Sugar Loaf Guild : Forum 2015 3rd Quarter

Sugar Loaf
Chamber Members
showing support

They are not hiding.

They are non-existent.

At least they learned the meaning of the term "self-fulfilling prophecy".

This post sponsored by Dan Bloom, Attorney at Law.

Please don't tell Dan he sponsored this, and certainly do not hire him away from us.

He is the absolute best lawyer alive (perfect process, nearly perfect knowledge, absolutely perfect character), but he is working on a very special lawsuit, and we don't want him distracted.

Please honor the Guild's wishes on this matter because, unlike the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce, the Guild actually does exist.

Just ask Google.

7455

8/17/2015 9:52:25 PM

Guild
Flagrant
Promotions

Looks like our Canvas ad is already paying dividends:

"So they say they're an artist? Hummph! If they were any good they would have a studio open to the public in Sugar Loaf and be making a living at it."

NEW in SUGAR LOAF

CREATIVE CLOUD STUDIO

Maybe it was not so much the ad but a simple recognition of the truth which brought our latest Warwick refugees ascending onto the lucrative Sugar Loaf art scene.

Hudson & Delaware Canvas
August, 2015
Page 3 Ad

7454

8/15/2015 9:43:17 PM

Jeremiah

Somebody kindly tell me when doing community service became a sin, a sign of weakness, a human frailty, a character flaw.

No.

7452

8/13/2015 2:04:03 PM

Rebecca
Towlflutter

Why don't you get the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce to help you out on this?

Conflict of interest.

What I did was an attempt to strengthen the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce.

On the other hand it is in the best interest of Mike Johndrow, Director of the Warwick Chamber, to see the Sugar Loaf Chamber weakened and destroyed.

In fact he has exhibited behavior that implies a gleeful willingness to watch Sugar Loaf fail along with its Chamber of Commerce.

Warwick always has wished it could be equal to Sugar Loaf in terms of community organization and the character of our business environment.

Not to mention Warwick's Chamber of Commerce is in direct competition with Sugar Loaf for members.

Historically a number of businesses in Sugar Loaf have refused local membership in favor of Warwick's.

My first impulse is to trust people and take them at face value, so it took me a while to catch on to the conflict of interest.

I was confused by Mike's feigned interest in helping us and how quickly it was followed by his abrupt and unexpected reversal.

Maybe at first glance it appeared to Mike that I would be complicit in his crusade to gobble up all the local groups under a single hegemonic umbrella, but he quickly realized that what I was doing would actually serve to make the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce stronger and more independent.

Mike couldn't allow that.

After all, what he is doing to combine area Chamber groups is not being done by statute or charter.

The laws governing formation and maintenance of Chamber groups are extremely lax, despite the common belief that Chambers function in the same manner as Better Business Bureaus and have similar powers.

The local groups are being pulled together by force of will alone, or rather by consequence of the apathy and lack of foresight of those being roped into the herd.

Mike's job was at stake; and so too, as it turned out, was one of our attorney's (now fired for lack of performance).

Unfortunately for Warwick, it does not have the infrastructure, nor the enabling statutes, nor the cultural history to compete with Sugar Loaf in the way it would like.

But the Town of Chester did a great job provisioning Sugar Loaf for success.

Sugar Loaf is a hamlet in the Town of Chester, and while Warwick is always glad to lay claim to Sugar Loaf there is no connection.

Currently the best thing that can be said of Warwick is that it functions as Sugar Loaf's cafeteria ... but without a table for the cool kids.

It is a big feather in Johndrow's cap to show up at a Sugar Loaf startup storefront for a photo op with unsuspecting newbies.

In fact the business which was the subject of the most recent ribbon cutting was already closed and the owner driving out of town within the hour of the ceremony, leaving those of us who were open still explaining to visitors why so many shops are closed.

Mary has taken up the policy of answering the question, "Why are all the shops closed?" by simply stating, "Because they are all assholes, that's why."

Our trial lawyer, Dan Bloom (much different from a mere letter writer), is also refreshingly matter of fact.

I can't wait to hear what Mike Johndrow has to say about what he did to us, on the record and under oath.

All of these powerless wannabe bureaucrats hate the Sugar Loaf Guild specifically because it represents freedom and independence of both spirit and mind.

Of course freedom of speech especially infuriates them because they are accustomed to a corporate environment that squelches independent thought and expression.

My apologies for breaking my promise to never write in the Guild Forum again, but when one's own attorney commits a lie of omission then overcharges for the scuttling, it is time to place an account of it into the permanent record.

At least that is what our other attorney, Dan Bloom (a pit bull of a trial lawyer), is telling us.

BTW: As all of this was unfolding, one of the things that Mary did was ship this painting to Cincinnati, OH.

Unfortunately nearly half the proceeds of that great work went to pay for a simple straightforward letter protecting the rights of Sugar Loaf artists.

What good is having another record week in sales when every so-called business owner around you treats their shop as nothing more than a piece of cheap jewelry to flaunt during one-off spectacle charades while complaining about the state of the economy and the impossibility of selling art?

This post sponsored by:

Hudson & Delaware Canvas
August, 2015
Page 3 Ad

Sshhh ... don't tell them.

7450

8/7/2015 10:35:38 AM

Inflammatory
Truth
Sayers

And one more thing:

In case you missed the text, it reads:

"So they say they're an artist? Hummph! If they were any good they'd have a studio in Sugar Loaf and be making a living at it."

And if all the local Chambers of Commerces had anything at all to do with actual Commerce (as opposed to merely cutting ribbons and tasting wine), they would be spending an inordinate amount of time and effort trying to explain to the rest of the world that right here on the upper east-coast United States of America (this Great Country of Ours), Hudson Valley, Orange County, in this very place there exists a singular example of an actual art business community (not just trendy pretend wannabe retail shops and childlike branders), and it is producing hand-made superlative products that can be purchased right out of the hands of the human beings who make them.

Every place in the world has galleries (even lowly Warwick) with aggregate stacks of art (mostly reproduction prints and posters) from people "networking" all over the place (thus assuring not one of the artists involved will ever coalesce enough sales to live on), but Sugar Loaf has artists ... actual independent, self sustaining, highly successful artists.

More than one.

I wish those groups (a term I use advisedly) would all change their names from Chamber of Commerce to Consortium of Well Wishers in order to match their actual function.

None of them would know true commerce if it was sitting in plain sight right in front of them which on main street in Sugar Loaf, New York, it is.

Those so-called Chambers of Commerce should also choose to "get involved" rather than going out of their way to avoid all possible appearances of "giving a shit".

And to the rest of you, my strongest memory taken away from my 2 weeks on the front porch across from the Barnsider (while doing market research) was the insane level of hatred for Sugar Loaf that people expressed after being attracted here by the bullshit lies of misguided advertising only to find a street lined with unopened shops.

Sugar Loaf certainly does not need to continue hosting "promotional events" which attract people into a situation that only gets them pissed off.

I know other business owners have heard the same complaints from their own customers but may not know the severity of the problem because visitors I spoke with assumed I was a disinterested third party and were more forthright with their level of disgust.

Now when I see shoppers out on the street with Chamber brochures in their hand, obviously confused by a ghost town of closed shops, I am pained to the core.

Instead of a new round of gimmicky quick fix promotions, Sugar Loaf simply needs more studios putting their own product front and center while opening their doors to the already arriving public!

That public is here every day of the week by the way, hoping to avoid the unskilled placeholder employees they find in all the big-box stores, malls, and standard retail shops everywhere else.

Mary and I hear it all the time from new customers: "This place is ... REAL!"

7446

7/19/2015 3:34:21 AM

Now I'm done.

That's right, finished, enough is enough, completely done, no matter what, don't even think about it.

No more Forum-ing around.

Now I can sit back and resume watching with enjoyment as Warwick fumbles all over itself trying to be "just like Sugar Loaf" but can't come close.

Been watching it for years.

What the hell, come to think of it, this website itself has been three years of hard work, so I may as well close down the Forum with a plug for myself.

Bob Fugett vs Town Board
Woodbury, NY
10/04/2012

7445

7/18/2015 3:52:12 PM

Kat Parrella

Hi Mary,

It was great chatting with you the other day and thank you for the Sugar Loaf University swag, the t-shirt was much sought after / fought over at our house!

Also, a big thank you to both you and Bob for the incredibly quick work that you did to post "Merrily" on the Sugar Loaf Guild website and put my new shop "on the map". Your photo of the building is gorgeous!

Thanks again,
Kat

Well, I have been trying not to add to the Guild Forum, but I'll be damned; if somebody is going to say something so nice ... I have no choice!

And for all you other folks who might be thinking Kat has walked into a firestorm that she could never have expected, her IP# has already been here 27+ times, at least as far back as Jan. 28, 2014 (so much it was flagged "bot?").

I have to agree with Kat: we are unbeatably fast (plus totally FREE of charge); and her house is, as Mary keeps saying, "ADORABLE!"

