Leaping the Gap
Some of us have the vision of a number of small, local meet-ups for Caucus99ers, with the possibility later of a centralized once-a-year gathering.
We want to realize this vision for a number of reasons. First, we want to maintain our connections. We feel that a community that wants to last probably should not depend on the Internet alone, or at least that it would be more sensible not to put all our eggs in this one (albeit capacious) basket. For one thing, the loss of net neutrality might hit us hard. No-one denies the value of the space JtC and others have built here, but we feel the need for, well, back-up. Hard copy. As someone who spent years working in a library, I really like the ideas of back-up and hard copy.
Secondly, if we ever want to take any actions, you can't beat IRL connections. The relationship between online discussion and action in the real world is complicated. Most of the time, the former doesn't result in the latter. It's obvious, to anybody who's ever tried to organize anything, that the road from talk to action is always fraught and full of difficulty, but as someone who's organized both online and offline, my experience is that engendering offline action through online discussion seems to have a lower success rate even than the norm. I'm putting it as precisely here as I can because if the only action you require of people is online action, often online discussion can do quite well. For instance, if you want to invent a website named caucus99percent, online discussion will work fine. 
It's leaping the gap from digital to organic that seems to present the additional difficulty. This is a more complicated issue than I want to go into here, since this essay isn't an academic treatise on the relationship between digital and organic interaction, and occasionally, as with flashmobs, online talk creates offline action very quickly. Occupy, too, used the Internet quite efficiently in organizing their specific actions. However--and this is important--the Occupy movement did not invent itself through online discussions alone. Stories of how the movement came to be differ, but they all agree on one thing: Adbusters and the Anonymous video alone did not get people into Zuccotti park. People talking face-to-face and organizing in real space with each other (apparently for hours) did.
I'm not suggesting that we invent a new Occupy movement. I do want to end up where I believe the Occupy movement should have ended up: a network of small, local communities across the country. By "communities" I do not mean communes, though a physical space reliably dedicated to the community is, IMO, highly desirable. I'm imagining a persistent, connected, local presence of truth-tellers which could potentially provide a toolbox for active consciences in their area. I envision these communities as being dedicated to the notion of independence from the dying system, psychologically, culturally, and physically, as much as possible. Ideally, the communities would both be independent and sustainable themselves, and spread ideas and toolkits for increased independence and sustainability to their mainstream neighbors when needed.
That's my dream. It may not appeal to everybody (or anybody). Or we may not be able to accomplish it.
But even if we want caucus99percent to never be anything more than what it currently is--a lifeboat for those drowning in propaganda and a brutalizing groupthink that sears the mind--we should strongly consider building an organic network to mirror our digital network. Because we don't know what the powers that be will do in regard to the internet, or when. If we want to be able to continue to have these discussions, back-up is advisable.
Hanging out and making friends in person might seem like an awfully small and trivial tool with which to accomplish any goal--but if that's true, why are the powers-that-be so intent on discouraging us from doing so?
And even if we accomplished nothing at all except more friendship in our lives, is that really so small or trivial?
I'm not a Christian, but I was one once, and stories from the Bible are part of my personal internal library. I've been thinking a lot about the story of the loaves and the fishes lately. It's a story of meeting a goal that looks impossible with resources that look so inadequate the effort seems pointless.
For those of you that don't know the story, it goes like this: Jesus tries to get some privacy with his disciples after they hear about John the Baptist's beheading. They go out to the country. But a huge crowd follows them. So Jesus, despite having wanted some quiet, does some teaching and healing instead. But when night falls, they are presented with the problem of having thousands of people sitting in a desert with no apparent food nearby. The disciples tell Jesus "Send them away. There's nothing for them to eat." Jesus says (rather annoyingly), "You feed them." They say, "We don't have enough money to feed them!" He says "What do you have?"
What they had was five loaves and two fishes.
Jesus takes the food, blesses it, and sets it before the crowd. The Bible says that all ate and were satisfied and they gathered something like twelve baskets of leftover food afterward. Most Christians since have taken that to mean that Jesus magicked five loaves and two fishes into enough food for five thousand people (and more).
