> If faster-than-light
> communication remains beyond our power, we will lose touch with each other
> as we spread through the universe.
>
> American football players huddle to call plays, then break for the line of
> scrimmage. We, too, have this one last chance to exchange intelligence
and
> coordinate our long-term plans. Soon, though, we must call out "Ready? .
. .
> Break!" and dive into the tumult.
>
> See you at the party on the far side of the universe!
I'm reminded of a custom among a previous generation of explorers and
frontiersmen, the "Mountain Men" in the U.S. Rockies: The Rendezvous. At a
known time in the Spring of each year these folks would gather at a known
spot to trade infomation and other goods, before disbursing again into the
wild. Rendezvous was a key element of the culture of these fascinating
characters (and apparently one hell of a party) and something we should
strongly consider.
Especially with the possibility of calving off copies or subsets of
ourselves, I can see gatherings like the Rendezvous of the American Mountain
Men at star systems along our paths of outward migration. I suggest that as
the time for the diaspora approaches, Extropy Institute should consider
selection and publishing of the sites for these events to be a high priority.
Pushing a growing archive of information outward from one Rendezvous to the
next may be one of the most importnat things we do as a group thousands and
millions of years along our life-lines.
Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com> <burchg@liddellsapp.com>
http://users.aol.com/gburch1 or http://members.aol.com/gburch1
"Travel is broadening.
It's time to hit the road again."
-- Carl Sagan
(Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of Apollo 11)