A List of Environmental and Telecommunications Events and Issues
July 4 to July 11, 1997
Published, Edited and Written by George Mokray for
Information Ecologies
218 Franklin St #3
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617)661-2676
gmoke@world.std.com
"A List..." is also a listserv. You can subscribe or unsubscribe by emailing a-list-request@world.std.com, leaving the Subject line blank, and typing "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" as the message.
Previous issues of "A List.." are available for your perusal at
http://world.std.com/~gmoke/AList.index.html
If you are interested in keeping Internet an open and free forum, contact
http://www.eff.org/
Listings
Tuesday, July 8
9 pm
Cadillac Desert: Water and the Transformation of Nature
contact http://www.pbs.org/kteh/cadillacdesert/
WGBH 2-TV
Thursday, July 10
7:30 pm
Alliance for Democracy
contact njberman@gis.net
First Baptist Church, 5 Magazine St, Central Sq
6 pm - 8 pm
Environmental Roundtable - pizza, salad, potluck meeting
contact Julie at 350-8866 or John at 981-7413
Appalachian Mountain Club, 5 Joy St, Boston
7 pm
Pan-Twilight Circus "Tempest in a Big Top" - a circus version of
Shakespeare's "The Tempest" to benefit Somerville's community
gardeners and recyclers
contact 628-8850
corner of Summer and Vinal Streets, near Union Square, Somerville
Editorial Comment: I know the actor who will be playing Caliban and this sounds like an exciting show for a good cause. The Circus will be in town until Sunday, July 13 with performances every night at 7 pm and matinees at 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Ticket prices are $5 for those under 12 and $9 for those who are no longer that young. I'll be going to the Friday night show myself.
Friday, July 11
9 am - 5:30 pm
Clean Air and Public Health - John DeVillars, Trudy Coxe, Patricia
Hynes and others
contact 367-8540
MA College of Pharmacy, Longwood Ave and Palace Rd, Boston
$40 registration
Sources for Listings:
MIT _Tech Talk_ :
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/www
Harvard _Gazette_ :
http://www.news.harvard.edu/hno.subpages/hno.calendar.full.html
Harvard Environmental Resources On-Line:
http://environment.harvard.edu
MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs calendar:
http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/envir/earth.htm
Earth Day Network international/national listings:
http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/EarthDay/ednethome.html
Earth Day Greater Boston calendar:
http://www.earthdaygb.org
act-ma the Massachusetts activists mailing list:
subscribe by emailing majordomo@igc.apc.org, leaving the subject line blank and typing "subscribe act-ma" as the message
Peace and Justice Events Hotline at (617)787-6809
Table of Contents
Environmental Activist Arrested in Sierra Leone
Editorial Comment: Global Response sends out alerts for emergency action. This is their latest.
Dear Members of GR's Quick Response Network:
EMERGENCY ACTION ALERT (June 26, 1997)
Please send a fax to Major Johnny Paul Koroma
Freetown, Sierra Leone
FAX NO: 011 232 22 22 5615
Ask Major Koroma to assure the safety and immediate release from prison of Dr. Sama S. Banya, arrested after the May 25, 1997, coup in Sierra Leone.
Background:
Dr. Sama Banya, medical doctor, elder statesman, pro-democracy activist, and founder of the only conservation organization in the west African state of Sierra Leone, was arrested in a round-up of opposition leaders by the leaders of the bloody coup that toppled Sierra Leone's first democratically elected government in three decades. Dr. Banya was charged with plotting against the coup leaders. He was taken to the notorious Pademba Road Prison in Freetown, and it is not known if he is still alive. Dr. Banya had close ties to the democratically elected government, and served on the Peace Commission formed to negotiate a truce between warring factions in this strife-torn west African state.
Dr. Banya's accomplishments include a 45-year career as a medical doctor,
organizer of public health clinics and founder of the Special Olympics in
Sierra Leone, and as a Minister of Development and Planning in a previous
government. He was a 1994 recipient of the prestigious United Nations
Environment Programme Global 500 award for his lifetime achievements in public service for conservation.
