Triple bottom line accounting for solar power

My brother in Medford has recently put solar collectors on his house. They did cost quite a bit and it would be a long time before that bill could be paid off just in terms of saving on his electric bill.

On the other hand, when friends come to visit, my guess is, the solar panels and the electronics behind them get shown off.

Other folks spend money collecting antiques, buying nice furniture, collecting artwork so they can have something unique to entertain with. Why not be the first person on your block to have solar power? It's a good thing to do.

Home values may have to drop till they are closer to where more working people can afford them

Recent figures on home sales are low. Economists are worried. Federal government may have run out of options for artificially stimulating the housing market. Prices may just have to fall to where more working people can afford to buy. People may have to opt for smaller places also. Eventually the market can find its equilibrium again and movement might pick up.

Meanwhile there are a lot of folks who spend more than 1/3rd of household income on rent or mortgage. Ideally, housing prices should be low enough so only 1/3rd of household income goes to housing. Then more money is freed for discretionary spending. More discretionary spending would help businesses such as restaurants.

If house values weren't so far out of line with wages, people might have more spending money for other things. Especially new folks now coming into the market.

Too bad for the folks who already bought on the high end of the market. Some of them can only get out of that trap through foreclosure process.

I'm glad my rent and my overhead has remained low. In many ways, I feel blessed. I don't have much space. I don't have many possessions either, but I have some maneuverability.

Lower overhead might be one of the things that it will take to get movement happening in the economy again.

Economy running out of stimulus options? Try embracing a slower economy

Worry about the national debt has made it harder to advocate increased federal spending to stimulate the economy, but without government lead does private enterprise tend to flounder?

There's no big initiative, or projects (that I can think of) coming out of the private sector. Little to capture people's imaginations and provide focus or purpose to economic activity. No overarching "larger than life" journey into the future?

Sometimes it takes a war to give the economy focus. War is a deadly strategy, however.

A new frontier is another thing, instead of war, to provide focus. Expanding into space, for instance.

Are we ready to start colonizing space now that we are running out of frontier here on Earth? The economy does need to keep expanding, or does it?

Is expanding beyond Earth practical? Maybe, in the more distant future, but there's still a big disconnect between space colonization and our current situation. We struggling to find the first rung to that ladder.

New technology is another thing that can provide a frontier. For instance, a "technology" frontier seemed to benefit us during the Internet boom of the 1990s.

Is there anything like that on the horizon now?

Obama talks about building the green economy. A new frontier in green technology. That transition could provide a focus for the economy, but will it work? What is a green economy? Will the laws of physics allow us to get there or is most of it just a pipe dream?

How about just slowing down the economy? Seems like we're already accomplishing that; like it or not. Less consumption would be one route to a greener economy.

One way to reduce unemployment is to share the work with more people. Job sharing. Some folks might benefit from shorter work weeks while others could benefit from picking up those extra hours. Work a little less, but spread the wealth more evenly.

It seems like there's a lot of fluff in our economy. Fluff that creates jobs but is questionable as to it's desirability.

I think of new strip malls being built, but will they be leased after construction? Will the products and services be needed or will they just be more "rate race" and damage to the environment?

Would it be better if we could learn how to thrive in a slower economy?

I'm not against new technology and progress, but slowing down can be a virtue also.

Can we have both? Can we have new technology, but also a less harried life?

Less consumption of the environment is one benefit from a slower economy. Also more time. Personal time for individuals to enjoy friends and family. More time to figure out how to use some of the products we've already got. Less stress, less hurry and a higher quality of life. This could be seen as a step forward for civilization.

Yes, it seems important to feel that civilization is always stepping forward. Even if our economy slows down, we still need to benefit from a feeling that the future is brighter.

In the future, longer vacations; for instance. That can be seen as progress.

In slowing down, here is an important question.

Can people survive if more folks are working part time?

It would be good to have more time for things like vacation, but can one still pay the rent? Good question to ask since many folks have to pay well over one third of household income for housing. I hear one third is the percentage of household income recommended for housing.

What if income drops, but rent remains the same?

Housing could start eating up half or even two thirds of household income. It's already there for many folks.

People don't take kindly to cutting expenses if all the cuts must come from the discretionary spending side of household budget. Fixed expenses will need to take cuts also.

If we learn to live in a slower economy, we'll need to figure out how to reduce a lot of fixed expenses in household budgets. Health care expenses, mortgages, rents and various overheads we've inflated in our current economy.

Looks like property values will need to continue dropping since it's hard to maintain the current system when people's incomes drop. That could be a good thing in disguise.

We can create a better economy, but we have to keep thinking in new paradigms.

Yes, new technology, maybe even expanding into space, but also slowing down.

Can we have all these solutions at once? Are they contradictory?

