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No No, Nike

Bad Nike!
Bad Nike - UPS receipt to ship defective shoes back to Nike

I have been running and working out fairly regularly since I was fifteen.  My shoe of choice for training?  Nike.  My shoe of choice for running?  Nike.  My shoe of choice for just hanging out?  Nike.  Today, something changed.  It wasn’t the shoe’s fault.  It was Nike’s.

In May 2008 I purchased two pairs of Nike Reax running shoes:  a pink pair and a blue pair, of course.  I coordinated the shoes with my workout clothes of the day.  I went to the gym 5 times per week, weight training for 2 of those and running on the treadmill for 3 of those days.  My pink Nikes held up great.  My blue ones did not.  The same exact shoe, and the faux leather on the left blue shoe where the lace holes are started fraying, then it became a tear.

I contacted Nike in August 2009 after my friend said there is some sort of warranty for defective shoes.  I called, got the claim number (CL090811003591) and sent the shoes in for replacement via UPS on 8/27/09.  Paid $9.29 for trackable shipping (more if you count the box, gas to get to the store, time and the fact I had a cranky preschooler with me).  It arrived at Nike in Oregon on 9/2/09.  This canned letter was printed and mailed to me on 9/3/09.

Can letter from Nike
Canned Letter from Nike

So, this morning, after receiving the letter (and steaming from the ears) I called Nike.  I talked with one person, who said the dates on the shoe’s tag indicate the manufacture date on the left and the tag manufacture date on the right.  My shoe has 5/13/07 on the left and 9/24/07 on the right.  I argued that the shoes didn’t reach market until at least October 2007.  The representative said, “Could be.”  So, why again does the warranty start even when the shoes are sitting on Nike’s warehouse shelves?  Why am I being punished as the consumer for purchasing your overpriced product in the first place?

I asked for a supervisor, who basically told me the rules again and then told me some antidotal story of how a lady called to get shoes replaced that she purchased 5 years ago and argued that she hadn’t worn them in 3 years, but now wanted to wear them again.  I told “Laura” this wasn’t relevant to my situation as the shoes were purchased in May 2008, NOT May 2004.  She then repeated the rules to me and told me how clear they are on the website and sorry I did not understand them from the website.  On top of it, she said their materials start to break down within 2 years.  So, maybe I should start running in my Docs because I’ve had them for twelve years?

I then told her I would be blogging this, tweeting this, facebooking this and that my blog is indexed by Google and Technorati.  She paused for a long while.  She then said they didn’t want to lose me as a customer.  I told her that was already done based on the content of the phone call.  She hoped I didn’t let one bad incident ruin my relationship with Nike.  You know, Laura, I hoped Nike wouldn’t let this one incident ruin their relationship with me.

I purchased these shoes in May 2008 for $100 and Nike will not give me a replacement pair after they broke after wearing them for 4 months.  Please share this blog.  We the consumer shouldn’t be abused by big businesses.  I’ll post a picture of the broken shoes when I get home tonight.

Share, tweet, email away!

Buried Alive

Buried Alive
Chris captures Persi buried alive!

About four weeks ago, one day when the girls (Kari, my 3 year-old, and Persi, my 6 year-old niece) were being particularly wild, I told them if they were good and took a nap, I’d build them a sandbox.  They were good the rest of the day.  I promptly went online to get ideas and sketched up a plan.  I cut the wood and gathered supplies.  The following several weekends got a little hectic, so the main event was postponed until this weekend.  Considering most plans I found were just not detailed enough or cost $4.95, I figured I would type out my detailed plan here for free!

Supplies needed
1 box of 3″ galvanized nails
Staples (size does not matter)
(2) 8′ cedar 2″x12″
(2) 10′ cedar 1″x12″
(1) 12′ cedar 2″x4″
(1) 4’x4′ piece of 1/2″ plywood
(1) 6′ pine 1″x3″
(26) 1′ landscape blocks
(1) 6’x8′ tarp
(15) 50 pound bags of pea gravel
(10) 50 pound bags of play sand
1 roll of landscape fabric
1/2 gallon exterior paint
Garden staples (optional)

Tools Needed
Pencil
Stapler
Scissors
4′ Level
Hammer
Circular Saw
Speed square
Sander/Sandpaper

Sand Box in Place
Sandbox painted and in place

Of course, the landscape blocks, garden staples and pea gravel are all optional, but we chose to create a base for the girls to step out, dust off and get their shoes back on.  This bed of pea gravel also aids in drainage, so the sand won’t be setting against wet ground after a rain fall.  Where we located the sandbox was on a hill just below the level of the driveway, so without the pea gravel raising the sandbox off the ground, the sandbox would become a wet mess after a rain!

