Main Street improvements, Ferndale, WA.

Main Street Ferndale, Washington. Doesn't look bad on a Saturday (when I biked there), but choked with traffic weekdays according to a February 26 Herald article. Things usually look better from a bicyclist's perspective anyway.

Car and business owners are doing some fuming now that the 5.4 million dollar bridge and street improvements are complete.

It's still just 2 lanes.

To widen this section of Main into 4 lanes would likely require tearing down the businesses who's buildings abut the right of way.

Tear down Main Street businesses to make room for more cars, or try and survive with less cars. Bus service is gradually improving. The sidewalk and bike lane improvements, that were part of the recent work, take up less space than making everything 4 lanes, 6 lanes? 8 lanes?

Eat your vegetables.

Not easy to do, as a single person, when lettuce comes in a big head that rots before one person can eat it. Radishes often come with the leafy tops attached. Leads to quicker wilting.

I like the way radishes are presented at the Bellingham Grocery Outlet. Topped and chopped from their rat tail like roots. Then washed and packed in an individual size package. Like eating potato chips. A nice snack pack.

Vegetables can be very good and easy to eat when presented this way.

Gay Environmentalism

I did a Google search with quotes and only two things came up!

One would think this should be an obvious connection. Over population partially the result of "family values" being pushed down everyone's throat.

Environmentalism should go beyond just saving some wetland or sitting in front of a logging truck. As population, in Washington State, increased around 20% in the last decade, that means 20% more houses, jobs, everything just to tread water.

Much of that population is migration to the state, but too many people are being born, somewhere.

Also, things are going to have to change for a sustainable future. Smaller lot sizes in housing, more people living in apartments and condominiums. Mass transit, bicycles.

They say alternative transportation is more likely to be used in dense urban environments; like Seattle's Capital Hill district.

Capital Hill also happens to be called the "gay ghetto."

Are people of gay lifestyles better adapted to living in close quarters? Treading lightly on mother nature?

One might not think that walking around on Capital Hill. A lot of SUV's are tucked away in parking garages. On the surface, it seems like there is a shallow and consumerism side of gay culture as well.

Couch potatoes spending all their time at department stores trying on mascara.

There is a disconnect here. A missed opportunity.

One would think more gay people would embrace the outdoors and bicycling lifestyles.

It helps one's figure.

At the same time one would think environmentalists would be pushing for gay rights; population reduction.

If these two social movements would come together, wonderful things could happen.

Part of the problem is, "compartmental thinking."

Here's for child free, car free living.

Gay agenda?

There really isn't one, but maybe there should be. I doubt most gay people would buy the entire thing. In reality, there are about as many gay agendas as there are gay people. We do need an agenda for lower carbon footprint living. Some of that may appear to be like a gay agenda of sorts.

Belt tightening, splitting the middle class into upper and lower classes

Political cartoon ideas about Bush budget.

Above image is crude, but hope you get the point. Budget belt tightening splits formally fat around the middle "middle class" into two sections. Top is upper class while bottom is lower class. The tight belt is splitting middle class in two.

--------

Maybe I shouldn't even try drawing the other idea.

It is Uncle Sam playing strong, holding up the world, but can't even afford a good pair of shoes at his domestic foundation.

If someone wants to draw these concepts better, it can be considered a collaborative effort.

Picture at Fisher Plaza

Satellite dishes on top of Fisher Plaza in Seattle. Space Needle in background. A recent trip to Seattle.

Neon sign.

Bellingham's Greyhound Depot is now part of a multi modal transit hub with Amtrak. It's moved to the Fairhaven District. Old downtown spot, where Greyhound was, is a fancy new restaurant. The State Street Depot.



Looks like it's now (Sept. 07) out of business, but sign hasn't been removed. Bellingham businesses sure come and go.

Now there's a new business there and the sign is gone (Jan. 09).

B&W TV chairs; a throwback. Still in Seattle Greyhound terminal in 2005

Sit in a time machine.

TV chairs at Seattle Greyhound station. A "throwback" to at least the 1970s. Back then, it seemed pathetic that folks were so addicted to TV that they would drop the quarters in; like folks dashing off the bus to catch a smoke during pit stops when "smoking in the last 4 seats" was outlawed.

