AliveAndKickN

Two Sides to Every Coin

As I delve more and more into the public realm, I realize that every issue has a point and a counterpoint (remember the Jane Curtin/Dan Akroyd skit?).  To misquote/paraphrase from the Dark Knight, eventually you are the hero long enough to become the goat.  As I listen to the rhetoric, it has become apparent that this is a serious generational issue facing us in November.  America First vs Global Equality; Drilling More vs Renewable Energy; Not Stopping for Directions vs GPS Systems; Debt vs Balanced Budgets; Ensure vs Organic.  It seems like the last two generations of power is fighting tooth and nail to retain it.  At what cost?   

I sat in on several conference calls with my congressman and local constituents.  Each caller who participated identified themselves as not having kids in school anymore, and many of which were retired.  They were concerned about energy prices, housing prices, and property taxes.  Not one of them was concerned about the greater global good or even the local good.  It's understandable for someone on a fixed income to be concerned.  However, in return, my congressman responded by blaming the other party for blocking legislation that would theoretically have solved their problems.  He left out the parts about potentially planning for the future, either by purchasing a more fuel-efficient car, living in a smaller house, or by saving more.  When things are good, no one complains.  Few seem to plan ahead.  Anyone saying that they can lower taxes should be forced to take a lie-detector test.  There's too much infrastructure in need of repair.       

We have freedom in the United States.  One of my favorite quotes comes from Matt Taibbi's book "The Great Derangement," regarding President Bush's famous "They hate us for our freedom" quote.  We are not hated for our freedom, we are scoffed at because of what we do with it.  We invade and occupy a sovereign nation and then threaten other countries that do similar.  We pollute the environment and then won't sign environmental treaties with other developing countries following similar paths.  We complain about our kids not getting into Ivy league schools when some kids don't even have schools to attend.  We spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year to not let Americans die, yet elsewhere, life seems disposable.  We serve more food at a kid's birthday party than many families eat in a year.  

Recently, my wife and I were out to dinner with friends.  One of the topics was how an acquaintance, who had a stroke, was divorcing his wife, after so many years of taking care of him (Hey, Lance Armstrong did it).  It seemed ironic, and the usual sarcastic quips flew.  Trying not to squash the fun, I did bring up the concept that maybe the husband didn't want his family to see him in such a light.  As someone who had been through months of physical tribulation, I can tell you first hand that if I were to have a setback once again, I would not want my family to see me deteriorate.  That's not how I want to be remembered.

Again, two sides to every coin.               

Hudson River Therapy

After listening to the nonsense with the Presidential race this week (he pulled the race card, his wife sells beer to Cuba), my frustration mounted further than usual (thank goodness for Jack Cafferty).  Combined with the too long time spent in meetings, I felt the need to give the pedometer a good workout.  But with one of my associates on vacation, I had to stay close to the home office.  One day, I did the Alpine boat basin hike down to the Hudson River.  Thankfully my mother-in-law reminded me to bring water, as the 2.2 miles each way was pretty hot.  She forgot to remind me to drive carefully however, so I recklessly drove behind a Bentley convertible afterward towards A&P (Jones natural soda and Stonyfield yogurts were on sale, plus I had coupons), then home.  Today, for a change, my wife joined me.  After getting past work obligations, we decided to have a business meeting and cross the George Washington Bridge, walk from 179th street to 191st, and grab a bite (see, there was a catch) at The New Leaf Cafe in Fort Tryon Park.  New Leaf is part of the NY Restoration Project, headed by Bette Midler.  NYRP is working to create a healthier NY City by reclaiming and restoring under-resourced parks, gardens and open spaces, often in disadvantaged neighborhoods. 

I noticed a seeming lack of boating both days.  Could be the energy prices?  30,000 hiking steps in 2 days isn't bad.  By the way, I'm picking green beans and cucumbers daily.  Tomatoes are close.  Broccoli leaves are getting eaten by rabbits, but we'll see if they survive.  Recent seedlings spinach, lettuce, pole beans, and marigolds are starting nicely.               

Somebody Tell Me it's too Simple

If you've never read my stuff before, know that I try to keep things simple and solve multiple issues with single ideas.  On Monday, America2050 project.  Just imagine southern DC through Boston working together.  With 38 million people there already, and another 20 million more expected by 2050, we better start.  Public engagement is necessary, there's no place for "I" in policy, and there is no place for political immediacy.  Results are going to be long term.  Property taxes can only go up.  Get used to high energy costs.

According to the panel, there is currently no national or state master transportation plan (not that important I guess).  Only $570million has been earmarked by the federal government (in loans, not grants) for billions of needed infrastructure.  NJ is on the hook for the rest.  The Environmental Infrastructure Trust fund is almost empty.  In the 1940's, that generation was proud of its belt-tightening.  In the 50's, the growth of roads and power.  The '60's was proud of space exploration.  I don't think anything good happened in the '70's (maybe tube tops).  The fall of communism took place in the '80's.  The Internet came along in the '90's.  What will this decade be proud of?  We still have a few years, but we might considering picking up the pace. 

The water people were concerned about the infrastructure of aging wood and lead piping, combined with additional growth needs, such as new high-rises in the inner cities.  The electricity people were concerned about additional needed capacity, combined with the need for clean technology.  Clean coal still doesn't exist and nuclear is (as it should be) a tough sell.  Deep sea drilling?  Again, my thought is to have the utility companies, who are flush with cash currently, lease space on the rooftops of every flat unimpeded box store, warehouse, plant, etc.  Setup rainwater capturing to use for non-potable purposes and setup solar panels to increase capacity right at the source, instead of losing 65% of the energy during transmission from West Virginia.  Setup net meters, so power can be sold back to the grid during peak demand.  The building owner gets some rent money or a discount.  The utility company gets more capacity.  The NIMBYs don't have to get in an uproar about additional generators in their backyard. 

P3s, or Public Private Partnerships were discussed in length as well.  Apparently, this is what Governor Corzine was trying to sell to raise money via asset monetization.  Being the simpleton, I asked if it was like using a home equity loan to buy new shoes, or to pay down expensive credit card loans.  I was told it was latter.  Unfortunately, either Governor Corzine's office couldn't sell it or New Jerseyans weren't interested in buying.  My idea would be to cut snow plow usage to save money.  If the roads are that bad, stay home.  Otherwise, you're on your own. 

Supposedly the environment in Trenton and Washington is so partisan, it's impossible to get anything done.  If I was President or Governor, I wouldn't sign a bill that wasn't approved by both sides.  There's no sense in approving something once, only to have it rescinded when the other party gets in power.    

I took a tour of a wastewater treatment facility.  The water supposedly supercedes EPA clean standards after getting through the process, and the solid waste is shipped via rail to Virginia to use as fertilizer.  A methane capturing cogeneration plant is almost finished so most of the energy needed to run the plant will be self-sustaining.  The plant manager was very proud of his for-profit mentality, but he also said something interesting - Environmentalists aren't scientific.  Think it's true?                

