tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41514860622658374502024-03-21T22:26:40.165-07:00Do Just The OppositeBirkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-39574942925345461422014-04-23T11:39:00.002-07:002014-04-23T11:39:18.605-07:00An Alternative to The Terrible Traditional Timber Market – April 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Terrible Traditional Timber Market – April 2014<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>The Country Today</b>,
an agricultural newspaper published in Wisconsin, printed an article by
landowner Dick Hall on April 16<sup>th</sup> - about the sad market situation
faced by every forest owner in the State.
Hall states, “If you take time to do the math, your annual cost of
production over a cutting cycle nearly always exceeds your per acre returns at
harvest time. When a farmer markets
hogs or grain he knows instantly what prices to expect. Timber prices are not available in the same
way.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Trees and logs are an agricultural commodity where the
supply always has exceeded the demand, resulting in very low market
prices. Industrial globalization of the
timber market has augmented this effect in the past few decades, producing the
lowest demand ever for Wisconsin timber and very low market prices – well below
the costs of production for a landowner.
Forest owners at best receive about 1% of the value of wood products in
the stores. All the foresters, loggers,
truckers, sawmillers, etc earn a professional and profitable wage for their
efforts, but the grower and the forests are typically taken advantage of by the
Trillion dollar per year timber industry for their short term greed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Making things worse for the forest owner are all the
government forestry programs that are supposed to help them. Hall, for the second time in two weeks also
writes about the folly of the Managed Forest Law in Wisconsin. Landowners are encouraged to enter this
property tax program by unfair high property taxes on their forest land and the
government foresters talk of “sound forest management.” It
sounds like a good thing for a landowner until they realize they must now
harvest all their “mature” trees at low market prices that don’t even begin to
cover their costs of owning and managing timber. Forest owners also find they are forced to
surrender control of their management plan, timber marking, and actual harvesting
of trees on their lands to outsider “professionals” who are there to make good
money for their work just today, leaving the landowner with a mess, damaged
lands for the future, and a pittance of income that smacks of unfairness and
abuse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This timber market is well known by landowners while the
professional foresters keep their heads in the sand hoping no one will
notice. The situation continues due to
the dominance of a few huge corporations over the market and the government
foresters and politicians, and the bottom line compromise for everyone is that “something is better than nothing”.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Foresters as a group ignore the ethics of their profession
to sustain their own paychecks. The profession
puts out prolific propaganda on the many merits of sustainable forest
management to keep the masses of forest owners quiet and in the flock of “sheeple”
until it is their time for slaughter – to feed the industrial mills.
Foresters doing harvests for landowners typically choose to sacrifice
the whole forest for their own instant greed, when their training should have
taught them to sustainably harvest just the ‘wool’ - the annual growth, every
year for a long term regular income, and only take the “mature” harvest when
the individual loses its’ growth vigor.
Sustainable forestry to a professional forester is whatever sustains
their own paycheck. No forester could
live on the value of the ‘advice and help’ they dole out to forest owners. Cover ups are common and whistleblowers are
ignored in the forestry profession.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The timber industry takes advantage of the tree growers and
local communities in many ways, and even forces many small loggers and timber
buyers to cheat the landowner just to survive.
Fraud and timber theft are
rampant around the world with the rationalization is that “everyone does it and
if you arrest me, you will have to arrest everyone”. A few get rich at the expense of the planet
and the people and the forestry profession keeps on talking about sustainable
and green. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone is afraid to talk about this – the corporations are
so powerful they control the market from top to bottom. Foresters just protect their own jobs and
growers don’t want to lose the disappointing payments – anything is better than
nothing.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Forests in this region are producing about 25% of their
potential growth due to high grade harvesting, over cutting, and neglect. Less than 1 % of forest owners actively
manage their crop in an informed and business-like
way. Growers receive about 1% of the
value of the wood products in the store, way less than their costs of ownership
and management. Forest owners know the truth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>There is an
alternative = a better way. <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A hundred years ago, small business in the local community
supplied the needs using locally grown and manufactured wood products. This still works today – wood is the perfect
fuel for small business in the local economy.
Wood is simple to grow and process and sell on a small scale, we all use
wood products every day. All the tools
and methods and information are readily available today.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wood customers can choose right now, today – to support
local small business and simply avoid the exploitation of our planet and people
by the big timber corporations. Choose
to buy local wood from small business and the demand will immediately be
decreased - to clear cut the remaining rain forests and use illegally logged
trophy wood.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jim Birkemeier – Timber Grower<br />
Spring Green, WI<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-71456255631681786052014-02-17T14:52:00.003-08:002014-02-17T14:52:37.488-08:00Blowing the Whistle on the Timber Industry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wisconsin forests are only growing at 25% of their potential
and less than 1% of our forest lands are managed as a profitable and sustainable
business. Market prices have always
been so low that no one values our trees and cares for them in a future
oriented manner, despite the propaganda from the professionals. Our best logs are being shipped to the Far
East, exporting out jobs due to cheap labor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wisconsin has lost 500,000 jobs in the timber industry and
wood production has fallen from $36 Billion to $16 Billion per year in just the
last few decades. This is important,
trees cover half of our state.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The State of Wisconsin still makes this situation worse
every day. Public owned land comprises
about 40% of the forests, including 40,000 acres along the Wisconsin Riverway,
making the State the largest forest owner.
