Going Green Updates-Our Solar Story.

Here we are in a new year. As many of you know we have a solar system in our home. It was installed in November 2009. We have really reaped the rewards from it. Our lifetime Watts produce to this day are:

Lifetime energy=8,560 kWh (this is from November2009 to Feburary2011)

We have reduced your carbon footprint by: 14,206 pounds of CO₂ (year to date)

Now that is equivalent to:
1. Not driving 14,068 miles in a standard car.
2. Planting 158 seedlings grown for 10 years.

As far as dollar savings. Our electric bill has been almost cut in half. Some Months are under 120.00. We haven't seen that since we moved into this home, which was in the year 1999.

Getting use to using the solar system is teaching us to look at all the electric we use in this household. After about one year, that would be November 2010, we started looking at the usage in the home. Changing out light bulbs and cutting back on the amount we waste. Our bills have been going down even lower.

In the winter there is a draw back. Mr Sun doesn't always want to shine, and the snow can cover the panels and the temps do not let the snow melt as fast. These can cause a lower amount of solar energy to be delivered. Therefore February is our lowest amount produced. February tends to be the snow month for our region. We produce about half the amount as in the summertime. Even with the winter issue, we enjoy the knowledge that we are saving on the environment as well as our pockets.

Overall we are pleased with the solar system in place. That makes us look for more solar options in other lighting out doors. Saving even more on the electric bill and enviroment.

Editorial -What is Wrong Here Folks?

Today I opened my e-mail and found a link to Brents, founder of Linkytools, post.

Titled..

Badmouthing, Criticism and Half Truths From the Competition & Free Users

by brentriggs on February 6, 2011

Now I did publish an Got Evidence post on this subject last week. One thing I did mention is that I really did enjoy using His service. If you have time read the post(the link is in the hypertext above). I do not want to quote from it, just in case someone get the wrong idea.

Brent makes good sense in his article. I really can not see why other folks cut his service down. In all my dealings with him, he has been quick to help and given out tons of free advice. I think Brent did us a great service for the free years. Now as to a paying service.

A while ago as I just starting out blogging, I really could not see paying for services. It was just a hobby and a way to meet new folks in a social network frame. Why would I pay for that? Oh yeah that was my thought back then. However in my third year in blogging, I can now see the advantage of Paying for a good service. One that will help you when a question arises. As well as have a stable social network site. Brent is that person. Now I am not saying this because I am being paid for of getting any kick backs. I read the article and started to think, just maybe folks got that wrong idea on my former post.

I am not putting down Brent for going to a paid service. I believe at some point folks need to realize, free can not stay free and work well forever. If one is to really blog and hold down a following , they will need to consider paying for a social service at some piont.

Remember when Facebook was rumored to start paying for they service? Folks went crazy. There is just something wrong with this picture. Why is it we all want everything free. If Something says FREE, Everyone Flocks to it. I might add here just to get the free thing. Now do they come but and support the business later? Statistics show only about 15% or less actually return to the business. We have grown up in a Free society and now look what we have become.

Perhaps, we aught to look at the financial mess we are in and consider helping out business online as well as in the public realm. Two dollars a month is not a bad price. Heck one spends more on a cup of coffee and it's gone in about 5 minutes and no social response or lasting relationship come from that cup. Just a full stomach til we have to buy the next cup. Think about that folks.

Brent I commend you on not allowing the Cyber-bullies dictate your business moves. I think you do a great job and wish you a lot of success. I know you will give great support to those staying and the new one joining. Maybe even to those who will be returning in the future.

Got Evidence? "MckLinky is turning to a paid service" .

Well, it has come to the end of a Free Link service I used. While visiting another link site I used I saw a message.
"MckLinky is turning to a paid service with rough terms (pay or they delete your links),......".
This surprised me.. where have I been? I didn't know anything about this! So of course I had to find out what the hype was about. Where is the evidence to this statement.