Lead a donkey/elephant to water...

Every time I look at pictures of the candidates on the campaign trail, I get annoyed looking at the lighting.  Virtually every venue still has a ceiling full of metal halides that are not only inefficient, but also give off lousy light and can't be controlled.  If I was running the campaign, I'd have a green team be part of the advance team that goes to each event ahead of time.  At no charge, I'd evaluate the lighting and the building envelope of the auditorium, school or otherwise.  I'd also have the hotel evaluated for lighting and mechanical, plus laundry to see if they are still using hot water.  I'd do studies of the manufacturing plants and warehouses, evaluating recycling methodology to ensure that they are not disposing of anything that can be recycled, especially paper and chemicals.  Every photo-op place needs to be checked first anyway, so why not do two things at once? 

While there, the green team can show energy usage, potential for energy savings and renewable investment, rainwater capturing, financial implications such as tax incentives and rebates, and return on investment in real dollars.  From there, the choice is up to the venue.

Is anyone else at all perturbed about the latest national debt numbers?  Are you kidding?   

What if...Big and Large Ruled the World?

I took #3 to see WALL-E yesterday.  I thought it would be the usual cute Pixar movie, with talking bugs, monsters in the closet, or clown fish.  Instead, it was a pretty vivid lambaste on some of the same subjects we discuss here.  Assuming no 4-year olds are reading this, and assuming some of you haven't seen the movie, the essential plot is that WALL-E is the last remaining thing on earth, besides a roach.  WALL-E is a solar powered robot designed to pickup, compact, and create mountains out of trash.  Unfortunately, B&L (Big and Large, AKA some sort of Wal-Mart/McDonald's hybrid) had taken over virtually everything, and so much trash and gas was created, that earth became unsustainable.  As the plot unfolds, it turns out that B&L had sent a spaceship with people out into orbit several hundred years earlier, and that some people are there.  These people have lost most of their ability to move, as they are shuttled on movable lounge chairs, sipping all of their nutrition from a cup and straw.  Video screens everywhere, including attached to their chairs, tell them what to do.  WALL-E finds a plant growing on earth and brings it to the spaceship, causing the people to wake up and return to earth to try to bring it back to life.  Obviously there was the usual cute stuff in between, but you get the story.   

So are movie people just a bunch of bleeding heart liberal environmentalists?  Most movies about the future are somewhat apocolyptic.  Or is there something to be learned?  As I indicated previously when #2's school grade did a program on wildlife conservation, what if children were lobbyists?  Would quarterly earnings still outweigh endangered species?   

A few good days

The other day, I went hiking with my cousin (who was also accepted into a similar leadership program as me, except in Orange NY) in Bear Mountain State Park.  For $6, I hiked 3 miles practically straight uphill, wound our way down, walked through the zoo, and crossed the Bear Mountain Bridge.  The view was very cool, especially when we crossed the bridge and saw two barges cruise down the Hudson.  We either looked authentic or like idiots, with our hiking gear, Sierra Club backpacks, Cliff Bars and trail mix.  Most of the blueberries along the path weren't ready for eating, but the raspberries were good.  We tried to imagine life 200 years ago, where there were no roads, cars, GPS and electricity.  I became Daniel Day-Lewis in Last of the Mohicans.  "I will find you, no matter the cost!!" 

Yesterday, I was in south Jersey working on a warehouse lighting job.  As always, the numbers are great and hopefully they will pull the trigger after three years of waiting.  Speaking of waiting, I made the mistake of talking with another company that hasn't pulled the trigger on their project.  Apparently they don't believe in math.  If you take a lighting fixture that uses 465 watts, and can replace it with another one that uses 117 watts, you save about 75%, right?  Multiply that by 100,000 square feet, 24hrs/day operation and your cost of electricity, and there's your savings.  After arguing with him for three exits on the turnpike, I finally gave up, and congratulated him on being in an area of Jersey that obviously hasn't been affected by the rise in energy costs.  Amazing.  Getting back to south Jersey, the Pittsgrove area was "ripe" with farmer's markets, fields, horse stables, and roadside stores.  It was great.  After my meeting, I grabbed some blueberries, peaches, plums, cider donuts, and an awesome pulled pork sandwich from a smoker with homemade coleslaw.  Next time, I'll bring my jeans and boots and go trail riding afterwards.  I could live there and be very happy outdoors. 

Tonight I had my first council steering committee meeting.  Since I was a little nervous about what to expect, (like most men) I did some cooking to ease the tension.  I made some homemade rice pudding (which #3 had for dinner), an upside-down peach and cornmeal cake (I think the sage from the garden made a difference), crab cakes from Trader Joes and Cascadian Farms butternut squash.  The meeting went well.  Some friends came out to support me and to offer recommendations for the platform, and raise a few dollars, which was appreciated.  Afterward, I went home and had an ice cold Belgian Budweiser.  Bud, c'est si bon.  Comment ca va?          

Why I blog/run for office/get involved, Part deux

With the passing of George Carlin, one of the more creative minds out there, I've gotten to see some of his previous footage.  He had some interesting perspectives on, among other things, politics.  As he put it 'if you vote for either one of the clowns who is so full of crap and in the pocket of someone else, you get what you deserve," which is why he didn't vote.  My political perspective is based around two ideals I learned since becoming a parent.  First, love is the willingness to sacrifice for someone else.  Second, just because you can do something, it doesn't mean you should.  So here's my political wish list:

Big picture items need to take significant precedence.  Statistics matter, not just impact.  More people are injured in swimming pool accidents than gun violence.  More people are sickened and/or die from environmental causes than terrorism. 

Labels should be used sparingly.  Someday, I'd like to be known by two lables - cancer survivor and above average soccer coach.  Liberals, conservatives, and others simply divide and pigeon-hole.   

Taxes should be evenly collected.  A flat tax with fewer loopholes must be better than all of this chaos. Everyone pays the same percentage of their income, and instead of taxes being a game to avoid, it should be "patriotic" to pay on time.

Speaking of patriotism, having been around others in public office, just about everyone willing to endure public scrutiny loves his or her country.  Criticizing policy can be patriotic.  Speaking of criticizing, lay off of the candidate, and concentrate on the policy itself.  Understand decisionmaking is timely.  What appears to be positive on the surface my turn out the opposite.  If something needs to be tweeked or changed, it doesn't make the original decision flawed.  NAFTA is a good example.

Scrutinizing every word makes for sound bite policy making.  Giving details leaves room for cherry picking of divisive components being picked for media headlines. 

Long-term planning must be put into practice.  I don't care if candidates are up for re-election every few years, stick with policies that will last.  Elected positions are "temp" jobs, and as such, should not be treated as long-term businesss where the entourage benefits from continuous re-election.

