Ever served on a School Board? Tell me about it

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Thursday April 28, 2005 · 9:59 AM PDT

2005/04/28 · 09:59

Ever since my political switch was turned on by losing to Bush in November (it feels like I personally lost) I have been flailing about trying to figure out what I can *do*. Not even just what I can do today but how I can stear my life towards political activism and involvement, but also giving back in ways outside of direct political involvement that will help progressivism and human beings in general. I was thinking lately about the school board (which I know little about other than from my uncle who served in his kid's district). My daughter enters kindergarten in the fall, and though I would probably not be up for it next year, after that, I would be interested.

If you have or are serving on a school board, tell me about it. What good things have you been able to achieve? What losses demoralized you and made you feel like you were wasting your time? How much of your time did it take? How did you get the post? How did your political views fit in with what you were asked to work on?

Unfold and leave your comments! Read More

Its Tom Delay's Frisbee Now! [The Onion]

joewlarson

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Wednesday April 27, 2005 · 3:58 PM PDT

2005/04/27 · 15:58

From the distinguished weekly, the Onion:

Damn it! What did I tell you kids?

Yeah, I'm talking to you, you little hippie freaks. Didn't I tell you to stop messing around on the Capitol lawn? Don't act like you didn't hear me when I stuck my head out the window earlier. I saw you look up. I saw you laughing. Punks! I told you to clear out and take your games somewhere else. Then, not 15 minutes later, this thing sails right through the window and interrupts deliberations of the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Oh yeah? Is that so? Well, guess what. It's Tom DeLay's Frisbee now.

No, I'm not going to "toss it back," and don't call me "dude." Very important people are trying to legislate in here. No, you come on. I warned you, but you had to push it. Now you face the consequences.

joewlarson

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Monday April 25, 2005 · 1:05 PM PDT

2005/04/25 · 13:05

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/25/bush.saudi/index.html

CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- President Bush welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah to his Texas ranch Monday for a meeting likely to focus on soaring oil and U.S. gas prices.

Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined Bush as he greeted Abdullah with an embrace and a kiss on each cheek before leading him inside for the talks.

It's Abdullah's second visit to the Crawford ranch, making him the first world leader to get a return invitation. Cheney also met with the oil-rich kingdom's prince Sunday in Dallas.

Am I the only one that sees things like this and feels like its like your (Parent/Pastor/Employer/Mayor, insert authority figure you ought to be able to respect) holding hands with a drug dealer? Instead of thinking "crap, oil is going up, lets focus effort on kicking this addiction, finding alternatives", its "oh please, dealer, give us a cheap joint"... makes me sick!

more... Read More

OT: Name my band

joewlarson

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Tuesday April 19, 2005 · 4:57 PM PDT

2005/04/19 · 16:57

A buddy and i are going to start a "band". It will likely go nowhere but fun anyway. Anyone want to help name it? If we chose your suggestion, and ever cut an album, we'll credit you in the liner notes.

The songs will run the gammut but will often be progressively political, overtly or not so.

In terms of style/genre, we're aiming in the area of recent stuff from Radiohead/the Flaming Lips/Beck/the Sleepy Jackson/, some rock elements and also some electronic elements, a little bit of everything else, very wide possibilities...

make your suggestions below the fold. Read More

Why Replacing Oil should be our Top Issue

joewlarson

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Saturday April 16, 2005 · 5:45 PM PDT

2005/04/16 · 17:45

This will be a bit of a disorganized rant... I've been reading books about the looming oil crisis as we hit and pass peak oil, and Jerome a Paris's and other diaries which highlight just how much the developed world's relationship with oil is like a crack adicts is with crack. Oil creates such a massive skew in our domestic politics, international relations, individual ways of life, effects of our society on the environment, etc.

It is pretty plain to see that if our civilization does not commit strongly and soon to replacing oil with better alternatives, that we are headed for disaster. When there is only half (and then a quarter, and eventually none) the oil flowing through our worldwide machinery as is demanded, it really won't matter very much if we've won all the other battles we are fighting today. You don't do yourself much good putting on your nicotine patch when your house is on fire...

more below the fold. Read More

PSA against landmines censored (MSNBC story)

joewlarson

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Tuesday April 12, 2005 · 8:56 AM PDT

2005/04/12 · 08:56

Hair-raising TV spot shunned by broadcasters;
But harsh reality of land mines stirs lively Internet debate

This could be a duplicate to some earlier diary, if so, let me know and I'll delete it.

It begins with a scene familiar in suburban America -- school girls in soccer uniforms climb out of their family SUVs and rush out onto the field, pony tails bobbing behind them, as parents shout encouragement.

But just as the game gets under way, a blast pierces the excitement.

...

