[Section taken from the book  "The Sharp Knife of Forced Simplicity, Volume 1: The Numinous Rebellion"]

I used to be completely against the Metric system.

Not as a system of measurement in itself, just against the apparently never-gonna-happen conversion here in the States. The basis for this argument was in an €œorganic€ feeling, that the Imperial system of inches and feet and Fahrenheit felt good because they were somehow closer to nature. After all, a €œfoot€ used to be the size of the king’s actual foot; you can’t get more real and arbitrary than that! Read the full story

This is from an email sent out by the Jefferson County Farmers & Neighbors (JFAN) Board of Directors:

A MESSAGE FROM IOWA CITIZENS FOR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT:

Last week, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey requested a $50
million, taxpayer-funded bailout of the factory farm industry.

Northey’s request is nothing more than pandering to well-financed
corporate ag groups at the expense of everyday people and our
environment! Read the full story

Last night’s City Council meeting had at least one bizarre moment.  It occurred after Brent Willett approached the podium to address the City Council as a representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Fairfield Economic Development Association (FEDA).  In order to address concerns from the business community regarding the new three lane configuration coming to Burlington Avenue, Brent presented two letters (one from the Chamber and the other from FEDA) summarized as follows:

we [FEDA and Chamber of Commerce] understand that the planned curriculum of traffic lanes will be adjusted from its current and historic four lane orientation to a one which will feature one eastbound lane, one westbound lane, one middle left-turn lane, and bike lanes on one or both sides of the roadway, with the exception of the section of roadway between Main Street and Court Street, where bike lanes are for one block suspended altogether due to vehicle parking considerations.

FEDA has long been supportive of innovative public transportation policies which- in order of
priority- address the safety of travelers, improve the overall efficiency of freight and passenger
travel and create and preserve recreational opportunities for Fairfield area residents.

As does FEDA, the Chamber requests on the behalf of its members that the Fairfield City Council become inclined and commit future resources toward a scientific review by a qualified actor of traffic safety incidence improvements, vehicle efficiency data and bicycle use and safety data no more than 12 months from the completion of the striping of Burlington Avenue later this summer.

After presenting his opening address to the Mayor and City Council, the response from the Mayor and several Council members was that the new lanes are not “bike lanes”.  Just last week I received emails from city leaders using the term “bike lane” when referring to the new smaller lanes going on the outside of the roadway in both directions.  However last night neither the Mayor or City Council members wanted to call them “bike lanes”.  City Council member Martha Norbeck said they were not designated bike lanes.  And the Mayor pointed out that the redesign of Burlington Ave did not include the goal of putting in bike lanes, but rather that was a secondary consideration resulting form the extra space left over from a three lane configuration.

Read the full story

[Section taken from the book  "The Sharp Knife of Forced Simplicity, Volume 1: The Numinous Rebellion"]

My revolutionary idealism stems from a radical new idea, one that is perhaps completely unheard of in the long course of human history: the idea that every human life is worth exactly the same.

That is to say that race, color, religion, sexuality, political belief, lifestyle, location, net worth, power, cash on hand, social status, health, fashion sense, tribe, history, leadership, virtues, failings, and every other possible way we can distinguish between people has no bearing on how much their life is worth. Put another way, the president’s life is worth no more or less than a prisoner, a sustenance farmer, or you. The law of equality of human life holds true across every spectrum. Read the full story

Before I get into anything, I have to say how overwhelmingly proud I am to live in a town with a “sustainability plan.” Even if it was just a piece of paper that said “sustainability plan for Fairfield, Iowa” over and over again, just the sheer fact that it exists puts us head and shoulders above almost every other town and city in America. Any suggestions I make regarding the plan, then, are with the underlying idea that it’s amazing and I’m all for it.

Fairfield is a great proving ground for this new direction. At 9,000+ in-town population and over 13,000 in the county, we’re not not so large as to hinder communication, but not so small as to avoid notice from larger communities. As the population runs from ultra-conservatives to extreme liberals, and from multi-generational rural agricultural families to new-aged hippie-types, we will certainly figure out a way to make these changes appealing to both ends. Read the full story

[Section taken from the book  "The Sharp Knife of Forced Simplicity, Volume 1: The Numinous Rebellion"]

Land Rental

Property taxes and Eminent Domain effectively rule out any possibility of true land ownership. If someone cannot come up with a certain amount of money every year, the government €œreclaims€ that person’s land and sells it to someone else. Even if the person can pay, should the government decide it can use the land better, it can up and take it after paying €œfair market price.€ Read the full story