awakening by questioning everything (especially my own beliefs and knowledge), doing my own research, and thinking for myself.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">From the system's perspective, people who dare to do this, seek the truth, are a threat. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">As someone trying to be a descent human being, I see it as my responsibility.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What do <b>you</b> think?</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><blockquote><br /></blockquote></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-50031856052778257702024-02-23T18:16:00.003-04:002024-02-23T18:23:29.508-04:00All Lives Are Matter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0ljjWKLc-Cgz3Yi49uIya3ZDTqNNAw-VvBt20CHJIU65SeBkUofrROJLaijB-Qu-uzB3IRcZhxtS41-kosUH26OscolEP89N2kTbOolseyr75zGJ7qDFhcvStbp9qnLv4v9zLOFfgAo_AqRQf-df3wRHG-HcuDkqe20NBp0KF2-3j6XYAYndPVLN9Mg/s1280/unnamed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1009" data-original-width="1280" height="670" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS0ljjWKLc-Cgz3Yi49uIya3ZDTqNNAw-VvBt20CHJIU65SeBkUofrROJLaijB-Qu-uzB3IRcZhxtS41-kosUH26OscolEP89N2kTbOolseyr75zGJ7qDFhcvStbp9qnLv4v9zLOFfgAo_AqRQf-df3wRHG-HcuDkqe20NBp0KF2-3j6XYAYndPVLN9Mg/w851-h670/unnamed.jpg" width="851" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Some people think that it is impossible to have a just and peaceful world without honouring <b>all</b> life by making all life matter.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">This is because they feel that no life is free until all life is free.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I try to practice that in my own life by seeing the spark that I have within me, in every other life form. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We are the same.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We all just want to be free.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div>Freedom consists of three main principles:</div><div><br /></div><div>1) The absence of coercion or restraint.</div><div><br /></div><div>2) The absence of physical constraints in natural conditions.</div><div><br /></div><div>3) The possession of the means to achieve the objective one chooses of one’s own volition.</div><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Here is my in-home protocol to live and let live.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* If it is a small to medium spider - enjoy observing it going about its day. Thank it for its service.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* If it is a large spider - catch and release in the garage or outside. Thank it for its service.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* If it is a ladybug - get a tiny piece of apple or raisin, give it to the visitor, then observe it going about its cute, little, business. If it is still around in the spring, take it out to the garden.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* If it flies - hustle it out the nearest door or window.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">* If it has too many legs to count and moves fast - try not to freak out, catch and release outside. Or miss, and watch it scuttle under the baseboard and disappear. Again, try not to freak out. Try not to think about it.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I feel bad when I kill, or cause killing on my behalf. The life form subjected to death does not matter. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It is the Jain in me that knows that "the function of our souls is to help one another".</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">All lives are sacred. (Even ticks and mosquitos... I guess. No one said this would be easy.)</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">All lives matter. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">(And as scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson points out, "All lives </span><b style="font-family: verdana;">are</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> matter.")</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">All lives. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Until all lives are free, no lives are free.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-56960887393401328682024-02-22T12:32:00.007-04:002024-02-22T18:32:14.400-04:00The Truth is Not A Crime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhDY3KQvmMF9G6mMxRDb6_Yqseaa9C5RbNr6O2JqtKMpli83RAdV3KvjhEisjeeoqWBWCTxqm_YHapxmzacpJBdszeFek8jjWTeVUWKQrsqxWg87uP63G-1JivteB_AZL5tRVVb9xAQadb21yBR3CUoW0I5_Tn8vekrK4G3A0sdARVgqmUyTkXSTF6QA/s1600/Julian_Assange_Afiche_Poster1.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="801" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJhDY3KQvmMF9G6mMxRDb6_Yqseaa9C5RbNr6O2JqtKMpli83RAdV3KvjhEisjeeoqWBWCTxqm_YHapxmzacpJBdszeFek8jjWTeVUWKQrsqxWg87uP63G-1JivteB_AZL5tRVVb9xAQadb21yBR3CUoW0I5_Tn8vekrK4G3A0sdARVgqmUyTkXSTF6QA/w533-h801/Julian_Assange_Afiche_Poster1.gif" width="533" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The truth is coming out, which is why the Establishment</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> will do everything </span><i style="font-family: verdana;">we let them get away with</i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to hide or stop it.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Lies are being exposed as the internet fulfills its ultimate purpose - connecting us, and bringing information to the people. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That is why they are now in the process of censoring everything they don't like by labelling it mis/mal/disinformation and/or a conspiracy theory.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">They are so panicked that Western "democratic" nations are beginning to criminalize the truth. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Now we are all at risk of getting "Assanged". </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">What they are doing to him will eventually be revisited upon each and every one of us globally unless we do something to stop it.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">In France, for example, it is <a href="https://reclaimthenet.org/france-law-bans-online-speech-refrain-from-medical-treatment" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">now illegal</span></a> to say anything negative about covid jabs or any other mandated by the state medical intervention.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Will the post I recently wrote in which I ask questions about electric vehicles some day be a criminal act because it dares to question the official narrative?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Will my writings also be punishable by 3 years in prison AND a $48,500 dollar fine?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Try as they might to hold back the tide, they are only delaying the inevitable. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The truth always comes out in the end, no matter how hard anyone tries to hide or stop it. And with a free and open internet, this is doubly true. It is the greatest possible </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">threat</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> to their diabolical plans.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Yes, they have the guns, and the money, and the organization, and a bunch of psychopathic minions wiling to do the system's bidding for a price.