Recent harvests near Spring Green on State owned land, administered by
Wisconsin DNR foresters, earned the taxpayers just a few dollars per acre per
year, not even covering the administrative costs of the timber sales. Companies from outside the region typically
haul the wood to distant mills, leaving little benefit to the local community,
and a big mess. When the largest landowner
sells timber at low prices, it sets the precedent for the timber industry to
deal with small individual landowners.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The DNR also pressures small woodlot owners to sell their
timber at similar low prices, justifying the cutting as “sound forestry”. Combined, the State’s Managed Forest Law and
free services and grant programs keep forest management as a welfare program of
the government. Landowners are kept in the flock of obedient “sheep”
until it is their turn to feed the industry, then the forest owners and their
timber are used by the foresters and timber industry to support their own
jobs. Everyone in the timber industry and forestry
profession makes good money – except the timber grower and local community.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The bottom line is governments everywhere have always put
cheap timber on the market for the benefit of the big corporations, thinking
that timber harvests create jobs. Trees
are seen as not profitable to grow and are in the way of growing food and
Progress. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The forestry profession has worked hard to maintain this
system, knowing that there is corruption and abuse of the forest and the forest
owners, to protect their own high paying jobs.
The timber industry is an old, traditional, secretive, and huge institution
that so far has continued to cover up all the scandals and silence the
whistleblowers, trying to prop up some sense of respect. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In Wisconsin, the DNR and UW Systems have kept landowners rounded
up in the flock and obedient to “do the right thing for the forest.” When we started the Wisconsin Woodland Owner’s
Association, the State immediately said – “That is a great idea – we will give
you the money for staff to build this fine organization.” The person hired has always served the
government, not the landowners, keeping them in the control of the State. When we started the Sustainable Woods
Cooperatives, the State immediately said, “That is a great idea – we will give
you the money for staff to build this fine organization.” The persons hired have always served the
government, not the landowners, keeping them in the control of the State.” The Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine only
prints what the State wants people to read, blocking stories that promoted
different ideas on forest management from the forest owner’s point of
view. The Wisconsin DNR took over FSC
Certification, offering it for “free” to Wisconsin family forests in their
control, making the certification a meaningless eco label.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Wisconsin DNR built a working program with consulting
foresters, all under government control, to keep the private foresters and
landowners in the flock. Only those that
cooperate with government can get part of the free money and influence. The State ignores the sales commission of the
private foresters, a flagrant conflict of interest, then State retirees go into
business and fleece the flock with their insider information. The worst scandals and rip-offs of all are
perpetrated by retired DNR Foresters who become consulting foresters, and prey
on landowners who trust these once public servants.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Both the DNR and UW Systems only acknowledge Traditional
Industrial Forestry as Sound Management, no alternative teachings or methods
are allowed or even explored.
Landowners are kept under control with their MFL property tax traps and free
services and bait programs and mass propaganda.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone knows all this – but everyone is afraid to talk
about it or work to change it.<br />
Foresters are afraid they would lose
their job.<br />
Landowners are afraid they would lose
their market for trees and their government subsidies.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until we face these problems, nothing will change. Step for Improvement:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Learn that there are alternative markets for
local trees in the local, regional, and world markets.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Teach and encourage ALL of the choices that a
landowner has today, let them choose.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Promote the use of locally grown and
manufactured forest products.<br />
in the global economy, a community based wood business can best support the
local economy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Educate wood customers on where products come
from and how they are made.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Clean up the forestry profession, expose the
scandals and hear the whistleblowers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Eliminate the conflicts of interest in the
timber market and sales commissions to foresters.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Don’t allow retired government workers to use
insider information to lobby - or for their profit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->8.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->State government should support local business
and wood products with their purchases.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We really control ALL of this with our purchases of wood
products.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the rich by “trophy wood” for their homes, offices, and
yachts, they feed the illegally logging businesses that rips just the best
trees from the natural forest, degrading the entire ecosystem.<br />
When we buy cheap wood products on sale at the big corporation store, we feed the
industrial clear cutting of the remaining rainforests – using huge equipment
and cheap labor, doing extreme environmental damage to the planet for the short
term greed of a few.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Buying good wood from local business builds the local
economy, supports local jobs, and protects our planet from industrial logging
that only makes a few even richer.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is no excuse for ignorance in any aspect of this
situation – we all have to work together to fix this. We all have to learn to buy the best value
products for our future, seeing the global impacts of our purchases. This is the best we can do in the new global
economy and marketplace.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everyone (almost) on the planet would be better off – if we
saw things globally and acted responsibly.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]--> All
forest owners and local communities would choose an annual income from a small
harvest that improved their forest every year.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Fair payments with no fraud or cheating would
encourage forest owners to produce timber.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Loggers would feel better about their work if
they were paid enough to do things right.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Foresters would feel better if their responsible
work was accomplished by loggers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->5.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Using urban trees would take pressure off of
illegal logging and clear cutting the rainforests.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->6.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Using locally grown and manufactured forest
products would keep the money local/regional.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->7.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Other countries could put their people to work
building sustainable communities at home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->8.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Everyone but the shipping companies and the few
huge timber corporations would benefit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Buy Wisconsin Wood – Grown and Made in the USA – For Global
Good Use Local Wood!! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All sizes of woodworking business would benefit if we would
buy American/Wisconsin/Local wood.<br />
Avoid the imports - On Sale in the big corporate store and online sales –
Boycott Rainforest Liquidators.<br />
Larger business will always be competing with the world markets, small local
business can more easily sell direct and eliminate the middlemen and shipping
costs.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-85263437973460505252013-07-09T06:17:00.001-07:002013-07-09T06:17:46.326-07:00A simple solution - July 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We are in a
