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Friday, June 29, 2012

As I Suspected: ACA Upheld

While, I have to admit I am a little shocked Justice Roberts didn't just knock it all down, I'm not at all surprised at the judicial logic applied to the law.  I figured the law would in fact, pass muster, just didn't think it'd be Roberts that upheld it.

What confused me with the case, was the defense used:  It is an exercise of the commerce clause.  I knew that it had naught to do with the commerce clause.  I was wondering why the council was dancing around the question of it being a tax or not.  It was clearly a tax, akin to many other taxes already present.  You pay more in income taxes if you don't get health insurance, much like you pay more in income taxes if you don't buy a home, or don't buy EnergyStar Certified Appliances.  Taxes used to encourage or discourage behavior occurs all the time, and has many precedents.

However, I also knew that when the constitutionality of a law if brought to the SCOTUS, they examine if it meets any of the authorities granted to the government, and if it violates any of the protections.  The good thing about our SCOTUS is they don't toss out a law, just because a lawyer is an idiot and uses the wrong argument.

So, I was not at all surprised that the courts chose to uphold it on the basis of it being under the power of taxation.

Now, progressives are pretty giddy right now, as they should be.  Conservatives?  They're still spinning in the wind, trying to figure out the marching orders.

Limbaugh started down the "brown shirts got to Roberts" bit.  It's gaining a little bit of traction, as I've seen three other outlets using that line.  He also started the "largest tax increase in the world" lie, which is gaining more traction.  Even Mike Madigan's crew has picked it up.

So, I've got some catching up to do, to see where they'll fly with this.  Which means I have to endure another day listening to Rush Limbaugh to prep me for the direction they're going in.  He was kind of blindsided yesterday, since his show started an hour after the ruling was given.  Not much analysis done yet, so I figure he'll have a much more concrete direction today.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Fast And Furious: The new Monica Lewinsky Scandal?

So, this investigation by Darrell Issa into "Operation Fast and Furious" is all over the news as of late.  Holder is up for a contempt charge (Hell, who doesn't hold congress in contempt right now), and these hearings are stretching into 4 months or so now.

And, if you believe most of the stories, this is a plan, wholly thought up by Holder and Obama, to gut the second amendment, and then lying about it, and covering it up to the American public, via "Executive Privilege".

The reality, is (for better or worse), far less dramatic.

What we have here, is an operation that has been going on since 2006, called "Project Gunrunner".  Guns were funneled from the US into the hands of cartels, with the notion of,"Don't worry!  We'll trace them!"

Multiple instances since 2006 of funneling guns across the border occurred, and it started under GW Bush, and was continued by Obama.

Was the entire project a failure?  Of course.  Should we have been funneling guns to cartels?  Hell no.  Is it "All Obama's fault"?  Not really.  It's his fault the operation continued, and he should have killed it once he found out.  Is it a nefarious plan to ban guns in the US?  No.  Obama was the first president in 30 years to relax gun laws.

So, Holder is being held in contempt of congress.  The GOP is gunning for blood.  Does any of this sound familiar?  It should.  The same thing happened in Clinton's administration.  The GOP was more interested in a witch hunt than actually doing something.  They're not gunning for justice, they're gunning for the failure of the president.

The only way Issa could convince me that his goals are not politically motivated, but rather just looking to right a wrong is to start investigating the Bush administration as well.  Because they are just as culpable in this as the new administration.  Then it might demonstrate they are looking for more than just blood.

But, if history is any teacher, this whole thing will just blow up in the GOP's face.  As Lewis Black put it:

When Bill Clinton got into his mess, pretty much every American wanted Bill Clinton punished. They didn't want him impeached, but they wanted something like a spanking or something. So they turned to the Republicans and said, 'Come on! Get the little prick!' And the Republicans took out their guns, got him in their sights, turned the guns around (points gun at his head), and went 'BAM!'
I'm looking forward to it.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Capitalism for Progressives

When many people think of hard core progressives and liberals, they think of communist, anti-capitalist, atheists.  Albeit, the idiotic ones think communist-Stalinist-Maoist-atheist-Muslim-nazi-fascists.  Never mind that the last one is a big giant contradiction, so let's stick with what most people think.