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But we have the numbers, we have the love, and we have the truth.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-38350737463944366222024-02-21T09:09:00.001-04:002024-02-21T09:16:12.480-04:00A Slow Simple Life<iframe frameborder="0" height="600" src="https://youtube.com/embed/GQL0nSpMSwg?si=nlZtxTtzxWxbtvWy" width="850"></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I have often wondered if living a slow, simple life is more desirable to people tending toward introversion. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It seems to make sense because internals need less to get their kicks than externals. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Such a way of living is vastly misunderstood, or at least misrepresented.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Having few external desires, and living with just enough, and possibly away from it all, is painted as misanthropic, a deficiency of some sort, or an outright mental illness.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">As usual, follow the money. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Rewarding the pursuit of external stimulation gets people out of their homes and spending. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Therefore, extroversion is favoured in consumer nations. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Maybe, in part, that preference is why simplicity has not been a popular choice. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A quiet, inward-focused life is not business friendly. There is little profit to be made there. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">However, there is nothing wrong with spending time alone, or living a quiet, mindful, simple life, despite what our cultural conditioning tells us.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Maybe if more people tried it, they may find that they like it more than being on the constant treadmill of consumerism.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-31421328944518193862024-02-15T22:32:00.001-04:002024-02-15T22:32:39.872-04:00Make It Last: Cars<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIx_6B-4mcF9cMQKTZ4hnSWJk_VQhxFVu7qs04P_sW1QIZm7OB3TdVajUgRDew6gbpEo_3dfZl4S7Bby-MKNybz4Z7reWEaFPEXGrmksjXi-lhnQHDw-eVg6Pws8M1TdMoiQNoxOADgZzP-WaRdK3uDaQEAOJQvT7cvSEMk4uGbhPYNHKF91_nUiXNmg/s760/1969FordMustang_01_700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="760" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXIx_6B-4mcF9cMQKTZ4hnSWJk_VQhxFVu7qs04P_sW1QIZm7OB3TdVajUgRDew6gbpEo_3dfZl4S7Bby-MKNybz4Z7reWEaFPEXGrmksjXi-lhnQHDw-eVg6Pws8M1TdMoiQNoxOADgZzP-WaRdK3uDaQEAOJQvT7cvSEMk4uGbhPYNHKF91_nUiXNmg/w851-h566/1969FordMustang_01_700.jpg" width="851" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; text-align: left;">I made my very first car last me for 13 years.<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">My first car, a used 1969 Mustang, was bought for $750 dollars. I fixed it up myself in my parent's garage, then proceeded to drive it for the next 13 years. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">When I decided to try going car-free for a while, I sold it... for $750 dollars.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Buying a car has become a bit more expensive since then. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Right now it is more expensive than it has ever been, with the average price of a new car in Canada having risen by 30% just since 2019. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The best way to beat car manufacturers selling $50,000 average vehicles is to not buy them. That was our choice when our van went to the vehicle cemetery a few years back.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The next vehicle I buy will be a mountain bike.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">However, most people have cars, and often need cars to do the things required to get by. Our entire system is designed to encourage the buying and use of cars, because that is where the money's at.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">For those that need a car, the best way to beat big vehicle manufacturers is to make your ride last as long as possible, like my Mustang experience.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The British actor known as Mr. Bean agrees with me. He has pointed out that the world would be better off environmentally if we would keep our vehicles longer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">While cars are built to last about 14 years, the majority of drivers replace their cars before they are 5 years old.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Rowan Atkinson said, and he has degrees in electrical engineering, that keeping our regular vehicles longer is better for the climate than switching to an all electric fleet.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Of course, that was massively controversial, and he was immediately demonized for saying so. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The media went on to singlehandedly blame him for declining electric vehicle sales, never mind the possibility that consumers are finding they just don't like the heavy, expensive, and somewhat awkward to operate new cars.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Perhaps we should have a debate about the issue.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That is what used to happen before they rolled out the much more convenient cancelling of everyone with a differing opinion, or facts, or data, or evidence, or reality.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">So which is really better? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Keeping our regular cars much longer by taking good care of them, or changing over the entire global fleet to electric alternatives?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Considering the drawbacks of going all electric, which consumers are becoming very familiar with as the rollout begins to flounder, it may be time to look at other solutions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What if the more effective answer is just making your current car last longer?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What if Mr. Bean is right?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-63470612565971936872024-02-12T07:31:00.004-04:002024-02-12T17:16:05.235-04:00Joy<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRLf0is4NBgI1mSSl1HaSr3AKEo46B9P-1NShvGp_MZ_1fI0-CH2Up1bD9jazGPLN60rlso8mVzL2HNRYvbYlfek7WFD01ohipIeJ7J__ARaq_B_X3uxqfeUGW7esMj1P9BYyJrrsIlRilC5t24-XeR-C1twxBFZYp6bMZ5WPq_0QRwCd-NR8KXMFSzc/s1985/il_1588xN.1958681761_sf1b.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1985" data-original-width="1588" height="831" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRLf0is4NBgI1mSSl1HaSr3AKEo46B9P-1NShvGp_MZ_1fI0-CH2Up1bD9jazGPLN60rlso8mVzL2HNRYvbYlfek7WFD01ohipIeJ7J__ARaq_B_X3uxqfeUGW7esMj1P9BYyJrrsIlRilC5t24-XeR-C1twxBFZYp6bMZ5WPq_0QRwCd-NR8KXMFSzc/w665-h831/il_1588xN.1958681761_sf1b.jpg" width="665" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">"You took my joy - I want it back."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- Lucinda Williams</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Living more simply is not just about saving money, or reducing your impact on the Earth. For many simple living people, it is about finding more joy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we reduce the amount of busyness and stuff in our lives we can focus more on the simple activities of life where</span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> love, magic, and mystery can be found. