Signs Of Equality From Iowa 2 Vermont & A Silent Summit City; Fort Wayne: Room For Dreams & Desires To Play Down Town; Remembering Bea Arthur

As marriage equality has been proven victorious in a recent decision by the Iowa State Supreme Court and an major majority vote by the Vermont legislature which overturned a veto by the Governor, another religious right hate group the National Organization for Marriage started to rear its head and put out a commercial citing old cases which have long since been proven inaccurate to stifle the conversation. They also began a campaign Two Million For Marriage (2M4M), which sent Rachel Maddow over the edge of her desk trying to hold back the laughter). Above is a video by Rob Tish which combats the misconceptions presented by NOM's advert.

Meanwhile in the Summit City, a small group gathered on the north side of Fort Wayne @ IPFW on the 17th to commemorate the National Day of Silence with a rally in the afternoon. On the 18th Fort Wayne PRIDE Committee held its 1st all ages PROM. On the 2nd of May United Sexualities of IPFW will be hosting "A Touch Of Pink" Dance Party @ Walb Ballroom starting at 8p with a general admission of $3 and free for IPFW students.

Random Observations: Driving Along Our Three Rivers

I was driving to my secret source for cheap cigarettes this evening and almost hit a jack rabbit that decided to bolt between the Court House and the City County Building. Every time you think Fort Wayne is a bustling metropolitan area you are reminded that no matter how big we get we are still a small farm community town at heart. Even though we have a thriving downtown area that is both dedicated and ready for future expansion to make the Downtown area truly a source of arts, entertainment, culture and diverse expressions, it is also within a fifteen minute bike ride of most of the urban areas of town. Now we just need to make it more accommodating to non vehicular traffic flow as that would improve both the access to and enjoyment by more citizens as a whole.

One of the things I noticed is that the capillary streets like Calhoun between Washington and Jefferson Boulevards should probably have a police officer directing traffic in all lanes as this is the major wrap around for traffic wanting to leave the Embassy Theatre, Grand Wayne Center, and Harrison Square, and head west instead of east. If they simply cut off this one block stretch of Calhoun to southbound traffic as people are leaving these venues and then allowed all three lanes to be used as a wrap around it would reduce congestion after these well attended events.

Room For Dreams But Nowhere To Rest Your Sore Feet

The other recommendations I would give is that as we are becoming more of a pedestrian - non automotive based economy in the Downtown area having a few courtesy officers on duty for out-of-towners and people not familiar with downtown to help guide people to their next destination would be the next appropriate step in improving the Downtown area. We need to establish crossing guards at key side street intersections as people return to their vehicles, which are typically parked a couple of blocks away from the venue they attended.

One of the more refreshing things I saw was that people were just hanging around by the hundreds outside the Grand Wayne and the Embassy Theatre, after the events had ended. We need to do more to install benches and flowers, plants, and fruit trees, along our main thoroughfares and direct arterial streets.

I do agree with City Council President Tom Smith, we need to reestablish a sit down diner or two in the direct area; however we also need to consider, adding City certified street vendor at these locations to provide a quick beverage or sandwich as people linger and enjoy a strangers company or make new friends and reacquaint with olde ones. If the goal is to get people to not just come to the Downtown area but make our inner urban area a lifestyle choice and actually play downtown, we need to be more accommodating to allow people the leisure of staying downtown for several hours after an event and not just saying, "Thanks for coming and spending sixty dollars for a twenty dollar show, now go home where it is safe." by our lack of post event hospitality and recreation opportunities.

Refreshing News; Reminders Of The Little Things

Last week when I was leaving this same secret location I noticed we had a new taxi company in town. The Yellow Taxi Cab Company Phone: 260-422-1010 headquartered off of East Pontiac Street was started approximately 9 months ago which is about the same time that the recession we are currently in hit full swing. So there is yet another sign that no matter how crappy the economy is getting Fort Wayne's entrepreneurial spirit is alive, well, and kicking ass. The reason I bring this up is one thing we seriously lack at most of our entertainment venues, especially the three previously mentioned, is a dedicated taxi lane. Having a dedicated taxi lane and disabled person drop off area and escort service (perfect job duty for the previously mentioned courtesy officers) would better serve guests and people who didn't want to drive to an event personally. On a green note and taxis, the Mayor of Seattle has ordered all taxis in the city to be high mileage hybrids by 2013.


Thank you for being a friend. Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true your a pal and a confidant....

As most have heard or read by now the incomparable Bea Arthur, who weaved her way into the fabric of American social political commentary and back in April 2005 graced the stage of the Scottish Rite Theatre with Billy Goldenberg to perform her show "Just Between Friends", has finally greeted her last curtain call at the age of 86.

She was introduced to America on the small screen back in the 1970's as Maude in All In The Family where she challenged America by discussing the issues surrounding abortion and sexuality. Again she would change the hearts and minds of another generation of gay men young and old everywhere as part of the Golden Girls cast for seven years. If you ever witnessed a group of gay bois try to assign each other to their role of Blanche, Rose, Sophia, and Dorothy, you begin to understand the impact one voice and a woman with strong character can have on the hearts and minds of a generation.

Bea Arthur is within her own lifetime a legacy and in her own right a saint. No worries there is one slice of chocolate cheesecake left at the banquet table for you Dorothy.


