“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” John 8:32 (NIV)

Firstly,  I’ve made many mistakes in my 69 years; bad judgement, cheated, lied, stolen and disrespected life.  Each of us, I believe can lay claim to some part of this statement.  Does it matter what our discretion? My discovery:  I’m an ordinary human being who has discovered a trail to becoming extraordinary. Join me.

John was right, “the truth does set you free’. However, remember, you have to ‘know the truth’ to be ‘set free’. What does the ‘truth’ set you free from?

Many find the ‘truth’  sets them free from something they don’t want to be set free from. You could say the ‘truth’ came back to haunt them. There are many kinds of ‘truths’. The ‘truth’ that sets you to building a new trail. Or a ‘ truth’ might set you to maintaining a trail that has been neglected. A ‘truth’ that sets you to covering a trail that should not be traveled.

Our lightning fast medias’ bring us all kinds of  ’truths’. We have to chose which truth to believe. We have to ‘know the truth’ before it can ‘set us free’…and that could be a difficult truth to build into our trails…or stop our trails altogether!

Relax, this is just between you and me. Let me put you at ease…yes, we’re ordinary, but we have the ability to become extraordinary in whatever way we wish. We can live our dreams…or maybe some part of them.  Isn’t that a relief?

Okay, now that you’re relaxed, take a few deep breaths:  Imagine. You have just been elected President. You are the new leader of a nation! You have just moved into your new home and  stepped into your new office. You’ve become extraordinary! You are going to change the world!  All the work and money to get here paid off…pinch yourself. It’s real, you’re here.

Many helped get you here. You have debts to repay. Things are expected. You have a ‘things to do’ list that would choke a heard of horses! There are all kinds’ of battles to be fought; 7 billion people are scrambling to live on this planet;  and communication is lightning fast! Global thinking was a prerequisite.  There is a multitude pushing you forward…it’s a race to change the face of our planet! What was that dream you had? Is it still here? Or,did it get lost along the way?

Now’s your chance to shape the world. Are you up to the challenge? Just answer one question. You’ve already surrounded yourself with those you trust and believe can help you most. Now let the rest of the world know your intention. What’s your plan?

Think about this and get back to me. Just go to the ‘Share the knowledge’ below and click on ”Comment’. Have at it!

Happy Trail Building!

“Home-based businesses are one of the fastest-growing segments in our economy, and that trend will only continue, as the age of the corporation, which began barely a century ago, now gives way to the age of the entrepreneur.” – Paul Zane Pilzer, Author and Nobel Prize Winning Economist

Join a company for the right reasons. A business has to have a product/service that I feel passionate about. For me, I won’t sell anything that I don’t believe is a benefit to myself, my community and this planet.

There are 1000s of small businesses in my community and yours. Local businesses that you nor I know about. The knowledge of their existance is changing. Enter Groupon, Living Social and The Customer Advantage. These companies are making these small businesses known. They recognize the benefit of supporting local businesses. Local businesses employ 68% of employed people.

Getting In Front of a Trend

Technical and Social Media is changing everything. Look at Groupon. Groupon’s membership grew to 40 Million in just two years. Groupon was able to get in front of a trend (Group Buying). Group Buying is a major new trend and Groupon is now the fastest growing business in the history of business! Faster than Google, faster than Amazon, faster than any company you can think of. Their business is so successful they recently turned down a $6 Billion dollar buy out from Google!

Look at Facebook and how it developed. Mark Zukerberg didn’t have any idea what he was creating when he started Facebook. It was a change that was  ready to happen and was going to happen with or without him. He was able to get in front of the change. Now look at where he is.

There are thousands of great Network Marketing companies out there that offer people a way to GET AHEAD OF A TREND; Trends that Technical and Social Medias are pushing forward at the speed of whatever your modem runs at!

If you are thinking about joining a company, follow these steps before joining. Then when you are satisfied, Jump In! The water is great!

Find — and study — the company’s track record.
Learn about the product
Ask questions
Understand any restrictions
Talk to other distributors (beware shills)
Consider using a friend or adviser as a neutral sounding board or for a gut check.
Take your time.
Think about whether this plan suits your talents and goals[34]

Have fun on your trail to GETTING AHEAD OF A TREND!

Welcome. I’ll try and make this short, sweet and maybe a little entertaining.   And, of course, it’s somewhat free.

