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Friday, August 13
DFIA Gets Noticed by The Mothership
by
Linda Thieman
on Fri 13 Aug 2004 04:19 AM CDT
 DFIA Gets Noticed by The Mothership In case you missed it, yesterday morning Democracy for Iowa was featured on Blog for America, the blog of Gov. Dean's organization, Democracy for America. The article seemed to be well received, and folks loved the picture of Alta and Darrell taken at the Gay Pride Festival in Iowa City in June. Go here to read "our story" and the comments that followed. It's called "Update from Iowa." Saturday, August 7
Iowa in the News: Environment
by
Linda Thieman
on Sat 07 Aug 2004 05:09 AM CDT
DFIA Environmentalist Throws Her Hat in the Ring
In her first race since college days, DFIA Environmentalist Molly Regan has taken out nomination papers for the Scott Soil and Water Conservation Commission. There are 5 people on the Scott County non-partisan, volunteer commission, with 3 seats up for grabs this year. Molly obtained over 50 signatures on her petition before the Kerry rally the other day, with the help of fellow Deaniacs Monica Kurth and Paul Elgation, and got her last signature yesterday. According to Iowa's Washington Evening Journal, this year, Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioners (SWCDs) will be elected in 100 districts throughout Iowa. The commissioners are elected volunteers and have been working with voluntary, private land conservation in Iowa since as early as 1939. Commissioners help guide soil and water conservation programs in the district and watersheds, identify local issues and concerns, and influence state and national conservation programs. SWCDs work closely with a number of local, state and federal agencies, particularly the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship-Division of Soil Conservation and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. This is an opportunity to become involved in environmental work at the local level. Nomination forms, including a petition, are available in your county auditor's office. At least 25 eligible voters must sign the petition. Nomination papers need to be filed at the auditor's office by Aug. 25, in order to be on the ballot in November. Only one person per township within a district can be represented on the district board. For more information, go here. Iowa Bicyclists learn about conservation practices Iowa Farm Bureau Riders on the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) learned how Iowa farmers are working with state and federal agencies to protect the environment. The “Iowa Conservation Team” worked to educate all riders, including Iowans, out-of-staters and international riders, about conservation practices they were seeing as they huffed, puffed and ate their way across Iowa. The goal was to show that Iowa farmers, who lead the nation in creation of buffers and have reduced soil erosion significantly, are protecting the environment. (more) Iowa Middle School Teacher Receives Award Disney The DisneyHand Teacher Awards, dedicated to honoring the most creative and inspiring teachers in America, this year bestowed Hector Ibarra, a 6th and 7th grade teacher from West Branch Middle School in West Branch, Iowa, with the first Youth Service America Award. The honor, presented by multi-platinum performing artist and former special education teacher Clay Aiken, was given to Ibarra for his exemplary use of community service as a teaching methodology. Since 1993, Ibarra's flagship youth service learning program, Timber Stand Improvement, has successfully linked science to the community. Some of Timber Stand Improvement's success includes planting more than 2,000 oak, hickory and walnut trees in Iowa's Cedar Valley Park; collecting 4,265 used oil filters and extracting 37.2 gallons of oil, preventing the substance from entering the Cedar County landfill; encouraging retrofitting of inefficient shower heads and sink aerators; planting amaryllis bulbs for senior citizen homes and local businesses; and holding a student-run reading program for elementary, preschool and daycare children. (more) Marvel chemicals pop up in animals all over world Chicago Tribune Chemicals used to make Teflon and Scotchgard have been promoted as modern marvels for their ability to keep food from sticking to pots and fast-food packaging, repel stains on carpets and furniture and make water roll off coats and clothing. Now scientists are finding that the chemicals also have managed to spread throughout the world. Researchers have detected them in polar bears roaming near the Arctic Circle, dolphins swimming in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy and gulls flying above ocean cliffs outside Tokyo. Known as perfluoronated compounds, the chemicals also were recently detected for the first time in the Great Lakes, one-fifth of the Earth's fresh water and the source of drinking water for more than 7 million people in Illinois and 33 million others in the United States and Canada. (more) Thursday, August 5
Reflections on DemocracyFest by Darrell Lewis
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 05 Aug 2004 03:41 PM CDT
Reflections On DemocracyFest