Today, these chairs are nostalgic. Still in use during a time of flat screen DVD players on stair masters. Click dials, black and white TV, only the channels one gets with rabbit ears.

Should this environment be preserved as some heritage site? Seattle Greyhound has not yet been supplanted by some mega transit high tech super hub.


Sit in TV chair, if picture is a bit fuzzy, gaze across drab lobby to Pete's Diner.

Was Iraq war about oil?

Basically yes, the first war (early 1990s) at least.

The second war might have been more about clearing up unfinished business from the first war.

First war had a lot to do with oil. Iraq accusing Kuwait of side drilling. Oil flowing underground not following borderlines. Iraq and Kuwait arguing over who's sucking it out from under the other side.

Then you have the oil thirsty west worried about "stability of Persian Gulf supplies." Not wanting instability to consume the region. It would disrupt the economy.

How can people get to work?

Get the kids off to school, day care?

Soccer moms, security moms?

The West was too dependent on that region. Not enough people ride bicycles, or use public transit. SUV's getting more popular.

After the first war, many folks felt the job was abandoned. Uprisings in Iraq, against the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein were abandoned by US military.

Let down in their time of need.

US finally decided to topple the dictator that they had helped to create.

Maybe the second war wasn't all about oil. It was about unfinished business. Even some human rights concerns.

Still, oil lead to the entire situation.

To prevent future problems, will we ever become less dependent on gobbling up world resources for the "good life?"

The bicycle is one step toward peace.

Also I hope things get better now that Iraq has had an election.

Still lots of news on Iraq last weekend.

My radio bubbles with hints of some optimism now that the historic election has taken place.

George Bush may have pulled off another partial success.

If liberals want something different, it is time to really change the way we live, at the grass roots level.

The bicyclist can afford to be less concerned about "stability" in the Persian Gulf, what ever that means.

Stability for who?

That question never quite goes away.

History moves on.

I just hope for the best.

Should Lake Whatcom Connector road be built into the watershed?

How about a bicycle path?

Letter I recently sent to county council

Dear Council

To build, or not to build Lake Whatcom Connector between Lake Louise Road and Yew Street.

How about making it a bicycle path only?

I first read about this proposed road in a mailing sent out by Pro Whatcom, a group that basically wants to put the lid on growth.

On the other hand, building a new road doesn't sound totally bad for me. I am a bicyclist and I refuse to even go out South Shore Drive because it is too busy and narrow. It would be good to encourage more Sudden Valley residents to bike, but the current road situation, out that way, is awful. Maybe the new road would improve that with wider shoulders, but it would also heat up concerns about enabling growth in the Lake Whatcom watershed.

Less costly than building a road, how about just building it as a bike path? A cinder path, similar to Bellingham's South Bay Trail means less impervious surface.

Not building a new car road would address some of the anti growth watershed concerns. At the same time, building it as a bike path could encourage bicycling rather than driving.

Ironically a new road with good shoulders could encourage bicycling also, but making it a bike path would also address the issue of restricting growth in the watershed. Autos may be the worse polluters of watersheds.


Traffic thundering out Lakeway Drive in Bellingham. Much of it headed to Lake Whatcom area.

Today's Herald reported that county council decided to drop the new Lake Whatcom Connector from its plans. Too costly to build, now estimated at around $18 million plus it does go into the watershed.

Basically, the easiest out is to do nothing. No new road, just let traffic pile up on old road and save $18 million in taxpayer money. People shouldn't be moving to the Lake Whatcom area anyway.

Bicycle postage stamp

Bicycle stamp from Poland. Found in my jar of old stamps that are a byproduct of doing mail art over the years. This one from around 1989. Peace and bikes.

Portland Bike Ensemble, my review

You guessed it, playing their bicycles as musical instruments.

It was "interesting."

Might have been better as an acoustical, rather than amplified concert.

I went to a performance January 24 in Bellingham. It was part of a dance combolateralation.

