Dayton Daily News says "Keep Digging"

Dayton Daily News does not see any reason to change course, what goes down must go up! I do not subscribe to this Laissez faire attitude anymore than Ben and Paul. The "free market" acolytes have certainly been bailing, with your tax days, pretty hard to keep Business As Usual afloat. America deserves it's plight as there are only two soothing responses for the people - the military and the markets.

America has squandered its wealth on large, poorly built houses sprawling over farmland, while it has sent its treasure of fine young men and wealth to the deserts and the mountains. I say when you are in a hole, stop digging.

What Dayton and America has to face is "an about face" or admitting we were wrong. Can that happen? It does not seem so, we seem to be waiting for.... cue Sarah She looked in my eyes and said, 'Yes, I think I will see Jesus come back to earth in my lifetime.'"

OY VEY - Is this what America has come to? Nothing but a consolidated effort of reaching out to our enemies and reconfiguring America back to an electrified rail, with less sprawl, will allow us to avoid falling back to a third world country. The automobile and globalization are dead, so we should invest in our region and forget the worlds problem. If Jesus is coming back, he will not need any help from Sarah and John.

One storm would've been plenty this week, but now there's a financial crisis

Auto companies and manufacturers have been at the heart of U.S. economic problems in recent years. Therefore the Miami Valley has been hit particularly hard. Problems in the financial industry are not as directly focused on southwest Ohio, but they reach Ohio directly through big banks and insurance companies. The region's pre-existing condition makes it especially vulnerable.

And yet, financial analysts seem to agree that when the markets go down, they ultimately go up. Maybe that's another way the Wall Street situation and the Ohio situations intersect.

Does Anyone Admit They Are Wrong? Is it Our Achilles Heal?

The data builds, but our stubborn nature will allow us to rationalize any situation because we refuse to admit we are wrong?

The peak oil culture wars - How the World Works - Salon.com

Partisan conservatives pooh-pooh peak oil (and human-caused climate change) because they think that to concede that these challenges are real and must be confronted is to acknowledge that greed is not always good, and that free market capitalism must be restrained, or at least tinkered with substantially. Peak oil and climate change are fronts in the culture wars, and to some conservatives, watching the price of oil rise as the Arctic ice melts, it might feel like being in Germany at the close of World War II, with the Russians advancing on one front while U.S.-led forces come from the other. The propositions that cheap oil is running out and the world is getting hotter -- as a result of our own activities -- threaten a whole way of life. The very idea that dirty Gaia-worshipping hippies might be right is absolute anathema.

Do You Feel It Yet?

Is your budget impacted by Energy Costs?
Is your life not what You Thought?
While it may be New to You.
There are things you Can Do!
As All is not LOST!

Interesting Merger Study Gets Sprung During Spring Break - Cville and Washington Township to Merge?

The sky is falling as the decisions of the Township and Centerville are considering coming together, but why? The audience was worked up and it appeared that Kingseed and Young wanted it done, but it was only a meeting for a study. The study should be done, but what are the real reasons.

Presenter: Odds do not favor merger

Washington Twp. Trustee Lee Snyder said the expansion of Social Row Road is estimated at $17 million and improvements to Clyo Road are estimated at $15 to $20 million.

The study said it would cost more for police services in a merger, but it didn't calculate the full cost, said Tom Zobrist, Washington Twp. fiscal officer. To keep the city's current 1.7 ratio of officers per 1,000 residents, the merged entity would need twice as many new officers. If the city's current cost per officer is $137,166, the estimated cost for a merged department would be more than $12 million, he said. Police services cost about $2.97 million for the township and $5.76 million for the city in 2006, he said.

Centerville Mayor Mark Kingseed said a merger would help make sure revenue sources are there so residents "would not have to rely on the county for handouts. It would allow this community to be in control of its own destiny," he said. "The thing that concerns me is that the burden of property taxes is going to get worse and worse," he said. "The property tax burden is just going to crush people."

Oregon District Tonight - Excellent Art, Music and Belly Dancing

Stop down in the Oregon district and checkout the happenings at the Color of Energy. There will be Belly Dancing, music at the Paccia, Painting and maybe some handicapping for the Florida Derby. It is a beautiful night: Come on Down. Here is the Calender of Events.

