2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology television terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

Thank you for your participation.  I have lived in Oregon only a few years and really enjoy the conversations with the writers of the area.  I wondered just how much your work is influenced by living in this region and if you believe living somewhere else would change what or how you write.

The reason I asked is because I really enjoy the work regional writers do to bring that culture to outsiders. For example, I honestly cannot imagine Dr. Ferrol Sams living, working or writing about any place except Georgia.  And can anyone picture an Anne Rice book without bringing up a mental picture of New Orleans?

Thanks for your time!  You are appreciated.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
view in context

Thank you for your participation. 

I am having difficulty following the reasoning process of the Peace Committee, especially in the past few years.  It seems that great efforts for lifetime achievement in promoting world cooperation and peace are no longer criteria for awarding the Nobel peace prize.  Rather, the award seems to have become  European political anointing of well placed individuals in the hopes they will become great future leaders in some good cause.

 The selection of President Obama as the newest recipient of the Nobel peace prize surprised many people.  You yourself received that award a couple of years ago and there was the same reaction.  Obviously, your public involvement via your work as a narrator for An Inconvenient Truth helped enormously in publicizing the climate change debate.  President Obama speaks well of peace and I am sure he would like to see world peace.

Frankly, however, (and please forgive me if this offends) were there other specific criteria besides your film narration  used to determine you advanced the cause of world peace ?  And what actions of a brand new president so endeared him to the committee that he was awarded the prize?  In each case, I do not doubt the good intentions of either recipient, but would like to know why the award was given.

Thank you for your time.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
view in context

Good points.  I think this is a matter of bringing legislators back to the real world that elected them.  To be honest, I don't see how they CAN avoid being unduly influenced by the parade of lobbyists, no matter what they say.

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
view in context

I have two comments:

Frankly, I think it is a good idea--but change moves slowly.  Recommend adding this but advertising the idea to the public BEFORE introducing it.  When people think about it, I believe they will like the idea. If/when implemented, also suggest it be done so that public has access to  free downloadable software to follow all meetings and votes.

Second comment:  I have recently used the software Elluminate for a couple of conferences across statelines.  I was able to participate fully in the discussion plus add extra thoughts by text.  This allowed me to do quick searches regarding current topic and stay on task. Several people added enormously useful comments that helped everyone's thinking.  Some people who were invited to just attend had interesting enough questions that they were invited to share their thoughts with the entire group.  This would not be possible in a standard meeting, where observers would just have to whisper their thoughts to their neighbors.  A lot of expertise is wasted that way.

A tremendous amount was done in a very short time.  If this kind of software is already easily available, we should be able to purchase or develop our own software.

 If I could follow a committee meeting and text my concerns and questions to an aide of my congressman during the meeting, that would be great.  I would feel I was a real part of the process. I would KNOW my questions at least reached the aides taking down the comments.  During the so-called town meetings, a few people always hijack the meetings and dominate them.  No quieter person has the opportunity to interact.  Some would say to that quiet person they he should send in phone comments and letters prior to the meeting, but (1)I would have to be aware of upcoming committee meetings far enough ahead of time in order to send such a letter and (2)  I really doubt these are ever read by the legislator unless there are dozens of similar ones .

posted 3 years, 6 months ago
view in context