CHRISTMAS TREE

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND THE LIGHTING OF THE NATIONAL CHRISTMAS TREE

SANTA WHISPERING IN THE EAR OF THE LIST MAKER

BODACIOUS CASES : YOU CAN SO BUY MADE IN THE USA CELL PHONE CASES

BODACIOUS CASES  link here!

One of the businesses mentioned in the ABC news story... and now if we can only get the cellphone companies to make phones here...

MALL OF AMERICA : BUY MADE IN AMERICA : HOW TO PRESERVE AND GROW AN AMERICAN BUSINESS

SANTA CLAUS

PORT OF LONG BEACH - LOS ANGELES STRIKE : IS UNION RIDICULOUS OR RIGHT ON?

REUTERS ON 2012 PORT OF LOS ANGELES STRIKE link here

LISTENING TO TALK RADIO COVERAGE ON THIS STRIKE and reading about it, there is one thing we haven't heard about that we would like to share!

As we understand it, one of the things that even administrative people working at the port docks, which as we understand it is OWNED BY CHINA, is that the containers SOMETIMES SHOW EVIDENCE OF PEOPLE HAVING LIVED IN or DIED IN THEM, crossing the sea to enter the United States of America illegally.  We  met one of those highly paid people who told us this, and it concerns us more than immigration from Mexico...

WHITE MONDAY - WILL THIS PULL THE ECONOMY UP?

Just hearing about WHITE MONDAY - TODAY.  Millions or billions will be spent on Internet purchases today, and we have to wonder, how many American flags will be flying in the hearts of our readers!

We've lead you to dozens of MADE IN THE USA products since we began this blog and now we encourage you to do your own research as well and ASK QUESTIONS of sales persons, store managers, and shop owners.

We wonder if this day will really be the miracle we need!

WISHING YOU PROSPERITY

"BLACK FRIDAY" SHOPPING : CAN YOU RESIST?

WILL YOU BE ABLE TO RESIST SHOPPING ON "BLACK FRIDAY," the day after Thanksgiving when many people are off work and can actually deal with the competition for parking spaces and the lines and crowds? 

We're already hearing consumer reports and advisories on WHAT DEALS CAN BE HAD, in particular on CELL PHONES.  (ARE THERE ANY CELL PHONES MADE IN THE USA?)

Basically, we Americans try to get our Christmas Shopping done on this day of all days, and the retailers are ready for us.  BUT ALREADY WE ARE HEARING STORIES OF ADDED SECURITY AT MALLS IN CASE VIOLENCE BREAKS OUT!

Is it worth it?

Well, sometimes you're in the mood for a little hustle bustle, and it does feel good to see all those people spending money, stimulating the economy, and all those seasonal retail workers will have work...?

WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CHECK LABELS AND TO BUY AMERICAN!

You can walk into a store and ask a clerk "WHAT DO YOU HAVE THAT IS MADE IN THE UNITED STATES!"  We think most of them will not know.

ELECTRONICS... SHOES... so many things seem not to be MADE IN THE USA anymore!  PLEASE TRY!

CAN WE DO WITHOUT OUR HOSTESS BAKED SWEETS

BLOOMBERG ON HOSTESS WARNING EMPLOYEES OF LIQUIDATION link here

CAN WE DO WITHOUT OUR HOSTESS CUPCAKES?

More importantly, can't Hostess bring in some creative types to figure out how to compete in the cake and deserts market, the school lunch bag market? 

We are not against UNIONS if UNION MEMBERSHIP means LIVING WAGES FOR THE WORKERS.  Right now the minimum wage is not a living wage in many cities in the United States.  We don't want more employees who work an honest days work to be dependent on the United States Social Services system to pay the rent, have food, health care, and education, the way WALLMART does. 

IN HEARING ABOUT HOSTESS WARNING EMPLOYEES THAT THEY WOULD RATHER CLOSE DOWN THAT DEAL WITH STRIKES or UNIONS, becuase there is MORE COMPETITION, we can't help but think that some IMAGINATION is lacking!

When we go shopping we find Hostess two packs of cupcakes for a low of a dollar, but often closer to $2.  These are prepackaged and yet getting very close to a just baked bakery price at the local in store grocer.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA RELECTED FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS OF TRYING

Don't get us wrong, we want credit for TRYING too!  And, as our readers know, we think it is up to the American citizens TO VOTE WITH THEIR PURCHASING!

So VOTE to keep jobs in the United States!
VOTE to keep products well designed, well made, and safe!
Simply check those labels... look for "MADE IN THE UNITED STATES!"

VETERANS DAY 2012 : UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

It's officially today, but we celebrate it with closures tomorrow, Monday!WELCOME BACK VETS ORG

USA MAZE

MONSTER SANDY STORM MAKING HISTORY and CHALLENGING AMERICA

We are posting out of concern for our American Brothers and Sisters on the east coast - the ORIGINAL COLONIES - who are facing an incoming monster storm called Sandy, which will challenge us for days, knowing that many of you may go without electricity - without computer use - without phone use - possibly be unable to cook - possibly go without clean water from the tap.  You may be a stranded traveler or tourist.  You may not be able to get to work or school.

