Have you ever thought much about how communication is changing?

You're reading a message I posted on the usenet. The usenet is a grand
expression of freedom and independence. It extends, of course, beyond
national borders.

Not so long ago, all long distance communication (including news
information) relied on much slower and more expensive means. But today we
can enjoy the internet and usenet, communicating freely to the whole world
at once. Even radio communication continues to move forward with leaps and
bounds, assisted, in many cases by computer technology and even by the
internet and/or usenet.

Other things can change, as well.

The same kind of freedom and independence can be had when it comes to the
energy required to heat and power our homes -- and our automotive vehicles.
That day, I fully believe, is coming. We can work to bring it about so that
we can enjoy it now, or we can sit back and continue our bondage to big
corporations (and their methods), paying way too much for power and not
enjoying the freedom of having our own private sources at home.

To me, as an American, it's all about freedom and independence.

What do you think? Are the people of America still independence-minded? I
mean, really?

Here in America we have a reputation for holding the idea of independence
pretty high. But we need to be careful not to give too much power to
corporations that love to keep a hold on our lives.

Think about it. There are the credit agencies, such as banks, credit card
issuers, etc. that can end up with a lot of power over a person, or even
over an entire family. There are the advertisers who work very hard to
persuade us that we need to be thinking about this, buying that, and so on.
And along those same lines, there are the media people who very much want to
sway folks as to what we should think and feel about various issues.

But my main thought right now is the power companies themselves. The utility
companies and oil companies. We tend to gripe about these guys but then we
do very little to shake off the hold they can have over our entire
household.

When I see the grip that electric companies and gas companies have, for
example, I wonder just how much we really cherish our freedom in this
country. It's not like we have no alternatives.

Alternative power is here. Some of our neighbors are using solar, wind
power, various geo-thermal power, and so on to either supplement or supply
their household power. The technology is here. It's working. But only a
relatively small number of people are going for it.

It's possible to heat your home all winter by using passive solar, wind
powered generators, and solar panels. Of course, the other big alternative
is also in place and being used by a larger number of people: wood heat.

Only when enough people are switching from total dependence on the electric
grid and/or gas lines to private power will we begin to see a real return to
independence-minded America.

Griping about poor leadership, griping about high prices, griping about the
economy -- none of this gets anything accomplished. Personal freedom &
independence never comes without a struggle. The "fight" has to be inside of
us before we will emerge as a free people. We can see this when we look at
nations such as Iraq. Why can't we see it in ourselves?

Real freedom cannot be given to us by other people. Politicians will never
be able to do it for us. It must be earned, forged, built with our own
hands. That's demonstrated in the history of our own nation. It's just as
true today as it ever was.

Anyway, just thinking about these things.

Jim
www.jimsdesk.com


Here's a partial list of alternative energy information sources (there are,
of course, many, many more)
http://homestead.goodwordusa.org/energy/listing.htm

Start your own small newspaper business
free online help at:
http://www.newspaper-info.com

free 13-month 2006 calendar (pdf file)
download at:
http://www.jimsgraphix.com/lowcal.htm

Jim
www.jimsdesk.com


Here's a partial list of alternative energy information sources (there
are, of course, many, many more)
http://homestead.goodwordusa.org/energy/listing.htm

Start your own small newspaper business
free online help at:
http://www.newspaper-info.com

free 13-month 2006 calendar (pdf file)
download at:
http://www.jimsgraphix.com/lowcal.htm
=============================
The above is OT , nevertheless , tnx Jim for the above web references

Frank GMØCSZ / KN6WH

On Sun, 27 Nov 2005 11:48:34 -0000, "Highland Ham"
wrote:

Jim
www.jimsdesk.com


Here's a partial list of alternative energy information sources (there
are, of course, many, many more)
http://homestead.goodwordusa.org/energy/listing.htm

Start your own small newspaper business
free online help at:
http://www.newspaper-info.com

free 13-month 2006 calendar (pdf file)
download at:
http://www.jimsgraphix.com/lowcal.htm

Unfortunately most alternative energy sources are efficient on a local
basis only.

Alcohol is expensive to make and low octane. Hydrogen is plentiful
and very expensive to make and store although metal sponges may offer
some hope.

Methane recovery from land fills works very well, but again on a
localized basis.

Over all, at present, nearly all alternative energy sources are much
more expensive than gas and contrary to the sites I don't see that
changing any time soon.

Wind and solar are very localized. Here in most of Michigan, neither
is of much use over most of the area. Solar is expensive to install.
Depending on your climate it may be expensive to maintain. Our wind
average is ideal for wind generation, with the exception that the wind
alternates between very high and nothing, neither of which is
practical.

The one good thing is they do help reduce our dependence on foreign
oil, but in general they have a very long way to go to become cost
competitive.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
=============================
The above is OT , nevertheless , tnx Jim for the above web references

Frank GMØCSZ / KN6WH