Building Blocks's topics - tribe.net

Mark Hyman is an ASS

buildingblocks — Fri, 15 Oct 2004 20:29:46 GMT

Do any of you have a tv station that is owned by Sinclair Broadcasting. If so then you probably see this dipshit give his POINT at the end of the newscast at night. Saw him on the Newshour the other day trying to defend Sinclair's right to broadcast the anti-Kerry documentary.

What a fucktard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can I get an AMEN???!?!?!?!?!?

posted in Building Blocks - 5 replies

Our building blocks

Planet-Doctor — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 18:30:10 GMT

This is what we are building as a way to provide for a sustainable future, and I too agree that such facilities, because they tend to attract creative and intelligent people will help to stimulate conditions that could well lead to the next renaissance.

Please visit http://TheRealmsOfLegend.com

Bear in mind that the themed aspect is just to get more of the general public to come and be educated, the underlying model can apply anywhere and with any theme or no theme at all.

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

How to make violent children feel better about themself

lizzyrose — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 09:30:19 GMT

I've been taking care of "difficult" children (so thats how they call them) lattely. Most of them are lost, rejected and are tired of being labelled.
A person I met at Uni who comes from Tokyo as taught me a very good thing:
he gathered the kids around, gave them a peace of paper each and asked them to writte secretly three nice things on each person in the room and handout the paper. It must have took them the morning, but we got there!
He made a list of the things written about them for each chid and handed them out at the end of the day. You will not beleive the surprise and reactions...most of them nearly cried because they wouldn't believe anyone thought good things about them. Everyone kept their list.
Since then, I think their evolution towards others and their reactions have improved spectacularly.
They just needed to hear good things about them...

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Pledge to Boycott Any Oil Company That Drills in the Arctic National Wildlife

Candace_the_Bibliophile — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 19:46:42 GMT

Hit the Corporations Where They Feel It Most: Their Bottom Lines

By a heartbreaking two votes, the Senate approved drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- that pristine Alaskan wilderness area called the "American Serengeti," a living monument to the vast beauty of our planet. But the struggle in Congress is not over by a long shot, and there are other avenues available to protect this wildlife refuge.

Senator Barbara Boxer and others are organizing a consumer boycott of any oil company that drills in the Arctic Refuge. If by using our pocketbooks we can convince these companies to do the right thing, we can protect the Arctic Refuge from destruction.

If you want to inform BP, ChevronTexaco, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Shell that you will boycott their gas stations unless they pledge not to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (see the text of your message below), just click "Reply" and "Send" in your email program. If this was forwarded to you, or you'd like to edit the message, just click this link:

http://truemajority.kintera.org/anwr

Imagine if millions and millions of us, young and old, progressives and conservatives, make it clear to these companies that they stand to lose big-time if they drill for oil in the wildlife refuge. Polls show that most Americans are on our side. Let's walk our talk.

For more on the fight to protect this wildlife refuge, click here:
http://www.nrdc.org/land/wilderness/arctic_hold.asp

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

New Dark Ages

buildingblocks — Wed, 10 Nov 2004 13:32:29 GMT

Well when I started this tribe I had referred to the fact that we were either heading to a new dark ages or a new renaissance.

It turns out that one of the major points of this election was fear. Fear of differences and of the unknown. Yes I can understand peoples fears about terrorism. But the fact that so many states voted for constitutional amendments that basically ban gay rights scares me. This shows that people are not evolving as fast as they should. What will happen with art and science? Stem Cells.

So what do you think? Will the next 100 years be dark?

posted in Building Blocks - 3 replies

Buddhism

Tue, 04 Jan 2005 05:11:11 GMT

I'm going to Tassajara this summer for as long as I can. I feel that that will set me in a direction to help humanity as best as possible, whether it be that I become a monk later in life or that I do something else with a greater understanding I cannot say, but I feel that it will help me to help others.

I am very much looking forward to it.

posted in Building Blocks - 1 reply

Cool Homeschool idea

buildingblocks — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 02:29:30 GMT

A woman I know who has home schooled all 4 of her kids does what she calls Radical Unschooling. They don't follow a specific program like you would find in a school. They do projects instead that encompass all of the different things that they would learn through classes. Her oldest daugghter created her own country and everything that goes with it. It had it's own history, geography, religion, even a simple language that she created. No it did not give her all of the facts that she would need to pass the standardized tests but she did. Why? Maybe it was because she also read alot for fun because her mom had found a way to instill in her a genuine love and enthusiasm for learning and using her imagination. She was taking college classes by her junior year. Anyone know of any other interesting things to help encourage these traits in our children? We do alot of craft products with my 5 year old and have our own stage and homemade puppets for shows. She loves to make up songs and wants to write her own stories to perform. A very dramatic kid.

Peace.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 2 replies

I HATE MY JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

buildingblocks — Fri, 08 Oct 2004 20:40:13 GMT

So how many of you are doing something for a living that you do not like. I have just started looking for something else. I have to get out of the software industry. I have a humanities degree and am the least techie person that you will find. So I guess that aside from tech support I am qualified to flip burgers huh?

Just had to vent. Anyone out there done a career switch after being in it awhile?

posted in Building Blocks - 3 replies

Your hood

buildingblocks — Thu, 23 Sep 2004 20:01:01 GMT

So how many of you out there know more than 2 or 3 separate households in your neighborhood? Do you live in a place where you feel that the general personality of the place matches yours? If not do you have a neighborhood in your town like that?

Just curios. THis whole tribe started with the idea of making grand plans to change the world and I still like the ideas that have been brought up but if we can implement them at a Micro instead of a macro level then it might get past the dreaming stages. I am finally in a neighborhood where I might be able to motivate enough of the neighbors to get involved in something like this.

posted in Building Blocks - 7 replies

Hi Ho

buildingblocks — Tue, 21 Sep 2004 21:50:23 GMT

Hi Ho

posted in Building Blocks - 5 replies

New tribe member saying hi

Cameron — Thu, 26 Aug 2004 07:04:14 GMT

Hi all, just joined. I'm in vegas and we're forming an artists group here http://www.vegasartists.com
There's 1.5 million souls here and nobody seems to want to actually do anything, we're trying to change that in a positive way and have fun doing it. I'm looking for tribes of people who may have some expereience in 'herding cats' because some days that's how we feel. :-)
Just saying hi!
C.

posted in Building Blocks - 4 replies

Questions

buildingblocks — Fri, 20 Aug 2004 23:46:21 GMT

Yep had to change the name again. I'll babble more about that later. Right now I am wondering about where you all live? Namely wdo you live on a street or in a complex or a house or apartment and do you consider the area that you live in to be A "neighborhood". Do you know your neighbors? I'm getting ready to move to an area of town where the term actually still is correct. The area is nice and has a lot of families but would definitely be considered more of a liberal area and it has been a long time since I have lived anywhere that I plan on getting to know my neighbors. Looking forward to getting active in a community again. So do any of you have this where you live? It seems that while we are building some cool communities online we are losing them on our own streets.

