Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

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Miguel Polo
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Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by Miguel Polo » Mon Jun 27, 2011 12:53 pm

Hi, I´m Miguel, the guy from Spain that is helping with the sound at the forest. I don´t know if i´m creating the topic in the correct space, is the first time I use the BB network, I hope someone led me and show me the correct place for this post.
This is the final program festival which the Real Democracy Now is planning for the 2nd of July.

Here is the program:

Pictures and videos presentation about the movement all day from 12.am.

WORKSHOPS:

12.00am to 13.00pm -FACE PAINTING,PLANTING(for kids),ORIGAMI Y MACRAME!!!

13.00pm to 14.00pm – DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY-
reflex digital.Choose the best camera,the essential ideas to make the best photographies.

14.00pm to 15.00pm - SPANISH CLASS-
introduce yourself in Spanish
Jugglings with fire and cariocas(BRISTO SQUARE) if weather permitted.
15.00pm to 16.00pm -FLAMENCO DANCE-
Bring your "salero"

16.00pm to 17.00pm -PERCUSSION-
you are welcome to bring your instruments

CONCIERTOS:

17.30pm to 18pm - Claire. Soloist
18.30pm to 19.30pm -Miguel orgel - Folk
20.00pm to 21.00pm - Sam - folk-rock
21.00pm to 23.00pm - Jam session flamenco-folk.

PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT COUNTRIES


"EUROPE RISING UP"
"OUR STENCILS ARE WAITING FOR YOUR BLACK OR WHITE T-SHIRTS"
"FREE ENTRANCE"" BRING YOUR DRINKS"
FOREST CAFE bristo place HALL UPSTAIRS.[/size][/b]

Miguel Polo
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by Miguel Polo » Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:17 pm

I give you people some more information about the group because I think nobody knows exactly what we are and which are our intention. The group was created as an answer after the Spanish reaction on the 15th of May by Spanish people and with the objetive of make a internacional group here in Edinburgh as an answer to the events have happened in many countries in Europe. Scottish, Irish, Spanish, Greeks, English, Italian and Portuguese people are already involved in "Real Democracy Now" group and we hope more nationalities are going to join us. There is not political partys behind the group, we are only citizens with the same objetive in common. I apoligize for the mistakes I have done with my english.
Here is our manifesto;

A RE-BIRTH OF DEMOCRACY



We are ordinary people. We are like you: people, who get up every morning to study, work or find a job, people who have family and friends. People, who work hard every day to provide a better future for those around us.

Some of us consider ourselves progressive, others conservative. Some of us are believers, some not. Some of us have clearly defined ideologies, others are apolitical, but we are all concerned and angry about the political, economic, and social outlook which we see around us: corruption among politicians, businessmen, bankers, leaving us helpless, without a voice.

This situation has become normal, a daily suffering, without hope. But if we join forces, we can change it. It’s time to change things, time to build a better society together. Therefore, we strongly argue that:

The priorities of any advanced society must be equality, progress, solidarity, freedom of culture, sustainability and development, welfare and people’s happiness.These are inalienable truths that we should abide by in our society: the right to housing, employment, culture, health, education, political participation, free personal development, and consumer rights for a healthy and happy life.
The current status of our government and economic system does not take care of these rights, and in many ways is an obstacle to human progress. The banks and the financial market, supported by the current governments, are allowed to gamble with people’s money in order to make profit. Moreover, when their greedy gambling goes wrong, they receive public funds from the government so they can continue making profit at our expense, whereas we find ourselves facing massive cuts in public services in order to save that money and give it to private corporations that manage banks and financial institutions.
Lust for power and its accumulation in only a few create inequality, tension and injustice, which lead to violence, which we reject. The obsolete and unnatural economic model fuels the social machinery in a growing spiral that consumes itself by enriching a few and sends into poverty the rest. Until the collapse. These cuts, this crisis and the greed which precipitated it are all direct and logical consequences of a global economic system in which profit is more important than the happiness and wellbeing of ordinary people.
Citizens are the gears of a machine designed to enrich a minority which does not regard our needs. We are anonymous, but without us none of this would exist, because we move the world. However, we are constantly ignored and abused by the same few people that are making profit at our expense. They manipulate us using the media, which is another private corporation. They ignore our right to decide over issues that affect our lives, such as cuts, unemployment and political decisions.
If as a society we learn to not trust our future to an abstract economy, which never returns benefits for the most, we can eliminate the abuse that we are all suffering.
We need an ethical revolution that has already been successful in other places in Europe, such as Iceland, Spain and Greece. Instead of placing money above human beings, we shall put it back to our service. We are people, not products. I am not a product of what I buy, why I buy and who I buy from.



