Spilling Buckets

Jam Exchange!

2010-07-26T11:37:00.004-04:00

I am excited to be participating in StephChow's second annual Jam Exchange!

Last summer I got some really great stuff from my jam partner: Megan's Cookin'. Megan sent grill seasoning, Lemony-Peach Basil jam, and Raspberry Chocolate ice cream topping. I haven't cracked the chocolate topping yet, but have used the grill seasoning a lot with our barbecue. The basil was really a nice change of pace from ordinary peach jam. I will probably try to make this pretty soon with the abundance of basil I've received from the CSA.

Afterward, Steph and I met up (since we both blog from Rochester) and had lunch with our own mini-exchange. From that encounter I received spiced peach blueberry jam, and apricot jam. Both of which we absolutely loved. In fact I plan on making the blueberry peach spiced jam myself this summer now that both fruits are in season again.

When I saw that Steph was hosting a second jam exchange I got very excited and had to sign up. If you have recently been experimenting with putting food by via jams and jellies, or are an old pro who has been making jam for years, feel free to sign up - she's taking participants until August 11th on her website: StephChows.com

What is the unemployment rate?

2010-07-23T13:24:00.006-04:00

What is the unemployment rate?

Tragically the answer seems to first hinge upon another question: Do you believe that the economic recovery has begun, or do you believe that policies aimed to spur the economy have failed?

Asked separately, but similarly: What is your political affiliation?

At this point you may be thinking that one's political philosophy in no way affects how a statistic is calculated. You would be right in that line of thought, it doesn't; however what it does affect is which unemployment statistic is used, and not-surprisingly analysts and politicians gleefully cherry pick the number to best serve their own arguments.

So, what is the current unemployment rate?

Before we get the answer, we need to explore more questions. The following answers lean on a great article entitled "What is Unemployment?" by Rea Hederman, Jr.

How did these figures come about?

What do these figures mean?

What do they really count?

How reliable are they?

The federal government began collecting labor statistics in 1870, when the decennial census began counting the number of "gainfully employed" Americans. Note how this statistic calculated the employed rather than the unemployed as "Unemployment" was not yet in the American lexicon.

It wasn't until the Great Depression and the subsequent enactment of many social programs for the unemployed that the federal government decided they needed reliable ways to measure whether their policies were effective or not.

In 1940 under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) a national survey called the Monthly Report of Unemployment was created. The vague threshold of "gainful employment" was replaced with a set of terms meant to measure a person's precise labor activity (or lack thereof) in the course of a month. Individuals had to be employed, unemployed, or looking for work.

In 1942 the WPA was terminated and the task of employment surveying was transferred to the Census Bureau. Renamed the Current Population Survey (CPS) in 1948, and outsourcing analysis to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 1959, this report remains the source of much of the government's data about the labor force.

The CPS works by looking at a enormous random sampling of 60,000 households each month, and examines the status of all working-age civilians. This large sample size allows for statistical corrections ultimately producing a reliable picture of the larger population with a margin of error of less than 0.2%.

A separate monthly survey called the Current Employment Statistics survey (CES, often referred to as the payroll survey) polls employers rather than employees asking how many workers they employ as well as their employee's hours and earnings.

These two reports, the CES (measuring jobs) and the CPS (measuring workers), make up the official government assessment of the labor market and provide a treasure trove of information which is repackaged by the BLS into digestible portions.

"The basic unemployment rate today measures the number of unemployed workers as a percentage of the total civilian labor force; the labor force in turn is defined as those who reported that they were employed in a given month's CPS, plus those who did not work in the week about which the CPS inquired (but who did actively search for a job at some point in the previous four weeks and could begin working if offered a job)"

It's Overstated. Some economists argue that the criteria for "actively searching for a job" are extremely loose. A casual conversation about a job with a friend, updating your Facebook status (I am serious), all count.

It's Understated. Others argue that the "unemployed" criteria does not account for those who might want to work but have not been searching in the past four weeks. These people may feel that they have no hope for employment at the time or have health problems preventing them from searching. This definition also excludes the underemployed, or those seeking full time but currently working part time.

To address these concerns the Bureau of Labor and Statistics slices and dices the data into six different unemployment figures letting economists, policymakers, journalists, and the broader public choose what they want. Created in 1976 and revised in 1994, this "U series" or six figures labeled U-1 through U-6, each provide a different measure of the underutilization of labor-forces.

Numbered from most restrictive to least restrictive: (data, release schedule)

U-1: includes workers who have been unemployed and actively seeking jobs for 15 weeks or more; it is used to asses the severity of unemployment, since significant long term unemployment suggests a particularly depressed labor market. (Seasonally adjusted June 2010 rate: 5.8%)

U-2: is a measure of job loss, counting the percentage of the labor force that is unemployed as a result of being involuntarily let go from a job. (5.9%)

U-3: measures the number of people who are out of work but actively looking for jobs as a percentage of the total labor force. This is the most commonly quoted statistic and is referred to as the "official" unemployment rate. (9.5%)

U-4: this rate includes those counted in U-3, plus so-called "discouraged workers", or people who do not believe they can find work. Note: the discouraged worker category is extremely subjective and has sparked much debate among economists. (10.2%)

U-5: includes all those in U-4, plus people who say that they want to work but are not actively looking for work for reasons other than discouragement (referred to as "marginally attached workers" - these are people who have ever thought about one day having a job). (11.0%)

U-6:citied as evidence of a trouble in the labor market. (16.5%!)

Each of these statistics does provide incite into the health of the labor force however research has proved that some are more reliable than others. Unfortunately those numbers which have been determined to have debatable meaning are also those most often quoted by reporters and pundits. For example:

...to make things seem more desperate:

"The unemployment rate may be at 9.5 percent, but that doesn't come close to measuring the share of the workforce that is directly affected by the crisis in the labor market. The underemployment rate, for example, now stands at 16.5 percent." - Washington Post Article arguing for extended unemployment benefits

...to criticize Obama's economic policies:

"While official unemployment hovers around 10%, real unemployment [U-6] is frighteningly higher at nearly 17%." - Eric Cantor, House minority whip

...to argue for expanded social policies: (generally muted over the past two years as Democrats are not inclined to highlight grim job numbers on their watch. We have to go back a little farther)

“While the rise in unemployment has been the focus of many news stories throughout the recent economic downturn, a related issue that has received far less attention is the effect ‘underemployment’ [U-6] is having on America’s working families."

In another statement House Majority leader Steny Hoyer is quoted as also saying:

“In his last act of economic malpractice, President Bush continues to resist these vital steps for recovery. But if he cannot be convinced to sign an economic recovery package, the Democratic Congress will ensure that President-elect Obama can sign it quickly after he is sworn in.”

In two separate studies, alternative measures of unemployment such as U-6, fail to provide evidence that they offer a more meaningful or more "real" snapshot of the labor market than the standard unemployment rate.

