New Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) on National Preparedness

    On March 30, 2011, President Barack Obama signed a new Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) on National Preparedness.  The Directive outlines the President’s vision for strengthening the security and resilience of the United States through systematic preparation for threats to the security of the Nation, including acts of terrorism, pandemics, significant accidents, and catastrophic natural disasters.  The Directive replaces Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 (HSPD-8) (2003) and HSPD-8 Annex I (2007).  
     
    The Directive emphasizes three national preparedness principles:
     
    ·        An all-of-Nation approach, aimed at enhancing integration of effort across Federal, State, local, tribal, and territorial governments; closer collaboration with the private and non-profit sectors; and more engagement of individuals, families and communities;
    ·        A focus on capabilities, defined by specific and measurable objectives, as the cornerstone of preparedness.  This will enable more integrated, flexible, and agile “all hazards” efforts tailored to the unique circumstances of any given threat, hazard, or actual event; and
    ·        A focus on outcomes and rigorous assessment to measure and track progress in building and sustaining capabilities over time.
     
    The Directive calls for the development of an overarching National Preparedness Goal that identifies the core capabilities necessary for preparedness, defined as a spectrum of five broad efforts:
     
    ·        Prevention – those capabilities necessary to avoid, prevent, or stop a threatened or actual act of terrorism;
    ·        Protection – those capabilities necessary to secure the homeland against acts of terrorism and manmade or natural disasters;
    ·        Mitigation – those capabilities necessary to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters;
    ·        Response – those capabilities necessary to save lives, protect property and the environment, and meet basic human needs after an incident has occurred; and
    ·        Recovery – those capabilities necessary to assist communities affected by an incident to recover effectively.
     
    The Directive also calls for development of a National Preparedness System to guide activities that will enable the Nation to achieve the goal; a comprehensive campaign to build and sustain national preparedness; and an annual National Preparedness Report to measure progress in meeting the goal.  
     
    This action recognizes that our national response to a wide range of events, from the 2009-H1N1 pandemic to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, has been strengthened by leveraging the expertise and resources that exist in our communities.  All of us can contribute to safeguard our Nation from harm, and we must continue to lean forward together to prepare for all hazards.
     
    A copy of the PPD is posted to the DHS website at
    http://www.dhs.gov/xabout/laws/gc_1215444247124.shtm and is linked at FEMA’s website at http://www.fema.gov/prepared/directives.shtm

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Being inclusive

    Update: 8 April : further discussion at: at what cost? and Chatsworth Road Facebook


    Interesting debate taking place on Hackney Hive forum on the lack of representation from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities on the various overlapping groups (both in terms of geography and the people heading them) busy trying to promote gentrification to parts of Clapton (such as Chatsworth Road): Hackney Hive. This lack of engagement includes the Millfields User Group where issues have been picked up in past surveys of the Park but neither the Committee nor the Parks Department have done anything to address this. Membership and representation needs to better reflect the people who actually use the park.

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Volunteer Street Clean

    By Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    London Borough of Sutton is now, so it would appear, floating the idea - after the idea of having residents repair the potholes in their roads - that residents should be doing their own street sweeping and street cleaning.

    It has been suggested that in keeping with 'take part, take pride' that a yearly/quarterly volunteer street clean could and should be run. And it goes further to suggest that if residents were provided with sacks/gloves/pickers they could clean their road/surrounding roads in an couple hours afternoon.

    This would increase community spirit, it is said, and would encourage pride in people's neighbourhood, which in the long term would encourage less litter on the the streets. If people have personally cleaned up litter you are less likely to drop it. While this may, indeed, be true, I am concerned that the entire idea of the “Big Society”, even though being a good one, might (i) get out of hand a little but more importantly (ii) that the amount of volunteers that Cameron and Co think to be coming forward will not and, in the end, it will require coercion. I can see Subotniks happening in Britain and, unlike in the Iron Curtain countries of old, it would not be the communist/socialist party who would be “forcing” people to volunteer “for the good of society” but our dear old Conservative Party, together with the Lib-Dems.

    We are seeing already library service being put out to being run by volunteers, such as in Surrey, where the county council has decided that while it will retain the buildings and the book stock it will be staffing the libraries by volunteers.

    Will this work? I must say that I am not sure about this and while I am all for the use of volunteers, and there are certainly places where it is very appropriate, even in local government service provision, or in addition, as helpers, in providing the services, be that in helping to run parks and open spaces, meals on wheels, community transport, or whatever else. But libraries and such like which need to be staffed reliably and by knowledgeable people; librarians were highly trained in books and such matters. This cannot happen with your ordinary punter.

    Volunteers mending roads and cleaning the streets is something that could work but it also might not work. Then again, in other European country it is a requirement on residents to keep the sidewalks in front of their homes – including those in apartment blocks – swept and free of litter and clear of snow in winter. Maybe, just maybe, this could work in Britain too and make out neighbourhoods cleaner and happier. Worth a try...

    © 2011

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Olympic effort to support walking and cycling

    Walking and cycling in London has received an Olympic boost.

    ISL launch London (Small) Inspired by the forthcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have announced their Inspiring Sustainable Living grants to help people travel in more active and environmentally-friendly ways, transform derelict land into refreshing green spaces and recycle more.

    Sustrans will now recruit and train a group of Active Travel Champions in London . These champions will be a new team of volunteers that encourage and support people in workplaces, schools, universities and communities to walk and cycle more for their daily journeys.

    Sustrans’ London Director Carl Pittam said: ‘We’re excited to be part of Olympic fever, playing a role in helping people to cycle and walk more in the run up to and during London 2012.  This is a real opportunity to be an Olympic host country that champions healthier and more active ways of travelling, both to the Games and as part of everyday life.’

    Announcing the grants at the Olympic Park in London , Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: ‘Most people have a real desire to do the right thing by making more sustainable choices that are good for our planet.

    ‘London 2012 is a once in a lifetime opportunity to inspire genuine change and provide a model of how living sustainably can be incorporated into whole communities as we build a green economy. These projects will contribute by making a practical difference in the community and leave a lasting green legacy.’

    To find out more about becoming a Sustrans Active Travel Champion, please contact atchampions@sustrans.org.uk

    This press release is presented without editing for your information only.

    Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.

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Sustrans and Specialized plan family-friendly summer

    Families across the UK will get outdoors on two-wheels this summer as part of a series of events organised by charity Sustrans and sponsored by leading bike retailer Specialized.

    Up to 100 family-friendly ‘Fresh Air Miles’ bike rides and events, planned by Sustrans volunteers and supported by Specialized, will take place across the country between April and the end of September.

    Each event will be designed so that everyone, regardless of age, ability or cycling experience, will be able to take part and discover how easy and enjoyable it can be to travel by bike. Children taking part will also have the chance to win one of two brand new ‘Hotrock’ girls and boys bikes donated by Specialized.

    Melissa Henry, Sustrans’ Communications Director, said: ’For a free and fun family activity, there is little to rival a bike ride. Sustrans and Specialized want each ride to inspire a sense of freedom, of achievement and of neighbourliness among everyone who takes part.

