Posted on 07/24/2009 3:37:21 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)
Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.
To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.
The Frugal Roundup
How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)
Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)
Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)
Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)
40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)
Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)
5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)
A Few Others I Enjoyed
* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance
Animation of the oil spill
Suitcase urban farming
The design of this project involves the metaphor of a suitcase as a symbol of cultural
background. We all are use to saying that wherever we move, we bring with us our
backpack of culture, background... our so-called ‘bag of experiences’. The design
takes influence from this picture and it transforms it into the product of movable,
soil-filled suitcases.
Future farmers transplanted from cities and suburbs
Cities and suburbs now supply young recruits to agriculture, primarily to small
and organic farms, and the trend is playing out in El Dorado County. Melinda Lundgren,
29, first came to agriculture as a college student at Northeastern University in
Boston.
Six Stories Above Queens, a Fine Spot for a Little Farming
But six stories up, on the roof of one of those old buildings, an ambitious farm
began to take shape on Thursday. Called Brooklyn Grange - the group behind it settled
on the name before they settled on their borough - it will grow tomatoes, peppers,
eggplants and leafy greens amid the air-conditioning units and water tower perched
on the 40,000-square foot-roof.
Graphic novel ‘Sword of My Mouth’ set in an imaginary burned-out Detroit where some
survive by urban farming
A stand-alone story continuing on from the acclaimed graphic novel Therefore Repent!,
Sword of My Mouth moves the focus from Chicago, under siege by angels with machine
guns, to the urban prairie of Detroit. Folks in the D have banded together to turn
land with burned-out crackhouses into farming tracts, and seem to be on a road to
self-sufficiency... until Famine rides into town.
Fish Are Jumping-Off Assembly Line
MILWAUKEE-Josh Fraundorf remembers when yellow perch were so plentiful in Lake Michigan
that people pulled out all they could eat with just a bamboo pole and some worms.
Now, they have to come to places like this old factory south of downtown.
Seeds of Urban Agriculture Taking Root in San Francisco
Next up was the Free Farm, represented by Lauren Anderson and Case Garver, which
is a new garden farm on an empty sand lot at Eddy and Gough where an old Lutheran
Church burned down in 1995. After fifteen years of lying fallow and gathering garbage
and debris, the collaborative effort of several non-profit organizations (including
Lauren’s Produce to the People), community groups and individuals got permission
from the Lutheran Church to begin an organic farm there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stories here:
City Farmer News [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103407560800&s=1304&e=001ggViNPqPFe_7V8lNX0AE9RxTdYeLTnXCHxgMRFTNlfSfDGlWb9ihdC36fTipXO1IxtkCTvnMjMtNB5nvnOknF7HDLsW3HG0ELQQsjGjiqq7O6svgBmlN8g==]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Levenston
City Farmer - Canada’s Office of Urban Agriculture
Eosinophilic meningitis - Australia: (NEW SOUTH WALES) human ex slug
********************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Fri 14 May 2010
Source: Big Pond News [edited]
http://bigpondnews.com/articles/OddSpot/2010/05/13/Man_who_ate_slug_critically_ill_461671.html
Angiostrongylus meningitis in Australian man
The disease is caused by _Angiostrongylus
cantonensis_, a parasitic worm carried by
rodents. Slugs and snails can become infected by
eating the larvae in rat droppings. In some
instances, the worm can cause fatal swelling of
the brain and spinal chord. Dr Jeremy McAnulty
from NSW Health says such cases are rare and most
people do recover. “It goes away by itself
because the body’s immune system will eventually
get rid of it,” he told the ABC.
The disease can also be caught by eating raw
vegetables or fruit that have not been washed properly.
—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
[Outbreaks are usually seen in people where slugs
are considered a delicacy. We have not reported
_Angiostrongylus_ from Australia before. Mod.EP]
[see also:
2009
Date: Thu 13 May 2010
Source: mysanews.com [edited]
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/seven_sickened_two_killed_by_food-borne_infection_93633679.html?c=y&page=1#storytop
State and local health officials are investigating a cluster of
food-borne infections that sickened 7 people in 3 Texas counties this
year, killing 2 of them.
The patients — 5 from Bexar County and one each from Travis and
Hidalgo counties — developed listeriosis, a bacterial infection.
_Listeria monocytogenes_ bacteria are found widely in the
environment, including vegetables and animals. Outbreaks are
sometimes linked to foods such as soft cheeses and deli meats
contaminated after processing.
Genetic analysis found the identical strain of bacteria in all the
patients, suggesting they were infected by the same food item, said
Roger Sanchez, senior epidemiologist with the Metropolitan Health
District. But because of the small numbers and the dispersal of cases
— 2 of the patients lived 300 miles apart — it might be difficult
to pinpoint the cause, he added.
