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Open Forum Discussion: Topic & Readings
What: |
Open Forum Discussion, a Covenanted, Current Issues Discussion Group |
When: |
Sunday Mornings, 9:15-10:15 AM |
Where: |
Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist (CCUU) Senior High Room (Classroom 5) |
| Who: | Vid Axel moderates. Andrew Cranberg co-facilitates. Some participate regularly. Some join us for specific topics. We welcome newcomers and "revolving door" participation! |
Below: |
Details for Sunday, 25 November 2007 |
| I. | Background and Preparation for this Sunday |
| II. | Our Covenant |
| III. | Possible Future Topics |
Table of Contents
I. Background and Preparation for this Sunday
| A. | Sunday's Topic |
| B. | Gently Recommended Material |
| C. | Topic Focus and Possible Questions |
| D. | Closing |
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
I. Background and Preparation for this Sunday
This approaching Sunday (11/25/07) we will discuss the following. The Mortgage/Credit Situation: Is it a Crisis? What Do I want Done? (I'm grateful to Andy Cranberg for suggesting that we discuss this. 
- Vid)
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
B. Gently Recommended Material
U.S. could face $2 trillion lending shock: Goldman
Reuters "The impact of the U.S. mortgage market crisis on the underlying economy could be 'dramatic' as leveraged investors may need to scale back lending by up to $2 trillion..." (I'm grateful to Andy Cranberg for suggesting this reading |
Ahead of the Bell: Mortgage Vote
by Alan Zibel, AP Business Writer House Expected to Approve Bill to Curtain Lending Abuses Over Industry Opposition(I'm grateful to Andy Cranberg for suggesting this reading |
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
C. Topic Focus and Possible Questions
We may discuss any or all of the following.
1. Do you agree that currently the U.S. is experiencing a mortgage/credit crisis?
2. Do you think the mortgage/credit situation has been overblown; do you concur with the first article that the mortgage situation is risking major, macroeconomic harm; or do you think something else about it? Why?
3. If you agree that the current mortgage/credit situation qualifies as a crisis or at least as a problem, what do you regard as its root causes?
4. Would you prefer that the federal government stay out of the matter altogether?
5. Can you cite other developments (either in the private sector or in terms of action by the government, such as the Federal Reserve) that you believe could stabilize the current mortgage/credit situation?
6. In your opinion, is the federal government responding to the mortgage/credit situation reactively, proactively, or in some other way?
7. Referring now to the second article, are you feeling satisfaction that Washington is in the process of developing legislation that will effectively deal with lenders so that the current situation won't repeat?
8. Relative to this issue, what action do you favor, and by whom?
9. What other items relative to the mortgage/credit situation that these questions didn't mention do you still wish to discuss?
10. In your opinion, what can each of us do personally to embody and enact the change in the world that we'd like to see relative to this issue?
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
We hope to see you on Sunday morning!
Gratefully,
Vid Axel - Moderating-Facilitating / Andrew Cranberg – Co-Facilitating
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
Our Open Forum Discussion Covenant now states:
We gather to discuss the issues of the day. Such issues may be political, personal or both. As we gather, we strive to:
| 1. | remain mindful of the CCUU covenant; | |
| 2. | listen and express ourselves actively, respectfully and with open minds; | |
| and | ||
| 3. | welcome the diversity of views that may be expressed during any Open Forum Discussion. |
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
We may discuss any or all of the following topics at some, future point. (Vid and Andy feel grateful to those of you who have suggested many of these during brainstorming sessions. We welcome additional suggestions: for topics; elaboration; related questions; gently recommended readings; and for the date[s] on which to discuss them.)
| • | Political Advertising: additional aspects |
| • | What in Republican and Democratic belief systems inclines them, according to party affiliation, to embrace similar views about a variety of issues? (For example, Republicans often favor pro-gun, anti-abortion and pro-death penalty positions; Democrats often favor gun control, abortion rights, and anti-death penalty positions.) |
| • | Communicating Compassionately about Current Events: How does Vid envision that application of principles of this process could meet our needs in the context of our discussions and in discussions of current events more broadly? What action can I take to encourage the changes that I would like to see in the world relative to this issue? (suggested by Vid Axel) |
| • | The Republican Party and LGBT Republicans: In my opinion, is their relationship beset by paradox? What does each of us feel and need in relation to this relationship? What action can I take to encourage the changes that I would like to see in the world relative to this issue? (suggested by Dan Flammang) |
| • | Utopia and the Real World: How do I believe current events discussions can remain focused on "real-world" realities and genuine possibilities instead of "pie in the sky" fantasies? What action can I take to encourage the changes that I would like to see in the world relative to this issue? (suggested by Dan Flammang) |
| • | The Myth of Redemptive Violence: Could many contemporary assumptions about conflict resolution - spanning world religions and cultures - ultimately derive from a 5000 year old myth? If so, what implications might this have? What action can I take to encourage the changes that I would like to see in the world relative to this issue? (suggested by Vid Axel) |
| • | Why Does each of us Enjoy Discussing Current Events? (suggested by Andy Cranberg) |
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
To skip to the Table of Contents in Brief, please click here.