But as with so many stories of Jesus' miracles, there is an alternative explanation.
Other scholars propose that each person in the crowd was hiding a little something. Half a piece of bread. A piece of fruit. They were each afraid to bring out their food, for fear of it being snatched away from them. So what Jesus actually did, in this reading, is, through an act of honest generosity, inspire people to make fearless acts of generosity themselves, setting their little bits of food before the crowd. And it turned out to be more than enough to feed them all.
I consider the second interpretation to actually be far more miraculous than the first. It's one of the things that gives me the strength to keep trying again, because the lesson is not to give up because you see that your own resources are inadequate. You are not just you. You can, if you choose, also become part of a we, and nobody has any idea what the resources of that we will be until it's formed.
This is pretty heavy talk, when all I want to do is establish a bunch of persistent local Meet-ups, which could be nothing more than people hanging out over drinks and chips. But I thought it would be better if I opened my mind to you all and let you into my thinking.
Even if we establish Meet-ups that last, we might not accomplish anything other than friendship and a welcome relief, on a regular basis, from the blitzkrieg of propaganda raining down on us. We might accomplish nothing more than to make it more difficult for the powers-that-be to arbitrarily cut us off from each other by fucking around with the Internet. But I think that that alone would be a worthwhile goal. And if we found we could do more, wouldn't that be worth finding out?
Over the next two or three weeks, I'll be getting my house furnished enough that there will no longer be stacks of books on the floor and unpacked boxes of china in the middle of the living room. Once that's done, I'm going to start organizing the first Florida Meetup. In the meantime, anybody who's willing to start a Meetup in their own town please message me. And I hope everybody reading this will share their responses, because I could use greater input.
Comments
Well, I've already done 2 in Portland.
And am planning on another the weekend of the 10th of September.
Although that is the same weekend as Rose City Comic Con, I'm thinking the Sunday will be good, because most of the crowd will be at the Convention Center, and open up the Lucky Lab for the rest of us.
Meant to do more, but the past year has been ROUGH for me, and I've been rather involved with my SO's "Doctor Who" meetup group. (We're checking out a new Venue this weekend, because the current one, while it has the right Dr Who theme, is a dive that waters drinks, overcharges and generally treats the customers like shit.)
So, just holding off on the announcement, but I'm fully onboard. Next year I'm going to be in LA for Gallifrey One, so if anybody is interested in meeting around that time, I would probably also be able to scrape together a few hours.
So, yeah, I hope we can do more, but I know how tough meetups can be sometimes. Organization is not something that comes naturally, especially to free-thinkers.
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
I'm going to put Sep 10 in my
calendar and hope it comes off. As we all do I'm sure, I get tired sometimes of my own ranting to people who'd rather not know what in hell I'm talking about, it would be good to meet real people who feel the same way. Gets lonely out here in Bernie-Bro, sexist, communist, socialist, racist, whatever land railing at the insanity while no one else seems to care.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
@detroitmechworks That's great. There are a
That's great. There are a lot of us on the left coast.
Sometimes I regret not moving to Oregon. But knowing people/knowing the town/cheaper real estate/presence of Mom/presence (within driving distance) of my partner's daughter all added up to coming to Florida.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I will probably have to move out of Portland proper...
Fairly soon, due to insane housing prices.
Looking at Grant's Pass for a long term solution, and I have associates in the Marijuana Business who are looking for help with harvests, etc. (Nice thing about pot farmers is that they pay fairly and are usually pretty honest. Unlike most corporate farmers...)
I'll be here at least until my lease is up, but after that...
I do not pretend I know what I do not know.
@detroitmechworks I vote we meet out
I vote we meet out your way. Isn't Grants Pass where Breitenbush and Bagby Hot Springs are located? Breitenbush could be a fairly inexpensive stay, and three vegetarian meals a day, classes in yoga or Edgu, cute little cabins, nice places for hikes...and of course, the hot springs.
In life, as in dance, grace glides on blistered feet. ~Alice Abrams
@mypiece What an awesome
What an awesome idea.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I'll have to watch myself around Grant's Pass
on I-5. Got a really nasty speeding ticket there back in 2007. Did not see him and he was on me. I never argue with them or even bother trying to talk my way out of it, I know I deserve it, I have a heavy foot and always have. Learn to drive in LA and it never leaves you. $285 and it's not like I was doing 100 either!
