VOLUNTEERS SURF and SCRUB THE WEB TO HELP RECONNECT FAMILY AND FRIENDS

FOR MEDIA:

Contact: Sue Cline: Volunteer : Katrinalist.net : Communications & Media Phone: (804) 230-3456
Contact: Marty Kearns: Volunteer : Katrinalist.net : Communications & Media (C ) 202-487-1887
Contact: Zack Rosen: Volunteer : Katrinalist.net : Technical and Engineering Lead (C) (724)612-7641

WASHINGTON, Friday, September 09, 2005 — The largest collection of data on the web about evacuees and survivors has been pulled together by volunteers and programmers working long hours for the last week. The http://www.katrinalist.net is a collection of survivor information from across dozens of sites. The project was launched to provide information on survivors to family and friends across the web. The http://www.katrinalist.net site forms a needed complement to a pending launch of newer efforts to organize data by the Red Cross, FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security.

The "official sites" will be focusing on new more structured data collected from people in shelters and from those interacting with government programs and relief organizations. http://www.Katrinalist.net is the complement to whatever official collection all the informal data from bulletin boards, discussion forms and sites across the web. Katrinalist.net will provide data to Katrinasafe.com (also know at this blog as the jagoffs.)

Those seeking information on family should first search www.katrinasafe.com and then www.katrinalist.net. These sites represent the best collection of data and the best hope for helping family and friends locate each other.

Evacuees wishing to inform loved ones of their location can register or post information about survivors at http://www.katrinasafe.com/WebEntryApplication/entryform.aspx

Report a Missing Person at http://www.katrinasafe.com/WebEntryApplication/InquiryEntryForm.aspx

These are all voluntary and self-reporting tools. All media outlets and those hosting discussion boards, search tools and other information on survivors or offering connections to families are asked to redirect search traffic and data input to these sites.

Additional Background:
The project was launched as the core team started to realize that too many sites were collecting data and stories on families looking for or posting the status of their friends and neighbors. In the moments leading up to the storm dozens of sites launched services to help their members, including: New Orleans Newspapers (NOLA.com), TV and radio sites, Craigslist, CNN, MSNBC, Yahoo, Blogs and the Red Cross. In the hours following the storm companies, college students and volunteers began to set up databases for people to add and search information.

On Friday the 9th, The American Red Cross, with support of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement launched a web site and hotline to help assist family members who are seeking news about loved ones living in the path of Hurricane Katrina.

Dozens of message boards have sprung up around the country since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, promising to throw a technological lifeline to families that have been ripped apart. At the same time, the proliferation of registries has also made it increasingly difficult to figure out where to find information on missing loved ones.

"If I'm a refugee trying to find my brother, I would have to search 20 databases and 25 online forums," said David Geilhufe, chief executive of the Social Source Foundation, a charity set up to create software for other non-profits. "It's a huge problem."

Enter Katrinalist.net. The all volunteer team created a searchable directory of persons displaced or affected by Hurricane Katrina, consolidating over 25 different online resources into one central, searchable repository. PeopleFinder Interchange Format, (called 'PFIF') is a new, standardized data format implemented in XML.

Katrina People Finder (www.katrinalist.net) helps in the organization of data about people affected by major storms such as Hurricane Katrina and speeds searches by allowing many organizations to contribute to a central repository. The interchange format of Katrina People Finder makes automated search and retrieval of data about people quick and easy. Common data will help automated systems to connect displaced individuals via automatic categorization and matching.

The Kartinalist.net PeopleFinder database now contains just barebones information -- such as name, phone number, last known address and status. But Dean Robison of Salesforce.com, a San Francisco software firm that is providing the technology to run the consolidated database, said it could easily be expanded in the future to speed rescue and relief operations in further disasters.

The Power of Community

The Katrina PeopleFinder Project mobilized hundreds of volunteers over the Labor Day weekend to make an immediate difference. That immediate difference is at http://www.katrinalist.net/, a searchable database of almost 400,000 PeopleFinder Interchange Format-compliant, volunteer-entered, missing and found persons reports from across the web. Having a single, searchable resource is critical due to limited internet access for evacuees and their families. The team plans to turn its attention to housing and job solutions next, creating a centralized technology solution that aggregates a comprehensive resource set from sites all across the web, standardizes them, and makes them searchable from anywhere.

Project Contributors
CivicSpace Labs (http://www.CivicSpaceLabs.org) is a funded non-profit organization and community collaborating with the Drupal (http://www.Drupal.org) project to develop a free/open-source software platform for online community organizing. CivicSpace enables bottom-up people-powered campaigns to operate on a more level playing field with more traditional top-down organizations, and, similarly, allows top-down organizations to leverage the power of grassroots organizing.

