Survival Gear Blog

Government Making Things Worst?

2/9/2010

A shocking report from an independent auditor within the Treasury Department has warned that the President’s TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) and associated bailouts have actually increased the risk of a far worse financial crisis in the near future.

Neil Barofsky is the Special Inspector General for TARP and in his report to Congress he warns that the problems which caused the crisis have not been addressed and in some cases have gotten worse. Mr. Barofsky uses the metaphor of a car rushing towards the edge of a cliff, claiming that TARP was supposed to prevent a crash but has actually put the nation into a ‘faster car’ headed for the same cliff.

Much of the report focuses on government intervention into the markets to change prices.For example, the report discloses that an extraordinary 90% of all home mortgages are now owned or backed by the federal government, and that government spending is designed to keep interest rates low and home values high.

Some observers believe home values have not yet seen rock bottom, and believe that home prices need to fall another 8 to 10 percent below last year’s lows before the real estate market can be considered to have truly corrected itself, and as long as the government is keeping home values artificially high through low-interest lending and foreclosure-deferral programs, the market cannot correct itself.

Beyond the real estate market, Wall Street is also being artificially propped up. The government bailed out the bankrupt firms and essentially nationalized their losses, just as was done with General Motors. We now have a situation where the government takes on the risk and assumes the losses when things go badly, but when things go well the corporate execs get billion dollar bonuses, as is now the case with the banksters.

You don’t need a PhD in economics to realize that the government is actually encouraging more reckless behavior by establishing a precedent for bailouts and nationalization.Instead of forcing the drug addict into a painful but necessary rehab program, we’re simply giving the addict more of what he is hooked on and changing the subject whenever he starts to talk about cleaning up.

Meanwhile, the Swiss government is saying the massive bank UBS may collapse due to pressure from the US government to disclose the names of a few thousand people who may not have paid the taxes they owe. So we have the US government pushing a huge global bank to the point of collapse in the middle of the worst economic crisis in 70 years because a few thousand US citizens may have tried to move their money offshore.

At the same time, headlines last week announced that the Obama administration may propose legislation to force the NCAA to have a football tournament instead of the ‘bowl’ system that has been used for decades. And nationwide nearly 30% of the population is living within striking distance of the federal poverty level.

In this ‘Alice in Wonderland‘ world we now live in, these developments pass for normal news, and yet America seems more concerned with Tiger Wood’s girlfriends and whether or not Brad Pitt and Angelie Jolie may split up. Don’t be fooled folks, we’re at the tipping point and when the government checks bounce, or the dollar is worth as much as a peso, or the lights go off and don’t come back on, things are going to get messy.

Greenhouse Plans Versus Building With A Kit: What Are The Best Option

Deciding on the correct style of greenhouse to purchase or else construct can be a very vital measure that must not be ignored. You definitely don’t want a greenhouse that will not encounter your desires.

Studying the styles of greenhouses, as well as accessories that can be available is a must before you start this project. Read more »

Growing Thyme in Your Garden

I don’t know, but I don’t feel you can officially describe yourself an herb gardener unless you have got some thyme growing there.  It is one of the most essential and helpful plants around.  It does not hurt that there are over 100 special varieties with tempting tastes and smells.

It doesn’t matter which variety of thyme you choose to grow, they all have a woody, twig like stem and little oval-shaped leaves.  In early summer or late spring, depending on where you live, your plant will bloom with little pink, purple or white colored blooms.

Among the many varieties, here are 3 you’ll probably want to know:

• Common Thyme: This type of thyme is the one that fills most of the small spice containers you can get at the grocery store.  This variety is taller than the others and is great to bake with because of the strong aroma and taste.  Among the common thymes there are at a minimum 3 kinds, which you can tell by examining at the leaves.  You will find that the French kind has narrow leaves as opposed to the German which has wide leaves, and then there is the English variety which has variegated leaves.

• Lemon Thyme: The smell of lemon thyme is evident in its name.  If you cannot figure that one out you might want to choose another hobby.  Yes, lemon thyme has a strong lemon aroma that you can’t miss.  Some kinds of lemon thyme even have tiny yellow flowers.

• Wild Thyme: This variety of thyme is not usually planted for use in cooking, so do not assume that every thyme plant is the same.  If you are seeking an interesting ground cover, this is a great place to start.

Cooking with thyme is as simple as clipping off a few leaves and tossing them to your other ingredients.  Thyme does well with pruning and there’s no better way to prune your thyme than to harvest some leaves for a yummy meal.  If your abilities are not found in cooking, you can still use your thyme to make health and beauty products.  You can use it in soaps and lotions, add a small bit in your bathwater or use it to make an sweet smelling potpourri.

The old folks will say to use it to cure several different ailments such as sleeplessness, gas, asthmatic breathing, headaches, poor digestion and coughing.  I guess it basically can do anything but bring in the mail.

Thyme is one of the easiest plants to raise.  It will succeed indoors or outside and does well in well-drained, rich dirt and full-sun.  Because it takes a long time to germinate your plant (a long thyme), I would suggest that you drive over to the discount store and pick up a few plants for your garden.  This plant has a nice ornamental quality and looks nice in an outdoor rock garden, on a patio or along a stone fence.