We started with an area approximately 6′ x 8′.  This pad has housed everything from a picnic table to a chicken brooder, and already had 2 landscape timbers in the ground on the lower sides forming an L.  We added 1 more landscape timber on top of the existing L to make it 2 timbers high.  We then laid down the landscape fabric over the dirt and overlapping the timbers so rocks wouldn’t leak out of the area.  If you need, insert staples into the fabric so it doesn’t move around.  We then enclosed the remaining L with landscape blocks stacked 1 high.  The supply list above has only landscape blocks and assumes the ground you’re working with is level (more needed to create a retaining wall).  The soil somewhat eroded over time, so we needed to level the inside of the play area with pea gravel first.  We poured 10 bags of gravel in the area, leaving 5 for filling in later.  We took our level and checked the level of the gravel and used the level to also spread it out.  Trust the level, even if the gravel looks otherwise to your eye!

Enjoying the New Box
Kari and Persi enjoying their new sandbox

Once your base it set, you’re ready to start cutting wood!  Notice I have chosen cedar here instead of pressure treated wood.  I prefer cedar considering I do no want the kids touching chemicals all the time.  You could use pine, but cedar holds up extremely well to the elements, and should at least be used where wood will be making contact with the ground.

Cut the cedar 2″x12″ into (2) 4′ pieces and (2) 3’10” pieces – these are your sides.
Cut the cedar 1″x12″ into (4) 5′ pieces – these are your seats.
Cut the cedar 2″x4″ into (12) 1′ pieces – these are your supports.

Assemble the sides by placing the 4′ pieces on opposite ends and the 3’10” pieces between the 4′ pieces, forming a box.  Nail 3 galvanized nails into each corner on the outside.  Nail 1 support into each corner on the inside with 2 nails – these just provide support for the box and keep pressure off of the nails when the box is moved around during construction.

Now, for the fun part – 45 degree angle cuts!  We decided to have the seats sit on the sides of the box exactly in the middle of the seat board for best support.  Cut a 45 degree angle off one end.  Measure the width of your sandbox at the edge where the seat will be.  Find the midpoint of the seat board (long) and put a mark on the side opposite the angle cut.  Use your speed square to draw the other cut.  Opposite seats should match, so you could use one as a template for the other.  You do need to measure!  Do not assume your wood is precise! (i.e. 2x4s are really a hair under 2 and a hair under 4)

We chose to put 3 nails in each seat.  We then attached a support at each corner and the midpoint of each seat on the outside edge of the seat.

Get your paint clothes on and start painting.  We had the girls help us with this part and they had a blast.  We did two coats on everything to ensure durability.

After the paint dries, flip the sandbox over in the grass or on some sawhorses, and attach the landscape fabric to the bottom with staples.  Place the sandbox on the gravel base and fill with sand!

Sand Box With Lid
Sandbox with top

While the kids are enjoying their new play area, the final piece can be constructed:  the top!  The top needs to be bigger than the hole so it doesn’t fall in.  Chris put 3′ 1″x3″ boards parallel to each other on the underside of the top to keep the top ‘snug’ in the sandbox.  Measure the inner dimension of the sandbox, but be sure not to put them too close to the exact measurement.  Give an inch of wiggle room.  Add top and cover whole box with tarp when not in use.

I would not recommend placing anchors in the play area for the tarp, but rather use a brick or two on top.  Also, do not let children lift the top by themselves!  Be sure to remove top for them and replace after play to keep sand clean.

“Organic food is just another scam to grab more money from us”

The above quote is from a BBC article.  Some will read this quote and spread this false information.  Sad.

“Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine looked at all the evidence on nutrition and health benefits from the past 50 years.”
Yes, but what about the hormones that were introduced more recently.  Or what about other imports/exports and the experiences in other countries.  Mind you, the United States might just be number 1 with the amount of junk we allow in and on our food.

“The review did not look at pesticides or the environmental impact of different farming practices.”
Exactly.  It’s not just about the nutrition of the food, but the impact of the food on our body and on our home.  This planet is on loan to us from future generations.  Sure, we’ll be absorbed by our supernova Sun in a few billion years, but until that time, we need to help the planet last that long.