 by Darrell Lewis I packed up my truck and left early on Wednesday morning, July 21st, on my adventure to experience...well, I guess I wasn't too sure what I was going to experience when I left. I arrived in the early evening on Thursday at Pittsfield, MA - the site of DemocracyFest. The 1,250-mile drive went faster and easier than expected. In the early evening hours of dusk, I unpacked and began setting up my campsite, which drew into darkness while attempting to set up my new tent. Dang, I should have done a practice set up before leaving like the directions said...and maybe it really did need two people like the directions said; but, alas, 10,000 mosquito bites, later it was all set up. Woke up early Friday morning and finished setting up camp, drove around Pittsfield a bit sightseeing and then to the hotel where the festival was to be held. I wandered into the planning meeting between event organizers, the hotel staff and other service providers. Mostly I just listened, but also participated when the topic of the Bloggers’ Breakfast and its needs found its way to the agenda. The initially-cool hotel staff turned out to not only be very cooperative but some of the nicest folks I met my entire trip. It rained for much of the day and on several occasions I got soaking wet running around without a raincoat. Late Friday afternoon, Alta Price and her son found their way to the campground. I had set up tents for them earlier so it was only their personal gear that remained for them to unpack and, fortunately, by then the rain showers were mostly intermittent. Our dinner that evening consisted of some fruit, crackers and cheeses I had picked up at a local store earlier that day. We sat around a small campfire and had a great time chatting about a little bit of everything. As it turned out, much of the Festival was work for me rather then being a participant. I had brought my t-shirt press and political buttons stuff and was to sell the official festival shirt and political buttons. There was a rather healthy financial gap that needed to be filled in the festival budget and I offered to help. Alex Price helped me the entire weekend and I would have never been able to get it all done without his help. Even while occupied with the tasks at hand, I had opportunities to meet new people, become re-acquainted with people I previously met during the Iowa Storm and also to meet online friends I had yet to meet face to face. Of course all this good chatting was the highlight of the weekend. The only disappointment for me was that I was unable to participate in any of the training. I invited a few folks to our campsite that evening to sit around the fire and talk politics. Well, my few invites turned into more and more until the word was being passed around the festival about the "bloggers’ bonfire". While about 20 people ended up at the bonfire, many others did not because the owner of the campgrounds proved to be a real *ss and even called the police at one point, as he stood guard at the entrance and told people, "you types aren't welcome on my land". Of course, Sunday was the "big" day. I got up at 5:00 am and headed to the hotel to ready things for the Bloggers’ Breakfast. The event went well and was attended by about 125 people. And although everyone enjoyed themselves, it lacked the electricity of the first one in Des Moines. No surprise guests this time and even some of those who said they would be there (Zephyr, for one) did not make it. All in all, the festival was a great hit. It was truly grassroots but, to be honest, I was disappointed that Democracy for America had not taken a greater interest in helping with it and participating in it. But I've had these same experiences with DFA in the past and it should not have surprised me. I've got a theory on this, however. DFA, unlike, say IDP, has an appreciation of the power of the grassroots and most importantly is able to empower the grassroots to do "their own thing" and not attempt to control them. What they have failed to yet figure out is how to work with the "grassroots". There are still too many staffers whose experience has come from top down political organizations and they don't know any other paradigms. It’s our challenge in organizations like Democracy for Iowa to keep alive the power of the grassroots and to work with the traditional top down organizations. We too have a learning curve to follow and realize we are not always going to be welcomed and assisted by those traditional groups. But if we remain on a steady course (allowing for occasional bursts of irreverence) will can prove the power of the grassroots and change their paradigm. The grassroots of the future is not the old "fall in line" and dutifully do what you are told by the party pros; although I must admit I am not sure exactly where it will end up. In some states the traditional party organization is enthusiastically welcoming the new grassroots and in some states they are outright rejecting them and demanding the "get over it" and "toe the line". I am not yet sure where Iowa falls in this spectrum. I guess we will have to see how it all plays out. Our thanks to DFIA Founding Member Darrell Lewis for turning in this report. Tuesday, August 3
DFIA Launches New Events Calendar!
