How to Build a Stool

How to Build a Stool is an article I wrote with info that my father, Jerry Pokras, a DIY expert, provided. Thanks, Dad!

sketchgrrl

Vote for Us and Come to Our Celebration Party When We Win!

Please vote 10 stars for our two-minute audio pitch in an entrepreneurial start-ups contest!

If we win you will be invited to a big Sarasota, Florida party in our new cafe!

Judges will choose the winner from the entries that have the most stars and the most votes.

If you would like to vote for us every day, that would be awesome!

Here's the link:

http://tinyurl.com/7v4mdl

Don't Miss An Inspiring, Tree Saving Program on WSLR Radio at 9 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 26

Tune in to Truly Sustainable Sarasota on FM radio station WSLR, 96.5 at 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 26 (or listen live online at http://wslr.org/listen-live/). That's when host Vicki Chelf will interview Turner Tree and Landscape of Bradenton's CEO Darrell Turner about how his company saves beautiful, mature trees. They dig them up from construction sites, then replant and care for them--for years, if necessary--and then replant them at the original site when the construction is completed.  Truly sustainable and truly inspiring!  If you miss the live broadcast, you can listen to a podcast of it here.

An Open Letter To FL Governor Charlie Cri

Following is a letter a friend of mine wrote to Florida's Governor Charlie Crist. This is a letter that needs to be circulated widely; I invite you to blog about it and e-mail it around:

Dear Governor,

I have lived in Sarasota for most of my life. I have eked out an existence working and having a few low end rentals on the side. This was a rough yet rewarding existence helping those folks who were down. Renting to the poor I have never been able to get first, last and security. People do not have it. Especially today. Now there is no work to be had in this town translating to a real shortage of tenants. The current batch are all so far behind I am facing having to evict three. I have not had to do an eviction in ten or more years. Imagine my chagrin when I discovered that it will now cost me OVER FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH to evict. That is if I do all the work myself and go through all the hoops myself and make sure not to cross one i or dot one t or it starts all over again from the beginning. All this in my free time. Even if the tenants do not fight leaving - because they cannot afford to go anywhere - I will be out several months rent and the huge repair costs to rehab three units. It is coming down to leaving the tenants in place and giving the property to the bank. I have worked my whole life for this. Shame on you and your ilk. Your approval rating with me just dropped its last ten points to zero. I am also letting everyone I know about this your alternate form of taxation. Shame on you.

Vincent Dessberg
BellaGlass.com

The Hypocrisy of the Sarasota, FL Chamber of Commerce

Following is a letter that a friend of mine sent to the Sarasota, Florida Chamber of Commerce (and by the way, his decorative glass items are gorgeous):


Dear Sarasota Chamber,

I have been a Chamber member for almost a year and I am not planning to renew my membership. The reason is that I no longer believe that the Chamber's mission is to promote Sarasota and its businesses and not just to keep my dollars flowing to the Chamber itself. The one idea I felt important enough to suggest which I sent via email months ago, did not even warrant an auto-responder saying thanks or no thanks or even kiss my ass. Way to show support of Members and Sarasota businesses! Sadly the same can be said about a couple of commissioners.

On the morning of September 22, I got to talk to a very nice lady who was calling Chamber members to let them know that their Chamber once again wants more money. This time, to place an ad on the ad display racks in the Chamber lobby. In chatting with the lady, I found out that she was calling from Charlotte and she told me that a lot of Floridians have settled there recently. As my current business is not succeeding here in Sarasota, perhaps I could land a position with the Sarasota Chamber while living in Charlotte. Charlotte would be great, and I would not even mind phone work. Though, I am guessing that phone work, according to the Chamber website, is not "work compatible with our community standards." Otherwise, why would the Chamber have outsourced it to Charlotte when many Sarasotans are eagerly looking for work?

Also please let me know when the display racks and display rack management contracts are coming up for renewal as I would be in Charlotte already and thus could bid on them.

Sincerely,
Vincent

Vincent Dessberg
BellaGlass.com

Rock Drummers Are Top Jocks

Research study says that rock drummers have the stamina of top athletes. Rockers as jocks, anyone?