This digest contains the following messages:

  1. Old Computer - Donate?  
         by: Dave Cohen dlco...@alleycatsw.com
  2. hair stylist  
         by: DIANE MCCLELLAN klmcclel...@bellsouth.net
  3. Antonella's refuses the Plenty  
         by:  rmcountry3...@aol.com
  4. Antonella, the Plenty and irresponsible Matt  
         by: Calvin Oxendine jetblackmul...@gmail.com
  5. Logging Information Wanted  
         by:  Tbredl...@aol.com
  6. Northwood Volleyball Camp  
         by: Darcey Moore dmo...@chimerix-inc.com
  7. Matt Rudolf and The Plenty  
         by: Brad Page brad...@embarqmail.com
  8. Businesses that do not accept Plenty should not be criticized  
         by: Maclyn maclyn...@gmail.com
  9. Re: Matthew Rudolf: "Antonella's refuses the Plenty"  
         by: Jody@Tritech j...@nctritech.com
  10. Businesses have the right to not accept Plenty  
         by: D ima_tarh...@msn.com
  11. Community Dance  
         by: helen kern helen.k...@gmail.com
  12. Offloading Plentys  
         by: Karen Tiede ka...@karentiede.com
  13. The Plenty  
         by: mary51802 mary51...@gmail.com
  14. Subject: Community Meetings on Potential Chatham Landfill  
         by: Tom Glendinning goag...@embarqmail.com
  15. * First Sunday Shopping Fun *  
         by:  indigo...@aol.com
  16. re:Subject: Antonella's refuses the Plenty  
         by: everyday krauser uberde...@gmail.com
  17. To Matt who is boycotting Antonellas  
         by:  vinits...@aol.com
  18. Story time, 4 pm every Thursday starting June 4  
         by: Samantha Birchard sambirch...@gmail.com
  19. Beware of Matthew Rudolf, Pittsboro Plenty's Goodwill Ambassador  
         by:  jeanejglas...@aol.com
  20. antonella's and the Plenty  
         by: Amy Bulbrook cajun...@gmail.com
  21. Fw: Writers' Morning Out  
         by: Al Manning amann...@richkwok.com
  22. Oxymoron anyone?  
         by: julia kennedy kennedy...@gmail.com
  23. Music this Week (All Week Events beginning Monday, June 1)  
         by: joyce jo...@thegeneralstorecafe.com
  24. VCE PTA Fashion Show Thursday at 5 p.m.  
         by: Tori M. torima...@yahoo.com
  25. Response to Matt Rudolph's PLENTY opinion  
         by:  Bprenti...@aol.com
  26. The absurdity in Mr. Rudolphs' demands  

--------------------  1  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 00:50:39 -0400
From: "Dave Cohen" dlco...@alleycatsw.com
Subject: Old Computer - Donate?

I just retired a computer from my local network - it's an old Pentium III
450 Mhz, 384MB, 16GB disk space, CD and CDRW drives, 10/100 ethernet. Works
fine, but I had to wipe drives clean (was running Windows NT). Not sure if
this is up to snuff for Win XP, but it will run Linux.

Is there anyone out there looking for such ancient machines, or is there a
local charitable organization that takes them in for folks?

- Dave Cohen

--------------------  2  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 03:49:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: DIANE MCCLELLAN klmcclel...@bellsouth.net
Subject: hair stylist

I am looking for a good hair stylist that does not charge a arm and a leg for a cut and color. Any recommendations?

--------------------  3  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 07:30:32 -0400
From: rmcountry3...@aol.com
Subject: Antonella's refuses the Plenty

Antonella's gained another customer here. Amazing as it seems, I posted early on with just this in mind.  Oh, and I was chastised roundly and informed that no one would be pressured to accept the "Plenty", and that it was "backed" by Capitol Bank, which turned out to be untrue.  This is either voluntary or its just another form of "Company Script" (re. "I owe my soul to the Company Store".)   Again, to those of you that wish to participate, God Bless you and good luck.  Please don't offer me this vaporous currency as payment or change as it will not be accepted.

As for Antonella's, I not only will patronize her business, but will promote it at every opportunity.

