WAHM Diary

I like that far more: T = Transparency E = Ethics...

2009-07-01T18:34:55.506-05:00

I like that far more:

T = Transparency
E = Ethics
A = Accountability

The Tea Party theme has always been about not rewa...

2009-07-01T16:21:55.670-05:00

The Tea Party theme has always been about not rewarding bad behavior, not raising taxes, not spending our hard earned money on more programs that are poorly thoughtout, or don't even exsist,(GLOBAL WARMING)and not growing bigger goverment.How about T=Transparency,E=Ethics,and A=Accountability? The list goes on and on.. next we should organize Tea Parties for the VOTE!! Maybe someone will start listening then!

Goldman's power is enourmous. They control the go...

2009-04-08T15:42:00.000-05:00

Goldman's power is enourmous. They control the government. Senator Stevens cross them

I'm looking forward to Greta's interview with Pali...

2008-11-10T08:12:00.000-06:00

I'm looking forward to Greta's interview with Palin tonight to see if Greta asks her that question.

Somehow, I get the feeling Palin will not run in 2012 now that she has been able to witness (and experience first hand) how nasty many people and most media have become below the 49th parallel. Indeed, many of us living here have been stunned by the sheer visciousness of the attacks on her.

She would have to love this country a tremendous amount to throw her hat into the 2012 ring.

I'm guessing her own party won't want her to run. They're in the tank for Romney. They don't like "rising stars" in their party, unless of course, it's to use their stars at their convenience, then toss them under the bus when they're done with them. They seem to have forgotten Reagan's 11th Commandment.

I'd love to see her run as an Independent with a few other powerful Independents on board. But that would probably set her up for failure as we all know how the mass media squeezes independent voices right out of the picture.

It will be interesting...

If Palin runs for President in 2012, at least she ...

2008-11-09T14:22:00.000-06:00

If Palin runs for President in 2012, at least she has name recognition going for her... but, at this point, that may not work in her favor

Uhmm. Where did you get this crap from? The Federa...

2008-10-01T07:01:00.000-05:00

Uhmm. Where did you get this crap from? The Federal National Mortgage Association, known as Fannie Mae, was created under the Roosevelt "New Deal" administration in 1938.

In 1968, it was rolled out the federal government into a private corporation.

Fannie Mae's "big brother," Freddie Mac (Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation) was created in 1970. It was designed to purchase only conventional home loans (the top of the market), but ended up buying junk following rule changes in 1995 that permitted both corporations to get "affordable housing credits" for buying subprime loans . . . .

Thanks. I appreciate your comments, and the link t...

2008-09-30T20:41:00.000-05:00

Thanks. I appreciate your comments, and the link to the study. Agreed -- I also think it missed the clintonian revisions.

Great post. The Clintonian revision makes sense o...

2008-09-30T17:59:00.000-05:00

Great post. The Clintonian revision makes sense of this study:

http://www.traigerlaw.com/publications/traiger_hinckley_llp_cra_foreclosure_study_1-7-08.pdf

It fails to connect CRA to the clintonian revisions...

Karen Myers, I would contact you by email but I do...

2008-09-19T08:39:00.000-05:00

Karen Myers, I would contact you by email but I don't see where. Do you have a history of the mega-dairy takeover in Jasper County and Newton County? The same thing could happen in Grant County, South Dakota.

http://madvilletimes.blogspot.com/2008/08/riverview-farms-pulls-grant-county-cafo.html

I did see this milestone ... I don't know a lot ab...

2008-08-04T07:25:00.000-05:00

I did see this milestone ... I don't know a lot about it but I did think if there is a current space station, why not an outpost on the moon? Although from the post it looks like we have a few years before we start to see anything concrete happening there. It is some amazing stuff.

Yes! The Chanhassen Dinner Theater... what an awesome experience it was for me -- and our entire class. It's great to see they are still going strong after all these years. Thanks for sharing, kimmy.

The Chanhassen Dinner Theater - fun place, yeah? O...

2008-07-30T01:35:00.000-05:00

The Chanhassen Dinner Theater - fun place, yeah? Old school, I love it! I remember seeing Oklahoma there way back when.