Salesforce.com Foundation (http://www.salesforcefoundation.org/index.html) was officially launched in July 2000 by Secretary of State, Colin L. Powell. The launch of the Foundation came less than a year after the launch of the company with the goal of building philanthropic programs at the very beginning of the company's existence rather than waiting until the company had reached a certain level of 'comfortable success'. Our belief is if emphasis is placed on social programs from a company's inception, the value of service will be a core cultural value that is built into the fabric of the company.

Social Source Software (http://www.social-source.com/) creates world-class software specifically for nonprofit and non-governmental organizations, usually under an open source license. Social Source Software works with organizations seeking to create enterprise grade websites, web applications, and other types of software.

Craigslist (http://www.Craigslist.org) From its humble beginnings as an e-mail newsletter sent to friends in San Francisco, Craigslist has grown to be one of the largest online community bulletin boards, with 175 Craigslist sites in all 50 US states, and 34 countries. Craigslist was one of the earliest community sites to coordinate hurricane relief, rescue and reunion for Katrina survivors.

It is a sidewalk. Not roller blade way nor speed way. No bike riding here.

Don't ride your bike on the sidewalks of the South Side! Get off and walk. A few customers of stores have gotten run down by fast moving bike riders in recent days. Get onto the street and go fast or walk on the sidewalk.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances: RIP to the ICA

We need oversight. The ICA isn't dead yet. It has acted like it is worthless. But that is another problem.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com R.I.P.: The Pittsburgh oversight board. With the departure of Bill Lieberman from the board, there's really no need for the board to exist. Gutted of any members who don't have marionette rods attached to their mouths, the board has been reduced to a rubber stamp of the companion Act 47 board. It's a great victory for gubernatorial thuggery; it's a very sad loss for the concept of independent oversight.

I've suggested that Joe Weinroth be nominated to fill the open position on the ICA board.

The need for the board is there because the Act 47 folks can't be trusted, nor can the city's leaders. We do have a need for oversight. The reasons are there as sure as the debt is huge.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - Parking

City council does have some skin in the strike by the union that operates many parking lots.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com To Pittsburgh City Council. It passes a resolution in support of the striking parking lot attendants and accuses the lot operators of 'union-busting.' First, the council has no business entering this fray. Second, its resolution only affirms that it doesn't have a clue about finances in general. It's this kind of mind-boggling lapdogging that played a major role in Pittsburgh's fiscal downfall.

The city owns the PARKING AUTHORITY. The Parking Authority should be taken apart.
I spoke to the union leader and he agrees with me. The Parking Authority is part of the problem. The Parking Authority should be NUKED.
Furthermore, the URA is building parking garages. That's an important connection that can't be ignored. The city council has a seat on the URA board. That is another connection.
That said -- I don't think that the resolution was worth hill of beans. But, there are ways to get involved and do better work than what we've seen.

Statement in the Aftermath of Katrina via OMB. My reactions within (long)

The essence of needing and expecting action is fine. But, how actions are accomplished and what is asked for (in hindsight) is strange in this OMB statement.

OMB Watch - An OMB Watch Statement in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina reminds us why it is necessary to have a strong, accountable federal government. In a time of crisis we need a unified, coordinated and effective response. To accomplish this, the federal government must exert leadership and be prepared to act. Hurricane Katrina has demonstrated -- as no sloganeering about the role of government could -- the dangers of assuming that smaller government is always better, or that federal responsibilities should be shifted to others. As Katrina has shown, when the federal government refuses to shoulder its responsibilities and chooses instead to pass the buck, lives are put at risk and chaos ensues....

I think Katrinia reminds us why it is necessary to have a diversified and effective response. The unified part was the problem, not the solution.
Leadership is earned -- like respect. It isn't something to EXERT. When the Federal Government MUST EXERT LEADERSHIP then we've got serious problems brewing, much worse than even Katrina.

True, many of our elected leaders who we expected to act didn't. They were ill prepared to lead, to act, to work, to fix and to help. They were frozen in time. The outcomes were glaring and caught on television news.
I am one who generally clamors for "smaller government." I don't ever say smaller is ALWAYS better. Always and never are avoided, as are "first" and "only."

We agree:
No doubt, the Fed need to shoulder responsibility.
No doubt, lives should not be put at risk.
No doubt, chaos ensues after a disaster. But, more chaos would occur if a unified effort shifted more responsibilities to itself, at the expense of other efforts, and then broke down.

It is like data. Back-ups are always a good idea.

We need good backups. We need redundant systems.

Just think of the World Wide Web. It thrives because all the data and efforts are not in one place with one god-like place of responsibility.

