Sorry I took a leave of absence... had a lot of things going on, some more interesting than others. In no particular order:
I began my challenge with the credit card companies, though I have yet to send the follow up letters and begin facing off with them -- gotta get on with this. The original notices went out early March, the checks have cleared, and I picked up copies from my bank... Ha! Three of them were 'cashed electronically' so my bank only had proof they were cashed, not actual copies of the checks. Luckily, I made my own copies before mailing them. :)
On this, I hate 'getting my hands dirty' with foul things like credit card scams, yet 'repayment in kind' is long overdue - what are they going to do, shoot an old lady? (Won't help, I stipulated my life insurance has been cleared of these debts in the small print, which they acknowledged when they cashed my final payments.)
For the rest of things -- I actually do seem to like 'getting my hands dirty' - when it's good dirt, like planting things or messing about in my lil' shed. Tinkering. Now that's a fine word! We'll come back to that in a bit.
Let's see... on cars, learned that the new thermostat was rated hotter than my little car liked, had to replace it after my mechanic tried trouble-shooting everything else (good guy, didn't charge me for the hours he spent trying to figure out why the cooling fan has been gremlin'd for the past year or so). Currently it either has a squeaky belt or highly annoying speedometer cable going, or both. Mechanic Shane has no fondness for tearing out the instrument panel to work on this, so I've been gathering my own information on it - not sure what it'd cost for him to tackle it.
For this stuff, I found out our library has Chilton's repair manuals and I can copy the few pages I need to locate 'stuff' - like Torx bolts (which Shane said just meant star-shaped, why not just use Philips I don't know). Then I was admiring an older Acura almost identical to mine... and the kid driving it showed me where a side bolt was snuck in to the panel! I might not have figured that one out.
Somewhere between these things, I had 'a weird tire thing' going on with occasional seriously-vibrating steering wheel. I let a blonde gal in a red convertible annoy me when she was tailgating and sped up when a 'case of shakes' occurred a few miles from home - aha! Smoke was rolling off the driver's tire when I pulled in the yard...
Instantly called Shane, carefully drove to his garage, caliper was fine -- brake hose was failing. Got that fixed.
Of course this stuff is happening during the time I took on the 2010 census position - need to pay property taxes up, according to the county. Ran this as much as possible along with the other position, which does eat up one's time. (Haven't written my Christmas letter yet, either.)
Hmm... also created a website for a new client, so those were income-type things to stay alive here in dollar sense.
Of greater interest, I planted peanuts. Now I'm trying to convince them they're in Georgia, not Minnesota. Started them mid-March after reading you could grow raw peanuts from the grocery store, then I built them some hot-boxes out of the old trailer windows still sitting here (and some would call them junk!). The only explanation for doing this is 'because I could' - and I wanted to see if I really could?
Sure, and when raspberry plants were offered for the digging on free-cycle, I loaded my car twice with plants anywhere from a foot to three feet tall, dirt and all. Had to carve out a small plot for them, but they seem happy. :)
Considering I don't have a green thumb (occasionally dirt and grease-caked brown), I'm impressed when the strawberries and rhubarb grow for me. These are all in tire planters, due to dogs & kids; strawberries are triple-stacked tires, because the ground has gotten further away for picking over the years. Have you also noticed this phenomena?
Sweet potatoes, purple potatoes from Colorado (or Montana, off of ebay), cucumbers and a small tray of tobacco growing... Since the yard is in shade, these are strategically planted wherever a few rays of sunshine meander through. I am always in awe that they're bothering to grow! If we get cold early, not sure if I can bring them all inside - yeeps! However... a few of them a tucked under an A-frame of 2x4's and wire, so I could blanket it with some of the tarps stashed about the place and stick a light in.
My latest obsession (seems I keep a few going at all times) is learning about alternative energy sources. This was heightened by "a birthday gift from Eric". What?? We don't lose power often and the weather wasn't that serious, but on his birthdate, May 13, we lost power for over an hour. Warning from the other side? Definitely a wake-up call, in that candles burning everywhere and Sera reading in bed with an oil lantern is highly unsafe -- and also difficult. Val was doing homework at the table with about 10 candles surrounding her papers; I won't mention this was about 10 o'clock at night and she should have had her homework done earlier.
