Some of you may not know, but I drink a lot of coffee. And when I say a lot, I mean like around 100 fl oz per day. I’m also a bit of a coffee-snob, meaning that I won’t drink any old swill you get at Dunkin’ Doughnuts (umm yuck!). So even a large (venti) black coffee at Starbucks costs over $2, and a couple coffees per day (even with free refills) adds up fast.

The recession and a new job have forced me to re-work my budget. So I decided to make coffee at work, but I’m the only one in the office who drinks coffee. So if I were to brew a whole pot, it would go to waste, and I’d be spending about $14/week on beans. So I decided to get the Keurig B60 Special Edition Gourmet Single-Cup Home-Brewing System for the office.

I’m not going to use the K-Cups that most people have to buy for the Keurig. Instead, I’m going to grind my own coffee and use the My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter. This will allow me to only use 1-2 lbs of coffee per month at work. This will actually save me somewhere between $50-70 per month on my coffee expenses.

Now for the review of the machine. I’ve been using it for almost a week at this point. Overall I am pleased with the quality of coffee it brews. The trial K-Cups that came with the brewer were pretty bad, not anywhere near up to my standards. However using my own coffee with the reusable filter makes a pretty good cup of java. You need to grind the coffee about as fine as you can (think espresso grind) in order to get good extraction and a dark cup. Be sure to tamp the grounds down lightly into the filter too. The coffee it brews is akin to a French Press, this is because the reusable filter is metal, and not paper. This lets all the flavorful coffee oils flow into your cup. Great for taste, but can do a number on your stomach, so be careful.

As for care and maintenance of the machine, it’s pretty easy. The only major pain is cleaning the reusable filter, but for the money savings, I don’t mind it. All in all I would suggest this machine to anyone who wants fresh coffee often, where brewing an entire pot isn’t economical. So work out the math, and if it makes cents (har har), get one!

So, I’m sitting in my apartment tonight, and my Chefmate P70D2AL-D4 Microwave starts beeping randomly. At first it was just a single beep, then a few minutes later it went ape-shit. Scary thing was it first was saying 6:66 then 66:66. The keypad wouldn’t work anymore, and just kept on beeping until I unplugged the thing. Reading around the internet, I’ve found that others have had this same problem with this microwave. Wonderful.

So if you are buying a cheap microwave, don’t get this one. We got ours from Target if that matters. Thing that really ticks me off is that we just got this thing last year! Of course we didn’t hang onto any of the warranty information, I mean who does? The cost of shipping it out to be repaired, and being without an important appliance, what’s the point? I think it’s a conspiracy, stupid Made in China piece of garbage.

Time to hit Amazon and look for a new microwave with free shipping, because I don’t want to have to haul one on the bus and subway again back to my apartment.

Dear Rep. Velazquez,

I won’t bore you with a form letter. I am writing today to ask you co-sponsor HR 1207 to allow the G.A.O. to audit the Federal Reserve.

As a member of the financial services committee you are in a unique position to help further President Obama’s promise of transparency and vote in this bi-partisan issue. This bill has over 200 sponsors from both sides of the isle, and is now being considered by your committee for further action.

There is no logical reason why the Federal Reserve shouldn’t be audited by Congress. Your efforts in supporting this important legislation would go a long way in proving to your constituents that you not only hold the Federal Reserve to the same standard as you do your constituents, but it would also show that you believe in transparency. Anything less than support for this resolution suggests that you are in favor of secrecy and a lack of accountability to the people who pay the bills. We pay the tab; we have a right to know where our money is going.

If you are not going to support HR 1207, I would appreciate a letter from your office with the reasoning behind your decision, so that I may further understand all sides of this issue. At this point I see no logical reason why this shouldn’t be supported by all members of congress.

Thank you for your time and consideration in this very important matter. We have a historical opportunity to change this country for the better, and I hope we can make it happen.

-Concerned constituent in NYC

I encourage everyone to contact their members of congress and ask that hey support H.R. 1207. There are currently over 200 cosponsors as of today (June 9, 2009), both Democrats and Republicans.

