Hello Folks,

Since Theresa was sick and couldn’t deliver her presentation last night, Lee, the alternate, stepped into the gap and gave a scintillating presentation performance on "Global Warming"!

Actually, it was sufficiently interesting that everybody felt that they had to provide so much of their own background and thoughts on the subject that there were questions as to whether ‘we’ would ever complete it before midnight!

Fortunately - or maybe unfortunately - everybody seemed to agree that:

We have a great planet and should respect it and limit the pollution that we leave on it - recognizing that the very presence of humans mean that a 'footprint' is left.  However, since CO2 (Al's current concern) is a nutrient and not a pollutant, we should not waste our time NOR MONEY to try to find a way to reduce it.  On the contrary, we may need more of it!

A good evening.

In addition, we experimented with the new program that I had suggested. We cut cards - Dick got the high card and was designated to speak for 3 minutes; Cathy got the next highest card and gave him the subject "Sharks" to speak on. Terry kept time and reminded Dick when each minute had passed.

It went so well that we decided to have a similar evening on 20 February with the same above rules plus:

No one person could be chosen twice to speak until all the others present had spoken. It won’t be necessary to cut the cards for the last speaker in a round since only that one person can win (or lose). At this time, the person who spoke last will provide the subject.

It is important to remember that the speaker can lie! And, if the listeners have difficulty discerning truth from fiction - all the more better. He must only speak - hopefully, coherently - for 3 minutes.

Michelle suggested that the speaker be given 60 seconds to organize their thoughts around the assigned subject but this was not accepted since the disorganized nature of the speech might be the funnest part!

Remember, a good ‘speech’ - even one as short as 3 minutes - should have a beginning (introduction), a body (the basic information that is presented about the subject) and a conclusion to tie everything up together into a neat package. And, in order to succeed in this, the speaker should complete his speech ON TIME - or as near to ‘on time’ as possible.

We’ll add further rules or change rules as it becomes obvious that it is necessary. We’re calling this "Caucus II" !! 20 Feb!

Our next "Caucus I" will be on 20 March when Theresa will be scheduled to make her presentation. Dick will be the alternate.