We’re all looking for ways to lighten our load; cut expenses and still get things done and maybe find some enjoyment.  We are in the time of the ‘shrinking dollar’. Jobs are almost non-existent and we have to ‘tighten our belts’, in far too many instances,  without starving. Who’s to blame? I’ll point my finger at you and me.  Who else can be held responsible. We each participated in someway to bring us to this juncture…again. You would think we would have learned a few lessons…just shows you how much attention some of us are paying.  Much of what we are doing is simply not working.  Now, we’ve got to dig ourselves out…yet, again.

How can we make things easier on ourselves and maybe change directions? This may sound simplistic, however, increasing our Bartering efforts is just a tiny tip on the iceberg of getting through these ‘hard times’. Some seem embarrassed when offering to barter. There is  nothing to be ashamed of; societies often turn to ‘bartering’ when in a time of  ’money crisis’. And, we certainly can’t argue about the ‘money crisis’ we’re in.

In case you are unfamiliar with the bartering system; it is a method of exchange by which goods or services are exchanged for goods and services without using a medium of exchange like ‘money’. It’s usually ‘bilateral‘ and has always existed along side monetary systems. Most cultures of the world have based their ‘exchange system’ on ‘flat money’. And look at what most culture are experiencing!

Bartering has a long history. I’ve been bartering in one way or another all my life. Interestingly, when I looked ‘bartering’ up I found out that ‘there is no evidence of a society or economy that relied primarily on barter’. Non-monetary societies operated largely along the principles of gift economics. That sounds like the movie ‘Pay It Forward’ or going deep into ‘living from the heart’ …here’s hoping you’re a ‘Taoist’ or a serious ‘Christian’.

Just to recap. The dollar bill is all but disappeared, it’s time to look at other strategies and integrate more of our heart into the economy; which may include a combination of  ’monetary systems’; flat money, barter, gift economy and looking at new ways of supporting each other.  Let’s  increase our efforts to do these things.  Let’s think ‘outside the box’ a little more. We all know jobs are limited. The feed back about our circumstances seems bleak! But we humans are incredible, we always seem to get up after a fall.

Here are some things we can do to make life easier.

1. Go over your expenses and cut back everywhere you can. I just cut my expenses $130 a month. That’s almost $1600 a year.
2. Barter whenever possible.
3. Practice ‘gift economics’.
4. Look closely at companies that offer ‘enlightened capitalism‘.
5. Get back to a more ‘need based’ economy.
6. Call everyone you are doing business with and see what specials they might offer.
7. Do more outdoor activities; hiking, camping, picnicing, etc.
8. Support your Parks.
9. Scrutinize every dollar you spend.
10. Be prepared for great things to happen.

I’m making a commitment to do all 10 of these things…let’s see what happens.

Happy trails!

Take a step back in time; December 23, 1913

“I am a most unhappy man, I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is controlled by its system of credit. Our system of credit is concentrated. The growth of the nation, therefore, and all our activities are in the hands of a few men. We have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated governments in the civilized world. No longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominate men”

- President Woodrow Wilson

What Did He Mean

when he said, “I have unwittingly ruined my country”? He was referring to; on December 23rd 1913, he signed the Federal Reserve Act. With all opposition out of the way: Benjamin Guggenheim, Isa Strauss and Jacob Astor; the three richest men in the world had sank with the Titanic; the way was laid clear for the Federal Reserve Banking system; a private bank, owned by private stock holders for their on personal profit!

Spirit, Heart and Mind

I did a search on Google; ‘Who Rules the World’? If you are here, you probably already know what the video reveals, however, you might want to check it out and forward to others.

“Some of the biggest men in the United States, in the field of commerce and manufacture, are afraid of something. They know that there is a power somewhere so organized, so subtle, so watchful, so interlocked, so complete, so pervasive, that they had better not speak above their breath when they speak in condemnation of it”

-President Woodrow Wilson

We Need Audacious Leaders!

We need audacious leaders to carry out our demands! Our livelihood has suffered enough. We are playing with Big Boys; details of their frolic have dominated the headlines. They do not wish us to see the details of their frolic. They bail themselves out and we reward them with almost a TRILLION DOLLARS! We need not look far to see how our politics and lifestyles are severely oppressing people, destroying the planet, and bringing extinction (one in four mammals face extinction) to those we share the planet!