The Color of Energy: A Mike Elsass Gallery

Caravan Workshops

Is This Logic Ironic To You?

I love parsing newspaper editorials and there is no better
place than Dayton Ohio to evaluate weasel wording.
Ohioans spend a great deal of their money at casinos in neighboring states, but
still retain enough hypocrisy to keep any revenue from gambling in
Ohio and the latest attempt by the Indians appears to be dead, but you have to
love rationale common sense of the DDN editorial staff in justifying a
Bush decision, which goes like this:



Because Americans drove the Shawnees out of Ohio more than a hundred years ago
and Ohioans vote, that justifies keeping the Indian Casinos out. I mean this
type of reasoning got the US
into Iraq
and allows Americans to justify killing other people for their resources. So
how about this reasoning - Iraqis, Iranians and Saudi Arabians obviously do not
understand how to use the oil wisely and the US voted; so we are justified to
drive them out and take what is rightfully ours.



Our
view: Feds get it right about Indian casinos

So long as the law allowing for Indian casinos really does
result in a significant number of Indian casinos — so long as it's not a dead
letter — there's just something commonsensical about a regulation saying that a
casino's location ought to have some connection with a tribe's residence for
the last century. Let the big decisions about gambling in Ohio be made essentially by Ohioans.

I think it is funny that Ohio,
and therefore Ohioans, is an Indian Word.

One in 10 Ohioans on Food Stamps - More Are Eligible

Do you think this is a trend we would like to continue? Ohio has made serious mistakes when it comes to putting the interests of Ohioans first. We have made policy choices that have not diversified the economy so that Ohioans can make Ohio work for them. Marching lock step to the tune of DC, NY or even Columbus has provided no value for those trying to make a living in this State.

The Columbus Dispatch : Food stamps double since '01

Nearly one in 10 Ohioans now receives food stamps, the highest number in the state's history.

Caseloads have almost doubled just since 2001, with 1.1 million residents now collecting benefits, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Low wages, unemployment and the rising cost of groceries, gasoline and other necessities are to blame for financial hardships facing many Ohio families.

Patriot Act Used To Spy On Americans - Turner Is Enabling Fascism

Another article on the rise of the American Fascist State. The contract workers that have been hired to "protect us from the Terrorist Threat" are using the Powers of the Patriot to Spy on Americans. Americans have allowed the Federal Government to take power from them through fear. We are getting the government democracy asked for, but I say tyrants at the behest of the connected without a paper, that is owned by Billionaires, that does its job, are selling America out. The evidence mounts and the people are silent.

Obama passport files violated; 2 workers at State fired; 1 rebuked - - The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

The officials, all contract workers, used their authorized computer network access to look up files within the department's consular affairs section, which processes and stores passport information, and read Mr. Obama's passport application and other records, in violation of department privacy rules, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Wall Street Killed The Unions - The Home Owner Union Returns the Favor

I have always encouraged groups with common interests to band together as a negotiating tactic. Be careful of what I ask for. Greedy CEOs have used chronic marketing of credit to allow rabid resource consumption to achieve instant gratification has finally reached its melt down phase. You may not believe in global warming, but one can bet if this trend becomes a tidal wave, then the whole system comes down. True or False?

The Housing Bubble Blog

The San Francisco Chronicle reports from California. “Foreclosure used to be a last resort, something that hard-pressed homeowners would scrimp and plead to avoid. But some are deliberately choosing foreclosure as an early option. ‘It’s throwing good money away after bad’ to pay an escalating mortgage on a home that’s plunging in value, said Army Sgt. 1st Class Nicklaus Skaggs of Vacaville. He and his wife, Tishara, stopped paying their mortgage in February.”

“They have no regrets about their decision. ‘I feel like the pressure has lifted off my shoulders; before I was trapped,’ said Nicklaus Skaggs. ‘In the long run, I think this is the best financial solution. I have to do what’s right for my family. I don’t care if someone judges me. I certainly wouldn’t put my family in a position to lose $150,000 if I can help it.’”

“A Discovery Bay man who asked not to be identified said he is ‘upside down’ on his house by about $260,000. Instead of bemoaning the situation, he plans to capitalize on it.”