Mambo License Guidelines
Mambo is released under the GNU General Public license (GNU GPL).The GNU GPL provides for a person or persons to distribute Mambo for a fee, but not actually charging for the software itself, because Mambo is free. Mambo is free to share and change, but if you do change it in anyway, can you also change the license and make it commercial? No! The whole GPL is devoted to ensuring this does not happen. Copyright, a much more refined and stringent law will prevent this as well.
So with regard to Mambo, the GPL and copyright:
You MAY distribute it and charge for that service. You MAY change it, add design and content to it and you MAY charge for that. You may NOT alter the license and you must NOT alter the copyright. You do NOT have to show a 'Powered by Mambo' graphic, as it not a copyright notice.
In other words, you must NOT pretend that Mambo is yours, and you must NOT charge people for Mambo.
Use Mambo to empower yourself and your clients by taking away the 'Black Magic' that surrounds putting content on the internet. Charge for the value you add and not for the hard work that Miro, the Mambo Development Team and the Mambo community have put into it.Guidelines:
Mambo is "free" software released under the GNU General Public License (GPL).
The word "free'' has two legitimate general meanings; it can refer either to freedom or to price. When we speak of "free software'', we're talking about freedom, not price. (Think of "free speech'', not "free beer''.)
Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:
- The freedom to run the program, for any purpose.
- The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs
- Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
- The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbour.
- The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits.
- Access to the source code is a precondition for this
1. What license is Mambo released under?
Mambo is released under the GNU GPL. A copy of this is included with your copy of Mambo and can also be found at http://www.fsf.org/licenses/gpl.html. Unofficial translations can also be found at http://www.fsf.org/licenses/translations.html.
2. Who owns the copyright to Mambo?
The copyright to Mambo is held by Miro International Pty Ltd. Miro were the original authors of Mambo and continue to actively support the project.
3. Are there any restrictions to your use of Mambo?
The GNU GPL grants you the freedom to use the software for whatever purpose you see fit.
4. May I charge money for Mambo?The GPL allows everyone the freedom to do this. The right to charge money to distribute Mambo is part of the definition of "free" software.
When people think of "selling software'', they usually imagine doing it the way most companies do it: making the software proprietary rather than free. So to avoid ambiguity you may you may charge to distribute the software and any other service you provide along the way. You may not charge for the software itself.
Remember if someone pays your fee the GPL also gives him or her the freedom to pass on the software with or without a fee.
5. May I remove "powered by Mambo, Copyright Miro etc" from the footer?
Yes you can although we would hope that you would retain it as a badge of honour.
6. May I remove the "copyright" statements from the source code to Mambo?
No, you must keep all copyright notices and credits in the source code.
7. Does the GPL mean that my website content is also GPL?
No. The copyright and license of Mambo does not cover the content that you create. Using Mambo does not place any restrictions, legally, on the license or copyright you use for the content of your website.
8. I have modified Mambo for my own web site. Do I have to release these modifications?
The GPL permits anyone to make a modified version for their own use without the requirement to distribute it or pass on those changes to others.
9. I have made a modification (hack) to the Mambo core code. Do I have to release it under the GPL?
If you chose to distribute your modifications to others it must be released under the same terms that you received the original code. So your modifications must be released under the GPL. You may of course in this case modify the headers for the source code to include your own copyright statement. If you do so you must clearly annotate in the source code your amendments, changes or additions.
10. I have written a Component, Module, Template for Mambo. Do I have to release it under the GPL?
No The GPL allows you to write your own extensions for Mambo and to release those extensions under whatever license you chose.
11. I have written a Component, Module, Template for Mambo and released it under the GPL and I charge a fee for it, but website X is giving it away for free.
If someone pays your fee the GPL also gives him or her the freedom to pass on the software with or without a fee. Placing a restriction on someone's use of GPL licensed software is in breach of the GPL itself.
12. May I purchase a copy of Mambo, which has the copyright statements removed?
Although other GPL products may be available in this way Mambo is not.
13. I believe person A is in breach of the GPL what should I do?
You should report it. First check all the facts that you can and then report it by sending an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
14. Who has the power to enforce the GNU GPL license of Mambo?
Only the copyright holder, Miro International Pty Ltd, has the power to do this. If the Mambo Development Team finds, or is made aware of, a breach of the GPL they will report it to Miro for them to take any necessary action.
Miro takes copyright infringement very seriously and will prosecute to the full extent of the law.
15. Website X is using, or offering, my non-GPL Component, Module, Template without my permission, or in breach of its license, can you help me?
Whilst this is not within the remit or responsibility of Mambo we are willing to act as intermediaries in this on your behalf. In most cases these situations arise out of simple misunderstandings and can be settled amicably. You should e-mail full details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
DISCLAIMER
This document refers to the software program Mambo, Version 4.x and all subsequent versions, released under the GNU General Public License and copyright Miro International Pty Ltd.
This document is subject to additions, modifications and other changes at any time without notice.
A lawyer has not prepared this document. You should consult a lawyer experienced in copyright, licensing and intellectual property for clarification.
Document Rev. 1.4 - 17th August 2004
Greetings!
Welcome to my Living Action website. I'm delighted that during your voyages through cyberspace you've chosen to visit my virtual planet.
I hope that you will welcome my introducing myself to you. My name is Vid Axel.