new and changing global economy and soc<b>iety,</b>
being constantly transformed by the incredible internet, universal communications,
instant banking, fast global travel, and quick world-wide shipping. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A small
number of very rich and powerful people have taken advantage of this
globalization and now control the economy and our governments in many
ways. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The huge
corporations that now control the world gained that wealth by convincing us to
buy their products. We gave them our
money – we chose to buy cheap and convenient – foolishly believing that buying
cheap stuff and saving money would make us live better. IT
HASN’T<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we buy
any imported things, we export our money and local jobs and build up the
company and the country where the product came from. Our purchases also directly build up the
political power of that company and country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our
political votes have little effect today, but every single purchase we make is
an important vote for our future that does have an immediate effect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many parents
have told me that they need to buy cheap stuff for their family – to have the
things that they need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buying cheap
stuff is like drinking water with a little poison in it – you don’t feel it
right away but you need to know that every little bit will eventually kill you
and those around you – we are all in this together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t be
fooled to think you need to buy cheap stuff for your kids today – be smarter
and buy good value for your family’s future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we buy
cheap stuff it degrades the economy, decreasing our purchasing power, forcing people
to buy cheaper and cheaper stuff – in a never ending downward spiral.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buying cheap
imports online or in the big box store exports our money and jobs and lowers
the tax revenue of the government. People
losing their jobs or accepting low paying jobs - increases the need for welfare
and food stamps – requiring higher taxes – meaning we will pay more taxes and
receive less services. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buy quality
products from local small business builds the economy, supports good jobs - and
increases our purchase power in an ever growing cycle<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buying from
local companies builds the economy and increases the tax revenue to support better
government services at less cost to the individual.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buying cheap
stuff on sale feels good – at the moment.
Shopping is Fun and Exciting – we have a lust for stuff. Don’t foolishly believe the big corporation
is actually giving you a really good deal for stuff “on sale” and at a discount
or even FREE – they are tricking you into buying stuff that is poor quality,
unwanted, defective, out of date, - folks, you get what you pay for. Or they simply lie about the price to make
you think you saved money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Big
Corporations sell stuff cheap to eliminate the small companies, then raise
prices when they control the market. Be
aware how the big corporations work to dominate the economy and gain power. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t follow
the advertising of the big corporations – do the opposite of what they want you
to do<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Only buy
what you need, not what the big corporations tell you that you want. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t feed
the monsters – you will eventually get bitten!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Starve a
monster and it will soon go away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Be a smart
shopper <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buy As Local
As Possible<br />
many things are still produced here <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you can
buy local, make an extra effort to balance the bad effects of your having to
buy certain imported products.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buy from as
Small a company as possible<br />
small business is better and you get good service<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buy as Hand
Made as possible.<br />
buying from a big factory with huge machines and robots doesn’t support jobs
for people<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Buy the best
value for the future<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Many people
apparently think ‘buy local’ means shopping for cheap imported stuff on sale at
the neighborhood big box store. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cheap stuff
comes at a high cost<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If a product
is cheapest, you must know that every corner has been cut, the earth has been
abused, cheap labor has been exploited, huge amounts of energy have been used,
cheating is likely involved. Cheap stuff soon ends up in the landfill at
another cost to dispose of it. Then you
have to replace it at additional cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The American
Woman – the primary shopper – is the most powerful force on earth. <br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We all need
to Make wise choices – there is no excuse for ignorance anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Every purchase
is a real vote that has an immediate effect.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the haste
to rebuild after a disaster and keep immediate costs low, the government and
the insurance companies are dictating using cheap imported building materials
and cheap labor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Government
spending should build the economy, not export our money to other countries.<br />
Stimulus doesn’t work anymore because the government and most people buy cheap
imported stuff foolishly believing that saving a little money this moment leads
to a better life in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wood is an
amazing example of how we could have a big effect right here. We are surrounded by 16 million acres of
undervalued and underutilized forests in Wisconsin, plus hundreds of million
trees in our cities and villages that are mostly wasted and costly to dispose
of when they are cut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today in
Wisconsin we are exporting our best walnut and white oak logs to the far east
for cheap commodity prices. We have lost
500,000 jobs and $20 Billion in production in the Wisconsin Timber Industry in
the last few decades to globalization and cheap labor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Wood
customers need to stop buying cheap imported wood substitutes or super expensive
trophy wood - and enjoy the beautiful and natural wood resources growing all
around us. Using local wood directly
lowers the demand for illegally logged wood and for clear cutting the
rainforest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">An
example: Cheap ‘wood’ flooring – you can bet the timber was stolen and/or
illegally logged, the grower and community received little to no benefits from
the harvest but was left with a huge mess in their local environment,
processing was done in dangerous and dirty mills with cheap labor. Huge amounts of energy were used in
transportation<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Using
locally grown and manufactured wood products keeps nearly all of the value of
trees in the local economy – one well paying and rewarding job could be
supported by every ten acres of forest or by every 50 trees cut in a city
during one year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Support
small local companies that produce natural, solid, local goods<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Keep your
money and our jobs in the local economy with your choices<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pay a fair
price to a good company – you get what you pay for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 18.0pt; line-height: 115%;">cheap and