1) BLS economist Monica Castillo's research suggests that workers officially considered unemployed (U-3) are more likely to stay in the labor force and work in an economic recovery than individuals who simply wish they had jobs (components of U-6). It was also discovered that those counted in U-3 and U-6 have very different levels of interest and attitudes toward job opportunities.

2) Federal Reserve of Boston vice president Yolanda Kodrzycki's research argues that the demographic characteristics of marginally attached or discouraged workers lean towards older and less educated people than the general population. This limits their ability to find jobs, even in a surging economy and factors such as age make people even less likely to want to work in the first place.

The real problem in all of this is that these broader unemployment rates are not helpful to analysts and decision makers seeking to form the most accurate picture of the state of the labor market.

"The fact that people who do not want to work, don't work, for instance, is hardly a great insight into the health of the economy."

Hederman hits it on the head:

Champions of limited government should see that, despite their temporary usefulness in scoring political points, these broader measures seem to argue for even more spending and expansive welfare policies.

Liberals should understand that broader alternative unemployment rates are not their friends either and that they exaggerate the woes of the labor market, and make it hard to portray any job-creation program as effective.

I agree with the Hederman - for anyone who wants to engage in honest debate about the American workforce - the standard unemployment rate, despite its flaws is very hard to beat.

New Sponsored Entrepreneur from Barranquilla, Colombia

2010-07-16T09:28:00.003-04:00

We are honored to announce the funding of a new entrepreneur Señor Humberto Pabón from Barranquilla, Colombia.

This sponsorship is part of our continuing goal to share some of the tremendous opportunity and ease we enjoy in the United States with entrepreneurs starting or expanding their businesses around the world.

His Story (translated from Spanish by Marni Siegal, Kiva Volunteer):

In a neighborhood very close to the industrial area of Barranquilla, where there is a great festival in the period of Carnaval, lives Señor Humberto Pabón.

Humberto is a very hard working man who is such a business expert that he has been able, through his business activities, to acquire 2 houses. At his 74 years, he has 14 children between the ages of 18 and 44. Humberto makes his living renting washing machines. His business is a product of his long-time enterprising capacity that began in the year 1972 when he starting selling merchandise in Maicao, a town in the Department of Guajira, in the north of Colombia. At that time, he had a shop in a mall. He closed it when it was affected by the devaluation of the Bolívar, the currency of his country, which borders Venezuela. Because he lost a good part of his capital with that initial business, he persisted in opening a restaurant in the location where he had sold merchandise. It lasted 3 years. But since he didn't fulfill his expectations, he moved to Barranquilla and started his washing machine rental service.

In the beginning, he had only 2 washing machines to offer as rentals in the community, but he expanded to serve more than 5 nearby neighborhoods. Humberto tends to bring his machines to whomever requests his service by himself in a hand truck. He transfers them very carefully, which is why they are still in good condition. Likewise, because he is very organized and responsible with his customers, his business constantly flows. He has 16 regular customers. Offering this service is his only source of income. He says that his business has been a great blessing for him since it allows him to clear all his expenses and to live comfortably in his improved dwellings.

He is a hardworking and honest man. He enjoys great success with his customers from the different neighborhoods where he offers his services. He was punctual with the re-payment of his previous loan. He is currently requesting a second loan from Fundación Mario Santo Domingo in the amount of $1.500.000 COP ($800 USD). With this financing he is going to purchase 4 more washing machines. The ones he has are insufficient to meet the demand, especially on the weekends when housewives have their day off and spend their time taking care of this chore, which is left undone from their work days.

Through his first loan, he was able to add more machines and gradually increase his earnings. His goal is to have additional capital available to him so that he can start selling merchandise again. This is an activity in which he has experience, and he would use the housewives he currently rents to as his main niche market for this new business.

Past and present sponsorships:

View SpillingBuckets.com Sponsored Kiva Entrepreneurs in a larger map
Barranquilla's Carnaval is a Colombian feast exposed to the world.
Good luck Señor Humberto Pabón in your efforts to expand your business. May the Carnaval produce many a soiled garment.
Thank you to all our readers for your continued support. If you are interested in spreading a little opportunity we encourage you to sign up for free and lend with Kiva.

2010 Self Sufficiency Standard Set at $47,000+

2010-07-12T07:49:00.000-04:00

A recent report on NPR mentioned a new survey on self-sufficiency. It claimed that a single mother with two young children needed over $40,000 per year to survive, making the federal poverty levels grossly outdated and low. This survey came from the Self Sufficiency Standard, and they provided a website. Of course, I decided to do a little more research on my own.

The website (selfsufficiencystandard.org) links to a group called: The Center for Women's Welfare. From the website:

The Center for Women's Welfare (CWW) is dedicated to research that influences contemporary policy issues of income inequality and economic opportunity. Through its primary project, The Self-Sufficiency Standard, CWW researches and develops effective tools to measure poverty and income inadequacy by calculating the real cost of living.

And what is the Self-Sufficiency Standard?

The Self-Sufficiency Standard defines the amount of income necessary to meet basic needs (including taxes) without public subsidies (e.g., public housing, food stamps, Medicaid or child care) and without private/informal assistance (e.g., free babysitting by a relative or friend, food provided by churches or local food banks, or shared housing). The family types for which a Standard is calculated range from one adult with no children, to one adult with one infant, one adult with one preschooler, and so forth, up to two-adult families with three teenagers.

It does seem like a much more comprehensive measure than the federal poverty standards which focus on the cost of food; the self-sufficiency standard calculates the cost of food, housing, childcare, taxes, and all other expenses that a family with full time working adults would face. Full details of what they calculate, and how can be found here.

There is a new (for 2010) report regarding the state of New York. They use a lot of census data, so the last one for New York was published in 2000.

The results are a little staggering...

For a single parent with a school aged child and a pre-schooler in Monroe County to survive without any government assistance the family would need to earn over $47,000. Gross monthly that is ~$3,900, or about 3x the federal poverty line.

Minimum wage pays $16,100 each year (NYS it's $7.25/hr), that is not even close to enough to cover a family! To cover one adult and two children in Rochester a family would need to earn $22.44 per hour, 3x the minimum wage - and we are considered one of the more affordable areas to live.

Its no wonder New York needs so many Nanny Programs... according to the sufficiency calculation too many residents would be below water without them.