As goes the meme, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."

And after Mary and I spent the morning on our front boardwalk so depressed about our neighbors that we were discussing a move to Wichita.

Now maybe we should stick around a little longer.

The best laid plans
of mice and men
go oft agley

Or better yet, end on a good note.

BTW: Kat, you do know you are entitled to more than one FREE Sugar Loaf University t-shirt, don't you?

Everybody is.

Also Francesca from Diva Dog wants to hook up with you to sell your stationery.

7444

7/10/2015 6:33:49 AM

Really

Endico ... we're serious!

Seriously.

As for the rest of you, the saying is, "Build it and they will come," not, "Trick them into coming and maybe you will build it."

"Open for Business" is not an adjective.

It is an enlightening directive.

When Clay Boone gets back from Wyoming this year, I am personally going to kick his ass!

7442

7/8/2015 7:16:41 AM

Guild
Cleanup
Crew

SUGAR LOAF, NY
THE WORST PLACE
IN THE WORLD
TO DO BUSINESS

The three year study is now complete and the results are in.

Sugar Loaf, NY is the worst place in the world to invest or do business.

Maybe a home based light manufacturing business can succeed with extreme attention to efficiency, over the top commitment to product quality, and uncompromising customer service, but as for regular businesses like an ordinary town, forget it.

Plus, the idea that Sugar Loaf is a sweet little low hanging fruit (a slick investment opportunity perennially just waiting to happen), well, that is a long standing cash cow myth which has not survived the test of an open Internet and the information age.

Our truck is almost pimped for the next reconnaissance drive south while our lawyers and involved agencies have all the documents needed to rip the Sugar Loaf Chamber a new one (for their complicity in the failed attempt to destroy Sugar Loaf), so I'll just leave you guys with a final thought.

1) trust fund babies
2) retiree-preneurs
3) grant grubbers
4) and tax wife-offs

Plus the difference between artisan and artist.

All subjects for another day, another life, another universe.

In the meantime, everybody research the difference between a Neighborhood Business District (NBD) versus a Neighborhood Shopping Center (NSC) and you will go a long way toward understanding the difference between Sugar Loaf and what new people invariably mistake it for.

They always try to make it a Shopping Center (regardless of the significant infrastructure and physical realities that preclude doing so) but are saddened because they only succeed in bringing it closer to something like the Orange County Fairgrounds.

That is to say, a place for a couple of yearly low level events with a bunch of poorly maintained empty buildings on a vacant lot the rest of the year.

Some people have actually used their shop here as a storage unit because the rent is just as cheap.

Throw in the concept of a home based light manufacturing nano-business (the only type of business that is suited to the environment and thrives in Sugar Loaf — which is also the only place high end arts based businesses of that sort can survive from in-town foot traffic) and you will understand the rest of it.

When I first started the revamping of the Guild website, I knew I was looking at something very different from the rest of my known universe, but I did not know there are simple planning and land use terms to describe much of that difference (see above: NBD and NSC).

To anybody who tries something like the Guild initiatives to help Sugar Loaf in the future, be on the lookout for businesses which are specifically designed to lose money.

Spotting them quickly will allow you to avoid wasting time trying to explain why a business is doing poorly only to waste more time afterwards trying to figure out why they were so apathetic (sometimes aggressively opposed) to making it better.

Their business is losing money on purpose, and they are determined to keep it that way.

Some of those types of businesses are grant traps, and just like a trap door spider the owner grant grubber may pop out to snag a subsidy once in a while, but generally they are happiest lurking in their lair taking advantage of anybody who wanders in by selling them cheap touristy trinkets.

Additionally there are similar built to lose businesses that I like to call tax wife-offs.

As in, "Oh, that's just the little wifey's business; I really don't care what happens over there."

Seriously, I heard it more than once before coming up with a suitable term to describe it.

I had an epiphany, "No wonder they don't care; it's not a business; it's a tax wife-off!"

And don't even get me started on the steady flow of wannabee businesses drifting through town who think Sugar Loaf is the perfect place to suck off our hard won reputations as they build their touring-group business model in outside shows (everywhere else) while lending support to the fiction that Sugar Loaf is just another bedroom community.

Otherwise, the businesses in Sugar Loaf that are making their own excellent product are doing well (quite well indeed); always have; always will.

Therefore, to anybody dropping into town with the newest plan of salvation for the poor little starving artists, be aware they don't need or want your "help"; never have; never will.

But for anybody looking to buy some of the highest quality, most unique artistic items in the world, directly out of the hands of the artists who make them, Sugar Loaf, NY is the place for you.

More at:

That summary sounds about right.

Now if somebody would just find out whatever happened to the so-called Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce, which has apparently gone back into hiding and is not even having meetings.

Delaware & Hudson Canvas
tear sheet for article

We have a present for them.

Something about this insulting and defamatory letter (page2) with the exposure to expensive litigation they have provided for every business fraudulently named as a signatory along with everybody else who paid them dues.

Otherwise, following is still my favorite quote, despite it having been supplanted in priority of relevance by the technical terms Neighborhood Business District vs Neighborhood Shopping Center.

"It’s my experience that artist communities are almost always camps because they appropriate space that nobody else wants (at the time), but by virtue of a creative progressive view of neighborhoods they create a demand from others that ultimately marginalizes them, so they are forever transient." - see top of Artist Communities

7440

7/7/2015 4:04:24 PM

Bob
Fugett

MASSIVE EVENT
SUGAR LOAF UNIVERSITY

For all you people who have endured my intense shredding of your writing, below is an example of what happens to my own writing when somebody else is kind enough to put it through their own mill.

On the left is my original submittal (after a month of my own revisioning), and on the right is Barry Plaxen's final edit for publication.

Of course Barry is rather jealous of my opportunity to write without size, layout, and advertising revenue constraints; but man, he wrangled the meat out of my little hot dog, down to fit his requirements (as much as it strained against it); and he made it even better in the process.

Before you start comparing Barry's edit to my original, take a look at this image of the tear sheet of the layout that he (and Sophia and Mark) had to squeeze it into.

You might ask, "Why all the white space below?"

Well, that area is what they call in the business "prime advertising space", and Barry is going to enjoy charging people premium rates to get their ad on the same page as my writing — writing which always attracts an insane number of eyeballs.

Especially with help from the Canvas staff.

Think about it.

Barry had his way with my writing and did such a bang up superlative job that he had no problem convincing me it should reach final publication with his changes.

He left me breathless with how he kept the things most important to me in the article, and he does that on a regular basis for the Canvas.

A man who routinely rakes through carefully crafted wordsmithing of some of the most egotistical, self centered, sure of themselves, overly sensitive artists on the planet and comes up with debris that suits them just fine (in fact makes them proud to have been man handled in that manner) ... and he makes a LIVING at it!

All the while enduring the constant lashings of Sophia and Mark.

Well, ok, at least he did not have to do any fact checking because he knows Sugar Loaf very well, used to live up on Gibson Hill Road near Irving "Binny" Robbin (Bernard Rabinowitz), a true composer of great and known works for television and film plus one time President of the Sugar Loaf Foundation.

Fuck.

I couldn't even get one of the Sugar Loaf artists to accept a single tiny change I made to their writing that was an obvious high school punctuation error!

I bow before Barry and am not worthy to lick his boot straps.

The rest of you should compare the versions and learn, just like I always tell you to do with the things I edit of your own writing.

While you are doing that, I am going to start on the Guild profile for the Canvas, so I can finally shut this puppy (forum) down.

On the other hand, I just wrote this entire thing while Connie Rose (whose main problem is that she is so lovable and entertaining the people around her let her get away with the most gawd awful shit) was visiting Mary downstairs.

Like I've got time for that.

7439

7/7/2015 2:19:31 AM

Bob
Fugett

COMPARE BOB'S
ORIGINAL WRITING

Sugar Loaf
Performing Arts Center
(Lycian Centre)

The Sugar Loaf Historical Museum displays 50 years of work done by the best Sugar Loaf resident artists.

The Museum is the newest addition to the Sugar Loaf Guild website.

Following the positive reception of the revamped Sugar Loaf Guild website (2012), the site quickly grew into something much greater than the typical online promotional brochure, and the Sugar Loaf Historical Museum has become a flagship of the site's fantastic growth.

And I am not just saying so because the Sugar Loaf Guild is my website (I am Bob Fugett), and this is my article you are reading, though I could.

The strong response to the Museum is not surprising; it displays a half century of handmade artistic products unique to Sugar Loaf and thus unique to Orange County and the Hudson Valley.

Context for the artwork is given by insider firsthand accounts that I write from my perspective as a 40 year Sugar Loaf resident artist.

Read how the couple who built the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center (Susan and Richard Logothetis) got their start by spending weekends in a tiny camper at the back of Romers' Alley, and how they went on to build a company world renowned for manufacturing top quality stadium and theater lighting, and how they fulfilled a dream.

The dream was to host the finest dramatic works, and they began with intimate theatrical performances held in the loft of the Scott's Meadow red barn.