Star Wars Holiday Special - Cantina Song

Going Green In '09: I'll have a green Valentine for you? & Remember to Wrap It Up tonight!

Your needle doesn't always have to pointe North to find your destination. I was going to have several post up today but I decided after the three power surges so far in the last two hours to just do the VD post and pray that everyone plays it safe with your significant others or new found romance which ever applies. But seriously though, What is this about a Green Valentine anyway?



I do have one question, cant the environmental wing come up with another phrase like this:
A Ruby Of A Romance: Why Is Red the right colour for Your Lover and the Whole World?

It's not like natural red dye of polished natural fabric undergarments or table cloth specially made for your partners for today is that hard to make and it is environmentally sound. Not to mention the fact that one of the primary fruits used to make the red dye is blackberries and they grow naturally in this area.

Blackberry is the historical translation of our City's previous namesake, Kekionga, the tribal Capital of the Miami Nation. Part of the description of this area from the earliest explorers and settlers of the Three Rivers we call home is a specific commentary of all the blackberries growing up along the tribal and government buildings of the Miami nation.

Plus what better way to say, "I love you. You mean the world to me!" than a hand dyed polished hemp night gown, or organic fiber bikini brief, or table cover for your dinner with your partners. It is cute, economical, environmental, and you made it yourself, that says more than any serving of beef, pork, or chicken, you could have for dinner.

Just an alternative I thought I should pass along, especially in these hard economic times. Now on to the Safe Sex part of this post

Trojan has come out with a new campaign EVOLVE ONE EVOLVE ALL which is actually quite refreshing to see the company embrace all sides of the sexual spectrum in this one clip below with Alan Cummings, including three ways, free love, and the romantic degrees of separation between lovers and friends, which is a serious issue especially in Fort Wayne.



Additionally Perez Hilton has come out with a new video a couple weeks back, which we already added to the video player toward the bottom of this post, called, The Clap, which was Directed by J. B. GHuman, Jr., Owner of Reality Rejectz. It is very much camp and definitively gay.



Both of these videos remind us all very clearly that, this fight is not just about HIV/AIDS but all STDs! If you don't play it safe, ask the right questions, get tested to know your status, and demand the respect from your partners to play safely, you are being a detriment to your own future and offending everyone you love and whom love you, because you failed to take a stand.
Above all remember this: !!!WRAP IT UP!!! May you have a GREEN Valentine waiting for you.

Ironically as I found out after making this post, between this week and next is National Condom Week, in several different countries! So remember to give a 3 pack of prophylactics as a gift, to your children or friends, it will truly save a life. Encourage your friends to have plenty of safe sex only!

Yeah I Am Gay But It Is Just As Important That I Am! & GLAAD Announces Nominees in 43 Categories for 20th Annual Awards Shows!

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED*

The Rainbow Malitia on You Tube has struck again with another collaboration video celebrating who Queers are and are not but more importantly addressing the fact that we are just human. Take a look for yourself:



GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, has announced its nominees for their 20th Annual Media Awards, which is presented by IBM with Absolut Vodka and Prudential Insurance & Investment Co. along with 10 underwriters and 28 patronages by different corporations, in three tour locations: New York on the 28th of March; Los Angeles on the 18th of April; and San Francisco on the 9th of May. Some of these Awards in 43 different categories (26 English; 17 Spanish) will be handed out at each of the three events, others will be given an honorable salute in the program for the night.

También hay una lista de los nominados para la televisión, teatro, y cine en español categorías.
EdNt: If I screwed that translation up, sorry! It has been a long while since I have written the language.

My only query is that, If GLAAD is already hosting three events and two are on either coast, why can't the third or a fourth one be held in the middle of America? This is where the defamation and discrimination that your organization is petitioning against is going on more rampantly and silently.

It seems minor hypocritical, in my opinion, that you would not want to reach out to us "common queer folk" and let us "take in a bit of celebrity and style" or better yet come see the lives of the people your Award Nominees portray, and your organization defends. Plus it would be a perfect opportunity for us to show you big city types a bit of country queer hospitality. I'm just asserting that it is something GLAAD should think about doing so in the future. Who knows by spreading it truly across the Country, you might actually be able to present all 43 categories in the future, because our venues don't cost as much to rent by the hour and you don't have to valet!



Fort Wayne is the best place to explore Our Communities dreams for the present and future. This City would be the perfect place to hold your next award show. We have several major venues The Grand Wayne Center, The Memorial Coliseum and Expo Center, that have the room to serve the crowd demands for all of your guests and visitors.

Our beautiful city is split across by three wonderfully historic rivers, deep with mixed multiple ethnic and national cultures, and a community that truly cares about GLBT issues, and the success of all individuals. We have over 14 different GLBT Organizations serving a metro area population of 300 thousand. We have a Non Discrimination Ordinance for GLBT persons, on the books since 2003. We are two and a half hours away from INDY and CHICAGO. Our International Airport is one of the few that can and has landed Air Force One.

Come visit Fort Wayne and see what we can offer your next Award Show. Just click the above photo.

