Business & Economics
Money, Society and the Spirit: Building Monetary Consciousness (Part II)
The purpose of this class is to build the monetary consciousness based upon the discussions from our initial workshop "Money, Society and the Spirit: Becoming Conscious About Money" and "Money, Society and the Spirit: An Introduction to Becoming Conscious About Money (Part I)"
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Money, Society and the Spirit: An Introduction to Becoming Conscious About Money (Part I)
• What is the real story behind all the bad economic news?
• Why are we not richer by our burgeoning tangible wealth, instead of poorer by a snowballing financial “debt”?
• How could it be that an innocent child born in the U.S. today is already, according to the “experts,” a quarter-million dollars in “debt”? When did newborn babies borrow this money? How are they supposed to “repay” it? Is their future mortgaged before it starts? Has “original debt” replaced “original sin”?
• If every dollar in circulation is “borrowed” into existence through “loans” from private banks, where does the money to pay the “interest” come from?
• After a century of explosive growth in real economic activity, why have we not grown out of our “debt”? Is there a perverse logic built into the system that is causing us to grow into it our “debt”?
• Why in the last century have family farmers been forced off the land by financial foreclosure, or threat of foreclosure, until now those living on the farm comprise less that two-percent of the population?
• What is this “debt” burden doing in real terms to our civilization, our earth, ourselves? What is “debt” anyway? What is its effect on the psyche of generations growing up in saturation of its financial demands, ecological devastation and social disintegration?
• If I am well-educated, working hard and “playing by the rules” in the “richest country on earth,” why can I not pay my bills and/or why am I perpetually in debt?
• Has fear of financial destitution replaced fear of dying as the most dreaded eventuality in people’s lives?
• Is there hope?
These and many other monetary riddles haunt our post-modern world. Indeed, they are increasingly experienced as threatening the viability of our personal lives, the existence of civilization, and even the continuation of life on earth itself. Can we get a perspective on this? Can we turn a corner? Is there a vision on the other side?
Location
Money, Society and the Spirit: Becoming Conscious About Money
• What is the real story behind all the bad economic news?
• Why are we not richer by our burgeoning tangible wealth, instead of poorer by a snowballing financial “debt”?
• How could it be that an innocent child born in the U.S. today is already, according to the “experts,” a quarter-million dollars in “debt”? When did newborn babies borrow this money? How are they supposed to “repay” it? Is their future mortgaged before it starts? Has “original debt” replaced “original sin”?
• If every dollar in circulation is “borrowed” into existence through “loans” from private banks, where does the money to pay the “interest” come from?
• After a century of explosive growth in real economic activity, why have we not grown out of our “debt”? Is there a perverse logic built into the system that is causing us to grow into it our “debt”?
• Why in the last century have family farmers been forced off the land by financial foreclosure, or threat of foreclosure, until now those living on the farm comprise less that two-percent of the population?
• What is this “debt” burden doing in real terms to our civilization, our earth, ourselves? What is “debt” anyway? What is its effect on the psyche of generations growing up in saturation of its financial demands, ecological devastation and social disintegration?
• If I am well-educated, working hard and “playing by the rules” in the “richest country on earth,” why can I not pay my bills and/or why am I perpetually in debt?
• Has fear of financial destitution replaced fear of dying as the most dreaded eventuality in people’s lives?
• Is there hope?
These and many other monetary riddles haunt our post-modern world. Indeed, they are increasingly experienced as threatening the viability of our personal lives, the existence of civilization, and even the continuation of life on earth itself. Can we get a perspective on this? Can we turn a corner? Is there a vision on the other side?
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Business and Communication Skills
In this class you will get the basics of running your own business - in whatever area you wish. We cover accounting skills, rules and regulations, marketing and values clarification. Because the class is small, there will be time for individual coaching and discussion
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Business and Communication Skills
This course focuses on basic business skills - how to set up your small business, how to keep track of incomings and outgoings; how and what deductions to take; how to create a marketing plan; what kinds of insurance do you need; and any other aspect of running a small business.
