Howard Agnew
Team Culturing Information
last updated: 16. September, 2011
WHO are you?
- Name - Howard V. Agnew
- Location (city, country) - Graham, Washington, United States
- Contact Information (email, phone, Skype) - Howard_V_Agnew (at) yahoo (dot) com
- Introductory Video -
- Resume/CV -
Howard V. Agnew
25415
103rd Avenue East ~ Graham, Washington 98338
Howard_V_Agnew (at )yahoo (dot) com
(253) 847-1939
Lawn care/groundskeeper
Skills/Experience
Mowing, “pattern mowing” (beyond “layperson” spiral-mows)
Understanding issues of mushy ground and sensitivity to mower wheel-ruts
Proper disposal of lawn and pet/animal waste
Respect for property, privacy and security
Extreme concern for safety for myself and others when operating equipment.
Respect for nature, will take “small backyard critters” to safety if I spot them before mowing over them (have done this with garter snakes and tree frogs several times)
Willingness to do “dirty jobs” such as garbage disposal, animal fecal cleanup, etc.
Trimming and edging
Pruning
Barking, bed weeding, planting, raking
Shovel work
Snow shoveling to clear driveways, gates and walkways (including 6-foot snowdrifts from the December 2008 winter storm)
Commercial “backpack” type leaf blowers
Work History
Frito-Lay, Inc. (September 2003 – September 2005 & April 2008 – February 2009)
Merchandiser/Detailer
33910 9th Ave S Federal Way, WA 98003(253) 924-0404 Manpower Temporary Services (September 2005 – February 2006)
Various office/light industrial temp. assignments
11808 Northup Way Bellevue, WA 98005(425) 822-5060 Smith Lawn Services (March 2006 – March 2007)
Lawn maintenance technician
P.O. Box 28Fall City, WA 98024 (425) 222-4612 Cardiff Lodge (July 2007 – February 2009)
Groundskeeper, Light Handyman, Kennel Assistant30133 NE 147th PlDuvall, WA 98019(425) 788-8449
WHY are you motivated to support/develop this work?
- Do you endorse open source culture?
Yes. I understand some need for privacy or secrecy on some limited things, but more often than not, I feel this is used as a means of controlling others by limiting the information you provide them access to, than genuine self-protection. I feel what a person can contribute toward a goal has the potential to be much greater if they are not kept in the dark.
- Why are you interested in collaborating with us?
I've yet to jump into an open source or commune type project, but I know the privilege-secrecy routine I find in companies I have worked for (large or small) demeaning and insulting. I firmly believe every person has value and can fill roles to accomplish a goal, but I also feel strongly the typical capitalism of today locks people into boxes, hiding things from them to see how much value their efforts have to others and are being exploited, and yet are dumped into the trash the moment that becomes even more profitable to the bigger boxes on top.I enjoy helping out with ideas, but I'm truly just as happy pushing a broom, cleaning up trash, fetching coffee or other inglorious tasks as I would performing technical writing or utilizing other technical skills I have acquired.
- How do you think that the GVCS can address pressing world issues?
The idea seems very sound to me, but there is one pressing issue it can't really help with -- violence. A lot of the parts of the world that could really benefit from the open source knowledge of how to make equipment like tractors on your own, instead of having to come up with a small fortune to buy one, would be great to alleviate starvation in Africa and other places, but these same places are often under the guns of warlords.There needs to be a solution to violence in these places, but I am at a loss for one.I guess look for havens of peace, where populations are struggling but violence aren't such a concern, and create beachhead communities based on the open source knowledge that grow solid experience with people in that community, that can be ready to spread to a nearby area that has the dire need but is suffering violence and bloodshed.
