Messages

46

PSi Bylaws Discussion / Article Nine

« on: June 29, 2008, 11:35:47 PM »

As of 2008, this Article is up to date.

BYLAWS

of
Poetry Slam, Inc.


ARTICLE IX
Amendments of Bylaws
Bylaws may be adopted, altered, amended, or repealed at any meeting of the Executive Council of the corporation by a 3/5 majority vote of the Executive Council voting members present at the meeting, said change in Bylaws to be enacted after a 3/5 majority ratification vote of the Slammaster’s Council and after a 3/5 majority ratification vote of the Slam Family at its regular annual meeting.

CERTIFICATE
   
This is to certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of the corporation named in the title thereto and that such Bylaws were duly adopted by the Executive Council of said corporation on the date set forth below.
DATED:
Secretary
(seal)

47

PSi Bylaws Discussion / Re: Unofficial Ground Rules

« on: May 10, 2008, 12:19:04 AM »

Don't know about the amendment. But thanks for the download.

48

PSi Bylaws Discussion / Re: Unofficial Ground Rules

« on: May 08, 2008, 08:12:13 PM »

Just a reminder: the bylaws here are NOT up to date. I've been meaning to update them to reflect the most up to date version.

But when I downloaded a copy of the most up to date bylaws from the online store, they were in PDF format, so I couldn't copy and paste the text of the up to date bylaws here. I didn't have the time or patience to figure out why. Adobe has a "convert to text" application, but it wasn't working for me.

If somebody among the powers that be here would update the bylaws here, it would be much appreciated.

49

Slam Selection Processes / Re: Houston Poetry Slam Qualifying Process

« on: March 25, 2008, 07:19:36 PM »

The Alternate Slam at Notsuoh on March 19 was packed with people and poetry. Niechy was in town and put on great feature. The crowd couldn't get enough of her. We were there until midnight!

The contestants in the slam were Queen Sheba (the Texas version), Resonance, and Sal.

Queen Sheba won the alternate spot. She will be going to Madison, Wisconson  with the team in August. Only the top four starters are guaranteed stage time. The alternate is for emergency stand in or emergency performance only. Resonance and Sal are on the alternate list and are next in line to move up in case they are needed.

50

PSi Bylaws Discussion / Re: Agenda Items or Propsals????

« on: March 09, 2008, 08:30:55 AM »

Thanks Del.

51

PSi Bylaws Discussion / Re: Article Three of the Bylaws

« on: March 04, 2008, 05:33:54 PM »

Steve:

Oops! I thought you updated the bylaws on this thread  by now. I know months ago you asked me where I got this version (which I've had for three years now).  The only updated bylaws I have are in the print version of the rule book which I haven't looked at yet - so I guess I better do some reading.

52

PSi Bylaws Discussion / Re: Article Three of the Bylaws

« on: March 04, 2008, 11:22:13 AM »

Below is a virtual over haul amendment to Article 3 I intend to propose on the agenda. I think it addresses Arrians concerns, it has clarity, and is much less confusing:

ARTICLE III
Executive Council Members

Section 1. Powers and Residency. Subject to any provision in the Articles of Incorporation, including the stipulation that the corporation be run under a shareholder’s agreement according to the Close Corporation Act of 1977, the business and affairs of the corporation shall be managed by an Executive Council. Subject to Section 8.35 of The Business Corporation Act. Executive Council members need not be residents of Illinois.

Section 2. Voting Members. The number of voting members serving on the Executive Council shall be seven (7) until changed by amendment to these Bylaws.

Section 3. Non Voting Members: The non-voting members serving on the Executive Council shall be the Executive Director, the immediate past director, the current director and the immediate future director of the National Poetry Slam; and the immediate past director, the current director and the immediate future director of the Individual World Poetry Slam until changed by amendment to these Bylaws.

Section 4. Election, Terms, and Removal of Voting Members. Each voting member of the Executive Council shall be elected by a majority vote of eligible members of the Slammaster Council, and shall hold office until the second annual meeting of the Slammaster Council or until his/her successor shall have been elected and qualified, or until his/her prior resignation or removal. Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, an Executive Council member may be removed, with or without cause, by vote of a majority of the Slammaster Council members entitled to vote at an election of Executive Council members, 

Section 5. Terms of Non-Voting Members. The immediate past director, the current director , and the immediate future Director of the National Poetry Slam; and  the immediate past director, the current director, and the immediate future Director of the Individual World Poetry Slam shall serve one year terms commencing coincidentally with the election of voting members of the Executive Council. The Executive Director shall be appointed by the voting members of the Executive Council and shall serve, at the will of the Executive Council, a renewable term not to exceed one year.