Went to my account at Mcklinky, now known as Linky Tools, to check this out. I found this message

ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGES:

*

VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE:

Linky Tools has grown to over 16,000 users and I can no longer continue to pay all the expenses out of my own pocket to keep it free as I have done for a couple of years. Ads and donations are not working. I have to go to a subscription service.

To keep your account from being DEACTIVATED on February 7th, please go here and read this notice. THIS IS A GENERAL INFORMATION NOTICE... IF YOU HAVE PAID, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.

Now I get it, Free things Must come to an end. Free is really always limited and mostly timed stamped at that.

Undecided on whether I will pay this service for continuing. Sometime ago I got frustrated with having to redirect folks to another site and then hoping that they will return to my blog to comment. This patterned I just did not like. Most folks, including me, will sometimes just move on to the next name on their list or blog in their Que.
I started looking for a link tool that would not redirect my visitors. I found one that was free to use. However every free service has a paid version that gives more tools to use. At some point one need to make that move. Free services always has Limits.

Inlinkz was one of my choices. Used it for awhile as a free service. Then later paid for the service. I wanted to use more of this service and not be limited on how much I could use. Their price is not bad it was under 20 dollars for one year. Now Mcklinky is charging 24.00 for one year. It is true He has more to offer than Inlinkz. However I had to look at the features I use and I felt that Inlinkz was a better choice for me.

I really did like Mcklinky, now called Linky Tools, Brent, the creator, has a lot of link types and hops going on. I do not think the cost is too bad. I am not a user of all the tools he has available. Therefore I am not eager to pay at this time. And the one thing that really turn me off right now is the Redirect of the Visitor to link up. I know he has some features that automatically puts the visitor back to your page. However even that is not to my liking. It takes too long to return the visitor and some time it can just timeout. There are always bugs to work out on these Link sites. Brent does a good job on staying up on these bugs. Weighting the pros and cons of the two, I still choose Inlinkz at this time.

Now, so I do not loose my links from his service, I have to export them to each of my blog post. This work needs to be done by the 21st of this month. So I will be busy deciding on the ones to export and the one to just let go. To be deleted by Brent as he deletes my account. One will still be able to link on the blogs who use his service.

If you want more information on this Move by Linky Tools here is a link for you....

The Yearly Subscriptions by LinkyTools

( this will explain it further for you)

Now if you are interested in Inlinkz, here is the link to that site.

Tuesday Tell All- When things happen

Ever have something go wrong and just can't figure out way? Well, that's what happened to me. Back in November I was trying to get someone to go on a trip with me. I really wanted to go, just not by myself. Asked so many family members and some friends. The problem was it was a fourteen day trip. Most folks work or have business that they can not in this economy afford to be gone that long. It was a trip of a lifetime for me. When I lived in Europe I was able to go to a lot of places. Rome, Venice, Prague, Budapest, Black forest, Switzerland, Paris, Amsterdam and many other places. While in Asia we visited the South seas area. Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and all over Korea. There are still a few other places I would love to visit. England, Ireland, and the Middle East area.

However when I had the opportunity to go to The Mideast, that enlighten my senses. The trip was a fourteen day trip to Egypt. Cairo, Aswen, Abu Simbel, Kitchener's Island, a Four day cruise on the Nile and many other stops. Well things happen for a reason. If I had gone on that trip I would be there now. It left on the 23rd of January. Let me tell you a secret....My Lord looks after me. I am convinced that's the reason it didn't work out. He was keeping me safe. I have been in war zones and it is not a comforting feeling.

Now all the folks that went on that trip were able to get out of Egypt and arrive safely in another country. They will be making their way back this week. Do not think they got to go on the cruise on the Nile. For I was told they were in Israel during that time frame.

Now the next trip I am looking forward to is Israel. Hope the conflict will be calmer by then.

Can you remember when thing just didn't work out and afterward you knew why?