Curtis Haring New Executive Director, Fair Boundaries

Salt Lake City, Utah, December 14, 2009 – Utah Fair Boundaries announced Monday that it has hired Curtis Haring as its Executive Director to run day-to-day operations.

Haring, a life-long resident of Salt Lake City, has worked and advised on numerous political campaigns.

“We are thrilled to have him on board…” says Glenn Wright, Field Director for Fair Boundaries, “up until now we have consisted entirely of volunteers, both as staff and as a board. With the addition of Curtis, we know that we can go to the next level when it comes to securing the resources we need to succeed.”

Trent Avlord, Coalition Director for Fair Boundaries, agrees – “Fair Boundaries has grown beyond what a group of volunteers could achieve in their spare time. We have been actively looking for a full time staffer that can ensure that we reach our goal of having this initiative on the ballot, and Curtis brings the experience and dedication that will put us over the top.”

“This is my love…” says Haring, “I have always been passionate about social justice, and Fair Boundaries allows me to exercise this passion. I hoped Fair Boundaries would succeed before I came on board because it is fighting for fair and honest representation for the people of Utah.”

To date, Fair Boundaries has in distribution enough petitions to significantly exceed its goal of 95,000 signatures from across the state. The initiative itself is seeing strong support from all sides of the political spectrum, with nearly 50 percent of signers being independents and 30 percent being Republican, numbers similar to statewide averages.

About Fair Boundaries:

Fair Boundaries was organized in April, 2009 by a group of citizens concerned about gerrymandering in Utah. Their goal is to certify over 95,000 signatures, across the state, by April 15, 2010 in order to place their initiative on the 2010 November ballot. The initiative is designed to create an 11-member advisory commission that would draw new state legislative district boundaries after the 2010 census.

FTC ruling affects bloggers

From the DesNews:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Federal Trade Commission will require bloggers to clearly disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products.

It is the first time since 1980 that the commission has revised its guidelines on endorsements and testimonials, and the first time the rules have covered bloggers.

But the commission stopped short Monday of specifying how bloggers must disclose any conflicts of interest.

The FTC said its commissioners voted 4-0 to approve the final guidelines, which had been expected. Penalties include up to $11,000 in fines per violation.

The rules take effect Dec. 1.

Since I don't review products or businesses (although I once did movie reviews and have toyed with restaurant write-ups), this shouldn't affect me.

Or will it?

If, say, Sam Granato were to host a meeting with bloggers and were to feed us sandwiches, should we not disclose this? And could I be fined if I don't.

Just wondering....

-Bob

[P.S. - Granato's, nor the Sam Granato campaign, provided any compensation for this mention, although now I want a sandwich....]

Senate Site Posts Bloggers' Answers to Senator Buttars

Back in August, Senator Chris Buttars posted 22 questions about proposed federal health care legislation on The Senate Site.

And, being the hardest working bloggers in Utah, the boys over at The SideTrack got to work dissecting and answering each and every question (see here, here, here, and here.)

And, thanks to Ric Cantrell (the hardest working Government 2.0 guy out there), their work has been condensed into one post posted on The Senate Site.

Way to go, everybody!

-Bob

Donate Money to Send me to Denver, or I drop this kid on his head!

JM Bell showed us a picture of a somewhat-dressed hotty trying to get you to donate.

The SideTrack went with the cuteness route, too. They used a puppy.

I'll use the intimidation method. I'll shake it out of you. If you don't donate, I'll drop this poor kid on his head.

Seriously, though. This money will help us good people going to cover the Democratic National Convention for the state of Utah. We aren't rich by any means.

-Bob

Another "Why I'm a Democrat:" Story

So, I read a few non-political blogs (yes, they exist) from time to time. Most of them are written by friends, but some I have no idea why I found them and added them to my Google Reader.

However, sometimes those blogs run something political. Such is the case with The Life I am Choosing:

A new reader, Carissa (welcome to my blog by the way...) asked me to make a case for being a democrat, since she didn't find my balance argument convincing, citing that there are too many mormons in Utah and that half of us should convert to catholicism. I think that is different, because the church does not run the government (for the most part...I acknowledge that some will disagree). I also want to note that in most cases, I typed my views before reading the entire party platform, so although there are some phrases that are the same, it wasn't intentional.

