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Dave - you could just PM me with that question, rather than opening up everything again. I already stretched the rules way beyond what I should have. You are a Director. If you want more dialogue like this, take it to the BOD. But the reason it was deleted is that it veered way off topic into rich vs. poor. Fair share of taxation for the "rich" and greedy corporations, etc. Something that we don't need here. And I'm gonna close this for now because I just don't have a minute of spare time the next three days to handle potential trouble. I may open it back up when I get a chance to read it all.

If you want that dream, you will have to go elsewhere.... at least at this time. The word "conspiracy" has been used so much to try to discredit that people forget its definition. Companies conspire to make money, and politicians conspire to get elected... every dang day! Hidden agendas and conspiracies are perhaps the norm, not the exception. How many would have told you that you are whacko if you thought NSA was spying on private communications of many millions of every day americans and the press 4 years ago. I used to think those people were unbalanced, but it turns out that I was just ignorant and a willing pawn. True leadership involves getting people to buy in without misleading or deceiving them. It is quite rare in American business AND politics today. This is why most American businesses can only raise profits by laying people off. And poor leadership like that has no vision for the future, obviously.

These shots were taken last January and this Licuala has put out two leaves since then. I need to take a current picture soon. This Licuala has been in the ground in full shade, except for roughly an hour in the afternoon, since about 2009 and has gotten no special treatment. I consider it a really easy but slow palm here in the Bay Area.

Largest Verschaffeltia spendida Archontophoenix sp. in the back Small spineless Bactris gasipaes and Cyrtostachys renda in the front Coconuts Archontophoenix cunninghamiana Rhopaloblaste augusta

I don't see this as a PC issue either. Destroying forests in the tropics doesn't just threaten animals. Who can guess how many palm species have been eradicated that were never "discovered?" Just because many of us don't actually see the results of our lifestyle choices doesn't mean they aren't significant. Palm oil plantations aren't just a problem in southeast Asia either. If I'm not mistaken they are also helping to decimate forests in other parts of the world as well. I was under the impression they were also an issue in Madagascar (along with mining; someone please correct me if I am wrong on this point). I, for one, will begin taking more notice of the ingredients in the things I buy, and will do what I can to make more sensible choices with regard to this issue. The IPS mission statement reads: The International Palm Society, Inc. is operated solely and exclusively for scientific and/or educational purposes related to the study of palms, their propagation, culture, conservation, care, and development. Not sure how one can support the IPS and not support conservation. Jason

How do you two derive 'political correctness' out of that article? There's a distinct difference between environmental advocacy and political correctness. And this article is clearly about the former.