Lynn Stuter is an education researcher and activist in Washington state. Here's her take on undermining Delphi:

DISRUPTING THE DELPHI
By Lynn M. Stuter

Note: The Delphi is being used at all levels of government to move meetings to preset conclusions. For the purposes of this dissertation, "facilitator" references anyone who has been trained in use of the Delphi and who is running a meeting.

There are three steps to diffusing the Delphi Technique when facilitators want to seer a group in a specific direction.

1. Always be charming. Smile. Be pleasant. Be Courteous. Moderate your voice so as not to come across as belligerent or aggressive.

2. Stay focused. If at all possible, write your question down to help, you stay focused. Facilitators, when asked questions they dent want to answer, often digress from the issue raised and try to work the conversation around to where they can make the individual asking the question look foolish. Feel foolish. Appear belligerent or aggressive. The goal is to put the one asking the question on the defensive. Do not fall for this tactic. Always be charming, thus deflecting any insinuation. Innuendo, etc. that may be thrown at you in their attempt to put you on the defensive, but bring them back to the question you asked. If they rephrase your question into an accusatory statement (a favorite tactic) simply state, "That is not what I stated. What I asked was... [Repeat your question.]" Stay focused on your question.

3. Be persistent. If putting you on the defensive doesn't work, facilitators often resort to long, drawn out dissertations on some off-the-wall and usually unrelated or vaguely related subject that drags on for several minutes. During that time, the crowd or group usually loses focus on the question asked (which is the intent). Let them finish with their dissertation or expose. Then nicely with focus and persistence, state, "But you didn't answer my question. My question was...[repeat your question.]"

Always be charming, stay focused and be persistent. Never, under any circumstance, become angry. Anger directed at the facilitator will immediately make the facilitator the victim. This defeats the purpose, which is to make you the victim. The goal of the facilitator is to make those they are facilitating like them, alienating anyone who might pose a threat to the realization of their agenda. [People with fixed belief systems, who know what they believe and stand on what they believe, are obvious threats.] If the participant becomes the victim, the facilitator loses face and favor with the crowd. This is why crowds are broken up into groups of seven or eight, why objections are written on cards, not voiced aloud where they are open to public discussion and public debate. It s called crowd control. It is always good to have someone else, or two or three others who know the Delphi Technique dispersed through the crowd; who, when the facilitator digresses from the question, will stand up and say nicely, "But you didn't answer that lady (/gentleman)'s question The facilitator, even if suspecting you are together, certainly will not want to alienate the crowd by making that accusation. Sometimes it only takes one occurrence of this type for the crowd to figure out what s going on. Sometimes it takes more than one.

If you have an organized group, meet before the meeting to strategize. Everyone should know his or her part. Meet after the meeting to analyze what went right, what went wrong and why, and what needs to happen the next time around. Never meet during the meeting. One of the favorite tactics of the facilitator if the meeting is not going the way they want, if they are meeting measurable resistance, is to call a recess. During the recess, the facilitator and his/her spotters (people who wander the room during the course of the meeting, watching the crowd) watch the crowd to see who congregates where, especially those who have offered measurable resistance. If the resistors congregate in one place, a spotter will usually gravitate to that group to join in the conversation and will report back to the facilitator. When the meeting resumes, the facilitator will steer clear of those who are resistors. Do not congregate. Hang loose, and work the crowd. Move to where the facilitators or spotters are. Listen to what they have to say, but do not gravitate to where another member of your team is. This strategy also works in a face to face, one on one, meeting with anyone who has been trained in how to use the Delphi Technique.

So, Have You Been Delphi'd?

Politics/Elections Opinion (Published) Keywords: EDUCATION, CONSENSUS, DELPHI, POLITICS
Author: Sandy Vanderburg

THE DELPHI TECHNIQUE:
How to achieve a workable consensus within time limits
By Sandy Vanderburg

The Delphi Technique was originally conceived as a way to obtain the opinion of experts without necessarily bringing them together face to face. In Educating for the New World Order by Bev Eakman, the reader finds reference upon reference for the need to preserve the illusion that there is "Lay, or community, participation in the decision-making process, while in fact lay citizens are being squeezed out."

A specialized use of this technique was developed for teachers, the "Alinsky Method" (ibid., p. 123). The setting or group is, however, immaterial the point is that people in groups tend to share a certain knowledge base and display certain identifiable characteristics (known as group dynamics). This allows for a special application of a basic technique.