What effects do you think that it is having on our society???

Later

A.

posted in Building Blocks - 7 replies

From E

buildingblocks — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 14:08:23 GMT

Here is a part of a message from Ethereal that she said that I could post. I think that there are a lot of you in this tribe that should get to know each other.

Ethereal, check out Ambitionn's profile and posts. She may have some ideas for you about future work possibilities. She has her own company that does everything from web hosting and design to marketin and PR. She is in Florida and you are in the P. Northwest so that might be a good connections.

Here ya go. From Ethereal.......

Just got finished watching 9/11. Confirmed some of my thoughts... including that King George II is not only vapid & dishonest, but cruel, sadistic and completely fucking insane! This time the revolution WILL be televised. I put nothing at all past this administration (wow! what a word to use regarding that bunch of sick, money grubbing fucks). I would not want to be on their end of this life's review, I tell you that.

I am now in hippyville or the outskirts of it in the PDX metro area.
Here is my question regarding your idea and I'm hoping you are thinking along the same lines as I am: Why the Hell should those of us who are good people and actually care about creation including humans continue to suffer in abject poverty so that the "haves and Have Mores"-our friend King George II, can continue the status quo standing on the backs of the poor, sucking the marrow out of existance on this earth and escalating the cycle of war, hate and misery that permeate this plane of existance? Why not find a way to make money ourselves and feed it back into projects that benefit the poor unwashed masses so that we can focus on the important stuff and end this cycle on a positive note so that even poor ole burdened w/the crown King Gorge II can maybe have a chance @ evolving?<----------not likely in this lifetime, btw.

I have many skills to offer and many likeminded friends both online and off.

I just need a plan of action, speciffics on what you need/want, ideas on what material compensation might come my way or a timeline as to when that might happen. Currently financially strapped and trying to get a job as well as any independent type jobs as well.
Lemme know, check out my gallery for my illustration and photo editing capablities. I am also very good at proofreading and copy editing.
Let me know and spread the word if you have any contacts that need online or in Portland/Vancouver area meatspace work done. I will even clean houses/move people/do yard work/etc as long as they provide a truck for moving/hauling purposes. Just about anything as long as it is non-sexual/non-drug related and not causing harm to any entity.

As the election nears, actual visible product is a good idea, though honestly I'm not sure Democrats have much to offer, I vote anarchy. But maybe the D's will give us at least a small respite from all this crap. If that happens the task/lesson will be to not allow complacency and materialism take priority over love. Love is the only important thing.... everything else is just details.

E.

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Change

buildingblocks — Thu, 15 Jul 2004 03:13:14 GMT

Decided on a change in the name. I think that this is the main idea of the tribe. To find a way to encourage imagination and a true love and desire for learning. This is the only way that things are ever going to change for the better. If not we will continue to have closed minded people like bush running things. There are too many people who want to follow a simple set of rules. One of the many problems with this is that there are so many different cultures in the world which means alot of different rules. And if we don't keep an open mind then we may miss out on some great stuff. There are also an endless number of factors that effect every persons life every day.

Today I had an email argument with one of my best friends over the gay rights issue. He does not believe in gay marriage for various reasons. I believe that gay couples should have the same rights as straight people. But I couldn't get ugly and put down his point of view because he is a great person and you have to remember that every persons viewpoint is formed by a myriad of experiences and putting someone down will never get them to agree with you. For one i know that he has never been around many gay people whereas I have close friends that are gay and have had to put up with some horrendous shit for being two women who want to have a baby. And they are amazing people. But so is my buddy. And if I were to dismiss him because he believes something completely different from me then I would have lost alot that I have gained from knowing him. Rambling.........? Yeah what's new. Can I change him? Not likely. But ya never know. And the important thing is to make sure that our kids have open minds. And if we are creative and entertaining enough (yeah entertainment is a better way to get peoples attention than lecturing or arguing) then we might effect enough people to turn the tide. How can we do it? Lot's of ideas. And I would love to hear any that you have, or have heard of or read. I read alot of journals and articles in things like the Utne Reader and Image (actually a Judeo Christian journal, surprisingly openminded and Mother Jones and alot of places online that I find, when I should be working, etc..... But you never have enough time to read all that you want. So if you hear something then share it. Eventually we can organize and set up programs or events in our individual areas to open some minds and let the imagination flow.

Peace.

Andy

"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
- Albert Einstein

posted in Building Blocks - 1 reply

The American Character

buildingblocks — Wed, 07 Jul 2004 14:21:45 GMT

I'm listening to Greetings From Asbury Park right now. Anyone out there get into Springsteen? His old stuff has the most amazing stream of conciousness flow going on through it. I started thinking about it becuase of a book on the American Character that just came out recently. What writers (music, lit, screen, graphic,) can you think of that portray the American Character. Are there particular American Characteristics? I read a patriotic jingoistic column from a neo-con trying to define the American Character according to his values but I saw so much that he was missing. Belief in the Possiblities, A driving urge to explore and push the boundaries. These are traits that seem to be missing from the current crop of Alex P Keatons.

Walt Whitman (who I still have problems with), Thomas Wolfe, John Dos Passos, Jack Kerouac, Lenny Bruce, Bob Dylan, Sprinsteen, Rickie Lee Jones, Tom Waits. These are some of the people who have explained it to me. Often in tumble over out of control lyrics that take on a life of their own and drag you along with the characters through the Main Streets and downtown alleys, smalltown diners and bigtown dives, Driving through the country, down the highway and just around town. Observing what people do every day and wondering why they did it this way instead of that.

Anyone got any other suggestions or favorites?

Open your minds
Open you hearts
Open your eyes
Life moves pretty fast
You don't want to miss anything so sit down wherever you are and watch the show for a while

Later

Andy

We're all in the gutter but
some of us are looking at the stars.
- Oscar Wilde
Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.
-Mark Twain

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Cool Tribe. Check it out.

buildingblocks — Thu, 01 Jul 2004 23:43:27 GMT

CELLspace offers communal art workshops and learning labs in a variety of artistic mediums: metal, wood, puppetry, sewing, music, digital video, crafts, dance, and theatre. Our 10,000 square foot facility serves as an arts incubator, enabling emerging Bay Area artists to create, develop, exhibit, and perform new work in an affordable,

CELLspace provides a safe and supportive public environment for the exploration of art, education, performance and community building. Through cooperative relationships and multi-disciplinary programs, we encourage the celebration of intergenerational and cross-cultural collaborations.

www.cellspace.org

http://www.tribe.net/tribe/servlet/template/pub,TribeCard.vm/tribeName/cellspace

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Internet and Politics

acohen843 — Wed, 30 Jun 2004 19:20:51 GMT

Introduction
Technology is interesting. It allows us to communicate regardless of time zone and from just about anywhere. A laptop computer, a wireless Internet card, and a table at Starbucks, and I can write, post, email, and communicate with anyone in the world.

This article discusses a variety of ways that the Internet and technology are useful tools for political and community activism. It discusses the use of the Internet for ranting, activating and informing. Some useful sites are listed. However, these are only a few sites; there are a multitude of sites available on the Internet.