Lots can be done with bicycles, but it seemed like missed opportunities here. Mostly it sounded like rubbing the mike across tire tread. Probably would have sounded the same rubbing mike on a rubber floor mat, carpet, jacket sleeve or what ever. Didn't really sound like it came from the bike. It was more about mike and amplifier sounds, I think.

More could have been done bringing the authentic sounds of the bike forward. Plucking spokes, freewheel clicking. There was some of that, but I think it might have worked better as an acoustical concert, or at least less reliance on the amplification.

Dancing was interesting also. The main dancer was handsome.

Being a young person, the dance was a bit into that common American energy of the "wild man."

As the sounds groaned, the dancers tossed bikes around and pounded wheels to the floor. Good thing they didn't bash each other, accidentally, on the head.

Poor wheels probably got "trashed." Someone with a truing stand will be needed unless these are "dumpster bikes."

Another missed opportunity for collaborating dance and biking is the graceful stretching that some cyclists do. Biking can evolve to stretching and then to dancing. Something they might think about experimenting with.

I enjoy riding up to Vancouver and then going dancing. The dancing makes a nice cool down from riding.

Of course it was their show, not mine.

My mind if full of "if I was doing it" ideas.

Another part of the performance was a video of interviews with Bellingham people about dance. That was very good.

All in all it was an interesting show. Maybe the performers will find this in Google and think about some of my ideas. Then again, it's their show, not mine.

Is Bush's ownership society becoming an onerous society?

Virtues of an "ownership society" has surfaced several places including President Bush's 2005 inaugural address.

Hopefully there can be more roads to fulfillment than just ownership.

What about quality of life experience?

I don't own a home, business, car, pet, or possessive relationship. I don't even own lots of furniture!

Some people say they are owned by their possessions.

They say "We don't have time to talk because the lawn needs mowing again."

I do own a computer.

My computer cost less than 1 month's house payments for many folks.

Still, this little item opens up an entire world. An entire world on the Internet.

It's the Internet that makes my computer marvelous.

No one can own the Internet.

So far, at least.

Something like the Internet shows us the virtue of things beyond what one can own. The common tapestry of life that interconnects us all.

There are many great things we don't own; like friends and good conversations. Maybe one can "own" what one says, or, in other words, "own one's feelings."

Ownership does have some virtue, but there is too much emphasis placed on ownership in this society. Quality of life should mean something.

A friend and I crested the brow of this big hill on our bikes. As the panoramic view unfolded before us he remarked,

"Wouldn't this be a great place to build my house."

That thought hadn't occurred to me. I just thought, "what a nice place to pass through."

If I owned a house there, the view would become "old hat" after while.

Let's not create an onerous ownership society.

This sign not far from the entrance to Whidbey Island Navel Air Station. Image taken in mid 1990s. I don't think sign is still there.

An irony that military jets are seen at the "sound of freedom." Doesn't the military mean regimentation? I bet they mean "regimentation, for a while is the price of freedom."

Supposedly.

I have camped at Deception Pass State Park, not far from this sign. One hears jet engines most of the night. Kind of interesting to watch, by day, but hard to sleep.

Stainglass sculpture in stairway window at Fairhaven College

Stain glass sculpture in window of south stairway, Fairhaven College Academic Building. One of many nice things to walk past wondering around campus buildings.

Astronomy woodcut from middle ages & congratulations to Cassini

This image was lifted from an astronomy book. It depicts a medieval wood cut about peering behind the sky to see what makes the universe tick. I changed it a bit by adding the words, "space exploration."

Congratulations to the Cassini space craft now orbiting Saturn and the Huygens probe that successfully landed on Titan. Great exploration in our day and good cooperation between USA and European Space agencies.

Visit the mission.

Gregoire wins governorship in the state of Washington (where I live) by 129 votes out of 2.9 million counted.

That's close. Of course Republican Dino Rossi is mad and challenging the situation. Reminds one of "Bush Gore" Florida in 2000?

Beyond the surface issues, that fill newspapers with political talk, are several things which come to my mind.

Amazing that so many elections, these days, are this close! Every vote counts, I guess.