The "change agent" or "facilitator" goes through the motions of acting as an organizer, getting each person in the target group to elicit expression of their concerns about a program, project, or policy in question. The facilitator listens attentively, forms "task forces," "urges everyone to make lists," and so on. While she is doing this, the facilitator learns something about each member of the target group. He/she identifies the "leaders," the "loud mouths," as well as those who frequently turn sides during the argument - the "weak or non-committal."

Suddenly, the amiable facilitator becomes "devil's advocate." He/she dons his professional agitator hat. Using the "divide and conquer" technique, he/she manipulates one group opinion against the other. This is accomplished by manipulating those who are out of step to appear "ridiculous, unknowledgeable, inarticulate, or dogmatic." He/she wants certain members of the group to become angry, thereby forcing tensions to accelerate. The facilitator is well trained in psychological manipulation. S/He is able to predict the reactions of each group member. Individuals in opposition to the policy or program will be shut out of the group.

The method works. It is very effective with parents, teachers, school children, and any community group. The "targets" rarely, if ever, know that they are being manipulated. If they do suspect this is happening, they do not know how to end the process.

The desired result is for group polarization, and for the facilitator to become accepted as a member of the group and group process. He/she will then throw the desired idea on the table and ask for opinions during discussion. Very soon his/her associates from the divided group begin to adopt the idea as if it were their own, and pressure the entire group to accept the proposition.

This technique is a very unethical method of achieving consensus on a controversial topic in group settings. It requires well-trained professionals who deliberately escalate tension among group members, pitting one faction against the other, so as to make one viewpoint appear ridiculous so the other becomes "sensible" whether such is warranted or not.

So have you been "Delphi'd"?

A Different Reality is an entertaining and thought-provoking audio-zine to promote a sustainable civilization.

Northeast Wisconsin take note...

FARM FRESH ATLAS MAKES LOCAL EATING EASY

MADISON - Have longer days and warmer weather whetted your appetite for crisp asparagus, sweet spinach and crunchy salad greens, fresh from the farm? Or perhaps spring has turned your thoughts to locally grown meat, eggs, flowers, honey, maple syrup, cheese and other food and farm products grown close to home.

If so, the "Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas" is your link to locally grown food. The 2006 atlas includes nearly 100 farms that pledge to protect land and water resources, treat animals with care and respect, and provide safe working conditions for their employees. The atlas also includes farmers' markets and food-related businesses that meet similar criteria.

Beginning April 22, the Dane County Farmers' Market will have the "Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas" available on Saturdays at their information booth at the top of State Street. The atlas will also be available at other farmers' markets, public libraries, farms, food co-ops and other area businesses after the 22nd. The Atlas is distributed free of charge. For a complete list of distribution sites, visit www.reapfoodgroup.org/atlas.

"Everybody benefits when grocery shoppers buy local," says Madison food writer Terese Allen. "With a Farm Fresh Atlas in hand - or in the car - southern Wisconsinites have access to an amazing variety of regional foods."

Now in its fifth year, the atlas continues to link Madison and Dane County residents with some of the best food in the area. Farm Fresh Atlases are also available in the southeastern, eastern, western and central regions of Wisconsin.

The "Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas" is a collaborative project of REAP Food Group, the Dane County Farmers' Market, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Friends of the Dane County Farmers' Market.

Major sponsors include Bunky's Café, the Greenbush Bar, Harvest Restaurant, L'Etoile Restaurant and Café Soleil, Lombardino's Restaurant, the Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition, Nature's Bakery Cooperative, Organic Valley, Slow Food, The Washington Hotel Coffee Room, the Washington Hotel, Restaurant and Culinary School, the Willy Street Grocery Co-op and Wisconsin Farmers Union.

If you are interested in distributing copies of the atlas, or if you would like more information about this resource, please contact Miriam Grunes at (608) 294-1114 or miriamg@reapfoodgroup.org.

CAPE WIND UNDER ATTACK

On April 6, a Congressional conference committee inserted language into the Coast Guard spending bill that threatens the construction of Cape Wind – the first major offshore wind farm in the United States. This language would give exclusive veto power over Cape Wind to the governor of Massachusetts. Governor Mitt Romney is an outspoken opponent of the project and if this bill becomes law, he could destroy the Cape Wind project.

If completed, Cape Wind would supply 75 percent of Cape Cod’s electricity needs with clean, renewable energy. The project is supported by the majority of local residents, the Massachusetts Audubon, and a range of clean energy and environmental organizations.

TAKE ACTION – Call your Senators at the Capitol Switchboard 202.224.3121. Tell them that you support clean, renewable energy and that you urge them to reject the provisions in the Coast Guard spending bill that would block Cape Wind.