The report lists several aid programs available in New York:

Child Care assistance: Your costs are reduced to a co-pay that is decided by the local social services. Eligibility lasts until income of 200% the federal poverty level.
Housing: Section 8, vouchers, public buildings. Housing is set to 30% of the adjusted gross income. Households are eligible if they make 80% of the median income of the neighborhood, although lately funding has been low and new applicants must make only 30% of the median income of the area.
Medicaid: fully subsidized healthcare for incomes up to 87% of the federal poverty level for adults, or 133% for families with 1-5 children, and 200% FPL for pregnant women.
Children's Health Insurance Plus (CHIP): children under 18 pay a reduced healthcare premium, qualifying incomes are up to 400% of the FPL.
Family Health Plus: if you don't qualify for medicaid but earn up to 100% (no children) or 150% (children) of the federal poverty level income you pay reduced premiums.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP): Food stamps. If you have a dependent you can earn up to 200% of the federal poverty level and qualify.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children: WIC food stamps. you get $49 each month to buy "nutritious foods" and learn about breast feeding. Qualifying incomes are up to 185% FPL.
Child Support: there is no income limit here, all that is required is a divorce. Average payment is $290 per month in New York.
New York State EITC: same qualifications as federal, you can get back 30% of what you would federally.
NY CCTC: same qualifications as federal program gives you 20% - 110% of the benefits, depending on the number of qualifying children.
Empire State Tax Credit (CTC): either $100 or 33% of the federal amount - whichever is higher.
New York State Household Credit: a credit of $75 for single tax payers plus a little bit for filed exemptions, if you earn up to $28,000 single or $32,000 married.

And that's just New York's Programs... what about the Fed?

Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): a one parent family with 2 children can earn up to $40,363 and receive a maximum benefit of $5,036 per year.
Federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit (CCTC): there is no income requirement, and you can get back between $3,000 and $6,000 a year.
Federal Child Tax Credit (CTC): Up to $1,000 per child as long as you don't make over $110,000 married, or $55,000 married filing separately, or $75,000 single.
Making Work Pay Tax Credit: Single adults earning $75,000 or less can earn $400 each year, married couples under $150,000 can get back $800.

If you take advantage of all these handouts and rebates you can really reduce the income required to cover basic expenses. Taking advantage of housing subsidies, child care subsidies, WIC/SNAP, CHIP and other rebates can reduce a requirement of $1,000 per month in housing to $410. Childcare goes from $1,400 to $40. Total expenses including taxes drops from $4,845 per month all the way down to $1,386, which drops the self-sufficiency wage to $16,627.

Suddenly minimum wage begins to meet the self-sufficiency standard. Does this mean that government programs are structured in an effective manner?

Another thought....there would seem to be a half donut hole around minimum wage workers where, to a point, an increase in salary would only disqualify benefits, providing a net gain of zero. Does this dampen the motivation of some workers to seek higher incomes?

Net Worth Report for June 2010: $22,989 +$1,253

2010-07-07T17:58:00.004-04:00

It is 93 degrees Fahrenheit in Rochester, New York.

Unlike the man at left we aren't melting into a pool of moistness, but if you were to ask the average street goer they would probably report moistness in areas that they don't normally experience it.

What about air conditioning? Its probable second decade of installation has been gentle but it is starting to wear on him. Think old man, and this. I'll spare you the results of our summer 2010 heat wave test this week by simply mentioning how good a breeze feels, even if it's a hot one, coming through my office window.

Besides, moving from one perfectly comfortable conditioned environment to another brings back images from Wall-E....and who wants all that roundness?

Roundness aside our efforts in June 2010 posted a net worth of $22,989, a gain of $1,253 in comparison to May.

Here is what things look like from an account standpoint:

Historically speaking...

...it still looks like a venomous snake rising out of the water to strike....maybe with the head of a duck. You be the judge.

The Hyphen by John Wayne

2010-07-04T06:53:00.001-04:00

THE HYPHEN by John Wayne

The Hyphen, Webster's Dictionary defines,
Is a symbol used to divide a compound word or a single word.
So it seems to me that when a man calls himself
An "Afro-American," a "Mexican-American,"
"Italian-American," An "Irish-American,"
"Jewish-American,"
What he's sayin' is, "I'm a divided American."

Well, we all came from other places,
Different creeds and different races,
To form a nation...to become as one,
Yet look at the harm a line has done-
A simple little line, and yet
As divisive as a line can get.
A crooked cross the Nazis flew,
And the Russian hammer and sickle too-
Time bombs in the lives of Man;
But none of these could ever fan
The fames of hatred faster than
The Hyphen.

The Russian hammer built a wall
That locks men's hearts from freedom's call.
A crooked cross flew overhead
Above twenty million tragic dead-
Among them men from this great nation,
Who died for freedom's preservation.
A hyphen is a line that's small;
It can be a bridge or be a wall.
A bridge can save you lots of time;
A wall you always have to climb.
The road to liberty lies true.
The Hyphen's use is up to you.

Used as a bridge, it can span
All the differences of Man.
Being free in mind and soul
Should be our most important goal.
If you use The Hyphen as a wall,
You'll make your life mean...and small.
An American is a special breed,
Whose people came to her in need.
They came to her that they might find
A world where they'd have peace of mind.
Where men are equal...and something more-
Stand taller than they stood before.

So you be wise in your decision,
And that little line won't cause division.
Let's join hands with one another...
For in this land, each man's your brother.
United we stand...divided we fall.
WE'RE AMERICANS...and that says it all."

The Unanimous Declaration

2010-07-03T08:44:00.000-04:00

A powerful idea.

"And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."
Do you have a copy?

How Safe is Our 'Safety Net'?

2010-06-22T09:01:00.002-04:00

In a statement to the Business Roundtable, President Obama remarked how "programs like Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid and unemployment insurance haven't just saved millions from poverty, they've helped secure broad-based consensus that is so critical to a functioning market economy."

However I agree with Jonathan Hoenig when he says that there is little consensus or safety when it comes to the safety net.

The sovereign debt crisis in Europe should be a glaring example:

The Greece healthcare system provides free care for all citizens but Greece is broke, meaning that all those recipients of "free" care are now running to find alternatives and those alternatives are running away from Greece. Novo Nordisk, the leading maker of insulin, announced it would stop sales in Greece after the government said it would cut payments for it by 25% and force the company to operate at a loss. A compromise was reached but for a time the life-dependent medicine of thousands of Greek diabetics was in flux. Sound Safe?

Spain provides its citizens with two years of unemployment benefits, an entitlement which has contributed to a 20% unemployment rate (40% for those under 25), the highest in the developing world. Sound Safe?

France provides relatively generous retirement to its citizens after a certain age. The French government recently announced it plans to raise the minimum legal retirement age from 60 to 62 and increase the years needed to qualify for benefits. Protests and strikes ensued. Sound Safe?

Government can only provide "free" care if the money needed to purchase it can be produced by individuals and then reappropriated.

Here's the deal: Unlike a 401(k), private savings, or the simple fact that you can design a life that requires little income to be sustainable, there is no ownership of anything. Bureaucrats decide when you can retire, the amount of your benefits, how often you receive them, the availability of medical procedures, etc.
Hoenig's right in saying that:

"In effect, the “safety net” is simply a promise from a politician, along with a bill you’re obligated to pay regardless if that promise is ever delivered upon."

