The word 'free' and its attendant concept and meaning present an interesting definitional problem. When we say we get something for free what exactly does this mean? Most of the time the implication is that we received something beneficial without having to give up anything valuable in return. We wouldn't say we go a bruise for free (no one values bruises) or that America won the Afghanistan war for free (it cost us valuable lives). But free can be deceptive.

In a new book called free, author Chris Anderson describes different ways companies brand their products as free and the different meanings the word can take. In todays economy something may be free if you make a qualifying purchase such as 'buy one soup get the second one free.' In this situation free is being used when it would be more accurate to call the deal, 'buy one get one half off.' Another common tactic corporations use is to not charge for a product but then to require users to sit through advertisements. Hulu streams tv for free to computer users but incorporates its shows with commercials which cannot be fast forwarded through. Another example is facebook which has millions of die-hard users who rely on it every day for their social networking needs. Despite its popularity, facebook if absolutely free, but its loaded with advertistements. We are still paying for these services, not with money but with our time. The time we use to look through these advertisements is not free time. In addition, advertisement is subtle in its deployment and manipulation and may cause us to buy products we have no need for simply because we were swayed by a pretty face on a commercial.

Free products or discounted products can end up costing us more than we expected. It's a feature of human psychology that we appreciate a deal. When we think we are getting something for less than its normal price we are pleased. This causes us to buy things which are discounted which we might not have bought at all in another situation. for example, imagine the baskin robbins across the street is having a 39 cent scoop deal on ice cream which is lasting one day. Now, you have a big dinner and aren't hungry but the deal seems too good to pass up so you buy the ice cream. Was this really a 'deal?' Take another situation, you are out for drinks with people you don't really care for. The conversation is awkward and stilted. You think to be polite you should stay for a few minutes but you are looking for an excuse to make an early exit. Then, the person next to you offers to buy you a beer. Do you take it? It's free so its hard to pass up, but again its not really free. the price of the drink is that you have to stay at the bar for the time it takes to drink it. Depending on your feelings on ettiquette you might even be obliged to buy a round of drinks in return.

There's nothing wrong with being frugal but, finding a good deal is more complicated then it first appears. When making a purchase we should look at all the hidden prices that come with that product whether that price be monetary, social, caloric, or temporal.

What the fuck are we drinking????

Our culture is in love with the principle of the free lunch. Consumers want to have the enjoyment of products without experiencing the penalty. In the case of coca-cola people want the flavor and sometimes the caffeine without the calories. I find it amazing that people worry about the calories in coke and ignore its more horrible side-effects such as the amount of rot the sugar will cause on your teeth or the carcinogens which make up the flavor in the chemical stew of diet coke or coke zero.

and take a look at this newly marketed product:
The contradiction in this advertisement seems to be patently obvious. Vitamin water is supposed to be drunk in accordance with an active lifestyle. Like Gatorade it is a drink marketed to an active set of people who migh enjoy the drink before or after exercise. So why should it have zero calories? Calories are good for us, they are what our body thrives on. Fat is good for us too. If we are exercising and burning calories and fat reserves then we need some way to replace these calories. Skinny water is another aspect of the weight loss phenomenon which emphasizes cutting calories and food intake as the best way to lose weight. Personally I think that a better, easier, and healthier way to lose weight is to exercise more, eat healthier food such as vegetable and fresh fruits, and avoid processed foods or fast foods. Weight loss should be a natural product of living a healthy lifestyle, not just a goal in itself. Alright, sermon concluded...

My social life at this point is strung up and down the Western Coast of the Great US of A. Most of my friends and relatives live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. After a brief foray to the east coast I made the relatively easy decision that the left side of the country is the place for me. It's the people, the nature, and the cities that make the West Coast a prime place to live. But now I'm confronted with a problem. With my social network strung between several different states along an expansive coastline, how am I going to see everyone?

I have been disapointed with the options for travel up the coast and along the I-5 corridor. Sure there are plenty of reasonable plane fairs between these cities but for the unemployed, poor traveller, there aren't a lot of premium budget options. If you can get together a few people for a car trip then prices are reasonable but if you're driving by yourself its better just to fly.

I wish there were more car share options for travellers. Back in the day our parents simply stood by the side of the road and stuck their thumbs out for a ride. But nowadays with the unibomber, Ted Kazinsky, cocacola zero, and other social menaces it just doesn't seem prudent to leave one's life to the mercy of the road. The internet should be the new place for hitchhikers. Our parents don't trust the anonymity and openness of the web but people in our generation use their computers for everything, only turning to RL (short for real life) solutions when absolutely necessary. Instead of bumming rides on the road travellers should be able to plan their trips ahead of time by signing up to online communities and arranging trips. Everyone could offer something, whether it be a car, money for gas, or maybe conversation and companionship on a long train ride.

An online trave/rideshare community would have several benefits to traditional hitchiking. First, people could plan their trips ahead of time so that making it to granny's funeral didn't depend on the wim of big rig truckers. Secondly, the online community could fulfill multiple functions. It could be a place to arrange rideshares, exchange travel tips, dispense travel warnings, and act as a social network to keep people who met each other while travelling connected. But its most important function would be to make travelling up and down the coastal states an easier and cheaper journey. In my mind I can envision listings offering and asking for rides from Vancouver BC down to San Diego.

Right now there are a few websites that serve some of the functions I am describing. Craig's list has a rideshare option but listings are always posted at the last minute and rides usually don't cover long distances. Ridester is the most popular rideshare only website but its listings are woefully limited. couchsurfer.org is an online travel community but it is more oriented towards connecting people for cheap or free accomadations rather than for transportation. I am now putting out a call to all techno nerds: let's make this website for the mutual benefit of all!