These are very big Boys and they are not playing; they keep a keen eye on the bottom line. They would have you believe the economic crisis is an accident. The truth is that citizens of the world have been enticed (public relations or propaganda) into believing it is important to ‘keep up with the Jones’ and to buy into frivolity at an unprecedented pace! All on credit! Invisible money slipping through business and banks like water. The poisoning of the environment and the people are a natural occurrence.  Who benefits? Our Health Care system can not cure or keep up with the disease of it’s people. Pharmaceutical Companies are the only ones who seem to be benefiting in this time of crisis. They talk about cures and drugs; no one in power wants to address  the causes.

Lets take a long look into centuries of food industry practices. Practices which began innocently enough, but, in many instances have developed into a dark and dangerous business; endangering the planet and it’s inhabitants!

The food industry continually strives to cut costs and expenses in order to increase profit; they hypnotizie the population with their glossy color ads and their promise of miracle foods’; all the while their GREED seeps in a sea of muck! This will become very clear if you are brave enough to follow the slippery trail.

‘The Truth Will Sit You Free’

While doing research into the ongoing Pet Food Recall tragedy and its continued impact to our pets, what seems most important after reading hundreds of these reports is to pass on what I’ve learned; and to keep linking together with others who have similar concerns. Doing so gives more credibility and a more effective means of convincing people to change what they and their furry friends eat!

A startling discovery: most people don’t want to know about this ongoing tragedy! For knowing means you find a truth. Truth. As always, what you do with ‘truth’ is up to you! My advise is to take the journey. Take a deep look into the food industry before you make any decision. For me, the journey has taken some horrific and dangerous trails.

What’s Cooking?

From Rendering Plants to our dinner table! Ever thought about what a ‘rendering plant’ job looks like? Probably not. Here you go:

Rendering plants are like huge kitchens. What do they ‘cook up’? The stainless steel pot contains; dead animals, slaughterhouse wastes, supermarket rejects, pesticides via poisoned livestock, euthanasia drugs that were given to pets; some dead animals have flea collars containing organophosphate insecticide, fish oil laced with bootleg DDT, insecticide Dursban in the form of cattle insecticide patch, other chemicals leaked from antibiotics in livestock, heavy metals from pet ID tag and surgical pins and needles: all go into the ’stainless steel pot’. The mixture then goes into various products’ known as recycled meat, bone meal, and animal fat.

Who would want this job? Well, that’s a whole other story. Rendering plants have different specialties. Some of the end product-label names are: meat meal, meat by-products, poultry meal, poultry by-products, fishmeal, fish oil, yellow grease, tallow, beef fat and chicken fat. Who buys the products from ‘rendering plants’? The livestock, poultry and pet food industries! They use it as feed additives.A 1991 USDA report states that approximately 7.9 billion pounds of meat, bone meal, blood meal, and feather meal was produced by rendering plants in 1983. Of that amount:

12 percent was used in beef cattle feed

34 percent was used in pet food

34 percent was used in poultry feed

20 percent was used in pig food

Scientific American cites a dramatic rise in the use of animal protein in commercial dairy feed since 1987. If these truths don’t set you free, I can’t imagine what would. My previous post on ‘The Power and Politics Behind What We Eat’ offers an intricate account of the cause of much of the disease to the inhabitants of our planet. Unfortunately, there are no labels to identify the above ingredients that have gone into our livestock and poultry feed…and passed onto humans.

One in four deaths is from cancer; given the livestock and poultry practice of feeding the products produced by rendering plants to livestock and poultry; and then we eat (well I don’t) the livestock and poultry: might there be a possible significant connection to cancer’?

Are there any labels on beef, poultry, or pork? Do you know how they were raised? What they eat? Are they stressed? Do you know if stress does anything to the quality of the meat? Do you care? Who has the time or wants to take the time to know this stuff? Isn’t that what we pay our tax dollars to do? We put our trust in the United States Government to safeguard its people! To take the time to monitor and inspect what is meant no nourish its people.

Warning from the Past and Present!

The Jungle (1906) is a novel by American author and socialist Upton Sinclair. It describes the life of a family of Lithuanian immigrants working in Chicago’s Union Stock Yards at the beginning of the 20th century.

Silent Spring is a book written by Rachel Carson and published by Houghton Mifflin in September 1962. The book is widely credited with launching the environmentalism movement in the West.

Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal (2001)is a book by investigative journalist Eric Schlosser that examines the local and global influence of the United States fast food industry.