It's happening in Europe. Are we safe?

Community Agriculture - Our First Harvest Pickup

2010-06-09T15:55:00.010-04:00

Now that it's June we are starting to enjoy the fruits (or should we say vegetables) of our labor with CSA pickups for the 2010 season. It's so exciting!

The first pickup was last week and we received fresh oregano (all you could take), lettuce, spicy mustard greens, spinach, turnips, garlic scapes, and radishes.

So far we've eaten most of it, but we still have a decent amount left that we need to eat before the next batch arrives. (Anyone have recipe suggestions for spicy mustard greens? Or for haruki turnips?)

Already I've discovered new recipes and vegetables that I would never had tried on my own. We would never have guts to buy Easter egg radishes at Wegman's, but after roasting them on the barbecue with olive oil, salt, and pepper, they are pretty darn good! I think we might even make them a regular part of our veggie rotation from now on.

Aside from expanding our palates, how is this impacting our grocery spending?

When we purchased a share of Mud Creek Farm we paid in advance for the whole growing season which runs 5 months (June - October). The total cost was $575 or $115 monthly.

As expected, I plan on cutting back my grocery trips now that we are getting fresh vegetables and am hoping to spend $60 or less on all other food items (meat, pasta, and other miscellaneous stuff not grown on the farm).

This brings our average grocery spending down from $250 to $175, ($115 prepaid + $60) potentially saving $75 each month.

It doesn't sound like much but every little bit helps. Hopefully more savings will result by making the food last through some of the winter by freezing and canning the surplus each week. When you consider $75 savings for 5 months it does add up to a decent amount of pocket change; we could save $375 this season, almost as much as the share cost.

Small savings aside it does force us to learn about and eat a crud-load of veggies, which is just fine by us.

Net Worth for May 2010: $21,736 -$622

2010-06-01T08:05:00.002-04:00

It is pouring rain something fierce this morning which is a welcome occurrence after 4 or 5 perfect sunny warm days that just happened to coincide with time off work, the 2010 Roc City Rib Fest, and Memorial Day. I think it might be a while before we luck out like this again.

Like the ground in our newly planted flower garden our May 2010 net worth is a little soggy but healthy in my opinion. As of June 1st we stand at $21,736 a loss of a little over $600 from last month.

A few notables took place. Let's walk through them:

Leslie's employer made an advanced tax payment from her monthly salary in the amount of $1,200 due to her grad school scholarship's tax requirements.
We made our quarterly car and home insurance payment in May for $382
We experienced an investment portfolio value decline of about 6% or $1,306
On a positive note we made an extra $1,300 from our business

Here is what things look like from an account type standpoint.

Europe's gradual slide into chaos and bankruptcy presented a good buying opportunity for global stocks, unless of course you don't think we will survive either. In that case we should be putting our money into canned goods, cigarettes, and ammunition.

Here is where we are historically. Our net worth now looks like a giant cobra, ready to strike fear and venom into June's temptation to spend money on crap we don't need and food we shouldn't eat. Take that.

Who is the Largest Holder of America's Debt?

2010-05-29T18:59:00.000-04:00

Corn Syrup Facts - The Market Responds to HFCS Debate

2010-05-27T08:25:00.003-04:00

There will always be diet fads. Whether it's all carbs, no carbs, more omega 3's, or tons of fiber, we will never fully rid ourselves of these passing trends based on the nutritional opinion of the day.

When the fad was no carbs, breads and other carb heavy items plummeted in sales. Lately high fructose corn syrup has been the victim of a dieting trend backlash and many people now actively avoid it. I will admit to being one of those people - but my food habits have drastically shifted towards homemade, unprocessed, and whole foods and I tend to avoid additives of all sorts not just government subsidized corn syrup.

This negative view of corn syrup has been strong enough to prompt a website created by the corn farmers devoted entirely to dispel "myths" about HFCS and educate people on it's benefits.

There are mixed conclusions from scientific studies on just how bad corn syrup is in the diet and its impact on general health. (Plus, some studies were funded by soft drink companies, really come on ). My opinion based on a little research is that corn syrup in moderation is fine, but with the pervasiveness of corn syrup in almost every processed item imaginable, moderation is not easy.

One thing is certain - the only way to avoid corn syrup is to avoid processed foods as much as possible, as HFCS and corn syrup show up in the most unexpected places. (Next time you're at the store just pause to read the ingredients on the foods you buy, you might be surprised, I know I was!) Fad or not the public is taking note. Sales of products containing high fructose corn syrup decreased by 9% in 2009 as compared to 2007.

Manufacturers are fighting back.
Even packages that claim to have no high fructose corn syrup are misleading. Take this package of Post's Raisin Bran that was on the shelf at our local grocery store:

In case you couldn't read the box from the low resolution cell phone image I took, let me zoom it in for you. Right below the name, in very large letters was the health claim that it "contains no high fructose corn syrup" - Italicized and everything!

This health claim surprised me so I had to read the ingredients list to confirm it's truth. At first glance it appears to be true: there is sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. But then the next ingredient...

Yes, you see that correctly: corn syrup. A false statement: No. A little cheap: Maybe.

Sneaky Post, very sneaky...

Here is what the real issue is:

"The debate about which [sugar] is better for you is a false debate, because neither of them is good for you," says Elizabeth Abbott, author of the forthcoming "Sugar: A Bittersweet History."

The more I eat and learn the more I think Michael Pollan had it right:
Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

It's the eating "real food" part that's the hardest.

Looking for more information?
Here are some studies on corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar:

What's your view? Have you changed your eating habits?

Are There Too Many Laws?

2010-05-25T09:13:00.006-04:00

"...we woke up in the 60's to all these really bad values..racism, gender discrimination, pollution... We tried to create a system where there were no bad values....but we eliminated the good ones."

Every once in a while I catch an episode of Common Sense with Dan Carlin, a commentary and news analysis podcast. I remember an episode when Dan was talking about the ever growing number of laws and regulations that America creates. I think he used some analogy like peanut butter or some sticky glue-like substance; over time if you keep pouring it on, things get gummed up and activity slows to a crawl. Dan proposed the idea that for a new law to be passed, some old law that is no longer relevant or was mis-crafted needs to be stricken from the books. Sort of a way to keep things constant. Dan gets the credit for sparking my investigation of how law creates and inhibits our freedom...a topic that I begin to explore in this post.

Phillip Howard, founder of Common Good: a drive to overhaul the US legal system, makes an interesting case. Most of the comments below are excerpts or summaries of his ideas put forth in a 2010 TED Talk:

You were probably taught that law forms the foundation of freedom? I know I was. I still believe it. But Howard makes the point that somehow or another in the last couple decades the land of the free has become a legal minefield. It has changed our lives in imperceptible ways, but when we pull back we can see it plain as day.

