Politics

I posted this awesome video when we were in the old server at the evil web hosting company that failed us miserably for the past 6 months. Yet in the move, we lost the last two entries to the site.

So let me repost this video. It's just too good.

H/T, once again, to Elephant Journal.

DFL Women's Hall of Fame Luncheon
May 31, 2008
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m
St Paul Hotel
St Paul

Event info: Al Franken will be attending this event celebrating this year's honorees into the DFL Women's Hall of Fame. For more information, email womenshalloffame_at_yahoo.com

Dan & Ronnie Burton Dinner
May 16, 2008
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Mankato Alltel Civic Center
Mankato

Event info: Al and Franni Franken will be attending this fundraiser supporting the SD 23 DFL. For more information, contact Judi Gauch at 507-625-3395 or jgauch_at_charter.net.

Women Winning Annual Luncheon
May 14, 2008
11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Depot
Minneapolis

Event info: Franni and Thomasin Franken will be attending this event supporting Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund. Keynote Speaker: Katty Kay. For more information, email info_at_mnwcf.org.

Concord City Democrats Yard Sale
May 10, 2008
8:00am-12:00pm

The Concord City Democrats will hold a yard sale fundaiser at 21 Stone St. Ext. in Concord, NH. Please come by and find a bargain!

This is cross-posted at TechPresident

Yesterday I wrote about getting Lost In Hillaryland while driving down to Philadelphia to volunteer for the Obama campaign. In that post at Kenneth Cole’s Awearness Blog, I write about how after the mini-adventure of the day, my oldest came to the same conclusion as Joe Trippi : that Obama was going to lose.

My son’s observation was the most interesting part of the whole trip because it lent credit to my recent thinking of “politics as interface”.

Let’s look quickly at the definition of interface :

in·ter·face
(ĭn'tər-fās') Pronunciation Key
n.
1. A surface forming a common boundary between adjacent regions, bodies, substances, or phases.

2. A point at which independent systems or diverse groups interact: "the interface between crime and politics where much of our reality is to be found" (Jack Kroll).

3. Computer Science

1. The point of interaction or communication between a computer and any other entity, such as a printer or human operator.
2. The layout of an application's graphic or textual controls in conjunction with the way the application responds to user activity: an interface whose icons were hard to remember.

An interface is a “surface forming a common boundary”, a space that is not only a common space but a mesh of space and communication. As the Java handbook to object-oriented programming explains rather well, an interface is not just the end result of a design process. Interfaces don’t come from the outside of the software process. It is part of the process itself.

So the surface that creates a common boundary is not outside two distinctive people or two distinctive groups. An interface is not something that is given to a “user”. An interface is a meshing of actions or simply put, it’s a two way street.

“Politics as interface” would be the meshing of actions, states of beings and phases between individuals, groups or even systems negotiating power. As a space of communication and as a meshing of actions, states of beings, wills and desires for power, politics as interface is developed all the time.

Politics as interface in Hillaryland is in the box of buckshot lighters gracing the gas station attendant’s counter. Politics as interface in Hillaryland is certainly the senior women holding posters saying “Honk for Hillary”.

Yet Politics as interface in Hillaryland was the absence of sidewalks down Cedar Road, the expansive manicured front lawns with their mansions in the background and the “Hillary” signs cleaving the dirt in the foreground. It was the absence of white people in the small crowds waiting with exhausted looks on their faces for the bus to come. And it was certainly the meshing sights on the road to Philly of million dollar mansions, to quaint family homes to the “We buy ugly houses” signs next to boarded up brownstones and row after row after row of broken down and abandoned buildings on North Broad Street.

When we got lost in Hillaryland, my son was very keen and very much aware of who had the upper hand in expressing power. And it became even more obvious to him when we went canvassing on the 14th Ward.

Garfield County Democratic Party Fundraiser
Date 4/28/2008
Time 6:00 pm

Details

Location: Napoli's Italian Restaurant, 221 W. Randolph, Enid

Tickets: $25 (must be purchased in advance)

Sen. Andrew Rice will be the featured speaker for the fundraiser, benefiting the Garfield County Democratic Party. For tickets, please call Sandy at 580-233-9021 or Pat at 580-233-3604.

For more information, you may also contact Eric Edstedt at eric@andrewforoklahoma.com.

Andrew Rice is running for Oklahoma Senate. And you can help him while having fun at his fundraiser/birthday bash. He has led an amazing life and brings a great dedication to everything he does. He also has been working hard to end hunger in Oklahoma, so this big fundraising concert is also a food drive.

"Rock, Roll and Rice" for Andrew's Birthday
Date 4/24/2008
Time 5:30-7:30

Location: 3214 N. Classen (formerly the Back Door Coffeehouse), Oklahoma City

Music by Matt Stansberry Band
Free food and family fun!

Join us to celebrate Andrew's 35th birthday, and come rock & roll with your next U.S. Senator from Oklahoma!

Suggested donation: $10 (and bring a can of food for the Regional Food Bank)

Alaska Interior Democrats Monthly Meeting

When: Wednesday, May 28, 2008, at 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Where: Interior Democrats Headquarters
507 Gaffney Street
Fairbanks, AK 99701

Host: Interior Democrats
Contact: davidwvalentine_at_yahoo.com
Info: Interior Democrats meet regularly at 6:30 pm on the 4th Wednesday of every month at our new headquarters at 507 Gaffney Street (the Stone Soup Community Center building).

All interested persons are invited.

Don't you wish all history lessons were like an Eddie Izzard standup bit? Because that's the genius of his act. There's nothing too far off the historical record in anything he says. It's just the way he puts it that's hilarious. And the fact he can make people laugh about Hitler, Lenin and Pol Pot all the while declaring us accomplices to their atrocities ... well, that's something beyond genius.