Making Ripples: post-corporate adventures in Floyd County Virginia

National Debt has increased more under Obama than under Bush

March 19, 2012 6:55 PM According to Mark Knoller of CBS News, The National Debt has now increased more during President Obama's three years and two months in office than it did during 8 years of the George W. Bush presidency.

The Debt rose $4.899 trillion during the two terms of the Bush presidency. It has now gone up $4.939 trillion since President Obama took office. The latest posting from the Bureau of Public Debt at the Treasury Department shows the National Debt now stands at $15.566 trillion. It was $10.626 trillion on President Bush's last day in office, which coincided with President Obama's first day. The National Debt also now exceeds 100% of the nation's Gross Domestic Product, the total value of goods and services.

Stupid in America

This week, Fox News ran a story by John Stossel called Stupid in America.

This graph shows what many of you have suspected all along. that the US education system is broken. The price of education has tripled in the last 40 years, but the test scores have barely changed.

You can see that the increased spending has produced no change in standardized test scores.

An abbreviated video of John Stossel's show is below. In it, he compares typical unionized schools to charter schools. You can begin to appreciate why parents do everything possible to get their kids in a charter school.

The charter schools appear to focus on quality of education while the unionized schools focus on preservation of teachers benefits.  Watch the video and see what you would prefer for your children.

Observe the excuses made by the people in the education system defending the fact that there’s no products coming out of the “standard” education system.  

One public school educator responds to Stossel's questions this way::

Stossel:“City schools are terrible because of unions like yours.”

Educator: “Our test scores are not what we (pause) choose to focus on.”

Stossel: “But how do you know if they’re learning anything?”

Educator: “I know my kids are learning when I look in their eyes.”

You might well ask yourself, "How will a possible employer be able to tell if they learned something?”

A longer version of the Stupid in America video is here.

We are invited to be the Earth Healers

I see that the Concerned Citizens Network has the solution to global warming, unemployment, and our huge deficit and it will only require a totalitarian government, presumably run by the CCN.

For those of you who are skeptics and unbelievers, the following quotes are taken verbatim from their latest letter which urges us to support their version of the 2012 Farm Bill.

The fundamental point of their ultimate solution is this:

"For the continual survival of the human race, food choice is no longer a personal preference."

How could we have overlooked that fact? We must obviously adopt a slave mentality and eat what the government tells us to eat.

Their way to attain this utopian state is unbelievably simple:

"A shift to plant-based Organic Agriculture is the quickest way to restore the health of each American and the health of our Planet."

Just in case you missed the flag they are waving, it is vegan totalitarianism:

"We urge you to help American recognize the cruel truth about the meat culture."

They want to subsidize plant-based organic agriculture, not sustainable organic farming. This isn't about making healthier people, it is all about taking control of your life and your diet. These are fascists masquerading as vegans.

Kiss those cheeseburgers goodbye if these zealots ever get their way.

Here is their letter in full:

December 6, 2011

Food Policy Determines Our Destiny

Dear Fellow Journalist David,

If you know of an important solution which could save millions of lives and the world, would you choose to keep quiet or to help to put out  the fire?

We all want a healthier nation with cleaner water, cleaner air, food free from toxic chemicals and genetic modification, and to curb the climate change crisis. With a huge financial deficit, high unemployment, food security issues, water shortage crisis, and rising health care costs, with just one single change in our food policy, we can significantly alleviate each  of the issues above and reset things back to the right track. Now is the time to do it.

The 2012 Farm Bill does not only impact to the future of United States, it also affects the welfare of people all over the world. Tell Congress to start subsidies for Organic Plant Farming. By helping farmers transition and succeed in Organic Plant Farming, United States will build a solid foundation for sustainable agriclture. It is a win win policy for the government, farmers, taxpayers, consumers and the world. This new food policy will determine our destiny.

A good practice goes a long way beyond staying with the law. We urge you to help American recognize the cruel truth about the meat culture. A shift to plant-based Organic Agriculture is the quickest way to restore the health of each American and the health of our Planet. For the continual survival of the human race, food choice is no longer a personal preference.

Join us. Sign the letter today and  share the solution.

For more information, please visit http://http://www.concernedcitizensnetwork.org/take_action/.