But what a beautiful area, even just seeing it from the freeway. Sucks that rents are so bad everywhere now. Bad hell, predatory more like it.
Only a fool lets someone else tell him who his enemy is. Assata Shakur
the Pike's Peak Region of Colorado
I'm pretty certain I'm the only c99er here.
Am I wrong?
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I visit Colorado sometimes
Have old Law School friends and my younger brother's family in Thorton.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Thornton
Thornton is the north end of the Denver Metro.
The Pike's Peak Region is centered about 80 miles south of downtown Denver.
And, of course, you don't live here!
But thank you for answering my question!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
I thought metro Denver
went down to Pueblo and east to Lymon and north to Cheyenne.
(ducks)
There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.
metro Denver
Not quite.
According to Mountain Bell/USWest/CenturyLink/whatever the fuck they're callingthemselves this week:
Metro Denver's southernmost Counties are Douglas and Jefferson, which are intertwined theouighout most of the South Platte River's headwaters. Neighboring ranchers, one in El Paso County and one in Douglas County, only separated by one line of barbed wire, have to make long distance telephone calls to call one another (a common problem along Highway 105 in the Tri-Lakes area).
I specified the Pike's Peak Region for a reason.......
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Tongue in cheek.
In most of Ks you can drive 20 minutes of highway and maybe see a farmhouse or two. It's been years since I've been to Co, I seem to recall I25 having a couple of one block gaps between Denver an Co Springs that didn't have a shopping center or fast food joint.
Kinda like visiting a friend in Jersey. During a drive he said,"we're in the country now". Looking around I saw a furniture store, a convenience store, and an auto parts next to a salvage yard. Since we were stationed on east coast of NC I know he knew what "the country" really was.
There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.
I-25 DEN to COS
I knew that!
It's not quite that bad, but.....
I remember when there was real rurality (complete with cattle) between Castle Rock and Denver! The Greenland Ranch, between Castle Rock and Monument, is under non-urbanization agreements with Douglas County. Otherwise, all that would be fucking city too....
Must mean I'm getting old. Damn!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
And real rurality (complete with cattle)
and old barns between Boulder and Denver, and the back roads that preceded the turnpike . . .
along with The Valmont plant, the brickyard, and Gunbarrel Hill's checkerboard fields.
But now I'm in the Emerald City.
@Creosote. I remember
I remember when Fort Collins was a little college town surrounded by big fields.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Nice parallel!
Now my sister teaches there.
A friend and I used to drive from Boulder to Longmont if it was after midnight to have a cup of coffee; nothing closer open.
I used to live in Colorado.
Went to CSU in Ft. Collins and CU for law school in Boulder. I know where Pikes peak is (and have been to its summit more than once). I've been all over the state. I've even been to Colorado Springs. So I know my way around the state. I lived there for more than half my life, admittedly most of it in the Denver Metro area, but I'm not ignorant of where you live geographically speaking.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
@Steven D I lived in Fort
I lived in Fort Collins when I was 3-6 yrs old.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
I lived there when I was 17-21
I don;t really remember much about those years but I know I got a degree there at some point.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
I spent the summers of my youth
in and around Denver. I as a wild child so the folks were happy to ship me out. My folks were Catholic farm folk so I had enough aunts, uncles and cousins I could just rotsete every week or so.
There is no such thing as TMI. It can always be held in reserve for extortion.
apologies
My apologies. I never meant to assert any such thing of you.
But I knew you lived outside Colorado now, which makes arranging you as part of a quick local get-together somewhat difficult!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
True
Mea culpa back at you. I should have given you more detail in my first response.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
My point is
that the next time I'm out there, I'd love to meet you. Obviously, I can't predict when that will be.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
meet up
Well, should the opportunity arise, you know how to rattle my cage!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Also in Colorado, but not near you
I'm down by Cortez, where the cell phone signals fade out and the stars burn gloriously. Last place wired for DSL, just beyond the electrical grid.