We will continue to see the same problems over the next few years, only worse.  As I write this, the DOW sits at 7495(!!!) and people continue to lose their jobs, homes, and savings.  Yesterday our new President Obama has signed into law another bailout bill, and by the market’s reactions, it is probably not going to help.  Many of the same people who’ve gotten us into this mess in the first place are still in positions of power in both government and private industry.  The fools in the US Government continue to give $BILLIONS$ (In reality it’s now in the $$TRILLIONS$$) to their old pals in the private sector that caused this mess through greed and corruption. Now millions of American tax payers for generations to come will suffer the consequences, while these greedy bastards continue to live the good life.

There are many people who feel they have the solution to our problems.  Truth is, nobody knows what the best fix will be, but I can tell you printing money and giving it away to the same people who fucked us in the first place, is not the solution.  Harder times are on the horizon.

Please enjoy the episode of PBS’ Frontline: Inside the Meltdown.  Encourage others to see and understand how this mess has happened, and continue to educate those close to you.

December 17, 2008

Dear Friend of Liberty:

The Founders’ inspired vision of limited government has been kept alive by the hard work and generosity of Americans who truly cherish individual Liberty… average people like you and me.

In the toughest times… times like we are facing right now in the life of our nation… freedom fighters have always stepped forward for America—armed with whatever it takes and at whatever sacrifice—to answer the call to defend our liberty. That’s how America was born and how we, as a free and sovereign nation, have survived.

A major economic crisis is unfolding in our nation. New government programs are started daily, and future plans are being made for even more costly government expansion. All are based on the belief that we’re in this mess because free-market capitalism and sound money failed. The obsession is with more spending, bailouts of bad investments, more debt, and further dollar debasement. Many are saying we need an international answer to our problems with the establishment of a world central bank and a single fiat reserve currency.

These suggestions are merely more of the same policies that created our mess and are doomed to fail.

It is unimaginable that Congress could be so derelict in its duty. It does nothing but condone the arrogance of the Fed in its refusal to tell us where the $2 trillion has gone. Every Member of Congress and every American should be outraged that conditions could deteriorate to this degree. It’s no wonder that a large and growing number of Americans are now demanding an end to the Fed.

The Federal Reserve created our problem, yet it manages to gain even more power in the socialization of the entire financial system. The whole bailout process this past year was characterized by no oversight, no limits, no concerns, no understanding, and no common sense.

I hear daily from Americans like you who are up in arms about what is going on in our nation. Messages come into my congressional office morning, noon and night. Taxpayers are outraged by the huge bailouts, the massive expansion of government and the refusal by Congress and the leaders of both parties to follow the Constitution.

Many Americans are frustrated—or even outright angry—about failed government policies that just tighten the government’s noose around our necks.

The results of the recent election and the socialist policies that we are seeing proposed are indeed reminiscent of FDR and the New Deal and are equally dangerous. Free market economists and historians have correctly pointed out that Roosevelt’s horrendous economic policies only served to prolong and extend the severity of the Great Depression by many years. When the market is not allowed to work, government-created economic downturns are only made that much worse.

Since the financial crisi s has become more and more apparent and the attempts by the Fed, and Treasury and Congress to solve the problem have become more desperate, my phone has been ringing off the wall with calls from media outlets wanting to interview me and get my opinions about what is going on and how we need to deal with it.

During the presidential election, do you remember how the media scoffed at my suggestions that we were facing economic disaster? They laughed at my calls for limited government, for abolishing the Fed and the IRS, for cutting federal spending at home and abroad to balance our budget, and my call for a sound monetary system.

Today, with the crisis at hand, they are not laughing any more.

But, if we love our nation, it is not sufficient for us to sit back and say “we told you so.”

The task before us is huge. Our challenge is both political and philosophical, but either way the solution must begin by properly educating Americans as to why our current out-of-control, misguided political and financial systems have failed, and what must be done to turn things around.

