They say you never forget how to ride a bike...

I am not sure that anything I add here can do this video justice. I thought we were pretty radical when I was a kid when we made jump ramps out of firewood and old lumber. I always had a need for speed on my 10-speeds (remember those?) so I would have missed the bus for this style anyway.

Compost

If you have ever watched a home and garden show, or spent much time reading magazines about growing flowers, you have probably heard about composting. It is all the rage on the green websites too. Several years ago, I thought I would try my hand at composting. I was a little skeptical as I began building the first bin, but it would not take long for our family to be impressed.

Composting is nothing more than managing biomass at home and turning it into soil for gardens and landscape plants. As organic matter decomposes, it turns into some of the best soil you could ever hope to grow a tomato plant in. Composting eliminated one, maybe two bags of trash each week at our house. You never know if recycling glass or plastic really saves money and resources, but there’s little doubt about compost. You can watch the process right before your eyes in just a few weeks.

Some of the things we compost:

• dryer lint, old bread, leaves, paper
  

• spoiled fruit, vegetable peelings, plants
  

• cereal crumbs, coffee grinds, coffee filters

• leftovers, grass, egg shells
  

• chip crumbs, rabbit pellets, gerbil bedding

To get started, you need to build something to hold your compost material. You can see some good ideas here. Ideally, you need three bins to separate the materials through the decomposition process. The first bin has new material and you continually add to it. The second bin has mostly broken down material and could be used as a soil amendment (fertilizer). The third bin is material that is completely broken down. I have been able to make it work with two bins; it just takes a little longer.

The next thing you need to know is layering and aeration. Layering can be broken down into two words: brown and green. I have read that a 3 to 1 brown to green ratio works best, but I have used a 1 to 1 ration and have not had any problems with odor or decomposition; it just breaks down slower. Brown items are old leaves, dead plants, animal bedding, and paper. Everything else is green. Mainly, moist items, or things that contain water are green.

It is important to mix up the contents about once each week to ensure that air is mixed in and reaching all the material in the compost. Exposure to air increases the decomposition rate. This is the reason that materials in landfills do not break down; modern landfills are air tight. I have found it’s easiest to empty the compost from the bin, mix it, and shovel it back in.

One of the ways to be certain that your process is working correctly is that it will make tremendous heat. Often, it gets hot enough that it is uncomfortable to keep your hand against it. Layering correctly helps to breakdown materials quicker. Also, you should have a lid on your composter to help control moisture. Too much rain will definitely slow things down.

Composting may not save the world, but it does reduce material to the landfill. It saves me money because I buy less topsoil each year. This is also where most of our paper junk mail goes. And there is a ready supply of big juicy worms at the composter when it’s time to head to the lake and fish!

Global Warming Data Faked

The latest debacle by “scientists” to create a data scenario showing unusual warming in our century has been exposed for fraud. The mainstream media is not very vocal about this, so I will briefly describe what has happened.

It turns out that the data used by the IPCC to show global warming was purposely skewed to make it look like this century was the warmest ever recorded. The first heads up that this data was suspect occurred when scientists refused to release the data for other scientists to replicate their findings.

Newsflash for anyone who has not taken the time to research ice core data, tree ring proxies, and written history of the planet: now is not the warmest period civilization has experienced. Below is the generally accepted history of earth’s temperature.

Mann et. al. challenged this perspective with their thoroughly discredited “hockey stick graph.” However, the IPCC decided to run with this data anyway for obvious reasons:

It was revealed that Mann et. al. had written an algorithm to create this graph, which means that Mann just used the data that supported his theory, and ignored the rest. Another method had to be found to keep the faith, I mean global warming, alive. Keith Briffa, a climatologist, saved the day for global warmongers with his temperature reconstruction using tree ring data. Briffa’s graph was also challenged, and he too refused to allow anyone to see the data and replicate his work.

Briffa’s tree ring temperature reconstruction:

To make a long story short, the data finally got out. It was discovered that Briffa had used the data from 12 trees out of a 240 tree data set to create the warming trend shown in the above chart. When the complete set of data is charted out, you get this:

That’s right, no warming for this century; the trees have spoken.

The IPCC is trying to cram anthropomorphic (man-made) global warming down our throats. Our own congress is seriously considering raising our taxes, decimating what is left of our industry, throwing away hundreds of thousands (maybe millions) of jobs, and tripling your electric bills because of the academic misconduct of individuals like Mann and Briffa.

