[Winona Online Democracy]
Comments are inserted after a few of the sections
On Jun 23, 2004, at 00:47, Dwayne Voegeli wrote:
[snip]
However...
I think our unspoken assumptions and philosophies may even be more important.
Here are some examples:
-----
1. Are bigger and better the same thing? Can we separate those two very
different concepts in our minds? Is it possible that sometimes bigger is a
negative thing? When we speak of growth, do we automatically assume that
bigger is better? Why? Should we be focusing on better, not bigger
cities?
2. Growth in children, plants, animals, and other living things is a
beautiful and downright spiritual process. Are increasing numbers of
cities, roads, factories, homes, and plastic products the same kind of
"growth?" Could our language be more precise so our thoughts and
conversations are more clear? Should we divide the different kinds of
"growth" into two or more words? How many words do the Greeks have for the
different kinds of love?
Your reference to the Whorf/Sapir Hypothesis is interesting an interesting one.
Is it really language that may be problematic or is it un/intentional selective exposure to ideas?
To continue with this idea...
Perhaps "bigger is better" came from an overzealous application of capitalism. Capitalism has almost been elevated to the status of a religion.
It could also be reasoned that if a community has 28,000 persons that it is better than one that has 22,000 persons. One could simply look at the fact that city b has 6,000 less and reason well city a has 6,000 more persons, so obviously, if more people want to live there than it must be better. If it were not as good less people would live there, right? However, that does not take many other factors into consideration.
3. "Dealing with traffic problems by building more roads is like dealing
with your weight problem by loosening your belt." I once read something
like that. Do you agree? If so, how does it apply to County Hwy 17,
Mankato Ave, Hwy 14, et al? Are there alternatives?
I have observed after thousands of miles of bicycling that when travelling less than 2 miles, during rush hour, there is a good chance I will arrive in the same amount of time as a trip made in an automobile.
After two miles the time premium in Winona disappears. I suspect with more and more traffic congestion this premium will start to expand, again. It is also noteworthy that not many locations in Winona are separated by more than five miles. This is noteworthy because that means the maximum amount of increased trip time by using a bicycle instead of an automobile is limited to about ten minutes per trip under peak automobile conditions with the actual average being lower than that.
Method of Transit-> Average Speed-> Time @ Distance 5, 2.5, 1 Miles Automobile-> (Good) 25 12, 6, 2.4 Minutes Automobile-> (Medium) 20 15, 7.5, 3 Minutes Automobile-> (Poor) 15 20, 10, 4 Minutes Bicycle-> (My Average) 13+ 23.1, 11.55, 4.62 Minutes
This table shows that even for short trips during rush hour periods automobiles hold only a slight advantage over a bicycle. However, an automobile has other issues that will consume more time than a bicycle will. The trade offs are obvious and automobiles are clearly at a disadvantage once you start factoring in other time expenses.
It seems ridiculous to say this but why drive if you do not have to. I have been told if I would drive more I would save time. I contest this claim as incorrect.
* One needs to spend five or more minutes at the pump to "save time."
* One needs to spend at least a minute per trip to find a parking spot, again to "save time"
* One needs to work more, to pay for their car's increased maintenance costs relative to a bicycle. (Gasoline, Oil changes, other fluids, parts, and etcetera) or
* Sacrifice a degree of long term financial savings to throw money at their automobile
* Watch government representation expend time on an issue such as traffic or parking rather than other issues
For in-town trips there are few time savings with an automobile, yet individuals insist on using this method anyway. Why?
Unless on lives outside Winona, is travelling in bad weather, or making a purchase, what compelling reason is there to drive, because there are no savings in time, which many purport automobiles to have?
--Observation
Besides the obvious issue of times savings, if less cars where driven than families and individuals would likely have either less debt, more money to spend elsewhere, or would be able to invest it back in the United States.
US investment in the US would be a welcome change from countries such as China recycling their massive trade surpluses that have accumulated over time to purchase ever greater amounts of US T-Bills and assets.
Most US debt is foreign owned. That is not good for any government that wishes to proclaim an image of a stable economy when factors beyond their immediate control have such a heavy influence.