The same percentage of a budget that is spent on military should be spent on positive initiatives promoting health and well-being.  When almost 50% of discretionary budgets are spent on the military (not including actual wars), it's easy to understand why there's no room left for things like healthcare. 

As always, I'm sure there's more... but this is a start.       

Spin This

This week, my congressman sent me an email touting his apparent success - "In March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by a vote of 404-1-4, my resolution (H.Res. 951) condemning the ongoing rocket attacks on Israeli civilians by Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza. The recent bi-partisan letter requested President Bush and Ambassador Khalilzad to communicate the principles contained in H.Res. 951 to the nations and entities involved in Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts."  So here's my question - who was against this resolution?  Seriously, condemning rocket attacks on innocent civilians seems like an obvious one. 

For the record, I'm against rockets being fired on innocent people, everywhere.  How about sponsoring a bipartisan resolution to... (fill in the blank).

Yesterday, President Bush went on television to reprimand Congress for not allowing off-shore drilling in the US.  Here's what I don't understand - Doesn't he have PR advisors?  His credit rating is the lowest since Buchannon (not Pat), and he is widely considered a puppet for the oil companies.  So, even if he believed he was correct, public opinion will fight him on this.  Even worse, Senator McCain was comfortable agreeing with him in public.   

For the record, I am not against producing more power locally, so that more energy is not wasted in transmission.  Examples include fuel being drilled on the other side of the globe, only to be transported here.  And of course electricity being created in West Virginia, only to lose 65% of the actual production over the power lines on the way to Jersey.

Follow-up from previous posts:  The clothing I had enviro-friendly "dry cleaned" from Green Apple Cleaners was very nicely cleaned, so I recommend the service.  I may have found my new favorite ice cream, Green and Black's organic white chocolate strawberry.  Buy it on sale when possible,as it is on sale less frequently than Ben and Jerry's (Napolean Dynamite is still pretty good).  My wife's car almost hit $100 to fill yesterday, although the tankfull will probably last us 3 weeks.  I don't know how some people can make ends meet, but I think we're going to need to get used to high fuel prices.  I received a call from the big printer by the Meadowlands that was considering the energy efficiency project with the 13-month ROI.  For now, they turned it down, as they can't afford it.  I explained that they were paying for it anyway, even if they do nothing.  They may re-consider.

Last night was the kick-off of Bergen Leads.  It looks as if most of my associates in the program either come from corporations that work with the non-profit sector, or people who work directly in the non-profit sector.  I'm not sure where I'll fit as I have much more of an entrepreneurial background, but I'm looking forward to the different perspectives.   

      

Things Have Changed Since College

Twenty years ago, my wife and I were students in New Orleans at Tulane University (without the scholarship, trust me I couldn't have gone).  Every spring, we'd get together with a group of buddies, boil a few dozen pounds of spicy crawfish, corn and potatoes, and enjoy one or two cold ones (sometimes three).  We would talk about basketball playoffs, baseball, who was dating who, and laugh about the stupidest things that came to mind.  Flash-forward to Father's Day 2008, and you have a significantly different scenario.  We still do the crawfish every spring, but now we have them shipped Saturday Fedex delivery.  We have the kids who have their schedules and the chaos that ensues.  And of course we have a different set of topics to discuss.  There's still basketball, baseball, and the US Open.  But more predominantly, there is the talk of war, and the potential for our three boys going off to a war in a part of the world that has been at war since history began.  There's energy, food, healthcare, and the issues facing us all on the national stage.  Same-sex marriages are now legal in California, adding the state to Massachusetts as the only ones allowing it.

So how did the conversations go?  One contributor says that a President McCain would get us out of Iraq faster than a President Obama, just as President Nixon got us out of Vietnam, negotiating with aggression (this was countered with a President McCain keeping us in Iraq even longer as pulling out would admit a mistake).  One says that we need to drill more oil, in order to get more supply into the system, and thereby reduce prices (countered with the comparison to the heroin addict who shoots up in the foot after running out of veins in the arms).  Another says that we need more refineries, as we haven't had a new refinery in the US for 30 years.  Another says that we need more local generation of electricity (does it make sense to pay for 165% of electricity generated, just to compensate for all that is lost in the transmission over hundreds of miles?).  Another says that marijuana makes more sense being legal than alcohol, all things being considered.  Still another says we need to go back to a more organic/locivore method of agriculture, where animals eat grass instead of corn, there are more than 30 meat processing plants for such huge country, and natural buffers such as wetlands and forests are maintained to keep from natural disasters.  And still another says we need to allow dying patients to "die" humanely, and not do everything in our power to keep people alive against their will, thereby saving hundreds of thousands of dollars/year in "unnecessary" costs.  And my favorite of course is to unplug all of the vending machines, thereby saving billions of dollars in electricity, plastic, and high fructose corn syrup. 

So what can we make from this "kitchen" cabinet of relatives and friends?  No simple answers, yet lots of ideas.  Pork, NIMBYs and inertia standing in the way.  On Father's Day, you always read about parental advice given from a father to his children.  I offer these words of wisdom to my children:  In the time it takes to complain about something, you could potentially do something about it yourself.  Oh, and during your rebellious years, don't makeout in a two-door vehicle.  It may seem worth it then, but someday in the future, your back and shoulders will make you pay dearly in surgery costs.      

 

Lessons Learned

Sunday was an interesting day.  In the morning, my wife and I split responsibilities.  She took the older boys to their religious school "graduations," signifying the end of the religious school year.  I took the four year old to his birthday party (I think he has eight in the next two weeks).  It was at an ice cream party place.  Of course when it started, the staff had the kids start doing sand art.  Instead, my son wanted fruit.  After the sand art, they started dancing to music, so my son of course wanted to do sand art.  Once the music session was over, it was time for pizza, so of course my son wanted a bagel.  When pizza was over, it was time for cake, so of course my son wanted ice cream.  When he finally got what he wanted, he didn't eat the ice cream.  Based upon the amount of barely eaten food discarded, and clinging kids, I'm guessing I wasn't alone.  No matter how much we try, kids will do what they want.  At least it was indoors, as it was well over 90 degrees in early June.  I hope at least some of the wrapping paper gets recycled. 

After the party, my wife and I briefly attended an open house given by Bergen Swan on rain garden creation, using proper planting techniques to control runoff.  I think it's great that someone is willing to open their house to strangers for the sake of education and the environment.  By protecting and maintaining watersheds, the watershed filters and slows runoff, absorbing pollutants and controlling erosion.  I'm pretty sure these are all good things.  Again, what you do to your lawn, and the areas around you matter.  That bag of dog poop that goes down the sewer eventually winds up in our drinking water.  So do all of the chemical fertilizers.   