    ‘These are vital elements in the development of young people. Over the last thirty years children’s freedom to travel independently, to play away from their front doors and explore their neighbourhoods, has diminished significantly. These rides could be a simple step towards reversing that by enabling people to collect Fresh Air Miles rather than sit in traffic on the way to somewhere.’

    Specialized - experts in designing bikes for children and young people – are getting involved as part of their First Gear initiative to get more kids riding bikes. Anne Immelman, Specialized Marketing Manager, said:

    ‘Supporting Sustrans’ Fresh Air Miles rides is the perfect opportunity for Specialized to share our passion for riding bikes with more people, and especially children, helping them to develop healthy habits that last a lifetime.

    ‘We’re delighted to be supporting Sustrans, particularly this year as they celebrate 16 years of their work successfully enabling more children to get to school under their own steam. Together we hope to inspire many more kids and their families to get out and discover the pleasure of collecting Fresh Air Miles from the saddle’

    All are welcome to take part in Fresh Air Miles rides. Most will be completely free of charge with participants encouraged to make donations on the day towards Sustrans, supporting the charity’s work to make it possible for people in the UK to walk and cycle for more everyday journeys. To find your local event visit www.freshairmiles.org.uk

    Sustrans is the charity that’s enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public transport for more of the journeys we make every day. It’s time we all began making smarter travel choices. Make your move and support Sustrans today. www.sustrans.org.uk

    Specialized have been active in youth cycling development since the company’s founding in 1974, by contributing to programs that positively impact young people of all ages.  First Gear is a movement to get more kids riding bikes. Set a kid riding and you set them on a winning course for life: You help defeat childhood obesity and attention deficit disorders; you give them a chance to progress and even excel in a sport; and you develop healthy habits that last a lifetime. First Gear was created to do just that - for as many kids as possible. To discover easy ways you can get involved with this important mission, head to firstgear.specialized.com and click the ‘Join In’ button.

    There are around 3,000 volunteers helping with Sustrans’ work. Around 2,800 of these are rangers, who help to maintain the National Cycle Network. Rangers work in 210 groups, which are each co-ordinated by a volunteer liaison ranger. Our aim is to have most rangers working together in this way so that they can benefit from each other’s experience and skills.

    Fourteen local authorities contribute funding to the Ranger Programme (Devon, Cornwall , Kent , North Tyneside, Stoke-on Trent, Northumberland, Gateshead, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Essex, Thurrock, Kirklees, Rochdale, and Dundee ,) and have formed partnerships with their local Ranger Groups to promote and support local volunteer activity

    The Ranger Programme is also supported by the Scottish Government, the Welsh Assembly Government and the National Lottery.

    This press release is presented without editing for your information only.

    Full Disclosure Statement: The GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW received no compensation for any component of this article.

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Avoiding the common mistakes often made buying eco products

    by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    When you decide to go green and want to buy environmentally friendly products, there are some common mistakes that you must avoid at all costs. The bad thing about going green is that it is getting so popular that everyone is jumping onto the band wagon, so to speak, and that you always have those items that can fool you into thinking that they are environmentally friendly and eco products, when in fact they are not.

    Knowing how to know the difference and to distinguish between truth and greenwash is essential to making sure your going green isn't going sour.

    The first mistake that is made when people decide to buy environmentally friendly products is that they are fooled by what appear to be "green". There are many manufacturers out there that are promoting their products as being "green" and good for the environment and all that when, in fact, they are not.

    Those products may appear “green” because it looks as if their label indicates that they are they are eco products and products that are good for the Planet. And there are those products that fool us with their advertisements into believing that they are “green” when all the manufacturers or vendors are interested in is our money, with no intention whatsoever of being environmentally friendly.

    Cleaning products are probably a prime example of going to buy what you think are environmentally friendly products, only to end up with the same chemical pollutants, only packaged differently. When you see a cleaning product that claims that it is a environmentally friendly products, make sure you take a good look at the list of ingredients. That is if the product lists the ingredients for in some countries it is not required. If there is a list and if the ingredients listed are not all natural ingredients then the product is not "green". Many older and more traditional cleaning products can provide the true "green" experience you are really looking for. You are going to find that they are still effective, but the chemical harshness and pollution is eliminated. A little bit more elbow grease, however, may be required. Vinegar is a fantastic product for cleaning and disinfecting, amongst others.

    If you want real green cleaning products the best advice is to make them yourself. There are many old books around with recipes for effective cleaners of our grandparents' time and those before that even which you can easily make at home from common ingredients. One of those ingredients will be vinegar and the other lemon juice, for instance.

    There is far too much greenwash out there and not just as far as cleaning products are concerned.

    My old pet peeve is, and let me mention it once again, the “Eco Button”, for instance, used to put your computer into sleep mode. The thing costs around the $12-$14 mark (cost recalculated from British Pounds) and does no more that what the sleep mode button – or button combination – that is standard at your computer. But it has been highly touted by the green media in their reviews. No one, bar the GREEN (LIVING) REVIEW seems to have dared to mention that it is, in reality, a total waste of money and a piece of plastic and electronics that has to be disposed off via the electronics recycling schemes and cannot just be tossed into the trash. Great – NOT!

    Then there is the notion of people that they do great when they buy a recycled product and, to all intents and purposes they do, but going out and spending between the equivalent of six to ten bucks to buy a recycled steel pencil bin for the desk when they have just tossed a tin can into the recycling bin does not make sense. Neither does spending the equivalent of sixteen dollars on a set of two recycled glass storage jars when one has just tossed some large glass jars into the recycling bin that could have served the same purpose and, in both cases, for free.

    Green consumption is taking over from general consumption now and the thought seems to be that we have to buy this or that green product or gadget. Too often not a thought is given as to whether or not it might not be possible to make your own; in many cases it is.

    Always consider as to whether you could make what you want and need yourself and what you could repurpose and upcycle rather than going out to buy or ordering on the Internet.

    Energy saving gadget, obviously, you cannot, really make yourself in most cases but you could do it manually, couldn't you. All it needs – at least in Britain – is to turn off the plugs at the socket. You don't even have to pull the plug out. And you certainly do not have to have a device or gadget that turns your lights off in a room now which you don't use at the time, on the landings, and such like. It is easy: turn it off by hand and this can be taught to even children.

    When it comes to, and I said that before, to environmentally friendly cleaning products you can make most of those yourself, from common ingredients, and a fraction of the cost.

    Read the ingredients on some window cleaners in spray bottles; it is water, soap, vinegar and alcohol. OK, so, recap... water, soap (Fairy dishwash will do), vinegar (even the cheapest brown stuff is fine) and alcohol (a drop of cheap vodka) and bingo.

    And this is just one of the many things that can be done. No need to go out and pay good money for something that is being advertised as green and then only to find that it has harmful chemicals in it that is polluting your home.

    Just some food for thought here...

    © 2011

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BP Woes!

    Further headaches for BP, amidst its unwinding Arctic frontier ambitions, with the news that the company and certain managers (incl. former CEO Tony Hayward) could potentially face manslaughter charges with regard to the Deepwater Horizon explosion that killed 11 people.

