Commerce Based On Circle Wisdom

Posted on December 17th, 2008 by Marc Choyt

This past May, while receiving an award from Mayor Coss and the Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Business, I viewed my physical surroundings: the wood on the tables, plated food, concrete, drywall, lighting and carpet, and wondered about the true cost of these commodities to the communities that produced them.

My sensitivity to the issue of transparency is acute because I am actively working to counter the ravages of commoditization within the jewelry sector.  I know the gold in your wedding ring, unless it was recycled, may well have caused three tons of mercury laden sludge to be poured into a river where some child bathes every day. Perhaps you bought a diamond in the nineties, thus unintentionally funding wars resulting in the death of 3.7 million Africans.

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // Add Comment »

What is ‘The Circle Manifesto’?

Posted on April 24th, 2008 by Marc Choyt

A Manifesto is a term for a doctrine of public import, though it often implies something revolutionary. The Circle approach to business as outlined here is the razor’s edge of social corporate responsibility. It is too late for sustainability. Business practices must work ultimately toward regeneration of our stressed systems, in our communities and our environment. Moreover, we have to show how this can be profitable; otherwise it will be too late for the mainstream to get it.

Here’s my definition, which I use for testing decisions: [Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // Add Comment »

Using Circle Energy To Break Through Communication Barriers And Energy Blocks In A Critical Project

Posted on October 15th, 2007 by Marc Choyt

I have not posted for quite some time, mainly because I do not have the time to write for 2 blogs while working on the strategic elements of our company, developing a re-design of our website and attending shows most weekends in Aug/Sept.  Fairjewelry.org was prioritized over circlemanifesto, for now.

We are nearly done with the re-design of celticjewelry.com. It should launch late Oct. A test version is already on line. The new design will incorporate a rating (FRE=fair, responsible and ecological) that can serve as a model for transparency for other jewelry companies.

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // 5 Comments »

Blogging For Socially Responsible Business

Posted on August 14th, 2007 by Marc Choyt

I am president of a designer jewelry company and for years, I always felt conflicted about having a business in a sector which has such a terrible record for environmental and social responsibility. To the progressive shopper, the jewelry industry is associated with blood diamonds, dirty gold, and lead poisoned jewelry imported from China.

I implemented a number of environmentally and socially responsible policies in my company, but that did not feel like enough. Then, in May, 2007, I started a blog that supports the movement to ethical sourced jewelry. It is currently the only blog of its kind in the jewelry sector. Immediately, the new blog became a focus for those involved in the ethical jewelry community. It was the first place where everyone could network and have a voice. Google ranked the site well within the first two weeks.

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // 4 Comments »

The Circle Manifesto: A New Economic Model Based On Ancient Wisdom

Posted on July 26th, 2007 by Marc Choyt

Most businesses are structured like pyramids. People and resources are used to benefit those at the top who set policy to achieve maximum profit. This narrow focus, mandated in publicly held companies by the law of our land, has turned our basic human need for exchange into a destructive pattern.

“Consumers” slowly undermine their own well being by supporting companies that function within local economies as neo-colonial entities. Money, disconnected from a place, is exported up to shareholders, leading to the fragmentation of economy and community. A few people at the top of the pyramid get very rich while we buy ten-dollar jeans at Wal-Mart and wonder where the money is for local schools.

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // 3 Comments »

Reflections on Rage: Making Room in My Circle for “The Man in the Swamp”

Posted on June 28th, 2007 by Marc Choyt

Paula Underwood, my Iroquois teacher, was fond of saying, “The amount of conflict you can incorporate into your circle is directly proportional to the amount of peace you will feel.”

Here’s some conflict I’ve let into my circle recently…

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // 16 Comments »

Leading from Behind: Leadership in a Circle-Based Business

Posted on June 14th, 2007 by Marc Choyt

My Iroquois teacher Paula Underwood, held ten thousand years of stories and history in her head. She called them her “data base.” The stories were the life lessons of a small group of people that valued learning above all else. The stories were in pots in her head, literally. Her father had planted seeds timed to sprout in the last part of her life. I was there when they came up through her poetic voice.

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // Add Comment »

As Eco-Friendly, Responsible and Fair as a Jeweler can be… Using the Chicken Scratch Method

Posted on June 6th, 2007 by Marc Choyt

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the largest of its kind in the world. Every hotel in Tucson is taken over. Glamour of the biggest and most expensive gems in the world, everything that glitters under the sun. What I see when I walk in there is a slag pile, miles long and who knows how high. Besides the environmental damage, how much ill treated labor was needed to create this mess?

It is just like going into a supermarket and seeing all the meat wrapped in plastic without the visit to the slaughterhouses of Greeley Colorado, or going to the gas pump without seeing the caskets come back from Iraq. Jewelry is no different than any other commodity.

