DesiPolitica

What I learned

2005-07-26T17:26:00.000-04:00

As this is our last class, all of us as students are supposed to learn something. For me I think I learned to truly know what it was like to be a religious blogger by penning your thoughts and having debates and discussions online. I also learned there is a "Pope" for web usability and that he is a trip in himself. Technology makes people move closer or farther apart depending on the uses. The concept of the Digital Divide is a new social problem and how will our generation deal with it is going to be interesting. Seeing the impact of how the use of web videos and campaign websites will change politcal races will be immeasurable. In 50 years we could all look back and be amazed at how young this all was to us.

The Pope Would Be Insulted

2005-07-24T20:04:00.000-04:00

Once again the name we've all come to know and recognize as the expert in web usability-Jakob Nielsen. Some of the title's he's gotten have been hilarious. One went as far as to dub him the "Pope"! I think that is very interesting. However, on a serious note it's people like Nielsen who have made the web, websites and how we as bloggers interact a serious thing and have gotten it to where it's respectable and not looked at as some type of hobby. So when if any of us go into the career of online media application we have Dr. Nielsen to thank.

Web Videos

2005-07-22T15:46:00.000-04:00

Our guest speakers were really interesting. I never knew that the entire film we had watched was done for the web and designed on a simple laptop. It was also interesting to hear them talk about how this is the newest wave in political media and this could one day possibly replace television ads since their is more fluidity and freedom in doing things for the web. It will be intersting to see how this trend progresses. Web videos used hand in hand with the campaign website will open a new level of campaigning and truly bring it into the 21st century.

The Internet and Capitol Hill

2005-07-19T17:16:00.000-04:00

Today at a class luncheon we discussed the use of the internet in politics. This goes back to the lecture about 2 weeks ago where we had guest speaker Dr. Johnson. He mentioned how at the beginning no one used the computers as tools in their offices, but sadly some of my class mates now believe that the internet is losing it's impact. Staffers admitted to emails being chunked since it was simply to much and it even appeared that the impact of a constantly letter was losing value. This is so disturbing. We all keep hearing how great the internet is, but I am curious to know if anyone has looked at this disturbing trend??

Dialogue and Debate

2005-07-18T17:20:00.000-04:00

In my class last night there was the discussion of Feminist theory and many different types. One type of Feminism advocated for a Middle Ground and how thier has to be a policy change and even a society change to help this idea along.

Can the Internet help Issue Advocacy begin a dialogue with the people. The issues that voters care about are not easy and in fact are very complex and need full discussion and dialogue. Everyone agrees the system needs to be improved and changed, but how is the question. Could the concept of blogging and using the web produce dialogue?? It's a question I thought I'd throw out to the future politicos

Incompetence??

2005-07-17T17:48:00.000-04:00

I read the article, "It's the incompetence, stupid", so aptly titled on how the Democrats lost 2004 election. The article was right, we truly didn't give the voter's an option against Bush or at least presented it well. We all kept saying anyone, but Bush and for a while it worked, then common sense seemed to settle in. Bush reminded people of how he was steadfast and we all knew where he stood weather we liked it or not. It made people think...hm I really don't know Kerry's ideas, policies, or stands and all because we had non-believers in our camp. Yes we had the manpower, but what is the use if the manpower are full of those who don't believe in the cause or even know about the leader. The saying is true quality is better than quanity. The Bush team may have had less people, but they had quality, informed workers that were able to organize and be efficient in spreading the message.

The Influentials

2005-07-16T14:31:00.000-04:00

Seems like realizing how much power freinds and indviduals can have is catching on. The Bush team figured it out and it's abouot time that the Democrats start catching on. Who knows maybe in the online world the Democrats can start the groundwork for the next set of elections. At least truly make a stand against the Republican takeover, which is becoming more and more entrenched. People want to be told the point not left to figure it out which is what I believe cost Kerry the election. Voter's didn't like Bush, but they knew his message and where he stood, while the Kerry team kept having different themes and messages which left voters and supporters clueless on what Kerry stood for and was running for. How can we be influentials if we can't even get the message. Just food for thought for the next set of elections.

