From clift at publicus.net Mon Apr 18 15:51:40 2005 From: clift at publicus.net (Steven Clift) Date: Mon Apr 18 16:53:00 2005 Subject: [E-Democracy] Update - Video, UK Forums, Guidebook, Technology, Board Search Message-ID: <4263E59C.25579.15F542F@localhost> =========================================================== E-Democracy.Org - http://www.e-democracy.org =========================================================== April 18, 2005 E-Democracy Update 1. New E-Democracy Experience - Videos tell our story 2. UK Expansion - Welcome Newham, Brighton & Hove 3. GroupServer - Open Source, Better Technology 4. Issues Forum Guidebook - 60 Pages 5. New Forum Rules - Major Update 6. Board Member Search Special Note: On Thursday, April 21, Steven Clift, Board Chair of E-Democracy.Org, will be giving a public speech at the University of Minnesota titled, "Everyday Citizens: Community Life in the Information Age." He promises to spend part of his speech laying out ideas for the next 10 years of E-Democracy.Org activity in local communities. Full details: http://www.dowire.org/notes/index.php?p=15 Help E-Democracy.Org build on its success, donate $100 today: http://www.e-democracy.org/donate.html - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1. New E-Democracy Experience - Videos tell our story ----------------------------------------------------------- Last July we were "discovered" by folks involved with the UK Local E- democracy National Project. They funded a number of interesting activities over the last year. To help explain our local Issues Forums and history, we've put together a collection of Flash-based videos, animations, and text here: http://e-democracy.org/experience Special thanks to Anita Trivedi Pagey, John Birrenbach, Tim Erickson for their efforts and our celebrity interview guests. 2. UK Expansion - Welcome Newham, Brighton & Hove ----------------------------------------------------------- Wow. E-Democracy.Org now has two open local Issues Forums in the UK. Newham is getting going and the forum for Brighton & Hove is humming along after less than two months. Read all about the UK pilot projects from: http://e-democracy.org/uk Read the recent headlines from all of our local forums at: http://e-democracy.org/today.html Here is our evaluation of our pilot initiative for further reference: http://www.dowire.org/wiki/Issues_Forum_case If you are in the UK, the United States, or anywhere in the world, we now have a global model for local e-democracy. We aren't as big as Rotary :-), but you are witnessing the birth of a new service club model of the 21st century. 3. GroupServer - Open Source, Better Technology ----------------------------------------------------------- For seven years, E-Democracy.Org has been looking for technology that brings e-mail lists and web forums together in a dynamic and effective manner. We found it. With our UK resources, helped fund its open source release: http://e-democracy.org/groupserver We will be moving all of our forums to this system in the coming months. Check out the forum messages in Brighton for a preview: http://forums.e-democracy.org/brighton-hove/groups/bh/messages We see open source as a great opportunity for building citizen-based e-democracy projects. If you agree, join our Technology Committee: http://e-democracy.org/comments.html 4. Issues Forum Guidebook - 60 Pages ----------------------------------------------------------- Are you ready to live the dream of online citizen engagement in your community? Are you tired of waiting for someone else to make the myth of citizen participation in the information age a reality? Then download and read our free 60 page guide on how to organize, launch, and facilitate a local Issues Forum: http://e-democracy.org/uk/guide.pdf Special thanks to Tim Erickson, Steve Kranz, and Michelle and Jon Fure for their work on the guidebook. A major complement to the guidebook is a new article by David Brauer on the history and life of the Minneapolis Issues Forum: http://www.e-democracy.org/research/minneapolisissues.html With our guidebook, new technology, and update rules (see below) in place, we have never been in a stronger position to work with active citizens anywhere in the world ready to build an Issues Forum in their community. Ready to get started? Contact us: http://e-democracy.org/comments.html 5. New Forum Rules - Major Update ----------------------------------------------------------- Every few years we revisit our forum rules and make improvements based on participant input and our experience. Adopted in final form last December, these forum rules now govern all of our forums. They make it easier for new local forums to be established as well. Read up: http://www.e-democracy.org/rules 6. Board Member Search ----------------------------------------------------------- The current Board, led by Vice Chair Mick Souder, is exploring names for possible appointment to our Board of Directors. If you would like to nominate someone (please do not nominate yourself), drop a note with details on that person to the Board at: nominate@e-democracy.org We are also considering members for a virtual advisory committee of e- democracy experts, political leaders, etc. Feel free to nominate others you think would be interested in promoting our expansion and activities. =========================================================== E-Democracy.Org - http://www.e-democracy.org =========================================================== ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. Clift - - - W: http://publicus.net Minneapolis - - - - E: clift@publicus.net Minnesota - - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667 USA - - - - - MSN/Y!/AIM: netclift UK Office Hours - 1pm - 11pm - - T: 0870.340.1266 Join my Democracies Online Newswire: http://dowire.org