Sociocracy: A Permaculture Approach to Community Evolution
By Melanie Rios
(Published in the Winter 2011 issue of Communities magazine – Issue #153.)
Partial diagram of sociocratic organizational structure at Lost Valley Center. The water circle was a temporary circle that has since disbanded. The arrows stand for people who are representatives of one circle to the other circle.
The Secretary of State’s office has released details regarding financial contributions from the campaign pushing to add Fluoride to Portland’s drinking water.
Portlander Natalie Marie, local LGBT advocacy and service non-profit Q Center's "Volunteer of the Year," has been dismissed after failing a state-mandated criminal background check.
In her past, Natalie's struggle with addiction landed her in prison for seven years, and then in a halfway house, where she was targeted for her gender identity and denied medical care.
She argues that her involvement with Q Center has been essential in facilitating her transition out of incarceration.
But in recent months, she learned of a state statute, ORS 443.004, that says public funds cannot support the employment in any capacity of individuals in "certain positions" if they have "specific convictions."
It's all there...but we are hypnotized by the bright beads. Our demons are in the twisted connections in between. Our demons are not looking in the windows while we sleep.
In a press release earlier today, the Portland Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or N.AA.C.P.,came out against the proposed fluoridation of our Bull Run water.
A barge is found drifting into a lock along a French canal, on board are discovered two corpses, a man and a woman, both hung. Inspite of an arrested suspect, the case resists resolution. Chief Inspector Magriet is called in from Paris to look for the solution. The inspector locates the local cafe, which proves to be the heart of the canal community, and settles in to drink some local wine, listen to everyone's story of events, observe the flow of life along the canels, order some more wine, and figures out the truth. This classic detective story is read by Professor Kitty, and hosted by Fortunato.
