Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 13:45:18 -0400
From: “jaime*chandra
Subject: Why I LOVE the PLENTY!

Hi Chatlisters!

Many of you know me “in real life” and many of you do not.

I am Jaime Chandra, a local business owner, non-profit worker, and Vice
President of the PLENTY Currency Cooperative Board of Trustees.

Today I’d like to share the reasons I LOVE the PLENTY. After all, this is
why I decided to volunteer my time and energy to the revitalization effort.

1 – It’s pretty and I like pretty things. Emma Skurnick’s artwork is
beautiful!!! It is far more visually pleasing to use on a daily basis than
dollars and plastic credit/debit cards.
2 – It promotes local economy. It can only be spent in the piedmont/triangle
area and is typically only accepted by locally-owned businesses. Its like
barter but easier.
3 – It is a great conversation piece. Active, vibrant conversation is
important to our growth as humans engaged in a community. Every good idea is
worth of debate and critique.
4 – It is unique. Other states might have a local currency, but no one else
has a Piedmont Local EcoNomy Tender. This is unique to our region in North
Carolina AND it is newsworthy! It’s been featured over 30 times in
international news. How cool!
5 – It is resilient. The PLENTY continued to circulate even when the
organization behind it lost steam.
6 – It belongs to everyone. The PLENTY is a Community Currency that exists
to bring awareness to and strengthen local economy. No one person or
organization stands to profit from the PLENTY or even owns it. The
organization helping support and promote it is a Cooperative that anyone can
join, vote, and be heard. And being a member is not required to accept it.
There is no exclusive club. This is for everyone who *wants* to participate
and at whatever level they want.

I remember getting my first PLENTY in 2006 at a yoga class in Carrboro just
a couple months after moving to Pittsboro from Florida. I really didn’t know
what to do with it. I put it on my bulletin board and admired the beauty…
I didn’t want to spend something so pretty. More and more clients started
paying with PLENTYs and now I get to use them everyday. I am so lucky!

One of my favorite things to do is leave PLENTY as a tip when dining or
getting services done around the Triangle. I often leave both PLENTYs and
cash because I understand that people value different things than myself. It
is my way of slowly introducing people to the PLENTY. I’ve been thinking of
creating a little card that I can leave with it that explains the mission
and where it can be spent to help educate.

When the Shop Chatham card is ready, I full intend to support it both as a
business and consumer. The more ways to promote local and strengthen our
community, the better!

Matt Rudolph is a friend of mine, he is a wonderful human with good
intentions. His post was not skillful. All of us have made mistakes in our
lives, it is one of the uniting qualities of being human. He has done what
so many cannot – publicly apologized. Kudos, Matt!
I have not known Melissa Frey very long, but the PLENTY Currency Cooperative
is happy to have her on board as our executive director. We felt that her
experience opening the marketplace would be beneficial. Melissa also has
good intentions in building our community and strengthening our economy.
Chatham Marketplace is a fabulous asset to this community, without it, my
fiance and I would need to travel to chapel hill to shop in order meet our
dietary needs. I am very grateful to everyone who helped create this
fabulous market!

Lyle Estill and everyone at Piedmont Biofuels are an absolute inspiration to
me. The fact that my fiance can commute to work everyday on fuel created by
*waste* vegetable oil and get 35+ miles per gallon doing it is just plain
AMAZING. The fact that I can fire dance using sustainable and non-toxic
fuels makes me giddy every time I light up. The community of intelligent and
progressive people that formed around the project brings joy to my life
daily.  AND… my *favorite part* of the project – the FARMERS! An
unsuspecting group of people to have associated with a industrial plant, but
alas… its a great union. Piedmont Biofarm & Edible Earthscapes farm rock
my world every week with their sustainably grown vegetables.

Our Chatham County community is absolutely amazing and diverse. Our ideas,
beliefs, and opinions come from all ends of the spectrum. Yet we are all
ONE. We are more similar than different. Diversity is what makes us strong,
let’s celebrate it!

I love each and every one of you and THANK YOU for being who YOU truly are..

~Jaime Chandra Kozlowski

Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist
Registered Yoga Teacher
c. 919.200.9569
w. jaimechandra.com

The Abundance Foundation
local food~renewable energy~community
p. 919-533-5181
m. P O Box 1113 ~ Pittsboro, NC 27312
w. theabundancefoundation.org

Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 10:47:23 -0400
From: mary51802
Subject: Enough talk about the Plenty

Enough talk about the Plenty but there is another problem. Most local businesses charge more than the regular etailers and in a time when money is tight that is difficult.

