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Troubled Times, Inc.
Annual Report, 1999

During 1999, Troubled Times, Inc. re-located to a new headquarters in central Wisconsin, received generous funding from several new donors, and saw progress on a number of supported projects.

Projects

Projects the corporation is supporting can be categorized into media projects, administrative projects, short wave network, demonstrations, prototype development and educational projects. Media projects which saw progress during 1999 include:

TV Film Clip
A film clip was completed by Geson Perry at a cost of $530 and is ready for distribution to the public in either CD-ROM format or as video cartridges in NTSC and PAL format. Distribution will be free to organizations making a request on letterhead, with a $5 charge to individuals requesting a copy. Hollywood special effects artist Jason Martell provided a streaming video version for the Internet.

The Passage, a Film Script
This project does not require funding from the nonprofit but is a pending gift by the author - 10% of the film's royalties. The script has attracted attention and is being promoted in Hollywood by insiders Nicholas Kobusch and Aron Wright, but no contract has yet been signed.

Administrative projects which were supported during 1999 include:

Seed TEAM Support
This project supports the Troubled Times Seed TEAM volunteers by paying postage on the mailing of seed and purchasing seed. The project has a dedicated contributor in John Kelso, who contributed $800 during 1999. Active Seed TEAM hubs include Roger Thuma and Michel Davelaar, both Board Members of the corporation, and Toni Simpson.
 
Administration & Operation
All outstanding expenses through the end of 1999 have been paid, including $495 for 1999 operations. Quickbooks upgrades were purchased, a corporate bank account opened at the headquarters site, and the interim Gift Pool operation subsequently closed.
Guest Cottage
The Board allocated $400 for supplies and tools to repair a cottage at the headquarters site which is available to be used as a guest cottage. Additional repairs are needed, though the cottage is operational and housed a guest working on headquarters cleanup during the summer of 1999.

A Short Wave radio network, to use short wave as an Internet replacement, was established during 1999.

Short Wave as Internet
Regular classes were started by instructor Ron Darby, with enthusiastic attendees. During 1999, the Board allocated $250 to ship a transmitter and purchase an antenna.

Demonstration projects which saw progress during 1999 were sited at the headquarters, and include:

Storm Shelter
$2,000 was contributed toward this demo in 1999 by Bruce and Barbara White, but has been set aside toward the purchase and installation of an off-the-shelf buried storm shelter with a metal trap door. Additional funds are needed to complete this demo.
 
Family Garden
An old garden site, neglected for decades, required extensive preparation before a garden could be planted in 1999. The Board designated $725 during 1999 to cover equipment and supplies.

The garden, tended by Ron Darby, produced spectacular 15' high seed corn as well as sweet corn and several varieties of beans and squash. Seed for the Seed TEAM was collected.
Root Cellar
The Board allocated $400 to install a wall and door and storage containers in a portion of the basement of the headquarters building under the steeple, surrounded on 5 of 6 sides with stone walls. Biennial produce from the garden was stored in the Root Cellar to produce seed the following year.
 
Hand Tools
A variety of antique hand tools were donated by the headquarters site owner, Nancy Lieder, to the corporation. These include scythes, drills, saws, hammers, and grinding wheels. Cleanup of the rusty tools was started in 1999 by Ron Darby.
 
Wetlands as Food
A bushel of wild rice was sown by Nancy Lieder and Shuichi Inoue in 1999 at a cost of $120.

Prototypes that saw progress during 1999 were situated at the headquarters, the only site made available as of the end of 1999, include:

Worm Beds
The Board allocated $250 for worm bed materials. The worm beds will be built according to the design used by the Vital Earth company of Australia - raised beds watered from above, with a metal drain to collect the liquid fertilizer below. An antique washer with wringers was purchased for $250 to demonstrate purging and crushing by wringing the earthworms.
 
Hydroponics
A space for both the worm beds and hydroponics was cleared in the basement of the headquarters building and power washed by Ron Darby. Plans were made by the site owner, Nancy Lieder, to upgrade the plumbing and electrical infrastructure to support hydroponics pumps and lights.

