Hopedance

by Bob Banner

Because there is a wealth of material coming out daily about the omnipresent mode of change, call it what you will – transition, evolution, collapse, transformation, rebirth – typical printed magazines are on their way out. More and more people are going online to learn new skills, understand what’s going on, research their investments, connect with others in their communities about what’s relevant to these times, etc. So rather than create a publication of numerous pages by killing trees, a publication that includes ALL the solutions you could possibly handle in 45 minutes, we decided (and will continue to do so, until the printed version actually dies) to give you highlights of incredible articles and reports. Most often these will be excerpts with links to go ONLINE to read the FULL article. I cannot think of a better way to use this printed format except to entice you, the reader, to go online (to our sites of course!) to see the plethora of articles and reports that will provoke you to action, involvement, and connections with other hopeful people in your community, a new citizenry that you never thought possible.

We must remember, these are not JUST articles for our intellectual curiosity, they are inspirational notes (reports, summaries and stories) to keep our sanity aloft, to prove to us that YES, things are changing and YES, people are doing something about it and YES, the mainstream is finally getting on board and NO, the mainstream will NEVER be leaders when it comes to ANSWERS and SOLUTIONS since their economic foundation is intimately and intricately embedded with a world, a paradigm, that is also dying and being rebirthed.

Do you prefer to read material about HOW it’s dying or do you prefer reading and absorbing stories that reflect the NEW? Your choice. I decided more than a decade ago to give readers radical solutions that can inspire hope. It’s simple actually. I hope you agree too. 

Please visit the various links / websites that can take you to articles as well as social networking areas, videos, photo galleries, classifieds, calendars, events, meetings, classes, listservs, workshops, etc.

In this issue we decided to create groupings that are similar to the “workgroups” at the various sites. Some are categories or topics or workgroups or special themed areas. The idea is to make it easy for readers to have immediate access to areas of your interest. In this printed version we came up with four main “workgroups”: FOOD, LOCAL, the ECONOMY, and TRANSITION. Under each area we have articles that pertain to these special themed topics. Hopefully, the contents page to your left will make it clear how it works, and at the end of each article, you will fine a link you to where the entire article can be read.

In each section we grabbed an EXCERPT to give you the substance of that article with the hopes that if it intrigues you, you will link to it. This is a risk since there are many people who still don’t own computers or only go online at their friend’s or at libraries. Some will simply throw the paper away. That’s what happens in a transition, especially in transitional type technologies. One foot in the old and one foot (or toe) in the new... vacillating between the two. C’est la vie!

About other changes: starting with this issue we will go quarterly. The one you are holding is the SPRING issue, to keep the weaning (from print to online) process alive and well. AND because I’m in the process of creating the “Edible Central Coast” free quarterly publication for SLO County.

Also, I have not asked for money in more than a year. If you are not on the list for fundraiser-type letters, please imagine you are getting one. The Transition is taking more of my time. HopeDance FiLM events are increasing in number. There are more and more exciting films to screen. And please let us know of a film if you come across a good one. Also, the FiLM rental Library inside the Novel Experience Bookstore is alive and well. Since some of the video stores are shutting down because of either the economy or Netflix, you can always browse the 500+ copies we have there.

Thanks to everyone who worked on this issue, especially the volunteer distributors who make it possible for people to pick up free copies and hopefully catch the inspirational seed to DO something!

Bob Banner, Publisher