Rusty McIntosh

--------------------  4  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 08:34:03 -0400
From: Calvin Oxendine jetblackmul...@gmail.com
Subject: Antonella, the Plenty and irresponsible Matt

Matt,

The Plenty is indeed a interesting social experiment propagated by your
employer and a group of businesses affiliated with your employer.  A leap of
faith must be taken by all involved as their is no guarantee of their stated
value, including yourself.  You agreed to accept the plenty in lieu of real
money, Antonella does not.  She does not profess to accept the Plenty, I
checked, she is not flying the banner.  She also will not shell out smokes
to avoid a shiving in the yard.  This is a choice she makes.  It's pretty
irresponsible of you to propose a boycott based on this choice.  It is
doubly irresponsible to do this on behalf of your employer (is it any
mistake that you used your biofuel email address in your post?).  Your
strategy to demonize businesses that are not participating in this
experiment will only hurt the concept.  You went into her establishment with
the full knowledge of her participation in this program and tried to render
what amounts to a coupon in lieu of cash and then got upset upon being
informed of her policy.  You could have simply forgone your gratuity but you
are now pressuring her and other businesses through this forum. If this is
the tactic that is being utilized in recruiting participants I not sure that
this is the right thing for our little town.  I believe that an organization
employing these tactics does not deserve the supporters it claims to have.
Given your behavior as a agent of your employer I would recommend that those
businesses reconsider their participation in the Plenty.  Businesses
accepting the Plenty can be easily referenced at theplenty.net and avoided
in the same fashion. As for Antonella, the tremendous void you left in her
customer base has be filled.  I will be making an appointment with a stylist
and an estetician first thing Monday morning.

Cal

--------------------  5  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 08:43:20 EDT
From: Tbredl...@aol.com
Subject: Logging Information Wanted

Hello ~ if memory serves, a year or so ago there was discussion on the  
chatlist about logging companies, which ones were good and which to avoid.   I
am interested in meeting with a few good companies to discuss my options  on
the land I have.  If you have information on good logging companies,  
please send to me off list.  Thanks so much!   Melisa  

"Volunteers saving lives" _www.NCCERT.org  

--------------------  6  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 09:34:47 -0400
From: "Darcey Moore" dmo...@chimerix-inc.com
Subject: Northwood Volleyball Camp

NORTHWOOD VOLLEYBALL CAMP
         for rising 6th-9th grade girls

June 17, 18, 19 @ Northwood Gym
9 a.m.  to Noon
Hosted by the Northwood Varsity Volleyball Team
Sponsor: Chandler Gray, NW Athletic Director

Hands on position clinics---Middle hitter, setter, labero, outside
hitter, attacking/defending
Low camper/player ratio. 5:1
Tshirts provided for pre-registered campers
Healthy snack/water provided
Tounament play on Friday

Goal:  Help to introduce this age group to the joy of volleyball since
there is currently no volleyball offered in middle school, with

the hopes that they will find the sport to be fun as well as challenging
and join the Chargers volleyball team in the future.

Interested parties can pick up a flyer at your school (Harrison,
N.Chatham, Horton, Moncure) this week or you can contact

Olivia Oakley @ meg_mil...@bellsouth.net and we can send you an
application to download.

Girls must have recent physical and be in good physical health.  No need
to know anything about the game, just come willing to learn, play and
have fun.  And NO, you don't have to be TALL to play volleyball!

Any questions please email at above address or call Olivia Oakley @ 919
259 0251

--------------------  7  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 09:37:02 -0400 (EDT)
From: Brad Page brad...@embarqmail.com
Subject: Matt Rudolf and The Plenty

Mr. Rudolf's post is sweetly intimidating. I'm not surprised Antonella doesn't accept The Plenty. I wouldn't either simply on principle were I not retired and still in business. Is this the purpose of The Plenty? Bullying a business is a great way of letting the other businesses in Pittsboro know that The Plenty is to be steadfastly avoided. I suggest that those who wish to participate in this good intention do so and leave the others their choice, their free choice.

--------------------  8  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 09:40:13 -0400
From: Maclyn maclyn...@gmail.com
Subject: Businesses that do not accept Plenty should not be criticized

I was disturbed to read the criticism regarding Antonella's and the fact
that at this time, they do not accept Plenty as currency.

I do not know Antonella, or anyone who works for her, as far as I know. I do
not know anything about that business at all, really, except by looking at
the website just now. But I do know how extremely difficult it is to keep a
small business open at any time, but especially now, when money is tight for
everyone.  Anything that jeopardizes, or potentially jeopardizes cash flow
for even a few days can be fatal to a small business.

There is a reason that the original Plenty failed to succeed as an
alternate, local currency in its previous form.  I do not pretend to know
the reasons, but I do know what it was like for a business that accepted
Plenty, that did almost all of its own business with local vendors, and that
had difficulty using the Plenty to procure supplies, make repairs, pay rent,
pay utilities, and pay workers, etc.

My husband ran businesses in the Chapel Hill area for more than 30 years.
His most recent business was well established and in the same location for
more than 21 years.  He was very supportive of the Plenty and the concept of
buying local, staying local.  He always helped other local folks, other
local businesses in their endeavors.

But when his business closed last August for the final time, he literally
had a drawer full of Plenty that no one would accept for things that he had
needed.