"The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." -- Albert Bartlett
"A species that is hurtling toward extinction has no business promoting slow incremental change." -- Caitlin Johnstone
Cortez
Until railway dieselization, it took two full days to get from my house to yours by the fastest means available. (I could get to Skid Row's haunts in LA faster than Cortez!)
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Sounds like a good place to be
With thanks for the acuity of your posts.
@thanatokephaloides I'm probably not too far
I'm probably not too far from you--45 minutes to an hour? I live in Douglas County, the Castle Rock area.
In life, as in dance, grace glides on blistered feet. ~Alice Abrams
Castle Rock/DougCo Colorado
This is the first I've heard from you, mypiece, and so far, you're the closest c99er to me!
Great to meet you on c99!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
@thanatokephaloides Thanks! Back atcha!
Thanks! Back atcha!
Long time lurker. I have posted a couple of times. DK reject. Not sure I'm banned, but not sure I care. I suppose we're both in the conservative areas of Colorado. It does make me feel a little better knowing there are others here (in Colorado and online) that feel the same.
It's a pleasure to meet you...and maybe one day in person?
In life, as in dance, grace glides on blistered feet. ~Alice Abrams
dk reject
Indeed!
"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar
"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides
Hey, guys--
I'm sorry but I just got a call from my mom and I have to run out and see her. I'll be back a little after three to respond to y'all's comments.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Is Drinking Liberally Allowed?
When you get a time and location in Southern California the first ounce of Cali Kush is in me!
Oh yeah. Jesus is just all right with me:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGJU1X-4_WY&sns=em
"They'll say we're disturbing the peace, but there is no peace. What really bothers them is that we are disturbing the war." Howard Zinn
@Meteor Man I love Drinking Liberally
I love Drinking Liberally. Although at this point, Drinking Radically would be more accurate!
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Gainesville
is easy for some of us.
@crbngville Well, yes! I suspect
Well, yes! I suspect orlbucsfan might also be within driving distance, and maybe lunachickie.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Depending
on the time of year, I may be in the general vicinity.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
@gulfgal98 That would be great.
That would be great. If we meet on the gulf, it would be odd not to have you there.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Cedar Key
Could make a great breakfast meet up spot. Fresh fried fish and cheese grits make a great morning meal.
@crbngville Oh my god. You
Oh my god. You are *evil*!! Now I want some!
It's not just a good breakfast--it's a GREAT breakfast.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
All New Yorkers
We need to do this. I know riverlover and wink and maybe a few others are in upstate/western NY and MarkinQueens is in, well, Queens. Who else lives in or around NYC or the rest of NY (or Mass, Northern PA, CT, Upper NJ, etc.)?
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
What . . .
do you have against Vermont?
Is that even a state?
Sadly my congressional district is bigger than Vermont.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
Thanks for getting this started CStS.
I'm in the middle of a total overhaul of my apartment, which includes lugging my massive music collection and 7ft shelves downstairs by myself to the shared basement of my apartment building.
To get to the point, as I'm short of time at the moment:
I live in Queens, NYC, and could, with the help of another or two (because I'm expecting another baby in 6 weeks or so and will be limited in my capacity), organize something for the tri-state area. So if you live in NY state, NJ or CT and would be into such a gathering, feel free to get in touch via a message.
We also did a Mid-Atlantic C99 meet-up to coincide with the week of the DNC in Philly - and it was great. I've also been to a couple of the NYC Kos ones a few years ago and met some fine people too (they're not all $hillbot douchebags). Half seemed like a mainstream MSNBC crowd, but the other half seemed more discerning with openness to a possibly more radical view. Revolution starts from discussions in cafes, pubs, parks, basements and living rooms - in person.
You said it so eloquently, CStS, and really summed it up for me. It is the next step in solidifying bonds with the community we've built and trust. Like you said, even if we get some smaller group gatherings that would be great. Eventually maybe we could build it into something bigger, on a national scale. Occupy's biggest success was how it transformed those who showed up in person.
So, two questions:
Is there anybody in the tri-state area, or even further who would come to NYC, interested in helping to organize a meet up?