My Ongoing Love Affair

I have a confession.  I have an ongoing love affair with food.  I love food.  I love good food.  I love the food that makes you say, “This it the best I have ever had!”  Anymore, that experience is all too common.  It’s not a conscious recognition as it is the verbal food epiphany that occurs with the substance strikes the taste buds, but a chemical reaction in the brain.

Umami is the natural fifth taste we experience when we taste delicious food.  All too often, though, we Americans experience umami, but not the real thing.  It’s induced by monosodium glutamate.  This chemical is in so many foods – even where you wouldn’t imagine the salty substance would reside – and it alters our perception of food and out bodies.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) mimics the reaction of glutamic acid.  MSG can be hidden in ingredient lists under wording like:  artificial ingredients, other seasonings, other flavorings.  Organic and natural products may contain MSG as well, considering USDA Organic only requires 75% of the product to be organic and the term natural has no government standards attached.  Even products toting stickers on the front stating “MSG Free” or “No MSG” may contain MSG.  It seems as though the only way to find out what the product really contains it to contact the manufacturer.

On the Wikipedia website, MSG is not directly connected to illness; however, the financial stakes of the monitoring board of these inconclusive studies should be considered.  The article also states:

MSG as a food ingredient has been the subject of health studies. A report from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) compiled in 1995 on behalf of the FDA concluded that MSG was safe for most people when “eaten at customary levels”.

Customary levels is vague, and, being that an increasing amount of our foods contain MSG, customary is not a good indicator.  From literary research, I have found MSG to cause headaches from mild to severe, upset stomach, irritability, depression, and addiction to food containing MSG.  Several studies have correlated MSG intake to Body Mass Index.

I know this sounds extreme, but we are being drugged.  I know this is not the most horrific of crimes, but it is a crime against the masses.  Billions of people unknowingly ingest an addictive substance causing mental instability and other physical symptoms.  And all for the love of profit.

You eat food because of marketing.

You continue to eat food because your brain tells you it likes the umami the food created.

You buy more.

…rinse and repeat.

Chris and I have eliminated many chemicals from our household and purchase very few processed foods.  I now make my own food (bread, jams, salsa, ketchup, sauces, salad dressing, yogurt, cheese, cookies, desserts, cereal, peanut butter, doughnuts, bagels, pickles).  We want to enjoy real food.  The art of dining is becoming lost in this fast food nation full of instant everything.  Our effort is to go drug free by growing food, producing eggs and creating food from quality ingredients.

Tip of the Day: Zap Static

So, imagine you’re walking down the sidewalk thinking you look fantastic, when suddenly, you see your clothes bunching up on you.  Oh no.  You now don’t look so hot.  You don’t have static spray.  What to do?

Dryer Sheet
Carry a dryer sheet on you and rub between fabrics (on socks/stockings and garment)

Water
In a pinch, although this may not last all day, dampen your hands with cold water and rub between fabrics.

Gardening – How To

For some folks out there, gardening is foreign.  Don’t be shy, it’s more common than you think.  Ask any urbanite to explain how potatoes grow and you’ll get funnier answers than Jay Leno does on the street.  Here I will attempt to summarize the key points of getting a garden going.

Location!  Location!  Location!
Look for a location that is easy to access from your door.  If it is far from your door, the out of sight out of mind theory comes in to play.  Look for a spot that gets at least 6 or more hours of sun a day.  Something that played into my decision was the proximity to a water spigot.  Also determine how big you would like your garden and how easy it would be to scale up in this location if you decide you like gardening.

Raised beds create organization and paths down the middle so soil doesn’t get compacted underneath feet.  They typically are made of treated lumber, but preferably cedar, considering the treated lumber has chemicals in it that would leech into your soil over time.  If you use treated lumber, consider lining your bed with plastic so the lumber does not directly contact the soil.  The soil you put in your raised beds can be custom to that particar bed.  You may add sand, soil, compost, fertilizer, etc. to create the perfect home for your plants.

Seed Selection
First, make your list of must have items.  It might help to have your garden dimensions with you when you’re sifting through garden catalogs so you might make choices in regards to space.  Second, look for varieties that do well with your area.  For example, blueberries need to be in northern to midwestern Unites States, so they may not be ideal for a sunny location in a Texas garden.  Third, consider the heirloom varieties over genetically modified varieties.  The yields are better, and you’ll grow something you can save the seeds from year after year (without being sued).

