The rest of the story...

2012-01-22T16:52:00.002-05:00

I'm taking a break from blogging and Facebook for a while to work on my book. For those of you who know where and how to find me, I'll be here.

I'll be back.

Al

Don't get a job... start a business!

2011-11-26T16:27:00.002-05:00

Today is small business Saturday. I love small businesses. I spent part of my day doing my Christmas shopping at stores where the owners were the clerks, stock people, bookkeepers, janitors, and coffee makers. They started work before the store opened and went home after the store closed (which was often 16 or 18 hours later) and took paperwork home with them. There were no paid "holidays" or "weekends"... when you own a small business, you are always "working".

Then, I came home and turned on CNN (I'll admit it with no shame, I am a "news junkie") to be treated to pictures of the OWS crowd. I have no doubt that they have some legitimate grievances; however, I have little sympathy for their strategy or their nebulous cause. I do know that they have the themes of resenting those who have made too much money while perhaps also complaining that these same folks aren't providing enough jobs. They don't like "evil" corporations in general, but probably wouldn't turn down a job with one of those "evil" corporations should one become available.

I've worked for three of those "evil" Corporations over the years. Every one of them started out as a small business, as someone working in a garage with an idea, opening a shop with a dream, starting a service with a business plan. My favorite is SAIC. Dr. Bob Beyster and a few of his friends started this services company in a store front in San Diego, California. I was lucky enough to be recruited by a friend while it was on its way up. I remember when we broke into the Fortune 1000 then the Fortune 500... 400... 300... 200.

Most of the small businesses that I patronized today will fail within five years. A few will successfully continue and perhaps fund a nice retirement for the owners or a legacy for their Children. A very few will turn into large Corporations following the path of every other Fortune 500 Company in America. All of the Companies for which I worked: GE, Texas Instruments, SAIC... all of them started out as one Man's dream.

Where are the dreamers today? Where's the next Steve Jobs? From the looks of things, he or she is probably in India... or China... or Malaysia. For the record, that's ok with me... but I wish we still produced one or two now and then.

When I watch the OWS crowd on CNN, I can't help but wonder exactly what they want. They resent those who have achieved business success; however, it appears that they also expect these same folks to give them jobs. I can assure you that if I were still a Vice President at SAIC, I would "Google" every resume that crossed my desk for some association with OWS... and quickly "shred" anyone I found. Why would I possibly hire someone who pretty much considers my existence to be "evil"?

This is a conundrum. I'm guessing that the OWS folks have pretty much rendered themselves unemployable with any major corporation or successful business... and protesting isn't a career. What do do?

Don't get a job... start a business!

Quit bitching! Decide what skills you may possess, what service you may provide, what product you may make. Beg, borrow or... well... borrow $100, buy something wholesale, mark it up, and sell it retail at a flea market, sporting event, or park. Take the profit, buy more stuff, and do it again... 18 hours a day... weekdays and weekends... until you save enough to rent a store front. Keep saving and hire your first employee. Repeat until you drop.

That's what many of the people against whom you are protesting did to get where they are. Stop complaining about them and join them. Start a small business. When it fails, start another one, and another one, and another one. Jack Welch, CEO of GE during my tenure there, valued failure. It is the best education.

If you think a traditional "job" will get you that "middle class" dream, think again. The irony was that "it really was a dream". We talk about the "joys" of home ownership, the "pleasures" of two cars, a boat, perhaps a vacation home, the good life. The fallacy of this appealing scenario is that no one ever actually "owned" anything. The "middle class" rented their lives from others. They lived in homes they never intended to keep, drove cars without ever seeing the title, I could go on.

My point. The "new normal" to achieve what we wistfully call middle class is small business. We should replace the term "middle class" with "entrepreneurial class". The American Dream in the new normal will be reserved for those with the courage to start their own business and claim their own future. There's plenty of room in an ever expanding global, multinational world for those willing to take the risk.

My fear is that the OWS generation is a generation of entitlement waiting for others to "do something" for them. I hope I'm wrong.

So... happy small business Saturday! The best way to celebrate this day is to start a small business... and perhaps give an OWS protestor a job to get them off the street! But then, why would possibly hire an OWS protestor?

Libertarian Philosophy - Peace, Freedom, and Justice!

2011-11-26T09:23:00.001-05:00

I've seen war... I've seen peace. Peace is better.

There are always those with some "vision" of how others should behave, organize, or share their resources. They are willing to bet our lives and futures to impose their vision on others (and "us"). Why would anyone actually want a Government to have that power over our lives?

Once we give Government the power to decide what we believe, how we may live, what women may or my not do (ironically popular over the course of human history), what we should think or let it create a dependency among its citizens to they look to Government for the basic necessities, we have given others the power to take it all away... Often in the most unexpected ways.

I propose that justice and economic power are truly the keys to a peaceful world. That's why I am a Libertarian. Don't hurt other people, don't take their stuff, don't ignore others who do ("Justice").

The "short answer" for Libertarian philosophy: Peace, Freedom, and Justice!

A 9/11 story...

2011-09-11T09:03:00.005-04:00

I was scheduled for a routine polygraph exam at 8:00 on Tuesday morning, September 11, 2001. It was time for my full lifestyle update. At 8:45, I was sitting in a small, mirrored room wired to a polygraph machine. The woman administering the exam got up and left the room. She didn't come back for about fifteen minutes. During a polygraph exam, that's generally considered a bad thing,

When she returned, she shut down the machine and said we will have to reschedule. Those of you who spent most of your life in a job requiring frequent polygraphs know his is not usually good news. She then explained that a plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center in New York. Her brother worked a couple of blocks away and she needed to check on him.

As I left the building to return to Langley, I watched the second plane crash into the World Trade Center on the monitor in the lobby. I remember being stunned. Like millions of others, I realized that what we thought was a tragedy was really an attack. To this day, I don't know if I watched that second plane hit in real time or as a news replay.

As I was driving to Langley, news of the attack on the Pentagon hit. I had many friends who worked there. There were also rumors of more planes in the air and other possible targets. I was driving to one of those targets.

I got a call from a friend checking in my whereabouts (as I normally visited a number of possible targets). He told me to go home as Headquarters was "locking down" trying to figure out what's next. On my way home, I heard that another plane had crashed somewhere in Pennsylvania... And then that the towers had collapsed.

Like most of America, my thoughts were, "What's next?"

