I have no problem with promoting self-interest. What I can't follow blindly is a pursuit of any economic model or goal without an understanding of the potential costs associated with reaching that goal. Some call this enlightened self-interest.
As individuals, we will always be pursuing our self-interest. It's in our nature, and there is no way to escape from the reality of our origins whether you believe that we evolved from the long path of evolution or listened to the words of our creator saying 'be fruitful and multiply'.
http://www.seattlewebcrafters.com/chadlupkes/pagan/matthew22.php
In the end, the differences between these two origin stories are moot when we look forward into the future and realize the costs of what we have been doing over the last 200 years to ourselves, our planet and our potential.
Let's define economics. Economics is the social science that studies the allocation of scare resources through measurable variables. The word was coined around 1870, right after the Civil War and after the publication of Charles Darwin's "Origin of Species". The connection becomes clear when you read the book "Midwestern Progressive Politics" by Russell Nye.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0870130420
The origin of the modern corporation occured around the same time, with the invention the railroads and spread of the Trusts, Standard Oil, etc. But the war between the Conservative Movement and Progressive Movement goes back to the beginning of time. It is a struggle between two sides of the same coin. It is the Golden Rule vs. the Rule of Gold. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" vs. "he who has the gold, makes the rules". Think of the Neo-con movement as a
parasite on society. Bush is a host. Even Rove is a host. The parasite is a meme, which is a thought pattern based on the rule of gold. That is what the long term and eternal fight is about.
What I believe we need to do is add a level of decision maker to the decision making process for the corporations, non-profits and government. By designating "We the People" in the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson started this process. But it never caught on in the one economic entity that now needs it. The Corporation.
Right now, the decision makers for the corporation are the Board of Directors. These are people selected by the largest shareholders and confirmed via vote by the rest of the shareholders of the corporation. What we need to do is identify the other people who should have a voice in the decision making process. The Stakeholders of a corporation include everyone that does business with that entity, everyone who lives
in the community the corporation operates in, and everyone who is affected by the environmental changes the corporation creates. So, given that the corporation is driven exclusively by the pursuit of Profit, what we need to do is put two more measures of evaluation into the minds of the decision makers. Those two are Community and Environment.
In my mind, a Healthy Community is comprised of individuals and legal entities, meaning corporations, non-profits and governments, that recognize all three of these measures when making decisions.
Let's talk about how to make it happen.
Chad Lupkes
Seattle
Friday, May 27, 2005
Thursday, April 28, 2005
It's a question of reponsibility
I am 100% pro-choice. It's not my choice, it's the woman's. I don't like Abortions. Who does. That's not the point.
When this government takes responsibility for the fact that 43 million people in this country don't have any Health Care at all, and 40 million more are in danger of losing it...
When this government takes responsibility for the fact that millions of people, including women and children, are homeless, jobless and hopeless...
When this government takes responsibility for the fact that most children are born into a country that provides almost no support for them or their parents until they are old enough to go to public schools...
When this government takes responsibility for the worst education system in the developed world...
When this government deals with all of these issues, then they can come to us and ask us to bring into this world more people that we can't afford to feed, clothe, house or educate.
And when the people who are demanding that all women carry all babies to full term are willing to pay the taxes to provide the food, clothes, housing and education to everyone who can't afford it on their own, then we'll listen to their arguments. Until then, they can bugger off.
When this government takes responsibility for the fact that 43 million people in this country don't have any Health Care at all, and 40 million more are in danger of losing it...
When this government takes responsibility for the fact that millions of people, including women and children, are homeless, jobless and hopeless...
When this government takes responsibility for the fact that most children are born into a country that provides almost no support for them or their parents until they are old enough to go to public schools...
When this government takes responsibility for the worst education system in the developed world...
When this government deals with all of these issues, then they can come to us and ask us to bring into this world more people that we can't afford to feed, clothe, house or educate.
And when the people who are demanding that all women carry all babies to full term are willing to pay the taxes to provide the food, clothes, housing and education to everyone who can't afford it on their own, then we'll listen to their arguments. Until then, they can bugger off.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
End of life
Quick point in case it ever comes up. If I don't recover after something like that for a year, or doctors can show that my brain activity is toast, let me go.
Please
Please
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Speech for 4th CD Grassroots
4th Congressional District
Conference on Activism
Chad Lupkes
02/26/05
I want to start with some poetry.
Progressive Party Convention, June, 1912
After the Democratic National Convention in July, 2004 many delegates returned to Washington State energized by the newly-formed Progressive Democrats of America (www.pdamerica.org). The PDA is a union of the Dean and Kucinich campaigns, started by grassroots activists who understood that this fight would not be won or lost on November 2nd. Several of them wanted to form a Progressive Caucus within the Democratic Party here in Washington State. They put together a proposal for the Progressive Democratic Caucuses of Washington and shopped it around to former Kucinich and Dean supporters they had met during the 2004 Presidential Primary campaign.
They recieved somewhat contradictory feedback. Some people thought that the organization should function outside of any political party, and some believed that the organization should function as a caucus within the Democratic Party. The separation came from the difference between electoral politics and issue-based politics, and the fact that many of our members are so disillusioned with the Democratic Party that they wanted to stand back and let us work on it before they would be willing to join.
We did both. PDCW is the caucus within the Democratic Party, and Progressive Change for Washington is a non-partisan group working exclusively on issues. We'll see how that works.
The Caucus will work to implement the progressive platform of the district by educating members, articulating public policy, and holding our elected officials accountable for representing that platform.
The Caucus will work to maintain the new energy of the Democratic Party by encouraging transparency of Party processes, rapid and open communication with members, and continuing tolerance of diverse viewpoints.
We will promote policies and candidates that steadfastly support peaceful resolution to conflict, the protection of human rights, public infrastructure and natural spaces, as well as economic, racial, social and environmental justice.
To the grassroots, this means that we talk with our neighbors to find out what they care about and what we have in common. We need to educate them about what we think on those issues and come to a mutual understanding of how we can work together to accomplish something about upcoming decisions on a local, state and national level. Then we need to provide the tools so we can empower people to get their voice heard.
To our current elected officials, we need to engage them on the issues we care about, educate them on our positions on those issues, and empower them to make decisions in support of those positions. We grant them the power to make those decisions. We need to convince them to use that power to support us.
What does it mean to be Progressive?
This is my framing and it consists of four parts.
How many progressive organizations do you think there are in Washington State? 25? 50? Actually the PDCW has identified over 200 different progressive groups that we have begun contacting. And that number is growing.
We are at war. Bush v. Gore was not the first shot. This has been going on for decades. The 2004 election was one of the first battles where we truly understood the stakes. We fought hard, and we almost won. The Conservative Movement won that battle. But the war goes on. And the only way we can lose this is if we stop fighting.
This is where we must recognize the change that needs to occur. In a standard business hierarchy, you have the President/CEO and the Board of Directors at the top, then the high level managers, divisional managers, low level managers and then the salespeople. At one point, Bruce Nordstrom was asked to draw out the heirarchy of the Nordstrom corporation. He drew the normal pyramid, then turned it upside down. The people on the front lines are the people who are the face of the company, and everyone in the chain from those front lines back to the President is there to support that front line, not the other way around.
