Disclaimer

(December 23, 2011) Disclaimer, Ratings, and Contact Information

Revised:  June 1, 2015

Although this is by no means an unbiased web site, I do not publish my work for special interest organizations, since I believe that one should be paid for their writing ability to entertain and inform others (i.e. traditional print journalism, and not writing for convincing others to donate money to a corporate cause (i.e. The Sierra Club or any of the political parties).

In contrast, I have no issues writing for a Philanthropic organization, since such organizations exist first and foremost to promote affordable housing and environmental quality.  Any agenda that I advance here is provided as a way of identifying a problem and then developing a solution (i.e. bus rapid transit is a better use of tax dollars than light rail).

This web site provides an Independent perspective, i.e. I am against urban growth boundaries, but am for bicycle and walking accessibility, and favor minimum lot sizes. Therefore, I don’t agree with many smart growth opponents who oppose all of these modalities (and, others).

Extortion warning updated December 23, 2011

Revised June 1, 2015

This is an Extortion Warning with Contact Information.

Extortion is a felony in all fifty states.

Harassing webmasters over the internet is a form of cyber-extortion.

Since this web site, https://smartgrowthusa.wordpress.com, includes personal opinions that are of a political nature, then many readers will disagree.

Unfortunately, the blogosophere is full of thousands of instances of harassment and false information about webmasters, and sometimes the people they write about.

Extortion has multiple definitions, including character assassination.

From U.S. Code Title 18, “Mailing Threatening Communications,” Part 1, Chapter 41 (Extortion and Threats), 876, (d):

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/718/usc_sec_18_00000876—-000-.html

(d) Whoever, with intent to extort from any person any money or other thing of value, knowingly so deposits or causes to be delivered, as aforesaid, any communication, with or without a name or designating mark subscribed thereto, addressed to any other person and containing any threat to injure the property or reputation of the addressee or of another, or the reputation of a deceased person, or any threat to accuse the addressee or any other person of a crime, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. If such a communication is addressed to a United States judge, a Federal law enforcement officer, or an official who is covered by section 1114, the individual shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.

To insure that I will not be a victim of extortion, I try my best to follow three rules to ensure a standard of ethics:

1. No ad hominem attacks.

2. No questioning of motives.

3. Follow the WordPress.Com terms of service: http://en.wordpress.com/tos/

However, as is true with all of the arts, since architectural criticism by definition involves intense emotional reactions to visual stimuli, then I re-read posts for violations and periodically make appropriate corrections.

In the past, several have disagreed with my political postings on other forums, and used various means of extortion, in an unsuccessful effort to discredit my credibility.

My writings on political matters is protected by http://WordPress.Com, provided they do not violate the the Word Press terms of service.

Finally, there are no “right” or “wrong” answers in architecture and urban planning.  “Smart growth” has its good and bad points, and will always be controversial.

Again, if you choose to harass me elsewhere, you may be found guilty of extortion, a felony.

More links about cyber-extortion:

Complete Text of U.S. Code on Extortion, Mailing Threatening Communications, Title 18, Part 1, Chapter 41 (Extortion and Threats), 876:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/718/usc_sec_18_00000876—-000-.html

On-Line Ranters Increasingly Pay A Price; Lawsuits Against Commenters and Bloggers are On the Rise (August 25, 2010)

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2012704841_netsuits24.html

Man Indicted for Cyber Extortion:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/04/spam-extortion/

This Independent Web Site is Not Affiliated with Any Organization

This web site is an independent effort. I am not affiliated with, nor do I receive any compensation from any individual or organization, including the list below.

Special Interest Groups Publishing Internet Reports Against Smart Growth

Originally, the purpose of the Internet was to express yourself, uncensored.  Before the age of the internet, those who wanted to make money with their writing and photography publish books and magazines.

Too often, people forget this, and sell their writings to special interest groups to make money.  But the only way this works is when the on-line editor approves the papers.

Much of what you read on the Internet has been subjected to editors with a partisan (or other) bias.   There is very little independent thought on the internet, since most of has been filtered through an editor, including moderators and webmasters who serve in this capacity.

Unfortunately, I cannot publish for special interest groups who pay people to write articles against smart growth. If and when I apply for graduate school, my writings cannot be affiliated with partisan organizations that support or oppose smart growth.

Smart Growth Organizations (For and Against), who Commonly Pay for Bandwidth to Support their Viewpoints:

Here are some common organizations that are both pro- and anti- smart growth. I cannot accept payment from them, if they ever offered to pay for my articles.

If you like my articles and photos and want to pay me, I would be happy to write as a guest columnist – but ONLY for traditional print journalism and philanthropic organizations, and newsletters from professional academia (i.e. the American Planning Association,  American Society of Landscape Architects, American Institute of Architects, and the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy).

I read articles from these organizations all the time. Although we don’t always agree, they are written by the very best schlorars of urban planning and environmentalists –

Alphabetical –

1,000 Friends of Oregon

1,000 Friends of Washington

Alex Jones

America 2050

Antiplanner (The Antiplanner)

Cato (The Cato Institute)

Cascade Bicycling Club

Cascades Land Conservancy

Central Oregon Land Watch

Constitution  Party

Demographia

Democratic Party

Evergreen Freedom Foundation

Futurewise

Genesis Communications Radio Networks

Green Party

Grist

Heritage Foundation

Libertarian Party

Oracle Radio Networks

PERC

Reason Foundation

Republican Party

Rense.com (http://rense.com)

Sierra Club (The Sierra Club)

Sightline

Smart Growth America

Smart Growth Network

Thoreau Institute

US EPA

Wilderness Society (The Wilderness Society)

…and many others…

Identity Theft:

Due to recent security concerns over the Internet with social media sites such as Facebook, I conduct all my personal business in person.