There are many technologies available. The key is to bring people together, to break the cycle of apathy and get them involved.

The Internet provides three types of political communication: ranting, activating, and informing.

Ranting
Ranting is the most popular and the least effective. Ranting is the process of expressing your opinion on a bulletin board. It is also serves as the method of some of the most ludicrous and virulent postings.

Political ranting is mere entertainment. The impact of these postings are useless unless the ranting is on a local community-oriented group that is the basis for bringing people together to act on an issue.

There are many bulletin boards available. One of the better ones, where most of the ranting is either logical or generally polite is www.tribe.net. There are many Kerry tribes, Democrat tribes, Green tribes, and so on. Two other quality sites are www.abuzz.com and www.able2know.com.

Activating
Activating is using the Internet to bring people together for a common cause. This includes getting people to vote, volunteer for a candidate or campaign, become involved in a community issue, and so on.

One effective site is www.meetup.com. This service allows people that share a common interest to meet and interact with each others. Three or four venues in a geographical area are suggested, and the group votes on a place to meet. This is how I got involved in the Dean campaign and then started my Yahoo group (sema4dean).

Yahoo groups also have the ability to bring people together for a common goal. We can use these groups to benefit community issues in our geographical areas.

Another useful site is www.upoc.com. This site allows you to send a short text message to members’ cell phones. The Dean campaign used this tool.

Here is how it works.
1. You create a group.
2. When people join, they enter their cell phone number instead of their email address.
3. You post a brief message (from your Upoc group site) and this message is sent to all members’ cell phones.

The Dean campaign used this service to let their campaigners and volunteers know of Dean television appearances and other events. When used properly, it acts as a nice tool when people are away from their computers, or for those that don’t use email.

Email is one of the best time-tested tools. In addition to traditional email, there are many services that use email as their distribution method. Yahoo groups use this method as does many other sites including www.abuzz.com, www.able2know.com, and www.tribe.net.

Yahoo groups are quite popular. However, there are other group services. These include www.google.com and www.msn.com.

These services are free. They make their money by placing banner ads on their sites and your groups. Some political groups don’t want banner ads associated with their organization. For example, a few years back I had an issues-oriented group on MSN. I invited the American Indian Movement to be a part of this group. They weren’t interested for two reasons:
1. Microsoft owns MSN. They thought that company sent the wrong political message.
2. Banner ads included gambling and casino ads. They didn’t want to be associated with that type of advertising.

I learned from this experience. I set up my issues-oriented group on an ad free site.

Most ad free sites charge a monthly fee. However, two free ad free group services are www.smartgroups.com and www.domeus.co.uk.

There are two cardinal rules when using email and tools that use email as their distribution method:
1. Never spam! Do not mass email.
2. Never make a person a member of your group without their permission. Email them an invitation that allows them to join your group.

Informing
Email is an excellent distribution method for newsletters. Two excellent services are www.bravenet.com and www.topica.com. Bravenet is free (although you are limited to a few hundred members in your distribution list) while Topica is $24.95 per month (first month free). Both offer easy-to-use newsletter creation tools. Bravenet also offers many other free, website tools.

The Internet is an excellent informational tool. There are three types of political websites: party sites, candidate sites, and issue-oriented sites.

All political sites should contain the following:
¸ A wealth of information. A website is more than an electronic pamphlet or electronic campaign flyer. There should be detailed information concerning a candidate’s views, a party’s platform, or an issue’s goals.

In the previous Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign the Reich campaign excelled in this area.

¸ Use all of the Internet’s capabilities to present your message. In the previous Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign the O’Brien campaign used short video clips to explain their stance on the issues. For example, while I could download a PDF concerning O’Brien’s views on education, it was more effective listening to a teacher explain why she was supporting O’Brien’s views on education.

¸ Include contact information. This information must include an email address, a phone number, and a mailing address. If you can’t find the phone number or mailing address, check the contributions page. I’ve never seen a political website that doesn’t make it easy to donate money electronically, via check, or dropping off a donation at campaign headquarters.

¸ Make it easy for people to become a part of your cause. Allow people to sign up for email updates and newsletters. Also include addresses of either the campaign headquarters or local campaign headquarters. While the Internet is a savvy tool, others and I have stuffed thousands of envelopes for campaigns and causes. Hands on work always needs to be done, plus part of the process is meeting with the candidate and the campaign staff and volunteers.

¸ Don’t forget audio. Warren Tolman’s gubernatorial campaign site included an audio message stating why he was running for governor. The sincerity in his voice was very effective.

¸ Think dial-up! Some of the most passionate and politically opinionated people I know are the elderly. Many access the Internet from a dial-up connection and some use WebTV. Include; don’t exclude these voters.

¸ Limit the use of Flash content and splash introductory screens. The site is about issues, not fancy, time-consuming technology.

¸ When appropriate, make your site bi-lingual. I am an English as a Second Language teacher for adults. Some of my students in their country were doctors, lawyers, college professors, as well as factory workers and the unemployed. They may not be able to speak or read in English, but they are intelligent. They came to this country for a better life and are interested in the political process. Those that are citizens will vote (one of my students became a citizen so she could vote), and those that are not citizens are still interested in learning our political process.

¸ Your website defines your campaign or cause. This includes design – how easy can I find the information I am looking for, and the basics – good grammar and no spelling mistakes.

During the 2000 presidential campaign, the Gore, Bradley, Bush, Dole (Eleanor), and McCain sites were bi-lingual. The Pat Buchanan site was not. Your website does define your campaign!

¸ Do not make your website intrusive. While it may seem cool to have your site open with a video or musical message, remember that some people access the Internet at the library and many access it at work.

Blogs are another tool. They serve a purpose but the current hype, I believe, is overrated.

This tool allows a campaign to share information. They are like online diaries. The publisher posts information usually on a daily basis. Some blogs allow readers to respond to these postings.

I think that blogs are an excellent tool to put a human face on a campaign. For example, I enjoy reading about the day-to-day activities about a campaign.

Blogs are also useful for discussing issues. However don’t fall into the trap of tailoring your message to the whims of your readers. Stand for what you believe in.

In Conclusion
The Internet is an excellent tool for political and community activism. Like any tool, it only works well when you use it well.

Some sites provide a place to rant. This may be fun and entertaining, but it is only effective when the ranting leads to some constructive result.

Activating is the result of using the Internet to bring people together for a common cause. I believe that this is the best use of the Internet for political and community activism. While the Internet works well for planning, the real change takes place in the non-cyber world.

Websites also inform. Cyberspace is inexpensive. Use it to inform the public of your views or cause’s issues. Use text, audio, and video.

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Why are you weird??

buildingblocks — Wed, 23 Jun 2004 21:09:22 GMT

Hey Howdy Buckaroos. Well it seems that i have somehow coerced, cajoled, or blackmailed a number of people into joining up here. I'm still trudging on with the tech stuff and trying to teach myself how to set up a database driven website but until then I still want to try and get more conversation going to get more ideas about what to do with it.