I'm an "old soldier". I served twenty-two years in the Regular Army, half of it overseas. In the military, learned that you never know a person's nature until they are put under stress. 9/11 brought out both the best and the worst of America's nature. It stresses us as people and as a Country.

I will never forget the first responders, the firemen, the cops, the EMTs, the military, showing total disregard for their personal safety to help the fallen. These people are the best America has to offer.

I will also never forget a few immediately turn on our neighbors and fellow citizens who happened to be Muslim, from the Middle East, or even just brown. For some, this was just an excuse to "hate". I believe it is the nature of some people to "hate"... And 9/11 provided a convenient excuse for these people to fulfill their nature. I remember and am wary of those who chose to and still bear that "hate". Their nature could be easily turned on me, on my family, on my friends.

My observation on 9/11 applies today... "what's next?"

I attended my first Libertarian Party meeting today.

2011-08-06T18:44:00.008-04:00

This afternoon, I attended my first Libertarian Party meeting. It was the Libertarian Party of Northern Virginia Board of Director's meeting (and was open to the public). With Ron Paul's recent popularity, my Dinner with Rand Paul (he thoroughly impressed me as "what's next"), the Tea Party's love affair with Libertarians over a mutual love of a small, Constitutional Government (and little else), and more and more folks coming out Libertarian, Libertarian leaning, or Independent Voters who share my philosophy I thought now would be a good time to see what's going on.

I wasn't the only Libertarian who was looking for information. There were probably a half a dozen guests. The Board of Directors were competent, committed and enthusiastic. This wasn't a meeting to discuss philosophy, it was all business. They were planning a number of fund raisers and preparing for the 41st District Nominating Convention scheduled for Saturday, August 13, 2011. The group was committed to Libertarian Candidates.

As I sat there, I realized that I Was not. I have prided myself as being an independent voter for quite a few years. I mentioned this and was "lectured" a bit on the reason I should vote exclusively for Libertarian candidates. I'm guessing every political party gives a similar lecture. My response was that I do the "political calculus" every time I vote to select the candidate who "offends me least" (since neither the left nor the right can fully fulfill my expectations). I usually don't vote Libertarian because that may cause my "compromise candidate" to loose (since my compromise candidate is usually Conservative and those are the votes that a Libertarian usually takeS).

On the ride home, I realized that I am a Libertarian philosophically; however, I will never actually join any organized political party (including the Libertarian Party). I'm comfortable with that. I've met a few honorable men with whom I may disagree on the issues who get my vote. I value honor and integrity above all else. Notice the use of the word "few". The rest are compromises.

That being said, I'm watching Ron Paul with interest. Just as we never expected to see an African American Street Organizer in the white house, Ron Paul always looked like a stretch. Now... not so much. I think he has a chance. He'll get my money and, if nominated (or if he runs as an Independent), my vote.

I have been active with the Cato Institute for years and support the Students for Liberty. These folks remain out of the political fray focusing on education and information. Cato will remain my philosophical home.

I do have one major regret: These guys really know how to party. A couple of events were discussed that I will sorely miss attending... such is the price of my choice.

Are we dogs... or are we wolves?

2011-07-08T10:12:00.002-04:00

My dog just came up to me for a little attention. He's had his breakfast, we played a bit outside, and now he is laying on my front porch secure from a hostile world. When he stared into my eyes as I scratched his ears, I remembered my last walk in the woods, a hike to the head waters of the Hazel River in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Very few people realize that there are wolves in Virginia. The USFWS has been releasing wolves into National Forests since 2002. I haven't encountered one; however, I look forward to the experience. Black bears... I see those all the time. They are like Deer, everywhere... and they want nothing to do with us.

Dogs are genetically indistinguishable from Wolves. Dogs have simply been "Domesticated". Over the centuries, they have learned to live off the kindness of their human masters. They wouldn't last long in the wild.

Wolves, on the other hand, are social predators. They live in packs, mate for life and raise families, and cooperate to hunt. When I think about wolves, I realize that our ancestors organized in a similar manner.

Are we, as a species becoming "domesticated?" I think so. Some of us resist domestication. We prefer minimal dependance on others, few rules, and the right to "organize to hunt". That "organize to hunt" (to me, I really don't care if you disagree) translates into freedom to engage in the free market with other people to exchange things we need for things other people need to survive. We might be the folks who think of those things, make those things, or exchange those things (and roles may overlap).

Others prefer to be "taken care of". Government is "domesticating" us. It has created a generation and culture of people who prefer that the Government manage every aspect of their lives. I actually know a couple of folks who probably have never received a check for labor during their entire lives that didn't have the seal of the United States Government on it.

I believe that the system that is "domesticating" us has failed. The collapse of Government's economies around the world is evidence of the problems caused by the complexity that accompanies grand schemes to organize its population and control the means of production.

So... the question is... can a dog return to the life of a wolf? No, they can't. They have lost the instinct to hunt. They simply don't know how to survive in the wild. The skills are gone.

Likewise, can people who have spend a lifetime living off the expectation that the Government will provide for their every need from cradle to grave survive in a world without that "Big Government"? The biggest product of "Big Government" (in my opinion) is the Middle Class. It was artificially created by unrealistic wage demands made by unions protected by our isolation from the competition of labor in other parts of the world and the complexity of producing overseas. It was fueled by Government's "misguided" attempts to create the vision that everyone should own a home.

For the record, I don't begrudge anyone a nice house, a color TV, a couple of cars, a boat in the backyard, etc. I just don't want to finance it. Government (IMHO) has redefined "winning" as "stuff". I think winning should be measured by "happiness". The "happiest" and most generous people I have encountered in the world had "nothing" compared to even the poorest American family. I will admit exposure to this changed my thinking about society and goals forever.

As the world grew smaller, foreign products entered our markets and labor around the world became easier to tap, the "American Dream" turned out to be really a "Dream" instead of a sustainable social and economic model. The "American Dream" of home ownership became the "American Millstone" locking families into houses that are upside down regarding financing (or, houses that can't easily be sold) and a requirement for a job (or jobs) that pay for the artificial lifestyle that was emphasized by "Big Government". This isn't just an American pattern, it's a pattern of the Industrialized world. As I watch Greece unfold, I realize that its problems are very similar to ours.

Things will never be the same. Those who focus on a return to "what was" are exacerbating our recovery. Jobs are coming back as labor reaches global equilibrium and American workers are becoming competitive once again; however, thats a slow process. Home ownership is an impediment to matching labor to work as homes decrease mobility (or people expect the job to come to them). "Big Government" is getting in the way of National Equilibrium when organizations such as the NLRB dictate to companies such as Boeing where they may manufacture their goods (favoring Union States instead of Right to Work States).