I won't go into great detail about specific case examples as you can probably remember lawsuits against McDonald's for spilled hot coffee, the lawsuit for millions of dollars over a lost pair of pants at the dry cleaners, teachers being threatened with lawsuits for trying to control their classes. And it's so much more than these popularized instances.

"Our culture has changed to a point where people no longer feel free to act in their best judgment. "

What do we do about it?
We can't, nor do we want to, give up the right when people do something wrong to seek redress in the courts. We do need regulation. However we don't have the vocabulary to deal with it.

We are trained to now treat every issue as a matter of individual rights. We take a powerful legal microscope, consider all possible extenuating circumstances, and compare what actually happened to the perfect bias of hind-site. We judge the dispute against the standard of a perfect society, where everyone agrees what's fair, accidents don't exist, risk will be no more....utopia.

Here is what Phillip Howard proposes:

1. Judge law mainly by its effects on society, not individual situations.

2. Trust in law is an essential condition of freedom. Distrust skews behavior towards failure.

For law to be the platform of freedom people have to trust it. Law carries with it the power of state.

It drives people from the smart part of the brain where instincts, experiences, and all the other factors of human creativity and good judgment are to the thin veiner of conscious logic.

If you make people self conscious about their judgments, people will make worse judgments. Self consciousness is the enemy of accomplishment.

Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something. - Edison

3. Law must set boundaries protecting an open field of freedom, not intercede in all disputes.

4. To rebuild boundaries of freedom, two changes are essential:

Simplify the law. Law has to be simple enough for people to internalize into their daily lives. If people can't internalize it they wont trust it. But.. life is complex...How do you make it simple?
Restore authority to judges and officials to apply law. Rehumanize the law. To make law simple so one can feel free, the people in charge have to be free to use their judgment to apply the law according to resonable social norms.

As you are walking down the sidewalk during the day, you have to think that if there is a dispute there is someone in society that sees it as their job to affirmativly protect you if you are acting reasonably. That person does not exist today.

I can't agree with him more. A free society needs red lights and green lights, otherwise we soon decend into gridlock. That is what has happened to America.

"What we need now is the authority to make common sense choices. Its the only way to get our freedom back, and its the only way to release the energy and passion to meet the challenges of our time."

How the Amish Fought Social Security and Won

2010-05-18T06:51:00.006-04:00

This weekend Ryan and I were listening to the radio and happened to stumble on The Derry Brownfield Show, and the Common Sense Coalition. What a fantastic program!

One of the stories of the day was about Social Security.

Derry actually remembers when Social Security was passed (he was 3 at the time) because of the jokes people told.

He said people used to think of out-of-place unfunny jokes and use Social Security as the punch line. For example: "What do you get when you mix a newpaper with a painted turtle? ...... Social Security. Since it didn't make any sense, people would then say "I don't get it." which the reply would be, "Not until you're 65!"

He also remembers when it was amended to first include farmers, which originally were not part of the program. This lead to the story of the Amish and their struggle with the IRS over Social Security.

You may not know this about the Amish community, but they do pay taxes. They pay income and property taxes just like any other American citizen. However, they do NOT pay social security or medicare. Why this is, and how they got out of it is a fascinating story I would like to share with you.

Here's a time-line of events summed from Derry, AmishNews.com, and other sources:

1935: Social Security Act, including Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance, is passed with the intention of helping to limit or reduce the risks of modern life when it comes to retirement and illness. Again summing up Derry: "The Amish believed in taking care of eachother and of their neighbors." He said he used to remember when that was the philosophy in America.

1937: Payments were directly garnished from paychecks and distributed for the first time. Initially there were no conflicts because it did not include farmers, and almost all Amish are farmers. Originally it was far from all inclusive.

1950: From inception there was debate, but it wasn't until 1950 that domestic labor (household employees working at least two days a week for the same person) were added. At the same time nonprofit workers and the self-employed began to be included as well.

1954: Hotel workers, laundry workers, all agricultural workers, and state and local government employees were added. Although not all states elected to be included. (Derry Brownfield recalls working for the state of Missouri and not contributing to Social Security because the state had its own program) This is the start of the problem the Amish had with the program.

It was unclear with the wording of the act whether it was a tax or an insurance, and was described as both at various points in the bill. The Amish community decided that it would not take part in the benefits (not believing in insurance) and therefore should not have to pay the premiums.

According to Amish beliefs, insurance is not needed and is disrespectiful to God. They firmly believe in taking care of themselves, their neighbors, and the fact that God will provide. When the Social Security Act was extended to include them (as farmers) in the 1950's they immediately protested and refused to voluntarily pay. As a result of this protest the IRS began directly garnishing their bank accounts.

Well, the Amish community was not happy with this and sent a petition with 14,000 signatures asking to be released from paying. Many of them also closed their bank accounts to prevent direct removal of funds and began holding their own money instead. The IRS was not happy with this and decided to confiscate property - which meant they took working horses and other livestock from the farmers who needed them.

Derry mentions a particular man, Mr. Valentine Byler, who had three of his six horses confiscated and sold at public auction to pay his overdue social security payments. (He was able to borrow his neighbors horses the rest of the year)

From AmishNews.com:
The New York Herald Tribune, under the headline "Welfarism Gone Mad," stated in part...

The majesty and might of the Federal government have now been marshaled against Valentine Y. Byler. His horses --- which, since Amish rules forbid the use of tractors, represent his means of livelihood --- have been seized and sold at auction.

What kind of "welfare" is it that takes a farmer’s horses away at spring plowing time in order to dragoon a whole community into a ‘benefit’ scheme it neither needs nor wants, and which offends its deeply held religious scruples?
And from the Ledger-Star in Norfolk, Virginia came this response from William H. Fitzpatrick...

...When the last Amish buggy has disappeared from the dusty by-road, or has been sold like Valentine Byler’s three plow horses, it will mark more than the passing of a sect who were overwhelmed by time and change. It will mark also a milestone in the passing of freedom --- the freedom of people to live their lives undisturbed by their government so long as they lived disturbing no others. It was a freedom the country once thought important.

The battle continued between the IRS and Amish community for close to a decade. Neither party fully giving up its battle, although there was somewhat of a moratorium of direct complaints.

1965: Further meetings and public reaction mainly in support of the Amish continued through the year 1964. And so it came to pass that in 1965, the Medicare bill was passed by Congress. As Wayne Fisher writes in The Amish in Court, "Tucked into the 138 page bill was a clause exempting the Old Order Amish, and any other religious sect who conscientiously objected to insurance, from paying Social Security payments, providing that sect had been in existence since December 31, 1950. After Senate approval in July, the signing of the bill by President Lyndon B. Johnson on August 13, 1965, made it official and canceled tax accounts of some 15,000 Amish people amounting to nearly $250,000."