A lot of the reasons why I have chosen to be a democrat have to do with my religious beliefs. I believe that we were given the earth to live on and to be stewards over. That means that we must act responsibly and conserve resources, avoid polluting and otherwise harming the earth as far as is possible. I also believe that we were meant to enjoy the beauty around us and that there needs to be balance as far as land use goes. My Mister, for example, loves to ride dirt bikes. I think it's good that he is able to go out with his brothers and cousins and do something that they all enjoy together. I also think (and he agrees) that he needs to stay on set trails to protect the rest of the land. The world is not his to ride rampantly over.

She then goes on to quote from the Utah Democratic Party Platform on this subject, as well as on welfare, immigration, health care, church and state, abortion, and ethics.

The post is a great read. I highly recommend it!

Blog Definitions

It seems that there are some misnomers about what the word "blog" means. And it drives me crazy!

*If you allow someone to write something on a story you have written, this is not a "blog." This is a "Comment." Likewise, leaving comments on Newspaper websites or other people's blogs (H/T KVNU)

*A blog is a series of posts. Therefore, if you write something about the IB program in schools for a blog, what you write is not a blog. It is a blog post. I write on my blog every day. However, I do not write several blogs every day. I write several posts every day.

Any others that drive you crazy?

-Bob

Way Too Tired

It seems like all I have been doing since I returned from California is trying to recover from the experience and catch up on what I missed in the five days I was gone and falling further behind.

Meanwhile, I can't get things done that I want to get done.

Am I really that busy? And if I am, how in trouble am I as campaign season rolls around.

And then I realized what is impeding my efforts. Lack of sleep.

So, I'll try that. And then get back to this blogging thing. I'm addicted:

91%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

Thanks for pointing this out to me, Misty (87% addiction)

Blogger Snowball Fight

Go over to The Amicus and check out the blogger snowball fight, and notice who has good aim....

-Bob

Fun With Google and Other People's Blogs

I've posted here many times in the past about some of the strange things people type into Google on their way to finding me.

But, at least I don't have people looking for LDS porn.

:)

-Bob

Vote For Bob: Bloghive Advisory Board

So, it appears that someone nominated me for a spot on the Advisory Board for the Utah Bloghive.

Please go vote, and vote only once. And my "union thugs" will come beat you up if you don't vote for me... :)

-Bob

Welcome Back to the Fold, Ethan

I wasn't quite ready to admit it, but it appears that the man KSL's Nightside Project calls Utah's Most Feared Blogger is back!

SLCSpin.

Welcome back. Hope you can stick around a while.

-Bob

Utah Women Political Bloggers

Misty over at Saintless has pondered the topic of women bloggers. It's an issue that I had never thought of.

Off the top of my head, I struggle to find many. I can't think of anyone at OneUtah or JMBel and Friends. The Utah Amicus has Emily Hollingshead.

The only local female political bloggers who run their own blogs (that I know of) are Saintless and Jen's Green Journal.

Anyone care to venture a guess as to why the bloghive is so male-sominated?

-Bob

All The News That's Not Fit To Print

Unfortunately, these investigations are taking place in the blogosphere rather than in the "real" media. Why is it that only bloggers are asking these hard questions and publishing the answers? While we see a lot of quote-unquote journalism in the major papers, it's really mostly here's-what-happened, and he-said-then-he-said kind of reporting. I haven't seen any newspaper do a study of how the money from All Children Matter flowed through which lawmakers' campaign accounts, and how those lawmakers voted on the voucher plan. And while Mata Hari exposed Mark Towner's email spamming, I haven't seen a newspaper publish any news of it -- and I thought such spamming was a crime. Paul Rolly is the only columnist I can remember who published news of the voucher sponsors organizing lobbyists to campaign for the voucher plan.

What does it take to have a real public-interest investigation done by, and published in, one of the major newspapers?

That quote comes from Accountability.

What's failing Newspapers today is not the Internet, it's that they have stopped covering the news. Sure, they report on events happening, but when was the last time you saw the newspaper ask a tough question of somebody? Of anybody?

Newspapers don't want to be seen as being biased, and they have become more biased in the process. He who writes the best press release gets the release printed.

Bloggers don't care about being accused of bias, because we are biased. Some of us are more fair than others, but we carry our bias into what we do. Most of us are not driven by money, we are driven by the truth.

-Bob

A View of Barack Obama's Book from a Conservative

The Fact that Frank Staheli, author of the blog "Simple Utah Mormon Politics," would even read Barack Obama's book The Audacity of Hope says a lot about Mr Staheli. I think that now, once I get done reading the book myself (I'm about halfway), I'll have to read a Republican book. Maybe the Mittster has something to say.