Sorry there is no insurance for these kind of thin...

2008-05-29T13:41:00.000-05:00

Sorry there is no insurance for these kind of things. That is why responsible farmers practice basic biosecerity programs.

I think your comments on rural depopulation is a b...

2008-05-29T13:39:00.000-05:00

I think your comments on rural depopulation is a bit off. I've lived in jasper county by entire life and I have seen more homes being constructed than being tore down. Doesn't look like RURAL DEPOPULATION TO ME???

I was wrong regarding taxes.

Jasper County ...

2007-11-02T09:16:00.000-05:00

I was wrong regarding taxes.

Jasper County is the second highest. Pulaski comes out on top as the highest income taxed county in Indiana by a hair. We're 2nd, followed closely by Benton.

Regarding the smoking thing. Yes, there are plenty of studies confirming the harm smoking can do. BUT no, there are NO studies comparing harm from smoking to harm from CAFOs. Simply put, no direct comparison studies have been done.

I'm guessing that such a comparison study could be quite daunting. One would have to factor in illnesses caused through the entire food chain -- including waterborne illnesses, airborne illnesses, foodborne illnesses, antibacterial resistant diseases and emerging diseases -- to provide proof none of them occurred as a byproduct of CAFO and/or CFO style farming methods... all that would have to be completed before being able to draw any solid conclusions, or failing that, the studies would be without merit.

Interestingly enough, there has been plenty of research into the survivability rates for; e coli, salmonella, lysteria, etc. Scientists are well aware how long each of these can survive on food, on land, on plants and in water... and in some cases, even airborne.

As for smoking being "one of the most harmful things that has ever happened to mankind" -- I'm guessing you're ignoring the plague, Spanish Flu, the World Wars, nuclear accidents and bombs, etc. etc. etc.

That's a bit of a narrow minded view you have, in my humble opinion.

Smoking is perhaps one of the easiest to trace causes for illness ...and one of the most preventable, so if you had stated it this way, I might have concurred with you.

Not a problem on the grammer. When I get rushed, I make mistakes, too. And I'm willing to admit my mistakes when I make them. Ummmm... you spelled my name wrong.

Are you so narrow minded that you cannot even gras...

2007-11-01T12:13:00.000-05:00

Are you so narrow minded that you cannot even grasp the concept that smoking is one of the most harmful things that has ever happened to mankind. Take some time and do some reseach and find out how many death are related to smoking each year. When you are finished with that look up the same thing about cafo's. I do apologize for my grammar on the first post I guess we are all not as perfect as Karen Meyers...

Thanks for commenting.

I am not aware of a...

2007-10-22T09:18:00.000-05:00

Thanks for commenting.

I am not aware of any studies that have been completed directly comparing smoking to cafos and the related health risks, so I cannot comment regarding what you have claimed to have found.

If you have a link to such a study (or studies), I would appreciate you posting it (or them) here.

But regarding your comment on taxes (I'm assuming that's what you meant by "takes" in your comment?) ...it was quite stunning to see that, as of October 1, Jasper County is now the HIGHEST in all of Indiana for income taxes.

We're followed closely only by Benton County. Most other counties have half -- or in many cases, less than half -- the amount of County income tax.

It's interesting to see that some of the highest concentrations of Dairy Cafos wind up with some of the highest income taxes -- or at least it appears to be happening in Indiana.

Dare I draw the conclusion that: More Cafos = More Income Taxes?

Or should it be:
More Cafos = More Taxes!

Your thoughts?

Karen from all the studys that I have looked at sm...

2007-10-22T08:12:00.000-05:00

Karen from all the studys that I have looked at smoking has a greater health risk to a person than a cafo. Just wondered what your thought is on it. I don't know if you smoke or not I just saw how you complained on how they just added more takes on tabacco.

Hi Kevin. Yes, I think you're right.

Remin...

2007-10-09T10:16:00.000-05:00

Hi Kevin. Yes, I think you're right.

Reminds me of how my Mother used to wake me for school in the mornings by chiming out, "Wakey wakey, eggs and bacy!"

