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  • Preservation of McIntire Park

    Number of comments: 0
    So, much has been discussed regarding "Save McIntire", but as I've pointed out, there's been very little discussion of what that actually means... After all, just what exactly are we saving and who are we saving it for?

    Therefore, I was fascinated to stumble upon the article about McIntire' [...]
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    Posted: September 21, 2009, 1:49pm EDT
    by Tree hugging

  • Insights into the motives of "Save McIntire"

    Number of comments: 0
    As you know, I've repeatedly questioned the motives of Save McIntire in their push to demand that the golf course and the wading pool be preserved (especially, when no more than one of those uses will be viable after the parkway is built.) Recently, I put the question to' [...]
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    Posted: September 14, 2009, 9:26am EDT
    by Tree hugging

  • McIntire Golf Course Retraction

    Number of comments: 0
    Earlier I'd stated that the McIntire Golf Course had be slated for retirement for around twenty years ago. Thanks to a local libertarian, I realize now that I was wrong and I'd like to retract my previous statement thanks to this interesting piece of information:
    As far back as [...]
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    Posted: September 07, 2009, 3:47pm EDT
    by Tree hugging

  • Killing Nature at Shenandoah Arces

    Number of comments: 2
    Looking for something to do one weekend with the family? Perhaps you saw the signs for Shenandoah acres and thought maybe that'd be a good place to take the kids and get out of the city and experience nature? What if I told you that an ecosystem full of rare' [...]
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    Posted: September 07, 2009, 10:30am EDT
    by Tree hugging

  • Will babies dodge golf balls to use Mcintire pool?

    Number of comments: 2
    As I mentioned in a previous entry, there is no entrance to the McIntire pool in the current plan for the interchange for the Meadowcreek Parkway. Check out the map. So, how exactly are all those toddlers supposed to actually use the "historic" wading pool? From the map [...]
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    Posted: August 18, 2009, 1:56pm EDT
    by Tree hugging

  • Parks Planned to Retire Golf at McIntire Since 1990

    Number of comments: 0
    There's been much discussion and misinformation about the McIntire Golf Course. As someone who has lived my entire life in Charlottesville, I've been watching this issue for quite some time and thus have a broad perspective on the actual history involved.

    Advocates of the golf course, have consistently' [...]
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    Posted: August 05, 2009, 1:14pm EDT
    by Tree hugging

  • Save McIntire Park from The Hook

    Number of comments: 0
    Recently The Hook wrote a story about McIntire Park and the proposed botanical garden. Generally I don't feel like I need to take credit for my ideas, but I feel that the entire issue is being grossly misrepresented, so I wrote the author of the article (twice) to try' [...]
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    Posted: July 29, 2009, 10:53am EDT
    by Tree hugging

  • Democracy Is Pagan

    Number of comments: 3
    Apparently in the Bible the word "Lord" appears 6678 times, "King" appears 2565 times, the word "Slave" 65 times, and the word "Queen" 56 times.

    In the Bible the word "Vote" only appears once, the word "Democracy" doesn't appear at all, nor the word "Republic", nor the word "Senate".' [...]
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    Posted: July 03, 2009, 4:47pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • WHAT Real Estate Market Crash?

    Number of comments: 5
    Okay, we have heard a bunch on the news about a crash in the real estate market but I'm just not seeing it...

    Take this property for sale near Batesville on Craigs Store Road for example (MLS 464941). It's selling for $169,000, even though the owner bought it [...]
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    Posted: May 04, 2009, 12:58pm EDT

  • What's in the Milk?

    Number of comments: 7
    I made a weird discovery. For some reason 2% organic milk doesn't foam up nearly as well as conventional 2% Shenandoah's Pride when steamed. I tried both the Whole Foods generic brand and Horizon, and both seem to just not foam very well.

    It really makes you wonder... just [...]
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    Posted: May 01, 2009, 3:53pm EDT

  • Environmentalists Missing An Opportunity

    Number of comments: 0
    As an environmentalist, I feel that some of my peers in their zeal about issues like the Meadowcreek Parkway can lose their perspective on the larger issues. After all, what is the main goal? Is it preserving green space and habitat? Or, maybe it is about stopping sprawl and promoting [...]
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    Posted: April 14, 2009, 1:21pm EDT

  • When Natives Attack (Plants that is...)