UPDATE ==> TOWLE ROAD & THE EDGE OF NEW ENGLAND: GLAAD'S PRESIDENT RESIGNS:

I don't know which has worse form and suffers lack of presentation, FAUX NEWS on a usual basis, or the fact that NOT MORE THAN A DAY HAS PASSED since GLAAD announced its nominees for their 20th Annual Media Award, and the President of GLAAD announced his resignation?

I have informed the national board of directors of my decision to step down as president later this year and look forward to a successful and smooth transition of leadership for GLAAD. It's been an honor and privilege to work professionally in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality for the last three and a half years. The views of the American people on LGBT issues are clearly moving in the right direction, toward supporting full equality, and it has been a great experience to serve on the front lines, leading an amazing organization at such a historical time in the movement.
(Source Andy @ Towle Road)
(Photo The Arizona Republic)

I am probably the only one whom smells a rat in the chicken coop. First GLAAD does a "controlled power grab" of Commercial Closet, which forced the cancellation of their last Awards Show, and now we are asked to not think or see this as a duck and cover move or a power grab? That it isn't just bad form just piss poor timing! Is there a worse way to say, "have confidence in this organization" then by having your President resign the day after a major events announcement? Steve Weinstein, Editor-in-Chief of The Edge of New England has more about this story here:

Neil Giuliano, the president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), is resigning "to pursue personal interests while completing his forthcoming book about his public and political life," according to a release from the advocacy organization. Giuliano, president since September 2005, will continue until a date to be announced later this year. Prior to GLAAD, he served for ten years as the mayor of Tempe, Ariz., after 25 years at Arizona State University.

"It’s been an honor and privilege to work professionally in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality," Giuliano said in a statement. "The views of the American people on LGBT issues are clearly moving in the right direction, toward supporting full equality, and it has been a great experience to serve on the front lines." Under Giuliano’s leadership, GLAAD’s budget has grown from $7.5M to $11M. GLAAD’s mission is a national voice against defamation of gay people and media outreach programs. GLAAD also acquired Queer Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 and will launch an advertising media program later in 2009 with the assets of the former Commercial Closet Association, which merged with GLAAD.

"He will leave GLAAD a better and more effective organization than when he arrived and we appreciate his years of dedication and service," said Yvette Burton, co-chair of GLAAD’s Board of Directors. The board is searching for a replacement.

One side note, Jay Brannan is a nominee in the Out Standing Music Artist category for Goddamned!, yeah!

Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
[Website][YouTube][MySpace][Blog][Facebook]

You Tube Collaboration: "Yes, We're Gay But..."
Contributors: [GDProphet17][WhatDaBuck][rOseWhip137][Theophi1us]
[DaveyWavey][SparkyCarlos][JohnSwims][Centerfold][Marcellas Reynolds]

LAZY MUNCIE, (February 2006) via Butter TV,
performed by Chris Cox and Kirby Heyborne

GOING GREEN IN '09! How many ways can we make our economy and food supply 70% self sustainable for 150 miles in 10 years?

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED*

Did you make the New Year's resolution to live more green this year too?

One of the basic goals of environmental and economic sustainability is not to pull our houses "off the grid" but to collectively make our houses the actual power grid its self, and thereby reducing the cost of energy by both individual unit production and still having collective usage of the surplus, and thereby making the paradigm shift to more environmentally friendly sources and cooperation instead of domination by under regulated, overpriced corporate utilities.

If every neighborhood cluster in the City of Fort Wayne generated through solar and wind, with a substation electric or natural gas backup, for its own power supply it would reduce the need for so many power lines and transformers across the City and therefore the sky line could get cleaned up by at least 50 percent in 10 years; and by burying the power lines like they do in the subdivisions it would clean up the remainder of the power lines, with only the minimum of high voltage lines still required to be airborne.

1. COMMIT TO USING LESS POWER: SWITCH 2 COMPACT FLUORESCENT OR LED LIGHTS.

There has been enough chatter about this over the local and national airwaves, so that most people are aware that in 2011 the incandescent light bulb is going the way of the eight track and a VCR, oblivion. When President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, besides requiring "fuel producers to use at least 36 billion gallons of biofuel in 2022; and a national standard of 35 miles per gallon by 2020" one of the other things according to a USA TODAY report, that happened was that all light bulbs must be 25 to 35 percent more efficient by 2012 to 2014. So, any day now, you'll find yourself in the hardware store, staring at a vast display of CFLs - most of which don't live up to their hype. That's why you need to know that not all CFL bulbs are equal.

Is your house one bursting light bulb away from a HAZMAT clean up?

Because the government hasn't done the job, the Enviromental Working Group released a study guide based on CFLs called "Lighten Up in '09", that helps the consumer pinpoint a few good bulbs, that contain a fraction of the toxic mercury that is found in most CFLs and last up to 2 to 3 times as long.

