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We, as neighbours, should know each other better. For myself:

Many of the thoughts contained in my comments have their beginnings in attempting to assemble in my mind (and in text, and with even less success in practice!) a set of principles for healthy rural living. Woodland and the development of a 'forest culture', inclusive of agriculture and other rural land uses, is an area of great personal interest. This much must be obvious.

Credo

I am committed first to my homeplace, and its membership.
As well as the Earth-rock, the membership includes all living things.
Beyond North Glen, I am committed to Palnackie & its environs,
which extend easily to the South Stewartry and beyond.
I am committed to Scotland.
I am committed to Nature.        (the model of sustainability)

As a result, I am suspicious of centralised structures.

I mean to live mostly sustainably
(if you ignore german glass, british oxygen,
propane from god knows where, office supplies,
chips of all sorts, groceries, etc., etc.,
delivered by diesel, canoe, etc.)
on mostly earned income.

I am willing to commit considerable effort
on a voluntary basis, and according to my lights,
to determining and testing means whereby
our neighbourhood(s) might gain in empowerment.

I am a democrat. Not party, non-party. Is there a localist party?

I am a loose cannon.

These are my Bona Fides.

With regard to community development (empowerment), among other things, I am interested in extending and developing the benefits of the internet in so far as this might be an aid to participation.

I am wary of it, because it can be very seductive and individualist and powerfully manipulative. And because it is an easy way to learn bureauspeak. If this becomes the language of habit, I don't believe one is on the right road. Individual participation is no bad thing, but democracy (and community, and neighbourhood) begins in earnest when people are actually together.

Best of all, is out of doors with tools, and something to do with the tools, whatever the weather, though sun is nice, but not too much drying wind, please.

Withal the above, I commend my website to you. It has a commercial element, but more as well. Virtually the complete works of John Muir are available, together with the full text of Thoreau's Walden, excerpts from and links to many thinkers, poets, and writers for whom aspects of sustainability constitute a common theme. It is also egotistic, (a website general attribute?)

If you don't look at the internet, may I suggest that whether we like it or not, like central government, it is with us, doesn't look like going away, and powerfully influences the world which meets each of us. We had better know the beast.

May the present and coming times bring our shared goals closer to realisation. May we come to understand and share one another's goals where we do not already. May the forests and communities grow and prosper together in the knowledge that we can create our circumstances.

Ed Iglehart 05/11/98

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.
I don't believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look
for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them,
make them. "
-- George Bernard Shaw

Thoughts on: Immortality The Axis of Idiocy A letter to America More idiocy Bog Rolls Economies of Scale Globalisation Living in place Participatory Consultation Climate Change Strategic Forestry
Taxation Birthright in Land Local Government Re-organisation
Colonialism Localism Absentee-ism Centralism Commuting Inward Investment Farming Forestry
Private Property Democracy Self, Soul & Community? Community and Forestry?

Or just take a ride...index2.htm

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