WebAid

2005-07-13T14:25:00.000-04:00

In watching the video in yesterday's class it was then I realized how much I take for granted in being able to use the computuer for my own educational purposes. As classes and educator go towards the use of the web, it also makes it harder for people with disabilities to use this great advantage. The Blind, deaf, and those with paralysis don't find this a benefit-in fact it creates more of a barrier and one more thing that has to be catered to them. If we are going to the wave of the future we have to make sure that we do not ailenate those who can still make contirbutions to society. I hope this video is shown to developers and designers so that they can utilize these suggestions made by the disabled. They have a right just like me to access information and learn it.

Voter Surpression

2005-07-12T14:20:00.000-04:00

In watching the video of the voter's plight in Ohio, it saddened me to think in 2004 that people's right to vote were being denied not in the ways we would think by actual supression but by simply not providing them with adequate resources. It's almost like let's not give the tools to the people on purpose so they can't have their voice heard. Right now the U.S. is overseas fighting for the Iraqi people to have thier right to vote, however before going abroad to make sure rights are met shouldn't we be making sure that our citizen's rights are met?? Just a thought.

How Amway won the election (no it's not a joke)

2005-07-11T14:05:00.000-04:00

I read the article, "Narrowcasting in Ohio", and was shocked at how the Bush camapaigned used the tactics that the Amway corporation used to win the election. The concept of narrowcasting is to tailor a message so specifically the individual feels it is only speaking to them. Amway empowers people to be responsible for thier prodcucts and how they're marketed. The Bush team did the same by empowering volunteers with specific duties and tasks. The Bush Team Leaders (BLTs) were given incentives to meet defined goals. This technique was effective since it wasn't strangers pitching the candidate but freinds and acquaintances of the BLTs. The use of Amway's selling/marketing technique combined with data found through the use of technology won the presidency for George W. Bush.

Text Messages Used in London Bombing

2005-07-09T13:59:00.000-04:00

On July 7, 2005 the city of London was rocked to it's core. A total of 4 bomb blasts went off and the last death toll count was somewhere in the 40's. As the world tries to figure out how this could have happened a disturbing fact came up that we have been studying in our own class that we might not have really thought about or seemed distant to us. The news reports coming out now about how the terrorist coordinated thier bombings are now linked to the use of cell phone text messaging. All involved coordinated by text messges on when and where the exact detonation would be and let supporters know to stay away from the area. Once again the power of technology is felt, but in this manner it was the worst possible way.

Balance of Power Shift

2005-07-06T21:54:00.000-04:00

I know we were supposed to get away from discussing blogs but I saw the most interesting article from the Financial Times, "Blogs are shifting the balance of power". The article went on to discuss how bloggers discovered a defect in Kryptonite locks used in bicycles. A viral video was sent throughout the blogosphere on how to pick the lock with a ballpoint pen.

The company couldn't react fast enough and had to end up giving everyone new locks and settling various lawsuits, all of this ended up costing $10m!!! This story showed how the power balance shifted to the favor of the consumer against corporate America.

It also brought up legal and ethical concerns of how much information should become public and is it moral to show people things such as how to steal a bike and for other bloggers to defend thier personal and private space.

The article went on to pose the question of how can society stay connected but be responsbile in doing so and not abusing the power of the internet.

