[sthompson]

Thank YOU for posting Trevor <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/smile.gif' alt='Smile'><br /> <br /> If it's workable on the technical end, I think the idea of giving anyone with an existing member account on one site access to another affiliated site or sites is an interesting one. Another idea might be also giving anyone with a user account on any coalition site access to a central site for that whole coalition, again if it's workable on the technical end. The central site could then include things like 1) links to all involved blogs, 2) some info on the coalition and its unifying issues (preogressive, pro-Canadian, no deep integration, etc), 3) info on events and campaigns, esp shared campaigns and 4) coalition press releases and news coverage about the coalition. That's if we could get the resources together to create that central site, and if people actually want a separate site in addition to the existing blogs.<br /> <br /> Also, here are some discussions of "Americanization" from a google search:<br /> <a href="http://www.tv.cbc.ca/national/pgminfo/border/">The Americanization of Canada</a> (from the National no less)<br><br /> <a href="http://globalization.about.com/od/greatarticles/a/amzgz.htm">Americanization v globalization</a><br><br /> <a href="http://www.msu.edu/~millettf/americanization.html">Americanization</a><br><br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

[Canadaka]

Well you are talking a step further even than a shared blog site.<br /> <br /> This is something that I have thought about a lot in the past. Many simular sites on the internet form "networks" but in most cases they are all owned by the same company or person. but this does nto have to be the case.<br /> <br /> I have thought about creating a "CKA Network" but there are lots of names that would work.<br /> <br /> The idea is to bring sites liek ours closer together and let users go between these sites more easely. With a kind of global user account, or at elast someway to connect them. this is technically possible but would require a fair amount of custom coding. but it makes things easier that both sites (and most other sites) are run on PHP.<br /> <br /> I also have been creating a "Canadaka.net Start Page" which i release to the public now, it could included feeds of recent blog posts and news and form psots from ViveleCanada. (it currently has nes and forum psots from canadaka.net)<br /> More info about start page:<br /> http://www.canadaka.net/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1304<br /> <br /> <br /> [QUOTE]That's if we could get the resources together to create that central site, and if people actually want a separate site in addition to the existing blogs.[/QUOTE]<br /> well this is why you offer a better alternative. I also think that allowing a blog to interface with an existing blog is sometihng that people will like. For example when you post on your CKA/Vive blog it also posts on your existing blog for you.

[gaulois]

Let's not forget too interworking through RSS. Often the simplest tools are the best.

[Jesse]

[QUOTE BY= gaulois] Let's not forget too interworking through RSS. Often the simplest tools are the best.[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> I agree, first steps first! It would be cool to have a shared-login thing, but believe me, there are a *lot* of technical/security issues involved in that (it came up at my last job as a *huge* potential project). I don't think vive is the place to host blogs, but it would be very nice to link to blogs of members. <br /> <br /> I would prefer to see us not duplicate effort, but instead to cross-link to good efforts elsewhere. A common login, or at least an automatic association would be a logical step, I think. What does CKA use for its forums? we may be able to work in some connections there...

[Calumny]

Geez, Jesse...when isn't something a *huge* project from an IT standpoint. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/lol.gif' alt='Laughing Out Loud'><br /> <br /> You're of course right. There'd be complexities even if every site was using the same software. I'd question whether the potential benefit received would be such as to warrant the work equired to create and maintain the necessary functionality.<br /> <br /> I agree with all of the suggestions to date. Given that we lack the resources of our 'opponent', we should be exploring and taking advantage of every avenue available to disseminate our message.<br /> <br /> However, we need to think carefully about the content of that message and the nature of the audience we're trying to reach.<br /> <br /> In this regard, we need to remember that a significant portion of that audience <b> we must reach</b> is not web savvy to any great extent and will not necessarily possess a high literacy level or a great interest in reading political oriented material. So, the message must be as direct and to the point as possible. <br /> <br /> The message must be accessible to everyone, not just twenty-something firebrands, activists and the university educated. <br /> <br /> If you don't consider the entire audience to be reached and understand that they are not all the same or necessarily like you, you tend to encounter some of the problems that annoy many about some Ottawa federal bureaucrat created 'one size fits all (like us)' programs. <br /> <br /> I think gaulois has made the same point on different occasions re: the technology being of far less importance than the message itself.<br /> <br /> [QUOTE]<br /> We don't have to counter the righties or lefties[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> This is an important point. The struggle to maintain Canadian sovereignty must be devoid of 'politic speak' otherwise, we'll alienate some of the people we need to attract.<br /> <br /> <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/biggrin.gif' alt='Big Grin'>

[FurGaia]