THIS EMERGENCY ACTION IS ISSUED BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED BY AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL USA URGENT ACTION OFFICE.
GLOBAL RESPONSE is an international letter-writing network of environmental activists. In partnership with indigenous, environmentalist and peace and justice organizations around the world, GLOBAL RESPONSE develops Actions that describe specific, urgent threats to the environment; each Action asks members to write personal letters to individuals in the corporations, governments or international organizations that have the power and responsibility to take corrective measures. GR also issues Young Environmentalists' Actions and Eco-Club Actions designed to educate and motivate elementary and high school students to practice earth stewardship.
P.O. Box 7490
Boulder CO, USA 80306-7490
Phone: 303/444-0306
Fax: 303/449-9794
To receive Global Response materials by e-mail, send an e-mail message to:
majordomo@igc.apc.org Type this text: subscribe globresmembers
There is no charge for this service.
Visit our website at: http://www.globalresponse.org
Editorial Comment: I visited the Amnesty International Webpage (http://www.amnesty.org) and found that the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, headed by Major Johnny Paul Koroma, overthrew the elected government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah on May 25. The new military government has suspended the Constitution, banned all political activity in the country, and detained at least four members of the former government at military headquarters in the capital, Freetown. "No reasons have been given for the arrests of former politicians and it appears that they are held only because of their membership of the government of President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah," Amnesty International reports. "The safety of all those detained by Sierra Leone's new military rulers must be guaranteed," Amnesty International said. "Anyone detained only because of their association with the former government should be immediately and unconditionally released."
Table of Contents
International EcoNews
Editorial Comment: From the Canadian counterpart of "A List...", Guy Dauncey's EcoNews
DUTCH GREEN GROWTH
In June, the Dutch government put forward a groundbreaking package of
proposals to decouple economic growth and environmental impacts and to
shift the national economy towards sustainable development. Drawn up
jointly by four ministries and endorsed by the whole cabinet, the plan
outlines actions for all key sectors in the Dutch economy.
The cabinet has approved CAN $185 million to fund projects aimed at
re-directing industry, services, agriculture, transport and other areas of
infrastructure towards sustainable development. Practical details will be
worked out in the third national environmental plan, to be published in
November. A substantial fiscal greening package will stimulate
environmentally-friendly activities, and the government will investigate
ways to incorporate green elements into the national accounts.
Innovation and the potential for Dutch companies to grow by competing on
environmental grounds are central themes. The government wants to
negotiate a 'top of the world' protocol with energy-intensive industries,
and for Dutch firms to become the most energy efficient in the world. They pledge not to put additional regulatory pressures on companies - though they may take action if sufficient progress is not made. $73 million is to be spent on programmes to boost investment in financially risky environmental projects and to make production and consumption more sustainable. $22 million will be spent on stimulating industry cooperation to develop clean technologies, to 'close the loop' and to develop sustainable products and processes.
Transport is a key target of the package. The government wants to increase the capacity of the existing transport infrastructure, partly by
encouraging modes of transport other than the car. Two eye-opening
projects in the plan are investment for underground freight transport
systems and underground buildings. Contact: Dutch Environment Ministry Tel +31 70 339 3939. http://www.minvrom.nl
FRENCH GREENS SUCCESS
In the recent French elections, using the proportional representational
system of voting, the Green Party won 8 seats in the National Assembly, and became members of the ruling coalition government. Their leader, Dominique Voynet, 38, is now Minister for Environment and Regional Development in Cabinet. Now, if we only had proportional representation here in Canada, we could have Joan Russow as Minister of the Environment in Ottawa!
EcoNews, Guy Dauncey, 2069 Kings Rd, Victoria, B.C. V8R 2P6
Tel/Fax (250) 592-4473 gdauncey@islandnet.com
http://www.islandnet.com/~gdauncey/econews/
Deadline for September : August 27th
###################################################
EcoNews provides this electronic version of the newsletter free of charge
even though it costs time and money to produce. You can help by making a
donation, whether $5 or $100. Please make cheques out to :
EcoNews, 2069 Kings Rd, Victoria, B.C. V8R 2P6, Canada. Thanks !