The upcoming 28th annual Wisconsin Lakes Convention takes place April 20-22, 2006 at the KI Convention Center, Green Bay. "Hands Across the Waters" is the theme with this year's focus will be on "civic engagement."

On Thursday, April 20 a field trip will bring participants to Kangaroo and Clark Lakes in an exploratory tour billed as, "Door County Shallow Lakes."

At issue should be a study of the aquatic herbicides - chemicals specifically formulated for use in water to kill or control aquatic plants. Herbicides approved for aquatic use by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been reviewed and are considered compatible with the aquatic environment when used according to label directions. However, some individual states, including Washington, also impose additional constraints on their use.

2,4-D is the oldest organic herbicide registered in the United States for aquatic use. There are two formulations of 2,4-D approved for aquatic use. The granular formulation contains the low-volatile butoxy-ethyl-ester formulation of 2,4-D (Trade names include: AquaKleen® and Navigate®). The liquid formulation contains the dimethylamine salt of 2,4-D (Trade name - DMA*4IVM). 2,4-D is a relatively fast-acting, systemic, selective herbicide used for the control of Eurasian watermilfoil and other broad-leaved species. Both the granular and liquid formulations can be effective for spot treatment of Eurasian watermilfoil. 2,4-D has been shown to be selective to Eurasian watermilfoil when used at the labeled rate, leaving native aquatic species relatively unaffected. (Click here to read Ecology’s risk assessment).

Chronic effects
It seems that long term exposure to 2,4-D can affect different animals in a wide variety of ways. Rats for example were found to be largely unaffected when fed moderately large amounts in their diet over long periods, although signs of kidney pathology were demonstrated. Dogs however died when fed smaller amounts over shorter periods. A human fed 16.3 grammes over 32 days showed severe symptoms of intoxication (Evaluation on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid salts and esters, MAFF, March 1993).

It also seems that the various chemical forms of 2,4-D can have different toxic effects. Acid, salt and various esters differ in all their measured toxic effects to some extent, but the majority of toxicity data relates only to the acid.

Cancer
Phenoxy acid herbicides have been linked with soft tissue sarcomas, but the UK ACP has concluded that 'the data do not suggest a positive link with 2,4-D'14 as have the Canadian authorities(Interdepartmental Executive Committee on Pest Management, 2,4-D Re-evaluation update and label improvement program, Plant Industry Directorate, Canada, 23 November, 1994.). However, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified 2,4-D among the phenoxy acid herbicides MCPA and 2,4,5-T as a class 2B carcinogen-possibly carcinogenic to humans(IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans: An updating of IARC Monographs volumes 1 to 42. Supplement 7, WHO, Lyon, France 1987.) (concluding that there was limited evidence in humans, inadequate evidence in animals).

The US authorities have also been reluctant to declare 2,4-D as a potential human carcinogen, but the US courts decided that a forestry worker contracted cancer and died as a direct result of his exposure to 2,4-D during the course of his work (O'Brien, Mary, Jury Charges Dow $1.5 million for 2,4-D caused death of forest worker, Journal of Pesticide Reform, 1987, 7: 4(30).).

One concern about 2,4-D has related to dioxin contamination. 2,4-D was in the past frequently co-formulated with the herbicide 2,4,5-T. Production of 2,4,5-T was contaminated with the carcinogenic dioxin TCDD. Those who were exposed to the mixed formulations might therefore have been exposed to TCDD. The most notorious mixed formulation was Agent Orange, used first by the UK military in Malaysia and later extensively by the US military to defoliate jungle regions in Vietnam. In the UK, 2,4-D + 2,4,5-T formulations were in use until 1994(Veterans and Agent Orange-Update 1996, National Academy Press, US, 1996.). 2,4-D has been produced with contaminant dioxins, but not the harmful TCDD.

Reproductive effects
Abnormal foetal skeletal development, increased foetal mortality and other reproductive effects are fairly conclusively associated with exposure to phenoxy-acid herbicide and their dioxin contaminants(Environmental Health Criteria 29, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), IPCS, Geneva, 1984.).

2,4-D has also been classified as an endocrine disrupter(Colborn, T, et al. Developmental effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals in wildlife and humans, Env. Health Perspectives 101:378-384, 1993.), and significant chromosomal damage occurred in human cells cultured in the presence of 2,4-D. At the same time no evidence for mutagenicity has been found and 2,4-D did not damage DNA in human lung cells.