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Business and Communication Skills
This course focuses on basic business skills - how to set up your small business, how to keep track of incomings and outgoings; how and what deductions to take; how to create a marketing plan; what kinds of insurance do you need; and any other aspect of running a small business.
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The Global Economic Crisis
THIS COURSE HAS BEEN POSTPONED until further notice.
This course is open to all who want to learn about the economic crisis. No background knowledge in economics is necessary.
In 2008 Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke, while watching financial markets go ballistic and nearly grind to a halt, decided that without immediate and heavy-handed intervention the global economy would plunge into depression. The U.S. Federal Government rushed to pump trillions of dollars into financial markets. Now, “austerity” is being invoked across Europe and North America—including here in Minnesota—as a necessary adjustment in a time of crisis.
The aim of this course is three-fold: first, to understand how and why capitalism creates crisis. Second, to understand how this particular crisis developed over time and space, up to the present. Lastly, to discuss and better understand progressive and radical alternatives to the right-wing responses—e.g. austerity measures—to economic and social problems related to the crisis.
The class will meet four times in March, once each week. The first class will include a lesson on theories of capitalist crisis and a brief discussion of the last global crisis of capitalism which erupted in the 1970s. Then there will be one reading every week (15-35 pages), which will be the basis of our discussions in class. There are also some videos we can watch in class or on our own during the week, and I'll bring in some other materials to contribute to the discussion such as political cartoons, newspaper clippings and popular magazine articles.
Before the course starts I will talk to each participant via e-mail to decide on the specifics of the class, including the exact schedule and readings.
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Rock the Resume: How to sell your skills (not your soul)
The economy is shifting.
Jobs are resurfacing.
Is your resume ready?
A rock-solid resume helps you sell your skills — without selling your soul. And whether you’re actively job-hunting or happily employed, it never hurts to polish up your personal brand.
Over the course of three concentrated workshops, you'll be empowered with the tools, templates and techniques to revamp this critical document — and start pounding the pavement with pride!
Workshop No. 1: Elements of a Rock-Solid Resume (60 min.)
Let's start from scratch! We'll discuss the strongest ways to articulate your mission statement, career objectives, education, work experience, volunteer activities, hobbies and references. We'll also delve into header image and logo design, creative layouts, and review some aesthetic "do's" and "don'ts."
Workshop No. 2: Tweaking and Targeting (60 min.)
Applying for a job? It's time to tailor your basic resume to suit your desired position. We'll talk about strategic ways to organize and highlight your resume elements — plus, how to gloss over work history gaps (and other "flaws") in an ethical fashion.
Workshop No. 3: Rocking the Interview (60 min.)
So you scored an interview — sweet! Chances are, your interviewer will use your resume as a springboard for further exploration. To get ready, we'll do some mock interviews and build lists of anticipated questions. We'll also run through some pre-interview research (and relaxation) techniques.
Locations
Steps Toward an Alternative Economy through Community Owned Agriculture (COA)
Saturday, March 27, 10:30 am to noon
Merriam Park Library,
1831 Marshall Ave., St. Paul
This workshop continues a discussion about the COA concept--its rationale and how to implement it. What is under consideration is the beginning of a road to a 21st-century, high-tech subsistence economy, an economy that eventually can replace jobs oriented to ‘the market’ with work meaningful to a community.
(Each workshop stands alone; no previous attendance needed)
Presenters: Wilhelm and Leslie Reindl
Sponsored by Wilderness Connections, St. Paul
FFI alteravista@usfamily.net, 651-633-4410
Wilhelm grew up on and ran a small dairy farm in southern Germany in the 1960s; Leslie was a board member of the Minnesota Food Association in the 1990s and has been active in agricultural issues ever since. They live in St. Paul but also own and garden on an ex-dairy farm in Wisconsin.
Voluntary Poverty: How to Simplify Your Life - Workshop
You already have some good ideas for living simply and cheaply.
Meet others who embrace a simple and inexpensive life-style.
