I was back reading the god blogs (a good list here, if a little dated) for reactions to the Palin pick, and realized another year has gone by, another GodblogCon is happening, and I can't go again. Its September 20-21st.

Last year I implored journalist friends to go, and I do so again. Its the biggest meeting of the godbloggers, its in Las Vegas, and its at a moment when both Christian religion and the internet are transforming elections. While the godbloggers may be interested in "how the internet is shaping christendom," I'm interested in how the Christian internet is shaping politics. In the words of Matthew Anderson at Mere Orthodoxy:

"Don’t forget also that GodBlogCon is coming up soon. Go forth and register."

More later on godblogger reactions to Palin.

I'm looking for examples or a good list of creative coverage of public hearings. As with many areas, the devil (and the angel, and the dancing bear--everything interesting) is bound to be in the details. Do you know of hubs of activists using twitter to cover planning commission meetings? Other, similar models?

Airlines are using their massive email databases--tens of millions?--to try to influence Congress. I think it foreshadows a big new world of leveraging corporate email databases for political influence.

While web participation is up, so are prison sentences; we need a web campaign to push for felons getting the right to vote.

I went voter registering this morning, and ended up free-styling. I am by nature indolent on Saturdays, so I had no intention of writing or preparing for class, and I did what I often do on open mornings—I went to the local paper and Meetup.com to see what events were upcoming. The typical line-up in the paper includes lectures, readings, and music; the typical lineup on Meetup includes hikes, wine tastings, climbing, movies, and some politics.
On Saturday at 10 AM, an Obama group was meeting at a coffee shop to register voters for the upcoming North Carolina primary.

A website that networks investigative journalism in Eastern Europe.

Newspapers print--sadly, I think--"advisors say" stories all the time. But one of my biggest objections to the New York Times story is what it implies for gender relations on the job in politics. The subtext is pretty clear: Older Man + Younger Woman = Res Ipsa Loquitor. If you are powerful, don't spend time with women.

Printing unsubstantiated affair rumors doesn't just hurt the candidate, it hurts women in politics and other fields who want to have their professional relationships to be free of unfair luggage that would burden no man in the same situation.

If he is the nominee, I hope Obama accepts the spending limits, but not for the reasons typically given. Giving money directs grassroots activity right now--it defines the bulk of the email messages from the campaign.

But without that ask, he'll have millions of people who can't give money but really want to act, so they'll have to do something: organize, strategize, canvass, go door to door, street canvass, research, make movies, make music, create sports teams? The campaign will want to direct some of it, but having put its toe in the water with the "supporter created video" of Will.i.am, and no longer having fundraising to fall back on, it may become more comfortable with citizen creativity. Limits on spending will force massive, exciting experimentation with the people formerly known as the "grassroots," and I'm very eager to see what happens.

Hey web geniuses, creative Lakoffians, organizers, the people need some petitions:

(1) Count Every Vote in Washington
(2) Superdelegates, Defer

As you can see, I need some wording help here.

There are 330 minutes until the votes start coming in. Mark Halperin has nothing new. What to do in the meantime?

Make prank calls With Romney's voice? Write a haiku? Four simple things to spend the hours.