Can we get a show of hands of who lives within traveling distance and would consider coming?
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
heh...
it's a bit of a trip, but i'd be willing to travel north to ny for a meetup from time to time, say on a weekend. as an aside, perhaps if somebody who knows the city well was willing to tour guide, i've intended for a while (but never got around to it) to start a stock photo collection for c99 and there are some places in nyc that probably belong in such a collection.
i don't know if there are enough of us in the mid-atlantic to do a regular meetup, but philly, baltimore and dc are in easy proximity for me.
Cool, Joe. Would be good to see you again...
I've done the unofficial tour guide thing for some time here, at least for many an out-of-towner who have either stayed on my couch or are friends visiting from abroad. I'd be happy to run around with you, time permitting, or at least point you in the right direction. Pity I'm motorcycle-less at the moment, because that's my favorite way to go and covers the most ground with the best views/experience, assuming you'd have been up for something like that.
If folks are up for coming to NYC for the occasion I can start looking into contacting some activist friends to see what might be available in terms of a space. We can spread stuff out over a day (or two), with slots for an open informal hang, followed by dinner out and then a pub on the quieter side (as much as I love Khyber Pass in Philly, it was way too loud at dinner time). Whatever folks seem like they're up for...
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
If the timing is right
I'd try to make a go of it. About a 6-7 hr drive for me.
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
That's great, Steven! Would be good to see you again too...
That is kind of a hike coming from lovely Upstate.
What about some folks considering carpooling? There's a handful of you from up that way, isn't there? I think Nastarana might be also, in addition to wink and riverlover.
Let's do this!
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
Depending on the timing, . . .
I'm an easy Megabus jaunt from NYC.
If all goes well over the coming year I hope to relocate in northeastern PA, even closer to NYC (and not all that far from riverlover in the Ithaca area).
Basically anywhere between the northern Shenandoah Valley and the lower Hudson is within my radius of activity.
Would be good to see you again, DYM, and would look forward
to hearing more about your venture.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
@Mark from Queens
Hi Mark: (joanbrooker from DK). I'll help out in any way that's needed -- I'm in Midtown.
This is my third try at a reply here -- I am so c99% challenged it seems. If this doesn't take I'll message you.
I just had dinner with sidnora last week (used to put the NYC meet-ups together) and we were fondly recalling both you and Tool at the Climate March. Hoping this posts. J.
Wow, what a nice treat: Joan from DK!
Funny, when recollecting in my comment above the DK meet ups I've attended, having been far enough removed from the place for reasons I'm pretty sure are clear to you, I almost allowed my contempt and disgust for the place at large to color my feeling about the few folks I met in person at those meet ups at the brunch joint on the LES, specifically you and Sidnora mostly, and maybe a couple of others whose names escape me now.
Didn't know you were signed up here - very glad to see you! Thanks for the offer to help.
I recall both your and Sidnora's support for Bernie, and your interest in exposing your students to activism and protest marches.
So good to have you here! I will be in touch, Joan.
"If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph:
THE ONLY PROOF HE NEEDED
FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
WAS MUSIC"
- Kurt Vonnegut
@Mark from Queens
Fantastic! BTW I know a great/reasonable Cuban restaurant in Long Island City. (I always think of food first).
And yes, my students and I had many unforgettable experiences together -- something I'll always cherish as I hope they will as well. If I can ever figure out how to embed a video here, I'll share the awesome short video we did from the Women's March.
I will send you my info -- I can also reach out to a few people, who I know will be interested. J.
Anyone else in San Francisco area?
I'm planning on attending a DSA meeting too.
I've thought of putting together a bunch of short diaries
that basically call for a show of hands--how many in the mid-Atlantic? how many in New England? How many in the Rocky Mountain States? Pacific NW?
I'm a little worried that that might feel intrusive to some folks, but hopefully if people don't want to divulge personal info, they just won't.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Good idea
Go for it
"You can't just leave those who created the problem in charge of the solution."---Tyree Scott
Song of the lark and
Alligator Ed had dinner a few months ago. It turned out pretty good. I was like one of those little birds that get in mouth of the crocodile. Had to watch out for all the sharp wit.