For all of the above, I am outraged.

I think I can change it.

I think I can help. I know that together we can.

HGiles
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by HGiles » Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:33 pm

Hey Miguel,

Programme's looking really good! I'll put it on our website. Do you have a poster?

Also, are you still doing a day in the café on the 1st?

Lastly, do you need an extra sound engineer for the evening, or are you happy to manage it yourself?

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alba
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by alba » Mon Jun 27, 2011 1:41 pm

We can decorate the stairs going to the Hall, above, so that people passing in the street, they can see something beautiful that they are encouraged to enter. Something like a drawing from rung to rung ladder. like this: http://www.elementofengshui.com/wp-cont ... leras1.jpg

I was talking about this with some members of the group. They said that if the forests, like the decor, they have no problem leaving it there. They also want to decorate the stairs with some pictures, they asked if they can replace the pictures already in this place, just in time for the event, or place some sort of fabric with pictures above the others, so that this does not disturb the previous decor. They want the day of action to decorate on Friday morning.

Alba

Miguel Polo
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by Miguel Polo » Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:31 pm

I´m already managing the sound in the hall for the event and I have already a second sound ingeneer with me and maybe Alister will be with me as well. Finally we are going to do it only on 2nd, i hope it´s not a problem, I thought it was clear, sorry if it wasn´t.
We have a poster, i´m trying to get it and i will send it to you.
Thanks Harry.

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Jimmy Bastard
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by Jimmy Bastard » Mon Jun 27, 2011 9:49 pm

Pep Up The Turmoil

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arizoniandreamer
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by arizoniandreamer » Mon Jun 27, 2011 10:01 pm

I wish I was there...but I'm at Kelburn working in the bar. I like the idea of decorating the stairs. Folks? We also need an event manager for the night. Maybe Alba could do it? Do we ask corkage from folks?

xx Kata

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alba
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by alba » Tue Jun 28, 2011 12:19 pm

For me there is no problem! I will be free on Saturday night. I just have to say it works as the manager of events and if I go to be alone or not.

Alba

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alba
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by alba » Tue Jun 28, 2011 12:40 pm

Harry: Aye. And I guess it should be open to all!

Brittonie was the quickest off the mark and nabbed the job, by the way
Now I saw this in another post

brittonie
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by brittonie » Sun Jul 03, 2011 11:52 am

SO

Last night was not great.

i guess i'll highlight in reverse order:


Crazy Tim intentionally broke a window in bristo hall- from the street.

I don't speak enough spanish to communicate that i'm in charge and they need to leave- or they just pretend and completely disrespect me. I had a small number of angry spanish women yelling at me for charging corkage.
( i highlight this for 2 reasons)
1. i never knew who was in charge of the event from their end- and thus never knew who i needed to calm down, and who i needed to throw out for yelling at me.
2. We host many people from many countries- we should have some multi lingual signs
- at lease to help with those who we are working with on that night- we do have a lot of Spanish speaking clients, i think it would be mas helpful if we at least had that- many people in the world are able to understand Spanish, English, perhaps German- uh.... Chinese? (i'm thinking online of major languages) - Polish--- there is huge Polish population here, we should maybe have some of our rules translated into all of these- so often i hear 'i don't speak english' as an excuse to get away with whatever- sometimes it is totally true- so we should help ourselves.

keys to the balcony were given to some girls, who i didn't know, and they kept running up and down the stairs. I was finally able to retrieve the keys from one of them, and they were polite about giving them back- but that seemed like it shouldn't have happened.

