Bloggers' Guide to Democracy Fest w/Poll

Crossposted at Daily Kos

YOUR GUIDE TO DEMOCRACY FEST

We’re excited that so many Kossacks and other bloggers are coming to DemFest. Here are some things you might like to know.

First off, it’s going to be hot. I’m talking about the weather. We’re going to have unseasonably hot temperatures (or I should probably call them “seasonable global warming temperatures”). High 90s are predicted. So some suggestions:

Dress for comfort: wear casual, cool clothes that you don’t mind sweating in.
For outdoors, even if only for 10-15 minutes in the heat of the day, I recommend a hat and sunblock.
Carry a light jacket or sweater for air-conditioned places (someplace, including city buses, often have their AC set to freezing temperatures).
Take plenty of water with you if you go for a walk or hike–and eat first (at least that always helps me endure the heat; I get loopy in the heat on an empty stomach).
Avoid outdoor activities in midday heat–unless the activity involves cooling off in a pool or swimming hole!

Now for DemFest itself… Read below the fold for all the stuff we have planned just for bloggers!

Check Kos at DemFest 2005, brought to you by Austin Kossacks. Live blogging and reports will be posted there–a nice way to participate in DemFest in spirit if you can’t be there in person. This site also can be used for participating in live threads.
Look for Austin Kossacks/bloggers’ table. Pick up your orange dKos badge here. Check the message board too (the old-fashioned bulletin board kind)–you are also welcome to leave messages for others here. We have opened our table to share information from other blogs, as well as for Democratic candidates for various levels of office. So there will be a lot of interesting stuff there.
Events of special interest to Kossacks & other bloggers

Friday, 5-6 pm: Bloggers’ Caucus, hosted by Austin Kossacks. This is turning into quite an event. We have great speakers lined up:

Texas state representative Mark Strama (D-Austin), a contributor to www.lonestarrising.blogspot.com, discusses how his office uses blogs to help constituents and how the blogging community can help him and other elected officials represent the people of Texas; blogger Dan Fletcher of Lookin’ Forward presents ideas for taking the Scoop technology into grassroots politics by building a prototype, with Texas as the model and with the defeat of U.S. representative Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio) and the protection of progressive officials like Mark Strama in 2006 as case studies; Charlie of PinkDome speaks on how blogs like PinkDome [the name is a reference to the Texas Capitol dome] spur the evolution of media coverage. From Charlie: “PinkDome is a blog about Texas politics, written with our tongue planted firmly in our cheek. Launched on January 31 at the start of the 79th Legislative Session, PinkDome quickly grew into the destination site for capitol insiders as they first tried to guess who the anonymous blogger was, and then came back for the over-the-top coverage of the Session. As the Dallas Morning News said, ‘There’s never been a shortage of commentary in the pink building. But now, some of that is invading the blogosphere.’ PinkDome was one of several new blogs to pop up this Session and the Mainstream Media and capitol insiders both were surprised by the attention they received. No one was more surprised than the folks at PinkDome themselves.”

And many Democratic candidates or their representatives will be present (the following info is excerpted from Othniel’s post with much more detail and more links:

Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston attorney who is an announced candidate for the United States Senate seat now held by Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), is flying her campaign’s off-site blogger, Seth, in for the caucus (Seth has been faithfully chronicling Barbara Ann’s quest for the Senate seat at Barbara Ann – Texas Senator 2006); Chris Bell, who has an exploratory committee regarding the Texas Governor’s race, will be represented at the caucus by his blogger, Tim McCann; David Van Os, candidate for Texas Attorney General, will be at the caucus in person, accompanied by Dave Collins, the chair of his steering committee (all caucus attendees are invited to their campaign reception immediately after the caucus); LGRL of Texas will be well represented at the caucus in connection with the upcoming election on the proposed Marriage Amendment to the Texas Constitution; John Courage, who is hoping to replace Lamar Smith (R-San Antonio) as Texas State Representative in Congress (CD 21); Mark Strama, one of our speakers, is the incumbent in a close district, HD 50; Andy Brown, an Austin attorney who has announced for HD 48 against Todd Baxter, will be present; and Judge Charlie Baird, formerly on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and one of the last Democratic judges elected to statewide office, and currently a candidate for the* 299th Judicial District Court in Travis County*, will be represented at the caucus by Glen Maxey, former member of the Texas House who is now Judge Baird’s campaign manager.

Lots of blogs will be represented as well. If I try to start naming them, I know I’ll leave some out, so I’m not going to try. Let’s just say that you’ll have the opportunity to meet a lot of people whose blog names and usernames are familiar to you.

Saturday, 10-11 am: “Framing for Democracy,” by Jeffrey Feldman of Frameshop / “Websites and Blogs,” led by Greg Greene of Blue State Digital
Saturday, 2:40-3:40 pm: “Progressive/Alternative Media” – panel includes Markos Moulitsas Zúniga (dailyKOS.com) and Jerome Armstrong (MyDD.com)
Sunday, 8-9:30 am: Breakfast with Jerome and Kos (separate registration & payment)
Fun throughout, with political scavenger hunt on Friday night and great food and live music on Friday & Saturday nights. After all, Austin is the live music capital of the world!