Ways to Save: Gift Giving

While searching for sales is a great way to save money, there's another way to save you may never have thought of. You could cash in your frequent flier miles and credit card points.  It could be your best bet.

Why not use that as though it were money instead of going into your pocket and spending cash that has to come out of your wallet?

Those points and miles can get you everything from magazine subscriptions to gift cards or even electronics.  You can give frequent flier miles to a family member saving up for a big trip or even make donations to charity by turning your credit card points into cash.

While many think credit cards and pricey airlines are the enemy, if you're trying to cut costs, those points could become your greatest ally in the battle to save this holiday season.  You can check your point status by looking at your credit card or frequent flier account either online or by calling the company.

Don’t Believe the Hype: “Green” Groups Unveiled

Consumer Reports has done us all a service by digging into the motivations and affiliations of some organizations that sound green but may be wolves in sheep’s clothing. There are many think tanks out there now that seem to be rallying for good green ends, but are actually supported by some pretty dubious institutions.

For example you might think that “Americans for Balanced Energy Choices” supports renewable, alternative energy sources, right?  Wrong.  It’s backed by the coal industry.

How about the “Environmental Literacy Council”?  We could all use some more environmental literacy.  But do we want it to come from the American Petroleum Institute and Exxon-Mobile? 

Probably not.

The Consumer Reports piece provides us with useful insights into who is behind these “green think tanks” and there is also a fun quiz you can take to test your knowledge.

Solar Gadget Cruise

Every once in a while I like to take a carbon-free online cruise and check out what green gadgets I can find. I spent some time this weekend and found more solar gadgets than you can shake a stick at– some very useful and some utterly hilarious.  From the sublime to the semi-ridiculous, here are Solar Gadgets Galore:

On the useful side of the solar spectrum, there are solar lights. Solar lights now come in more shapes and sizes than Baskin Robbins has flavors.  There are solar tiki lights, garden lights, flood lights, and more.
Solar chargers are also very utilitarian– but also make you look tres chic.  At left is the Brunton 4.4 Watt foldable solar charger. This little baby (it’s 19 ounces so we’re not kidding about little) will keep your cell phone running, your GPS tracking, and your digital camera recording.  It’s not only an energy saver but also a safety device: take it with you hiking or keep it at home so you can always make that emergency cell phone call if run out of juice.  It costs about $100 and makes a great gift, too.
Also rating high on the style scale are solar backpacks and bags.  There are many cool styles available from Voltaic– including the Generator model shown at right. The Generator is the first solar bag to be able to charge a laptop.  But it will cost you, at almost $600.  They have other cheaper bags, too. Voltaic bags use fabrics made from recycled PET i.e. soda bottles, and the fabric is light weight, extremely durable, UV resistant and water resistant. Another company that makes a wide array of solar bags is Eclipse Solar Gear.
Here’s something really nifty: a solar tent!  Now you can camp in comfort with the luxury of interior lighting.  This Eureka! solar family tent boasts interior lighting, powered by cutting-edge solar LED technology.  During the day, the Eureka! solar-powered LED unit attaches to any loop on the fly to charge. An 8-hour charge provides 8 hours of light.  The tent is 11′ X 11′, or 121 sq feet on the floor.  I’ve also seen reports of a solar air-conditioned tent, but I can’t seem to find it for sale anywhere. If you know where to find this tent, please leave a comment!
Feeling a bit peckish?  How about cooking up a tasty stew in your solar oven? This solar oven from Global Sun can heat to over 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To use simply position the Sun Oven so it faces the sun. Unfold the reflectors and use the rear adjusting leg to angle the oven so the solar heat is maximized. You can cook bread, cakes, muffins, meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, casseroles, and pasta.  Bon appetite!
Tie one on, why don’ ‘cha.  Yes, check out this solar powered tie.  The tie was designed by researchers at Iowa State University, who have been working on inventing an effective use of photovoltaic textiles.  The really cool thing about this Solar Tie is that the pattern used for the solar shells sort of looks like a cool pattern that would be used on a tie anyway, so it’s really not too obtrusive into everyday life. The Solar Powered Necktie even contains a hidden pouch for stashing your cell phone away while the tie charges it up, using only the power of the sun.  The Solar Tie is a way to be green without looking like you’re trying too hard.
At the far end of the ridiculous comes the solar pith helmet.  Yes, when you are out bird watching in you can cool yourself with this air conditioned pith helmet.  (This is not an April Fools joke people.) Keep your cool with the help of a small powerful fan powered by a small solar panel atop the hat.  Available in white and tan colors.  And it’s only $60.  Relive your Out of Africa dreams!

