RUSH Ancient Crops for Future Needs—The American Southwest contains much of the remaining diversity of corns, squashes, beans, and other food crop varieties that were found on our continent when Columbus landed. But fewer and fewer Native American farmers are planting these crops each year. Now, an organization called Native Seeds/SEARCH is undertaking nonprofit education and research in an effort to save these crops and their wild relatives. Native Seeds/SEARCH notes that preserving plant diversity is important in itself since it allows us greater food options for the future, and several Southwest crops already show special potential: high protein and mineral content, good taste, and superior tolerance to drought, heat, disease, and insects. To learn more about the work of Native Seeds/SEARCH, write them at 3950 W. New York Drive, Tucson, AZ 85745. Nuclear Teaching Aids—Are you an elementary or high school teacher in need of curriculum material on nuclear weapons and nuclear energy that will serve to counterbalance the arguments of the Atomic Establishment? The Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS) has published two selected bibliographies: "Growing Up in a Nuclear World" for the elementary grades and "Nuclear Dangers" for high schools. The bibliographies include annotated lists of background readings, lists of organizations concerned with peace and safe energy, audiovisual materials, curriculum guides, and other teaching aids. Either bibliography may be ordered for $5.00 plus $.85 postage from NIRS, 1346 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20036. Building Like They Used To—We recently heard from some senior citizens in Nebraska who are producing a refreshing alternative to the usual plastic playthings for young people. The seniors are handcarving, assembling, and painting miniature (about 18" long) wooden wagons that are close replicas of the vehicles used by farmers, policemen, mailmen, etc., in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They tell us each wagon takes days to produce. Request a brochure from: Farm Wagons, 1412 Seventh Street, Columbus, NE 68601. Cal-OAT Bounces Back—California's new Republican governor, George Deukmejian, is having a very hard time ridding his state of some of Jerry Brown's more innovative programs. First it was the Governor's Council on Wellness and Physical Fitness that refused to die. Abolished by Deukmejian in January, the Council simply went underground and resurfaced as a private nonprofit corporation. Now comes word that some veterans of the Office of Appropriate Technology (OAT), which was also abolished by the new governor, have regrouped and formed an independent, nonprofit advocacy and consulting organization—called the Office of Appropriate Technology! We'll tell you more about the new OAT- in-Exile in upcoming issues of RAIN. CALENDAR Science and Social Action for Health and Peace is the theme of a convention to be held in Dallas, Texas, November 13-17. This American Public Health Association sponsored conference offers over 400 workshops and presentations on topics ranging from the Hospice Movement to Abortion, and from Microcomputers to Breastfeeding. For information and registration write APHA, 1015 Fifteenth St., NW, Washington, DC 20005. Ashley Montague, O. Carl Simonton, and Michael Prichard are several of the faculty who will speak at a conference on The Healing Power of Laughter and Play to be held in Palo Alto, CA, and Anaheim, CA, November 4-6 and November 18-21, respectively. This conference will demonstrate the uses of humor in the healing arts and identify the psychological effects produced by laughter, play, dance, and imagery that have been recognized as effective in helping to balance stress and mobilizing self-healing potential. For more information and registration write Institute for the Advancement of Human Behavior, P.O. Box 7226, Stanford, CA 94305, or caU 800/227- 8903 (in CA caU 415/851-8411). Here are two seminars for those interested in organizational fundraising. The Grantsman- ship Center is offering a series of two intensive three-day workshops at locations in 30 cities in the U.S. in the coming months. A Foundation and Corporate Funding seminar will provide information regarding sources, services, and strategies for fund acquisition. These seminars will be available in Phoenix, AZ, and San Francisco, CA, Nov. 14-16; Madison, WI, Nov. 15-17; and Columbus, OH, Dec. 14-16. A Grant Proposal Writing seminar will focus on objectives, approaches, and designs for fundraising proposals. Seminars will be offered in Los Angeles, CA, Nov. 17-19; New Orleans, LA, Nov. 28-Dec. 2; Cleveland, OH, Nov. 30-Dec. 2; and New York, NY, Dec. 5-7. For details and other locations write the Grantsmanship Center 1031 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90015, or call 800/421-9512 (in CA, AK, or HI call 213/749-4721). Midwest Energy Education Consortium has organized a one-day conference for energy resource and service people, to be held on December 8 at George Williams College in Downers Grove, IL. The conference will include short workshops on new energy technologies, networking to share resources, and tools for reaching consumers. For more information write Molly Redmond, MEEC, 312 Security Building, 2395 University Ave., St. Paul, MN 55114, or call 612/642-9046. The Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Association is sponsoring a two-day, state-of-the-art conference and exhibit for builders, contractors, architects, engineers, and vocational/techiucal teachers. Super Insulation for the Mid- Atlantic Region will be held on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19, at the Sheraton Hotel, Valley Forge, PA. Intensive conference sessions will address the appropriate use of high levels of insulation for both renovation and new construction. Solutions to problems of indoor air quality, vapor and moisture, heating and cooling, glazing, and the integration and cost/benefit of solar energy systems will be discussed. For further information and registration contact Irisita Azary, MASEA, 2233 Gray's Ferry Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19146, or caU 215/545-2150. Selling Solar Successfully will be the theme of the Florida Solar Energy Center's (FSEC) first solar merchandising short course to be held at Cape Canaveral, Florida, November 16-17, 1983. Guest luncheon speaker Bruce Anderson, executive editor and vice president of Solar Age magazine, wiU discuss expanding solar horizons, current solar industry trends, and the underlying strengths of the industry in relation to successful companies that have weathered the storm. The Florida Solar Energy Center will also conduct a series of two-day short courses at FSEC and throughout Florida on the design of solar energy systems, passive design elements, and low energy usage features in the design and construction of new school buildings and the upgrading of older school buildings. The short course will include a review of legislative requirements, energy use in schools, passive design, and natural ventilation. This seminar will be given December 2,1983, and January 12-13,1984, in Cape Canaveral, FL. For more information on any of these FSEC events contact Shay Southwick, FSEC, 300 State Rd. 401, Cape Canaveral, H, 32920, or call 305/783-0300. J
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