illuminating and elevating the naturalistic worldview

Hello, Brights!

A REASON TO BELONG! (A SIGNUP REMARK)

"I have never in my life been associated with any movement, party, union or organisation of any kind. I just did not fit. Though it may seem too good for my life, now at last I have found where I belong. Now I have got the name for what I seem to have always been - a bright! I am 64 years of age. I am pleased to meet all brights!"  Best regards. Mikhail, Sweden

================================

SUPPORTING THE BRIGHTS' ENDEAVOR (REALITY)

Many Brights, stating abundant reasons, have told us they hope this movement succeeds. That possibility endures if support for overhead can be spread broadly!

REALITY: In the name of pragmatism [trusting that Brights prefer reality to illusion], we have taken steps to make Brights' Net operations easy for Brights to view on-line.  You can examine a statement of what it will take to keep the endeavor growing and active, along with documentation, at: http://www.the-brights.net/support.info

As we stated in Bulletin 11, The Brights' Net is trying out the funding model used by the USA's National Public Radio, which limits its requests for support to two periods during a year. The first fund drive ever (begun with the announcement in the prior bulletin) ends as of this bulletin. It is time to support the Brights now.  Like NPR, we will not ask again until "equinox time" rolls around again.

================================

ICON POLL RESULTS AND PLANS

Over 3,000 brights voted in the Icon Poll, and the results are available at http://www.the-brights.net/icon_selection.htm

The next step is to submit the 16 finalists to a handful of brights who are professional designers. They will bring media and rendering criteria to bear on the candidate images and help to further narrow the field.

================================

BRIGHTS BUSINESS

ORIGINS OF THE NOUN BRIGHT: The Co-Directors are shaping an essay for eventual posting to the Web site. The initial portion ("A Brief History") answers general curiosity about the origin of the term.  The draft was posted on the Action Forum (where members discussed it and proposed a few editorial changes). If curious about the early stages of the movement, you can read the history at: http://www.the-brights.net/regarding_the_noun.htm/

BRIGHTS CENTRAL:  This new label has apparently arisen naturally within the Forum and gotten use as "BC" (saving keystrokes). It's not clear if the new term refers to the Co-Directors (Mynga and Paul) or to the team that runs The Brights' Net operations (Kevin, Paul, and Mynga). For the time being, an enigma.

BULLETIN: The invitation to propose a new name for the bulletin drew over thirty submissions. During the remainder of April, you can vote on the candidate names. Go to http://polls.the-brights.net to designate as many as you feel are worthy of appearing at the top of this document. The Poll closes April 30. If you do not vote, don't fuss when/if a new title appears. You will learn the results by looking at the top of the next "Bulletin".

================================

BRIGHTS LOCAL CONSTITUENCIES

THE GIST: A Brights' Local Constituency (BLC) means a group of individuals who are aligned with the Brights' Net's aims and principles and who share interest in pursuing social and civic activism on a local level. Several Brights have started BLCs of various types. The BLC is an experimental concept, and we have no guidelines on how to form or run one. After a few BLCs accumulate experience, we may form a Task Team to write a handbook on how to start a BLC and what BLCs can do in their community to further the goals the Brights.

SUGGESTION FOR CURRENT BLC LEADERS: perhaps you should think about starting a Forum strand for BLC Leaders on the topic of "running a BLC"?

If you would like to start a BLC, send us an e-mail giving specific permission to make public your first name and your e-mail address, along with the local area you want to organize. Please put in the subject line "BLC." You will be the BLC leader.

Here are sample comments about the BLC idea that we received after Bulletin 11

"Hi and congratulations once again for your vitally important contribution to humanity! I would like to start a Bright Local Const (BLC). My name is Saul "

"I just found your web page and I am very interested in this idea of organizing here in Saint Louis.  Are there any official channels for doing this or should I just make it up as I go along?  I went to the MeetUp website and I don't see anything happening in Saint Louis. Bob"

NEW BLCS STARTING UP

Barcelona area, Spain: Teresa - mtgb@menta.net

Honolulu, HI: Neil - buddhizt@msn.com

Melbourne, Australia: Kez - keshall@bigpond.com.au

Nigeria: Leo - humanistleo@hotmail.com

Norwalk or Greenwich to New Haven CT: Saul - stefan8@aol.com

Prince George, British Columbia: Jim - Windsor@cnc.bc.ca

St Louis, MO: Bob - bmurry@stockell.com

BLCS FROM BULLETIN 11

Grand Junction, ID: Neal - NeilC@webtv.net

Israel: Dani - danirubin@myrealbox.com

London: Quentin - brightsuk-owner@smartgroups.com

New York City: Jan - jmeshon@extramarketing.com  

Pretoria, South Africa: Tonie - t.putter@ecoport.org

San Francisco, CA Michael - mdcaton@hotmail.com

Waxahachie, TX: Nathalie - guyol@flash.net

West Palm Beach, FL: Merle - griff2000@earthlink.net

================================

LINKS TO KOREAN AND ITALIAN SITES

Links to the Korean and Italian web sites are now located in the left border of the home page of the Brights' Net web page. These sites were independently developed and do not necessarily reflect all the views of "Brights Central". If you know of any other "independent" web sites please let us know.

=======================

BOOKS BY BRIGHTS

The web site currently has by Brights: Sound Bites, Comments, and Artwork. http://the-brights.net/new_meet_some_brights.htm

Due to popular demand, a "Books by Brights" section is being added to the web. The intent is to inform Brights of books that are "in sync" with the intent of the Brights movement. (Books about extraneous subjects can not be included.)

Published books that promote the naturalistic worldview (or that deal with issues related to the movement) are welcomed if presently available for purchase. Any Bright who has authored or co-authored such a work may seek its inclusion in the listing. Authors who are Brights and wish to participate in this public manner may submit your name, the name of the book, the ISBN or other similar identifier, the cost, a web link or address to contact you or publisher to buy the book, and a succinct (500 words or fewer) description of your work. Include in that description the perceived relevance to the Brights' movement. Please send your submission using the same e-mail address you employed at signup. Put BOOK LIST in your subject line. Do not send a copy of your book with your information. Brights Central will not have time to review these works.

To those who have already sent us a copy of a book they deemed relevant, we thank you and encourage you to submit all the above information to make sure your work is correctly identified and its information in the listing complete.

=======================

NEW ON THE WEB: FOOD FOR THOUGHT (AND ADVICE)

Sometimes individuals indicate in their sign-up comments: "I like the movement, but I really don't like the word "bright". Check out the Brights' current response to those folks. The piece has been honed over time, and people seem to be quite receptive to this commentary. If you think our reply could be further improved, you may offer your suggestions. Read at:  http://www.the-brights.net/ontheword.htm

Just how aggressive/assertive/firm should Brights be and still maintain a positive and constructive thrust? What is the "edge of the envelope"?  One new Bright recently sent a comment that appeared to press the edges, but perhaps still be within bounds. What do you think? Read at: http://www.the-brights.net/b_essay_1.htm

 =======================

TAILINGS

You can read all prior and current Bulletins and "Brighten Ops" in the archive at www.the-brights.net/broadcastarchive.htm

If you prefer to read the Bulletin on line at the above link, or not to receive future Bulletins, please reply to this e-mail by placing in the SUBJECT line the word UNSUBSCRIBE.

Why does the Bulletin use simple text? Many Brights around the world do not have the capability to receive e-mail in any other form. When we redo the Web site, we will add html capabilities and you can choose to receive the Bulletin as text or formatted with color, pictures, and so forth.

Brights Central

Co-Directors: Drs. Mynga Futrell and Paul Geisert

Webmaster: Kevin Schultz