    Number of comments: 0
    Recently, in helping to plan a garden at church I managed to horrify a friend of mine who is a gardener by suggesting that we could plant a native rose like Rosa virginica.

    "Those are a vector for "rose rosette disease", she exclaimed. "You know what they have to [...]
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    Posted: April 09, 2009, 4:21pm EDT

  • Urban Growth and Ecological Density

    Number of comments: 0
    An often neglected part of how we develop urban areas in our the quest for infill and density is the importance of green space. Not only do green spaces provide vital place for recreation, but they also help improve water quality, air quality, and reduce [...]
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    Posted: April 08, 2009, 1:52pm EDT

  • Everyone's Planning For McIntire

    Number of comments: 0
    Recently as it becomes clear that the parkway is imminent, the vultures have started circling. It seems clear that all kinds of groups have their own ideas about what McIntire Park should be and who it should serve. There are those that charaterize the area as a pristine haven for [...]
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    Posted: April 03, 2009, 12:03pm EDT

  • More Greenwashing in the Name of Infill

    Number of comments: 0
    Erika Howsare, in C-ville weekly covers the new Brookwood subdivision, which looks anything but sustainable. I'd noticed this subdivision myself, and thought how in the world were they granted the ability to build on that slope? Apparently, anything seems to be justified when it comes to "in-fill", regardless of' [...]
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    Posted: March 27, 2009, 2:42pm EDT

  • Economy About To Improve...

    Number of comments: 2
    Okay, I could be really wrong on this, but apparently no one else is saying anything for fear of jinxing themselves so I figure I might as well...

    Folks, I believe we already hit the bottom and have been slowly moving up again. In just a few weeks the [...]
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    Posted: March 26, 2009, 4:11pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Botanical Garden Update

    Number of comments: 0
    The proposal for creating a botanical garden in Charlottesville has gotten more press recently, including an article in the Daily Progress. It seems that support for the project appears to be increasing, with several public officials, including the mayor, coming out in support of the project.

    There remain [...]
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    Posted: March 25, 2009, 11:31am EDT

  • Paganism Still Growing...

    Number of comments: 0
    Some interesting new data has been released by the latest American Religious Identification Survey, (as graphed by USA Today). It compared data across the last decade about religious preference from 1990 to 2008.

    One of the most interesting discoveries is that Atheists have grown at stunning rate, and [...]
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    Posted: March 09, 2009, 2:49pm EDT

  • Meadowcreek Compromise Proposal...

    Number of comments: 0
    Even though I'm against the Meadowcreek parkway, and have been as long as I can remember, I'm increasingly convinced of its inevitability. Even if the Sierra Club wins their law suit, it would be probably only a few months before Richmond would pass some kind of bill exempting the Parkway [...]
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    Posted: February 27, 2009, 10:18am EST

  • Updates to Natural Landscaping Plan...

    Number of comments: 0
    Responding to some good feedback I've gotten about the City of Charlottesville's Standard Operationg Proceedure (SOP) for Natural Landscaping, I met with Neighborhood Development Services and we worked out some changes to the plan to make it a bit more workable for property owners.

    The major change was allowing [...]
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    Posted: February 26, 2009, 11:32am EST

  • Will The Real Followers Just Shut Up?

    Number of comments: 4
    Recently by merely suggesting that Pagans could do more to be welcoming of intellectuals, I've apparently so angered one person that I was informed that I'm not a real pagan, and told I should choose some other path to follow. (Who gets to decide that sort of thing? Did [...]
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    Posted: February 22, 2009, 6:50pm EST

  • Creeping Juniper as a Native Rock Plant

    Number of comments: 1
    Okay, now that I've covered one of my favorite unknown rock plants, I'd like to reacquaint you with, Creeping Juniper, a rock plant that is often overused, but rarely thought of, or used, in the context of a native plant.

    Believe it or not, Creeping Juniper, Juniperus horizontalis, [...]
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    Posted: February 13, 2009, 12:40pm EST

  • Prejudice Against Native Traditions

    Number of comments: 0
    I'd remarked to a local politician recently that I probably couldn't run for the Board of Supervisors because there may be too much prejudice against me as a religious minority. I added that my beliefs were not terribly much different than other indigenous traditions in the world, but that there [...]
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    Posted: February 12, 2009, 10:52am EST

  • Cheap Ingredients for Rock Garden Soil

    Number of comments: 2
    As I've read some of the nice books out there on rock gardening, I keep seeing these soil mixtures they recommend but for some time had no idea where to actually get the right kind of rocks and other media. You see, normal sand and pea gravel aren't ideal. Alpine [...]
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    Posted: February 12, 2009, 9:35am EST

  • A New Plant For Southern Rock Gardens

    Number of comments: 0
    SilverlingIn honor of my first "follower", who apparently has an interest in southern rock plants too, I thought I'd share some information about one of my favorite species...

