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dam-l RE FASTNet and Loka Institute (fwd)



Here is a group some people here may be interested in.  What follows
is information on how to sign up for [oh no! ;] another list.

-Dianne

Forwarded message:
> Date: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 12:56:07 -0600
> From: Neil Ruggles <nruggles@tiac.net>
> Subject: RE FASTNet and Loka Institute

> 
> >>>>subscribe FASTnet
> *****************************************************************
> 
> November 1994
> 
> FEDERATION OF ACTIVISTS ON SCIENCE AND
> 
> TECHNOLOGY NETWORK (FASTnet)
> 
> Welcome to FASTnet! Please feel free to repost or publish this notice
> anywhere you think is appropriate.
> 
> Upon subscribing to the FASTnet electronic disucssion list, you become a
> provisional member of the Federation of Activists on Science & Technology
> network. To become a full member, see below.
> 
> FASTnet is a network of progressive-minded, action-oriented people and
> organizations concerned with promoting a democratic politics of science and
> technology in the United States. If you discover that this is not your
> interest or these are not your values, please unsubscribe to the FASTnet
> list. However, you are welcome in that case to subscribe instead to the
> sibling discussion lists: pol-sci-tech and Loka-L (see below).
> 
> To subscribe to FASTnet send an e-mail message to:
> majordomo@igc.apc.org
> 
> Leave the subject line blank. The text of the message should be:
> subscribe FASTnet
> 
> 
> To unsubscribe use the same procedure, but change the text of your message to:
> 
> unsubscribe FASTnet
> 
> 
> To send a message to all FASTnet list subscribers, send your message to:
> 
> FASTnet@igc.apc.org
> 
> 
> If you have problems or questions concerning the list, contact list manager
> Dick Sclove: resclove@amherst.edu
> 
> 
> FASTNET PURPOSE:
> 
> The FASTnet list provides a means for alerting other progressives to
> opportunities for action, coordinating with other activists and
> organizations, formulating and implementing strategies and tactics, seeking
> new cross-cutting alliances, requesting advice from other progressive
> organizations, etc.
> 
> The FASTnet list is intended primarily for addressing issues in U.S.
> science and technology politics that cross-cut or transcend the concerns of
> groups that are organized to address a single substantive area (such as
> telecommunications policy, environmental racism, defense conversion,
> biotechnology, or health research). A sample cross-cutting issue: securing
> grassroots, public-interest group, and worker representation on U.S.
> government science & technology advisory boards (such as the National
> Science Board or the President's Committee of Advisors on Science &
> Technology). This is an area ripe for fruitful alliances among groups with
> very different substantive areas of concern: that is, all would benefit
> from more open advisory mechanisms, but achieving that result will be
> impossible politically without some new alliance-building.
> 
> The FASTnet list is also a place to seek ways for enrolling organizations
> (such as civil rights, environmental, and women's groups) that have not
> traditionally had much active involvement in science and technology policy
> making but whose core agendas are nonetheless greatly affected by science
> and technology developments.
> 
> In addition, the FASTnet list is a place where grassroots or other activist
> groups that would like research support can seek collaborations with
> sympathetic scholars and students concerned with science, technology, and
> society.
> 
> FASTNET LIST ETIQUETTE:
> 
> The overwhelming hazard in electronic communication is information-glut.
> Please:
> 
> o Keep your postings succinct, well-organized, and polite;
> don't dominate conversations.
> o Include an accurate description in the subject line. o Rather than
> lengthy postings to the entire list, try a
> short posting that invites people who want more information to contact you
> directly.
> o If your reply to a posting is unlikely to be of general
> interest, please send it directly to the person who made the original
> posting, not to the entire list. o Please _do_ print out and share
> pertinent postings from
> the list with people and organizations that do not have Internet access.
> o Invite other interested people and organizations to
> subscribe to FASTnet (or to its sibling lists, pol-sci- tech and Loka-L;
> see below).
> o If your posting is specific to a particular substantive
> area of concern (such as biotechnology or defense conversion) please try to
> frame the posting in a way that will engage people who have different
> primary interests.
> 
> FASTnet list subscribers are urged to moderate their own postings in
> accordance with the list's announced purpose and rules of etiquette.