In politics, the people on the front lines have been the political pundits and their guests on the TV in people's living rooms. Thanks to the 2004 campaign, now we know differently. The people on the front lines are the people who walk from house to house to talk to their neighbors. They invite people into their homes for meetups and social gatherings. And these are the people who are looking for support from the rest of the structure. We are turning politics upside down. As we do this, there will be holes that need to be filled. Maybe you need talking points on a particular issue. Maybe you want to support a candidate or an issue campaign and need some quick fundraising. Maybe you need to schedule, plan and execute a forum between two candidates for a local office. My local party organization, the 46th, has one general meeting per month, and one Executive Board meeting per month. The Democratic Party can't do everything. And this is where groups like DFW and the PDCW can step in to help. We need your help to find those holes, and we need your help to fill them. Remember, WE are the ones that WE have been waiting for.
Conference on Activism
Chad Lupkes
02/26/05
I want to start with some poetry.
The moose has left the wooded hill;
his call rings through the land.
It's a summons to the young and strong
to join with willing hand:
To fight for right and country;
to strike down a robber band,
And we'll go marching on.
his call rings through the land.
It's a summons to the young and strong
to join with willing hand:
To fight for right and country;
to strike down a robber band,
And we'll go marching on.
Who am I.
I joined the efforts of the Democratic Party during the run up to the 2004 Precinct Caucuses supporting Howard Dean, and I was the elected Chair of my own caucus. I have been more and more active in the 46th Legislative District Democrats over the past year. I am currently the website manager for Democracy for Washington and the Progressive Democratic Caucuses of Washington, along with several County and LD organizations within Washington State including Kittitas County and the 13th LD, as well as some specific candidates like Tami Green and Jim Barnett. I am currently the newsletter editor for the 46th LD and an At-Large member of the Executive Board. And on and on... No rest for the willing it seems.Democracy for Washington
History
When Howard Dean dropped out of the race on February 18th, many of the people who had been in leadership positions for his campaign in Washington State decided not to let the movement die. I asked them how I could help, and became their website developer. On March 18th, Gov. Dean came to Seattle to launch Democracy for America, and we launched the Democracy for Washington website the same day. We held a well attended Gubernatorial Candidate Forum, and all three Democratic candidates showed up to give their stump speeches and answer questions from the audience. It was a good start.DFW Mission
We are a progressive citizen's organization that stands for fiscal responsibility and social responsibility. We support the grassroots on the frontlines of democracy, by encourging activists to get involved in local political organizations and targeted campaigns, by providing a network connection between activists and political leadership through technology, candidate forums, networking and social events such as Meetups, and by directing new candidates to professional training to help them compete and win.DFW Actions in progress
The DFW Core is traveling the state in partnership with Progressive Majority to work with local activists on candidate recruitment, development and support. We've met in Bellingham, Olympia, Vancouver, and we'll be in Spokane on the 12th and Yakima on the 13th. Please go to our website, democracyforwashington.com, to RSVP. We have raised money for candidates including Don Barbieri, and have recruited volunteers for campaigns in the 2004 election, and will be more active in this and future cycles. We are also developing a series of social events to allow progressives to strengthen their network and meet political leaders who make decisions affecting them.Progressive Democratic Caucuses of Washington
History
In 2004, some members of the 46th Legislative District Democrats had been meeting over the summer and early fall to discuss ways to make their local party organization more transparent and more responsive to the progressive platform and to grassroots concerns at the district level. We also wanted to work both inside and outside the party structure to engage candidates and work on issues.After the Democratic National Convention in July, 2004 many delegates returned to Washington State energized by the newly-formed Progressive Democrats of America (www.pdamerica.org). The PDA is a union of the Dean and Kucinich campaigns, started by grassroots activists who understood that this fight would not be won or lost on November 2nd. Several of them wanted to form a Progressive Caucus within the Democratic Party here in Washington State. They put together a proposal for the Progressive Democratic Caucuses of Washington and shopped it around to former Kucinich and Dean supporters they had met during the 2004 Presidential Primary campaign.
They recieved somewhat contradictory feedback. Some people thought that the organization should function outside of any political party, and some believed that the organization should function as a caucus within the Democratic Party. The separation came from the difference between electoral politics and issue-based politics, and the fact that many of our members are so disillusioned with the Democratic Party that they wanted to stand back and let us work on it before they would be willing to join.
We did both. PDCW is the caucus within the Democratic Party, and Progressive Change for Washington is a non-partisan group working exclusively on issues. We'll see how that works.
PDCW Mission Statement
Political activists from the State of Washington are joining together to create Progressive Caucuses within their Democratic Legislative Districts.The Caucus will work to implement the progressive platform of the district by educating members, articulating public policy, and holding our elected officials accountable for representing that platform.
The Caucus will work to maintain the new energy of the Democratic Party by encouraging transparency of Party processes, rapid and open communication with members, and continuing tolerance of diverse viewpoints.
We will promote policies and candidates that steadfastly support peaceful resolution to conflict, the protection of human rights, public infrastructure and natural spaces, as well as economic, racial, social and environmental justice.
WSDCC Caucus Meeting
On January 28th, the first meeting of the WSDCC Progressive Caucus met. We are still trying to figure out how long it has been since there was a Progressive Caucus here in Washington within the Democratic Party, or any party for that matter. My research so far says 1916. We elected officers, and those officers have formed a bylaws committee. We need this formal structure to have the most impact.How the WSDCC Progressive Caucus works with the LD level caucuses.
We are committeed to developing our relationship and evolve into a formal caucus. Right now we are looking at the possible legal and financial structures to make sure that we can do what we set out to do.To what end?
I am often asked what the Progressive Movement wants to accomplish. Will we try to get candidates into office? Will we draft legislation for our representatives to submit? Our actions need to be guided by a question. "What will this accomplish?" 90% of policy is decided on election day, because it gives certain people the authority to make decisions. So, supporting candidates is important. But so is writing legislation that actually accomplishes what we want. Always look forward to how you are affecting things. The journey is as important as the destination. The method of accomplishing change is as important as the change itself.Engage, Educate, Empower
As activists, we need to engage, educate and empower.To the grassroots, this means that we talk with our neighbors to find out what they care about and what we have in common. We need to educate them about what we think on those issues and come to a mutual understanding of how we can work together to accomplish something about upcoming decisions on a local, state and national level. Then we need to provide the tools so we can empower people to get their voice heard.
To our current elected officials, we need to engage them on the issues we care about, educate them on our positions on those issues, and empower them to make decisions in support of those positions. We grant them the power to make those decisions. We need to convince them to use that power to support us.
Message and Infrastructure, Yin and Yang
I believe that in any political organization, there are two things that are required to be successful. The first is the message itself, and the second is the infrastructure necessary to get that message out. One cannot succeed without the other.What is Progressive?
One problem is that too many people see things on a single axis, Left vs. Right, Liberal vs. Conservative. They see a majority bump in the middle of the spectrum and spend all their time and effort trying to push the party line over in the direction of their opposition to try and get that extra single percentage point that will put them over the top. The Republicans have mastered that art. The Democratic Party has never been good at it. The Party seems to focus too much of it's energy trying to make that push for the 'center'. We are operating under an illusion, and will continue to lose until we break that illusion and refocus on what is really important. Progressive is not far left. Draw a line perpendicular to the Liberal/Conservative line, and put Progressive at one end, with those who put profit over the needs of our people and our planet on the other end. We are not the radicals. We are the people.What does it mean to be Progressive?
This is my framing and it consists of four parts.