The United States is the only NATO country not party to the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, and the Bush administration is under fire for backing away from a U.S. presidential directive to eliminate land mine use by 2006.

joewlarson

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Friday March 25, 2005 · 7:53 PM PST

2005/03/25 · 19:53

Well, next year my wife Salina will reenter the workforce and our minds are boggling with last minute parsing of all the different configurations of day care, preschool, private kindergarten and public kindergarten for our 2 and 4 year olds (almost 3 and 5 by September), and how those will mesh (schedule wise and financially) with my job and the job Salina is only just starting to look for (and therefore is somewhat of an unknown :)

I am sharing this story because you may have advice or similar storys to share, and because it has a political dimension as well.

Moveon.org action: Call your Senators regarding the Nuclear Option

joewlarson

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Wednesday March 16, 2005 · 8:47 AM PST

2005/03/16 · 08:47

I see there is already a diary (OrangeClouds115 - Call your Senators today) from several hours ago on this but it got no traction and a few put-downs too. I am going to try again.

Moveon.org has organized a campaign where everyone who cares calls thier 2 Senators and utters this simple sentence:

"Hello. I live in ______, and I would like to urge Senator _________ to oppose the 'nuclear option' and support requiring judicial nominees to have broad support in the Senate. Thank you very much."

For more info and your Senator's numbers, go here:

**MoveOnPac.org Call your Senators Info**

Just click on the html or pdf link for your state! Call both Senators at the number that is not long distance, and if you get a message that's ok, just leave a message. Then, unfold the diary and enter that you called in the Poll-- moveon wants to know how many calls were made so this lets me report numbers. And, recommend the diary so it can remain seen for a while! Read More

Response from Cantwell (WA) on Bankruptcy

joewlarson

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Tuesday March 15, 2005 · 7:42 AM PST

2005/03/15 · 07:42

Here is what Maria Cantwell (WA Dem Senator) wrote back regarding bankruptcy bill. She doesn't state her position very precisely, grr.... I mean, I'd hope and assume she'd be against it, but what does it mean that she added an amendment?

Anyway, read her response below the fold. Essentially posting it here for archival purposes.

more... Read More

Paying our CongressFolk to Vote How We Want

joewlarson

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday March 12, 2005 · 5:48 PM PST

2005/03/12 · 17:48

Absent any decent campaign finance reform, it appears we are left fighting big money when it comes to getting our CongressFolk to vote how we want them to.

What if there was an organization with a site where you could go donate a sum to all CongressFolk that voted the way you wanted on a bill. So, lets say you donate $5 to be divied among all Senators and Legislaters that voted NO on the Bankruptcy bill (and, lets say you could exclude particular CongressFolk if you wanted to take the time to do that). That money would sit there, and would become available to the CongressPeople that voted your way, some predetermined amount of time before they came up for re-election.

Is there anything like this? Who knows enough about campaign finance law to know what sort of an organization this would be? Any guesses whether this could actually build funds, and actually drive how CongressFolk vote on our behalf?

more.. Read More

What to make of this? Christian Right against... Global Warming?

joewlarson

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday March 11, 2005 · 1:51 PM PST

2005/03/11 · 13:51

From this story A new gospel on global warming (originally in the NYT):

A core group of influential evangelical leaders has put its considerable political power behind a cause that has barely registered on the evangelical agenda: fighting global warming.
...
The association has scheduled two meetings on Capitol Hill and in the Washington suburbs on Thursday and Friday, at which more than 100 leaders will discuss issuing a statement on global warming.
...

(more + discussion + poll)... Read More

Universal Coverage for Kids

joewlarson

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday March 11, 2005 · 8:05 AM PST

2005/03/11 · 08:05

My whole family has had a really crummy cold for more than a week. Stuffed nose, coughing, aches and pains, very tired and grumpy feeling, etc. Then a few days ago both my girls started to get goopy, red eyes on top of that. My wife suspected conjunctivitis (pink eye).

So, she took them to the doctor on Wednesday. Indead they both had conjunctivitis. My youngest, 2 year old Avery, had it very bad (and an ear infection to boot, poor kid, we didn't even suspect that because she was complaining about her eyes exclusively). The doctor was really worried. He said the infection appeared to be spreading to her eyelid. From there, it is possible to spread to her eye socket, and from there right to her brain. He perscribed some kind of eye medicine and told us to watch her worst eyelid-- it could swell rapidly, and if it swelled shut or to the size of a golf ball we should get her to the emergency room. He asked that they come back the next day.

(more...) Read More

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Ever served on a School Board? Tell me about it

Its Tom Delay's Frisbee Now! [The Onion]

Abdullah and Georgy lighting up the BBQ (and crack pipe of oil)

OT: Name my band

Why Replacing Oil should be our Top Issue

PSA against landmines censored (MSNBC story)

Public vs. Private School

Moveon.org action: Call your Senators regarding the Nuclear Option

Response from Cantwell (WA) on Bankruptcy

Paying our CongressFolk to Vote How We Want

What to make of this? Christian Right against... Global Warming?

Universal Coverage for Kids