When you see your Government at work - remember to ask if they have warrants

Nevada Health Dept. Shuts Down Gourmet Farm Dinner– “Pour Clorox on the Food”

November 11, 2011

By Augie - cross posted from Journal of Natural Food and Health

Folks, you can’t make this stuff up; although for a moment I thought it was– like an exaggerated satire from The Onion. The health inspector arrived shortly before the guests sat down to chow down–down on the farm. The farm fresh gourmet menu was not fit for the pigs or composting and had to be sanitized with Clorox and put in the garbage. Apparently, the health department inspector is on a mission from God to protect and promote the health of the planet by preventing a potential disease pandemic–even at private dinners on farms. After all, they cut vegetables without state permission, making them a “unlicensed food processor”–among other violations.

During this fiasco, FTCLDF’s General Counsel, Gary Cox, was called and he simply suggested that they apply our fundamental constitutional right to be protected against “unlawful search and seizure.” Gary said to ask two questions.  “Do you have a search warrant?”  “Do you have an arrest warrant?” That put the fear of God into the inspector because she then ran off. Now I would have added one other statement for the inspector: “you may be subjected to personal liabilities with civil and criminal penalties for your actions in the line of public service.” That could have caused a different kind of running off.– Augie

Here is the letter from  Monte and Laura Bledsoe from Quail Hollow Farm (Source: Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund) .

October 24, 2011

Dearest Guests, (You have all become dear to us!)
What an evening we had this last Friday night!  It had all the makings of a really great novel: drama, suspense, anticipation, crisis, heroic efforts, villains and victors, resolution and a happy ending.

The evening was everything I had dreamed and hoped it would be. The weather was perfect, the farm was filled with friends and guests roaming around talking about organic, sustainable farming practices. Our young interns were teaching and sharing their passion for farming and their role in it.  (A high hope for our future!)  The pig didn’t get loose.

Our guests were excited to spend an evening together. The food was prepared exquisitely.  The long dinner table, under the direction of dear friends, was absolutely stunningly beautiful. The music was superb. The stars were bright and life was really good.

21st Century Wright Brothers are breaking new ground

The era of the personal flying machine is not here yet, but it seems a lot closer now that three guys from evolo have shown us how it can be done.They have scaled up the ubiquitous multicopter into an experimental manned flying platform. One can almost imagine the thrill of flying a domesticated version of this beast. It would be like having an airborne ATV.

Originally posted on SUAS News which has lots of news about Small Unmanned Aerial Systems.

German multicopter makes first manned flight.

1 November 2011

By Gary Mortimer of SUAS News

It had to happen, and it was almost certainly going to be in Germany. Congratulations have to goto the team at e-volo they have possibly created a new manned flight platform, the first for many years.

The platform of choice for many sUAS operators, the multicopter has been super sized to such an extent that manned flight is now possible.

 

In their own words the team from e-volo have the following to say.

Simple flight for the average person would be a dream come to reality for us. In the next few years we would like to make more of these simple to fly devices available at an affordable price. The flyability of this device, the simple and straight forward piloting making the possibility of flight available to the average person is a goal that we strive towards.

Skype and Sensibility

Perhaps there is a lesson to be learned from Estonia which wanted a transparent state when it finally escaped from Soviet socialism.  Can we imagine a country that isn't constantly intervening, nationalizing businesses, placing a bureaucracy above everything and imposing rules on people in every respect?

10/21/2011 

Estonia Lives the European Dream

By Ralf Hoppe and Jan Puhl

DPA

The Estonians, with little debt, an enthusiastic attitude toward Europe and a stoic approach to austerity measures, are a model EU nation in the midst of a crisis. They live in a digital republic defined by a business-friendly atmosphere and government transparency, an image that is attracting European expats.

When a Greek leaves a sunny country filled with olive trees, magnificent beaches and warm sea foam, when he leaves a place where summer lasts for seven months and moves to a country where he is held captive by a seemingly endless winter, it's bound to raise a few questions. Some relate to the country he has left, but his new home raises even more questions. And there is one question that affects both countries: Why is the one society driving people away, while the other draws them in?

More..       

Hope n' Change

The Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association embraces reality

I am beginning to have hope that there will be productive dialogs between those planners who would like to make great communities happen and those of us who live in communities we love and wish to retain that which is great about them.

These words from Jeryl Rose Phillips, AICP, President, APA Virginia and the following essay give me hope, even while they reveal a lack of understanding of the power of open communication on the Internet:

More and more, we as planners will be confronted with a new form of political activism that is challenging the basic premises of why we plan for communities and the value of planning.  This growing activism not only here in Virginia, but all around the country, necessitates we be informed and be rationale, not emotional, in our response to it.  The following has been prepared by our Chapter VP for Legislation & Policy at the recent encouragement of the APA Virginia Board of Directors and we hope you find it a useful resource.