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Most often, these are activities that can not be bought anywhere for any amount of money. Chasing joy through conspicuous consumption is a dead end.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Where do I find joy?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">For me, I am talking about things like watching the sun rise or set, or watching snow fall.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I find joy in cooking every day with wholesome ingredients to make healthy, tasty meals. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A more recent example was going on 5 snowshoe hikes over 5 days. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Joy, joy, joy, joy, joy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">There is a lot of stuff going on in the world today that can take your joy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But if we don't have the possibility of producing joy in our lives, what have we got? Not much.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That is what a simple life can do for you - increase the amount of joy by eliminating as much of that which is joyless as possible.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A few more joy-inducing experiences for me would be:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- seeing several serious signs of spring (like my garden beginning to grow)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- alliteration (I am easily joyed)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">- only putting out one bag of garbage every few weeks</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- spotting wildlife while out in nature</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- making Linda laugh</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">- not owning a vehicle (a case where spending less money is yielding more joy)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">One might live more simply to save money, or to reduce one's impact on the planet. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But doing so for those reasons can also bring joy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Hmm, maybe living simply is all about finding more joy. That is certainly my experience.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What brings you joy?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-34233180530426866662024-02-09T23:25:00.002-04:002024-02-10T08:22:47.383-04:00Adbusters Ad Parodies<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLY6hElN_qhDBb8xgciJhshfIujNoJ65J6uBeXIE03IZ8mUi0CBwlwXnGufNl9P1LJg4e7hIdNdXi7EERzA5x1tr37UsGYjq73ytGh5B-tCM9tbAdQswEReodR6QRuwD2Q_wr02knAUkG0gYRip5exgtUbjI1dV64ftP9iLTEz3Rwk_SUBOUzFIH5aJ_o/s948/038ce87ce2e6a57fbcc9732ea55c2119.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="948" data-original-width="668" height="774" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLY6hElN_qhDBb8xgciJhshfIujNoJ65J6uBeXIE03IZ8mUi0CBwlwXnGufNl9P1LJg4e7hIdNdXi7EERzA5x1tr37UsGYjq73ytGh5B-tCM9tbAdQswEReodR6QRuwD2Q_wr02knAUkG0gYRip5exgtUbjI1dV64ftP9iLTEz3Rwk_SUBOUzFIH5aJ_o/w544-h774/038ce87ce2e6a57fbcc9732ea55c2119.jpg" width="544" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Adbusters asks, "Why have mood disorders increased in each <br />successive generation throughout the 20th century?"<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Adbusters is a Canadian outfit that publishes the pro-free-your-mental-space/anti-advertising <a href="https://www.adbusters.org" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Adbusters</span></a> magazine. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);">They propose a revolution to overthrow business as usual. Their method is the MLF (Mental Liberation Front), and the goal is to free our minds of the negative effects of corrupted capitalism.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6PnCe-N02SFAvFUHbpeCqjCEEmvdTAsn5_e6kgY_qsL8WFiP1AgurELIGFcCRVjG_vV4m_BtvjEWjE7G6-4F-44lqhU4A-c0glzFFoNgofSzdV4W5UhLqiIx1udTis3i4HUJbgCHANJ6lMbAhef_qWJ8rYjr4K9IRR7GCMm4a7faavq-iP10n148_B4/s1350/6207071b2e95782d7043e597_mcdonalds-all-beef-spoofad.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="713" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6PnCe-N02SFAvFUHbpeCqjCEEmvdTAsn5_e6kgY_qsL8WFiP1AgurELIGFcCRVjG_vV4m_BtvjEWjE7G6-4F-44lqhU4A-c0glzFFoNgofSzdV4W5UhLqiIx1udTis3i4HUJbgCHANJ6lMbAhef_qWJ8rYjr4K9IRR7GCMm4a7faavq-iP10n148_B4/w570-h713/6207071b2e95782d7043e597_mcdonalds-all-beef-spoofad.jpg" width="570" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Only $20 dollars for all of this in a Big Mac meal. A bargain for<br /></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(73, 73, 73); font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">590 calories and 34 grams of fat, not counting the fries<br />or drink.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">One method they use to highlight the insidious effects of advertising is to create ad parodies. It is a form of subvertising that is very effective.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdT4X3uQyq2RkxBeXsFE7pgM_FQPMxT7OC1eaD8hmT0G1_6NETKyyVOigzsd3uNkrXUE92gsWW7T9MqpvpKgZ51bryIume_o255TaT848toRjUiwaCekpF8KKCHlLpOEw9S1Ki-vzkpAO25Pcw_PV8_o424SkFwcudxKTF0IiFho1ml7e66TatFNge7mY/s500/60e74002791507cdb5e0943d_Spoof-ad_kfc-fillup_600x480-p-500.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdT4X3uQyq2RkxBeXsFE7pgM_FQPMxT7OC1eaD8hmT0G1_6NETKyyVOigzsd3uNkrXUE92gsWW7T9MqpvpKgZ51bryIume_o255TaT848toRjUiwaCekpF8KKCHlLpOEw9S1Ki-vzkpAO25Pcw_PV8_o424SkFwcudxKTF0IiFho1ml7e66TatFNge7mY/w742-h594/60e74002791507cdb5e0943d_Spoof-ad_kfc-fillup_600x480-p-500.jpg" width="742" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Battery chickens have a nasty, brutish, and short life thanks to industrial farming methods.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Some of these parodies are funny, or tragi-funny more like. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">They can all give a jolt even to consumers long rendered numb by the constant barrage of corporate brainwashing that has trained us to desire a steady stream of more of their crap.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfz2hwmhFO_pU-vmvLqqy4TzAlP1jABHvXgiAN8VYw5vIhzhF51PaBlTSWmsFfXoR8AceODPQcOJd2EFUgcr0U2HkAllM7kHtbCWpNKZjqHWz8sBSufG0TqOCA0unoSuLMR-1TT9vj_gZ_8wyFyaVQqo_vydKVcN-ufX-ZnULGUIwXZI-EUB8VXRGeki8/s750/610442ac85f282532db9406e_100-seconds-midnight-Watch_600x750.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="600" height="760" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfz2hwmhFO_pU-vmvLqqy4TzAlP1jABHvXgiAN8VYw5vIhzhF51PaBlTSWmsFfXoR8AceODPQcOJd2EFUgcr0U2HkAllM7kHtbCWpNKZjqHWz8sBSufG0TqOCA0unoSuLMR-1TT9vj_gZ_8wyFyaVQqo_vydKVcN-ufX-ZnULGUIwXZI-EUB8VXRGeki8/w608-h760/610442ac85f282532db9406e_100-seconds-midnight-Watch_600x750.jpg" width="608" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-align: center;">Most, however, are deadly serious. Take their wristwatch ad parody "100 Seconds to Midnight" for example.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-align: center;">It refers to the <a href="https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">doomsday clock</span></a>, which is set at 90 seconds to midnight as of 2024 </span><span style="text-align: center;">according to the</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;">Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: xx-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapAJLOHh75EuT-Cny-Fs84F07NZJO2RvMI-bRijAbTaArDRQjcbnBQ6OVu8-AmQgSK558sBW9_GhLvt2xKhIEbDX0jwjnGuezIijfw6XxCOu37pm7HKKwzGLDKIcjXZo7YzfAOO9lUDa8LUTVleZyQ2Gtg5zaOA9y15h0sXSAK-ms5q_ulTJ04v6Hixg/s816/9f5bab449e8c77b5eb58c10178c7d4d4.