    Obviously it isn't possible for me to assess what actually happened, and I do think it right that if certain persons are to blame then they should be made accountable BUT, I always find it strange that the witch hunt headlines are always aimed at BP despite:

    "An official White House report into the accident concluded that blame should be shared among many parties, including BP, Transocean and Halliburton, which was responsible for sealing the well with cement." (www.telegraph.co.uk: Gulf of Mexico lawsuit fears hit BP share price).

    “The investigation report provides critical new information on the causes of this terrible accident. It is evident that a series of complex events, rather than a single mistake or failure, led to the tragedy. Multiple parties, including BP, Halliburton and Transocean, were involved.

    “To put it simply, there was a bad cement job and a failure of the shoe track barrier at the bottom of the well, which let hydrocarbons from the reservoir into the production casing. The negative pressure test was accepted when it should not have been, there were failures in well control procedures and in the blow-out preventer; and the rig’s fire and gas system did not prevent ignition.

    “Based on the report, it would appear unlikely that the well design contributed to the incident, as the investigation found that the hydrocarbons flowed up the production casing through the bottom of the well,” Hayward said."


    Hmmm.



    Putting my investor hat back on, I am also starting to feel really frustrated at BP's inate ability to court controversy at almost every turn which is leading me question why, and if, I should be holding the shares.


    From a limited resource point of view, coupled with a growing global demand, the long term prospects must still be compelling but the constant legal headwinds that seem to swirl around the company suggest a fractured management team with an inconsistent strategy.


    It may be that this is just an "annus horribilis" for the company and, as an investor,  I just happen to have entered into it. It could also be assumed that the enforced changes to the management team need time to bed in. Only time will tell.


    What I do know is that I picked them as a long term hold into my Value and Income portfolio and having re-instated the dividend the company has started to repay that with the first dividend having dropped into my account today but the uncertainty is still unsettling.
    Quality earnings and the maintaining of a strong, growing dividend policy would be enough for me as quality would eventually win out.
    But, does BP still have that quality or is it living on a past reputation.
    Does the uncertainty and the currently unimpressive performance of the management outweigh the company's long term prospects?
    Again, only time will tell.

    BP @ 458.45, -8.1 (-1.74%)

    Related article links:

    BP links:


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Tony Howard's 'Troll Wall'...a life less ordinary.

    Like most climbers who came into the game in the 1970's and 80's, my first encounter with the name Troll in a climbing context was when I was  casually flicking through the pages of the UK climbing magazines- Climber and Rambler and High. 'Troll'...they make climbing gear right... Like Clog, Wild Country, Mo Anthoine's Snowdon Mouldings and Mountain Technology up in Scotland?'
    " In fact, I'm sure my mate's Whillans harness is made by Troll. Come to think of it- I think my Mark 6 job a Troll ?'

    Back then I hadn't made the connection between the Trolltind Wall in Norway,the English equipment manufacturer and as for Tony Howard....who he?
    Slowly but surely as I immersed myself in climbing culture I began to put flesh on these bones of information. Troll Wall....biggest face in Europe.A mile high I'm told. Ed Drummond soloed it and had an epic didn't he?. Tony Howard...isn't he the guy who's always writing about Wadi Rum in Jordan or some other such far flung exotic destination?
    I have to confess.Despite gaining a fair amount of knowledge over the years about our climbing history,it wasn't until I had closed this book that I finally gleaned just how important an event the ascent of the Troll Wall in 1965 by Tony Howard and his Rimmon club team was at the time. Furthermore, I was somewhat humbled and in awe of the author's truly breathtaking climbing life. Here was a working class Northern lad for whom no destination was too far; No adventure too ambitious;No climbing goal unjustifiable. 'Just Do It! ' was the name of the game and how !
    It's hard the believe that the manuscript for Troll Wall' which was written shortly after the ascent lay gathering dust in the author's gaff for over 40 years until Dave Durkan casually asked if Tony had anything he could use in relation to a Norwegian climbing history project.Fortunately for the wider climbing public,partner Di Taylor uncovered the faded,typewritten manuscript and it was sent off to Ed Douglas to see if it had any mileage left as a piece of climbing history. No surprise then that Ed found the piece fascinating and well worth fleshing out as a more substantial work which leads us right here.
    Troll Wall could well be subtitled 'A life less ordinary'. By any comparison,Tony Howard has had one hell of a life! At 18 he was working on a Norwegian Whaling boat in the South Atlantic. Casually using an afternoon off in a South Georgia whaling station to climb a virgin glacier to attain a station on a tottering ice rimed ridge leading off into the clouds. How he survived this experience in normal ship working clothes and absolutely no climbing equipment is any one's guess!
    Tony's experiences in the grim,blood washed holds of the Norwegian whaler led him to become an early member of Greenpeace when they launched their 'Save the Whale' campaign.
    After his nautical experiences,the author follows the path of so many working class climbers at the time.Turning his hand to a variety of jobs that will pay for extended trips abroad. As a precursor to the Troll Wall climb,he and members of the Rimmon Club make their mark on the largely undeveloped Norwegian cliffs including those on the now popular Lofoten Islands.Making first ascents on many remote towering faces and ridges.Often in atrocious conditions and using the rudimentary gear of the time.
    Of course,the Troll Wall ascent is at the heart of the book and is, as to be expected,both gripping and exceedingly well constructed. The photographs taken at the time paint a vivid picture of young climbers taking it to the limit. One striking shot in particular,of the team sorting through gear in a downpour as they prepare to descend after the first failed attempt,paints a striking picture of abject misery!
    The fact that the media of the time portrayed the ascent as a frantic race between the plucky Brits and the purposeful Norwegians- a re-run of the Scott/Amundsen race to the pole-is de-bunked by the author who describes the warm camaraderie between the teams.
    Of course,for Tony Howard,the Troll Wall experience was just the beginning. The concluding chapters detail his work as a partner and designer with Troll before it was sold in 1996. Allowing him to further expand his impressive climbing portfolio and giving him the time and freedom to roam far and wide all over the planet in search of yet another unexplored wilderness.
    The book is extremely well illustrated and is bookended by contributions from Doug Scott and Ole Enersen; a member of the 'rival' Norwegian Troll Wall team.
    As with all Vertebrate publications,the book has a really nice look and feel to it. This is one for the bookshelf not the car boot sale! A fine fine work by a quite unique individual who has packed more into his lifespan than most of us could manage in ten.Inspirational stuff indeed!

    Troll Wall is published by Vertebrate Publications

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Bank of England chief under fire for telling the truth

    Don't shoot the messenger, for goodness sake

    by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    Bank of England chief under fire after warning Britain is at risk of another financial crisis and certain people are about to shoot the messenger

    Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, has come under fire from leading economists after warning that Britain risks suffering another financial crisis without reform of the country’s banks. He said that “imbalances” in the banking system remain and are “beginning to grow again”.

    There are certain people that are too deep in the pay of the banking sector, it would seem, right there in the middle of the government establishment that would wish to shoot down the Governor of the Bank of England in flames.