I've been doing my own research and of course I don't know much about any of this. On the positive side of this, means I'm not limited in thinking to what the current experts say and I have a vastly open - (okay, skip the naive comments) mind. On the less-positive side of things, this means I need to not-instantly-build-a-Tesla-coil that could potentially fry everything within 100 feet of it. :)
I'm starting with the basics, things like salt water batteries and earth batteries and leyden jars juiced by static electricity. I have yet to create any awesome gadgets, but there's a ton of stuff on the internet to spark interest (pun intended). You-tube and instructables.com have a lot of experiments on them, one of my favorites is a self-generating water wheel with a sump pump
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=9125003792513982191#docid=7002481194528799490
which makes me wonder why this couldn't be done with a shop vac and a wind turbine?
More stuff on Stubblefield of interest, http://www.icehouse.net/john1/stubblefield.html and a really awesome downloadable free PDF on all kinds of this stuff is http://www.free-energy-info.co.uk/PJKBook.html - homepage is http://www.free-energy-info.co.uk/ .
these are cool and simple to try - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY1eyLEo8_A&feature=PlayList&p=37AD218ED6DFD466&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh-DBUMt8VY&NR=1
Googling either on the internet or in You-tube for earth batteries, tesla, generator, energy, stationary bike hack... Yes, I have an exercise bike to hack one day! This is another great site to explore http://howtomakeapowergenerator.com/category/free-electricity/ and Tariel Kapanadze at the bottom is intriguing.
Question: We've all heard of water-powered cars, right? - Actually, hydrogen power, in that I think this is what the water is broken into (try googling Brown water or something). It's too cold in MN for this in winter, but... WHAT IF... someone took this idea and applied it to a gas-powered back-up electricity generator? Hmm... If I only had the experience and mechanical know-how to do this! I think I'd be willing to offer someone a generator (okay, the $225 models from Menards or something) if they hacked me one to run on water. Any interested parties?
I am a bit more intrigued with electromagnetic generators, and have been hacking speakers for magnets just to play around a bit. I will also share a recent relearning experience...
So I did get a 'free broken tv'. And I did remember warnings about electrical charges and such. And, yes, they do have warning labels all over these babies when you open them up. And of course I turned it on first to make sure it was broken (i.e. accidentally fully charging it again). I did use the rubber-handled screwdriver to explore, which is when I felt a fair jolt go through my arm -- luckily, I used the rubber-handled screwdriver. I immediately resorted to the internet for instruction.
Most sites said, "DON'T EVER DO THIS... but if you're going to, here's how -". I then used my wooden-handled, metal-tipped shovel to pry off the zapping piece thing (how technical can I get?) and gingerly salvaged a big chunk of something with a lot of copper wire that should come in handy when I start wrapping tesla coils. Parts saved.
Decided I'd pursue a much simpler idea and hack a hand-crank, LED flashlight. Problem with them is one needs to hold the flashlight and it's difficult to read in the dark that way. All I really did was open one up and add a length of phone wire (perfect, four wires to extend). I sewed the LED part into a cloth headband, but I really don't need to light up my head (though some may argue this point) - I need it shining on a book in front of me. Shifting the headband into a collar position worked beautifully, and the crank piece can now go into a pocket or next to a person.
These are just a few of the recent events, and it's hard to determine which one should be top priority TODAY. First things first, I'll wander outside and say hi to the plants, see if they want some water and if they're happy.
Sera is working on having me committed.
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Howdy, it's so nice to read your rantings again after so long. I'm very interested in your electrical adventures, seeing that I have, among others, an AA degree in electrical technology. It's so very, very tempting to tell you that the vast majority of the ideas that you're looking at are impossible crap, but I won't, otherwise you won't, through sheer determination and ignorance, stumble on the NEXT GREAT DISCOVERY of our time. I can, however, pass on a bit of electrical wisdom that I can attest to the veracity thereof: whenever probing around where dangerous currents may be in wait to bite you, keep one hand in your pocket. This prevents any acquired currents from traveling directly through your heart, which has been known to cause fatal results.