We attempted to use that currency personally at locations that supposedly
accepted it, like one Pittsboro restaurant, which had a poster in the door
declaring that Plenty was accepted there.  But no one working at those times
even knew what it was, and would not take it.

There are many ways to encourage citizens to shop local, buy local, use
local services.  Plenty is only one of those ways.  Others are to talk with
businesses, ask them to use local suppliers, whenever possible, and to make
it known to the consumer just how much money leaves our county when folks go
to restaurants, buy food, clothing, farm supplies, etc., from other counties
or online.

A community can create a consciousness about doing business locally without
the entire emphasis being placed on an alternative currency.

Antonella's, or any other business that cannot figure out how to integrate
the new currency into their daily struggle to stay open ought not be
condemned.  In fact, customers should still whole-heartedly frequent them,
and hopefully those businesses will at some point become able to incorporate
the Plenty into their business plans.

If consumers punish the businesses that do not use Plenty, then the result
will be exactly the opposite of the intent of the Plenty.  Local businesses
will be driven out of Chatham.  Places like Antonella's and Virlie's and
whomever else will close, and be replaced by chain restaurants and salons,
or not be replaced at all.

Please think about what a business like Antonella's is doing with the money
it takes in.  The business must pay for electricity, phone, maybe other
utilities, that do not accept the Plenty.  The business must pay taxes to
federal and state governments.  The business must pay for licenses to state
and local governments.  Governments do not accept the Plenty.  The business
must pay rent.  Perhaps it pays insurance.  The business must pay for
supplies like hair care and skin products, specific utensils, maybe, like
scissors, combs, even chairs or shampoo sinks, which more likely than not
cannot be purchased in Chatham County.  The business must pay employees, who
more likely than not do not make a high enough wage to accept Plenty because
they too must pay rent, utilities, taxes, or car payments, etc, to vendors
or agencies that do not accept Plenty.

Please know that each business has its own unique set of criteria that was
used to determine whether or not they can accept the Plenty.  A Chatham
Marketplace, for example, has a much larger clientele and therefore a larger
cash flow, and the more folks who come through, the more will accept Plenty
as change or in trade for the local products they sell to the Marketplace.
But a small salon just may not be able to do that.

I am not condemning the use of the Plenty in any way. But its acceptance or
non-acceptance is not necessarily indicative of a business's commitment to
the local community.

Please, everyone.  Continue to support our small local businesses, whether
or not they are able to accept the Plenty at this time.  Respect the
decisions of the business owners, who only themselves know the small cash
margins that are making or breaking their businesses.

Thank you.
Maclyn Humphrey

--------------------  9  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 09:47:40 -0400
From: "Jody@Tritech" j...@nctritech.com
Subject: Re: Matthew Rudolf: "Antonella's refuses the Plenty"

Matt, if my business was in Pittsboro rather than Siler City, I wouldn't
take payment in the form of the Plenty either.  The fact that they can
be exchanged at a bank for $0.90 each does nothing to help.  
Furthermore, if the expectation is that I would render $100 in services
and that I'm supposed to be willing to take 100 Plenties instead of that
$100 and that somehow that's *supporting* my business, that's a laugh
and a half.  That expectation equals me giving everyone with this
semi-fake currency a 10% discount, meaning my business *loses* 10% of
the gross income from each sale in which I accept the Plenty as equal
payment on the dollar, because in the end the exchange rate is USD$1.00
= PLE$0.90 at Capital Bank.

Now, given that I run a computer shop and I have to purchase *a lot*
from outside vendors and companies (computer parts, light bulbs, screws,
shelves, not to mention electricity, VoIP and cell phone services,
water/sewer, Internet access, etc.) and not a single one of those
vendors accepts this currency, I would essentially have no choice but to
convert it back into USD$ to pay the bills.

The whole idea behind the Plenty is to keep money in Pittsboro, but this
represents a myopic view of the economy when almost all of our goods
start somewhere else in the state, country, or even world.  The hair
place that you went to has to buy combs, clippers and clipper
maintenance products, Barbasol, chairs, sinks, shampoos, dyes and
dye-related consumables, curling implements and equipment, and much
more, all of which originates in factories and businesses outside of
Pittsboro.

The economic climate is already fairly rough for everyone, and places
like local hair shops are losing money because other people are trying
to cut costs everywhere possible.  What you're doing when you demand
that they accept a 90% payment as equal to being paid in full is asking
them to give you a 10% discount.  The problem lies in the fact that
they're probably not making a lot of money in the first place, and 10%
off their gross income is not the same as 10% less profit.  In fact, if
they're only making 10% in profits, your purchase becomes "break-even"
and they didn't make anything, and you know how hard it is to pay bills
when there's no money to pay it with.  To take the 10% hit of accepting
Plenties on a regular basis, costs would have to go up, making
dollar-spenders take a hit on these services to subsidize the losses
incurred by Plenty-spenders.

