the art of frugal living

I’m no stranger to economic recessions. I graduated from school during the recession of the 1980s, followed by another recession a decade later. As a young, aspiring artist with a capital A, I was the antithesis of affluence. In my circle of artists, punk rockers, anarchists, and neo-hippies, having less was cool for all the right reason: it demonstrated detachment from materialism, plus you stuck it to the Man by eschewing a consumerist lifestyle. Truth is, I didn’t need or want any of the trappings of the middle class.

Fast forward about 15 years. A few things have changed in my life, but my core value has remained the same: less is more. Whether by design or by circumstance, I’ve managed to live small, allowing me to indulge in the things that mattered most to me. To me, thrift is a responsible choice.

Over the years I’ve found my personal formula for financial happiness. This is not meant to be a recommendation or advice on personal finance, but it works for me.

› Continue reading

children’s atomic lab, circa 1950

This was the most elaborate Atomic Energy educational set ever produced, but it was only only available from 1951 to 1952. Its relatively high price for the time ($50.00) and its sophistication were the explanation Gilbert gave for the set’s short lifespan. Today, it is so highly prized by collectors that a complete set can go for more than 100 times the original price.

The set came with four types of uranium ore, a beta-alpha source (Pb-210), a pure beta source (Ru-106), a gamma source (Zn-65?), a spinthariscope, a cloud chamber with its own short-lived alpha source (Po-210), an electroscope, a geiger counter, a manual, a comic book Dagwood Splits the Atom, and a government manual Prospecting for Uranium.

Thanks to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)