Why would companies such as Boing stay in a Country that meddles in its most fundamental business decisions? "Big Government" gave the Airbus A380 (which is manufactured in sixteen sights in four EU countries), Boeing's competition, a "leg up" in the free market and perhaps damaged our ability to compete in that market.

I'll admit, this post is longer than I expected... but then you don't have to read it. My point is that many of "us" have lost the will or skills to "hunt" for a way to take care of our families. I've lived in some "pretty bad" neighborhoods and have seen what "having nothing" looks like up close and personal. My primary observation (and one of the reasons I'm a Libertarian) is that people who lose everything but the will to "hunt" quickly recover.

Government has created too many expectations that it may no longer fulfill. Those who are fully "domesticated" are waiting for Government to solve the problem. The "problem" is (INHO) that Government has traditionally take the strategy of addressing "symptoms" to make people "feel better" for a while. In the meantime, the "problem" grows. Its sort of like the Flue. We treat the symptoms; however, the virus builds a resistance to our treatment over time. The result is a pandemic.

I think what we are seeing is an economic pandemic that is the result of too many decades treating symptoms instead of addressing the underlying problem.

For those of you expecting to see some "big idea" to solve the problem next in this post, I'm sorry do disappoint you. I take every opportunity to advocate for smaller Government and less spending at all levels to reduce the size, complexity, and influence of Government on our lives. I recognize that there are folks who see this as an opportunity to make Government even larger and more involved in our lives and that scares me. This is the most complex math problem that we have ever faced... and no one understands the math. That's why my simple mantra is, "Simplify" to survive.

I look at everything in terms of evolution. We may learn from history so as to not repeat it; however, everything we do today is the result of all that has been. I don't know if we, as a species, will evolve into domesticated animals or if the collapse of economies around the world might eventually cause us to return to a "hunter" model. this isn't about "good" or "bad", "better" or "worse", "smarter" or "dumber", it is simply an observation that perhaps people are at an "inflection point" regarding our evolutionary path.

The only thing I know for sure is that I won't be around to see the end state. And yes... I'd like to think I'm a Wolf... but I'm realistic enough to recognize that I've evolved a bit also. I'll be happy thinking of myself as a "wild dog" perhaps trying to return form whence we came. The question is, can I (or any of us) go back?

O Canada!

2011-07-05T08:54:00.001-04:00

Like most people in the United States, I really haven't paid much attention to our neighbors to the North: Canada. Some Facebook conversations with a Facebook friend who lives there caused me to dig a bit deeper... and I was surprised by what I found.

Before reading the rest of this post (or perhaps instead of), search on Stephen Harper Tea Party. You'll be surprised by what you find. I'm sharing one example, Canada's Tea Party-Stephen Harper and Ford Nation. If you don't like this article, you'll find many more using the same tone. Thanks to Stephen Harper, The two establishment parties that ruled Canada for its first 130 years, the Progressive Conservatives, and the Liberal Party, the folks who brought Canada free-medicine, gun control, and a relatively open immigration policy, are wiped out.

On the surface, Stephen Harper, a member of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) is very attractive to a Libertarian. This anti-Obama Conservative studied Hayek, Mises and Friedman at the University of Calgary and speaks the small Government, low (or no) taxes mantra that "we" love. The "bad news" for a Libertarian is that he (and his Party, the CPC) also favors getting the Government involved in those socially divisive issues that "we" consider none of the Government's business.

I'm surprised this wasn't "bigger news" in the United States. The Tea Party (in principle) just quietly took over Canada (like I said, search on Stephen Harper Tea Party) without "firing a shot" and threw out 130 years of liberal Government.

I always look for "the man behind the curtain". In this case, it's a gentleman by the name of Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto. Mayor Ford made a couple of shrewd political moves that assured Stephen Harper's victory... and Ford's place as "kingmaker" in the political landscape. I think we have a "Mayor Rob Ford" or two on our political landscape. Sarah Palin comes to mind. I don't think she want's to "be President", I think she wants to be the one who "decides who is President." The later is much more lucrative and almost as powerful as being President.

Perhaps there's a lesson or two in this for us. The Tea Party should look closely at what Stephen Harper and the CPC did right. The Liberal Left should take a look at what they did wrong. I'm not endorsing Harper or Canada's move to the right. I'm just reporting it... and wondering why no one else noticed.

I plan to pay a lot more attention to Canada... we may see our future in their present.

The future of mobility

2011-07-05T07:46:00.000-04:00

I don't believe in borders. I do believe that the path to evolve to a stable world free from war is to think globally and raise everyone's standard of living. This article in the Economist, The Future of Mobility, pretty much sums up my view of the world.

People who may feed their families and see a future for their children are less susceptible to choose "war" as a job (and for many folks in the Third world, "war" simply a "job"). Global mobility allows labor to move to jobs and raise everyone's standard of living. This will bring jobs closer to local markets (or "home" for those inclined to think this way) as the cost of production far from local markets increases. This article is an excellent discussion of this issue. This book will go on my "to read" pile.

Technology offers mobility for some categories of jobs. There's a good chance that your taxes are being prepared in India, your X-Ray is being read overnight in Malaysia, your "help desk" call is being answered via an automatic routing system to just about anywhere in the world. Business processes and services that are not core to "what the business makes or does" are often outsourced to the lowest qualified bidder wherever that bidder may be.

As one goes up the food chain, you'll discover that large projects are being defined as independent objects with specifications for what "goes in" and "goes out". Those objects are then outsourced to resources around the world, integrated and tested somewhere else, and delivered perhaps to a Cloud architecture for use anywhere.

Borders matter less in a world with today's technology and transportation options. We may not see them go away in our lifetime; however, they will (or, should I say, they are) go(ing) away.

Why I really don't "care" about whether or not Gays get married.

2011-07-02T09:31:00.006-04:00

As I sit here on my front porch reading TIME Magazine on my iPad, I can't help but give particular notice to its article Gay Marriage: The Coming Clash of Civil and Religious Liberties.