The fulfillment of the dream came by virtue of their construction of the Lycian Centre — which they eventually gifted back to the community — now retitled the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center.

Continue browsing the page to see an abstract rococo art nouveau piano (not a painting but an actual piano) which was built in Sugar Loaf and is now in the permanent collection of the New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art, in fact three of them are in the collection.

George Denninger
piano

And that is just some of the old stuff.

Today's handmade by resident Sugar Loaf artist items include a wide range of work in almost all mediums that can be purchased directly out of the hands of the artists who make them, and they are better than ever.

However, the newer work is fully explained throughout the rest of the Guild website, so in this article there is no need for me to mention even my wife, watercolorist Mary Endico — Hudson Valley's artist.

This article is about the Sugar Loaf Historical Museum.

There were four main occurrences that prompted the ugrade of the Guild website and consequently the addition of the Historical Museum page.

The first prompting occurred after Mary Endico's second bout with breast cancer, plus two other significant operations for fibroid tumors in addition to a uterine endometrial ablation, at which moment she asked if I could put our story online before, well ...

She said, "There are some artists who failed here that are now saying Sugar Loaf is dead to the arts; not true; we have to set the record straight!"

Those misrepresentations circulating helped spur the reclamation of the Guild website, but the first circumstance later provoking the Museum page itself was the arrival of a painting in glass (sent all the way from Texas) which after 38 years was finding its way home to the very spot where in the interim its creator had died.

The artist's death was the result of a massive heart attack, and it happened during his first ever singing lesson as he began preparing for a new acting role at the age of 72.

His Painting in Glass now hangs on the wall where he took his last breath.

Jon Baugh
Paintings in Glass

How could one fail to build a Museum around such an event, especially when the person who created the artwork was instrumental in establishing the look, the feel, and the viewpoint of the Sugar Loaf artists enclave which people have come to love.

Mary's string of health issues, then the arrival of a precious historic artifact, provided the first nudgings; but the Sugar Loaf Historical Museum became an absolute necessity after two final revelations.

The first came when a new artist in town was hungry for history but was being told nothing about the strong collaborative close-knit underground of successful artists in the hamlet (still here by the way), and secondly another artist was shocked to learn that the house they own was built by the person who fashioned those three pianos now in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Not only were new people not being given the big picture of what is in Sugar Loaf right now today, they were missing out on the historic foundation and ongoing process that ensures such a unique reality continues to thrive.

Clay Boone
wood carving
with gold leaf

We thrive because we do.

As the timeless adage goes: "So they say they are an artist? Hummph! If they were any good they would have a studio open to the public in Sugar Loaf and be making a living at it."

Such things must be talked about, and the Sugar Loaf Guild website is the logical place for that discussion.

Go take a look; but keep in mind the Forum pages are for those who love the hot sauce while those who prefer the mild will find the rest of the Guild website perfect to their taste, especially the Sugar Loaf Historical Museum!

SugarLoafGuild.org

Our guest lecturer for today's article has been Bob Fugett, author of numerous rants and owner of the blogosphere. His only regret in life is the scandalous amount of money he receives for his writing, which he calls "filthy lucre". He has, however, never been at all shy spending that lucre on fancy high powered racing bicycles. Bob also likes to call himself a master musician whose main instrument is the written word.

Bob Fugett vs Town Board
Woodbury, NY
10/04/2012

COMPARE BARRY'S
EDIT FOR CANVAS

Sugar Loaf
Performing Arts Center
(Lycian Centre)

The newest addition to the Sugar Loaf Guild website, the Sugar Loaf Historical Museum, displays 50 years of work done by Sugar Loaf resident artists, a half century of handmade artistic products unique to Sugar Loaf and thus unique to Orange County and the Hudson Valley. Context for the artwork is given by insider firsthand accounts that I write from my perspective as a 40 year Sugar Loaf resident artist.

Read how the couple who built the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center got their start by spending weekends in a tiny camper at the back of Romer's Alley, and how they went on to build a company world renowned for manufacturing top quality stadium and theater lighting, and how they fulfilled a dream.

The dream was to host the finest dramatic works, and they began with intimate theatrical performances held in the loft of the Scott's Meadow red barn. The fulfillment of the dream came by virtue of their construction of the Lycian Centre — which they eventually gifted back to the community — now retitled, The Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center.

Continue browsing the page to see an abstract rococo art nouveau piano (not a painting but an actual piano) which was built in Sugar Loaf and is now in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in fact three of them are in the collection.

George Denninger
piano

And that is just some of the old stuff.

Today's handmade crafts by resident Sugar Loaf artists items include a wide range of work in almost all mediums that can be purchased directly out of the hands of the artists who make them, and they are better than ever.

However, the newer work is fully explained throughout the rest of the Guild website, so in this article there is no need for me to mention even my wife, watercolorist Mary Endico.

There were four main occurances that prompted the upgrade of the Guild website and consequently the addition of the Historical Museum page. The first prompting occured after Mary's second bout with breast cancer, plus two other significant operations, at which time she asked if I could put our story online. She said, "There are some artists who failed here that are now saying Sugar Loaf is dead to the arts; not true; we have to set the record straight!"

The first circumstance later provoking the Museum page itself was the arrival of a painting in glass (sent all the way from Texas) which after 38 years was finding its way home to the very spot in the interim its creator had died. The artist's death was the result of a massive heart attack, and it happened during his first ever singing lesson as he began perparing for a new acting role at the age of 72! His Painting in Glass now hangs on the wall where he took his last breath.

Painting in Glass by Jon Baugh
Courtesy of Chuck Lennon

Mary's string of health issues that were followed by the arrival of the precious historic artifact provided the first nudgings; but the Sugar Loaf Historical Museum became and absolutely necessity for us after two final revelations.

The first came when a new artist in town was hungry for history, who knew nothing about the strong collaborative close-knit underground of successful artists in the hamlet (still here by the way), and secondly, another artist who was shocked to learn that the house they own was built by the person who fashioned those three pianos now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Not only were new people unaware of the big picture of what is in Sugar Loaf right now today, they were missing out on the historic foundation and ongoing process that insures such a unique reality continues to thrive.

We thrive because we do.

www.SugarLoafGuild.org

7438

7/7/2015 3:13:14 AM

Bob
Fugett

Sorry for the short post this morning.

Now that Jessica is firmly tucked under the hyper protective wing of the Sugar Loaf Guild, I have begun working on the final wrap-up of the website, so give me a sec.

Suffice it to say the Guild has tolerated the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce stealing our brochures from displays in local businesses, and turning the Endico brochures around to the blank back at the theater, etc.

After all, those brochures are meant to attract people to Sugar Loaf, not confuse them once they get here, as is the apparent sole purpose of those worthless Chamber brochures.

Besides, you people stealing them will never get to the ones behind the counters that business owners keep to pass out by hand to their most valued customers.

However, despite such low life vandalism having been tolerated (laughed at really), if you now try to fuck with Jessica — we will fuck you up in ways you can scarcely imagine, and you will never see it coming!

All three of you who are doing these things, do you get it?

You will.

Which reminds me: does anybody know when and where the next Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce meeting is being held?

It seems that the pretend Chamber pseudo-organization has dropped out of sight, and we want so much to present a little present we have for them in an open meeting with everybody watching.

Can you say "litigation"?

Or rather "costly litigation"?

7436

7/6/2015 10:15:05 AM

Curyous

Aren't you forgetting Dana (Bliss) and Bruce (Colláge)?

Ok, maybe I overstated a little, but still ...

7435

7/6/2015 9:10:37 AM

Guild
Space
Shuffle

IT HAPPENED!

Remember when a few months ago I said there was a big secret in Sugar Loaf that was going to change everything?

But I wasn't allowed to talk about it?

Well, it happened.

Coming Soon
J. Hengen Studio

Jessica (everybody's favorite whipping post and the very last peckee in the Romers' Alley pecking order) bought a house directly in the midst of the tiny Sugar Loaf arts Mecca (make it and they will come) thick of it.

Didn't I tell you so?

It is all different now, my friends, all different.

I am taking full credit for putting together the Guild website, the brochures, and the promotianal campaign (while stirring things up) just for the specific purpose of going down to Romers' Alley and stealing the only asset they had — Jessica — right out from under the nose of an oblivious Kevin Kern.

I am also totally fucking proud of myself for being able to keep my big mouth shut about it!

Uncustomary restraint, Bob.

Unfortunately, now you have to help Kevin rent those golden location studio spaces again, so you can grab the next Sugar Loaf up and coming artist and slate them for fame.

Just hope Kevin continues to stay asleep at the wheel with regard to his surroundings.

7432

7/5/2015 4:23:51 PM

Adam
Ant

You'd better explain.

Ok, I'll admit it.

Once in a very great while this website does have to be all about Mary.

7431

7/5/2015 3:32:10 PM

Maggie

Mary,

I know you had your doubts yesterday! But Wilma and I completed all our chores today. Maybe everything did not go where first planned. But, I am extremely happy with the results.

