In a message dated 98-01-27 07:57:48 EST, [log in to unmask] writes:

> The major difference
>  between guilds and unions is that one is made up of workers that are
>  intended to remain employees (a controlled work force) whereas the other is
>  a group of independant contracters.

I very much lean toward the Guild approach, and in an informal manner, it is
the general approach of PIN.

PIN started with independent contractors, small specialty firms, and
craftspeople, meeting with a few manufacturers and suppliers. It was after
going public that an influx of architects, engineers, and representatives of
property owners who were sympathetic to the trades became involved. There are
still networking connections occuring between the members of the core group.

The network developed, differing from PTN, out of it's own set of needs. I
find that the needs of each region, urban and rural, are often similar but
differ in the intensity of engagement. I consider that though we are
geographically distributed in the same world at the same time, that in some
areas a Vortex (Bruce Marcus should know where this concept comes from) of
activity whereby questions being addressed in one location, would have already
been vetted and done with some time past in another area. I perceive that NYC,
with the intense concentration of building stock (25,000 estimated structures
of historic relevance) is a Vortex. Warsaw, with the intensity of rebuilding
to an historic period, is another Vortex.

I relate the intensity of activity directly to the availability of profitable
work as distributed over a geographic area. A restoration project that is 1/2
hour from the office will have more substantive involvement than one 2 hours
from the office. In one case we have 1 hour of travel, in the other 4 hours.
What do you do while you are in transit? I do not believe that anyone can
mentally visualize and worry over one project for 2 hours continuous. Other
things happen. In 4 hours of transit you should be able to get 1/2 hour of
relevance to the project, and in turn you lose 3 1/2 hours of productive time,
or, if the projects are in close proximity you lose 3 1/2 hours to enjoy life.
The problem I have is that I tend to find the hotest seat in the game and
forget to leave until I am down. I commute a minimum of 4 hours per day, so I
have had ample opportunity to realize that whatever I am thinking when I start
the trip has no relevance to what I am thinking when I end the trip.

I also perceive that it is not to the overall good of the preservation
movement that an active Vortex should dominate the acitvities of other
regions. It is with the similarities, and the differences, in mind that I
continue to argue that we should form a federation, though I am complacent
with yakking on BP, which is not, I hope, geographically anchored, despite our
uncommonality of tounges.

][<en Follett