Cell phone stops bullet

R.J. Richard of Slidell said he was working in his yard when a large-caliber bullet slammed into his chest.

"When this thing hit me, it hit with such force that I thought it popped up from the lawnmower some kind of way," he said. 

Richard said he didn't know what hit him, but he knew something was wrong.  When he tried to dial 911, his cell phone fell apart in his hands.  The stray bullet had hit his Motorola cell phone.

Richard said he normally keeps the phone in his pants pocket, but that day he had it in a pocket over his heart.

"Doctors said, 'If your cell phone wouldn't have been there, and if it would have hit you straight on, you'd be totally dead,' because that is where my heart is," said Richard.

Richard's wife, Mindy, drove up shortly after the shooting.

She said it took a while for reality to set in.

"I just burst into tears. I just could not believe it," said Mindy.  Investigators say they don't know what gun might have fired the bullet. 

The St. Tammany Sheriff's Department is running the bullet through its Ibis System to see if the gun it came from has ever been used in another crime. 

They said they don't suspect any criminal intent, but said anyone who pulls the trigger of a gun is responsible for where the bullet winds up.

The close call just before the holiday season has the Richards holding on to one another a bit more tightly. 

"It increased my faith. I am hopefully more humble. I hopefully will love my wife more and quicker," said Richard.

"He is. Ever since Saturday he's been doing so much more right. I can't get over it," said Mindy.

R.J. Richard said he's got a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Post it disputes

UNDATED: So, someone's mooching your milk from the office fridge. Or maybe your lunch has been looted.

What do you do? Lots of people will vent their anger in a Post-it note -- with lots of exclamation points.

But Kerry Miller says sometimes a blizzard of notes will backfire. Miller is the author of "Passive Aggressive Notes: Painfully Polite and Hilariously Hostile Writings."

Miller says people think writing a note is the polite thing to do.

Like the time someone left an unsigned note that a young woman's attire was inappropriate for the office. But Miller says often anonymous notes will just add fuel to keep a dispute burning.

Post Election Stories

Empire State goes blue
NEW YORK: The lights on the Empire State Building will be blue tonight. New York's iconic skyscraper was bathed in red and blue last night, as the nation's votes were counted.

Officials promise to light the tower in light signifying the election winner, blue for Barack Obama or red for John McCain.

Had the results been too close to call, the red-blue light split would have stayed.

By the way, the first election lighting on the Empire State Building signaled Franklin D. Roosevelt's win in 1932.


Voters joke about renaming sewage plant after Bush
SAN FRANCISCO: There won't be a sewage treatment plant named after President Bush. Voters in San Francisco have rejected Proposition R.

It would have poked some fun at the outgoing president, by renaming the Oceanside waste water treatment facility the George W. Bush Sewage Plant.

Some critics said the name change wasn't fair -- to the hard-working sewage plant.

The White House never did comment on the ballot measure.


The Barack Rec Center
COLUMBUS, Ohio: It may have been an omen.

Some voters on the south side of Columbus, Ohio, cast their ballots at the Barack Recreation Center. But it's not named for President-elect Barack Obama.

 The rec center was dedicated in 1964 in honor of a former city recreation director.

While the name is spelled the same, the rec center is actually pronounced BAYR'-ihk.

Precinct presiding judge Hattie Harris says voting went smoothly at the rec center.
She adds lines weren't nearly as long as they were in 2004.

Money Saving Tips: Reusable Towels / Sponges

No matter how you slice it, paper towels are bad news. In fact, if every American family used one fewer 70-sheet roll, we could save half a million trees. But sponges and reusable towels can quickly turn moldy and gross, so what to do? Next time you hit the cleaning supplies aisle, look for EcoSponge and EcoTowl from Pacific Dry Goods. The sponge and towel are made of biodegradable, all-natural viscose—a material that takes practically no toll on the planet (it’s sustainably sourced), absorbs ten times its weight in liquid, wrings out easily, and is extremely durable. And best of all, when your towels or sponges get really dirty, you can throw them right in the washing machine with your laundry.   (I also toss my wet sponges into the microwave for about 2 minutes every other day.  The excited water molecules heat up and kill any bacteria in and on the sponge - sooo simple. 

The EcoSponge and EcoTowl are sold everywhere from Acme, to Piggly Wiggly, to Safeway, to Whole Foods. EcoTowl (2 per pack): About $5 for a two-pack of towels, and $3 for a two-pack of sponges.