Someone stole the sold tape.- from right in front of me.

What does one do about the weird old men who come in all the time and never pay corkage? I know they think forest is their place- but half of them don't contribute- unless you call their weird old men drunk vibe contributing.

they never leave and they lie.

I was told i was to start at 7:30 but ended up having to start at 5:30- this wouldn't have been an issue, but i feel like i keep getting pushed around and i want to be nice and helpful - and then Miquel and the angry spanish women who claim they didn't know they were paying for the hall- so now instead of closing at 11- i have to close at 12:30, which by the time i've managed to shoo away all the people who ignore me because i'm speaking english, turns into 1.

and i still have broken glass to clear up- and the outside pack to move along.

So i know this sounds like a lot of winging.

but.

there need to be some standards put in place.

Event Manager needs to be respected, and they should have the final say about what's going on.
Not - kitchen vollies, not sound engeneers, not weird old men, american hating psychotics, or spaniards who are disrespectful.

If a deal is made for the hall, and money is exchanged- event manager should have a copy of said contract- that way i don't feel as though i should bend to the demands of these selfish people.

last night was not 'real democracy' it was taking advantage.

'real democracy' demands organization- which was lacking on both ends- the people who rented the hall, and put on the gig, as well as forest- for not having standards- which we need to have, so that when there are issues, we can fall back on them.

Long of the short of it- if some of these things are standardised, and all event managers have a retraining- or training- i know Alasdair wants to do it- i know i asked for months and months for someone to 'train me'- which never happened...
but it wouldn't have helped all that much.

the event is from when until when? ie- when did clients pay for it?
what is the hall agreement exactly- i'm an event manager- i want a copy-
who gets what of door?
Corkage- there needs to be standard signs
STAGE LIGHTING TRAINING
Event manager should have final call- though i do appreciate Donald talking with people- i was still a third party and ended up being told not to charge corkage anymore.
Corkage- do we charge bands?
If Event managers are being paid- how much and why?
- i am still owed £20 from tracer trails- and from this event- i'm not sure we took in enough to pay the event manager fees
Does float come from the cafe or the office? Pick one and stick to it.
SOLD TAPE

WHY ON Earth are we so skimpy with this?- Every event i've worked i've had to use masking tape and scrawl sold on.
seriously.

Mmm... bins, etc- blarg.

I'm sorry for a rant- but these things are important.
and will save lots of hassle in the future. I can handle drunks etc. but all this confusion leaves me defenseless.
SOS
wet, dirty and dangerous.

HGiles
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by HGiles » Sun Jul 03, 2011 12:11 pm

I'm sorry this sounds like a lot of mess and hassle. I guess I've got to take a bunch of the responsibility for that, as in the end it's my job to make sure communication and organisation are clear.

Can we meet soon to go over what happened so I can make sure it doesn't happen again? I'll be in Forest this afternoon.

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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by brittonie » Sun Jul 03, 2011 12:15 pm

i'm not sure how much of it was your fault H.

<3

I was confused and frustrated though...
but

i think we should take it as a blessing in disguise, and maybe i can help you create a list of things we can turn into a standard and i can organize a refresher update training and new training sessions...

<3 hugs

i'll be in tonight to drop off keys- i fear i may miss you though.
xxx meet soon- i'll buy you a wrap
wet, dirty and dangerous.

