One common way parsoc adherents describe their overall agenda is by saying that we’re seeking to answer the question “What do we want and how do we get there?” That’s been my frame of reference for a while now. But recently I’ve shifted that question into more personal terms.
When I was in debate in high school, one test a team could run to try to prove whether a plan did or did not fall under the year’s topic resolution was called the vacuum test. I’ve recently been wondering whether APPS would pass some variation of this.
(Tip of the hat to Tracey Chapman)
On Sunday, while driving back from seeing my folks, I talked to Joel Isaacs from Los Angeles for an hour and a half. I’m not a big phone person but I’ve found those two hours driving home can be a time when I can get some business taken care of as well as to connect with people I may not see all the time.
I didn’t intend for this to look like a child’s rendition of how Z’s rollover menus might look if they were simplified. But, at the risk of being mocked incessantly, here it is:
I don’t understand the big deal with reducing/simplifying the number of menu options Z has. It’s not about eliminating content, just reclassifying and re-categorizing it. Mike presses the point by asking how many we might go down to from the current 13- 10, 8, 5? But we could just as easily go in the other direction. How about 20, or 30? I’m sure some people want to see lyrics, and quotations, and pen pals, and… right on the top page. Right?
So I went ahead and created a Z Consumers Council ZSpace page: http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/group/zcc I’ve posted a link to the Z forum section that addresses the site redesign and Z operations (”ZCom”), as well as links to Michael’s letter asking for more participation, Jonathan Schindler’s ”What’s Wrong With ZSpace?”, Chris Spannos’s “ZCom vs. Facebook”, and to Planet Parecon. Like Dan said, I hope the Z people see this as more than just nagging– this could be an ongoing way for the Z community to give valuable input - i.e. participate - in the direction ZCom could/should be going.
Since there has been a good deal of recent discussion about Z’s site redesign and their appeal for more participation, I am copying below the letter Michael Albert sent to sustainers on Monday, February 2nd, asking for them to contribute more to ZCom.
Hey everyone,
We’re having an informal organizing session tonight at my place: 1234 Solidarity Dr. We’ll mostly work on the interview project, from about 6:30 until 9ish (come and go as you’re able). Nobody needs to bring anything: I’ve got chips, salsa, and beer. My cell is 867-5309 if you need to call. Hope to see you!
best,
Marcus
PS. Some of the information in this post has been changed to protect the guilty 
Here are the (rough) minutes of our meeting yesterday. This was our first open meeting in a good while and I’m glad to say it went quite well! We will also be getting together next Tuesday at my apartment around 6:30pm (or whenever) to do some work on the Interview Project. I will be supplying the beer, chips, and salsa.
In trying to push Planet Parecon forward there is some debate as to whether we should remain at www.austinpps.org/blogs, move to another (new) site like WordPress or Blogspot, or use the already existing Z blog facilities. We also need someone to be an organizer on the project until it has enough momentum (aka content) to be self-sustaining. That means soliciting content, following up with authors, helping newbies set up their blogs, etc. We’ve been discussing the issue on an email list of ParSoc organizers and I’m going to copy our remarks below. Before that, though, a couple of recent updates.