Chew on This is a book for younger readers by Eric Schlosser (author of Fast Food Nation) and Charles Wilson on the subject of fast food.

Amazing Discoveries reports, “Food borne illness is on the increase worldwide and in most cases animal products are implicated as the main source of infection.”

Food, Inc. Eating can be one dangerous business. Don’t take another bite till you see Robert Kenner’s Food, Inc ., an essential, indelible documentary that is …

Vote with your Dollars!

This is something you can do this very instant! Vote with your pocket book. Truly, this is the only language industry understands…that’s how we got ourselves into this tragic predicament; we bought into industries glossy color ads and their promise of miracle foods’. Read the labels. Ask questions.

“Of every dollar that an American shopper spends for food, on average, 81 cents goes toward the marketing of that food. Only 19 cents goes back to the farm.”

Currently I’m feeding my canine Pieper ‘Newman’s Own Organic Dog Food’. Everything is on the label. It’s certified organic by ‘Oregon Tilth’. Oregon Tilth has been certifying organic farmers since the early 1970s.The organic industry is a realistic approach to many of my concerns about the health of Pieper, myself and the environment.

MSNBC reports, “This year, retail sales of organic foods are expected to exceed $15 billion — with more than $32 billion projected by 2009. While the conventional food industry still dwarfs the organic sector with $550 billion in yearly sales, it is producing an unappetizing 2 to 3 percent annual growth rate, while the organic industry has savored several years of 17 to 20 percent growth.”

What does this growth say about ‘why’ people are buying more organic food? They are voting with their dollars; taking responsibility for the health and well being of their self, their furry friends and the environment!

From 1987 to 1990, while working at The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) as Humane Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator, I toured organic livestock farms throughout the United States; these livestock and poultry farmers were proud to show me their operation; the livestock and poultry at these farms were allowed to pursue their innate characteristics.

Happy Trails!

The winter season in Colorado can be dry and brittle…thirst is always a factor. Moisture evaporates fast. I’m so grateful for indoor plumbing…turning on the faucet and having clear, clean and cool water fill a glass is wonderful! When I fill my glass, I’ve made a habit of checking my furry friend’s water dish

Animals can loose all of their fat and half of their protein and survive. However, if they loose only 10 % of body water, serious illness can occur. If you can feel a dryness in your mouth, dehydration has begun. Our animal friends get just as thirsty as we do. A dog or cat can become dehydrated in only a few hours if fresh water is not present. I keep three dishes of water in my house and two outside.

I recently learned something from my vet. If I feel the inside of my Pieper’s gums are dry, it’s a clue that she is dehydrated; if moist she is fine.

How Much Water?

Water constitutes 84% of a newborn puppy and 60% of an adult dog. Water is necessary for almost every function in an animals body. Hot temperatures and exercise or nursing will also increase the needed amount of water two or three times above normal. Don’t take water for granted, provide access to water at all times! Also, considering the huge quantity and importance of water consumed in a lifetime it is important that the quality of the water is the best possible. I have a water filter on my faucet; Peiper drinks filtered water at home.

Animals need to consume 2.5 times the amount of water, as its daily intake of food. If an animal eats 2 lbs. of dry food it should consume 5 lbs. of water. (There are 8 lbs. in a gallon.) If he eats 4 oz. of dry food, he should drink 10 ounces of water (11/4 cup).

Water Quality

Untreated water can contain bacteria, viruses and parasites; Giardia is one of the most common problems acquired through untreated water. Household tap water is considered to be very safe, though just as with people, water that is high in nitrates, iron, or magnesium can pose long term health risks. Many pet owners give their animals bottled water if their source is questionable.

Water Container

However, the finest water in the world will not help if it is placed in a dirty container. Unwashed water bowls can harbor all kinds of bad organisms. Water bowls should be washed daily and disinfected periodically. Stainless steel bowls are the easiest to keep clean and resist scratches that can harbor bacteria, stoneware crock-style dishes are also a good option. Buy a good quality bowl and after it starts to look worn and scratched, replace it. Remember that if you would not drink the water from your pet’s bowl, then neither should your pet.

Water Temperature

One other consideration in quality is temperature. Pets prefer cool water in the summer and room temperature water in the winter. If you have an outside pet be sure to provide them with a heated water bucket or container. Snow is not an acceptable form of water for dogs or cats.