<b>Calumny</b>, I agree with your following comment: <i><b>"Given that we lack the resources of our 'opponent', we should be exploring and taking advantage of every avenue available to disseminate our message."</b></i><br /> <br /> I read a lot on the US Conservative movement’s strategy and the ways that progressives are fighting back. What I find is that both conservatives and progressives have been and are more efficient when they use "foot soldiers". The blogs are used more as a forum for the "activists" to discuss their ideas and strategy, to share their experiences, to present local initiatives, etc. The point is that the hard work, the one that delivers results in terms of a more informed and active electorate, is done locally. <br /> <br /> Take the Howard Dean people, for example. On what I believe is their main site, <a href="http://blogforamerica.com/">Blog for America</a>, there is this:<br /> <blockquote><b>DFA Training Program</b> <br /> <br /> How often can you say that you met someone from North Dakota? At least once if you come to DFA's nationwide trainings taking place (possibly) somewhere near you. You might notice North Dakota's consistently red hue on electoral maps in presidential elections. But if you let it go at that, you would miss the values that make North Dakota a deep blue state at heart. In North Dakota, you help your neighbors when they need it, you stay out of peoples' private lives and you treat everyone with fairness and dignity. Sounds like Democratic values to me. <br /> <br /> That's why I joined DFA. I know that there's blue in every state. I know that if enough of us come together, raise our voices, and organize for change, we'll see deep blues across the whole country. <br /> <br /> If you're reading this, you've at least taken a small step to come together. With DFA's new Training Program, we'll build the skills to harness the power of the people. We've always said that "you have the power," now build the skills you need to do something with that power. <br /> <br /> At our trainings, you'll learn how to more effectively communicate a Democratic message, how to influence your local media, how to run a local campaign, and how to build your local DFA group's attendance, activity, and leadership. <br /> <br /> This is no social get together; We're getting trained professionals from all over the country to get down to the serious business of taking our country back. A typical training consists of a series of workshops on various grassroots and campaign skills over an intense two-day course. <br /> <br /> This is what you've been asking for. Now we need your help to figure out where to bring these training courses. You can request a training in your community via our online form.</blockquote><br /> Now, in Canada, there is the <a href="http://www.catalystcentre.ca/">Catalyst Centre</a>, which appears to have started <a href="http://www.catalystcentre.ca/activistschool.htm#The%20Catalyst%20Centre,">something very interesting</a> in terms of providing us with the tools to "care for" our democracy. Perhaps <i>Vive</i> could get in touch with them and see whether there isn’t something that can be done together. I’m thinking about some kind of training for local activists already interested in the <i>Vive</i> project. Like the DFA above, the blogs would be used as support for a more integrated and activist community movement. I doubt that the technology needed to implement such a project would be overwhelming.<br /> <br /> <i>P.S. About the poster that you might have seen in Ottawa. I don’t think that was the result of my work. I only started distributing on Monday evening. If that was indeed a <i>Vive</i> poster that you saw, it means that others have picked up on the campaign and that’s just great!</i><br />

[Calumny]

[QUOTE]What I find is that both conservatives and progressives have been and are more efficient when they use "foot soldiers". The blogs are used more as a forum for the "activists" to discuss their ideas and strategy, to share their experiences, to present local initiatives, etc.[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> Excellent point.<br /> <br /> On-line tools are like any other. You need to understand the purposes for which the tool is and isn't suited.<br /> <br /> Tools like blogs and the Geeklog content management system (CMS) used for this site are, if used to best advantage, great for:<br /> <br /> 1. Providing information.<br /> 2. Organizing activities.<br /> 3. Providing tools, e.g., posters, for local activism.<br /> 4. Activist brainstorming.<br /> <br /> Whatever is used, it's important to carefully consider its purpose and the audience you're trying to reach. A site primarily intended for 'activists' may not be the same as a site intended to provide information on a topic to those previously lacking knowledge on the topic. <br /> <br /> [QUOTE] I doubt that the technology needed to implement such a project would be overwhelming.[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> No, it wouldn't. <br />

[wraith]

i would totally get on board with this too, and i love the xml idea. <br /> <br /> a few years back we integrated the user databases between threeohsix.org and indecline.net (the alberta and saskatchewan punk sites) and it went off without a hitch. <br /> <br /> an idea i recently instituted was to give free url masking services for my users.. a simple mod_rewrite to a php page that spits out a frame set that holds their actual site, but is accessible through the simple url decline.in/myuser rather than, for example, s98887484997.onlinehome.us. since we have a lot of bands, i added a function to automatically include a second pane that listed their upcoming shows, but you could adapt the idea to something more appropriate here.<br /> <br /> the problem as i see it is that blog networking works fine provided all the users are using the same service, but are totally fragemented when held against each other. <br /> <br /> if you dont want to host the blogs yourself (or ask existing bloggers to move) a framing system like this might be something to bear in mind. <br /> <br /> we also are playing with a user-submitted rss media/podcast feed, which you could include somewhere tasteful in the rendered page. a forward/back function.. maybe a keyword analysis of recent entries by other bloggers registered on the system and links to other potentially relevant blogs are all possibilities. <br /> <br /> keep it ad-free and simple, and my instinct is that it would be successful (not to mention zero-bandwidth). ive had great feedback so far on mine.