Endico painting
#6549

Since I took one of your favorites yesterday, I will start with that.

The sea is now just a small left turn of my head from my special spot on the couch. Never far out of sight….I consider this spot my home office……it is where I sit every day relaxing. NOW I have something special to look at other than a blank wall….

Endico paintings
#5782 & #6439

I rearranged a bit….this is the new look in the alcove to my bathroom…

Endico paintings
#2312, #6313, #664,
#6312, #5863

This is the new look in the bedroom….hard to take a picture with the shadows and glare from the sun coming in but…I love the new look.

Endico painting #6006

Lastly, the last item was put in the dinning area!!! The only problem is that it looks lonely. I will have to seek friends for this piece during our next visit!!!!

Hope you had a wonderful Happy 4th of July. See you soon.

Maggie
Sent
from my iPad

That's right, folks, while everybody else was taking the Fourth of July off (thinking about all the Native Americans who gave us their homes, so we could get away from King George), Mary Endico was busy making another customer happy.

Actually, it was 2, or 3, or 4, or more, but who's counting?

"Open for Business" is not an adjective; it is a directive.

It means you must open if you want to do business.

7430

7/4/2015 11:09:40 AM

Independence
Day
Celebration

THE PEOPLE
WHO MADE IT
ALL POSSIBLE

- Freedom ain't free! -

Aane, Abenaki (Abnaki, Abanaki, Abenaqui), Absaroke, Achumawi (Achomawi), Acjachemen, Acoma, Agua Caliente, Adai, Ahtna (Atna), Ais, Akimel O'odham, Alabama-Coushatta, Aleut, Alutiiq, Algonquians (Algonkians), Algonquin (Algonkin), Alsea (Alseya), Andaste, Anishinaabe (Anishinabemowin, Anishnabay), Aniyunwiya, Antoniaño, Apache, Apalachee, Apalachicola, Applegate, Apsaalooke (Apsaroke), Arapaho (Arapahoe), Arawak, Arikara, Assiniboine, Atakapa, Atikamekw, Atsina, Atsugewi (Atsuke), Araucano (Araucanian), Avoyel (Avoyelles), Ayisiyiniwok, Aymara,Aztec

Babine, Bannock, Bari, Bear River, Beaver, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Beothuks, Bidai, Biloxi, Black Carib, Blackfoot (Blackfeet), Blood Indians, Bora

Caddo (Caddoe), Cahita, Cahto, Cahuilla, Calapooia, Calusa (Caloosa), Carib, Carquin, Carrier, Caska, Catawba, Cathlamet, Cayuga, Cayuse, Celilo, Central Pomo, Chahta, Chalaque, Chappaquiddick (Chappaquiddic, Chappiquidic), Chatot, Chawchilla, Chehalis, Chelan, Chemehuevi, Cheraw,Cheroenhaka, Cherokee, Chetco, Cheyenne (Cheyanne), Chiaha, Chickasaw, Chilcotin, Chimariko, Chinook, Chinook Jargon, Chipewyan, Chippewa, Chitimacha (Chitamacha), Choctaw, Cholon, Chontal de Tabasco, Chukchansi, Chumash, Clackamas (Clackama), Clallam, Clatskanie, Clatsop, Cmique,Cochimi, Cochiti, Cocopa (Cocopah), Coeur d'Alene, Cofan, Columbia (Columbian), Colville, Comanche, Comcaac, Comox, Conestoga, Coos (Coosan), Coquille, Cora, Coso, Costanoan, Coushatta, Cowichan, Cowlitz, Cree, Creek, Croatan (Croatoan), Crow, Cuna, Cucupa (Cucapa), Cupa, Cupik (Cuit)

Dakelh, Dakota, Dawson, Deg Xinag (Deg Hit'an), Delaware, Dena'ina (Denaina), Dene, Dene Suline (Denesuline), Dene Tha, Diegueno, Dine (Dineh), Dogrib, Dohema (Dohma), Dumna, Dunne-za,

Eastern Inland Cree, Eastern Pomo, Eel River Athabascan, Eeyou, Endeve, Eskimo, Esselen, Etchemin, Euchee, Excelen, Eyak

Flathead Salish, Fox

Gabrielino, Gae, Galibi, Galice, Garifuna, Gitxsan (Gitksan), Gosiute (Goshute), Gros Ventre, Guarani, Guarijio, Gulf, Gwich'in (Gwichin, Gwitchin),

Haida, Haisla, Halkomelem, Hän, Hanis, Hare, Hatteras, Haudenosaunee, Havasupai, Hawaiian, Heiltsuk, Heve, Hiaki, Hichiti (Hitchiti), Hidatsa, Hocak (Ho-Chunk, Hochunk), Holikachuk, Hoopa, Hopi, Hualapai, Huichol, Huichun, Hupa, Huron

Illini (Illiniwek, Illinois), Inca, Ingalik, Innoko, Innu, Inuktitut (Inupiat, Inupiaq, Inupiatun), Iowa-Oto (Ioway), Iroquois Confederacy, Ishak, Isleño, Isleta, Itza Maya, Iynu

James Bay Cree, Jemez, Juaneno (Juaneño)

Kainai (Kainaiwa), Kalapuya (Kalapuyan), Kalina, Kanien'kehaka (Kanienkehaka), Kalispel, Kansa (Kanza, Kanze), Karankawa, Karkin, Karok (Karuk), Kashaya, Kaska, Kaskaskia, Kathlamet, Kato, Kaw, Kenaitze (Kenai), Keres (Keresan), Kichai, Kickapoo (Kikapu), Kiliwa (Kiliwi), Kiowa,Kiowa Apache, Kitanemuk, Kitsai, Klallam, Klamath-Modoc, Klickitat, Koasati, Konkow, Kootenai (Ktunaxa, Kutenai), Koso, Koyukon, Kulanapan, Kumeyaay (Kumiai), Kuna, Kupa, Kusan, Kuskokwim, Kutchin, Kwakiutl (Kwakwala), Kwantlen,

Laguna, Lakhota (Lakota), Lassik, Laurentian (Lawrencian), Lenape (Lenni Lenape), Lillooet, Lipan Apache, Listiguj (Listuguj), Lnuk (Lnu), Lokono, Loup, Lower Umpqua, Luckiamute, Luiseño, Lumbee, Lummi, Lushootseed

Macusi, Mahican, Maidu, Maina (Mayna), Makah, Makushi, Maliseet (Maliceet), Mandan, Mapuche (Mapudungun), Maricopa, Massachusett (Massachusetts), Massasoit (Massassoit, Mashpee), Mattabesic, Mattole, Maumee, Matlatzinca, Mayan, Mayo, Mengwe, Menominee (Menomini), Meskwaki (Mesquakie), Miami-Illinois, Miccosukee, Michif, Micmac (Mi'gmaq), Mikasuki, Mi'kmaq, Mingo, Minqua, Minsi, Minto, Miskito (Mosquito), Missouria, Miwok (Miwuk), Mixe, Mixtec (Mixteco, Mixteca), Mobilian Jargon, Modoc, Mohave, Mohawk, Mohegan, Mohican, Mojave, Molale (Molalla, Molala), Monache (Mono), Montagnais, Montauk, Moosehide, Multnomah, Munsee (Munsie, Muncey, Muncie), Muskogee (Muscogee, Mvskoke), Musqueam, Mutsun

Nabesna, Nahane (Nahani), Nahuat, Nahuatl, Nakoda (Nakota), Nambe, Nanticoke, Nantucket, Narragansett, Naskapi, Natchez, Natick, Naugutuck, Navajo (Navaho), Nawat, Nde, Nee-me-poo, Netela, New Blackfoot, Newe, Nez Perce, Niantic, Nicola, Nipmuc, Nisenan, Nisga'a (Nisgaa),Nlaka'pamux (Nlakapamux), Nomlaki, Nooksack (Nooksak), Nootka (Nutka), Northern Carrier, Northern Cheyenne, Nottoway, Nuuchahnulth, Nuxalk

Ocuilteco, Odawa, Ofo, Ohlone, Ojibwa (Ojibway, Ojibwe, Ojibwemowin), Oji-Cree, Okanagan (Okanogan), Omaha-Ponca, Oneida, Onondaga, O'odham (Oodham), Opata, Osage, Otchipwe, Otoe, Ottawa

Pai, Paipai, Paiute, Palouse, Pamlico, Panamint, Papago-Pima, Pascua Yaqui, Passamaquoddy, Patuxet, Patwin, Paugussett (Paugusset), Pawnee, Pee Dee, Peigan, Pend D'Oreille, Pennacook, Penobscot (Pentagoet), Peoria, Pequot, Picuris, Piegan (Piikani), Pima, Pima Bajo, Pipil, Pit River, Plains Indian Sign Language, Pojoaque, Pomo (Pomoan), Ponca, Poospatuck (Poosepatuck), Popoluca (Popoloca), Potawatomi (Pottawatomie, Potawatomie), Powhatan, Pueblo, Puget Sound Salish, Putun