In reality, you'll find that most progressives (And liberals) are generally very pro-capitalist.  I think you'd be hard pressed to find a solar installer that hates the environment; or a bio-fuel producer who loves oil subsidies.  We're just very staunch in supporting what's right (Morally, not politically), and push for fair wages.

Here in WNY, "Green jobs" have taken a bit of a back seat.  There's just not too much going on here.  We do have some bike shops, but I don't think any of them do much preaching about cycle commuting.  We have a handful of solar installers, but you never hear about them.  And, the ones we have, we don't have enough anyways.

So, leading to this, find a service/product you believe in, and start a business!  You don't need to start huge (Think Big, Start Small).  Dip your toes into it.  See how it works.  See what needs to change.  Most people dive into small business the wrong way (In my opinion at least).  Small businesses grow organically, and often times without a bank loan.  The successful ones usually also start small enough to self-fund, and then grow until a second person is hired.

Many businesses that promote liberal and progressive causes can be operated by a single person (Or, a family business).  I've got some ideas:

* Bicycle repair stand - You invest in a basic tool box, a few special tools, and common parts (Cables, tires, etc).  Set up near a park, or an are where cycle commuters frequent (Elmwood Village, Allentown, Delaware Park, etc).  You're the bicycle equivalent of AAA.

* Recyclable Pickup - You charge people to pick up their recyclable materials, and transport them to the recycling center.  On-demand pickups for local businesses, and small mom-and-pop shops.  You aid small business owners in reducing their environmental impact, and you help keep material out of the waste stream.  And, you make a few bucks doing it.   You can even start by just making the rounds on trash day, and get the items curbside.

* Low Impact Landscaper - Does your stomach turn whenever you see a person dumping petroleum based products on their yard, just to keep them green?  Offer to do the landscaping for them, using only renewable products!  Set up an onsite composting bin, and show the customer how to use it!  Now, you're promoting a low-impact technology, and keeping people's lawns green.  Show customers how to make an attractive landscape, without wasteful fields of grass.  You can even help reduce the food deserts here in Buffalo by helping people design edible gardens.  You can easily start with one or two clients, and then increase your workload.

* Waste Cooking Oil Pickup - See all the restaurants that have barrels of waste oil?  Yep, it gets picked up by someone else, and that person is paid to get it.  You can do the same, charge less, by turning it around and selling it after purification (Which you can do at home).  Or, don't charge at all for it, with the knowledge you will be reselling it.  You keep that oil from getting dumped into a landfill, and promote alternative fuels here in Western New York! Start by contracting with a single restaurant.  See if you can handle it, then scale up as needed.

By starting a business with a goal that you believe in you do more than one thing.  Hopefully, you put food on your table (A major concern).  You're also making the world a slightly better place, by promoting socially conscious causes.  And, hopefully, as you grow, you'll also be able to employ people who agree with your cause, and want to further it.  Maybe even forking off onto their own venture, thereby increasing the impact you've had.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Alt Media

Personally, I've tired of most of the media outlets in WNY.  They all generally pander to the lowest common denominator, and the status quo.  In fact, it's a primary reason I started this blog, to act as a sort of media outlet (Hey!  I cover the news sometimes).

Generally speaking, when I want to find out what is going on, I don't bother with WIVB, WGRZ, Buffalo News, etc.  I usually head over to WNYMedia, Mike Blake, Artvoice, and the Buffalo Beast (They got a new website, and it's a lot better now) and for global stuff, WikiNews.

All of them are a more democratic form of journalism, something much closer to "The Press" that our founding fathers envisioned.  Small, hyper-local rags, producing content much closer to the populace.  Not mega-media empires, where all content is the same no matter where you go.  Currently, there are 6 media organizations that control 99% of your news, and it's all uniform, throughout the country.

An example of where nation-wide coverage fails, was the housing market crash.  It was on the lips of every person in America.  Want to know something?  It barely brushed against the housing market here.  Yes, it had a little effect.  Credit was a bit tighter to get, a slight uptick on local foreclosures, and maybe a smallish dip in home values.  By and large, people in WNY would hardly have noticed, if not for the nationwide focus of the news, giving the appearance of it affecting us.