> However, if self-policing fails--e.g., there are too many irrelevant or
> overlong postings--it may be necessary to revert to more directly
> moderating the list in the interest of achieving more tightly structured,
> action- and outcome-oriented discussion. List purposes and etiquette may
> also evolve in response to an emerging consensus of FASTnet members.
> 
> 
> FASTNET BACKGROUND:
> 
> The FASTnet list operates in conjunction with two related Internet
> distribution systems: Loka-L (which posts Loka Alerts) and pol-sci-tech
> (open discussion about democratic politics of science & tech). All three
> lists are activities of the Public Interest Technology Policy Project (see
> below).
> 
> Pol-sci-tech is a list open to anyone and oriented toward discussion. If
> you are interested primarily in discussing ideas, hypothesizing, or
> schmoozing, join and post to pol-sci-tech. FASTnet, in contrast, is for
> action-oriented progressives. (Of course, you are welcome to join both
> lists.)
> 
> To subscribe to pol-sci-tech send an e-mail message to:
> 
> majordomo@igc.apc.org
> 
> Leave the subject line blank. The text of the message should be:
> 
> subscribe pol-sci-tech
> 
> 
> Loka-L (which posts Loka Alerts) represents an occasional one-way
> news-and-opinion distribution service concerned with cultivating a more
> democratic politics of science and technology in the United States.
> Pol-sci-tech and FASTnet have been created partly in response to requests
> from subscribers to Loka-L, who wanted to be able to communicate with one
> another. To receive Loka Alerts, send your request to resclove@amherst.edu
> (Loka-L list subscription is not currently automated).
> 
> All three lists are projects of the broader Public Interest Technology
> Policy Project (hereinafter "the Project"), a collaborative effort of the
> Loka Institute and the Institute for Policy Studies. The end of the Cold
> War has opened a little-noticed strategic opportunity to reorganize U.S.
> science and technology institutions and policies--the best opportunity that
> has existed since World War II. This puts into play, for example, U.S.
> government research-and-development expenditures of $75 billion/year, plus
> federal incentives and policies affecting new technology investments and
> private sector research-and- development (perhaps another $1 trillion or
> more per year). Within this context, the Public Interest Technology Policy
> Project is promoting a strong grassroots, worker, and public-interest group
> voice in national science and technology decision making. The Project has
> received several startup foundation grants and other grants are pending.
> 
> Project activities to date have included:
> 
> o Publishing constructive policy critiques (e.g., in the
> Washington Post and The Chronicle of Higher Education) and the books
> "Technology for the Common Good" (available from the Institute for Policy
> Studies, Washington, DC) and "In Every Sense the Experts: Toward a
> Democratic Politics of Technology" (Guilford Press, forthcoming 1995).
> o Giving media interviews (e.g., to The New York Times and
> The MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour)
> o Making public presentations (e.g., to grassroots
> organizations, U.S. government officials and leaders, and universities)
> o Posting electronic Loka Alerts about democratic politics
> of science and technology
> o Co-organizing conferences and public forums (such as the
> first annual conference on "Technology and the African American Experience"
> at Howard University and "Challenges to Citizenship in an Age of High
> Technology," a multisite interactive discussion series broadcast live by
> satellite.)
> o Functioning as an informal information clearinghouse that
> answers queries from other grassroots and public- interest organizations,
> journalists, government staff, trade unions, businesses, students and
> scholars. o Producing "Technology, Society and Democracy: New Problems
> and Opportunities," a major report on emerging developments in U.S.
> technology policy for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
> 
> Organizing FASTnet is a recent Project initiative. When sufficient funds
> have been raised, the Project intends also to publish Technology Watch, a
> newsletter that will help public- interest, grassroots and worker
> organizations track national developments in science and technology policy
> while--conversely-- helping people in government, the media, and business
> learn about the activities of nonprofit, grassroots and worker
> organizations that are concerned with science and technology.
> 
> The Director of the Public Interest Technology Policy Project and its list
> manager is Dick Sclove, The Loka Institute, P.O. Box 355, Amherst, MA
> 01004-0355, USA; tel. (413) 253-2828; fax (413) 253-4942; e-mail
> resclove@amherst.edu
> 
> 
> FASTNET MEMBERSHIP:
> 
> Upon subscribing to the FASTnet list, you become a provisional member of
> the Federation of Activists on Science and Technology network. You become a
> full member when you submit by conventional (i.e., non-electronic) mail the
> information requested on a FASTnet membership form (see below) and you pay
> annual dues. Dues are regrettable but necessary for two reasons: (a) to
> help directly finance the administration of the FASTnet list and other
> activities of the Public Interest Technology Policy Project (running the
> Project is costly and funding in this area has traditionally been
> notoriously scarce); and (b) to help demonstrate to foundations and other
> major donors that there is an organizable constituency for the Project and
> that the Project is making headway toward financial self-sufficiency.
