Monthly Archives: June 2007

Should Gasoline Prices Be Higher?

I got started thinking on this by reading a post over on the Freakonomics blog. There are some really great points on both sides.

I come at this as someone in a one-car family. I work at home, so I don’t especially need a car, although when the budget permits I will doubtless get one again. Just have to keep fuel efficiency in mind.

There are a lot of comments on this post, and I have to agree that gas prices don’t seem to be impacting how much a lot of people drive. It may be doing a little, however. I took a trip to visit my grandmother in the hospital on Memorial Day weekend, and the traffic was amazingly light, when I had expected heavy. It made me wonder if gas prices had anything to do with it.

But what does not change is the driving people have to do. No matter how they grumble about their commute and the impact of higher gas prices on their budget, most people aren’t going to move closer to their jobs. They grumble and pay the price for the gas. Continue reading →

Alternative Uses for Vinegar in the Kitchen

Vinegar is one of the great nontoxic cleaning supplies most people have in their homes. Today I thought I would share some ways you can use it in the kitchen.

  1. Cleaning the microwave.
    Soak a cloth with vinegar. Microwave on high for 15 seconds. Once you can handle the cloth, it can be used to wipe the now loosened splatters.
  2. Removing coffee and tea stains from cups.
    Combine vinegar and table salt in equal portions. These can rub the stains right off the cups.
  3. Remove buildup from the coffeemaker.
    Run 1 cycle of cold water mixed with 1/4 cup of vinegar. Repeat with water only. If you can still smell vinegar, repeat again.
  4. Degrease oven vents.
    This is good to do about twice a year. Use a sponge soaked in vinegar to remove grease from the vents of your oven hood.
  5. Limit mildew buildup inside the refrigerator.
    Wipe down the refrigerator door seals with vinegar.
  6. Degrease pans.
    Simmer 1/4 inch water and 1/2 cup vinegar in a greasy pan for 10 minutes. Wash as usual.
  7. Open clogged drains.
    Depending on the severity you can do a couple of things. Light clogs pour 1/2 cup baking soda followed by 1/2 cup vinegar down the drain. Allow to work at least 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. Rinse with boiling water. For more serious clogs, add 1/2 cup salt to the baking soda/vinegar mixture from above. Allow to site for 1 hour before rinsing.
  8. Countertops may be wiped with vinegar.

There are many more things that you can clean vinegar with. It’s a very safe cleanser for most surfaces. Some people dislike the smell, but in my experience this fades nicely once the vinegar has dried.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Foreign Labor Practices – How Much of a Concern?

I had an interesting conversation with my mother the other day about if low wages in other countries could actually be a good thing in some ways. She noted that many of the places that used to have cheap labor now have higher standards of living and earn more money than they used to.

I haven’t done any research to see how true this is, but it’s an interesting thought. I know, though, that a lot of places known for cheap labor and poor protections for their labor still have cheap labor and poor protections. So while it’s an interesting theory, I don’t know how true it is.

It’s not a comfortable idea to me. I don’t like when people are barely earning a living even by their country’s standards, and working under essentially abusive situations. I don’t like it even with the thought that it could, in the long run, improve matters. It’s hard to not want improvement NOW!

Then again, you hear about countries like India, where workers are getting into technology jobs and earning very good money for their area. They’re still cheaper labor for many employers, but now they’re earning good money for where they live. Is it due to a progression that started with poor conditions? Continue reading →

The Vatican is Going Solar

I love seeing the Pope sticking with his belief that we should be conserving the Earth’s resources. Acting on that statement by getting solar panels installed is a great step.

They’re starting with the roof of the Paul VI auditorium next year. Other Vatican buildings may also get photovoltaic cells, although this will not happen in cases where historic buildings would be damaged.

Technorati Tags: , ,