Section 6. Vacancies.  Any vacancy occurring in the Executive Council and any Executive Council membership to be filled by reason of an increase in the number of Executive Council members may be filled by election at an annual meeting or at a special meeting of the Slammaster Council called for that purpose. An Executive Council member elected to fill a vacancy shall serve until the next annual meeting of Slammaster Council at which Executive Council members are to be elected.

Section 7. Regular Executive Council Meetings. A regular meeting of the Executive Council shall be held without other notice than this Bylaw, immediately after and at the same place as the annual meeting of Slam Family. The Executive Council may provide, by resolution, the time and place, for the holding of additional regular meetings without other notice than this Bylaw.

Section 8. Manner of Convening Special Meetings. Special meetings of the Executive Council may be called by or at the request of the president or any two Executive Council members.

Section 9. Place of Special Meetings. The person or persons authorized to convene special meetings of the Executive Council may fix any place, either within or without the State of Illinois, as the place for holding any special meeting of the Executive Council.

Sectionc10. Notice of Executive Council Meetings.  Special meetings of the Executive Council shall be held upon at least four days' prior notice in writing, delivered personally or mailed to each Executive Council member. Any Executive Council member may waive notice of any meeting.  Attendance of an Executive Council member at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting except where an Executive Council member attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at nor the purpose of any regular or special meeting of the Executive Council need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting.

Section 11. Quorum of Executive Council. A simple majority of the number of Executive Council voting members fixed by the Bylaws shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The act of the majority of the Executive Council voting members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Executive Council.

Section 12. Informal Action by Executive Council. Unless specifically prohibited by the Articles of Incorporation, any action required to be taken at a meeting of the Executive Council may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by all the Executive Council members entitled to vote.

Any discussion?

53

Slam Selection Processes / Re: Houston Poetry Slam Qualifying Process

« on: February 20, 2008, 06:00:20 PM »

These are the times when it's absolutely joyful to be a fucking Slammaster!  Four poets said they were going to show up for the Sunday Feb. 17th's Alternates Slam - but only two showed up. Those two competed for the 3rd slot ($150 prize) and fourth slot ($100) on the lteam. The results were as follows.

1. Trinity (won 3rd slot on team and elgible for the $150 prize)
2. Deep Blu See (won fourth slot on team and elgible for $100 prize)

I'll hold another alternates slam in a few weeks or a month for a reserve team member.

So now (or for now?) the 2008 Houston Slam Team is:

1. Brother Said (came in second in Super Sla Week grand slam. Moved up to first when Camryn Barganier left the team)
2. Larry Cortez aka the Lethal Lyricist (came in fourth in grand slam. Moved up to second place when Byron Williams left the team)
3. Trinity
4. Deep Blu See

54

Slam Selection Processes / Re: Houston Poetry Slam Qualifying Process

« on: February 12, 2008, 07:43:35 PM »

This is Public Notice:

On January 26, 2008 we had our Houston Slam Team Grand Slam with four of the top ranking poets from Super Slam Week competing for cash prizes. The winners were Camryn Barganier ($300), Brother Said(not eligible for prize), Byron Williams($150), and Larry Cortez($100).

Unfortunately, Camryn and Byron left the team due to personal issues. The four individuals on the alternates list must contact me before 5pm Wednesday because I've scheduled an Alternates Slam this Sunday February 17th. We will have the Alternates Slam to fill the two open spots on the Houston Slam Team. It will be at the Chateau at 5pm. Go to www.houstonpoetryslam.org for directions.

55

Slam Selection Processes / Re: Houston Poetry Slam Qualifying Process

« on: February 12, 2008, 07:37:05 PM »

Teams are already selected?  Teams are already scheduling practice sessions?

Story of my life.  I never even heard the starting gun.

Ransacked:

One very practical reason why we decided to do things so early (and as long as I'm Slammaster here we'll do it like this from now on) is because 2008 Nationals is in Madison, Wisconson. The past two years it was great to have Nationals about 100 miles away up in Austin. Although fundraising and team prep was still tough, and heres why:

Our sentimental tradition was to hold slams until April (poetry month) and have a slam off late April or early May. But we were always scrambling for money at the last minute and trying to balance fundraising time and practice time and jobs et al. April slamoffs is only three months before Nationals and that is just not enough time to raise money to transport and house five poets AND really, really practice. It never worked well for us.

I don't know about anybody else, but down here deep in Tejas we NEEd six moths to practice and raise a whole lot of money to go 1200 miles to Wisconson.

