Henri 4, L'Haunting

An interlude from the Eastern Seacoast (still not linked very little linking by leading candidates or MSM to climate change) and Politics in general.  A moment's respite.  

Hot

Unlike much of the country this summer, Encinitas has had pleasantly moderate temperatures.  The last couple of weeks of hot days and warm nights caused lousy sleeping and eating patterns and intermittent blog-brain lethargy and minimal contributions from the troops.

National news from corporate media continues to incite with guns, hate, rape, lies, violence, porn, crap programing and suppression of alternatives.  This affects people differently. Reading comments with online publications and blogs was like wading in fetid ditchwater with ugly, mean words from some. Yet, for some this cruelty just heats up the transformation into helplessness and despondency.

Had a few cold ones with friends yesterday and came away thinking that cooler minds will prevail. Just knowing we are all in this together is a soothing balm. It won't control the weather, it won't control the empire's descent or the media's hold on the nation.

New approach, think of this as a test run for the next century.  Posting should increase as the body, the brain's acclimation to higher temperature (and entrapment by FIRE) does what it does.

21st Century, You're Soaking In It

Online News
This year's campaign is far more interactive on a daily basis than any previous campaign in Encinitas.  Besides our local newspapers, we have their online versions where readers comment.  Besides the instant feedback (sometimes awful) this means that we aren't limited to the physical papers we must fetch at our door or beyond. Check the links in the sidebar.

Blogosphere
EYNU blog and Our Mayor blog both post political news about our council, council candidates, local issues and smattering bits of things outside of Encinitas.  EYNU links in the sidebar lists a few other blogs of interest who started this cross-blog linking years ago.

Facebook
Lisa Shaffer has been keeping her Facebook entries very current, to the delight of those following her campaign.  She's been posting brief messages or linking to news, events or people of interest here as well as her campaign website and monthly newsletter. Hands down, Lisa, is a leader in our 21st century environment.

Teresa Barth has a Facebook page she actively used to communicate with voters in the 2010 election, well ahead of the times.  Through her Facebook page the NYT article from Tony Kranz became a real keeper for the EYNU files, because in Encinitas we love our trees.

Tony Kranz' shared article from Mark Wisnewski is called, Why Trees Matter on his Facebook page. Tony is a likeable guy according to his friends meter.  Tony has also spoken at city council meetings frequently in the last several years.  Clips of Tony are all over the place at the encinitasyouneedus YouTube channel.

Recently I looked for and found this Facebook page, Dave Roberts for Supervisor. Dave is from Solana Beach and is running for County Supervisor to fill incumbent Pam Slater-Price's seat.  This man has always been a really good supporter for Encinitas citizen voices and shared undertakings with this city while he has served on Solana Beach's city council.

Campaign Websites
All of these community leaders have their own websites too, listed in the sidebar. These are early days.  There may be PAC's to list later this year, or more.

Thought You Might Like to Know Newsletter
Our mayor in exile, Teresa Arballo Barth, has a robust weekly email newsletter that is hands down one of the greatest summaries of our local politics, business, tourism and public interest one could imagine.  It's a graphically pleasing, professional looking newsletter without bells and whistles. It's treasure lies in the hard work kind of dozens of links each week to what matters most in Encinitas.  This is no slap dash affair. No, it's lots of time and editing 52 weeks a year.  For someone just wanting to get up to speed in what is going on politically in Encinitas, Councilwoman Barth's Thought You Might Like To Know is made for you.

This is a glance at the 21st century media alternatives to give you a framework, a guide to where you can find a wealth of information.  Have you found that cable 'news' or a simple Google search can take you down a rabbit hole to harrowing tea parties, distortions, utter nonsense and threats?  It's good to know that every single source linked and described in this post are places to rely on to show some short cuts to quality, to the good stuff.