    Words and statements that the financial sector is very important to the British economy and that the Governor should not be attacking and criticizing the banks. Criticizing them reduces their credibility and then people worry about them and that the important thing for the Governor of the Bank of England is to help the banks.

    Well, it would seem that Mervyn King would rather like to tell the people of the country how and where things really lie without using lies, unlike our politicians, and that's when bankers and government people seem to all end up in a fluster.

    The Banker's Association has come out attacking Mr King's statements saying that there a a great number of points with which they disagree. I do not doubt it. In the same way, no doubt, that the British railways companies disagree with the findings of EU bodies that the British rail passenger is being ripped off and that rail travel in Britain is the most expensive of all in Europe.

    The banking industry recognises that some of its number got it badly wrong during the crisis. Since then the industry has reformed radically. Thus says the Banker's Association in a statement, and continues to claim that that they have changed and all that.

    It is rather amazing though that we cannot, in fact, see any of the changes, and SMEs have great problem getting loans while bankers and especially chief executives of banks are getting bonuses in the millions of Pounds Sterling again.

    It is obvious that nothing to very little has changed in the way the banks were doing business before. In fact, it would very much appear it to be the BAU model that has come back, the business-as-usual.

    In interview that Mr King gave urges high street banks to take a better, longer term view towards their customers and to stop focusing on the need to “simply maximise profits next week”.

    He accuses them of routinely exploiting their millions of customers. “If it’s possible [for financial services firms] to make money out of gullible or unsuspecting customers, particularly institutional customers, [they think] that is perfectly acceptable,” he said. And he also expressed regret for not sounding a louder warning over his concerns before the last banking crisis.

    Mr King's words must be a warning to government and to us all that we will never see the likes of the living standards again that some of us have enjoyed in the last decades. That time is over and – more than likely – will never return.

    We must also prepare that things are not going to get better but that they are going to go downhill for a lot longer before they will bottom out and then stay at that level somewhere.

    Government allowed a banking system to build up which contained the seeds of its own destruction and we have not as yet solved the 'too big to fail’ or, as Mervyn King called it, the 'too important to fail’ problem.

    The fact is that the concept of being too important to fail should have no place in a market economy and it seems that the only “industries” that were not allowed to 'fail' were some huge banks that were bailed out, here and across the pond, and some automobile manufacturers, in the States (and Britain?).

    When asked whether there could be a repeat of the financial crisis, Mr King said that he would say yes, as the problem is still there. The search for yield goes on. Imbalances are beginning to grow again. To which one could but add that also the culture of the huge bonuses is still there and some bankers even think that they have nothing to be grateful to the taxpayer for.

    Maybe it is really time that the governments (and the taxpayers) told those banks how the cookie crumbles and actually would take full control of those banks that have been bailed out by billions and billions of British taxpayers' money.

    This is money, if we had not have to throw it at the banks 'too big to fail' we would still have in the system and thus we would not have a financial problem in the public service and in the country as a whole.

    But, as it has happened there is very little that the government, or we, as people, can now do about it and that means we have to face the problems of the now, of the present and of the future, and that future does not look all that bright in the old light.

    However, I think we have the opportunity now to make something better and create a brighter, a green future, with a constant economy, and proper economy as if people mattered. The question only is as to whether the British government will grab the bull by its horns and do it. But, then again, it is up to us, as the electorate, to demand that they do and allow us to be fobbed off with the fibs of the need for a constantly growing economy. That notion is a totally and utterly false one.

    Once again, let us remember not to shoot the messenger if the news he brings is bad but the truth. Let us act upon the news and, in this case, change the course of this old ship.

    © 2011

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Mixing vegetables and flowers

    by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    The majority of people always think of flower gardens and vegetable gardens as two separate entities, but there’s no reason to think that is the way it has to be so.

    If you would think about the kitchen garden of colonial days of America and those of that era and already before in Britain then you may come to a different picture and understanding altogether. Those gardens were a mix of vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs.

    Companion planting is the official name for it, but for some gardeners, that might be too scientific and calculated for their tastes. Instead you might like to think of a vegetable-flower garden as an artistic palette, strictly for appearances and enjoyment.

    Your vegetable-flower garden can be orderly or not so orderly, it depends on your personal style and is a matter of taste, pardon the pun. You do however need to take into account the growing style of the vegetables and flowers. Pumpkins, cucumbers, and squash need lots of horizontal room to grow so you want to avoid planting flowers too close. Also, do have a little look into the right books to ensure that you do not plant flowers and veg together that might not “like” each other.

    Also consider that some flowers are, indeed, edible, so you might like to include some of those as well and esp.

    Think about plant forms and foliage too. Peppers are upright and shrub-like. Corn is tall, vertical, and leafy but would look terrific mixed with sunflowers. Or, concentrate on color combinations such as white, purple, and pink for earlier flowering vegetables and flowers, or yellow, red, and orange for late summer crops and blooms. The gold color of marigolds and the dark green of spinach for example or red flowers of nasturtiums, which are edible, next to those bright red chili peppers. Then again, a higgledy-piggledy mix is also fine if that is what you like.

    Companion Planting

    Companion planting became popular in America during the organic farming movement in the 1970s even though it has been practiced by some Native American cultures for centuries, and not just by Native Americans.

    Companion planting is all about beneficial plant associations. In other words planting a specific mix of flowers, herbs, or vegetables in proximity to each other in order to achieve a mutually beneficial result such as higher crop yields or pest management.

    There are several types of companion planting methods including symbiotic nitrogen fixation, chemical pest suppression, trap cropping, and spacial interaction, where a vertical plant such as corn is planted next to a climbing plant such as pole beans for instance.

    An example of symbiotic nitrogen fixation is planting beans, which are legumes and fix nitrogen from the air adding it to the soil, next to corn and other vegetables that require larger amounts of nitrogen to grow.

    Marigolds planted among the vegetables secrete a biochemical substance from their roots that kills nematodes in the soil. Thus I am not sure whether I would want to plant marigolds where I want to use nematodes to control slugs and snails.

    Nasturtiums are often planted near cabbage plants so the moths will lay their eggs in the nasturtiums, which they prefer, and not the cabbages. This type of companion planting is referred to as trap cropping.

    There are lists and books on the subject of companion planting galore though I would suggest, rather than buying a book, to look on the Internet for some free lists, which, I know, are available.

    You don't necessarily need the entire story as to the whys and wherefores of planting this with that; all you need is a list stating the planting of those flowers with those vegetable for this or that reason, without the historical and anecdotal references found in many of the books.

    © 2011

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Mixing vegetables and flowers


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Eight great reasons to love eggs

    Eggs are great. They are so easy to make, really versatile, very nutritious and, before I forget, they are good for you.

    By Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    Are you still hearing in some places that you should avoid the yolk or eggs all together because they are high in fat and can raise your cholesterol? You do. Well, here are some great reasons to forget the bad advice and get cracking:

    1. One egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and all 9 essential amino acids.

    2. Eggs are a source of healthy fat. One egg contains just 5 grams of fat and only 1.5 grams of that is saturated fat.

    3. Eggs are one of the only foods that contain naturally occurring vitamin D.

    4. According to a study by the Harvard School of Public Health, there is no significant link between egg consumption and heart disease, In fact, according to one study, regular consumption of eggs may help prevent blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks.

