Making Ripples: post-corporate adventures in Floyd County Virginia

YOUR VOIP PHONES CAN BE LISTED IN THE CITIZENS TELEPHONE DIRECTORY

This is a great deal for a growing number of Internet Phone users.

If you have switched from a traditional landline telephone to one of the new Internet telephones (VOIP), you can still have your telephone number listed in the Citizens 2010 Telephone Directory.

Some of you may say, "Are you crazy? Why would I want to have a listed number?"

Those of you who have friends and potential customers trying to reach you probably know the value of being listed in the Telephone Directory White Pages and Yellow pages. You also know how much money you save using a VOIP telephone.

When I discontinued my land line phones and went to VOIP last year, I talked to Steve Mack of the Citizens Directory and discovered that I could have my new VOIP home phone listed in the Citizens Telephone Directory just as if it were a regular telephone and the listing cost me only $35 a year! Since my VOIP phone with unlimited calling cost only $24.95 a month plus tax,etc. this was just what I needed.

Steve called me today to renew my listing and I asked if this was open to everyone in the Citizens area or was I getting a special break. He said that it was open to those who wanted it and the only hitch was that the 2010 telephone book signups are closing as of February 5th.

If you want to be listed in the Citizens Telephone Directory and you are not now in there, call Steve Mack at 540-556-5003 to add personal and business VOIP listings to the new 2010 telephone directory for area codes 540 and 276. Business listings cost more than personal listings but I find them both to be reasonable.

I get nothing from this referral except a great sense of satisfaction sharing a real bargain for the small business owner.

I think the same opportunity must exist in other areas. Contact the people who publish your telephone directory, not your phone company.

A simple and elegant solution to our kitchen faucet problem

After spending another two hours working on our sophisticated single handle kitchen faucet, I threw in the towel and bought this simpler and far more reliable alternative solution.

It took me only an hour and five minutes to install this faucet and that included rounding up tools and a caulking gun.

I had spent more then 10 hours trying to repair the old faucet including time on the phone with two suppliers. During that time, I tied up other people for another hour at least. The product complexity cost us all more than we expected. Furthermore, there were at least three different variations on the old product and each required different parts to repair them. I don't think I had the right parts I needed.

This was a clear case where product complexity produced a great looking product (Moen 7430) that was costly and difficult to repair.

The new two handled faucet(Peerless P999575-SS)has a side spray and has smooth acting ceramic valves and cost less than half what the single handled faucet did. It has nine parts compared to the 26 parts of the single handle faucet.

Most importantly, each of the operating parts performs a single function: Each faucet operates independently and controls the flow of water. The spout directs water and has no interaction with any of the other parts of the faucet. The side sprayer sprays water with no fancy diverter logic. Any one piece can fail without requiring the replacement of other pieces and this is typical of high reliability design.

Any design in which mechanisms perform multiple functions is promoting novelty over reliability. This is fine for products with a short life, but a real pain when applied to products that have to be repaired many times over their useful life. Simplify your life with appliances and household products designed for reliability

Thanks to Zack and to Glenn for suggesting a switch to a simpler model.

Business and Art make a good mix in Floyd

(This was originally written for the Floyd Press and appeared in the Thursday, September 24 issue.)

A number of local Floyd VA businesses display art by local artists on their walls. Are they just being public spirited or have they discovered a way to harness artistic talent for the benefit of their customers? It appears that their generosity is paying off in unexpected ways.

According to the business owners who display local art, it started with their desire to support local artists but it has become a vital benefit for their customers and staff as well.

These enlightened business include restaurants, financial advisors, health care professionals, and coffee shops which have adopted a business model where they provide free display space for local art and accept payment for art on behalf of the artists. They do not charge a commission for this service and the artists are responsible for recording the sale and paying taxes.

