I've been told, with every breath I (or anyone) takes there are a few of the same molecules of oxygen breathed by Jesus. The same could be said of every Aunt Edith, tree, patch of prairie or sea grass, every lion, or elephant, whale or dinosaur that roamed the planet. Their shared breaths circulate within us. Ideally we would pattern our own creations along the same lines. Iron, steel, aluminum, concrete and glass follow similar patterns of re-manufacture or dissolution. Reinforced concrete is a wonderful example. If left untended for a thousand years the structures of buildings and bridges would collapse because the iron in them turns to rusty dust as concrete rubble slowly weathers away. But humans have created compounds which are unnatural. Plastic is one. I love the way my cordless drill feels in my hand – due to its light-weight and sturdy plastic molded case. On the other hand I hate having to peal the nickle sized stickers from organic apples or bananas, (EVERY SINGLE ONE of them!) or finding missed ones PERFECT in 3 year old kitchen compost. Only 5% of are recycled. Plastics break apart, more than break down. Bits and pieces clog our oceans, are now found in the meat we eat whether fish, fowl, or mammal, are in each raindrop and in blood samples of newborn babies. What they do inside us, no one knows yet. Such devised conveniences ultimately collect a tax of ugly, sorrow and misery. And it ain't natural.

Building Data Castles

I am amazed at how well inCorporated algorithms know me, how fast they pick up a new trend or idea. The way they can touch my buttons whether to engage my outrage, get me to watch a cat video, nail my particular vices, or sell me an electronic gadget. And that bothers me. Personal data is valuable property. ("According to the National Data Protection Act, the average value of a US resident’s personal information ranges between $2,000 and $3,000 per year.") Each of us produces a wealth of it throughout our lives. Most of it is wheedled out of us in exchange for the glass beads of digital trinkets of our web-based lives. Giving away our data has been normalized as a natural part of our web routine. And that data can be sliced, diced, probed, packaged, sold and resold to manipulate us. What if you asserted your right to control your own data, where you could sell packaged parts of personal data without revealing your name, phone, email, etc., retaining your anonymity and shielding yourself from manipulation by overlords. What if you could sell you health data for social or scientific advancements anonymously? That alone might, over time, be enough to pay your rent, buy a house, provide a guaranteed base income, while contributing a legacy for the social good. We have the tools and materials. It just has to be built. If “a man's home is his castle”, then beyond Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” surely we have the unalienable right to maintain secure private access and control to all of the treasure vault of our own Personal Data.

The Nature of fragile places

The Nature of fragile places can be developed to look pretty, and maybe made comfortable, but it can not be made forgivable. The foothills to the east of Chico are as fragile as coral reefs around islands, or Mangrove trees swamps around the Florida panhandle. Their highest value lies in the environmental dividend these delicate lands already contribute. These foothill areas are best left untouched, except by control burns, wildlife and grazers. Development on those fragile lands robs us. It dirties the air, flushes away the water greening our valley and recharging the aquifers. It exposes our town to greater risks. It places those who would build, sell, or live there, literally above the rest of us. It makes the heart of Chico the bottom floor of a pit toilet. What to do instead? Get an aerial map and pencil. Draw a line along those points where the toe of the foothills touch the alluvial soils of the valley floor. Draw north and south. Draw a parallel line at a distance downhill of 50 to 300 feet. This will be a greenway buffer which may then include future pedestrian bicycles and eMobility vehicle paths. Get the best and latest flood maps. Those higher elevation areas west of those lines is where any future compact developments should occur. Those soil that make those areas prime agricultural land also make it able to absorb development impacts. Zone it to make it so. Annex it as appropriate. Most everybody will be happier.

Not Saying What - Just Saying

Not saying you should buy one for you or your family. I’m just warning you, people will be doing just that. You will see a lot more of them when you are out and about after the holidays. There are a lot of reasons. Not often you can shop and save money from year to year while significantly reducing your carbon footprint. And possibly put several hundred dollars in your pocket. I have used mine exclusively for six years. It has paid for itself several times over. A similar cargo one can be purchased for less than half of what I paid. They are more fun than a hula hoop. Ridiculously, you could throw one away every year and buy a new one and still save money. Fewer parts will mean they are, or will soon be, cheaper than multi-geared bicycles. It’s a tossup of whether to do it now or later. The market for used cars is fairly high now . So if you do … Look for discounts, Know what you want. Of course helmets and locks are essential too, and it might be good to send a note to each of your elected representatives encouraging them to focus funds on sustainable dedicated routes separate from auto traffic, since painted stripes alone, on busy streets, do little to nothing to decrease accidents – or deaths. Protected lanes make streets safer for everyone. Just some “heads up!” Take care everyone. Happy Holidays!