Out On The Stoop is my exploration about things to know, talk about or experience these amazing times. The Stoop mantra is Think, think, it ain't illegal yet.
Yesterday I found out that I had a store credit at an office store. I guess buying toner and ink pens finally paid off for me. Walking around I realized that the store had removed the camera section. I couldn't buy a still camera and I really don't need another camcorder.
So I'm thinking. I could get a full size or 7 inch tablet to test tablet video options and applications.
Now, being a loyal frugalista I wasn't going to pay for the high tone stuff. Not in the budget. But there were two tablets on sale that I could have worked with.
The Lenovo A1 has a front and rear facing camera. Has an SD card slot. Selling for $159 and with my store credit I could walk out paying $80. What stopped me was that it is running Gingerbread 2.3.1, it has a single core and the demo in the store was not getting juiced from the USB. I could chalk that up to demo damage or a future problem.
The other contender was the Google Nexus 7. Has only a front facing 1.2 megapixel camera. Runs on Android Jellybean 4.1. What stopped me was that I couldn't get it out of password mode. No expandability, no SD slot and not sure if it is anything more than a consumption device.
I looked around at the others. I have to say that the new Amazon HD tablet did a better job of teaching me how to use it. It was like it wanted me as a customer and as a relationship. Might give it more consideration.
The problem is, like Alton Brown, I don't want a uni-taskter device. I want to do things. Create stuff.
I manage to get out the store. I am glad I did. I looked at reviews for both devices. That Lenovo A1 has got issues. At $80 I could grit my teeth and say fine. Except that it isn't.
I also found out that the new Nexus will be 16GB for $199 so I should not buy the 8GB version.
It is okay not to spend. And feel good about it. It takes practice but waiting is good.
Somebody has to do it and I guess it is up to me. But the mail that gets stuffed in my mail box is disheartening.
One ad to lose weight. Another for Dish TV. Two ads for Pollo Loco. More ads for losing weight. As near as I can figure it I'm supposed to sit at home all day watching TV and not eating anything.
This is my Day 2 video for International Videobloging Posting Month aka Vlomo2011.
Aimee Semple McPherson was a woman that is a cultural touch point to the future by reflecting her time and place in the world. Looking through the lens of Women’s History Month Sister Aimee provides an interesting way to look at survival during the Great Depression and what a determined woman can do if she is called to her purpose and follows it full steam.
18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – Prohibition and Depression Don’t Mix
Prohibition was the law of the land. The intent of the amendment was honorable. The execution of the law was unenforceable.
I can safely speak for a relative or two in my family, mainly because they are dead. The Revenue man on the job has also been permanently retired. I can almost hear the conversation on the back porch; “What? Leave cash money in ground when we can set up a (Moonshine) Still for next to nothing?” Sister Aimee knew what she was up against. This is a brief video of her feelings and beliefs about prohibition before she leaves on a trip:
Making liquor was risky, dangerous and, depending on the recipe, it could kill you if you got the wrong batch of hooch. But there was money to be made selling, sneaking and delivering liquor to Americans during the depression. By land, sea and basement Moonshine Still Americans were trying to take the sting out of being busted broke.
In 2009 parallels can be seen in the growth of hydroponic marijuana farms in upscale neighborhoods, state parks and federal land. I am not condoning this type of activity but I’d be a fool not to acknowledge that for some people who are financially desperate marijuana distribution is a dangerous means of acquiring money.
Of course people can talk about the affect marijuana will have on the country. Will it become a zombie state like reefer madness? A nation of Beevis and Buttheads? While I have seen several of my marijuana smoking colleagues become doctors lawyers, stock brokers and politicians, it is true that several people I know turned to burnt out weed head couch potatoes. If marijuana was legalized people could have open and honest discussions about marijuana with counselors and doctors.
Mountain Girl hipped me to a Time magazine article about the possibility of California considering legalizing marijuana as a tax base and cash crop and She read a statement before a judge as to why marijuana should be legalized. One of her reasons is:
I contend that the risk of marijuana use is equal to the risk of alcohol use and should be treated in the same manner.
Personally, I really don’t want to ride a Metro bus with an overly relaxed driver. Some of the drivers are crusty and non-customer service orientated. However they are the most skillfully alert drivers in some of the most challenging motoring on this side of the Pacific.