After the rain garden open house, we spent the sultry day BBQing by the pool until it was gametime for number two son.  My in-laws found compostable plates at Costco.  How cool is that!  What's next, wrapping paper made from 100% post-consumer recycled paper at ToysRUs and Bed Bath and Beyond?  We'll see.  Despite the heat and the thunder, the game was not cancelled by the league or by the referee.  In hindsight, I as senior coach in years coached (although not head coach), should have pulled the team from the field.  Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure to get games in, not only on time, but with a full squad.  If you forfeit, there is a huge fine.  If you get cancelled, there is the difficulty of finding field time at another date.  I need to squirrel away this lesson for the future.  Despite extraneous pressure, you need to do what's in the best interest of others around you, especially those who cannot make decisions on their own.  One kid struck by lightning is not worth the risk, despite the odds.  Obviously nothing happened, but the lesson is learned.  My apologies to the parents and kids, of both teams. 

On a different note, The Center for Science in the Public Interest has indicated that Nestle is once again notoriously absent from the Child Nutrition Initiative.  13 other companies, including Coke and McDonald's, are participating.  Maybe it's because 113 of Nestle's 121 products are considered of poor nutritional quality by CSPI.  Nerds and Laffy Taffy!  Say it ain't so!  But don't get me started on all of those vending machines, costing us over $5 billion dollars a year in electricity.  What would happen if pulled all of those plugs?           

No Longer Unopposed

Tuesday was primary day here in NJ.  I started the day unopposed for council, and apparently ended the day with two write-in competitors.  Personally, I see it as positive.  Others should feel strongly about the quality of life in their towns to enter their names.  I believe the final statewide numbers were 4-7% of the electorate turning out for the primary.  I guess having the Presidential portion of the primary in February is a good excuse, but I don't buy it.  Sorry.  We had a US Senate position, US Congress position, plus Freeholders and more.  Too much is at stake to not recognize your right as a voter.  I went to a celebratory party afterward for one of the candidates who won the primary for Congress, and it was nice to see the fruits of their labor paying off.  Shiny college-age faces meshed with us middle-agers (I hope), all for a common cause.  I agree with the candidate's comment that it's not about me, it's about the United States.  Best of luck to any that enter the political realm, regardless of side chosen.

To backtrack somewhat, I couldn't help being disheartened by the debates that took place on Sunday morning.  Yes, Sunday morning.  When most of us are getting ready for the day's sporting events, and/or finishing religious activities, a group of competitors for US Senate took to the airwaves in a TV debate.  The Republicans called each other names.  The Democrats said similar things to each other since it was safer, as the Democrats are the incumbents.  Most of the comments were sound bites.  Very few questioned why many of the issues were taking place, only offering quick bandaids to large problems.  I can't imagine very many people watched, and it's understandable why.

Getting back to my food issues as always, The Times reported an article about NPD's survey of fast-food, as a percentage of parental purchases.  The Times made it appear startling that 12% of discretionary money went to fast food.  The NPD article downplayed that same 12%, stating parents shouldn't worry about the rampant childhood obesity.  I have to agree with the Times on this one.  12% is significant.  You can make your own conclusions. 

I went over energy savings numbers with a 125000 square foot printer by Giant's stadium; a lighting upgrade project with a 11-month ROI today.  Maybe I'll get lucky on this one.  555 pounds of carbon is a lot to absorb, if you know what I mean.  I have to get out in the garden again soon.  I have some tomatoes to transplant and some basil as well.          

Pay by the Ton, starting May 1

According to the news, starting May 1, New Jersey has reinstated the Recycling Enhancement Act, which means there will be a $3 per ton tax on municipal solid waste, and that money will go towards other programs geared towards recycling more.  Apparently this was in place several years ago, but the recycling tax expired in 1996 and recycling rates in NJ have gone down since.  Will municipalities start pushing recycling more?  Will they pass the additional taxes onto individual consumers or businesses who don't recycle and/or discard more trash?  Good Questions.

Yesterday, the weather held out and the second annual "Dave's not Dead Yet, part Deux" extravaganza went off without a hitch.  The band was good, and in my opinion not too loud, although some of my older neighbors who were planning on attending never showed.  Sorry.  Once again, the amount of food was just about correct as only a dozen or so burgers and dogs were leftover, plus a few beverages.  I got to wear my Indiana Jones hat (see picture but without the horse) which is now actually in style.  Kids played on the lawn and in the street, and according to my kids, very few of them actually cared about eating (I think my three kids in total ate six pieces of corn, two bowls of fruit, a couple of dogs, and a few cookies in four hours).  Leave the kids to play and they will.  Hover over them the way helicopter parents do, and they'll eat some of what you force them, but leave the rest.  Final tallies were three garbage bags of trash, two garbage pails with bottles and cans for recycling, six boxes broken down for next week's recycling.  Some of the food scraps went in the composter but the meat and bones went in the trash.  Ice and melted ice from the coolers went into the rain barrels, which both filled up in today's downpour.  During the party, I pulled out a sleave of cups I found hidden in the basement.  One of my friends noticed that they were cups from a breast pump, which has been gathering dust for several years now.  Knowing my sense of humor and my medical supply business, many thought they were urine specimen cups.  Either way, the forty-plus year old frat party continued, although I'm pretty sure no one hooked up.  I will say that too much sangria and not enough colon are a tough combination.   

Memorial Day was bittersweet as always.  Fewer people along the parade route and at the municipal complex for the ceremony.  Enjoy the day with friends and family, but remember why you have the ability to do so.  I think not only of those who died in service, but those who changed things for the better.  I waiver between trying to imagine myself doing the same, but at the same time feeling so small and insignificant.  Could I versus who am I kidding?  Quite a dilemma.   

With the NJ primary coming up, some of my associates are working on their campaigns.  Tonight, I declined to sign a letter going out naming someone as a "not-so-do-gooder," if you know what I mean.  Sorry but it's not my style to bash others, especially by name.  State the facts or the acts, and let others decide will hopefully be my policy, now and in the future.  Call me naive, too nice or both.  I can live with both of those labels for now.

      

Let the Rumors Begin

Interesting stuff on the political end yesterday, as I received my notification that I was accepted to Bergen Leads.  Pretty cool.  I could be the next Kelly Clarkson, paving the way for other aspiring political wannabees in Bergen County (are there more than 30?).  BTW, Kelly Clarkson was the original winner on American Idol.  Anyway, I got together with the Mayor in the afternoon to discuss my town council campaign, and although I am currently unopposed (see above note about the number of political wannabees), apparently the first rumor about me has been swirling.  And it's not the one about the goat and the bottle of Thunderbird either.  Supposedly the rumor has me getting paid as a volunteer soccer coach.  Sorry to say that although I collected team fees, none of it went to me, even if my talent as a coach (or lack thereof) warranted it.  I can have one of my former team money managers break out the books if necessary.  If this is the worst of it, I should feel lucky. 