Hey Door County... Down To Earth Tours in Hayward provides a 5-hour mini-bus tour with numerous stops along the way to explore: the history of northwest Wisconsin's glaciers, the ice age, nature interpretation, forest ecology, geology, culture, natural history.


More green tourism and sustainable communities movement suggestions... from Peter Sigmann

You challenged me to come up with some short-term achievable steps in favor of sustainable life in Door County. I hope that the final session of our study group will lead to agreement on such a list. Certainly the notes that Ann is keeping should be a start.

Here a some ideas which came to me during discussion or which were actually discussed:

• Get at least one E85 pump in DC (reduce fossil....help nature ozone)
  
• Community bike sharing program for St.Bay (discussed at meeting): (reduce fossil...)
• Propaganda or regulation to avoid phosphate containing dish detergent: (avoid chemical...)
• Intelligent and reduced highway mowing program designed to maintain wildflowers (reduce fossil.., maintain nature, improve quality...)
• Create a car pooling registry/exchange, especially for S. Door to Green Bay commuters: (reduce fossil...)

Notes from the Underground...

In New York - "Tall-bike gangs have a very heavy base of anti-consumerism. They live in warehouses, and all their clothing could fit into a tall duffel bag. A lot of them are dumpster-diving people. The idea is to avoid consumer waste."

B.I.K.E. a film about rebels with a cause...

In Milwaukee - Mardi Grad Ride: Wear Mardi Gras masks and attire. Even if it's cold outside, the night will be hot - and end in a tropical environment with revelry for all! So bring your nicest scivvies! Fuel Cafe (818 E Center) Tue, Mar 21, 2006

In Chicago - bikewinter.org is encouraging Chicago All-Season Cycling! "Winter Biking: Just because the weather is getting colder doesn't mean that you have to put your bike away. Join the growing number of folks in Wisconsin who are enjoying bicycling all year around."

http://bfw.org/events/winterbiking.php

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 will be the first annual Wisconsin Bicycle Lobby Day. Our goal will be to have a district resident bicyclist visit every one of the 99 state assemblypersons and 33 state senators. The Bicycle Federation can be a resource and an overall state voice for bicyclists, but ultimately elected officials are servants of their home district constituents. A visit from a constituent is a powerful statement to a state Assembly person or Senator.

Chris Fortune, president of Saris Cycling Group; Chris Kegel, owner of the Wheel & Sprocket Stores; and John Burke, president of Trek Bicycle Corp. met with George Bush as part of the National Bike Summit. All three are directors of the Bikes Belong coalition.

Off the Couch:
Running, biking, skiing, and more

In their own quiet way, the thousands of people who run, bike, hike, ski and paddle make a lot of noise in Wisconsin. In Off the Couch, we hope to turn up the volume on their stories and encourage others to join them. Feel free to email us with information and comments: blang@journalsentinel.com

Gearing up for mountain bike races
Wisconsin Off Road Series (WORS) Director Don Edberg has been at full speed the past couple weeks, even though the first race in the growing mountain bike series is still two months away.

Edberg traveled this week to Madison and Milwaukee, delivering series race books to bike shops and checking in with local race organizers. He put nearly 4,000 handbooks in the mail on Monday, so those anxious to plan their summer schedules should have the information in hand shortly.

WORS, entering its 15th year, drew an average of 700 racers to each of its 12 events last year, making it the largest off-road series in the nation.

“It’s kind of overwhelming when I sit back and think about how this all kind of happened and grew,” Edberg said, after one of his drop-offs in Madison. “I just am hoping that we can keep it going as long as possible.

“It’s been a fun ride.”

Critical Mass: Join other Milwaukee bicyclists on this once a month party on a bike. Share your thoughts of "happy friday" with motorists who may not being enjoying their commute. Riverside Park Fri, Mar 31, 2006 5:30 PM

The ".org" domain notwithstanding, Critical Mass is not an organization, it's an unorganized coincidence. It's a movement ... of bicycles, in the streets.

Accordingly, this isn't the official Critical Mass web page, because there is no official Critical Mass web page. There are, however, a bunch of unofficial web pages. http://www.critical-mass.org/

Chicago Critical Mass bike rides start from Daley Plaza, Dearborn & Washington at 5:30 pm on the last Friday of each month, regardless of season or weather. They are free and fun. All you have to do is show up with your bike. http://www.chicagocriticalmass.org/

Are these religious nuts fanatics
Tom Williams, Hackensack summer resident
The Pilot-Independent
Last Updated: Thursday, March 09th, 2006 09:30:06 AM


I couldn't help putting some more thoughts on Bart Hoglund's letter (published March 1) about the religious Republicans.