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="600" height="875" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjapAJLOHh75EuT-Cny-Fs84F07NZJO2RvMI-bRijAbTaArDRQjcbnBQ6OVu8-AmQgSK558sBW9_GhLvt2xKhIEbDX0jwjnGuezIijfw6XxCOu37pm7HKKwzGLDKIcjXZo7YzfAOO9lUDa8LUTVleZyQ2Gtg5zaOA9y15h0sXSAK-ms5q_ulTJ04v6Hixg/w642-h875/9f5bab449e8c77b5eb58c10178c7d4d4.png" width="642" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Read the fine print.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f; font-size: xx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;">The Pfizer ad parody is also deadly serious considering what has been happening around the world since the global roll out of the experimental medical interventions that have failed dangerously despite making multi-billions in profits.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;">Just more of the same in the corrupted consumer environment that is highlighted by all of Adbusters work.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;">Free us of the festering freak show that is corporate advertising, they say, and we will free our minds. Free our minds, and we will free our lives.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31); color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">Take a closer look here at more </span><a href="https://www.adbusters.org/spoof-ads" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Adbusters ad parodies</span></a><span style="color: #1f1f1f;">.</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(31, 31, 31);"><span style="color: #1f1f1f;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-13083339279010373642024-02-08T22:31:00.006-04:002024-02-08T22:42:19.622-04:00Protests Work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDx-RSQdN79uHMDfkqovop6rMUVDqU6tJYGhmaZFcoWeuoiKrBht0c-s8ddy2bj7wXwTfOCE4cGnrchVw8SlHLROGj53nhCVk-IieZh8fV2aph5RaW_7NFoPkEUaP1gjRPx3lX8LKG07QzNDSXIu1Rni2b_XBMqwEMwkSsycLbvMyx3C8UxYtZqO0jH8/s900/IMG_0022-2-1-612x900_c.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="612" height="857" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDx-RSQdN79uHMDfkqovop6rMUVDqU6tJYGhmaZFcoWeuoiKrBht0c-s8ddy2bj7wXwTfOCE4cGnrchVw8SlHLROGj53nhCVk-IieZh8fV2aph5RaW_7NFoPkEUaP1gjRPx3lX8LKG07QzNDSXIu1Rni2b_XBMqwEMwkSsycLbvMyx3C8UxYtZqO0jH8/w584-h857/IMG_0022-2-1-612x900_c.jpg" width="584" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Headline: </span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><blockquote><span style="color: #444444;">"Under intense pressure from protesting farmers, the European Commission has dropped key passages in a proposal for a new 2040 goal for cutting greenhouse gas pollution."</span></blockquote></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The message: Protests work.</span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">If protests didn't work, governments around the world wouldn't be trying to outlaw them.</span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">If the government of Canada was not threatened by mass protests, why would they have declared a national emergency for the first time ever to end the Freedom Convoy?</span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That declaration, mind you, was recently ruled by a federal judge as an illegal use of that legislation.</span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The frightened, threatened, and panicked Canadian government used a sledge hammer to swat a fly... and missed.</span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Collective action is a life-changing, society-changing experience. </span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It works, and that is what they are afraid of.</span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 32px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We must protest now like our lives depend on it, </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">because they do.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">See you on the front lines.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-68747133986479105162024-02-05T22:29:00.002-04:002024-02-05T22:41:35.721-04:00Winter Storm<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzXq2NGk4TscribZ-5k1l0zoMZ6yo_40HadyT6Dnw0LxwdE9weX1ZN2HfUeF4pJzCltE_N4xdPyvEZ9huR_UE9MkaUSKjFjo7wUsJQvPIGSsQFAtyyMFgKZO_EC1FCqZeIRCi0Z5LHeN2HSLAaS4qKKU_kWtl_CQbDgapb_csZTYOWD5lduhXFgxH4gk/s692/cape_breton_snow_bank.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="692" data-original-width="520" height="892" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzXq2NGk4TscribZ-5k1l0zoMZ6yo_40HadyT6Dnw0LxwdE9weX1ZN2HfUeF4pJzCltE_N4xdPyvEZ9huR_UE9MkaUSKjFjo7wUsJQvPIGSsQFAtyyMFgKZO_EC1FCqZeIRCi0Z5LHeN2HSLAaS4qKKU_kWtl_CQbDgapb_csZTYOWD5lduhXFgxH4gk/w669-h892/cape_breton_snow_bank.jpg" width="669" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Monster drift up north in Cape Breton.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The past few blustery days have seen the first big snow storm of the winter across Nova Scotia. It is a hassle for some, but I welcome it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We didn't get as much snow as north of our location where they got a record breaking dump (as seen in the picture above), but it was still the biggest of the season for us. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Not one to miss a wintery opportunity despite 80 km winds, I got out for my first snowshoe today. And it was great.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUu2Qc0FqbZzV_RFSUxnQ5QBdEC07arpwmXcnwhC5Nx9-e1luUA3j2jUjLKzNf2cyd9JBPZ9kacurzrUW-lVckplznTAhHHxu7lnnKDDn_RpZoeoJuRK0rwDlCwqzjnm0XjxnAVUByXeWFgEZmkt0jhzJSUF6G2ZmYTtOQE_AXnjjVb4BoKvhmUeIrPM/s2304/101_6519.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="595" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPUu2Qc0FqbZzV_RFSUxnQ5QBdEC07arpwmXcnwhC5Nx9-e1luUA3j2jUjLKzNf2cyd9JBPZ9kacurzrUW-lVckplznTAhHHxu7lnnKDDn_RpZoeoJuRK0rwDlCwqzjnm0XjxnAVUByXeWFgEZmkt0jhzJSUF6G2ZmYTtOQE_AXnjjVb4BoKvhmUeIrPM/w793-h595/101_6519.JPG" width="793" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Drift at my back door.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">One of my favourite things while snowshoeing about in the snowy woods is seeing what other creatures are also out and about.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Today I saw the tracks of: mouse, squirrel, coyote, and deer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I also passed through an area that had evidence of several deer laying down to ride out the storm. In those spots there were deer sized divots in the deep snow, with leaves showing at the bottom.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Coyotes often take advantage of the deer's inability to move freely in deep snow. Indeed, the coyote tracks I saw today were in areas where there were also deer tracks.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntS7EMvqG35wv_MANw0M1jZh1cW_hR35o8_Ayg953oftNmZYb2Hptl2kM3MJHRHwVeTZgf_xtILG7DJtU6naUbJGAssWGGNjQY__gCbdZX5vm8yX5q8la6r-jwKd9TXkGM8kMF5YOEc3zj9JxmLOAzEOcrkquOUYqm-PrnTAUZj5hhiemy-7gUdzK28Q/s2304/101_6552.