Total Eclipse of the Sun

Written by: rich^kolker on Jul 31, 2008 1:40 PM EDT

One of the rarest astronomical events is a total eclipse of the sun, and one is happening tomorrow, August 1st.  The bad news, unless you've already made plans, is that it's visible only in northern Canada, the Arctic, Russia, Mongolia and China.  NASA will have live TV coverage, but seeing it in person is completely different from watching on TV.  Here's a photoshopped sequence of the last total eclipse, which I viewed from a cruise ship in the Med in 2006.

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The Great American Conversation (Open Thread Wed Night)

Written by: rich^kolker on Jul 30, 2008 6:00 PM EDT

Linked to groups: Bloggers, blog for America Test and Poll Group

Since 2003 -- and it continues!

The Great American Conversation (Wednesday Open Thread)

Written by: rich^kolker on Jul 30, 2008 7:14 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Bloggers, blog for America Test and Poll Group

The Great American Conversation, which began on this blog in 2003, continues. 

Join in.  All topics are welcome.  All thoughts are welcome.  We build community and are a community.

Synergy happens when seemingly unrelated actions interact in unexpected ways.  This can only happen when there is a critical mass of activities and those activities are unfocused.  This is the power of what has become a buzzword, but is still valid, "outside the box" thinking.  Follow down the normal trail and there is no solution.  Step off the trail, and there's no telling what you will find.

Good morning!

PUBLIC SQUARE for TUESDAY (Open Thread)

Written by: rich^kolker on Jul 29, 2008 8:55 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Bloggers, blog for America Test and Poll Group

All topics are on topic, and the Good Doctor is always first!

Those of us who were Deaniacs remember that a theme of the campaign was that we were responsible for building and maintaining "The Great American Conversation."  It all tied together: "In your hands, not mine, lies the future of this nation," the Doc would tell us, and we'd believe it, and go forward.  We generated posters, bumper stickers, software, campaign tools. in a way that had never been done before.

In those days, the blog was the center of a lot of these activities.  You know what the first "DFA training" was?  It was when I suggested Meetup groups kick in $20 each and send representatives to the 21st Century Democrats training in DC, and that those representatives bring the information back to their groups and pass them on.  We had jc's and demetrius' and others art - better than what the "pros" were putting out, all shared here, generated from ideas begin here, and refined through conversation.

Now we are told "The Great American Conversation" is to be shunted off the "the watercooler."  We need to be more serious and issue oriented.  Our comments need to relate to the main post.  This is a mistake as well as being a betrayal of the history and heritage of this blog.

Synergy happens when seemingly unrelated actions interact in unexpected ways.  This can only happen when there is a critical mass of activities and those activities are unfocused.  This is the power of what has become a buzzword, but is still valid, "outside the box" thinking.  Follow down the normal trail and there is no solution.  Step off the trail, and there's no telling what you will find.  Bread mold may become penacillin.

BFA will not become stronger by being more like Kos.  BFA will become stronger by promoting what it is.  BFA will become stronger when DFA HQ uses it like Dean for America did -- as a window into DFA operations, a place to discuss future activities, plan and synergize, and build community.  There have been folks who have left, but not because of the conversational tone.  Generally, it's been because of specific posters and postings.  That can be controlled now with the rating system.  Go out and actively invite perople back.  Open the shutters between HQ and the blog again and make this the organizational and creative tool it was during the campaign.

We don't need another Kos.  We have one already.

Friday Morning Open Thread

Written by: rich^kolker on Jul 25, 2008 8:19 AM EDT

Linked to groups: blog for America Test and Poll Group, Bloggers, Blog For America

Because The Great American Conversation continues!

Open Thread for Thursday Afternoon

Written by: rich^kolker on Jul 24, 2008 1:05 PM EDT

Linked to groups: DFA Blog Network, Blog For America, blog for America Test and Poll Group

Comment away.  All topics are on topic.

Change!

Written by: rich^kolker on Jul 2, 2008 9:36 AM EDT

What is Change? 

Change is, instead of playing the usual political games of promising more services while cutting taxes (or increasing them on "someone else") addressing our budget strategically.  What I write below isn't the only solution (Phil has a different one, for example), but it's the kind of wide ranging solution I'd like to hear from the candidates (or anyone else).

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The Great American Conversation

Written by: rich^kolker on Jun 16, 2008 8:59 AM EDT

Linked to groups: Bloggers, Blog For America, blog for America Test and Poll Group, DFA Blog Network

Those of us who were Deaniacs remember that a theme of the campaign was that we were responsible for building and maintaining "The Great American Conversation."  It all tied together: "In your hands, not mine, lies the future of this nation," the Doc would tell us, and we'd believe it, and go forward.  We generated posters, bumper stickers, software, campaign tools. in a way that had never been done before.

In those days, the blog was the center of a lot of these activities.  You know what the first "DFA training" was?  It was when I suggested Meetup groups kick in $20 each and send representatives to the 21st Century Democrats training in DC, and that those representatives bring the information back to their groups and pass them on.  We had jc's and demetrius' and others art - better than what the "pros" were putting out, all shared here, generated from ideas begin here, and refined through conversation.

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“It’s hate speech!” “It’s free speech!”

Written by: rich^kolker on Jun 12, 2008 6:51 AM EDT

That dialog comes from a New York Time article this morning about a court case currently taking place north of the border.  The Canadian magazine, MacLeans, published an article arguing that the rise of Islam threatened Western values.  Had that article been published in the U.S., it would have clearly been protected speech under the first amendment, but Canada, and much of the rest of the world, has different rules.

There are some, even some progressives, who believe we are on the wrong side of this argument, that "hate speech" should not be protected.  That there are limits on how far political commentary may go.  This is dangerous and counter to everything this nation has stood for since its founding.

You could argue, and I do, that this nation was founded on what the establishment of that time considered "hate speech."  The government of George III tried to restrict speech against the King, using tools like the Stamp Act, but those restrictions were rejected.  The ultimate statement of that rejection was in the statement of July 4, 1776, in which, among other things, the King was called a tyrant.

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What should we ask?

Written by: rich^kolker on Apr 28, 2008 8:47 AM EDT

There are two remaining candidates for the Democratic nomination.  They ask for our money, our support and our votes. 

What should we ask of them?

After all, they will work for us if they are elected President.  They are our highest elected representative.  We deserve a say in what they want to do.  Instead, I think the impression is that we need to conform to their policy positions.  This is just plain wrong.

This is some of what I ask.

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