A number of years ago I was the Republican Party Chairman of Door County, Wis., and in that position we attended the district meetings and the state conventions. The whole [trend of] religion in the party started with the abortion issue, shortly after the Roe v. Wade Decision. These anti-abortionists are still in the minority within the party, but they are also activists and have taken over the party.

I disagreed with these zealots because to me, abortion is a personal issue that should not be in politics. But it seems they won out in the party and really branched out as religious fanatics that anyone running on the Republican ticket has to cater to.

I couldn't take being an activist in politics with religion hanging over my head, so I threw in the towel and haven't renewed my [party] membership since.

Now that we have a couple of more Republicans on the [Supreme Court], it won't surprise me if Roe v. Wade is not overturned because our neighbor, South Dakota, also has a Republican legislature that recently passed an anti-abortion law with the express intent of getting Roe v. Wade back in the Supreme Court. As I said, these religious nuts are fanatics.

Tom Williams,
Hackensack summer resident

The Appleton Post Crescent recently provided the following advice to college students looking for a bargain spring break:

Go to Door County on the cheap

Door County is one of the most beautiful places in the country. But who wants to venture up there during tourist season when high prices and rude Chicagoans are more plentiful than quaint antique shops? Not us.

However, Door County seems like a really nice destination this time of the year, when many hotels, inns and B&Bs offer discounts on rooms. According to the Door County Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site, www.doorcounty.com, several businesses have special "Nature of Romance" packages through March. Pay attention, fellas, because this could be your chance to make up for taking the lady friend to Hooters on Valentine's Day.

Of course, nobody is going to mistake Door County for Cancun. The weather is cooler, and so is the vibe. But there is no better place for people seeking scenic beauty on the quiet side.

Cost guesstimate: Depends on where you stay and what you do when you're up there, but a decent room can be had for about $80 at some places.

Even better is their collection of tips on taking a "World's largest" road trip:

Sometimes size really does matter. Several Wisconsin communities claim to have the largest something in the world, and spring break might be your only chance to see them.

Interested in the world's largest penny? Head to the corner of 3rd Avenue and Hemlock Street in Woodruff and look for the coin that's 10 feet tall and 17,452 pounds. How about the world's largest corkscrew? It's at Corkscrew Liquors in Hurley. Seekers of the world's largest loon won't find it in Mercer, the self-proclaimed "Loon Capital of the World," but they will find the world's second largest loon in the center of town, off U.S. 51. Her name is Claire de Loon, and she even talks.

For those looking to pack several "world's largest" tourist attractions into one trip, we suggest the following route:

Drive down to Milwaukee to see the Allen-Bradley clock on the south side of town. Not only is it the world's largest four-faced clock, but also the world's largest non-chiming clock. That's like killing two very large birds with one stone.

Head south to Williams Bay near Lake Geneva for the world's largest refracting telescope at Yerkes Observatory on W. Geneva Street.

Head southwest to Beloit for the world's largest can of chili beans outside the Hormel Plant on Kennedy Drive.

Head northwest to Platteville for the world's largest M painted on the side of a hill on the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus.

Head north to La Crosse for the world's largest six-pack on South Third Street.

Head northeast to Neillsville for Chatty Belle, the world's largest talking cow, as well as a replica of the world's largest cheese.

Cost guesstimate: $150 for three to four tanks of gas and a cheap hotel room.

Notes distilled from a few weeks of posting by Tom Harwood at The Harwood Institute...

The current system of public life and politics is tired, rigid, and calcified; and the new system that is being laid overtop the old one often serves to fragment people and their voices and turn us away from one another.

People in public life and politics are in search of new pathways to engage and make a difference. There is a need within public life and politics for more given-and-take, greater focus on people’s real concerns, and harnessing of our civic energies. We need approaches that are less episodic and more sustained; that enable people to come in and out of their engagement over time, because people live life overtime, not simply in fragments of time.

We need to create mechanisms that give people hope. Here, we must think clearly about the mechanisms we are developing in terms of whether they provide people the opportunity to cultivate a sense of authentic hope within themselves and among others.

Let me be clear: authentic hope is what people seek in politics and public life – not the false hope that so many political leaders, pundits, and pollsters peddle.