    Silverling, Paronychia argyrocoma, is an unusual plant in the pink family
    William S. Justice @ USDA-NRCS' [...]
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    Posted: February 11, 2009, 2:33pm EST

  • Infill Versus Greenspace

    Number of comments: 0
    Mayor Dave discussed one of my comments in a recent post about Greenspace:
    Lonnie's comment reminded me of an observation I once heard William McDonough make, the gist of which was that the ideal city features so much greenspace (including green roofs atop its buildings) that it's hard for [...]
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    Posted: February 10, 2009, 11:08am EST

  • Statton Salidis Is My Hero!

    Number of comments: 0
    I simply can't believe how much effort Stratton has put into fighting the Meadowcreek Parkway. Whether you agree with him or not, I think we've all got to appreciate the dedication and effort that he's put into this issue. It is citizens like him that really make this a great' [...]
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    Posted: February 05, 2009, 12:28pm EST

  • Welcoming Pagan Intellectuals?

    Number of comments: 5
    Jason Pitzl-Waters' blog, The Wild Hunt, has a great article and discussion going on about the apparent exodus of some intellectuals from the Pagan movement. Many important questions have been raised in comments on the article so far, including things like "how can we provide more spiritual depth to'" [...]
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    Posted: January 07, 2009, 3:59pm EST

  • In Defense Of Extremes

    Number of comments: 0
    As I've watched the parade of moderate appointments to Obama's administration, it occurred to me that maybe Democrats have become confused about how change really happens? As a fairly moderate person (in practice), I often advocate for the importance of moderate voices in any dialogue. For eight years, we had [...]
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    Posted: December 18, 2008, 1:50pm EST
    by Lonnie

  • Environment Betrayed By Obama?

    Number of comments: 5
    News came out yesterday in a story on NPR that Ken Salazar will be the pick for the Department of the Interior. After eight years of seeing our public lands destroyed by mining and ranching interests, it is really disappointing to see the United States most important position for [...]
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    Posted: December 17, 2008, 10:02am EST

  • Sea slugs, Lobsters, Price Fixing and Evolution

    Number of comments: 1
    Okay, looking at my subject line hopefully you're wondering how all these things are related...

    Every once in a while I check out the blog of a local Baptist minister, just to keep up with how the "other side" thinks. As it happens, there was a recent post on' [...]
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    Posted: November 26, 2008, 10:29am EST

  • ACE program cut to save Land Use Taxation

    Number of comments: 2
    Remember a while back when some people feared that if Mallek replaced Wyant that all our property rights would be taken away, and rural protection would become a high priority?

    Never fear. This board of supervisors has so far failed to pass a single significant rural preservation ordinance. [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2008, 10:26am EST

  • Creating a Viable TDR Model

    Number of comments: 0
    As I witnessed the Transfer of Development rights discussion come dangerously close to failure again, I have begun to develop some ideas about how a working compromise could be developed between all the different groups, including realtors, developers, environmentalists, and farmers...

    The core challenge that a TDR program seems [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2008, 3:36pm EDT

  • Why War Happens...

    Number of comments: 0
    As I look at world events, I've often wondered how normal people can be involved in such horrific conflicts.

    I think the truth is that war is no more mysterious than the small scale conflicts that people have between themselves. In my short time on this planet, I've [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2008, 10:50am EDT

  • A New Economy Based on Old Values

    Number of comments: 1
    As we continue to watch the economy spiral down the toilet, I think it is worth pondering what it will take to rebuild our economy and get us back on solid footing...

    First of all, the term "free market" has been turned into a religion of sorts, and just [...]
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    Posted: October 10, 2008, 1:54pm EDT

  • Native Wildflowers on Main Street! (Revisited)

    Number of comments: 2



    As you can see, the plants I added to the Native Plants Garden on Main Street, have grown considerably since the last time I blogged about them! Here's a before and after...