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="577" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgntS7EMvqG35wv_MANw0M1jZh1cW_hR35o8_Ayg953oftNmZYb2Hptl2kM3MJHRHwVeTZgf_xtILG7DJtU6naUbJGAssWGGNjQY__gCbdZX5vm8yX5q8la6r-jwKd9TXkGM8kMF5YOEc3zj9JxmLOAzEOcrkquOUYqm-PrnTAUZj5hhiemy-7gUdzK28Q/w769-h577/101_6552.JPG" width="769" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">The woods are incredibly beautiful draped in a snowy mantle.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Last year there were only two days that were good for snowshoeing. That is why I am planning on getting out into the woods every day until the snow either melts or gets rained upon.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">According to the forecast, that means I could have another 4 or 5 days of excellent conditions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Extra fun exercise here we come. And I will see what other wildlife tracks and signs I can find.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-39742547182403321922024-02-04T18:15:00.005-04:002024-02-05T10:27:52.380-04:00Living Simply is a Good Start<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qULrKVY9vXtC_BwrI326u6NNsM_TNMj3N_qtzaeSaZZXvWl9d_HsJbehvidN5P66R6bXQKEbEtTB7kfM1mt8nu1bascmU5PJ5jzkvpx7Nxtbyz7LKLm7u11DCArt7GqsYvjG05G9Lv1eEKHvjwbVDfH71e9QUBZtZOUbzJhMd_WuWO5nSUpDBoDHAPs/s500/business-commerce-golden_rule-proactive-attacking-do_unto_others-business-cwln10955_low.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="500" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qULrKVY9vXtC_BwrI326u6NNsM_TNMj3N_qtzaeSaZZXvWl9d_HsJbehvidN5P66R6bXQKEbEtTB7kfM1mt8nu1bascmU5PJ5jzkvpx7Nxtbyz7LKLm7u11DCArt7GqsYvjG05G9Lv1eEKHvjwbVDfH71e9QUBZtZOUbzJhMd_WuWO5nSUpDBoDHAPs/w766-h512/business-commerce-golden_rule-proactive-attacking-do_unto_others-business-cwln10955_low.jpg" width="766" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div style="font-size: xx-large;"></div><blockquote><div><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">“The point is, there is no feasible excuse for what are, for what we have made of ourselves. We have chosen to put profits before people, money before morality, dividends before decency, fanaticism before fairness, and our own trivial comforts before the unspeakable agonies of others” </span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: large;">― Iain M. Banks</span></div></blockquote><div style="font-size: xx-large;"></div><div style="font-size: xx-large;"><br /></div></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Whatever we let the forces of evil do to other people, they will eventually do to us.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We can see what they have in store for us by taking a look at what they are doing around the world now.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The NATO vs Russia war hosted by Ukraine.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The horrific and ongoing genocide in Gaza supported by all the western nations including my own, Canada.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The EU going after their farmers in order to divert money to corruption and war.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The seizing of Russian foreign assets.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The ignoring and coverup of the out of control deaths and injuries in post-pandemic times not attributable to covid.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What are the populations of the countries responsible for these horrors doing about this mess?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Our silence and inaction is interpreted as our support for more death and destruction.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I want to go on record to say that I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS STATE OF AFFAIRS, and will do anything within my sphere of influence to make it stop.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What many don't see coming, is that what we are allowing to happen with our tax dollars by our "democratic representatives" will eventually come home to roost. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We should be fighting against the death and destruction being wrought upon the world because it is the right thing to do.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But we should also fight it as an act of self-preservation because we are next.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">If we do nothing, we are doomed to the same fate as our brothers and sisters in Israel and Palestine, Ukraine and Russia, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Libya, and Iraq. Eventually the war machine will turn on Iran. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">And then us? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Our farmers will be the ones to be attacked and rendered unable to feed themselves and the rest of us.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We will find our bank accounts seized for making the wrong kind of post to social media, or for joining a protest, or for <b>not</b> taking a questionable experimental treatment of the establishment's choosing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We will be dehumanized and disposed of, for the convenience and benefit of a small, psychopathic, greedy minority, just so that they may have more.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Our greatest threat is not climate change, contrary to what we are told. That is being used to divert our attention from larger threats.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">As I see it, our greatest threat is the insane wealth and power of a tiny portion of humanity, and their psychopathic need to control and own everything. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Our greatest threat is our own inaction in the face of their evil plots for global domination.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What started out as an experiment in consumerism and democracy will end with our collapse and eventual extinction if we don't take massive action starting today.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We can see where this is headed, and it doesn't look good. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Living simply is a good start, but it won't be enough.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-24017993777051652822024-01-30T18:30:00.003-04:002024-01-30T19:43:27.058-04:00Make It Last: Point and Shoot Camera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ibltlZqBAg0ugwDbFxEKAd0Vdbls4jd0T2u9ufgXaeFvLYgy4oKNs404Ws3QzPBDlKLW02HhhiNCO147ch4QnjiSPo9DzL_z4XKqafwRMBmt1k-30C7Up3G69bGSitgUiwDjoqeei-2KEi3mL0hmz6oLrQhcWOTYRTboBNVNnBBPoumLBr659T9I4gQ/s1864/Kodak_EasyShare_C330.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1496" data-original-width="1864" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ibltlZqBAg0ugwDbFxEKAd0Vdbls4jd0T2u9ufgXaeFvLYgy4oKNs404Ws3QzPBDlKLW02HhhiNCO147ch4QnjiSPo9DzL_z4XKqafwRMBmt1k-30C7Up3G69bGSitgUiwDjoqeei-2KEi3mL0hmz6oLrQhcWOTYRTboBNVNnBBPoumLBr659T9I4gQ/w640-h514/Kodak_EasyShare_C330.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I acquired a brand new digital camera in 2005 for free, using rewards points. It was worth about $200.00 at the time.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The camera was 4.0 mega pixels, and I took thousands of photos with it over the years. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Talk about making it last. That was a bargain, I would say.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">This Fall my beaten and battered camera started doing strange things like turning on and off by itself. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I implemented my simple repair protocol commensurate with my limited skills when it comes to electronics:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">1. <b>Turn camera on and off. </b>If that doesn't work,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">2. <b>Take out batteries, recharge and replace.</b> <b>Repeat number 1.</b> </span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-large;">If that doesn't work,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">3.<b> Take camera apart and poke around inside. Put camera back together.</b> </span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Repeat number 1.</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I got to step three of my protocol and it still didn't work, so my camera, after almost 20 years of faithful service, is near the end of its picture taking days.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Since I acquired my camera, new cameras went from 4 MP like mine, up to 61 MP for a high MP camera today.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But 4 MP was, and still is, enough for me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Obviously I didn't get caught up by upgrades over the years, although I might upgrade now. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Perhaps a 10 MP! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Ideally, I can get something for free again. That is my preferred price to pay for anything.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Update: I tried one more time before going for my last hike, and the camera started working again. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But who knows for how long? A new camera may be in my future. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Strange, and somewhat comforting, to think that it could be the last camera I ever need to buy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-82661972899557869442024-01-29T11:57:00.007-04:002024-01-29T12:05:02.914-04:00Zen Simple<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0KGrkFQeJ5D6nZaMQjkSNrzDqJZN2ZVphicFuPafjuTsZqnF2BwBjY84DGBTHHZvdB38A0DRIo-325DKZWB6DSLLxEODhn9jXQFwFrFf8bswpq6aZpNQp5-5-5xbyCJ3M8xEGn3thg_hcYcctigot3tCUfolqHnVVdRotWPqn2n4HFOp3MOoYeFhPYw/s370/07cab46bf002a61e4bfd31d86efa710f.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="319" height="677" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0KGrkFQeJ5D6nZaMQjkSNrzDqJZN2ZVphicFuPafjuTsZqnF2BwBjY84DGBTHHZvdB38A0DRIo-325DKZWB6DSLLxEODhn9jXQFwFrFf8bswpq6aZpNQp5-5-5xbyCJ3M8xEGn3thg_hcYcctigot3tCUfolqHnVVdRotWPqn2n4HFOp3MOoYeFhPYw/w584-h677/07cab46bf002a61e4bfd31d86efa710f.jpg" width="584" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I am a simple man. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That is why Eastern ways of thought have always appealed to me - they emphasize the simple truths in life.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Zen, for example, teaches a mindful, uncluttered way of living that makes a lot of sense for me. I admire its practicality.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It is a process of discovering wisdom through simplicity. I have always thought this to be a pursuit worthy of making it a life goal.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Living simply on a finite planet is unarguably wise. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The wisdom attained while living Zen simple is paired with compassion. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That leads to a unique expression in everyday life that applies to one's self, others, and nature.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><blockquote><span style="color: #444444;">"Zen is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism. It emphasizes the value and importance of meditation and intuition rather than ritual worship or study of scriptures. It focuses on exercising rigorous self-control, practicing meditation, insight into Buddhism, gratitude, helping others, and being in the present moment." - Harsh Tiwari</span></blockquote></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It is a state of mind that is gentle and kind.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">How does one achieve this? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">1. Be fully present in the moment, and</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">2. Strive to become clear-headed, and free from unnecessary complications.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">These allow one to live life in its purist form, without the distractions and distortions that cloud our perception and enjoyment of living.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">When one clears the clutter, mentally and physically, beautiful things happen. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">More simple.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">More nothing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">More space.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">More free.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-28436893535354117682024-01-26T17:52:00.000-04:002024-01-26T17:52:20.748-04:00Cooped Up<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_04j8CelvlRVSTw6w05WNjp_kMYNrplJf0SeUOFrdFvdWOP0Jv0791urhWwDw5v_9XeJUCpqJFw4ZPj4Ogto0P-kigFi0-MOYkdRdq0TikLdat7Q6MjltzITH5TCfP20YBf3vs2CCk4BJ4GZ9L9CtY_JFpW6tPYe9Mc7jqcLegyraIaczIWl2LrOVpg/s2304/fullsizeoutput_fc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="629" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_04j8CelvlRVSTw6w05WNjp_kMYNrplJf0SeUOFrdFvdWOP0Jv0791urhWwDw5v_9XeJUCpqJFw4ZPj4Ogto0P-kigFi0-MOYkdRdq0TikLdat7Q6MjltzITH5TCfP20YBf3vs2CCk4BJ4GZ9L9CtY_JFpW6tPYe9Mc7jqcLegyraIaczIWl2LrOVpg/w838-h629/fullsizeoutput_fc.jpeg" width="838" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Sunrise in the back yard.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It has been a few days since the chickens moved on to their next home, and I am realizing something important about them - they got me outside.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">For 40 days I went outside, regardless of subzero temperature or wicked weather conditions. I had to, or the chickens would suffer. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That is quite the motivator.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1UD2jHfM9iW94INuWyTWPWcHuGMuds4ouVcL4nsL17QwEStcZ7tfMqf_VaBkz-4AQSN4t7bLX0xLSFxq-izgZzwTvU6HrisPqAhACjwhyuHz2uO_oz7U6Rip1EyBw5X9eITFhux1Pjo5bRLwZyKIVL3DXmaFmmion_zgPoCAOR0qlwHc_NXhIcwng30/s2304/100_7729.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB1UD2jHfM9iW94INuWyTWPWcHuGMuds4ouVcL4nsL17QwEStcZ7tfMqf_VaBkz-4AQSN4t7bLX0xLSFxq-izgZzwTvU6HrisPqAhACjwhyuHz2uO_oz7U6Rip1EyBw5X9eITFhux1Pjo5bRLwZyKIVL3DXmaFmmion_zgPoCAOR0qlwHc_NXhIcwng30/w826-h620/100_7729.JPG" width="826" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Sugar shack in a sugar maple grove down in the valley.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The hens were a compelling reason to get outside every single day, and sometimes several times a day, like if it was cold out and their water was freezing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The day after the chickens left, I stayed inside the whole day, the first time I had done so since getting them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I felt off.