“This is not a large outbreak. What made it bad is that it has
infected people who are fragile, elderly people,” Sanchez said.
Continued.
[This is part of a ProMedMail newsletter.....granny]
ROTAVIRUS VACCINE - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (03): RESUMPTION OF USE
********************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: Fri 14 May 2010
Source: FDA (US Food and drug Administration), Vaccines, Blood &
Biologics [edited & abbreviated]
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/ApprovedProducts/ucm212140.htm
Update on Recommendations for the Use of Rotavirus Vaccines
Background: On 22 Mar 2010, the FDA provided an early communication
regarding Rotarix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK).
At that time, the FDA recommended that clinicians and public health
professionals in the United States temporarily suspend the use of
Rotarix while the agency and manufacturer investigated the finding of
DNA from porcine circovirus type 1 (PCV1) in the vaccine. Since that
time, both FDA and GSK have confirmed the presence of PCV1 in the vaccine.
On 6 May 2010, the FDA provided information about RotaTeq,
manufactured by Merck & Co, Inc. The FDA indicated that preliminary
studies conducted by Merck identified fragments of DNA from PCV1 and
from a related porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in RotaTeq. The FDA
noted that it would seek input from its Vaccines and Related
Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) and provide updates
in the near future.
Updated Recommendations: The FDA has evaluated laboratory results
from the manufacturers and its own laboratories. In addition, the
FDA’s VRBPAC was convened on 7 May 2010 to discuss the findings of
PCV and PCV DNA in rotavirus vaccines. Based on a careful evaluation
of this information, a thorough review of the scientific literature,
and input from scientific and public health experts, the Agency is
revising its recommendation to temporarily suspend use of the Rotarix
vaccine. The FDA has determined it is appropriate for clinicians and
health care professionals to resume the use of Rotarix and to
continue the use of RotaTeq.
The FDA considered the following information in its decision:
- Both vaccines have strong safety records, including clinical trials
involving tens of thousands of patients as well as clinical
experience with millions of recipients. The FDA has no evidence that
either PCV1 or PCV2 poses a safety risk in humans, and notes that
neither is known to cause infection or illness in humans.
- The benefits of the vaccines are substantial, and include
prevention of hospitalization for severe rotavirus disease in the
U.S. and of death in other parts of the world. The benefits of the
vaccines, which are known, outweigh the risk, which is theoretical.
The FDA is working with each of the manufacturers (GSK and Merck) to
update the labeling for both Rotarix and RotaTeq vaccines to include
information about the presence of PCV1 (Rotarix) and DNA from PCV1
and PCV2 (RotaTeq) in the vaccines. The FDA is working with each of
the manufacturers to plan the appropriate follow up studies, taking
into account the input received from members of the VRBPAC on 7 May
2010. The FDA and the manufacturers will continue to investigate the
findings of PCV in rotavirus vaccines, and will evaluate information
from ongoing testing by the FDA and the manufacturers. As noted by
the firm during the 7 May 2010 VRBPAC meeting, GSK plans to rederive
its vaccine, in consultation with the FDA. Merck is in the early
stages of its investigation, and has not yet determined next steps in
this regard.
—
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
promed@promedmail.org
[Rotaviruses are the leading cause of severe diarrhea and dehydration
in young infants worldwide. These viruses are estimated to be
responsible for the deaths of more than 500 000 infants worldwide
each year, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. Before the
introduction of rotavirus vaccine, rotavirus resulted in an estimated
55 000-70 000 hospitalizations and dozens of deaths in the U.S. each year.
Rotavirus infects the intestines. The disease usually starts with
fever, an upset stomach, and vomiting, followed by diarrhea. The
disease generally lasts 3-8 days. There is no specific treatment for
the rotavirus infection. The most serious problem caused by the
disease is dehydration, so symptoms are treated by rehydration.
Severe cases require administration of intravenous fluids in a hospital.
It has been concluded that the presence of porcine circovirus type 1
(Rotarix) and DNA from porcine circovirus types 1 and 2 (RotaTeq) in
the vaccines will have no deleterious consequences. Consequently this
thread is cut, and hopefully it will remain cut. - Mod.CP]
[see also:
Rotavirus vaccine - USA (02): extraneous virus 20100508.1502
Rotavirus - Americas: PAHO alert 20100330.1009
Rotavirus vaccine - USA: extraneous virus 20100322.0914]
...................cp/ejp/dk
RINGWORM, ANIMAL, HUMAN - CANADA (02): (ONTARIO) ANIMAL EUTHANASIA
******************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
nternational Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
******
[1]
Date: 14 May 2010
From: Roslyn Devlin [edited]
RE: Ringworm, animal, human - Canada: (ON) animal euthanasia 20100513.1553
Many, if not most of the animals slated for euthanasia will be saved.