4. Is it accurate or wise to plan for the next 40-50 years based on what
has happened over the past 40-50 years? Can average home sizes continue to
double while the number of people living in them continue to shrink,
ironically, almost in half? Talk about increased roof tops, heating needs,
road requirements, plastic products et al.
I noticed several editorials in the rags that basically said:
Winona is the same size as it was 50 years ago. This needs to change. Change it. Give me a Wal*Mart and all our "not growing problems" will be solved.
That line of thought, however, does not consider a nationwide demographic shift to lower occupancies per residence and specifically in Winona that many college students do not count on the population of Winona because of residency rules. Winona has been growing, however, simultaneously residences have been getting smaller. The net effect of this is no change.
Winona should be happy that it was not shrinking because that is the fate of many other locations.
5. Phil mentioned in one of his first posts that growth happens and there
is no use trying to stop or ignore it. I hear this sentiment all the time.
The horses are already out of the barn. The train has already left the
station and there is no way to stop it. But are there other trains on the
same track and moving toward a head-on collision with the "growth" train?
What about the world population explosion? What is the earth's carrying
capacity? Is this "growth" sustainable? It took roughly 1,000 years of
human history for the entire earth's population to increase by
approximately 95 million. Today roughly 95 million people are added in a
SINGLE year. We lose millions of acres of farm land around the world every
year to development, pollution, and soil erosion. For all you baby boomers
out there, these may not be issues you have to think about or deal with but
for the younger generations, it is already becoming a HUGE change in how we
think and act, even if we are not yet aware of it.
and desertifacation... and then there are problems from not enough erosion... in other areas
6. How does our current economic system force us to "grow" or die? Are
there other options? Why do we have to mass produce consumers? How has
that need warped our media, values, and politics? What does producing
discontent mean? Have material things made us happier? Why is consumerism
a more powerful force than religion in most people's lives today?
The concept of grow or die could be traced to the unfortunate fact that it is true. The United States carries a considerable debt load, most of which is foreign owned. Debt accrues interest and instead of the interest coming back into the United States most of it becomes property of another government. To combat the problem of lost capital, growth is necessary maintain the same standing.
-----
What does all this have to do with the Phillips property annexatioin and
Wilson Township?
I believe everything.
A group of teenagers who think they will live forever and that it doesn't
matter what choices they make will think and act one way.
A group of mature adults who realize they will one day die and that their
choices affect their children and grandchildren will think and act another
way.
Most of our economic and political thought is in the teenage thinking mode.
If we step back and look at the bigger picture, we may change how we think.
If we change how we think, we may change how we act and what decisions we
make.
The issue of annexation in Wilson Township is not really about numbers or
politics. It's about how we think about and view the issue, our world, and
ourselves. If we changed the assumptions about "growth" and happiness,
would we change what we decide about Wilson Township?
It's after 11:00 p.m., it's late at night, at least for boring folk like
me. Most people have probably long since stopped reading this e-mail since
I'm rambling on. I'm sorry about that. My life sometimes seems one big
blur of meetings, agendas, running kids around, and small details. I
rarely get the chance to engage in the realm of ideas.
For those brave souls who stuck around. Please don't dismiss my questions
as a simple Luddite who is opposed to change.
On the contrary, I'm all for growth and change. But is that the same thing
as increased numbers of houses, cars, roads, plastic things, etc.?
We are not just solving an issue of annexation in Wilson Township. We are
also either helping or making worst the problems of pollution, hunger,
material poverty, spiritual poverty, and other big problems.
These are local issues because the problems won't be solved by someone in
St. Paul, Washington D.C., or elsewhere. We have to solve these global
problems in one small corner of the world at a time.
Thats all.
What do others think?
What do you suggest we do about Wilson Township?
------------
Dwayne Voegeli
Winona County Commissioner, District #2
(507) 453-9012
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
359 Pleasant Hill Dr. Winona, MN 55987
********************************************
David Dittmann
In 2002, less than one thousand persons, worldwide, died because of terrorism; while in India, ten thousand persons died from venomous snakes.
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