    Here' [...]
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    Posted: August 15, 2008, 4:16pm EDT

  • Identity and Consciousness

    Number of comments: 0
    Okay, in part II of "Things I'm unqualified to talk about, but will anyway...", I'm going to discuss how it is possible for us to have a point of view. Or, how it is possible for us to have something it is to be like.

    As I suggested in [...]
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    Posted: August 14, 2008, 9:24am EDT

  • Animism, a Solution to the Problem of Consciousness?

    Number of comments: 16
    When we ponder how we are capable of self-awareness and consciousness, one piece that is hard to understand is how matter, regardless of how it is organized, could ever possibly have awareness. Bear with me here because I don't have great words to describe what I'm trying to say, and [...]
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    Posted: August 01, 2008, 2:08pm EDT

  • Native Wildflowers on Main Street!

    Number of comments: 3

    With the cooperation of my workplace, and facilities management, we've recently installed a native wildflower garden in front of Stacey Hall on Main Street.

    Here are some of the species you might expect to see there:

    Wild Petunia, Ruellia humilis
    Hoary Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum incanum[...]

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    Posted: June 20, 2008, 3:25pm EDT

  • A Case Study in Land-Use Abuse

    Number of comments: 4
    Okay, a fierce debate has resurfaced about land use valuation in the County. The Albemarle Board of Supervisors is considering reforms to the program that grants tax relief for those people engaged in farming practices. The main issue is that out of all the people receiving land-use tax credits, [...]
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    Posted: May 15, 2008, 3:53pm EDT

  • Reforming Land-Use Taxation

    Number of comments: 0
    Recently, several groups, including Forever Albemarle and the Farm Bureau, met at the County Office Building in an attempt to preempt any discussion of reform of Land Use taxation.

    Ironically, I found out about it when I heard a local in one of my favorite pizza establishments ranting [...]
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    Posted: May 02, 2008, 3:32pm EDT

  • Walking the Line Between Madness and Genius

    Number of comments: 3
    A coworker of mine pointed out today that he has a cousin who is a bit off the deep end, and who happens to be Pagan. At first, I felt a bit defensive, pointing out all the scientists, teachers and business professionals that I know that are Pagan. Later, I [...]
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    Posted: May 02, 2008, 11:03am EDT

  • Death and Consciousness

    Number of comments: 3
    I've got a confession. I'm terrified of death. Somehow I'd thought having a child would assuage these fears; after all, what is more affirming of life than watching a new consciousness come into the world? Oddly though, it has done the opposite. Both Sharon and I have experienced a new' [...]
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    Posted: April 25, 2008, 11:44am EDT

  • Natural Landscaping Policy APPROVED!

    Number of comments: 7
    As you may know, I've been working for years on getting Charlottesville to adopt a clearer policy on Natural Landscaping. This week, just in time for Charlottesville Earth Week, I got word that the recommendations on Natural Landscaping by the CCoES were approved by staff and are effective [...]
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    Posted: April 18, 2008, 12:23pm EDT

  • In-fill Versus Green Washing

    Number of comments: 2
    As more attention is being given to green development, I can't help but wonder if the larger context is always being considered. Consider the following scenarios:

    A) A large forested patch exists in City limits. Since the city encourages "In-fill", this site is zoned for dense development, cleared, and [...]
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    Posted: April 07, 2008, 2:21pm EDT

  • Doing The Neighborhood Model RIGHT

    Number of comments: 3
    Today on NPR they concluded a great two part story which started with a profile about a family who'd moved to the suburbs, and the high personal and environmental costs of those decisions, and then in part two, profiled a family in Alabama who lived in a neighborhood created [...]
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    Posted: April 01, 2008, 10:05am EDT

  • A Reductionist Fallacy...

    I'd like to point out a fallacy among those advocating strict Atheism. They often make an argument that is equivalent to this:

    A != 1, B !=3, C !=7, therefore A + B + C != 11

    Essentially, they come up with what they see as a "culturally [...]
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    Posted: March 28, 2008, 11:36am EDT

  • Advocacy For A Natural God

    Number of comments: 11
    Today I eagerly await Richard Dawkin's comments on NPR's Fresh Air, not so much for Dawkin's words themselves, but because I respect Terry Gross and hope she'll hit him with the really tough questions he deserves. That's not to say that I don't respect him. Dawkins has some really wonderful [...]
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    Posted: March 07, 2008, 2:19pm EST

  • Tap Those Trees!