Just think of nature. The diversity is what makes splendid results. The king of the jungle is but a name. Ants, birds and reptiles all function without needing to get permission from the lions -- yet alone wait for the lion to live life for them.

Do doubt we need coordinated and effective. Unified, however, not so much.

We'll be stronger when there is diversity.

We'll be more accountable when there are other systems out there doing the job too.

The Feds are being held accountable today (or in the weeks to come) because the news crews (CNN, Fox, etc.) were at the New Orleans Convention Center and the reporters didn't find clean water, organization, doctors, nor food. Other voices and other avenues need to be free flowing -- not controlled from one central command.

I want accountability, but a great deal of that happens with marketplace forces that are proven in moment to moment efforts.

The one size fits all approach takes a lot of time at the tailor's shop before it can be applied. Meanwhile, deaths mount higher. We have to think it through and plan in advance. But there are times to act. A smart network has smart nodes. I want strong independence throughout.

Why has it been acceptable to provide tax breaks primarily for the richest in our society when basic human needs have gone unmet for so many?

Because they had the votes, that's why.

You want tax breaks, you line up some good reasoning, some good arm twisting, and you deliver the votes. Often the votes can be purchased. We have too many in the political realm who are able to be bought. That's special interest and money at its worst.

By the way, I hate corporate welfare. That is one of the worst types of tax cut.

I agree again that we need to have our government tackle the jobs of what government should be doing. Dams, locks on the rivers, road re-paving, bridge repair, rodent control, etc. They need to stick to the knitting. They need to watch the public treasury too. Large scale projects that make sense for the collective good need to be done. But, too many large scale projects are PORK and sexy. Those efforts take away from the non-sexy, routine, boring projects.

If you take care of the basics and repair what you have as top priorities -- you won't get ahead in politics and government. There have been millions poured into our state (Pennsylvania) for GAMBLING interests. We don't have gambling, but that is where the money is. The money is for the new, not the rehabs. The money is for the change, the churn, the speculators -- not the inner city.

It is easy to focus on one developer and a greenfield vs. a diverse neighborhood and many owners with many stakeholders. Easy does not deliver the best solutions however.

In our city, it is easy for the mayor or the county executive to call to the north side and have a meeting with four people all in the office: Rooney (Owner of the Steelers), McK (owner of the Pirates), S. (owner of leases to parking), URA (urban redevelopment authority). Easy. No home owners are there to deal with. Perhaps if the meeting get a bit wider in scope, they'd call HEINZ (woops, Del Monte) and talk about the catchup factory (woops, loft apartments). No need to call Pgh Wool -- eminent domain took them out of the picture years ago.

Meanwhile, if the mayor wants to call to the south side and have a meeting -- that meeting is going to erupt into a thorny brew-ha-ha with special interest groups, block watches, small business, non-profits, kids groups, out the wazoo. Once parking is raised, then nothing gets done for another week of venting. Its a mess.

Democracy is messy. Government is messy.

The South Side is thriving.

The top-down plans of the north side suck. The latest move is to spend $400-million on a subway line extension that goes under the river to get more people to the ball games. Nuts. Nobody wants that -- except for the four people who meet at regular intervals in the mayor's office.

I agree, we have too many misplace priorities.

By the way, our Democratic Governor who might one day run for President, Rendell, wanted to cut the gas taxes right away. That was his quick solution. And now that stance is being put onto the back burner with him.

BTW, this rub with the estate tax to help nonprofits (good for Red Cross and others) does not square with the idea that the government needs to shoulder the responsibility. The thinking became unclear to me with that example.

The cuts to food stamps, Medicaid and student loans are made so bigger bailouts can be made the next cycle. The university community of LA was just before Congress yesterday to ask for $500-million. So, a cut in student loans last season turned into free tuition and retention pay for professors next season. My point, is that there is a lot of smoke here. The knee jerk reactions are going to rule the day. The powerful gain power by controlling it and giving it out as they desire -- while noise and FUD (fear uncertainty and doubt) justifies the take-it-while you can mentality.

One shocking element about the events unfolding as a result of Hurricane Katrina is that few people, if any, have accurate, up-to-date, life-saving information. With a toxic stew roiling through the streets of New Orleans, the public's right to know about dangerous chemicals in their communities and the present dangers of large scale commercial coastal development becomes ever more important. Thousands of facilities in the Gulf Coast area -- ranging from gas stations to oil refiners to large petrochemical plants -- were buffeted by Hurricane Katrina and many may be leaking into the flood waters, but there is little information available about these facilities. Every community has dangers and knowledge about them can help us prevent disasters and react more quickly and properly when disasters strike. The federal government should take affirmative steps to insure that emergency responders and the public know about dangers in New Orleans and in all of our communities and require that companies make responsible efforts to minimize these dangers.