The warlords, I think, wouldn't be replaced so easily if the basic needs of the people were met.The global environment is another serious concern, and merely cleaning up after ourselves, unfortunately, isn't up to the task that every company and every nation on the planet is contributing to a catastrophe. Even if the open farm movement really caught on, global warming is already taking effect and glaciers are receding across the globe. Rising sea levels, the evaporation of water sources and already long-existing toxic pollution of a lot of the world's rivers (especially in "third world" areas that could so badly benefit from open source farming ... how well can you grow crops with toxic water?) ... these are extra challenges, and need to be addressed. I'm sure the brilliant thinkers behind the open culture movement can come up with water purification, but that wouldn't help where glaciers and the rivers they feed evaporate, so we will need to think of ways to get corporations and nations to change their ways and realize how serious of a problem environmental damage is for everyone.
- What should happen so that you become more involved with the project?
I have leapt before I looked before chasing jobs in cities, only for something to go amiss and I've wound up, essentially, as a drifter, going from town to town. My resume is swiss cheese at this point, and I've been out of work for almost 3 years. I have no assets left and between my resume and my credit history (out of work so many times, I've defaulted on medical debt and am way behind on student loans I have no means of doing anything about ... almost every job there is, even medial labor jobs, run credit checks which punishes those who struggle and ensure they'll likely not be able to ever pay their debts) ... so investing in the gas to go somewhere to try to lend a hand is honestly a risk for me, but at least an assurance of a couch to crash on so I could push brooms or shovels would alleviate the biggest hesitation I have in sinking what I have left into gas for a road trip to wherever I would need to go to sign on and learn this stuff by doing it with the guys who know how to do it.
- What are you missing in the project?
Working 'seed communities' that do this by practicing. It sounds like you have some very smart people behind it that seem to have well-developed plans ... I think finding cheap land in the middle of nowhere and establishing projects utilizing the self-sufficiency open source technology you've demonstrated is the way to go ... not only would working self-sufficient communities prove what is being preached, but it would be an opportunity to breed knowledge and experience, and through that confidence, in new community members who join those projects, and they can then take the experience and confidence they gain to help seed projects in new communities, eventually in places where people are starving and could really benefit from the project.
- What are your suggestions for improvement of the project?
I guess a good organization, a way for people to connect and learn about anyone local to them to consider finding a spot to create a seed community based on the open source technology tools.Packing up everything and making a leap is scary, and I've done it often enough to be a lot more hesitant to invest all of what little I have left of my life in something that's never been done before ... maybe a way for people to ease in, try out participating in an actual community for awhile, learning to grow their own things, build equipment and use it, helping with the harvest on a part-time basis, I think, could alleviate such "all-in or nothing" concerns.
WHAT
- List all of your skills in these areas: Communications - Organizational - Computer Support - Finances - Design - Natural Building - Electronics - Automation - Metallurgy - Engineering - Fabrication - Agriculture - Energy - Architecture - Video/Graphics/Art - PR/Marketing - Education - Construction - Industry - CNC - Chemistry - Product Design - Other
Communications/Computer Support -I have some experience, but it is honestly getting old and rusty. I have about 4 years or so experience in computer support, most of it doing technical support over the phone; unfortunately, I have developed an increasing anxiety problem that make call center type work untenable. My last tech support job was when Windows XP came out, so what skills I do have are quite dated, but I think I could learn, update and contribute.I have also dabbled in website design, but only with the open HTML and CSS standards (which are dated, unfortunately). I have helped a little working with a CGI scriptwriter ... he wrote Perl code, I essentially created HTML templates to format the output. My skills are limited and dated, but I would love to help out, update this knowledge, and contribute. I am a fairly fast typist (I was once clocked at 120 wpm; I would estimate I am down to about 90 wpm at present) and know my way around word processors, spreadsheets and database software (I am a big fan of OpenOffice!).
Technical Writing - I really enjoyed a job that, unfortunately, I had only briefly in 1997. With no real knowledge of aerospace, I took a job as a technical writer in an aerospace factory to essentially re-write their quality control documentation to bring them into compliance with Boeing's new quality control standards (essentially a bastardized version of ISO-9001). What I essentially enjoyed about the job itself was learning a lot of different things -- I essentially had to follow the manufacture of parts from start to finish, develop written procedures based on the processes already being done and come up with a system of checks to help catch flaws. I more or less created flowcharts that were accurate, but so simple that they found a double-use as a training manual for new employees. One of the factory vice presidents was so impressed, he said "Someone could come here from McDonald's, read and understand this!" in a compliment, and that really made my day. I would certainly love an opportunity to do something like this for the project, take something that seems scary and technical and write a clear, simple instruction for how to make or use it.