I think it can be done. We can slow down a bit, but still have much of the innovations that keep modern life moving ahead. To do this, we may have to learn how to reduce some of our fixed living expenses, however.

I feel lucky that a lot of my fixed expenses are low. That's been a secret to keeping my life better than just survival even though my income is modest. Nice landlord, no car, for instance.

Wow, Vancouver, BC is quite a city to visit at the end of my summer bicycle vacation

See Vancouver picture set.

My take on so called ground zero mosque in New York City

Wouldn't it be nice if they could keep that 1850s vintage building and use it as the mosque/community center, rather than tearing it down and starting over.

Like the Buddhists do here in Bellingham. A Buddhist group resides in the old Scottish Rite Temple on State Street in Bellingham. The historic building gets a new use. The Buddhists adapt to the old building and the building is preserved.

I'm not against a mosque in that location, but it might be nice to recycle that old building. Then what do I know, I've never seen a picture of that building. I know they can't keep everything, but that's one idea.

From what I've heard, they have a lot more planned than could fit in that old building. A basketball court, 13 stories and so forth. Maybe they couldn't adapt the old building. I don't feel real strongly about it. I know we can't hold onto everything. There will always be new construction.

One thing about the Buddhist group in Bellingham, it's "small scale." Religious groups that don't have major funding sources behind them usually adapt to already existing buildings. That can make the groups more small scale, accessible and adaptable.

I don't think there is a mosque in Bellingham, but there are groups that practice Islam and meet in other buildings.

Pullman Islamic Center. Image taken 1989. See text below.

Pullman, where grew up as a child does have an Islamic Center. It was built in the late 1970s or early 1980s, after I left Pullman. Serves a lot of WSU students.

The only thing bulldozed for that building was a hillside, as I remember.

Toward the end of a great vacation

Now in Winthrop, WA. Made it over Sherman, Wacounda and then Looploop Passes in the last 3 days. Now only North Cascades between me and west side of state.
Feeling good.

Skagit Valley here I come.

Just a few days to Bellingham, but I may head out again next week for a day or two in Vancouver before going back to work.

Nice to have long vacations each summer. Radio says stock market is dropping. Worry about trade deficit. Yes, America still does import lots of oil. Rather than worry, I'll continue on my bicycle tour. It's a nice sunny day. The Methow River is flowing beside me. The air feels good. Glad it isn't too hot for my climb up Washington Pass which will take most of the day. Beautiful scenery.

Bicycled over Sherman Pass today

A long steady climb from the Columbia River at Kettle Falls to 5,575 Ft. elevation at the top of the pass. Highest highway pass in Washington State by a few hundred feet and it isn't even in the Cascades. It's in the Kettle River Range.

North East Washington has mountain ranges all across it. Before getting to Bellingham, I still have Wauconda Summit to cross. Then either go over Louploup or go around it by way of Brewster. Then there is the North Cascades.

Slow going. It will take me several days. Sometimes I'm barely going walking speed, but it is an excuse to be out in some spectacular scenery. Also helps to have my radio tuned to NPR.

The Skagit Valley will look real good when I'm finally over all these mountains.

Now I am at a motel in Republic, WA. Spending a lot on motels, but easier than backtracking 3 miles over another hill I'd rather not repeat to get out to the nearest campground, not to mention setting up my tent. This motel has a hot tub.

Russian forest fires

I think "feedback loop." Climate change, drought, more fires then spewing more carbon dioxide into air speeding up global warming a bit. There's a lot of stored carbon in Russia's forests, now some of it going up in smoke. I don't think the sky is falling, but there are these kind of feedback loops that can effect predicted time tables for global warming. Scary.

The news says that some of that haze I am seeing on my bike trip through Spokane area is all the way from Russia, rather than just our own Washington State forest fire season. Lots of haze and orange sunsets.

So far this year, Washington State fire season has been mild, due in part to late season rains.

Passing through Spokane on my bike tour

Just rode the Spokane Carousel.

It was built in 1909 and more recently restored. Part of Riverfront Park which is a remnant of the 1974 Spokane World's Fair. It's a great park. The best post fair use of fair grounds I've seen.

Sometimes things like Olympics and fairs leave mostly a legacy of debt. Spokane's fair left a popular downtown park.

At the time of the fair, I remember many folks questioning whether Spokane should try and pull off a worlds fair. I was in high school down in Pullman at the time of the fair planning. If my memory is correct, I think a school levy failed in the early 1970s leading some to wonder what Spokane was doing attempting to host a costly fair. While it did seem funny at that time the outcome after the fair has been good. Riverfront Park could be the best post event outcome around. Better than an empty Olympic stadium.

Lumberjack sculpture in front of a school

This is in Saint Maries, Idaho as I pass through on my 2010 bicycle tour.