Viriginia Republican Party Website Analysis

2005-07-05T17:53:00.000-04:00

In reviewing the website of the Virginia Republican Party there have been changes since I last looked at the site. The welcome message is now much friendlier to those who are not politically active. It also imbues a tone of educating the public rather than toting the party line. Offering links to other websites was smart and carries the tone of informing and educating the browser to what the Republican Party stands for and what it means to the person.
In reading the welcome message from the party chair the only thing that it failed to do was resonate to the user about the state of Virginia. It touted what it meant to be a Republican and what the party stands for, which is great on the national level. This message should have been tailored to be more about what does it mean to be Republican in the state of Virginia and how issues that matter to them affect them on a state-wide level. I’m sure President Bush is doing a great job nationally, but what is he and the Republican Party doing for Virginia. Voters think this way and will vote this way-n how it will affect me. Their world is not global, national, or even state-wide. It is things that are in their direct vicinity and path that should be brought up such as jobs, healthcare, and education.
One thing that the website should do which the Virginia Democratic Party is stop focusing on the party chair and to focus on the Republican Candidate for Governor. They treat Kilgore as an afterthought rather than putting the focus on him right now. If the focus of the state party is to keep power and maintain power than they should educate the public about whom the Republican candidate is. The website needs to be another strong arm in the gubernatorial race, lavish plenty of pictures of rallies with supporters with other VA Republicans and other recognizable politicians.
Both of Virginia’s senators in the U.S. Senate are Republicans and we need to have them involved in the website as well. Have them write up testimonials about what it means to be Republican and what they are doing for Virginians.
The Agenda on the website is misleading to those who want to know exactly what the Virginia Republican Party is going to do for the state it instead has links to the events, contributions, and joining the party. This is dangerous since we have not given the user any reason or incentive to join in the first place. This will only annoy the user since they will think that this is an actual agenda of the party.
Also the sight neglects to inform the user of their impact on the races that are going on. The website states what races are going on in the state, but it does nothing to motivate the user into becoming involved in these races. It simply directs them to the direct site. Understandably the most effective place of those who want to volunteer would be in direct contact with the campaign, but what if they want to volunteer through the party on these specific campaigns. The site should offer this.
The site contains a lot of information, but is not organized in an aesthetically pleasing manner. It seems to busy or to cluttered in many places and even repetitive. The message of the party should be instantaneous and easy to follow. The website currently just has so much information without a clear message or even agenda posted for users to see.
This website is such an important front in Virginia politics. It needs to be working with everything else not independently of everything else. This lack of synergy could cost the Virginia Republican Party dearly if they appear apathetic to the concerns of the voter.

Battle For Supreme Court

2005-07-04T17:55:00.000-04:00

On this 4th of July as all of America celebrated America's Independence a battle is brewing. The Battle of who will replace associate justice Sandra Day O'Conner. What will be interesting about this nomination process is how will technology impact the process and will the public's view be more apparent than ever before.

Organizations such as NOW, People for The American Way have already alerted thier lists for thier members to mobilize. Let us sit back and wait to see the power of the bloggers and technological grassroots take place. Can the people have the power to down phone lines by flooding the Congress with calls about issues.

Voter's Rights

2005-06-30T18:01:00.000-04:00

In watching the film on the Ohio Voter's plight to cast thier votes. It really made me ponder the possiblity of casting a vote electronically. I mean why not in today's age of technology. We can pay bills, buy everythign literally without ever stepping foot out of the door. Instead of having massive waiting times for machines why not let voters have to option to cast thier votes electroincally. We can always trace things through technology why not a vote?? It is only in the time of strife or hardship do things happen.

Sigh we will never know if all the votes had been cast would Sen. Kerry be President Kerry. It's a lot of what if's to ask, but the film is disturbing in how voter's were denied thier rights. It's also Ironic how we the country that brags about voting rights denied it to thier own citizens when we are in Iraq spilling blood for Iraqi's to vote.

The Internet Revolution

2005-06-28T14:57:00.000-04:00

On CNN's website under the Technology Section they focus on how the online revolution has affected daily life. (http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2005/online.evolution/) On section noted how the Internet has now stopped making communications one way, but now a two-way. We are savier than the generations before us.

The power of the Internet has now made distance shorter and involvement more possible for Americans. This means for politics more ways to reach the voters and for them to get involved and become political activists. Now if we can only get the campaigns to seriously consider e-campaigns as another front in the battle to win the election. I'm hopeful that this trend will pick up soon.

