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<P><STRONG>Wasn't there some talk about having a picnic when the weather got nicer? That way a whole bunch of blockheads could get together for lunch. It was too bad so many missed the original potluck. . . even some who helped with the plans, like Tom and Rose. And, if I remember correctly, everyone who did attend agreed it was well worth while.</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>Anyone interested?</STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>Ellen </STRONG><BR><BR></P></DIV>
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<DIV></DIV>From: <I>"Carl Westberg" <carlwestberg846@hotmail.com></I><BR>To: <I>vision2020@moscow.com</I><BR>Subject: <I>RE: [Vision2020] "Take a Blockhead to Lunch" Month</I><BR>Date: <I>Thu, 25 May 2006 07:57:40 -0700</I><BR>>I actually did this with Phil Nisbet, although we each probably <BR>>thought the other was the blockhead. Had a great time, and uh, a <BR>>couple (ahem) of beers. Carl Westberg Jr.<BR>><BR>><BR>>>From: Debbie Gray <dgray@uidaho.edu><BR>>>To: vision 2020 <vision2020@moscow.com><BR>>>Subject: [Vision2020] "Take a Blockhead to Lunch" Month<BR>>>Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 17:14:43 -0700<BR>>><BR>>>Here's an interesting/fun editorial from High Country<BR>>>News/Writers on the Range...<BR>>><BR>>>Welcome to Take a
Blockhead to Lunch<BR>>>April 2006<BR>>>Jeff Golden<BR>>><BR>>>Do you want things to change? Are you agitated or frustrated or<BR>>>just plain bored with the civic conversation in your community<BR>>>and the country at large?<BR>>><BR>>>I am. And I´m going to do something about it. I´m going to take<BR>>>a blockhead to lunch.<BR>>><BR>>>We keep hearing that civic life these days is deeply polarized,<BR>>>and it is. Why is that? Because we fundamentally disagree on the<BR>>>basic issues, or because we´ve let shouting, blaming and<BR>>>scapegoating become the way we do politics? Is it because our<BR>>>beliefs clash at their very core, or because the frenzy and fear<BR>>>purveyed by our crassest media and worst politicians have made<BR>>>us desperate for a set of beliefs and like-minded
people to<BR>>>cling to, however incomplete or flawed they may be?<BR>>><BR>>>Probably some of both, and maybe more. But since most of the<BR>>>current ideological and philosophical debate (if what we´ve been<BR>>>doing deserves a word that polite) is a proven dead end, what if<BR>>>we start looking harder for little cracks in the wall where a<BR>>>ray of light might shine through? What, if instead of battling<BR>>>opinion with opinion and trying to beat back their dogma with<BR>>>our dogma, we spent some time probing beneath the dogma? What if<BR>>>we listened to the music instead of just the words?<BR>>><BR>>>I hereby declare April and May to be Take a Blockhead to Lunch<BR>>>Months. Participation is easy. As soon as you finish this<BR>>>column, pause to think of someone you know who cares
about<BR>>>what´s happening in the world and whose opinions differ sharply<BR>>>from yours, whether it´s about President George Bush and the war<BR>>>in Iraq, immigration, evolution, abortion, educational testing,<BR>>>Hillary Clinton - pick your flash point.<BR>>><BR>>>Then call him or her to announce that it´s Take a Blockhead to<BR>>>Lunch Month and that he´s the blockhead you´ve chosen; if you<BR>>>think there may be a more effective way to phrase the<BR>>>invitation, have at it. Then go get lunch together, or<BR>>>breakfast, dinner, coffee, tea, a beer. After you´ve ordered and<BR>>>settled in, ask your dining partner plainly and respectfully<BR>>>what he or she thinks or feels about issues that seem to divide<BR>>>you.<BR>>><BR>>>There are just a couple of rules. One: Ask real questions,
not<BR>>>opinions that have question marks stuck onto the end. We all<BR>>>know how this works. Despite what we learned in high school<BR>>>grammar classes, sentences beginning with "Oh, come on now, do<BR>>>you actually believe..." don´t qualify as questions.<BR>>><BR>>>Two: Through the course of the conversation, aim to listen at<BR>>>least four times more than you talk. Use your talking time to<BR>>>ask more questions to get clearer on what your blockhead means<BR>>>and how her peculiar opinions were formed.<BR>>><BR>>>If what he says pushes your buttons, and if you´re busting to<BR>>>answer back - and if you´re a person inclined to do this<BR>>>exercise at all, you probably will be - stretch yourself to<BR>>>listen even more. (If you do this part well, I´d personally<BR>>>appreciate any helpful
tips.) If you´re just dying to express<BR>>>your own opinions, you might ask your blockhead if you can be<BR>>>his or her blockhead. It will be your turn to be taken to lunch,<BR>>>and you can reverse roles.<BR>>><BR>>>The worst that will happen is that you´ll find out you were<BR>>>right; he or she really is a complete blockhead who must be<BR>>>living on another planet.<BR>>><BR>>>Then again you might be deeply surprised by what you hear. You<BR>>>might catch a lasting insight that you can´t even imagine right<BR>>>now. And what could that lead to? We don´t know that either. One<BR>>>next step might be to start again and find a second blockhead to<BR>>>take to lunch, which should be easy. There are plenty of us out<BR>>>here. We´re all in a learning process. Please let us know how<BR>>>your
conversation went at blockheadtolunch.com. Thanks.<BR>>><BR>>>Jeff Golden is a contributor to Writers on the Range, a service<BR>>>of High Country News (hcn.org). He is a writer and host of the<BR>>>Jefferson Exchange on Jefferson Public Radio in Ashland, Oregon.<BR>>><BR>>><BR>>><BR>>>_____________________________________________________<BR>>> List services made available by First Step Internet,<BR>>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.<BR>>> http://www.fsr.net<BR>>>
mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ<BR>><BR>><BR>>_____________________________________________________<BR>>List services made available by First Step Internet, serving the <BR>>communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>>http://www.fsr.net <BR>>mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></div></html>