I went to the Marketplace and was astounded by some of the dry goods prices compared to regular stores. I know, I know that “organic ” is good but why does it cost more than organic say at Harris Teeter? Seems like if you do not use pesticides it would be cheaper. I know they can offer more so it is cheaper but that is a tightrope we all walk in this economy. I would rather spend 2.00 on 10 pounds of rice at Food Lion that 5.00 on a 1/2 pound which I have seen. I try my best to support local, I go to the Sodashop, I go to the Feed Store, and the drug store, and use a local vet’s office but most specialty shops are too high in price. They need to work on more deals. I do shop in Siler City and Goldston but that is also supporting the county, which is a better way to go. We would do better not being exlusionary in these times but trading with our county and around our state.

Our forefathers tried to do everything local only for awhile and they discovered not one place had everything they needed. No shock there!

Date: Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:24:55 -0400
From: Jody
Subject: Re: “hateful message”

“Do those of you that write as hateful of messages as this one below stop to think even for a moment about the impact you are making on this sweet community or on your own well being?”

Did you not understand the part about someone adding me to a junk mail list for posting against their views on the Chatlist?  And somehow me blasting off steam over that is “hateful?”

Look, Cathy, “hateful” requires “hate.”  I didn’t rattle off about what a horrible person Melissa was or other untruthful hurtful nonsense for adding me to a Plenty mailing list without my permission and with the knowledge that I probably did not want to receive it in the first place.  Don’t accuse me of “posting hateful messages” without understanding what happened, why it made me angry, and why it was such a disgusting act to take towards me in the first place.

The Chatlist has specific guidelines that state it is not to be used to populate mailing lists.  Spam is a serious problem as it is, but it goes deeper with the Plenty mailing list incident because of two factors.  One, it was a Chatham neighbor who took this unethical course of action rather than a Romanian spammer, and two, the person seemed to me to be doing this precisely because I expressed a disagreement with their beliefs.  I see it as a digital way of spitting in my face over my opinion, and the fact that I never thought someone on the Chatlist would do something like that…but did anyway…left me in a state of disgusted shock.  I’ve always felt that the Chatlist, no matter how vicious, has been civil enough that I could participate if I so desired.  Incidents like these bring that feeling into question: what mailing list am I going to get signed up for next via a disgruntled Chatlist reader who disagrees with me?  Am I going to start getting junk snail mail at my business as well over a Chatlist post?

I admit, I was quite upset when I posted that, but describing it as hateful is a big stretch, in my opinion.  I don’t usually get that annoyed, either, so you probably won’t have to deal with it again.

To answer your question “if this type of thing brings up such a growl in you then how in the world do you react when something truly difficult happens in your life?” I’d say that the way something is expressed in textual form can be read very differently by two different people because much of the context we use in daily conversation is lost when converting to a lifeless typeface.  I’m outspoken and blunt in real life, but I’m not angry or retaliatory, and I know when to pick my battles.  Text doesn’t carry verbal tone, body language, and even a lot of context is lost in translation.  It’s important to write with the consideration that other people will be reading our text so that we minimize misunderstandings, but simultaneously accept that we can’t predict 100% of the interpretations and that someone, such as in this case, may interpret it in a way we didn’t think about and a mess may ensue despite our best efforts.  Apologies for that.

Jody

Date: Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:02:42 -0400
From: Jody
Subject: Re: Regarding my post

Matt,

The main issue for me regarding your post is that of being a good customer.  Us business owners are expected by some to do whatever the person walking in the door wants, no matter how far out or even impossible that request may be, and we’re viewed in a negative light when we refuse to fulfill such requests.

I recognize that part of the problem is that most customers are *not* business owners, and because of that they don’t necessarily understand all of the factors involved.  No one is to be blamed for not knowing something that no one tells them about and that they have never needed to know just to live, which is why my goal is to educate.  Trying to place blame or play politics doesn’t do anything but appeal to emotions, and that’s why both in life and in-shop, I don’t tolerate either.  Education of others is key; we can all learn something from each other that mutually enriches our lives. That’s how I run my computer shop, and I’d like to think that’s why people like to talk to me.

You think (thought?) the Plenty is/was a good idea, and you wanted to encourage businesses to get on board with it.  That’s how things like this take off.  The problem is that this pseudo-currency is bad for business owners who must participate in a globally dependent economy which requires actual dollar bills.  Ms. Frey told me via email yesterday that the poor exchange rate of $0.90 for one Plenty is to “encourage the currency to stay in circulation.”  That makes no sense when all of the outside vendors a business relies on require dollars for payment, and it weakens the Plenty-taker’s purchasing power in that regard.  I have hashed out the exact details already in previous Chatlist posts, so I will not repeat them here; suffice it to say that the Plenty simply cannot work in its current form, and many business
owners agree with that statement.

