This evening (Monday, 4/30/07) Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary film An Inconvenient Truth will be shown at the Fox Theater in Hays. There are two free screenings, at 5:30pm and 8:00pm, courtesy of CPV Wind Hays LLC, the company seeking to establish a wind farm west of Hays.
I’m glad to have the opportunity to see this movie in a theater, since it’s quite infrequently that the Dickinson Mall Hays theaters get movies I’m interested in seeing (though I did enjoy Grindhouse there recently).
Mainly I’m interested in seeing and evaluating the science and policy recommendations of the movie, but the opportunity to meet some of the principals in the wind farm debate will be an interesting sidelight. I’d personally be eager to see the wind farm development go ahead, if the reasonable concerns of adjacent landowners can be adequately addressed.
The film examines the issues surrounding the Kansas School Board political debate about amending science standards. Although the film ultimately recognizes the scientific merits of evolution, it rightly holds scientists accountable for their potential extinction as a result of their failure to effectively communicate their findings to the general public.
It will be interesting to see how the film is received in this part of the world…
I know it’s kind of an Andy Rooney thing to ask, but how exactly do the city commissioner candidates lawn placards advance the democratic process? Sure it’s nice to know the names of the candidates who are running for office, and in that regard they are at least marginally useful. But what does it actually do to tell us anything about the candidates or their positions? Are people expected to vote based on who has the prettiest color scheme or who’s placard shows up on the most lawns? Mind you, I’m not complaining about the people who post placards on their lawns - that’s a perfectly appropriate way to announce the candidates they support. But does it do anything to influence me, as an undecided voter, who’s worthy of my vote? I don’t think so.
But I don’t want to just complain here - I’d like to suggest a way that they could be much more useful. Why not put the URL for a campaign website on these placards? That way, I could go there and investigate the candidates positions on the issues. Or, at the very least, how about an e-mail address where I can contact the candidate and ask for that same information? Would it be too much to ask for the candidates to use the internet (among more traditional methods) to communicate with their constituents? I did a couple of quick Google searches and couldn’t find a website for any of the candidates that I’m aware of. The incumbent commissioners have e-mail addresses accessible from the city government website, but I can find no online way to communicate with the challengers.
I’ll go a bit further and up the ante. I’m willing to place a lawn placard at my own house for each candidate who will embrace the internet as a means of communicating with their constituents. Ideally, that candidate would initiate their own blog and make daily posts that map out their positions on the issues of the day and solicit feedback from their constituents. Let’s have an open conversation about the issues that face Hays - and not just during the campaign - I’d like to see our elected representatives maintain an open channel of conversation via the internet (again, ideally a blog or discussion board) with their constituents throughout their terms of office. Need technical help? Don’t hesitate to ask.
This evening (Monday, 4/30/07) Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary film An Inconvenient Truth will be shown at the Fox Theater in Hays. There are two free screenings, at 5:30pm and 8:00pm, courtesy of CPV Wind Hays LLC, the company seeking to establish a wind farm west of Hays.