convenient comes at a very high cost<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-38267024256700746092012-10-21T09:14:00.001-07:002012-10-21T09:14:55.143-07:00New Market - what everyone actually wants<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">If <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:place></st1:state>’s corn crop came in at about 50 bushels per acre on a good year, and our dairy farmers just milked their cull and sick cows after selling off their best milkers for hamburger – these would be huge stories today and this would not be accepted and tolerated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Wisconsin</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> actually has a more abundant crop that is managed exactly this way – yet almost nobody knows or cares….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Our ten million acres of privately owned timber grows at 25% of its potential in volume and value every year – because our forest owners have indeed sold off their good trees just leaving the cull trees to grow for the future!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ask any forest owner – they know what really happens in the woods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t ask a professional forester – they are so deep in the phony forestry, they won’t say a word of truth, but will likely spin a story of sustainable forestry that in reality only props up their job with little benefit to the forest or the timber grower.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The reason this problem persists is there has not been an alternative to the industrial forestry that has dominated the land for the last 150 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone makes the best of a bad situation as it has been better than nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Now – there is a much better choice for everyone and the forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a new way – just the opposite of what has been business as usual in the forest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Forest</span></st1:place><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> owners around the world are learning to take control of their resources, perform a small annual harvest, make some high value wood products and sell direct to customers – eliminating all the middlemen and brokers – earning a fair price for their trees for the first time in history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Valuing the forest for future income encourages wise long term management of the forest for the first time in history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what every forest owner and every professional forester actually wants – they just never knew it was possible in the past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now just the effort required to bring about change is blocking much movement, but one family business keeps striving to break up the logjams of tradition and inertia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Wisconsin</span></st1:place></st1:state><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">’s forestry professionals refuse to acknowledge that there is an alternative to the industrial forestry that supports their jobs, but the Timber Growers business model is recognized around the world by the United Nations and other groups as the leading marketing innovation in the global timber industry today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Timber Growers has been invited as a featured speaker at the World Teak Conference in <st1:city u2:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bangkok</st1:city></st1:city> in March 2013 and the United Nations International Conference on Wood in <st1:place u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">S Africa</st1:place></st1:place> next October.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Past international conference presentations have been made in <st1:country _x002d_region="-region" u2:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">India</st1:country></st1:country>, <st1:country _x002d_region="-region" u2:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Viet Nam</st1:country></st1:country>, <st1:country _x002d_region="-region" u2:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">New Zealand</st1:country></st1:country> and Timber Growers is currently participating in marketing programs in <st1:country _x002d_region="-region" u2:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Ecuador</st1:country></st1:country> and <st1:country _x002d_region="-region" u2:st="on"><st1:place u2:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country -region="-region" w:st="on">Brazil</st1:country></st1:place></st1:place></st1:country></span></div>
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. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-79354834589532346782012-05-27T08:11:00.003-07:002012-05-27T08:11:10.923-07:00No Robots were used to make this product<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt;">Hand Made</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> – No Robots were used in the production of this product</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Everyone is talking about the shortage of good jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buy American and Buy Local are a good start, but to really support good jobs, look closer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Even in our factories here, robots and huge machines have replaced hundreds of thousands of workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One big corporation now shows a TV advertisement featuring a line of robots working to make a car that can even fix itself when one robot breaks – no people are seen or needed anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The company slogan in the ad is “for the human network”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How Stupid Can We Get??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We all buy stuff now built primarily by robots and huge machines that have put masses of people out of work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we complain about jobs and the economy.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial; font-size: 20pt;">We need to Choose to;</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Buy as Local as Possible</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Buy from As Small A Business as Possible</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Buy as Hand Made as Possible</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Buy the Best Value for the Future of the Planet</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We control the economy and jobs by what we buy everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all responsible for our current situation and only we can change our future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Buying Smart in the new Global Economy should be our top priority.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to do just the opposite of what got us into this mess.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Anyone who buys imported stuff in the big corporation’s store is actively exporting your money and our jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are building businesses and countries and jobs on the other side of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Workers there are buying cars, and their growing factories using more fossil fuels – all driving up the cost of our fuel at our local gas stations.</span></div>
</div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-88692144812200636652012-03-05T12:19:00.002-08:002012-03-05T12:19:16.178-08:00Forests create new jobs in the community<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">A forest should support the local community with building materials, many other products, a regular income, and good jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is kind of an old fashioned idea that has been lost the past 200 years due to global industrialization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The industrial timber market with low commodity log prices continues to consume the remaining good timber on the planet, with few benefits to the local community, despite all the talk about sustainability and certification.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">But every person who cares about the planet would agree that the forest should support the local community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Spring Green Timber Growers has built a new high value market for the wood we harvest each year from our small family farm, creating new jobs from dead trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We control the whole process from growing, harvesting, sawmilling, solar kiln drying, manufacturing, and direct marketing to customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By eliminating all the middlemen, using the smallest amount of energy, and minimizing shipping, we earn retail prices for our timber – about 100 times the income earned by other landowners.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Wood is easy to grow and harvest and manufacture on a small scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wood products have a high value in the retail market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wood is the perfect fuel for small business in the local community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone uses wood everywhere – everyday – so these ideas are universal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">SGTG is developing a global wood marketing system to connect local wood growers direct with customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First priority is to use what people have to meet the local needs of the community, then export their extra wood to population centers that need wood products.