There is usually a margin of error, maybe 1% anyway.

Voting has many archaic things like the Electoral College, nantionally, that put Bush in for 2000 while Gore took the popular vote. Here in Washington State, Rossi won the Machine recount by 49? votes, but Gregoire ordered (and paid for) a hand recount. Hand count is the final say according to Washington State Constitution; another old tradition, like the Electoral College.

A big issue is the problem of "winner take all competition," especially when it is this close. If half the state wants "brand B," maybe governorships, and the US Presidency, should be shared positions.

Our system of checks and balances does take this problem into account. Often each party gets a little bit of its way when the President is of one party while the legislative majority is of another.

People will be arguing about this close race for years. Last I counted, I still had ten fingers on my hands, but still don't know if the thumb qualifies. Hand recount?

Speaking of old voting traditions, Whatcom County, where I live, has decided to go all absentee ballot. Vote by mail.

A good idea. No more polling stations, except for some handicap places, to maintain. No more need to buy new voting machines. Less worry about the advent of touch screen voting with no paper trail.

Just forget polling place voting all together. Vote by mail. The absentee ballot can still provide a paper trail.

Whatcom County has made a wise move.

Capitol steps, Olympia, WA.

Capitol Steps. Washington State Legislative Building in Olympia. I took this image on my 1992 bike tour around the northwest.

Where were the weapons of mass destruction? My thoughts.

Today, Bush White House just announced:

Guess what folks, there were no weapons of mass destruction to be found.

Where were the weapons of mass destruction?

Nations of the world had Iraq under the thumb for years. Sanctions, no fly zones, inspectors. Iraq got little chance to build weapons of mass destruction even though the intent may have been there.

Road up Sehome Hill in the snow. Bellingham does not get snow real often. Some years not at all, others a handful of times. Car drivers often gripe as they don't usually have snow tires in this area. When I say the snow is beautiful, people often remark, "you don't have to drive in it." I walk. A beautiful walk.

Installing the nose driver?

I recently got an invitation to send something to a mail art show. The card had a place to put perfume. Responses were to be scanned onto the net. How will the perfume get scanned?

When I was a kid, I remember thinking "someday there might be smellevision."

Then, in the early 1980s the Seattle Times had an article about a device someone invented to create smells in the room by electronic command. It had a disk that heated up different chemicals based on some sort of code it received. Apple smell, locker room smell.

Soon after that, I found the smell making machine in a second hand store. Didn't buy it. The replacement disks are probably long not available.

Maybe someone is working on a nose protocol for the internet. So far, the internet does not offer much for the nose.

Maybe it is too primordial. We just look past it to our computer screens.

My profile picture for a while.

Bumper sticker on army tank should say I'd rather be sightseeing

Cartoon of army tank with bumper sticker saying, "I'd rather be sightseeing." I drew this cartoon 1991.

Labyrinth Walk In The Pentagon?

A few nights ago, I dreamed that I was in Washington, DC.

There was an open house at the Pentagon.

I walked into a lobby filled with red, white and blue balloons.

It was sort of like a labyrinth walk.

First I decided to walk straight to the courtyard in the center of the building.

As I peered out onto a cobble stoned court, I wondered, "how far into the Pentagon did that jet penetrate on 911?" It didn't make it all the way to the center court.

Just then, I heard people talking and giggling. They were rhetorically asking, "are we a target because we are in the Pentagon, or are we safer because the Pentagon is wrapped around us?" I marveled at how light hearted they were discussing these topics. Everything was so relaxed.

Then I decided to walk back out to the lobby again.

Back at the reception lobby, I decided to turn left and walk the outer hallway around the perimeter of the building. Wondered how far I would get before a security gate, or barrier stopped me.

Hallway was like some concourse at a shopping mall only lined with offices, instead of shops.

I made it all the way around and back to the lobby.

Thought, "what a public relations stunt for the Bush administration." Top White House and military officials were standing around with smiles on their faces as if to say, "the doors are open, we're not afraid anymore, we've won the war on terror."