Grassroots, People-Powered Democracy
If a decision is being made on any level of government that affects you, your voice should be heard on that issue. I've recently read a book that made me realize how far we have come and how far we have to go. The Tao of Democracy is a description of how the evolution of our democratic processes is occurring all around the world. What we need in this country and around the world is a way for people to get directly involved in the way our government operates. Many opportunities exist now, but they are hidden behind a wall of secrecy and only the hard-core activists seem to be able to break through. We have to make the process of electoral and issue based politics transparent and open so everyone can get involved.The Concept of WE
The Earth is a single environment. Everything that affects individuals affects groups, and the larger the subject, the larger the group that is affected. I'm tired of hearing people describe the world in terms of 'us versus them'. We're all on this planet together, and the more we understand that, the better we will be able to create a world that works for everyone. How can we get a better understanding of how everyone is linked together, and that something affecting one affects us all?Understanding the Past
Where do our problems come from? How do they relate to each other? If we search for an understanding of our past mistakes, we gain a better understanding of how not to repeat them. Maybe we can even solve two problems with the same action.Looking to the Future
It's not enough anymore to think and act for the moment. In the big picture, we are creating the world of the future by our actions today. I'm concerned about how my children are growing up, but I'm just as concerned about the kind of world their grandchildren will be living in. We should grant them the power to turn that world into whatever they wish it to be, with clean air and water, energy resources to explore their dreams, a peaceful world where people talk instead of fight with each other. What can we do now, either big decisions or small actions, that can help to create that world of opportunity?Progressive Networking
The Conservative Movement did not start out in lock step, and they are not there now. What they have done is found a way to minimize the separations and appear united. We need to find out how to use our diversity as a strength instead of a way to keep us separated. United we stand, divided we fall. Diverse does not mean divided. Our network already exists, but it's not documented in a way that we can use effectively. The voter file hosted by the Washington State Democratic Party is a good first step. It will help us identify people in our precincts and districts that we can count on. We also need to connect with groups, identify issues and plan events. All four pieces of the networking puzzle need to be connected together.How many progressive organizations do you think there are in Washington State? 25? 50? Actually the PDCW has identified over 200 different progressive groups that we have begun contacting. And that number is growing.
Paradigm Shift
The Progressive Movement is the face at the base of the Democratic Party. For the last hundred years, we've been watching and waiting. We campaigned for Teddy Roosevelt in 1912. We fought for Sufferage. We voted for Franklin Roosevelt 4 times. We voted for JFK and LBJ, and we fought in the War on Poverty in pursuit of the Great Society. We stood by our African American brothers and sisters to grant them equality and civil rights. Some of us voted for Ross Perot in 1992 looking for someone who could balance the budget. Bill Clinton gave that to us in the 90's. Some of us voted for Nader in 2000 because we didn't like what we saw in the top two campaigns. This is the Progressive Movement that was engaged by Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich in 2003. In 2004, we couldn't gain the clout within the Democratic Party in time to get the nomination. But what we have done is recognized what the illusion is and we're working on trying to break it. Think of the Parties as teams on a sports field, with the people in the stands supporting their teams. The problem is who owns the field and who pays the referees. It's time for the Progressive Movement to understand who we are and what we have to do. There are two major times in history that show us the way. 1932 and 1994. We must study and learn the lessons of both. We need a Roosevelt, and we need a Gingrich. Or do we? I think that we are the ones that we have been waiting for.We are at war. Bush v. Gore was not the first shot. This has been going on for decades. The 2004 election was one of the first battles where we truly understood the stakes. We fought hard, and we almost won. The Conservative Movement won that battle. But the war goes on. And the only way we can lose this is if we stop fighting.
This is where we must recognize the change that needs to occur. In a standard business hierarchy, you have the President/CEO and the Board of Directors at the top, then the high level managers, divisional managers, low level managers and then the salespeople. At one point, Bruce Nordstrom was asked to draw out the heirarchy of the Nordstrom corporation. He drew the normal pyramid, then turned it upside down. The people on the front lines are the people who are the face of the company, and everyone in the chain from those front lines back to the President is there to support that front line, not the other way around.
In politics, the people on the front lines have been the political pundits and their guests on the TV in people's living rooms. Thanks to the 2004 campaign, now we know differently. The people on the front lines are the people who walk from house to house to talk to their neighbors. They invite people into their homes for meetups and social gatherings. And these are the people who are looking for support from the rest of the structure. We are turning politics upside down. As we do this, there will be holes that need to be filled. Maybe you need talking points on a particular issue. Maybe you want to support a candidate or an issue campaign and need some quick fundraising. Maybe you need to schedule, plan and execute a forum between two candidates for a local office. My local party organization, the 46th, has one general meeting per month, and one Executive Board meeting per month. The Democratic Party can't do everything. And this is where groups like DFW and the PDCW can step in to help. We need your help to find those holes, and we need your help to fill them. Remember, WE are the ones that WE have been waiting for.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
WSDCC Technology Director Questionnaire
WSDCC TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE
Your Name: Chad Lupkes
Your Home Address: 11401 Roosevelt Way NE #12, Seattle, WA 98125
Your Telephone Number: 206-440-1592
Your E-mail Address: chadlupkes@earthlink.net
A. GENERAL QUESTIONS
1. Please explain the nature of your work with database design, training, and implementation. Be sure to reference the products you used.
I have taken Database Management classes at the University of Phoenix. They taught the basics of Database design, and had us create basic databases using Microsoft Access. This was familiar to me, as I had been using the software since 1999. I also have several databases (all in Access) that I manage at work for my own purposes, as well as several that were written by other people that I help maintain. The majority of my own work is using Queries to looking into multiple tables, but I know how to build Forms and Reports as well.
I am in the process of learning MySQL. I do understand the basics behind the SQL language, and I can use pre-existing databases built with MySQL for website design, specifically for the Drupal and CivicSpace website engines.
2. The Democratic Party is a fast-paced nonprofit organization made up of committed individuals, elected officials, and candidates from across the state. Please explain any interaction you've had with the Party, political candidates, or issue-based nonprofit organizations. What did you like, what did you not like, and what would be your expectations working for the Party? If you have ever managed a voter file before, please explain when and where.
I started paying attention to politics in May of 2003, when I attended my first meeting of the 46th District Democrats. I was encouraged to attend by an instructor at the University, and picked up a copy of the PCO Handbook. For one of my assignments in a website design class, I transcribed the entire PCO Handbook onto the web. That version of the document is currently on the Democracy for Washington website, although I have seen two versions come out since then with minor changes.
My main experience in campaigns came from a Mercer Island City Council race. Bob Gelb, a good friend of mine, decided to run for El Jahncke's seat. I signed on as his treasurer, and while we only gained 33% of the vote, we felt very good about what we had done, and he is thinking hard of running again in '05.
In December, 2003, I volunteered to take over the website for the 46th District Democrats. Scott brought me in as an interim Executive Board member, and I kept the website updated through the Caucus Cycle. I ran for and won a seat as an At Large member of the 46dems E-board at the Reorganization meeting on December 2nd, and I am working with the Legislative and Research Committee with Sarajane Siegfried as well as the Community Outreach Committee under Bev Marcus.
I am also volunteering as the website manager for the Rainier Institute, which is a non-partisan think tank based in Seattle.
I have used the Online Voter File, and the system seems like a good start. I would want to gather ideas from users at various levels from Party Chair down to PCO and come up with a plan for any modifications based on their needs and desires. The biggest problem that I had during the last election season was the lack of a quick way to update information and have it show up in the system. I understand that there are procedures that need to be followed before changes can be made, and I believe those procedures need to be reviewed. Specifically, there is nothing in the online users guide that explains what it takes to make a change permanent. (I also notice that I am still listed as a 'B'.)
3. This position requires interaction with individuals of varying computer and database knowledge, customer service, and training. Please explain what experience you have producing training materials, giving customer service to less technical individuals, and giving oral presentations.
I have been working with computers since 1983, mostly on a user level. Over those 21 years, I have spent a lot of time helping people learn tricks and bringing them up to speed in DOS, Windows, Office, and the World Wide Web. I have worked for Nordstrom in a support role for the past 5 years, where customer service is the first consideration in any interaction or transaction. The courses that I took at the University of Phoenix all required presentations at the end of each class, and I am very familiar with PowerPoint.
4. This position requires the utilization of several different databases, online content, IT, as well as internal and external support. Considering this level of multitasking, how do you foresee organizing yourself to accomplish all tasks? Have you had experience setting priorities and ensuring follow-through on those priorities?
One of the jobs I held at Nordstrom was doing Special Orders for the Menswear department. The salespeople would enter their request into an online database, and we would process the requests. I gained familiarity with the ordering procedures for about 40 different vendors, 92 stores and up to 10 sales people at each store. Every order received a purchase order, and whatever follow through was required to make sure that the right item was at the right store at the right time. For each request, we would get as far as we could, then send off for any missing information and go on to the next request until we heard back with an answer. The salespeople could check the status of their requests at any time. I would like to see something like that implemented for the requests for voterfile lists and PCO update requests.
5. Success in this position requires vision, the ability to assess what the state needs in a big-picture way and ensure that identified priorities get implemented. How would you illustrate your technical vision?
Something I see missing from what is visible to the Grassroots is the connection between Big-Picture and every day efforts. I know it exists, but it's not obvious beyond the platform. I hope to work within the 46th to gain a better understanding of the party caucuses and committees and how people can get involved. One of my goals for the position of Technical Director would be to increase the opportunities for people to get involved in the ongoing issue based campaigns in support of the Party platform and candidate campaigns for people wanting to run for office to support and push forward that platform. This would necessitate a way of listing those campaigns on the website, something that is not being done right now.
I have some big dreams and ideas on how I would like to do this, and I'm still gathering the skills to put these ideas forward.
6. This is a senior position in the Party that requires management of a small staff, as well as a large amount of indirect management. Do you have any experience managing staff? Have you managed volunteers? Regardless of whether you have direct management experience, what traits do you possess that make you feel you would be a good manager?
I owned and managed a bookstore in Everett for 3 years, with a few employees and several volunteers. I am also one of the rotating chairs of the Progressive Democratic Caucus of the 46th. At Nordstrom I work with the supervisors and managers to coordinate work flow for multiple projects.
I can identify the direction that I want a project to go, then listen to the people within the group that I am working with to find the best way of getting it done. This utilizies the skills from the people who have them, and develops those skills within the rest of the group. For example, I have been working with DFW and PDCW to find the best way of engaging the grassroots, and I am thrilled with the amount of effort that everyone is putting forth. The final result is always greater than what any one of us could have accomplished on our own.
B. TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
7. In which data management software systems are you able to work? What professional experience do you have in designing and/or managing databases?
Microsoft Access, Excel, and the basics of MySQL. Nordstrom uses an Oracle database with a Java front-end, and the Special Orders department uses a Web-based interface to a Microsoft SQL server, with reporting software in Access.
8. Do you have experience managing and building websites?
Several. I manage 17 domain names directly, with my base of online operations at seattlewebcrafters.com. Three of these domains are for candidates in the 2004 election, as well as for Democracy for Washington, the Metropolitan Democratic Club and the Washington State Success by Six effort. I currently manage the Democratic Party websites of the 39th, 46th, 13th and Kittitas County. I designed the website for Rep. Jim McIntire, the Progressive Demcratic Caucuses of Washington, Progressive Change for Washington and the Rainier Institute. The 23rd District has asked me to design a new site for them, as have the Island County Democrats. I know HTML very well, Javascript reasonably well and enough PHP to get the job done. Most of my larger sites use the Drupal or Civicspace Content Management System, usually alongside handcoded PHP pages. I am learning Perl as well, although that is a slow process with so much going on. I would like to learn more about XML and how it can be used to syncronize data among multiple sites. I have also set up a Wiki system for Democracy for Washington, which allows multiple users to edit content on the fly.
9. Please give an explanation of your technical skills or an anecdote that illustrates your ability to quickly learn new skills when needed.
I have been working with computers since 1983, following the evolution of DOS, Windows, Office and the World Wide Web. If I find a type of technology useful, I plug myself in until I understand how I can use it to my advantage, or to the advantage of the organization I am working with. I have no problem delegating specific technical problems to people with more experience, but I also have an intense curiosity about what they are doing so I can keep up with them and make suggestions for improvements. No system is ever perfect.
10. What do you think of the Web interface for this questionnaire? (Be honest!)
This is a very cool way of gathering input, and it's a heck of a time saver when compared with detailed forms. I've seen it used for writing letters to elected representatives on some websites, and I've been looking at creating this type of system on DFW or PDCW. Now I have extra motivation. (The 'n' variable must come from the email. Also a neat idea.)
Your Name: Chad Lupkes
Your Home Address: 11401 Roosevelt Way NE #12, Seattle, WA 98125
Your Telephone Number: 206-440-1592
Your E-mail Address: chadlupkes@earthlink.net
A. GENERAL QUESTIONS
1. Please explain the nature of your work with database design, training, and implementation. Be sure to reference the products you used.
I have taken Database Management classes at the University of Phoenix. They taught the basics of Database design, and had us create basic databases using Microsoft Access. This was familiar to me, as I had been using the software since 1999. I also have several databases (all in Access) that I manage at work for my own purposes, as well as several that were written by other people that I help maintain. The majority of my own work is using Queries to looking into multiple tables, but I know how to build Forms and Reports as well.
I am in the process of learning MySQL. I do understand the basics behind the SQL language, and I can use pre-existing databases built with MySQL for website design, specifically for the Drupal and CivicSpace website engines.
2. The Democratic Party is a fast-paced nonprofit organization made up of committed individuals, elected officials, and candidates from across the state. Please explain any interaction you've had with the Party, political candidates, or issue-based nonprofit organizations. What did you like, what did you not like, and what would be your expectations working for the Party? If you have ever managed a voter file before, please explain when and where.
I started paying attention to politics in May of 2003, when I attended my first meeting of the 46th District Democrats. I was encouraged to attend by an instructor at the University, and picked up a copy of the PCO Handbook. For one of my assignments in a website design class, I transcribed the entire PCO Handbook onto the web. That version of the document is currently on the Democracy for Washington website, although I have seen two versions come out since then with minor changes.
My main experience in campaigns came from a Mercer Island City Council race. Bob Gelb, a good friend of mine, decided to run for El Jahncke's seat. I signed on as his treasurer, and while we only gained 33% of the vote, we felt very good about what we had done, and he is thinking hard of running again in '05.
In December, 2003, I volunteered to take over the website for the 46th District Democrats. Scott brought me in as an interim Executive Board member, and I kept the website updated through the Caucus Cycle. I ran for and won a seat as an At Large member of the 46dems E-board at the Reorganization meeting on December 2nd, and I am working with the Legislative and Research Committee with Sarajane Siegfried as well as the Community Outreach Committee under Bev Marcus.
I am also volunteering as the website manager for the Rainier Institute, which is a non-partisan think tank based in Seattle.
I have used the Online Voter File, and the system seems like a good start. I would want to gather ideas from users at various levels from Party Chair down to PCO and come up with a plan for any modifications based on their needs and desires. The biggest problem that I had during the last election season was the lack of a quick way to update information and have it show up in the system. I understand that there are procedures that need to be followed before changes can be made, and I believe those procedures need to be reviewed. Specifically, there is nothing in the online users guide that explains what it takes to make a change permanent. (I also notice that I am still listed as a 'B'.)
