Twin City Motel iGoogle Theme

If you either already have a personalized iGoogle page or may be inclined to set one up, below is a screenshot of the Twin City Motel (Berlin, VT) iGoogle Theme I recently created:

If you interested in doing so, get the above theme for your personalized iGoogle page, here.

Other iGoogle themes I created are the Camels Hump, Vermont theme as well as the Golden Dome, Vermont theme (screenshots below):

If you would like to create your own iGoogle theme using a photo of you have permission to use, it is rather easy to do so, here.

(hints and suggestions for creating iGoogle themes using above linked tool: 1. after you upload and tweak the photo to how you think you want it, click onto the button to the lower right of the image viewer in order to open another window; this will give a view of what it would look like when created. 2. use a photo that is extremely wide and panoramic rather than one with much height; around 1200 wide seems to work to fit the entire screen. 3. it can take several attempts to get the theme banner and everything else the way one likes it prior to actually creating the finalized version and it is worth taking one’s time to do so.)

Recent Advocacy Efforts

*Updated*

Read commentary I wrote during the wee hours of an all-night I pulled Saturday evening (March 28th), which relates to some of my recent advocacy efforts concerning mental health, homelessness and housing pertaining to Vermont and cross-posted on four different blogs, here (via Green Mountain Daily) as well as, here (via Beyond VSH blog), here (via Vermont Watch blog) and, here (via iBrattleboro).

*Update*: Video version posted online (via Seesmic):

*Note*: last updated on Friday, April 3, 2009 at 3:33 AM (EDT).

Big Dreams, Tiny Houses

Video Credit: Eva Sollberger, Stuck in Vermont, 7Days, here (11/19/2008).

Additional information as well as several related photos, here (via Tiny House blog; 11/22/2008).

Read more about Peter King as well as his Vermont Tiny Houses dream and projects, here (via Burlington Free Press; 3/7/2009).

Vermont Tweetup: Langdon Street Cafe, Friday, 1/30/2009 from 1:00pm – 2:30pm

RSVP (only), here (via twtvite).

fyi: Langdon Street Cafe

BFP Live Vermont State House Coverage

View both the Burlington Free Press live blogging of the event(s) as well as the live video feed, here.

Peter Freyne, 1949-2009

*Updated 7x*

Details, here (via Blurt; 7Days Staff blog; Wednesday, January 7, 2009).

*Update*: Additional tributes to Peter Freyne:

• Vermont View, posted by Sue Allen
• Vermont Daily View, posted by Philip Baruth
• Green Mountain Daily, posted by Jack McCullough
• vt.Buzz, posted by Sam Hemingway
• iBrattleboro, posted by Christian Avard
• vt.Buzz, posted by Terri Hallenbeck
• CCTV

Read an Associated Press news article, here (via Times Argus; Wednesday, January 7, 2009).

Read or listen to a news report, here (via Vermont Public Radio; Wednesday, January 7, 2009).

In addition, read another article, here, as well as an editorial, here (via Times Argus; Thursday, January 8, 2009).

WCAX – Channel 3 TV – News has a news report, here (Wednesday, January 7, 2009).

A remembrance by Ross Sneyd, here (via VPR; Thursday, January 8, 2009).

*Note*: posted an update; included additional tributes; posted additional links; posted even more links; posted an additional tribute link; last updated on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 at 6:23 PM (EST).

VT Disability Budget Cuts Petition

If you either live or work within Vermont, please consider signing onto this online petition:

VT Disability Budget Cuts Petition:

To: Governor Douglas & Vermont Legislature

The current financial crisis is causing the state of Vermont to consider further reductions in programs affecting some of our most vulnerable families and individuals. These budget cuts, if implemented, will have a devastating impact on individuals with disabilities and on the communities in which they live.

These are difficult times. However, the reality for many individuals with disabilities and their families is that even the best of times are difficult. During times like this we need more help, not less. Vermonters need to be working, not laid off from agencies that serve people when they are most in need.

People with disabilities want to learn, want to work and want to be accepted as members of their communities.

Through no fault of their own, many people with disabilities face many obstacles in their ability to access daily activities that many others take for granted. Access to basic activiies would be impossible for many without the current programs and services now in place. These programs and services keep people healthy and in their communities. They are cost effective and consistent with the values held by most Vermonters.

We, the undersigned, urge our government not to make cuts to programs and services that serve people with disabilities and their families. We urge the government to instead look to other funding sources and to address the revenue shortfall to get Vermont through this temporary financial crisis.
Sincerely,

The Undersigned

After you have read the petition (here) and, if you support the petition, sign on, here.

View a WPTZ – Channel 5 TV – News video clip on the subject as well as related matters, here (Friday, December 19, 2008).