I'm a Libertarian. We're those "fiscally conservative, socially tolerant" folks who try and straddle both sids of the aisle. That's a pretty uncomfortable position. We also tend to be "independent voters" who spend our lives looking for the candidates who "offend us least". The "socially tolerant" aspect of Libertarians is often misunderstood. I'm not "in favor of" drug use, gay marriage, any particular race, religion, philosophy, or whatever. I simply believe that others personal choice, genetic markers, or cultural or biological presuppositions are not any of my business as long as those folks don't "hurt other people or take their stuff.". Simply put, I don't care... and neither should anyone else!

Gay marriage is a case in point. This clearly represents the personal choice of a group of people who either chose or are predisposed to a gay lifestyle. For the record, I believe that the science is "in" and homosexual behavior is the result of a biological predisposition that we just don't understand... like being born left handed. To be clear... the science is only a footnote because I consider the issue "none of my business... regardless."

I"m left handed. As a "lefty," I am aware of centuries of discrimination against those born with this biological predisposition.

Very few people realize that many of the world's religions discriminate against left handed people. Christianity discriminated against the synestral (a term reflecting the negative historical view of "left handedness") for over a thousand years (and perhaps still do in some of the more primitive areas of the world) because they considered those who demonstrated this trait were servants of the devil. In Matthew 6:3 of the Bible, Jesus instructed his followers that when they do charitable things, to "not let thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth."

Jesus also expressed the following sentiments regarding the Judgment Day. "And before Him shall be gathered all nations; and He shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats; and He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on His right hand, 'Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world...' Then shall He say into them on the left hand, 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels...'

In the Old Testament, God told Jonah the wicked city of Nineveh contained people so sinful they "cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand," leaving us to infer that they cannot discern between good or evil. Greeks, in their worship of Zeus, posted sentries to watch people entering the holy temples and make sure they entered with their right foot, because entrance with the left foot was thought to curse the building. Also, the Greeks took care to never put their left leg over the right while crossing their legs. In Hindu rituals, followers are required at times to circle people and/or objects three times, from left to right to cleanse them.

To survive, those born with this biological predisposition (that we still don't understand) had to "pretend" to be right handed to fit in. Sound familiar?

The Bible actually gives Christianity more ammunition to discriminate against those of us born left handed than those born with a predisposition to homosexuality. Go figure?

If the Tea Party stayed out of what is clearly religious Doctrine and dropped its attempts to make Religious doctrine public policy... they would "have my heart and soul". Every time I hear one of the Tea Party's leading political figures give a speech and talk about "lower taxes," "smaller Government," and "Freedom from Government interference in our lives," I say to myself "yes".

Then, they drift into those divisive social issues that appear to a Libertarian such as myself at odds with their "small Government" mantra... and I simply hold my left hand in front of my face and wonder if I am capable of making this great of a compromise.

Choosing to be a Libertarian is a lfestyle... not a party.

2011-06-29T09:57:00.004-04:00

Earlier, I published A party of one. Its no secret that I'm a Libertarian; however, that's just a label. I've been pondering exactly what that means (to me).

I have come to the conclusion that, to me, being a Libertarian isn't being a member of a political party or group, is a lifestyle choice.

I have never "supported" legalization of marijuana, gay rights, same-sex marriage, right to life, right to choose, or any of the many other divisive social issues per se, I just never thought that issues of personal choice or biological predisposition were of my business. I don't so much "support" anything, I "oppose" Government's involvement in very personal decisions such as this.

I believe that tolerance is fundamental to America's success and that those who wish to impose their personal, religious, philosophical or (the most dangerous to me) social engineering views and schemes on others who may disagree is the greatest risk to its continued success. Libertarians often align with "strange bedfellows" to fight intolerance over specific issues; however, we seldom are in the company of people who share our social tolerance across the board (unless we are fortunate enough to be in the company of like minded Libertarians).

At the "top of my list" for offensive Government intervention is integrating religious doctrine into public policy. That's the Taliban's model... and I'm not a fan. The most "ruthless" and "primitive" Governments in the world today use Religion as a tool to control their people. I see a bit of that kind of thinking in the United States lately... and it scares me. We all have the right to pursue happiness in whatever way we choose as long as we don't hurt other people or take their stuff. A Government that gets a bit too involved in our personal choices regarding just how we go about that is offensive to me.

If our Government persecutes any Group for any reason other than that "hurting other people or taking their stuff" thing, they are over-reaching... and I will be in the side of those they persecute. If any group or individual looses the fight for a personal choice, we all loose our freedom to choose. We must be ever vigilant so we don't all loose our freedom... one personal choice at a time.

The woods...

2011-06-28T08:33:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I just have to "disconnect"... even if for just a few hours... and "reconnect" with nature. Yesterday was one of those times. I went into the Shenandoah Mountains to hike to my favorite spot... the headwaters of the Hazel River. I've fly fished in its pools often although now I just take a camera and my journal. A ham sandwich just tastes better by a babbling brook.

Nature, left to its own devices, knows what to do. It isn't "cruel", its "pragmatic". Natural selection requires that the strongest, most adapted survive while the weaker fall to the side... usually as something else's "lunch". One of my early lessons about nature is that everything is something else's "lunch". That scales literally and metaphorically to our own species.

Nature is timeless. As I walk through the trees or watch a brook trout in one of the pools, I realize that they are made of "stuff" that has been around "forever" (although there's an argument to be made that its just been sound for the live of the current instantiation of our Universe). Right now, that "stuff" self organized to be a tree or a fish or me. I wonder what I was... and what I will be.

Nature self organizes. It unfolds to adapt to its environment and circumstances. All living things in nature fit within the food chain somewhere. No matter how high they are on the food chain, they will end up as "lunch" to the modest organisms within the food chain and will return to the soil from whence they came.

I'm a Libertarian. I chose that path because it recognizes the rights of individuals and questions the right of others to tell us what to think, do or say. I consider the Sermon on the Mount the only "rules" (more of "guidelines") that I need and endeavor not to hurt other people or take their stuff... and I mind my own business. That being said, you will find that I rise quickly to protect the rights of others to live as they please whether I agree with them or not. "We" must protect everyone's rights to protect our own personal freedom.

We are "pack animals" who, by out nature, prefer to self-organize according to some tribal connection. As our numbers grow, self-organization becomes more "complicated" and the tribal connections become more "complicated" and "blurred". For the record, I am a fan of seeing those tribal connections becoming more "blurred" through assimilation, intermarriage, etc. Genetically, we are one tribe indistinguishable from each other at the genetic level. The things that make us physically different are mere static in our DNA.