This web site serves only as a web site, and nothing more.

I do not publish any personal information about myself on the Internet.

This includes, but is not limited to:

*my legal name (one could neither prove or disprove if the name on this web site is my real name)

*my age

*my photograph (I’m Gen X, Swedish, Polish, English, tall, thin, blond with blue eyes. If I put my photo on this site, will Pro-Smart Growth people adore me, or, somehow use my photo against me? I don’t want to find out.)

*photographs of my family members

*my home address

*my phone number

*my spouse, significant other, or names of friends or family members

*my employer(s)

*my previous employers

*my academic work

*my internet service provider

*my email address

*my vehicle license

*make and model of my car

*and many other factors that frequently occur on blogs, Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and so forth.

If there is ever a time where someone publishes my work, then obviously my identity, whatever that may happen to be at that time, would be revealed within that publication.

My only other “active” social media account, other than WordPress, is Flickr (as “Tom9”).

Therefore, if readers find anything posted about my name on the Internet, it’s not about me.

If someone wanted to find personal information about me  (i.e. job references, loans, etc.), they would do so by official criminal background checks and credit reports.  Of course, there is not adequate information on the Internet about me to conduct such a screen.

Furthermore, my social, academic, and employer contacts have no connection to this web site or anything else on the Internet.

Intellectual Property Rights and Copyright Notice:

This web site is Copyright 2009-2015 by Tom Lane. Nothing may be reproduced electronically or in printed form.  This includes all photographs and written essays.  I took all the photographs on this site, unless otherwise noted, and in this case, appropriate credit is given.

Text and graphics from newspapers and on-line publications has been quoted with full credit.  Icons and diagrams serving as images linking viewers to their own sites are from their respective sites, with attribution (for example, the International Mountain Bike Association logo, IMBA, is the official logo on the IMBA web site).

Maps and charts from local government organizations have been included in selected posts, with complete attribution to the local government agency, along with a link to the original .PDF.  Links to surveys on smart growth have not been modified from the original creator.  If a link does not work, please let me know in the comment sections, since government agencies often change their links.

Now – It’s Your Turn !

Questions and Concerns about Accuracy of Web Site Content that I Have Written !

Since this is by no means an unbiased web site, then ANYONE with questions or concerns about the accuracy or legality of web site content, should post in the comment boxes of the respective post.

This comment will arrive in my email box and I will make appropriate corrections, and respond to you personally if required.

Since this web site includes political material, then I want to ensure that material is presented accurately, despite the fact that my opinions are biased.  So far, as of October 14, 2011, two Public Officials have voiced concerns, and I have addressed their requests immediately.

I try not to show people in pictures, and if they do appear in the distance, I block out their faces.

The problem with people in pictures on urban planning web sites can be illustrated very easily. Let’s say that your local mayor or city councilor is gay, and I pass through your city and take a picture of him and his boyfriend among a crowd of people. Well, let’s say that nobody in your city knew that he was gay, and then, someone found that photo on my web site.  Would the mayor sue me? I don’t know.  I’m also very careful about license plates.

On my flickr account, one image generated several thousand hits.  Very strange so I have to take privacy very seriously.

Advertising Content from WordPress and Google

I have no control over the ads that appear at the bottom of every post on this web site.  They are part of the contractual agreement that I have with WordPress for bandwidth, and they are a result of Google marketing.  I pay $17 a year for this site.  I could pay more to get rid of the advertising, but I do not view one add per page as disruptive.

Political Affiliation 

I am an Independent. I am also an environmentalist, favoring private organizations that purchase land for purposes of building hiking and mountain bike trails.  I have very little in common with today’s Democrats, Republicans, and Libertarians. You might call me a “JFK Liberal” who would advocate civil rights, world peace, and cutting tax rates (that is, tax rates, not taxes), for all Americans, knocking thousands of lower income individuals off the tax rolls.

Is There a Hidden Motivation?

Absolutely! And it’s my passion.  The somewhat hidden motivation of this blog is to advocate policies that favor affordable detached (single family) housing, with private yards.  I resent the elite who favors exclusionary zoning by way of smart growth towers, light rail, high impact fees, and urban growth boundaries.

Of course, many of today’s anti-growth policies make it impossible for many groups to become homeowners.  Therefore, I advocate single family, detached housing with private yards, irregardless of age, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, and other factors.

History and Future of this Extortion Warning

I established this extortion warning on day one since I knew the web site would include personal political opinions, and photographs in public. I have modified the warning several times after reading other warnings elsewhere. This warning is subject to change as I learn more about the legal aspects of how to make political comments on the web, and, how to present photographs of publically viewed areas.

 Go Start a Blog on Affordable Housing!

Be M.A.D. i.e. MAKE A DIFFERENCE !

If you care about home ownership for everyone, and face regional planning agencies in your area with urban growth boundaries and expensive housing, I strongly encourage you to drive around your neighborhood, start taking photos, and contrast smart growth vs. large lot zoning in your area.

Due to the nation’s lack of housing affordability, you’ll receive thousands of hits in a matter of months (secret: the more WordPress posts you write, and the more frequently you write and edit them, and with the most key words both in the text and the URL links, the higher your ratings)!

Last Updated December 23, 2011

Revised June 1, 2015

Sincerely,

Tom Lane

Bend, Oregon single family detached housing at Northwest Crossing. Great neighborhood with smart growth principles because the State of Oregon mandates strict smart growth criteria for all cities in the state.