My Foundation for Rational Economics and Education (FREE) has been waging such an educational effort for several decades. We have had a great deal of success publishing newsletters and books and producing radio and TV programs teaching people about the Constitution and free markets and sound money.

FREE has done much to educate patriots like you and to win the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans young and old. Today, however, given the severity of the crisis we face, we must do even more in our battle to spread the truth It is imperative that we redouble and expand the work and scope of FREE’s educational effort. Right now, while people are still looking for answers and even the media is trying to figure out what in the world is going on, we must step in to fill the void that exists and to provide answers and solutions for the problems that face us.

You have been a faithful supporter of the cause of liberty. You understand the serious nature of the threats that confront us and the dangers posed to our freedom and our very way of life.

It is up to us step up and lead the pro-freedom movement, not just in Congress, but in every community and at every level of government and every institution of learning.

Our ability to lead this movement comes from your tax-deductible contribution to FREE. $50 or $100, or even $250 or more if you can afford it, is urgently needed to help fund the effort to turn our government and our nation around… before it is too late.

Leadership is sorely lacking in Washington. It is time for true leaders like us to step forward and offer the vision needed to point Congress and our nation in the right direction… and to halt the assault on our nation’s sovereignty.

This is a dangerous time. But it is also an historic opportunity. Please help today with your most generous, tax-deductible gift for freedom. We must act swiftly to fill the leadership void in Washington. The time is NOW and the need is urgent!!!

Please log on to www.FREE-NEFL.com and contribute to the incredibly important work of FREE. No gift is too small… and every donation will help me continue to lead the battle for Liberty.

I’m counting on you.

For Liberty,

Ron Paul

P.S. If you can help with $50 or more, I will send you my “Freedom Report” newsletter for a full year as my “thank you” for your generous help. And for a gift of $100 or more I would like to send you a copy of my book on foreign policy… A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship

P.P.S. If you can help FREE with a magnificent gift of $500 or more, I’ll send you a personally autographed copy of my best-selling book, The Revolution: A Manifesto

Joseph Biden has stated that “we’re going to have an international crisis, a generated crisis” and that he can “guarantee you it’s going to happen.”  He continued to state that “it’s not going to be apparent that we’re right” in regards to how an Obama/Biden administration would handle such a situation.  Here – take a listen for yourself:

He isn’t the only one that feels this way.  When questioned about Biden’s statements, Fmr. Secretary of State Madeline Albright felt that “its just a statement of fact, frankly.”  Sen. Joe Lieberman appeared on Face the Nation on 06.29.2008 and echoed Biden’s sentiments by saying that “our enemies will test the new president early.” He also went on to tell Bob Schiffer to “remember that the truck bombing of the World Trade Center happened in the first year of the Clinton Administration.  9/11 happened in the first year of the Bush Administration.”  I’d like to personally thank Joe the Politician #2 for narrowing the timeline for when the next terrorist attack or crisis will strike America and the world.  It will happen with in the 1st year of the next President’s term.

However, that is not close enough.  I think I’d like to narrow it down a bit more.  Lets see what Fmr. Secretary of State Colin Powell had to say while appearing on Meet the Press on 10.19.2008:

In case you missed it, Colin Powell stated that “there is going to be a crisis [to] come along on the 21st or 22nd of January that we don’t even know about right now.”  Oh, really?  What an interesting thing to say.  However, don’t worry!  The United States Military is already in place and engaged in homeland tours – for your protection of course.  Who needs a 2nd amendment and Posse Comitatus when you have the US Army on American soil to protect you?  Oh, wait.

You have been doing a huge disservice to the Libertarian Party during this election.  First you snub Ron Paul’s 3rd Party Press Conference and now you refuse to show up at the 3rd Party debates being held this Sunday.  Grow the fuck up and get your head out of your ass,  Mr. Barr.

I have been fighting for and championing greater access to debates for the 3rd parties.  People need to hear the Libertarian platform in these trying times.  You are doing the country a great disservice by refusing to debate other 3rd party candidates.  You are behaving like a petulant child, probably because Ron Paul has failed to endorse you and the fact that Dr Paul has single-handedly blown the LP out of the water in terms of financing and following.