    Number of comments: 2
    It may not really look like it outside yet, but spring is well on its way. The sap is flowing up getting ready to swell those buds and bring forth flowers and leaves.

    In fact, was at my parents house last weekend and my Father pointed out all [...]
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    Posted: February 26, 2008, 4:20pm EST

  • Fixing the Growth Area...

    Number of comments: 2
    So... Finally the Rural Protection Ordinances have passed, even if they were significantly watered down. While I think that there still is much more work to do in the rural area, I increasingly feel we should turn our attention back to the growth areas to fix some aspects of [...]
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    Posted: February 11, 2008, 10:48am EST

  • Managing Invasive Species - Why Bother?

    Number of comments: 0
    There has been an increasing amount of attention given recently to invasive species and the impact they have on the economy and the ecology. Some people have put forward the idea that it is useless to bother to combat them since it is already a losing battle. Here are some [...]
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    Posted: February 04, 2008, 2:27pm EST

  • Understanding a Debate Personality

    Number of comments: 0
    I was chatting last night with Kirstin, a member of our group, about personalities of people who enjoy debating and she quickly and accurately pegged me as one of those people. Basically, people like myself like arguing ideas. It's not about being right, but about the process of making a [...]
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    Posted: February 04, 2008, 9:42am EST

  • The Secret of Life...

    Number of comments: 0
    What if the secrets of life were so obvious that humanity consistently chose to overlook them? While it is quite possible that the drugs I'm taking for my toothache are responsible for my current insight, and that I'll recant it later, I do really think I've stumbled upon something...

    [...]
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    Posted: January 29, 2008, 10:53pm EST

  • Suggested Public Comments on Rural Preservation

    So... I've been at quite a few of these meetings about the Albemarle County Rural Preservation Ordinances and I've noticed that quite a few people have had great difficulty conveying what they really mean to the Board of Supervisors during their public comments. Therefore, I thought I'd provide some [...]
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    Posted: January 24, 2008, 12:56pm EST

  • World Peace Through Economics?

    Number of comments: 0
    Although there is lots of gloom and doom about the current state of the economy, there is a bright side to all this. It has illustrated the incredible interdependency of the global marketplace. For all of you who remember all the discussions of mutually assured destruction in the 1980's, there [...]
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    Posted: January 24, 2008, 11:26am EST

  • Religious Bias Against Women

    Number of comments: 2
    Do to the conflicy in Iraq, there has been alot more coverage and attention given to the treatment of women in Fundementalist Islam. I was thinking about this issue while drive to work today, after hearing a story on NPR about a female German lawyer who's life was threatened [...]
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    Posted: January 22, 2008, 10:55am EST

  • How to Fix A Water Garden...

    Number of comments: 0

    Some of you may recall that Sharon and I built our own water garden with a stream last Fall. As this was our first time doing such an extensive project, we made lots of mistakes.

    First of all we mortared the stones. This has [...]
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    Posted: January 11, 2008, 5:19pm EST

  • Kate Rusby, A Cure for Crying Babies?

    Number of comments: 1
    This is my first official entry on parenting... Maybe it'll be a trend, who knows?

    Anyway... We've made an interesting discovery with our new baby Ariel. For some reason, the only album in our collection that just knocks baby out fast asleep is Kate Rusby's Ten. She's a [...]
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    Posted: January 11, 2008, 5:08pm EST

  • The Ironic Death of Beavers

    Number of comments: 0
    Recently C-ville weekly had a rather disturbing article about the decision of the homeowners association in Forest lakes to execute a family of beavers, despite the objections of a neighbor to the animals. This confirms my long held belief that many of these subdivisions are named for the very [...]
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    Posted: January 11, 2008, 2:55pm EST

  • Thoughts on the Solstice

    Number of comments: 5
    So... tomorrow will be the shortness day, and the longest night. Like many generations before, in this time of darkness I'll turn my attentions back to my family. Due to that, I may not publish again in this blog for a while. In fact, since this Blog itself had it's [...]
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    Posted: December 21, 2007, 10:04am EST

  • No More Gravel Roads In Albemarle?