One of the ideas that I have rambled on about is that to have more open minded people we will need to start educating the kids so that their imaginations kick into high gear. Personally I think that this is what the teaching profession should be concetrating on. Our schools should be instilling a passion for learning and not just of the facts that government ordered tests require.

How can we undo all of the damage done by things like TV and Video Games (yeah they are OK in moderation but they are definitely turning a lot of people into spuds).

I have already mentioned numerous ideas for programs (yeah it sounds like I am pipe dreaming but it can be done) that can harness peoples hearts and minds and get them to turn off the idiot box. Get out of the house and talk to and work with each other. Different ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds. I am really getting into texmex music right now that I never would have learned in my small hometown if no one played it for the purpose of teaching me about it. ANd they didn't But I caught up.

DOes anyone have any specific moment in their life that has had a huge influence on who they are now? How did your particular weirdness come about? Can you point to anything that helped? Any one person? Group? Movie? School Play? Books?

My parents must have put books in my crib. I don't ever remember not reading. BUt I think that the first book that I read that was truly outside of the norm was The World According to Garp by John Irving. I read it in tenth grade. I'm trying to start early with my daughter. A really Great book for kids is called Squids Will Be Squids. It is by Jon Scieszka. He is the same guy that did the Stinky Cheese Man and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. She also really loved Yellow Submarine. I go to a Unitarian Church sometimes and hope to have the time to join in the future because it would be a good group of people for her to grow up around.

OK i'll shut up now.

Namaste
Andy

We're all in the gutter but
some of us are looking at the stars.
- Oscar Wilde

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.
-Mark Twain

posted in Building Blocks - 5 replies

Big Ups For Andy

Tue, 22 Jun 2004 15:09:07 GMT

and his wife Sara, who's an AWESOME cook!!!
And for his 4-legged friends, who are sweet =)
And for his great ideas, for which he doesn't get enough credit or support.
And for Shea.
And for Sam Donaldson.

posted in Building Blocks - 1 reply

Human Rights Campaign

buildingblocks — Sun, 13 Jun 2004 02:40:21 GMT

If this doesn't make you scream nothing will! I was working a banquet tonight for the Human Rights Campaign. There was going to be a charity auction as after the dinner and then one of the people in charge of the banquet got up on stage and announced that when the auctioneer found out that the primary activity of the organization was gay rights he told the organizers that he believed that their cause was wrong and quit. Unfuckingbelievable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, the right wing talks about accountability all of the time but this asshole obviously knows nothing about business commitments. The auction was still held with one of the organizers as auctioneer. The dipshits will not win! Log on and sign up.

http://www.hrc.org/

Peace.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

What wakes you up?

buildingblocks — Fri, 11 Jun 2004 21:06:57 GMT

Hey gang,

I have finally found a user friendly and affordable place for web hosting. (ask Athlene about it. It's really good http://escape.to/akses) I should have a site up to show you in a week or two at the latest.

Like I said in one of my recent posts I said that I think sometimes that I have so much going on in my life that I should abandon this idea for awhile. There is so much that you have to do nowadays to keep body and soul apart. I think that this is one of the reasons that so little creativity is being put to use. Too much to do. Not enough time. Not enough energy. Too many people wasting time. But then something sets the fire to burning again. Right now it is the Soundtrack to Rent. I have been replaying two songs over and over. One Song Glory and Light My Candle.

I want my daughter to feel what I feel when I hear these songs. What I felt when I first saw the play. To feel the hair stand up on the back of her neck when she hears a song or reads an amzing story or sees a painting that she knows was done by someone that shares some bit of a common soul and imagination with her.

I'm curious about what things do this for each of you? What stories, books, songs, writers?

Anyone care to share? Another one of mine is the movie Bull Durham and the book Dandelion by Ray Bradbury.

Peace.

Andy

"The opposite of war is not peace. It's creation."
-Jonathan Larson, "RENT"

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

To stay or not to.

buildingblocks — Thu, 03 Jun 2004 21:41:22 GMT

Ya know I keep thinking that i need to sign off of the Tribe for a while since I am not really making any forward progress with the crazy ideas that I have spoken about, (very very busy with 2 jobs and family life in general right now.) But everytime I think about logging off of it for the time being I find more people that I think might help to do something really great.

That's one of my arguments against the Republican party. Not enough imagination. They want to follow a simple set of rules that worked for a bunch of middle class white guys back in the 50's. The BIG thing that they are missing is IMAGINATION. Without this they are never going to do anything great.

It may take some time but I can see some great potential here and slowly it can build so just check back once in a while when you see a new post.

We're all in the gutter but
some of us are looking at the stars.
- Oscar Wilde

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.
-Mark Twain

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Yep

buildingblocks — Tue, 01 Jun 2004 12:50:59 GMT

No I have not abandoned the ideas that I have babbled about here. Just working a lot of extra right now to pay off bills and finding little time or energy to work on anything else. But I will continue trying to get a few things done here and there. So stop by once in a while and one of these times you will find a cool surprise.

Peace.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Be back soon!

buildingblocks — Mon, 10 May 2004 12:58:13 GMT

Hey there folks I have a few responsibilities that I need to be attending to but I will be back to babble at you some more in a couple of weeks. Hopefully by then I will have at leaset a sample website up for people to see.

Peace.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Posts from other tribes

buildingblocks — Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:26:39 GMT

Re: Friends who waste

i applaude your actions!!!

its so difficult sometimes what the best thing to do is, since the topic is welcome to some and sounds preachy to others. what makes me most distressed is that many so-called "conscious groups" like vegans/ animal rights activists or "feed the homeless" do one form of sustainability and neglect this important aspect.

why arent people more aware in this day and age?

not just the population, but the city government= i cant get a recycling bin in this duplex because my landlord has to pay for it. so i have to save everything, and load it myself. which isnt easy, since i've no automobile at the moment~
reply to this post

Andy B
4
April 20, 2004 - 07:04 AM new
Re: Friends who waste

I think that alot of it has to do with a "sustained" message. Unless they hear it on a regular basis then they forget. I am guilty of this too. THe question is how do we keep the importance of it in their minds without sounding preachy, harpy, or just annoying?

Peace.

ANdy

How do we keep movements going. The above passage is a post from the Think Globally, Act Locally site. Can we create activities that will entertain and inform? Can we do enough of them to make a difference? Well I think that if we can educate and create positive change in any percentage of the poulation it will be a great thing. What if we had prgrams where people (adults, kids, and families) could get involved in educational projects, entertainment, theater. Perform street theater that shows an issue. Can we find peopele talented enough to writing something entertaining enough to keep people watching? What do you think?????? Any playwrites out there?