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 03 Aug 2004 05:06 AM CDT
DFIA Launches New Events Calendar!
Democracy for Iowa has our new Events Calendar up and running. You can check here daily to find Democratic events around Iowa. Our candidates have already begun adding their events. Check them out! Click on "Week" over to the left of the calendar, and you'll see a week at a time in list format. Click on the listing itself, and you can access all the details about the event. You can add your own events, too. Click on the link at the top, left sidebar of Blog for Iowa. It will take you to the calendar. To add your event, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on "Add Event." When adding a listing, be sure to include the town in the title. Only the administrative account is allowed to delete or edit listings, so if you need to make a change or if you are having any problems, contact Linda at blog@democracyforiowa.com. DFA/DFIA has some Meet Ups this week. On Wednesday, we've got one in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. On Thursday, we've got one in Davenport. Check out the Events Calendar for more details. Good luck! Now let's get out there and support our candidates! Sunday, August 1
News & Notes from Iowa & The Progressive Community
by
Linda Thieman
on Sun 01 Aug 2004 05:03 AM CDT
Take a look at the Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s new movie: “Choice Chick vs. the Judgebots." Click here. Choice Chick has an amazing resemblance to Janeane Garofalo, with Angelina Jolie's lips thrown in for good measure.
I got an email from John Drury,
Iowa's first Dean Dozen candidate, the other day. He asked me to
send along his thanks. He's been getting contributions from
across Iowa and around the nation, which he credits to the attention he
has received because of the Dean Dozen endorsement.
John said that when you contrast the contributions he's getting with those of his wealthy, Republican opponent, John is actually getting two to three times the number of contributions, "all from good folks who can see we are on the wrong track and want change for the entire country, whether they live in this state or not. It really is an amazing movement, and one that I'm proud to be a part of." Thanks to a write-in campaign from activists and Kucitizens in the Pocahontas area (and Blog for Iowa, too), and also thanks to the fact that Fridley has banned "Fahrenheit 9/11" while at the same time it is the first documentary ever to top the $100 million mark (yeah, Frid-buddy, tell me THAT decision was not politically motivated - that's a lot of ticket sales to give up to influence votes in favor of the junta), the Rialto Theatre in Pocahontas has decided to show the film after all. "Fahrenheit 9/11" will run at the Rialto Theatre in Pocahontas from August 20 through August 26. It will play the same times as all other movies, 7:30 every evening with a 2pm Sunday matinee. The admission prices are $4 for adults and $2 for 12 and under. Of course, F 9/11 is rated R, so the young'uns need to be accompanied by an adult. Sunday matinees are $2 for everyone. Thursday night is FREE popcorn with every paid admission. The Rialto Theatre holds 286 people. They are willing to hold special private showings, too, that week if any group is interested, with a flat rate of $200. If you are interested in doing something like that, feel free to give the manager a call. Her name is Tonya Speer, and you can reach her at 712-335-3434 or 712-335-5742. 324 N. Main. Today is the four-month anniversary of Blog for Iowa. The stats are in for July and we had our biggest month ever, so thought I'd share them with you. Distinct hosts served (individual visitors) for the month of July: 18,326 Page Views for the month of July: 32,855 Daily average number of individual visitors for July: 591 Daily average number of individual visitors during the 4-day period of the Democratic National Convention: 1,035 Highest number of individual visitors ever in one day: July 28 with 1,353 If you haven't yet joined Democracy for Iowa, please sign up for the DFIA mailing list here. We promise we will not bombard you with emails. |
Iowa Sites Child & Family Policy Center - Iowa Genetic Engineering Action Network Iowa Citizen Action Network - ICAN Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Iowa Physicians for Social Responsibility Iowa Public Interest Research Group Midwest Environmental Justice Advocates Progressive Action for the Common Good Progressive Coalition of Central Iowa QCAD (Quad-Citians Affirming Diversity - GLBT) Iowa Blogs The Deprogrammer (Quad Cities) Iowa True Blue (Gordon Fischer's Blog) Iowa Voters for Open and Transparent Elections Political FalloutFight Iowa Rapid Response Network - Iowa
Iowans for Better Local TV
Air America
The Counterpoint
National FAIR: Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
Media Matters for America
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