Water Recap:

• Available at all times.
• Quality is good.
• Dish is always clean.
• Appropriate temperature

Remember, if the water is unhealthy and you won’t drink it, your pets shouldn’t either. Pets experience the same physical problems from unhealthy water as humans do. Many times it’s worse for the pet than for humans because pets age so much faster. For example, a pet drinking unhealthy water until 2 years of age is the same as a human drinking unhealthy water for the first 14 years of life.

Happy Hydrated Trails!

No industry or government should be built by coning its citizens. And yet, we let banks, industry and government squelch our ineffable spirit; succumb to their marketing and believe its entertainment; buy whatever they’re selling to feel good and to feel good about ourselves…and we are so full of ourselves; we think we have choices.

It’s not a matter of turning a blind eye to truth; but our trying to do differently is like climbing Mount Everest! We don’t just put off our dreams, we don’t recognize them. And, Industry and financial institutions wants to keep it that way!

Who Deserves a Bail Out?

Industry and financial institutions wants the government to bail them out. Why? Does it have anything to do with their poor choices? And what about the workers? They’re just trying to pay for their home, feed and send their kids to school…and escape the injustice they see all around!Tin! The CEO wants same thing, only they want to go ‘First Class All The Way‘; like checking into a $14,000-a-night hotel; the Marie Antoinette for instance. Well, hey, why not?

CBS News

On Sunday, October 12, 2008, in the last five minutes of a CBS News, Face the Nation broadcast, Bob Schieffer talked about Edward Bernays. I was shocked to see the story aired on prime time television.The coincidence amazed me; as I was writing about the same story for this post.

Womens’ Emancipation

It was March 1929. Women had just won the right to vote: Governors who died in office were succeeded by their wives in such states as Texas and Wyoming. More women were attending college and entering the workforce; women were making great head way in certain areas of society. However, socially women were not treated equally. For instance, it was taboo for women to smoke in public, if they smoked socially, they were considered to be harlots and loose. Women were permitted to smoke in their homes behind closed doors, but if caught in public, they were arrested. Legislation did not permit women to have this same freedom as their male counterpart.Puff the Magic Dragon

Cigarette tobacco in the mid-1920s was popular, the tobacco industry was thriving. However, the American Tobacco company realized a huge part of what could be their market was not being tapped. Women. They hired a infamous propaganda and public relations man by the name of Edward L. Bernays. The American Tobacco industry wanted Bernays to create a campaign that would entice more women to smoke and make it acceptable to the general population.

“It is impossible to fundamentally grasp the social, political, economic and cultural developments of the past 100 years without some understanding of Bernays and his professional heirs in the public relations industry. PR is a 20th century phenomenon, and Bernays–widely eulogized as the “father of public relations” at the time of his death in 1995–played a major role in defining the industry’s philosophy and methods.”

-Center for Media and Democracy, PR Watch.Org

Brill Sheds Light

Bernays consulted with Abraham Arden Brill, an American psychiatrist, with regard to women smoking. Brill advised that cigarettes should be thought of as ‘torches of freedom’, a theme which Bernays exploited.

Bernays went over the campaign plan with his secretary, Bertha Hunt. Miss Hunt released statements to the media stating that a group of women would be marching in New York City’s Easter Parade and lighting ‘torches of freedom’ to celebrate the emancipation of women.

New York City Easter Parade

So, on March 31, 1929, at New York City’s Easter Parade; the press, having been forewarned, were there in full force to capture the event…and when Bertha Hunt and her friends stepped into the parade, on Fifth Avenue, and lighted their ‘torches of freedom’, they created a sensation! The event caused a national stir and stories appeared in newspapers throughout the country. What the press did not know was that the American Tobacco Company had paid a hefty sum to Edward Bernays to accomplish this, and that Miss Hunt was his secretary! Though not entirely doing away with the taboo, Bernays’s efforts had a lasting effect on women smoking.

“What a Con it Was”!

“Today one fifth of all American women still smoke and have come full circle as in most places they can only smoke outdoors and the young of both sexes crowd the sidewalks of our big cities; the heartening thing of course is that smoking is not nearly as popular as it once was and most of us have figured it out. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death, that the third of all cancer deaths are caused by smoking. But what a con it was, and what saps we were to buy it for so long.”

- Bob Schieffer, CBS News, Face the Nation

Keep on trekking. Travel some trails you haven’t trekked before…see where they take you.

Happy Trails!