Thanks to All December Cryptogon Supporters
January 5th, 2007Cryptogon readers poured on the support in December. I want to take a moment to thank, and acknowledge, all of you.
Becky and I had to buy, what was for us, some very expensive fencing supplies for some avocado trees that we’re planting out in one of our paddocks. Without failsafe protection from the cows, the young trees would be gone in seconds. We’re glad we didn’t have to make a choice between the cows and the trees. Thanks to the handful of you who support our efforts, we can have both.
It’s weird, money. While the love of it is “the root of all evil” it sure comes in handy when you want to produce your own organic avocados and drink raw, whole milk. And it’s astonishing how cool things could be if just a tiny bit of the money out there was used for non evil purposes, like clean food and energy projects. I look at PHBs launching themselves to the stars and the pit of hell that is Iraq and I personally can’t allow myself to dream about the alternate realities that could have been built with those funds.
On the one hand, I don’t know if it would be a good idea to suggest that people like you and me should go out and earn millions of dollars—assuming that was possible—but on the other hand, what’s standing between where we are today and building a reality that makes sense? I know a lot of people want to sit around in circles, hold hands and say that it’s not about money, but that’s bullshit. Actually, it’s ALL about money; and the right use of money. Power is the ability to allocate resources to values. Without the ability to allocate resources to values, you have no power. I tried to believe this wasn’t the case for a LONG time. I get “it” now.
Becky and I are managing to make our dreams a reality, but it seems weird that a couple of hundred dollars worth of fencing supplies should require concerned looks at each other in RD1 as we debate whether we can afford the proceed with the project, or not. Worrying about money is much more exhausting than back breaking labor.
I keep having thoughts that go something like this, “We bought the farm, now we need to get jobs to pay for the stuff we need to fire it up.” I think these things as Becky and I seem to be working ourselves numb, as our money supply ranges from flat to down each month. Digging the trenches for the underground wire that will power the electric fences around the avocado trees, crawling around in the dirt, getting bitten by insects, I thought, “The potential payoff of all of this time and effort and money is something like four years away, assuming everything goes perfectly.” The property tax, bills, etc. don’t wait for the trees to mature. (Humorous note: Watch for comments from someone who suggests something like, “Why not build a fence out of twigs, vines and shrubs, etc.?” Permaculture requires years to decades. Organics is hard enough for the moment. Thanks.)
We heard a joke a while ago, when someone in New Zealand won an especially large lottery prize. Becky’s mom said, “He’ll be able to keep farming for a years now!” We all had a good laugh about that one.
Is it going to come down to Bex and me getting day jobs to support our farming habit? Maybe. But thanks to all of you for buying us a bit more time to figure out this self-sufficiency ever-less-reliant-on-The Machine thing:
achingsatori.com $65
AH $25
Anonymous $101
EP $17.77
JG $23
KB $3
KL $20
MW $20
RG $25
RS $20
Thanks also to Cryptogon sponsors Survival Acres and Join the Solution.
Now, to you Amazon shoppers… I don’t know who you are, but you bought stuff that referred a total of $49.09. I think that breaks the previous record by $6. This includes twenty six, yes, 26 copies of Peak Oil Survival: Preparation for Life After Gridcrash by Aric McBay at the blow out price of $2.99. You guys like a bargain! Someone also bought a toy called a WowWee Robosapien Version 2 Humanoid Robot. HA! While I didn’t know such a toy even existed, here’s what I do know: Buying that thing via Cryptogon kicked $9.75 my way! Anyone in the market for a Canon EOS 1DS Mark II? 😉
Again, sincerest thanks to all of you!
It’s amusing to see you refer to Jeff Bezos as a PHB in one paragraph and then a little farther down wax gratefully about your amazon.com kickbacks. While there are surely accurate denigrating terms you could use to describe him, Jeff is the antithesis of a PHB, at least according to the definiion at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointy_Haired_Boss
The second sentence of the wiki page above contains the phrase: “He is notable for his … unawareness of his surroundings.”
If Jeff Bezos was as much of the antithesis of a PHB that you think he is, that would mean that he’s a pretty aware guy. Right? He’s so aware of what’s happening on this planet that he uses his wealth and power to build a rocket ride for rich people…
Re: Me using Amazon on Cryptogon. Some readers have written to me and said, flat out, words to the effect: “I’ll never pay to read your website, but I’ll buy my Amazon stuff via Cryptogon if it helps you.”
Fair enough. Hence, Amazon links.
Hmm. Come to think of it…
Isn’t that Branson freak trying to launch himself into space as well?
Yep:
http://www.virgingalactic.com/
I totally forgot about that maniac. He’s a much better example! I’m changing the link. Thanks for your post!
For the record, here’s the original link that I used to the Jeff Bezos space travel story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003509131_webbezos04.html
Speaking of Space, here is my totally cool message from space for Kevin and the gang here!
http://www.geogreeting.com/view.html?zbCgH0u6+gIy25Yh+rs