As a very small business owner myself, I also find your previously
expressed attitude as a customer to be difficult to stomach.  You are
judging a business not based on the quality of the services that they
rendered to you, but on whether or not they take your admittedly rare
choice of payment method which incurs a built-in 10% hit, far more than
taking any credit card I have ever been made aware of.  It bothers me
that people exist who would judge my business based on any factor other
than how well I provide my services, because if you hired someone to
perform a task and they did a fantastic job (particularly in the case of
cutting hair!), that's all that should really matter, is it not?

In business, there are some customers that will make unreasonable
requests and actually expect the business owner to fulfill them.  In
mine, people will buy an old $50 used computer, promptly load it up with
viruses or other garbage and kill it (the record so far is two hours
after the purchase), then come back to us and try to claim a
pre-existing defect in the computer to get us to fix what they broke at
no cost, despite all the evidence on the machine that proves they
trashed it.  Apparently in her business, people will demand discounts
via the Plenty on prices that can't realistically go any lower without
going out of business.  People who don't want to do business with us
because we won't honor unreasonable requests simply are not the kind of
customer we are able to serve.  That may sound a bit crude, but it's the
sad truth.  The customer has to be reasonable before the shop owner can
be reasonable back, and all the business owners reading this right now
are nodding their heads in silent agreement because they know all too
well what I'm talking about.

I want you to take a moment and consider what you're demanding of her
business.  I've talked to many other business owners in Chatham about
this, and we all agree that accepting a currency with the terms that the
Plenty carries would hurt us, because *someone* has to take a 10% hit in
the end, either the business owner or the customer.  The expectation is
the former, which is not sustainable long-term.  The truth is that a
business that gives its services away will not remain in business for
long, and that's why she doesn't want to take your payment in this
form.  If you want to do something that supports the local economy,
spending dollars in the local economy is sufficient.  This Plenty thing
is getting fairly ridiculous and needs to vanish as quickly as possible
before people do business with places outside of Pittsboro because
everyone that is *inside* Pittsboro refuses to take the Plenty.  "Well
if you won't support the local economy, I won't do business with you,
then!"  Local businesses ***are*** the local economy, and the Plenty
will ultimately harm them, particularly when the price of combs and
shampoo goes up.

Sorry about the rambling.  I hope that this helped someone understand
why most businesses are not at all thrilled about this new currency.  I
can't speak entirely for them, though, so I'd encourage you to ask any
local business owner you know about how they feel regarding the Plenty
rather than simply taking what I've said as gospel.  Thanks for taking
the time to read what I had to say.

--Jody

--------------------  10  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 10:06:12 -0400
From: "D" ima_tarh...@msn.com
Subject: Businesses have the right to not accept Plenty

The post by Matthew Rudolf of Piedmont biofuels (re: chattlist 3430,
Antonella's not accepting Plenty) will do more harm than good; every
business has the right to accept/not accept the plenty.  I can guarantee
that more businesses do NOT accept the plenty than DO. I've heard of the
many hassles it causes (extra time spent on a separate accounting system (to
reconcile daily = more labor spent = lost revenue), the extra time spent
having to go to two banks rather than one, making change is a nightmare, and
more along those lines...

As far as your comment that business could always "pay your employees a
percentage of their wages in Plenty's, so there will always be a means to
offload them" is ridiculous. Does Piedmont biofuels pay their employees with
the Plenty? Can you pay your electric, gas, telephone bill with the Plenty?
As much as I love the shops listed on the Plenty website, I rarely have the
need for their services/products, what good would the Plenty be for me; and
by the way, yes I could "off load them", as you say, at Capital Bank, but
who can afford a 10% loss on anything?

The Plenty is an excellent idea, but it NOT be PUSHED upon a business to
participate!!

--------------------  11  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 10:03:40 -0400
From: helen kern helen.k...@gmail.com
Subject: Community Dance

Good on ya Kim! The Pittsboro Community Dance was so much fun. What a great
evening of people coming together simply for the joy of it. I had a
blast............thankyou!

--------------------  12  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 10:18:51 -0400
From: "Karen Tiede" ka...@karentiede.com
Subject: Offloading Plentys

Quote:  Secondly, you can always pay your employees a percentage of their  
wages in Plenty's, so there will always be a means to offload them.  

I understood that most people who work in salons are not employees, per se,
but independent contractors who rent booth space from the owner.  Perhaps
this is different at some places.  

