Thought for the day - February 4, 2001

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 03:01 AM

Aw crap. Bad link. I really looked at what I did before I hit submit, too. Help....

Should have been:

Welcome cowboypoet-- I see you joined fairly recently.

Care to c'mon over HERE to introduce yourself?

~S~

~S~

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 02:49 AM

Welcome cowboypoet-- I see you joined fairly recently.

Care to c'mon over HERE to introduce yourself?

I think I would throw our Jackalope into the interplanetary market, as the spokesperson for some kind of goofy e-commerce venture... maybe a forum like Mudcat but with high-paid memberships, and set up to be even more addictive in its thread-bouncing speed, and for much wackier music. Stuff that makes your mind leap uncontrollably around the universe. Some music not at all defninable as FOLK music-- off planet stuff I guess-- whatever does not fit any of the threads that have tried to define what is folk music.

The Jackalope Saloon.

~S~

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: cowboypoet
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 01:01 AM

I'd send 'em a box set of Roy Rogers movies -- show 'em what our planet coulda been like if we hadn't got off the trail somewhere. Maybe it wouldn't be too late for them.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 12:59 AM

So, you wanna pinch hit, Alex? ooooo, pinch hit...maybe not, huh?

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: mousethief
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 12:41 AM

Spare us, Amergin! What if the aliens think you're normative?

Alex

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 12:29 AM

Even though I enjoy Antique Road Show, I am not sure I am willing to "make" anything for cultural exchange. This Technological Planet does not, at this time, value the time/expertise etc. involved in handcrafted items. At least, not in the way that less technology oriented cultures do.......

I have been asked to do hand piecing/quilting, and the end result works out to about $.50/hr US....for what people are willing to pay for the entire quilt. My time, not to mention materials, is worth more than $.50 an hour.

I have been asked to do furniture re-finishing for less than $1.00 per hour........and I have to pay for the supplies. Not.

I am consistenly asked to provide music from an entire band for FREE.......just to give us an "opportunity to share our music".......EX-cuse me? (These are usually from people who are charging a gate/day fee to make a little money......)

Another example is what rug crafters in Turkey/Afghanistan get for their labor. It doesn't even compute with what the rug will bring in the Western Market...or the Navajo/Dineh weavers actually get for their rugs.

Now, if it were ONE item, for a space capsule type thing, it would probably be a quilt. A scrap quilt, as beautiful as I could make it......something warm and cuddly from "nothing" as it were. A pattern to draw the eye, with colors to warm the heart, and hand stitches to amaze the meticulous. There is nothing quite like a quilt.....but hand made musical instruments are a very close second.

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 12:11 AM

There goes any hope for free trade! **BG**

Subject: RE: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: Amergin
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 12:07 AM

Pictures of myself....nekkid....

Subject: Thought for the day - February 4, 2001
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Feb 01 - 12:00 AM

I've been listening to "Antiques Roadshow" on the television, tonight, while reading threads. It is always so fun to see what people bring in. One lady brought in an old English clock which was valued at about $10,000. Seems it was one of a line made specifically for export to China in the very early days of long ago.

That got me to wondering what specific item I would want to "export" if I were an owner of a company, like back then, only exporting to another planet. Not knowing much about them, except that they were the same species as me, even if odd-looking...with similar landscapes, family structures, etc. No government involvement, except the usual tariffs or whatever; just as in the early days of some explorations across the seas of our planet.

I think I would want to fashion some kind of illustrative book which would show something of our diverse cultures and things about our planet. I would hope this would be a popular item so that I could trade for many of their cultural products.

This sounds a little simplistic because I am deliberately ignoring what could be made with today's technology. I guess I am thinking handcrafted more than anything.

Anyway, what would you make for sales/trade items?

kat