> 
> Dues schedule:
> 
> Individual - $25/year
> Institutional (government or nonprofit) - $60/year Business - $400/year
> Low Income - What you are comfortable
> contributing; $0 is acceptable.
> Angel - What you can; e.g., $100 to $25,000 and up
> is extremely acceptable.
> 
> IMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM; :	:
> :	FASTnet Membership Form	:
> :	:
> : NAME:	:
> :	:
> : ADDRESS:	:
> :	:
> :	:
> :	:
> : E-MAIL ADDRESS:	:
> :	:
> : I enclose my annual dues payment of $_______.	:
> :	:
> GDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD6 :	:
> : Optional (but appreciated):	:
> :	:
> : PRINCIPAL ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATION(s):	:
> :	:
> :	:
> :	:
> : PHONE:	FAX:	:
> :	:
> :	:
> : MAJOR AREAS OF INTEREST:	:
> :	:
> :	:
> :	:
> HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM<
> 
> Please make your dues check payable to "IPS--Technology Project" and send
> it (along with information requested on the membership form) to: FASTnet,
> c/o The Loka Institute, P.O. Box 355, Amherst, MA 01004-0355, USA.
> 
> Note: IPS (the Institute for Policy Studies), which is the Project's fiscal
> agent, is recognized by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3)
> tax-exempt nonprofit organization; hence FASTnet dues and additional
> contributions are tax deductible. Thank you!
> 
> 
> PUBLIC INTEREST TECHNOLOGY POLICY PROJECT ADVISORY BOARD (in
> formation):
> 
> Susana Almanza, Coordinator, People Organized in Defense of
> Earth and her Resources (PODER) and the Electronics Industry Good Neighbor
> Campaign (Austin, TX) Benjamin Barber, author of _Strong Democracy_ and
> Director,
> Walt Whitman Center on Democratic Culture and Politics, Rutgers University
> Phil Bereano, Professor of Technology and Public Policy,
> University of Washington
> Scott Bernstein, Director, Center for Neighborhood
> Technology (Chicago)
> Greg Bischak, Director, National Center for Economic
> Conversion and Disarmament
> Gary Chapman, Coordinator, 21st Century Project Richard Civille, Director,
> Washington Office, Center for
> Civic Networking
> Susan Cozzens, Professor of Sociology, Dept. of Science and
> Technology Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Frank Emspak, Visiting
> Fellow, Advanced Technology Program,
> National Institute of Standards and Technology; Professor, University of
> Wisconsin School for Workers Betsy Fader, Executive Director, Student
> Pugwash USA Chellis Glendinning, ecopsychologist and author of _When
> Technology Wounds_
> Amory Lovins, Research Director, Rocky Mountain Institute L. Hunter Lovins,
> Executive Director, Rocky Mountain
> Institute
> Jerry Mander, Co-Founder, Public Media Center and Director
> of Programs, Foundation for Deep Ecology Joe McCormick, Professor of
> Political Science, Howard
> University
> Arthur McGee, McGee & Associates (Torrance, CA) John Mohawk, Professor of
> American Studies, SUNY Buffalo,
> Editor of _Daybreak Magazine_, and Seneca Indian activist
> Michelle Murrain, Professor of Neurobiology, Hampshire
> College (Amherst, MA); List Manager of the electronic conferences Minority
> Health List and Feminists in Science and Technology (FIST)
> Helena Norberg-Hodge, Director, International Society for
> Ecology and Culture (Berkeley, CA and Bristol, England) Marc Rotenberg,
> Director, Electronic Privacy Information
> Center
> Rustum Roy, Evan Pugh Professor of the Solid State,
> Pennsylvania State University; Founder, National Association of Science,
> Technology and Society Michael Shuman, Director, Institute for Policy
> Studies Greg Watson, Director, Eastern Region, The Nature
> Conservancy
> Nachama Wilker, Council for Responsible Genetics
>