    5. New research shows that consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. In fact, recent studies show that regular consumption of two eggs per day does not affect a person's lipid profile and may actually improve it.

    6. They are a good source of choline, which is an important nutrient that helps regulate the brain, nervous system, and cardiovascular system.

    7. Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent macular degeneration due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin, which are more readily absorbed by our bodies from eggs than from other sources. Also, the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs may lower their risk of developing cataracts.

    8. Eggs promote healthy hair and nails because of their high sulphur content and many other vitamins and minerals.

    As indicated in the list above the story about the cholesterol is false. Not all cholesterol is bad cholesterol and that in eggs is the good version. As far as I am concerned that is good as I do love eggs, and a good thing too, seeing that I get about 3-4 a day from my 5 hens.

    Remember that organic free-range eggs are always better. Conventional eggs contain hormones and antibiotics. Better still, get your own hens. You don't need a flock of a hundred. In fact you wouldn't unless you would want to go into business selling act and for that you may need, as in Britain, a license in order to be allowed to do so. You cannot, in the UK, legally sell any eggs from your backyard hens. If you have a bit of space you can have a hen or three. In fact you should have more than one hen and I would suggest have a min of three. One does work but... they do like company even if the may squabble.

    Now all you need is some hens... No, honest, you don't have to have a rooster to get egg; only if you want chicks.

    © 2011

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Eight great reasons to love eggs


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Public Transit in the 'Most Livable City'

    One of the many reasons why Metro Vancouver stays livable!

    TransLink BURNABY, British Columbia, Canada, March 2011: As the cherry and plum blossoms re-appear and daylight stretches later, Metro Vancouver gets ready to welcome people from other parts of the world. And TransLink's integrated, modern, good-to-the-environment public transportation system makes it easy to get around.

    With gasoline currently in the neighborhood of US$5.60 per gallon, that makes Vancouver even more livable!

    Whatever your tastes, public transit can get you where you want to go. Service runs 21 hours a day and icons like SkyTrain and SeaBus make it a "destination transit system."

    SkyTrain - the world's second-longest (after Dubai) driverless automated rail system launched at the 1986 transportation-themed World's Fair. Today, there are three SkyTrain lines:

    Canada Line welcomes many travelers arriving at Vancouver International Airport. You can get downtown in less than half an hour for C$8.75 (C$7.50 after 6:30pm and on weekends), which includes a one-time $5 surcharge for arriving travellers - a third of the cost of a cab ride. Or change trains at Bridgeport Station and visit Richmond, the fast-growing multicultural city with its Asian-style shopping centers, Historic Steveston and "the best Chinese food outside China."

    Expo and Millennium Line - these lines run 30 feet above ground with a magnificent view of the North Shore mountains, Mount Baker in Washington State and the city of Vancouver. It also doesn't hurt that the three SkyTrain lines take you to no fewer than 10 major shopping malls!

    SeaBus - unlike other modes, SeaBus is the one element where usage increases during the summer. That's because that 12-minute trip across Vancouver harbour between downtown Vancouver and the North Shore is a thrill in itself, with views of mountains, the working harbor, Stanley Park and even the occasional harbor seal checking you out.

    Get on the bus! With some 200 bus routes - including one of the last remaining fleets of zero-emission electric trolley buses in North America - it's remarkably easy to get to beaches, nightlife on Granville and Robson Streets, Major League Soccer and Canadian football at Empire Field, baseball at Nat Bailey Stadium ("the prettiest little ballpark in baseball") or the eclectic circus on Commercial Drive.

    The TransLink Trip Planner can give you the directions you need or call Customer Information (604-953-3333).

    A DayPass is the most economical way to pay fares, with unlimited travel in any direction all day. Buy a DayPasses at any FareDealer (you can find locations on the TransLink website - www.translink.ca), at SkyTrain stations and on BC Ferries from Victoria and Nanaimo.

    For non-English speakers, SkyTrain Attendants have access to the provincial language service and interpreters in up to 150 languages.

    Summertime, and the livin' is easy; and what could be easier on a summer vacation than to leave the car behind and let someone else do the driving? TransLink makes it happen.

    Source: TransLink

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Public Transit in the 'Most Livable City'


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The controversial Zimbabwe company grab Act is now law!

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The controversial Zimbabwe company grab Act is now law!


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Another Snowdonia sale.Will the National Trust be ripped off again?

     Llyn Dinas

    News abounds in todays national papers that the National Trust is once again, launching a major appeal for funds to enable it to buy a 600+ acre farmstead in a particularly beautiful part of the Snowdonia National Park. According to reports,the Owen family who own the holding- which includes the lake of Llyn Dinas- are looking for in excess of one million pounds for the property.
    The news provokes strong feelings of deja vu for conservationists and casual observers of the National Trust at work. In 1997 the Trust launched a £4m appeal to buy a 4.000 acre estate next to this property which included part of the Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) summit. Not the entire mountain as was commonly mis-reported. The Trust eventually reached its target thanks to a well publicised donation from Welsh/Hollywood actor Anthony Hopkins.
    At the time eyebrows were raised that a charity should wish to spend what was considered  then an excessive amount for an estate which largely consisted of poor rough pasture land and several properties. At the same time as the National Trust were paying four million pounds for their Snowdonia Estate,in Scotland, The John Muir Trust charity were ironically buying roughly the same amount of land including the summit area of Ben Nevis for just one tenth of that amount. £450k to be exact.
    Given the limited commercial value of the Snowdonia estate either as a farm or for a business venture which because of strict national park planning regulations would find itself hamstrung by restrictions;the Williams Family who owned the estate, must have pinched themselves at their good fortune as they wended their way over the hills to the flat lands of Ynys Mon!
    Now it's happening all over again. This time, another Welsh/Hollywood star, Matthew Rhys has launched the NT's one million pound campaign to buy the Owen family farmstead which includes a modest traditional Welsh vernacular farmhouse. The owner Ken Owen who is retiring from farming must be hoping that the National Trust once again pays top dollar to take the farmstead into its possession.
    For those who wander hereabouts,there is a feeling that perhaps the NT's ownership of the holding might not necessarily be a good thing. After all, walkers are free to roam the land under the Crow act and with public footpaths running across the land anyway and with a campsite on the holding, access is pretty much guaranteed anyway. Given the National Trust's predilection to organise their properties along highly controlled commercial lines...expensive car parking..strict boundaries of access...expensive camping and accomodation...lists of do's and don'ts etc..Perhaps walkers and climbers would be best served by the Trust failing in its campaign this time? At the very least, perhaps it could take a leaf out of The John Muir Trust's book and negotiate realistic prices for upland estates and holdings.

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Another Snowdonia sale.Will the National Trust be ripped off again?


