I'm not from Iowa and I don't know anything about this race but I did like this video.
All of us need to stand up to the corporations that have taken over the US so that we can begin to fix things. One of the best ways to do that... STOP buying their products! Spend a little time to investigate where you are letting your money go.

Eatting Out

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/17/ihop-applebees-black-angus-business-restaurants-chains.html?boxes=Homepagelighttop


"The economy may be thawing, but many families' budgets are still tight. Eating out still means McDonald's or coffee and a bagel at the corner store more than anything else.

That means a squeeze for casual dining chains, those in-between eateries that attract
lower- and middle-income families who don't have a table waiting for them at a fancy
white-tablecloth restaurant but like to occasionally treat themselves to more than fast food. When the economy is rolling, $8 to $20 entrées are enticing. When money is tight, not so much."


I read the above article about the decline of many chain restaurants. They are saying that it all has to do with the economy and that people do not have the money to be eating out like they once did. A lot of these restaurants are continuing to stay open even though they are experiencing huge profit losses because they say the economy will turn around.

I am sure that is partly true but I really am hoping that another reason for the decline is because people are demanding better quality food for their money when they do eat out.

I know for my husband and I it was equally both reasons. We would go out to eat once a week and spend $20-40 for bad quality, bad tasting food that ended up making us miserable after we ate. We consciously decided it was better to cook good food at home and splurge occasionally on the really good quality restaurants that offer better quality food.

What do you think? For most is it just the money or are people starting to also pay attention to quality?

It's the little things that count.

I used to buy 5 or 6 different magazines a month. For the last four or five years though I have cut that down to just one, Body and Soul. It is a wonderful magazine full of great articles each month but the September issue is fantastic. It has a special section about 'going green'. One part of the publishers letter really summed up the issue and also summed up my feelings on the topic.

"When it comes to changing the world, daily choices really do make a difference. We can create a better more sustainable future through the personal decisions we make today, from composting our kitchen scraps to commuting by train to purchasing compact florescent light bulbs. Healthier choices not only alter our own habits, they move mountains. Healthier purchases create a profound change in demand and supply. Every time the food you buy goes through the scanner at the supermarket, it is a vote with your dollars."

Some times it does get frustrating thinking of the state the world is in right now. It seems that so much is going on that surely me getting my groceries in plastic bags doesn't really make a difference but it does. I am constantly reminding myself that every little step that I take to create a more simple lifestyle the better it is for myself, my family and the world.