Memorial Day looks to be a flurry of activity as we have the parade, the town festivities, and the second annual "Dave's not Dead Yet" extravaganza.  I've been scouring the Internet and local stores trying to find biodegradable disposables for the party, but either no one calls me back or they don't have any in stock.  So unfortunately, unless something changes in the next 48 hours, the party will create landfill, much to my dismay.  This Memorial Day I will think about not only those who served and perished, but the hundreds of thousands killed or displaced by the natural occurrences over the last year, plus those who live in fear at any given time from their rulers, or lack thereof.  In the age of 24 hour news and the Internet, I just find it hard to fathom death on that great of a scale. 

I took eldest and middle to see Iron Man in the theatres.  The plot was a little different than from my comic book reading days.  Getting past the special effects, it made for a very interesting plot.  Can a war-profiteer (or anybody who makes a living for that matter) change in mid-stream and try to do what's right instead of what makes money?  As always, the corporate executive who reports to the board and won't allow change is the bad guy.  Ironic, huh?  Maybe they should have called it "Ironic Man."  For the past several weeks, I have been working on the "accreditation" process for my medical supply business.  Essentially, I need to kill several trees to produce documents indicating all of the compliance I would provide if I had employees, trucks and an office/warehouse.  In practice, my business, and virtually every similar business out there, does very little of what's documented.  However, in order to satisfy the statute and continue getting paid for supplying stuff I don't believe in, I need to do the paperwork.

Just like the Iron Man character, if my clients weren't getting stuff from me, they would get it from someone else.  In my case, it's food through a tube, in his case, it was military hardware.      

Spongeworthy

Today and tomorrow will hold the headlines of the earthquake in China that killed tens of thousands and also the twisters in the heartland that killed dozens and destroyed towns.  Yesterday and before, we had the headlines of Myanmar and the tens of thousands, maybe a hundred thousand killed and/or displaced by the forces of nature.  So what will happen a few days from now, if no natural disaster returns?  Two more state primaries are taking place, so the Presidential "race" will return to our focus.  Should Hilary drop out?  Can Obama capture the white working man's vote?  Is Reverand Wright actually Iron Man?  Where's my rebate?  It costs how much to fill my SUV?  Some say speculators are driving prices so we'll have a bubble; some say demand; few are reducing and our entire nationwide structure is predicated on fossil fuel so it doesn't matter.  However, these questions and more will once again dot our agenda, allowing us to get past focusing on long term strategies. 

On the lighter side, somehow my family and I managed to get colds in the middle of May (usually I don't get colds - I have organs removed every ten years or so).  Since OJ combats a cold (although it is not FDA proven), I decided to take a chance on something I hadn't done in a while, invest in frozen orange juice (and we were out of B&J Creme Brulee ice cream).  At less than two bucks a can, it's cheaper than a container (unless you use bottled water to fill the pitcher), it costs less to ship than containers, there's virtually no expiration, and as we all know, a full freezer uses less energy than an empty one.  The A&P brand tasted just as good as a container of Tropicana, so I think I made a wise choice.  Even the misses liked it.  I'll try the frozen apple juice on #3 next.  Both were made from concentrate and neither had high fructose corn syrup listed as an ingredient.

I hope everyone had a good Mother's Day of course.  My wife and I had tee times reserved at the new golf course that was supposed to be built in the Meadowlands.  Unfortunately, EnCap fell through so we planted and watched eldest's soccer game.  A nice 1-1 tie, so everyone (or no one) is happy.

         

Top 10 Reasons to Buy Organic

So, I'm trying a new cereal from Hain this morning, Blueberry and Cream Granola, and I'm packing the kids with Health Valley snacks for school, and my emails from overnight arrived.  I'm not sure what set this off today, but my in box has been flooded with a video about Monsanto, and the evil of genetically-modified foods.  It was actually a nice change from the Reverand Wright nonsense.  Anyway, it happens to be pretty interesting "food for thought" so to speak.  But since fuel prices continue to rise, and therefore food prices which are dependent upon fuel to get to your table continue to rise, I give you the same recommendation I gave you several months ago.  Buy less, but spend more.  In other words, buy organic, local, and if possible directly from the farm, and if you're pissed at the farmers for food prices, don't be.  With only .5% of the farming done organically, our entire food system is predicated on fuel.  When fuel prices are low, food prices are low.  When they're not, you see the result.  Not being the economist in the room, I believe the one way to reduce the price is to reduce the demand for fuel-driven food.  Know when your farmer's markets are on display now that the weather is warmer, and stop on your way to/from work/little league/nails, etc.   

If you've never been there, a cool section of Orange County is known for their black soil, and their great tasting onions.  Lately, the onion market "stinks" due to cheaper imports, and will in all likelihood continue due to recent trade agreements with Peru and others.  So buy some onions from Orange County, make some onion rings, and watch the Monsanto movie.  Bon Apetit.

This week, I put a pear tree, a nectarine tree, two blueberry bushes and a black raspberry bush in the ground.  #3 child helped dig and water, thereby making himself an walking mudpie, and my steroid-infused muscles were too much for the rake which snapped in two, so it was somewhat eventful.  Middle child adopted an orca and a macaw from the World Wildlife Fund.  It was all his idea, with no prompting from anyone else.  #1 child texted and complained about not having the right flavors of Ben and Jerry's.  2 out of 3 isn't bad.  I guess there are worse things. 

Food, Water, and More Politics

My previous post made it into the Record today, although in its edited state, much of my sarcasm was lost in the shuffle, including the fact that I do shop at A&P.  Anyway, the news this week, aside from the flack that ABC "News" received for their lack of moral fortitude in the Presidential "debate" centered around the shortage of food, or more correctly, the inability to afford food globally.  When I think about people making a few dollars a week and then scouring the garbage dumps looking for scraps, I think about the world around us locally.  We have row after row of useless "food" products lining our supermarkets, turning precious resources into petroleum-based nonsense.  Organic food costs are increasing as well, as it costs more to deliver, causing many organic farmers to reconsider their choice.  We have thousands of patients in nursing homes being kept alive with cans of nutraceuticals against their will (I distribute this stuff by the way), costing Medicare hundreds of thousands of dollars each per year.  We average 390 pounds of trash per mile of shoreline, more than any of the country in the world by far.  Freedom lovers around me scoff when I have discussions like this, citing that the US is great because we have such freedoms.  The question is, what is the cost of this freedom?  These same individuals don't like big government, and the costs that come with it.  So when our freedoms create excess issues like we have now, are we missing the boat?  When a reservoir dries up and bags of dog poop and various other discarded items are found at the bottom, are those business people going to clean it up with corporate money or is it "big government's responsibility?" 

In Maine, the Governor just signed a bill implementing a tax on soda, and an increased tax on alcohol.  In NJ, we are looking at a huge deficit, and closings of various departments, including Agriculture and state parks.  If Maine can take on big food to pay for other programs, can NJ?  Can other states and what would be the outcome?

If we're short on food, why are there lunchables?

