Netvibes Open and Responsible Culture Presentation
Culture
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James
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James
The Economics of Buying Local
Buying from local merchants means $.73 of every dollar stays in your community’s economy. Buying from an outlet of a non-local merchant means only $.43 of every dollar stays in your community’s economy.
Ever dollar spent therefore provides either $.30 contributed in bonus to your local economy, or $.30 that goes somewhere else.
Buying from non-local merchants may save you a small amount of money today. But it impoverishes you and your neighbours tomorrow.
And when you’re impoverished, price becomes the most important factor in purchase decisions. Then you’re way more likely to buy from a non-local merchant. The cycle continues and worsens.
It’s like the opposite of compounding interest: compounding deficit.
And once you get beyond the simple economic benefits of buying local, these additional 10 effects weigh in favour of supporting local businesses (in this case, in Grand Rapids, Michigan).
1. Significantly More Money Re-circulates In Greater Grand Rapids.
When you purchase at locally owned businesses rather than nationally owned, more money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local businesses, service providers and farms. Purchasing local helps grow other businesses as well as the Greater Grand Rapids tax base.
2. Non Profits Receive Greater Support.
Local business owners donate more to local charities than non-local owners.
3. Unique Businesses Create Character & Prosperity
The unique character of Grand Rapids is what brought us here and keeps us here. Our tourism businesses also benefit.
4. Environmental Impact Is Reduced.
Local businesses make more local purchases requiring less transportation and usually set up shop in town centers rather than on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.
5. Most New Jobs Are Provided By Local Businesses.
Small local businesses are the largest employers nationally.
6. Customer Service Is Better.
Local businesses often hire people with more specific product expertise for better customer service.
7. Local Business Owners Invest In Community.
Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.
8. Public Benefits Far Outweigh Public Costs.
Local businesses require comparatively little infrastructure and more efficiently utilize public services relative to chain stores.
9. Competition And Diversity Leads To More Consumer Choices.
A marketplace of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term.
10. Investment In Greater Grand Rapids Is Encouraged.
A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.
Originally found on PSFK, who found it on Local First.
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James
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James
Placenames in Books Through History
Where a book is set is important. Settings can reinforce the centre of power or they can undermine it — the empire seeing itself or being seen from outside.
And places matter to how a story can be told too. Stories have an inheritance if they’re honest. They come from a place, a time and a culture.
The following maps, generated from Google Books, show the names of places in books over the years.
Placenames in books in 1800
Names of geographic locations in books in 1830
Names of geographic locations in books in 1860
Names of geographic locations in books in 1890
Names of geographic locations in books today.
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James
Jerry Seinfeld Comedian Awards Acceptance Speech
Taking the piss out of awards and actors in one speech, Jerry Seinfeld gives the best acceptance speech I can recall.
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James
Sexy Beast: the Giant Pacific Octopus
Loved this long story from Seattle’s The Stranger on the giant Pacific octopus:
Sexy Beast — The Mysteries of the Giant Pacific Octopus
Brendan Kiley captures the octopus in such a wonderful way it’s hard to not want to see one soon in my Pacific freedives.
When we snorkeled in the Mediterranean we often saw octopuses. I pointed one out to Monique one time and as soon as I pointed it saw us and turned a bright red colour. Zounds!
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James
Monty Python’s Search for the Holy Grail Opening Credits
The video:
The excerpts:
- Moose Trained by
- Special Moose Effects
- Moose Costumes
- Moose choreographed by
- Miss Taylor’s Mooses by
- Moose trained to mix concrete and sign complicated insurance forms by
- Mooses noses wiped by
- Large moose on the left hand side of the screen in the third scene from the end, given a thorough grounding in Latin, French, and ‘O’ Level Geography by
- Suggestive poses for the moose suggested by
- Antler-care by
No! Realli! She was Karving her initanals on the moose with the sharpened end of a interspace toothbrush givin to her by Svenge-Her brother-in-law-An oslo dentist and the star of many norwegin movies: “The hot hands of a Oslo Dentist”,”Fillings of passion”,”The huge molars of Horst Nordfink”
Mynd you! Moose bites can be pritti nasti….