##################################################
Guy Dauncey, 2069 Kings Rd, Victoria, B.C. V8R 2P6, Canada
Tel/Fax (250) 592-4473
Table of Contents
Great Lakes Networking Conference
Editorial Comment: Laura Beer (lbeer@glc.org) sent this to me. There is a lot going on in the Great Lakes and this event might be a very good place to find out all about it.
1997 GLIN Conference: Making the Net Work for You
October 23-24, 1997
Chicago Illinois
Call for Presentations and Registration Information
Join us for the 1997 GLIN Conference, October 23-24, 1997, in Chicago,
Illinois. All sessions will be held at the University of Chicago
Gleacher Center, located on the downtown campus of the Graduate School of Business. Registration for the full conference is $75 (US); one-day registration is $60 (US); registration fees will be waived for presenters.
Special sessions will serve the interests of the following Internet
users in the Great Lakes region:
1. Public agency webmasters
2. Economic development and manufacturing community
3. Natural resources and environmental community
4. Research community
If you are a member of one of these four communities and use the
Internet to enhance productivity, we invite you to submit a presentation abstract on any of the topics listed below:
Topic 1. Case Studies: Innovative and Practical Solutions
How have innovative uses of the Internet affected your agency or
organization? Describe these innovations, consider their pros and cons
and magnitude of impact. What are the lessons learned? Technical and/or
content-based solutions welcomed.
Topic 2. Internet-based Building Blocks for Collaboration
Are you a member of a multi-agency or multi-organization regional project or forum working toward a common goal and making use of the
Internet to work together more effectively? Do you use the Internet to
enhance public outreach and participation? Discuss these uses, the costs
and benefits, and plans for improving collaboration online.
Topic 3. New Directions
What are the future roles of Internet services as tools for decision making and public access to information and knowledge? Examine areas such as cost recovery and funding, content restrictions, the web as a place of doing business, and public outreach.
Guidelines for Abstract Submission
Submit an abstract (approximately 100 words) for each presentation by
July 31, 1997, to the
Great Lakes Commission
Argus II Building
400 Fourth St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103-4816
Fax: 313-665-4370
E-mail: glc@great-lakes.net
Include contact information, topic number, and your presentation's
title. Invitations to speak will be announced August 29, 1997.
Low GLIN Conference registration fees are made possible thanks to
funding support provided by U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office,
Environment Canada, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Ameritech
Foundation.
For more information contact GLIN Director Carol Ratza, cratza@glc.org,
313-665-9135, or visit the GLIN Conference Web site, linked from the
GLIN homepage at:
http://www.great-lakes.net
Table of Contents
Graduate Degrees in Sustainable Development
Editorial Comment: This came in from Troyt York (susdev@intr.net). Looks like a good program.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Dr. Troyt B. York
Phone: 301-948-4327 Fax: 301-948-4789 Email: susdev@intr.net
Visit Web Site at: http://www.intr.net/susdev
GRADUATE DEGREES IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OFFERED BY GLOBAL DISTANCE LEARNING
The Columbian International Center is the research and graduate studies
division of the American Institute of Urban and Regional Affairs. The
program is unique in that it the only graduate school dedicated specifically to the advancement of sustainable development as an
internationally recognized academic discipline and field of professional practice. The academic programs offered by the Columbian International Center are accredited by the World Council on Sustainable Development. and are available only to members of the American Institute of Urban and Regional Affairs. None of the academic programs have Graduate Record Examination or on-campus residency requirements. All programs are offered by distance learning and substantial graduate credit may be granted for appropriate professional experience. Individuals may apply for admission at any time and pursue their studies on their own schedule. Limited financial assistance may be available for promising candidates.