We know that the winds will create hazards that flooding doesn't, that wind will lower temperatures and in many places the snow will pile up and eventually thaw, creating more flooding, and that it will all get expensive.

Yet, we believe that most of you have the FORTITUDE to make it through, and that MANY OF YOU WILL ACTIVELY BE INVOLVED in helping your neighbors, checking in with people who live alone or who can't get around as well as others, and that this crisis CAN BE AN OPPORTUNITY for your FAMILY TO WORK TOGETHER. 

We'll be watching the media for informational reports about how you are all doing.  We wish you the best!

YAHOO NEWS : SANDY TAKES AIM AT EAST COAST

KROGER COMPANY : RALPHS UNION EMPLOYEES TOLD TO TELL YOU TO CASHIER YOURSELF OUT!

Friends, we're getting sticker shock when we go grocery shopping at our local Ralphs, which is one of the grocery companies owned by Kroger Company.  We can tell you that we an barely afford our groceries if we try to shop exclusively at Ralphs. 

As a result we are venturing into more ma and pa ethnic groceries, such as an Armenian market we found that shows the source of each vegetable (USA, Mexico, etc.) and meat (CANADA, China), so that we can eat right.

Several years ago employees of Ralphs and some other grocery stores went on strike.  At that time, in order to break the union, some employees of Ralphs worked while providing someone else's social security number and identity for the paychecks to go to.  We understand that some of these people went against the Union because they had rents and mortgages and children to feed, yet...

We were out and about and met a couple people who claimed they had come to town from out of state to work the jobs non-union, to keep the store up and running, who said they were able to rent motel rooms and do this, but later in the news we learned that Ralphs had been caught on the Social Security numbers by the IRS and had to pay a million or more in fines.  We couldn't believe the company was willing to even try that!  Millions of dollars or not, we saw the prices go up to cover the payment.

Now gas prices are killing and the transportation costs are probably part of the increase in prices.  We get the weekly sale sheet and loaded up on Campbells Chunky Soups, which have been on sale for a dollar a can but as much as we loved all but one recipe, we don't think we can afford the $2.69 each that the store has the shelf marked with as the regular price.

The other morning, when there were only two cashiers at their check stands and we were only the second in line, a young woman who may have been a supervisor told the cashier right in front of us that she needed to tell anyone that was waiting to go to the automated check out!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS ? If we went to the automated we would do the work of a cashier and still pay Ralph's prices.  At first we thought, hey if we are going to do that work, we want a "check yourself out" discount (at Food for Less, which is also owned by Kroger, supposedly the prices are lower because you bag your own groceries).  Then we realized that the cashier had to cooperate in the elimination of her own job.

Think about this!  We grew used to doing our own BANKING through the use of the automated, and as a result we rarely have any relationship between us and the bank in the form of a live person unless we are trying to get a loan.  We have taken over the role of the post office by bill paying on line.  And the only time we call to speak to a live person is when we need to order new service or something goes wrong with the online bill payment. 

We miss the days when you could go to the grocery and tip someone to help you take the groceries to your car and help you load them.  We miss the days when someone working as a cashier could pay their rent, at least with a room mate.  We miss the days when we could actually respond to advertising for new food products by going to the store where we could afford them.

We told the supervisor in front of the cashier that come the day that there are no live persons to check us out at Ralphs will come the day we no longer purchase at Ralphs.

WE CAUGHT A GLIMPS OF PRESIDENT OBAMA IN HIS MOTERCADE ON THE WAY TO THE JAY LENO SHOW YESTERDAY!

We were walking our dog yesterday when some of our neighbors who were in the know told us they were walking to an intersection where the President's limo were due to pass on the way to filming the Jay Leno Show.  So we walked with them and sure enough the police were barricading the streets.  We were impressed with how coordinated it all was and how fast it all went.  Our neighbor first pointed to certain helicopters in the sky and said that one of them was a decoy.  Within about fifteen minutes we saw the President's car and, as we were on the side of the passenger seat and the windows were dark tinted, we saw the president through the window.  There was no doubt it was President Barak Obama!  He really is distinctive looking.  Before this vehicle there were a lot of motorcycle cops and behind him an SUV with a man or who bearing arms - sharpshooters no doubt.  But the crowd - kids and dogs too - all waved and we could see he was smiling.

It was all so neighborly, and so unlike the typical city experience.

MAKING A FALL DOOR WREATH INEXPENSIVELY

We're making a fall wreath and all we bought was the wheat circle, which we found at a thrift shop for 75 cents. 

We have some glue sticks and a hot glue gun, purchase before we were so committed to buying in the USA, it's made in China, as are the sticks.  When we run out of glue sticks we'll see if we can locate any made in the USA. 

We decided to keep to our budget and start picking up seed pods and dry leaves and branches, whatever looks interesting, when we take our dog for a walk.  Now we have pine cones and so much else to glue to our wreath at no cost to us and we're getting our exercise too!

