New Editor: By the time you read thi<>, I will have left RAIN: RAIN needs a new living-lightly editor who has experience with publications and knowledge of appropriate-technology issues. For a job description, write to Rob Baird, RAIN, 3116 North Williams, Portland, OR 97227. Circular Argument: If you tried to write to us in July or August but got no response, please try again. The post office somehow got the notion that we'd moved across the country rather than across town, and forwarded our mail to Portland, Maine. We didn't find out about it until we started getting phone calls from curious friends in Washington, DC, who'd received the suspicious address change from the post office. By early September, though, we were getting our normal amount of mail again. Reading and Dining Salon: ,Finding people to write enough reviews for each issue is a perennial problem at RAIN. 'fhe best idea I've heard so far for encouraging and supporting wider participation is a reading and dining salon-a discussion group that meets regularly to talk about interesting ideas, trends, projects, books, or people. It's really an old idea, dating at least as far back as the Greek Peripatetics. Recently, though, we've heard that Eric Utne, who founded the Utne Reader, has been hosting such a salon in Minneapolis. At each salon, he distributes new periodicals.and collects recommendations (of articles to excerpt or trends to watch, for example). We'd like to set up a reading and dining salon in Portland; contact us if you'rejnterested. We'd also like to hear from you if you've had experience with a long-term salon. What works best? What doesn't work? And we're still soliciting contributions! Join RAIN's Reviewers' Network: TeJl us about your areas of expertise and interest, and we'll entertain your suggestions of books to review for RAIN. Self-~eliance Contest: We received ~ight entries, most with ideas and suggestions rather than plans for making RAIN economically self-reliant. Thanks to everyone who took th~ time to send us ideas! We've been discussing ideas among ourselves for over a year, and we welcome further suggestions. We're including many of your ideas in our plans. And the winners are ... First place was a tie: Jon Naar of New York, New York, and Stephen Rappaport of New York, New York. Jon and Stephen each win a full set of RAIN back issues November/December 1984 RAIN Page 3 RAINDROPS and a RAIN T-shirt. Third prize goes to Joyce Schowalter of Sea,tle, Washington (one-year sub and T-shirt). 0 Jon sent a long list of suggestions. He said each RAIN reader should ''.be responsible for bringing in at least one more via a·gift and one via persuasion"; offer a sub to anyone who joins a related peace.or environmental group; affiliate with such groups; form an Advisory Board of Distinguished and Influential people; use local radio and public-access TV stations to promote RAIN; consider another RAIN poster-"we are still coloring in one of them at our local food co-op in Nyack!" Jon also notes, "As one of your earliest subscribers, I want to say that RAIN continues to be a most useful, important, and inspiring publication for all of us working in the fields of renewable energy, appropriate technology, ecology, for all of us working for a sustainable future, indeed for any kind of future at all." 0 Stephen analyzed RAIN's strengths and weaknesses in the areas of editorial and marketing, and suggested how to build on strengths and overcome weaknesses. He was the most thorough in his comments. Stephen also included a short list of promotion ideas. 0 Joyce wrote, "I think the reason you're not getting tons of replies in your 'how to make RAIN money' contest is: That's a very baffling question. It's a question many small organizations are struggling with these days. The only .thing I can think of is to subscribe. Maybe my$ will go down with the ship? That's OK." Other readers also suggested that we expand our networks and get subscribers more involved: · 0 James D. Skutt of Olympia, Washington,.suggested that readers organize gatherings in their communities-a Rainrriakers softball team that would carry out recycling projects, for example-to increase distribution of RAIN and to increase the contribution that the locai community could make. He also encouraged networking.among current RAIN subscribers. 0 Karen Coulter of Portland, Oregon, suggested that we approach specific environmental, political, and peace groups to distribute flyers, speak at meetings, publicize activities in newsletters, and so on. 0 Bill Berkowitz of Arlington, Massachusetts, suggested that we create a contest: have people send in ideas.for improving their communities, then publici~e the contest aggressively (nationally, with donated prizes), compile the best awards into a book or a regular feature, and use the mailing list to promote RAIN. 0 Ga:r:y A. Patton of Santa Cruz, California, suggested we use mailing lists of progressive politicians and alternative organizations (sponsors) to send a sample .copy and a letter of endorsement from the sponsor to prospective subscribers. He offered RAIN his ma'iling list, too. Three people also suggested that we get involved in radio: Jon Naar (see above); Stephen Rappaport suggested we prepare 3- to 5-minute features on subjects discussed in RAIN via radio or possibly TV; and Deborah Stark of Albuquerque, New Mexico, suggested that we get onto a late-night talk-radio show. -TK
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