Most Internet usage

2005-06-27T15:35:00.000-04:00

While watching TV last night late at night to fall asleep an interesting statistic flashed at the bottom of the screen. China is the largest nation in the world using the Internet. The nation in second place is the U.S.

Unlike the U.S. the Chinese have been using their Internet as a political forum and are now even being jailed. The impact of the internet or even blogging in this case is that the hope is that the revolution of the Internet will create an evolution in the human rights arena and force the Chinese government into giving more rights to their citizens.

Pakistan Internet Crash

2005-06-26T15:46:00.000-04:00

This past week an undersea cable carrying data between Pakistan and the outside world developed a serious fault, virtually crippling data feeds, including the Internet. Work in many offices across the country ground to a halt as people realized it was not one of Pakistan's regular, but usually brief, technical hitches.

"It's a worst-case scenario. We are literally blank," said a senior foreign banker who declined to be identified. There was some type of fault was in the undersea cable and had been caused by a power supply problem. Fixing it will entail an interruption for other countries using the link, including India, Dubai and Oman, one company official said. Airlines and credit card companies were among the businesses hit by the crash.

This was the response and the reaction to the Internet collapse of one country, imagine this happening to the U.S. grant it Pakistan may not be as wired and connected as the U.S. but if something were to happen to the U.S. how much more chaos and damage would have occurred.

Ironically this was just a glitch what if someone had purposely set out to collapse the electric infrastructure. This story is an example of why cyber-terrorism needs to be looked at more closely.

Please Don't Make Me Think

2005-06-22T15:14:00.000-04:00

Our good old friend Nielsen is quite popular these days. CNN interviewed him last year to find out what makes a good website and drumroll please the answer was straightforward and direct points.

Nielsen said no consumer wants to sit there and figure out what the website was about. If a person can't figure out how to use the website or even get what the site is about then they're gone leaving frustrated and annoyed.

In having analysts the presidential websites this could be a turn off to a lot of people who want straight forward and direct. No one wants to spend all that time reading and absorbing the different ways to do things.

Overloading on the information aspect can make the website lose the ability to be straightforward and direct. Nielsen states that consumers want only the information they want and nothing more. So in designing campaign websites we should ask what is it that our voters would want to know about Candidate Joe Smith.

Nielsen has got his finger on the pulse and if websites are going to be given creditable don't you think we should take all the help and advice we can from Nielsen who knows the stuff better than anyone else.

What is Political Management??

2005-06-21T15:02:00.000-04:00

In our ethics class our professor posed this question to us but with a twist. He wanted to know if it was more of a business or profession. I along with some classmates feel that it is business. A lot of our classes with this one included are all using techniques used in business. There is no way to truly standardize what we are currently learning. Our field is so brand new it could go completely to a different track. So far Political Management has focused on strategy and message which are what business majors do although they learn it in different courses. Still all in all we're learning the same concepts but just in different disiplines.

Technology and Privacy

2005-06-20T10:05:00.000-04:00

Technology can be great sometimes can't it. Let's us find everything we could possibly want or need with the click of the mouse. Well unfortunately it can also leave a trail or a path that can't be easily hidden sometimes. Looks like the Mayor of Spokane, Washington is feeling the sting of technology coming to bite him.

I believe all people have right to privacy, but we all know we have different standards for public officials and celeberties. Sickening yes to act like we have the right to know all thier business, but at the same time these people know that by choosing a lifestyle that strips them of privacy.

If he didn't want to be outted or discovered then he should have made it a point to keep his mouth shut. I think the entire scandal of the situation was that he used government computers and offered public positions to his freinds in these rooms.

I don't believe the mayor should resign or be dragged through the mud because of his sexual orientation, but he should be held accountable for being careless and having a lack of discretion more than anything else.

Retail Politics!

2005-06-19T21:54:00.000-04:00

As I was reading the posts from other classmates, El Jorge said it best that politics is no longer politics well at least when it comes to campaigning. I think now it should be called Retail Politics! The purpose of this entire class for each one of us is how are we going to sell our product; i.e. the candidiate.