Some among us think they know how to organize the rest of us. They claim the right to finance that organization by taking the stuff of those they perceive as having more than they need and giving it to those they wish. It is the decision of men who by force, charisma, luck, or birth hold domain over other men. Regardless of the rhetoric, this is seldom a fair process. It isn't driven by nature or any natural law. The history of this model isn't really filled with success. It's characterized by wars, catastrophic failures, genocide, and the failure of the institutions established to organize the rest of us. The complexity of these institutions tend to become more complicated over time. Each is an instantiation of something new since there is little history, experience or successful models upon which to draw.

Perhaps its time to "scale down" the efforts of some to organize the rest of us. Perhaps Government should reconsider its predisposition to take from its people to finance, grand schemes, boondoggles, bloated Government Agencies and Departments choking on their own incompetence, and... wars. Perhaps the days of grand, complicated, expensive Government are crumbling under their own weight. Perhaps its time to try something different.

It will be difficult to "be first" and our Government won't change quickly. I am happy to look to the simplicity of nature and its predisposition to self-organize and apply this pattern to how we self-organize. We need to plan for a common defense (Department of Defense), a way to manage relationships with other groups and nations (State Department), a way to manage disputes (Department of Justice), and a way to collect the revenue necessary to finance these things (Department of Revenue). Everything else, at least IMHO, should go.

On my way out of the woods, I saw the cutest baby bear in a tree... thought it was a squirrel. When I took a closer look, this little head popped out. I may be the first human it ever saw. I heard brush crashing in the distance and realized "mama" was coming to check things out... so I "doubled timed" out of the woods. In retrospect, I realized that mama bear was simply fulfilling her genetic predisposition to protect her young... just like any mother... and I made the rational decision not to be that mama bear's "lunch" today.

We have evolved from worrying about looking for our own "lunch" everyday while avoiding being something else's "lunch" to the complex social and economic structures that exist today. We don't understand these structures, we don't control these structures, we don't know "what's next". I would suggest that perhaps now is the time to "simplify" these structures to reduce the variables that will decide the fate of the human race.

This could be a long blog... but I'll stop here. Anyone inclined to discuss these things is always welcome to join me at my "office" (Starbucks) or my front porch to discuss these things over a cup of coffee.

Kiva

2011-06-25T08:29:00.001-04:00

I just made a couple of Kiva loans to Adiatou and Ablavi.

Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world. Learn more about how it works.

I recognize that the "Free Market" becomes "complicated" as businesses scale and become de facto Governments that decide who gets a job where and, we may buy or sell, and influence Policy... And I don't have an answer. Like everything else in our environment... It's evolving... we don't understand the end state yet. That being said, I firmly believe that free market capitalism is the path out of poverty for the poor in the third world. I target women owned businesses because women's rights often don't exist in primitive cultures (they are viewed as property and abused beyond belief) and economic power IS power in these places.

I've lived around the world... and in a couple of "bad neighborhoods" where I pocked up a personal appreciation for woman's issues. I occasionally get involved in political and social issues here at home; however, at the end of a day... over a single malt... I often wonder to myself, "what the **** are we arguing about?" Our problems don't amount to "a hill of beans" compared to problems of people living in third world nations. Sierra Leone particularly comes to mind.

Come on... You can afford a few bucks to help someone you don't know. Make a Kiva loan (and tell your friends).

‎"A little government and a little luck are necessary in life, but only a fool trusts either of them." -- P. J. O’Rourke

2011-06-24T10:01:00.001-04:00

A Party of one..

2011-06-22T08:59:00.006-04:00

Bill Golden, an associate of mine, has started a political party. Bill and I met (as they say in China) "in interesting times" and shared a few unique experiences.

When I saw his post, it frankly caused me a bit of angst. He has invited me to join. Bill is probably the most qualified guy I know to start a political party. On the other hand, I prefer to be a "party of one". Recent experiences (which Bill shared) only confirmed that I'm not suited for organized political parties or groups. I'm sharing my note to Bill to both recommend his party and explain why I (his friend and fellow Libertarian, someone who would be reasonably expected to immediately join) didn't sign up.

"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all." --Thomas Jefferson to Francis Hopkinson, 1789.

Bill,

Good luck! Our world view is, while not identical, very consistent on the "big stuff". I've decided to remain a "party of one".

I've tried political groups over the past couple of years and have found they just don't suit me. They are either formed by someone who wishes to build support for some preconceived philosophy or idea or quickly taken over by others for the same reason. This isn't necessarily a criticism, it's an observation (and probably not always correct... it's just my experience). These groups suit some people. They are not for me.

I'll continue to be a "party of one" seeking to exchange information with people of all political persuasions who are willing to discuss and disagree without making it "personal" (as you and I do regularly). I don't desire to sign up to develop a group philosophy... I already have a personal philosophy. I am not interested in building a platform... I'd rather evaluate the platforms presented by candidates (with a bit of due diligence to see if their platform reflects their past actions). I have no desire to convert anyone to my way of thinking or to be the subject of the conversion efforts of others. I have encountered intolerance for ideas with whom others disagree or don't understand and have no interest in becoming the target of such intolerance again.

Everything that I know and believe is based upon what I have learned and observed up to this moment. I continue to evolve as I assimilate new information. If presented with compelling information, I could completely and radically change what I believe (just as new information proved that the Earth is not flat or that it is not the center of the Universe). My greatest pleasure is finding out that I'm wrong about something... because that is truly personal and intellectual growth. I am a Libertarian because, frankly, it comes with the fewest rules and the least baggage. It's a label. I have found most other labels whether they be left or right, coffee or tea, liberal or conservative, come with complex rulesets, expectations, perhaps a touch of religious doctrine mixed in with public policy, and little tolerance for other ideas. They are more about people who need reinforcement to convince themselves that their live makes sense, that what they believe is correct, or perhaps to validate a lifetime of personal action and decisions.

The fact that I have spent a good part of my life overseas, occasionally in "bad neighborhoods," and usually with people who have radically different views of the world, how it should be organized, and why we are here has convinced me that most of our personal beliefs are merely accidents of birth, circumstance, and our environment. (Show of hands... how many people changed religions when they got married? ..Political parties?) I long for the day when people can "step out of" the framework in which they were born, perhaps reconsider spending a lifetime confirming it, and stop devoting so much time to compelling others to be part of it.

To those who look for an organized political party, I give Bill Golden my highest recommendation. We have spent long hours on my front porch and a few other places discussing a range of issues. He has changed my mind about a few things... and I believe that perhaps I have changed his once or twice. I will watch this group with great interest.