56

Slam Selection Processes / Re: Houston Poetry Slam Qualifying Process

« on: February 10, 2008, 04:54:39 PM »

This is Public Notice:

Just as Super Slam Week worked out like we planned, and we thought we had a dedicated team, and I was busy scheduling practices - two people dropped. They suddenly realized that being on a slam team and practicing every week was more responsibility than they had expected  - one reason why I and my board of directors decided to hold prizes until after a team returns from Nationals.

So here is the list of alternates. I'm trying to track you down here in Houston, but if you see your name on this list and you notify me before I hold an Alternates Slam - then you can take your rightful place on the team, and claim prizes.

The alternate list for replacing vacancies on the Houston  Slam Team are as follows:



1.Black Blues

2. Marlon

3. The Black Lotus

4. Sal

57

Slam Selection Processes / Re: Houston Poetry Slam Qualifying Process

« on: February 04, 2008, 06:17:36 PM »

The 2007 - 2008 Super Slam Week started Tuesday January 22nd, 2008 and qualified several poets at venues that were enthusiastic for us to return next year. The winners of the 2008 Houston Slam Team Grand Slam Final held at Bohemeos on Saturday January 26th are as follows:

1. Camryn Barganier ($300 prize winner)
2. Brother Said (not elgible for prizes)
3. Byron Williams ($150 prize winner)
4. Larry Cortez ($100 prize winner)

Congratulations to the 2008 Houston Slam Team. Participates signed team contracts before the slam and agreed to receive their prizes in August after Nationals.

The alternate list for replacing vacancies on the Houston  Slam Team are as follows:



1.Black Blues

2. Marlon

3. The Black Lotus

4. Sal

58

PSi Bylaws Discussion / Agenda Items or Propsals????

« on: January 31, 2008, 05:50:44 PM »

The 2008 Spring Slammaster Council Meeting is nearly here. Are there any proposals based on previous discussions in this thread that someone wants to propose for the 2008 Spring Agenda? If so, you can make write your proposed amendment in the agenda thread in the PSI members forum

59

General Discussion / Re: Is there a (real) place for mythology in slam?

« on: January 09, 2008, 03:37:17 PM »

Charles, where is your essay posted?

60

General Discussion / Re: Is there a (real) place for mythology in slam?

« on: January 05, 2008, 01:25:08 PM »

For the longest time, I've been fascinated with mythology, fairy tales, all of the legendary archetypes we've created to express certain parts of ourselves and the world. I feel that creatively speaking, it has massive potential in today's slam world. It can be a another point of entry for the various topics that are tackled so often they can seem repetitive, which is unfair to the topic. For example, homophobia is talked about pretty often, and they can sound similar and get tuned out by an audience. But hey, we're still talking about it because it still exists. So is it the topic that's the problem, or the audience, or our creative approach? This is the kind of thing I'm thinking about.

And I feel that if you had a slam where one poet was really political and angry and direct, one was really funny and heartwarming, one was sexy and brilliant, and one that was mythological, challenging and beautiful...who'd win? I doubt the mythological person would. Maybe it isn't quite the sexy style these days. I just don't know why some poetry styles are deemed unslammable. Why aren't they? Is there a real place for mythology (well done, of course) in slam? What do you think?

I'm a theoretical slam strategist firmly entrenched in the "competitive" part of the official definition of poetry slam as the art form of competitive performance poetry. If the poem is a performance poem, mythological allusions notwithstanding, it could "win" depending not simply on the style of poem being unslammable - but based on the all important principle for any game strategist: what I call positional truth.

Certain poems seem unslammable because many poets ignore that slam is a game and are unconcerned about game princilples like strategy. The only time a poem is unslammable is if it doesn't work in ANY given position in a slam. Then it is truly unslammable. The only way to get beyond that theory is to slam a poem in every position. That's difficult. So I'll stick with the theory.

These are the two main principles of positional truth. First: every poet except the first poet has positional advantage over the preceding poet. Second: the judges are influenced to give higher scores by the climactic order in which YOU place your poem in a slam.

The second principle is based on understanding climactic order as the dramatic principle of increasing emotional intensity. It's why if we're watching a movie, play, or soap opera we expect the second act to be more intense than the first, and the third act to be more intense than the first two acts. It's why the last Matrix movie was a failure. It's why the score creeps up in a poetry slam - and the score should creep up if each poet is placing his poems climatically.

So if you have positional advantage, and your poem about domestic violence using the murderous rampage of Hercules as an ongoing metaphor should theoretically "win" if it follows poems of less consequence. Yes, the poem must be well written, but what ultimately determines if the poem is slammable is the position you place it in.