From today’s editorial:

The company was launched in hopes of securing a better milk price and more control over products for local farmers. But Acting CEO Dennis Myrick said the company has laid off several workers and owes money to creditors. Part of the problem is the economy, with higher fuel prices and even higher milk prices eroding the bottom line. But Myrick said a lack of solid, long-term financial planning has also hurt the company, which makes milk, ice cream and yogurt. State agriculture officials should offer any reasonable expertise to help stabilize The Vermont Milk Co. because a healthy company is beneficial to Vermont’s struggling family-owned dairy farms and the buy-local focus of agriculture.

There are some on the internet who are getting a lot of snickers over the problems faced by this company. It’s one thing to question anonymous infusions of cash as they relate to an interest of a gubernatorial candidate, as we have – but its another to take joy in what’s happening.

The VMC was/is a noble effort to help local farmers. It is, possibly, an unsustainable effort, as it’s somewhat predicated on a reaction to the market-driven inequities in the ag sector by setting up a corner of the market and simply deciding not to play the way everyone else is. That attitude usually leads to failure, the same way it would if you were to join a basketball team, get in a game, and decide you didn’t like the game after all, would rather play checkers, plopping down with a board in center court. It’s probably not gonna go well.

This is because leftists are better at critiquing the system than fixing it. Why not? The challenge of making the system better cannot be overstated.

But whenever a patchwork attempt such as VMC or Catamount Health fails, or looks likely to fail, it makes it that much harder for other outside the box thinking (maybe even outside the box thinking that comes with more comprehensive, realistic, and innovative long-term planning for its survival) to get taken seriously and funded.

So now is not the time to mock or scoff. We should be hoping they pull it out, and even – if we’re in a position to do so – offer our own assistance to make it work in the long term.  

From a Douglas Campaign e-mail that I received today:

Campaign finance reports are the yeast of the political season ˆ dull to behold, but remarkable as to what they may ultimately yield. The first of those reports ˆ filed Thursday ˆ does not disappoint.

The governor, as expected, out-raised his opponents. It would have been stunning, had it been otherwise. But the margin was a surprise. He raised $736,596, Gaye Symington, his Democratic opponent raised $205,309, and Independent Anthony Pollina raised $166,200. He more than doubled their amounts combined.

That’s what Douglas is touting in his campaign e-mail: the fact that he’s got money.  Way to go!

Sidenote: the above quote from the e-mail is from a Vermont Tiger column.  The Tiger Column is a full reprint of an editorial from the St. Albans Messenger (August 1, 2008) by Emerson Lynn.  Nowhere is there any indication that anyone sought permission from Mr. Lynn before reprinting his column in full.  Not the campaign; not Vermont Tiger.

Entergy’s Vermont Yankee as Gov.Douglas loves to remind us ad nauseam supplies one third of our energy at some of the cheapest rates in the Country.Our low rates may disappear as Enexus bets on higher rates to survive .Analysts fear Enexus may be too small to survive unless rates continue to rise in New York and New England .

If or when Entergy spins off Enexus they will siphon off funds from the stock offering proceeds to pay off it’s own debt.It’s called a credit default swap.This leaves the new company with a lower credit profile .The fault is Entergy takes a big cut and leaves less for the shell.The shell then needs to make fast money to capitalize.If all parts of the 13 headed Entergy hydra put their efforts into actually running the power plants rather than these corporate contortions we would all be better off.Leaving aside for now where the ultimate liability for five nuclear plants will be  buried in 13 corporate entities .Enexus will be a small under capitalized company that will be relying on higher electric rates to survive as an entity .

That concern was echoed by Charles Adey, who submitted testimony to the Public Service Board on behalf of Vermont’s Department of Public Service. “I am concerned that Enexus Energy will have less financial ability than Entergy Corp. to withstand adverse market changes, weather, poor plant performance or fund unexpected capital expenditures under the intended capitalization strategy,” stated Adey.