—
Roslyn Devlin, MD MHSc FRCP
Medical Director, Division of Microbiology and Infection Prevention and Control
St. Michael’s Hospital
30 Bond Street
Toronto, ON, Canada M5B 1W8
******
[2]
Date: 13 May 2010
From: David Thomson [edited]
Euthanizing animals solely on the basis of ringworm infection and its
‘clinical health and welfare’ impacts for the majority of (but not
necessarily all) affected cases seems a tad extreme to me.
I can, however, understand the frustration and difficulties involved
in trying to contain and eliminate it from a shelter housing stray,
unwanted and neglected animals. It is practically impossible to
totally prevent affected cases from entering such shelters; and, once
it contaminates cages and environments such as exercise yards, etc.,
it can be rather difficult to eliminate/eradicate and to prevent
transmission within the shelter.
Transmission within the shelter should not, however, be perceived as
entirely the shelter’s problem; because ringworm also transmits quite
effectively from the general environment and as animals socialize,
etc., when left to their natural devices outside any shelter environment.
For the future, re-occurrence is highly likely unless rather
comprehensive infection control measures are applied and enforced in
the affected shelter, as follows:
- cleaning up what is obviously a quite contaminated shelter
environment — very difficult, laborious and potentially also
expensive and time consuming.
- early detection of infection in new introductions — not an easy
task given that many cases don’t have clinical infections and not all
causative fungi show up prominently under a Woods lamp (black light).
- rapid and effective response to aggressively treat new introduced
cases early; and
- effective routine infection control procedures within the
establishment to minimize potential transmission from cases that may
gain entry — particularly relating to rigorous decontamination of
grooming equipment, common exercise/socialization areas and housing
design (e.g., wood and other organic materials such as scratching
post ropes for cats in the design are often quite animal friendly,
but they are also quite difficult to clean and can harbor the
causative organisms for a long time).
—
David Thomson
Sub-regional Animal Health Specialist
Secretariat of the Pacific Community
******
[3]
Date: 13 May 2010
From: Pamela Alley, RVT [edited]
There are 2 solutions which have been used here against severe skin
fungus infections, and both have worked with tremendous efficacy. The
1st is benzalkonium chloride, also known as “Fungisan” or “BenzAll.”
The 2nd is a downright antique remedy which also has an excellent
track record, and that is lime-sulfur dip (Lym-Dip). Both can be used
on cats and dogs safely and neither is particularly expensive. I have
found both to be more efficacious than the Betadine scrub mentioned
by the moderator.
While I understand how severe outbreaks can be devastatingly
tenacious, I sincerely hope that the OSPCA has indeed tried these
older methods. While labor intensive, they are not only useful on the
animal but also upon the surroundings without hazard to the workers involved.
—
Pamela Alley, RVT
Oroville, CA
******
[4]
Date: 13 May 2010
From: Dr. Hugh Backer [edited]
I am not cognizant of all the strains of dermatophyte, but a virulent
strain that escapes control seems out of character with the ecology
and physiology of the fungal organisms veterinarians have all come to
know and dread.
Is it possible that this is something more familiar, such as sarcoptes?
—
Dr. Hugh Baker
Regional Veterinarian Officer, Export
Toronto District Office
1124 Finch Ave W, Room 2
Toronto ON M3J 2E2
[Learning lessons on how to prevent this tragedy is again is very
important. Realizing the outcry from those appalled by the euthanasia
approach is also important. Some of these people may be willing to
volunteer to help treat animals or clean the area. Hopefully someone
in charge of this situation will update us at some point and tell us
the lessons learned, and the method of decontamination that was
effective. - Mod.TG]
[see also:
Ringworm, animal, human - Canada: (ON) animal euthanasia 20100513.1553]
....................tg/ejp/dk
[This came in while I was posting the last one...granny]
RINGWORM, ANIMAL - CANADA (03): (ONTARIO) ANIMAL EUTHANASIA
***********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
Date: 15 May 2010
From: Julie K. Levy
Ringworm expert Dr. Sandra Newbury has been called in for
consultation to develop an effective ringworm control program for the
Ontario animal shelter outbreak.
Her book chapter on the topic of dermatophyte management in the
new textbook Infectious Disease Management in Animal Shelters
describes an effective surveillance and intervention program using
lyme sulfur dips, oral itraconazole, and serial cultures.
—
Julie Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM
Maddie’s Shelter Medicine Program
2015 SW 16th Avenue
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32610
[We appreciate Dr. Levy sharing this encouraging news. We also hope
that the people involved with the situation will issue a “lessons
learned” report from this situation so that it may be avoided in the
future as well as avoided by other shelters. - Mod.TG]
Another project is to replicate this: (which I can build much cheaper than their price)
http://backtotheland.com/html/wheat_thrasher.html
Of course I want to make improvements - Want to place a winnower on the side powered by flywheel fan run by the same foot treadle. Then you could thrash and remove the chaff all in one operation... 8-)<<<
Sounds like a good plan, will you be able to sell copies of your plans and get rich?