You might make a wreath using pop bottle tops or other items that are already bought when you bought the pop or whatever.  Corks from wine bottles and spools from thread can be used again as art materials.

Inexpensive or free items that can be recycled are art materials you can use to make so many crafty projects!

Don't forget to buy a pumpkin for Halloween that can be eaten.  Toast the seeds for snacking!

At Christmas buy a tree with roots that can be planted and skip the polluting bonfire!

COLUMBUS DAY : A PATRIOTIC HOLIDAY

The American Flag was designed by George Washington... Though many reasons have been given for the choice of red and white stripes, some say the first flag was a bit about his Washington family coat of arms or that there were Masonic symbolisms incorporated. George Washington was a Mason.

COLUMBUS DAY : KIDS FUN!

Some children will have the day off, others will go to school, but Columbus Day, a traditional holiday in the United States of America is something special to celebrate. 

In recent years there has been a lot of talk about Columbus and whether or not he was actually first to discover the American Continent or not.   As part of your classroom or home schooling celebration you can certainly include alternative stories.  WHAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON HERE IS THE SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE and DISCOVERY!

For Columbus did not create the United States of America, and he didn't venture very far from where he landed, nor did he have the kind of ships we have today, far from it.  WHAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON HERE IS THE WAY PEOPLE HAVE MANAGED TO DEAL WITH HARDSHIPS AND OBSTACLES!

Your celebration can include ART, HISTORY, or many other subjects.
You can write and perform original plays, poems, or songs.

USE YOUR IMAGINATION!

WE SAW THE ENDEAVOUR FLY OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA : WE BROKE OUT IN (PATRIOTIC) CHIILLS!

FOX NEWS : MOVING THE SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR

Friends, we felt so fortunate to be able to skip out around lunch time to join the thousands who were watching Southern California skys for the fly over of the SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR, which is now going to begin it's slow move through the streets to the CALFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER where it will be on permanent display. 

It will arrive at the California Science Center, in the evening on October 13, 2012.

"This is set to be the first, last and only time a NASA space shuttle will travel through urban, public city streets."


From our viewpoint we thought we saw a high flying plane going from north to south about an hour before we expected the shuttle, and that might have been it way high up, but when a friend reminded us of the route and the promised fly over points, we stayed where we were, near a school.
It was so exciting to see the shuttle atop another plane and the companion fighter jets all flying flying so low, and when the kids saw it we could hear them yelling!  Smart teachers making this historic event part of their civics class!

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LINK HERE

Job Corps: How do I find out more?
Paychecks: How do I get my last one?
Unemployment Insurance Claims: Where can I file?
Recently laid off: What are my resources?
Work Hours: Available information
Overtime: When is it due to me?
Breaks & Meal Periods: Do I get these?

BUYING AMERICAN KEEPS JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA so AMERICANS CAN SPEND MONEY AND KEEP OTHER AMERICANS IN JOBS.

Aren't we glad we live in a country where there are standards for fair employment?

Buying products made in other countries where laborers are working in sweat shop conditions or even slavery is not good for our country and it's not good for that country either!

PRESIDENT OBAMA : THOSE DIPLOMATS KILLED IN LIBYA WERE THE VERY BEST OF OUR COUNTRY

"This tragic attack takes place at a time of turmoil and protest in many different countries," Mr. Obama said. "I have made it clear that the United States has a profound respect for people of all faiths. We stand for religious freedom, and we reject the denigration of any religion - including Islam. Yet there is never any justification for violence. There is no religion that condones the targeting of innocent men and women. There is no excuse for attacks on our Embassies and Consulates." - President Obama

Linking to the article and video of this weeks Presidential Address from Political Hot Sheet!

ORAGAMI ART PROJECT : HOW TO FOLD PAPER MONEY INTO A HEART

Dover Free Use Sample Images from Dover Publishing.

This is one of our most popular posts!  Just checking in July 2018

LINCOLN MAZE

Dover Free Use Sample Images

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION KEEPS HEATING UP : WHO WILL MOST HELP OUR COUNTRY ECONOMICALLY

ECONOMICALLY

The truth is we don't know. And we suspect that IT'S REALLY UP TO US, WHAT WE PURCHASE! But we were forced to really think about the fact that the leading Republican candidate doesn't want to reveal his personal financial information. We understand about privacy but we heard someone on the reading stating that the reason for this was not shyness about how rich he is, or how much he has donated to the Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Church, but that he does not want to reveal his global investments which would prove that his money has not been benefiting the United States but only his personal wealth. We don't know if this is true...

Now investing is a very difficult subject. It's difficult to ONLY INVEST IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AMERICAN BUSINESSES. AMERICAN PRODUCTS. AMERICAN EMPLOYEES.

We wouldn't elect Sam Walton for President. What about the leading Democrat? What's his investment portfolio like?