But Entergy is betting that energy costs will continue to rise. “As our existing contracts expire, we expect to benefit from the expected increase in power prices in the New York and New England markets,” stated Entergy in documents filed with the SEC. “Most of those existing contracts have contract prices that are lower than currently prevailing market prices.”

If energy prices in the Northeast remain high, Entergy will “realize growth in our revenues and operating income.” The power purchase agreement between Vermont Yankee and the state, which expires in 2012, would not be affected by the spinoff, though any new contract will likely reflect increases in energy costs.

“At this point, I still believe that the drawbacks of the transaction outweigh the benefits to Vermont residents,” stated Adey. “I cannot state that the proposed transaction promotes the public good without a clear demonstration of tangible benefits for Vermont residents.”

Entergy will use the assets of the spin-off to leverage more than $4 billion on the stock exchange. Money raised through the Enexus stock offering will be used by Entergy to pay off debt. The transaction is known as a credit default swap, in which a contract is transferred in a process known as succession.

http://www.reformer.com/ci_100…

I've been pleased as far as Obama's opposition to offshore drilling; it does nothing to alleviate gas prices, there's plenty of untapped oil leases already in possession by the oil companies, there are serious environmental risks, and most importantly, it's not helping to get that petroleum needle out of the nation's arm.

The GOP has done the typical – take advantage of the low-information voter unaware of the above things (and of course, the many on the right who know but could care less about those issues), as well has have their current obstructionist hissy fit in D.C. So I've been pleased how Obama wasn't playing that game. Until now. Sweet Jee-zus McGee, this is getting old:

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Friday he would be willing to support limited additional offshore oil drilling if that's what it takes to enact a comprehensive policy to foster fuel-efficient autos and develop alternate energy sources.

Shifting from his previous opposition to expanded offshore drilling, the Illinois senator told a Florida newspaper he could get behind a compromise with Republicans and oil companies to prevent gridlock over energy.

Uh, Senator, when the GOP oil-company stooges are sitting on their hands, sometimes gridlock is better than what they have in store. When are you going to figure that out? 

The real silliness to all of this, is like the recent FISA rollover, it simply doesn't need to happen. Here, you have the GOP firmly in the pocket of Big Oil, presenting a “solution” that does nothing to allevieate current problems, but now Obama needs to “compromise”? Bullshit.Here's why:

Polls indicate these attacks have helped McCain gain ground on Obama.

Ok, Barack, so you're running against a guy who can barely hold a coherent thought, has resorted to using Britney Spears and Paris Hilton in an attack ad (showing once again how out of touch McCain is, as they are soooo 2007), and is about as popular and charismatic as a litterbox in a 3 cat household that hasn't been changed in two weeks. So instead of standing up for principle on something you could truly take the lead on, you're caving. Again. And you don't have to.

Is it that “abused spouse syndrome” (or whatever they call it) that has plagued the Dems for so long still gnawing at Obama's spine? These things are not helping. Stoller:

I'm sure the Republicans are going to praise Obama for his flexible stance now that he's decided to push a compromise with their oh so practical agenda.  There's no way they will use this to push the idea that he's unprincipled.  They wouldn't dare set up a web site called http://www.bothwaysbarack.com/

Awesome.  And awesome position that he's put Pelosi in, who has refused to allow a vote on driling in the House.

Of course, these things often incur the “that does it, I'm staying home/voting for Nader/LaRouche/my neighbor's dog” commentary.With three more months to go, my guess is there'll be a few more moments like this. 

Hell with it, I'm voting for Jack McCullough, and I don't care if he's not even running. We need a president with a beard again, it's been too long.

( – promoted by JulieWaters)

The Burlington Intervale is one of ten local food enterprises in the country to receive recognition from a project funded by the Gates and Kellogg Foundations.   Here’s an excerpt of the announcement:

The Wallace Center at Winrock International, in partnership with the Training and Development Corporation (TDC), is pleased to announce its selection of ten U.S.-based local food enterprises to be profiled as part of Community Food Enterprise: Local Success in a Global Marketplace. The project is designed to highlight successful models of locally owned food enterprises from around the world.