Now if we could get our heads out of the sand about Hemp, I think we’d have safer and more interesting product choices. I think on a personal and industrial scale this could be a viable growth industry. For example, Bryanna Clark Brogan writes about making Multi-Grain Hemp Pancakes” for her vegan blog Notes from the Vegan Fest Kitchen. Clara at Earth Day gives her pitch as to why growing Hemp is environmentally the right thing to do.
Women Entrepreneurship from the Ground Up
In the Great Depression as now crime does pay; if you are rich enough, don’t get caught or shot dead first. Not everyone was on the take but people did what they had to do.
Women like my paternal grandmother provided “Fish Fry” sandwiches and dinners. For example, if juiced party goers got the munchies after attending a dance or Speakeasy they needed someplace to go for good cheap food. My grandmother provided that meal for a price.
Yes, she indirectly benefited from illegal activities but committed no crime. She also put food on the table and a home for her family. Other folks in need of income had sliding scales of ethics on what they would and would not do to survive.
So what do women do now? Certainly we write, blog and create a variety of products, good and services. Many women such are doing what Green is the New Black is doing, selling her unwanted/unused items on eBay in order to build up her emergency fund. Budgets Are Sexy is thinking about selling T-shirts that promo her blog? I think the point of her post is that from a creative activity like silk screening she was inspired to start thinking about how she could apply it to generate interest to her blog and possible money flow.
Crafters and the people that love buying one of a kind crafts are hanging out at Etsy or marketing their goods and services on websites and blogs.
Using Technology to Enhance Communication and Networking
Sister Aimee was one of the first women to implement a mega-church concept. She built & created the Angelus Temple church in Los Angeles. Aimee understood that she was selling salvation and for that you needed a 5,000 seat church designed as a theater.
Sister Aimee was also one of the first women to apply for an FCC radio license. Sister Aimee was one of the first televangelists to broadcast her program. McPherson also marketed publications for sale and made use of every available media to reach the un-holy, downtrodden and any sinner that drew a breath.
Sister Aimee was an early pioneer of women creating and self publishing their own work. Aimee McPherson had her own distribution network and could also tap into her network of worshippers and volunteers. For more information about Aimee Semple McPherson visit her page on the California Trails site at the California Museum. The University of Virginia also has a great deal of information about the 1930 on their American Studies page.
What We Can Learn From Aimee Semple McPherson?
Believe in yourself and your crazy ideas.
Stay true to your beliefs. For Sister Aimee it was spreading the Word and not being swayed by popular opinions. She followed her internal compass. Sometimes her compass was faulty and got her into trouble. Sister Aimee usually found her way back to her center point.
Take advantage of the resources that you have before you. For Aimee it started with her using voice. Later it expanded into revival meetings, radio, interviews and creating and distributing her publications.
Technology rock! Learn as much or a little as you need but be willing to try something different. It can literally transform your life. And by technology I don’t necessarily mean all things electronic. There may be an old technology that might suit you just fine or can be adapted to the 21st century.
Network with other people and ladies, please fill out your BlogHer profiles! Some of you have blogs we’d love to visit but we can’t find you.
Gena Haskett is a Contributing Editor at BlogHer where this post originally appeared.
I was very concerned. Late at night I’d wake up thinking about comedians who was trying to find something to work with after the election. I had sympathy for all the political junkies on the left, center, right and those forever on the fringe who were going into detox and it wasn’t going well.
Sure the automakers kept them busy but they were use to a high level of juice, if you know what I mean. Governor Palin did what she could with the pardon of one turkey as the ones behind her were beheaded. It helped but it wasn’t enough. Even the one last effort to invalidate the citizenship of the President-Elect didn’t even get the need abated. It was only mumbled as a hope forever dashed in a day. (Yeah!)
Then, one day in December, came a man from the great state of Illinois, a man who united the people and caused them to utter in unison, “Naw, you are kidding right?” Americans invoked the coast to coast collective gasp of “Damn, for real?”
Yes, Governor Blagojevich you were the dream anointed to those of us that wanted to aspire to our higher natures but spent precious time reading 76 pages of pure industrial strength politicking not seen in almost 30 some years.
Sir, I ain’t hating on you. You got enough trouble on your plate. Karma didn’t come to visit. It snuck up on you in the shower and said “pow-dow!”