Instead of trying to win over the hearts and minds of liberty loving americans, your campaign has been busy bad mouthing other 3rd party cantidates and alienating members of the freedom movement brought in by Ron Paul.  This is neither the time nor the place for such petty attacks.  Your campaign is really starting to turn off a lot of people in the freedom movement.  I sometimes believe that you are still working for the CIA, as an agent provocateur, to discourage and break up the movement.  Ron Paul scared the establishment and you come in to divide and conquer.

If indeed you are a true Libertarian and pro-liberty, start acting like it.  IF I do decide to vote for your sorry excuse for a Libertarian ass, I will do so in  the spirit of the party and its ideals.  I will not be casting a vote in favor of Bob Barr, because sir, I do not like you.  I  wanted to like you, I’ve tried to like you, but you make it so hard.  You sir, are an asshole.

Even though I endorsed you on my website last week, I now encourage those who cannot look past your problems to write in Dr Ron Paul.  It’s better than giving a vote to you and endorsing your bullshit.

Show up to the debate Sunday.  Win.  Spread the cause.  Shit or get off the pot.

There is very little difference between the policies of McBama.  Slight nuances maybe.  Neither candidate has concrete plans for change, despite the rhetoric. If people would stop voting for the lesser of two evils, and vote their conscious, its very possible that we’d get some real change.  I agree, the fear that McCain would win might be enough for some to vote for Obama, but I for one like my country and don’t want to see it slip into socialism.  On the same token, I don’t want to see McCain turn the country into a police state, or continue this folly of continuous war (nor do I want to see Palin as president when McCain kicks the bucket).

Just because everyone says that we have a “two party system” does not mean it has to go down that way.  There are so-called “third parties” out there, that are probably more aligned with your beliefs and feelings about how things should be run.  It’s unfortunate that the media does not give alternative parties the press they deserve.  The media is too invested in the two major parties to shake things up, and most people are too emotionally invested in the Democratic and Republican parties to actually vote their gut.  It’s a sad state of affairs.

The closest thing we had to a true third party candidate with a chance was Ross Perot in 1992.  He was allowed into the debates and got almost 20% of the national vote.  This scared the shit out of the 2 major parties.  As a result, debates since 1992 have only had the Republican and Democratic candidates in the debate.  This was orchestrated by the 2 main parties to never again allow a threat to their party supremacy.

The fact that the way things are allowed to be this way speaks volumes of the willful ignorance of the American people.  There seems to be no long term memory for historical events, or the actions of people in previous administrations.  The same people have basically been in power in America since the late 1960′s.  Yet people continue to vote them and their surrogates into office, while at the same time wishing and hoping for “change”.  Change cannot be possible until people start voting their conscious.

At this point, I would like to suggest that if you hate taxes, love the constitution, want your personal freeoms, privacy and liberty preserved, and want to stop the war… send a message… vote for Bobb Barr of the Libertarian Party.  Again, he may not be the BEST choice, but he is a voice of reason in unreasonable times.  A vote for a third party is NOT a wasted vote, it sends a message and will help shape the political landscape in the future.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

If you liked what Gov. Jesse Ventura had to say in his speech, check out his new book:

The Rally for the Republic was even carried on CSPAN-2 on Tuesday 9/2/2008 in it’s entirety, and was probably more press coverage than Dr. Paul got during his entire race for the nomination. Better late than never I guess, as the message is still very important, maybe even more-so now than ever.

Since dropping out of the 2008 race for the republican presidential nomination, his organization has transitioned into the Campaign For Liberty.   Ron Paul’s people say that there is a major announcement coming next week, so keep your eyes out for that.

Ron Paul made an appearance on the Colbert Report last night on 9/4/2008. Check it out:

If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to pick up a copy of Ron Paul’s latest book:

Help spread thew0rd and keep on fighting for your rights.