Anytime you're ready for another meet-up, I'm ready.
Any other folks in central CA able to come to a mid-CA meet-up? Angelenos could also come by and escape the smog for a while.
Bend, Oregon and surronding now a favorite tourist destination
Let me know if you are in the area and we can join up for a face-to-face event.
Still yourself, deep water can absorb many disturbances with minimal reaction.
--When the opening appears release yourself.
Most folks here who read
what I have posted in the past know that I spend most of my time in western NC. As far as I know, the only regular here in the vicinity is smiley7.
Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy
Has been my thinking
for forever now, and all I get are blank stares. I believe it to be the Only Way to build anything long lasting. "Downtown" Jeana Brown hit me up to help her start up one in southern GA in Sep. It fell thru only becuz I experienced a $1,200 plumbing bill this summer. Pretty much all of my "rainy day" fund which I was going to use half for the Sept. event.
But, yeah, short of cash I am still interested in getting something going besides our local yokel congressional district meetups. And, if you haven't started up any of those yet you need to. Just start up an FB group and get it going that way. I would be interested in a more Regional two-day, two nights event in the northeast. Somewhere along the D.C. to Boston corridor.
For a Regional we would need a hotel conference room that could support 200 people for 2 days, 10am -7pm. Divide that cost by 100 (that hopefully show up and that's your convention cost (or $20 each, whichever is more). Any $$ left over go toward the next event. So, if it's $600 per day x 2 = $1,200 for the Conf. Rm. / 100 = $12 ea., so the Conference cost would bee $20 Plus Room (2 nights) Plus Food, or about $350 plus travel costs. If we get 100 conf. goers x $20 ea. = $2,000 - $1,200 (cost of Conf. Room) = $800 "profit" which would go toward offsetting next Meetup costs.
"Local" Meetups would cost the same if you can find a local restaurant /pub that would host you for dinner, beers. About $20 each.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
I like the idea
But meetups are unlikely to work for me personally. I'm an island living kind of guy (Vancouver island). I'm also on a fixed income so the ferry fares and gas hurt. And finally, I hate crossing the border. I can almost feel my rights being stripped away.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
@SnappleBC I absolutely get what
I absolutely get what you're saying.
Of course, depending on the island, perhaps folks could sometime come to you--I don't know how tourist-friendly your island is.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
Anyone near State College, PA?
This is the land of the neolibs, followers of HER and the MSM. I'm feeling very downhearted about finding kindred spirits who will work together, but maybe there are nearby areas who'd like to work together. Happy to work at helping to organize a meet-up.
hear yeah
similar situation around here in new england. Hard to find progressive minds within reach. Would be good to reach out, re-inforce face to face what we share on the keyboard.
question everything
@QMS I've noticed that we
I've noticed that we don't seem to have many New Englanders on here.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
@QMS That is so sad. Always
That is so sad. Always have relied on New England for its good sense, politically speaking (with the exception of producing the Bushes, but everybody has a bad day sometimes).
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver
If you can drive two
hours, I've located a spot that reaches much of eastern PA as well as Binghampton, NY and the lower Hudson river (west side), Newburg to Forest Hills, Queens. And, of course, all of Manhattan. Not that many New Yawkers that live in Manhattan own cars (no need), I didn't want to hear from the peanut gallery that "you didn't include New Yawk!" I did. The map says it all.
Tried to keep driving times to 2 hours, becuz that makes for four hours driving time (for the day), and that's plenty. But, there are a couple restaurants in that one horse town, so... the most centrally located town I could find that didn't take any two lane back roads to travel.
the little things you can do are more valuable than the giant things you can't! - @thanatokephaloides. On Twitter @wink1radio. (-2.1) All about building progressive media.
... But as with so many
Out of all of the beautiful/interesting/informative/brilliant/inspirational things that you've written, this has to be one of the most timely and essential of them all...
The people, united, shall never be defeated.
Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.
A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.
hear yeah
the unification of the awakened minds. can do
question everything
@Ellen North Thank you, Ellen. That
Thank you, Ellen. That compliment brought tears to my eyes.
"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha
"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver