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Tomates de árbol en cosecha en La huerta de la Quinta de Simón Bolivar (at Bogotá, Colombia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpJbK8Nurze/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Monumento a Milada Horáková conmemorando su resistencia al totalitarismo comunista instalado por el régimen Ruso en Chekoslovakia en 1948. El monumento muestra una alondra posada sobre un micrófono como el usado por el partido comunista en su falso juicio. Milada Horakova estudió leyes y promovió los derechos de la mujer. Estuvo encarcelada por los Nazis durante cuatro años pero se pudo defender en las cortes y salvar su vida. Sin embargo, después de la guerra fue arrestada y torturada por los comunistas por defender las libertades democráticas. Injustamente fue sentenciada y ejecutada por el régimen comunista en 1950. (at Prague, Czech Republic) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeTRST8oFIV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Memorial a las víctimas del comunismo en Praga que representa la degradación del hombre. El memorial es dedicado no solo a las personas que fueron encarceladas o ejecutadas sino también a todos aquellos que sus vidas fueron arruinadas por el despotismo totalitario comunista entre 1948 y 1989. Solo espero que esta historia no se repita en Colombia y nuestras futuras generaciones no tengan que poner memoriales como este dentro 50 o 100 años. (at Prague, Czech Republic) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeRjJbzIwpj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Love and Poems! (at John Lennon Wall) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeJr0C8I2HM/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Biking in Amsterdam through the #rijksmuseum and #vondlepark was so much fun. Biking is not only about sustainability, but it’s also good for your heart and soul. It makes us happier people! #iamsterdam (at Amsterdam, Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeHHiUpI32E/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Bicycle heaven: Amsterdam. (at Amsterdam, Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd9NkH-IbGI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Yes we can! So it is possible to stop using single use plastics if we make an effort. (at Amsterdam, Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd8BWfdIq5h/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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I love this example of a load-bearing vertical green wall at Versailles making us re-think that structure and flora can co-exist in our cities. (at Versailles, France) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd4ARrSIiLT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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While the Miami-Dade county tries to plant more trees to protect us from extreme heat and climate change, Aventura cuts down greenery along Biscayne Boulevard. (at Aventura, Florida) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXKO9ghOCWV/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Ignorant about Demand-Pull Inflation? Stop buying so much crap and go to school!

That’s how I read this latest chart from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showing where prices have been going in the last 12 months.

Demand-Pull Inflation is the upward pressure on prices that follows a shortage in supply caused by aggregate demand. Uh? If you didn’t get that then going to school could be a good idea. Let me define the problem in my own words; post-pandemic out of their mind zombie, American consumers with a whole bunch of savings desperate to buy crap that is stuck on a ship in the Pacific caused prices to go up!

As the chart below shows, prices have been going up drastically for almost everything except for EDUCATION. If you complained about college tuition and fees before…well now is the time. College tuition is rising but at a slower rate than inflation and there are more than 300 free college Promise Programs right now in the U.S. Check them out at collegepromise.org 

Education is an investment for your future; a professional will always out earn inflation or else you may have to work like dog your whole life to keep up. Inflation hurts the poorest and to quote Venita VanCaspel, finance icon and author who was born in poverty (think dustbowl type poverty), “Inflation takes from the ignorant and gives to the well informed”.

So, there it is. Stop buying, lower the demand, save your money, and get educated. Or as my very sweet and smart abuelita used to say: “Mijito, para salir de pobre hay que ir a la escuela...pendejo!”.

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Bread, Thanksgiving, and Waste

This Thanksgiving I’ve been thinking a lot about bread! Not sure why; perhaps because 10% of the world doesn’t even have a loaf tonight and much less a turkey. Or because we waste about 20% of all bread at home. Or because I bought two bags of stuffing and then figured out I had frozen leftover bread which I could’ve seasoned and re-baked into stuffing...Mea Culpa: Isn’t that one of our main problems… We buy stuff we don’t need; we buy just because we can, because we don’t think of and appreciate what we already have even though it costs us.

About 40% of all food in America is wasted…so here are a few tips when planning Thanksgiving and realistically any other meal at home; it will save you money and reduce the impact on our environment.

1.       Never go to the supermarket hungry; you will buy more than you need.

2.       Make a list but check what you already have at home.

3.       Plan for leftovers; turkey makes a great stock or soup in the slow cooker and cranberry sauce on pancakes, with smoothies, or in a vodka cocktail!!! My favorite! So well deserved!!  

4.       Don’t buy single use paper and plastic plates. Have a raffle, make cleaning up fun!

5.       Try the GUEST-IMATOR dinner party calculator at savethefood.com to estimate how much food you will need.

6.       Share and be Thankful!  

PS:  How much bread do you throw out? Have you ever even tried to estimate it? I have not, but it certainly will be an exercise I will attempt and share at another time. According to savethefood.com a typical family of four in America loses about $1,500 a year on wasted food.