One of the recent additions to the ranks of art-supporting businesses is the Avellar, Stone, & Houston Financial Group whose offices are shown in the picture above. They have made almost a hundred feet of wall space available for displaying the work of local artists. The display space will include their lobby, the main hallways and their conference room. Currently, art has been hung in the lobby and one hallway with more to be hung in the coming week.

Gary Stone, Brecc Avellar and John Paul Houston (shown in the picture above) are enthusiastic supporters of local artists and invite visitors and tourists to come in and view the art on display. They are also planning to join the ranks of businesses that are open to visitors on First Fridays.

Floyd businesses have been supporting artists in this way for many years. The Barter Clinic, The Blackwater Loft, Oddfellas Cantina, Cafe del Sol, and Tuggles Gap Restaurant are among those that exhibit different local artists every month.

Customers make a point of looking at the art on display and often provide feedback on how much the art contributes to their enjoyment of doing business in such pleasant surroundings. Employees in several businesses mentioned their enjoyment of the artwork as well.

Employees of one business confided that customers are so used to seeing art that they will actually complain when there is no art on display. Fortunately this occurs only during the brief intervals between exhibits.

This continuing cooperation of business and artists has a positive effect on the viability of Floyd as a destination for potential settlers and cultural tourists. A town with one art gallery is not as desirable for a weekend visit as a town with multiple galleries and showplaces for local artists.

Art in Floyd is an integral part of local community life, not just a commodity that is sold only in our fine gift shops and galleries. People visiting Floyd get an unusual opportunity to immerse themselves in the local art and music community. It leaves them with a lasting and favorable impression.

Floyd's galleries also support local artists and have become a significant tourist attraction. The best known are the Bell Gallery and Garden, the art galleries at The Station on Locust, Over the Moon Gallery, Jeanie O'Neill's Gallery and the Jacksonville Center.

Whether you visit Floyd's art galleries or patronize the businesses which support local artists, you will have a chance to see the latest works by a growing number of local artists.

Sarah Palin writes about true Health Care Reform

Sarah Palin has written another note on her FaceBook page and I think she speaks for a lot of us.

She writes:

"We need to address a REAL bipartisan reform proposition that will have REAL impacts on costs and quality of patient care".

Many of us see a need for real health care reform and our opposition to the Administration's HR3200 is not based on resistance to reforming health care. It is based on our view that this bill is not about improving health care and saving money.

A growing number of voters view this bill as a pork-filled spending fest with overtones of Orwell's 1984 and realize, after reading portions of it, that it is not about reform and does not cut costs.

In my opinion the current Health Care bill is a giant step towards total control of the public. I think we can do better if we insist on a thorough airing of the issues involved. If we allow another rush to enact like the ill-fated Stimulus bill, we deserve the hardships we will inherit.

Read Sarah Palin's article and let us know your thoughts.

Concerning the "Death Panels" in H.R. 3200

Sarah Palin has written a detailed response to Obama's fervent denial that the mandatory end of life counseling in H.R.3200 is nothing like a "Death Panel".

Her article on Facebook is titled, Concerning the "Death Panels" and it contains exact references for her statements.

One of the things that shows me how hollow Pelosi's and Obama's promises are is the fact neither ever quotes page reference for the positions they are taking. It may be that neither of them has read the entire bill and are relying on the words of others, but I think their denials are intentionally evasive.

To me, the strongest indication of devious intent by the bills supporters has been the voting down of amendments that would specifically prohibit rationing of heath care or would deny free health care to illegal immigrants. Amendments that would have clarified the intent of this bill have been voted down on party lines.

Confusing language is not a "bug" in this bill, it is a feature. If the law is "silent" (meaning non-specific) the general practice is to continue prior practice or let judges decide. If we have a 1000 plus page bill that is confusing, there is a very good reason for it being written that way.

I have set myself the target of reading this bill and it's amendments so I can get a more comprehensive view of what is actually being proposed. Secondhand viewpoints, even from trusted writers, reflects their reality and is not necessarily true.