    Number of comments: 4
    One program that seems to have gotten very little notice is the Virginia Rustic Rural Roads program. It's one of those ironic programs that is meant to eliminate the very thing it is named for. The real aim of this program is essentially to pave all as many gravel roads [...]
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    Posted: December 14, 2007, 10:54am EST

  • Progress on Charlottesville Weed Amendment

    Number of comments: 2
    On December 10th, I'll be meeting with representatives from staff, Charlottesville City Council, and the City Attorney's Office to work out the final language of the Natural Landscaping Amendment to the weed ordinance. We'll also be joined by a member of a well-known landscape architecture firm with experience in natural [...]
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    Posted: December 06, 2007, 10:46am EST

  • Braces and Mortality

    Number of comments: 4
    Okay, now I assume that people don't generally die from getting braces, but as an adult getting them I couldn't help but ponder my own mortality. You see, for most things in life like my car, computer or whatever I could always get a replacement if they broke, but for [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2007, 10:02am EST

  • Natural Landscaping, Right and Wrong

    Okay, now while I've discussed some of the specific things that communities are doing to enable and promote Natural Landscaping, I think it might be worthwhile to define what separates a well managed natural landscape from simply "letting things go".

    Most of all the central concept is active management. [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2007, 1:39pm EST

  • Natural Landscaping in Northern VA

    For my continuing series on Natural Landscaping and weed ordinances, I'd like to direct your attention northward... Surprisingly, Fairfax County, Virginia was one of the early testing grounds for the natural landscape movement. In 1976 as a result of Board of Supervisors of Fairfax County, Virginia v. Wills and [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2007, 2:06pm EST

  • Charlottesville Greenspace and Weedlaws

    Many years ago, I proposed a change to the weed ordinance to accommodate and encourage natural landscaping. As a amateur botanist, and environmentalist, I believe this change could play an important role in the future direction of Charlottesville. The real impact hit home after visiting Tallahassee Florida. This city [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2007, 1:25pm EST

  • Growth and the Ideal Albemarle Landscape

    There's been a flurry of activity over at Waldo's C-ville News site recently. Much of the debate has centered around how much growth is occurring, what have been the costs to infrastructure and taxpayers, and what have been the impacts on the rural area. There's also a continuing dialogue [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2007, 1:17pm EST

  • Going Native with Green Roofs

    There's been increasing coverage of the benefits of green roofs recently, including the one on the Albemarle County Office Building. This weekend, I went to a friends home in Schuyler, who was installing her green roof. My wife and I had donated several native plants for their pod, and [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2007, 2:58pm EDT

  • Pagan Support for Animist Refugees

    I was watching a good film last night, "God Grew Tired of Us", and I was caught by one of the statements early on in the film that many of the refugees from Sudan were Animists. Too often you hear about this conflict being a conflict between Muslims and [...]
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    Posted: October 12, 2007, 1:06pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Only You Can Protect Rural Areas...

    A very significant public meeting is coming up on October 10th about protecting the rural area of Albemarle County. As Supervisor Dennis Rooker mentioned recently, this meeting, "may be one of the most important evenings since I have been on the Board of Supervisors." So far, the new ordinances for [...]
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    Posted: October 03, 2007, 12:52pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Speaking of Cougars...

    Number of comments: 2
    It seems that the Eastern Cougar has been getting a bit more attention these days. Despite claims from people for many years that they've seen cougars in the East, government agencies have long denied their existence. Now, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is undertaking a new review of [...]
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    Posted: September 28, 2007, 11:24am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Elk Return, and Virginia Kills Them

    According to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries elk are beginning to move back into Virginia where they originally lived. Apparently, this sort of natural restoration is anathema to their sensibilities, so they are encouraging hunters to kill any elk that wander over the state line. Here's [...]
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    Posted: September 24, 2007, 2:16pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Can any religous text be "Truth" unto itself?

    Very often you'll here one group or another make a claim that their sacred text is the one and only ultimate source of Truth. For instance, take Pastor Riddle's recent "Sixty Seconds of the Word", on "How do we know what truth is?" In it he claims that the [...]
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    Posted: September 19, 2007, 1:30pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Native Plants for the Southern Rock Garden

    Since I'd already taken the time to write a note on this subject to Tracey, I figure I might as well put something here too...

    Few people are aware of all the great succulents and rock plants that are native to the south east. [...]
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    Posted: September 07, 2007, 12:13pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Honeyvine Milkweed, friend or foe?