An Environmental Working Group investigation has identified 7 bulb lines made by Earthmate, Litetronics, Sylvania, Feit, MaxLite and Philips that trump the rest. These bulbs, listed in our Green Lighting Guide contain a fraction of the toxic mercury allowed by Energy Star, reducing the mercury contamination from a broken bulb. All last 8-15,000 hours, dramatically longer than the Energy Star standard of 6,000 hours, and also offer high efficiency. (Photo: Towle Road)

2. CLAIM YOUR TAX CREDITS FOR 2009 BY MAKING CHANGES THIS YEAR

On October 3, 2008, President Bush signed into law the "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008." aka "The Wall Street Bailout" One of the things that this legislation did was to reactivate tax credits for energy efficient home improvements (windows, doors, roofs, insulation, HVAC, and non-solar water heaters). Tax credits for these residential products, which had expired at the end of 2007, will now be available for improvements made during 2009. However, improvements made during 2008 are not eligible for a tax credit. The bill also extended tax credits for solar energy systems and fuel cells to 2016. New tax credits were established for small wind energy systems and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Tax credits for builders of new energy efficient homes and tax deductions for owners and designers of energy efficient commercial buildings were also extended. For more information and a detailed list of tax credits, visit the US Government's ENERGY STAR website.

3. ATTEND WORKSHOPS TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME ENERGY SELF SUFFICIENT

Last week the Indiana Office of Energy Development (OED) held a workshop at the Main Branch of the Allen County Public Library on solar domestic hot water heaters. This was the first of three 2009 alternative energy workshops, to be held throughout the state of Indiana. These free workshops and are open to all Hoosiers. To register for the OED workshops contact: Chris Dorman (info is @ bottom of page), as space is limited. Once you register, more detailed information will be sent to you. There are two remaining courses Basic Photo Voltaics on the 4th of February and Introduction to Residential Wind on the 17th of March this quarter.

4. WATCH THE DOCU-DRAMA: LIQUID ASSETS WHEN IT REBROADCASTS IN FEBRUARY

"Liquid Assets" tells the story of essential utility systems: drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater. These complex and aging systems-some in the ground for more than 100 years-are critical for basic sanitation, public safety, economic development, and a host of other necessities of life. The documentary highlights communities from across the United States, providing an understanding of hidden water infrastructure assets, demonstrating watershed protection approaches, and illustrating twenty-first century solutions. You will be able to watch it on WFWA PBS 39 @ random times throughout the month of February.

Better yet, get involved in the discussion about the multi million dollar, 20 year project that Fort Wayne has finally been forced by the EPA to participate in order to clean up our three rivers, by eliminating our fifty Combined Sewer Overflows per year, over the next twenty years. On the 28th of January the Allen Co. Public Library will be hosting a screening and community discussion of the issues at hand and how the project is going to unfold.

"Over the next couple of decades, Fort Wayne will be making enormous investments in our utility systems. In order to protect our environment and ensure that our utilities can serve the community for years to come we must invest now. We see this event on January 28 as a beginning of ongoing discussions about the need to invest in improving our utility infrastructure." (Kumar Menon Director of City Utilities)

As most of my long time readers are aware, I serve on the Council of Stewards (Board of Directors) of Heartland Communities, Inc., a local non for profit, which is a strategic partner and fiscal agent for Save Maumee Grassroots Organization, which was founded by Abigail Frost.

Abigail Frost, had this to say regarding the original broadcast last year of LIQUID ASSETS on PBS39, "I saw this documentary, it is very informative for people to understand the process from toilet to faucet." She also had this to say regarding the original "local council of City officials" that were available for a question and answer session after that original broadcast in the Fall, "It was dry and without answering real questions. It did not:

• speak about why our city has waited so long to even begin the work;
• place emphasis on non point source pollution;
• answer how citizens should be responsible for their actions;
• about how this work could occur faster;
• speak about all the breaking sewer pipes almost daily in the middle of our roadways;
• speak about how Harrison Square Ball Park is on top of an underground waterway and has to have pumps that cost thousands of dollars PER YEAR to keep ground from sagging and their bad planning."

5. PARTICIPATE IN SAVE MAUMEE RIVER CLEANUPS & OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ECOLOGY PROJECTS

For now the fourth year in a row, Abi and Ryan Bailey are planning putting together Save Maumee's Earth Day Project this year it will take place on Divine Mercy Sunday, the 19th of April, 2009 from 11A-4P plan ahead to come out and get dirty for clean water. We will be planting riparian native seed to further establish erosion control on the river banks (one of the primary reason our waters are so murky and contaminated), as well as clean up all the trash and refuse that was left behind by various people not paying attention to their surroundings and caring about the effects of their actions on our three rivers. There will be Watershed and River Education opportunities every hour and activities for the little ones when they are tired of cleaning or planting. If you can donate money, goods, or services, to the cause of cleaning up Our Three Rivers, and make the Summit City sing with new life, then donate to Save Maumee via Heartland Communities, Inc. by calling Abi @ 260-417-2500!

6. INSIST THE CITY MANDATE PEDAL POWER FOR ALL CONCERTS AND EVENTS DOWNTOWN



We have all heard of Rock The Vote initiatives since the early nineties to get people out to exercise their civil duties and participate in the political process. Do you want to see something really cool and a way to literally return the power to the people? Then check out Rock The Bike and these soon possibilities of people generated power supplies coming to a concert venue near you. These next videos are from the second annual Bicycle Music Festival on the 21 June 2008 in San Francisco. The first video (above) is a basic introduction to the Concert Series and explanation of the Pedal Powered Public Address System. The second video (below) is from the band Antioquia's (pic to left) performance on the third of five stops during the Festival, enjoy the free power music and dancing.