INSOMNIA LEADS TO COAST TO COAST AM AND FACTS ABOUT CHINA NO AMERICAN REALLY WANTS TO HEAR

Ever wake up in the middle of the night and turn on the radio? This is the show that prevented us from falling back to sleep:

MIDDLE EAST AND CHINA
Saturday August 18, 2012
Joining John B. Wells in the first half, CEO of Red Mind Solutions and retired Naval Intelligence Officer, Frank Wuco, discussed the situation in the Middle East.

Learning just how much of the United States of America China strategically owns - bought with all that money made by selling products to American merchants that we buy from - ought to inspire you to do without or make more of an effort to buy MADE IN THE USA products.

HOPE YOU SAVED SOME JELLY JARS!

This time of the year, summer, is traditional for growing your own garden, maybe doing some picking or canning, to preserve for the coming winter months.

This may be the time to learn or teach how to garden, when to pick a veggie, how to can or preserve it, how to use spices, and so on. If you can't have a garden, take the kids to the market and show them how to "feel" a cantaloupe!

(We hear some of you are trying your luck at growing grapes and making wine!)

After all, what would you do if you couldn't buy canned goods at the store? Do you know that canned foods can last years and yet the last time we bought canned veggies we were suprised to see "best if used before 2013" on them, making us wonder if these had been in a warehouse for 9 years already!

What would you do if food from other countries was no longer imported into the United States?

If all the seeds that were sold were "terminator" seeds that can't reproduce?

With crops failing in the United States due to drought, we know that the prices of corn and soy will be going up, and with them the cost of all the products including frozen foods that use corn or soy including corn starch, corn syrup, and the like.

We know that home cooking offers the best possibilities for preserving your health as well.

Having a stay at home mom who cooked the daily meals is a rarity these days, so we as a nation have gone for the salty, sugary, fast foods and the frozen foods, and these out weight on especially if they're fried. But making an event out of cooking and eating a home made meal once a week and having family time can be a lot of fun - and don't forget to invite the friends over too!

CHICK-FIL-A ? STARBUCKS? WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE LATEST HOOPLA ABOUT CHICK-FIL-A

Chick-Fil-A dares to be closed on Sundays. Dares to express the Bible-based beliefs of it's ownership and management.

Gay activists in particular are angry. So while they stage a day of protest - or a lifelong boycott of this chicken restaurant - they also stage a day of Starbucks appreciation.

Should we be stunned that some Americans are using their buying power to sponsor the business that they believe supports their world view? Not at all.

Seems to us that some people still buy chicken where they like the flavor and don't know a thing about who runs that business or how they run in. For many people it's not really that important. So we know people who will only eat McDonald's and not Carl's Jr. for similiar reasons.

Are we for forcing Chick-fil-a to be open on Sundays. No!

WALMART : THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE : A ROBERT GREENWALD FILM : DVD RECOMMENDATION

WALMART : THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE : A ROBERT GREENWALD FILM : DVD RECOMMENDATION

You have to see this film, even if - especially if - you work for Walmart or shop there. This film is about how the lower cost of made in China and other sweat shop tolerant countries puts small businesses out of business, makes employees dependent on government housing, food stamps, and medical care, and breaks unions. It includes interviews with ex employees including upper management.

WHY SHOULD YOU WORK FULL TIME and still need Section 8 apartments, Medicare, or Food Stamps? OK, now some of this is about your decisions such as having more children than you could afford, even if that is one child, and some of it is about not being qualified for a higher paying job somewhere else, but the WALTON FAMILY IS WORTH BILLIONS while their company promotions and the reality of working there just don't match. (See the conditions that Chinese live and work in to save you a dollar.)

We know how this works. Currently we have wasted about $100 on made in China products that we bought in dollar or discount stores, often because we were running out of time and threw something in the shopping cart. In our landfills now sit 2 umbrellas, a bathmat (that lasted 6 months before ripping underfoot), plastic bowls, etc. See we aren't perfect. We're striving, like you to find and buy American-made products of fine quality - lasting value.

We at PATRIOTIC PURCHASE have advised you not to buy products made in China or other sweatshop tolerant countries. We've advised you to not put fellow American's out of work. Do we hate the Chinese people? No we do not. We know that they have a culture that is not our own and believe they need to work out their own problems. Currently the way to work out their problems is to manufacture for below American market prices, then buy as much realestate in the United States.

Off the subject, Walmart, a little. We are proud to say that through there is a Walmart not far from where we live, we rarely go there. We will go to Target, K-mart, or another" five and dime" before we will go to Walmart.

LEON KROLL : SANTE FE HILLS

CANIDAE DOG FOOD : MADE IN THE USA

The shelter where we got our dog was a county facility but the dogs were fed one of the finer dog foods, CANIDAE, which is made in the USA. This company did experience a recall in recent history, which is always upsetting, but it's not the whole story. Linking to their site!

ADOPTING PETS FROM THE SHELTER

If you've been wondering where we've been, well, we adopted a rescue animal - a dog, on July 3rd!

We adopted from a local county shelter where there are usually a hundred or more adoptable "used" pets on any day of the year, many who do not make it into a new home, but are put to sleep, or put to death, because no one wanted them.