As prices rise on grains such as wheat, corn and soybeans, farmers are being pressured to spurn conservation.  I just want to make sure I understand this correctly once again, because it seems a bit confusing.  Farmers were previously paid to not use land for crops.  Ok, I can understand the goal for conservation.  Lack of wetlands caused Katrina to be such a nightmare.  Lack of preserved land caused the recent midwest flooding to be such a nightmare.  Now as I also understand it, in the past, farmers were not paid enough for their crops to survive, let alone make a profit.  Now that costs have risen and farmers can make some money, farmers are being essentially asked to take land out from decommission, and put them into commission, thereby putting more food into the system.  So here is my question - has the system worked?  In other words, has cheap food done well in our country?  If so, and there is a shortage of food, then I can understand the pressure.  However, if the opinion is to the contrary, maybe more expensive food isn't such a bad thing after all.  I decided to check my A&P circular that arrived in the paper today.  Going with the assumption that high commodity prices on grain and fuel have affected the food supply, there should be certain items costing more.  Yet here is what was on sale:

Pepsi Cans, Snapple Bottles, Kelloggs Cereals, Pop Tarts, Kraft BBQ Sauce, America's Choice Foam Plates, Grain Fed Pork Chops, Dasani Water Bottles, Jell-O Pudding Singles and Rice Krispy Squares (who has time to make those from scratch!!), Teddy Grahams, Tostitos, Coke 2-Liters, Powerade, Kraft Handi Snaks (whatever that means), Ritz Bits Sandwiches (once again, who has time to put crackers and PB together!!), Lunchables (my favorite), Minute Maid Punches, Entenman's Cakes. 

Now understand that I do in fact shop at A&P, and obviously other items were on sale, but every one of these items is made with grain and fossil fuel.  I am selective in what I purchase, and typically I avoid stuff that is over packaged, made with high fructose corn syrup, and when I buy fresh, it is labeled organic and/or hormone-free.  In other words, I pretty much avoid the middle of the store except for Ben and Jerry's.  But once again, I ask the question, if prices are high, why are the products made with grain and petroleum on sale, or even being made?  And second, with all of the diet ads, health clubs, and self-help books out there, is eating less a bad thing?  Food, energy and politics - you've got me started again.  Who wins with cheap food?  Who loses?         

What if...My Best Job Function was as a Father?

I've decided to go where few bloggers have dared to go.  Last night I stood in front of an audience of fellow soccer coaches and parents, and announced my idea to help people who maybe can't help themselves as much as we can.  I'm not sure if I said anything coherent, and I'm not sure if the clapping afterward was because my ideas were good or because they were trying to get out in time for the NCAA basketball tournament.  Either way, the "goal" is to raise money for two organizations that use soccer as a medium for helping others - Grassroots Soccer that helps raise AIDS awareness in Africa and Street Soccer USA, an organization in Charlotte that helps the homeless and disenfranchised.  In addition, I've decided to run for town council.  So far, only two of us are running for two seats.  I think the latest CNN poll has me tied for third with Brooke Shields, who hasn't lived in town for years.  I better make sure I don't attend any radical sermons anytime soon. 

I guess I'll find out if any of my rantings has had the desired effect.  Be careful what you ask for.  If I fail, I can always go back to being dad...and work.  My 12 year old thought the attached video was poignant (maybe he didn't use that word, but I like it).  As he gets older, I'll take any input he offers.  Today, he preferred me dropping him off at religious school early, as opposed to stopping at my office to take care of some business first.       

What if..North Korea Poisoned the Meat?

Tonight's meeting was a presentation given by Food and Water Watch, a DC group that was previously part of Ralph Nader's consumer safety group.  Their campaign, if you couldn't tell from the name, is aimed towards creating a more sustainable environment towards the food we eat and the water we drink.  Among other things, the presenter posed a poignant question - what if a North Korean person or group, or someone else from the "Axis of Evil" claimed responsibility for the potential poisoning of the gazillion pounds of recalled beef sent to our schoolchildren?  Would the NJ National Guard units be on their way to the Korean peninsula as we speak?  Obviously this wasn't the case, and there was no repercussion since it was an isolated accidental case (by the way, food companies are not obligated legally to issue a recall - it's optional since they self-police).  Food and Water Watch is trying to keep the Farm Bill from passing "as is", since the system of having 4 companies controlling 85% of our food obviously isn't working.  It probably won't pass until the 2008 election anyway, as the current congress can't make a deal that works.  The presentor doesn't believe market forces will change the system enough, as only certain people of means will be able to have a choice.  Those who shop at Wal Mart and/or people who don't have much option, will take what they get unfortunately (does Whole Foods take food stamps?).  As a wholesome organic company gets big enough and takes market share, the bigger companies gobble them up and try and change the rules.  Now I understand business, and progress, and as long as companies like Stonyfield get acquired but maintain their integrity, I have no issue.  When quality is reduced, everyone loses except shareholders once again.

Once again, I ask what's wrong with this picture:

The farmer has only a few choices in seed.  He has to plant fence to fence in order to break even so he needs chemicals to nourish the soil.  He has only a few companies to sell his crops to, and it costs more to transport them further away to sell them.  Or how about this scenario.  The farmer has to keep animals shoulder to shoulder to make a living.  He has to feed them corn and steroids to fatten them in 18 months instead of 3 years.  He has to inject them with antibiotics to keep them from getting sick in such close proximity.  The runoff from the crap pools pollutes the local watershed.  Once again, he only has a few companies to sell his animals to, and it costs more to transport it further away to sell them.  With no one looking out for the individual farmer, everyone wonders why the next generation runs away to the big city.  With subsidies from the farm bill putting Mexican corn and sugar farmers out of business, we wonder why the family farmers are being replaced with illegal immigrants.  Interestingly enough, although the issue was the infrastructure of our water system needing an overhaul (since it apparently hasn't been done in 30+ years), much of the questions revolved around foreign companies owning our water systems, such as Suez, which owns United Water.  In the end, patriotism keeps us from looking at the bigger picture - we're doing this to ourselves, and only a handful are benefitting from it.      

Fuel prices are going through the roof.  Corn prices are going through the roof.  Less than 2% of all food brought into the country is actually inspected.  Five million new people are diagnosed with nutritionally related illnesses each year.  Would it make sense to change?  Still willing to let the NJ government do away with the Department of Agriculture?  Are there ways of raising revenue while reducing bad habits - drive thru fast food tax anybody?  What if NJ were to sell Bergen and Hudson Counties to NYC?  The state could reduce its debt and get out of congestion pricing at the same time.            

Labels (#5 of many)...Do We Need to be #1?