3. This position requires interaction with individuals of varying computer and database knowledge, customer service, and training. Please explain what experience you have producing training materials, giving customer service to less technical individuals, and giving oral presentations.
I have been working with computers since 1983, mostly on a user level. Over those 21 years, I have spent a lot of time helping people learn tricks and bringing them up to speed in DOS, Windows, Office, and the World Wide Web. I have worked for Nordstrom in a support role for the past 5 years, where customer service is the first consideration in any interaction or transaction. The courses that I took at the University of Phoenix all required presentations at the end of each class, and I am very familiar with PowerPoint.
4. This position requires the utilization of several different databases, online content, IT, as well as internal and external support. Considering this level of multitasking, how do you foresee organizing yourself to accomplish all tasks? Have you had experience setting priorities and ensuring follow-through on those priorities?
One of the jobs I held at Nordstrom was doing Special Orders for the Menswear department. The salespeople would enter their request into an online database, and we would process the requests. I gained familiarity with the ordering procedures for about 40 different vendors, 92 stores and up to 10 sales people at each store. Every order received a purchase order, and whatever follow through was required to make sure that the right item was at the right store at the right time. For each request, we would get as far as we could, then send off for any missing information and go on to the next request until we heard back with an answer. The salespeople could check the status of their requests at any time. I would like to see something like that implemented for the requests for voterfile lists and PCO update requests.
5. Success in this position requires vision, the ability to assess what the state needs in a big-picture way and ensure that identified priorities get implemented. How would you illustrate your technical vision?
Something I see missing from what is visible to the Grassroots is the connection between Big-Picture and every day efforts. I know it exists, but it's not obvious beyond the platform. I hope to work within the 46th to gain a better understanding of the party caucuses and committees and how people can get involved. One of my goals for the position of Technical Director would be to increase the opportunities for people to get involved in the ongoing issue based campaigns in support of the Party platform and candidate campaigns for people wanting to run for office to support and push forward that platform. This would necessitate a way of listing those campaigns on the website, something that is not being done right now.
I have some big dreams and ideas on how I would like to do this, and I'm still gathering the skills to put these ideas forward.
6. This is a senior position in the Party that requires management of a small staff, as well as a large amount of indirect management. Do you have any experience managing staff? Have you managed volunteers? Regardless of whether you have direct management experience, what traits do you possess that make you feel you would be a good manager?
I owned and managed a bookstore in Everett for 3 years, with a few employees and several volunteers. I am also one of the rotating chairs of the Progressive Democratic Caucus of the 46th. At Nordstrom I work with the supervisors and managers to coordinate work flow for multiple projects.
I can identify the direction that I want a project to go, then listen to the people within the group that I am working with to find the best way of getting it done. This utilizies the skills from the people who have them, and develops those skills within the rest of the group. For example, I have been working with DFW and PDCW to find the best way of engaging the grassroots, and I am thrilled with the amount of effort that everyone is putting forth. The final result is always greater than what any one of us could have accomplished on our own.
B. TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
7. In which data management software systems are you able to work? What professional experience do you have in designing and/or managing databases?
Microsoft Access, Excel, and the basics of MySQL. Nordstrom uses an Oracle database with a Java front-end, and the Special Orders department uses a Web-based interface to a Microsoft SQL server, with reporting software in Access.
8. Do you have experience managing and building websites?
Several. I manage 17 domain names directly, with my base of online operations at seattlewebcrafters.com. Three of these domains are for candidates in the 2004 election, as well as for Democracy for Washington, the Metropolitan Democratic Club and the Washington State Success by Six effort. I currently manage the Democratic Party websites of the 39th, 46th, 13th and Kittitas County. I designed the website for Rep. Jim McIntire, the Progressive Demcratic Caucuses of Washington, Progressive Change for Washington and the Rainier Institute. The 23rd District has asked me to design a new site for them, as have the Island County Democrats. I know HTML very well, Javascript reasonably well and enough PHP to get the job done. Most of my larger sites use the Drupal or Civicspace Content Management System, usually alongside handcoded PHP pages. I am learning Perl as well, although that is a slow process with so much going on. I would like to learn more about XML and how it can be used to syncronize data among multiple sites. I have also set up a Wiki system for Democracy for Washington, which allows multiple users to edit content on the fly.
9. Please give an explanation of your technical skills or an anecdote that illustrates your ability to quickly learn new skills when needed.
I have been working with computers since 1983, following the evolution of DOS, Windows, Office and the World Wide Web. If I find a type of technology useful, I plug myself in until I understand how I can use it to my advantage, or to the advantage of the organization I am working with. I have no problem delegating specific technical problems to people with more experience, but I also have an intense curiosity about what they are doing so I can keep up with them and make suggestions for improvements. No system is ever perfect.
10. What do you think of the Web interface for this questionnaire? (Be honest!)
This is a very cool way of gathering input, and it's a heck of a time saver when compared with detailed forms. I've seen it used for writing letters to elected representatives on some websites, and I've been looking at creating this type of system on DFW or PDCW. Now I have extra motivation. (The 'n' variable must come from the email. Also a neat idea.)
Monday, January 31, 2005
Connolly trips
Re: In the Northwest: If Democratic Party lurches left, it may fare worse
(Seattle Times, January 31, 2005)
I appreciate Mr. Connelly's experience in politics, but I really have the impression that he is missing what is happening. George Bush won the election with 62 Million votes. John Kerry won with 59 million votes. #3 was Barbara Boxer, with 6.96 Million Votes.
The problem is that too many people see things on a single axis, Left vs. Right, Liberal vs. Conservative. They see a majority bump in the middle of the spectrum and spend all their time and effort trying to push the party line over in the direction of their opposition to try and get that extra single percentage point that will put them over the top. The Republicans have mastered that art. The Democratic Party has never been good at it, and it was only the advent of the Democratic Leadership Council that demanded that the Party focus all of it's energy trying to make that push for the 'center'. They are operating under an illusion, and will continue to lose until we break that illusion and refocus on what is really important.
The Progressive Movement was revived by Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich in 2003. But we couldn't gain the clout within the Democratic Party in time to get the nomination. But what we have done is recognized what their illusion is and we're working on trying to break it. The Democratic Party is not the source of the power any more than the Republican Party is the power on the other side. The Parties may think that they are the center of the universe. There are a large number of people on the Conservative side who laugh at that notion. The Republican Party is a tool of a much bigger coalition. It's time the opposition to the Conservatives came to understand who we are and what we have to do. It's our turn.
There are two major times in history that show us the way. 1932 and 1994. We must study the lessons of both. We need a Roosevelt, and we need a Gingrich. Any takers?
(Seattle Times, January 31, 2005)
I appreciate Mr. Connelly's experience in politics, but I really have the impression that he is missing what is happening. George Bush won the election with 62 Million votes. John Kerry won with 59 million votes. #3 was Barbara Boxer, with 6.96 Million Votes.
The problem is that too many people see things on a single axis, Left vs. Right, Liberal vs. Conservative. They see a majority bump in the middle of the spectrum and spend all their time and effort trying to push the party line over in the direction of their opposition to try and get that extra single percentage point that will put them over the top. The Republicans have mastered that art. The Democratic Party has never been good at it, and it was only the advent of the Democratic Leadership Council that demanded that the Party focus all of it's energy trying to make that push for the 'center'. They are operating under an illusion, and will continue to lose until we break that illusion and refocus on what is really important.