• Authentic hope comes when we engage with one another, even when we sharply disagree, but despite our differences stay devoted to figuring out a path forward.
• Authentic hope comes when we recognize that change will take time, but that we persevere in our pursuit of the public good.
• Authentic hope comes when we cross the boundaries and dividing lines that people have drawn and insist on maintaining for their own narrow gain, which only keep us separated from each other under false pretense.
• Authentic hope comes when we express clearly our convictions – not as a way to push others away or to denigrate and demonize them, but rather to be clear on our own beliefs and where we stand – all as part of an effort to engage with others, even win for our position.
  

We must always keep in mind that when it comes to public life and politics, people are in search of change and hope. They are longing for a sense of possibility – that conditions can change, that their lives can improve, that they can engage with others and make a difference, that something positive is in the offing.

The potential trap we encounter on our journeys through public life and politics is that we will forget the test of change and hope; or, that we will remember it, but then somehow lose it as we reach for our goal. Or, worse yet, we will state that we are engendering such conditions, only to provide false advertisement.

There is a critical difference between creating meaningful mechanisms and being mechanistic. We need public innovation to develop a new generation of mechanisms to foster real systemic change in our society.

Who will lead us out of this miserable mess? My answer is plain and simple: We will. By that, I mean there is no one leader who can right our course. Instead, leadership must come from people scattered across our country.

It must come from everyday people who make their voice known; who say they want to pursue an alternate path for politics and public life. Believe it or not, the very first step is one of expression – people articulating what they want and believe to one another; people raising their consciousness about the need for a different path; people letting their voices be heard so that their sentiments can bubble up through public opinion polls, talk shows, letters to the editor, and through other venues.

Most organizations are guided by good intentions. But too many of our civic-minded organizations – whether they be community foundations, United Ways, newspapers and public broadcasting, art-based groups, local education funds, not to mention others – are trapped in old assumptions about their roles and old practices about how to see and engage with communities.

Sometimes their efforts can be summed up by the notion that they “act upon” communities rather than act as a “part of” community. They can see themselves almost as outside of the communities in which they work.

Existing organizations must become more catalytic if we are to innovate in public life and politics. After 20 years of working on this challenge, my experience is that organizations need to see themselves as spanning boundaries in communities; they need to work with others to incubate new ideas and then spin those ideas off once they are off-the-ground; they need to actively build connections and networks within their communities to lower obstacles to knowledge-sharing and true collaboration; they need to make engaging the community a part of their daily work – not just a special project from time to time; and they need to cultivate the community’s resources, capacity and political will for change.

if we are to move community life forward, then public innovation needs to be at the core of at least some organizations in our communities. More business as usual won’t get us to where we need to go; nor will simply applying better management techniques, or unfolding new one-off initiatives that fail to change the existing dynamic of our chaotic public life.

Our goal must be to generate new ways of seeing and acting on both persistent and emerging challenges. The goal must be to create new pathways for people to engage, and these pathways must offer the possibility for change and authentic hope.

There are many ways for organizations to start down the new path I am suggesting. Bottom line: we need more civic-minded organizations to see themselves as homes of public innovation – and to innovate.

In February 2006, AOL announced that it would accept payment for incoming emails. For these certified emails, it would skip its usual anti-spam filters and guarantee delivery for cash. A broad coalition of both conservative and progressive political groups, charities, nonprofits, small businesses, labor unions, and Internet advocacy organizations and experts believes that the free passage of email between Internet users is a vital part of what makes the Internet work. When ISPs demand a cut of "pay-to-send" email, they're raising tollbooths on the open Net, interfering with the passage of data by demanding protection money at the gates of their customers' computers. Read More... and send a letter to AOL.

But the story gets worse... America's big phone and cable companies want to start charging exorbitant user fees for the supposedly-free Internet. Read the details in The End of the Internet? by Jeff Chester published a month ago in the Nation.

In anticipation of Sen. Ron Wyden's (D. OR) introduction of Net Neutrality legislation in the U.S. Senate today, Jeff Pulver's blog entry of March 1st highlights what he sees as issues critical to keeping the nature and viability of the "open Internet." Entitled "Net Neutrality in the U.S. Senate." Media mavens will can track his daily commentary at: http://pulverblog.pulver.com/.

Telecommunications companies are hoping to create a tiered Internet, with levels of access that vary depending on how much their customers can afford.

Protect Internet Neutrality!
Send a message to the Senate Commerce Committee.

On Thursday, March 2 at 3 PM on the Ideas Network WRP.org Ben Merens’ guest says large media companies are working to control the Internet, which could jeopardize the web as a free-wheeling democratic forum.Guest: Celia Wexler, vice president for advocacy, Common Cause. www.commoncause.org

Gethuman.com is the result of a consumer movement created to change the face of customer service. This free website is powered by over one million consumers, and the site is run by volunteers who demand high quality customer service. The site has information for many types of companies including credit cards, finance companies (banks and mortgages), insurance companies, cell phone providers and many others.