If you’d rather dry your thyme for use over the winter than bring your plant indoors, just snip off each branch at the stem and hang it upside down to dry.

It’s generally a sensible idea to store the seeds from your thyme herb.  These seeds will still germinate for up to 3 years.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Plants. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Creating Your Own Herb Rock Garden

When I was a kid, I lived out in a rural community and we only had clay soil once you dug about 6 or 12 inches down. When you’re planning your garden, you have got to put sunshine and soil quality at the top of the list of things to consider. Without the correct amounts of both sunlight and water, your garden will not flourish. If you can get 2 or three of these factors right, you’re all set.

To solve my clay dirt problems, I turned to rock gardening, which focuses on adding lots of rocks to your landscape and focusing on herbs that only need a few inches of good soil.

A rock garden is about the positive features that you may have in your garden already or those that you want to create. Some herbs truly love the rocky craggy dirt that you have in areas like this all over the world. If you don’t have the rocky earth and want the aesthetic of a rock garden, be sure you’ve got room for roots to grow and also some nice drainage.

Rock gardens focus on keeping the herb compact and controlled. Another tip is to look for herb plants with silver or gray leaves. It is not a hard-and-fast rule, but it should help in making the best decisions.

• Hen-and-Chicks: {I can’t imagine cutting open a hen or chick and rubbing it on a wart, but this perennial succulent herb, which is also known as St. Patrick’s cabbage, has a long history of healing them.} Each leaf will hold enough water to make it through a day without water. Each one can grow to four inches across and each “hen” will have many off-shoots or “chicks.” In the summer, a 9 inch spike arises from the center of each mature cabbage to display pinkish-red blooms. The plant can continue to add chicks and grow into a colony of hens-and chicks.

• Wild Oregano: This perennial from the Mediterranean region can grow vigorously up to 30 inches tall with its oval leaves and purple blossoms that come out late in the summer. This isn’t the same type of oregano that you find in Italian dishes, but you can eat it.

• Marjoram: Not only can you cook with marjoram, but you can use it in your rock garden. Its oval gray-green leaves have a delicate scent that can remind you of your favorite pasta sauce and its tiny white flowers will bring a smile to your face. For marjoram to retain its shape and form, keep it cut back (use the clippings in your Italian dishes) so that it can keep growing well—full sun and the good drainage in your rock garden can help too.

• Thyme: The shiny, little leaves of the thyme plant are clustered along woody stems that are adorned with many white or pink flowers and grows to a height of up to 12 inches. Thyme grows best when the dirt is sandy, well-drained and gets a whole lot of sunshine. Thyme has a tendency to grow like crazy, so keep it cut back to maintain its compact shape.

Part of the wonder of rock gardens is the mix of the hard rocks and the soft plants. The difference in colors also helps in achieving a sense of the beautiful. You can even use aromatic and culinary herbs in your rock garden, which will provide you with all the benefits of a regular herb garden.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Herb Garden Designs. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Growing Herbs on your Balcony

You can bring new life to your balcony by adding a few potted herb plants. Having your herb plants in pots makes it simple because you can move them around (as you figure out the amount of sun your balcony gets). Their portability also helps for bringing your herb plants inside at the end of the growing season—you don’t want to leave your herb plants on the balcony all winter.

Your best bet for your balcony herb garden would be any plant that does well with lots of sun, like a morning glory. These little plants can tolerate the reflection from the windows and doors and also the heat that a metal balcony captures. Check out your balcony at different times of the day to see the quality of light, the heat and the intensity. You will also want to know which way your balcony is facing—will you get more morning or afternoon sun?

A good rule of thumb for balcony herbs would include any plant with a thick leaf or a velvety texture as well as any herb that is gray or silver. They will do well because they lose less water to evaporation.

Try some of these great herb plants on your balcony:

• Aloe vera: Aloe vera is an easy plant to grow. It tolerates the sun very well and needs little watering. You can use aloe vera easily by snipping off the tip and rubbing it on a burn or other skin problem. It will cool the spot, but it will be sticky!

• Cayenne pepper: With cayenne pepper on your balcony, you can always add a little spice to your meal next time you grill out. With a bright pop of color, cayenne pepper will be great on your balcony.

• Cucumber: A trailing vine, like the cucumber, can provide an added touch to your balcony. Cucumbers are wonderful for facials, ladies. You can also grab some cucumbers to slice for your salads, straight from the balcony!

• Hens-and-chicks: These are among my very favorite plants. These don’t need a lot of watering—they are water-holding succulents—and will tolerate the hot temperature and bright sunshine that you might have on your balcony. They are cute to look at too!

• Lavender: Because lavender is a fragrant plant, you’ll be able to breathe in the soothing aroma of lavender when you put it on your balcony. The lovely purple buds can make a colorful balcony even more colorful.