Hell, had it not been for the nationwide coverage, home prices most likely wouldn't have dipped here either.  It was all psychological, with a touch of trending affecting it.  So, for no reason other than news coverage, people here took a small hit on home values.

Then, of course, there's the lack of critical reporting on local issues, such as the credit rating of the cities here, actions by politicians at a local level, etc etc.  I don't agree with Blake about half the time, but at least he's doing critical reporting of the happenings in the county and city legislatures.

But, since the Snooze signed it's death certificate, we might as well shift to our local media outlets.  And, if you can't find one, make one.  It's not much of a money investment, just some time to research, and write your thoughts on it.  Or, contribute to your local alt rags, and their writers.

If you are adventurous:  Start a local radio station.  It's not as hard as it sounds, and can span from extremely easy to quite complicated.

It's just like shopping:  Shop local, and money stays local.  In this case, it's ideas (And sometimes money) that stay local, and go to work in the local information economy.  Heck, Artvoice thinks this might be the very thing that sparks a resurgence of local alt rags.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Biomass Fuels - Cheap and simple

Another weekend of me tinkering, enjoying some time off, and researching.

I spent the weekend looking for ideas on what to do with the stacks of paper and paper products around the home.  Some comes in via junk mail, more from the Sunday newspaper (Coupons FTW), etc etc.  Even in this paperless world, I generate a whole lot of paper.

So, I was thinking, "Hell, just use this stuff for kindling."  I don't build many fires, and I would have enough kindling to last 40 years if I had a giant fire burning constantly.

So, off to ask The Google, and without fail, The Google Answered:

Paper Briquettes.

There is a charitable foundation out there called "Legacy Foundation" which has been doing a whole lot of research into this, mainly getting inexpensive and reliable methods of manufacturing going into non-industrialized nations.  And, when people think Biomass fuels, they start thinking giant digesters, producing methane and alcohol; or they start thinking giant wood pellet machines.

However, their foot work here has netted us here at home a great process, and knowledge base.  Buying firewood just creates a market for deforestation, not to mention it just doesn't burn very cleanly due to high water content for wood (Even aged wood).

Now, I know, even the most green Progressive out there likes a fire pit, or you're looking for fuel for your wood burning stove.  Using this method, you can compress any plant material into fuel bricks.  Yard clippings, paper, leaves, sawdust, whatever.  If it burns, you can use it.

There's a couple of how to's on how to do this, but for my tinkering, I started small.  I'll let you know that I made one major mistake starting (Actually, a couple).  My first mistake was not pulping my stock, just shredding it.  It could work, but pulping it is much better.  A blender will make quick work after soaking for a few minutes.

The next mistake reared it's head when I switched from shredded paper to pulped paper:  Don't even try using flimsy plastic molds.  I tried with some giant yogurt containers I had.  Don't bother.  Grab a can of crushed pineapples from Aldi's, punch holes in the top with a nail and hammer.  Open the can, enjoy pineapples.  Now, rinse it, flip it over, punch holes in the other end, then cut the top off with a can opener.

Voila!  You have your press!  Albeit, a simple one, but it will work just to play with.  Load it with your pulp, and press it to squeeze out as much water as possible, then extrude the pellet, and leave it to dry.  With our current weather, this could take a couple of weeks.

I'll let you know in the next couple of weeks how they turned out, both the pulped and shredded ones.

Friday, June 15, 2012

More "Starting Small, and Thinking Big" - Part II

Well, I got onto a roll with the last "Start small, think big" article, so I figured I'd follow it up with some more ideas.

Today, I'll talk about going "Green".  It seems like the first thing everyone tells you to do is buy a set of solar panels, and install them in your house; or else you are just "Talking the talk".  That's some BS.

I suggest you start small here:  Separate your trash.  Don't put metal, plastic, cardboard, and corrugated paper in your trash can.  The City of Buffalo gives you a tote that is almost the same size as your garbage totes.  Use them!