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cornelia
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by cornelia » Mon Jul 04, 2011 10:05 am

No one should be put in the same situation as Brittonie left with such a messy event to deal with, I was working earlier on during the night and saw how much people were out on the street drinking because they didn't wanna pay corkage. Before, like a year ago, only trained people used to be event managers, so maybe EM-training is in order? so people are a wee bit more prepared for situations like that and knowing clearly what the rules are.

well done brittonie and donald for closing and finishing up saturday!
x
tack och hej leverpastej

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alba
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by alba » Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:26 pm

First, I want to apologize! The adhesive tape I have it .... I guess, talking Brittonia, and as a reflex action that one does not pay attention, I put my tape in my bag. I found last night. Really, I'm sorry! On Saturday, I was looking with Brittonia, the adhesive tape to sell, and then I thought what she does, someone took the tape and saved for not paying anymore. But last night I found in my bag. SORRY! Today I will bring back.

Saturday was my day off, I was not at the event over 2 hours. Someone asked me for help with corkage, I suggested some people who pay but do not know if this took too result ... I think I saw a little discursion which refers Brittonia, I don't like it a lot, but no one said anything me, perhaps I could have helped with this. I saw them arguing, do not understand why, now I see.

Before I left, when the flamenco concert ended, I saw on the street a boy playing with the ball hitting the wall of the building. Is it possible that he broke the window? I do not know his name, but that is not Spanish, I saw in the past, and there I didn't saw that broke the window, do not pretend to judge anyone.

I hate this, the truth is that the party was a nice idea, but the result seems distasteful to Brittonia. I can not speak on behalf of the Spanish at the party, I have not even spoken to them directly after the event.

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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by brittonie » Mon Jul 04, 2011 12:58 pm

Hooray!

I'm glad you had the tape

the boy with the ball is a crazy man named Tim- who's been barred for ages (and apparently hates americans)

It was not all spanish people (i really hope i didn't make it sound like it was) who were causing a ruccus... and i really enjoyed many of the people there. It was hard because the organizers (or whom i percieved to be the organizers) were arguing with me about some things, and i was unable to communicate easily (which i have issues with in english already- d'oh)

i think it was just a lot of small things added up to some chaos.
I wish i had seen the dancers- i heard they were amazing.

and there was a very pretty fellah there with really fantastic hair - whom i think a few of me saw drooling at (woops)
i found people were very helpful about getting off the sidewalk and not drinking there- or atleast attempting to be discreet, when i couldn't explain that they couldn't do what they were doing.

of course, it was constant, and i couldn't be down there all the time. But for the most part, people meant well...
<3
wet, dirty and dangerous.

Miguel Polo
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by Miguel Polo » Mon Jul 04, 2011 10:22 pm

Hi people.

Well, I have to say that I´m not glad with this topics, I would like everything was ok and I feel sorry because I´m involved in the group and the result seem very bad, I hope wasn´t as bad as I understad the topics but yes, there were many things bad;


- In the begining of this iniciative I offer to "Real Democracy Now" my help and my support and I got involved in this kind of festival once the date was decided and negotiated; the conditions, the price, etc... I wasn´t in the conversation with Harry although it´s truth that I tried to change the end of the event in the evening. I talked with you, Brittone, and after I tried to talk by phone with Harry (i couldn´t contact with you finally Harry). After this I told the organizers that the time was eleven and we couldn´t do anything. I didn´t know that the decission of close at 12 wasn´t from forest cafe, someone told me we were allowed to close at 12 so I continued with the sound. I´m so sorry Britt, I didn´t realize you were ungry. I put clear to the girls that you didn´t have in your hands the decission of be until late, I talked with them that they shouldn´t complain to you but I can see they did, so sorry.

- I don´t know if I was considered an organizer, but I was totally absorved with the sound. I have been told in this moment that Donald (i dont know who is this guy) told that we could be until 12 with no problem, it´s my first news.