Feel free to take my views with a grain of salt as they are not true for you unless you have verified the facts yourself.

Think you could donate one of your old digital cameras to a local charity?

The wonderfully dedicated couple who run Portable Produce out of their Wildfire Pottery Shop need a working camera to replace the one that just died. If you have a digital camera that you are no longer using, consider giving it to Portable Produce.

In addition to helping a lot of other people in Floyd, you may claim a charitable deduction if you wish. Call Karen Day at 540-357-5657 for the best way to get the camera to them.

Karen Day and McCabe Coolidge are two of the most giving people I know. We in Floyd, Virginia, were fortunate when they joined our community a few years ago.

They been dedicating their lives to service in far flung countries, in the inner cities and everywhere they have lived. Their actions have brightened the lives of many others even in the few short years I have known them. In that time they have personally created Portable Produce, Wonder Gardens, Healthy Snacks, and Empty Bowls, all which help the less fortunate.

They set a splendid example of how artists/entrepreneurs can find time to help others while struggling to make a living themselves. These two are the real thing and they attract support from like-minded individuals all over Floyd who donate produce, food and time to share with those in the county who are not so fortunate.

For details on the many programs they create and support visit http://plentylocal.org/home.html

If you don't have a camera to donate, you might want to donate time or food or other forms of support. Call Karen and see what they need.

Teaching Children to Hate

Of all the things that a culture can do, the most self-destructive is to teach children to hate. I was reminded of this when I reread an essay I wrote several years ago.

Teaching children to hate is almost the ultimate evil. It spreads the sickness of racial and cultural bigotry by replacing a child's natural curiosity with fear. 

There is a song by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young which contains these prophetic words:

Teach your children well...
And feed them on your dreams,
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.

In 2000, nine years ago, Palestinian kids were being taught to hate and kill Jews through 'Sesame Street'-type TV shows. I understand that this practice is still going on.

When I first read about this, I felt the Palestinians were setting themselves up for disaster. It is like raising a nation of "Jack the Rippers" and thinking they will be loyal and obedient citizens who will create a bright future.  The events of the last nine years have not showed this to be a successful activity.

Hitler did it in a nation stunned and apathetic after WWI. He also created the SS, one of the most despised organizations in the world at the time. Like Ozymandias, only rubble remains of Hitler's dreams.

Teaching hate is not unique to any nation. There are too many examples in the good old USA for us to point fingers at any other country. What we can do as a vast community of bloggers is to cast light into the dark corners where this despicable practice is being performed.

In today's world of weblogs, such evil deeds are impossible to hide for very long. Exposing them to public view is a first step toward bringing sanity to troubled areas that are self-destructing.

If you are in doubt about the destructiveness of teaching children to hate, take a good look at the cultures where this is being done and see whether the culture is succeeding or declining.

On the home front, you might give your kids a hug and teach them how to recognize good people.

It's a start anyway.

Teach your children well...
And feed them on your dreams,
The one they picks, the one you'll know by.

The Tea Party Phenomenon

The Tea Party I attended had folks from every walk of life but it seemed that they had a lot more in common than they expected. They all had experienced frustration in trying to communicate about their concerns and they hadn't expected to find so many people who were in the same situation.

Most people found out about the Rocky Mount event on the Internet, others through emails. I was not planning to attend because I am not much of a joiner, but I felt that there was something here that I needed to know about and experience directly.

I found a lot of people very much like myself. They seemed to be self-motivated, concerned about their families, and willing to work hard to achieve a better life. Many were self-employed although a large number were old enough to be on Social Security.

This was not a networking event with people looking for contacts and swapping business cards. The people were cautiously friendly as most had never been to this kind of protest event before.

There was no shouting and reckless behavior, more of a continuing surprise as we all discovered that we were a community of like-minded souls who wanted positive change that we could believe in, not empty promises and double-talk.