And, if you are like me, you still have your blue totes.  Put the blue tote in your kitchen.  Rinse your cans and bottles, and drop them in the bin.  Emptied a cereal box?  Drop it in the blue bin.  Every couple of days, empty it into the green totes.  Don't have your blue tote anymore?  Just get another garbage can, and mark it "Recyclables".

Another small thing that a lot of people here can do is instead of driving into work every day, take the bus.  You still have a car for those nasty weather days, or days when you have to do errands; but by and large, you get into a car, drive to work, it sits all day, then you drive it back home.  You've commuted 20 miles, and burned a half gallon to a gallon in gasoline to move a single person.

Taking the bus frees up space on the roads, spends a fraction of gasoline per person, and many times, you'll be on a hybrid bus.

I've been doing this for a couple of years now.  I've saved a lot of money, and it gives me a "Good Feeling" that I'm doing my small part.  And, here's a little secret:  You can catch up on a lot of reading during that commute.  Or, catch up on movies in your Netflix Instant Queue.

The key here is start in small steps.  Don't plunk $30K down for a solar install first.  Make small steps.  Then, gradually work up to larger items.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

How to Start Small, But Think Big

Nope.  This isn't a "Get Rich Slowly" plan (Not slighting it, that is a very good website).  It's not a Motivational Speaker's class either.

But, instead, it's a way of making social change, in small steps, while keeping a larger goal in mind.

The family has decided that we want to be more socially, economically, and ecologically responsible.  We came up with a large goal(Or, Goals):


  • Produce more of our own food.
  • Spend more money locally.
  • Create less waste, and burden on the environment.
  • Be an example to others, to show it can be done.


These are very large goals, with the following "end state" being:

A small-ish urban farm, that is reducing it's utilization of utility electricity and petroleum products; while not sacrificing the fruits of technological progress (Internet, air conditioning, etc).

Basically, while we want to produce our own food and power, we don't want to live like hermits, and we don't want to have to go without the things that make life enjoyable.  We like watching movies.  I like a nice cool home.  I don't want my kids to go without Bionicles or Minecraft.  We all like computers, Facebook, Google+, and the internet in general.

So, we have our "Big Plan".  It's a huge plan, and we realized this will take years to accomplish.  And, we decided to start on this path with a huge life decision:  We decided to purchase a home.

We took our "Big Plan", and equated that to what we needed in a home.  The home could not be overly large for us, but it couldn't be a shoe box either (No, no 70 square foot home).  We figured 1500 square feet was plenty for a family of 4.

Now, to reduce reliance on petroleum.  Well, there is only one place in WNY where you can accomplish this:  City of Buffalo, proper.  Living in the first ring suburbs requires a car to get anywhere.  Even to the grocery store.  And, outside of Williamsville's Main St. corridor, and Lewiston's Downtown; there is very little, if any, possible walk-to destinations from home.  The stupid cul-de-sac --> Traffic Sewer layout in the suburbs makes pedestrian traffic damned near impossible.

What else would one need to fit the big plan?  A 1500 sq/ft home is fine, and easy enough to power using solar (Even in Buffalo), but we also needed green space.  So, we also realized we needed at least a double lot (Or, a large single lot).  Amazingly enough, there are quite a few homes on double (And, on triple lots) here in Buffalo.  If you get creative, you can also work out deals to buy a home that adjacent to an empty lot (Or several), and get them bundled.

So, we have a small-ish building, and plenty of open area to work with.  I think the open area is a key factor in "The Big Plan".  It enables being able to grow food (A double lot gives you 3000 sq ft for living, and 3000 sq ft for growing food).  The smallish home makes it quite feasible to be able to even run central air from renewable power sources such as wind and solar.  And, the additional working areas of the lot make composting (Or, vermicomposting) feasible.  Even owning a chicken or two (Up to 4 actually, within city limits).  And, with all this work, we'll be able to cut costs on groceries and transportation, while also supporting our local economy (Our home is quite near the Clinton-Bailey Farmer's Market, and not too far from the Bidwell Market).