The Columbian International Center has three educational objectives:
o To provide professional education and certification in the field
of sustainable development.
o To provide a comprehensive program of continuing education.
o To provide community leadership training and promote public awareness of issues in which an understanding of sustainable development is important.
Following is a brief description of the Center's distance learning
programs.
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION
Scholar-Practitioner Doctoral Degree In Sustainable Development
In September, 1993 the Columbian International Center introduced the Scholar-Practitioner Doctoral Degree (S-PD): the first formal graduate degree designed specifically to prepare practitioners to deal with the global issues of sustainable development. The S-PD represent a reform movement in graduate education. The movement has two goals. The first is to preserve and enhance the quality and scope of traditional graduate education. The second is to remove those institutional constraints that impair our ability to respond effectively to global-scale contingencies created by rapid social and environmental change.
The philosophical and pedagogical roots of the S-PD are found in the 19th century European universities, with their strong emphasis on individual research; the English universities of Oxford and Cambridge, with their tutorial rather than course-based format; and many major American research universities in the middle decades of the 20th century. The fundamental features of each of these proven learning models have been integrated into the S-PD in a way that allows the candidate to take maximum advantage of distance learning opportunities made possible by recent advances in computer and telecommunications technology.
All doctoral work rests on four cornerstones: it is interdisciplinary; it incorporates a global awareness of social, economic, technological and environmental change and the resulting impacts on society; it fosters integration of theory, research and professional practice; and it requires effective teamwork, cooperation, management and leadership. These features lead to three operational assumptions.
1. No useful purpose is served by requiring individuals to re-learn
subjects in which they are professionally competent.
2. Advanced learning, research and communication with peers can be
accomplished efficiently outside the conventional graduate school
environment.
3. The location of a particular university is no longer a determining
factor in graduate education. Technology allows global access to
learning resources that are equivalent to or exceed those of most
conventional graduate schools.
Two curriculum models are embodied in the S-PD. Either the doctor of
science or the doctor of social science may be awarded, depending on the
candidate's principal academic orientation. S- PD provides a curriculum structure to facilitate academic planning and program development. The actual content of the doctoral degree emerges from the needs, interests and background of the candidate. The S-PD is designed to prepare individuals in mid and advanced career status for various professional assignments as scientists, planners, managers and similar positions in agencies of government, industry and non-governmental organizations as well as for teaching, research and consulting positions in higher education. A unique feature of the S-PD is the professional practice requirement which may be met only through pertinent on-the-job experience.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Knowledge/Credit
I. Common Body Of Knowledge (32 Quarter Hours)
II. Field Of Specialization (24)
III. Interdisciplinary Requirements
A. Systematic Field (12)
B. Application Field (12)
C. Regional Field (12)
IV. Research Methods and Design (12)
V. Professional Enhancement Field (8)
VI. Scholar-Practitioner Requirements
A. Dissertation (12)
B. Professional Practice (12)
TOTAL CREDIT REQUIREMENTS: (136 Quarter Hours)
We believe this approach to graduate education facilitates a more
interdisciplinary and global world view that will serve humankind well
as we chart our common future toward a sustainable global society.
Professional Certification In Sustainable Development
The Association of Sustainable Development Practitioners (ASDP) is the organizational unit of the World Council on Sustainable Development that develops standards, conducts training and administers examinations for professional certification. Once admitted to ASDP an individual may use the title to designate certification as a professional practitioner. Professional Certification requirements include:
1. Professional Training: A master's degree or higher from an accredited
institution that is pertinent to a recognized field of application in
sustainable development.
2. Common Body of Knowledge-Independent Research: A core readings
program providing an interdisciplinary perspective on the history,
theory and methods of sustainable development and leading to an
original research paper of publishable quality in an appropriate field
of application.
3. Professional Enhancement Field: A series of workshops emphasizing
the cultural- environmental context of sustainable development; problem
identification and definition; and citizen participation in goal-setting, comprehensive planning, measuring performance and progress, decision-making and program implementation.