If you had my wind, you could simply spread it out and the wind will take the chaff away.
Thank you for putting Annie in your prayers, she does need them.
Annie was born with kidney problems, so has had a lifetime of suffering.
Purr Baby is a racist, she does not like foreign recipes.
I suspect that she wants fresh cooked meat and none of the fancy recipes.
Purr Baby got mad at Scott when he bought us mild cheddar cheese and quit eating cheese, LOL, I have to agree, it was tasteless, but it was what I had that month.
LOL, I miss TT, she ate anything, all the time.
Animation of the oil spill
<<<
Thanks for the link, will check it later.
I am so glad that it did not do all the damage they feared it would do.
Shimmer1, hello, I am making the cottage cheese loaf to take to a covered dish luncheon after church today. It’s in the oven now. Thanks tons and tons for sharing this gem.
= = =
REF:
To: Shimmer1
I think I want to try the cottage cheese loaf, so I will copy and paste it from the link you posted, thanks.
Cottage Cheese Loaf - Tana’s version
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 lb. cottage cheese (I like Roberts small curd, in the navy blue containers)
3 envelopes George Washington Broth
5 eggs
5 cups Special K cereal
Melt the butter and cook the onions.
Combine all ingredients and place in casserole dish.
(...the skin that forms on the top is really good so use a wide, shallow dish rather than a tall, deep one).
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
http://life.tanapageler.com/?p=165
My kids are on a kick for this, I have to make it about once a week and they eat the whole thing....leaving me just a couple of squares!
piggies!
really tall, skinny piggies, that’s what they are.
Sometimes I add a cup or so of finely chopped nuts (walnuts if possible) it adds a little more oomph to it, and sometimes I add a Tbl of soy sauce.
I so dislike walnuts and pecans added to stuff. They’re OK alone, but not IN anything. That’s just me.
Last time I made it, everyone else turned their noses up at it, so I had it all to myself. However, this time, they say they want to try it, so maybe I’ll have some competition for it.
It makes a good Grab-n-Go breakfast on the way out the door in the morning.
So glad you shared it on the Thanksgiving thread last fall.
I’m so glad you like it and I really wish I’d ever have leftovers of it!! ;D
This article on drying fruit is very timely - I will be having some peaches shortly and was wondering what to do with them. I still haven’t used all the jars of canned peaches and peach jam that I made last year.
Rotarix Vaccine: Update to Clinicians and Public Health Professionals
Audience: Pediatric and family practice healthcare professionals, public health professionals
[UPDATED 05/16/2010] FDA has determined it is appropriate for clinicians and health care professionals to resume the use of Rotarix and to continue the use of RotaTeq. Based on a careful evaluation of laboratory results from the manufacturers and its own laboratories, a thorough review of the scientific literature, and input from scientific and public health experts, the agency is revising its recommendation to temporarily suspend use of the Rotarix vaccine. FDA has also determined that RotaTeq vaccine should remain in use.
In its decision, FDA considered that both vaccines have strong safety records, including clinical trials involving tens of thousands of patients as well as clinical experience with millions of recipients. FDA has no evidence that either porcine circovirus (PCV1 or PCV2) poses a safety risk in humans, and notes that neither is known to cause infection or illness in humans. The benefits of the vaccines are substantial, and include prevention of hospitalization for severe rotavirus disease in the United States and of death in other parts of the world. he benefits outweigh the risk, which is theoretical. FDA and the manufacturers will continue to investigate the findings of PCV in rotavirus vaccines and will evaluate information from ongoing testing by FDA and the manufacturers.
Read the complete MedWatch 2010 Safety summary, including the original March 22 notice and links to the updates for Healthcare Professionals and for Parents/Caregivers, at:
You are encouraged to report all serious adverse events and product quality problems to FDA MedWatch at www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm
Awwwww, she’s NOT a racist, but a good ol’ American cat! Meatloaf, fried chicken, and mashed potatoes?<<<
Knowing her, the meat loaf would make her think of mexican food.
No, to the crust on fried chicken and NO veggies for any reason.
LOL, I had to show her the package of ham [thin sliced] that Annie put in the freezer, not a foreign word on it, so she ate 2 tiny pieces.
She gets full mileage out of that missing leg, and then turns mean, if she does not get her way.
Her way the past couple of weeks, it has been my underarms, guess this heat makes her think of Tomcats.
So far she is just being nasty and not attempting to go out the door.
Your recipe is interesting and sounds good.
I like things that can be grabbed on the way to something else.
Welcome to the thread, do join in and feel free to post or comment, as you like.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.