Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Naomi Klein: Hand-to-brand-combat (part two): "'This is not a consumer issue; it's a political issue. There is a way for us to respond as citizens that is not simply as consumers. Over and over again, people's immediate response to these issues is: what do I buy? I have to immediately solve this problem through shopping. But you can like the products and not like the corporate behaviour; because the corporate behaviour is a political issue, and the products are just stuff. The movement is really not about being purer-than-thou and producing a recipe for being an ethical consumer. That drains a lot of political energy.' "

Guardian Unlimited Books | By genre | Review: Fences and Windows by Naomi Klein: "The fences are a metaphor for the barriers erected by the multinational corporations, para-governmental institutions and superstates to contain and separate people from what were previously public resources, thus 'locking them away from much-needed land and water, restricting their ability to move across borders, to express political dissent, to demonstrate on public streets, even keeping politicians from enacting policies that make sense for the people who elected them'. The windows are for us to open so that we may 'breathe deeply and taste freedom'." One fence here in Colorado: the attach on our neighborhood caucus-assembly system for nominating to the primary ballot.

Fighting the Wrong Enemy: Antiglobal Activists and Multinational Enterprises: Institute for International Economics Bookstore: "'[Graham's book] demolishes many of the [antiglobalist] arguments, including the claims that foreign direct investment results in job losses at home and drives down labor, environmental, and wage standards everywhere.'
Time Magazine"

TIME Europe | Books: Gaining Street Cred | 1/22/2001: "Klein is not seeking a meeting of minds with her opponents. Nor is there any sign the antiglobalization backlash is waning. Yet facts remain out there, and some seem irrefutable � for example, that a half-century of growing international trade has helped send per capita income up by 150%, even though there are 3.5 billion more people alive than in 1945.

Perhaps older generations should abandon this line of argument. No Logo represents one of those totemic, defining works that ultimately transcend fact and acquire a reality of their own for a generation or a sex or a minority. However misguided, this is a book that should be read by all age groups to understand why rioters trash McDonald's and Starbucks. The immediate target � the corporate culture that substitutes image (brand) for substance (decent jobs and conditions) � is only half the story. For Klein, the child and grandchild of activists, what matters ultimately is the political awareness of her generation. Modern corporate 'imperialism' is her target, but one suspects that what she really despises is the political system that allows some people to get rich. "

frontline: the persuaders: watch online | PBS Correspondent Douglas Rushkoff sets out on his tour through the modern machinery of selling. His first stop: The marketing blitz underway for the launch of a new, stylish low cost airline - Song. Andy Spade, creator of Kate Spade company. How much did this guy get paid? Pitch aimed at the heart instead of the head. Creating the overwhelming clutter in today's culture.

Democrats May Use Results in Colorado as Political Primer (washingtonpost.com): "When Democratic state chairmen gather in Florida next month to lick their wounds from the Nov. 2 election, their agenda will include a careful study of one bright spot in a generally sorry performance: Colorado, a solidly red state that went almost completely blue this year. "

I just got this from my friend George Parker. He knows as more than anyone I know about what it takes to build a successful club:

Analyzing Your Clubs Success –Attracting New Members

I still believe that the core reason people join and stick with any group is because of one or more of these things:

1. The attendees have found something to believe in--- "One man with a belief is worth 99 without." It has been said that we do not motivate others, they motivate themselves based upon information they receive. "Truth is all powerful," ... if a person perceives information as truth it may be a motivator.

2. They have been welcomed and found a hospitable, friendly atmosphere. "Enthusiasm is catching like a disease." Sincere greetings and friendliness makes people feel welcome.

3. They have been invited, not in a "pushy" way, but kindly, softly, to serve as a greeter or some appropriate way---invited to select a committee of their choice--- in other words some club member (usually an officer or leader capable person) in talking with a new member can find out what his or her interests are-- slowly, at the new member's own pace, let him or her know you are interested in him or her and he or she is welcome to participate as desired in the club. Detect and respect the level of what the new member is willing to do. He or she may want to start out at a low level. If they sense a "pushy" atmosphere, they may rebel or just not show up again.

4. None of us are perfect, but we can measure our successes ---in a club, for example, when we have new people join us for a meeting, look at how many come back . If a person does not come back it may mean we did not impress him or her -- we did not sell our selves & the club purpose. Or it could be that no one is good enough to attract that particular person. But, on average, we can certainly get a feel as to how we are progressing. If a large percentage are not returning after seeing our club in action, then we better try and analyze why and see if we can improve.