So, our home choice fits into "Our Big Plan".  Albeit, it's not a "small thing" when buying a home, but the key here is whatever choices you make that move your life in a new direction, examine if it fits into your "Big Plan".  Want to reduce yard waste?  Start small, start composting it.  Want to reduce your grocery bill?  Start an edible garden!  All of the small moves you make add up into an ever-growing impact!

--EDIT--

As a side note, our Realtor's name is Kelli McKowan (http://www.realestatewithkelli.com/), and she is a fantastic agent who will look to put you in  a home that works for YOU, and not for her commission. Don't let her Web Page title mislead you:  She does real estate in all of WNY, not just Lancaster.  We are nothing but happy with the services she has been providing, and I can recommend her highly as a buyer's agent.  If her skills and services as a seller's agent is on par, she'd be excellent in that regard as well.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Local Produce (And More!)

When people think of a farmer's market, they think fruit and vegetables.  So did I, until my recent trip to the farmer's market at Bidwell Park in the Elmwood Village district.

There is so much more there than fruits and vegetables.  You can get rabbit, duck, chickens, eggs, flowers, fruits, vegetables, breads, honey, wine, music, and much more!

Bidwell Market is interesting, mainly due to no resellers being allowed there.  Every product you buy was made by the person who is taking the money out of your hand.  No guessing how long it took to get from farm to market:  It took as long as it took the person to drive there.

Buying local produce is one of the best things you can do for the local economy, as well as the environment.  That lettuce you eat wont require 500 miles of driving to get to your plate.  You're not funneling money from Buffalo into Houston for your food.  And, you are not feeding the corporate monster that is controlling our food supply either.

Now, one of the biggest reasons I've heard people say they don't go to the farmer's markets is because things are cheaper at a box grocery store.  Well, let me inform you:  Most things aren't.  And, if they are, it's not by all that much.  I'm talking pennies on the dollar, maybe.

That little bit extra you spend however, goes a much longer way, and does a whole lot of economic and social good.  You keep a neighbor employed, not a Wall St. banker.  You help feed a family making your food, not feeding a corporate fat cat.  And, adding to this, if you are getting EBT?  You get a 20% discount (For now, until funds exhaust).  It'll stretch your dollar more, and you'll get healthy foods!

Will you still need to go to a box grocer?  Maybe, for the odds and ends.  But, I am sure you can finish off a large portion of your shopping at Bidwell Market.  And, the more you shop there, the bigger it will get.

And, if you need a full service grocer still?  The Lexington Co-op is right down the street too :)  Eat healthy, my friend.

Friday, June 8, 2012

Why Are Laws Always Written Post-Mortem?

At least in NYS, it appears all laws get created to deal with something that already happened.  In my business, we call this "Firefighting", and the primary goal of a business is to get out in front of problems, prior to it occurring.

Now, understandably, there are somethings that you just can't expect in advance.  But, the Corisanti case illustrates something that was just plain common sense:  He walked because he said,"I didn't think I hit a person".  That's all!  So, we are working on a new law that basically says,"If you are drunk, it doesn't matter if you knew or not" (http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/local/leader-aims-to-change-law-after-case).

And, now that consumers are getting fleeced with deceptive packaging, we get a new law: http://www.newsli.com/2012/06/06/senate-passes-unit-pricing-bill/

You would figure our legislators would be a bit more pro-active in legislation, instead of just waiting for something to go to crap, and then dealing with it.  It's nonsensical, and a waste of time.

Take the Corisanti law.  Chances are, it'll never be needed again.  Or, the unit pricing law:  Since it's already a problem, the law will just cause companies to just find a new way to deceive, and make money until the law catches up.

Our legislators need to just get in front of the problems, instead of waiting to find something, and then fixing it.  No wonder we don't get anything serious done in government.  We're wasting time putting out fires.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

String of Cycling Collisions

Western New York has had a string of cycling accidents as of late.  One on the Boulevard, one on Delevan, and another in Lancaster.

The incident on the Boulevard, as well as on Delavan could have been prevented with traffic calming measures.  Both roads are entirely too car-centric, and leave no room for multi-modal transport.  The Lancaster accident was a DUI, basically.  Looks like he didn't hire Corisanti's lawyers, though.  He just fessed up, and took responsibility.  Corisanti should have taken a hint.