America, you need to wake up. Do your homework; just read online and learn about our climate. You will quickly notice that anyone who claims that the debate is over regarding carbon dioxide and climate change is a fool. Or worse. Stop being lied to and stop being afraid. Start holding people accountable for their lies and deceit. Start with congress.

Will you take one for Barack Obama?

86 Ways to say "Very Good!"

Here are 86 ways to make your speech and maybe someone else's day more positive. (Link)

1. Good for you!
2. That’s really nice
3. Superb
4. That’s the best ever
5. You did that very well
6. That’s great!
7. You’ve got it made
8. Way to go!
9. Terrific
10. That’s the way to do it!
11. That’s not bad!
12. That’s quite an improvement
13. Couldn’t have done it better myself
14. Good thinking
15. Marvelous
16. You really are going to town
17. You’re doing fine
18. Keep up the good work
19. You’re really improving
20. That’s it!
21. You’re on the right track now!
22. That’s better
23. Now you’ve got it figured out
24. You haven’t missed a thing
25. Outstanding!
26. Fantastic!
27. That’s coming along nicely
28. You outdid yourself today
29. I know you can do it
30. You’re doing a good job
31. Good work
32. That’s the right way to do it
33. You figured that out fast
34. That’s better
35. I think you’ve got it now
36. Right on!
37. I’m proud of the way you worked today
38. Well, look at you go!
39. Tremendous!
40. That’s the best you’ve ever done!
41. You certainly did well today
42. That’s RIGHT!
43. Perfect!
44. You must have been practicing!
45. Nice going
46. Great!
47. You’ve got your brain in gear today
48. Keep working on it…You’re getting better
49. Now you’ve got the hang of it
50. You remembered!
51. WOW!
52. That kind of work makes me very happy.
53. Wonderful!
54. You’re really working hard today
55. You’re getting better every day
56. That’s what I call a fine job!
57. You’re learning fast
58. I knew you could do it!
59. You make it look easy
60. I’m very proud of you
61. That’s a good boy/girl
62. One more time an you’ll have it
63. That’s very much better
64. Fine!
65. Super!
66. That’s good
67. You did lot of work today
68. Good job
69. Keep it up!
70. You really make this fun
71. You’ve got that down pat
72. Good remembering
73. Congratulations
74. Nothing can stop you now
75. Exactly right!
76. You are doing much better today
77. Nice going
78. Keep on trying
79. Excellent!
80. You are really learning a lot
81. Sensational!
82. You’ve jut about got it!
83. You’re doing beautifully
84. I’ve never seen anyone do it better
85. You’ve just mastered that!
86. You are very good at that.

12 miles to the bale

Not that I care too much about gas mileage (see Full Size!), but here is this month's cartoon from Reverend Fun.

What is green?

The fragile earth crowd never ceases to humor me with their outlandish and worthless ideas for saving the planet. Most of these people live by the mantra “If it makes you feel good, it is good.” And they often make judgments about nature the same way: “If it makes you feel bad in your heart, then it is bad for the environment. Science and reality are rarely referenced. For those of you who know a little about Myers-Briggs, you can already tell that I am not one of those “touchy feely” personality types.

I thought it would be interesting to look at what kind of judgments people make when they try to look smart by using only their feelings. There are consequences when you unhinge your mind from your emotions!

Without getting too detailed, there are building standards that determine how “green” a building can be. For the most part, if you buy all your materials locally, no matter what they are, the building will be certified as green. For some reason, these standards automatically give a green light to bamboo. Environnmentalists love bamboo plantations. They are environmentally responsible forest management, rapidly renewable (ready for harvest in 5 to 10 years), and a source of income for struggling Asian farmers.

Contrast that with the hideous "biological desert" known as a pine plantation (below) that environmentalists loathe. Pine plantations are supposedly killing wildlife, songbirds, and the planet. Maybe we should change them to bamboo for wildlife and the environment?

Somehow, in the green battles raging in newspapers and magazines (made with paper, from wood) wood has become non-green as a building product. Mainly driven by the public’s irrational fear of clear cuts in planted forests. Believe it or not, there are still people today who think that a tree never grows back after it has been cut. The same people often claim to believe in evolution, yet somehow that process ceases whenever a tree is cut with a chainsaw. Here is a picture of clearcut. Does it make you feel bad?

Here is a plantation ten to fifteen years later. Are you feeling better yet?