Mentioning the power of the pedal and safe drinking water supplies, I also need to remind readers of this post from St. Valentine's Day last year when F6 covered the AQUADUCT a Tricycle Water Filtration System designed for obtaining drinking water during emergencies and provide an active supply chain for third world countries.

7. WORK WITHIN TO PRODUCE WHAT YOU NEED OR CAN TRADE FOR PRODUCTS

One of the things that our culture has lost besides the value of money is the ability to barter or trade for goods and services which is why we are in the trouble we are in financially. Bartering or fair trade for goods and services was such a viable system that it is what our current credit system was originally based on but we have allowed it to spin out of control by corporate greed and government taxation of property and income aside from pointe of purchase sales taxes and tariffs. One way to correct the economy is to bring back this system of fair trade of labor value for products and services and that will limit the power that money has over the individual and the economy as a whole. If we simplify the value of goods and services, by controlling the markets, we will save it rather than kill it.

8. PLANT PUBLIC FRUIT TREES & "VICTORY GARDENS"!

How can you help create an secure food supply in Fort Wayne and Allen County? Allow Sacred Scripture to be your guide, starting with these principles of fair provision for the poor, outlined in Leviticus Chapter 19:

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not be so thorough that you reap the field to its very edge, nor shall you glean the stray ears of grain. Likewise, you shall not pick your vineyard bare, nor gather up the grapes that have fallen. These things you shall leave for the poor and the alien. (v. 9-10)

"When you come into the land and plant any fruit tree there, first look upon its fruit as if it were uncircumcised. For three years, while its fruit remains uncircumcised, it may not be eaten. In the fourth year, however, all of its fruit shall be sacred to the LORD as a thanksgiving feast to him. Not until the fifth year may you eat its fruit. Thus it will continue its yield for you. (v. 23-25)

Fallen Fruit has a manifesto which includes a few palatable ideas for urban planning, "Fruit can grow almost anywhere, and can be harvested by everyone. Our cities are planted with frivolous and ugly landscaping, sad shrubs and neglected trees, whereas they should burst with ripe produce. Great sums of money are spent on young trees, water and maintenance. While these trees are beautiful, they could be healthy, fruitful and beautiful."

They take a more socialist approach with how to approach the policy change, which I whole heartily disagree with when it is this far reaching. These are the parts I can support: encouraging local governments, "to support community gardens" and allowing "our streets to be lined with" fruit trees. I do have one caution though, we as a people have enough problems shoveling our sidewalk, let alone the City picking up leaves from the curb, which locally still hasn't been completed from last year. How are we going to assure the roads will be safe to travel on without any the fallen fruit rotting in the Indiana late summer and autumn rainstorms? I don't know, I'm just waiting for the day when I get to hear, "Hey, um Dad?"; "Yes, Son?"; "Dad I was getting ready to pull my new moped into the driveway and it slipped on a rotten banana peel!": "Are you okay?"; "Yeah Dad I'm fine, but I almost ran over the neighbor's cat, and the moped is under Mom and Dad and your new Boyfriend's truck." We also can not forget the squirrels. They will go after your nuts if they cant find their own.

The part of the manifesto which demands "only plant fruit-bearing trees in public parks" and the "demand that all parking lots be landscaped with fruit trees which provide shade, clean the air and feed the people, is poor sighted land management and violations of property rights. Sometimes those evergreens or firs are necessary for shelter and windbreaks. Yes even other creatures depend on those non fruit trees for shelter!

The failure to Government Owned Community Gardens is that not everyone will get involved, which is necessary for success in political based organization and structure. As a rule of thumb, for the City Park employees assigned to oversee the project, their paycheck must be reflective to a certain portion of the success or failure of the project, otherwise their main goal is just to get the assignment out of the way as they would still get paid the same amount.



Edible Estates @ Descano Gardens in Los Angeles is a little more immune (video) to that rule of thumb. EDIBLE ESTATES is the brain child product of Designer and Artist Fritz Haeg, where he explores and practices the history, horticulture, and art as well as the pragmatic implications of functioning gardens and a truly living your life with your neighbors off your front porch versus manicured lawns. There is more information about Edible Estates at the bottom of this post and in the two videos above and below this section.



9. BECOME A WORKER OWNER IN A GREEN COOP BUSINESS

The solution is where the green collective and worker-owner cooperative paradigms intersects with the capitalist economic spirit of entrepreneurial initiatives, and thereby removes Government obscure grasp and drives the economy in a revitalized manor while providing equal opportunities for success to increase, with a limit to individual failure and reprisals. Join with other like minded individuals and become worker owners of companies, serving a growing dynamic across the current boundaries of industry lines and coercive union & labor struggles against the corporate dollar, by making the employees the owners of their own destiny and profit or loss.

Heartland Communities is currently working on an Economic Sustainability Project and we have four of the twelve prong process being forged under the heat of a great fire (the determination of the human soul to become something bigger than its self), along with some other like minded people, whom have the same drive and passion, to make the world a better, cleaner, more sane, place to dwell with one another. If you care to get involved contact me below in the comments or email or any other STEWARD through MySpace, or Yahoo! Group.