-The people were drinking in the street because they didn´t want to pay 1,30 for a little beer and it´s the first time I´ve seen this prices in three months. I don´t know, maybe when the people negociated the conditions they didn´t talk about this part of the contract.
We asked for donations, we weren´t earning money so the price for us was unfair but I repeat again, I wasn´t in the negotiation. I talked with you, Brittonie, again, and I told to the others that we couldn´t change it. I tried to talk with Harry but I couldn´t. I tried to be in charged with this things because I thought I was the best because i´m involved in both, "Forest and "Real Democracy Now", I put clear to the organizers, again, that they shouldn´t talk with you about it (Brittonie) because it wasn´t your decission... as I can see they did. So sorry Brittonie.

- The time one girl went uptairs it was for turn off a light we need in the perform and I gave her the key, I was busy and I couldn´t do it for myself. I apoligise for this but for me this girl was reliable and it wasn´t unresponsible (I know her from 5 years ago), otherwise it won´t happend again and I undestand what you mean.

- Although I think we tried to do the best, I don´t know who was unpleasant but I don´t like this at all, of course.
Finally, I think we offer many good workshops and the bands were amazing and the group "Real Democracy Now" is a good iniciative even I think forest should be interested in it. The people helped to clean the space and I don´t think the behavior was bad, I think the atmophere was ideal. I´m not saying that was a total sucess and I know why Brittonie is annoying but I wouldn´t like that the final result are all bad things and also say that the group or the organizers are the only guilties of everything, at least not conciously or with bad intention.


Greetings

Miguel

HGiles
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Re: Real Democracy Now Day-------2nd JULY

Post by HGiles » Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:15 pm

OK, hoping I can clear up some of this.

Brittonie
- We actually do have plenty of SOLD tape. It's in the office, so a KM can get it for you before 7pm. Sorry for not updating you on this.
- You shouldn't have had to be there before helping set-up from 6.30 -- were you asked by the organisers to come up and help before then? That shouldn't've happened, as it should have been clear when you were avalable from. I think the confusion was that they were using the venue for workshops &c. earlier in the day, so were already in the hall.
- You get paid through me. Just give me a time when you're available aand I'll get it for you. And you get paid regardless of taskings, so don't worry about that.
- Yes, we'll organise an event manager (re)train soon, including lights stuff
- Am I right in thinking that the broken window wasn't the fault of RDN! but that Tim being outside was just a coincidence?

Miguel
- I think a lot of the problems that arose are down to communication errors. This is partly my fault, as I should have double-checkedd that all involved were clear with what is happening. But the RDN! organisers should have been clear about who was taking responsibility for what and what the rules were. A contract/agreement was signed that made much of this clear. it seems like some people knew what was happening and some didn't.
- The booking was made until 11pm. That's what was signed for so I just don't know why anyone would say it was OK to go on later.
- There can never be any drinking directly outside the Forest. This causes us trouble with out neighbours and threatens all our licensing. People doing this are directly putting the venue at risk. I understand sometimes people don't want to pay corkage, but this is standard at Forest, and was made clear to the organisers -- as was the need to keep alcohol in the hall.
- You couldn't get hold of me because I was working elsewhere that evening. That's why there is an Event Manager -- to be your Forest point of contact during a booking. Again, I did explain this when we made a booking. So Brittonie should have been the person with the say-so about this stuff, rather than me.

I think the most important thing to say is that I think it's important to support movements like RDN!, and that Forest likes to help out where we can. We're not trying to be difficult for you: we want to help you. I made an extremely cheap deal for the use of the hall on Saturday, and have tried to be as supportive of the event as possible. In return, I feel that Forest's building and volunteer should be respected. Forest is a resource that we try and make available to everyone, and its volunteers are vital to the project. No-one deserves to be disrespected or shouted at in any situation -- but especially not when they're trying to support your project. And respecting our building means respecting our rules as well -- they're there for a reason, which is usually so we can keep providing the resources and support that we do. So overall I'm a bit dismayed that one of our event managers has had such a bad experience. We would like to keep working with RDN!, but this needs clearing up.

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