Squirrel Gone Wild

Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T19:36:00.001-08:00

My favorite song of thanksgiving and praise Aaron Shust "My God"

Dear Follower

2011-10-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

I have a mystery follower! Yes - that would be YOU since nobody else checks out my blog. Seriously - nobody at all - it's just here for me to play around with and try features or different blog apps so I can help my friends who use them for their businesses. PLEASE tell me who you are and why you follow...it would be very interesting to know what captures your attention.

Yes, Got Snow (4" and still falling)

2011-10-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning to fresh snowfall, the first one that counts.

Got Snow?

2011-09-22T06:46:00.000-07:00

First snow of the season (no accumulation) arrived at 6:15 September 21st.

American Made Products

2011-09-09T05:57:00.000-07:00

I'm going to post links to places that have American Made products. I've found a few great comprehensive lists such as:

http://www.americansworking.com/
http://www.madeinusa.org
http://www.usab2c.com

If you find more, please add to this post!

Passing On & Silver Linings

2011-09-08T18:35:00.000-07:00

We are on day 40 of being smoke free. It's almost like an old friend passing on, so there is a bit of grief. And you just know there is no bringing that person back. OK, maybe a significant amount of grief. It's also like moving to a new city where there are all kinds of wonderful new opportunities, it's exhilarating. There are so many blessings to count, the grief will pass and life will be better - a great change.

Another significant change is literally the passing of our best friends. Boo and Jinx discovered the outdoors this summer and could not be kept indoors (they breached our very transparent pet security measures). After a few weeks 'at camp,' the boys disappeared. Natural causes are not suspected. Investigators note similarities in the disappearances and suspect a serial predator. I've been taking it pretty hard. I keep looking at the cats at the area animal shelters. All their stuff has been moved to the attic, and we don't have fur balls and cat mess everywhere, nobody is destroying our carpets and furniture....and nobody is climbing in our laps to watch the game. I'd rather have the kitties and the mess.

Screeeeeeech - name change

2011-09-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

I found out there is another site out there with the name I was using for this blog, so rather than be confused with an actual, legitimate site, I'm going back to Squirrel Gone Wild. FAQ: Where did you get that name, from that stupid t-shirt? (A) Yes, that's exactly where it came from. Cracked me up when I saw that. Like my new shoes, just had to have it.

Shame on you Better Homes & Gardens!

2011-08-19T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of simply sending along the "we should....." emails about how we are going to solve the problems of this country from the grass roots. One email that has come around several times (see below) says we can fix the trade deficit if we simply make a serious effort to buy American in lieu of "made in China" whenever possible.

I have been ACTIVELY not buying "made in China" for at least the last few months or so - really looking at every product I think about buying and choosing a brand or item that is NOT "made in China." At first, it was not too difficult - annoying but not too hard. Fortunately I am not counting every penny and gladly will pay an extra 50 cents (that's the most I've had to pony up so far) to get my American Made products.

Lately however I have noticed that some things that I am looking for are very difficult to find 'made in the USA.'

Let's take for example, my worn out potholders. They stink, they are burned, they are shredding from be washed and I really would like some new potholders. But not if they are made in China. I started off trying to find them in a brand new kitchen store. 17 varieties and colors of, and VERY CUTE by the way, potholders - every last one of them are made in China. Ok, fine - it's a psuedo French store anyway, what do they know? I go to Marshalls knowing that most of their kitchen stuff is made in China, but hoping that the textile selection would include some plain old made in the USA squares of fabric. Nope....even those stupid "Green" shopping bags all the stores want you to buy are made in China! And really, let's be honest, the only Green inspiration there is the green USA dollars that every store is saving by not bagging your purchase in the old school plastic-grocery-soon-to-be-recylcled- into-a-little-trash-can-liner-bag. And the retailer is also getting new sales by guilt tripping you into buying that stupid barley better than a (horrors) paper grocery bag. Six stores later and still no sign of potholders made in the USA. Except, for - and you will laugh when you read this - WALMART. Now here's what I found there in the potholder isle. Beautiful, colorful, very kitchy towels with matching potholders in another 12 patterns and colors. All boasting the proud logo of Better Homes & Gardens, along with the notation that this stuff is MADE IN CHINA. Then, down to the Mainstays brand, sort of the knock off of Targets Simple Things or whatever they call it - y'all know exactly what I mean. So anyway, I see this brand has several EMPTY HANGERS where there were potholders and towels...and there is this lone pare of lime green potholders. Not that I would like that particular color gracing my own kitchen, I could see how they would be very cute in the right location. I grab them just to check....and guess what??? They are MADE IN THE USA!

LESSONs TO ALL WHOLESALE BUYERS:

Retail buyers prefer made in the USA over made in China products when given a choice (notice that Wal-mart was out of the same stuff that was MADE IN THE USA, and had abundant supply of the items from China.
Products made in the USA are no more expensive than those made in China (after the price of the product, you will also have to add in the transportation costs and tarrifs, so the end cost is going to be very similar no matter where they originate).

LESSON TO ALL RETAIL SHOPPERS:

Mention to the clerks, the manager (if you can get that person's attention) and tell them that you were disappointed not to find (Name An Item, example POTHOLDER) that was made in the USA. You will always hear them start to tell you where the potholders are, then stop and sigh when you say '...made in the USA." This should eventually trickle up to through the chain of command and hopefully up to the WHOLESALE BUYERS who choose what products to put in the stores each season. Eventually they will have to take us seriously.
DO NOT CAVE if at all possible. Stick to your resolution and don't buy it if it was made in China. Vote with your wallet.

Buy American

2011-08-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

This was from an email I recieved a couple of times....

Heard a group talking about what the trade deficit between the US and China is doing to our economy and if something is not done, the Chinese will own the US in a matter of a few short hears. While now, English speaking teachers are welcome in China and adults and children are learning English. This commentator said that he believed that in 20 short years, the Chinese would be sending Mandarin teachers to teach people of the US to speak their language. Read below as a partial solution for this problem.

Did y’all see that Diane Sawyer has a special report coming up this week. They removed ALL items from a typical, middle class family's home that were not made in the USA .
There was hardly anything left besides the kitchen sink. Literally. During the special they are going to show truckloads of items - USA made - being brought in to replace everything and will be talking about how to find these items and the difference in price etc..

It was interesting that Diane said that if every American spent just $64 more than normal on USA made items this year, it would create something like 200,000 new jobs!???

I WAS BUYING FOOD THE OTHER DAY AT WALMART and ON THE LABEL OF SOME PRODUCTS IT SAID 'FROM CHINA’
FOR EXAMPLE THE "OUR FAMILY" BRAND OF THE MANDARIN ORANGES SAYS RIGHT ON THE CAN 'FROM CHINA '
I WAS SHOCKED SO FOR A FEW MORE CENTS I BOUGHT THE LIBERTY GOLD BRAND OR THE DOLE SINCE IT'S FROM CALIF.
Are we Americans as dumb as we appear --- or --- is it that we just do not think while the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior and even toxic products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold in American markets?
70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.
Why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges? DO IT YOURSELF, AMERICA!!
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says 'Made in China ' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong ), simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally amazed at what you can do without.
Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer. Easter is just an example. The point is do not wait for the government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.
THINK ABOUT THIS: If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!!
Most of the people who have been reading about this matter are planning on implementing this on April 1st and continue it until May 1st. That is only one month of trading losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their American exports. Then they might have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.

Remember, APRIL 1 TO MAY 1st !!!!!!
START NOW.

Send this to everybody you know. Let's show them that we are Americans and NOBODY can take us for granted.
If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET!
Pass it on, America.