For you and your hair, mainly for your hair cuz I’m still working my way through the criminal complaint, I had to find a special video. One that really captured what I believe is the core of your motivation. The essence of narcissism put to good use, mainly for your benefit. It all comes back to the hair.
So I present to a country re-united temporarily in befuddlement of stupidity so profound it cant be measured on a normality scale, courtesy of the California Milk Producers Board. White Gold and the Calcium Twins in their powerful rendition of “Is it Me, or Do You Love My Hair?
A Wee Bit of Explaining To My Overseas Friends
Many states have public relations and advocacy boards for state produced food products. One of the most successful campaigns was the one produced for California Raisins because the more you liked the singing raisins the more likely you would pick up a box or two from the market.
This is a video produced by the California Milk Producers Board to subtly or proudly (I’m not really sure) the virtues of drinking milk in order to have long beautiful ash gold healthy hair.
I'm gonna have get back to you on that one cuz me and the Calcium Twins, well yeah. Oh, wait, I get it. Healthy hair, no matter its birth orientation. Yeah, that's it. There is a series of commercials (advertisements) that have run on television for the past couple of months based on a mythical rock star who gets his glory from the wonders of drinking milk. It is assumed that it is milk made in California but what the heck.
Anyway, I just thought it was a bunch of quirky commercials. No, no, no. There are actual music videos about the adventures of White Gold and the Calcium Twins. There is also a web site WhiteGoldisWhiteGold.com a virtual wonderland of milk and White Gold. Talk about your interactivity. It is also an example of social networking on a corporate level and an opportunity to observe the many avenues to partake of the cow juice.
Choices
The night before the news broke about the Rodster, I saw the complete video of Is it Me or Do You Love My Hair? I felt surreal. Changed. Mystified of what I had witnessed. The next day I was getting the Blagojevich story from Bus TV, Elevator TV, newspapers, radio and the Internet.
I was sucking it up like milk and Lorna Dunes cookies. I like Lorna Dune cookies dunked in milk, I use to anyway. And then I understood the joining of the ying and the yang. It was by a golden thread. Now I could have gone with Heavy D with Mr. Big Stuff, Jean Knight with Mr. Big Stuff or Peter Gabriel with Big Time Peter was almost perfect. At the end of the day this was not a time of understatement. I needed a man with maximum hair attitude to get the job done.
Enjoy and please know that we are better than this throwback to backroom politics. Also those with milk allergies or choose not to ingest the stuff I do understand and respect your position. If the spirit is willing laugh, cuz in the end it is a healing thing to do.
The calls are to consistently remind me that my vehicle warranty will expire and in order to, well you can guess the rest and it involves money. I’m flipping beyond mad about this phone spam. Now by the time this is posted the phone number and area code will probably be changed. I don’t care.
(304) 369-0968 Do not call me. I am to the bone serious. You see, I don't have a car. I don’t have an auto warranty, whatever that is so there is no reason for you to have my contact information. None. There is no relationship. Zilch.
Which has not stopped this company located somewhere in West Virginia (and it isn't that hard to find out where) from calling me and a few thousand other people repeatedly.
I'm not the only one having a problem with this particular phone number. Over at Caller Complaints there is a growing list of folks that are testifying that this phone number is one toke over the line. 458 at the time of this post and many more checking out the action.
Time for a review of the Federal "Do Not Call List" If you have a land line or cell phone, iPhone or whatever you are yakking on you are protected. If you haven’t you might want to register your cell phone number, PDQ (pretty darn quick).
Yes, you may place your personal cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. The registry has accepted cell phone numbers since it opened for registrations in June 2003. There is no deadline to register a home or cell phone number on the Registry.
You may have received an email telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case. FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers don’t call consumers on their cell phones without their consent.
This company did not get the message. I will help translate. “You do not and never had my consent. Do not call me!”
If Both Your Land and Cell Phone Are On The Do Not Call List
Swing on over to the Do Not Call complaint page. You can also call toll-free number at 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236). Per the FTC to file a complaint, you must know either the name or telephone number of the company that called you, and the date the company called you. Your phone number must be in the system for 31 days before they can take action.
