We turned off the television years ago to avoid the constant onslaught of advertising. Spam is even worse. Today I noticed that there were a ton of comments on this site – all spam! I’ve deleted the comments and disabled comments for the moment. Once I find a good solution to this problem I’ll reenable comments again but for now they are going to be turned off. It is sad that some people have to be so disgusting and rude. Very disappointing.
Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology by Eric Brende
Homesteading means many things to different people. Brende’s focus in this entertaining book is less about homesteading and more about the role automated machines plays in our lives. For eighteen months the Brendes chose to live in a community that doesn’t use electricity, automobiles, computers, or powered machinery (except human or horse power). So there are no discussions of solar or wind power. Solar design in houses, etc. I found it to be a very engaging book. The idea of carefully evaluating what technology you will use is an important concept. As Brende points out, “It often makes no sense to save labor and time when ‘labor’ provides needed exercise and ‘time’ is spent with family or neighbors.”
All things considered I enjoyed the book. I would have liked to get more of a sense of Mary Brende in the book. As it is written there is little sense of her perspective in the book. She’s there, but in the background most of the time. Even so I would eagerly recommend this book to anyone questioning the role of technology in their lives.
Reading
This last month was National Novel Writing Month. I completed a new novel currently titled Detective Moreau during the month. Now that I have an initial draft of the novel finished I can spend more time on other projects. A big one on my list is reading. I have a stack of material I haven’t had time to get to, including some homesteading-related material.
Not much happening…
on the homesteading front right now. The porch garden is all wrapped up for the cold season. Actually the bell peppers are hanging on out there. I’m curious to see how they hold up. I doubt they’ll make it through the cold weather but I’m willing to give them a chance. Right now I’m busy working on a new novel as part of National Novel Writing Month. Also working on some seasonal craft projects.
Our next homesteading plan involves getting a diesel truck which we’ll run on B100 (100% biodiesel). That won’t be until sometime early next year.
A sad day for America
At this point it looks like Bush will be back for another term. I don’t know how much worse things are going to get over the next four years but I hope that people will learn. By 2008 I hope we see a profound transformation in the direction this country has chosen to take.
Eye-opening movie
THE END OF SUBURBIA: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of The American Dream is a very good look at the problem facing suburban America. The sad thing about all of this is that people are determined to ignore the issue altogether. There is a common unspoken assumption that a solution will just magically present itself. That’d be nice but chances are it isn’t going to happen. I don’t doubt that things are going to change, everything is always changing no matter how much we try to pretend that things are as they always have been or always will be. We’ve never owned a car and have managed fine. In the future I plan to get an alternatively-powered car but we won’t be using it the way most people use their vehicles. For now I’m still walking.
