June/July 1983 RAIN Page 37 RUSH Control Data Hydroponics—"Shipping produce from the sunbelt to the frostbelt only made sense when gas was 29 cents a gallon," Phillip Bifulik, vice president of Control Data Corporation, explained when describing Control Data's decision to enter the hydroponic vegetable business. Control Data, probably the first computer-related firm to enter the vegetable business, is joined by others, including General Mills and the Whittaker Corporation in Los Angeles. Control Data's current operation in Minneapolis is producing about 10,000 heads of lettuce weekly for the Minneapolis market. Carrying Capacity—The Carrying Capacity Concept as a Planning Tool is a brief introduction to the planning methodology of carrying capacity. The concept was originally used to describe the maximum population density of a given species that an environment can support, and is now sometimes used to describe the capacity of local eco-systems to support human social/economic systems. This booklet provides a brief overview and describes groups around the country using carrying capacity methods. Available for $7.00 from American Planning Association, 1313 East 60th St., Chicago, IL 60637. Historic Preservation—The November- December issue of Small Town is a special resource book on historic preservahon for small communities. As with other publications of the Small Town Institute, the resource guide is a quality product. There are 20 major articles, profiles of 41 historic preservation projects around the country, and reviews of critical literature on the subject. Single copies are $10.00 from Small Town Institute, PO Box 517, Ellens- burg,WA 98926. Renewal of Renewal—When Mark Satin announced the end of his excellent newsletter. Renewal, we were disheartened, but also relieved to think that he had sense to change paths short of burning out. Well, recently, Mark sent out a letter to describe a strategy, involving raising $90,000, to start up Renewal again. During its short life. Renewal began to fill in a nitch between politics and spiritual values—sometimes called new age, sometimes called transformational—not covered by other periodicals. Tire new Renewal promises to be equally provocative, and perhaps more difficult to label or categorize. For more information, or to help the effort, write to Mark Satin, Renewal, PO Box 43241, Washington, DC 20010. Networking Networks and Networkers—Jessica Lipnack and Jeffrey Stamps, who compiled/edited Networking: the First Report and Directory (Doubleday, 1982), have formed the Networking Institute, Inc. in order to carry on their work of tracking networks and exploring methods of building communication networks. Membership in the organization can include a newsletter, as well as continual updating of the directory in Networking: The First Report and Directory. For more information, write to the Institute, PO Box 66, West, Newton, MA California Closes Brown's Penchant for Innovation—The California Office of Appropriate Technology was doomed since January when Gov. Deukmejian succeeded Governor Brown. On March 31st, it went out of business. John Ferrell, ex-editor of RAIN, was there during the final hours; standing by as a last-minute visitor described the Office of Appropriate Technology to some college students, while he, Gigi Coe, and remaining staffers packed away publications and posters. "For a moment," John explained recently to us, "I had the odd sensation of being a mannequin in period costume standing in the middle of a display at the local historical society as some tour guide described events of the 'long ago '70s.'" Anti-Authoritarian Directory—International Blacklist is an international directory to individuals and groups who fall into the category of anti-state, anti-capitalist, or anti-authoritarian perspectives. It includes more than 100 pages of groups from every continent—an amazing collection, especially when one realizes that many of the groups border on being underground and/or invisible. If you want a copy, send at least $2.50 as a donation to the Bound Together Bookstore Collective, 1901 Hayes St., San Francisco, CA 94117. Long Live the Networkers—Robert Theobald has been casting his intellectual light into subjects that many wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. He has been a conscientious communication network builder for years. One of the earliest formalized social change networks—simply called The Network—was started by Theobald. The Network was a simple, straight-forward idea where everyorie exchanged brief descriptions of themselves and their interests and skills. This information was collected and distributed to those who submitted a description. Many people, for example, early alternative energy proponents, met through this network. The Network passed away as networks tend to do. But Theobald himself continues on, encouraging and developing new networks, using old- fashioned print and mail techniques as well as computer-mediated systems such as EIES (The Electronic Information Exchange System). Theobald's work is not only limited to these formal networks. He spends much of his time traveling from community to community, playing a well-staged role of the "outside agitator," bringing shocking predictions about the future, enthusiasm for the quest, and pollinating ideas. At times, he has focused attention on specific communities—as he did in Spokane, Washington, and more recently in our community, Portland—and weaves a thread of new connections between leaders and citizens, empowering them to think creatively about the future of the community. If you want to find out more about Theobald's work, write to him at Participation Publishers, PO Box 2240, Wicken- burg, AZ 85358—remembering that part of networking is sharing and exchange. Cape Cod Bioregional Newsletter—The New Alchemy Institute has launched a modest newsletter, LandsCape, subtitled. Cape Code's Bioregional Newsletter. The first issue, April, 1983, describes basic ideas about bioregionalism, some local news, the Cape and Island's Self-Reliance Corporation, and the intent of the newsletter. To find out more, write to Greg Watson, do New Alchemy Institute, 237 HatchvUle Rd., East Falmouth, MA 02536.
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