We brought our dog home, and are happy to report she made it through the Fourth of July parties and fireworks without bolting. Then began new parenting, watching her poops, learning her ways, and training her to our lifestyle.

Summer is a great time to introduce a pet into your home if you have children and they're home from school. YOU MUST, JUST AS YOU TRAIN A DOG, TRAIN YOUR CHILDREN the proper care of a pet.

There's a good way to learn this responsibility without actually adopting the animal outright, and that's by FOSTERING!

First, you can become part of a Rescue organizations program to nurture an animal ONLY UNTIL IT IS ADOPTED.

Secondly, some shelters also have a fostering program. You get to take the animal home and take care of it for 30 days and then return it to the shelter for a second go at adoption. If you decide this is the pet for you, you can complete the adoption and keep it.

Shelter dogs are often other people's pets who ran away, or worse, were put on the street rather than being turned into a shelter. Some people are too broke to take care of the animal, too broke to even pay a $20 intake fee at the shelter. They may fear, and sometimes for good reason, that the animal will be put to sleep right away. However, an animal who was a pet usually does not learn to forage out of garbage cans, kill birds, and avoid getting hit by traffic very quickly, and may be picked up by the "dog catcher" after it has become sick. A SICK ANIMAL WHO IS NOT LICENCED OR MICRO CHIPPED is very likely to be put to sleep shortly after it is picked up.

As evidence of an increasingly dire economy, the people at the shelter told me that even licenced and chipped animals are RARELY PICKED UP BY THEIR OWNERS. Now adays you can even get a pure bred dog for very little money from either a shelter or a rescue organization. People may simply not be able to afford the fees.

The initial cost of a dog is the start of a financial responsibility as well because animals need food and sometimes veterinary care. Shelter animals are often not released until they are spayed or neutered, have their shots, have been de-wormed, and are considered healthy. Sometimes you do get someone else's problem pet but sometimes reading a few books on dog training or care can make all the difference.

If you are getting a dog or cat for your children, make sure that you train them to take care of the animal and FROM THE START insist they do their part, as they promised you if you got an animal. TAKE THEM TO THE SHELTER to see the pets that have been given up or picked up. If you as a parent are concerned that you will be "Stuck" doing "All The Work," maybe it's not such a good idea to own a pet, other than, maybe a goldfish!

WE'RE GETTING READY FOR OUR FOURTH OF JULY PICNIC !

We're almost ready for our Fourth of July Picnic. All we have to do is buy the food. On the menu, corn of course, along with the usual - burgers, chicken, hotdogs... pickles, relish, mustard, ketchup, mayo, and some home made potato salad with onions and bell peppers, cut small.

We also plan to run a couple movies on DVD borrowed from our public library and play some patriotic music, before we watch the fireworks, which luckily we can see without having to travel to a fairgrounds or football stadium to watch...

We challenge you to have a Fourth of July Picnic, where the tablecloth, the plastic utencils, paper plates, and decorations are all MADE IN THE USA!

IT'S FLAG DAY! JUNE 14 2012

"The stars and stripes of the American flag are important icons of the United States. The flag led every battle the country has fought, and is so important many Americans pledge their allegiance to it to commemorate their loyalty to their country. The U.S. flag stands proudly on the surface of the moon, in commemoration of the U.S. moon landing in 1969. Because of these and many more reasons, the United States celebrates Flag Day on June 14th every year. In this video, WatchMojo.com learns more about the history and origins of Flag Day in the United States. Be sure to check the site for more videos on American history!"

Videos from Watch Mojo about the development of the American Flag and the way the day became Flag Day.

Trivia Question: What do the colors White, Red, and Blue, stand for.

UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU TO BUY AMERICAN

VETERANS CONNECTION : YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Click on the title and go to the Veteran's Connection site, which includes a YouTube Channel where you can virtually meet some of the younger veterans who are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. If you're a veteran there are some resource links here for you.

THE FLAG RAISING ON IWO JIMA

Image from Dover Publications

MEMORIAL DAY TRAVEL : BEAT UP AMERICAN FLAGS STILL FLYING OVER MADE IN THE USA CAR DEALERSHIPS

The Memorial Day weekend was glorious.


We decided to spend most of our time at home, but we were also hoping to visit a veteran we know who had recently been admitted to the closest VA hospital. Sadly, we were informed that he didn't want any visitors. Our friend is a senior citizen now and we had to respect his wishes that he only wanted his closest family near him. We knew he was depressed about his own condition as well as the condition of the United States and the younger veterans he was meeting there. We wished there were something we could say or do that could lift him out of the depression he's feeling.


So we decided to do something really old fashioned, something people used to do when gas prices were so low that fun meant cruising the boulevards, showing off your car, and meeting up with friends. We decided to drive around with nowhere in particular to go. We drove right up the boulevard where there are numerous car dealerships in our town, and what we saw were a lot of shiny, bright, new cars, each with two small new American flags attached to the front doors, and a big flag blowing in the wonderful breeze, faded and torn to shreds, not because it had made it through a historic battle, but because WHEN IT COMES TO USING THE AMERICAN FLAG TO MARKET CARS the flags are new, but when it comes to hoisting a flag that is the symbol of our country, of which we are proud, a flag we salute, there's apparently nothing wrong with shabby.