If You Are Not On The List You Still Have Rights
You can tell the company representative or salesperson to remove your name. In this case of this company and from what I learned at Caller Complaints, they are hanging up on people before they can say the magic words “Remove my phone number from your call list.”
And another thing, besides trying to get people to re-up their warranties look at how much money, time and lost opportunities for good will you have deliberately ground in the dirt. If you were a legit company, and I’m not saying that you are not because I HAVE NO NEED OF YOUR SERVICES, why do you want to engender this much documented bad will?
There are reasons for the Do Not Call list and it does work. I will get my other phone protected. Make sure you do likewise.
This is coming out of left field but I think it is important. I grew up in areas where the only jobs low and middle income folks could get were industrial. When those jobs were dismantled and sent elsewhere the communities crumbled.
There were "promises" of other jobs taking their place. For the most part that led to service jobs or no jobs at all. So I understand at a citizen level what could happen if the automakers don't get their loan. I don't like it but try living in a former industrial city or community. Closed businesses, empty buildings, increased crime rises and there is no tax base. Only the survivors can support the city and there isn't enough of them. It is no way to live.
This is a video of Rep. Thad McCotter speaking about his perceptions of why this loan is important. He makes good points and he isn't shoveling the usual political BS. It is about eight minutes. I hate the bail outs. I've said as much and will continue to do so, especially when the money is going to institutions and people who caused the problem.
I hate that they are being rewarded for doing so and we, the American people were lied to again. We were forced to write a blank check to the banking industry with no conditions and we have to pick up the tab.
The automotive industry is asking for a $25 Billion dollar loan. Loans have to be paid back. The difference between this and that banking give away is that there isn't going to be trips to spas or rewards for a job poorly done. It is to allow the industry to help them get their act together and move forward.
Just watch the video and think about what the man is saying. I don't have the answers. Maybe we should allow market forces to apply across the board as what was taught to us as a mantra. Or maybe we need to figure out other ways of handling this situation.
The Corn Refiners Association currently has two TV commercials abut the consumption of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). In this commercial we view a backyard party where two moms get to talking.
You can also view the ads at SweetSurprise.com set that was created to support the ad campaign.
Let me say to the food producers and refiners of American that I am quiet capable of expressing why I chose not to eat certain food products. I tend to use full sentences like “I don’t like the taste.”, “I don’t trust how it is made” or “When I eat that particular food I get a headache.”
The commercials are insulting and really underestimate the growing national concerns about the quality and safety of food products. That is how I feel. However I also need to find the facts to back up my feelings and perceptions.
So what I want to attempt to convey is a simplified way to research and learn about a product I only know from a consumer standpoint.
Questions and Identifying Sources
I start with my questions. My questions might be different from yours; you might know more about HFCS than I do. These are questions that I have from viewing the commercials.
Is it a natural product? Is eating HFCS harmful?
Why are they doing this now? HFCS has been on the market since the 1970s.
How do I eat HFCS products in moderation?
When you start to look for information you want to get as close as you can to the primary source as possible. In this case the primary source happens to be the creator of the commercials.
(Note to Science folks, I know this means something different in your terminology but I’m going for a concept and I’m on the Library/Information Studies side of the fence.)
Now certainly I’m going to review the Sweet Surprise web site. At the FAQ page there is a list of statements made to support their belief that HFCS is a natural product, comparing the refinement to sugar and honey. There is also HFCS Facts.which is more of a trade organization and the actual Corn Refiners Association that gives the actual process in making HFCS:
High fructose corn sweeteners begin with enzymes which isomerize dextrose to produce a 42 percent fructose syrup. By passing 42-HFCS through a column which retains fructose, refiners draw off 90 percent HFCS and blend it with 42-HFCS to make a third syrup, 55-HFCS. Further processing produces crystalline fructose.
Yeah, that sounds like it was just plucked off the tree. I also learn that Americans are consuming at least 42 pounds of HFCS per year according to the Corn Refiners Association Web site.
Secondary Sources
Next I want to find secondary sources that take the information provided and evaluates, support or refute the claims and statements. At this point I’m looking for nutritionists, dietitians, scientists and similar authoritative sources.
In this final stage I’m looking for folks that have a stake about the topic. I’m a little more open so I want to find those people that have health issues such as diabetics, food allergies, or those folks that are required or choice to be on a low carbohydrate diet. Also I want to hear from others that have something to say about the topic.
