Use it or Lose it. “Using” is like a computer worm; replicating and spreading itself through our society. Selfishness has become the “self-help” career jump-starter.
“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Tompkins County is a planned community: Their plan – your community.” Government is taking control to make the “best communities”: but even if it’s not for the best of your community; and they never intended it to be — they’re still taking control. Their planners and planning decisions are completely outside the approval and oversight of the people.
“Tompkins County and Tammany Hall” will detail and document the jaw-dropping truth behind this emerging dictatorship.
They refuse to be questioned, they refuse to be accountable, and they refuse to allow meaningful public participation in any government process — that’s Tompkins County today; and everywhere tomorrow.
“It was an unlevel playing field; but it was the same playing field – Now you can’t even get through the fence.”
The “unlevel” playing field presents a problem: you can still win. So level the playing field – into many levels — and they decide the outcome. What level did they put you on?
“Tompkins County: It’s not local government – it’s a franchise.”
Just like a business franchise – In Government Format Franchising; the franchisor provides to the franchisee not just its political rhetoric, policies and services, but an entire system for operating government. The franchisee generally receives customized surveys and planning development support, operating manuals, training, conforming standards, media control, a marketing strategy and expert advisory support from the franchisor.
It’s not about thinking — it’s about “branding”: brand visibility, brand loyalty, brand conformity — an ever-changing menu of reimagined sameness; from the same source.
There comes a time in a scam, when the scam is revealed; a time in politics when the Dictator is announced — a time in every manipulative deception when the perpetrators know they are beyond justice; beyond questioning — this is that time in Tompkins County.
Most people in Tompkins County don’t believe – so why don’t they speak out?
It’s a time when that is not wise.
“The New Urbanism is entitlement for planners.” If you want to gather money and power – enable those richer and more powerful than you. That’s the main ingredient for success in today’s stratified bureaucracy. The New Urbanism and Form Based Codes are elitist mapmaking of a new territory — all that we had left of us.
Our communities; always growing and changing to meet the needs of those who lived in them — were “inefficient” – or more accurately; did not conform. Form Based Codes give planners the chance to create building block neighborhoods; and officials the power to control everything within them.
It’s a ground up paradigm of the new society: People are encouraged to make comments – and officials do whatever they please.
A simple game for “brainstorming” government strategy. The schisms and arguments between players mimic the daily bureaucratic and political infighting of our would-be and be leaders.
The addition of alcohol quickly brings out the characters of those who will rule – and those who die in hotel rooms.
COEXIST with Crime? Not a good idea. You think you’re getting along with criminals — and they just haven’t gotten around to you yet.
It’s bad enough to become extinct when you have no chance to avoid it. But when the roof is falling on your head and you blame gravity — you’re too clueless for a clue-filled universe.
Things are bad and they are getting worse. And if we don’t wake up; they’re going to get much, much worse. And much, much, much, much, much, much worse.
Somewhere; there’s a “much” with our extinction written on it. And it can’t get much worse than that.
“Not doing will be our undoing.” So you’re committed to sustainability. That’s nice. And then? Gold stars won’t get you anywhere with fixing the environment. The target is that dot in the distance — and you have to catch up to it before you can slow it down. Strip down to meaningful actions; and leave the mirror behind. “A stern chase is a long chase.”