We have also begun the process to be recognized by the City Government as a Community Housing Development Organization for the near northwest area of the City and Downtown, which is going to open up a mother load of opportunities for us to showcase both green technologies and worker owner businesses that will establish economic sustainability, the procurement of local food resources, and cooperative housing models of ownership, amongst other opportunities for everyone to be involved in at the ground level.

UPDATE via CSPANJUNKIE.ORG 26 January 2009:
President Barack H. Obama releases Administration policy on Environment and Energy Dependency

He began the press conference by confirming massive layoffs of thousands of people at each of these major companies across the country including MicroSoft, Intel, United Airlines, Home Depot, Caterpillar, Sprint/Nextell, . He continued with a short history of broken promises by previous Presidents and other politicians for the last three decades, and then announced today that His Administration's Policy is to reverse our nation's dependence on foreign oil through several steps. Through these first steps, beginning with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka, the next trillion dollar bailout currently going through the Congress) as a down payment, on this "new energy economy, that will put hundreds of million of people to work. He proceeded to list the objectives:

• Put 460,000 Americans to work with clean energy investments;
• Double the capacity to create alternative energy over the next 3 years;
• Lay down three thousand miles of transmission lines to deliver the new energy;
• Assert savings of two billion dollars per year by making 75% Federal Properties efficient;
• Assert savings of hundreds of dollars on energy bills by weatherizing two million homes;
• Implements new fuel efficiency standards for model year 2011;
• Restore States Rights when determining Energy and Environmental Policies (sort of maybe);
• Global Coalition on Climate and Energy Economy

CONTACT INFORMATION & FOLLOW UP RESOURCES

Environmental Working Group [Website]
1436 U St NW Suite 100 Washington, DC 20009

Cris Dorman [EMail][Website]
Coordinator of Public Outreach and Education
Indiana Office of Energy Development
101 W. Ohio St. Ste 1250 Indianapolis, IN 46204

PASSAGE: Leviticus 19:9-10, 23-25, as copied from the New American Bible
and provided by the United States Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops.

Fallen Fruit & Public Fruit Jam: Think scavenger hunt & quilting bee but with Fruit for Canning.

EDIBLE ESTATES with FRITZ HAEG
[Website][YouTube][Buy Book]

OTHER URBAN FARMING/ NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION INITIATIVES
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initatives in Roxbury Massachusetts.
Growing Power locations in Milwaukee, and Chicago with National Training Centers in Arkansas, Massachusetts, Mississippi and future locations in Georgia, Kentucky, and Wisconsin.
PATH TO FREEDOM By The Dervaes Family, Urban Homesteaders [MySpace][Facebook][YouTube]

FT WAYNE: This Week Coming Soon To A Stage Near You.

Keep The Promise theme for World AIDS Day this year

December 1st commemorates the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, a day in which everyone at risk for contracting AIDS or knows someone at risk takes time to remember those lost to the disease, living with HIV or AIDS, and pushing for a cure, and maintain the fight so that future generations will not be affected by HIV/AIDS.

Fort Wayne will be honoring World AIDS Day with a keynote address by Rev. Robert Bell of True Love Baptist Church at the Annual Memorial Service being held @ 6P on Monday the first of December 2008 @ Union Baptist Church 2200 Smith Street Fort Wayne, Indiana 46803. Directions from Downtown: Go South on Anthony Boulevard, Turn Right on East Creighton Ave. (toward Police Dept.); Proceed seven blocks west (2 1/2 blocks past the FWPD HQ); Turn Right on Smith Street go two blocks north; @ the intersection of Greene Street on the left side.

Beating You Up In A Winter Weary Land Next Sunday

A special Christmas performance with Memories of the King will be given by Brent A. Cooper (MySpace), from 5-6P. Come out early and enjoy the show and bring the kids to see Santa, too! At 6P get your derby fix on Sunday, the 7th of December, 2008 @ Bell's Skating Rink. Winter Wonder Brawl, features the Fort Wayne Derby Girls split into two teams: The Sugar Plum Scaries and the Nutcrackers, duking it out for a fellow derby girl. Earlier this year, Derby Girl Snarles Manson was diagnosed with cancer. A portion of the proceeds from this charity exhibition bout will be donated to her and her family. Admission is $5 or a gift card equivalent.

EDITOR'S NOTE: I will have more to add to this post later; it's become a very hectic weekend.....

It's Three Rivers Festival Time...

Pardon me while I breakout into song with that old jingle "Come On Ever body" and "It's Three Rivers Festival Time" just for nostalgia sake. Of course some of these adamant evenings of clandestine debauchery began last night with the Midway @ The Memorial Coliseum and Verizon Karaoke Contest, but the 40th Annual Three Rivers Festival does not truly commence for the next two weeks until this morning @ 10 a.m., on West Wayne @ Rockhill when the National City TRF Parade begins in the historic West Centeral Neighborhood (map courtesy of Left In Aboite) and ends just south of Head Waters Park East on Superior at Clinton.

This year, fellow local blogger Mark Carboni @ Creative Mind Of Carbo, will be on the Grand Marshall float along with others whom have shown strong support for the Festival over many years previous.

There are so many other events going on that deal with arts, theatre, culture, history, sports and athletics, of course education, and fun for the whole family. Take some time this weekend and checkout, take part in, get involved with, these organizations which are providing opportunities for us to grow together as a community. The TRF Festival Guide can be found on their website with the events broken up by each day.