So I am reading an article from Lazslo Pentek, a Beekeeper who has an opinion about HFCS. Ed Brayton over at Scienceblogs on Government Subsidized Obesity, Debra at The Ethicurean on this specific ad campaign, The Organic Consumers Association article on Corn, Used and Abused.
I’m checking in with food bloggers like The Slow Cook who has thoughts about the FDA switch of allowing HFCS to be called natural when it initially said it was not. Wannabegreen did a count of the number of HFCS items in the cupboard. Karina’s Kitchen writes about Sugar Blues and alternatives to Sugar. Marion Nestle on-going posts on high fructose corn syrup.
I could keep going but my fingers are cramping up.
My point in doing this was to demonstrate that you can get the information that you need to make an informed decision about a topic. A positive from this silly campaign is the recognition that consumers have the power to let food producers know what they will and will not accept. Information, good. Misinformation, bad.
Is High Fructose Corn Syrup bad? From what I have read there isn’t enough legitimate research done to confirm or disprove. I do know that we are being involuntarily fed way too much sugar in products that we don’t expect to be loaded with sugar. But there is not one single reason for Americans packing on the pounds. However there is enought responsibility that both consumers and food producers need to step up and accept.
Here is where vlogging get to be problematic. I recorded video of a silicon doll. She is not real. But she is anatomically correct except for the size 40 rack on her frame which I'm figuring is creative license by the designers or one of her selling points.
And people were touching her, er it, the automaton. And I don't think Leloo (that is her name) liked some of the ways she was being touched.
No this isn't clear. Let me try again.
So I'm walking around the convention center looking for straight women tools and technology for the unattached and under serviced. Now this is tricky stuff cuz I had to be mindful of navigation.
Men folk will come to a dead stop for a dancing partially clad woman. It was amazing. Not only will they come to a dead stop and snap photos but other dudes, fearful that they might be missing something good will dive into the black hole, not knowing what is on the other side.
And like entropy, a mass builds and then chaos destroys it (the dance ends) and they go their separate ways until the next dancer makes happy with the pole. As a female person you don't want to be standing in the middle of a crowd of men watching a show girl slinging hash.
Not that they will pay one whit of attention to you. I don't want to imply it was not safe. I'm just saying there was a collective rise in temperature and testosterone that needed to be respected.
So I'm cruising around the floor and I notice people are putting their camera's on a tripod and siting with a full size female doll. Non-vinyl. And from a distance without my glasses she looks, "real." Except she is not.
As I'm standing there are people walking up to a doll on the table. Some only touch her toes. A few give her leg a solid grip. A few women conducted a finger inspection of the lower area, both fore and aft. I wish to point out, they knew where to look.
The fellas, oh, my goodness. I can see first hand why some of you don't get a second chance after the first time at bat. You can't grab those 40's like you picking up a quart of motor oil. There were pinchers, slappers and clampers.
There were also massagers, (god bless 'em) smoothers and those gentlemen that took their time which is never a bad thing. Get the lay of the land and understand the territory.
I should show this to cultural anthropologists or something. Yeah, so where is the video?
I can't show it until I learn how to use the fuzz filter to block out faces. I don't have permission to show you the participants and it is not fair to them even though the event stated that by entering you give your consent to being recorded. When I get that figured out I will post it.
If you want to know more about the next evolution of non-human acquired companionship (and you have $4,900) You should go here.
Real shoppers use the same skills on-line as off-line.
For those of you that need to scope out the deals Sales Circulars give you a master list of an item, for instance a camcorder. You can view a list of stores offering the product, if a rebate is available and how much product cost. For all 50 states and not just tech products. Sweet – http://www.sales-circulars.com
A good place to view actual items for sale is Overstock.com. They have a wide range of household, entertainment and computer items that change constantly. The products are new and refurbished items at 30% to 70% off retail price. If you time it right, you might get shipping for $2.95 or free. http://www.overstock.com
If you got that geek urge and need a technical fix but your wallet is light Computer Geeks is right up you alley. Barebones, new and refurbished equipment for your buying pleasure. It helps to have some computer experience but it is pretty straightforward as to what you are buying, the cost and what else you will need to make it work – http://www.geeks.com