[Canadaka]

all great ideas<br /> <br /> I am willing to host such a project on my servers.<br /> I might be taking time off work to work more on web stuff, in which case I would have time to work on something like this.<br /> <br /> The URl masking is a good idea, but I also recently registered 3 domains that might be good to put it under.<br /> <a href="http://www.voiceoncanada.com">voiceoncanada.com</a><br /> <a href="http://www.ocanadians.ca">ocanadians.ca</a><br /> <a href="http://www.canadianforums.ca">canadianforums.ca</a>

[wraith]

those are great domains.<br /> <br /> i wouldnt be so quick to pass on a dot-in though, they may not be specifically canadian in the cc sense, but theyre super type-in friendly and theres a great selection available.

[FootPrints]

There is a blog I read <a href="http://www.pogge.ca/">Peace, order and good government, eh?</a> if you scroll down to the third story called clubbing, about political blogs and he has some links to different ones such as:<br /> <a href="http://progressive.freethought.ca/">progressive bloggers</a><br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.bowjamesbow.net/2005/04/23-its_all_a.shtml">Blogging Alliance of Non-Partisan Canadians</a><br /> <br /> there is also a new NDP Blog: <a href="http://www3.sympatico.ca/robert.mcclelland/bloggingnewdemocrats.html">here</a> (It takes a bit to load)

[sthompson]

I added Vive to progressive bloggers--hadn't actually heard of them before. Also put their link and RSS feed up on the site.<br /> <br /> The Blogging Alliance sounds interesting too, but what I was most into was the list of comments about the idea--many people suggested a blogger coalition of alliance around some specific issues or principles would be more effective than the broad alliance being attempted on that site, and that's basically what we've been talking about. So if we were to form one with Vive and other sites that would likely be the way to go. We might want to agree on three to five issues or principles (CNF's report on what a few progressive groups like CDM and David Orchard's campaign agree on and disagree on could be a start), and at the very least one major issue, ie that we oppose deep integration with the United States.<br /> <br /> It's good to have a few existing examples of Canadian blog cooperation, but then there's also nothing saying we can't create something even better and more innovative. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/smile.gif' alt='Smile'>

[wraith]

i dont know if you guys are up for it, but you could get 10 times more traffic to this site if you use mod_rewrite to make more search-engine friendly URLs.<br /> <br /> google punishes pages with varying content based on the query string, but rewards what it thinks to be hundreds of pages of rich, static content. <br /> <br /> for example, <br /> <br /> http://www.vivelecanada.ca/forum/viewtopic.php?forum=30&showtopic=9807<br /> <br /> probably wont even get crawled, while<br /> <br /> http://www.vivelecanada.ca/forum/viewtopic/30/9807.php<br /> <br /> is google gold. <br /> <br /> its not really complex, and its the kind of thing that you can phase in as you have time. <br /> <br /> keep up the good work though, i voted for you on that blog thing. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/smile.gif' alt='Smile'>

[Jesse]

Our main content pages are made spider-friendly using some rewriting already. The forums are sort of a separate thing and I'm not entirely sure they *should* get crawled. <br /> <br /> Also, google does spider at least some querystringed sites <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/wink.gif' alt='Wink'>

[Andem]

Greetings!<br /> <br /> I've also thought about opening a blogging service for some time mainly as a vent for Canadians. The thought of forming a coalition has not really crossed my mind but as I've come across this thread, it's a pretty good idea.<br /> <br /> I know that a few years ago, Roy Whyte contacted me about forming a coalition of web sites that promote Canadian independence. CDM/Vive/CC/Ueberculture and some other names which I can't think of right now. The idea was a good one, but not exactly workable.<br /> <br /> <br /> I don't think the tying of databases is exactly workable as it is a huge security risk which also comes with several hours of coding between sites. But I think this could work if members from each community wanted to create a new site, which is linked to from (ie. Vive, CC, CKA) each site. That's something that I could support through CanadianContent.net and potentially create a joint project.<br /> <br /> Let me know what you guys think.