Rationalists
of East Tennessee Newsletter - January, 2010 – written by Dave Buck
THANK
YOUs......
Solstice
Party: Thanks so much Colleen, Greg, and Cary for hosting RET
members
and friends at your home and for all of the wonderful food and
beverages
you provided.
Survey:
Thank you members who have already completed our annual
survey.
For those who have not yet completed this 8-item
questionnaire,
go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/P8XL76Z
to submit
your
ideas. We want to hear from every member, regardless of
attendance
or location. We'll summarize and discuss the results at the
Annual
Business Meeting this month.
RET
JANUARY CALENDAR:
Sunday,
January 3rd - Roundtable
Topic:
The Common Good and Individual Liberty
Time/location:
10:30 - 12:30, Pellissippi State, Goins Bldg., Cafeteria Annex
Discussant:
Florence Wilden
An
exposition on the political ideologies of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an
Enlightenment
philosopher, and Ronald Dworkin, a Constitutional law
professor.
In their writings on "The Social Contract" and "Sovereign
Virtue"
each argues that the common good and individual liberty are
not in
conflict but rather flow naturally into one and other.
Please
note: No children's program this meeting.
Sunday,
January 10th - Skeptic Book Club
Book:
Encyclopedia of Discouraging News
Discussion
Leader: Gerald Armel (Local Author!)
Time
and location: 4:00 to 6:00pm, Barnes and Noble Booksellers, 8029
Kingston
Pike.
If you
have not already received a complimentary book from local
author
Gerald Armel and would like to read a copy before the January
meeting,
please contact him at service@sonomar.com and he will mail
one to
you.
January
17th - Roundtable
Topic:
The Practicality of Nonviolence: Thinking About Obama's Nobel Speech
Time/location:
10:30 - 12:30, Pellissippi State, Goins Bldg., Cafeteria Annex
Discussant:
Ralph Hutchison, Director of Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance
Rev.
Ralph Hutchison discusses the President's Oslo address, acclaimed
by NYT
columnist David Brooks as the most profound of his presidency,
maybe
his life.
January
24th – ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
Location:
Normal meeting place at Pellissippi State:
Time:
10:00 for conversation and refreshments, officially start meeting at 10:30
Agenda:
Summarize 2009, vote for officers and board members, and
discuss
our goals for 2010.
All
members or people wishing to join RET are requested to attend this
meeting.
Remember to bring your annual dues! Only paid members will be
allowed
to vote.
Dues:
Individual - $35 annually, life member - $500 one-time, student
or low
income - $15 annually, subscription - $15 annually. You can
also
choose to mail your dues in advance to Rationalists of East
Tennessee,
P.O. Box 51634, Knoxville, TN 37950.
While
youÕre paying your dues, consider making a donation to RET.
Remember
that just the room reservations alone are $50 a pop. It takes
14
membersÕ dues just to cover the cost of our meeting space! Then
there
is the expense of invited speakers, social events,
advertisements,
and technical equipment. Please support RET and
remember,
your donation is tax exempt!
Motion
to approve Minutes from 2009 Annual Business Meeting (after
distributing
copies)
- Treasurer: Financial Report (Motion to approve Financial
Report
(after distributing copies)
- President: Speech
- Election of Officers and Board Members for 2010
1)
Mention that we have x number who are willing to serve
(Secretary provides ballots)
2) Ask
whether any more are interested in serving
(Bylaws require that we set a maximum in a motion)
3)
Motion - Maximum number of Board Members
4)
Present slate to membership (informally - i.e., not on the record)
5) Ask
for nominations from the floor
6)
Vote (Must be member to vote, pay dues now, Secretary and
President
count the votes)
PROPOSED
SLATE (as of 12/12/2009):
President:
?
Vice
President: Donna
Maxwell
Secretary:
Aleta Ledendecker
Treasurer:
Phil King
Board
Members: Eliot Specht, Ralph
Isler, Dave Buck,
Jonas
Holdeman, Andree Miller, Carl Ledendecker, Margaret Klein,
Schera
Chadwick
- New
President (acceptance speech)
-
General Membership Discussion of Needs
- Motion to Adjourn