Boycott - all they understand is money, so this is what we have to do

Money - that is all they understand - so we have to boycott. We have to boycott them for as long as it takes.
- Boycott all big whore companies, while supporting small companies. - Need a new toaster - go to the thrift shop or yard sales, instead of WalMart or Target (another red company.)
- Hang onto that old car as long as you can. Buy clothes at thrift shops or at yard sales.
- Buy a used bike or a scooter, and use it as much as you can. I know, it is a change, but if we have the physical abiltiy, we should bike and walk as much as we can.
- But food locally, from coops, or, since summer is coming, farmer's markets that pop up in many towns. Don't support big chain grocery stores

Any other ideas??? Support all local businesses, don't go to that big box bookstore or music store, go to the independent store, spend the extra dollar or two to keep your money out of the whoremaster's hands.

We must do this. This is all they understand. Any suggestions - please add them.

I won't buy at the independent stores in my parish because they are owned by GOP wingers, so eff 'em. Now when I get more into New Orleans and I know of a store that is actually owned by progressives or least Democrats, that is different. People who live in localities that are mostly "blue" don't have to be as concerned but, many times, in many areas, the independent store is owned by a total head-up-the-butt wingnut.

General rules won't work. You really have to know the ownership of your local stores and franchises.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

the Taco Bell boycott was settled this last week.

I'm trying something new, which is almost impossible - boycotting things made in Communist China.

I would never have dreamed so much is made there.

This works almost as well as your boycott idea, as it just about eliminates everything.

The only pair of shoes I could buy at my local Academy are Doc Martins and these don't exactly go with my everyday work clothes.

No Anne Klein frames for my new glasses!

Nothing at Target!

No blinds for my house, not even custom made, that I can find thus far.

It is not easy going, as you mention.

I am learning quite quickly to do without. My friends and family think my husband and I are crazy because we live in an urban (blue!), less-expensive neighborhood than the ones we both grew up in.

Our house is paid off; our cars are 10+ years old, still running, and free (no payments); we have no credit card debt, and we try very hard to take care of ourselves health-wise. We save as much as we can.

Because of all this, we are "freaks" to our "consumer" families. We have decided we could care less. ;-)

edited for grammar

and I, too, believe boycotts work. What would happen if we 48% just stopped supporting corporate America? Cut down on our spending on necessities, bought from local, BLUE stores? We could get the attention of corporate American and their media whores pretty damn quick, no???

We have power - why are we not using it? How to organize this?

since they gave less to Democrats, but still gave a substantial amount, if something essential breaks down and you simply must replace it and the thrift shop aint forthcoming.

It's time to learn how to COOK. That means you can shop at co-ops and indie health food stores for whole food ingredients and get healthy while you spurn food conglomerates and the unhealthful convenience foods they push at us.

Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Or do without.

Not Amazon.com. Thanks.

is an excellent recipe site. There are countless others.

Both get very high ratings on the BuyBlue website.

But I think they have lousy workers benefits (unless that's changed).

Check out buyblue.org for a start.

and you'll probably get it for FREE.

recipes from around the world. It's better than any cookbook and mostly free.

All purpose: The Doubleday Cookbook (you may have to order it, but it's worth it. I've seen it in paper bound as well as hardcover, but it's not cheap. Calorie counts as well as timesavers and cost conscious recipes are all there, along with basic instructions on everything). I've gone through other all purpose cookbooks, found them too high in fat and salt, too dependent on convenience foods, or too elaborate for most hurried cooks. I've used this one for nearly 30 years and have yet to find a bad recipe.

Bread and rolls: Crust and Crumb, hardcover only, the bible of all serious bakers.

Other baking: The King Arthur Flour 100th Anniversary Cookbook (paper)

All purpose whole (veggie) foods: The Whole Foods Cookbook, by Nikki and David Goldbeck (available in paper). Good but bland is Laurel's Kitchen. Vegan is Ten Talents by Hurd. Preachy, but good recipes.