4. Professional Practice: A portfolio documenting from experience
either executive leadership or major project management competence in an area relevant to sustainable development.
5. Code of Ethics: A formal pledge of support of sustainable development
as a field ofprofessional practice
6. Comprehensive Examination: A comprehensive examination administered by the independent Qualifications Review Board of the WCSD.
Completion of the professional certification program meets all
requirements for the Scholar- Practitioner Doctoral Degree except for
the dissertation or project.
Master's Degree in Sustainable Development
The Master's Degree is designed to integrate independent study and research, graduate coursework, internships, field experience, experiential learning and prior transferable graduate coursework into an interdisciplinary program of sustainable development. The specific
requirements for the degree are flexible to allow graduate studies to
be planned to meet the professional needs of the individual. The heart
of the program is in the advising process. Each candidate has a graduate
advisory committee to assist in creating the sustainable development
curriculum in keeping with established guidelines.
The Fellows Program
The Fellows program covers the common body of knowledge in the field of
sustainable development. It is directed to the needs of practicing
professionals working in sustainable development or a closely related
field. The program is configured as a learning contract covering a
series of related studies and leading to a substantive research paper
of publishable quality. The Fellows program is offered by distance
learning as a comprehensive program of independent study. Completion
of the Fellows program meets the Common Body of Knowledge requirement for both the Scholar-Practitioner Doctoral Degree and Professional Certification in Sustainable Development. The work may be credited toward the Master's Degree.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
The Center conducts international residence and distance learning programs intended to provide opportunities for students of all ages and circumstances to obtain training in sustainable development which may lead to the upgrading of employment status, the improvement of performance on a current job, or the enrichment of everyday life and
experience. The continuing education program is broad in subject matter
content. Training services are made available through the means of
credit courses, certificate and licensure programs, seminars, workshops
and short-course , non-credit courses and a variety of conference
programs.
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TRAINING
A workshop series in Managing Sustainable Development is offered for interested citizens, institutional leaders, policy makers and professional staff. The workshops emphasizes: the cultural-environmental context of sustainable development; problem identification and definition; and citizen participation in goal-setting , comprehensive planning, measuring performance and progress, decision-making and program implementation.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS
The Center supports the planning and preparation of sustainable development materials for the media. Services include preparation of
news and magazine articles, news analysis and editorials, radio and
television programs, newsletters and photography. Unit length curricula
on the subject of sustainable development are prepared for use at the
pre-school, elementary, junior high school and high school levels of
instruction. The curricula are supplemented by lesson plans, text
materials, bibliography of supplementary readings, maps, graphics,
photography and film.
REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTERS
Applying the principle of institutional cooperation the Columbian International Center proposes to organize an international network of Regional Activity Centers where the programs and membership services of the Institute may be concentrated and administered locally. Through the proposed educational cooperative participating institutions may create reciprocal relationships that lead to strategic alignments of learning resources and "joint venturing" in educational enterprises. Participation in the cooperative facilitates international communications, curriculum planning, program development and coordination of research activities in sustainable development and provides opportunities for international technology transfer and consulting services. For participating colleges and universities the cooperative provides opportunity to increase local resident enrollments in sustainable development. For example, an academic institution that now offers a bachelors or masters degree could use existing interdepartmental resources to expand and diversify it's offerings to include Professional Certification, the Fellows Program, and a variety of elective, independent research and continuing education course in sustainable development.
The Columbian International Center welcomes cooperative participation by
public and private educational organizations including colleges and
universities, community colleges, research and training institutes,
professional societies, trade associations, and government and
industrial programs involved in research and training activities
related to sustainable development. The Center is actively seeking
established educational and research organizations with an interest in
hosting Regional Activity Centers. Inquiries and proposals are welcome.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For additional information regarding admission procedures, tuition and fees, financial assistance and related administrative matters please contact Dr. Troyt B. York. President. American Institute of Urban and Regional Affairs. 10079 Stedwick Road. Box 2883. Montgomery Village, Maryland. 20886-2883. Phone: 301-948-4327 Fax: 301-948-4789
Email: susdev@intr.net. You are invited to visit our web site at
http://www.intr.net/susdev
Table of Contents
Stephenson Strategies
David Stephenson has been consulting on communications and environmental strategy for many years now. He has just revamped his Webpage and is asking for constructive criticism.
