Ideas.

There are too few ideas in the world today.

Vague promises are abundant and too many times to people come to the table with nothing but criticisms or generalities, spurting statements like “We must do this” or “We cannot leave this problem to sit any longer” without providing any real ideas on how to tackle the most pressing problems facing humanity.

I can say “We must stop sprawl” as much as I’d like, but that isn’t going to make it stop. In fact, by simply saying that, but not offering any concrete solutions, I am no more a leader then an apolitical individual.

So, if I am to become a community leader in any respect, be it on an elected, activist or simply observational level, I will need to develop, study, embrace and offer stable, watertight solutions to our problems.

People don’t vote for nice statements…people vote for ideas.

I am, therefore, embarking on a quest to take in as much information as humanly possible about ways we can make our community a better place.

I felt that my concerns about the lack of real ideas needed to be shared.

That is all

On Community Activism

Hey everyone!

This is the new format for my blog! I’m going to start commenting on a lot more municipal things, as I find thats where my passion lies and where I can make the most difference. Community activism is more then just a hobby…I hope to make it into a life long dedication.

I’ll be posting sporadically throughout the summer, as I’m very busy with work, but I’ll hopefully still be able to post about important issues to Hamiltonians, particularly my fellow West Hamiltonians!

I don’t want to use song lyrics as titles anymore.

Thursday night, 9:53.

I haven’t written a note in…wow, feels like (and in reality, has been) days.

But this one is for you, Eric and Nick, who so nicely commented on my note writing today. Well, its not exclusively for you, its for the whole internet, but I’m thanking you in advance.

I know what I mean.

So, if you know me (which I hope you do), then you’ll know that I walk everywhere. Mostly to work. I walk there so, ironically, I can make enough money to buy a car that I can take to work.

Anyway, for the past few days, completely random people have been honking at me as I walk and they (obviously) drive by. Some of them, I know (Sam) and others I don’t (random lady in black SUV?). I know they’re honking at me, simply because its accompanied by a glance in my direction or flailing arm movements directed toward me.

So then here’s a request. Stop. Seriously guys, just stop honking.

I’m blind, okay. Like, I can’t see anything without my glasses, so when a random person honks at me, I have no idea who the hell it is. All I see is a random person waving at me from a car I don’t recognize. If I don’t know your car, don’t bother honking at me because I won’t know who it is.

And when I have my glasses on, its not much better for the simple and indisputable fact that, at fast speeds, all white people all look the same.

So stop. Use your energy on more productive things like, oh, I don’t know…looking at the road in front of you?

Socialism. School. Spinach.

Sunday morning, 12:30.

Okay, so I need a change.

I like being funny and making people laugh, but I like activism and political issues too.

So I’m going to meld the two into one leviathan of a creature.

I need a new look, a new feel, a new spin on things. So I’m offline for a bit while I’m re-jigging this craft into a project that will satisfy me politically, personally and perpetually.

Overhaul time.

I’ll report back infrequently.

Pce, home fries!

Junior Mints

Revolutionaries wait for my head on a silver plate…

Sunday evening, 8:05.

Everything to me is put in historical terms.

I know what you’re thinking…”Oh, Chris Erl…this is going to be another thesis on the rise and fall of the Weimar Social Democratic Party in the face of a rising Nazi Party and the lack of trust in the general make up of the Republic in the central leadership of the moderating voices in the Catholic Center Party and the right leaning liberal German People’s Party.”

Or maybe you’re thinking “Oh, shiny thing!”

Either way, pay attention.

Yesterday at work, someone’s total came to $17.76. After telling them their total, I laughed. They looked at me like I was insane, and by all accounts, I am.

Why did I laugh? 1776 was the year in which the Americans issued their Declaration of Independence and sparked the war with the British that would lead to their eventual freedom.

That very same night, someone’s total was $19.19. I immediately thought of Germany.

Why? Because 1919 was the year the inter-war Weimar Republic was established.

Yeah, I’m just THAT cool.