Do we need to set up a statewide system like the old politicians do. Have a tiered organization of people in place to make sure that the programs are getting things done. By state, By county, By city and neighborhood? Not a ward boss though. More like facilitators and for a lack of a term cheerleaders. People who get excited and have the ability to get others excited. To help come up with ways to bring in more people to the activities. To get more groups to help fund and mentor the groups. How many would we need in each state? each city. That of course all depends on the scope of activities. It could start small and grow with time. How many people do we need in each state to strt making the lists? I doubt more than 5-10. Then we get the web sites up and start pushing the communication. Do we force them to communicate????? No we communicate with them. These teams of people will work to connect with and get to know all of the individual groups. (Stonewall, Green Partty, Dems, Progressives, Arts groups, you name it) THese are organizations that thrive on and need the masses of open minds. THey will welcome any help that they can get in spreading the word. All ideas are welcomed. Please pass these ideas on to thers and invite them over. I go out to all different kinds of sites and post this stuff over and over. Hopefully sometimes adding something new. Slowly we will get enough people together then we should be able to find the right people, whoi have the time and the tasks best suited for them.
Even if you just emil in some names and contact info of organizations and open minded business owners. Every little bit helps. I am working on the Ohio list and would love anyone else in Ohio to get in touch with me. If anyone else wants to take responsiblity for a state or a city them let me know. It can be simple. Go online, Look in the phone book, look at library bulleting boards. Get orgs or businesses a week and add them to the list. Eventually we will have thousands but without the first step then there will be no others. I'm sure that i'm annoying to some people and i have never really been a rah rah type but this is mportatn and can be really cool once we get it going. And we NEED to NOW.

Peace
Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 4 replies

Book Recommendations

Phil E. — Thu, 06 May 2004 22:07:14 GMT

I joined a few weeks ago and have just started following the threads. Andy... I like your dynamic style of moderation.
Some books that I thought might interest people or if for those that have read them, that I would love to discuss...

The Ecology Of Commerce by Paul Hawken

Small Is Beautiful by E.F. Schumacher

The Velvet Monkeywrench by John Muir (not THE, but another)

Namaste,
-JK

posted in Building Blocks - 1 reply

Outsourcing

buildingblocks — Mon, 03 May 2004 13:59:36 GMT

I was talking with a friend over the weekend about my grand connection scheme. She is the program director for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Assoc. http://www.oeffa.org/index.html . She agrees that there is a lot of waste going on in the liberal activist community. I have seen a few articles about outsourcing and non-profits but nothing is really jumping out as a big saver. One article asked, "Where is it more logical to outsource versus growing the skills within your organization." What if we had a reliable group that could produce newsletters and work on mailings for multiple organizations. Does anyone know how much it cost for an organization to pay someone to gather the information, edit articles, create the newsletters and then distribute them traditional and electronic methods? What if we had a Newsletter "Publishing House". What if we had an Event Planning group that worked with multiple organizations? If this group was doing the organizing then we might be able to find ways to combine activities and so save money on rental of spaces and services. Then there are always the hi-tech resources which could really save some money. These, of course, are just ideas. Let me know if you have any others.

posted in Building Blocks - 2 replies

Mixed Media Theater? Legal Questions!!!

buildingblocks — Thu, 29 Apr 2004 13:08:42 GMT

I have an idea for mixing up scripts the way that a rapper samples music. (Has anyone seen anything like this before?) Pulling old things along with new. I have always loved music that is mixed up really well. I think that it could be done with theater as well. Especially with street theater where you rely less on the props than you do on the quality of the writing and the performances. I don't really have any experience in the theater aside from attending and reading alot of plays and attempting to write scenes from time to time.

Now I am working on a project (eventually a non-profit org) that would work in community building in the more left leaning communities. I think that using street theater would be a very powerful tool in this. One question I have is if anyone has any knowledge about copywrite issues. Would we be able to pull scenes from old movies and plays without breaking any laws? Since it would not be for profit (and would it be OK if it was for donations?) would it be legal?

Can anyone come up with good mixes that would pull in as many people as possible? I am thinking that we would need to pull things from the popular cinema and theater to get more people paying attention. Imagine blending in one of Jimmy Stewarts scenes from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with Sondhiem or something even more experimental and Avante Garde. If done right it could be amazing. But would it be LEGAL?>????

Show a progression of the american family with scenes from movies, theater and tv of the different timeperiods. Are they idyllic? Do they follow a pattern? Do we show them getting worse as time goes on? Do we show that they have always been screwed up? Mix up Long Day's Journey into Night with scenes from Leave it to Beaver. There are endless possibilities. I'm not saying that I have the writing skills to do this really well (although I will probably try at least) but we need to find a way to break through to the largest possible number of people. The project (The Open Minds Network) will help build up the liberal base inother ways be we also need to do more than just preach to the choir. We need to educate and I really think that Theater is under utilized. Not to mention that many people would not go. But if we TAKE IT TO THEM!

Let me know what you think. And if you want to get involved then stop by the REnaissance Farms tribe. (not it's not a medieval site)

Peace

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 3 replies

Building Blocks

buildingblocks — Mon, 26 Apr 2004 14:02:57 GMT

www.eyebeam.org

Yep this is along the lines of things that we can do once we get the site up and running. Yes I know that it is alot. But some of you may get involved, at some point, to some degree, that you will help to make it happen. Eyebeam is associated with some people from the MIT Media lab. They are some of the smartest and most creative mofos on earth. Genius geeks with great imaginations. They do a lot of hight tech stuff. On our end I am thinking of more low tech activities, educational and mentored. One of the previous posts mentioned the idea of painting murals in at risk neighborhoods to help give give the community a sense of self and pride. I had a mentioned an article stating that these murals seldom get tagged by graffiti (sp? can't spell today for some reason) artists or bangers. And it would need to be more than just A mural it would need to be a series of them. If we could get together business people and the artisans that know how to create a quality product we could work with kids in those neighborhoods and teach them the process of going through the project. It would involve sales (not really selling anything but the project. Mainly getting store owners to allow us to put murals on the walls of their businesses), marketing (getting media attention which will help with getting donated supplies, not too mention festivals for unveiling of the murals), artistic production(working with the community leaders to come up with a mural idea, learning about the tools and paints that would be used and learning how to paint), scheduling and general project management.

So if we are going to work to expand imagination and excitement for learning, to make the world a better places what are the building blocks that we need to concentrate on? Art? Education? Human Rights? The environment? THere are many ways to categorize what we do. Give me some ideas.

Later
Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Very cool

buildingblocks — Mon, 26 Apr 2004 01:22:15 GMT

Howdy Peeps

Just found a site that offers a free database driven website. It will be good for setting up intial data. It can be set up so that anyone can enter data and run reports and also export to your own PC. This could be very cool! The project will need to migrate to an actual domain name eventually. The site is called www.baseportal.com. It is a German company and you can tell from a lot of the text and descriptions, that aren't quite grammatically or logically correct, that it is probably not set up in english and that the text is coming through a translator. I probably won't harass you all or the other indians much over the next couple of weeks so that I can actually get this set up. Hopefully I will have something cool soon.

I still think that using Excel to start the collection process is the best thing. Mainly because you can import data into this webbase using a simple comma delimited format. (A pretty simple process actually. Remember I juat play a techie at the office. I am really a humanities person.)