We will discuss food, shelter, clothes, medical care, transportation, entertainment,
and anything else that you want to share.
Past EXCO seminars on voluntary poverty have had so many good ideas
that we decided to establish a Facebook Page on simple living in the Twin Cities.
Once named and established, details will appear here.
Our Facebook Page will empower everyone in the Twin Cities
to find the resources for living well on less than most people spend.
(For those not already on Facebook,
this course description will soon explain how to join.)
The most dramatic stories of downsizing have been people who gave up their cars.
This seminar is led by an advocate of simple living
who has been living well below the poverty level for more than 40 years.
Are you ready to consider a simpler life-style?
Or are you already living the simple life?
Meet with others to explore the philosophy and practice of voluntary poverty.
A full course description appears here:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~parkx032/D-VP.html
The next gathering of people who believe in simple living
will be in the spring or summer of 2010.
Click to join this EXCO class on voluntary poverty
and you will receive an e-mail when the next gathering is scheduled.
Watch this space for a restored course description.
About 12 people attended on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 16.
This workshop will be repeated, probably on a Tuesday evening.
The complete course description will be found here:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~parkx032/D-VP.html
Click or copy this line of code into your browser.
Yours,
James Park, EXCO facilitator and advocate of voluntary poverty
PS: If you missed this workshop, you should still click to join,
since this workshop is very likely to be repeated.
PPS: We decided to establish a Facebook Page
to empower everyone to share the resources they know about
for voluntary simplicity in the Twin Cities.
Once established, this Facebook Page will be announced
to everyone who has joined the e-mailing list for this class.
So, even if you cannot attend a workshop in person,
you can still click to join the e-mailing list.
But the workshop is an excellent place to meet others who want to simplify their lives.
JP
DIY Marketing
DIY Marketing
Do you have a business or service you'd like to publicize? Need some guidance on how to format a mailing, create your own business cards, or target your market?
First week: We'll provide a general overview of the process, from developing a strategic message to creating a logo or website.
Second week: You bring in your existing materials or start from scratch. We'll offer feedback, discuss the message, share tips, propose possible directions.
Week three: Final critique. We'll provide further counsel on any newly developed materials and can connect you with someone to help you take next steps, if needed.
For examples of work I've created for other individuals and organizations, visit www.chrisvice.com
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Designing for a Changing Future: Economic Stability Through Local Interdependence
People everywhere are seeking responses to the urgent problems of today--environmental degradation, growing scarcity of resources, especially oil, and an unregulated market economy that makes fabulous wealth for some and increasing financial and economic insecurity, if not poverty, for most. One response is the new emphasis on building a local economy--food and energy production and support for local businesses--to decrease the need for oil and production of CO2 and to increase community independence. But what can "independence" really mean in a world that relies on sophisticated technology, huge corporations to provide jobs and most consumer goods, and an educational system that prepares young people only to join the global economy?
This class will analyze this concept of "community independence." It will evaluate the essential needs of any community and then construct a framework within which these needs might be addressed through personal growth, creative thinking, investment, and cooperative work. It will offer specific ideas for evaluation in terms of their contribution to community independence.
Half of class time will be devoted to class discussion of ideas presented and ideas forthcoming from class.
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Introduction to Business Terms and Concepts (Fall '09)
These four sessions will be at Macalester College on consecutive Sundays from 1-3 Pm on 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, and 11/8 in room #206 of the Campus Center. The objective is to introduce some of the basic terms and ideas that are used in modern business, both in the workplace and in the media. Business is an important part of our culture and therefore we benefit from having a grasp of the meanings of the words used. It should help in your careers and in your citizenship to be better informed in these matters. This will be a rather informal class with the notion that none of you have a solid knowledge of the world of business. You should always feel free to ask questions when topics arise that you don’t completely understand, and know that your fellow students probably have the same or similar questions. If you don’t get a satisfactory answer in class you can fill out the “student question follow-up request” form or call or email me and I will respond ASAP.
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