Gas Prices Got You Down! – You Voted For It

The political class, the ones that can afford high gas prices; have helped bring on this mess, by not planning for the future, and you voted for it. They have continually voted to expand roads and build houses, while at the same time exterminating the small business owner or entrepreneur through onerous requirements and short sighted thinking. They still remain in charge while this crisis is unfolding. If you think they have done a good job, then I will pray that a miracle will occur for you and your family.

Me, I will encourage all that I can to grow their own food, buy a bicycle and keep their own chickens. It is time for the people to understand that world that we thought we could build, on cheap energy, is no longer affordable. It is time to convert lawns into gardens, roof tops into solar panels and GM’s Moraine Plant into a solar panel manufacturing plant.



Gas prices skyrocket to $3.45 a gallon in the Miami Valley

"And heaven forbid we have any problems with refining or delivery," Keyton said. "Combine that kind of problem with high crude prices and a weak dollar, and prices could get a lot worse."

Prices have already passed the $4 mark at many stations nationwide. But Tom Kloza, publisher of the Oil Price Information Service, thinks slower demand growth will prevent the national average from rising that high. Rising fuel prices affect much more than what we pay at the pump. They also affect the cost of business and government.

Dan Teaford, operations director of Boomerang Trucking Inc., said the Riverside-based company is paying $3.81 per gallon for diesel fuel these days compared to $2.20 a year ago. The company, which has 15 trucks used to deliver goods to five states, must pass the rising costs of fuel on to customers.

DaytonOS - Will it Suffer the Fate of Cassandra?

I want people to understand that I care so deeply for the world and its people, I do not want to see suffering. I have been trying to avoid it all my life. It has done me absolutely NO GOOD professionally or personally to talk about or discuss the issues that impact society. What happened to the appreciation of scientific truth? I guess the Catholic Church was replaced by the US Government.
The Oil Drum: Europe | Cassandra's curse: how "The Limits to Growth" was demonized

Prophets of doom, nowadays, are not stoned to death, at least not usually. Demolishing ideas that we don't like is done in a rather subtler manner. The success of the smear campaign against the Limits To Growth ideas shows the power of propaganda and of urban legends in shaping the public perception of the world, exploiting our innate tendency of rejecting bad news. Because of these tendencies, the world has chosen to ignore the warning of impending collapse that came from the LTG study. In so doing, we have lost more than 30 years. Now, there are signs that we may be starting to heed the warning, but it may be too late and we may still be doing too little. Cassandra's curse may still be upon us.

Bill McKibben Takes A Positive Approach

Bill helps describe what Bush should have said to defeat the enemy in the Middle East. He did not and we are further behind. Tony did not do it and neither did Turner.

First, Step Up :: Bill McKibben

We need to conserve energy. That’s the cheapest way to reduce carbon. Screw in the energy-saving lightbulbs, but that’s just the start. You have to blow in the new insulation—blow it in so thick that you can heat your home with a birthday candle. You have to plug in the new appliances—not the flat-screen TV, which uses way more power than the old set, but the new water-saving front-loading washer. And once you’ve got it plugged in, turn the dial so that you’re using cold water. The dryer? You don’t need a dryer—that’s the sun’s job.

We need to generate the power we use cleanly. Wind is the fastest growing source of electricity generation around the world—but it needs to grow much faster still. Solar panels are increasingly common—especially in Japan and Germany, which are richer in political will than they are in sunshine. Much of the technology is now available; we need innovation in financing and subsidizing more than we do in generating technology.

We need to change our habits—really, we need to change our sense of what we want from the world. Do we want enormous homes and enormous cars, all to ourselves? If we do, then we can’t deal with global warming. Do we want to keep eating food that travels 1,500 miles to reach our lips? Or can we take the bus or ride a bike to the farmers’ market? Does that sound romantic to you? Farmers’ markets are the fastest growing part of the American food economy; their heaviest users may be urban-dwelling immigrants, recently enough arrived from the rest of the world that they can remember what actual food tastes like. Which leads to the next necessity:

We need to stop insisting that we’ve figured out the best way on Earth to live. For one thing, if it’s wrecking the Earth then it’s probably not all that great. But even by measures of life satisfaction and happiness, the Europeans have us beat—and they manage it on half the energy use per capita. We need to be pointing the Indians and the Chinese hard in the direction of London, not Los Angeles; Barcelona, not Boston.

