Re: [ga] The Tower of Babble

["William S. Lovell" <wsl@cerebalaw.com>]

Anything that depends upon the presence or absence of a "working lunch"
in even the slightest way would not be worth 1/1000th of the cost of a
ticket to Stockholm.  If the ducks haven't been lined up well before now,
nothing will come of them.  This whole "mike time" bit is a charade -- is
not useless babble here enough;  must it also be endured in Stockholm?
Useful effort is called planning and preparation, not the latest flash of
electrons across the cerebellum of someone seeking public exposure,
fame, and glory. And a vote? With a few minutes worth of thought, at
best?  A more effective prescription for disaster could hardly be imagined.

And I would ascribe what lack of a clear program of work there is to
the babble, not the other way around.  I believe the Chair and Alternate
Chair to have earned high congratulations to get two resolutions on board
-- I hadn't thought they could do it -- against such a background of noise.
The questioning of credibility comes from the incessant racket of a
very few, only some of whom I shall name: Jeff Williams, Jefsey, and
last, but not least, Sotiris. There are others whose ability to resist
emulating great literature can get quite wearing, but sometimes within
all that twaddle they actually say things worth hearing.  There is also a
"Terminator" in the crowd here, but he often seeks to terminate just what
so needs to be, not incessantly. It's just the knee-jerk negativists whom
I have named, and some others, so I say that instead of staring breathlessly
out into the ring as the toreador steps forth and the bull starts to charge,
with the crowd screaming for failure so as to watch the blood flow, let's
just all shut up and let those who have the job, do it. The foregoing is not
meant to emulate great literature, especially not Hemingway, but sometimes
images are better than literal words, and it is precisely that image that what
Sotiris proposes brings to my mind.

Bill Lovell

Sotiris Sotiropoulos wrote:

> Dear Company,
>
> The GA has disintegrated into babble, pure and simple.  I ascribe this, in large
> part, to no clear program of work.  The coming meeting in Stockholm may only serve
> to emphasize this point.  How can the GA expect to be taken seriously, when its own
> members no longer take it seriously, and even question its credibility?
>
> Mssrs. Chair, and Alt-Chair, outcome reflects on leadership.  Don't get carried
> away with the party-favours and other mementos of the occasion...   I will be be
> watching the webcast closely, as will many others.  Perhaps we will add our voices
> in the public participation.  But, we're going to need a commitment from our
> colleagues who are at the meeting, to ensure that all voices will be given a fair
> chance.  It will also be interesting to see how the time will be allotted for the
> various discussions.   If necessary, will the meeting run over/through
> lunch/dinner/breakfast and even overtime?  Or will it be the ersatz performance yet
> again?  (Considering the gravity of the matters to be discussed, I think a working
> lunch is not too much to be expected, surely?  I remember Esther Dyson herself
> deigning to dine and do... that is, if memory serves me correctly.)  I would even
> like to see a motion or two with real and virtual participation in a vote!
> (`wishful thinking', I know)  Is this GA really going to happen gentlemen?  Let us
> see your resolve, will, and character over the next two weeks.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Sotiris Sotiropoulos
>
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--
         Bill Lovell

http://cerebalaw.com/biog.htm


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