Club Report--March 23, 2006
Club Report–March 23, 2006
For the past two weeks, I have spent my time working on the Tyberg campaign, getting a book ready for publication, and reading numerous books, issue papers, newspapers and magazines in preparation for writing what will be my most important essay to date.
Every day has involved something directly involved with the Tyberg campaign. Aside doing general political affairs consulting, my duties as communications director and temporary volunteer coordinator continue to provide me with experience and contacts. I also do certain things indirectly for the campaign which build Club resources. For example, I have recently started a politically-oriented web-based publishing database for future use.
The book publishing venture involved a two week struggle to complete the typing of a 23 page short story to capstone the collection of stories by Pi K. The book will have 7 or 8 shorter stories. The as-yet-untitled book will be a cooperative self-published volume done with Club Friend Chulzky Tilt Operations (C.T.O.). C.T.O. is a community free-ware organization run by my good friend, Erik B. Erik does cartoons and graphics for The Cepia Club, including the Club logo on the website and stationary and the cartoons on Freedom-zine America Issues #2 and #3. C.T.O. recently acquired a book binder along with bulk recycled paper and glue. There are some details to work out like formatting programs, cover design, title, etc. Club Friend Paperworx Design in Amery, WI is a top candidate to do the printing. I will keep you posted on the upcoming book. Target distribution date is late April/early May.
The several books I have read the past two weeks have taken up a lot of time. Although I do read a lot for pleasure, the recent book selections and issues papers have had relevance to the writing of what will be a defining essay for a major part of the Club’s program. The essay’s theme covers a concept I call “libertarian internationalism.” I have not done any real scholarly writing in a decade since college, at least the type of writing that uses notes and bibliographies as such. Most of my writing has been essays and stories and full-length unfinished novels (2 of them). One book I read this past two weeks, Henry Adams and the Making of America by Gary Wills, inspired me to think about doing what my university bachelor’s of arts degree trained me to do: scholarly research and writing. While the essay on “libertarian internationalism” will not have a whole lot of footnotes and bibliographical references, Wills’ examination of the historical method used by Henry Adams to write his 9 volume history of the United States just might inspire me to do what I have long contemplated doing: rewriting a college paper on what I called Woodrow Wilson’s “progressive diplomacy.”
Other books which will help frame some of the “libertarian internationalism” essay are: Imperial Grunts by Robert D. Kaplan; Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating by Thomas P.M. Barnett; and, half-way read, Cobra II by Gordon & Traynor. The essay itself has been under fits and starts for two years as a concept whose birth has caused me both pain and struggle. I have been thinking and making notes for this “hopeless” piece of writing since the summer before 9/11/2001. The essay is to be the capstone for the new Club newsletter/newspaper, Strategy Gazette. Having in January published the last official newsletter of the SCVL’s St. Croix Valley Liberty Beacon, starting a new newsletter project has proved just as daunting as starting the Club itself. Strategy Gazette is should be something more than a raggled propaganda sheet, just as the Club should be something more than just another business. The first issue of S.G. is long delayed, in part, due to the same reason which has delayed the typing of the main essay. I get obsessed with perfection. I should not put too much pressure to make the first issue of S.G. perfect and I should not worry about sounding more profound than I really am in the writing of “libertarian internationalism.” I believe my biggest task involves breaking the barrier of getting the first essay and first issue finished and distributed. After that, I hope, I won’t be too impressed by own ideas to think that they need to be “perfect.”
After the completion and distribution of Vol. 1, No. 1 of Strategy Gazette, my next priority will be to draft the Club business plan. I have done A lot of research on writing “real” business plans and a lot thinking about the unique aspects of the Club to be incorporated. My goal for the business plan is have a three-year outline of the Club’s future in draft form by the third week in April. The development of the Club is aimed for steady, debt-free growth. Most businesses start with high-expectations and a require large amounts of capital to begin operation. On the plus side, The Cepia Club has been operating for over a year now on a steady investment of $125 a month with no outstanding debt. On that shoestring amount of investment I have managed to accumulate a significant amount of experience, materials, resources, and, most importantly, support from other people.
The business plan will focus on overall goals, i.e. where I want the Club to end up in three years, and the steps required to get there. The Cepia Club is supposed to be a revolutionary business-- a streamlined, network-centric, do-it-myself services and products marketing organization that will prosper in the age of globalization. Some may question why I even consider the “globalization” challenge in a business run out of my house in rural western Wisconsin. The Club is built around providing consulting and materials needed by local community businesses and organizations. I consider having the “globalization” perspective incorporated in the Club design and operation as one of the key things the Club and its network can offer. The economy of the entire country, including rural western Wisconsin, is competition with businesses and communities across the entire world for intangible resources (on a small scale, my databases would apply in this category), materials, labor, ideas and other intellectual assets, and market growth. If I enter this business as someone who can contribute to “local globalization,” I would gain an edge over other, Second Tier Economy businesses. In developing my business outline I need to include the creation of my unique resources, consideration for an “economy in size,” the development of “community free-ware” network participants, and the incorporation of emerging technology and techniques suited to the very grass roots sort of things I, The Cepia Club, and the Club Friends can offer.
Before I end this report, I need to say that I have found a vendor for the remaining Club “Jefferson” T-shirts. A good Club Friend in St. Croix Falls, WI, Planet Supply, is selling the remaining four shirts. See Planet Supply’s box ad in the Zine Issue #2.