In Washington some of the school construction funds have come from timber dollars in a special budget. As forest lands have been taken out of production, some of the school construction money has had to come from other budgets.

That's Washington politics at least. I don't know about Idaho, but Saint Maries is sure a logging town.

Tomorrow, I hope to ride some miles on Trail of the Coeur D' Alenes. It's a great bike trail that I rode on in 2005. This time, I only plan to ride from around Harrison, ID. to I-90.

Clock missing from Bryan Hall Clock tower

Clock is temporarily removed as they refurbish Bryan Hall clock tower on the WSU campus.

I'm visiting family in Pullman where I grew up. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a time warp.

Back at the teapot

The filling station that looks like a teapot near Zillah, WA. That's east of Yakima. I was here in 2007 also.

It's abandoned now, but I hear that town folk are hoping to restore it for historic value. Built soon after Teapot Dome scandal in 1920s.

It's around 100 degrees. Staying tonight at an air conditioned motel in Prosser.

Goldfinch at Hells Crossing Campground west of Yakima

Goldfinch; our state bird here in Washington. This was flitting around at Hell's Crossing forest service campground.

Also at that camp were some real friendly folks with large RVs. They invited me to their campfire. Good conversation and lots of laughter. Also they kept offering me food and one soft drink after another. I went through 4 cans of ice cold coke in an hour or two. Oh oh, lots of sugar, but I'm burning it on this bicycle tour.

Walking in the winter wonderland

Lake Tipso is there somewhere. Mostly frozen over and a winter wonderland on top of Chinook Pass. Somewhere over 5,000 ft.

About 50 degrees F. in the fog and lots of left over snow from earlier in the year that hasn't melted yet. Gives it a wintry look and feel

It's been a cool year and I got there earlier than last year. Still a lot of snow left from earlier in the year. A foggy, chilly day in the mountains, but no precipitation.

It's the most snow I've seen all year. We usually don't get much winter snow in Bellingham, but when I bike into the mountains in early summer it's winter like. Winter in July.

That was two days ago on Chinook Pass. Now It's summer again. I'm visiting friends in Yakima where it's predicted to hit 100 degrees F. in the next few days. Washington State is noted for diversity.

On Interurban Trail south of Seattle

Power lines march out into a blur along Interurban Trail south of Seattle. Peaceful ride away from the traffic.

Last part of today was spent on Foothills Trail east of Puyallup. Heading toward Mount Rainier next.

Passing through Seattle metro

Flickr set for Seattle.

Just heard on radio that China has surpassed USA in total energy consumption.

I wanted to try out the new Link Light Rail in Seattle. They take bikes, but I left mine at the motel and just rode as a passenger. It goes from downtown to the airport, but I took it as far as Tukwila just to turn around and come back. Nice ride.

Mount Rainier from Aurora Ave. in Seattle. From pedestrian overpass near Marco Polo Motel

Day 3 Feeling kind of silly if I go over Chinook Pass 3 times in a row over the last few years, but Mount Rainier is beckoning. Last two times I crossed Chinook (in 2007 and 2009), Rainier was in the clouds. Could it be visible this time?

I was planning to head down toward Portland and then turn east in the Columbia Gorge, but that's a long ways around. Maybe I shouldn't try and put on that many miles in this trip. Even though Chinook Pass is a long climb, it's a shorter route to Eastern Washington. I might do it yet again, especially if the weather forecast calls for Rainier to be out of the clouds.

Bike sculpture along Snohomish Centennial Trail

Day 1 and 2

Back in Mount Vernon, I wanted to attend the meeting of Cascade Rainbow Center which is organized by some folks I know. I got there about the time they were leaving as it was a long way into town from Bayview State Park where I was camping. We had a good talk anyway, even though their official meeting was over.

One of the tires on my trailer was flat as I rode over a tack soon out of Bellingham. This met I had a flat tire most of the way to Mount Vernon. Not so bad if it's just one of the little trailer wheels.

After visiting with my friends and having something to eat, it was about midnight. The only place open to get bike supplies was Walmart. This became the first Walmart I've ever bought something at. Actually, I have gotten a few MP3 files from Walmart on line.

No, I'm not necessarily boycotting the place. Walmarts are usually located in places where biking is treacherous. Sprawlmart isn't a bad name.

The new Walmart in Mount Vernon is different. The road to that Walmart has good shoulders.

Inside, the greeters directed me to bike supplies which are in "toys." Yes, I guess much of mainstream culture still considers bikes toys. Well, bikes are fun.

I got what I needed and was back at the state park by 1 AM.

Day 3

My legs felt fine, but the bike was creaking. Sounded like the bottom bracket was tearing itself apart. This was supposed to be a new bike.

