Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Jim: Splendid idea! I'm a real NPR nut, anyway. Listen to it all the time. Sort of the Manchester Guardian of US radio news. Each of us in the LUG live in a place where we see or know there are homeless, abused, dispossessed. But I'm thinking that, since Philadelphia was the birthplace or our constitution (and the US Marine Corps - at Tun Taverm - where else?), which was written by former Europeans, maybe Philly is the place to send the money. And, if we do it again next year, let's send the money east across the pond to Europe, next year to Asia, etc. etc. Please accept my YES vote on distribution of proceeds per your idea. Bob in Seattle On Jan 26, 2007, at 13:25, Jim Shulman wrote: Evidently the success of the LUG book continues, according to blurb.com. It's one of their all-time successes, but what they find most interesting is the concept of a collective book effort from a diverse (and widely dispersed) group. Today I was asked by blurb.com if I would like to be interviewed by NPR (National Public Radio) about the LUG blurb.com project. I said I'd be thrilled to describe the group, the project, and the confluence of technologies (high-speed web, digital imaging, and digital color printing). Blurb.com noted that there would likely be a spike of interest in the book and, "you might have a lot more people buying the book, which would make you more money." Ah, there's the rub. The whole project has only been intended to be a non-profit activity. I mentioned that to blurb.com (and think that they were a bit surprised.) So, I have a suggestion for the group. For the past week or so we've been discussing the ethics of photographing the homeless. If there's an opportunity to sell books, why not donate the proceeds for homeless services? Looking at this optimistically, we might be able to raise a few hundred dollars from book sales (fifty more copies would probably be VERY optimistic). For that reason, the donation would have the greatest impact going to one organization. My suggestion is that the profits go to Project H.O.M.E., a Philadelphia organization that's been providing housing, medical and vocational assistance to homeless women since 1989. You can see more information about Project H.O.M.E. at http://www.projecthome.org/ If there are no objections about this from the book's photographers, I will change the retail price to $60 hardcover/$50 paperback on February 1, with profits going to Project H.O.M.E. That gives anyone on the LUG who hasn't ordered a copy a few days to do so for at-cost rates. I will also ask blurb.com to donate their profits from the book sale for this as well (the PR alone should more than compensate them for the loss of LUG book profits.) And again, apologies to all who had to suffer through blurb.com's still-creaky fulfillment process. Evidently the finished product was worth the wait. Best, Jim Shulman Bryn Mawr, PA _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information