However, the bigger question is the use of the word "offload."  "Offload" is
something I do to get rid of something I either didn't want in the first
place, or at least don't want anymore.  I am doing no favors to force
someone to take something I didn't want, simply because I have the power of
the paycheck.  

How much of what Antonella's buys can be purchased from Chatham suppliers
that accept the Plenty?  When Progress Energy and Chatham Water start taking
it, you might have a case.  Until then, even insisting that Plenty can be
exchanged for cash at a 10% loss is asking for a 10% cut in revenue.  State
employees are miserable about a 0.5% cut in their paychecks, but you can
tell someone else that they have to accept a 10% cut to get your business?
Are you offering to increase your tip 10% (that's an ADDITIONAL 10%, not the
10 or 20% you planned to give) to make up for it?

--------------------  13  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 10:39:23 -0400
From: mary51802 mary51...@gmail.com
Subject: The Plenty

Dear Chatham,

I am still working on getting the new "Buy Chatham" discount card going. I
have talked to 42 businesses county wide that are in agreement with a card
that will work much like a VIC Card. The business would give you a 10%
discount on your purchase when you show the card. I am in the process of
getting a pro bono attorney involved for contracts with these stores and it
will be available county wide not just Pittsboro. I will keep the county
updated.

Mary Millard

--------------------  14  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 11:00:25 -0500
From: "Tom Glendinning" goag...@embarqmail.com
Subject: Subject: Community Meetings on Potential Chatham Landfill

I address this issue as the founder of the NC Compost Council and the largest producer of compost in the state at one time (1988-1993) and someone whose corporate efforts were directed toward recycling before it became popular.

The proposed landfill meetings are sponsored by the county.  They may provide a solution to support of the trucking industry now used to transport waste across county and state lines.  However, the proposed solution will be flawed in design if it does not account for the most efficient and cost-effective strategy overlooked, yeh ingored, by officials and bureaucrats many times in the twenty-eight years that alternative were sought.

Composting is capable of recycling up to fifty percent (50%) of most waste streams at a stable cost.  The employees are billions of bacteria and fungi which do not even require a panut butter sandwich ofr wage.  The product has an infinite market saturation coefficient in horticulture and agriculture. A compost center can integrate town, county, business, industrial and agricultural wastes to produce its product.

The bids I submitted on waste contracts in the 1980's and 1990's had a the cost range of $ 25 - $ 35/ton.  This figure would be higher today, but would be offset by compost sales and volume processed.  Chatham alone does not have sufficient waste to justify a low tip fee, so other sources from outside would have to be admitted.  There are two active composting operations within the county now, whom, I am confident, would accept clean waste (paper, food, ground wood, etc.)  They benefit from the market I developed in the 1980's, before they were in business.

Problems existed in the 1980's and 1990's blocking acceptance of composting as a major waste technology.  The 'trucking firms,' Waste Management and BFI, defended waste by maligning composting and providing misinformation by hired guns on the process and product.  They benefitted from this strategy by getting all the waste hauling, substation, and landfill contracts in the state and region.  The consultants yielded to this well funded push, and, further, had no experience in composting.  There may be two or four on the east coast who actually can design an effective and workable site.  The others are in it for the money without proper experience.

The second problem area was local government and bureaucracy.  The priority was to build empires, not serve the public good.  I.E., more salaries, more power.  More fees, more salaries.  Almost to a one, the local govts opened their own facilities because they were enabled to do so by the recycling law (biased toward local govts), refused competent outside contracts, and ran the projects into the ground.  One example was a town which spent around six million, that;s right $6,000,000, then closed the site because of odors and public opinion.  Had it been properly designed and installed, it would have saved taxpayers money over the years and served as an example of good recycling.  I can not think of another way to convince policy makers to vote for a trucking contract with WM or BFI other than to shut down the competition.  Strange that our one-time county waste manager used to be an employee of one of those firms who happened to date a county bureaucrat.

And how about the county tax administrator who lost a half billion of tax base records two days before the budget meeting.  Oh, that's right, she went to work for Alamance County as tax administrator.  Oh, no, she was 'encouraged' to leave that job too.

Ah, well, such is the wisdom of county government.  My problem is that I have a long memory.  My other problem is that I have developed a shorter fuse the older I get.

Is is time to hold a citizen's meeting on the county budget?

Tom Glendinning
You know where to find me, boys (& girls.)

--------------------  15  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 11:22:11 -0400
From: indigo...@aol.com
Subject: * First Sunday Shopping Fun *

Greetings Chatham County Neighbors,

The following is an open invitation to all ladies (young & old).