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Local Needs – Training and coaching can quickly get a small woodshop in operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Global Marketing – a new website will link the grower with customers anywhere in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simple shipping of small packages to container loads is ongoing every day now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Credit card payments online make payments easily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instant communication and global travel now connect people everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The “American Dream” has gone global.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone, Anywhere can run a small business to sell something that they make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only limitation is the imagination.</span></div></div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-25556872566473889272011-08-18T13:16:00.000-07:002011-08-18T13:16:30.088-07:00Big is Bad - Create Jobs Today<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Buying Local In the Global Economy</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We have all chosen to buy lots of ‘cheap’ and ‘convenient’ stuff as we have lived the good lifestyle on plentiful natural resources while accumulating thoughtless and irresponsible debt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cheap stuff comes at a very high price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are all responsible for our current economic crisis and the shortage of jobs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a close look at what you have bought the last few years….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can also change things – starting right now – to develop the best economic position possible for our future.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Many people apparently think ‘buy local’ means shopping for imported stuff on sale at the neighborhood big box store.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lusting over imported manufactured stuff has exported our money and our jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>American industry and jobs have crumbled away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We export our natural resources, ship materials half way around the world, minimize labor and production costs, ship the products back half way around the world – then complain we have recession and unemployment!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Every purchase you make is a real vote that immediately counts to affect the future of our planet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every purchase you make builds up the company and country where the thing is from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every purchase you make has a political effect too, as the big companies exert real and immediate influence on our politicians.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We have created this monster we face today with our selfish and short-sighted purchases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can choose to change this now – just stop feeding the monster and it will go away.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">How to “Create Jobs”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today, most of the stuff we buy is made in a big factory with big machines and robots and likely in another country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Government Regulations and Legal Lawsuits make labor very expensive in <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">America</place></country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Americans everyday are more lazy and fat - and in love with welfare, and the lottery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we say, “we must create more jobs….”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">All the politicians talk about creating jobs, yet fail to address the real problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Government does a thousand times more to discourage American jobs than the feeble efforts of talk and “stimulus”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As a business owner – one thing would get me to hire more employees – SALES!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Government on the State and Federal Level has been a huge hindrance to my business for decades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They should just get out of the way – today more than ever!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Globalization has CHANGED the planet</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The internet – instant global communications – is the most amazing creation ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The airplane is second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Earth – our economics – has truly changed and there is no going back.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Everyone needs to travel and watch the rest of the world to have a realistic picture of where you fit into the big picture and your effect on others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most people choose to be ignorant and don’t want to believe their lifestyle is very wasteful and damaging to the planet.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Homo Sapiens are being Homogenized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Worker wages are being pressured to a more common-ground level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>High paid American workers will get less in the future and workers in the <place w:st="on">Far East</place> will demand more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no stopping this trend – a wise person will work within it to arrive at the best position possible for themselves.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are mixing it up today around the world – nothing is hidden and there is no excuse for ignorance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing how much we are all about the same is our best hope for survival now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all in this together and better learn to get along.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The Most Powerful Force On Earth</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The best chance we have is to rebuild our local economies and communities that have been destroyed by the big corporations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We created them ourselves with our lusts for cheap and convenience, and we can change the world by making smarter spending decisions - from now on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The American Woman – the Shopper – is the most powerful force on earth today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Shopper has the free choice to support whatever company and country with the power of their purchase. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Shopper is the one who can create jobs with their votes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every single vote counts.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Simple Steps to Change the Economy:</span></div><ol style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Buy As Local As Possible</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Buy from a company As Small As Possible</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Drive as little as Possible</li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Do the Opposite (of what got us here)</li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Big is Bad – most of the time….</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Generalizations are not all true, but the long term trends now show the route we are going - being dominated by bigger and bigger corporations that dominate the Government also – are not good or sustainable for most humans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Do the opposite of what the big corporations and their puppet politicians want you to do.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Be discerning when listening to their talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If you feed the monster – don’t complain when you get bitten!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">People all over are very angry, fearful, and without much hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">There is HOPE</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The American Dream of one person making a difference is now a Global Possibility for any human being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The information and tools are becoming more freely available everywhere today. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grab Globalization and take advantage of the good alternatives.