Bill McKibben Takes A Positive Approach II

Bill helps describe what Bush should have said to defeat the enemy in the Middle East. He did not and we are further behind. Tony did not do it and neither did Turner.

First, Step Up :: Bill McKibben

We need to conserve energy. That’s the cheapest way to reduce carbon. Screw in the energy-saving lightbulbs, but that’s just the start. You have to blow in the new insulation—blow it in so thick that you can heat your home with a birthday candle. You have to plug in the new appliances—not the flat-screen TV, which uses way more power than the old set, but the new water-saving front-loading washer. And once you’ve got it plugged in, turn the dial so that you’re using cold water. The dryer? You don’t need a dryer—that’s the sun’s job.

We need to generate the power we use cleanly. Wind is the fastest growing source of electricity generation around the world—but it needs to grow much faster still. Solar panels are increasingly common—especially in Japan and Germany, which are richer in political will than they are in sunshine. Much of the technology is now available; we need innovation in financing and subsidizing more than we do in generating technology.

We need to change our habits—really, we need to change our sense of what we want from the world. Do we want enormous homes and enormous cars, all to ourselves? If we do, then we can’t deal with global warming. Do we want to keep eating food that travels 1,500 miles to reach our lips? Or can we take the bus or ride a bike to the farmers’ market? Does that sound romantic to you? Farmers’ markets are the fastest growing part of the American food economy; their heaviest users may be urban-dwelling immigrants, recently enough arrived from the rest of the world that they can remember what actual food tastes like. Which leads to the next necessity:

We need to stop insisting that we’ve figured out the best way on Earth to live. For one thing, if it’s wrecking the Earth then it’s probably not all that great. But even by measures of life satisfaction and happiness, the Europeans have us beat—and they manage it on half the energy use per capita. We need to be pointing the Indians and the Chinese hard in the direction of London, not Los Angeles; Barcelona, not Boston.

Jim Connects the Dots - Approach One

Jim describes the problem facing the new President. It is a potentially positive outcome.

Clusterfuck Nation by Jim Kunstler : Campaign Blues

The president-elect will quickly realize that the number one problem is not that Americans can't afford health care -- it's that they can't afford anything, because their income is evaporating in terms of both lost jobs and a dollar that is racing toward worthlessness. They'll be hard put to pay for food and gasoline, nevermind Grandma's emphysema treatments. They will be walking away from home ownership -- or yanked kicking and screaming by default-and-repo -- and any government scheme devised to abridge their mortgage contracts will only undermine basic contract law that has made mortgage lending a credible thing in the first place. And that too, of course, would redound straight to a real estate sector already in price free-fall, with no one willing or able to think about buying a house.

If You Do Not Understand The Implications - Then Do the World a Favor - Die

I know that the people of Dayton will not take the time to read this post as the business of life is very time consuming and keeping up with Barak or Brittney is paramount, but if we do not stop the current trajectory, then the future is bleaker than you think.

The Oil Drum: Europe | Olduvai revisited 2008

Getting politicians, policy makers, leading academics and decision makers to grasp these issues has to be a major priority. The fact that this work is being conducted in the twilight world of The Oil Drum is really astounding. Although I am really encouraged by the number of senior academics who contribute to the work presented here. This twilight world will one day very soon be the mainstream. I would like everyone to note the absolute importance that energy efficiency plays in the path away from Olduvai. Without that we are screwed - TOTALLY. Every action and policy we implement from now on must be based on the premise of energy efficiency - both consumption and production.

Food Prices Set To Soar - Dayton Planted Houses Instead

Tony Hall embraced Monsanto to aid in feeding the world and Turner embraces McCain, but neither one of them talk about a policy to increase food production for the Miami Valley. Instead we built houses and roads over our best farmland. This process needed to stop years ago, but it has not. The City of Kettering had the chance to allow it's citizens to defray rising prices by keeping chickens, it did not. Everywhere one turns in Dayton, people are making decisions based on the wrong paradigm. The perception that globalism will provide our basic needs. It is a false perception and our leadership are not taking the changes seriously. The longer the denial goes on, the worse it will get.

Idea - Instead of having a landscaper come to your house to cut grass and plant ornamentals; have them plant a garden and tend it. Catch the wave that will save money and provide high quality food items for your family. The 1930s are returning, like it or not.

