Greetings,
Today I'd like to get started with the actual business of setting up the
workshop, letting you know about site arrangements and costs, and beginning
our mutual decision process about who's coming and who will participate on
which session panels.
But first let me share a `peace' message from Feral Sage -- it seems our
first little group process -- airing our thoughts about the `leadership'
issue -- has been resolved to everyone's reasonable satisfaction. This may
seem insignificant, but I can tell you from frustrating experience that in
most `e-gatherings' that particular debate could have gone on for weeks and
gotten nowhere, led to factionalism, etc.
From the beginning of the this project, I've been going on the assumption
that consensus must be the basis of the democratic process, and here we've
gone through a _successful consensus exercise without any ovehead chat
about process per se... I think we've got a level-headed crew on board
here... so, loose the lines, let's set sail.
rkm
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Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998
From: Feral Sage <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Re: follow-up thread> re: `leadership'
Dear Richard,
Thanks for the clarification. If I seemed to jump on the "leadership"
issue it's probably just that I've become so weary of orgs that need to
get these issues straightened out before proceeding to do any work --
and then, having tired themselves out in the process of ascertaining
who's in charge of what, have little energy left for the work of
establishing reality according to the vision they have developed.
There's so little time left to organize a meaningful, powerful response
to corporate rule. We need to move forward in concert, avoid getting
COINTELPROed, and not sweat the small stuff.
I'm looking forward to seeing the proposed agenda for the workshop.
Peace!!! Feral
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Arrangements and facilities>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jan has been scrounging up a range of facilities for us, from B&B's to
campgrounds. If anyone wants to go ahead and book their own accomodations
and pay for them, that's fine with us, and such people should contact
`rebel jan' <•••@••.•••> for contact info. And please let us
know so we can tick you off the `needs accomodations' list.
We'd like to finalize our list of delegates before worrying about assinging
individual lodging arrangements among the places we have reserved. We want
to take into account special needs, couples, etc., and so we don't want to
take a first-come, first-served approach to lodging. The workshop fee will
subsidise, partially, the more expensive accomodations so as not to
overburden those who have need for such facilities.
We do urge everyone to bring a sleeping bag, if at all possible, so we'll
have maximum flexibility. Rumor has it there'll be some good music and
folk-dance sessions at the campgrounds, so you might find yourself wanting
to stay there even if you're not normally a camper.
Part of that rumor, by the way, is that those of you who play musical
instruments will have the sense to bring them! And pehaps an exta guitar
if you're travelling by car.
Meals will all be included in the workshop fee, and will be a bargain
because some very gracious local women (I _do believe they are all women)
are volunteering the preparation.
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Delegate selection and fees>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Our serious responses (those expressing strong interest in the workshop)
have been a little less than 200. Many of those can't afford the travel,
however, and we haven't had any success as yet in finding funding sources
to provide travel scholarships. Others have scheduling conflicts, etc. So
my guess is that, all things considered, we'll be able to accomate the
majority of those who want to come.
And the clock is ticking, airfares get higher the closer to the day we get,
and I'm sure you're eager to finalize your plans. I think we need to just
go with who's on the list now, and make our mutual decisions, except for...
Jan's still doing outreach, and she may have some people interested whom
she _really wants, so we'll leave a few slots for last minute decisions.
What we need now from you, if you want to attend, is a firm commitment, and
by _firm we mean backed up by a CAN$35.00 non-refundable deposit.
I hope you will be sympathetic to our policy here. It is going to be a
financial hardship for many who are coming, and we're operating on zero
funding, so those of you who pay the deposit (not a back-breaking amount)
and aren't selected will be helping to ease the burden on those who do come
and have to pay airfare, etc. This whole affair is about _community, at
some level, and here's a chance for that spirit to show itself.
Our estimate of the total fee, against which the deposit will be credited,
is about CAN$200 per delegate, average. We haven't yet worked out the
exact formula to adjust for different styles of accomodations, but that
gives you a close ballpark of what to budget for. If lots of folks choose
the low-cost option (below), the fee will be noticeably reduced and we'll
release some of our reservations.
So please, if you want to be at the workshop, send us in a message by next
Tuesday, regardless of earlier correspondence. Couples, if there are any,
should apply together if they intend to dwell together. Please provide the
following information; :
Name(s):
Address(es):
Male [ ] Female [ ] (we want to be reasonably balanced, re/gender)
Means of travel (car, plane, etc.):
Special dietary requirements:
Accomodation needs (eg, wheel-chair access):
Accomodation preferences - [ ]-Low cost or [ ]-High comfort
Will bring tent [], could use a tent [ ], can bring extra tent [ ]
Deposit was wired on date: _____
from: account name _____ account number ___
The way to handle the deposit is to check with your bank on exchange rates,
and then have them wire the money to the following account which Jan has
reserved for this project's exclusive use:
Bank: Caisse populaire de Clare
Branch: Caisse populaire Sainte-Marie ,
P.O. Box 99, Church Point, NS,
Canada, B0W 1M0
Transit # 22293-839
Acct name: Enviro-Clare
Acct number: 90468-015
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Restore democratic sovereignty
Create a sane and livable world
Bring corporate globalization under control.
* CITIZENS FOR A DEMOCRATIC RENAISSANCE (CADRE) *
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