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Most people may not care, but for those who choose – great opportunities are present today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="http://www.aslocalaspossible.org/">http://www.aslocalaspossible.org/</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>has detailed articles </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-32178465706179710502011-07-29T08:31:00.000-07:002011-07-29T08:31:05.854-07:00Let's Change Our Government - Starting Today<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here is How We Can Fix Our Government…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Stop Feeding the Monsters</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Ongoing Embarrassment in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Washington</city> <state w:st="on">DC</state></place> brings everything into clear view – but don’t blame Obama or Boehner…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are All Responsible for the mess we are in.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We can also immediately change things.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We need to see the problem and make an effort to do the opposite.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Most people feel that the government is out of control and there is nothing they can do about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people vote in an election, but not even that seems to make any difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Special Interest Groups and Lobbyists and unseen Players now have the power.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Big Money has taken control of the government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Politicians must play the game to get and stay elected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few behind the scenes individuals yield the real power.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We have all helped the big corporations take control of our government and our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every single purchase we make is an effective vote for the future that truly counts and makes a difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buying cheap stuff from a big company immediately builds up that company.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buying cheap imported stuff directly exports our money and our jobs.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Our Choosing Cheap and Convenient has contributed to the bad effects of globalization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Globalization has happened, but we don’t have to be controlled by distant huge corporations any more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buying the Best Value is our Best Hope for our Future.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Three areas where we can make an immediate impact on our local economy are to buy local food, local wood, and local renewable energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Buy Everything As Local As Possible from a Company As Small As Possible - and everything will change quickly.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We don’t have to feed the monster any more – we can choose to change things very quickly with our daily purchases.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Support small local business, feed the local economy, and starve the Big Corporations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their power will soon be depleted.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Communities focusing on local food, wood, and renewable energy can be largely self sufficient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Communities organized to meet local needs can be stable in a crisis.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We need to focus on what government services are essential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Government should do just what government is best at – but get government out of the business sector – that clearly hasn’t worked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone should play an active role in government and put personal pressure on elected officials to listen to the local people that elected them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If we make smart purchasing decisions, we can create the best future possible for our communities and country and world in the new global economy.</div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-58416963583408023722011-05-25T08:45:00.001-07:002011-05-25T08:45:16.597-07:00How we can create good jobs - starting today<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are all responsible for the economic recession and the shortage of jobs.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The majority, the middle class, the masses.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Humans have built huge factories, huge machines, legions of robots that replace human workers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We allow our natural resources to be exported as cheap commodities to foreign countries – subsidizing big global corporations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By choosing ‘cheap’ stuff in the big stores and ‘convenience’, we have exported our money and our jobs.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A universal solution:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Create community based businesses that help meet the needs of local fresh food, wood products, and renewable energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We should use our local resources to support good jobs in the local economy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can keep our money in the local economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can choose to not subsidize the huge global corporations, buying as local as possible from small businesses.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Government can’t and won’t fix the economy or create the jobs claimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Government is controlled by the big corporations too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We can change all this – starting today – by making wise purchases that immediately build up our local economy and support local jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every single purchase we make has an immediate effect on our future – a vote that truly counts and makes a difference each time.</div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-89952456248584870202011-04-27T11:48:00.001-07:002011-04-27T11:48:24.985-07:00If Only Donald Trump was KING<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">If Only Trump Were King!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">April 27, 2011 Trump claimed he could beat Obama to be President.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">First day he would take on <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">China</country-region></place> and impose a 25% tax of all imports.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Then he would tame OPEC and take control of the oil market.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">If only Trump Could Be King</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">But this is the <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">U.S.A.</country-region></place><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Can’t happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Even if he is elected President in 2012, he would not have the power to change much.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Our government is needed for Law and Order, but government trying to manage the economy is the biggest disaster of all. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">A new choice we can all make today….</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Stop exporting our money and jobs buying cheap imports in the big box stores.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Choose to use local resources to support the local economy, jobs and lifestyles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Promote local fresh food, wood products, biofuels and waste energy recovery.</span></div>BirkyBirkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-47665616466501496932011-03-28T20:36:00.001-07:002011-03-28T20:36:35.564-07:00The Clear Solution - April 2011<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The Big Corps are running the government and avoiding paying their fair share of supporting needed government services - to keep all the money for themselves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The government isn’t going to do anything – really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t really blame any of them – that is how things work today.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We can fix this ourselves by making wise purchases – we actually do have the power and the votes with what we choose to buy every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our dollars are our power.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We must take full responsibility for the results of our purchases – choose cheap stuff at the big Corporate stores and you have created the whole mess yourself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We can’t fight ourselves and have any hope – we must see the real picture and be smarter – starting right now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Buy from small local companies as much as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avoid buying imports and cheap stuff – as much as possible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We have the numbers and we can instantly communicate – there is no reason to let the big Corporations continue to dominate us.</span></div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-31859186564988131202011-02-25T20:11:00.001-08:002011-02-25T20:11:51.113-08:00We have chosen cheap and received recessionWe have done all this to ourselves. Create big machines and robots that replace workers and you get unemployment. We have chosen cheap and reaped the rewards. You get what you pay for you know!<br />