The World's Growing Food-Price Crisis - TIME

Soaring prices of staples — which have risen about 75% since 2005, driven by growing demand, rising oil prices and the effects of global warming — have sparked riots in several countries, as people reel from sticker shock and governments scramble to feed their people. Crowds tore through three cities in the West African nation of Burkina Faso late last week, burning government buildings and looting stores; when officials tried to talk peace with one group of protesters, the enraged crowd hurled stones at them. The riots followed similar violent protests over food prices in Senegal and Mauritania earlier this year. And, last October, protesters in India burned hundreds of food-ration stores in West Bengal after stockpiles emptied, leaving thousands of people unfed.

Governments might succeed in quashing the protests, but lowering food prices could be far tougher and will likely take years, according to analysts who track global food consumption. The Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute, or IFPRI, said last December that high prices are unlikely to fall soon, partly because world food stocks are being squeezed by soaring demand.

Turner and Chabot Try To Fix A Problem They Helped Create - Be Afraid

The data is coming in and it is not pretty, home prices falling, constituents in debt, but never fear the Republicans are here. Chabot and Turner, the people who helped bring on this mess are teaming up to save us. God help us all. Instead of instituting programs that would bring about better zoning and control of overproduction of housing stock, they decide to give work to bankers and lawyers in a futile attempt to save homes that should have never been built, let alone purchased. The people who represent this area do not get out much, as this housing bubble has been brewing since 2002. We need leaders, not reactors, especially those that react poorly. The sprawl of Chabot and Turner have been poor investments.

Economy prompts GOP defections - Victoria McGrane - Politico.com

In the recent debate over a stimulus package, Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) broke ranks to push for Democrat-backed extension of unemployment insurance benefits. And, in the foreclosure bankruptcy debate, Chabot’s fellow Republican Ohio congressman, Michael Turner, recently joined him as a co-sponsor of the bill. Turner’s district includes Dayton, where the foreclosure rate is even higher than in Chabot’s Cincinnati.

Chabot, and now Turner, supports empowering bankruptcy judges to help homeowners keep their houses, an adjustment supporters say could avert as many as 600,000 foreclosures.

Hope Can Spring from Truth!

And although cynicism can creep in when we are exasperated by slow progress on one front or another, I would be hesitant to underestimate the intelligence of the people. People may become disengaged, owing to discouragement or disappointment or distraction... they may even oppose our insights and vision for the future... but I have been pleasantly surprised how resilient, how thoughtful, how resourceful, and how wise they can be when facing life's challenges or unpleasantries.

TPTB (Powers That Be) can project an image of the unwashed masses as a herd to be manipulated, but this I suspect is an illusion propagated for their own perceived advantage and pride. Reality is a much more messy beast. And they do have to ride that beast if they want to maintain the illusion of control.

If PO (Peak Oil) is a real concern, and I believe it is, then sooner or later most people will catch on and adjust accordingly. Expect resistance, nobody likes to give up what they have, and expect anger, it is often a byproduct of grief or lament over a serious loss, especially a loss of trust, but also expect creativity and hope and steadfast determination. When all hell breaks loose, when the world around them crumbles, people will behave at their worst and best.

May I suggest that if we truly want to get the message out, if we truly want to make a difference on how this will unfold, if we truly want to help people prepare, it would be prudent not to underestimate or underappreciate our neighbours. We're not as far apart as it may first appear.

And from what I am observing, the message and insights offered here are becoming better known and understood elsewhere. This, IMHO, is a hopeful sign

.Zadok the Priest

I vow to make positive relationships to mitigate the issues, while trying to inform those in power of the potential rough spots in the road.

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Stimulus to Exacerbate the Housing Bubble

I mean you really cannot make this stuff up! Investing in existing infrastructure is one thing, but continuing sprawl is going to make a bad situation worse. Building Roads does not create sustainable jobs.

AASHTO News

“The survey asked states to identify projects that could be underway within 30-90 days. Some analysts erroneously claim that states can’t act that fast. But this response demonstrates that there is a store of projects that states have had to keep on the shelf for lack of resources. Funding for these projects would be a real boost for the economy,” Horsley added. Analysts estimate that for every $1 billion invested in transportation projects, 42-thousand jobs are created.

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