A modest gathering of ladies (ages 6 to 61) got together in Beautiful Downtown Pittsboro
on May 3 and had a Grand Time!? We enjoyed a mouth watering breakfast at Virlie's Grill,
we played dress up, purchased gorgeous items, danced to country music,
wiggled and twirled with hula hoops, shopped some more, had more yummy
food, laughed and played some more.? Our only problem was that we were having so much fun in
each shop, that it was very difficult to leave.? As a result, we only visited about half of the
shops that were open.? We'll just have to challenge ourselves this Sunday to move along a little
faster and spread the joy and fun to as many shops as we can.
We're looking forward to another delightful First Sunday in Beautiful Downtown Pittsboro.? Please join us.

* First Sunday Shopping Fun *? ?

Dear Beautiful Ladies & Girls,

Let's get together on Sunday, June 7 in downtown Pittsboro
and treat ourselves to a fun fashion shopping spree. ?
Meet up with us at any time.? Support our Pittsboro shops!

Dress for a fun time.? Express yourself!

11:00 AM - Coffee/Tea/Juice or Breakfast at Virlie's Grill
12:00 PM - Our first shopping fun stop - The French Connection.
?? ??? ?From there we will stop at shops as we walk toward
?? ??? ?The Courthouse.? After Beggars & Choosers, we will cross ?? ????
??????? the street and enjoy more shopping fun.? We will have a
?? ??? ?Helium balloon marker at each stop we make so that
?? ??? ?any one can join us at any time.? We will end our lovely
?? ???? time together at Unity Books & Espresso Brazil.
?? ???????? Hugs Good Bye until text time?? ; )

*Questions? Contact: Nona (Amena) Mensah * n...@lighthousevisions.com

--------------------  16  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 12:15:31 -0400
From: everyday krauser uberde...@gmail.com
Subject: Antonella's refuses the Plenty

I can think of many reason's a small salon in town would refuse the
plenty. One of the main sources of income for hairdresser's is tip's
and i imagine that their main expenses consist of bill's just like the
rest of us. Sure there are many situation's in which the plenty is a
viable alternative to cash and helps promote local spending, i.e
Chatham market place, unity books, local downtown food. But as far as
a small Salon trying to stay afloat i think handing someone plenty's
for a haircut and as a tip is ridiculous. Also paying your employees
in Plenty's? Seriously..So where do they get the cash to pay for
necessities like electricity, water? What if they need gas to get to
and from work? Do the local gas stations suddenly accept plenties?
Trade in their paycheck for 10% less of what they were given? My wife
and I try to shop at Chatham Marketplace most of the time but honestly
the prices for some items are just to high for us and they dont
exactly have a large selection of meats, we love getting food in town
but those of us facing hard economic times need cash to pay our bills.
The plenty is a novelty that my idealistic mind wishes would work but
I fear it is just going to fizzle out as a novelty and get phased out
considering the limited locations it can be used.

Evan K

--------------------  17  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 17:50:16 +0000
From: vinits...@aol.com
Subject: To Matt who is boycotting Antonellas

To Matt who is boycotting Antonellas:

If you want to use Plenty, that's your prerogative, but I don't. If my employer tried to pay me with this stuff as you suggested, I would have a fit, and would be supported by the labor board. Cashing in a dollar for 90 cents doesn't thrill me either. The idea to use Plenty was an idea of few, and to ask everyone to support it by not using vendors that don't accept  it is a form of financial blackmail against the very people you claim to support, and it stinks. Antonella is a nice lady trying to provide a much needed service in our little town. Don't go back if you don't want to, but don't ask others to do the same.
Be nice, and respect her decision.

Vini

--------------------  18  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 14:05:09 -0400
From: Samantha Birchard sambirch...@gmail.com
Subject: Story time, 4 pm every Thursday starting June 4

Pittsboro Toys will be hosting story time every Thursday at 4 pm starting
this Thursday, June 4. Please come by! We've lined up lots of great local
talent!

We are located at 89 C Hillsboro St., entrance on Salisbury St. Call
542-4885 with any questions.

--------------------  19  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 14:30:21 -0400
From: jeanejglas...@aol.com
Subject: Beware of Matthew Rudolf, Pittsboro Plenty's Goodwill Ambassador

WARNING! Merchants of Chatham County - Be on the lookout for this man: Matthew Rudolf - http://www.biofuels.coop/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/matt_2.jpg

Matthew Rudolf, Executive Director of Piedmont Fuels (919-321-8260), Pittsboro Plenty's Goodwill Ambassador is patrolling the streets of Pittsboro looking for those businesses that do not accept the Pittsboro Plenty alternative currency.

Despite your efforts to provide the best posibble efforts you may make to please your customers, Mr. Rudolf will attempt to shame you publicly if he is NOT able to "offload" his Plenties on you.