For the past two weeks, I have spent my time working on the Tyberg campaign, getting a book ready for publication, and reading numerous books, issue papers, newspapers and magazines in preparation for writing what will be my most important essay to date.
Every day has involved something directly involved with the Tyberg campaign. Aside doing general political affairs consulting, my duties as communications director and temporary volunteer coordinator continue to provide me with experience and contacts. I also do certain things indirectly for the campaign which build Club resources. For example, I have recently started a politically-oriented web-based publishing database for future use.
The book publishing venture involved a two week struggle to complete the typing of a 23 page short story to capstone the collection of stories by Pi K. The book will have 7 or 8 shorter stories. The as-yet-untitled book will be a cooperative self-published volume done with Club Friend Chulzky Tilt Operations (C.T.O.). C.T.O. is a community free-ware organization run by my good friend, Erik B. Erik does cartoons and graphics for The Cepia Club, including the Club logo on the website and stationary and the cartoons on Freedom-zine America Issues #2 and #3. C.T.O. recently acquired a book binder along with bulk recycled paper and glue. There are some details to work out like formatting programs, cover design, title, etc. Club Friend Paperworx Design in Amery, WI is a top candidate to do the printing. I will keep you posted on the upcoming book. Target distribution date is late April/early May.
The several books I have read the past two weeks have taken up a lot of time. Although I do read a lot for pleasure, the recent book selections and issues papers have had relevance to the writing of what will be a defining essay for a major part of the Club’s program. The essay’s theme covers a concept I call “libertarian internationalism.” I have not done any real scholarly writing in a decade since college, at least the type of writing that uses notes and bibliographies as such. Most of my writing has been essays and stories and full-length unfinished novels (2 of them). One book I read this past two weeks, Henry Adams and the Making of America by Gary Wills, inspired me to think about doing what my university bachelor’s of arts degree trained me to do: scholarly research and writing. While the essay on “libertarian internationalism” will not have a whole lot of footnotes and bibliographical references, Wills’ examination of the historical method used by Henry Adams to write his 9 volume history of the United States just might inspire me to do what I have long contemplated doing: rewriting a college paper on what I called Woodrow Wilson’s “progressive diplomacy.”
Other books which will help frame some of the “libertarian internationalism” essay are: Imperial Grunts by Robert D. Kaplan; Blueprint for Action: A Future Worth Creating by Thomas P.M. Barnett; and, half-way read, Cobra II by Gordon & Traynor. The essay itself has been under fits and starts for two years as a concept whose birth has caused me both pain and struggle. I have been thinking and making notes for this “hopeless” piece of writing since the summer before 9/11/2001. The essay is to be the capstone for the new Club newsletter/newspaper, Strategy Gazette. Having in January published the last official newsletter of the SCVL’s St. Croix Valley Liberty Beacon, starting a new newsletter project has proved just as daunting as starting the Club itself. Strategy Gazette is should be something more than a raggled propaganda sheet, just as the Club should be something more than just another business. The first issue of S.G. is long delayed, in part, due to the same reason which has delayed the typing of the main essay. I get obsessed with perfection. I should not put too much pressure to make the first issue of S.G. perfect and I should not worry about sounding more profound than I really am in the writing of “libertarian internationalism.” I believe my biggest task involves breaking the barrier of getting the first essay and first issue finished and distributed. After that, I hope, I won’t be too impressed by own ideas to think that they need to be “perfect.”
After the completion and distribution of Vol. 1, No. 1 of Strategy Gazette, my next priority will be to draft the Club business plan. I have done A lot of research on writing “real” business plans and a lot thinking about the unique aspects of the Club to be incorporated. My goal for the business plan is have a three-year outline of the Club’s future in draft form by the third week in April. The development of the Club is aimed for steady, debt-free growth. Most businesses start with high-expectations and a require large amounts of capital to begin operation. On the plus side, The Cepia Club has been operating for over a year now on a steady investment of $125 a month with no outstanding debt. On that shoestring amount of investment I have managed to accumulate a significant amount of experience, materials, resources, and, most importantly, support from other people.
The business plan will focus on overall goals, i.e. where I want the Club to end up in three years, and the steps required to get there. The Cepia Club is supposed to be a revolutionary business-- a streamlined, network-centric, do-it-myself services and products marketing organization that will prosper in the age of globalization. Some may question why I even consider the “globalization” challenge in a business run out of my house in rural western Wisconsin. The Club is built around providing consulting and materials needed by local community businesses and organizations. I consider having the “globalization” perspective incorporated in the Club design and operation as one of the key things the Club and its network can offer. The economy of the entire country, including rural western Wisconsin, is competition with businesses and communities across the entire world for intangible resources (on a small scale, my databases would apply in this category), materials, labor, ideas and other intellectual assets, and market growth. If I enter this business as someone who can contribute to “local globalization,” I would gain an edge over other, Second Tier Economy businesses. In developing my business outline I need to include the creation of my unique resources, consideration for an “economy in size,” the development of “community free-ware” network participants, and the incorporation of emerging technology and techniques suited to the very grass roots sort of things I, The Cepia Club, and the Club Friends can offer.
Before I end this report, I need to say that I have found a vendor for the remaining Club “Jefferson” T-shirts. A good Club Friend in St. Croix Falls, WI, Planet Supply, is selling the remaining four shirts. See Planet Supply’s box ad in the Zine Issue #2.
posted by Scipio Cepicanus @ 3:39 PM
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