WE HAD TO WONDER IF THE DEALERSHIP EVEN TAKES IT DOWN EACH NIGHT the way public libraries do, for if anyone did that, surely they would notice it's faded and shredded. At our local public library an employee who is slow is assigned to raise and take down the flag each day, and he does so with reverence and proper folding technique so how difficult can it be?


Later we talked some young veterans who had noticed that same flag. One was of Mexican American background and the other of Armenian American background. They both said how sad that was and put down greed and materialism.


We would rather companies who do not respect our flag NOT FLY IT!
And we sincerely hope the next flag they raise will not be that of China!

NOWS THE TIME TO PLAN A PATRIOTIC PARTY! 4TH OF JULY? THE ELECTIONS?

It's not too soon to host a PATRIOTIC PARTY. Fouth of July is the obvious choice, but you might also want to think about election parties, President's Day, or, well YOU DON'T NEED AN EXCUSE TO THROW A PATRIOTIC PARTY, especially not for the kids.

HERE IS THE CHALLENGE!

Everything you serve, everything you use to serve, everything you use to decorate, everything from the TP and the GUEST TOWELS IN THE BATHROOM to the GRILL, OVEN, or MICROWAVE must be MADE IN THE USA - even if it's VINTAGE!

More, all guests should be advised that they need to wear clothes and shoes and hats MADE IN THE USA - even it it's VINTAGE!

We went shopping to a variety of dollar themed stores in our area from chains to independents and we know you can find CHEAP PARTY DECORATIONS that aren't made here...

Tempting to buy them, but then what do you do after? Usually throw away all that paper and plastic to fill our landfills where, covered with earth, it will take them years - even hundreds of years - to deteriorate. You're throwing away your time, energy, effort, and making more expense ultimately for yourself by doing so.

Look through what you already have, or go thrift shopping! We found mugs from the last Presidential Election at a thrift store for both Democrats and Republicans!

YOUR BUYING POWER : EVERY PURCHASE IS A DECISION TO PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR VALUES ARE!

We are watching the Presidential Candidates these days, trying to decide who to vote for.  For us it's not an easy decision, since we probably won't vote a straight ticket for either Democrats or Republicans or any other party.  We know what values matter to us and we're looking for the candidates that seem to reflect those values.  So far no one person is coming into focus for us as the person to vote for.  The economy is a major issue.  We don't think that anyone who is elected will bring us out of this shattered economy which took years to ruin.  Any promises to do so are going in one ear and out the other here.


We feel, as many of you do, a bit helpless.  We know that we cannot expect any elected government officials or leaders to do it for us.  We know that the ECONOMIC POWER WE HAVE IS BUYING POWER.  What little money we may have, how we spend it is all important, because when we spend, we stand behind not only products and services, but MADE IN THE USA - jobs in manufacturing and all else.  When we as citizens have employment,  we come closer to the ideal of independence.  No one really wants to depend on society - the government - for food, shelter, and clothing,  even health care, education should not have to be public, but that is our default, because these days few can afford that much independence.


How are you feeling about the Presidential Candidates?

CANADA GETTING RID OF THEIR PENNY : ROUNDING PRICES UP

Canada decided it costs too much to make a penny - more than it's worth, and recently announced it will be getting ready of the penny.  We wonder if the United States will follow.  Canada will alllow the pennies ini circulation to keep circulating but prices will "round up."  As one of our friends said, "It should be round down."

ONE IN SEVEN AMERICANS USING GOVERNMENT HELP TO EAT ENOUGH FOOD!

Food coupons, stamps, EBT, or CALFRESH... no matter what you call it, ONE IN SEVEN AMERICANS QUALIFIES TO HAVE GOVERNMENT HELP TO BUY ENOUGH FOOD TO EAT!

Yes, you can qualify for this help even though you have a job. Considerations include the number of people in the family, how much you pay for rent, mortgage, utilities, and what assets you have. There's been a lot of advertising to make people aware that they are eligible. Some will not want to reveal their personal finances to a government agency and sign under penalties of perjury!

YOU MAY WANT TO GO TO A LOCAL FOODBANK RATHER THAN GET EBT. At some foodbanks a lot of questions will be asked of you during "intake" and information you give may still be reported to the government. Others only care that you're a human being and have need.

Meanwhile, we can't help but notice and be shocked by the higher prices of food, which might or might not be linked with the high price of gasoline and fuels for transporting produce and other food items.

We recently had to walk out of a chicken fast food place when we saw that the prices were up easily a dollar per menu item. We then went to a burger place where the burgers with the fries and drink were also all up by a buck. ate there.

1940 CENSUS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY! LINK THERE NOW!

We learn so much from census and this promo gives us such a sense of the past. Today the National Archives releases the images to us digitally on the Internet. Thousands of people will hit the site, which goes up at 9 AM Eastern Standard Time, today. Watching this video we see how economic issues were of great concern then as they are today...

