On 27 Nov 07, at 22:35, Hiram Clawson wrote:

> There is something very unusual about the folks there.
> Given the high quality of the documents they are producing and
> the WEB site costs, they seem to be financed by some third
> party entity behind the scenes. I'm hoping some enterprising
> young reporter will research them and find out who it is
> exactly that is driving them. They seem to have an element
> of anti-technology and anti-science blended in with their
> masked anarchy. In person they appear threatening and
> perhaps dangerous, and I am fearful for our safety and
> security on campus for the indefinite future no matter how
> this current situation is resolved. They are really out of
> place for Santa Cruz.
>
> --Hiram
>



Oh, please. Protests are not in any way "out of place for Santa
Cruz." I'd be shocked if there *wasn't* an organized resistance to
massive growth in the region.

So these students, faculty, and community members include folks who
are literate, erudite, artistic, and tech-savvy. I don't see
anything unusual or sinister there. Do you have any idea of how easy
and inexpensive it can be to host a web site? $50 will get you a
year's worth of decent-quality hosting with a good content management
system. Throw in a few hours each from people who are thoughtful
writers and artists, plus a little tech support, and you've got an
impressive web site - all easily accomplished over a weekend.

FYI, I run the co-op that helps to push their bits, along with
billions of other bits for dozens of other organizations. Sometimes
I agree with what those bits say, and sometimes I don't. In all cases
I fully support their right to speak, and I love helping to provide
the tools to facilitate free speech.

FWIW, in all of my visits to the datacenter, I have yet to encounter
any sinister forces - unless you count the pseudonymous porn site
operators on the 5th floor. And, if there's big money involved, I've
yet to see it - where's my cut?! :)


More on topic, I can't say that recent UC management or state
leadership have earned my faith in their ability to come up with an
intelligent and well-balanced growth plan. On the basis of that
skepticism alone, I'm open to the anti-LRDP arguments. And, as a
current Santa Cruz resident who used to work at UCSC, I'm not
especially pleased at the idea of a UCSC that is dramatically larger
than it is now, nor do I think it's wise to reduce the quality of
undergraduate education in the pursuit of an increased focus on
research.

That said, I do understand the unfortunate reality that the entire UC
system is bound by law and policy to accommodate the growth in student
enrollment that comes with a burgeoning statewide population, which
means that UCSC must grow to accommodate its share. That doesn't
necessarily mean that the current LRDP strikes the right balance. I
only wish I knew what that balance was. I'm open to the idea that
the tree-sitters in question and their colleagues have substantially
valid arguments.


...speaking only for myself, of course...

Graham Freeman
General Manager, Cernio Technology Cooperative
Email/Jabber: graham.freeman@...
+1 415 462 2991
http://cernio.com/cooperative/