Good luck... and let me know if you are still interested in Coffee with a "Party of one" occasionally. That offer is open to any one of like mind who believes that they might want do engage in conversations where they might learn, inform, or just enjoy a good cup of coffee. My front porch is generally available... and my coffee gets good reviews.

Bill... I suspect you know me well enough to understand.

Al

I'm liking the new Fiat 500

2011-06-12T13:42:00.004-04:00

In 1968, I was dating my wife on Okinawa. I needed wheels to get around the island and had a used Fiat 500 lined up.

My father died that day. I returned to the states for the funeral and to help my mother get through this sad day. I lost my option on the Fiat. I always thought about that car... it was perfect for running around a small island on a few cents worth of gas.

Forward space ahead 43 years.

The Fiat 500 is back... its available in the states... and it's looking better than ever. I used to commute to Tysons Corner and beyond five days a week. In those days, I liked to surround myself with "serious hardware" as a matter of safety. Now that I'm retired, my driving is generally limited to an occasional lunch or dinner in Old Town Manassas or the Occoquan, the three bookstores within range, a couple of Starbucks and a few shops I like.

I was thinking, "Electric car" or "Hybrid". I've test driven the Ford Prius, the Chevy Volt (you have to pay for the privilege of getting on the list for a Volt sometime next year), and followed the Nissan Leaf. The return of the Fiat 500 has "re-engineered" my thinking.

Battery cars and hybrids are expensive and complicated. Honestly, they just don't "turn me on" (car-wise). There's enough gas around to get me through my lifetime. I'm thinking something fun to drive that hits an emotional cord might just be the ticket!

So, I'm off to test drive a Fiat 500. I've seen one in Red that pretty much "knocked my sox off" on display at Potomac Mills Mall... and they are "cheap". I've heard the "Fix it Again, Tony" jokes... I've owned Italian cars and know all about that. (Owning an Italian car used to be like having a mistress... when its good, it's really, really good... when it's bad, it's really really bad... and its always expensive.) Reviews indicate that Fiat is past those days. It gets close to 40 miles per gallon which put it on Kelley Blue Book's Top Ten Green Gars list. That Green Cars list gives me some "Environmentalist" creed.

And, most important, it touches on an emotional cord... it touches my soul.

So, if you see me running around in a red Fiat 500 one of these days, don't be surprised.

I'll be imaging that my wife and I are on our way to the East China Sea with the top down just like we had planned to do so many years ago... or perhaps in reality its off to Occoquan for lunch by the water.

The Fiat 500 may not have waited for me to return from the States in 1968; however, my wife did. Lucky for me...

Cranes

2011-06-05T19:35:00.002-04:00

My friend Bill Golden posted this Russian Folksong, Cranes. As an "old soldier" with many friends listed on "the wall" on the D.C. Mall, It touched me deeply. I prefer to listen to Cranes over a shot of Absolute (which I keep in my freezer). Here are the lyrics in english:

Cranes"
(translated and copyright by win081/Anti-Defamation)

It seems sometimes the soldiers
who didn't come home from the bloody battlefields,
weren't buried under the ground,
They turned into white cranes...

That has happened since long time ago,
They have been flying, and calling,
Maybe that's why we are often sadly
and silently, looking into the sky.

They fly and fly up in the sky,
They fly from the morning till the night,
In their formation there is a space;
Probably that space is mine.

The day will come for me to fly,
To fly with these cranes flying in the same blue sky,
I will be calling from the sky, in the crane's calling,
the names of loved ones that I left on the ground.

I think its time for another shot of vodka. Wherever you are, feel free to join me as I look to the sky thinking of my friends... and notice the spot they are saving for me.

I said yes to "what"?

2011-06-03T12:30:00.000-04:00

I live in the Coles District, Prince William County, VA. Earlier this week, I responded to a request from Marty Nohe, the Coles District Supervisor, for a volunteer. I had visions of some "cushy" inside job, perhaps a catered affair with those little cocktail weenies and meat balls, something "air conditioned"... maybe help with an event at the Candy Factory.

Nooooooooooooooo... he wanted a volunteer to wander around the Coles District in almost 100 degree heat with a member of his staff to collect signatures for his nomination (Marty has to face a primary this time around). He's been good to me and my neighborhood and always quickly responded to requests for constituent services so I couldn't back out (although a few creative excuses crossed my mind) I am a man of my word.

So, I show up at his office to pick up Katie, a member of his staff. This was a bright spot as Katie is a very smart and knowledgable political staffer. I still dreaded wandering around the Coles District in 100 degree weather; however, at least I had good company... and I am a man of my word.

Then we nocked on the first door. After listening to a story of how Marty helped out the resident, she quickly signed the petition (and got a couple of other family members to sign up). The second house had a story of how Marty helped solve an easement problem with a local shopping center. The third was a story about how Marty helped with another problem... and so it went. I even got a die hard "Democrat" to sign Marty's petition because he's... well... Marty.. and he's taken care of her neighborhood.

I met a lot of nice people. I also realized that most people don't really know what Marty Nohe does for the Coles District. He helps his constituents solve problems. I read about (and care about) the "big issues"; however, at the end of the day I chose my Supervisor based upon "what he's done for me" lately. Retail Politics is about Constituent services. I know that Marty and his staff have always taken care of me and my neighborhood; however, I didn't realize just how intimately involved he has become with all of his constituents as a problem solver. It really opened my eyes.

That's not why I had planned to vote for him again. I have been watching Marty since he first knocked on my door and shared a glass of Iced Tea in... what year was it... 2003 (the first time he ran)? He impressed me as a "bright guy". As I watched his time on the Dias unfold, I noticed that he always did his homework. While the rest of the County was stewing over new Districts for our BOCS, he quietly worked with staff and constituents to draw up and propose the redistricting plan that was accepted by the board and the community. He as quietly worked behind the scenes to broker compromise positions on several high profile County issues that eventually resulted on solutions everyone could support. I also noticed that when the dust settled, he didn't mind who took the credit.

I "ruthlessly criticize" Marty all the time because he's not perfect; however, he does listen. Once in a while, he even acts on some suggestion; however, I particularity appreciate it when he tells me that we simply will have to disagree on an issue and goes a different way. I'm not sure Marty Nohe knows how to do the political "double speak" or "non-answer" when engaged in a conversation with a constituent. That's a flaw I can live with.

