As Dubya said during the debates: "Wanna buy some lumber?"

I should have also added: www.woodenboat.com They put out a wonderful magazine called HOPE, but in general just a cool activity.

Another activity would be table top machining. I've made a lot of fun stuff and straight out cash with a table top cnc mill and lathe. See especially: www.sherline.com The owner also speaks about treating employees WELL and making money the old fashion way -earning it.

Delivery charge is gonna hurt, real bad. Plus, our homegrown Ohio pineapple, might be slightly less quality than you're used to.

If it's not there is 30 days or less it's free.

Preaching to the choir is critical and there are forums for that.

It seems to me, we need a “club” which has at its core something classically NON conservative/ NON liberal. We live in a time where even FACTS are considered Left Wing. Evolution, the Age of the Earth, etc. We can try to move people to the True Left but a still great accomplishment would be to bring them back to reality!!!

How about Progressives pooling their money to create prizes like the X Prize but in miniature?

Sustainability Prize:

Awarded to the club that builds the first electric motorcycle weighing less than 30 pounds while maintaining an average speed of 20 mph in hilly terrain for one hour.

Astronomy Prize:

Awarded to the club that builds the least expensive telescope mount which allows the observer to remain motionless while the telescopes moves. (This would aid the wheel chair bound, those living in sub zero temperatures –since you could then remain in an insulated space, etc)

ETC….

(Note the above are NOT well posed prizes. Foot notes abound but it gives the jist of what I am thinking about).

CLUB LEADERSHIP WOULD STILL ONLY BE OPEN TO PROGRESSIVES but some major activity of the club would not be seen as classically Left or Right.

Sorry about that Jim, but I thought you were talking about meeting up and doing Hobbits. Yeah, the hobby part is fine...;-)

I assume you’re speaking to me when you talk of “jokingly discuss clubs and hobbies”.

What I hoped to offer was something as close to a church as one can get without it actually being a church. It wed Science, Sustainability, and Handiwork (or you might say Nature, Environmentalism, and Arts, Craft, and Invention---a pretty Liberal venue I think). I would also acknowledge immediately that it would only work for a subset of people.

I recognized the coming oil wars before Gulf War 1 and told my students that their lifestyles would be to blame. I bicycled hundreds of thousands of miles instead of using a vehicle. I am building a solar home. I’ve carried hundreds of thousands of pounds of supplies and materials on my back and by wheel barrel. I also have ZERO problem believing my efforts are not the correct ones. I might even be able to tear apart my work and beliefs better than others. I do know something however about the people who LOVE hunting, fishing, mechanics, craftwork, etc. Many of these are Republicans and look on Liberals as wimps. They see environmentalists as being devoid of “real world” skills.

In terms of being more church like or involving more emotion, what can I say? I’ve always thought our lives were to be our prayer. I would never think to pray to get through a trip because I manage to keep a smile on my face regardless of what bad things are happening (just the dumb luck of genetics I guess). Bad is usually a matter of perspective anyway. As far as emotions are concerned, I’m a pretty big guy but I cry at every movie –I mean nearly every movie. I live and love intensely.

So, in your opinion, after a bunch of Progressives meet at some hall or room or coffee house what do they do? Bill Harding mentioned that Moveon etc. do that very well already. I think he is correct. I too am heartened after a Moveon meeting. So too with meeting people on this blog.

Don’t be so pessimistic about the emotional component involved in the Science/Sustainability Modules I’ve spoken of. My present method of construction is Timber Framing. I could see that being a module. Bringing friends and family together to hand raise a new building frame as was done centuries ago brings people together in an odd way. There is the physical labor, the skill involved, the connection with the past, the support crew and kids making the food to keep the worker ants going. I’ve had a far Right Winger tell me “I’d listen to a Liberal like you because you DO 85% OF WHAT YOU SAY!” His emphases not mine.

What I am saying is no joke. Let it stand for what it is and simply help us with your recommendations for what should happen at those Progressive meeting places.