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Budget Musings / NS&I Index linked savings

    I personally haven't expected too much from the budget due to the parlous state of the country's finances but have taken note of a few things:

    • Income tax bands: personal allowance frozen at £7,475 for 2011/12  but there is a decrease of £2,400 in the basic rate limit, taking it to £35,000 (added to the personal allowance this is the starting point for the higher rate i.e £7,475 + £35,000). 
    • The 2010/11 personal allowance of £7,475 will increase to £8,105 in 2012/13, again with a corresponding decrease in the basic limit leaving the higher rate threshold unchanged at £42,475 (i.e. £8,105 + £34,370). Subsequent years will see the allowance increase by RPI at least, until the it reaches £10,000.
    • In 2011/12, personal allowances will reduce by 50p for every pound that income (incl. interest and dividends) is above £100k, so make use of pensions contributions, or other tax efficient investments to maximise your allowances
    • Indexation of direct taxes: the default indexation basis for all direct taxes incl. inheritance tax and capital gains tax will move to CPI from RPI from 2012/13
    • ISA limits: from April 2011/12 ISA limits will increase to £10,680, of which £5,340 can be saved in cash. Again, going forward, the default indexation for ISA limits will be CPI rather than RPI.
    • Pensions Tax relief: the annual limit will be £50,000 from 6 April 2011 but the lifetime limit will remain at £1.8m, reducing to £1.5m from April 2012 as previously announced. Unused annual allowances can be carried forward by up to 3 years.
    • Pensions annuitisation: the effective requirement for annuitisation will be moved to 77 (previously 75) from 6 April 2011. Savers, from the age of 75, can align multiple drawdown pension funds under the same scheme to enable consistent annual valuations.
    • Capital gains tax (CGT) annual exemption: rising in line with statutory indexation to £10,600. From April 2012 (as stated earlier), this will be in line with CPI not RPI
    For business:
    • Corporation tax rates: set at: 20% (profits up to £300k); 27.5% (up to £1.5m); and 26% (over £1.5m) for the next year, following which the main rate of 26% will be cut by 1% per annum for the next 3 years to 23%
    • Bank Levy: will increase to negate any advantage from the reduction in corporation tax.
    So, not too many brightspots. You can see that more people will steadily be brought into the higher rate tax threshold over the next few years. 
    Most allowances will be indexed by the "Mickey Mouse" Consumer Prices Index (CPI), (no disrespect to Mickey Mouse intended), from the more realistic, and generally higher Retail Prices Index (RPI). Thanks again to Gordon Brown (the gift that keeps on giving) for bringing CPI in.

    One bit of good news was the statement that National Savings Indexed Linked savings certificates are likely to resurrected in the coming year with a £2bn funding target being set by the government.
    As ever there are terms and conditions but, in the past, these have proven a very useful investment tool for me, allowing me to balance my portfolio between cash investments and equities.
    The investments are 100% government backed and have typically yielded a tax free RPI + 1% over a 3 or 5 year period. 
    Maturing investments can also be rolled over without affecting any new issue take-up.
    Until withdrawal, one could deposit up to £15,000 in each issue of the certificates.

    Likely to be very popular, I just hope that they are left in place (rather than quickly withdrawn again) and subsequent issues made which, hopefully, will act as a competitive spur to the banks that they need to work harder to keep/raise funds.
    We shall have to wait and see.

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Budget Musings / NS&I Index linked savings


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Random musings: Portugal; and BP


    Portuguese woes!


    Following on from last Wednesday's resignation by the Prime Minister of Portugal (due to rejection of his proposed austerity measures), I see that there is a tangible inevitability that Portugal will run out of money in the next few weeks to become the next domino in the line of failing sovereign states that need bailing out by the EU.
    Overnight, 10 year Portuguese bonds have deteriorated to yield more than 8% as confidence leaks out of the country's finances (the face value goes down as the yield goes up as sellers try to offload them).

    Markets seem to have got used to this sequence now though and seem to be less concerned than they are with other global events. I guess that with Ireland and Greece taking hand-outs there is now a survival formula....as long as the money tree keeps growing!
    Other than that, speculators and ambulance chasers will again be looking at Spain or Italy as the next in line. 
    There may be some short term knock to the recovery of banking and sales growth of life assurance companies which have sales in the Eurozone. I recall that many fell when Greece teetered on the brink of its own bailout.
    There is probably also a sobering lesson to be learnt for the UK as well which had (until our own austerity measures were implemented) often been cited as the next most likely candidate after the "PIIGS": Portugal; Ireland; Italy; Greece; and Spain.
    As an erstwhile former colleague of mine often remarks: 
    "eventually somebody has to pay the piper!".

    BP @ 467.15p, - 9.95 (- 2.09%)

    Elsewhere, BP continues to experience the fall-out of its Russian debacle with:
    - rivals looking to take their place in the tie-up with Rosneft;
    - major shareholders, such as Standard Life, voicing opposition to any share swap without the benefits of Arctic exploration
    - Chevron also voicing concerns and threatening to pull out of its own venture with Rosneft in the Black Sea.

    All in all, it seems like BP has yet another CEO, Bob Dudley, intent on blundering his way around. Brought in with a clear view to rebuilding the company's reputation in America (he is American), he  appears to have gone after one of those career defining deals and walked into another legal minefield.
    In this case it is a particular concern that he has "previous" in Russia and with the same TNK-BP partners! 
    Some are also suggesting that the Chairman of BP, Carl-Henric Svanberg, has also taken his eye off the ball in not sufficiently reviewing or questioning the possible legal implications of the company's existing contracts with TNK-BP.
    Prior to the results and surprise Rosneft announcement on the 1 Feb, the shares had been consolidating their post Gulf of Mexico recovery at 484p (after peaking at 509p on the 18th Jan). 
    And, initially well received and with endorsement from the UK and Russian Governments the deal looked to be opening a new avenue for the company until the injunction from BP's existing Russian partners.
    Markets don't like uncertainty and the relatively new  Chairman and CEO appear to have led the company out of one situation into another. All this on top of the powder keg in the Middle East!

    How long before another change at the top of BP?

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Random musings: Portugal; and BP


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Robert completes Dubai 'world tallest tower' gig.

    My God...there's three of them!

    DUBAI: Alain Robert, who is popularly known as the 'French Spiderman', scaled the 2,716 feet-tall Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower here in a record-clinching feat.

    The climb was held yesterday as part of the 'Education Without Borders 2011' international student conference organised by the UAE's Higher Colleges of Technology.

    Unlike on many previous climbs, the 48-year-old daredevil is using a rope and harness to comply with organisers' requirements.

    "All safety precautions were taken with the cooperation of various governmental authorities," a statement from the developer said.

    Thousands of spectators watched him in action from Burj Park and Downtown Dubai.

    "Alain Robert's scaling of Burj Khalifa is indeed momentous, and we are honoured to host the climb as part of the prestigious 'Education Without Borders' conference that brought the world's leading educationalists and thought-leaders to witness the unprecedented feat," Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Managing Director, Emaar Properties, the developer of Burj Khalifa, said:

    Robert saw the attempt to climb Burj Khalifa as a true challenge. Robert has climbed more than 70 skyscrapers, including the Empire State Building, Chicago's Willis Tower and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

    Towering high at a height of 828 metres (2,716.5 ft), Burj Khalifa is now a full-fledged community featuring homes, offices, hotel suites and restaurants.