ReplyDeleteIn my world: the pain got so bad that I had to have my hip replaced, which was done on March 30. The procedure and ongoing recovery have been an interesting if not inconvenient experience. I'm now looking quite dapper strutting about with my cane and have been back at work (finally!) for the last two weeks on light duty. If you wish I can bore you with the details later.
I really can't wait to hear about how your credit card 'scam' works out. I really wish that I'd heard about this before we had to go into Chapter 13 bankruptcy, which will keep us very, very broke for the next five years.
Jim, 'repayment in kind' (which is generally what the law requires, fair compensation in like manner) is technically required... :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up on putting one hand in a pocket, but seems it may be wiser to hang onto a friend? Would that work?
I'm not trying to power my entire house and I will say we're 'a high watt family' - at times, there can be 4 tv's running, washer and dryer, dishwasher, electric stove, 3 computers (2 laptops, one work related) and printers, several lights, water pump... and lately, AC. I taped up signs all over the house yesterday on "Save Power = Save $" (I pay this bill). Add in any sanders, toothbrushes, cell phone chargers, assorted wall-warts along with a quote that electrical costs have risen 66% in the last few years... I fully believe we can cut 1/3 of this cost by simply being aware and smart about it.
One would think that during the day and no one is using 3 rooms, the circuit breakers themselves could be tripped - basically 10 hours a day when silent power use is unnecessary, whether it's going to computers or tv's or chargers. "A dollar a day" is $30 a month and almost 1/4 of the monthly bill -- when no one is really using it??
All I really want is a little back-up power when 'the grid fails'. A light, coffee pot, crock pot - any of these can make life a ton easier than building a fire outdoors and wandering around with candles.
As it is, we run a lot of water down the drains and then I run the well-pump to water the plants outside - easy enough to capture and reroute much of the water going down the drains, even with a siphon hose; same theory as draining a waterbed. :)
On electricity, I do think our current system explores a narrow band of possibility. The PDF book expands some of the concepts of 'free energy' - which is rather the way the Mayflower made it across the ocean, dependent on wind and water. "Free to be used" if they chose to run up a sail and learned how to direct it. Kind of like a Fresnel lens for heating... :)
I do want to send you best wishes on healing - I realize it has been a major ordeal in your life. I tend to think it takes 6 months for a fair amount of healing to occur, and up to 2 years to fully maximize recovery. (Based on neck injury)
You may want to consider optional power sources for your home if you find some truth in "when power failures and repairs happen elsewhere (i.e. eastern and southern states), the costs are passed on to customers" - of course! The weather and nature can wreak havoc, and eventually we will all get billed for the increased expense. Have to, logically, under our economic system. Reduced use and personal systems of any level may be invaluable in the near future.
I'd rather be wrong on that, but when our collective grid is overlaid with our economic system and no major changes in how we operate occur, a collision of interests is predictable. Profit is a major consideration, and if you could design a solar-powered car anyone could copy that did not depend on the electric or gas companies... they'd probably shoot you. Quite likely it's happened to others over time. Easy to see our power systems are directly linked to our economic system and the Profit Goddess.
(I used goddess because it is alluring and beautiful in appearance, but evil lurks like the old witch in disguise with the poisoned apple.)
Now I need to get on with something very real and connected to nature - see how my plants are doing, today! Fully aware I do not generate their growth, I only provide a shelter for them to expand in. 'Growth' is in the sun and the land and the air and the seeds stemming back eons in heritage, hard to say 'I grow them' then. :)
Howdy. Thanx for the healing pep talk. I'm working the program, P.T. (pain and torture) once a week and my exercises every day. Every day I'm a little better than before.
ReplyDeleteOur power goes out here frequently, sometimes for hours at a time. We get by nicely with about a dozen hurricane lamps. Our stove is gas. I keep five gallons of water on hend for toothbrushing, stovetop baths and toilet flushing. No problem. We live in a little hole. No cell phone operation and little wind. Also we're mostly under a nice tree canopy. Solar's pretty much out.
luv always,
jim