But here is where environmentalists get weird, err, if that makes any sense. They claim that steel and aluminum are better for the environment than using wood from trees. You have to have coal to process iron ore. Below is a picture of an iron ore mine and a coal mining operation. Yeah, I can see why environmentalists would rather have that than the pine plantation (sarcasm). Aluminum looks much the same, except that it takes huge amounts of electricity to process aluminum ore, or recycle aluminum, so you are still going to need that coal mine.

Not that I have any issues with coal or steel. I am rather fond of automobiles and electricity. Next time, we’ll talk about how cow farts are killing the planet, but deer, turkey, skunk, wolf, and bear flatulence smell like wildflowers.

Vacation

Ahhh... vacation.... water, sunsets, and sunburn


Beware the barrenness of a busy life
Socrates

What can Congress and the President Do?

These days, our Representatives and Congressmen, and the President are wildly out of control. They have over stepped their authority and disregarded the Constitution; all in the name of economic doomsdays that they keep predicting and ensuring with legislation spending money we don't have. Yet, most people remain unaware that the President has broken the law. What’s worse, many people don’t care out of irrational fear that the government should “do something.” So far, our leaders have taken exactly the kind of action that our forefathers warned us about and done exactly the wrong things that we learned the hard way through the Great Depression. Our leaders have shown that they either hate us, or they are completely ignorant.

Apparently, they assume that we the people do not know any better that their actions are unlawful. But you do not have to stay ignorant. The Government only has the power to perform a very few duties over the states. Here is that list excerpted from our Constitution:

Section. 8.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Section. 9.

The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.

No Bill of Attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

No Capitation, or other direct, Tax shall be laid, unless in Proportion to the Census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

No Tax or Duty shall be laid on Articles exported from any State.

No Preference shall be given by any Regulation of Commerce or Revenue to the Ports of one State over those of another; nor shall Vessels bound to, or from, one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay Duties in another.

No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.

No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.

Bill of Rights

Amendment 10 - Powers of the States and People

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. (in other words, any power not granted to congress above is already denied)

In our time, the idea of “general welfare” has been perverted by congress to cover any and every pet spending project that they deem necessary. There was debate between Hamilton and Madison as to the limits of general welfare spending. Madison believed that congress spending should be tied to the enumerated powers. Hamilton took a broader view that congress could spend on general things for the public welfare. Where congress and our judicial branch deviated from both Hamilton and Madison was to redefine general welfare to the individual, instead of for the states.

Nationalizing banks, taking over the auto industry, forcing the taxpayers to pay for TARP, and creating czars that only report to the President are all unconstitutional. This is way more lawlessness than what prompted the Hondurans to enforce their constitution and legally arrest President Zelaya. One can only surmise that Obama must be nervous witnessing the Honduran people rise up and enforce their constitution. How much longer will it be before we are forced to do the same?

Milton Friedman

Columbus did not seek a new route to the Indies in response to a majority directive.

Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it.

Governments never learn. Only people learn.

History suggests that capitalism is a necessary condition for political freedom. Clearly it is not a sufficient condition.

I am favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it's possible.

Most of the harm that comes from drugs is because they are illegal.

If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there'd be a shortage of sand.

Inflation is taxation without legislation.

Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.

Most economic fallacies derive from the tendency to assume that there is a fixed pie, that one party can gain only at the expense of another.

Most of the energy of political work is devoted to correcting the effects of mismanagement of government.

Nothing is so permanent as a temporary government program.

One man's opportunism is another man's statesmanship.

Only government can take perfectly good paper, cover it with perfectly good ink and make the combination worthless.

The black market was a way of getting around government controls. It was a way of enabling the free market to work. It was a way of opening up, enabling people.

The government solution to a problem is usually as bad as the problem.

The Great Depression, like most other periods of severe unemployment, was produced by government mismanagement rather than by any inherent instability of the private economy.

The greatest advances of civilization, whether in architecture or painting, in science and literature, in industry or agriculture, have never come from centralized government.

The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit..

The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that's why it's so essential to preserving individual freedom.

The power to do good is also the power to do harm.

The problem of social organization is how to set up an arrangement under which greed will do the least harm, capitalism is that kind of a system.

There's no such thing as a free lunch.

Underlying most arguments against the free market is a lack of belief in freedom itself.

Universities exist to transmit knowledge and understanding of ideas and values to students not to provide entertainment for spectators or employment for athletes.

We have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes nonwork.

Real Strength

Judges 15:14-15

As he (Sampson) approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting, and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and the ropes dropped off his hands.

And he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, and grabbed it, and slew a thousand men with it.