Quapaw (Quapa), Quechan, Quechua, Quilcene, Quileute, Quinault, Quinnipiac (Quinnipiack)

Raramuri, Red Indians, Restigouche, Rumsen, Runasimi

Saanich, Sac, Sahaptin, Salinan, Salish, Samish, Sandia, Sanish (Sahnish), San Felipe, San Ildefonso, San Juan, Sanpoil, Santa Ana, Santa Clara, Santiam, Santo Domingo, Saponi, Sarcee (Sarsi), Sasta, Satsop, Savannah, Sauk, Saulteaux, Schaghticoke, Sechelt, Secwepemc, Sekani, Selkirk, Seminoles,Seneca, Seri, Serrano, Seshelt, Severn Ojibwe, Shanel, Shasta (Shastan), Shawnee (Shawano), Shinnecock, Shoshone (Shoshoni), Shuar, Shuswap, Siksika, Siletz, Similkameen, Sinkyone, Sioux, Siuslaw, Skagit, Skicin, S'Klallam, Skokomish, Skraeling, Skwamish, Slavey (Slave, Slavi), Sliammon,Sm'algyax, Snohomish, Songish, Sooke, Southern Paiute, Spokane (Spokan), Squamish, St'at'imcets (St'at'imc), Stockbridge, Sto:lo, Stoney, Suquamish, Susquehannock, Suwal, Swampy Cree, Swinomish

Tabasco Chontal, Tachi (Tache), Taensa, Tahltan, Tagish, Taino, Takelma (Takilma), Takla, Tamyen, Tanacross, Tanaina, Tanana, Tano, Taos, Tarahumara, Tataviam, Tauira (Tawira), Tehachapi, Ten'a, Tenino, Tepehuano (Tepecano), Tequesta, Tesuque, Tewa, Thompson, Tigua, Tillamook, Timbisha,Timucua, Tinde, Tinneh, Tiwa, Tjekan, Tlahuica, Tlingit, Tohono O'odham, Tolowa, Tongva, Tonkawa, Towa, Tsalagi (Tsa-la-gi), Tsilhqot'in, Tsimshian (Tsimpshian), Tsitsistas, Tsuu T'ina, Tualatin, Tubar (Tubare), Tulalip, Tunica, Tupi, Tuscarora, Tutchone, Tutelo, Tututni, Twana, Twatwa

Uchi (Uche, Uchee), Ukiah (Ukian, Uki, Ukia), Umatilla, Unami, Unangax, Unkechaug Upper Chinook, Upper Tanana, Ute

Virginia Algonquian

Wailaki, Walapai, Walla Walla, Wampanoag, Wanki, Wappinger, Wappo, Warm Springs, Wasco-Wishram, Washo (Washoe), Wea, Wenatchi (Wenatchee), Wendat, Weott, Whilkut, White Clay People, Wichita (Witchita), Willapa, Winnebago, Wintu (Wintun), Wishram, Wiyot, Wolastoqiyik, Wyandot (Wyandotte)

Yakama (Yakima), Yanesha, Yaquina (Yakonan, Yakon), Yavapai, Yaqui, Yakaya, Yokuts (Yokut), Yoncalla, Ysleta del Sur, Yucatec Maya (Yucateco, Yucatan), Yuchi (Yuchee) Yuki (Yukian), Yuma, Yupik (Yu'pik, Yuit), Yurok (Yu'rok)

Zapotec, Zia, Zoque, Zuni

Source

You just can't help yourself.

7428

7/3/2015 12:43:51 PM

Christiane
Groth

From: Christiane Groth
To: Mary Endico
Sent: Tue, Jun 2, 2015
Subject: Sugar Loaf "Chamber"

Mary,

I was washing a few dishes and thinking and my mind wandered onto the subject of Sugar Loaf.

What got me thinking is: what kind of legal ability/responsibility resides with the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce?

Is it an incorporated organization that provides certain services on behalf of dues paying members?

Now I will preface all of the rest by noting that I am not a lawyer.

However, I have worked with a lot of legal situations when working for an insurance company and have even filed a "cease and desist" request on my parent's neighbor for violations of the Chesapeake Bay Act simply by reading provisions of the act and going to the County governing body in question and filing the motion.

Just a quick search makes me think that your Chamber folks are ambitious and grandiose in the worst of ways in overreaching on behalf of said organization.

What I could find is that the Chamber does seem to have been incorporated at one point or another.

However, there is no publicly available information on who are the members, what are the dues, and what you get for membership.

See in contrast the Warwick Valley Chamber, or the Sugar Loaf Area Chamber.

Note the services the Warwick Chamber provides (listed under the WVCC Board link).

Organizations have rights and responsibilities established by general legal practice.

In addition to court decisions and applicable statutes, articles of incorporation govern those entities and — typically — members of those organizations can be expected to adhere to the organization's rules when either they are (1) employed by said organization, or (2) are dues paying members of said organization.

Additionally and in the case of #2, said organization has to clearly articulate the rules governing membership as well as what services members can expect will be provided by the organization.

Activities outside of these are generally NOT considered to be within the purview of the organization and could be difficult to enforce legally.

Based on what I could NOT find, I doubt your merry little band known as the Sugar Loaf Chamber has properly incorporated itself to undertake the kind of action stated in the letter.

Rather, the "chamber" sounds like a loose collection of like minded businesses with nominal dues but no clear structure in terms of membership benefits or services.

Thus it would be hard for them to prevail in an argument that they have a legal obligation (afforded to them by their articles of incorporation) to take action (protecting their membership) such as that outlined in the letter.

The only way in which the organization could do so would be to take an open membership vote to take such action since the (seemingly nonexistent) organizational charter doesn't clearly grant the organization the ability to act in this manner.

It all comes down to what kind of articles of incorporation the "chamber" has and whether they are on file with the state.

You should be able to get those documents as they are a matter of public record and don't necessarily require an attorney in order to obtain them.

Where you would need/benefit from an attorney is in filing harassment charges and (from your description) possible defamation claim(s).

So this is where my brain goes when washing dishes ... never pays to mess with a woman who can think for herself — you could find yourself in a world of hurt ;)

Christiane Groth

Sorry for taking a month to get back to you, but we have been busy in the gallery.

Thanks for reading that insulting letter (page2) and providing feedback.

What Sugar Loaf needs, Christiane, is some more people like you washing dishes.

You were absolutely correct about the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce.

If I may paraphrase, turns out they are total worthless ignoramuses who thought they had power, had none, and are never getting any.

I always state it thus:

Wikipedia Benefactors
2012-2013

Our lawyer is now preparing to explain to them the error of their ways.

Worse case scenario, a bunch of people named on that letter are going to find themselves in a court of law (at signficiant cost) explaining how they let those two carpet bagger con-artists take over their letterhead and use their names without any oversight whatsoever.

We will be getting a letter of apology to wipe the libel and slander slate clean.

07/15/15 update: I have to tell you Christiane, the director of the Warwick Chamber phoned Mary today and wishes to "... not be seen as taking sides ..." on this issue, so I have removed their name from any posting here which might inadvertently imply that they are helpful in any way and removed Guild brochures from their "Welcome Center".

I hope this has been enough, and it just shows why we must now redouble our efforts toward getting everybody into a court of law where the bullshit will be somewhat mitigated.

As one of our lawyers has said, "Sad, really ..."

It will be interesting to find out (recorded and under oath) what it was that made him take this very action at this very moment: what was said to him, who said it, what did they have to gain by saying it, that sort of stuff.

You know, instead of him otherwise just telling anybody who questioned it, "Oh, that's just Bob Fugett exercising his right to free speech. I really don't care one way or another. Would you like to pay your dues now?"

I hope the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce watches and learns that an actual functioning organization will shy away from even a sideways glance of a mention about being involved in nonsense like their defamatory and insulting letter (page2).

In the meantime the rest of what is written immediately below is merely a first hand account of events that I witnessed, so removing it would be disingenuous.

We have also hooked up with the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce [Whoops, see update immediately above.] (thanks to basic groundwork from our lawyer) like the rest of the actual businesses in Sugar Loaf who understand the good sense of ignoring and bypassing the local "chamber".

If the only thing the Sugar Loaf Guild accomplished (with our three years of tireless work plus personal expenditure on generalized town promotion), was getting those dipshits at the Sugar Loaf Chamber to put their stupidity in writing, it would have been well worth the effort.

But of course there was more.

A highlight was yesterday when Mary had the opportunity to hand the Executive Director of the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce my handwritten note with their office IP# on it, along with explaining how I figured it out.

I had already been keeping tabs on their IP# because it arrived on the Guild site last year by way of a very dangerous link from a known local troll who has the purist hatred of Sugar Loaf.