Walking back out into the parking lot I thought, "Interesting to get a chance to see the Pentagon that way, but I sort of regret that I am out of time." "Kind of wish I had gone, instead, to NASA's Air and Space exhibits at the Smithsonian.

Then I woke up.

Review of Wade King recreation, YMCA and rainy forests

To me, gyms are more social centers than exercise places. I get so much exercise by not owning a car, who needs the gym for that anyway?

Wade King Recreation center in Bellingham glistens, but downtown YMCA is more like a community center.


Glowing Wade King center at WWU beckons one out of the rain.

When I use a gym, I often make a beeline to the men's locker room where nudity awaits. Steam, sauna and some of the best conversation. It's better than a bar. YMCA is more likely to be sociable than Wade King.

Sometimes I go to an aerobics class, if the music is good. Like nightclubs, I rate it by music, not WORK out criteria.

My body regulates its self very well; thank you. It's on "auto pilot" and doesn't bother me with groans or aces. It just lets the music flow.

A nice byproduct of bicycling over the years.

Only folks connected to Western, such as students, staff or alumni, are allowed to use Wade King.

I qualify; as an alumni.

Bought a pass to try out the new place. It was 15 visits on a punch card.

It's nice, but for fitness, one might as well just jog from downtown Bellingham to WWU campus and save the money.

If one is into equipment, there's lots of it.

The pool is real good also. Probably the nicest pool in Bellingham.

No steam room, or sauna though. The shower consists of private cubicles. Not a big open shower. This, along with no steam or sauna makes the locker room less of a social experience. People just passing through on their way to somewhere else. It's pragmatic, basic.

There is a hot tub, out on the pool deck, but conversation tends to be buried in ambient sound. Echoing on the big pool deck.

Most people don't go the gym for social anyway, or do they?

Jogging on the track was quite interesting, the first time. It's something new.


Indoor track at Wade King Student Recreation Center, Western Washington University, Bellingham.

After a few sessions, it does become "Just running around the same circle over and over again."

I must admit, the jog up Indian Street to WWU's campus offers more variety.

One doesn't need to buy a punch card for that.

Some alumni struggle getting up to the campus, or complain that there isn't enough parking there.

I haven't succumbed to that feeling, getting around by bike even though I recently passed my 50Th birthday.

My dad used to say, "why do people drive clear across town just to run circles around the track?" "Shouldn't they just jog to the track and back?"

"Save oil."

Like biking through a magnificent forest, Wade King fits well into a diversified sphere of local recreation.


Rain Forest Sculpture by a James Fitzgereld. Stands in front of Wade King Recreation center at Western Washington University.

Why do so many of the private fitness clubs, require initiation fees? That's one nice thing about Wade King, or a place like the YMCA. No initiation fees.

One ought to be able to buy a membership with out having to tie one's self down to the farm. Wade King does require one to have ties to the university however.

People "bar hop." What about jogging through several fitness centers on the way to a healthy life?

Mix it up. Get some variety.

Happy New Year's and make your resolutions fun. "Play out" instead of "WORK out."


Another rain forest sculpture by (I think) same artist as piece in front of Western's fitness center. This one is located in my childhood home town of Pullman, WA. Near a WSU dorm complex called Regent's Hill.

Christmas lights more efficient nowdays

Christmas lights galore. This house along one of my favorite bike routes across town.

I remember government officials asking people, back in the 1970s, to have less Christmas lights.

Now there is less guilt, partially due to light emitting diodes. They use much less power for same amount of light.

Inventor of light emitting diode was recently on NPR Science Friday show. He was discussing the art of invention. Started working with the concept in 1962.

I remember "sterio light" would come on in a hifi amplifier of the 1970s. That was my first experience of light emmitting diodes. Now thay come in many colors.

If we can't change our consumptive ways, maybe technology can patch the problem for us.

Don't worry, be happy.

Actually, I like technology and innovation. It is what saves us as world circumstances change.

Miniblinds in space to combat global warming?

Bicycle Shadow.

This is the shadow of me riding my bike holding a camera.
Friends were just over looking through many of my photos. Someone said, "why don't you put this one on-line?"

Picture taken on a road south of Washtucna, Washington in 2001.