This exemption continues to the present day, and although the Amish do pay other taxes they do not participate in any social programs the government offers or pay into them.

What a novel idea - relying on yourself, God, and your community to care for you rather than Uncle Sam.

Greece Calls Into The Dave Ramsey Show

2010-05-14T07:30:00.000-04:00

"A decade of deep sacrifice"
"Orbital pull of stupid"
"I'd be called an enabler"

Greece calls into the Dave Ramsey Show:

David Kestenbaum (on Greece's behalf): I am calling because I have a friend, who's in a...he is in a lot a lot a lot of debt.

Dave Ramsey: Ok.... How much?

Greece's friend: Uh...$405 Billion dollars.

Ramsey: Wow. That's a little bit. What's his annual income?

Greece's friend: Uh..He's a pretty high wage earner actually. $343 Billion.

Ramsey: So he owes more than he makes in a year. Wow. So we are throwing around billions but I mean let's just put that in perspective. This is a guy making $100,000 a year who owes $150,000 in credit card debt. Ahhhhhh! He's got a year plus of his entire wages to clean up debt, so this is going to take a decade of deep sacrifice.

Greece's friend tells Dave he has some options. He's part of a powerful family (the European Union) who's very angry with him (in part because he lied about his financial troubles for a while, Greece under reported its deficit) but my friend's family really wants him to pull through so they are willing to bail him out, to the tune of $100 Billion dollars.

Ramsey: Let's say your teenager came home from college, and unbeknownst to you — in secret — has run up $50,000 in credit card debt. If I just write junior a check for 50 grand and bail him out, and he has no pain as a result of his misbehavior, and he doesn't change his wicked ways? Were I to put cash into that, I'd be called an enabler. I'd be giving a drunk a drink.

Ramsey says he'd put some belt-tightening conditions on any parental bailout. Of course, that's what the international community is doing by requiring Greece to slash its deficits. But that's not enough.

Ramsey: You haven't dealt with Greece's real problem. Sorry people of Greece, I love your country but you need to quit with the temper tantrum street protests. Make some life changes. Say to yourselves these three magic words. I'VE HAD IT! When people and when companies and when countries have that moment where they draw a line in the sand and they say, 'I'm not going to do this anymore.' It takes that passion to break the orbital pull of stupid.

New Sponsored Entrepreneur from Lernakert, Armenia

2010-05-13T08:05:00.006-04:00

We are proud to announce the funding of a new entrepreneur Davit Malkhasyah from Lernakert, Armenia. This sponsorship is part of our goal to share a little bit of the tremendous opportunity we have in the United States with those who may just need a boost

From Kiva.org: Davit Malkhasyah is from the village of Lernakert in Shirak Marz in the Republic of Armenia. He is a mechanic by training and is married with a daughter and 3 sons. He tries to help his less well-off relatives with some of the produce he grows. He has been involved in agricultural work for 19 years and considers himself a self-reliant, honest worker.

He was born in Lernakert and has strong ties to his family and fellow villagers. He is looking for a loan to raise cattle and grow vegetables. He will use the loan proceeds to purchase livestock, feed and seed. This loan will allow him to continue to grow his small business. He expects to increase his monthly income by 30% with the loan and will use some of the proceeds to expand his cowshed and do some minor repairs in his house. The remaining part of his additional income will go back into his business to improve its sustainability.

The average annual income in Armenia $6,400

Here are the locations of past and present entrepreneurs.

View SpillingBuckets.com Kiva Entrepreneurs in a larger map

Good luck Mr. Malkhasyah in your efforts to create a more sustainable business and help those in your family who are less fortunate. May your animals grow fat and happy and your vegetables large and delicious.
Thank you to all our readers for your continued support. If you are interested in spreading a little opportunity we encourage you to sign up for free and lend with Kiva.

Home Improvement Tax Credits, Breaks, and Incentives: Would You Take Them?

2010-05-10T08:23:00.001-04:00

It is a beautiful spring morning, and although cold the view out the window is just about as far from a winter scene as we will get here in Upstate New York. Regardless, Leslie and I are thinking of fire...fireplace that is, and how ours just doesn't work.

The issue: We just don't get much heat from it. We can have a roaring fire and will only feel the heat if we are standing almost directly in front of the fireplace. We've tried adjusting the damper to no avail. We have even tried rigging a small fan beside the fireplace to move the heat with limited results.

I believe the lack of an internal fan of some kind is our problem. There just isn't any air movement into the room and all the heat is lost up the chimney.

Our Options: We may need to consider buying something or upgrading or replacing our fireplace insert, and that means money. If we go the more serious route and have the insert replaced it will probably need to be done by professionals, and that also means money.

Government Cheese: It's strange to say this but we feel a little dirty taking government rebate money as a reward for buying something. I know the money is intended to incentivize certain behavior, and yes that money is really ours (and others') tax money given back to us, but does that make it right? We are by no means holier than thou having taken the housing rebate money - but what I am trying to say is that we have a level of hesitation. A small amount, but it's there. It's almost like the angel and devil scenario.

Research & Resources: The devil in me wants to share these resources. I felt like a sugar high middle schooler as I clicked through all the different things I could buy and thought of all the "savings" Uncle Sam would throw back my way. Who just needs a fireplace insert with a fan when so much "free money" is available to improve your home?

End Result: We are still very much in the research phase but that split-ness of mind will always exist for us. We want to capture savings on projects we were likely to embark upon anyway but the idea the money comes from the government just leaves that morning breath aftertaste. Hypocritical? Yes.

From the editors of Remodeling & Replacement Contractors

Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency
Energy Star

Database of State Incentives for Energy Efficiency

Department of Energy: Tax Breaks

Do you have experience with home improvement projects and tax breaks/incentives?
What are your feelings towards government rebate incentivizing certain kinds of consumption?
Just because it is green does that make it right?

Arizona immigration Law SB 1070 - What's the big deal?

2010-05-04T23:42:00.002-04:00

Lately Arizona has been in the news regarding their new immigration law. There's even boycotts and facebook groups in opposition to the SB1070 law.

Being the political junkie that I am I decided to do some research (i.e. read the actual text of the bill) to figure out my opinion and try to understand what has everyone up in arms. Unlike my review of TARP and the stimulus package, this bill is actually manageable at a mere 17 pages including cover page.

So what is the big deal with Arizona's new Law?

Nothing.

At least nothing that I can gather after reading it.

The bill is simply an extension of what was already passed a while ago. All this bill does is simply enforce existing Federal law that had been allowed slack. It does not let police pull over anyone who "looks like an illegal immigrant", in fact it prohibits police from pulling someone over if they look illegal, the person has to first break the law.

So if you break the law and get pulled over are the police now required to racially profile and ask you if you are here legally? NO! There are all sorts of safety clauses to prevent coercion, unlawful stopping, etc.