Mary warned the Warwick Valley Chamber Director of the danger while explaining that most of the "bad" stuff he has heard about Sugar Loaf can be traced back to that single Internet troll using numerous aliases while impersonating numerous individuals (myself among them) and posting both sides of pretend fights when he can't get anybody to bite.

Mary also handed the Director a printout of more than two dozen websites and Facebook accounts (plus other aliases) known to be owned and run by the troll plus our blessings to pass the list on to Alan Stenberg (one of the people impersonated and owner of Glenmere Mansion) so that Alan can throw our list onto the pile of documents his lawyers are assembling to take the guy out.

Talk about SHOCKED and APPALLED!

The Warwick Valley Chamber Director's eyes popped when he saw the number of names on our list of local "organizations" he had thought actually existed.

The Warwick Chamber is a totally different situation from the Sugar Loaf Chamber.

You should have seen the Director's face when he saw that letter (page2).

In any case, reluctantly we have totally given up on ever seeing the Sugar Loaf Chamber become anything remotely resembling an actual community organization, and we will instead pour our money into the Warwick Chamber as soon as they set up an appropriate Benefactor Program.

Aside from paying for our lawyer to reveal the impending legal action against them (and carrying through if we do not get an appropriate apology letter), we are done with the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce.

Thanks, Christiane, for setting us on the correct path!

7427

7/1/2015 2:02:24 PM

Bob
Fugett

Intercepted e-mail to the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Hi Mike : )

Per our conversation this morning and the idea of a Benefactor Program for the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce, following is a link to the permanent record of our $1,000.00 gift to Wikipedia:

You can find the Sugar Loaf Guild linked from the page above, and that would be all we would ask (or anybody should ask) in return for a donation to the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Thanks for bearing with Mary and me for this morning's impromptu organizational meeting; the following will be much quicker.

Here is my article which will run in the August issue of the Delaware and Hudson Canvas Magazine (an overview of the Sugar Loaf Museum page we talked about):

Canvas Article

If the link doesn't take you directly to it, the post is #7400 (the bottom one on that page).

Here is a direct link to the Museum page itself:

Sugar Loaf Museum

Here is a Guild Financial page that I took extra steps to publish in 2013:

Guild Financial
2013

And here is a photo of the wagon wheel we talked about.

The rim is from the first wagon into Douglas, Wyoming; handed down in the family for over a century and a half; placed into the hands of Clay Boone to bring back to Sugar Loaf, NY for adding the sculptured interior:

Clay Boone
Historic Wagon Wheel

This has been only the slightest tip of a very deep iceberg of excellence found in Sugar Loaf (rarely spoken about by our local Chamber).

Thanks for listening.

Bob Fugett

Yeah, that won't be causing any trouble.

07/15/15 update: The Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce Director phoned Mary about 15 minutes ago and wishes to make it clear that they are not taking sides on this issue.

Still, at left is a direct copy of my e-mail out to him two weeks ago, so it should probably stay here intact.

7426

7/1/2015 1:46:05 PM

Vocal
Local

Hey, that place is no secret!

That's Harriman State Park.

Shut up.

7425

6/30/2015 1:30:22 PM

Vibrant
Vocal
Local
Dog
Community

FREE RANGE
PUPPIES

Today in the Super Secret Mountain Trails Run as You Might Free Range Puppy Park we got this photo of two Free Range Puppies enjoying a hand hewn trellis freshly assembled by Lisa using debris from this week's storm:

FREE RANGE PUPPIES
under hand hewn
trellis by Lisa

This article sponsored by:

FREE RANGE PUPPIES
under hand hewn
trellis by Lisa

With thanks to the Warwick Chamber of Commerce for Liking and allowing a FB posted link to the Diva Dog photo essay, and thus the Sugar Loaf Guild website, to appear under their banner with top honors.

I would tell you where the Super Secret dog park is, but like I said during this morning's discussion on how we should maybe map and mark the trails: "We don't want to do that. People will just start using them."

In fact, given the recent events wherein a couple of full-out charlatans took control of the weakened pretend ineffectual Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce, for their own personal gain and foul purposes, it might be prudent for me to start keeping Sugar Loaf, NY (itself with all directions to its location) a total secret as well.

You know, just to stop attracting such worthless self serving horrible human beings to town.

It would all be too dismal and depressing if not for the vibrant and vocal connected local dog community and things like this:

Photo by: Mary Endico (of course)

GSP staying where told by: Mary

Hungarian Vizsla staying where told by: Lisa

7423

6/29/2015 4:56:37 AM

Bob Fugett

Hi Dr. Dawg : )

Below is my edit of one of your website pages as a thank you for the house call.

A copy/paste of your current web page is on the left, and my suggested changes are on the right.

Hopefully, you can quickly copy/paste the changes to your website and get immediately back to the real job of doctoring patients.

Thanks again for the house call ... very uncommon these days.

And further below that is the draft version before my blue highlighting of my changes started getting in the way of my own reading.

So what do you say kids?

Have we all found our new primary care physician, or what?

Don't forget to ask Dr. Johnson about his new local currency based on a concept out of Cornell which for some time has been making the rounds in Ithaca.

Here in Sugar Loaf, NY we call the doctor's local currency SugarCoin.

7422

6/28/2015 8:13:30 PM

Dr. Nathan Johnson
Edited by Bob

You are an Ecosystem
admin / June 16, 2014

You are an ecosystem. Microbes make up 90% of the cells of our body We share our bodies with 100 trillion microbes, living on our tongues, teeth and skin and in our intestine. While we have just over 20,000 human genes; our microbes have eight million. These microbes are quite small, with all 100 trillion weighing only 3 to 4 pounds in total, but, working together, they exert powerful effects. Modifications to our diet (with pesticides and antibiotics) and our environment (chemicals and unnatural hygiene levels) change our microbes.How are you caring for the ecosystem that is you?

This ecosystem develops right from birth. Infants with colic have more bacteria that are known to produce gas, whereas anti-inflammatory bacteria acquired from the vaginal canal are more common in colic-free infants. In one study infants were classified as excessive criers, significantly less frequently when randomized to receive prebiotic and probiotic instead of a placebo (19% vs 19% vs 47%, respectively; P = .02). In another study infants randomized to receive probiotics had NO Autism or ADHD at age 13, while the rates were 17% in those not given the probiotics. Perhaps the reductions in infantile colic, allowed better brain development.

The right balance of microbes is essential to good health and digestion. Obese and lean individuals have different gut flora composition. Obesity is associated with alterations in bacterial gut microbiota, with mainly a reduction in Bacteroidetes. Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium may have a critical role in weight regulation. Odds of being overweight adults are 26% higher for C-section babies, possibly because they miss those healthy birth canal microbes.

Microbes are important in training our immune system on what to attack and what not to. Many of the diseases of modern life are caused by our own immune system attacking our body, and there is emerging evidence that exposure to diverse microbes can be protective. Autoimmune diseases like asthma, hay fever, Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis are much less common in the developing world and in children raised on farms or in large families. In contrast, asthma and hay fever rates are increased both in cities and in children given early antibiotics. The hygiene hypothesis says we need more exposure to the outdoors and dirt.

Antibiotics are a great innovation and continue to save countless live when used appropriately. Unfortunately, antibiotics target not only the harmful bacteria. When bacteria in our intestines are disturbed by antibiotics, a common side effect is diarrhea. One way to limit side effects and prevent a resistant organism is to be sure to take a probiotic whenever you take an antibiotic. Probiotics are available in pill form and in food. Another key is limiting antibiotic overuse both in human medicine and in livestock. Many factory farms rely heavily on antibiotics. Using antibiotics for viral illness like the common cold doesn’t help, but can upset your protective microbial ecosystem.

We are only just beginning to understand the complex working of our microbes. But this much seems clear — the healthiest microbes are grown when the major ingredient in our diet is a diverse array of unprocessed plants and fermented foods. Eat a colorful array of vegetables and grow your healthy ecosystem. I love the benefits of technology and am not heading back to full paleo living. But please pass the sauerkraut, yogurt and miso soup. They come with healthy bacteria and help tend my inner garden.

Nathan Johnson, MD, is a Family Medicine Physician

You are an Ecosystem
Dr. Nathan Johnson, MD
June 16, 2014
Edited by: Bob Fugett

You might not have thought of it before, but you are an ecosystem.

Microbes make up 90% of the cells of your body.

Each of us shares our body with 100 trillion microbes living on our tongues, our teeth and skin, and in our intestine.

While we humans have just over 20,000 genes, our microbes have eight million.

These microbes are quite small with all 100 trillion of them weighing only 3 to 4 pounds in total.

Working together, however, they exert a powerful influence on our health and well being.

Modifications to our diet (with pesticides and antibiotics) and to our environment (chemicals and unnatural hygiene levels) change our microbes.

Which begs the question, "How are you caring for the ecosystem that is you?"

Consider this.

The ecosystem that is you develops right from birth, and infants with colic have more bacteria that are known to produce gas, whereas anti-inflammatory bacteria acquired from the vaginal canal at birth are more common in colic-free infants.