Tea Parties are self-structuring social organizations of indeterminate lifespan and relatively incoherent purposes. I believe that this is about to change and the Tea Parties will evolve into a serious effort to wrest back control of government from those in both parties who are abusing public trust. They have already morphed from generalized protest meetings toward more specifically targeted activities.

They have already stepped up their self-organizing to deal with attempts by Progressives to disrupt things. The attacks by left-leaning media have helped shape and toughen up the Tea Party efforts. Read any of the Tea Party websites and you will see warnings about signing petitions and how to deal with disruptive activities and biased reporters.

When people attend one of these Tea Parties and then see what the media has reported about the event, the media spin becomes evident and people are turning to the Internet for news they can use.

I think we will see various individuals and groups attempt to get out in front of the Tea Parties and claim that they are leading them. I do not think that will fly. Anyone who hopes to contribute to the Tea Party movement is going to have to participate in events and really learn what people are upset about and what can be done to improve conditions.

Tea Party leadership will grow out of successful actions by charismatic figures who can lead. I do not see this movement giving much credence to high level political figures who hope to hop on the Tea Party train as it picks up speed.

The birth of the Tea Party movement may have been triggered by CNBC's Rick Santelli calling for a "Chicago Tea Party" back in February, but the movement's continued existence is due to the recognition by many people that serious mistakes are being made by elected officials who are not being responsive to the voters who elected them.

People who thought they were the only ones noticing the insane behavior of elected officials suddenly found out that they were not alone. They gathered with hundreds of other citizens in their own area and found reassurance that others recognized corrupt and incomprehensible actions in the Federal Government.

They shared experiences and found that many others agreeing that our leftward lurch toward Socialism is not good for children or businesses or our future existence.

When you think that you are the only one refusing to drink the poisoned Kool-Aid, life becomes pretty hopeless. When you find out that others have avoided the Kool-Aid too, you find that there is a real hope that things just might get better.

I think we are just in the beginning of a change in political activity at the grassroots level. As people get used to using emails and Twitter to communicate about Tea Parties, the pace will pick up and the Tea Party movement will really begin to have an impact on our elected officials.

The first step was to recognize that we are a group with some common interests. The next step will be to align our interests in a way that maximizes our chances of impinging on society and our elected officials.

There will be a lot more steps following these and resistance from elected officials and opposition groups will only solidify the resolve of the Tea Party patriots. Efforts to dismiss or radicalize Tea Party protests will backfire and may cost incumbents seats in the next election. I do not feel that the Tea Party movement will go away. It has already gone viral.

The term "smart mob" is a good description of the Tea Party phenomenon.

According to Wikipedia: A smart mob is a form of self-structuring social organization through technology-mediated, intelligent emergent behavior. The concept was introduced by Howard Rheingold in his book Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution. According to Rheingold, smart mobs are an indication of the evolving communication technologies that will empower the people.

Tax Day Tea Party - Rocky Mount Virginia

I knew I had to find out for myself what these Tax Day Tea Parties were about once I saw MSM pundits and left leaning bloggers making snide comments about them.

The Liberal contingent seems to be sure that some vast conspiracy lies behind these grassroots events. Well there is sure a lot of agreement in these tea parties that the government is on the wrong path, but the spontaneity is unmistakable.

I attended the Rocky Mount, Virginia, Tax Day Tea Party this noon and came away with a feeling that other people acting independently have reached conclusions that agree with my own observations.

The crowd of more than 150 people (identified by headcount in photos) filled the area in front of the Franklin County Courthouse and were cheerfully determined to make their concerns known. They brought their dogs and their kids and everyone seemed to be having a good time exercising their right to assemble.

Perhaps that is what the MSM fears most. If ordinary people can see through the spin that old media is performing, there will be a vanishing audience for their opinions disguised as news.

I was inspired by the people who attended this tea party. They were friendly and they had come from all over to show that traditional values still exist in this part of Virginia. Most of the attitudes and signs I saw expressed conservative points of view and a feeling that both political parties are on the wrong track.