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="611" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDG6VIvyedbzblh8_5_utkCbBOhMdUEMVdsrvWI5cwCBL1wgq3RPZHiflEBnlfxEjkDx4u7hual27e9dyaQqdJQhQthf3NcN6QPQdTvHAVV2mUxw8y8kaYLrapTFMiZwKIgskA2NvgL3XC6B6FMhmg9ZlYdB08q9w_lleZ7_XEel-PlfMc-oopCJ3ncs/w814-h611/100_7730.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="814" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Entering the spruce forest.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDG6VIvyedbzblh8_5_utkCbBOhMdUEMVdsrvWI5cwCBL1wgq3RPZHiflEBnlfxEjkDx4u7hual27e9dyaQqdJQhQthf3NcN6QPQdTvHAVV2mUxw8y8kaYLrapTFMiZwKIgskA2NvgL3XC6B6FMhmg9ZlYdB08q9w_lleZ7_XEel-PlfMc-oopCJ3ncs/s2304/100_7730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">It was nice having the routine of getting up with the chickens, and together watching the sun rise in the back yard every morning.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Now I have to get myself outside, which thankfully is not that hard to do given that our home is surrounded by nature.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But, in winter, it can sometimes be a challenge, and if we don't have a strong motivation, we tend to enjoy the indoor environment of our human coops.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That is good, but only to a point. Nature always beckons.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5Eq0hR8-0Ct1zCVoved8nhwM2ZDu6gn8na-Naqea0z0JHNeAXtMplAM67UQVr3U_zKNMQUR4dy3CebP6WQ2N17HpRHTKnPsUGJoR0A0xx7xY3wdaa_-Pr-vd93f_WKrYqAe3-kJRpAnwIbNGh2x67gs8lqVR5LFe3ZJy5_Aiz8pj95TzjDNIy2vwpT0/w867-h650/100_7731.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="867" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Brook at the bottom of the valley enters the ocean 6 km downstream.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv5Eq0hR8-0Ct1zCVoved8nhwM2ZDu6gn8na-Naqea0z0JHNeAXtMplAM67UQVr3U_zKNMQUR4dy3CebP6WQ2N17HpRHTKnPsUGJoR0A0xx7xY3wdaa_-Pr-vd93f_WKrYqAe3-kJRpAnwIbNGh2x67gs8lqVR5LFe3ZJy5_Aiz8pj95TzjDNIy2vwpT0/s2304/100_7731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Except for the picture at the top of this post, all other pictures are from a back yard hike I went on recently.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just me - no chickens. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">I noted, though, that the hens didn't like the snow much, and preferred to spend snow days in their coop rather than free ranging.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">When we say, "</span><span style="font-family: verdana;">cooped up" we don't usually mean anything good. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But it is not always a bad thing, either.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">To a point.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Then I have to get out.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwuubmRQ8ln_NbU7paCL297xdmAg8ZaElFe3lx09qBHQKh6Y-MIkFhaxRqWJnyaYju1mTOUa0rXi2J-kc01zrpX3qlA4u8ndc1nta0VAnZ1dNMVck56aeUUgmT_satm7EFV4cxDEMRwUu8LEKrP5s4S9tkSc6xuQH2Ug7IIjMYgyIwCFs5WFTqUTQ-UM/s2304/100_7737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1728" data-original-width="2304" height="650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwwuubmRQ8ln_NbU7paCL297xdmAg8ZaElFe3lx09qBHQKh6Y-MIkFhaxRqWJnyaYju1mTOUa0rXi2J-kc01zrpX3qlA4u8ndc1nta0VAnZ1dNMVck56aeUUgmT_satm7EFV4cxDEMRwUu8LEKrP5s4S9tkSc6xuQH2Ug7IIjMYgyIwCFs5WFTqUTQ-UM/w867-h650/100_7737.JPG" width="867" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Storms alter the forest continuously, including knocking down big, old trees.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-85672225451340670872024-01-23T18:22:00.001-04:002024-01-23T18:22:08.060-04:00Consumerism = Mass Greed<div><span style="caret-color: rgb(44, 45, 48);"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEwYZPKsjWRXcGy5m1XvHGiuf6-kab5TgJF1Gneaxa-eZZkGXJpkjD1o6c4rgt_julwvcqHgKSaoaivAkWhfYARknY3okze82UD34-z02n4dbrMwYdR-fppacutwy9X1DFS5GoylU76-Mu3ON97eQSKRcqC-0-jFdBNTMR0ahy1UZi2ABwl9qeaPaE-c/s800/consumerism-man-swallowing-vomiting-consumer-goods-conceptual-vector-illustration-38675612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="800" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEwYZPKsjWRXcGy5m1XvHGiuf6-kab5TgJF1Gneaxa-eZZkGXJpkjD1o6c4rgt_julwvcqHgKSaoaivAkWhfYARknY3okze82UD34-z02n4dbrMwYdR-fppacutwy9X1DFS5GoylU76-Mu3ON97eQSKRcqC-0-jFdBNTMR0ahy1UZi2ABwl9qeaPaE-c/w640-h628/consumerism-man-swallowing-vomiting-consumer-goods-conceptual-vector-illustration-38675612.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p> </p><blockquote>"Greed is the disordered desire for more than is decent or deserved, not for the greater good but for one’s own selfish interest, and at the detriment of others and society at large." </blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: right;">- Neel Burton</span></blockquote></span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(44, 45, 48);"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><p style="text-align: right;"> </p></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We are in the era of mass greed. It has taken over western civilization as the only remaining guiding principle.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Consumerism fuels the fire of greed-driven desire.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Get as much money, power, influence, and stuff as you can, as quickly as you can, and with as least amount of work as possible is the golden rule. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">People will do anything to acquire the necessary trappings in this sick worship of greed.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That includes destroying everything that is dear, and descending into self and planet destroying ways. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">There are two things that can save us at this precipitous point in history.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">1. The People awakening to what is happening, sparking a sustained mass movement and/or</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">2. The total collapse of the system.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Either way, we will at some point get renewal. You could even call it a reset.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But it won't be the so-called elites wet dream of population destruction and total digital control of those that are left standing. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">That project started to fail as soon as it was launched.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What is coming is The Peoples' Reset, where free people make up our own minds about what is important, what is essential, and what can be left behind.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Encouraging and rewarding greed have to be the first things to go. Consumerism will fade along with them.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Then we move from being passive consumers to active participants in creative production of the means of living.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It will be simple, and it will be great. For us, and the planet.