David has his own ideas about how to make the change to an ecological society. He says:
"Smart companies emulate four parallels between natural systems and the new 'natural' economy that can be found in a desktop terrarium:
decay of the old will fertilize growth of the new.
symbiotic relationships will be more profitable than predatory competition.
closing the loop will foster innovation.
wealth will be created from information."
W. DAVID STEPHENSON
STEPHENSON STRATEGIES
our mission: to help businesses find profitable inspiration in nature
weekly strategic environmental tips:
<http://www.stephensonstrategies.com>
(508) 359-0155
D.Stephenson@stephensonstrategies.com
(508) 359-6310 (fax)
335 Main St., Medfield*, MA 02052-2045
environmental strategy | communications | crisis management | future
scenarios
*located in the Charles River Watershed Bioregion
Table of Contents
SIGs Never Go Away
Editorial Comment: In the wake of the Boston Computer Society (BCS) breakup, things are beginning to settle out. Many of the original special interest groups (SIGs) have continued to meet on their own and cooperate in at least two different organizations - SIGNet and CONE. Here's the best way to find out what's going on, so far.
From: "Allan Sherman" <als@ma.ultranet.com>
To:
Subject: *CONE* CONE Meeting Reminder List #5
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 1997 22:51:00 -0400
Reply-To: cone@signet.org
CONE Meeting Reminder List
--------------------------
(Experimental Prototype 5)
User Group events:
July 1, 1997
Digital Commerce Society: "Security" @ Downtown Harvard Club of Boston
NH INTERNET SIG: IPV6-The new Internet Protocol, Nashua Public Library
July 8, 1997
Grtr Boston Network Users Group "NetWare Firewalls" Novell, Wellesley
WebNet: "Killer Web Applications with Object Databases" MIT Rm E51-345
Boston Omnis - We Explore Omnis Studio... MIT Building 66, Room 156
NH Seacoast Mac Users Group: Photoshop-based photo lab demo. - Exeter
July 9, 1997
Internet Developers UG: Web Electronic Commerce and Security, MSFT, Wal
Domino.Doc and LN:DI - @ IBM, 404 Wyman, Waltham (from signet calendar)
July 16, 1997
Boston Linux & Unix - Wearable Computing -
Boston Webmasters' Guild and Boston Webgirls - MIT Building 6 Room 120
July 23, 1997
Boston Area SAS Users Group @ Private HealthCare Systems, Waltham
v
July 24, 1997
CONE meeting at Arlington Public Library at 6:45 pm "Netscape"
July 28, 1997
Windows 95 Group - Adobe on Windows 95 - Microsoft Office, Waltham
August 8, 1997
NH Seacoast Mac Users Group: The new Mac Operating Systems - Rye JHS
August 13, 1997
New England Notes/Domino "LotusScript" at IBM, 404 Wyman, Waltham
August 20, 1997
ISIG and Boston Linux joint meeting - Jim Bound on IPv6.
Boston Webmasters' Guild and Boston Webgrrls meeting. MIT Rm 6-120
Selected Commercial Events:
August 12-14
Internet Expo Hynes Convention Center, Boston
Education:
July 8, 1997
Intro to Web Page Design - Cambridge Ctr for Adult Education (547-6789)
July 10,1997
Internet Intensive - 4 Thursday afternoons @Cambridge C for Adult Educ
July 14, 1997
All day workshop: 'net search skills -Camb Ctr for Adult Educ 547-6789
Resources:
CONE User Group List:
http://bcs1.ziplink.net/cone/sig
Signet Calendar of events:
http://www.signet.org/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar.cgi
----------------------------------------------------------
Of course, we cannot assume any responsibility for errors, etc...