5. A simple way to succeed is to look around at others doing the same things and try and find our why they are successful--what are they doing that we are not doing? Or, are they doing the same things we do only they are better at doing it.

6. Every club president, with the Board members, needs to be aware of what happens to prospective new members. "The room for improvement is the room that is never filled."

"Because communities of practice are voluntary, what makes them successful over time is their ability to generate enough excitement, relevance, and value to attract and engage members. Although many factors, such as management support or an urgent problem, can inspire a community, nothing can substitute for this sense of aliveness."

BBC NEWS | Programmes | State Of The Union: The Evangelical vote: "Karl Rove, the president's chief political adviser, famously said that the key to this election was turning out four million evangelical Christians who did not vote in the year 2000.

"Well, this year - unlike four years ago - Mr Bush won the popular vote. And his margin was just short of four million voters.

"Now, it would be foolish to assume that all those 3.5 million voters were evangelical Christians. They were not.
Mr Bush got some defections from the growing Hispanic vote - which usually trends Democratic - and he made gains among Catholics and in the Jewish community.

"But the core of the president's support was Christian conservatives. "

A Look at the Invisible Hand (Harpers.org)

All the GOP candidates in Denver lost again Tuesday.
Here are the vote totals for the Colorado House District races
(I ran for House District 5).

My question to you, friends who care enough to read this blog,
is "what do I do next"?

Your comments to me via email to me at JohnSWren@aol.com
would be appreciated.

I'll post a summary here in the next day or so with my goals for
2006-- as of this moment it is to seek the GOP nomination again for
Colorado House District 5, here in the Heart of Denver.


HOUSE DISTRICT 01

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

ARAPAHOE 03 897 1,245 1,232 6 0 1 0 0 0 3,381
DENVER 16 10,481 13,580 12,376 64 37 9 0 1 5 36,553
JEFFERSON 30 4 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 7
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 11,382 14,825 13,611 70 37 10 0 5 0 39,941


HOUSE DISTRICT 02

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

DENVER 16 5,092 15,246 11,454 81 86 14 0 1 2 31,976
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 5,092 15,246 11,454 81 86 14 0 2 2 31,976


HOUSE DISTRICT 03

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

ARAPAHOE 03 7,695 6,319 7,500 48 31 4 5 5 0 21,607
DENVER 16 8,258 12,360 11,945 85 99 15 0 0 6 32,768
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 15,953 18,679 19,445 133 130 19 5 6 6 54,375


HOUSE DISTRICT 04

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

DENVER 16 5,999 20,194 12,513 82 81 10 0 0 2 38,881
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 5,999 20,194 12,513 82 81 10 0 2 2 38,881


HOUSE DISTRICT 05

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

DENVER 16 7,389 20,918 18,756 182 188 17 0 2 2 47,454
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 7,389 20,918 18,756 182 188 17 0 2 2 47,454


HOUSE DISTRICT 06

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

ARAPAHOE 03 812 1,106 1,604 19 8 2 0 1 0 3,552
DENVER 16 14,915 22,784 17,793 102 115 19 0 1 4 55,733
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 15,727 23,890 19,397 121 123 21 0 4 4 59,285


HOUSE DISTRICT 07

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

DENVER 16 6,901 21,482 14,302 79 48 12 0 3 1 42,828
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 6,901 21,482 14,302 79 48 12 0 1 1 42,828



HOUSE DISTRICT 08

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

DENVER 16 6,113 26,733 17,236 100 166 25 0 3 2 50,378
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 6,113 26,733 17,236 100 166 25 0 2 2 50,378


HOUSE DISTRICT 09

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

ARAPAHOE 03 739 798 614 2 3 1 0 0 0 2,157
DENVER 16 13,897 16,115 15,518 100 60 16 0 3 4 45,713
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 14,636 16,913 16,132 102 63 17 0 4 4 47,870


HOUSE DISTRICT 10

COUNTY NAME ## REP DEM UNAFF LIB GRN NAT REF ACP COP TOTAL

BOULDER 07 10,755 20,369 23,467 190 443 15 2 2 1 55,244
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOUSE TOTALS 10,755 20,369 23,467 190 443 15 2 1 1 55,244

So the question is, what do we do next?

I got an email

When (R) Loves (D), There's No Room for 'I' (washingtonpost.com): "bipartisan couples aren't common, says Lindon J. Eaves, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies human behavior. 'If you look at spouses for social attitudes,' he says, 'on the whole they tend to be fairly significantly alike.' In fact, social attitudes, which include political traits such as liberalism and conservatism, are much more important to people who are choosing mates than physical appearance or personality traits such as extroversion or neuroticism. "