So my walk around the Coles District with Katie in 100 degree heat turned out to be a pretty good day after all. Marty never talked about any of those services that he provided to his constituents (and there were some pretty touching stories)... he never claimed public credit for his many private assists. It's important for folks to know just how much he cares. If you're new to the Coles District, make sure you have his number. He will be there for you.

Supervisor Marty Nohe is also a man of his word.

Sarah Palin for President!

2011-05-30T10:15:00.005-04:00

You know, I hope Sarah Palin is elected President. It would be worth it to piss off my "whiney liberal friends"... My "reasonable liberal friends" would be collateral damage... Regrettable... But unavoidable.

The liberal left is complaining that Ms. Palin is riding with Rolling Thunder. "**** em!". She isn't publicizing her participation, making a speech, or making political hay out of her participation. The press and the liberal left are making it news. The fact that her son is an Army 11 Bravo (Infantry) serving in Iraq is overlooked or ridiculed on liberal sites. She is a private American Citizen who has chosen to honor Veterans and her son's service by riding with my vet brothers and sisters.

Ironically, It's the liberal left and the media that feeds them that keeps Sarah in the political game. The more they complain, the more folks like me (Independant middle of the road Libertarians) wonder "why?" Then, we think if she scares the left that much, "why not?" This Country needs to be "shaken up a bit" because "if we keep doing what we are doing" we are in trouble... and right now "we keep doing what we are doing" hoping for different results.

Hand salute, Sarah. One finger salute, whiney left wing liberals who don't respect her choice or her son's service.

I think it's time to go look at Harleys.

For my friends who gave all...

2011-05-28T13:39:00.000-04:00

I'll admit that Memorial day brings back a lot of memories. I enlisted in January 29th 1968. The Tet Offensive started on January 31st 1968. Most of my class was sent to Infantry training to go to Viet Nam. Hearing about one more classmate who wouldn't being going home became routine. This video is for them... my friends who gave all.

Hand salute... this beer's for you.

Karma

2011-05-04T15:39:00.000-04:00

It's easy to know if you are experiencing "good Karma". Are you happy?

Inside of a dog

2011-04-24T11:49:00.005-04:00

I envy my dogs. They live every moment for the moment. They aren't concerned for their reason to be, any meaning or purpose, from whence they came or where they will finally end up. They are happy simply "to be".

My home is filled with three dogs: two Golden Retrievers and a Beagle. Each fulfills its genetic destiny and brief "moment" in their current form. They are all different yet they are all alike. While I know that it's "wrong" to anthropomorphize pets, I can't help but notice the joy they experience in the simplest of things. I am content to think that they enjoy my company... and I certainly enjoy theirs. My two Golden Retrievers will chase the rubber bones I toss until they are exhausted. I really don't know if they do it because they actually enjoy chasing rubber bones... or they enjoy pleasing me by chasing them. In the end, it really doesn't matter because the experience creates enough happiness for all of us.

I just finished reading Inside of a Dog by Alexandria Horowitz. If you're a dog lover, or an animal lovever, it's a pretty good read. It does explode quite a few "myths" (or, runs counter to our tendency to anthropomorphize our pets). While I enjoyed reading it, I chose to ignore the parts that might cause me discomfort. In the end, the book represents one person's (educated) opinion. I have come to distrust the opinions of others and take my own council. In the case of my dogs, I will not analyze the "why" and simply enjoy them.

This is my second pair of Golden Retrievers. I believe that anyone who really loves dogs should have two. The best company for a dog is another dog. They are both GRREAT rescues My wife and I have been GRREAT volunteers for quite a few years. We fostered a few dogs that needed a "home" until they found their "forever" home. One of our previous pair, Zoe, was a foster that we decided to keep. These two dogs came as a pair. After our last two dogs passed away (within weeks of each other), I got an emergency call from GRREAT asking if we would rescue a pair that needed a home. The alternative would be to split them up. We engaged in a late night ride around the beltway to pick up these two dogs at a Maryland parking lot. We had no idea what we were getting or what these dogs would be like, we just new they needed a home... and to be together.

They turned out to be great dogs from a loving home. They immediately "fit in" (since our home was pretty much built around two Golden Retrievers) and bonded quickly. As I type this, they are both sitting at my feet... waiting for me to get the rubber bones and play fetch. Of course, we adopted them... just as the folks at GRREAT expected we would do.

They will probably go before I do. I don't know when or how they will go, but then I don't know when or how I will go. I'm in my 60's and am alive thanks to a pacemaker and modern medicine so I may go first. I try to live my life as they do. I try to be happy every moment of every day. I try to make others happy whenever I can. My greatest pleasure is knowing people very different from myself who are willing to talk about what they believe... and why. I have learned to sort out quickly those who are capable of an intelligent conversation and those simply looking for an opportunity to tell you what you should believe. The latter goes into the "avoid" bin because they don't take disagreement lightly.

My dogs like to be told what to do. I do not like to be told what to do... or what to think or say. I do not tolerate those who believe that they have some divine insight, superior intellect or genetic predisposition giving them the power to tell others what to think, do or say. The world is full of people who believe they know how to organize "the rest of us". It also has a few people who don't want to be told how they fit into the organization.

A bunch of old white guys came up with probably the best idea for organizing a Country when they wrote the Constitution. They knew it wasn't perfect and that we would learn from experience so they allowed for a process to change the Constitution when necessary. I consider this document good enough for me. The original vision is rather simple. Government's powers are enumerated in the Constitution and generally consist of National Defense, a State Department, a Department of Justice to arbitrate disputes, and a minimal process for raising revenue to pay for the above. Anything not covered in the Constitution is left to the States (thanks to the 10th Amendment).

My mantra is "Simplify". Less Government translates into more freedom. Disputes between states should go to the Department of Justice for resolution. I would frankly shut down most of Washington preferring to let states collaborate on the big issues. The "one size fits all" approach to social policy has been a continual and abysmal failure since it fails to recognize the rights, culture, or preferences of the diversity represented across this great Country. One size does not fit all. I would count on a free press to expose wrong doing and bad policy so voters could exercise their power to select the representation they deserve.

My dogs don't care about any of this. If we lived in an environment with few rules, neither would I. The smaller Government's footprint, the fewer the rules. Fortunately, I am not alone.