Video/Graphics/Art - I am not skilled at all in drawing, but I have done a little non-professional photo editing and creating "pixel art" in the past. I am an aspiring author, but aside from about 200-300 pages of technical writing at the aforementioned aerospace factory, and a very brief (around 300 word) article in an online political publication, have not been professionally published.
- How have you already contributed to the project?
Honestly, not a whole lot. I have tried to get some friends interested by sharing around links to the Youtube video, but I am not sure what else I could do sitting at home and reading the stuff.
HOW can you help?
- How are you interested in contributing to the work of GVCS development?
I would love a chance to dig in and learn the stuff by helping out in a community working using the knowledge and philosophy of the open culture idea. I am tired of sitting around, waiting for callbacks from the thousands of jobs I apply for. The moment anyone runs a credit check, I know I have little chance of getting a job.
- Can you volunteer to work with us, and if so, how many hours per week?
I have no obligations tying me down anywhere. If I had a place to live, I do not have a limit in how many hours I could volunteer.
- Are you interested in working with us for pay? If so, what services can you offer, and what is your hourly or per-project rate?
Absolutely.
I'd be happy just to sweep floors.
I know what skills I have (Web design, technical support, typist, technical writing) are limited and a bit dated, but I would be happy to put those toward the project as well.
Pay would depend on location ... if I have to move, I'd need a place to stay, but cost of living in a lot of areas in the U.S. is a lot cheaper than here (Seattle Area).
I know when I worked for $8/hour in Arkansas, I did much better in being able to make my bills than when I made $15/hour here in the Seattle area.
I am not very good at figuring out my worth, but if there is something full-time available in my local area here (Seattle/Tacoma), $10/hour would really help me get on my feet and get to work paying off my debts I haven't been able to touch since I've essentially had zero income for the past 3 years.
Medical benefits to me are of much higher value than higher pay, if available ... I do have some growing chronic health problems such as depression, anxiety, migraine and psoriasis.
- Are you interested in Dedicated Project Visit?
I would love to!
- Are you interested in purchasing equipment from us to help bootstrap development?
Unfortunately, I have no means, even at 1/8th the cost of regular machinery.
- Are you interested in bidding for consulting/design/prototyping work?
I do not believe I have adequate skills to bid for these skills.
- Are you a True Fan? If not, why not?
I have a lot of time to donate, but unfortunately no money. I am receiving a tiny trickle from a friend who is repaying a loan to me, but it is just enough to pay for my fuel and car insurance and I have nothing left over. I feel badly about this.
- Would you like to see yourself working with us on a full-time basis?
I would love to. I hate not being self-sufficient ... I tend to be introverted, but even I've reached my limit of sitting around and doing nothing. I have jumped at the chance to help friends with a yard project, digging a trench, and helping my sister clean up my parents' old place for her to move in. Even if its just working for room and board, I woudl very much love to.
- Are you interested in using the technologies that we are developing directly?
I would very much need training, but yes, absolutely!
- Are you interested in being part of the world's first, open source, resilient community? The GVCS is the preparatory step for the OSE Village Experiment - a 2 year, immersion experiment (2013-2014) for testing whether a real, thriving, modern-day prototype community of 200 people can be built on 200 acres using local resources and open access to information? We are looking for approximately 200 people to fill a diverse array of roles, according to the Social Contract that is being developed. This may be the boldest social experiment on earth - a pioneering community whose goal is to extend the index of possibilities regarding harmonious existence of humans, ecology, and technology - as a beacon of light to benefit of all people on Earth.
Yes, I would be thrilled and honored to be selected for this. I know my qualifications are paltry, but I would be truly honored to be selected to take part!