My last foray into an art store for needed supplies gave me “sticker shock!” I was in need of Turpenoid (odorless turpentine) to use as a paint thinner and brush cleaner. The price had escalated by 50% since my last purchase! I left empty-handed hoping I could find something cheaper elsewhere.
Mineral oil was my next choice, but it too had gone up in price.
The end result when mixed with paint and applied to canvas is also less than satisfying;
any suggestions?
For the last two years, I’ve been painting with acrylics to relieve
my allergy symptoms, save my lungs from toxic odors, and to keep my skin
chemical free. I also use acrylic surgical gloves while painting to protect my
skin even further.
My latest project required going back to oils for painting an image
on glass. I was also eager to use up some of my long-forgotten oils that are
beginning to harden in their metal tubes. I was overwhelmed by the fumes. First,
my eyes began to water. And even though I vented the room with a fan, the feel
of my lungs suggested that irritation was effecting my breathing as well.
As I grumbled at the price increase in Turpenoid, and ranted at the
“Environmentalists” and the cost of added regulations on our profession, I had
second thoughts as I used these toxic materials. It was too late to change to
water-based oils; I had to begin what I’d started.
In the Government’s efforts to protect us from our own stupidity
(and theirs), the cost of food is also increasing at a rapid pace because of
additional information required on labels. For example, my favorite “Smart
Balance” margarine was for sale in brand
new packaging. This is code word for increased pricing. Sure enough, they
are selling two ounces less product for the same price as two ounces more in
their older packaging.
Manufacturers are really selling us packaging. Packaging that is
more expensive than the food it contains. We as consumers continue to buy it up
pretending it will make our lives easier, happier, and cleaner ignorantly
unaware of this new “shell game.”
People who are more familiar with the land and the process of
growing things understand this better than anyone; although, many farmers are
also being scammed on the other end by being paid less money for their
products. Corporate farmers and landowners are having the last laugh because most
are subsidized by the government.
Many families would like to return to the land and grow some of
their own produce, but neighborhood restrictions sometime make that impossible.
Patio gardening is the next logical step. Growing tomatoes and squash in used
tires lined with plastic and filled with potting soil or planting in small
spaces is one option. My brother-in-law harvested zucchini, cucumbers, and
summer squash all from this method.
I hope we don’t end up like people in many socialist countries:
waiting in one long line to buy a loaf of expensive bread, and in another for
vegetables, and another for coffee, milk or tea. The only way to prevent this
scenario is to remain self sustaining and free from government intrusion and
control.
The Nanny State cannot provide us with freedom and independence.
When supplies run out, the government will not be able to fill our empty gnawing stomachs. In fact, government bureaucrats may very well become hoarders
of the goods and services produced by the few for their own selfish purposes.