Educational projects approved by the Board include a video of pole shift history, a video of solution sets, and a video of backpack survival in a post pole-shift environment. These projects are in the planning stage, and did not see significant progress during 1999.

Grants and Gifts

The corporation received several generous gifts during 1999, some of which were designated for certain projects.

John Kelso ($800) and Milly Gumper ($200), both members of the Seed TEAM, funded it's continuing support.

Barbara and Bruce White ($3,000) provided a generous start to a bermed and metal roofed storm shelter to demonstrate pole shift survival techniques.

Several anonymous gifts ($1,000, $625, and $500) were used by the Board with other non-designated gifts to fund various projects.

Balance Sheet
as of December 31, 1999
ASSETS
Current Assets
Checking/Savings2,687.16
Accounts Receivable0.00
Other Current Assets0.00
-------------------------------
Total Current Assets2,810.07
Fixed Assets
Equipment
Tiller490.99
Chipper/Shredder337.49
Back Pack Sprayer45.82
Garden Seeder21.65
Weed Whacker144.99
--------------------
Total Equipment1,040.94
Software124.95
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Total Fixed Assets1,165.89
-------------------------------
TOTAL ASSETS3,975.96
====================
LIABILITIES & EQUITY
Liabilities
Current Liabilities570.22
------------------------------
Total Liabilities570.22
Equity
Retained Earnings-248.08
Net Income3,653.82
--------------------------------
Total Equity3,405.74
--------------------------------
TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY3,975.96
====================

A loss reported in 1998 saw progress for recovery in that an arrest and prosecution was made, with the defendant pleading guilty as charged and ordered to pay restitution.

Profit & Loss
January - December 1999
Ordinary Income/Expense
Income
Restricted Donations/Contributions2,900.11
Unrestricted Donations/Contributions3,257.00
----------------------------------
Total Income6,157.11
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Gross Profit6,157.11
Expense
Uncategorized Expenses0.00
Program Expenses
Campground57.14
Ham Radio250.00
Home Garden50.58
Seed Team325.52
TV Video530.00
Worm Culture0.00
----------------------
Total Program Expenses1,213.24
Bank Service Charges109.00
Depreciation Expenses179.01
Miscellaneous254.02
Office Supplies153.64
Postage and Delivery136.16
Delaware Agent Fees270.00
Cottage161.69
----------------------------------
Total Expenses2,476.76
----------------------------------
Net Ordinary Income3,680.35
Other Income/Expenses-26.53
----------------------------------
Net Income3,653.82
====================

Operating Units

An annual fee was paid to the State of Delaware. The Company Corporation acts as the corporate agent in the State of Delaware, a presence required by law. Operations supported at the headquarters during 1999 include correspondence, files, and e-mail and telephone access.

Administrative Operations

Troubled Times, Inc. currently operates on the Internet and is staffed with volunteers. The corporation is international, with the Vice President elect living in the state of Alaska, and the Secretary elect residing in Canada, and the President and Treasurer in Wisconsin. The monthly Board of Directors Meetings is held via NetMeeting on the Internet, with members during 1999 coming online from the states of California and Georgia, and from Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. The Internal Audit head reviewed vouchers and receipts and corporate Bank Statements from Norway.

Directors and Officers

Directors are nominated by the membership, and elected during the annual elections held in February. Officers are likewise elected by the membership, but confirmed by the Board, at whose pleasure they serve. During 1999, the roster was:

President: Nancy Lieder
Vice President: Clipper Ordiway
Treasurer: Ron Darby
Secretary: Shirley Short
Internet Comm: Gerard Zwaan
Internal Auditor: Jan
Board: Pat Ard
Board: Brand Beacham
Board: Michel Davelaar
Board: Geson Perry
Board: Roger Thuma
Board: (vacant)

Appointed Positions

All staff positions are appointed by the board at this time. Appointed positions at the end of 1999 included:

Internal Audit
contributed oversight of the Treasurer’s accounting and adequacy of the vouchering system
Internet Communications
connecting Board Members during meetings via NetMeeting, IRC, Instant Messaging, and handling net splits and other emergencies

Internet

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Delaware Agent

The Company Corporation
1313 N. Market Street
Wilmington, Delaware 19801-1151