Problems Funding Local Government In This Narcissistic Society

Today's news says, median price for a single family home in King County (where Seattle, WA. is located) tops $300,000.

Meanwhile a lot of industry and jobs have evaporated. As industry goes overseas, the source of wealth, for American cities, has shifted.

It is now "home ownership."

This makes it harder to fund local government because industry is easier to tax, politically.

It is easier to tax "the other guy."

The "big bad industrial monster" is easier to tax than homeowners who vote.

Home ownership has become the wealth machine driving urban economies on the west coast.

Appreciation in home value has been so intense that people can earn more, just sitting in a lawn chair and watching their home values climb by, say, $30,000 per year, than working. Industry is no longer the machine for creating wealth that it used to be.

Local government is needing to shift some of the tax burden to home owners, but it isn't easy to do politically. It's "taxing voters." Industry is easier to tax.

With industry in decline, but house values continuing to explode one wonders where this economy might lead.

A topple tower?

What keeps house values so artificially high?

In Bellingham, many new residents have recently sold their California homes and bought up here. They often have enough left over money to retire early. That keeps consumer spending up so our malls and stores look prosperous. Local government finds it harder to tax this wealth than the "old factory" wealth of past decades.

An economy based on Narcissism.

Yet as housing and health care costs continue to go up, the cost of providing government services rises.

Bellingham Peace Vigil each Friday.

Federal Building is now owned by city of Bellingham. It is a historic building still housing a postal substation and some other offices.

A pedestrian oriented substation as parking is limited in that area.

Good.

People should be less addicted to oil anyway.

Someone got me to hold his sign about oil while he snapped pictures of the vigil several months back.

Memories of Buy Nothing Day & Critical Mass Ride

Several Years Ago in Bellingham. A bit too Confrontational, but Good at Heart.

Most Critical Mass rides are a bit too confrontational for me. The costumed cyclists will often take up all the lanes, on a multi lane street like Holly in Bellingham.

More people would see costumes if cyclists only took up one of the lanes. Then motorists could pass a long string of colorful cyclists.

Taking up all the lanes means that motorists just see the backs of other cars. Maybe this is not as effective?

It's just a thought.

Anyway, I don't mean to be too critical of the Critical Mass movement.

Some would say it is the duty of bikes to slow all the cars. It slows society down a bit, even though tempers may rise.

Several years ago, on Buy Nothing Day, a group of colorful cyclists headed out from downtown Bellingham. I went along for the ride, even though confrontation is not really my goal.

Telling people about the peaceful times I have on my bike tours is more my style. It makes them jealous; especially after they notice how much gas costs these days.

Anyway, I found myself "going with the flow" right through a red light. Afterwards it donned on me that going through a red light is not really my goal, it was just the flow.

Soon the line of cyclists came to a stop. Police were arresting one of the ring leaders who placed his bike across the intersection, signaling traffic to stop, while others went on through. His bike was impounded.

A controversy ensued as the activist was knocked off his bike by the bumper of a police SUV.

After this, the police cars were less evident and they were replaced with bicycle cops. Possibly this was an attempt to "soften" the police presence to reduce confrontation.

Next stop was Jerry Chambers Chevrolet, on Northwest Avenue. Insults were chanted across the ocean of new cars parked on the lot.

I don't think any of the customers, or staff, noticed.

The ride proceeded on.

Last stop was Bellis Fair Mall. Slogans were chanted in favor of Buy Nothing Day. Some thoughtful conservations took place with mall shoppers.

Eventually mall security passed a message along to the bicycle police asking them to disperse the group.

People headed their separate ways home.

This was a few years ago.

I like many ideas that Critical Mass stands for, but the style is more confrontational than my style.

Still it does take many kinds of voices to bring change.

I say, good luck to Critical Mass. Just remember, more people would notice the costumes, and color, if the ride just took up one lane.

The elephants run from the elephant in the room

The Right To Live
The elephants run from the elephant in the room

While Bush administration lawyers dicker around trying to repeal Oregon's assisted suicide law, the true "elephant in the room" isn't mentioned.