*********************************************************
Please send me information on any other activities for posting here
*********************************************************
-Al Sherman
als@ma.ultranet.com
This is a 6/28/97 copy of the content of
http://bcs1.ziplink.net/cone/cal/index.html
Updates posted to the web site as received.
This email copy will be circulated from time to time.
Editorial Comment: And then there's also the Webmasters' Guild. _Mass High Tech_ of June 30 reports that the Webmasters Guild is now asking for annual dues of $85 month. For the next month, the cost will be $42.50. The Guild has a mailing list of 4300 people, is getting 20 inquiries a day, and is looking for corporate sponsorships.>
Wednesday, July 16
Time: 7 PM
The Boston Webmasters' Guild and Boston Webgrrls monthly meeting. A great topic will be announced shortly, but plan to come for the camaraderie, to announce job openings, and to schmooze with fellow Web folks. Open to the public, but we encourage you to join the organizations (it's free!)
MIT Building 6 Room 120
7 to 9 p.m.
free, $3 donation if you eat (pizza)
RSVP to Guild Monthly Meeting Chair Kirsten Alexander at boston-rsvp@webmaster.org
To join and for more info about the organizations, visit
http://boston.webmaster.org
http://www.gen.com/bos-webgrrls
Editorial Comment: Does this mean that user groups are coming back?
Table of Contents
Virtually Wired Training for Volunteers
Editorial Comment: Virtually Wired (http://www.vw.org) offers people an easy way to get involved with computers and telecommunications. Now, in order to provide better service for our customers, VW is offering volunteer training sessions. You get computer training and a chance to solidify that knowledge by helping others. A good deal. I'll be there if my family obligations allow.
From: "Howard D. Trachtman" <hdt@dnsmain.vw.org>
Sunday, July 13th...1:00 PM
Virtually Wired is now getting serious about training our volunteers.
It's a win/win. You get training on all popular software, VW gets
well trained volunteers.
The training is "mandatory" for all would-be instructors and meet-n-greeters.
Our next training will be Sunday, July 13th at 1pm.
We will start with Introduction to Computers, Windows 3.11, Windows '95 and more. More advanced classes will run soon afterwards.
Enjoy,
==hdt==
Table of Contents
Central Square Pattern Language
I have lived in Central Square, Cambridge for the last 25 years. It is a real place with real people. Every kind of economic, social, racial or ethnic group you could ever meet is here. There is a vitality to this place that reminds me of the heyday of 14th St and Union Square in New York City. Central Square is where the real Cambridge lives. This is the townie home.
In 1994, I participated in the "community design process" for beautifying Central Square. I found it to be a particularly frustrating process. The "community leader" who started off the proceedings began by reminding us that we had over 3 million dollars to spend and "spending money should be fun!" My primary focus was on the infrastructure. For instance, I asked at the first meeting whether the plans for combined sewerage overflow would require us to rip the streets up again sometime soon and whether we would end up with new street trees and benches but still have the smell of sewer gas while waiting for the Number 1 Dudley Station bus in front of the FFV discount store. My questions were never really answered or even addressed.
I found the Cambridge Community Development Department singularly ill-prepared to allow for true citizen participation. They had the expertise and the information upon which we could base intelligent decisions but never made a substantive effort to share this knowledge with those of us interested enough to become part of the discussion. We never found out the pedestrian density or the basic traffic patterns, identified nodes of activity and problem areas in any systematic way. By the end of that set of meetings, I felt as if I had a ring in my nose and the Community Development Department professionals were leading me towards a design that they had already completed. I believed that it would have been much more profitable for us to have gone through a pattern language exercise using Christopher Alexander's magnificent book, _A Pattern Language_ (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0195019199/alistA/) and made my opinions known. Community Development is familiar with Alexander's work. They just don't use it.