I do want to issue a challenge though to THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ALLEN COUNTY.

The TRF is a non partisan event and does not allow politics to be brandished during TRF events. While the sidewalks may be fair game, I am still crying foul for certain candidates going ahead of the National City Parade on the same route and harassing the citizens and visitors with campaign materials. This is a clear violation of spirit behind the TRF Rules and Practices and the nature of The Festival itself. They came to see a parade not a politician. If the candidates do go through with this, I hope that Shannon White will consider pressing criminal trespass and civil rights violations against each of the candidates participating.

For other events read F6 articles on TTD In Ft Wayne
or visit F6's Links Page under Fort Wayne Indiana
This post will be updated a little bit more with an addendum post after I get some sleep.

Lost and Found in Fort Wayne

This was intended to be an updates post on other articles and information previously covered on F6 regarding the news and politics around our three rivers.

In trying to attempt, at least for a short time, a closure so that everything was updated and all analysis (and my snarky commentary) could come to a resting pointe; is just proving to be impossible! Once again, after I think I have gotten all the sources and information required to make an honest follow up with every side being heard and bashed for their stupidity equally; I find yet another story hidden away by government and/or corporations or not reported on promptly and profoundly by news agencies. Certain stories should not be relegated to page twelve when they need to be on page one or three. And would somebody please do an hour long newscast without filler.

Furthermore, while I am bitching, can we please get a consolidated Community Calendar for all events. I have been working on one but it is a royal pain in the ass to disseminate information from all the private and public organizations in Fort Wayne alone, let alone trying to put one together.

STAY TUNED.......

Thursdays in June for Fort Wayne: Fun for the whole family for free?

For those whom don't want to deep throat a brat and chug beer from a stein until they puke @ Head Waters Park, there are two other options every Thursday in June for the whole family to get out and celebrate the beginning of summer in the Summit City. For free? Yes! I said free, with only the possibility of limited cost attached to certain features, and the expense of driving Downtown.

The Downtown Improvement District along with Comcast presents again the Freimann Family Thursdays from 6-9 p.m. every Thursday in June except for the 19th. Event attractions include such things as:

* A "Name That Tune" contest by WAJI Majic 95.1
* Atz's will be providing ice cream at all events
* A Guitar Hero Tournament with prizes every
night and the ultimate prize of a Wii
Sponsored by McVan’s
* Tumble X’s “TX Allstars”
showing and teaching basic techniques
* Higher Grounds does frozen drinks & smoothies
* Plenty of stuff for the kids like: face painting, chalk drawing, caricature artists, and a moonwalk!

This event has date specific items as well:

5th of June
* The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is coming
with giant African millipedes
* Musical Guest The Ark Band
(Reggae)
* A massive balloon release contest
* Along with food from Park Place Grill

12th of June
* Musical Guest Final Say
(Contemporary Hits)
* Food from Don Hall's Restaurants

26th of June *See info just below*
* YMCA is coming with corn hole, hula hoops,
jump ropes, and a water balloon toss
* Musical Guest Robbie Fulks
(Alternative Country)
* Food from Don Hall's Restaurants

*CALENDAR NOTE: THIS WAS CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER*, Stephen Parker @ Around Fort Wayne has the updated info regarding the Guitar Hero Finals. My apologies to our readers for not updating this post earlier, with everything else going on it slipped my mind. I do my best I am sorry.

Freimann Square is located on the corner of Clinton and Main Streets in Downtown Fort Wayne.

Freimann Family Thursdays is made possible with the help of Comcast, WAJI Majic 95.1, Fort Wayne Metals and Saint Joseph Hospital. Other participants include: TAG Art, It’s Playtime, FW Parks & Recreation, Trinity English Lutheran Church Youth Group.

Fort Wayne Museum of Art hosts
A Late Evening At The Museum
every Thursday 5-9 p.m year around. Admission is absolutely free. FWMoA is at Main Street north of Barr Street

Come watch Tom Henry flush half a million dollars down our rivers

So according to MAYOR TOM HENRY Public Works money is not Tax Payer Money.

So does that mean the CITY has been charging to much for services all this time?

If it has half a million dollars to pave a bike trail that is already paid for through private donations & benefactors, why haven't they done it before?

Is it your money or the City's?.... It is your City.

Maybe that 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS could have been used to clean up the rivers before we have people riding around them any further.





FORT WAYNE, INDIANA Mayor Tom Henry has answered critics who question how the city can make a matching contribution of up to $500,000 to Oprah's Big Give and the Fort Wayne Trails project when the city of Fort Wayne itself is facing budget cuts.

In an interview with Indiana NewsCenter's Ryan Elijah, Henry says the money has already been earmarked for the trail system and that money had been collected started even before he came into office. That is why the city can match up to $500,000 in donations. The Mayor stresses that the money is not property tax money, but rather public works money.

[....]

The television show “Oprah’s Big Give” selected ABC affiliate Indiana’s NewsCenter and the local non-profit Aboite New Trails for a donation of $10,000. The mission from “Oprah’s Big Give” to Aboite New Trails and Indiana’s NewsCenter was to find a way to grow the money into something larger.