If an individual is pulled over and they don't have a drivers licence from Arizona or another state, or if their driving privileges have been revoked, the police now have the ability to ask if they are here legally. Unless, according to the law, the person without a valid licence has their spouse with them, in that case nothing happens.

This bill also keeps the original aspects of the older law that prevents hiring street labor (regardless of legal status) if it blocks traffic. It also requires that companies immediately fire any employees found to be illegal aliens - although it provides an out if employees try to trap the business owners and lie about their status. It also makes it a felony to smuggle people across the border.

And what happens if someone is found in violation of the law and is here illegally? They pay a fine, go to jail, and then get sent to immigration services for deportation.

To sum it up:

This Arizona law simply enforces existing law
There has to be another reason someone is pulled over (accident, drunkenness...)
The existing law prevents employers from hiring illegals, and prevents people from being hired as day labor off the street
Human smuggling is also illegal and a felony

That's it!

Last I heard Federal law made it illegal to cross the border without proper immigration papers. Regardless of how flawed the Federal immigration policy is, there is nothing wrong with this bill and a boycott of all things Arizonian is a misdirection of anger. Take issue with Washington if you don't want the current laws enforced.

Net Worth Update for April 2010: $22,358 +$4,971

2010-05-01T08:02:00.005-04:00

Last night we sautéed some ham and asparagus to top our crispy grilled pizza. Wow was it good. We also cracked a root beer bottle we had been saving in our fridge from The Great American Honeymoon Road trip and our stop at the Thomas Jefferson's Monticello Estate.

All in all a good ending to a good month.

April 2010 brought with it some meaninful financial results as we were able to post progress of just under $5,000 bringing our current net worth self check to $22,358.

Here is the breakdown:

Assets

Liabilities

Net Worth

Net Worth Notables: If you are following closely you will notice a missing slice in our liabilities pie. By the way, what kind of pie would a liabilities pie be? lemon meringue? mincemeat?...nevermind. The missing slice was an expensive education loan from RIT for $2,534. If you haven't seen it already check out our HD video: Student Loan Burning Episode 1

Investments:

It's just about time to rebalance our portfolio of index funds. We are hoping to wrap up combining our accounts at Vanguard in the next week or so which will greatly simplify things. When its all said and done it should be as easy as dragging cash from out of balance winning index funds to out of balance losing index funds all on the same screen. We shall see.

Community Supported Agriculture: Owning a Share of a Farm

2010-04-27T10:34:00.003-04:00

Last winter, when growing green things was still a daydream, Ryan and I signed up to be members of a local CSA. CSA or Community Supported Agriculture allows regular folks to become participants from seed to table in the fresh food that they eat.

As shareholders of the farm we participate in the success of the harvest as well as the risk. We, along with 139 other families in the Rochester area own a portion of the output of Mud Creek Farm.

Our CSA is unique in the fact that it allows "work share" members who agree to work a certain amount of hours in exchange for free harvest. You can either pay for a share, or work for your share. Mud Creek Farm is organized by one Farmer, Erin, and her apprentice, Beth.

Now that Spring is finally here we've been able to start experiencing some of the benefits of having a share in a local farm.

This weekend was an onion planting party, and we decided to go out and volunteer by helping to plant the seedlings. The day was perfect; it was 60's and mostly sunny and the forecast called for rain overnight. Perfect for our young onion friends in their new bigger home.

For a chunk of the day we were out in the field planting all sorts of scallions, red onions, and white onions in varieties that I know Wegman's doesn't have available. There were 16 other volunteers ranging from photography graduate students, to families with kids. There were first time members (like us) and members who had been there from the beginning.

The onions were planted 4 inches apart - and were laid out by hand. One group of people separated the seedlings from their greenhouse planters and laid them out in a straight line while a second group came up behind and stuffed them in the ground.

It was surprisingly easy to plant the onions - just use the "thumb technique" to smush the bulb and roots into the tilled soil making sure it was somewhat upright - no need to dig individual holes.

"Roots on the bottom and green on top"

It was very satisfying to see the straight lines of seedlings coming out behind us as we worked.

It was a lot of fun, and very satisfying to get out in the sun and work. And let me tell you - we were both sore the next day!

We planted hundreds (maybe thousands) of onions and enjoyed delicious apple pie afterward.

I am excited to watch the plants grow and mature and to learn how to use all sorts of vegetables that I haven't used before. Participating in growing the food that we will eat alongside other families changes something inside me. I can't quite explain it. Proud might be the feeling, or appreciation. It slows things down.

Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation - Update and Request for Votes

2010-04-26T07:13:00.015-04:00

Much progress has been made in the effort to develop a non-invasive radio wave cancer treatment since our last update. You may have missed our last post so I'll help out and confirm that you read that last sentence correctly.

An alternative method to treat cancer that has no side effects and does not require surgery continues to be confirmed in laboratory testing.

Preliminary talks with the FDA began in February and the lead researcher, Dr. Steven Curley, will be meeting with officials in May to discuss a timeline for human clinical trials.

What is the the John Kanzius Radio Frequency Cancer Treatment?
The treatment is the expansion of an idea devised by the late John Kanzius, a radio broadcasting entrepreneur from Erie, Pennsylvania (my hometown), whereby microscopically small metals called nanoparticles are introduced into a cancer patient's bloodstream. These particles carried by special molecules that only target cancer cells then attach themselves to and are accepted into cancer cells. Radio waves are then applied to the body causing only those cancer cells with metal nanoparticles to heat up and be destroyed. Preliminary findings show that 100% of cancer cells are destoryed and that there is no damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.

You can help.
Pepsi is currently running a contest whereby good ideas can compete for grant funding of up to $250,000. I can't think of a better more promising idea than that of John Kanzius and the efforts of his research team. Click here to vote for the Kanzius Research Foundation in the Pepsi Refresh project or use the widget below.

Spread the idea.
More than votes the foundation needs as many individuals to spread the word about the work they are doing as possible, attracting top talent and innovative people to the project and providing hope for those waiting for a cure.

Stay involved.
Learn more and receive updates through the Kanzius Research Foundation's website.

Here is a progress summary from the foundation's website:

Kanzius Cancer Research Highlights of 2008
The year began with hope and promise, and ended with a list of major accomplishments, including a research staff that grew from one part time assistant, to 13 full-time medical professionals. All of the items listed below were made possible by your gifts, from $1 to $500,000....each gift makes a difference.

1. Creation and staffing of a laboratory dedicated to the study of the John Kanzius Radio Frequency Treatment at MD Anderson Medical Center in Houston, Texas.
2. Purchase of an Infared Microscope capable of viewing nanoparticles inside cancer cells.
3. Purchase of a Flow Cytometer with four medical quality lasers to evaluate the effects of the Kanzius Radio Frequency Treatment.
4. Clinical trials prove that pancreatic, liver, and colorectal cancer in small animals can be cured by the Kanzius Radio Frequency Treatment
5. Discussion initiated with FDA to obtain approval for human clinical trials
6. Tests on human blood samples to determine if Kanzius treatment is effective in killing leukemia cells
7. Human scale radio frequency treatment tables engineered, manufactured and delivered to MD Anderson by Industrials Sales and Manufacturing, Inc.