I never quite looked at it before and for all these years I thought my 8 years of retail expeirence would have no benefit. Well thanks to El Jorge it came in pretty handy!

So as the power of technology increases so does the power of marketing. Marketing will always be there, but it always increases with technology. As a Computer Science graduate I can't wait to see how the computer will change politics!!! Now I can go back and tell all those people who made fun of my liberal side that see I did find some way to combine things!

Should Pro's Do the Campaign Newsletter's?

2005-06-18T16:29:00.000-04:00

I read Nielsen's Newsletter Usability article on could a Professional Publisher Do Better. In his analysis he seemed to say each had their strengthen and weaknesses. In reading this I do think Presidential campaigns should use professional publisher. Campaigns always seem to be behind business. Business doesn't let their bottomline suffer and in our case the bottomline is to win the election. Business does everything to sell their product and make it more appealing so more consumers will buy it. Yet campaigns always seem to fritter away on things that don't glaringly seem important. Business learn this consumers are most likely to come back if they're treated well and will stay loyal. Both parties should pick up on how to cultivate and keep their base happy if they want them to keep coming out and voting the minute the campaign doesn't value the voters then the voters will not vote in the next coming election and why should they if we are not going to treat them like their vote is worth the extra mile by making our pitches look professional instead of patch jobs.

Please Stop Calling Me Sen. Kerry

2005-06-17T10:45:00.000-04:00

The phrase that all the Democratic supporters of Sen. Kerry from the 2004 Election. We all assumed that Sen. Kerry would go back to being the Jr. Senator from Masschusetts. Alas that was not the case. Kerry is still calling up supporters and soliticiting donations to the point that it has become annoying and starting to turn some Democrats anti-Kerry.

Jakob Nielsen's article, Email Newsletters During Last Week of Presidential Campaign, picks up on how Sen. Kerry made this mistake by concentrating so much on raising funds that he failed to raise the issues of why he was running for President. Kerry came across as cold and uncaring and supporters felt no emotional connection in the last crucial days. If voters feel no emotion then why should the go out and mobilize. As much as Democrats don't like Bush he does motivate and connect to his supporters.

Sadly Kerry did not do this or ended up losing his focus in all the craziness of the 2004 election. So Sen. Kerry if and when you learn to appreciate your supporters again and not treat them like ATM machines they will give you money. Until then-Please stop calling Democrats!

Mobilize Mobilize Mobilize

2005-06-16T12:39:00.000-04:00

Oh how I want to scream in frustration. I had a quick chat with a friend of mine today on the phone. Of course he had to bring up good ol Chairman Dean. He however has an interesting spin on things. He's like why does everything think what Dean is doing is so terrible. I wanted to howl and be like are you out of your mind. He is doing the Republicans a huge favor and putting his foot in his mouth! My friend said well right now I could see how that is bad, but go with me on this. He's like I think it'll be good. He's like sometimes making people mad will evoke a reaction. He's like home it might actually do the one thing that the Democrats have been failing to do which in the end has been hurting us since we are now the minority party. He's like you need to mobilize your base. You know your issues but no one else does. He's like you guys are good at Health Care, Social Security, Women's Rights. Why not play on these issues. Why are you going to the centerists because in the end that is what they are centerists/moderates who can shift at any time. We need to do the same thing that the Republicans have been doing. Getting our base out and clearly stating our platform. If we get our own people to vote it will encourage the others we need to win over! The power of technology is at our hands why not use it. Go back to doing what we do best. Grassroots we need to revamp this and make it so strong it'll shake the fear of god in the Republicans. Use the Internet to organize and spread our message (which the Democrats definitely need to define if we're going to win again anytime soon)I swear sometimes it's the simplest things that can topple great powers. Americans want to be Democratic but until we figure out what it means to be Democratic again and have people proudly proclaiming their party we won't win and will continue to get our asses handed to us on a silver platter by gloating Republicans.