In one study it was found that the number of infants classified as excessive criers was significantly less among those randomized to receive prebiotic or probiotic instead of a placebo (19% and 19% vs 47% respectively; P = .02).

[Double, triple, quadruple check the changes I made to the previous paragraph. Plus, does P stand for range of assumed statistical error +/-?]

06/29/15: Dr. Dog replies - P stands for the probability that the difference is due to chance. So the 'P = 0.02' means there is only a 2% chance the results were due to chance rather than the effects of the probiotic. Generally a P less than 5% is considered significant. It is probably fine to leave P out of the article for a general audience.

And Bob (me) counter replies - Due to the fact that generally there ain't no audience on the three sites where I posted this edit, I'm leaving the P here as generally of great interest to my highly not so general audience while Dr. Dog will of course be wise to drop it from his own.

Everybody continue reading with my apologies for the green and orange text.

In another study infants randomized to receive probiotics had absolutely NO Autism or ADHD at age 13, while the rates were 17% in those not given the probiotics.

Perhaps the reductions in infantile colic allowed better brain development.

Additionally the correct balance of microbes is essential to good health and digestion.

Obese and lean individuals have differing compositions of gut flora.

Obesity is associated with alterations in bacterial gut microbiota — mainly a reduction in Bacteroidetes.

Levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium may have a critical role in weight regulation.

Odds of becoming an overweight adult are 26% higher for C-section babies, possibly because they miss those healthy birth canal microbes.

Microbes are important in training our immune system on what to attack and what not to attack.

Many diseases of modern life are caused by our body being attacked by its own immune system, and there is emerging evidence that exposure to diverse microbes can be protective.

Autoimmune diseases like asthma, hay fever, Type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis are much less common in the developing world and in children raised on farms or in large families.

In contrast, asthma and hay fever rates are increased both among people living in cities and in children who are given early antibiotics.

One theory called the hygiene hypothesis says we need more exposure to the outdoors and dirt.

Antibiotics are a great innovation and continue to save countless lives when used appropriately, but unfortunately antibiotics target not only the harmful bacteria but our good bacteria as well.

When bacteria in our intestines are disturbed by antibiotics, a common side effect is diarrhea.

One way to limit side effects while helping prevent antibotic resistant organisms is to be sure to take a probiotic whenever you take an antibiotic.

Probiotics are available both in pill form and in food.

Another key to preventing antibiotic organisms is limiting antibiotic overuse both in human medicine and in livestock.

Using antibiotics for viral illnesses like the common cold doesn’t help, but it can upset your protective microbial ecosystem.

Many factory farms rely heavily on antibiotics being given to their livestock, and those antibiotics are passed on to people through the food they eat.

We are only just beginning to understand the complex working of our microbes.

However, this much seems clear: the healthiest microbes are grown when the major ingredient in our diet is a diverse array of unprocessed plants and fermented foods.

Eat a colorful array of vegetables in order to grow your healthy ecosystem.

Personally I love the benefits of technology and am not heading back to full paleo living.

But please pass the sauerkraut, yogurt, and miso soup.

They come complete with healthy bacteria and help tend my inner garden.

Nathan Johnson, MD, is a Family Medicine Physician

7421

6/28/2015 4:34:33 PM

Draft Edit

You are an Ecosystem
admin / June 16, 2014

Nathan Johnson, MD, is a Family Medicine Physician

You are an Ecosystem
admin / June 16, 2014

You are an ecosystem. Microbes make up 90% of the cells of our body. Each of us shares our body with 100 trillion microbes, living on our tongues, our teeth and skin, and in our intestine. While we have just over 20,000 human genes, our microbes have eight million. These microbes are quite small, with all 100 trillion weighing only 3 to 4 pounds in total; but, working together, they exert powerful effects. Modifications to our diet (with pesticides and antibiotics) and our environment (chemicals and unnatural hygiene levels) change our microbes. How are you caring for the ecosystem that is you?

This ecosystem develops right from birth. Infants with colic have more bacteria that are known to produce gas, whereas anti-inflammatory bacteria acquired from the vaginal canal are more common in colic-free infants. In one study infants were classified as excessive criers significantly less frequently when randomized to receive prebiotic and probiotic instead of a placebo (19% and 19% vs 47% respectively; P = .02). [what does P stand for?] In another study infants randomized to receive probiotics had NO Autism or ADHD at age 13, while the rates were 17% in those not given the probiotics. Perhaps the reductions in infantile colic, allowed better brain development.

The correct balance of microbes is essential to good health and digestion. Obese and lean individuals have different gut flora composition. Obesity is associated with alterations in bacterial gut microbiota — mainly a reduction in Bacteroidetes. Levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium may have a critical role in weight regulation. Odds of becoming overweight adults are 26% higher for C-section babies, possibly because they miss those healthy birth canal microbes.

Autoimmune diseases like asthma, hay fever, Type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis are much less common in the developing world and in children raised on farms or in large families. In contrast, asthma and hay fever rates are increased both in cities and in children given early antibiotics. The hygiene hypothesis says we need more exposure to the outdoors and dirt.

Antibiotics are a great innovation and continue to save countless lives when used appropriately, but unfortunately antibiotics target not only the harmful bacteria.

When bacteria in our intestines are disturbed by antibiotics, a common side effect is diarrhea. One way to limit side effects and prevent a resistant organism is to be sure to take a probiotic whenever you take an antibiotic. Probiotics are available in pill form and in food. Another key is limiting antibiotic overuse both in human medicine and in livestock. Many factory farms rely heavily on antibiotics. Using antibiotics for viral illness like the common cold doesn’t help, but they can upset your protective microbial ecosystem.

Nathan Johnson, MD, is a Family Medicine Physician

7420

6/27/2015 4:20:32 PM

Guild
Never
Ending
Search
Fleet

All bets are off, Sugar Loaf.

THE NEW
PEOPLE!

Things are going to change.

I believe you meant to say, "Things are CHANGED!"

My next 10,000 posts should merely be:

ALL BETS
ARE OFF!

You lucky little Loaf, you.

7419

6/26/2015 12:00:00 PM

Hooray!

7418

6/25/2015 1:31:20 AM

Guild
Outreach
and
Search for
Excellence

Sometimes we have to go outside Sugar Loaf to find the really good stuff (and people), and some things need more than just a little Forum post, so click here.

That's right MOTHERFUCKERS!

I said:

CLICK HERE

7413

6/18/2015 2:18:23 AM

Collaborative

Logs review shows some people missed the link to the following, so ...

NORTH EAST
WATERCOLOR SOCIETY
What's in a name?

Mary Endico
helps start
NEWS

By 1987 Sugar Loaf had firmly established itself as a tiny Mecca for the arts, but it did not do so on its own.

Numerous art and community groups helped in building the Sugar Loaf reputation, and those strongly collaborative organizations were essential.

Shown above are Charter Members of the North East Watercolor Society, but at the moment of the photo the name was still the Orange County Watercolor Society.

As with all community organizations everywhere (in all times), finding committed individuals willing to take on leadership roles was a daunting task.

When Joan Ross agreed to become President she said she would do so only if Mary Endico agreed to become her Vice President and run the annual exhibit.

Mary explained the offer to her husband Bob Fugett (by then her strongest ally and career advisor) who said, "Don't waste your time unless they change the name of the organization to something that will help your resume."

Bob first suggested the National Watercolor Society but found the name was already in use, so he suggested the North East Watercolor Society with the side suggestion, "All the brochures and press releases can proclaim the NEWS!"

Mary reported resistance to a name change among the membership, and Bob replied, "Ok, then don't bother becoming Vice President. You have a career to tend to."

Bob knew that while a rose may smell as sweet by any other name, an organization's name is sweeter when helpful to one's bio.

Mary had already chaired and organized 8 years of Sugar Loaf Crafts Fairs when those were nationally renowned juried events, so the decision to change the name or lose her help as a Board Member and organizer of the national show carried significant weight.

By the time of the photo above Joan Ross and Dick Ochs were firmly in the name change camp, so Mary had agreed to take on the role of Vice President.

Dick went on to register the incorporated name of North East Watercolor Society by the end of that year, and later he would head the organization for many years while being instrumental in bringing it to full status as an annual host of juried International art shows.

NEWS Incorporation, 1987

Therefore Mary Endico is still proud to be associated with the organization.

Speaking of supportive and strongly collaborative art groups, the next 9 images below are from leading artists in both the North East Watercolor Society and the Schunnemunk Art Group. [see: Musem page]

The Schunnemunk group cross pollinated with NEWS and included more than just watercolors ... in particular great desserts.

Website usage logs revealed several regular readers missed the article linked, so this post was subsequently updated to include the full article.

The original post stated only -

In preparation for the upcoming article about the Sugar Loaf Historical Museum there is:

THIS

Uh oh, people might start getting the idea that Mary and I know something about organizations, what they mean, and how groups work effectively together, and we might have to stop walling ourselves off in order to continue bringing back the good old days.