The tea party was  against big government but was not significantly oriented for or against any political party. There was one Goode supporter in the crowd and there were a few anti-Obama signs, but the message on most of the signs indicated that government is becoming Socialistic and spending is way out of control.

A major point of agreement was that government is taking over responsibilities that belong to the states, is interfering with businesses at all levels and is failing in its biggest responsibility of keeping the country safe.

The pace of the event never flagged. There were several speakers who spoke briefly and to the point and the keynote speaker was Delegate Charles D. Poindexter, of the 9th district, who spoke for only a few minutes but the issues he covered resonated strongly with those attending.

Here are a few points that got extremely strong positive responses from the crowd:

• There is too much government
• Spending is out of control
• Every generation should pay its own  debt
• The government is wasting the labor of the people under the pretense of taking care of them
• "Investment" is a new term for government spending to hide what they are doing
• This administration said "no" to drilling. We say drill, baby. drill.
• "Progressive" means an ex-liberal, perhaps a socialist
• The administration is undermining the constitution
• Defense is the number one job of the Federal Government,
• but this administration is going to gut our military

Here are some of the signs that people carried:

A well-documented election

Barack Obama's management of his campaign and the mobilization of a 501c 3 organization as a campaign arm was incredibly brilliant. His oratorical ability and his sense of theater struck a resounding chord with a great number of voting citizens. He won a well-deserved victory in the sense that he did the necessary things that resulted in his being elected. He convinced enough people that he was the solution to their problems to gain enough votes to win.

He was helped in this campaign by avidly partisan Main Stream Media figures, but this has happened in almost every Presidential election. In this election, the majority of MSM outlets did a fantastic job publicizing Barack Obama as the obvious choice while suppressing those challengers like Hillary Clinton, John McCain, etc., etc.

The MSM know they played a major role in electing Barack Obama and they are certainly savoring their victory. Charlie Gibson's fawning interview with the President-elect was right in line with his earlier interviews of Barack Obama. It was a marked contrast to his demeanor in interviews with the other candidates. But this was not unexpected.

The MSM has never been non-partisan, except in their own eyes.

The major difference in this election was that hundreds of thousands of individuals got to see the seamy underside of the political process on the Internet. Blogs and YouTube videos revealed embarrassing details about every candidate and highlighted the unfortunate bias and misinformation emanating from the MSM.

The dirty deeds and unfortunate relationships that were swept under the table as being "unimportant" will not go away as they might have in the distant pre-Internet past. The details of who did what and who benefited are still out there and will be digested and discussed for years to come.

Will these uncovered misdeeds and crimes affect the political fortunes of our elected officials, hard to say. Probably not, as Congress, the Senate, and the President-Elect will have most of their attention on creating alliances that will carry them through the coming year.

On the other hand, bloggers of the Left and of the Right and every position on the political spectrum will have ample time to uncover information and connect the dots so that a coherent picture will evolve of every incident worth discussing. The shifting positions of the candidates will be laid out on a time track for all to see and analyze. These analyzes will probably be used in an effort to predict future behavior and to anticipate weaknesses.

Efforts to obfuscate and hide data rarely work and there will be a cost to those who attempt it. Who does not know for example, that the LA Times has been sitting on a video of Barack Obama. A news organization suppressing news? How noble of them! What will that do to their bottom line? Probably more layoffs.

By the end of the first 100 days of the new presidency, there could be more well-informed citizens of every political persuasion than ever before in history. The scrutiny that will result from this access to information will cast light in more dark places than you might imagine.

Scrutiny by bloggers will continue to force MSM outlets to cover issues at the risk of being discredited. Bloggers are no more intelligent than the media types they compete with, but bloggers are resourceful and often highly motivated to expose injustices. Their alliances are clearly labeled and you can quickly see where they stand on most issues.

We will see whether the new Administration handles this challenge with style and grace or by repression of dissident voices.

We live in interesting times.