ProleBlogThreat

What's the French word for "Doughnut"? Or "Whiskey"?

In a general WTF, I just read that Pernod Ricard is acquiring Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' Mutha Effin Donuts!!! OK...they bought Seagrams and I didn't care. What's that matter. They bought Jacob's Creek and I sighed (there goes my favorite $10 bottle of wine). They bought Bushmills. OK, still no big deal.  They only claim to be "Irish". Then they bought Jameson's. That's a big deal. Now all 32 counties can reprazent and be unified under a French corporate flag.

But Dunkin' Donuts!? What next? We learn that Pernod Ricard is buying Apple Pie? Not that I like DD, seeing as how they are more exploitative of employees than Wal-Mart. But, still, how is it going to help those American workers if bottom-line management and corporate marching orders are coming from France? I find myself wondering daily if I am becoming increasingly nationalistic and protectionist. Everywhere I turn, I see new dangers in globalization...

Getting "Off the Grid" - a ten-year plan

b and I are on a ten-year plan to get off the grid (what's this mean - click here). Our (the Western Industrialized World's) dependance on oil and coal, and all the subsequent damge that creates, provides enough daily motivation to keep this longview goal in our short-term sights. We don't want to drop out of society, and I intend to continue to wear shoes and bathe. In other words, we want to live in our world, but not be dependant upon irresponsible and short-sighted energy and environmental policies to survive. Dropping out is easy, anyone with a pen knife and a pup tent can do that. But the Praxis in me wants to live in the middle of all this chaos clean, green and independent. 

So... I am going to start a forum on this site called, um, (i'm riffing here) "Getting Off the Grid".

The goal is to collect resources, links and share information and ideas on how to accomplish this. There are a variety of additional resources at wordsasweapons.com and otherpower.com, but these are static sites. I want to use this blog and its more dynamic ability to get info you can use out there. For example, there are several companies which now offer solar-powered web hosting - like EcoSky.

Eventually, I will take what the blog community provides and deliver a PDF guide for people to download and follow. So, without further ado... I will start the forum this weekend. Look forward to people visiting and commenting daily.

ciao