Matthew Rudolf will claim that he is only trying to support your local business by offloading his Plenties.

Matthew Rudolf will try to convince you that it is a good idea to use your position of authority in your business to offload the Plenty funny money on your employees. (Can anyone say "company scrip")

Matthew Rudolf claims the Pittsboro Plenty is a community effort. It is NOT! The push for this currency is being done by a small group of individuals.

Matthew Rudolf claims that the Plenty has put Pittsboro on the map. I have a 20 year old map of North Carolina that has Pittsboro on the map. What puts Pittboro on the map and is a source of it's uniqueness is it's downhome Southern hospitality and not the actions of some boorish individuals.

Of course, Mr. Rudolf will give you permission to exchange the Plenty with Capital Bank as a last resort.

And if you are simply too dense to comprehend all the benefits of accepting the Plenty at your local business, Mr. Matthew Rudolf, Executive Director of Piedmont Fuels (919-321-8260) and the Pittsboro Plenty's Goodwill Ambassador, will round up your frineds and have them speak to you, and explain to you, why the Plenty is a good thing for your business. (If this fails are we to see reeducation camps opeing soon?)

Jeannie G

--------------------------------------
Date: Sat, 30 May 2009 21:24:40 +0200
From: Matthew Rudolf ma...@biofuels.coop
Subject: Antonella's refuses the Plenty

Although I agree that Antonella's Salon is an excellent salon, I am frustrated by their refusal to take the Plenty.  Last weekend I got a haircut there and when I gave my tip in Plenty's I was informed that they were not accepted there.  When I asked Antonella why she didn't take the Plenty she told me that it wouldn't work for her business, that she couldn't pay her vendors in Plenty's, that she had already lowered her prices due to the poor financial crisis, etc...In fact she was borderline defensive in her refusal of the Plenty.

I found this strange - First of all, the Plenty is a community effort  
to support local businesses like hers.  They should be supportive.  
Secondly, you can always pay your employees a percentage of their  
wages in Plenty's, so there will always be a means to offload them.  
Third, it is movements like the Plenty that put Pittsboro on the map and help our community grow in the right direction.  We need more people to see the value in the uniqueness of our town, and that requires a level of support.  Finally, if you REALLY cannot offload them Plenty's may be exchanged for dollars at Capital bank (for a 10% loss), which is right next door to Antonella's.  The idea is to not do this unless absolutely necessary, but there is no risk of getting completely stuck with something with no value, that is the whole reason the Plenty group spent so much time setting this system up with Capital Bank, to provide security for businesses to join.

To be quite honest, I will not be returning to Antonella's Salon until they decide to accept the Plenty.  So I urge those of you that have a good relationship with Antonella's to speak with her and explain why the Plenty is a good thing for her business and our town.

Matt Rudolf

--------------------  20  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 16:30:08 -0400
From: Amy Bulbrook cajun...@gmail.com
Subject: antonella's and the Plenty

In response to the poster who has a problem with Antonella not accepting the
Plenty:
It is your right to refuse to do business with them if that is what you
choose. I have been a customer of hers since they opened and I appreciate
the salon (and Antonella) very much. Each business in this town has the
right to decide what form of payment they will accept. I don't blame her for
her choice. Who in their right mind would accept a currency that can only be
used with select vendors, and knowingly cash it in for "real" money at a 10%
loss?  She is a solid member of the business community, just like others in
town. If this is her decision, and you choose not to frequent her salon, I'm
sorry for you both, but please don't start a ban on businesses that won't
accept the Plenty. If you do that, many other businesses in town will also
suffer.

Amy Bulbrook

--------------------  21  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 16:43:01 -0400
From: "Al Manning" amann...@richkwok.com
Subject: Fw: Writers' Morning Out

Subject: Writers' Morning Out

 The North Carolina Writers' Network will host a Writers Morning Out at  11:00
 a.m., Saturday, June 6 at Unity Books & Stuff, 80 Hillsboro St, Pittsboro.

 Anyone interested in writing is invited to come for a casual hour of
 interaction with other writers.  Poets, fiction writers, essayists,
 published, unpublished or just interested in the craft of writing are
 invited.

 For more information, call Al Manning, 828-506-5320, or by email to
 amann...@richkwok.com

--------------------  22  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 16:55:07 -0400
From: julia kennedy kennedy...@gmail.com
Subject: Oxymoron anyone?

Local business and Plenty

So let me get this straight; because a LOCALLY owned business feels Plenty
is not a viable currency for their needs, you are boycotting said LOCAL
business? Isn't this, oh, I don't know, defeating the very purpose of
Plenty? So you would have been perfectly happy to support this business if
the existence of a local currency was not an option? Hmmm...
I am thrilled to use Plenty and am planning to take it in payment myself but
if a local business does not feel it benefits them than I respect their
decision. They have a much better idea of their needs and bottom line than I
do. And may I also mention, if you have been to any LOCAL fundraisers,
Antonella has generously provided gift certificates as auction prizes for
many LOCAL non-profits and Burrito Bashes.