The Progressive Movement was revived by Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich in 2003. But we couldn't gain the clout within the Democratic Party in time to get the nomination. But what we have done is recognized what their illusion is and we're working on trying to break it. The Democratic Party is not the source of the power any more than the Republican Party is the power on the other side. The Parties may think that they are the center of the universe. There are a large number of people on the Conservative side who laugh at that notion. The Republican Party is a tool of a much bigger coalition. It's time the opposition to the Conservatives came to understand who we are and what we have to do. It's our turn.
There are two major times in history that show us the way. 1932 and 1994. We must study the lessons of both. We need a Roosevelt, and we need a Gingrich. Any takers?
Thursday, January 27, 2005
A comment on choice
From a religious perspective, I can understand the position that many people of faith take. The stance that I have heard is that any and all life is sacred, and must be protected at all costs. I happen to disagree. Before the advent of modern medical procedures like the C-section, premature births, and hospital emergency rooms, the birth of a child was a wonderous and terrifying time for the mother to be, the immediate family, and their surrounding community. Midwives worked hard and did their best to make sure the birth went smoothly and without too much complication. These wise women learned from their elders and their own experience the signs of distress and what it was possible to do to remedy bad situations. And without the magic of of X-rays, ultrasounds and thousand page medical journals, they brought into the world several thousand generations. But there were many mothers who died in childbirth, or had children that were stilborn. These were accepted as part of life, and the mother and child during the entire event was said to be 'in Gods hands'. It was done with great respect and reverence to the randomness of life. We seem to have taken much of that randomness out of the picture, and we struggle to bring into the world children who would not have survived even 50 years ago. I do believe that the children who were not born over all those thousands of years had souls. But I don't believe that they were lost. I believe that they were taken 'by Gods hands' and given another chance at life at a later time. God does not waste, and according to everything that I have learned about the teachings of Jesus and the Prophets before him, their fondest wish was that we all had the chance to live up to our potential, striving for what is best in life. I don't believe that they want us to simply live for the sake of life.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Power the future
Power the future:
"Monday, January 10, 2005
Power the future
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD
We can't keep wasting energy. Across the political spectrum, Americans know that financial, environmental and even national security reasons dictate the need to be smarter about the energy choices we make.
But, even amid rising energy prices, we've stayed stuck in wasteful patterns for decades. An independent, bipartisan group of energy experts last month handed the country a promising blueprint of ideas on reducing foreign-oil dependence, addressing global warming and promoting a wider variety of energy sources.
The National Commission on Energy Policy's report has something for everyone to like and hate. It calls for strong action against greenhouse gases, which will drive many conservatives wild, and development of demonstration projects with advanced nuclear power plants, a taboo on the left.
The report should offer opportunities for those with creative energy ideas like U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., to push discussion forward. Inslee just joined the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The Bush administration took office with Vice President Dick Cheney trying to create a national energy policy. The effort was tainted from the start by Cheney's secrecy and special-interest favoritism.
The administration and the country have a fresh chance on energy policy. The report should energize discussions that go beyond arguing to acting on the kinds of changes we all sense are needed.
On the Net: www.energycommission.org"
"Monday, January 10, 2005
Power the future
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER EDITORIAL BOARD
We can't keep wasting energy. Across the political spectrum, Americans know that financial, environmental and even national security reasons dictate the need to be smarter about the energy choices we make.
But, even amid rising energy prices, we've stayed stuck in wasteful patterns for decades. An independent, bipartisan group of energy experts last month handed the country a promising blueprint of ideas on reducing foreign-oil dependence, addressing global warming and promoting a wider variety of energy sources.
The National Commission on Energy Policy's report has something for everyone to like and hate. It calls for strong action against greenhouse gases, which will drive many conservatives wild, and development of demonstration projects with advanced nuclear power plants, a taboo on the left.
The report should offer opportunities for those with creative energy ideas like U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash., to push discussion forward. Inslee just joined the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The Bush administration took office with Vice President Dick Cheney trying to create a national energy policy. The effort was tainted from the start by Cheney's secrecy and special-interest favoritism.
The administration and the country have a fresh chance on energy policy. The report should energize discussions that go beyond arguing to acting on the kinds of changes we all sense are needed.
On the Net: www.energycommission.org"
TWENTY-FIRST [CENTURY] PSALM
A fool is my shepherd. I shall not think. He maketh me to bog down in a quagmire. He leadeth me beside dirty waters. He destroyeth my ozone. He leadeth me down paths to the extreme right, for his lobbyists' sake.
Yea, though I walk through relatively safe streets, I do fear evil (the threat level is orange), for thou hast scared me. My assault rifle comforteth me. Thou anointest my car with oil. My deficit runneth over. Thou preparest my table with fast food in the presence of my television. Surely paranoia and resentment will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in this Empire of Fools till I die, uninsured.
--Lawrence Swan, Letters, The Nation
Yea, though I walk through relatively safe streets, I do fear evil (the threat level is orange), for thou hast scared me. My assault rifle comforteth me. Thou anointest my car with oil. My deficit runneth over. Thou preparest my table with fast food in the presence of my television. Surely paranoia and resentment will follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in this Empire of Fools till I die, uninsured.
--Lawrence Swan, Letters, The Nation
Monday, January 03, 2005
HeraldNet: Everett council races begin
HeraldNet: Everett council races begin: "Everett council races begin
At least three incumbents say they'll run again, and two other possible candidates emerge."
At least three incumbents say they'll run again, and two other possible candidates emerge."
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Zeus and Apollo
Z: So, what's the latest update?
A: She seems to be degenerating at an accelerating place. The cancer is continuing to find new places to expand, and the growths are consuming all of the resources that they can reach.
Z: What have we tried?
A: The natural antibodies have a limited effect, but the cells change and adapt just as quickly by isolating the antibodies in specific regions of the body to prevent them from spreading and having more of an effect. It's disturbing to watch, although I will admit it's fascinating.
So, we will need to continue to resort to drastic measures. We do have Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy working on the problem, but we may need to step up the dosage. The cells are generating enough waste material that it may be unnecessary to add anything external to the mix. However, I think an increase in radiation may be necessary. I'm afraid She might go into seizure sometime soon.
Z: Is there anything that we can do with the cells themselves to change the outcome?
A: We have been trying, but that is turning out to be more complicated than we thought. It's almost like they are outside the influence of the rest of the body. Maybe we need to select a small number of them and reconnect them to the overall patterns. Then we would have to support the growth of these cells and help to spread them around the entire body.
Z: That idea sounds like it has promise. How should we proceed?
A: Certain changes in the way cells interact with their environment would be encouraged. They can be modified to produce less waste, which would result in faster growth of these cells. The problem is that other cells may try to take advantage of their success.
Z: What if we made these changes in one of the clusters of cells that do the most damage? Then the cells would have more resources in the first place, and their growth might have more of an impact.
A: That might take a while, but I agree that it is worth trying. Let's try both. We can help cells in both situations. If we don’t do something soon, the entire body might start to fail. Let's start here…
The cancer is us. Pollution is the chemotherapy. Global warming is the radiation.
We have a chance to make a difference. Get active. Stay active. Vote.
A: She seems to be degenerating at an accelerating place. The cancer is continuing to find new places to expand, and the growths are consuming all of the resources that they can reach.
Z: What have we tried?
A: The natural antibodies have a limited effect, but the cells change and adapt just as quickly by isolating the antibodies in specific regions of the body to prevent them from spreading and having more of an effect. It's disturbing to watch, although I will admit it's fascinating.
