Brewing your own at home reflects a certain attitude of American
independence. It certainly is a part of our American culture and history.

What we need, in my opinion, is a lot more of that independent spirit, when
it comes to doing things on our own. Being human, we seem all too willing
to slip into an easy bondage to whoever promises to take care of us.

Are we still independence-minded? 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
[url]www.jimsdesk.com[/url]


Here's a quick list of alternative energy information sources
[url]http://homestead.goodwordusa.org/energy/listing.htm[/url]

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

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

"Life in America" <goodwordusa@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:jvaif.175893$zb5.151257@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...[color=blue]
> Brewing your own at home reflects a certain attitude of American
> independence. It certainly is a part of our American culture and history.[/color]

What a whole load of ****! People the world over brew their own. That makes
it a part of every nation on earths culture and history.
[color=blue]
> What we need, in my opinion, is a lot more of that independent spirit,
> when it comes to doing things on our own. Being human, we seem all too
> willing to slip into an easy bondage to whoever promises to take care of
> us.
>
> Are we still independence-minded? 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.[/color]

It is your culture that invented and perfected the above ideas you want to
be wary of. The rest of us have blindly followed. People everywhere want the
same independance that you have just pointed out. What makes you so special.
The sooner people wake up to the fact that we ALL share this planet, the
sooner we can all live in harmony. It's people like you who destroy the
harmony that the world is capable. Learn to be part of society, rather than
trying to be superior.
End of sermon, now lets get back to the universal love we all share in home
brew and the personal joy it brings to all of us.
[color=blue]
>
> 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
> [url]www.jimsdesk.com[/url]
>
>
> Here's a quick list of alternative energy information sources
> [url]http://homestead.goodwordusa.org/energy/listing.htm[/url]
>
> Start your own small newspaper business
> free online help at:
> [url]http://www.newspaper-info.com[/url]
>
> free 13-month 2006 calendar (pdf file)
> download at:
> [url]http://www.jimsgraphix.com/lowcal.htm[/url]
>[/color]

On Sun, 27 Nov 2005 17:09:07 +1100, "two bob" <4> wrote:
[color=blue]
>What a whole load of ****! People the world over brew their own. That makes
>it a part of every nation on earths culture and history.[/color]

Hey Two Bob .....

***** Off And Die Troll* woulda been a decent response too :)

steveb

"two bob" <4> wrote in message news:43894d87@dnews.tpgi.com.au...[color=blue]
>
> "Life in America" <goodwordusa@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:jvaif.175893$zb5.151257@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...[color=green]
>> Brewing your own at home reflects a certain attitude of American
>> independence. It certainly is a part of our American culture and
>> history.[/color]
>
> What a whole load of ****! People the world over brew their own. That
> makes it a part of every nation on earths culture and history.[/color]

Well, you almost get it, TB.

If it's a part of every nation's culture, then how can you object to
acknowledging it as a part of American culture? Like most things in
America, brewing was brought here by people from other nations. But that
makes it no less American today than pizza, chow mein, barbeque, hamburgers,
or Mom's apple pie.

Why not enjoy life a little more and spend less time enraged about nothing?
Be happy.

Jim