<br />
Where is the wisdom? The common sense?<br />
<br />
The only hope is to now choose local and small. Use what we have to meet the need - get value that will last. Do just the opposite Big Government and Big Business want us to do.Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-68374874069587591292011-02-23T19:53:00.001-08:002011-02-23T19:53:30.138-08:00Madison and Tripoli and Cairo???<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">OK, You spoiled rich kids can protest and “fight for your rights” = you can do that here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you have to be so NOISY?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you be more informed?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">But anyone who thinks what the people in <city w:st="on">Madison</city> are doing is IN ANY WAY COMPARABLE to the demonstrations in the <place w:st="on">Middle East</place> – you should be totally ashamed of your ignorance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">When you travel to developing countries and see how most of the people in this world live day to day, There is no Comparison.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">They have no money, no benefits, no rights to speak of – and they are truly risking their lives and livelihoods right now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We are so rich and spoiled and grossly wasteful and unappreciative and arrogant - here in <state w:st="on">Wisconsin</state> and the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">U.S.A.</place></country-region><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">It is too bad that all the energy in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Madison</place></city> is not doing anything positive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Globalization keeps happening here in <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Wisconsin</place></state> and unless that is understood and incorporated into the solution – everyone has totally missed the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">If this effort and energy was focused on rebuilding our economy instead of tearing everyone down – miracles could happen right now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">All people are doing in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Madison</place></city> is trying to hold onto the riches we had before we exported our jobs and money overseas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too Late!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We need to look at what resources we have right here and use them to meet our local and regional needs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We need to stop buying cheap imported stuff at the big box store – for our “convenience” and exporting our money and jobs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">No Politician or Media will voice this – they are controlled by the big Corporations.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://timbergreenforestry.com/Choose%20As%20Local%20As%20Possible%20-%20What%20is%20Green%20Really.html"><span style="color: purple;">http://timbergreenforestry.com/Choose%20As%20Local%20As%20Possible%20-%20What%20is%20Green%20Really.html</span></a> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>has more</span></div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-34420099686019583562011-02-23T19:24:00.000-08:002011-02-23T19:24:02.607-08:00Big Government and Big CorporationsThey Should Be Freaking Out!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The Big Powers Are Fighting to Maintain Their Dominance Today – they should be freaking out!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The government is controlled by the big corporations – they will never really help the little people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The Media is controlled by the big corporations – they will never really care about the little people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">All they care about is money and power.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Globalization is not going well for us here See the Trends!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">A simple change is needed to fix things as best they can be fixed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">All we have to do is look at the resources we have and use them to meet our needs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">All we have to do is buy local as possible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We have to do this ourselves<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s Us Average People <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stimulate Our Economy - Starting Right Now!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Stop exporting our jobs and $$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>our Money and Jobs local</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We can fix the economy immediately by choosing to buy as local as possible from companies as small as possible</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Buy value with the big picture in mind.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">This needs to be a mass effort – all the little people need to band together to deal with the big powers.</span></div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-8413309160279902632011-02-18T21:01:00.001-08:002011-02-18T21:01:32.204-08:00Everyone is Going Crazy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">None of this will fix the problem. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone is angry and hurting and hopeless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is all just emotion. Venting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">What we need is a solution, some hope for all of our future.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">To get there we need to understand how we got here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">In <state w:st="on">Wisconsin</state> and the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">U.S.</place></country-region> we have been blessed with abundant resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have been spoiled.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Travel the world and see how most people live.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We have chosen to buy cheap imported stuff at the big box store for our convenience and instant gratification.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We have chosen to export our jobs and our money, and now face the results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are responsible for all this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Government and schools must provide excellent services so taxpayers choose to pay – whatever the fair cost might be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People have lost faith in public employees due to the lack of professional supervision and proper training.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unions have not adapted to be relevant in the new global marketplace – they are a dinosaur bellowing its’ last gasp.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Crying and fighting like spoiled brats will not get us anywhere.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We need to rebuild our local economy with smarter buying choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need to keep our $$ and jobs in the local economy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can do this immediately and every purchase is a vote for our future that truly makes a difference – immediately.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We need to use what we have and fill the needs of our communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Choose as local as possible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">We must be willing to work a real job, be willing to sweat again – focus our energy – be smart about our future.