As the campaign continues, I can't help but notice two directly opposite messages.  Candidates continue to say that the United States is the greatest country in the world.  Then, in the next sentence, they talk about the inferiority of different components of the country - healthcare, education, energy policy, intelligence, military capabilities, consumer advocacy, more.  Europe seems to be ahead of us on quite a few issues.  Maybe that's why we make fun of France and California so much.  Nobody likes a show-off.  With a nation this big and this diverse, is it possible and/or should we expect to be number one in everything?  In the olympics, star athletes are lambasted for losing by tenths of a second in track.  Are we even allowed to say that we're not number one without the fear of being called unpatriotic?  What would happen if a department were to say "we're ok where we are.  No additional money is needed."  Has it ever happened, or is additional money or resources the ultimate goal?  Everyone for themselves, and he who dies with the biggest share of the pie wins! 

Here's my bigger issue than being number one.  We are the most informed, or maybe I shoud say the most mislead.  If we are the most informed, how do we continue to make the same mistakes of the past, even recent past.  If it's broke, why don't we fix it, and actually strive to attain that number one status? 

We can't blame the media alone, as we the consumers are the ones eating it up.             

What if...Ice Cream Makers Governed Us?

With all of the financial talk lately, I took it upon myself to Google the national budget.  I wound up on the Ben and Jerry's web site.  Not a bad place to be, so I grabbed my favorite B&J ice cream, Napolean Dynamite (half Cherry Garcia, half Chocolate Fudge Brownie) and settled in.  In between tablespoonfuls (remember, I don't chew my food), I found some interesting data, which if it's true, could explain some of our shortcomings, both in finance and potentially in wisdom.  According to the pie chart, three fifths of the budget goes towards entitlement programs (debt, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security), which is mandated by law.  The other two fifths is considered discretionary.  Of the discretionary, supposedly $463 billion is spent by the Pentagon for defense, but is not currently accountable to the OIG, and in all likelihood could not pass an audit.  This doesn't even include the cost of the war in Iraq, although I can't imagine we are not paying for that as well.  Compared to the $463 billion spent on the military, somewhat less is spent on the following:

$38 billion for K-12 education, $50 billion for children's health insurance, $13 billion on humanitarian foreign aid (which I believe goes mostly to food companies like ConAgra and Cargill instead of currency that the country could put to better use), and of course a whopping $2 billion on renewable energy research and $8 billion for the EPA. 

With my meager means of research, I don't have the ability to verify these numbers.  Maybe your local congressperson does (hint, hint).  If you didn't catch the first two episodes of John Adams on HBO last night, I think you will find it intriguing.  Imagine starting a revolution of your own, knowing the potential consequences.  Could you do it?       

What if...All Lobbyists were 8 years old

Today, my wife and I attended "middle's" second grade play.  The topic was our endangered wildlife and kids were in various costumes, representing various animals - green tree frog, great white shark, sumatra tiger, grizzly bear, bald eagles, hippos and more.  They sang the song from the movie Pocohontas (Color of the Wind).  At the end of the play, they sold class-made book marks with all proceeds going to the World Wildlife Foundation.  I think I bought at least a dozen.  Now I can bookmark all of my bathroom reading instead of earmarks, and all the money went to a good cause.  Once again, 8-year olds can solve multiple problems.  Unfortunately we adults create much bigger problems that require bigger solutions. 

His teachers promised the next play would be about the importance of maximizing shareholder value, and that it would be followed by a class president contest to see which child could be the most aggressive.  No one likes a pacifist running a group, especially when the goal is to destroy as much limited resources as possible in the least amount of time.  The enemy might take advantage.

      

I promised not to preach, but...

Let’s try not to lose sight of the ball.

This week saw an outrageous week in the news.  A huge secret was disclosed that has implications for millions of people not only locally, but potentially worldwide.  And no, I don’t mean the Elliot Spitzer issue.  I mean the issue with drugs being found in our drinking water.  Unfortunately, due to the nature of the NY Governor’s scandal, nothing else will be news for several days to come, if not more.  I hope we don’t lose sight of the ball this time.  We’ve got some serious issues that need addressing, not sometime in the future, but sooner. 

As we approach the fifth anniversary of the latest crusade into the Middle East (yes I love my country and yes, I am pleased that the surge is working), we really should be focusing on the issues that are keeping this country down.  We continue to subsidize and promote the creation and marketing of cheap chemically enhanced food (free toy with every angioplasty!) to make sure that each person in the U.S. averages a healthy 3500 calories/day.  We continue to subsidize and promote the consumption of fossil fuel (what’s the spot market price on wind and sunlight today?).  We’ve promoted and invested in financial deals that had virtually no chance of success unless housing prices continued to rise every year for thirty years straight.  All that matters is quarterly earnings.  We are spending trillions of dollars on a war without end  (except on Boeing).  And there’s that debt thing.  Oh and the Constitution (is it still relevant?).

So many of the financial, social, political and diplomatic decisions we’ve made over the last several years have been off, that it’s easier to focus on the things that are truly important – steroids in baseball, illegal immigration (is it possible that we caused some of the problem ourselves, i.e. NAFTA?).  Al Queda has replaced Communism in the next Cold War.  We invade Iraq and do nothing about Darfur.  We do little about endangered forests (our policies encourage clear cutting internationally) or species (who needs fish and tigers anyway).  We still look at our whacky tax structure as an unfair “game” with the ultimate goal of avoidance in payment.  With an additional 5 million nutritionally diagnosed disease states each year, we wonder why healthcare costs are so high, and little focus gets placed on a logical future of institutional healthcare (pills for everybody!).  With a 98% dependence on fossil fuel, we wonder why we stay in Iraq and then complain when gas prices go through the roof.  Unfortunately “clean” coal (my second favorite oxymoron after healthcare) is no longer a help as the price of coal skyrockets from demand overseas, and biofuel isn’t the savior it was touted to be.  With millions going into foreclosure, and thousands still displaced from Katrina, we offer few long term sustainable housing and planning solutions or contingencies in case of something like Katrina hitting us. 

When our own Governor Corzine offers a solution (the toll hikes) to pay for previous financial shortcomings, we kill it due to the inconvenience, and offer few alternatives besides cutting heads.  We have no issue with the dissolution of the EPA that oversees the supposed 18000 toxic waste sites in NJ alone (is this number correct?).  Is it possible to look at the issues we face as an opportunity?  Can we reduce our consumption, sacrifice some of our selfish nature (we’ve already sacrificed most of our rights), get past party politics, and do something for the common good?  Too optimistic?  Probably.  I can’t even get recreational soccer, basketball and baseball to compromise over practice time.  I’d continue this but I need to put a new 125-watt incandescent bulb into my double-height entranceway (everyone should stock up before that crazy Governor of ours forces us to become energy efficient).  And for the record, I have taken steroids but I didn’t inhale.  Someday if I’m ever important, I don’t want it to come out unexpectedly.   