I know Buffalo has started work on their code to create a more pedestrian and cycle friendly but when is Amherst going to present theirs?  For a preview of what the new Buffalo Green Code is bringing to us, you can go here to look over the plans for Niagara St, between Busti and Ontario; and the city as a whole.

Portland's mayor stated that their cycling infrastructure cost them the same as a single mile of freeway.  Why are we not doing this?  I know Buffalo is pinched, budget-wise; but if we can hand Paladino 1.4 million bucks, why not $500K to accommodate multi-modal transport?

Most other major cities have a running start on Buffalo, but if we were to somehow (I know, it's a long stretch) actually put in the 100% effort on this, it can be completed in less than two years.

A big kicker to these projects:  They create tons of jobs. And, they make the roads safer for everyone, and if done correctly, even ease congestion.

It's time for Buffalo to actually do something to lead the way, and not just continuing to fall behind.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Green Building Materials

When you sit down, and start thinking about your building project, what materials come to mind?  Wood?  Concrete?  Vinyl?  Composites?

Ok.  Now, how much does structural lumber generally run?  How about concrete?  Composites?  They're fecking expensive.

Now, what if I told you, there is a building material that people will pay YOU to use?  Or, another building material that works about to $1 per foot of wall, and is a near-perfect insulator, and 100% fire proof?

"A lie!", you say?  "What is this magic material?", you say.  The answer is:  Dirt.

The US military has learned that dirt can make a shockingly durable and strong building material.  Military forces worldwide have built complex underground structures using sandbags.

They are even durable enough to be used when building DOWN (With proper bracing techniques).

Or, how about the building material that people will pay YOU to use?  Tires.  Once the tread is gone, people generally pay $5-$10 in disposal fees for the tire.  Charge people less than that, and you have a perfect building material.

Simply take the tires and stack, stake, and fill:  Voila!  You have extremely insulated, durable walls, which are surprisingly fireproof.

Both of these construction materials are either cheap, free, or you can even make some money using them.  Not to mention, dirt is one of the most amazing building materials, and it has 2 characteristics depending on mix.

If you use a heavy, clay-type mix, you get thermal mass (It holds heat, and releases it slowly).  If you use lighter, more porous materials (Like pumice), you get  a high insulation factor.  And, you get a benefit of completely free building material if you are building down, instead of up (Excavated dirt becomes the building material).

You might have to explain to the building inspector the construction techniques, so I would highly suggest fully researching the options.  Most building inspectors will become amenable once it's explained.  And, you can feel good about lowering heating and cooling bills, using a resource that doesn't cause deforestation, and even keep some stuff out of the landfill!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

The Wealthy Walk, and the Poor Rot

Well, the title of this post speaks to the attitudes of most Western New Yorkers.  They feel cheated, because Corisanti walked, because he spent millions on a defense team.  Not because he was innocent.

However, my opinion is, "You win some, you lose some."  A recent case involving a poor journalist facing a possible year in jail for filming a police officer shows that even a poor person can see justice (Partially).

Of course, this doesn't change the fact that Corisanti killed a girl because he was drunk, and driving.  And, many claim the jurors were asleep, or just not paying attention.

But, given my recent experience in court (Which is nothing like "Law and Order"), a jury is very restricted in what they can apply in a case in regards to evidence, and since our criminal system is based on a principal of "Reasonable Doubt", a jury must be 100% convinced a person is guilty.  If there is any doubt, then they can not rule "Guilty".

And, with the huge sums of money poured into the defense, they were able to create doubt.  So, we need to place blame where it needs to be:  The DA.  They failed to build a rock solid case, which should have been very easy to do; given the evidence.  And, since they failed to eliminate all doubt, Corisanti walked.

So, don't blame the jurors.  Don't blame the defense.  Blame the DA.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Letting you down

My apologies.  The past few days have been quite hectic.  However, I am working on making it up, with a double feature for Monday, and hopefully a post tomorrow!