“We’re in the midst of a groundswell of global support for sourcing and consuming local food. Locavore was Oxford Dictionary’s 2007 word of the year. But we still lack clarity about what ‘local food’ really means,” says Michael Shuman, lead author and research director for Community Food Enterprise and Vice-President of Enterprise Development at the Training and Development Corporation.

“Our Community Food Enterprise case studies help define what local food is – and isn’t – and showcase the incredible diversity of this industry here and abroad. From web-based cooperatives to public shareholder corporations, processing plants to restaurants, sustainable fisheries to unionized organic berry farms – our case studies make clear that there is no one pathway to local food success,” says Shuman. “But these enterprises have much to teach us about replicating what works and identifying untapped opportunities that can strengthen the local food movement.”

The entire announcement is here.

Congrats to the intervale folks.  Wonder what effect this may have on its struggle to stay afloat?

Freeman at Midnight Madness

Small Business Ownership Key to Vermont's Economy

BENNINGTON —

Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Nate Freeman of Northfield, traveled to Bennington's 17^th annual Midnight Madness. Freeman was there both to hear the questions and concerns of Vermonters and to take in the social and shopping experiences.

As a Vermonter, Freeman has visited Bennington on prior occasions, however this was his first time shopping in the downtown with his family.

“Amara and Lydia found several favorite spots, with multiple visits to The Chocolate Shoppe and Evans General Store. As a business owner myself, I appreciate the hard work and great customer service that small business owners here in Vermont offer their customers every day. I also share with them an understanding of how taxes, insurance, and the state's economy impact success.”

Freeman shared with people he spoke to about the importance of small businesses in Vermont's economy.

“Twenty-five years ago Vermont was in a recession and yet a whole crop of new businesses emerged and became extremely successful businesses. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Ben & Jerry's, and Hubbarton Forge were among a whole host of companies offering new products which are now offered nationally and internationally. We are now at a time when Vermont needs a new crop of entrepreneurs to assume the risk of starting new small businesses so that our cities from Bennington to Newport can thrive, grow, and create new jobs.

Pictures of people, music, and some fine shops in Bennington below the fold.

Start-up ventures offer promise for long-term economic growth

From Pictures

AQ observes in the comments:

I am surprised by the amount of Douglas spending. He usually doesn’t spend this much this early.

There are a lot of conclusions you can draw from that but they more or less all lead back to… Douglas is worried.

Wishful thinking? Here are the facts: at this point in the last two election cycles, Douglas had spent almost exactly the same amount… somewhere in the $180,000 – $190,000 range. This time it’s $387,764.13. Now he’s raised significantly more money at this point in the game than he had in those previous cycles as well, so one might argue that he’s just spending more because he’s got more, but given that the early media polls suggested some weakness in the Douglas brand, spending for spending’s sake seems like even more of a stretch than it normally would.

But there’s another thought that’s been bugging me; specifically, why have none of the campaigns been leaking results from their internal polling? It’s a little early for that, but there’s usually some hubbub at this point. If the numbers look like everyone expects them to look (say, around Douglas 55, Symington 30, Pollina 10 and undecided 5) it seems like Douglas would like people to know that. If the numbers are not status quo, it seems like one of the other campaigns would like us to know that. I’ve been trying to understand why no one is talking.

Except that, looking at the money reports, Symington is only just getting into the field with polling, and Pollina hasn’t done any. Douglas, on the other hand, has done a few. This changes the question from “why isn’t anybody leaking poll results,” to “why isn’t Douglas leaking his poll results?” A far, far simpler question, yes?

Mix that with the “why is Douglas spending double what he usually does at this point” and AQ’s conclusion starts seeming pretty sound.