(…and YES I took this photo myself in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Badger Guns & Ammo, so if you use it, please give some credit)

I think most people would be amazed if they found out that banks create money out of “thin air”, most would even disbelieve the concept. Banks create money out of debt. When you go to take a loan from a bank, you are not borrowing on someone else’s savings, the bank is basically printing the money on demand. Our economy survives because people are in debt. If all debt were to be repaid, there would be virtually no money left. It boggles the mind.

The following video “Money As Debt” breaks down how our money system works in simple terms, that is easy for anyone to understand. I believe everyone should watch this video at least once to gain a basic understanding on how the monetary system works, and what it means for you and your family. This video simply lays out “how it is”. Enjoy.

When I see stories about our government sanctioning torture, spying on Americans, murdering innocent Iraqis, warmongering, hiring mercenaries to fight our wars, cronyism and turning America into a police state, I get really pissed off and nervous. What pisses me off most is that the average American doesn’t know or care about any of these issues, at least not enough to try to change things. They toss up their hands and say “What can I do?”.

I’ll tell you what you can do. Start talking about these issues with anybody who isn’t aware. Start voting for principled politicians (are there any?). Get involved with non-profits and local politics. Stop making excuses for being ignorant. The reason all of this is allowed to happen, is because the majority of people allow it to happen. Those in power COUNT on your apathy and ignorance to further their plans for control of the populace.

I was raised to believe that America was “the land of the free”. A place where different people can come together in a common belief of freedom and liberty. You don’t mess with someone and they cant mess with you. Live and let live. That is not the America that I see today. Through the politics of fear we have allowed the government to erode our civil liberties, invade our privacy and label whole groups of people as ‘the enemy’. All under the guise of “preserving the American way”. I would like to remind everyone of a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” I think Keith Olbermann did a great job explaining the path America is headed down in the video below.

And if you still dont think that any of these issues affect you, think about this poem from Pastor Martin Niemöller about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn’t a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

The time has come for anybody who claims to care about their fellow man, to take a stand. Start caring and start fighting for your liberty and that of your family. You think that all of this stuff doesn’t affect you, but it does.

15 money saving tips

• Drive Less. Or better yet give up your car all together. Doing it for the environment is noble and all, but with gas prices over $3.00 per gallon, doing it for your pocket book just makes sense. Take public transportation, walk, bike, or carpool when possible.
• Quit Smoking or Drinking regularly. I’m working on the process of quitting smoking cigarettes. I need to quit. I will save roughly $2500 per year if I quit smoking. I’m doing it for my health and my pocket book. Think of the vacations you could take instead of smoking cigarettes or drinking all the time.
• Don’t Go Out to Eat. My parents never cooked meals when I was growing up, we went out a lot. As an adult I’ve come to discover the "Joy of Cooking". I cook my meals, eat leftovers, and pack a lunch for work. I’ve begun to really notice the savings.
• Use Coupons. But don’t use coupons as an excuse to purchase something you wouldn’t normally be buying anyways. Knowing when things are on sale can save you money over the long haul.
• Cut the cable. Turn off the TV. Cancel your cable service. You don’t need hundreds of channels playing infomercials all night. We have the Internet now, TV is obsolete. Use not having TV as an excuse to go outside for once. $100 a month can be much better spent.
• Shut Up. If you have a huge cell phone bill with tons of minutes, or you go over your plan often, you need help. Nothing beats face to face contact. If face to face isn’t an option, get yourself a prepaid cell phone and use it less. Go out for coffee with your friends to play "he said she said" instead of paying a phone company for the pleasure.
• Spend less on entertainment. You could be spending your time going on a walk, playing a board game, talking, having sex, or playing sports. All of that is free. Find some free events in the community or your neighborhood. Invite friends over for dinner.
• Buy used. If you are searching for consumer goods such as kitchen equipment, furniture or electronics, check Craigslist. Go to a rummage sale (hey free entertainment!). Thrift stores can be a fun adventure too.
• Buy Online. Many times prices for products online can be cheaper than in stores. When you buy items in the store you are paying what I call an "Instant Gratification Tax". Sometimes this tax can be higher than 20% of the cost of an item. Buy it online, and for waiting a couple days you’ll save big.
• Buy in bulk. If you are constantly running out of things and going to the store each week, you are wasting a lot of your time and money. Buy in bulk to save cash on volume discounts, save gas money, and save your precious time.
• Be flexible. The real world isn’t Burger King. Sometimes “Your Way Right Away” costs a lot extra. If you are willing to settle for "good enough" instead of "bling bling" you’ll actually have more dough for some used bling bling!
• Use Online Banking. Avoid late fees. Never buy a stamp again! Save time by paying bills automatically. Online banks pay higher interest rates than brick & mortar establishments.
• Use less electricity. Unplug your power strips. You can save a bunch of cash by unplugging unused electronic devices. Even in a standby mode the electronics consume electricity. Those red LEDs arent self powered. Replace your light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs that last for years.
• Drink Water. Carry a refillable water bottle. Stop drinking soft drinks and other high cost specialty drinks. (Sorry, but I will never give up my coffee, but to each his own)
• Be consistent. If you stick to your plan you will save tons of money. One binge can wipe out your savings though, so be careful and make it count.