For a last meeting in January 1995 at the YWCA, I prepared some documents of my own - "A Pattern Language for Central Square" based upon _A Pattern Language_, and "A Sustainable Central Square" based upon the work of John and Nancy Todd, _From Eco-Cities to Living Machines : Principles of Ecological Design_ (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1556431503/alistA/) is one of their books still in print. I made copies of these documents and got out of a sickbed to leave them at the entrance table for the meeting. I never got any response.
The renovation of Central Square is nearing completion and these new amenities make many in the old neighborhood feel as if all the expense was merely an invitation to the new developments that will force them out of the Square and Cambridge. The Harvard Do-Nut Shop has sold its license to Starbucks. The Holmes Realty Trust, which owns the block of buildings on the southeast corner of Mass Ave and Magazine St, from the CVS to the Ethiopian restaurant, wants to demolish the buildings and construct new stores and 90 units of housing, a seven to ten story structure that will shade the plaza that the City just expanded. And down Mass Ave, MIT's Forest City development on the old Simplex Wire and Cable lot is growing.
In honor of these events, I decided to go into the files and republish my two small documents. Over the last week, I have spent $70 making copies and distributing them to friends in the Central Square business community, to the protesters at the Lucy Parsons Bookstore (due to be evicted by the plans of Holmes Realty), the City Councillors, and to friends at the State House. This time the feedback has been very good, "I didn't know we could have something like this."
I am also including Joel Garreau's Laws of Development for Edge Cities from his book _Edge City_ (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0385424345/alistA/) as I believe that the unspoken aim of all this Central Square development is towards replicating Kendall Square and the Alewife area, Cambridge's present two Edge Cities. A fullblown Edge City has five million square feet of leasable office space or more, six hundred thousand square feet of retail space or more, a population that increases at 9 am on workdays making it primarily a work center rather than a residential area, a local perception as a single end destination for mixed use - jobs, shopping and entertainment, and a history in which thirty years, ago, the site was by no means urban but overwhelmingly residential or rural in character.
Tell me, Community Development Department of the City of Cambridge, how close is Central Square towards meeting those requirements already?
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I Love Central Square
Sitting at the computer typing, open window this Wednesday rainy summer night. Sometime after 11, mute the TV sound to hear sax and trumpet in Martin Luther King Plaza playing true music echoing through the parking garage in between the sounds of the rain. They went on for a good 20 minutes twining polished brass notes softly through the air.
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The Begging Bowl
M Preston Burns is an old friend of mine. We've been building geometric models together for years, most recently for Cambridge's River Festival, and solving all the world's problems across the kitchen table for far too long. Mel is an artist, presently doing cartoons for _Spare Change_ the homeless paper. He was one of the publishers of _The Avatar_, the first "underground" newspaper in the US way back in the 60s. Now he is the subject of a front page interview in the most recent edition of _Spare Change_. If you get a chance, buy a paper and read the interview. If you want to see more of Mel's work, give me a call and I'll put you in contact with him. His collages are at the Brickbottom Gallery, 1 Fitchburg St, Somerville until July 20. He does good work and could use a patron.
These days he eats at the different feeding programs around Cambridge, each day a different church or community center, each one with its own clientele and flavor. He stays with a group of friends, sleeping here and there, day by day. He keeps his working materials at my place and studies the history of art in my front room. With all his talents, there is no place for him in the business world.
And if you are in New York City, you can see my cousin, Jonathan Talbot's work at Joseph Rickards Gallery, 1045 Madison Avenue (at 79th Street). The gallery phone is (212)924-0858, e-mail is RickardsNY@aol.com. You can reach Jonathan directly at talbot@warwick.net
My begging bowl is a useful tool, not only for me but for my whole circle of friends as well. Any contributions - articles, criticism, listings, money or just plain prayers - are gratefully accepted.
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George Mokray
Information Ecologies
218 Franklin St #3
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617)661-2676
gmoke@world.std.com
This publication is copyrighted to George Mokray and the individual writers of the articles. Permission to reproduce is granted for non-profit purposes as long as the source is cited.
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