My goal is dealing in the facts and seeing the whole picture.  A major problem with society today is that so many people do not step back and take a look at the larger, more distant, and far-reaching consequences of what “seemed like a good idea at the time.”  That’s what I’m all about, and if I have helped in that regard, that’s all I care about.  If not, I’m always open to questioning for anyone who is interested in what
I have to say.

Jody

Matthew Rudolf wrote:
Jody-
I wanted to let you know that today I posted another apology to Antonella and to the PLENTY group whom I misrepresented.  I recognize that I was wrong to target her on the Chatlist, and I regret doing so.  Melissa may have made a different error, but she should not be criticized for the bigger one that I made.

Matt

Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 06:58:37 -0400
From: Matthew Rudolf
Subject: Regarding the Antonella’s Post

Reading over today’s chatlist posts I would like to say once again that I was in the wrong in as much as I used the PLENTY to discriminate against Antonella’s.  I recognize I was unfair to Antonella’s and also that I misrepresented the PLENTY group, who has stated clearly that the PLENTY should not be used to target groups that do not accept it.  I would like to sincerely apologize to both for that.  I also sent a private apology to Antonella over email yesterday.

Matt

Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 15:56:25 -0400
From: Sandy Bassone
Subject: Re: PLENTY & Melissa Frey

FYI…. Re: PLENTY & Melissa Frey.

If Memory serves me right, Melissa was involved in the opening of the Chatham Market Place.

She may have a vested interest in it and then she moves on to start other market places in other communities.
When she was here she had an attitude that others may have experienced as Gene did.

I am wondering about how the monies are handled in this clever marketing scheme.
It also doesn’t make the Marketplace look good and does she represent them in regard to the plenty.

We need full disclosure of her activities regarding the Plenty & Chatham Market Place.

Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 15:20:43 -0400
From: Expectations
Subject: I am missing PLENTY

I must be missing something about this PLENTY MONEY.  Somebody somewhere must be planning on making a lot of money off this deal. Is that Bio-group really so smart?

Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 15:06:18 -0400 (EDT)
From: dismay2164
Subject: Plenty of chips

“I was strongly considering giving the plenty a shot, but …. Pittsboro has gained the drama and stupidity of your average high school clique.

But … yeah, BUY LOCAL and stuff! rah rah rah”

– Eric Shook- Chatlist# 3432

My, my, it must really be a chore to balance such a large chip on one’s shoulder 24 hrs a day, day in, day out. Baby, don’t let your dogs run loose on me.

Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:48:33 -0700
From: Donna Bianco
Subject: Accepting the PLENTY

I was on the cusp of filling out an application, (it’s actually still on my desktop with every line filled except the Payment Option) but now I’m putting that on hold.  I want everyone to know that I also don’t take Discover or American Express because of the extra fees to use those particular cards (which may even be less than the 10% that the PLENTY charges), but I have never had a customer not pay or walk away because I don’t accept those cards, which has happened with customers who come and want to pay with the PLENTY./div

I may, in the future, take Amex and Discover as well as the PLENTY, but for now the possibility of registering for the PLENTY has dropped from the top of my list of things to do.

I’m glad the majority of opinions voiced over the last few days are “Buy Local” not “Buy Local and use the Plenty”.

I also feel that Matt really is not the majority voice here based on the chatlist entries and really should be reconsidering his values and thought processes on this one.

Anyone associated with the development and distribution of the PLENTY, in my view, should be putting a bit of pressure on Matt to apologize to Antonella.

Have a wonderful week and come eat some fabulous pasta!!!!!

Donna Bianco
Our Neighborhood School, Inc.
87 Thompson Street
Pittsboro, NC 27312

919-545-0900 Pizzeria/School
919-545-0920 Fax

Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 12:36:41 -0400
From: Cathy Holt
Subject: plenty

I’m stunned. I’ve been out of town so had not read the chatlist for awhile. I had no idea that something as benign as the concept of the Plenty could bring out so much division in a community.

Do those of you that write as hateful of messages as this one below stop to think even for a moment about the impact you are making on this sweet community or on your own well being? The cost to you and to the rest of us is not small. If you think that some of your neighbors get into quirky, eclectic things then can that not amuse you rather than irk you? What I love about our community is that it is so filled with unique people. Let there be space for all of us……..the one’s that want to mess with Plenty’s and the ones that don’t. For heaven sakes……..if this type of thing brings up such a growl in you then how in the world do you react when something truly difficult happens in your life?

Before writing any hateful messages on this valuable list please stop, take a moment to breathe and then reconsider your tone.
Thank you,
Cathy Holt
http://www.cathyholtyoga.com