If you want me to send you a copy of the Excel spreadsheet that I am going to use then email me at openminds_net@yahoo.com.

I actually think that the Open Minds Network is a better than name "Coalition" since we are trying to set up an actual network of people and organizations. Let me know what you think.

Peace.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Why?

buildingblocks — Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:51:18 GMT

Why do we need to get together and get working?????

BOSTON, Massachusetts (AP) -- A group that opposes gay marriage has enlisted the help of a state legislator in a long-shot attempt to remove the four justices of the state's high court who ruled that banning gay marriage is unconstitutional.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Making the USA Patriot Act a theme in his bid to win a second term, President Bush is decrying any proposed weakening of the law he calls central to fighting terrorism.

"George Bush is reversing 30 years of environmental policies that have protected public health and safety," the critique concluded. "The Bush administration has crippled provisions of the landmark Clean Air Act, rolled back important regulations and proposed drilling in the pristine Alaska National Wildlife Refuge." (From CNN-John Kerry)

Go to http://www.democraticunderground.com/ for much much more.

I am not interested in creating a website to be used to bash any specific politician or party. There are enough out there. This is about connecting us. And I will not say the left wing or dems or whatever. I only say Open minded people who are willing to use their imagination to affect positive change.

posted in Building Blocks - 2 replies

What now?

buildingblocks — Fri, 16 Apr 2004 13:39:16 GMT

IN this years federal budget there was a $1,000,000 project added. The First Tee Program in St. Augustine, Fla. is a character education program. The group's mission is "to impact the lives of young people around the world by creating affordable and accessible golf facilities primarily to serve those who have not previously had exposure to the game and its positive values." This is the second earmark that this organization received in this year's appropriations bills; the first was for $2,000,000.

That's 3 million $$$ total! What else could have been done with that money? I would like to hear serious ideas about what you would do with the money. Should we really be paying for kids to learn to golf? I actually like golf but should we be paying for it with taxes? I think that we can do it better ourselves. How about outward bound programs? Could they be paid for by fundraising?

Should people who disagree with what the National Endowment for the Arts have to pay for that? We have to keep these things in mind when we go off on rants. I am for all arts (OK I hate modern dance and Jackson Pollock) but I have a conservative friend who doesn't want his tax money going to pay for someone to make sculpture out of cow dung. I don't want to pay for other kids golf lessons. I guess this little tangent is to say that I think that we should take responsibility for what we want to happen in the world. This is another reason that the economics and learning about business and organization is so important. We need to know how to manage our money. By we I mean the creative community. The people who will fund arts and imagination.

OK back to the original thought.

What kinds of programs would you set up with 3 mill? 300K? 3K? Charitable? Educational? "Character Building?" I heard the other night that MoveOn.org has 2million registered members already? That's insane but they started with enough for mass media marketing. If enough of us devote enough time to pushing this idea how many people can we get together? How many different organizations can we get working together? What things could we do with a couple thousand people spread across the nation (and Canada and Mexico worry about the other continents down the road a little). Aside from the economic benefits that I think are possible what are the other possiblities? Education? Mentoring Programs? Environmental Clean Up Programs? What if we had 100,000 people communicating and working together? (Check out www.grassroots.org to see what other people have done. We can do ANYTHING if we just push enough (and I am very persistent when I believe in something). I'm putting out invites to tribes all over the site. Sending messages to individuals. Some may think i'm crazy but some have answered. I have a number of ideas but we need a lot more to comb through so that we can make an actual plan. I will do as much as I can but I don't want thei to be MY project. I want it to be ours. (OK lets all sing Kumbya now?!?!?!?). Yeah dippy sounding huh. But if you expect anyone to work their asses off then it better be for something they believe in (not something I believe in) and get excited about so we need ideas from everyone. No matter how crazy something sounds post it and see what comes up.

Oh Yeah. Check this site out.

http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer Citizens Against Government Waste

Peace

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 2 replies

Ya gotta check this one out. HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

buildingblocks — Fri, 23 Apr 2004 17:26:08 GMT

http://www.liberaloasis.com/bushin41point2.htm

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Artistic Ideas

buildingblocks — Fri, 23 Apr 2004 14:03:25 GMT

In what ways can we use our artistic and creative abilities to create a change?

Has anyone out there ever seen the movie BillieJack? It was a hippie flick from the 70's about a school on a southwester reservation. Strange movie but pretty good. THere is a scene in it where the kids from the school put on a performance of street theater in the middle of the town. No plans or announcements. THey just walked up and started doing it. I can't remember the storyline of what they did but it was basically about trying to get the townspeople to understand the hippie kids that lived out at the school. I'm sure that we already have a few people in our little tribe that have written scenes, stories or novels. Match the right topic, material, and find the right place to perform it and get some media exposure which is easier to get than you think if you go about it correctly. (my wife does media production for a local morning show and I learn a lot just watching her)

Are there business owners in higher risk neighborhoods that might not allow us to create artwork on the walls of their businesses to cover up graphiti put up by taggers and bangers? I read an article once that showed that less graphiti is done on walls with artwork already on it. I saw an example of it here in Columbus. There was a laundrymat on the edge of OSU campus that was always a target until the owner allowed alocal artist to create a mural on the wall. Until the city made him remove the mural (yeah no logic there) no one painted over the mural. Look at stuff like Diego Rivera, Jose Orozco, and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Examples http://www.ueinternational.org/SolidarityWork/murals.html

Or look at what could be done on walls in african american communities. http://www.erniebarnes.com/
Have an artist create a visual depiction of works by Langston Hughes or other artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Remind them of why they should be proud of who they are and where they come from and maybe it will help keep some people moving forward.

Babbleon.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

The Open Minds Coalition

buildingblocks — Fri, 23 Apr 2004 13:27:32 GMT

Hey there gang. In talking with a few of you the name The Open Minds Coalition had sprung up as a good name for whatever it is that we are trying to create here. I have been joining and posting the basic idea to tribes that look like places for people with imagination and open minds. We've been getting some reply on those but i'm not very patient so I have also started picking out individuals from these sites whose postings or profiles show that they might be interested in this idea and inviting them over. You can do this as well. So if you see anyone out there that would be a good addition then send an invite. It's up to us what we do with this idea.

I was thinking more about Mike's post about specifics for set up and maintenance of a list/website. Like I keep saying the intial collection of data and set up is going to take some time. (6 months to a year to get a simple but functional site going) I think that maybe the best way to save it for the time being is to put the data into Excel. That will allow us to store it while still giving us the ability to transfer the data via sequential file to a database format. I will work on a spread sheet this weekend. Shouldn't take long at all I just need to find the time (I work part time doing catering on weekends) to do it. If anyone wants me to email a copy of it to them then send me a message. I will have an email address set up for this site and I can send it to you from there. If you are familiar with excel and want to then you could set it up on your own using whatever formatting that you want for the data fields.

That's all for now kids.