Soil Preparation
Here in Missouri, I am dealing with clay soil.  In my garden, I have mixed in chicken compost, lawn compost, mushroom compost, straw and top soil.  I also added in bone meal and epsom salts for good measure.  The soil should be turned annually before planting.  Do this about four weeks before planting – two weeks at minimum.  This way, weeds will sprout and can be plucked before the seedlings are in place.

Irrigation
This goes somewhat under the location category.  Pick some place next to a hose spigot.  This way, you may water with the hose, fill up your watering can conveniently, or use a splitter to make the hose into a two outlet spigot, with each side having an on/off valve.  Adding the splitter would allow you to run a hose off of the spigot while still keeping your garden hose hooked up.  You may choose to run a hose to your garden and attach a broadcast sprinkler like I have.  Or you might choose to run soaker hoses in your garden.  To aid in watering, you might even consider a timer.  Invest in a good one so it will last you a while.  I chose one with multiple settings – options for on/off, length of watering cycle, and watering everyday at 6 a.m., every other day at 6 a.m., and everyday at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.  This allows for the water timer to fit my needs all season – cool months in the spring to the demanding hot summer months.  For those of you who know about mildew and water loving plant diseases that thrive off of waterings when the sun is down, I adjusted the clock on the timer so it comes on at real time 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The cost for the timer is around $10-$30, but certainly worth it.  This way you don’t have to cringe when you forgot to start the water on a hot July day.

Planting
If you started your seeds indoors, move them outside when they’re able to survive the elements on their own.  Meaning, are night temperatures above 45?  Do they have their second set of leaves?  Did you use a fan to “harden them off” so wind won’t snap delicate seedlings?  Be sure to plant them according to their needs – sun, partial or shade.  Also, not all plants like the same type of soil, so plan accordingly.  Making a map of your garden beforehand is easier than going back later and remembering what all you planted where!  I recommend taking measurements of your garden and making a pretty detailed map – number of plants, what variety.  This will help make your garden journal so you might plan for next year – rotate crops, change what didn’t work, etc.

Weed Control
I have heard various suggestions:  black and white newspaper, cardboard, or straw.  I personally use straw because it acts as a mulch as well keeping the water in where it should be.  Some other people swear by cardboard or newspaper.  Organic Gardening magazine recently mentioned in an article that no research has concluded the black and white newspaper bleeds chemicals into the soil.  With straw, you just put it on top of everything and till it in at the end of the growing season.  With cardboard, you just lay it on top of the soil.  With newspaper, you place it down and put top soil over the top – not a whole lot, just an inch or two.  My qualm is I don’t want to walk out of the garden with my shoes looking like a paper mache project if I disturb the top soil.

Insect Control
I try to go natural about it using dish soap in a hose end sprayer and simply plucking off the larvae or eggs of harmful bugs.  You’ll find them on the underside of leaves of your veggie plants.  A great product my friend Nancy introduced me to is Neem Oil.  It can be sprayed on plants without clogging pours and the squash beetles do not like it!

Plant Maintenence
There are several things I am sure to do to preserve my plants.  First, be vigilant against squash beetles (pdf from Purdue – very detailed!).  They’ll boar into your squash and melons.  Second, I start another round of all of my squash and melons once I set the others outside in the garden.  This way, if one bites the dust in the middle of the season, I have back up!

Another bit of maintenence is to prepare your plants to produce!  Make sure to snip off onion blossoms and rhubarb flower stalks because these are signs the plant is going to bolt!  Also, my new gardening friend Kristal informed me about the benefits of pruning tomatoes.  The idea is that the nutrients go into the main fruiting laterals.  Be sure to also consider their fertilization needs during the season.  If you put down compost at the beginning of the season, perhaps it might need a refresh half way through the season.  Maybe a nice boost of energy would be nice with an extra watering during the hot months.  Be sure to listen to your plants and they’ll be good to you!

Gardening – the Passion

Vegetable Garden
Garden by Agelakis

What an interesting word.  Gardening could mean anything from a small group of containers filled with flowers on a porch to tending a garden which happens to share the same borders as your property lines.  For me, gardening is moving closer and closer to the latter with each season.

About 30% more Americans are planting gardens this year, according to the National Gardening Association.  That is a big jump.  I don’t agree with the coined terms “victory garden” or “freedom garden”.  This is something more.  For many, it’s always been about connecting with nature.  For others, it could be about producing something better, toting the fact that these flowers were grown from seed, not purchased, or even cutting their dependency on oil.