In addition, please help spread the word about the petition to anyone else you might know who either lives or works within Vermont.

Thank you in advance.

Crucial Q&A’s: Is it really raining?

*Updated 3x*

As the snow accumulates outside, here’s the question for you all: Should the state use the rainy-day fund or not to close the ever-widening budget holes?

Some have suggested if not now, then when; it’s raining like never before.

Secretary of Administration Neale Lunderville says no way, it’s too hard to tell how long it’ll keep raining and how many more cuts are on the horizon. “That’s really deferring the tough decisions,” he said.

Bill Sorrell, who is now attorney general but used to have Lunderville’s job when Howard Dean was governor, agrees. “I think it’s too early to go to the Rainy Day fund, personally,” he said. “i would be very reluctant or go to it for only a few million dollars.”

- Terri Hallenbeck

[via vt.Buzz; Burlington Free Press political blog; Thursday, December 11, 2008, here]

My comment post in reply to the question posed within the blog post (3rd comment down page: here; with a couple of minor edits for the purpose of clarification and readability):

It has not just [been] raining hard out for [quite] some time now, but it is definitely high time to build an ark.

In my opinion, the state should enact a 3 step 1/3 formula solution: i.e.,

1. Tap up to 1/3 of the rainy day funds to address the current budget shortfall;

2. Create a tax scheme along the lines of what Governor Dick Snelling and the state legislature had done in 1991 both to help raise up to 1/3 of the current shortfall as well as having any excess over that amount help build back up the tapped rainy day (reserve) funds;

3. Cut an amount equal to 1/3 of the current shortfall from the budget. However, this time around, make sure to cut the fat where the fat truly exists: i.e., At the top and mid level regions of the higher paid and positioned bureaucracy in state government, starting within the administration itself and ensuring that the rank and file state workforce that delivers direct services to the citizens of the state are able to be held harmless. In addition, put a permanent cap on or stop to all salary increases er, bonuses er, merit increases or whatever they are termed across state government, including and starting with the administration; this policy should be kept in place until the economy fully recovers and, also not be ceased until all human services program cuts are then fully restored to what they were prior to the series of cuts that have been made within the last year or so as well as any forthcoming cuts too of course.

What is your opinion?

Share your opinion via comment post in reply to the question posed on the vt.Buzz blog, here. Comments at vt.Buzz can be posted anonymously.

*Update 1*: Leaders say budget cuts should be left to full legislature (via Vermont Public Radio Regional News; Thursday, December 11, 2008).

*Update 2*: VPR Vermont Edition: Gov. Jim Douglas: Friday, 12/12/2008 @ Noon hour.

*Update 3*: Read a news article on the subject, here (via Burlington Free Press; Friday, December 12, 2008).

[cross-posted at Vermont Watch blog, here]

*Note*: last updated on Friday, December 12, 2008 at 7:18 AM (ET).

Recent blog Creation

My most recent blog creation is the 2008 Vermont Gubernatorial Race Watch blog (aka Vermont Watch blog).

An online resource to help citizens of all political stripes to monitor and stay informed about the 2008 Vermont Gubernatorial race. Information for such will come from various attributed sources gleaned online. After the 2008 general election, this blog might eventually evolve to become a Vermont political as well as news watch blog monitoring statewide politics and news from a citizen perspective: aka Vermont Watch blog.

Read more about the Vermont Watch blog, here.

Housing Dreams?

Sometimes, including recently, I have been asked that if possible to acquire, what type of housing would I like?

Something along the lines of a Katrina Cottage have caught my interest a while ago when they first came to my attention.

In fact, although I had been aware of these cottages well before, earlier this year they were featured on Vermont Public Radio (VPR) during an episode aired concerning the need for affordable, efficient housing, here (click onto either the Listen or MP3 button(s) within the right-hand sidebar to hear the archived audio of the broadcast; Tuesday, February 12, 2008).

Seven Days also published an article about these matters as well, here (Wednesday, February 13, 2008).

As I understand it, these cottages were initially conceptualized and designed for victims of the Katrina Hurricane disaster, etc.

This type of housing might work for those who need it of various incomes and, also having them in different sizes — particularly families of course, at least if there were land available to put Katrina Cottages type of housing up on.

Yet, such cottages would of course have to be ones built and equipped to meet the needs of the long, cold, hard Winters of places like the Northeast in order to make such work within this region.

It would be even better if the cottages could be owned by those living there, possibly with the land held in public trust via a land trust or whatever, thus keeping costs lower and then with the owner only being able to sell the cottage for only so much depending on circumstances if they move and sell, etc.

It is just one of the dreams I have.