While I am not currently a member of the Tea Party (I was for a while. For full disclosure, I Was also a member of the Coffee Party for an even briefer period), I like most of what they do. They want to shut down most of Washington, stop the wars, prevent future wars, and reduce taxes. Ron and Rand Paul are Tea Party leaders. To my surprise, they have captured the imagination of America's youth. It would appear America's young people don't like war and being told what to do either. Go figure? I had always imagined a life "nibbling at the edges" of Government to reduce its size,scope, and cost. It now appears that America has a chance at a Libertarian President who will attack "big Government" at its heart.

That would make my dogs and I very happy. They are both looking at me... waiting for those rubber bones. I think we'll go outside and play.

Who is John Galt? Atlas Shrugged - a movie review.

2011-04-17T17:02:00.001-04:00

I saw Atlas Shrugged this afternoon. Whether or not you like this movie (or even go to this movie) will probably depend in you political persuasion (and opinion of Ayn Rand). I am not a huge Ayn Rand fan; however, I am a Libertarian. Her themes of individual achievement, the problems with "big Government" and "centralizing the means of production" resonated with me. Simply put, I liked the movie. More important, I recognized the characters... particularly the characters who represented those in our current Government.

The theme is simple: "big" Government that tries to use its power to control the economy, the means of production, and its citizen is a prescription for the failure of the Country that it supports. That's a theme I appreciate. When I listen to the liberal left, particularly the Progressives, talk about wealth redistribution, engage in anti-corporation rhetoric, or "economic equalization" between states, I get a cold chill. The Movie Atlas Shrugged puts these fears into perspective. Of course, it's just a movie.

There's a scene that involves a train making its maiden voyage on Rearden Steel that brought tears to my eyes. You might have to be a Libertarian to understand that response.

This is part 1 of a three part series. Part one pretty much follows the book, which is a "good thing". I went to an afternoon matinee. The theater (seating capacity around 600) was probably about a fourth full. I don't know if this will be a commercial success or if part 2 and 3 will ever go into production; however, I hope so.

It's rare for a movie to generate a round of applause. This movie did. That probably says something about the production quality and the audience. I applauded loudly.

It's a Great movie (if you are a Libertarian, a true Conservative, or perhaps a member of the Tea Party). I would love to hear a Progressive's reaction (if any actually go to see it).

Jefferson on Government

2011-04-14T06:43:00.000-04:00

"With all these blessings, what more is necessary to make us a happy and prosperous people? Still one thing more, fellow citizens -- a wise and frugal government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government, and this is necessary to close the circle of our felicities."

- Thomas Jefferson
First Inaugural Address
March 4, 1801

I just told Governor McDonnell I didn't vote for him... but i wish I had.

2011-04-09T13:42:00.007-04:00

I attended Delegate Rich Anderson's campaign kickoff this morning. It was hosted my Supervisor Marty Nohe at the Appliance Connection. Governor Bob McDonnell attended and spoke. It was an excellent, well attended event. I had a chance to chat with Governor McDonnell and took this opportunity to tell him that I didn't vote for him... but I wish I had.

I'm a Libertarian and an Independent voter. I was "ready for change" and had some issues with the "Graduate paper" thing so I voted for the "other guy". It turns out that the "right thing happened" without my vote and Bob McDonnell got elected. He is, IMHO, an excellent Governor. I don't agree with everything that he does; however, I agree with most of what he does. That's a Libertarian's lot in life.

The Governor is one of the reasons I'm a "right leaning Libertarian" these days. I have noticed that Republicans have been moving this Country back on course by reducing the defect and size of Government and working on job creation. As with the Governor and the Republicans who are straightening out our County, State, and this Country, I don't agree with everything they do; however, I agree with most of what they do.

One reason I am a really big fan of Governor McDonnell is because he realizes that he is the steward of "our money" and acknowledges that frequently in his speeches. You just don't here that from the left. They think it's all "their money" and let us keep what they think they don't need.

I had a "brush" with the left last year that pretty much convinced me I don't want liberals or progressives running my Government or my life. Some will push back that the Right also gets into my personal business; however,when comparing the two I'll take the Right. I consider lower taxes, smaller Government and State's rights to choose their own course (the 10th Amendment) my preferred style of Government.

So, I'm pulling the Republican Leaver this time around (and for the foreseeable future). Our County Chairman, Corey Stewart, has done an excellent job navigating this County through international economic difficulties of historic proportions. Supervisor Marty Nohe continues to represent "all of his constituents" and remains strong on constituent services. I'm not sure who my state Delegate will be this time around; however, I suspect it will be Delegate Rich Anderson (after the state District boundaries are redrawn). I really like Delegate Anderson and will be proud to support him. Should I remain in Delegate Scott Lingamfelter's district, that's just fine. Scott Lingamfelter has provided outstanding constituent services to my neighbors and I... and is also someone I like. I'll admit that there are a couple of other options that I wouldn't be so enthusiastic about.

I often am asked of late "What I'm running for". I'm flattered to be asked; however, I find wanting nothing, needing nothing, running for nothing, and being an independant voter obligated to no one is a good place to be. My father once told me to never pick a fight with someone who has less to lose than you do because eventually, you WILL lose.

I have nothing to lose in a world of folks with lots to lose... and plan to leverage that position as I participate in County and State policy in the future.

As an old soldier who's lucky to be alive, there's just not much that scares me.

So... where's Mid-County's news?

2011-04-09T08:01:00.000-04:00

I live in the Semi-Rural Region (SRR) in Mid-Prince William County (Mid-County), Virginia. My address says Manassas because its processed by a Manassas post office; however, I am not a resident of the City of Manassas. I don't live that far from Dale City; however, I don't live in Dale City. I live in Mid-County.

So, where's my news?

The Manassas News & Messenger lists a number of local communities. I don't belong to amy of them. The Patch as lots of local editions. I don't live in any of them. The Washington Post doesn't know we exist. The Old Bridge Observer is, as its name implies, a Newspaper devoted to... well... Old Bridge Road. I live in Mid-County.

Right now, we are working on an Overlay District for the Occoquan Resevior which expands zoning for those of us living in the SRR. We have the occasional murder of robbery. We have grade schools, high scools, stores, shops, citizen groups, and our own culture. Many of us live "off the grid" with our own well and septic on larger, wooded lots (that must average 2.5 acres by County ordnance). The County just quietly announced that Purcell Road, which cuts through the most environmentally sensative region of Prince William County, will be expanded form a two lane country road to a four land divided highway connecting Route 234 to the Prince William parkway. Not a peap in the news about the Citizen Review of the impact of this construction in the news.

Mid-County is different... and we have our own news. If no one else will cover it, I will.