"In the absence of activist movements that draw in a very substantial part of the population for interaction. Interchange -- the kinds of things that went on in the Occupy community for example -- in the absence of that most people are kind of at sea when they face the internet. So yes, they can find things of value and significance, but you have to know to look for them and you have to have a framework of analysis and perception that allows you to weed that out from a lot of the junk that surrounds it." Noam Chomsky

The advantage of all of the social media, the websites, blogs, YouTube channel clips means voters can hear from their candidates, speak to their candidates, know what is going on without the high cost of corporate media or mailings.  The yard signs, mailers, banners and all of the trappings of a campaign are absolutely necessary and fundraising is vital.  Please do what you can where you can.  This post isn't an excuse not to support candidates of your choice.

And Twitter Too?
Anyone who followed the Arab Spring stories, the Occupy activities too, know that Twitter was used for rapid mobilizing of large numbers of people. It gave spontaneous actions tremendous leverage to keep groups flexible. Who knows how this tool might work in our upcoming campaign. The Face Look versus FaceBook phase will come later this year when people are out in the neighborhoods, knocking on doors, hanging out at grocery stores and engaging people face to face in conversations.  Real live interaction is powerfully good stuff and the social media, blogs, etc. won't change that reality.

The point is that we don't have only the purchased methods of communication, or armies of volunteers to feel we can begin.  We have the internet with the price of an internet connection. And even that isn't a prerequisite thanks to the library and WiFi spots. Crowds clicking on links and surfing the net will help get us a new start in Encinitas, just you watch.

Quote of the Day

"We are writing you today as professionals, academics, and policy experts who have researched, analyzed, and defended against security threats to the Internet and its infrastructure. We have devoted our careers to building security technologies, and to protecting networks, computers, and critical infrastructure against attacks of many stripes. We take security very seriously, but we fervently believe that strong computer and network security does not require Internet users to sacrifice their privacy and civil liberties."—From a letter to members of the US Congress, from "a group of prominent academics, experienced engineers, and professionals [who oppose] CISPA and other overly broad cybersecurity bills."

It's a great letter, and you can read the whole thing here.

Though not specifically a local issue, the internet is vital to be informed citizens in this age of corporate infotainment that passes for news. CISPA is going to the floor of congress this week.  It is only one of many cybersecurity bills - written through well financed lobbying interests.  Please keep this on your radar as a public service dedicated to connectivity and security in a time of divisiveness and fear. 

Holy Blogosphere!

Sunlight Weekly Roundup: "The right of the people to know what their government is doing is fundamental to democracy”

"Bridget Todd
March 16, 2012

California Councilwoman Teresa Barth recently wrote an open letter publicizing her support for increased government transparency. In the letter, Barth maintains that Encinitas, California needs stronger transparency laws. She writes, “At the June 10, 2009 City Council meeting, I proposed a citizen’s task force to work with staff to craft a Sunshine Ordinance for Encinitas. My colleagues said the city was already in compliance with existing laws and a Sunshine Ordinance was not necessary. I believe we should set a higher goal. We should strive to do the 'Best Not the Least.'" She urges all citizens to tell the city council to support a Sunshine Ordinance. She argues, “The right of the people to know what their government is doing is fundamental to democracy.” For the whole story, check out her post on Coast News."

Holy Blogosphere! Our very own Mayor in Exile, Teresa Barth, was recognized by a state-wide blog for her fierce support for government transparency and it makes us proud. The pride is for a lot of things like advocacy for open government, like her constant reminders to her colleagues that 21st century tools, technology and challenges must be incorporated into the city’s rules and processes; like listening to all the voices around the state, the coastal cities next door and the city neighborhoods and for keeping up with bloggers, Facebook connections, local events and organizations.

Last week she featured the blogosphere in her weekly newsletter and it’s with real gratitude we honor her today as a champion of the young, of change and 21st century tools and above all for paying attention to what matters. By those newsletter links alone Teresa Barth may have opened a world of new communication avenues to people who may never have considered stopping by each day to check what is posted at Encinitas You Need Us blog, Our Mayor blog, Encinitas Undercover blog, Encinitas Taxpayers Association blog or the Leucadia Blog. Barth has inspired the link love here and connections to these blogs named along with Teresa Barth’s website and two great candidates will be located now in the sidebar.

This Sunlight Foundation statewide blog who honored Barth is another really good resource. It will be given some link love too, along with some others we think activists might discover as good sources of information.