Oxymoron anyone?

Julia Kennedy

--------------------  23  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 18:25:35 -0400
From: "joyce" jo...@thegeneralstorecafe.com
Subject: Music this Week (All Week Events beginning Monday, June 1)

This week at the General Store Café

We will be featuring Shag Dancing Monday, June 1, 6:30-10 pm with a FREE
LESSON at 6:30, a Burrito Bash for the Chatham Art Guild & Abundance
Foundation Tuesday, June 2, 6-9 pm, Jazz with Bernie Petteway on
Thursday, June 4, 7-9 pm, See No Weevil on Friday, June 5, 8:30-11:00
pm, and the Gravy Boys on Saturday, June 6, 8:30-11:00 pm. Enjoy our
Sunday Brunch on Sunday, June 7 from 9 – 3 pm and because it is First
Sunday, all the shops will be open. Laine & Avis will perform 12-2 pm
and at 4:30-7 pm we will feature our Sunday Night Jazz with Tony Galiani

Don't forget to check our website for additional details at
www.thegeneralstorecafe.com.

--------------------  24  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 15:31:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Tori M." torima...@yahoo.com
Subject: VCE PTA Fashion Show Thursday at 5 p.m.

Come to Virginia Cross Elementary School on Thursday, June 4th to see our fifth graders in their PTA Thrift Store finest.

VCE's Fifth Graders present the second annual Fashion Show at 5 o'clock!

Virginia Cross Elementary School is located at 234 Cross School Road, off of Alston Bridge Road in Siler City.  742-4279.

Thanks for your support of our children,
Miss Tori

If you use itunes to buy music, please consider going through Goodshop. com first and entering Virginia Cross Elementary School at the charity.

We need funding!
Our id number is 868065
Thanks, and spread the word.

--------------------  25  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 20:54:30 EDT
From: Bprenti...@aol.com
Subject: Response to Matt Rudolf's PLENTY opinion

Wow..  I just read Matt Rudolf's posting saying that Antonella's  Salon
has decided, for business reasons, to not accept the PLENTY, and that he  
would no longer be their customer because of that. I think this TOTALLY misses  
the point of the PLENTY. Now, let me preface this by saying I am not
involved  in, nor have I even really formed an opinion about either "item" in this  
post(Antonella's, or the PLENTY) . But my understanding is that the PLENTY  
is there to show support for local stores and services, and to give
customers of  those local stores and services a 10% discount, with that cost being
borne by  the vendor that accepts them. If that vendor can then find a
supplier (another  vendor) to take their PLENTY as cash, they then pass off the
10% discount burden  to the supplier. If not, they eat that 10% discount by
converting PLENTY back to  cash.

So it really depends on the financial state of the vendor as to whether  
they can afford an additional 10% discount, particularly if they cannot find a
 supplier to accept those bills. So if this portrayal of the program is
correct,  then I question why Mr. Rudolf might boycott a store or service if
they  won't accept the PLENTY. If others took this same opinion, it would do  
nothing but harm the local economy by financially threatening local  
businesses. Is Pittsboro supposed to be a "PLENTYs only" financial market? I  
don't think so. So to threaten to take away your business from a local merchant  
because they don't participate says to me that you have the priority  
backwards... its not "Local businesses for the good of the PLENTY program" its  
"the PLENTY program for the good of the local businesses."

As I said, I don't really have a dog in this fight but would hate to see  
the PLENTY program hurting local business, or someone hurting the PLENTY
program  by intimidating local vendors into accepting them.

Just my opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

--------------------  26  --------------------
Date: Sun, 31 May 2009 20:51:33 -0500
From: MR ED dogman...@gmail.com
Subject: The absurdity in Mr. Rudolf's demands

In regards to Matt Rudolfs' "boycott" of ANTONELLA'S salon, I see tyranny
of the "do gooders" at their most transparent moment.  How ridiculous is it
to force a small, struggling business to accept PLENTY in lieu of real
money?  VERY!  Try paying your state and federal taxes in PLENTY.  Because
ANTONELLA'S doesn't conform to YOUR idea of "the right direction" for
Pittsboro, should they be penalized?  I'm hoping most Chatlist subscibers
can see the absurdity in Mr. Rudolfs' demands that ANTONELLA'S conform to
his rigid "idealism" for Pittsboro. Losing 10% of your gross income can make
or break a small business Mr. Rudolf.

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