    Have you ever been walking the streets of Charlottesville and suddenly smelled a tropical scent not unlike Piña Colada? If you tracked the scent down, as I tend to do, then you'd have discovered that it comes from a vine with heart shaped blue-green leaves and tiny greenish white flowers.
    [...]
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    Posted: August 24, 2007, 10:04am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • The Lessons of the Water Emergency

    Both the City and the County are now declaring a water emergency. Considering that we just had a meeting about critical slope, I think this couldn't have happened at a better time. I hope that our local leaders will take the time to connect the dots here. After all the [...]
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    Posted: August 16, 2007, 9:22am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Reclaiming Naturalism

    First, a few quotes to ponder...
    In some respects, science has far surpassed religion in delivering awe. How is it that hardly any major religion has looked at science and concluded, 'This is better than we thought! The Universe is much bigger than our prophets said, grander, more subtle, more [...]
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    Posted: August 15, 2007, 12:49pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Why are Critical Slopes Important?

    As covered by Charlottesville Tomorrow, there was recently a meeting with the Albemarle County Planning Commission to discuss Changes to the critical slope ordinance. The usual crowd of "property rights" advocates showed up to argue why it is absolutely necessary that they be allowed to create subdivisions in the [...]
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    Posted: August 14, 2007, 10:28am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • The End of My Political Career?

    There's been a whole lot of discussion about one of the dangers of blogging, mainly that it is incredibly easy to say something stupid that can be preserved for years which can be accessed by just about anyone.

    That's really got me thinking recently... After all, I do my [...]
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    Posted: July 20, 2007, 10:55am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Young Men's Christian Association to be given Parkland?

    As reported by Charlottesville tomorrow, the City is once again considering accepting an offer to put a YMCA facility at McIntire. In fact, TONIGHT there will be a meeting to discuss it from 5pm – 7pm at the Key Recreation Center downtown next to the City Hall Annex and [...]
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    Posted: July 09, 2007, 2:17pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Is CUUPS History?

    For those of you not familiar with Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans, or CUUPS, it has played a fairly significant role in the spread of NeoPaganism in America. After all the biggest challenge that many modern Pagans face is a lack of existing infrastructure. In other words, having free [...]
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    Posted: July 03, 2007, 12:37pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Evan Almighty Hits Close to Home...

    Truth be told, as a non-Christian and someone who isn't terribly crazy about Steve Carell, I had some serious doubts about Evan Almighty, especially once the first reviews rolled in...

    Nonetheless I found the movie a pleasant surprise in the way in tackled several issues dear to my [...]
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    Posted: June 25, 2007, 2:46pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • "Primitive" Camping

    Number of comments: 3
    In a discussion with a favorite community of mine, the returning specter of the best venue for our Camp raised its ugly head again... The venue that has been selected for camp, is at a mansion with air conditioning, showers, and a staffed kitcken that prepares organic food. Meanwhile costs [...]
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    Posted: June 19, 2007, 12:24pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Of Radio Interviews and Flyers...

    Yesterday you may have caught me and Veronica on WINA radio in Charlottesville being interviewed about the flyer controversy. I have to say that even though I've done a few radio interviews before, I was a bit more nervous about this one. I suppose it is because my parents demographic [...]
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    Posted: June 19, 2007, 10:14am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Hope for Biodiversity?

    As Reported on Charlottesville Tomorrow, on June 6, 2007 the Albemarle Natural Heritage Committee submitted a new plan to protect biodiversity in the county. It included several new ideas including creating a new easement plan similar to ACE, but focused on biodiversity instead of just open space. It [...]
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    Posted: June 11, 2007, 4:07pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Flyer Issue Resurfaces

    Number of comments: 5
    Like the sequel to a B grade horror flick, the school flyer issue has apparently raised its ugly head again. As you may remember, back in December the group NatureSpirit that I belong to made use of a new policy that allowed religious groups to distribute information about their [...]
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    Posted: May 29, 2007, 1:59pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Immeasureable Loss or New Beginning?

    Number of comments: 1

    A friend of mine, Rob, has run a nursery in Stanardsville for many years to finance his conservation work and research. The photograph is a picture of some of the rare plants like pitcher plants and native orchids that he grows at his nursery. As [...]
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    Posted: May 25, 2007, 3:56pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Reclaiming Magic...

    Number of comments: 20
    Okay, as most of you know I'm a staunch Naturalist. I fiercely reject anything that hints at the supernatural. So... why I'm I blogging about Magic?