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // 2 Comments »

Meditations On A Circle-Based Business

Posted on May 24th, 2007 by Marc Choyt

“A circle-based business is rooted in relationships that are nurtured by fair and equitable exchange. Every person inside and outside of the business is viewed as equal in their humanity.”

In 1995 my wife Helen and I started our jewelry business. That same year we purchased, with a few friends, pasture land with a creek and water rights in northern New Mexico. It is a place where the mountains and mesa meet the plains. Years of cattle grazing had made the pastures marginal and creek banks devoid of vegetation, yet the land was still beautiful.

[Read more →]

Tags: Circle Based Business // 2 Comments »

In My Business - What Keeps Me Up At Night?

Posted on August 17th, 2006 by Marc Choyt

What keeps me awake at night running a small business in today’s market place?: An elephant in a bikini.

dance hall elephant

I sell a lot to galleries and boutiques, as well as jewelry stores. The galleries and boutiques are hurting. A manufacturing representative who I have been working with for eight years — she is one of the best — is deciding to move out of her showroom to cut expenses because business is so down. My business to stores is down considerably. Yet jewelry stores are doing just fine with their high end.

[Read more →]

Tags: Altered States of Business // 1 Comment »

Start uga_insert_html_once: head, Footer hooked: HTML inserted: Location is HEAD Start uga_get_option: footer_hooked uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: footer_hooked () Inserting HTML since footer is not hooked End uga_insert_html Ending uga_wp_head_track: Start uga_filter:

This past May, while receiving an award from Mayor Coss and the Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Business, I viewed my physical surroundings: the wood on the tables, plated food, concrete, drywall, lighting and carpet, and wondered about the true cost of these commodities to the communities that produced them.

My sensitivity to the issue of transparency is acute because I am actively working to counter the ravages of commoditization within the jewelry sector.  I know the gold in your wedding ring, unless it was recycled, may well have caused three tons of mercury laden sludge to be poured into a river where some child bathes every day. Perhaps you bought a diamond in the nineties, thus unintentionally funding wars resulting in the death of 3.7 million Africans.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=79#more-79 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=79#more-79 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=79#more-79, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

This past May, while receiving an award from Mayor Coss and the Chamber of Commerce for Excellence in Business, I viewed my physical surroundings: the wood on the tables, plated food, concrete, drywall, lighting and carpet, and wondered about the true cost of these commodities to the communities that produced them.

My sensitivity to the issue of transparency is acute because I am actively working to counter the ravages of commoditization within the jewelry sector.  I know the gold in your wedding ring, unless it was recycled, may well have caused three tons of mercury laden sludge to be poured into a river where some child bathes every day. Perhaps you bought a diamond in the nineties, thus unintentionally funding wars resulting in the death of 3.7 million Africans.

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

A Manifesto is a term for a doctrine of public import, though it often implies something revolutionary. The Circle approach to business as outlined here is the razor’s edge of social corporate responsibility. It is too late for sustainability. Business practices must work ultimately toward regeneration of our stressed systems, in our communities and our environment. Moreover, we have to show how this can be profitable; otherwise it will be too late for the mainstream to get it.

Here’s my definition, which I use for testing decisions: [Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=75#more-75 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=75#more-75 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=75#more-75, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

A Manifesto is a term for a doctrine of public import, though it often implies something revolutionary. The Circle approach to business as outlined here is the razor’s edge of social corporate responsibility. It is too late for sustainability. Business practices must work ultimately toward regeneration of our stressed systems, in our communities and our environment. Moreover, we have to show how this can be profitable; otherwise it will be too late for the mainstream to get it.

Here’s my definition, which I use for testing decisions: [Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

I have not posted for quite some time, mainly because I do not have the time to write for 2 blogs while working on the strategic elements of our company, developing a re-design of our website and attending shows most weekends in Aug/Sept.  Fairjewelry.org was prioritized over circlemanifesto, for now.

We are nearly done with the re-design of celticjewelry.com. It should launch late Oct. A test version is already on line. The new design will incorporate a rating (FRE=fair, responsible and ecological) that can serve as a model for transparency for other jewelry companies.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=74#more-74 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=74#more-74 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=74#more-74, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

I have not posted for quite some time, mainly because I do not have the time to write for 2 blogs while working on the strategic elements of our company, developing a re-design of our website and attending shows most weekends in Aug/Sept.  Fairjewelry.org was prioritized over circlemanifesto, for now.

We are nearly done with the re-design of celticjewelry.com. It should launch late Oct. A test version is already on line. The new design will incorporate a rating (FRE=fair, responsible and ecological) that can serve as a model for transparency for other jewelry companies.

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

I am president of a designer jewelry company and for years, I always felt conflicted about having a business in a sector which has such a terrible record for environmental and social responsibility. To the progressive shopper, the jewelry industry is associated with blood diamonds, dirty gold, and lead poisoned jewelry imported from China.