</span></div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-4517606109498972011-02-12T13:46:00.001-08:002011-02-12T13:46:46.244-08:00Where did all the jobs go…..?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfeRcho3EZdmKvS5sP4KhjBY5YLVulMntK3UQ1CqsbErS4S_hSoIoUZ3tpojzmInD1LhVA-JfgZaNHxngVIIeabosfdaDEGM5N84y48SL90lxbSu1c0r9x6yIB8LQ_Kcvs5wuW_2AINU/s1600/Kathy+straight+rip_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfeRcho3EZdmKvS5sP4KhjBY5YLVulMntK3UQ1CqsbErS4S_hSoIoUZ3tpojzmInD1LhVA-JfgZaNHxngVIIeabosfdaDEGM5N84y48SL90lxbSu1c0r9x6yIB8LQ_Kcvs5wuW_2AINU/s320/Kathy+straight+rip_1.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We build bigger and bigger machines, replacing human labor</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We build more and more robots, replacing people</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We choose to employ foreign labor </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We buy cheap imported stuff at the big box store</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We shop online and trade our money for cheap imports</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We export our jobs and our money when we choose cheap imports</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We have chosen to eliminate millions of jobs with our purchases</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We need food, wood, and fuel – we can grow local food, wood, and fuel</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We can choose to create new local jobs and keep our money close to home</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We can choose to stop exporting our money and jobs – Buy Local Food & Wood</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There is a major problem of the numbers of people currently needing a job, adding to that thousands of government workers who are being cut to trim budgets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t afford to put all these people on welfare – we need to put them to work with meaningful jobs.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here is an idea that will help improve our local economies in many ways.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The bigger the corporation, the more skeptical I am of their presence and impact.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The bigger the corporation, the worse the disaster</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The bigger the machine, the worse the impact on the environment</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>When a big corp tries to get me do buy or do something – I do the opposite!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Look at where the big corps have gotten us – see the trend</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The bigger the corp – the bigger the recall and number of people made sick</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They say small business is bad and less safe – raw milk…..</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They have the political power to control the government</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We can change the world with our purchases</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Support Small Business<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If a few people here and there get sick, this is insignificant compared to a 22 state recall</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hear of the big ecoli outbreaks every month</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Government can’t create jobs unless it expands itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The past two years of ‘stimulus’ has done little to create new jobs.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Government does ten times more things that discourage business than encourage it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Republicans now vow to downsize government, eliminating thousands more jobs.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We need for people to be working to something positive </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We don’t want people to be on welfare – welfare discourages jobs</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Sales create jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Use what we have in our communities to meet local needs and we all win.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Mindlessly exporting our money for cheap imported products shoots us in the footure</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We live in/or near a forest yet you buy your wood products from <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">China</place></country-region>??</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Then complain about the lack of jobs in our local economy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crazy!!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The no tax increase mindset is an admission of total government failure to provide meaningful services. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">No one wants to admit it but government services are disappointing and </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Government workers should provide services that make the costs worthwhile</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">If government provided good services, everyone would be willing to pay their taxes and would feel they were getting a good return for their payments</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><place w:st="on">Wisconsin</place> furlough days are totally stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we had a responsible leader, the good workers would be kept working and the ineffective ones would be cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stopping everyone to save money shows no one knows if anyone is doing anything right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There is no responsible training, supervision, oversight, in our government </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">No one can criticize in the government as it is nearly all ineffective and ready to crumble</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Things are proceeding as long as possible before the major collapse and bankruptcy</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There are some things that government can and should do best – maybe??</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Private business may be the answer to everything – we should just hire the best</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We need a strong leader</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We need to be self sufficient</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We need to make wise decisions</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Government is not the answer to the problems –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>all they can do is try to play catch up</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">People control things now – instantly with their actions</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We just have to learn to work together, informed….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In contact.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-58000077662638846092011-02-09T19:17:00.000-08:002011-02-09T19:17:18.579-08:00Forest Owners - Here is my advice!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After just a few years working in the <place w:st="on">Wisconsin</place> timber industry – I QUIT!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: large;">The obvious lesson for a forest owner was:</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Whatever the Timber Industry Wanted….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the Government pressured me to do….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the University taught me as a forester….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the consulting forester advised the landowner….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever the trees the professional forester marked for harvest….</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Do Just The Opposite!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">It Works Every Time!!!</span></div><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>Birky</strong></span>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4151486062265837450.post-20033190042467912622011-02-09T18:57:00.000-08:002011-02-09T18:57:57.360-08:00Do Just The Opposite<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red;">When a big corporation wants me to do something (for their benefit - OBVIOUSLY!!!) </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">I Do Just The Opposite!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">This is a good way to live - join me!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #274e13; color: red;">Birky</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Birkyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07048387190224508071noreply@blogger.com0