Aboite New Trails chose to split the Oprah’s Big Give funds with each partner trails organization to fund its own event April 12, thus expanding the reach of the Oprah’s Big Give funding throughout Fort Wayne and New Haven. The partner organizations will keep the money raised from the individual fund-raising walk or rides to fund the expansion and maintenance of the trail network in Allen County.

The City is also offering a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $500,000, for donations to the City or any partner trail organization through Saturday. Donations of any amount can be made now through Saturday. More information about the match and City donation forms are available on the City’s Web site.

[....]

Oprah's production crew will be here Saturday to film Fort Wayne's celebrations and fund-raiser for the Fort Wayne trails project.

She gave Indiana's NewsCenter $10,000 in seed money, and since that amount has now grown to close to $1 million... Fort Wayne could be featured in the finale of "Oprah's Big Give" next Sunday night... as one of the most successful community projects in the country.

[SOURCES: the first of two stories with Ryan Elijah reporting are both written by Paul Neumann, the third is written by Corrinne Rose all respectfully from Indiana News Center TV Channels 21 & 33. The second picture was ganked off the City of Fort Wayne's website [pdf]]

But there is nothing to do in Fort Wayne... Wrong!

Every time I here someone complain about there not being anything to do in Fort Wayne it causes me to have a twitch in my brain that makes me want to throttle their head against the brick wall of the Old City Hall Museum on Barr Street. Now granted, most things in Fort Wayne seem to require exorbitant amounts of money in order to participate in. That is especially true, when one person is or a group of people are barely making it, while either going to college or just trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel on a day to day basis to survive.

Then I was thinking to myself most of my kids still have enough money to buy cigarettes every other day or so, and a good portion about a quarter of them have a pretty decent marijuana habit *shrugs shoulders and shakes head*; so if they if they have the money for that, then they should be able to redirect some of those funds for other endeavors and experiences within the community. Now of course that leaves the other three quarters of my kids and their peers who are just trying to get by moment by moment. If you are a student at I Paid For What, besides being treated to a thousand dollar Midget Elvis for March Madness a couple of years back, there are really some pretty fucking cool options available to you as a student in the way of discounts at local establishments and free tickets to certain events either on or off campus. I know one student was enrolled at the minimum full time credit hours for like twelve years just to receive those benefits, and to defer his tuition for a lifetime. But that doesn't begin to cover those, and there are a lot, who haven't had the opportunity or who failed there first attempt at college and haven't gone back yet for whatever reason.

So I propose a plan to City Council (hat tip towards Mitch Harper) and whoever else might be reading this blog entry. Let's start as a system based on volunteer work in the area, a Cultural Studies Credit:

Let's start by organizing both youth and young adults ranging in age from 16-21 and 21-26. The basic premises is that when they volunteer a certain amount of hours in the community, lets say ten (10) hours, one would receive a ten dollar credit (covers the cost of a movie, snack, and soda) which would either be distributed in a gift card or voucher system. They could then use them to see a movie at the Cinema Center, or gain entry into any of our beautiful museums, or go skinny dipping at Fox Island (*not legal but fun*). To beat the summer heat what if the volunteers could donate their time and then use some of their credits to get into the FW-AC Park Department's pools for free.

If they go over forty (40) hours in a month then should there also be an additional benefit awarded or their credited hours over forty should roll over to the next month. These are just some rough ideas that I am plotting out for a bigger action to make life better for my kids and kids all across this beautiful city we all love and call home.

Fort Wayne Citizens Deny Revitilization Plan 60 Years Ago

taking from the past to make the future better

This picture and story has come up every few years or so and I am surprised that it isn't hanging up at a Meijer Store or Pizza Hut anywhere. In all actuality the way it is designed versus the way the city is laid out now we got the better deal for the most part. I mean seriously it still only takes less than 20 minutes to cruise from Glenbrook Mall to Pettit Avenue except during rush hour. The ideas presented in the drawing though not in the specific location are worth reviewing

+Underpass or overpass some of the more obsolete intersections (eg: Wallace to Crieghton north on Lafayette and south on Clinton) where this could really prove beneficial is an underpass inerchange system for the intersection of Coldwater Rd.- SR 327@ Coliseum Blvd.- SR 930, one of Fort Wayne's deadliest intersections.

+ The use of service access roads (like Barr Street is now between Main Street and Washington Blvd.)

+There are two major roundabouts in the design of this picture one is south of Pettit at Fairfax and what was supposed to be US 27/33 not to mention the big one in the heart of town at what would have been Clay and Breckenridge. One could surmise even back in the 40's that FW drivers don't like roundies but they work! I have often thought that if we had roundies at some of our less important and secondary intersections we so would be better off and we would have fewer multi car accidents, as long as the roundies stay at no more than two lanes wide, ask any IPFW student about that one.

One last comment and I will quit.

+The idea of cutting off the neighborhood access to major roads is a good idea that really should be reviewed again for possibilities. If neighborhoods had fewer access points to or between major roads it would cut down on people zipping through your neighborhood and possibly hitting your child that just stepped out on to the street to go after a ball. If neighborhoods could only be accessed from secondary streets it would also reduce congestion during rush hour on the major roads.

Thanks for reading.

Source of Origin: What Might Have Been by John Good of Fort Wayne Left