Re: Jim's reply to Tom Kehner's statement, at: http://www.theworldcafecommunity.net/webx?14@@.1adee709

"Further, it stands to reason that there comes a point when no technique (whether it be a gimmick or a sincere attempt to instill sustained discipline) will work if the desire to sustain value simply is not present. However, it is clear to us that in the instances where we have a strong, well-respected, motivated LEADER, the opportunity to sustain value from an event dramatically increases. To me, that factoid speaks to involving a person with those experiential and character traits upfront in the design of any F2F or virtual event. "

Jim says: Strong, motivated Leader?

Tom, I don't think USA has had a strong, motivated, competent, ethical leader, ever. We've had strong personalities, like, oh, Jackson who was an expert Indian Killer. More recently we had the good 'ol boy Lyndon who really showed the Viets how "tough" we were. His "leadership" cost us only 55,000 American lives (there goes our gene pool down the drain). Let's not forget our two timer President Nixon, with four fingers in the air -- rather than a one finger salute. Now we have George, the Younger, son of George, the Elder. Yup, George II is really showing 'ol Dad how to handle the Iraqian terrorists.

The solutions, if there are any solutions, are:

First, to grow algea for food (Spirulina) and for biodiesel fuel (Chlorella).

Secondly, we need to transition the top-down capitalism to a bottom-up one by creating worker cooperatives which will out-compete the "winner take all" approach to business. Heh, heh, even the CEOs whose companies have losses, get pay raises while the losers are the employees who are shed.

Third, We need to change the zoning and land use regulations to encourage, and not thwart, the creation and operation of ecovillages using permaculture techniques to grow our own food and fuel LOCALLY!.

Fourth, we need to by-pass the global and mega corporations. Stop buying from them and pinch-off their cash flow.
Fifth, we need to concentrate the "power of the people" by social, economic, and political networking. The Virtual Cafe is a great way to network in a meaningful, somewhat organized manner.

It's time to use the Cafe and other resources to create a new type of competitive capitalism by proving that the power of collborative snyergism within a worker cooperative will eventually either convert top-down companies into worker cooperatives or will drive them out of business. The economic hurricane is gathering more strength and it is headed our way: Peak Oil, Food, Water, Soil, Security ..... and we cannot get out of its path. Batten down the hatches, Tom, and prepare to survive the 100 year storm.

jimmiller5417@yahoo.com

Charles says: Jim You are right, we are at a tipping point, a hell-of-a-big tipping point. Devaluing and Distrust are built into the very fabric of our Industrial Model, back to Adam Smith’s Pin-Making Factor (as the leading metaphor). [I was amazed to discover on page 483 of his Wealth of Nations that he thought his own model stupid – an amazing passage and better than the Human Resource Movement’s critique of the 1930s and 1940s.] If TWC might be an aid in restructuring things, might we add a phrase to the end of the key phrase: “Discussing Questions that Matter, with People who Matter even More!” The power of the TWC (or Dynamic Teaming as I first called it in 1990) is to value the other through deep hearing.

Charles http://www.theworldcafecommunity.net/webx/?50@1004.37esae26czg@.1adf0e11!login=true