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Robert completes Dubai 'world tallest tower' gig.


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Snowdonia planners target Ogwen Valley for tourist development

    Llyn Ogwen with Ogwen Cottage at the Lake head

    Not content with depositing an Aldi supermarket on the summit of Wales's highest mountain. OK...it's not a real Aldi it just looks like one...The aesthetically challanged Snowdonia National Park Authority are hoping to build a new visitors centre in the heart of the Ogwen Valley.
    Architects have apparently 'drawn up a design after consulting outdoor activity providers' ? The National Park Authority says the current warden building is cramped and unappealing. The park's director of land management Emyr Williams said: "The old facilities here are not fit for purpose and don't meet the expectations of today's visitor."

    "Through this initiative, our intention is to transform the centre and create an attractive gateway to Snowdonia which will, in turn, improve people's understanding and enjoyment of Cwm Idwal.
    "This Cwm is the star attraction for visitors and, by improving the facilities here, we hope to attract a broader audience and more leisure opportunities in the area."

    The work will be overseen and paid for by the Cwm Idwal Partnership, made up of the Snowdonia National Park Authority, the Countryside Council for Wales, and the National Trust.

    Finance has come from the assembly government's Communities and Nature (CAN) strategic project, backed by European funding.
    Architect company Dewis has produced a design based on consultation with outdoor education leaders and activity providers.
    The centre would include office space for site managers and enterprises, an interpretation area, refreshments, toilets, parking and 24-hour access to information.

    A 350-metre path to complete a lower level circular walk around Llyn Idwal is also included.
    Consultation sessions will be held at local venues from Monday 4 to Thursday 7 April.

    Those who come to Ogwen Valley for its natural beauty and to participate in outdoor activities must question why in an area which is already highly popular although with limited accomodation and parking facilities,needs to 'attract a broader audience' . Does Ogwen really need more visitors. Does it need a 24 hour visitor/information centre and a walkway around Llyn Idwal ?

    Have your say. For further information on SNPA planning procedures write to....

    Mr. Aled Sturkey
    Director of Planning and Cultural Heritage
    Snowdonia National Park Authority
    National Park Offices
    Penrhyndeudraeth
    LL48 6LF

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Snowdonia planners target Ogwen Valley for tourist development


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Swap wholewheat bread for white bread

    by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    The year 2010 was the first year that Americans have spent more on wholewheat bread than they have on processed white bread. About time too. I have no records of how things are in Britain but the Real Bread Campaign, as far as I know, is rather busy.

    If anything to go by watching the bread isles of the supermarkets and people's shopping carts the great majority of bread is still white sponge garbage that, for some unknown reason, is referred to as bread.

    On the other hand, the sales of bread flour is going rather well, from what I have seen, and thus one could surmise that home baking of real bread is going on in many homes.

    Get on this bandwagon to reap the benefits of more fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats. Just make sure that any “wholegrain” product has “wholewheat flour” listed as its first ingredient and, as always, be mindful of added sugars and preservatives in the ingredients list. Also, beware of flour enhancers, thus named, in store bought wholewheat bread. Flour enhancer is an additive to make it last longer, etc. You don't need it, especially not when you make your own.

    One fun way to add more whole wheat to your diet – and save some cash – is by making your own bread at home.

    If you don't want to spend time kneading the dough, and al that, get a bread makers, a bread machine. The bread it nearly as good as oven baked and it also does last at least a week when being used; not that it will ever last that long.

    Many years ago I used to make bread at home the old-fashioned way by kneading the dough by hand, letting it rise, kneading it again, etc., and, because of lack of time, I went to buying, though still wholemeal and wholegrain bread from bakeries and from the bakery sections in supermarkets.

    The I decided, because it was rather cheap, to get a bread maker, a bread machine, from Lidl here in the UK when they had it on offer for less than the equivalent of $45 and it was a big tin machine. As far as I am concerned this was the best investment I have ever made, or at least one of the best.

    The machine is in use at least twice during the week with me and the bread, after a little trial and error, is great and I would dread to have to go back to store-bought bread, even if it were wholegrain or multi-grain bread.

    Once you try it, you too will never want to go back to store-bought breads – and your whole house will smell delicious during the process, and not just when the baking happens.

    Go on, make the switch to real bread, you won't regret it.

    © 2011

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Swap wholewheat bread for white bread


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Open Source Software & Applications

    by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    For the frugal person, whether homesteader or other, the costs of the PC operating system and applications, be that office suites, or other software, I am sure, is important. It is more important even, especially as regards the operating system, if your computer is secondhand.

    Why do I say that this is more important even as regards a computer that is secondhand?

    Secondhand computers often do not come with the original license for the operating system, if it runs Windows and also for other, especially Microsoft software. If the operating system is MS Windows you may very soon find that, when the PC does automatic updates or when you want manually to take down updates, such as Windows security updates, that you get a message from Microsoft that your operating system is, what they call, non-genuine, pirated and invalid. Theoretically, you then commit a felony by continuing to run that piece of software, aside from the fact that you will not be able to update your systems.

    While nothing probably is going to happen to you, that is to say that it is hardly likely that Microsoft is going to come and find you, or send the FBI or Scotland Yard or whichever other national police force, even if you happen to use a so-called “cracker” program which will make your invalid operating system appear “genuine”, to a degree, to allow Windows auto-updates to happen. It does not fool all parts of the system that Microsoft employs to check your PC from afar, however, and you cannot, for instance, install the latest Media Player or such. And buying a new license for such an invalid operating system on a secondhand computer could cost you a great deal more than the computer has cost you.

    On the other hand, to me personally, Microsoft's accessing of my computer, my machine, and checking as to whether my software, that is to say the Operating System and other Microsoft applications, are genuine, is a severe intrusion into my privacy and while I do run some PCs on Windows I am not at all happy with Microsoft doing this. It is a violation of my privacy and the privacy of everyone who is forced to run Windows. Yes, I do say “forced to run Windows” for many web-applications do not work properly in anything by, say, Internet Explorer, a Microsoft product that will only work on a Windows PC and not, say, on one running Linux. I do not mind programs checking whether they need updates but to check basically what I run on my PC? That is an intrusion in my affairs that I resent.

    Therefore, I no come to the Open Source software and applications that I speak about in the title of this article.

    With the exception that some stuff will not work 100% with browsers other than Internet Explorer – not all websites are yet properly compliant with Firefox, for instance, or other browsers though more and more are doing the right things and make their sites interoperable with all browsers – there are alternatives to Microsoft's monopoly on Operating System and applications software.

    However, let us start with Open Source, per se, on Microsoft Windows, assuming that you do have a genuine version of the Windows Operating System that came installed with your computer and that is not having a problem. May be this is a PC you have bought new, or a secondhand one, to which you have been given the genuine CD with the operating system and the license key. That means then no problem as to the Operating System being genuine and no costs involved there.