    It all goes back to Issac Newton. You see, in modern physics, he's been seen for many years as the father of the [...]
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    Posted: May 11, 2007, 1:35pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Old Love

    Number of comments: 3
    Among the Romantics, the purest kind of love one could have was that which was for someone unobtainable. Well, last night I had a dream about someone from long ago who I hadn't thought about in years. I suppose she qualified as the "unobtainable love" in my life. This being [...]
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    Posted: May 03, 2007, 11:36am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Thoughts on the Afterlife...

    Number of comments: 7
    Faithful readers, please engage with me for a moment in some suspension of disbelief. Consider it a thought experiment if you like. Also, temporarily release your assumptions about the soul, different religions, or the afterlife.

    Okay... What if we create our own afterlife during this life? Each action we [...]
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    Posted: April 05, 2007, 12:58pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • New Beginnings

    Number of comments: 3
    The signs of Spring are all around us, and every day a new flower emerges. In the garden, flowers blooming include viburnum, daffodils, hyacinth, rue anemone, hepatica, Trillium and American pachysandra. In the bog garden, the leatherleaf is in full bloom, and the heather is on [...]
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    Posted: April 03, 2007, 11:23am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Why God?

    Number of comments: 8
    Why would I opt for theistic language when I don't believe in a supernatural per se? Mainly I find that it is a recognition that the experience of the sacred that religious people have felt through the dawn of human history is more that mere delusion. It serves a purpose, [...]
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    Posted: March 29, 2007, 4:07pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Free Will and Choice

    Number of comments: 7
    Okay, so I vowed to leave the topic of Theology, and yet I still haven't. I confess that it fascinates me. I suppose I might ask myself, if I already know what I believe then why do I care what everyone else thinks? I think I just find it stimulating, [...]
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    Posted: March 28, 2007, 12:26pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • As Above, So Below...

    Number of comments: 2
    You may have seen this phrase before, or maybe not. "As above, so below" comes from the tradition of Wicca, one of the many paths within Earth-Centered spirituality.

    I was giving some thought to this phrase this morning as i was contemplating the violence in the Middle East and [...]
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    Posted: March 20, 2007, 11:33am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Jennifer McKeever, City Council Candidate

    So...

    This morning, I had coffee with Jennifer McKeever, who is running for City Council. I do have to say that I am impressed. As someone that grew up here, like myself, I feel she'd do her part to make sure that Charlottesville remains such a beautiful and unique [...]
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    Posted: March 15, 2007, 9:35am EDT
    by Lonnie

  • Coffee with a Candidate

    Tomorrow morning, I'll be meeting Jennifer McKeever, a candidate for City Council, for coffee to discuss her position on local environmental issues. I confess that I do feel kind of odd, as a Albemarle Citizen who can't vote in that election, asking a candidate to address these issues; however, I [...]
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    Posted: March 14, 2007, 3:57pm EDT
    by Lonnie

  • The First American Neopagan

    Okay, so I'm going to leave the Pagan Thealogy topic soon, not because it isn't important, but rather because I'd like to get some other topics in. Before I do that though, I'd like to give a short preview of an upcoming story (or perhaps series of stories):

    As [...]
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    Posted: March 08, 2007, 2:29pm EST
    by Lonnie

  • Why did Paganism sleep for 1300 years?

    It was claimed recently by a local pastor that Christianity is superior, otherwise Paganism wouldn't have virtually vanished in Europe for 2000 years. Of course, first of all, I'd strongly question that number. First of all, Emperor Flavius Claudius Iulianus led a Pagan revival in 331. and St. Patrick [...]
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    Posted: March 06, 2007, 2:02pm EST
    by Lonnie

  • The Bones of Jesus?

    So... According to Newsweek, some guy evidently claims to have found the tomb of Jesus, which includes bones in boxes labeled "Maria; Mariamene; Matthew; Judas, son of Jesus; and Jose" (a diminutive of Joseph) Of course, that's not the shocker... there's also a box that was found labeled "Jesus, [...]
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    Posted: March 02, 2007, 2:45pm EST
    by Lonnie

  • Pagan Thealogy

    I've been avoiding this topic. Mainly because inevitably there'll be a pagan out there who says "I'm not", just like in Monty Python's Life of Brian. So, I'll start with the topic of our historical thealogy instead...

    First of all, our own history as Neopagans is shrouded in [...]
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    Posted: March 02, 2007, 8:45am EST
    by Lonnie
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