Dealing with the New Activists—What Planners Should Know

The newly‐energized and politically active citizens who have begun to dominate the American political landscape over the past several years will continue to be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. It is impossible—and would be unfair—to try to paint them with a single brush, but there are some things that the planning community should be cognizant of as we move forward in this changed political landscape. At the risk of oversimplification, here are some thoughts to consider.

Who are the new activists?

To a great extent the new activists truly are new to the process. They are not old political hands and to a remarkable—and laudatory—degree, they seem to be being relatively immune to being co‐opted by existing parties or the political establishment. Indeed, “None of the Above” seems to be the favorite electoral choice of many of these new activists. This means that they are not familiar with the norms and vocabulary of the established political process and frankly find both to be problematic for what they believe are the requirements of American democracy. Thus, the folks who continue the same old vocabulary will be tarred as being of the same old politics marked by pluralism, compromise and delay in making critical decisions on issues and policy directions for which the new activists want to see a change from the status quo.

What are the issues?

Again, it would be unfair to settle on a single issue as the situation is far too complex. However, to the extent that there are three unifying issues they are the national debt, an overreaching federal government and fear of diminished property rights, each of which is viewed under the lens of the changing demographics of America. And, many are truly passionate about these things and see in them a threat to the freedom of choice and the American Dream as we have thought of it since WWII. Politics and politicians of all parties are viewed as a major part of the problem and by extension government at all levels is seen as the enemy. This has spurred a renewed interest in the concept of “states rights” and the 10th Amendment to the Constitution. Planning appears to be serving as a lightning rod for these core issues.

Preparing for winter and a down economy

It's time to tear our attention away from the antics of our unprofessional and inept administration and concentrate on preparing for a long cold winter.

  While the leader of the free world concentrates on one of the few things he does well, the rest of us are helping each other to prepare for an increasingly uncertain future.

This year I did not wait until September to order firewood and it arrived yesterday. I was not the only one who is anticipating a cold winter because the owner of Sawbrier Farms who supplied the wood said he already has ten more orders to cut and deliver and this is a month ahead of the normal schedule.

My neighbors to the south came over and helped me stack the first storage area which is on the front porch. This is usually a three week supply in the coldest weather. When it runs out, we move firewood in from from the second and third storage areas that are further away.

I have about four cords of wood on hand and will need another two cords to get through the winter. I expect that my total out of pocket expense for this winter's firewood will be about $500 which makes it very attractive compared to propane or pellets.

On the economic front, we are pursuing every avenue that offers the potential for increasing our current income and generating another revenue stream.  Things are going well in that regard and we are just one of many families in Floyd who have multiple jobs or multiple businesses. It is not easy, but we are taking control of our futures and making headway as part of a tightly connected community.

I feel that this is the wave of the future. In increasingly uncertain times with a corrupt central government, becoming more self-reliant and sharing with others who are doing the same is the only way to achieve greater peace of mind.

NRV Livability Initiative consensus process results

We have slides showing the summary results of the NRV Livability Initiative consensus process.

There was useful information collected and many of us made contacts that may open doors to worthwhile discussions. In spite of my earlier concerns, I feel that progress can be made and a plan can be developed that will not ride roughshod over property rights and destroy what we have in Floyd. However, we must participate in every discussion and make sure that our concerns are heard and are duplicated.

The continuing voicing of our concerns about communitarian efforts to collectivise land ownership and institute forced wealth sharing is being heard. The principle speaker, Kevin Byrd, even addressed these concerns in his opening speech. That does not mean that all is well, but it does mean that property rights are recognized as a rallying cry for concerned citizens.

The weak point so far is in the consensus process used to identify goals for the livability Initiative. We all provided inputs but the noise level was so high that the facilitators often did not hear all that was said and some used their own judgment on what to write down.

Another weakness of the consensus method is that our needs did not fall into a neat bell curve distribution. We were from widely disparate environments and some of the regional solutions were ludicrous when applied to Floyd. In fact, my lasting impression is that there are very few REGIONAL solutions that will fit both rural and city needs. I think that planning should incorporate both urban and rural solutions or it will be fought tooth and nail where the solutions degrade an existing and superior environment.

You should take a look at what happens when data collection is not perfect and when average solutions are proposed for vastly different areas. You will need to log in to Facebook to see these photos.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.214715185245158.50987.125693624147315&type=1

I will be posting videos of key portions of this event as soon as possible.