    Let us say, though, that it came only with the “Notepad” program installed as text editor and you really want and you will in fact need, a proper word processor and maybe even a more or less full office suite. There then comes the question of costs for, if you want to go for an office suite and happen to be looking at Microsoft, MS Office will set you back, as a genuine software, in the three figures. Not good if you have to count your pennies. Do not fret and worry, though. A fully fledged office suite can be had for nada, for free, as long as you can download it (and it is a big file) which on dial-up will take ages or have someone who can download it via an ADSL connection and then burn it to CD for you so you can install it. This program in question is OpenOffice, downloadable from www.openoffice.org, and you get an office suite that is probably as good as MS Office at no costs bar the Internet call.

    Aside from office suites on open source there are many other programs available too, even complete operating system that offer an alternative to Microsoft Windows, such as the various different distributions of Linux, whether Ubuntu, SUSE, DSL, Puppy Linux, etc. The latter two, e.g. DSL, which stands for “Damned Small Linux” and “Puppy Linux” are very small operating systems that can reinvigorate old computers, even those of the 386 and 486 caliber.

    There is an abundance of Open Source software available out there on the Internet – most of it free – that can replace nigh on everything for which you may have to pay money. Be that media players, recoding software, photo manipulation programs, etc.

    The Gimp is a photo-manipulation programs that is nigh on as powerful as Adobe Photoshop but, while Photoshop will set you back around the four figure mark The Gimp is free for the download.

    This all, dear readers, just as a little taster of what is available by way of open source software and which, in most cases, is free. Free as in free beer and in freedom.

    © 2011

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Open Source Software & Applications


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Grow your own food, even in small spaces

    by Michael Smith (Veshengro)

    Vegetable gardens are back. Well, not that they have gone away totally but... Growing your own vegetable and fruit in your own garden makes sense, economically and otherwise.

    The question is always as to whether lettuce, tomatoes, spinach and other vegetables that you buy from the from the grocery store, green grocers and supermarket vegetable isles are really safe to eat. We have all heard the stories about E. Coli bacteria on spinach and lettuce, etc., which can make you very ill indeed, and then there are all the chemicals that are used by commercial, non-organic growers, which are not very safe either.

    Now more than ever homeowners are growing their own food and vegetable seed sales are up 80 percent compared to previous years. That is a lot! In a struggling economy and with the horror stories of unsafe foods, we are planting vegetable gardens to save on our pocket books and produce our own high quality vegetables. But there is a great difference in today’s gardens. They are not vegetable gardens of grandma and great-grandma, which were large and everything in beds in rows. Today's vegetable gardens are small spaced gardens, potted edibles in containers on the patio or hanging from baskets on the balcony. These are the vegetable gardens of today. You can grow food even if you don’t have the space.

    Saving big money in the backyard

    Produce from a 10 by 20-foot garden can be equivalent $4000 spent in the grocery store! While leafy green vegetables and herbs are worth $15 to $20 per square foot, tomatoes, peppers, and radishes vary from $5 to $10 per square foot. So, I think I know what to sew and plant.

    What vegetables want and need

    8-10 hours of sunlight, a healthy, enriched soil, water, food )which ideally should come from the soil and some organic additions) and a good babysitter, namely YOU.

    First time vegetable gardeners need to consider their garden’s location, size, design, and type. If you are going to plant a garden right into the soil you’ll have to prepare the site. Totally remove grass by hand or apply an organic herbicide to kill it. Enrich the soil by mixing in compost, peat moss, and manure.

    My favorite gardens are raised bed gardens and those that utilize planters and containers of every kind that are easy to manage, and mine is just that kind. I use about everything that I can as a planter, from raised beds to tubs to bath tubs to shopping carts, buckets, etc. In fact anything that can remotely be used for growing a crop. Do not, however, use vehicle tires unless they were those with inner tubes. The tires of tubeless tires are steel-belted and contain cadmium which will leach into the produce and that stuff in dangerous to humans. You can use tires, however, for the growing to flowers for the home and every home needs cut flowers.

    Raised really rock

    Raised really rock, no doubt about it and so do, and maybe even more so, planters. If you have a small plot, try building a raised bed by mounding soil or building a box with timber (do not use treated lumber) or stone. The raised beds should contain soil 18-24 inches deep. If you have some old brisk build a raised bed with those at least two course high. Just put them one upon the other; don't use mortar.

    The benefits are endless. Besides looking tidy and clean, the soil heats up faster in spring and drains well. You can mix soil to exact specifications. Soil compaction is reduced (since you won't walk on it) which allows more oxygen to get to the roots. Plants can be planted closer together (you can produce nearly two times the amount of produce) which helps reduce weeds. And the same is true for the planters that I mentioned.

    I use, for instance the one tonne builder's bags that, nowadays, are no longer returnable, and which are made of woven polypropylene. They are an absolutely great way of creating an instant raised bed garden though they do take quite a bit of soil.

    Good soil equals success

    The most important factor is to make sure your soil is “alive.” Healthy soil leads to healthy plants. It is loose, easy to work, and teaming with soil microbes, compost, and amendments. Every season make a point to amend or enrich your soil with compost, manure and other organic matter. Mix these ingredients to a depth of six to twelve inches, though top dressing can also work. Only soil that is being improved in such a way is living soil.

    Pick the proper plants

    It’s easier said than done if you’ve never grown a garden. If you don’t have the time or inclination to start your plants from seed then, I recommend going to a reputable garden center and getting to know the employees. They can provide you with a wealth of garden know-how, plus you can always call on them for help.

    Most vegetable plants can be purchased either as transplants or as seeds; however, it’s too late to start many of the seeds now. Always pick sturdy and squatty dark green plants. Check out the roots by gently tapping the plant from its container. Roots should be white, vigorous, and plump. If they aren’t, don’t buy them! Other plant considerations include disease resistance, size of plant, variety, heirloom vs. hybrid, and/or organic.

    Don't, however, even think of buying some plants as plugs, such as, for instance, carrots, parsnips, and some others. They cannot be replanted successfully from plugs; I have tried it, it does not work.

    Planting is a family affair

    No, it does not mean that you must involve your entire family, even thought that would be a good idea, maybe. Planting shouldn’t be complicated. But you’ll save yourself huge headaches down the road if you plant vegetables according to their families to help avoid the spread of disease. Start by categorizing plants by family i.e., all nightshade plants like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and potatoes. These plants take nitrogen from the soil. Legumes, beans, and peas put nitrogen back into the soil so they are naturally a good group to follow the nightshade plants. Google “crop rotation” for more information. Also check out “companion planting” as that also is a great way of avoiding infestation by pests and other diseases.

    One note on the planting families together: Some members don't like each other. Never plant tomatoes and potatoes in close proximity.

    Whichever way you make your garden make sure that you rotate the crops so as to prevent diseases spreading.

    This is by no means a complete instructions as to how to plant a vegetable garden, whatever size; that would be breaking the limits of an article.

    © 2011

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Grow your own food, even in small spaces


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https://national-grid-news.blogspot.com/2011/03/grow-your-own-food-even-in-small-spaces.html


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