The elephant is, "are we going to be able to afford all the health care needed to stay alive as the post war baby boom generation reaches retirement age?" Health insurance going up in price, corporations dropping their plans, government in debt, will social security be enough? These are important questions. The true elephant in the room.

2004 Election Postmortem

After Kerry Campaign. Empty campaign office on State Street in Bellingham.
Since Kerry and Bush had similar stands on national defense, maybe that should have not been the focus of the campaign. The subtle differences were hard for people to grasp.

If the campaign had focused on domestic issues, there could have been more substance to Kerry's difference, from Bush, for people to grasp.

Do Democrats have a "big picture" vision ? America 50 years from now.

Still coasting on Roosevelt's "New Deal" of the 1930s and Johnson's "Great Society" of the 1960s new issues, like gay marriage keep getting tacked on.

That old vision with all these new things tacked on reads like a laundry list of "me too" special interests.

Labor, women, gays, nimbies, and eventually middle class tax cuts.

Can this bag of promises all hold together?

Like many things, gay marriage is more than just another goody to pull out of the bag. It fits into a broader issue of changing family patterns. This relates to world population growth and eventually the environment.

The leg bone connected to the hip bone.

I am remembering a "white paper" that came out in the 1970s from some think tank called "The World Watch Institute." They produced a report on feminism and related changes that are leading to things like smaller families. More single people and, most importantly, "slowing population growth."

Gay marriage can be seen in a larger context. It relates to changing attitudes about sexuality and family. Moving away from procreation toward more diversity of experience.

This relates to things like immigration reform and the 4 thousand illegal aliens I hear about crossing our border with Mexico each day. Nations with high birth rates.

This relates to water shortages in the American southwest. What about the depletion of the Ogalla aquifer? Also relates to traffic, sprawl, and the need for urban in filling.

All these issues relate to a world that is getting more crowded and consuming more resources.

A vision for how America, and the world, shall survive in the next 50 years and beyond is paramount.

All these pieces can find niches in the greater whole. It isn't just gay marriage here and protecting a wetland there. It isn't just a bag of unrelated promises tacked onto an outdated great society image from the 1960s.

Also it is important to maintain a sense of progress. The future must offer us more than just sacrificing for survival's sake. If reducing consumption is necessary, how about envisioning a 3 day weekend?

Hurry, a 3 day weekend.

A 32 hour work week. Less money to consume with, but more time for family, friends and community involvement. How about a cultural revival.

If people felt they could be better off, in a broader sense, than just materialistically, they might go for it.

This relates to the concept of more choices. More freedom. Also relates to healthier lifestyles.

How about more time for exercise? Lower health care costs nation wide, improving access and insurance affordability.

Connect the dots. All these things can find a place in the vision.

So far, I am just talking about a vision of interrelated concepts, not necessarily legislation.

Some would still call this social engineering.

Others might call it an agenda. "The gay agenda?"

Problem is, there really hasn't been a gay agenda. Gay people can be just as materialistic and workaholic as anyone else.

Democrats need to at least start dreaming again. Where will America, and the world be in 50, 100 years?

The national leadership could better connect itself with grass roots level organizations that are promoting these things for a sustainable economy.

Alternative lifestyles.

Population reduction.

Alternative energy.

Bicycling

Alternative Transportation.

Wellness.

Reducing healthcare costs for improving access.

In filling.

Sprawl containment

Hybrid vehicles

Light emitting diodes

Compact florescent lights

Walking

Co housing

Wind power

Solar energy

Mixed use zoning.

Mixed income housing.

Voluntary simplicity.

Shorter work week.

Un Manned Space exploration, Astronomy.

Letting free enterprise direct manned space flight; tourism.

New technologies.

Open minded religions.

These things may not "play in Peoria" for the short run, but an election is not right around the corner. If Democrats are looking for a long term vision, they could start connecting the dots that these grass roots innovations have developed.

It may take convincing the majority of Americans to think in new ways beyond just "who provides a tax rebate?"

Making the case for a sustainable economy is a bit different than just trying to win the next election. There may be time to develop this vision before the next election. People might buy it if it looks like the road to a brighter future.