Thanks.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

How can we get it back?!?!?!?!

buildingblocks — Fri, 23 Apr 2004 12:24:31 GMT

This is from the beginning of Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. I buy copies at used book stores whenever I find them so that I can hand them out to friends. Read it and think about that magic that most people lose as they get older. I'm working on finding it again myself. Too many people have lost it. How can we help them get it back?
-------------------------------------------------------------

It was a quiet morning, the town covered over with darkness and at ease in bed. Summer gathered in the weather, the wind had the proper touch, the breathing of the world was long and warm and slow. You had only to rise, lean from your window, and know that this indeed was the first real time of freedom and living, this was the first morning of summer.

Douglas Spaulding, twelve, freshly wakened, let summer idle him on its early-morning stream. Lying in his third-story cupola bedroom, he felt the tall power it gave him, riding high in the June wind, the grandest tower in town. At night, when the trees washed together, he flashed his gaze like a beacon from this lighthouse in all directions over swarming seas of elm and oak and maple. Now . . .

"Boy," whispered Douglas.

A whole summer ahead to cross off the calendar, day by day. Like the goddess Siva in the travel books, he saw his hands jump everywhere, pluck sour apples, peaches, and midnight plums. He would be clothed in trees and bushes and rivers. He would freeze, gladly, in the hoarfrosted icehouse door. He would bake, happily, with ten thousand chickens, in Grandma's kitchen.

But now-a familiar task awaited him.

One night each week he was allowed to leave his father, his mother, and his younger brother Tom asleep in their small house next door and run here, up the dark spiral stairs to his grandparents' cupola, and in this sorcerer's tower sleep with thunders and visions, to wake before the crystal jingle of milk bottles and perform his ritual magic.He stood at the open window in the dark, took a deep breath and exhaled.

The street lights, like candles on a black cake, went out. He exhaled again and again and the stars began to vanish.

Douglas smiled. He pointed a finger.

There, and there. Now over here, and here . . .

Yellow squares were cut in the dim morning earth as house lights winked slowly on. A sprinkle of windows came suddenly alight miles off in dawn country.

"Everyone yawn. Everyone up."

The great house stirred below.

"Grandpa, get your teeth from the water glass!" He waited a decent interval. "Grandma and Great-grandma, fry hot cakes!"

The warm scent of fried batter rose in the drafty halls to stir the boarders, the aunts, the uncles, the visiting cousins, in their rooms.

"Street where all the Old People live, wake up! Miss Helen Loomis, Colonel Freeleigh, Miss Bentley! Cough, get up, take pills, move around! Mr. Jonas, hitch up your horse, get your junk wagon out and around!"

The bleak mansions across the town ravine opened baleful dragon eyes. Soon, in the morning avenues below, two old women would glide their electric Green Machine, waving at all the dogs. "Mr. Tridden, run to the carbarn!" Soon, scattering hot blue sparks above it, the town trolley would sail the rivering brick streets.

"Ready John Huff, Charlie Woodman?" whispered Douglas to the Street of Children. "Ready!" to baseballssponged deep in wet lawns, to rope swings hung empty in trees.

"Mom, Dad, Tom, wake up."

Clock alarms tinkled faintly. The courthouse clock boomed. Birds leaped from trees like a net thrown by his hand, singing. Douglas, conducting an orchestra, pointed to the eastern sky.

The sun began to rise.

He folded his arms and smiled a magician's smile. Yes, sir, he thought, everyone jumps, everyone runs when I yell. It'll be a fine season.

He gave the town a last snap of his fingers.

Doors slammed open; people stepped out.

Summer 1928 began.

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Keeping it simple

buildingblocks — Thu, 22 Apr 2004 15:36:47 GMT

I was telling a friend last night about my idea of setting up a list of organizations and businesses that lean to the left in some manner so that it can be used as a more comprehensive place for connections and possibly as a way of keeping the money within the group. (See explanaitons in other posts if this doesn't make sense). She said that a group of people that she homeschools with had tried the same idea but that it had fallen apart because there was not a person that wanted to do the upkeep on the list. That could happen here but I am going tp try and get it going and see that it keeps going. It could make a great difference I think. If I can connect with a hundred people over the next year and get just a few contacts here and there and they have some people do it then we are on our way. It could take years but it needs to be done. We'll see what happens. But I will keep telling people about it nonetheless. If you want to see what is possible when someone with an idea and the right motivation gets going check out www.solomax.com . It is MAx's site and leads to the Far Out School. Cool educational and growth ideas. Also check out The Far OUt School tribe.

Peace.

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 6 replies

Contact examples

buildingblocks — Wed, 21 Apr 2004 03:05:30 GMT

This is the type of info that I am guessing that we need. It can be set up better in a DB format but that is not necessary. Let me know if you think that i should add any fields.

And think of it this way. If you just make up one of these a week then by the end of the year you will have a list of 52 contacts. A little effort is better than none. I will continue to try and find people in each state that would like to work on this. It may take awhile but that's fine. If you have a personal website that you want on it then add that too.

Org./Business Name - The Other Paper
Industry - Alternative Weekly Newspaper
Mission -
Address - 100 Main St
Columbus Ohio 43210
Phone Number - 555-555-5555
Contact -
Email Address -http://www.theotherpaper.com/
Website -

Misc. Any community involvement, projects or affiliations that they
would like to have listed. If it is a media outlet such as an NPR station or an alternative paper what is the size of their audience. Target deomgraphic.

Org./Business Name - Ohio Democratic Party
Industry - Politics
Mission -
Address- 271 E. State St. Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone Number - 614-221-6563 x129
Contact - Dan Trevas · Communications Director
Email Address - dan@ohiodems.org
Website - http://www.ohiodems.org/

Misc. Any community involvement, projects or affiliations that they
would like to have listed. If it is a media outlet such as an NPR station or an alternative paper what is the size of their audience. Target deomgraphic.

Org./Business Name - Smith Carpentry
Industry - Carpentry/Construction
Mission
Address 100 Como Avenue Columbus Ohio
Phone Number
Contact
Email Address Jsmith@earthlink.com
Website (none but could easily be set up with a small amount of help)

Misc. Any community involvement, projects or affiliations that they
would like to have listed. If it is a media outlet such as an NPR station or an alternative paper what is the size of their audience. Target deomgraphic.

Later
Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

sacred scriptures

buildingblocks — Fri, 16 Apr 2004 12:46:37 GMT

If we could see all sacred scriptures as a common record of the universal human search for meaning and not as the revealed word of God, we would recognize that for milleniums we have been reading meaning into these texts instead of getting understanding out of them.

Can't remember who siad it but I do remember that it was a Rabbi.

posted in Building Blocks - 11 replies

Different Viewpoints?

buildingblocks — Thu, 15 Apr 2004 00:52:55 GMT

Larry and I were having this discussion through messages and decided to keep it going over posts. Opinions and ideas are welcome.

