My rants and ravings

I cannot sleep, therefore I rant.

Profit - I would like to offer my definition of profit. Profit is the difference between what a company spends to produce a product and the sale value of that product. Profit can be created in two ways; under compensating workers that produce the product and/or inflating the sale price of the product produced. If a worker was paid the real value for the labor required and the product was sold at its' true value, there would be no profit. In simple terms, making a profit either rips off your workers/subcontractors, or rips off your clients/customers. To be highly profitable, basically means ??? Outsource work to China or India and really under pay your workers or sell products with a grossly over inflated sale price. That is a global economy.

Capitalism Sucks - I wish ppl could see the difference between democracy and capitalism. Capitalism is all about money; get a good education and get a good job. Be a worker for the wealthy and well established. Democracy should be about life; get a good education so you're knowledgeable enough to vote and recognize bull shit terms like "re-vamp" and the "war against terror". You know that constitutional line about the….pursuit of happiness.

Voting - You know, I’m not sure that voting ever changed anything major. Voting didn’t stop Hitler. Voting didn’t end slavery nor racial segregation. Is voting really a manifestation of freedom? Does voting end poverty, wars or child abuse? I believe Change is the result of Action. I think in this day and age, in the US, elections are won with money. Capitalism again. Political lobbyists buy congressional influence, again with money. Honestly, why can’t ppl see how money corrupts and blinds us from what is really important. Life should not be about money but in today’s US society it sure as hell is almost all about money.

Life - Here is my philosophy of life. Life is a long hallway with many doors on both sides as far as you can see. To fully enjoy life you must travel down that hallway and open as many doors as possible. Some doors you open, look, then turn around and shut them. Some doors you open and experience love, joy, and happiness. Some doors you open and see adventure. Some you open see pain, sadness, and sorrow. Perhaps you open a door and see another hallway to travel down with more doors to open and explore. The more doors you open, the more you experience life. When I was younger, I used to think you had to kick open each door with gusto. I am older now and open the doors with confidence, strength and dignity. All of that kicking hurt my feet. Funny thing is some doors now open to familiar spaces. I never thought there would be repeats. Those repeat doors I can either enter or close and walk away. Most times I walk away.

Good night

WVO King

OK it is time for a WVO update

Here is the progress so far.

B4 the USVI trip I hand painted several 5x7 flyers/cards looking for members and ppl interested in the Anchorage Bio-fuels cooperative. Posted them, the hand painted bills, in all of the greenie places around Anchorage; the coffee shop next to REI, the Organic Oasis, Natural Pantry (Anchorage equivalent to a Whole Foods Store) and other tree hugger hangouts. The reply was dismal. Only four return calls.

The week B4 Christmas I sent out 90 letters to all of the hamburger joints, donut shops and Chinese buffets. Fifty bucks postage so far, including a self addressed survey post card. Basically it was a romp through the restaurant section of the yellow pages. The turnout was a bit better. I got about 14 returns, with an average of 15 -20 gallons of WVO available oil a week from each restaurant. Note I got also got seven, return to senders>, no donut shops nor Chinese buffet replies. Just for the record, yes I did create an MS Access database file populated with all 90 restaurant records and ALL four private ppl responses. Oh how punny, Yeah !! I geeked out.

A good indicator that I’m ready to go back to work is the fact that I sketched a system piping/process flow diagram of a small 50 gallon batch plant, complete with a materials list and cost estimate. Good thing I don’t have any drawing software on the laptop, else I would have created an AutoCAD file with a bill of materials. I stopped short of an electrical one-line diagram. I have a bunch of ckt bkrs and a small load center from an old ASTF grant project that I can steal/salvage parts from so, I need not get carried away with that. The final const for a good quality 50 gallon WVO-biodiesel batch plant is about a grand in Anchorage AK dollars. Here is what is next.


Make second contact. This is an easy one, since I only have less than twenty contacts to make. This is a one day task/completed by Monday 1/9/05.

I need more private members. Sigh, I think the next step is posting a newspaper add in the Anchorage Press, the local progressive rag. Point is I need more folks to use the bio-diesel. This will take place next week also. How about Tuesday, don’t want this to be like work or anything lol

I need a diesel vehicle. This is quite the exercise; I have the WVO sources but no diesel automobile. This is where living in Alaska is a disadvantage. If you want to buy a big ass Dodge Cummings Diesel that gets 8 gallons per mile there are a lot of those available (why bother). However, a 1985 diesel Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen diesel sedan or wagon, for about 3 grand, is nonexistent up here. I’m still looking but those animals are rare birds. Yeah there are lots in Cali, but it is another 2 grand to get the vehicle north. Hisssss nasty Baggins has my precious

I need to complete the 50 gallon batch plant. That is easy just spend the money and buy the stuff. The plan is to construct a 50 gallon batch plant, set-up in the carport, by March 1, 2006. Oh BTW that is also the date targeted for my return to work. The return to work is another blog entry for sure. Arrgh just typing that phrase makes me ill, double yuk.