WE THE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN THE CENSUS IN MORE WAY THAN ONE. OUR TAX MONEY PAYS FOR IT TO BE TAKEN AND OUR TAX MONEY HAS PAID FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS INFORMATION TO US TODAY.

Have a look!

The direct link to the images is at the title of this post! Click!

COMING UP : 1940 CENSUS!

No money to go out? Maybe it's time to gather the family together and do a family history project... With all the technology available, it's easy to share within the family precious photographs.

You can come up with some fun art projects for the children using color copies or print outs of those photos. This is the time to also look at the old home videos that you haven't seen in years.

Why not do that along with making up Easter baskets or Passover projects?

ABE LINCOLN MAZE

This maze is from Dover Publishing. Use of images for non-profit sites.

BUY AMERICAN : BUY TRUFFLES!

Susan Rice Alexander is the owner of Susan Rice Truffles in Vass, North Carolina. "After purchasing a 90-acre farm from an elderly woman eight years ago, Alexander knew she wanted to do something unique with the land. Over the course of a few years, she gradually expanded the farm to 200-acres and decided she wanted to grow truffles."

PARKING

Dover Free Use Images (for nonprofit sites only)

A DOLLAR A DAY SAVES THE USA :TAP

TAP NONPROFIT FOCUSES ON GETTING AMERICANS TO BUY AMERICAN!

Mark Bloome, a Seattle philanthropist, is head of a nonprofit organization called TAP America, which says it wants to strengthen the country by having consumers buy more American-made products. An article is linked from the LA Times... They have a certification process for products...

MADE IN CHINA AUTOS FOR THE CHINESE : CHINESE GOVERNMENT POLICY!

So, do you think China would want to buy some cars made in the United States for goverment use? Heck no!

Read the full article from Fox news at the link above!

And then go buy yourself a Made in the USA automobile...

We'll watch the price of gas go up up up in the mean time!

THE FOCUS OF THIS BLOG IS PERMANENT ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THE UNITED STATES

This blog has a primary focus and that is the recovery of the United States Economy, and not just a temporary economy but a permanent one. It is neither a pro Republican party politics or Pro Democratic party politics blog. We put recovery in your pocket. You can do this by buying as much MADE IN THE USA product as you can afford to do.

This isn't easy for everyone. We know just from shopping labels about labels that can lie. Some manufacturers are so eager to fly the American flag on their products that they will print one and hope you don't look at the fine print.

Have you ever looked at the fine print and noticed a statement such as "Assembled in China with American parts?

Think about it!

HAPPY VALENTINES TO OUR ECONOMIC WARRIORS

Through the many wars the United States has entered into, beginning with the war for Independence from Britian, courageous men and women have fought for a cause. Today we salute them, and their loved ones- families and friends - who have stood in support of them. Will it always be that it takes war to keep a nation free?

This blog is about an economic war that we must fight to keep our families intact and our country true to the Founding Parent's ideals.

BUY HER or HIM AMERICAN MADE PERFUME FOR VALENTINES DAY

Annie Oakley Perfume, linked above, says they are the ONLY perfume made in the USA, and that includes the bottles and packaging.

I can't prove it, and I actually hope this is not true!

The thematic here is the Old West, natural oils, and aromatherapy. We were really excited to see that their product line includes perfume for horse and rider.

"For horses, and those who love them...Most great Journeys are
shared...Horses live by their senses. Introducing Journeys™ by Annie Oakley,
the first collection of fragranced oils and sprays designed to be used by both
horse and rider as an all-natural tool to promote effective training and ease
tension. Each product is made with pure, organic lavender oil, a natural
training aide preferred by professional horsemen."

QUESTIONS TO ASK A MERCHANT BEFORE YOU BUY ONLINE OR MAIL ORDER

HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK A MERCHANT ON LINE or MAIL ORDER CATALOG before you buy.

Our experience with calling toll free numbers to talk to customer service order takers when we call mail order catalogs or shop on line is that they are NOT TRAINED TO KNOW THE ANSWER to this question.

Calling a supervisor is something they do not want to do, because it may make them look bad, but if you have to, ask for the supervisor. BE NICE. IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT THEY WERE NOT TRAINED TO KNOW. IN SOME CASES THE LACK OF TRAINING IS ON PURPOSE. THAT'S BECAUSE THE MERCHANT WOULD RATHER THEY BE IGNORANT THAN LIE. SOME ACTUALLY WANT THEIR PEOPLE TO LIE TO CUSTOMERS! We encountered this; by persisting with questions the clerk who was lieing finally admitted he "thought" things were true but really did not know.

SOMEONE YOU TALK TO MUST REPORT TO THE OWNER OR MANAGEMENT that you want to buy American. This does have impact if enough people ask.

1) IS THIS PRODUCT MADE IN THE UNITED STATES?
Don't take Yes for an answer. Ask WHERE. WHAT COMPANY, WHERE IS THAT LOCATED?