I implemented a number of environmentally and socially responsible policies in my company, but that did not feel like enough. Then, in May, 2007, I started a blog that supports the movement to ethical sourced jewelry. It is currently the only blog of its kind in the jewelry sector. Immediately, the new blog became a focus for those involved in the ethical jewelry community. It was the first place where everyone could network and have a voice. Google ranked the site well within the first two weeks.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=73#more-73 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=73#more-73 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=73#more-73, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

I am president of a designer jewelry company and for years, I always felt conflicted about having a business in a sector which has such a terrible record for environmental and social responsibility. To the progressive shopper, the jewelry industry is associated with blood diamonds, dirty gold, and lead poisoned jewelry imported from China.

I implemented a number of environmentally and socially responsible policies in my company, but that did not feel like enough. Then, in May, 2007, I started a blog that supports the movement to ethical sourced jewelry. It is currently the only blog of its kind in the jewelry sector. Immediately, the new blog became a focus for those involved in the ethical jewelry community. It was the first place where everyone could network and have a voice. Google ranked the site well within the first two weeks.

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

Most businesses are structured like pyramids. People and resources are used to benefit those at the top who set policy to achieve maximum profit. This narrow focus, mandated in publicly held companies by the law of our land, has turned our basic human need for exchange into a destructive pattern.

“Consumers” slowly undermine their own well being by supporting companies that function within local economies as neo-colonial entities. Money, disconnected from a place, is exported up to shareholders, leading to the fragmentation of economy and community. A few people at the top of the pyramid get very rich while we buy ten-dollar jeans at Wal-Mart and wonder where the money is for local schools.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=72#more-72 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=72#more-72 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=72#more-72, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

Most businesses are structured like pyramids. People and resources are used to benefit those at the top who set policy to achieve maximum profit. This narrow focus, mandated in publicly held companies by the law of our land, has turned our basic human need for exchange into a destructive pattern.

“Consumers” slowly undermine their own well being by supporting companies that function within local economies as neo-colonial entities. Money, disconnected from a place, is exported up to shareholders, leading to the fragmentation of economy and community. A few people at the top of the pyramid get very rich while we buy ten-dollar jeans at Wal-Mart and wonder where the money is for local schools.

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

Paula Underwood, my Iroquois teacher, was fond of saying, “The amount of conflict you can incorporate into your circle is directly proportional to the amount of peace you will feel.”

Here’s some conflict I’ve let into my circle recently…

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=71#more-71 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=71#more-71 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=71#more-71, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

Paula Underwood, my Iroquois teacher, was fond of saying, “The amount of conflict you can incorporate into your circle is directly proportional to the amount of peace you will feel.”

Here’s some conflict I’ve let into my circle recently…

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

My Iroquois teacher Paula Underwood, held ten thousand years of stories and history in her head. She called them her “data base.” The stories were the life lessons of a small group of people that valued learning above all else. The stories were in pots in her head, literally. Her father had planted seeds timed to sprout in the last part of her life. I was there when they came up through her poetic voice.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A347 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A347 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: Get tracker for external URL Start uga_track_external_url: www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A347 Start uga_get_option: track_ext_links uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_ext_links (1) Tracking external links enabled Start uga_get_option: prefix_ext_links uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: prefix_ext_links (/outgoing/) Ending uga_track_external_url: www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A347 Ending uga_track_full_url: /outgoing/www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A347 Adding onclick attribute for /outgoing/www.ipl.org/div/natam/bin/browse.pl/A347 Ending uga_preg_callback: Paula Underwood, Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=70#more-70 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=70#more-70 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=70#more-70, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

My Iroquois teacher Paula Underwood, held ten thousand years of stories and history in her head. She called them her “data base.” The stories were the life lessons of a small group of people that valued learning above all else. The stories were in pots in her head, literally. Her father had planted seeds timed to sprout in the last part of her life. I was there when they came up through her poetic voice.

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the largest of its kind in the world. Every hotel in Tucson is taken over. Glamour of the biggest and most expensive gems in the world, everything that glitters under the sun. What I see when I walk in there is a slag pile, miles long and who knows how high. Besides the environmental damage, how much ill treated labor was needed to create this mess?

It is just like going into a supermarket and seeing all the meat wrapped in plastic without the visit to the slaughterhouses of Greeley Colorado, or going to the gas pump without seeing the caskets come back from Iraq. Jewelry is no different than any other commodity.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=69#more-69 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=69#more-69 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=69#more-69, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

The Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is the largest of its kind in the world. Every hotel in Tucson is taken over. Glamour of the biggest and most expensive gems in the world, everything that glitters under the sun. What I see when I walk in there is a slag pile, miles long and who knows how high. Besides the environmental damage, how much ill treated labor was needed to create this mess?

