How Much Do Walmart Heirs Donate?

A group battling Walmart has done some research into the chaitable giving of the Walton family.

“Key Findings:

  • Rob Walton, chairman of Walmart’s board of directors, has not made a single contribution to the Foundation.
  • Alice Walton, has not given a single dollar to the Foundation.
  • Jim Walton made one personal contribution of $3 million to the Walton Family Foundation, more than 15 years ago.

Interesting Query On Money From The Net

“What shall we call “hard” non-fiat currencies?

I propose the following: Gold based currency and Oil based currency.

The Gold Based currency should be called the Trojan because its value is reckoned on a troy ounce of .999 fine gold


Brattleboro 2014 Finance Committee Report

Here is the Finance Committee Report for this year.  

   

   Following are  most of the recommendations:

     The Town finances are being handled competently.

     The economy is very fragile.  

     Prime importance should be on making effective use of the $10 million development money that Entergy agreed to contribute to the region.  Without good jobs and increased incomes we’ll be forced to make significant changes in the way we live.


Film: Money and Life, Tues, March 4

Transition Putney & Putney Library Present Film: MONEY & LIFE, Tues, March 4, 7- 9 p.m, at Putney Library
(Short discussion following the film.)

-What is real wealth?
-How can money serve people, rather than vice versa?
-What does it really mean to “make a living”, and how can we free ourselves from cycles of debt and consumption?
-How can we align our financial choices with our most deeply held values?
-What are the possibilities – and examples – of alternative monetary systems and currencies?


Film – Economics of Happiness, Monday, Feb. 10

The film, Economics of Happiness, restores our faith in humanity and challenges us to believe that it is possible to build a better world.

Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the scale and power of big business and banking. It has also worsened nearly every problem we face: climate chaos and species extinction; financial instability and unemployment; fundamentalism and ethnic conflict.


Windham Region CEDS Released For 30 Day Public Comment Period

Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) has completed its draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for Southeastern Vermont’s Windham Region.

This process has been guided by a CEDS Committee comprising municipal and private sector representatives from throughout the Southeastern Vermont region. Prior to submitting the draft document to the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), SeVEDS is required to allow for a 30-day public comment period.


Windham Region CEDS Release Pushed to December 5th to Address Short Term Post VY Strategies

Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) has voted to change the date for the public release of the federally recognized Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) from October 24th to December 5th.

The six week delay was approved in order to ensure adequate time to accurately research and articulate short term impacts and development strategies in light of a date certain closure of Vermont Yankee.


The Economy of Love

This short TED talk (choose “Read More” below, then click the ‘RUN” button in the middle to start the video) might be of interest to community members who wish to save the River Garden for our use as a community. Would you like to be part of a new non-profit organization whose purpose is to run the River Garden as a community venue? Please be in touch with me if you would: John Wilmerding, 219 High Street, Apartment #201, Brattleboro, VT 05301-6073 — 802-254-2826 — wilmerding@myfairpoint.net

Again, choose “Read More” below, then click the ‘RUN” button in the middle to start the video … thanks!


Wealth Inequality Worse Than We Thought

It’s not everyday that a video about wealth inequality goes viral on the internet.  Most people on iBrattleboro are probably familiar with the information here, but this video uses powerful infographics to make the case that not only is wealth distributed unevenly, but it is much, much worse than most of us have thought.

A couple of thoughts come to my mind while watching this video:

1)  The authors could have gone one step further and shown how these inequalities have been changing over time.