I have other favorites for specialty cooking, but I could live the rest of my life with these alone.

If you are not a practicing or accomplished cook, and you must find a cookbook to learn some essentials, the books I would look for are:

1. Joy of Cooking
2. Fanny Farmer Cookbook
3. The New Settlement Cookbook
4. Betty Crocker Cookbook

IMHO, these cookbooks give you the "how-to" on almost everything, are very popular, and should hopefully be easy to find -- even in thrift stores. In my opinion, they are somewhat indispensible in any cook's learning stages.

Once you have learned the standard cooking techniques, you can buy any cookbook you want at any thrift store, or hit the internet, and go to town.

Hope this helps... :-)

edited for clarity

except for beer. My wardrobe is from second hand stores, and I'M PROUD TO BE A RECYCLER in that sense as well.

I have in-laws that are conspicuous consumer to the max. I don't get along with them that well. the wife was absolutely Horrified, Horrified that I made the confession of not liking to 'shop'. I felt so 'unwomanly'. heh.

They are both fat as pigs and look at my hubby, who is very thin and sinewy, always has been, like I'm not 'feeding him enough'.

They also thought NAFTA was the ACE! hey, we can get cheap towels from Fargo for our six bathrooms! that's all that matters, cheap at a big expense.

This will choke the tax candy store as well. There has to be a way where an underground E-bay could exist that people could list what goods and services they have to offer and what they want in exchange. It's the only way you are going to choke the behemouth corporations into bankruptcy and still have a functioning economy running beneath it until we can take our country back.

Also, think of camping in your home. Light oil lamps instead of electric ones. Vegetable oil works fine in these lamps. Just be careful not to set your house on fire. Use solar panels to power up computers and electronic equipment needed to keep in touch. Install pot belly stoves for cooking and heating. You can also fire up the outdoor barbeque in the summer. Yes, it requires wood for fuel, but there is usually a lot of gardening debris available from pruning and removing dead trees and shrubs if you look for it. Also, if you do harvest a tree for fuel, make sure you plant one in its place.

There is so much you can do, if you get creative, to stop using things you don't really need.

I agree, Cleita.

I've been saying things along these lines almost since I came on DU.

Get out of the shopping habit, folks! It's the economy that keeps the pukes going. Cut off their supply!

It's not just about cutting up the credit cards. it's not just about buying locally. It's about starving the beast.

I'm not talking about going back to living in caves. But I am talking about a waste-not, want-not mentality that seems to have vanished.

Where I live, we have trash collection on Monday and Thursday. I am amazed at how many homes have not one but TWO trash cans overflowing every three to four days! Even when we had two teen-agers living at home, we rarely put out our single can twice a week, because most of the time, we didn't have anything in it!

I know there are folks who will whine that we shouldn't have to give up anything, but I can't go along with that. It's our rampant overconsumption that got us into this mess, and if you don't want to fix what's broken, I guess you have to live with the problems.

Tansy Gold

:kick:

A lot of people aren't aware of all the work that's been done in compiling these.

the happier I am. We unplugged the TV and the computer for our 3 kids a few weeks ago (we have done this sporadically throughout their childhood) and they stressed for a few days. Now, they draw, they play their instruments, they talk, they dance, they argue, my son "tortures" my birds by talking to them and petting them for hours, my kids have rediscovered what it means to have time to think straight without constant interference from the media/games/nonsense.

I would love to be able to get rid of one of our cars. I would love to be able to ride a bike or scooter to work. I may be able to, as my job is only about 5 miles away. I know that this would all simplify my life. I don't want to go to a big grocery store anymore. All of these "conveniences" have destroyed our communities and even our lives. I think my personal boycott may actually have an unintended outcome: I think that I will find life is better when you are not always buying.

BTW, I need colored yarn for some ponchos. Any ideas of small businesses/farms that sell it? Thanks,