I hope that list will give some of you some ideas for controlling your consumption. Being able to control your consuming habits is a key skill for a lifehacker. Goodluck.

I hate ebay. I’ve been burned so many times before on ebay, from scams to broken goods, that I refuse to use it. But how do you sell all that junk you don’t need anymore? In this post I will describe some useful techniques to sell all the stuff you don’t need or want using social and local web sites. I deal in cash only, local pickup sales. I meet face to face with the buyers in a public space and never get scammed. It may take a little longer to sell your stuff, but its worth the wait when you get a motivated buyer willing to pay cash and pick up the item.

Every few years it seems like I go through a purge of all my old stuff. Over the course of a couple years I end up accumulating a bunch of gadgets and tools I just don’t really need anymore. I generally take very good care of my things, so they last longer and maintain a higher resale value. Instead of having something sitting in a box somewhere until its obsolete and worthless I try to purge these unused items. The point is, if you have something of SOME value (over $20?) but you don’t use it, what good is it to you? Just sell it. Using some smart techniques you can minimize your risk and make social selling tools work for you. People who respond on local sites are generally motivated individuals actively looking for what you are selling. No shipping costs when selling local either.

Lately I’ve been using Craigslist. I know there is still a potential for scams and spam on Craigslist, but you do not have to deal on their terms. Advertise your item in the appropriate category in your LOCAL city. State clearly in the post that you deal only in LOCAL CASH PICKUP. Meet with them on your terms in a public space. I usually meet up at a local coffee shop, I’ve never had any complaints. When posting your items, be as descriptive as possible. Include pictures, the more the better. Set your price maybe 10-15% higher than you are willing to accept so you can drop it a couple bucks when they try and haggle. Haggling is an important part of society and many cultures take it seriously, be flexible but prepared. It may take up to 2-3 weeks to sell an item on Craigslist, but I’ve had things sell in less than 2 hours. To date I have sold EVERY item I’ve listed on Craigslist.

I will also use localized web classifieds. Many local newspapers provide an area on their websites for users to post free sales ads. Use any free local posting service to get rid of your stuff that you can. Back in the late 90′s I used Yahoo! Classifieds to sell some things, I had decent luck at the time with it, when Yahoo had a decent user base. It may still be good, but I don’t know. If you have an extensive MySpace (or other social network) friends list, you can always post a bulletin. A lot of your friends have similar interests and might be interested in some of your stuff.

Finally you can always use a local physical bulletin board. Public bulletin boards can usually be found in coffee shops, music shops, grocery stores, and college campuses. Don’t be annoying with fliers, but if you are having a yard sale or selling a lot of things at once, it can help spread the w0rd to generate a better response or faster turnaround.

To keep track of all the crap I’ve been selling I even had to implement a rudimentary accounting system. I’ve been using a web application called SideJobTrack. I like it, a lot. Its not as fancy as some other time tracking and invoicing systems, but it works for me as a freelance consultant too.