So, we will need to continue to resort to drastic measures. We do have Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy working on the problem, but we may need to step up the dosage. The cells are generating enough waste material that it may be unnecessary to add anything external to the mix. However, I think an increase in radiation may be necessary. I'm afraid She might go into seizure sometime soon.
Z: Is there anything that we can do with the cells themselves to change the outcome?
A: We have been trying, but that is turning out to be more complicated than we thought. It's almost like they are outside the influence of the rest of the body. Maybe we need to select a small number of them and reconnect them to the overall patterns. Then we would have to support the growth of these cells and help to spread them around the entire body.
Z: That idea sounds like it has promise. How should we proceed?
A: Certain changes in the way cells interact with their environment would be encouraged. They can be modified to produce less waste, which would result in faster growth of these cells. The problem is that other cells may try to take advantage of their success.
Z: What if we made these changes in one of the clusters of cells that do the most damage? Then the cells would have more resources in the first place, and their growth might have more of an impact.
A: That might take a while, but I agree that it is worth trying. Let's try both. We can help cells in both situations. If we don’t do something soon, the entire body might start to fail. Let's start here…
The cancer is us. Pollution is the chemotherapy. Global warming is the radiation.
We have a chance to make a difference. Get active. Stay active. Vote.
Friday, December 24, 2004
A progressive position on Choice
The Conservative Movement started out by believing in specific things, like ending Communism, shrinking the size of government, etc. They gained strength by standing up for those positions. In the 70's and 80's, that changed to being against whatever the Liberals were for. They have been able to maintain their strength, but they're not making any more gains.
The Progressive Movement can't start out by simply being for whatever the Conservatives are against. We need to find a way to connect with the people who are anti-abortion, and get them to agree to help us move forward beyond the illusion that this issue is black and white. The Democratic Party has room for people on both sides of the argument, we just need to frame our position to get their support instead of their ire. Like Howard Dean says below, while we should not change our principles, we can change our vocabulary.
I don't like abortion. I wish it didn't have to happen. But that's not the same as outlawing it altogether. I see the position of Choice as the middle ground between two extremes, not an extreme by itself. The extremes I see are 1) no one may and 2) everyone must. The Christian right wing wants to create a world where no one may have an abortion and end a life before it has a chance to begin. China has created a world where abortions are mandated after the first child. I don't want to live in either one of these worlds, and I don't want to legislate it either way. I want us to create a environment where abortions are unnecessary, rather than illegal or mandated. So if the Christian right wing wants to reduce the number of abortions by promoting abstience as well as contraception, I can support and help with that. But if they want to push the abortions that do occur out of a sanitized medical facility and into the street, I will fight against it. That is what occured before Roe v. Wade, and I'm not interested in going backward.
I believe that this position is shared by Planned Parenthood, although we should contact their Public Relations office for the language that they use if we want to continue talking about them. I have heard that 2004 was one of the best years that Planned Parenthood Western Washington has had, both financially and by a few other measures. One of those measures was the number of abortion procedures performed. In 2004, that number went down for the first time in several years. Let's keep the number going down, safely.
The Progressive Movement can't start out by simply being for whatever the Conservatives are against. We need to find a way to connect with the people who are anti-abortion, and get them to agree to help us move forward beyond the illusion that this issue is black and white. The Democratic Party has room for people on both sides of the argument, we just need to frame our position to get their support instead of their ire. Like Howard Dean says below, while we should not change our principles, we can change our vocabulary.
I don't like abortion. I wish it didn't have to happen. But that's not the same as outlawing it altogether. I see the position of Choice as the middle ground between two extremes, not an extreme by itself. The extremes I see are 1) no one may and 2) everyone must. The Christian right wing wants to create a world where no one may have an abortion and end a life before it has a chance to begin. China has created a world where abortions are mandated after the first child. I don't want to live in either one of these worlds, and I don't want to legislate it either way. I want us to create a environment where abortions are unnecessary, rather than illegal or mandated. So if the Christian right wing wants to reduce the number of abortions by promoting abstience as well as contraception, I can support and help with that. But if they want to push the abortions that do occur out of a sanitized medical facility and into the street, I will fight against it. That is what occured before Roe v. Wade, and I'm not interested in going backward.
I believe that this position is shared by Planned Parenthood, although we should contact their Public Relations office for the language that they use if we want to continue talking about them. I have heard that 2004 was one of the best years that Planned Parenthood Western Washington has had, both financially and by a few other measures. One of those measures was the number of abortion procedures performed. In 2004, that number went down for the first time in several years. Let's keep the number going down, safely.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
DFA Veterans Phone Card Speech
This is a statement I prepared for the DFA Phone Card presentation on December 29th, 2004.
My name is Chad Lupkes, and I was born here in Seattle. I was in the US Navy from 1988 to 1994. I would like to speak about what being an American means to me. To do that, I want to review the colors on our flag. Those colors are red, white and blue.
Blue represents opportunity. The blue sky on the horizon, a horizon that we constantly strive to reach. We may be distracted by the treasures and comfort that we find, but we must continue to strive to achieve, to learn new things, and find new paths.
White represents fairness. The white paper that we use to vote, the paper that we use to write our laws. With the rainbow of ideas, ideology, race and culture, the law must be written to be fair to everyone. This helps to ensure that we leave nobody behind as we strive toward that horizon.
Red represents sacrifice. The red blood that is spilled on the battlefield, the tears that we shed in memory of those who have sacrificed everything. The sweat that comes from our efforts to regain what was lost. We must never forget those that we have lost, and we must be there to help the ones who have sacrificed for us.
This is why we are here today, to acknowledge and honor our veterans and active military. To provide them with the opportunity to reach out and reconnect to family and friends, and rejoin our community as we continue to strive toward that blue horizon, writing our laws to leave no one behind.
My name is Chad Lupkes, and I was born here in Seattle. I was in the US Navy from 1988 to 1994. I would like to speak about what being an American means to me. To do that, I want to review the colors on our flag. Those colors are red, white and blue.
Blue represents opportunity. The blue sky on the horizon, a horizon that we constantly strive to reach. We may be distracted by the treasures and comfort that we find, but we must continue to strive to achieve, to learn new things, and find new paths.
White represents fairness. The white paper that we use to vote, the paper that we use to write our laws. With the rainbow of ideas, ideology, race and culture, the law must be written to be fair to everyone. This helps to ensure that we leave nobody behind as we strive toward that horizon.
Red represents sacrifice. The red blood that is spilled on the battlefield, the tears that we shed in memory of those who have sacrificed everything. The sweat that comes from our efforts to regain what was lost. We must never forget those that we have lost, and we must be there to help the ones who have sacrificed for us.
This is why we are here today, to acknowledge and honor our veterans and active military. To provide them with the opportunity to reach out and reconnect to family and friends, and rejoin our community as we continue to strive toward that blue horizon, writing our laws to leave no one behind.
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Monday, June 21, 2004
speaking of transformative experiences
As soon as the Space Tourism becomes viable, I think all elected officials on a Federal Level should be required to see the curvature of the Earth. If they could understand that the political boundaries don't really exist and that the world is actually a very small place might be a positive step in government.
Chad Lupkes
chadlupkes@earthlink.net
http://www.DemocracyforWashington.com/
PCO - SEA-46-2324
Seattle, WA
We are the ones that we have been waiting for.
Chad Lupkes
chadlupkes@earthlink.net
http://www.DemocracyforWashington.com/
PCO - SEA-46-2324
Seattle, WA
We are the ones that we have been waiting for.
the reason why
Hi Ross,
You asked the first caller why we should care about going out into space because of all the problems here at home. The reason why, in my opinion, is because the amount of resources beyond earth are just waiting for us, and all we have to do is get to them. Imagine infinite free energy would free mankind from fighting over energy sources, building materials enough to build several thousand Earths to give everyone enough space to explore and explore the universe, and even our next stage of evolution. I would say that the investments and sacrifices are worth it.