Larry wrote:
> Thanks for replying to me. I didn't mean to come
> down too hard on you and I am primarily a
> libertarian myself.
>
> I'll try to keep this short because I don't have
> a lot of time.
>
> The people already have ALL the power over
> governments and corporations, they just refuse
> to excercise it. <i agree on that point>
>
> What we as Americans need to do is first of all
> is demand that the government stop taking so
> much of our money for unconstitutional spending
> programs which is just about everything out
> there.
>
> Once we regain control of the government and
> shrink it back down to the appropriate size, the
> huge corporations which use government to stifle
> competition and protect themselves will have to
> adjust themselves and that process will take
> place naturally (more or less).
>
> It is the attitude of the people that determines
> the size and scope of government and the
> prevailing attitude is I'm going to get what
> I've got coming to me even if it means I have to
> take it from someone else (legalized theft
> through confiscatory taxes).
>
> Go take a look at www.mises.org and find the
> paper called "Human Action". You can download it
> as a pdf file. At least read the first couple of
> chapters. Be sure to have a dictionary handy.
>
> Get back to me and let me know what you think.
> I'm interested in continuing this discussion.
>
> Please feel free to post the contents of this
> message in your tribe and we'll continue it
> there.
>

Larry,

I will check out the website and I am going to go ahead and post your reply. I do agree with what you say but I don't think that it is the only way that it can be done. I do think that you way would work but I also think that mine can. But whatever way it happens it will take 10, 20 or more years to get anywhere. I will go into more details through posts. One thing is that I am not looking to help to build a class of people that will rely on government programs. We can do better. My extended plans involve working with people to educate the weirdos,freaks and others on the left (of which I count myself) in economics, and managment.(I have alot of this to learn myself) Accountability is very important to me but so is clean air, water and education and the corporations can do a lot of damage in the 20 years or more that it will take to bring power to the people in any manner. No one is doing it well now. So hopefully if enough people have these discussions then this will change.

The www.mises.org site did not come up. What was the right address?

Later
Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Bake Bush out of office!!

Tue, 13 Apr 2004 15:51:41 GMT

Moveon.org is sponsoring a fundraiser. On Sat., April 17, all across the country, thousands of people will organize bake sales to raise money for MoveOn PAC's campaign to Take Back the White House. While George Bush raises money mostly from wealthy donors, we will demonstrate the broad-based grassroots support supporting MoveOn PAC and John Kerry.

Here are the two places in our hood:

Have your cake and beat Bush too!
Corner of 15th Ave and High St.
Columbus, OH
We are sellin cookies to send Bush back to Crawford. Bake City, here we come!
Saturday, April 17, 10:00 AM

Or go to Moveon.org for more info!!!

Cookies for Kerry
Moda Verite/641 N. High Street, Suite 104
Columbus, OH
Enjoy strolling the Short North Arts District and help John Kerry take control of our future by purchasing baked goods from Kerry Supporters. Stop in after a brisk walk.
Moda Verite is a clothing store located at the south-west corner of North High Street and Russell in the Short North Arts District. We are one block north of the convention center, between Loot and Lemongrass Asian Bistro.
Saturday, April 17, 01:00 PM

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

greetings

sobey — Sat, 10 Apr 2004 03:25:57 GMT

Thanks Andy for inviting me over. Hope to look into the idea of networks,currency etc in festivals like Mother Earth (Oracle Gathering) on solstice as well as Burning Man with panel or workshop discussion/presentation. Input most valued.

posted in Building Blocks - 2 replies

Great Lyric from an Old Anarchist

buildingblocks — Thu, 08 Apr 2004 23:57:11 GMT

This is a great lyric from an old folkie named Utah Phillips on an album that he did with Ani DiFranco.
Mark Twain said, "Those of you who are inclined to worry have the widest selection in history."
Why complain? Try to do something about it - you know, it's [been] goin' on nine months now, since I decided that I was gonna declare that I am a candidate for the presidency of the United States.
Shopped around for a party.
Well, I looked at the Republicans. Decided talking to a conservative is like talking to your refrigerator.
You know, the light goes on, the light goes off, it's not gonna do anything that isn't built into it.
But I'm not gonna talk to a conservative any more than I talk to my damn refrigerator.
Working for the Democratic party, now, that's kind of like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
"I created my own political party: it's called the Sloth and Indolence Party. Yes I am going to run.
I've studied the presidency carefully. I have seen that our best presidents were the do- nothing presidents: Millard Fillmore, Warren G. Harding.
When you have a president who does things we are all in serious trouble.
If he does anything at all: if he gets up at night to go to the bathroom, somehow, mystically, trouble will ensue.
I guarantee that if I am elected, I will take over the White House, hang out, shoot pool, scratch my ass, and not do a damn thing. Which is to say: if you want something done, don't come to me do it for you, you gotta get together and figure out how to do it yourselves. Is that a deal? "
That last two lines say alot.

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies

Main idea

buildingblocks — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 19:15:35 GMT

Well the main idea that I have for starting this is to get people involved. We have let too many politicians and corporate types run things for too long. I wasn't a big Dean supporter but it shows what you can do with the internet and a little imagination.

In case you are just stopping by and are not one of the friends that I have sent this too here is my take on what we can do with this.

I am going to use it to try and connect a LARGE group of like minded people together.(Somewhat Liberal but pragmatic although all views are welcome as long as they aren't hateful) That way we can help each other out. Examples would be that when someone works to get things done politically and socially then you will already have a base of people to start with that could be interested in the issue. If you have a website or business that you want to advertise, or a CD or a band to promote then you already would have a group of like minded people that might be interested in hearing about it. One thing would be that we could comment on stores that people we know run or services that they provide and suggest that others in the tribe use these people. That way we keep the money in our tribe (or demographic or group or among people that vote similiarly or whatever you want to call it). How many people do you know that are trying to run painting companies or freelance web design so that they can control their time and spend more with their families? I would prefer to give them my business than give it to someone that I have no connection with. This is a way to economic and political power. Ethnic communities have been doing it that way forever and it has worked. We have to take care of each other just as they have. Ours can be a community with all ethnicities and creeds, orientations and leanings. All that matters is an open mind.

It is also a place to get ideas or suggestions. Advice from people that have gone through what you might be currently going through. The difference is that it will be from people who have similar likes and dislikes and for the most part are connected through so many degrees of separation to people that you know. So I guess that it is the same as a listserve or a chat room in many ways but it seems to already have alot of alternative, open minded people involved so it seems like a good place to get involved. What matters is what we do with it.

If you know anyone else that might be interested then pass along the info. The bigger it gets the more power it will have to change things.

So we are looking for open minded people that give a sh*t about what is happening in the world. People that are interested in diversity and the strength that it can create. Remember. Mutts are always smarter than the purebreds.

Peace

Andy

posted in Building Blocks - 2 replies

Liberal Business Links

buildingblocks — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 14:04:24 GMT

Here are some links that will lead you to info on how to do business and still work towards social good.

http://www.sohodojo.com

http://www.knowledgedemocracy.org/

http://www.ashoka.org/home/index.cfm

http://www.ssireview.com/

http://www.acumenfund.org/index.html

http://www.newtopiamagazine.net/ (this site is great and has an excellent links section)

posted in Building Blocks - 0 replies