Essays — Andy Arthur.org

Fun NY Geographic Facts

Andy | April 17, 2022

The Town of Greenville is 39 sq miles, the Bourgh of Manhattan is 33 sq miles. A few more cows in Greenville though then Manhattan.

Staten Island about the size of Altona in Clinton County at 101 square miles. A few less wind turbines in Staten Island, and far less hot air.

All of New York City would fit into the area of Town of Long Lake, Webb, or Brookhaven.

The Town of Westerlo is approximately the same size as the Borough of Bronx at 58 square miles. Yes, but do they have Dick Rapp as their town supervisor?

The biggest town area-wise in New York State is Brookhaven on Long Island at 532 sq miles. Town of Webb (Old Forge) has 483 sq miles.

The difference between the year-round population of the Town of Webb and Town of Brookhaven is about the population of Albany County at 295,000 persons.

Yonkers is about the same size as Albany, NY at 21 square miles.

The typical town in Western NY is 36 square miles and is a nice square shape. Not all though as geography sometimes over rides that nice square shape.

The largest town in Western NY is Bath, NY at 101 square miles, or about the size of Staten Island.

Owego, near Binghamton is the largest Central New York town at 101 square miles. It should not be confused with Oswego which is near Syracuse.

Where I Would Eventually Like to Live

Andy | April 15, 2022

Yesterday, I gave you some of my thoughts about the urban life — what I like about it — and the key elements that I think I find enjoyable about it from connectivity and accessibility of products and services nearby by walking or taking public transit.

Yet, I’m in my heart a country boy, and I love spending time in the woods.

Live in a small community, with a small city (of around 20,000 persons) within 15-30 miles.
Own inexpensive land in hilly, rocky area, maybe 25-50 acres of woodland/pasture that I could run a couple head of cattle on, ride ATVs around.
Hobby farm a little bit, grow some of my own food, kill and eat my own animals.

Have no neighbors right nearby to bother me, be able to have fires, and burn my garbage (love fire!).
Be able to shoot targets and play with guns in my backyard.
Relatively low property taxes and fees so I could afford the land.
Have ATVs and snowmobiles, handguns and more long-guns, that I could ride around own land.

A big 3/4 ton or 1 ton 4×4 off-road pickup truck with cap.
State or federal public forest land nearby to hunt and fish on, along with ride ATVs and snowmobiles on.
Places in the boondocks nearby where I can truck camp or tent camp for free.
Hilltops and ridges to climb up on, look at wilderness and valleys below.
Lakes and ponds to swim and paddle around on, and fish.
Low taxes, friendly and helpful government agencies.

There is a lot to celebrate about living in a quality urban community and living the urban life, I sure do love the wild nature of Rural America and the folks who spend every day of their lives in the wood.

Buy Less

Andy | February 4, 2022

It’s is trendy to be green these days.

More and more companies are offering so-called green products, that are biodegradable, organically farmed, or are natural. They all promise that they not only will make your life better, but are also easy on the planet. But the truth is most of them are pretty bad for our environment.

The truth it’s always better to buy nothing at all and minimize consumption then buy green products. Any time you purchase something it is a product that has been produced and made out of products from our environment. Most products contain a variety of non-renewable resources, that will never be replaced once you consume them.

Do you really need that new television or computer? How about that sofa bed or other piece of furniture?

Our biggest source of solid waste is from the consumption and disposal of the big objects in our lives: our furniture, our housing. Indeed, if you could learn to live with older furniture and older equipment you could do much to reduce your impact on the earth. While we can often buy new at low prices, we should think twice and consider our impact on the planet.

Instead, we should focus on investing more and buying less. If you save money, and buy only things you need that will have a lasting benefit on your life, but a relatively minor environmental impact. Reduce expenditures on things that depreciate quickly in value, and invest in things that either depreciate slowly or gain value.

Smile a Little Smile

Andy | January 13, 2022

Why smile? There is so much hate in our society, and so much evil. Why be happy? The reasons are summed up in one word: hope. We must love each other and hope for a better tomorrow, and our smile is one way to reflect that hope for a better tomorrow.

There is so much good in our world today that we should all celebrate as individuals. There are beautiful green forests and farm fields all around, cities that offer exciting opportunities to individuals, and a world that is already amazingly technologically advanced. This is only a picture of what is to come in our beautiful world that surrounds us.

A smile is a celebration of life in what it is and what it is becoming. It is a reaction to a feeling of ecstasy that dominates us from world around us. How can you not react positively to a world of happy faces and so much color? Smile a little bit more.