Welcome to Connect! Unite! Act!
A daily series, Connect! Unite! Act! seeks to create face-to-face networks in each congressional district. Groups regularly socialize but also get out the vote, support candidates and engage in other local political actions that help our progressive movement grow and exert influence on the powers-that-be. Visit us at Daily Kos every morning at 7:30 A.M. Pacific Time to see how you can get involved. The comment thread is fun and light-hearted, but we're serious about moving the progressive political agenda forward. |
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Birth of the landline
On October 9, 1876, 140 years ago, Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, made an important phone call. It was important because it was:
- the first two-way telephone conversation
- the first telephone conversation over wires
- the first long-distance telephone conversation
Of course, the very first telephone call had been made several months earlier. Wiki says:
On March 10, 1876, three days after his patent was issued, Bell succeeded in getting his telephone to work, using a liquid transmitter similar to [Elisha] Gray's design. Vibration of the diaphragm caused a needle to vibrate in the water, varying the electrical resistance in the circuit. When Bell spoke the famous sentence "Mr. Watson—Come here—I want to see you" into the liquid transmitter, Watson, listening at the receiving end in an adjoining room, heard the words clearly.
Of course, that was a one-way call, not sent over telegraph wires, and hardly long distance. Bell quickly discarded the liquid transmitter in favor of the electromagnetic transmitter. After some preliminary experiments in August that involved one-way voice communication over wires, Bell was ready for a two-way. Bell, located in Boston, called his assistant, Thomas Watson, who was in nearby Cambridge. The two spoke for over three hours as press and observers looked on. Basically, it was the first landline. However, the landline’s heyday has already come and gone, and landlines are often held in contempt these days. I am a luddite who does not have a smart phone, and I still prefer my landline. It never needs to be charged and it never lacks a signal. I do have a dumb cell phone, but I rarely use it.
Interestingly, once the telephone became a commercial success, Bell refused to have one in his own study, citing it as a distraction. Smart phones are certainly a distraction. I see people at all kinds of places, from bars and restaurants to ballgames and concerts to stores and movies, totally ignoring their environment and the people and events actually surrounding them in favor of industriously focusing on a small screen and typing rapidly with their thumbs. Don’t get me wrong: I think smart phones are amazing and useful things. But I tend to think the folks who are living almost exclusively in that electronic world are missing something.
How about you? Where does the telephone fit in your life these days?
As always, this is an Open Thread!
LET'S BUILD IN-REAL-LIFE COMMUNITIES!
Our team is here to provide support and guidance to new and existing volunteer leaders of each regional and state group, helping them with recruiting, organizing and executing social and action events. We invite you to join in this effort to build our community. There are many ways to pitch in. If there isn't a group to join near you, please start one.
The orange pinpoints are the location of each organized group of Daily Kos readers. If you'd like to join a group, click on a point and a box will pop up showing contact links. If you'd like to start a group, contact navajo for instructions.
THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
Colorado: Sunday Mornings
Michigan: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Eastern
North Carolina: Sundays, 1:00 PM Eastern
Washington: Sundays, 3:30 PM Pacific
Missouri: Wednesday Evenings
Kansas: Monday Evenings
We appreciate everyone’s work on the ground locally while the general is ramping up. Please let us know in the comments what you’re working on. For example, GOTV, down-ballot campaign volunteering, blogging about our races, etc.
All hands on deck.
Let us know if you’ve got any events that would be of interest to other readers of Daily Kos IN-YOUR-REAL-LIFE space.
What: A Daily Kos meet up for DK members and interested parties before the Moral Mountain Monday rally in downtown Asheville.
When: Monday, October 24th — 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Where: Asheville
Why: Connecting face to face, sharing information, getting inspired and adding to the crowd that is there to support Reverend Barber the week early voting starts.
Food: White Duck Taco
The Downtown Duck is adjacent to Pack Square and easily walkable from any hotel or parking garage. The Biltmore Ave Parking garage is next door. There is a pet friendly courtyard seating 50 in the back of the restaurant.
12 Biltmore Avenue
Asheville, NC 28801 (828) 232-9191
Fun: Yes Family: Yes
Attendees:
randallt, Joieau, davehouck, Lamont Cranston, SteelerGrrl, SteelerGuy, Gordon20024, Otteray Scribe, Burns Lass
Maybees: TexDem
Click here to add your name
Read more details here.
Save the date!
SFKossacks Holiday Party!
Saturday, November 19th, 1PM, Wine Country in the town Windsor.
NEW GROUPS FORMING:
Peregrine Kate organized canvassing for her local candidate, Paul Clements. Details about the event are here: Canvassing for Clements in MI-06! WE Are Making a Difference. YOU Can Help! Great job, Kate!
Seattle & Puget Sound Kos got together Sunday, August 14th to catch up. Even though some were hard-core Berners, they’re all voting for Clinton. Unity. Thanks to bleeding blue for organizing this meet-up!
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries about your event or if you have changes or additions.