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-45615978215686868492024-01-21T11:28:00.000-04:002024-01-21T11:28:08.621-04:00Chickens Egg-sit Stage Left<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQZjcs8ogfZaJkBP9h2A5TOt28eJdO27Wh1ZqQDe__H4Wr-n4zYkAeaK12WiTGjmSA_ZHw-tBDCCzLevkkFccttZjjHaXy0bQdnCYmlYMvlNOFbiWNMVNO5ZKPANiU1sIvusgTEVD2uYsETcSgeYloe0gbNhH1fcbeUKGi8IUVqR_AaaybWQnG-U8bKc/s420/chickenprotest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="400" height="772" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQZjcs8ogfZaJkBP9h2A5TOt28eJdO27Wh1ZqQDe__H4Wr-n4zYkAeaK12WiTGjmSA_ZHw-tBDCCzLevkkFccttZjjHaXy0bQdnCYmlYMvlNOFbiWNMVNO5ZKPANiU1sIvusgTEVD2uYsETcSgeYloe0gbNhH1fcbeUKGi8IUVqR_AaaybWQnG-U8bKc/w736-h772/chickenprotest.jpg" width="736" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Somebody hand me a hen-kerchief - <a href="https://notbuyinganything.blogspot.com/2024/01/chickens-come-chickens-go.html"><span style="color: red;">our chickens are gone</span></a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It's sad. I'm being serious, and not trying to be a comedi-hen.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">We had great eggs-pectations about increasing our food security, but did not see a single egg after all that beaking around.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">For 40 days and 40 nights my care for the two beautiful birds was im-peck-able.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">They came to appreciate my hen-some face appearing at their coop every morning at sunrise, noon, and then again at dusk.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Sometimes I would find their food container tipped over, and would suspect fowl play.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But for the most part, they were a joy to spend time with, and they really helped me see the big peck-ture.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Now that they have flown the coop, I hope I don't have an eggs-istential crisis.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4312736954468978064.post-60461670556405883512024-01-19T12:24:00.002-04:002024-01-19T12:29:43.575-04:00Dumb Consumer Item of the Month - Single Use Plastics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapbuuVDK_q0K6wuGfL0OsB-4YR3QvRHqO7zhQI22qVF2-UG4Xts5QU0ZZeq0fV5N0ZZ5gRPhJQWO5ZBhRtu63Vf8Nkt0jd1S_x6-SGaa95ywM238QH_GmyTLgWnqoUtA4GJpIAE1DRXJoTAkZrumMoshcfoioZvrdiIwgwmsfF6PP8EhAgqMhhlP6qhw/s1748/GOUMBOOK_plastic_effects_onhealth.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1240" data-original-width="1748" height="609" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiapbuuVDK_q0K6wuGfL0OsB-4YR3QvRHqO7zhQI22qVF2-UG4Xts5QU0ZZeq0fV5N0ZZ5gRPhJQWO5ZBhRtu63Vf8Nkt0jd1S_x6-SGaa95ywM238QH_GmyTLgWnqoUtA4GJpIAE1DRXJoTAkZrumMoshcfoioZvrdiIwgwmsfF6PP8EhAgqMhhlP6qhw/w858-h609/GOUMBOOK_plastic_effects_onhealth.jpg" width="858" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The first manufactured plastic was in 1862. The first fully synthetic plastic was invented in 1907. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The Plastic Age started in the 1950s.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">And now, they are everywhere.</span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They are in the water, the soil, air, and our food.</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">But it seems to have taken up until 2024 to figure out that a lot of that plastic has ended up in our bodies. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The health implications are not fully known, even after 70 years of using plastic. Big, open scientific questions about levels of exposure and toxicity remain.</span></div><h2 class="header-default__deck___UAY0V" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(49, 49, 59); color: #31313b; font-family: museo-sans, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.3333333333; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></h2><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A lot of the many tons of plastic produced over the years is for single use products. We can try to use it and lose it, but it just doesn't go away.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Some plastics can take tens of thousands of years to degrade in a landfill, so it is a problem that won't be solved any time soon. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The lowly shopping bag and water bottle are ubiquitous global examples of noxious single use items.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; word-wrap: break-word;"></p><blockquote><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: #444444;">"The economics of mass-produced, cheap plastic products have led to a single-use culture, and today around 500 billion PET bottles are sold every year.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="color: #444444;">This figure is increasing, and the majority of these bottles end up in our oceans, degrading into microplastics."</span></p></blockquote><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"></p></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The degradation of plastic itself is a problem as it creates the microplastics that are popular in the news right now. </span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: -webkit-standard;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">These tiny terrors have been found at the top of Mt. Everest, the bottom of the Mariana Trench, and everywhere in-between.</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">It's not just sea turtles being threatened any more, so maybe we will start to take this issue seriously, and actually do something about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">What is needed is a move away from single use plastics. But don't wait for any kind of outside action, we can all start our own de-plasticization program today.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">A lot of single use plastic is used in the food industry, so that is a great place to start. Here are a few ways we have reduced this scourge in our home.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">1. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">We try to get foods sold in plastic into glass containers at home as soon as possible.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">2. We refuse to buy anything that comes in hard shell plastic. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">3. We have never used cling wrap, nor found it necessary.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">4. We don't buy fast food, and very little processed foods.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">5. When shopping we look for foods with no packaging, or are packaged in cardboard, paper, tin, or glass.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">6. When in areas that did not have safe drinking water we treated tap water in our water bottle rather than buy bottled water.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">7. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">The biggest thing that has reduced our consumption of single use plastic has been cooking as much from scratch as possible. For example, every time we make yogurt is a time we don't need another plastic container that needs to be "recycled" at a later date. We store our home made yogurt in a glass container.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">The biggest thing we can do is rely on plastics less. Refusing plastic products will reduce plastic production, which will reduce plastic pollution, including micro plastics.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">As always, before you purchase anything, think if you really need it, and if there are any non-toxic alternatives.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
Gregg Koephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09349453216733070775noreply@blogger.com2