7411

6/16/2015 6:33:53 PM

Guild
Reality
Check

NOW YOU GOT
YOUR TROUBLE

Carefully compare these two letters.

The following linked letter was written by a Member of the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH
(page2)

This next linked letter was written by the President of the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce.

FUCK YOU VERY MUCH
(page2)

In the history of organizations, has there ever been a leader more out of touch with their membership?

I am sure I do not have to remind readers that the first seven people we talked to who were named on that second wretched attack letter were shocked, dismayed, and saddened to find their names on such a blasphemous misrepresentation of the facts.

The author of the first letter wins an EXTRA LINK.

DEPRECATED LINK

The author of the second letter wins a visit from our lawyer (and an appearance before a judge if we do not receive our letter of apology).

The good news all around is that the business name of the author of the first letter does not appear on the list "supporting" the horrid second letter, so they will not be required to drop their work, walk away from their customers, and show up for depositions regarding the second letter — on the outside chance a letter of apology is not forthcoming from the author of the second letter.

Even better, this time the Chamber of Commerce Bully by Proxy cannot step in and lie about the content and intent of the Sugar Loaf Guild website.

Irisha and her husband do read, and in particular they read English.

SPOILER ALERT: Our lawyer will be explaining the realities of using organizational letter heads for personal vendettas to the person who wrote the letter of intimidation, and later in a courtroom setting (if we do not get our written apology) our lawyer and her team will be explaining to the others mentioned on the letter the repercussions of allowing somebody to speak in their name without oversight.

I know, I know, that was a little too technical for this Forum, but the lack of "process" of the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce has to be addressed by somebody ... sometime ... somewhere.

7408

6/14/2015 1:42:12 PM

Curyous

Just what do you mean by calling Mary Endico an Internationally known watercolor artist?

We mean things such as this (received today from the National Watercolor Society):

Dear Mary Endico,

Congratulations!

Your painting has been accepted into the 2015-2016 China/NWS Small Image Exchange Exhibition.

The list of Accepted paintings will be posted to our webpage tomorrow.

The artists of Accepted paintings will receive an informational packet tomorrow by email.

Sincerely,
Ken Goldman, President
Linda A Doll, Exhibition Director

Got it? Mary's painting going to China.

Opening up the Chinese market to Endico paintings is HUGE!

Here is what we expect: Due to the fact that China has an incredible cultural heritage for fine art and watercolor in particular, people there are going to be overjoyed to see work done in a way they never thought possible.

We expect a bunch of sales based on the fact that China has so many great artists they will understand excellence when they see it (Mary's unparalleled handling of vibrant color to be specific), plus they will be doubly impressed that somebody from the U.S. has such a level of skill.

People will purchase Mary's paintings for the pure oddity of it, just like Americans buy paintings done by Chimpanzees because they never thought it possible!

7407

6/12/2015 9:47:00 PM

Bobby
Smiles<>

ADULTS
ONLY

If you see a kid reading this, slap their device out of their hand.

Probably it would be a good idea to slap it out no matter.

I am having a hard time trying to decide why I feel so good.

Maybe it's because I just finished a hard 40 mile bike ride and the endorphins are still raging.

Or maybe it's because Mary and I just had two fantastic conversations with two separate lawyers; our interests are going to be represented to the max, and we are sitting quite pretty indeed.

Best part is it looks like two con artists are about to endure a shit storm their disrespectful insulting imperious condescending dismissive little pea brains will never see coming.

In the meantime, all of you Facebook friends of Peg Conner, help me decide if I'm euphoric because of endorphins or legal status.

In case you don't know about exercise endorphins, let me give you a baseline.

I was in college during the last couple years of the 60's and the first two of the 70's.

I was not a casual partier; I was an aggressive, no holds barred, take no prisoners, all out (let me experience everything) proactive experimenter.

There were lots of pre-Med students, and a prize possession in the dorms was what is probably best described as the Big Golden Book of Prescription Drugs.

It had pictures of every type of pharmaceutical with a description of effects to be expected, and one of our stated goals (those of us outside the pre-Med circles) was to try every single one just to see what would happen.

The closer to death, the better; sort of like the movie Flatliners

In summary: we were total fucking idiots, and I am only alive due to a fortunate deep poverty which made the trying of all of the listed substances far beyond my means.

On the other hand, everybody thought it was a lot of fun to get high with me (especially while watching me bum on acid), so people of greater means routinely dosed me for free just for jollies.

Therefore, as a partial list:

I have done reefer (not in the book until recently).

I have done cocaine, or what some street dealer told somebody was cocaine ... vitamin B1 for all I know.

I have done heroin a couple times and once methadone stolen from a clinic, or so I was told.

I have done LSD, or more likely cyanide given my symptoms.

I have done meth for sure because I got it from my sister who got it from the doctor as diet pills.

Did peyote, psilocybin, PCP, large animal tranquilizers, ludes, reds, yellows, blacks (West Coast turn arounds), insulin (another pass-on from somebody's prescription), blotter, hasheesh, opium, gin, beer, tequila, scotch, fizzy wines and fancy wines, etc, etc.

Happily no nicotine; that shit is addictive and will kill you!

I haven't done any drugs at all since coming to Sugar Loaf (well none to speak of early on, then zero in the last 30 years).

Mary and I used our arrival as the perfect opportunity to let people think we were the straightest squares on the planet, probably narcs even, and the ruse worked like a charm.

People stopped inviting us to parties.

Mary only smoked and drank anyway, so it was a smaller change for her.

In any case, take all of that experience as my credentials giving me authority to say, without one single solitary doubt, exercise endorphins beats the fuck out of all of those other drugs ... NO JOKE.

Plus endorphins are free; your body produces them, and you can enjoy them on a whim (even right now if you just go walk briskly up and down some stairs a few times).

Maybe the best part is that they actually are good for you and make you live longer not shorter.

However, one still gets an incredible extra rush when coming in from a hard 40 mile bike ride through a 90 degree bright haze, and the wife says, "Dan called and things are great; I also asked him again about the letter (page 2), and he said, 'The level of exposure to liability they have placed on each of their members listed is substantial!'"

Mary ended with, "He used the exact same word you have been using — exposure."

Thus my dilemma.

Am I euphoric because of a 40 mile mainline endorphin injection or because I know two scumbags who are about to learn the consequences of trying to take advantage of a tiny artist community?

Additionally, if Mary and I don't get our apology letter, an entire town of people will be reminded (with legal fees and time away from their businesses for depositions) that it is not the wisest thing to keep thoughtlessly handing over dues while saying, "Here, just take the money, and don't bother me about it; I don't want to get involved, don't want to know about it, don't even want to think about it. Just take the money, and I've done my part for the community. Only glad somebody (anybody) volunteered!"

I am thinking everybody whose name is on that letter (page2) should start doing a little soul searching over the meaning of the word responsibility.

Bob, you might want to mention (in case some kids do slip through) that your 38 years of totally adamant sobriety has been nothing more than a desperate long throw attempt to forget what tripping (read: bumming) on acid was like.

But (also for the kids) leave out the part how that incident with yellows (Nembutol, Pentobarbitol) was your absolute favorite moment in life, and how you never want to forget that experience, and how you still nurse an ongoing fervent hope of acquiring some more; this time just a single hospital grade 16 gram dose, after which you solemnly swear you will go right back to being drug free.

7404

6/9/2015 5:03:40 PM

Curyous

Bob, now that the Guild has crested 16 subscribers, don't you think it's about time for a meet?

Naw, I've heard that sort of stuff is a bad idea; we'll just leave it online.

I want to keep my wife.

7402

6/7/2015 11:50:04 PM

Susan L

That's nice (and true), what you say in the Canvas article about Richard and me and the good old days.

Except you have said some pretty nasty things about us here in the past.

What's up with that?

Actually most of what I said was aimed at Orange County Tourism and how far out of touch they are with the reality of Sugar Loaf.

So insufferably stupid, they are a total washout!

I guess it is understandable given the Sugar Loaf Chamber of Commerce's own aggressive intransigent refusal to acknowledge what is all around them, staring them right in the face.

But it has come to my attention nobody knows who you and Richard are anymore: how you built the Center, how you still live beside the Post Office, how you host the music series ... the family oriented one, the one that extends all the way back to Jon Baugh getting it going circa 1981, the one that draws so many people it is hard to get around town while it's running.

It's as if the Performance Center just appeared out of nowhere one day, and everybody started assuming it has been here forever.

In any case, how the hell am I supposed to complain about you two if nobody knows who the fuck you are!?

I have a little renovation work to do on the collective memory before I can kick back on its porch, throw my feet up on the rail again, and resume bitching about the Loco-testes.

7400

6/2/2015 9:44:15 PM

Bob
Fugett

Per Sophia Krcic's comment further below, "... was thinking about asking Bob to actually write the article himself," here is the developing article scheduled to run in the August 2015 issue of the Canvas.