It is just like going into a supermarket and seeing all the meat wrapped in plastic without the visit to the slaughterhouses of Greeley Colorado, or going to the gas pump without seeing the caskets come back from Iraq. Jewelry is no different than any other commodity.

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

“A circle-based business is rooted in relationships that are nurtured by fair and equitable exchange. Every person inside and outside of the business is viewed as equal in their humanity.”

In 1995 my wife Helen and I started our jewelry business. That same year we purchased, with a few friends, pasture land with a creek and water rights in northern New Mexico. It is a place where the mountains and mesa meet the plains. Years of cattle grazing had made the pastures marginal and creek banks devoid of vegetation, yet the land was still beautiful.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=68#more-68 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=68#more-68 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=68#more-68, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

“A circle-based business is rooted in relationships that are nurtured by fair and equitable exchange. Every person inside and outside of the business is viewed as equal in their humanity.”

In 1995 my wife Helen and I started our jewelry business. That same year we purchased, with a few friends, pasture land with a creek and water rights in northern New Mexico. It is a place where the mountains and mesa meet the plains. Years of cattle grazing had made the pastures marginal and creek banks devoid of vegetation, yet the land was still beautiful.

[Read more →]

Start uga_filter:

What keeps me awake at night running a small business in today’s market place?: An elephant in a bikini.

dance hall elephant

I sell a lot to galleries and boutiques, as well as jewelry stores. The galleries and boutiques are hurting. A manufacturing representative who I have been working with for eight years — she is one of the best — is deciding to move out of her showroom to cut expenses because business is so down. My business to stores is down considerably. Yet jewelry stores are doing just fine with their high end.

[Read more →]

Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Calling preg_replace_callback: ]*?)href\s*=\s*['"](.*?)['"]([^>]*)>(.*?) Start uga_preg_callback: Array Get tracker for full url Start uga_track_full_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=50#more-50 Start uga_is_url_internal: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=50#more-50 Start uga_get_option: internal_domains uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: internal_domains (www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com) Checking hostname www.circlemanifesto.com Match found, url is internal Checking hostname circlemanifesto.com Ending uga_is_url_internal: 1 Get tracker for internal URL Start uga_track_internal_url: www.circlemanifesto.com/?p=50#more-50, Start uga_get_option: track_files uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_files (1) Tracking files enabled Removed query params from url: www.circlemanifesto.com/ Start uga_get_option: track_extensions uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: track_extensions (gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc) Checking file extension gif Checking file extension jpg Checking file extension jpeg Checking file extension bmp Checking file extension png Checking file extension pdf Checking file extension mp3 Checking file extension wav Checking file extension phps Checking file extension zip Checking file extension gz Checking file extension tar Checking file extension rar Checking file extension jar Checking file extension exe Checking file extension pps Checking file extension ppt Checking file extension xls Checking file extension doc Ending uga_track_internal_url: Ending uga_track_full_url: Ending uga_preg_callback: [Read more →] Ending uga_filter:

What keeps me awake at night running a small business in today’s market place?: An elephant in a bikini.

dance hall elephant

I sell a lot to galleries and boutiques, as well as jewelry stores. The galleries and boutiques are hurting. A manufacturing representative who I have been working with for eight years — she is one of the best — is deciding to move out of her showroom to cut expenses because business is so down. My business to stores is down considerably. Yet jewelry stores are doing just fine with their high end.

[Read more →]

Start uga_shutdown Start uga_in_feed Ending uga_in_feed: Start uga_track_user Start uga_get_option: ignore_users uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: ignore_users (1) Start uga_get_option: max_user_level uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: max_user_level (8) Tracking user with level Ending uga_track_user: 1 Footer hook was not executed, but header hook did Start uga_get_option: footer_hooked uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: footer_hooked () Start uga_get_option: debug uga_options: array ( 'internal_domains' => 'www.circlemanifesto.com,circlemanifesto.com', 'account_id' => 'UA-8534005-1', 'enable_tracker' => true, 'track_adm_pages' => true, 'ignore_users' => true, 'max_user_level' => '8', 'footer_hooked' => false, 'filter_content' => true, 'filter_comments' => true, 'filter_comment_authors' => true, 'track_ext_links' => true, 'prefix_ext_links' => '/outgoing/', 'track_files' => true, 'prefix_file_links' => '/downloads/', 'track_extensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,bmp,png,pdf,mp3,wav,phps,zip,gz,tar,rar,jar,exe,pps,ppt,xls,doc', 'track_mail_links' => true, 'prefix_mail_links' => '/mailto/', 'debug' => true, 'check_updates' => true, 'version_sent' => '1.6.0', 'advanced_config' => true, ) Ending uga_get_option: debug (1) -->