On My Planet.........(a new ActiveRain Contest!!)

We are all painfully aware of the many problems on our planet.  Most of us have opinions of how these problems can be “fixed,” while others hold that the problems stand no chance of being fixed, still others seem content to bury their heads in the sand.

Logic and irrepressible optimism puts me in the first camp, but I am fully aware that much of the fixing will not happen in my life time.  When I see all the smarter, younger, minds coming along to work on these issues it is hard to not be optimistic.  Take a look at this video about a young man that has an idea about a possible solution to the problem of nuclear waste.

There is a principle in Eastern philosophy that goes something like this: 

The Bigger the front the bigger the back. 

In other words the bigger the problem, the bigger the solution there is on the other side.

Since so many of us have opinions about how things could or should be different, I thought it would be fun to pick something and describe how it would be different on "your planet."

You know the place I am talking about.

Since I don’t want to turn this into an exercise of the elimination of all Republicans or Democrats or meat eaters or vegetarians etc, please restrict your item to something real estate related.  Now I know the lines may “blur” a bit, but do attempt to keep it civil.

The post itself should:

1, elaborate on why the item is so different on your planet, including what it "looks like" on your planet,

2, discuss any anticipated difficulties with its implementation (I anticipate that comments on your post will "clarify" many of those "difficulties"--if you have not thought of them all)

3, discuss which other planets will spin senselessly off into the vacuum of space as a result of your change if you think that might happen, and

4, add a link to your post in the comments below.

These don’t have to be monstrous, paradigm shifting issues—but go for it if you want to.  Perhaps it is best to exercise change in small bits until we get the hang of it.

For example, as a home inspector: 

On My Planet, horizontal guards on decks and porches would not be allowed. 

As a home inspector I find these types barriers quite often.  Sometimes they are wires that easily collapse or can be stretched to more than the maximum allowed 4” openings.  Other times they are merely horizontal boards or wire screening with 4” squares. Horizontal guards create ladders for small children and work against the very reason guards are installed in the first place.

I expect that the AIA (American Institute of Architects) would complain the loudest about this change as they seem to be the ones that want to maintain their use the most. 

I think initially there would be some gnashing of teeth but, sooner or later they will come to recognize how dangerous these barriers can be and they will not go spinning off into the void at all.

So that is all there is to it---well except the important stuff:

1^st place will be awarded 2000 points on top of the normal points for the post.

2^nd place will be awarded 1500 points on top of the normal points for the post.

3^rd place will be awarded 1000 points on top of the normal points for the post.

Everyone that enters will receive 500 points on top of the normal points for the post.

The Contest starts "right now" and the deadline for submission of your entry is:

April 30^th at Midnight, Pacific Coast time

Your panel of judges will be myself and three other interplanetary beings that are accustomed to how things work on “other” planets: Kristin Johnson, James Quarello, and Tammy Emineth.

Charles Buell, Real Estate Inspections in Seattle