Anyway, back to my post. Or Frank's post. Frank found many, many positive things to say about Obama and his book. These are many of the same things that have me head-over-heels for Obama.

Go read the review. It lays out part of the reason that Barack Obama is the best choice for President.

A face for radio

So, JM Bell, author of the most narcistically-named blog in Utah JMBell.org, is going to host KSL's Nightside Project tonight from 7-midnight.

So, I have some advice for Mr Bell. I am qualified to give this advice because I am an expert in Radio. I'm an expert in everything, didn't you know?

1. Don't call anyone a chick or a Ho. AG Mark Shurtleff did just that while he was hosting Nightside last Thursday. It makes his legal opinions look really smart.

2. Don't lie about nuclear energy or oil. Friday's host, Congressman Chris Cannon (Satan's Choice Party-UT03) said that nuclear energy was great for the environment and safe. Yeah, tell that to the people in Japan living near that nuclear plant that's had problems the past week.

Then, he went on to say that if we had the oil from ANWAR, we could drop gas prices by a buck to a buck and a half per gallon. First off, we use dollars a currency in this country, not bucks. Using bucks as currency would decimate the deer population too fast. Secondly, it would reduce gas prices about 2 cents per gallon.

3. Stay away from Ethan Millard. Despite the fact that his blog has really gone downhill the year that he's worked for Nightside, they still refer to him as "Utah's most feared blogger." They must know something the rest of us don't. I suggest packing heat. Or at least a stun gun.

-Bob

Blog SPAM

A certain local blogger/political activist has been trying to get me to read his blog.

He has signed me up for numerous email lists over the past few months that all send out his blog postings.

And I immediately unsubscribe to them.

If I wanted to read your blog all the time, I would have a subscription to it in Google Reader.

I do occasionally read your blog. However, I don't like it being shoved down my throat all the time.

-Bob

P.S. -- Ye ain't no pirate.

Blogger Integrety

One of the biggest knocks against us bloggers is that we make stuff up.

It's kind of hard to say that we don't when one of us does.

It turns out that Capital Carnage has made stuff up.

It says that the Tribune's Matt Canham made up quotes from House Majority Leader David Clark, who happens to be Capital Carnage's father.

If that was true, then it would be a big deal.

Except that Canham didn't make up the quotes.

I do have to praise Capital Carnage for taking down the post, even though he left comments that say he maintains what he was saying was the truth.

-Bob

For More Information:

Out of Context (Matt Canham)
Capital Carnage

Bloggers Meeting With Ralph Becker

Last Night, Rep. Ralph Becker, who is running for Mayor of Salt Lake City, held a meeting with some of our local bloggers at his campaign headquarters. His HQ is on 400 East between 100 and 200 South in an old home. It has to be one of the most beautiful campaign HQs I've ever seen.

Anyway, we talked about how the blogging community can help a candidate. We also gave some advice on how he should go about his campaign blog. We also talked about him as a candidate and where he stands on things.

"If I'm going to be mayor, I'm going to be mayor in Salt Lake City."

While I am not endorseing any candidate for Mayor at the moment (and I do not currently have plans to do so), I like the fact that Rep Becker is reaching out to the new media.

-Bob

A Real Blog-a-Palooza

This Past Friday Night, Fox13 hosted what it called "Blog-a-palooza." It was supposed to be a place for bloggers to come hang out.

I didn't attend for multiple reasons:

1) I found out about it Friday Afternoon.
2) I had plans for Friday Night.
3) Said plans involved a party hosted by women. Chicks before Geeks.
4) It sounded like a big advertisement for FOX13's fake "blogs."

Davis Didjeridu went, and has this to say:

So the Fox 13 Blog-a-palooza was a complete joke. It was mostly Fox's web team, a few reporters, and their families. Much of the discussion was how cool myfoxutah.com was compared to the previous site. I admit that it is a vast improvement over their previous crapfest of a website, but it's nothing revolutionary. It appears every Fox station across the nation has a myfox_____ website, and therefore lacks the personal feel that KSL's website has captured.

I've been pondering this for a week, and I compared his report to our experience at the Utah Bloggers convention, along with the Davis Bloggers group that met last month.

And I got to thinking.

Maybe it's time to have annother big meeting. Have a panel or two that isn't near as tech-based as the last one.

So, what do you say? We could show the people at FOX what real bloggers look like.

-Bob

Welcome Orrin Buttars Millard

Ethan from SLCSpin has a new addition to his family.

Way to go, Ethan!

I think he has Ethan's nose...

-Bob