Vegetable gardening is picking up.  This is fantastic for the following reasons:

First, producing your own vegetables creates something you own.  You grew those veggies.  You are feeding the family.  It’s your accomplishment and no one else can claim it, except family members who helped you perhaps.

Second, the food tastes so much better.  You can grow a strain of corn that’s your favorite, or perhaps some heirloom tomatoes, or a gigantic watermelon (Moon & Stars)!  You’ll quickly become addicted to homegrown, and even if you can’t plant everything in your plot, you’ll soon sniff out farmer’s markets for those desired fruits.  Do be aware of where your farmer’s market gets their products.  One in South County (at the corner of Reavis Barracks and Lemay Ferry Road) would purchase their produce at Dierbergs, mark it up and pass it off as their own.  Also check out flea markets.  Often times people will be selling produce or seedlings.

Third, it’s wonderful exercise for your body and your brain.  Share with kids and help them learn a great skill/hobby.  In a book I am reading, I was quite shocked by the fact that some children are appauled and horrified when they find out vegetables come from ‘dirt’.  Growing up around this process, it never occurred to me to even think about vegetables coming from ‘dirt’.  I mean, where else would they come from?! I was delighted, however, to find that some schools are implementing agriculture in the curriculum and that there are some young people taking the reins of their family farms or starting their own.

Fourth, and most important in my book, the food you produce is local.  By local, I mean you know what that food is, where it came from and what is in it.  By producing your own food, you are taking control of what goes in your family’s mouth.  You are cutting emission of gasses into the air.  You are decreasing the depletion of Earth’s resources.  Most of all, you are taking a stand against sub-paar food production.  With 30% more people doing this annually, I think someone is going to notice.

To quote someone from this month’s Organic Gardening:

I am 70 years old and survived on raw milk and homegrown vegetables.  I raised my kids on raw milk.  I have ducks for eggs, rabbits for meat, and a large garden.  I have never been sick from eating or drinking my stuff.  Where do we see the problems?  From processed and imported food.

Pat Coward, Auburn, Georgia

It’s up to us if we’re going to demand better for ourselves.

For more information, check out these great resources:

Path to Freedom
Organic Gardening
How to Grow More Vegetables

Conscientious Clothes

Clothesline
Clothesline from Grant MacDonald

Clotheslines that used to litter the countryside are now starting to filter into suburban and urban life.  Why?  Their now chic.  Some neighbors get them because other neighbors have them.  I’m actually excited to see clotheslines having a bandwagon effect.  Why?  They have great benefits, including cost savings, emissions savings, and the clothes come off the line smelling like real sunshine.

Benefits of Clotheslines
Using less energy
Clothes last longer since not dried at high heats
House isn’t heated by the dryer in the hot summer months
Clothes lines often hold an entire family’s laundry at one time

Nebraska Public Power District has a great site about the cost of different appliances in your home.  It diagrams the costs of laundry in the following chart:

Laundry Cost/Period
Clothes Dryer 47¢ / load
Clothes Washer (cold/cold) 2.8¢ / load
Clothes Washer (warm/cold) 12.8¢ / load
Clothes Washer (hot/warm) 34.2¢ / load
Iron 9.2¢ / hour

Here is a fantastic blog post with directions about building a T-style clothesline.  As you can see, for around $20 total, you can have a clothesline.  It pays for itself in one month, estimating the average family runs the dryer 1.3 times per day.  And I love how this blogger put stones at the bottom of the posts.

If you are looking for a space saving type, try an umbrella clothesline.

Pics 030909 002
Umbrella Clothesline from the Missiah on Flickr

This clothesline can be set up just like an umbrella, and taken down as easily.  I found one on Ace Hardware’s site on sale for $45.  Be sure to anchor the post of the clothesline.  You may either permanently anchor the post in the ground or you may choose to make the clothesline removable:

Supplies:  Pea gravel, Cement, Pipe 1/2″ wider than clothesline post and 6″ taller than anticipated hole depth (you don’t want the debris from rain runoff to get into the pipe and eventually clog it).  Pipe cap optional so rainwater doesn’t get in pipe when clothesline isn’t in place.

Dig hole at least 24″ deep and 6″ around.  Place two inches of gravel at the bottom of the hole, insert pipe, then pour cement around pipe to fill the hole.  Allow to cure for 72 hours before use.  Now you can remove your clothesline as you wish!

As a final note, please take the time to sign the petition to revoke anti-clothesline laws.  Share the link!

Now, go outside and build a clothesline this summer!