Hey Everybody! :)

I just wanted to let y'all know that we're now blogging over at www.vantramps.com.. and I won't be maintaining this blog any longer.  I'll be moving a few post... and deleting the rest.  Thanks for reading and I hope you will join us at Vantramps. :)

Imagine...

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

State Department Travel Alerts

When considering travel outside of the country, the State Department has a site for travel alerts. These warnings are controversial among Vandwellers. There are many arguments such as:

The crime here is just as bad as it is there.
That country has a crime alert for traveling to this country.
I've been there and nothing happened to me.
Nothing ever happens to the masses that go there every day.

I am not a crime analyst, nor do I want to spend my time trying to be one. I could gather statistics, compare data, and try to make an informed decision...I don't want to. I don't know the answers to these questions. Unless you're a crime analyst with all of the available data and the understanding to interpret current risks and trends, you don't either.

But hey, there's good news... that is what the State Department does! They have analysts that are responsible for delivering safety information (alerts) to the general public. If you'd like to inform yourself of any current alerts in countries you may be thinking of traveling to, here is one place you'll find such information:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1766.html

At the time of this post, there is a State Department alert for seven countries (including Mexico).

Besides posting the link, I just wanted to say that it only takes once: one carjacking, one kidnapping, one beheading. Only one guy with a gun and you could be stranded in Mexico without your rig.  In the case of a Vandweller, without ... well, everything.  Now, everything you own is gone and you can't get back into this country because they have your passport. Where do you stay?  What do you do for money?  This just happened to someone from one of my internet groups, so I can tell you that in his case it will take two weeks for him to get a passport.

This post isn't meant to create fear, rather the opposite.  This post is meant to create thought.  This post is not meant for debate; this post is meant to provide information.

My New Video Store

Ever since Blockbuster took over Movielink, I've been looking for a new "Movie's on Demand" source. I wanted one without a membership and with the features I had before.

For being on the road, when you're around civilization at all, I'm not sure you can beat Redbox. $1 per movie. If you need to keep it another day, it's just another buck. You can pick your movie up at McDonald's in Port Angeles, WA and drop it off when you get to the Walmart in Carlsbad, CA. The selection of the Redbox locations is great! At Redbox online, you can find out where the movie is that you want to see, or check a particular location for available movies. You can then reserve your movie right online. If you can't tell already, I love Redbox! For a "Vandweller", Redbox is almost "movies on demand", because chances are you're next to a Redbox location. Now, let's say you're not... or you can't get back to civilization anytime soon.

I think I've found a true movies on demand source. If I want to buy a video or rent one I don't have to take back, I'd use Amazon's Movies On Demand. However, I wouldn't use this if I had to use my 3g bandwidth. Here's why I think it's great:

Let's say we're just about to leave for an extended back country boondocking trip. I want to take along a few movies. I would go to my favorite coffee shop, download the movies I want to buy (or rent), and off I go. I would watch the rented movies first, as they expire.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Redbox: http://www.redbox.com/

or

Amazon's Movies On Demand: http://tinyurl.com/ye67qfp


Here's a preview:

Twiggy No More and We Are "Expecting"

My netbook (Twiggy) has had some issues and will be replaced with a new netbook like Dexter.  Dexter is Michael's Samsung N110.  The "Starving Student" also got one for Christmas.  Dexter has been really great (although extremely smarmy about his 9.5 hours of battery life).

Here's a peek at the expected new member of the family:
Netbook

Cream Chip Beef (over toast) for the starving college student - on the cheap!

1 jar of Hormel Dried Beef (found near tuna fish and other canned meats in the grocery store)*the large size is 5oz.. you can use either the small or large jar depending on how much meat you want.

*you may also use ground beef in a pinch

1/2 sq. butter (4 Tablespoons)

1 heaping tablespoon flour

3 cups of milk

--------------

Cut the dried beef into strips.

Melt ½ square of butter in skillet. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of flour. With a spatula, blend the melted butter and flour.

Stir in 3 cups of milk. On medium heat stir the gravy until it thickens, then add dried beef and cook another 5 minutes. Yes Jay, you need to stir it *continuously* until done .

Serve over toast. Usually served with peas.

I would say this will feed two people (depends on your people) ;)