Chad Lupkes
chadlupkes@earthlink.net
http://www.DemocracyforWashington.com/
PCO - SEA-46-2324
Seattle, WA
We are the ones that we have been waiting for.
You asked the first caller why we should care about going out into space because of all the problems here at home. The reason why, in my opinion, is because the amount of resources beyond earth are just waiting for us, and all we have to do is get to them. Imagine infinite free energy would free mankind from fighting over energy sources, building materials enough to build several thousand Earths to give everyone enough space to explore and explore the universe, and even our next stage of evolution. I would say that the investments and sacrifices are worth it.
Chad Lupkes
chadlupkes@earthlink.net
http://www.DemocracyforWashington.com/
PCO - SEA-46-2324
Seattle, WA
We are the ones that we have been waiting for.
Boy's diary, Sunday 6/20
Father's Day
Harry Potter Rocks on the IMAX! We got up early enough to get downtown by 11, and stood in line from 12:30 to 1:30. The boys were familiar enough with movie lines and Daniel found a friend to talk to. We had heard a lot of people say that the content of the movie might not be appropriate for Shea because of his age. He understood the movie almost as well as Daniel did, and they both knew that it was make-believe. Great movie!
We met Dad at the fountain, and had lunch in the Center House. Daniel found some juggling balls that he's practicing with, and then we went to a park to shoot some more archery. Sand Point is better than Gas Works for kites, so we'll be going back.
Harry Potter Rocks on the IMAX! We got up early enough to get downtown by 11, and stood in line from 12:30 to 1:30. The boys were familiar enough with movie lines and Daniel found a friend to talk to. We had heard a lot of people say that the content of the movie might not be appropriate for Shea because of his age. He understood the movie almost as well as Daniel did, and they both knew that it was make-believe. Great movie!
We met Dad at the fountain, and had lunch in the Center House. Daniel found some juggling balls that he's practicing with, and then we went to a park to shoot some more archery. Sand Point is better than Gas Works for kites, so we'll be going back.
Saturday, June 19, 2004
Boy's Diary, Saturday 6/19
A Day at Grandma's
Not to bad a day! We found my old bow and arrow set, and my mom brought down a smaller set for Daniel. He loves it, so we brought it home.
Mom did pretty well, except that everyone decided to go to Shrek 2 in the morning, but then later in the day decided that they couldn't do it for two reasons. First, because they couldn't afford it. Second, because they wanted Lowell to be able to spend time with the boys when he got home. The first reason I can understand, but that put the responsibility on me to fulfill the promise. The second reason I also understood, except that when Lowell got home all he did was eat dinner and lay on the couch. No energy after a full day of work, and I didn't really expect him to have much.
We'll see Shrek 2 sometime next week.
Not to bad a day! We found my old bow and arrow set, and my mom brought down a smaller set for Daniel. He loves it, so we brought it home.
Mom did pretty well, except that everyone decided to go to Shrek 2 in the morning, but then later in the day decided that they couldn't do it for two reasons. First, because they couldn't afford it. Second, because they wanted Lowell to be able to spend time with the boys when he got home. The first reason I can understand, but that put the responsibility on me to fulfill the promise. The second reason I also understood, except that when Lowell got home all he did was eat dinner and lay on the couch. No energy after a full day of work, and I didn't really expect him to have much.
We'll see Shrek 2 sometime next week.
Friday, June 18, 2004
Boy's Diary, Thursday 6/17
What the heck is on Daniel's mind?! He likes games, obviously. Especially on the computer he likes Pinball. So, he asked Debi if he could play Pinball on her computer. He played for about 10 minutes, then realized he would not be able to beat her scores on the scoreboard. I don't think anyone could, she's at 7,500,000. So, what does he do? He clears the scores.
Debi exploded. She had been working on those scores for years! When we asked him why he would do such a thing, he said that he wanted to see his name on the scoreboard, and he wasn't able to beat her scores so he changed the rules so he could see his name. In other words, he cheated. He is now banned from Debi's computer until she can get those scores back to where they were.
When I spoke to him this morning about it, I discovered that he does this at home all the time. Instead of always trying to get better at the game, he would clear the scores so he didn't have to work so hard.
There are several concerns I have about this episode. First, that he would think about doing this kind of cheating at all. He's 8, and 8 year olds do things like this. But only if they are either shown that it is ok, and/or if they are not corrected when they do it. Or if they are not caught doing it. Daniel and Shea are the only players of the game on their home computers, and Shea doesn't care. So I can't say that I blame Sarah or Eric for not noticing what he was doing and correct it. Second, the fact that he was willing to erase the scores to make it easier on himself shows that he is not pushing himself to be better, and he's not being pushed as much as he could have by others.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Captain Kirk was talking about the Kobiashi Maru, and saying that he changed the rules so that there was a way out of an impossible situation. In the real world, he would have been kicked out of the Academy. Gene Roddenbury decided to use this as a positive aspect of the character. And it's now influencing our culture. Cheating is not acceptable in the real world, unless we allow it to be ok. Sure, we can set priorities and not care as much about the unimportant things, but we should always be teaching our children not to cheat.
Keep pushing for higher scores instead of starting at zero. Keep working on improving your skills in sports instead of changing the rules to make the sport easier. Keep learning and reading new books instead of books you have already read. Strive for higher standards, and keep reaching for the stars. Otherwise we'll never get there.
Another Lesson Learned: Don't try to drive to Greenlake Park. We could not find a parking spot, so we went to Roosevelt Park instead. It's close, familiar and there's actually parking!
Debi exploded. She had been working on those scores for years! When we asked him why he would do such a thing, he said that he wanted to see his name on the scoreboard, and he wasn't able to beat her scores so he changed the rules so he could see his name. In other words, he cheated. He is now banned from Debi's computer until she can get those scores back to where they were.
When I spoke to him this morning about it, I discovered that he does this at home all the time. Instead of always trying to get better at the game, he would clear the scores so he didn't have to work so hard.
There are several concerns I have about this episode. First, that he would think about doing this kind of cheating at all. He's 8, and 8 year olds do things like this. But only if they are either shown that it is ok, and/or if they are not corrected when they do it. Or if they are not caught doing it. Daniel and Shea are the only players of the game on their home computers, and Shea doesn't care. So I can't say that I blame Sarah or Eric for not noticing what he was doing and correct it. Second, the fact that he was willing to erase the scores to make it easier on himself shows that he is not pushing himself to be better, and he's not being pushed as much as he could have by others.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Captain Kirk was talking about the Kobiashi Maru, and saying that he changed the rules so that there was a way out of an impossible situation. In the real world, he would have been kicked out of the Academy. Gene Roddenbury decided to use this as a positive aspect of the character. And it's now influencing our culture. Cheating is not acceptable in the real world, unless we allow it to be ok. Sure, we can set priorities and not care as much about the unimportant things, but we should always be teaching our children not to cheat.
Keep pushing for higher scores instead of starting at zero. Keep working on improving your skills in sports instead of changing the rules to make the sport easier. Keep learning and reading new books instead of books you have already read. Strive for higher standards, and keep reaching for the stars. Otherwise we'll never get there.
Another Lesson Learned: Don't try to drive to Greenlake Park. We could not find a parking spot, so we went to Roosevelt Park instead. It's close, familiar and there's actually parking!
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