The most popular part of the gethuman website is the gethuman database of secret phone numbers and codes to get to a human when calling a company for customer service.

It started as a blog by Paul English, who is now the chief technical officer ofKayak.com, a new kind of travel search site that helps you find travel deals from other websites.

Jerry from Las Vegas writes, "Until the 1950s we were a provincial country. We lived on our front porches and knew all our neighbors. Then prosperity and fear drove us into our back yards where our bomb shelters had food, water, and guns, which were to be used to kill our neighbors if they tried to get in. Now mobility, elitism, and paranoia have driven us inside walls and security doors, and no one wants to know his neighbors because we fear them. Guns are the same thing as walls — our protection against our fears. I’m not opposed to responsible gun ownership, but if private citizens feel the need to strap on a Colt 45 to gain civility from their neighbors, we are in serious trouble."

Missing any doorknobs?

Thor Jeffrey Steven Laufer 43, of Racine, claims to be obsessed with them. This week Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Joseph McCormack sentenced him to serve a three-year prison term, plus five years of extended supervision, and ordered him to pay restitution for a burglary spree in which he stole dozens of doorknobs from construction sites in the Milwaukee suburb of Mequon. Laufer told police he took a variety of other items as well, to disguise his obsession, "so that it would look like a typical burglary rather than someone just stealing doorknobs." Laufer also faces charges in Milwaukee County for similar incidents in suburban Franklin.

Too much time slime on my hands...
I Googled obsessed with doorknobs only to learn that Cameron Diaz also shares Laufer's obsession with doorknobs, from a different perspective. She opens doors with her elbows to avoid touching any germ-infested knobs. Diaz also washes her hands "many times" each day. "I'm not scared of germs," she explains, "I'm just not into other people's fluids..."

They both deserve to visit Terrence's Bay Trading Company just south of Egg Harbor to elbow their way through a vast collection of Door Knobs.

Word of Mouth: Free service gives you the phone numbers
Saving money is easiest without personal sacrifice. Here's a simple way to save a buck that doesn't involve carpooling or turning down the thermostat.

John Ewoldt, Star Tribune says:

Saving money is easiest without personal sacrifice. Here's a simple way to save a buck that doesn't involve carpooling or turning down the thermostat.

A new service by Jingle Networks Inc. called 1-800-FREE-411 (1-800-373-3411) eliminates the $1 to $1.50 fee for each call to directory assistance. It's a flashback to when directory assistance was free. It can be used from any phone, including cellular ones. If you're one of those spendthrifts who's contributing to the 6 billion 411 calls made nationwide each year, you can save a few dollars each month by calling the toll-free number.

In a quick test, the drawbacks were few. Occasionally, we had to listen to a 10-second commercial. Some numbers given were incorrect, but Qwest's and AT&T's systems make mistakes too. On one occasion all circuits were busy, and we had to try back later.

Sometimes customers are even automatically connected, but that was rare on recent calls, due to heavy call volume. Getting through to the automated attendant was no problem. Sometimes we talked to a live person. Each gave the number twice for verification.

Seem too good to be true? Maybe, so use it while you can.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 Ewoldt's articles are online at www.startribune.com/dollars.

In Door County or Denmark... dare to exercise your freedom to peek.

Message from
The Fellowship of Reconciliation

Offensive Cartoons: Respecting what is Sacred

The response in parts of the Muslim world to publication of crude and deeply offensive cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad is shocking and distressing. Yet the pain felt by Muslims is real and understandable. By insulting the core of their religion, the cartoons constitute a vile attack on Muslims everywhere. But despite the egregious nature of the insult, it cannot not justify mass violence, arson and death threats.

The cartoons, which depict Muhammad as a violent, degenerate criminal, were first published in a Danish newspaper last September, in an act of extraordinary insensitivity and poor judgment. (Interestingly, the editor who commissioned them now admits to his own ignorance of Islam and of the way Muslims feel about the Prophet Muhammad.)

But ignorance is only part of it. There is clearly a certain malice involved, if not in the first Danish publication of the cartoons, then in their repeated publication in newspapers around the world. No longer can editors claim ignorance. The whole world now knows that the Prophet Muhammad is not supposed to be depicted at all, let alone in a disparaging manner.