Research Articles Published
Journal of Experimental Therapeutics and Oncology, December 19, 2008
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, July 8, 2008
Journal of Nanobiotechnology, January 30, 2008

Public Relations Events“60 Minutes” CBS Television, April 13, 2008
Cancer Research Symposium featuring Dr. Steven Curley, June, 2008
Discover Magazine names John Kanzius to list of “Amateur Scientists Who May Cure Cancer” November 19, 2008
Arnold Palmer Announces Support of John Kanzius Radio Frequency Cancer Research
Telethon Raises $100,000 in Erie, PA September 16, 2008

Three Sites Named for Future Clinical Trials
MD Anderson Medical Center in Houston, Texas
Regional Cancer Center in Erie, Pennsylvania
Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, Florida

Kanzius Cancer Research Highlights of 2009
A January, 2009 grant of $440,000 from the John Kanzius Cancer Research Foundation has been put to use with a significant increase in the research staff, and additional support of ongoing laboratory expenses at the MD Anderson Cancer Clinic in Houston, Texas.

Dr. Curley reports that another research paper that demonstrates the optimal size for the fastest heating of gold nanoparticles being used in the research has been accepted for publication. This data is critical for FDA approval of the process being tested for use with the Kanzius Radio Frequency machine. The article will be posted on this web site as soon as the publication is released.

New targeting antibodies for human liver, pancreas, prostate, breast and colorectal cancers are being studied at this time, in addition to two new antibodies for leukemia.

Preliminary talks with the FDA began in February in Washington, DC and Dr. Curley will meet again with federal officials in early May to began work on a timeline for human clinical trials.

In support of our fundraising activities, Dr. Curley spoke at two recent events in Florida, and plans are underway for an August/September symposium in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Local, Organic, Sustainable Trend is Growing

2010-04-22T12:50:00.007-04:00

The university where I work hosted a Trade Show today focusing on local, and/or organic and sustainable foods and companies.

From Honeymoon Road Trip

There were all sorts of vendors from Pura Vida Coffee and Upstate Farms milk, to Geulah's (their spicy tomato spread is awesome!), and Zweigle's (now more than just red and white hots, they have all natural chicken sausages, yum!). For dessert there were plenty of choices: a local bakery - Vanilla Swirl (awesome red velvet cookies!), Hedonist Chocolates (love the tea and sea salt flavor!) and Perry's Ice Cream.

Of course it couldn't be a local festival in Upstate New York without some locally grown apples and a mini bag of carrots.

There were lots of freebies, and enough food samples to make a healthy local lunch.

I am excited to see that the school is putting forth the effort to bring healthier and local options to students. This "Localvore" trend is certainly growing!

I know that in our own lives we've certainly been moving towards eating locally.

Now that things are warming up I've been going to the Public Market more regularly. It's open all year, and I'd like to make it a winter habit to go and get local, organic meat as well.

Even more local: we are all set to start getting fresh vegetables from a CSA in June. In fact - we are going to volunteer on the farm this Saturday to help transplant some onion seedlings.

Ask me two years ago if I cared where my food was grown, or how, and I wouldn't have cared. I would never have predicted this trend, and I find it re-invigorating to our energy and health. We still struggle sometimes and end up getting a pizza or taking the easy route of buying processed foods - but overall we've managed to cut things way back and I certainly feel it in my daily energy.

Is this Local and Food Revolution happening near you? Are you a Localvore?

Student Loan Burning: Episode 1 in HD

2010-04-21T13:06:00.004-04:00

Leslie and Ryan are proud to present:

Student Loan Burning: Episode 1 in HD

Loan: ECSI Rochester Institute of Technology
Purpose: Expensive Education

Principle Balance: $3,000
Interest Rate: 5%
Standard monthly payment: $50
Original Payoff Date: January 21, 2016

Actual Payoff Date: April, 2010 with $2,534 paid in lump sum
Interest Saved: $400
Freedom Earned each month: $50

This small battle may be won but the war is far from over.

Student loans remaining: $58,568

Join the battle! Subscribe below.

No Skin in the Tax Game

2010-04-16T15:46:00.006-04:00

This article on CNN.com caught my eye the other day. It started with a quote by Oliver Wendell Holmes, and which happens to also appear engraved on the top of the I.R.S. building:

Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society.

Yet 47% of people in America either don't make enough money to pay taxes, or get so much back in rebates that they end up actually receiving money.

Now skin can obviously be defined in different ways. There are taxes that are hard to avoid in addition to federal income taxes. How about payroll taxes like Social Security and Medicare, taxes we are supposed to directly relate to "stuff". Who can forget about sales tax? Yet the point remains, more and more people are becoming disconnected from the costs and connected to the benefits.

Scott Hodge goes on to list a host of rebates you could qualify for. He says it better than I ever could:

Over the past 15 years, politicians have been working overtime to create a blizzard of tax credits targeted to "help" the so-called "middle class."
They've created the child credit, which is different from the child care tax credit, unless you have a grown child and then you can use the education credit. And if you don't have a child, then you can get one using the adoption credit. If you don't care for a child, there's the credit for caring for granny instead.
But if you'd rather care for air than people, there's a credit for buying a hybrid vehicle, unless you'd rather put a solar panel on your roof, or simply replace all the windows in your house. Oh, don't have a house? Then there is the first-time homebuyer's credit.

There are arguments for this "redistribution of wealth" and for "helping the middle class", just as there are arguments against it. But regardless of which side of the argument you fall into there is still one key fact:

The real issue is that millions of Americans no longer have any skin in the game and are becoming inoculated from the basic cost of government. To them, government seems free and politicians can easily convince them to support more and more spending because someone else is going to pay the tab. This trend deserves a broader national discussion than either party in Washington seems willing to engage in.

What are your thoughts? I see this as a growing problem.

Does it further divide us into classes? More so than we already are? is that a bad thing?

The Great American Honeymoon Road Trip 2010 - Slideshow

2010-04-13T09:30:00.002-04:00

12 days, 1,500 miles, 11 destinations planned and unplanned, 2,781 photos and video clips @ 32.3 GB a little cash a little gas and a lot of fun.

Here is a quick listing of a few of our stops:

Atlantic City
Cape May
Chincoteague and Assateague Island
Washington D.C. for the cherry blossom festival
Richmond and Tredegar Iron works
The Blue Ridge Parkway
The Biltmore Estate
Charlottesville, VA
Monticello
Dollywood (by accident)
Great Smokey Mountains National Park
Erie, PA