~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SANDY SANDFORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C'punks, I just totaled up the "Bring Dimitri to San Francisco" pledges. The pledges add up to an amazing US$681 and some guava pastries. Airfair should be around US$300. That, plus hotel should come in under the amount pledged so far. I'd still like additional pledges, however, I want to be certain we're covered and as an expression of the mood of the list. I intend to front the entire amount myself and then ask the "pledge partners" for a pro rated payment based on the actual cost and their proportionate pledge amount. It's interesting to me that several pledges have come from list members who are far removed from San Francisco. One or two of them plan to attend Dimitri's meeting, but most just want to have it happen. I've only had one request for anonymity, but I have kept names confidential without a clear go-ahead from them. (If you have already pledged or pledge in the future, please let me know if you mind if I post your name/nym.) Now there's only one thing missing--Dimitri's response. My open letter to him contained an explicit and unambiguous invitation to address a Cypherpunk meeting on any topic he wanted. I asked him for a clear yes or no, but have received nothing. Perhaps Dimitri prefers shooting from ambush. S a n d y ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~