2) IS THIS PRODUCT MADE OF MATERIALS THAT ARE MADE IN THE UNITED STATES? If not what countries are the parts coming from?

3) WHERE WILL THIS PRODUCT BE SHIPPED FROM?

4) WHERE ARE YOU (the person taking the order or emailing with you) LOCATED or WORKING FROM right now? (Don't be surprised if they tell you the orders or customer serice or repair line is actually in India or another country.)

UNITED STATES POSTAGE GOES UP TODAY

The cost of a first-class stamp — also known as a forever stamp — will rise to 45 cents today, January 22, 2012. This is the first price increase in more than 21/2 years. The cost of sending magazines, standard mail and some package services also will rise, but prices for Express Mail and Priority Mail will stay the same.

AMERICAN PRESIDENTS : WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE PAST PRESIDENT?

Dover Images - Free Use for Noncommercial sites.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION : SPEND 20% MORE TO EMPLOY MORE AMERICANS

Talk about dispiriting! Recently we heard some talk radio personalities making fun out of people who want to buy American.

One of them said Americans could not resist the deal, buying things cheap, and from China. THE STATISTIC this radio personality quoted on the cost of buying Made in the United States goods was 20% higher. I know this adds up, especially as sales taxes have also gone up in many places. However, those who can afford to should buy products and services at the 20% mark-up (as one way to look at it) anyway. And those of you who cannot afford to should still look at the origins of products on the packaging and choose the MADE IN THE USA equivalent whenever possible. And the rule here is, buy from our allies if you can't buy American. Support the economy of Great Britain, for instance!

THE MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE EMPLOYED here and now, the MORE PEOPLE WHO WILL ALSO BE EMPLOYED AND BE ABLE TO SPEND. The chances of you getting a raise go way up when the economy is rich because it becomes an employee market. As things stand all Americans - unionized or not - are loosing!

This is not something our President can do for us, nor should we expect the President to tweak numbers WITHOUT OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE UNITED STATES ECONOMY!

We are researching here for good products made in the USA. We hope you are inspired to check labels, do your own research, make made in the USA product requests in stores you shop in, and so on!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Patriotic Purchase Bloggers

WHAT DO WE A AMERICAN CONSUMERS HAVE AGAINST CHINA?

We know that most Chinese people are good people. We know the Chinese have historically been ahead on many inventions, are hard workers, and we hold no personal hatred for the Chinese people as individuals.

We know that Chinese culture is not our culture though. As Americans, living in the United States of America we are against China for the following reasons:

Forced Anti-Religious choice and economic Communism.
Forced Limits on Reproductive Freedom (One Child Per Family Policy forces abortion).
Child Labor.
Suspected and reported violations of individual's civil rights as we know them.

We're also aware that many companies in the United States and elsewhere deal with Chinese companies because the workers are paid cheaply. We know that they don't care if the air in China is polluted by factories (as if that doesn't effect the entire earth) or if the Chinese people have an epidemic of lung cancer and other illnesses from that pollution. We say shame on them for exporting labor, putting Americans out of work, and hurting our economy. Shame also on the Chinese government for allowing their people to suffer.

We also hold it against these two negative forces for:

Lack of codes for products which, for no good reason, contain lead and other harmful substances arriving here. (And shame on the United States for allowing dishware that has a peel off warning lable on the back that it should not actually be used for food! We saw a lot of this "decorative" stuff being sold at 99 Cents Only and other stores for the Christmas season.)

Junky Value: You'll buy it cheap but it will fall apart and end up in a landfill for us to deal with. That's where it gets our ecology!

We can do without all that junk!

YAHOO HEALTH WARNS CONSUMERS ABOUT DECEPTIVE SERVING SIZES ON PACKAGED FOODS

WE WANT TO BE INFORMED CONSUMERS, and while this blog features products and services that preserve jobs in this great United States of America and a MADE IN THE USA philosophy, we are not telling you to buy junk or let yourself be deceived.

That's why this Yahoo Health article is so important. I tripped over the article on the net because it was about foods that are bad for you. Who doesn't need to loose a few holiday pounds? The article is about how some manufacturer's list the calorie count for a product as lower than it is, because if you read further on the package, you'll see that they have decided they are packaging more than ONE SERVING even if it sure does look like a serving for ONE.

I know this can be crazy-making. First there is your hunger - you have to eat - and you may not feel full if you eat just one little serving. You buy a box or something and tell yourself you won't eat it all at one time, but you do, because that one serving was not sufficient.

HOME COOKING IS ALWAYS THE BEST. Far less salt, far less preservatives, probably less hidden fats too, but we all buy some convienience foods to cut our preparation time. If it looks like one serving - a teeny pizza for instance pot pie - then it should be labeled for the calories IF YOU EAT THE WHOLE THING!

On this target list: SOBE DRINKS, NISSAN RAMAN NOODLES, KELLOGS POP TARTS, CAMBELLS CHUNKY MICROWAVE SOUP, CEDERLANE BURRITOS, KING SIZED BUTTERFINGER BAR... READ LABLES FRIENDS!