THE WATER MILL

Introducing the best home appliance since the microwave:

The system draws in moist, outside air through an air filter. The moist air passes over a cooling element, condensing the moist air into water droplets. This water is then collected, passed through a specialized carbon filter and is then exposed to an ultraviolet sterilizer, eliminating bacteria.

It makes you wonder why it took so long to invent such an obvious device. Every day, we see pure H2O dripping from air conditioning units installed in cars. Why not grab some air, drop its temp to the dew point and drink that sweet nectar that results?

The WaterMill can be connected directly to your sink, an existing bottled water system, your refrigerator, or a custom dispenser.

Water is a precious resource and the earth is not making any more of it. Although it is being constantly recycled, there is a percentage of persons on earth, mostly in Africa, who do not have adequate access to potable water. Those of us without such concerns expect the water to always be there but in reality, there are so many people on earth that we are consuming fresh water at a rate higher than it can be recycled. Most of the water in fact goes towards agricultural needs, irrigating the fields that grow the world's food. A lot of what is left is utilized in industry and what is left comes out of our taps. People worry about peak oil but peak water is also on the horizon.

Our air contains 4,000 cubic miles of water. If it were a lake it would be roughly the size of the Great Lakes combined - which is the world's largest body of fresh water - and would be constantly refilled.

Water vapor is constantly replenished by Earth's natural cycle, so extracting water from the air can continue indefinitely without impacting local ecosystems.

It sounds like somebody found a new source of water. Why wait for nature to fill the aquifer if we can snatch it from the atmosphere whenever we get thirsty? Of course, the thingy won't work if the atmospheric humidity is below 40%, so it's no panacea for subsaharan Africa, but once it becomes affordable (currently $1500), I can imagine these devices becoming common suburban must-haves.

OJ TO THE SLAMMER

The acquittal didn't release his mind from the monster he became the night he slashed those two people. The jury found him innocent but his actions forever changed how he saw himself. He could have spent the rest of his life living off that retirement money that Fred Goldman couldn't get to. Meek as a lamb would have guaranteed and long and free life. But he couldn't do it. He had to strike again, because that's what he became that night and that's who he is this day.

MY FAVORITE PROCESSED FOODS OF ALL TIME

There has been much ado about the great Michael Phelps endorsing "Frosted Flakes" (They're GRRREEAAAT!). The food Nazi's would have us all eating "organic" fruit, driving electric cars, living in Yurts, and clothing our children with hand spun sack clothes. In defense of our Olympic champion's decision (I'm actually eating a giant bowl of Frosted Flakes now with banana and soy milk---sorry I'm allergic to cow's milk and Dean tells me that anything that can turn a 50 pound calf into a 500 pound cow is not something I want in my body) I shall write this entry. So in tribute to our advanced society that enables Processed foods to exist at all, I present my personal list of favorites. Now when I say favorite, I don't mean, "Oh this is good." I mean when I eat this stuff I'm like, "Ohhh, aahhhh, sweet lord, this is so insanely good."

1.The wonderful Chick-O-Stick, made in a factory somewhere in Texas, this is a regional Southern favorite. I was in withdrawal when living in Massachusetts and later Chicago and only was able to enjoy it during travel back to my homeland. It is something like a butter-finger without the chocolate and with a bit of coconut. Delicious.

2. Funyuns, have no real Onion in them (except for Onion powder) this is Cindy's favorite too. They are horribly addictive and I've never been able to stop at just one. They are salty and tangy and oh so good.

3.The Atomic Fire-ball. This one is the fotter of many a mythic moment from my childhood. I remember a lot of rumors going around. One kid said they called it "Atomic" because it was made from real atoms and likely radioactive. Another kid said that he knew of a kid, up north, who managed to fit 10 into his mouth at one time and was subsequently pronounced dead after his heart stopped from the heat. (Likely the kid was set "up North" because all the great Southern myths about buffoons usually involved a Yankee). In about 1995, I was driving into Chicago to go to class when I pulled off the road in awe. There, right by the interstate was a huge old brick building with a sign that said, "Home of the Atomic Fire Ball." I pulled off the exit to see if I could get a tour of the factory but alas, the man at the gate chuckled and smiled and said, "Son we don't give tours here." I didn't even get a sample, but I'll never forget the day I almost got to see how they were made.

4. Circus peanuts, oh circus peanuts. I had a very bad experience with you once. I loved you dearly, but my oh my. And that's all I can say about that.

5. Whitman Samplers was my Grandparent Saunders' favorite. My Grandfather Bartow used to buy these for my Grandmother when they were "courting" back in the 1930's. He was rather poor and this was a real treat back then. Every year then after, for over 60 years on their anniversary he would buy her this box of chocolates. We would all share them. I never could quite figure out where the good ones were and where the "weird" ones were, but it was always a surprise. I guess Forrest Gump was right.

6. Hershey's Kisses have always been my favorite. My Grandmother McWaters would keep a bowl of these in her living room and dole them out in exchange for Grandchild kisses. It was a fair trade and we were happy with the barter. I liked them because you could hide a few in your pocket just before church and they would be nice and soft by the time the preacher started. It made church more bearable. But if wasn't careful and accidentally got some of the tin-foil wrapper in my mouth and bit down, the electrical charge caused by hitting my fillings would send a shiver down my spine.

7. Fruit Striped Gum (with the Zebra). This is hard to find now. It was a favorite of my Uncle Dwight and we would chew it in church or when working in my Grandfather's garden. Delicious. The flavor was intense for about 30 seconds then would wear out after about 2 minutes.

8. Coke products. I love Coca Cola, I even loved the movie the "Coca Cola Kid" about Coca Cola and a love triangle with a crazy old man in Australia. Coke, it the greatest. It even has it's own myths. I enjoyed all Coke products as a kid and love it even more now as an adult. Now, I take Coke Zero, a dash of Vanilla, and 2 ozs of Knob Creek Bourbon, mix and sip. That is a satisfying drink.

9. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized that "Icee" was a brand name. I thought it was the name for a type of drink. My Dad was/is very impulsive (usually in a good way) and would often yell to my brother and I, "Hey boys let's go get an Icee." We would go down to the Tom Thumb and get one. They were so good and satisfying on hot Florida Summer days. On our trip to Yellowstone, my Dad admitted to me, "Sometimes even now, I'll get an Icee at the store and think about you boys when you were kids." I smiled and nearly choked up and admitted I did the same and thought about him. I have a good Dad.

As a side note, Dude once chastised me for eating too much processed food at the Movie theater after enjoying a huge buffet at the, now defunct, Morrison's Restaurant. So I humbly dedicate this blog entry to Dude. After writing this blog, I now perhaps know what he meant about "careful observation."

THE RICH LIST

Find out where you rank in the world by simply entering your annual income.

If nothing else it should demonstrate that Americans should stop wining about the "horrible" economy.