Monthly Archives: April 2003

Another interesting conference: Little Sister 2003

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This is another conference I wish I could attend.

:: Little Sister 2003 ::

Little Sister 2003 is the first conference of its kind being held in North America. The conference focus is specifically on community organizing and the security and legal needs of autonomous movements. We are inviting organizing communities from all over to participate in Little Sister 2003 as attendees, skill-sharers, speakers and facilitators.

We believe that our greatest strength in defeating the security and legal maneuvers used against us as community organizers is by unifying and building common cause in our movements. This means building diverse coalitions who are willing to support each other in order to create safe spaces for oppposition to the policies and practices of governments and corporations. Ultimately, as organizers, our goal is to resist the injustices that our communities face, while retaining our physical and emotional freedom.

Green and Bear It: Charting the next steps for the environmental movement

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Green And Bear It is a worthwhile analysis of the current political situation that the environmental movement finds itself in, and some useful thoughts about how it can move forward.

Among the ideas it touches on:

  • Whether Bush’s environmental rollbacks are overreach
  • Whether green groups are really ready to take out ousting Bush
  • The environmental movement’s public perception problems.
  • Connecting with people on local and lifestyle issues.

Green and Bear It: Charting the next steps for the environmental movemen

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Green And Bear It is a worthwhile analysis of the current p olitical situation that the environmental movement finds itself in, and some us eful thoughts about how it can move forward.

Among the ideas it touches on:

  • Whether Bush’s environmental rollbacks are overreach
  • Whether green groups are really ready to take out ousting Bush
  • The environmental movement’s public perception problems.
  • Connecting with people on local and lifestyle issues.

Salutations and Response Rates to Online Surveys

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The crack email newsletter and online relationship management researchers at the Stanford Alumni Association have an interesting bit of research available: “Salutiations and Response Rates to Online Surveys.”

A previous work, entitled “@Stanford and Institutional Advancement” is an outstanding look at the many impacts of email newsletters.

Both studies can be found on the homepage of Jerold, Pearson, Stanford University’s Director of Market Research.

Farmed salmon are dyed organge: class action lawsuit filed

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Farmed salmon are dyed orange. Otherwise, they’d be an unappetizing gray. Betcha didn’t know that. Neither do most consumers. And that’s why they’ve filed class-action lawsuits against three major grocery store chains.

My friends over at Smith & Lowney are the attorneys for these cases. It’s nice to see the legal system being used to fight for the little guys.

Interesting conference: PlaNetwork

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The upcoming conference PlaNetwork: Networking a Sustainable Future looks really interesting.

NETWORKING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE will focus on the ways in which information technologies and the Internet can continue to play a key role in accelerating progressive change and establishing a peaceful Planetary Civilization.

* How can the Internet allow us to see ourselves, and our collective aspirations, even more directly and productively?
* How can the Internet be used to mobilize global citizenry around other critical issues affecting our future: ecological destruction, resource depletion, human rights and economic justice?
* What communications strategies would best enable us to mobilize networks, draw attention to specific issues, envision alternative solutions, and bring about change?
* How might we use the financial resources of a newly networked global citizenry to implement system-wide transformation?

King5 Evening Magazine covers Fall Creek Treesit

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Today was the 5th anniversary of the Fall Creek Treesit. As I was flipping through the dial this evening, I caught the tail end of a feature story On King5 Evening Magazine no less!

It wasn’t the most balanced story, focusing mostly on whether or not the protestors were in danger or putting others in danger, but the Good Guys did get in a few words and came across as sincere and genuine. The Forest Service official looked pretty much like a stuffed shirt.

Good job, y’all!

Nielsen on “low-end media”

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Jakob Nielsen’s most recent “Alertbox” article, Low-End Media for User Empowerment, is particularly good.

Key concept is that “low-end media” — pictures and text — are much more usable than “high-end media” — animations, video, sounds, 3-D models, etc.

One of the interesting exceptions he mentions is email newsletters, saying that “In usability testing a broad range of newsletters, we found that HTML newsletters were better than plain-text newsletters. Although I still recommend offering an ASCII version for users with low-bandwidth connections or who otherwise prefer a low-end newsletter, most users prefer HTML. The reason? Enhanced layout makes articles easier to scan, and a few pictures can add to the newsletter’s communicative value.”

Here we go: Forest Service moves to cut off all form-based public commen

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The Forest Service is proposing regulatory changes that would allow it to begin ignoring all form-based public comment s in formal comment processes. This includes email submitted via online advoca cy sites, postcards, and all form letters.

This is one more nail in the coffin the Bush Administration is building for dem ocractic process.

I’m not sure what we do to fight this, but we better figure it out quick.

Here we go: Forest Service moves to cut off all form-based public comments

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The Forest Service is proposing regulatory changes that would allow it to begin ignoring all form-based public comments in formal comment processes. This includes email submitted via online advocacy sites, postcards, and all form letters.

This is one more nail in the coffin the Bush Administration is building for democractic process.

I’m not sure what we do to fight this, but we better figure it out quick.

Tim Robbins: A Chill Wind is Blowing in this Nation

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CommonDreams.org just published this transcript of Tim Robbins Speech to the National Press Club. It’s an amazingly eloquent piece about how the Bush Administration is working to quash honest discussion about its actions as it pursues war abroad and subtle repression at home. Worth a read — it might change the way you think about at least a few “Hollywood Actors.”

More on secret detention of U.S. Citizens

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C|net’s Declan McCullogh has a good story on the Michael Hawash case. Basically, the U.S. Government is holding Michael Hawash, an Oregon computer programmer and a naturalized American citizen, as a “material witness” to an unspecified crime. He has no access to a lawyer, Is not charged with a crime, and nobody is willing or able to discuss the specifics.

This kind of stuff scares the pants off me, and it should scare you too. I don’t care what this guy might have done — this kind of violation of due process is exactly what our Constitution is specifically designed to prevent.