Wondering if I'm getting too old, mentally, to put up with these little hassles even though people bike tour well past retirement age.

No bike shop was visible from my route till I got to Greg's Greenlake Cycles in Seattle. They checked it out and found that there wasn't enough grease in the bearing. For only $16, they got it greased up and I was back on the road with a fresh mindset.

A creaking bike can make the whole trip feel like it's coming apart and I had barely started.

Pictures of KGMI towers

For my collection. KGMI in my own town of Bellingham.

Cascade Radio Group runs several stations out of this studio location on Yew Street Road with towers in various other locations. KGMI's towers are at the studio.

I'm biking around in Bellingham a few days toward the start of my vacation. Putting around 50 miles on my new bike before I bring it in for it's 50 mile checkout.

Below picture added in autumn of 2012.

Sunset behind KGMI Radio towers 2012.

Good news that BP's leaking well is finally capped, hopefully

Village People and the new Y logo

Song "YMCA" by The Village People is still relevant. Even the Y's new logo has "YMCA" at lower right side; according to YMCA.net web site. I remember the old logo just looked like a Y.

Village People's publicist may be deeply dismayed, but the old acronym is still around; looking beyond the sound byte level.

That tune is a great hit. One of the highlights of our local pride celebration, this past weekend, was when a bunch of folks (including me) danced onto the stage of Rumor's Cabaret forming those letters and singing as the DJ played that energetic song.

Bellingham Pride 2010 was a great time

On the hood of a car that was in the parade.

In some ways like a class reunion. Ron recognized me after 25 years as he was visiting Bellingham for 2010 pride celebrations.

After all the freewheels I have worn out, a friend marvels that my knees still work fine

5 years and around 10,000 miles has put metal fatigue in my bicycle. Bike shop found a crack in the frame when I brought it in for annual maintenance. They called to say I was eligible for the manufacturer's lifetime warranty on bike frames. That means a new bike for basically no cost. Moderate wear and tear can have some benefits.

Unlike the human body, bicycles can't restore themselves; with today's technology at least. A friend of mine marveled that things like human knees keep going as metal bike parts wear out. Nature does have some interesting ways. I think about my friend's comments when contemplating all the chains and freewheels I've gone through over the years. Moderate exercise is the trick

Interesting juxtaposition of signs from our economy

Some empty storefronts around town, but a bank says optimism is contagious.

Made by fresh local men

Sign seen in window of new eatery under construction in downtown Bellingham. Man Pies on Railroad Ave.


See more of their sun painting.

Compersion - The Spirit of Polyamory

Poster I designed for a workshop several years ago with an author who came through town named Serena Anderlini D'Onofrio. Click on picture for larger version and workshop details.

Laya wrote the text and I did the layout.

I like the wording that Laya wrote for the poster. Excerpted from poster.

In the polyamory community, Compersion is thought of as feeling joy when our lover engages in intimate contact with another human being.

On the community level, Compersion is joyfully participating in the creative, amorous resources of our community.

On the global level, Compersion is the ecstatic joy we feel as we unite with the living, symbiotic field of the planet while loving others.

Come explore with us, through guided group process, the experience of Compersion as an embodied vibration which both liberates and includes us.

Serena Anderlini D'Onofrio is a professor, author and workshop facilitator, with decades of experience evolving the bisexual and polyamory communities.

My most recent bike trip to Vancouver, BC

Image taken near Gastown as I was passing through.

It's not humanly possible to be worth what many corporate executives are paid

BP CEO Tony Hayward's controversial day sailing on yacht raises rather than devoting 24/7 to the oil spill problem.

Humans still have to take breaks and do things that maintain their sanity from time to time. Assuming they have sanity. Humans still take time out to go to the bathroom and sleep. They still make mistakes. Even when paid a lot of money, humans can't stop being human. Maybe some humans are paid too much. If folks are paid less, there can be less pressure to be super human.

Joe Biden's frozen custard remark

After Biden asked what he owed for his tasty frozen treat, Kopp's Frozen Custard manager Scott Borkin quipped, "Don't worry, it's on the house. ... Lower our taxes and we'll call it even."

Biden initially brushed off Borkin's comment — but then circled back to the manager and asked, "Why don't you say something nice instead of being a smarta-- all the time?"

Biden should have said, "it's easier to pay $5 for a custard than cut taxes, or government spending."

Biden was in Wisconsin, but I've bought things here in Washington State where the shopkeeper tallies up with a frown and the remark "and 20 cents for the governor."

My comeback has been, "20 cents to help keep Western Washington University open." WWU is an important employer in Bellingham's local economy that relies to a large extent on state taxes.

Hello sunshine

We are finally getting some of it. This painting is on the wall of a new eatery called Man Pies. Soon to be finished in downtown Bellingham.