Introduction:

The annual theme of BigHook2017 is The Infrastructure of Infrastructure.

"The moral infrastructure of our Nation is the foundation on which our physical infrastructure is built."
Resignation letter from members of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (August, 2017).

Infrastructure resources are resources that satisfy the following demand-side criteria:
(1) The resource may be consumed nonrivalrously;
(2) Social demand for the resource is driven primarily by downstream productive activity that requires the resource as an input; and
(3) The resource may be used as an input into a wide range of goods and services, including private goods, public goods, and nonmarket goods.
Brett Frischmann, "An Economic Theory of Infrastructure and Commons Management," 2005.

It is a mistake to presume, as many do, that the market mechanism is always the superior mechanism for satisfying social demand for a resource. Such a presumption may make sense for certain types of resources, such as private goods, but may be inapposite when applied to public goods.
Footnote 96, ibid.

The infrastructure is us. Like a seashell or a coral reef, it is an expression of the organism, a history of our lives and the technological and social evolution of our societies. It is a genetic reminder that we are what we were and will be what we are . . . the future quality of life is to some degree in our hands when we debate decisions about infrastructure. Are beautiful structures ever obsolete?
from Cities and Their Vital Systems: Infrastructure Past, Present & Future, Chapter 1 by Robert Herman & Jesse H. Ausubel (1988).

Infrastructure resources entail long term commitments with deep consequences for the public. Infrastructures are a prerequisite for economic and social development. Infrastructures shape complex systems of human activity, including economic, cultural, and political systems. That is, infrastructures affect the behaviour of individuals, firms, households, and other organizations by providing and shaping the available opportunities of these actors to participate in these systems and to interact with each other.
from Brett Frischmann, Infrastructure: The Social Value of Shared Resources, 2012.

Agenda

Wednesday, August 30

Noon to 1:30 PM: Check in, lunch, swimming, meet fellow participants
1:30 to 3:30 PM: Session 1a: Extended Personal Introductions
3:30 to 4:00 PM: Break
4:00 to 5:30 PM, Session 1b: More Intros, intro to "The Infrastructure of Infrastructure"
5:30 to 8:00 PM: Dinner
8:00 to 10:00 PM (or so), Session 2: Music & talk by Dan McNichol
10:00 PM to Whenever: Whatever

Thursday, August 31

7:00 to 8:30 AM: Breakfast
8:30 to 10:00 AM, Session 3a: Discussion
10:00 to 10:30: Break
10:30 AM to Noon, Session 3b: More Discussion
Noon to 2:00 PM: Lunch, swimming
2:00 to 3:30 PM, Session 4a: Yet more discussion
3:30 to 4:00 PM: Break
4:00 to 5:30, Session 4b: More discussion
5:30 to 8:00 PM: Dinner
8:00 to 10:00 PM, Session 5: Music, something awesome.
10:00 PM to Whenever: Whatever

Friday, September 1

7:00 to 8:30 AM: Breakfast
8:30 to 10:00 AM, Session 6a:Wrap-up talks invited here (sign up in advance)
10:00 to 10:30 AM: Break
10:30 AM to Noon, Session 6b: Summaries, Learnings, Action Items.
Noon to 2:00 PM: Lunch, swimming
2:00 PM-ish: Adjourn

Music

The BigHook2017 musicians in residence are Dennis Lichtman on clarinet, mandolin, and violin. He is joined by Tamar Korn, an astounding vocalist, Roy Williams on gypsy, folk, rock and jazz guitar and Dave Speranza on bass.

Sponsors & Acknowledgements

The BigHook community and isen.com, LLC gratefully acknowledge the generous and patient financial support of Google via the good offices of Vint Cerf & Rick Whitt. We also give thanks to the other BigHook sponsors, Comcast via Jason Livingood, Afilias via Ram Mohan & Desiree Miloshevic, Ting via Elliot Noss, Global Investment Research via Roxane Googin, SIDN via Roelof Meijer and the other participants who contributed more than they had to to make BigHook a continuing, sustainable success.

Thanks also to

• Suzy & Ben, the caretakers of the Airplane House
• Chef Roland and his fine crew for the food
• Dewayne Hendricks for the wi-fi
• Comcast for Internet connectivity
• Paula Blumenthal

Fine Print:

All of the above is on a best effort basis. I might fail to deliver on any of the above, so none of it is a promise, and no guarantees or warranties are implied. Here's my actual, real world promise: I'll do my best, and if things screw up or stuff happens that causes plans to change, I'll do my best to fix them and/or give as much notice as I practically can. In other words, if you don't expect the impossible, I'll do my best to deliver it. -- David I