I realize, of course that we are not in a recession (dare I say the word), but to quote a much smarter person than me during the Great Depression – “If I read the temper of our people correctly, we now realize as we have never realized before our interdependence on each other; that we can not merely take but we must give as well; that if we are to go forward, we must move as a trained and loyal army willing to sacrifice for the good of a common discipline, because without such discipline, no progress is made, no leadership becomes effective.  We are, I know, ready to submit our lives and property to such discipline, because it makes possible a leadership that which aims at a larger good.”-FDR

Power, corruption, greed, and violence

When someone has power or control over others, what causes them to dictate terms in such a matter that makes it uncomfortable in the least, and outright deadly in the extreme?  What makes people want to be in power at all costs?  I consulted my current read, Framing the Debate, whereby President Richard Nixon in his resignation speech, cited all of his accomplishments.  Is this misleading the public or simply framing it to his purpose?  Robin Hood or Hitler.  And as always, does the end justify the means?  Mussolini used to claim that he kept the trains running on time.  How about politics on the local county level.  According to many accounts, the chairman of the party conducts business as if it his own discretion, and not based upon appropriate party constitutionality.  Supposedly county employees are appointed and representatives tow the party line.  If you are not on the inside, you are out.  No-bid contracts are handed out.  Is he a consolidator or something more?  And of course there's national political races.  What causes someone to say something so outlandish as to spread false/stretched truths about them, just to win.  "Swiftboating" is acceptable?  War for money or religion?  It's beyond me.

Last week, I was listening to my favorite radio station, 107.1 the Peak''s "10 at 10," where they play 10 songs from a certain year, this one being 1992.  In between songs, they played clips from advertisements, movie trailers, and in this case, two political trailers.  One was Bill Clinton's famous clip about smoking marijuana but not inhaling.  The other was Dan Quayle attacking Murphy Brown's character for wanting to be a single mother.  Who buys this crap?  That same morning, I learned of a business friend losing his battle with pancreatic cancer.  It made me wonder why so much of our life is spent on hate, anger and ill-will?  Maybe we can't exist as individuals without enemies.  Or maybe without fear, there is no power.             

Interesting Weekend

Over the weekend, I had some time to scan the headlines for some good stuff.  First, I'm proud once again that one of my opinions made it into the paper.  Here in NJ, as of March 1, there is going to be fines associated with hand held cellphone/text message usage while driving.  While I don't disagree with the concept, once again, I feel it is an example of what I consider to be "product discrimination."  If we are going to go after distracted driving, we should target more than just phones, especially if the overall effect can be even greater.  Second, I saw that Aetna changed its mind on colonoscopy anesthetic coverage, at least for the time being.  Those afraid of the hose can once again sleep peacefully.  Third, I read in Parade Magazine that McDonald's has asked its chicken suppliers to "refrain" from using unnecessary antibiotics and hormones in its meat supply.  I am trying to get clarification on what the word refrain means.  And fourth, my first set of seedlings is starting to arrive.  Little broccoli and cauliflower plants are popping up in their holders just waiting for spring.  Hopefully the same will occur with the peppers, tomatoes, marigolds and lilacs shortly.  My new solar powered garden lights arrived.

At a friend's birthday party (not one of my kids for a change), it was nice to hear that my rantings are appreciated.  I often wonder if I am alone in caring about so many things.  Thanks.   

What if...we were too informed

I received a letter from Senator Menendez today thanking me for my input on the Farm Bill of 2007 (I'm sure my fellow east coasters were following it), which unfortunately did not significantly reform much of the subsidy payment system from the 2002 bill.  I think the bigger disapppointing fact in the letter was the increase of Americans living in poverty from 31.5 million to 34.6 million over the last 5 years.  I thought we were somehow better than that as a society.

At the end of March, NYC chain restaurants will be obligated to list their caloric content next to each item on the menu, theoretically enabling those "overinformed" to make a decision.  The Seattle area already has it, and some 21 other national locales are considering similar legislation.  Unfortunately according the NY Times, the soon-to-be president of the Obesity Society is concerned that the poor people will pass the 2700 calorie fried onion or 1500 calorie triple cheeseburger with bacon at the counter, only to go home and make their own 2500 calorie artichoke dip, or worse.  Oh, the NY Restaurant Association and Coca-Cola apparently contribute to his research, and he has also been an advisor to Kraft and Frito-Lay.  Wolf guarding the chickens?  For all we know, ConAgra, Monsanto and Cargill run the FDA.   

From my perspective, I'd like to see the other less important facts that don't go into the menu.  I'd like to see the true cost of producing the food.  That $6 extra value meal costs significantly more.  You just don't realize it because it is subsidized.  The rest is all marketing (especially to our kids), packaging and transportation.  A few months ago, our Governor Corzine proposed a significant increase on tolls to offset budget shortfalls.  In response, I offered a solution by adding a tax on takeout.  Maybe by charging "true" costs on fast food, we might reduce consumption and thereby slow down the negative repercussions that come with it.  So far, the only response has been that "poor people eat fast food."  Who wins and who loses by maintaining the status quo? 

So what's an EcoMom/EcoDad to do?  Since this is a vacation week and there were no sports on the agenda, I decided to make some meals for the next few days to have on hand.  I made some multigrain rolls, an apricot/goat cheese tart and some carmelized onion/blue cheese mini-pizzas.  In response, my kids decided to microwave some frozen macaroni and cheese.  My wife had coffee ice cream with chocolate syrup.   

I think I may need to see an ecopsychologist for my ecoanxiety.      

What if...Electricity was on steroids

Everyone has been focusing their attention on oil prices lately and for good reason!  But what has gone unnoticed is the price of coal.  While most understand that high per barrel oil prices drive up prices at the pump, few think about the relationship between coal and the kilowatt/hour (kWhr) price of electricity.  About 50% of the electricity generated in the U.S. is derived by burning coal.  A recent article in the WSJ discussed the rising price of coal and there were several staggering facts.  The first is that coal in the last 6 months has almost doubled in price and is 3 times higher than a year and a half ago.  The second is what is causing this increase in price, China's growing economy!  Five years ago China exported 83 million tons of coal, but last year that number fell to 3 million, an 80 million ton net loss which equates to about 12% of the world market.  More importantly China is expected to become a net importer of coal to the tune of 15 million tons next year!  What do you think that is going to do to the price of coal and electricity in this country?  What is good for the coal producers in the US is not necessarily good for electric consumers!  As an example, NJ electricity prices are scheduled to increase another 11-17% as of June 1.  Prices in NY went up as of February 1.

Every year, Wal Mart (and other concerned discount retailers) plants a gazillion trees and sells a gazillion compact fluorescent bulbs.  But every time another coal burning plant goes up in China, it negates the benefits of all that work.  But in order to meet the pricing standards of the US consumer, US companies send their manufacturing to China.  Quite a quagmire, wouldn't you say?  Does anybody remember the Energy Bill, which only pushed for biofuels as an alternative?  Look what that's done.  Forests globally are being razed to make room for corn and other fuel producing crops.  And with the price of corn (and wheat) going through the roof, the price of food is going right with it.

      

So with energy and food pri