Tomorrow I’m going to the US for the first time. I’ve saved it up, mainly because I’ve been more interested in going to countries which contrast more with my own. Many who have been tell me I’ll be unnerved, confused, by American culture. Shocked. But somehow I can’t quite believe them, I expect it to feel a bit like home.

There’s an interesting bit in the introduction to Lonely Planet guides to Britain. It says that for Australian/American/Canadian (and even Malaysian/Indian/Burmese) backpackers, a trip to what was once their imperial mother (or slave-driver) is always an emotional occasion. Like it or not, I’m part of imperial America, and it’s no surprise that I partly have the same feeling.

I can’t quite believe America really exists. I’ve seen the movies, I know who the last few premiers are, I can name many of the provinces, I’m fluent in the language, highly conscious about the politics. Normally I have to read a bit about a country I’m visiting to have any chance of knowing what is going on. Not here. I think I know it well, which is perhaps why people tell me I’ll be shocked by what it’s really like.

A few things I’ve stumbled on the last day or two by way of accidental research:

A girl who used to be homeless, and keeps an online diary. These posts talk about where she used to sleep in Cambridge MA and a demoralising discussion on healthcare.

Nearly election time, and politics is so partisan. Each side demonises the other, it’s hardly healthy. This usenet discussion thread is an example.

I usually read the news of a country for a week or so before I visit it, by searching on Google News. This didn’t really work with the US as a search keyword, until I realised that really I’m going to California, a country by itself.

I’ve finally settled into my new house, which means I’ve cleaned my bedroom window so I can see peoples feet more clearly as they walk past. After living for five years in a pre-gentrified old-industrial area of Cambridge, Portugal Place where I am now seems very busy.

Although many tourists do walk past, not many find this narrow pedestrian place. Unfortunately, if you head up to the main road it doesn’t feel very real and full of community. More like Cambridge the theme park. But going the other way there are quiet streets, Jesus Green park, and easy access to the cafes on King Street.

If you would like my new address or home phone number, then email me. It is very convenient for popping in while you’re in the centre of town. Or perhaps after you have been clubbing (what am I doing, encouraging people to visit me in that state!). Luckily, and to my surprise, my mobile works fine in my basement room.

Did you know, you can make completely new people? Extra special people. They have super powers. They can split apart into multiple new people, or fuse together back into one. You can destroy them and nobody feels any pain, but sometimes they can live almost forever. All without the hard work of having a baby.

Most importantly, in many circumstances, you can use them as super shields. If you’re about to get sued, you can hold up one of these magic people, and let them get obliterated on your behalf. You emerge unscathed, and the person won’t complain or even exist any more. All perfectly legal, and you won’t even feel guilty.

Of course, I’m talking about “incorporating”, which means to put in bodily form (like a corpse). It’s to make a legal entity that looks to the law like a person. This can be a company, a charity, or your stamp collecting club. At the moment I’m self-employed, but I’m thinking about incorporating mainly to avoid legal liability in certain cases.

I thought I may as well incorporate as some sort of co-operative, since I spent so much time researching them a while ago. While looking into this again, I found an excellent quote which actually defines “non-profit” as I would mean it. It’s about ownership and getting your employees and customers on side. Not at all about not making profit.

So what is a not for profit organisation?

Not for profit is a descriptive term and should never be allowed to become a management culture. In the end there are only too types of enterprises – profitable or insolvent. Not for profit has become short hand for organisations that do not distribute earnings to owners. They do, of course, distribute earnings to stakeholders as employees and suppliers.

(from the cat’s pyjamas)

ICOM, the Industrial Common Ownership Movement, which I mentioned back then, has changed its name. They’re now part of Co-operatives UK. They still provided legal services and off the shelf rules for co-operative style companies. There are some fancy new things called Limited Liability Partnerships which I hadn’t spotted before. They came into existence in 2001 following an act of parliament. You get the structure of a partnership, as a firm of lawyers might use, but with the limited liability that you could previously only get from a company.