Brings a whole new meaning to that wake up call.

This subject seems to be hitting the newspapers at...

2007-10-08T19:41:00.000-05:00

This subject seems to be hitting the newspapers at least twice a month. The people are catching on to dirty , big Agribusiness, aren't they?

Interesting! I like this post. Thanks for sharing....

2007-10-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

Interesting! I like this post. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Dave. Great point! Now, I'm wondering if ou...

2007-09-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

Thanks Dave. Great point! Now, I'm wondering if our Becky has been offered some kind of future job with one of these CAFOs... Maybe she'll be shovelling something else after the 2008 elections?

How interesting that Hoosier Ag Today touts the Wi...

2007-09-24T09:43:00.000-05:00

How interesting that Hoosier Ag Today touts the Willemsen farm as the "standard" for CAFO operation. Funny how they didn't mention that this farm was cited for an April, 2005 manure discharge by IDEM - and given a civil penalty of $4,500 (case #2005-14834-S for those of you keeping score at home). I wonder if Becky knew that before she had her picture taken there?

Hi Kevin,

Your post sent me searching on Ja...

2007-09-14T08:59:00.000-05:00

Hi Kevin,

Your post sent me searching on Jasper County ordinances, where I bumped into this article at the Rensselaer Republican, which stated:

"Unfortunately because there is no noise ordinance from the hours of 8 a.m-10 p.m., a Jasper County resident can technically run a jet engine in their back yard during these hours."

So... in answer to your question, I'm guessing that -- yes, there is a noise ordinance that applies to noises outside of the hours indicated in the article above.

BUT in Jasper County, as many of us have been discovering, there are quite a few Restrictive Covenants that the Board in Rensselaer seem to be placing on subdivision developments throughout Jasper County, covenants which often override a property owner's rights.

For example, take a look at the Restrictive Covenants for the Fair View Farm subdivision recently filed in Jasper County for a subdivision in Union Township.

QUOTE:

The owner understands that the following restriction is contained on the recorded Plat of this Subdivision and is not [subject] to amendment without the express approval of the Plan Commission:

"The owner of [each Lot in] the herein described real estate (Fair View Farm Subdivision), for themselves and all future owners and occupants of said real estate, or any parcel or subdivision thereof, for and in consideration of the rights to develop the real estate for other than agricultural
uses, hereby:

First, acknowledges and agrees that Fair View Farm Subdivision is in or adjacent to an area zoned
5 for agricultural uses, which uses include, but are not limited to, production of crops, animal
husbandry, land application of animal waste, the raising, breeding, and sale of livestock and
poultry, including confinement feeding operations, use of farm machinery, and sale of farm products;

Second, waives any and all objections to any such agricultural uses on any real estate zoned for such uses within two miles of any boundary of the Fair View Farm Subdivision, whether such uses currently exist, are enlarged, or changed in use in the future to another agricultural use;

Third, agrees that such agricultural uses, whether currently existing, or hereafter established, enlarged, or changed, do not constitute a nuisance so long as they are not negligently maintained, do not cause bodily injury to third parties, or directly endanger human health; and

Fourth, agrees that this covenant is for the benefit of the Jasper County Plan Commission and all persons engaged in agricultural uses within two miles of any boundary of Fair View Farm Subdivision and is enforceable by any of the foregoing."

END QUOTE (emphasis added by me).

Now, personally, I believe the above Restrictive Covenants are unconstitutional -- just my humble opinion.

That little bit about who the covenant benefits speaks volumes to me. When some claim the CAFO owners are not taking over our county, I look at that 2 mile radius clause and ask... "Want a bet?"

It's time to yank their subsidies IMHO.

This has nothing to do with this topic, but there ...

2007-09-13T18:20:00.000-05:00

This has nothing to do with this topic, but there has been nonstop loud motor sounds coming from flyash mountain. It vibrates and can be heard for almost a mile from that cesspool. Isn't there a noise ordinance in Jasper County after 10:00p.m.? If so, what are our rights to turn them in for noise pollution. This noise goes on 24/7 and you CANNOT sleep with the windows open because it is so loud.