Choose a collection of interesting containers for your balcony or try a hanging basket lined with a coconut husk for wonderful outcomes. I used chicken wire and moss to make my own herb plant balcony basket. It was my first try at a project like that. It wasn’t amazing, but it worked. It will work best if you carefully consider the drainage when you are buying your basket or pot.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Windowsill Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Growing Herbs in Containers

Now you don’t need to be a purist and just use one herb in each pot like some people. I like to mix it up a little and put multiple herbs in the same pot. It looks nicer and brings a little texture to my garden.

To try this, you would pick herbs that have similar earth and watering needs and then get those that will look good together or have similar purposes—like planting all your culinary herb plants together.

Plant these herbs that will do well in your containers:

• Sage: With nearly 750 types, hopefully you find at least 1 sage herb for your garden that you will like, because sage comes in a number of colors and sizes. Sage is one herb that you can start from seeds inside in your pot in the early spring and then move outdoors with the onset of warmer weather. Cultivate your sage in nice, big container that has nice drainage and put it where it can get lots of natural light. This is one of those that I grow for the leaves, so I clip off the flowers as soon as they bud to help the plant concentrate on the leaves, which I then snip off at the stem whenever I’m cooking.

• Scented geraniums: I enjoy the bright, vibrant colors and smells of the scented geranium. I have an unnatural attachment to red geraniums, so I’m not the right person to ask, but I’m sure that the other kinds are good too. Although they look very similar to floral (non-herbal) variety, these also grow well in containers that you can pick up at any nursery, home improvement or discount store. They can take full sun and well-drained dirt. You can harvest the stems and foliage for cakes and teas. The petals are beautiful in pressings.

• Cardamom: Cardamom is a nice herb for you if bad breath is an issue for you. This large houseplant-like plant will get big in the summer and will need to be brought indoors during winter months to thrive, so use a large pot. You can harvest the seeds to add a little flavor of India to your rice and chicken meals, soups and stews. There are many other uses for cardamom, including easing issues with flatulence (if you have them).

• Lemon verbena: This is one of those necessary herbs to have in your garden because you can utilize it in so many ways. Do not even think about starting with seeds. Go out and buy a young herb and get it started in a wide container that will support the plant’s height. Lemon verbena can tolerate the full sun and does well if the earth has good drainage. Don’t let your plant get too dry. The foliage are usually the first part of the plant to suffer and these are the parts that you will use.

There are plenty of other herbs that you can plant in your container plant garden, such as thyme, mints, lavender, goldenrod, fennel and carrot.

Good luck with your plant gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Growing Herbs in Pots. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.

Frozen Herbs for Winter Dishes

Do you like cooking with fresh herbs? Not only do they taste great, they smell lovely too! It’s simple to use fresh herb plants too. You can always cut off what you need and mix in with the rest of your ingredients for a fresh flavor you’ll love.

How do you manage in the middle of winter when there are not any fresh herb plants around?

Try freezing as a fresh alternative to drying your herbs because it’s a easier and better way to keep your herb plants fresh. In three steps you can set them aside for future recipes—grow them, harvest them and freeze them. You don’t have to do anything special to prepare your herb plants for freezing, other than rinsing them. If they’re not packed too tightly, you can crumble the frozen herb plants in your hands before you open the freezer bag.

If you do want your herbs measured before you freeze them, you can dice your herbs up and freeze them in ice trays. Once you dice the herb plants, put a tablespoon of herbs into the ice cube tray compartments and cover with water. Put these cubes into the freezer bags and later, when you are ready toss a few cubes into your soups, stews and other dishes.

If you want to try freezing herbs, these are some nice ones to start with:

• Basil: Remove the foliage from the stem just before the buds of your basil when you are ready to harvest your herbs and dry your herbs. Put the dried leaves into a freezer bag so that you can make use of them later on. You can also skip the drying out part and stick your herbs straight away into the freezer. Another way to keep your basil is to layer them in the bottom of a plastic container and cover your herbs with extra virgin olive oil, which will both keep and bring out the taste. They’ll last for several months this way.

• Parsley: It isn’t just a pretty garnish; you can use parsley in any Italian meal.  Parsley will work well in almost any Italian meal. Nobody appreciates parsley for it’s positive attributes. It cannot help it if the other Italian herb plants (like oregano, basil and garlic) have stronger, more memorable flavors.  Parsley works hard to help other herbs taste better. Toss it into any meal (usually near the end of the cooking process) and parsley will make the rest of the herb plants that much nicer. I generally take the leaves and put your herbs into a freezer bag, put the bags on the shelf of my freezer and then put a box of vegetables on top of themto freeze them flat. When you are ready to use them, just crunch the bag up in your hand and they are instantly diced.

• French Tarragon: If you plan to over-winter your French tarragon herb, be sure not to cut it back too much. Of course it’s best to use the leaves fresh, but you can tuck some of these leaves into a freezer bag and they will get you through the winter months. Spice up your chicken or fish dishes with this plant. It also goes well with cream sauces, vinegars and mustards.

Do not forget to write the name of the herb on the freezer bag so that when you bring it out of the freezer you will know what it is.

Good luck with your herb gardening. Be sure to let me know how your herb garden grows.

Here is more information on Italian Herb Garden. Here is a website with a free mini-course dedicated to Herb Gardens.