Nor can offending newspapers claim that this is valid political or social satire, protected by free speech. These cartoons of the Prophet do nothing but ridicule the core idea of an entire religion. They attack what is sacred. And there is no deeper wound, no deeper fury, than that.

Many Muslims feel an intimate, personal connection to the Prophet Muhammad. When they think of divine mercy, kindness and integrity, they think of the Prophet. He is the embodiment of every virtuous ideal. In fact, the ideal of every Muslim is to become as much like the Prophet as possible. He is regarded as the best of human beings, the exemplar of humanity.

In short, the Prophet Muhammad is sacred to Muslims.

Westerners understand the concept of the sacred. Christians have been hurt and outraged by disrespectful and blasphemous depictions of Jesus. Jews feel pain when the holy Torah, the word of God, is ridiculed, vilified, or desecrated. In this country, burning of the flag -- near-sacred to many -- gives similar offense.

The emotional wound caused by the cartoons cannot be undone, but there is plenty that can be done. After 9/11, a great effort was made in the West to learn about Islam and to understand Muslims. That effort should be stepped up.

The incident also provides an opportunity for people of all faiths to recognize and acknowledge that which is sacred in other religions, even if it is not sacred to them personally.

For Muslims, this is an opportunity to examine the issue of how to respond to what offends them. Retaliating with a call for a Holocaust cartoon contest, as an Iranian newspaper has done, is to fall to the same level of ignorance, bigotry and malice that the original cartoons represent. Instead, Muslims should transform the incident into an opportunity for dialogue, education, and understanding.

There is a story in the Hadith (sayings and doings of the Prophet Muhammad) that Muhammad was with his companions in the simple mosque of Medina.The mosque had an earthen floor and was open on all sides. A Bedouin man walked in and began to urinate in the corner. Muhammad's companions were incensed, yelling at him to stop and threatening to assault him.

"No," the Prophet told his followers. Let him be. He does not know any better." When the man had finished, Muhammad addressed him gently: "This place is not meant for urine, but only for prayer and the remembrance of Allah." Then he told his followers to get water to wash the floor.

Burning embassies and demanding that editors be executed is not an Islamic response to insult. That response lies in the nonviolent actions of the Prophet Muhammad, as illustrated above. Educate those who have offended by violating what is sacred to you. Reach out to them. Teach them so they may know better.

This statement was written by a team of FOR staff representing the Muslim, Christian and Jewish faiths.

Jennifer Hyman, Communications Coordinator
Rabia Harris, FOR Chaplain
Ibrahim M. Abdil-Mu'id Ramey, Disarmament Coordinator

For bicyclists, there is no better mid-size city than Madison, according to the March 2006 issue of Bicycling magazine.

According to the magazine, Madison is at the top of the list for cities with a population of 200,000 to 500,00 because of its commitment to providing a friendly environment for cyclists. Along with its hundreds of miles of bicycle paths, Madison has had a bicycle transportation plan on the books since 1975.

The city is also looking to receive a “Bicycle Friendly” certification from the League of American Bicyclists later this year, according to a release from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

In addition to its recognition for bicycle friendliness, Madison also boasted a Metro ridership of over 11 million in the last year. The city’s highest metro usage since 1986 resulted in the reduction of over 15,000 tons of CO2 emissions, according to the mayor’s office.

Author Nancy Wikarski moved to Fish Creek from Chicago recently. She stopped in the Coffeehouse for an iced soy latte, celebrating acomplete denial of winter. Her latest novel exposes an affection for historical research coupled with her love of crafting an engaging mystery...

The Fall of White City takes place in 1893. The entire world has come to Chicago to marvel at the wonders of the Columbian Exposition World's Fair. When a penniless seamstress is found stabbed to death in Chicago's grandest hotel, wealthy and eccentric Evangeline LeClair sets out to discover the truth of the matter. It doesn't take long to find out that nothing is what it appears to be.

Find out more at her Web site: NSWikarski.com.

Chinese New Year's resolution... to post "local" news more often

Adrian LaTrace and Tedeana McFarland commute regularly from Barrington to their condo in Ephraim. They carry a laptop and hunt for wireless connections to manage their on-line business - an e-Bay specializing in iPod accessories. Stopping in at the Compass Coffeehouse in Fish Creek, they get wired before heading back to Illini-land.

"Our basement in Barrington is a warehouse full of iPod stuff," says Ted... (on the left). "When somebody needs something like a replacement battery they are often down and out until they get one," says Adrian (at the keyboard). "So, they want it NOW."

Check out their stores... MyPOD Products and the Quick Cadet Warehouse for sports memorabilia and speedy service.