Agree.

The best way to get the info out to the people is to avoid a unified approach. Peer review, multiple sites, multiple flows of information are needed.

Meanwhile FEMA and Microsoft are teaming up to put a unified database of survivors together -- locking out others.

Underlying all the Gulf Coast devastation is a shocking injustice that must be addressed: a disproportionate number of poor and people of color were affected, reflecting broader and persistent societal inequities. The issue is not new, it has just been ignored. Some would argue we have been losing ground on this front for years. Here, too, there is a positive role the federal government can play, yet little leadership or political will is in place for that to occur. Ronald Reagan once quipped, "My friends, some years ago the federal government declared war on poverty -- and poverty won." As Hurricane Katrina has made so clear, this is no laughing matter; it is time the fight be taken up once again.

Agree: The governments fight on the war on poverty was a loss. Poverty won. So, why then do you want to increase food stamps, increase governmental handouts, increase student aid -- via governmental sources. You're conflict within your statement are hard to understand.

Poverty beat the feds -- so some advanced the fix to come via the faith based programs.

Determining what went wrong in New Orleans and other areas of the Gulf surely will be complex; a veritable labyrinth of local, state and federal actions -- or inaction -- is in play.

It isn't hard to understand, but it can be made into a complex problem.

A huge storm hit. Before the punch of the storm was delivered, people were not nimble enough to flee. Too many were not free and capable of moving quickly and on short notice.

Before the punch of the storm was delivered, too many people were in unprotected spaces. Buildings and security were not strong enough to weather the storm.

One system break-down leads to other systems breaking. Electricity, phone, power in hospitals, etc., etc. Not enough freedom, choice, back-ups, flexibility, individual decision making throughout.

After the storm hit, the wave of relief needed to be matched with a counter punch. The leveraged power of the counter punch was hindered on many instances. It was slow and weak at first.

The rush of relief faced many red-tape hurdles. For example, doctors were sitting for days with mini hospitals -- but could not treat the needy because of a state license issue. The hurdles were killers.

To run and be coordinated, our body has one group of muscles that flex and contract while other muscles lengthen, loosen and relax. Step after step this happens. Move - Relax - Move - Relax. Its the coordination thing! There seemed to be a lot of counter moves that stopped actions of willing helpers. We needed to be able to RELAX rules (and laws) to permit doctors to come in and treat our sick without the fear and uncertainty of loosing one's license a month later.

So, there isn't much flexibility built into our system. We are not good at relaxing as a society because we have too many hyper rule makers who don't think it through and see the bigger picture.

Individuals can make good decisions. All the decision making can't be uploaded to one mega brain.

Better decision can be made if things are out in the open for all to see.

As the toxic stew of flood waters recedes and assistance accelerates in aiding the people affected by Hurricane Katrina, Congress is beginning to look at what went so terribly wrong in responding to the crisis. That process must be independent of politics, as was the 9/11 Commission, and it must be open and accountable.

Agree with open and agree with accountable -- but we don't agree about the politics part. Dream on. This is Congress. Plus, politics is a part of life.

Push for open ways -- and don't push for the avoidance of politics. Expect it. Deal with it.

If we had Libertarians and Greens run the INDEPENDENT Investigation -- then we might have something to talk about. But Ds and Rs are going to be themselves, as they were before the storm. I'd like to see more parties with people in Congress. That would help to defuse the red-state vs blue-state games they both play.

Politics is part of the fabric of America and it needs to be dealt with -- not ignored or wished away. To ignore politics or wish it away is childish.

But we call on Congress to go beyond investigation and recommendations for fixes to the Gulf Coast disaster. Now is the time to move beyond ideology and realign our national priorities. True leadership requires action: enact responsible policies and budgets to support the safety and productivity of all Americans, not just in the aftermath of this storm, but over the long haul, no matter their race or status.

I'd counter with this closing statement. True leadership requires votes -- plain and simple. If you want to realign our national priorities, something that I agree we need to do, we need to realign our votes. Then its done. There is nothing so powerful.

We need to make sure all those people can vote. Plus, we need to make sure that all voters, everywhere, are casting smart votes.

Getting good people into office for the right reasons is going to fix a lot of the problems that plague our country. Kicking other people out of office for the right reasons is going to work wonders too. One is positive, the other is negative. We need to be strong on offense and not give away any gains on defense. Put the right ones in -- and toss the bums out.

The right ones (i.e.,creditable individuals who are candidates) are not going to be thrilled to build gambling casinos on the coast lines. The right ones are not going to be thrilled to make a Super Dome for $500-million and let neighborhoods be endangered due to cracked and crumbled infrastructure -- ripe for flooding.

I think this is going to boil down to the power of the voters and voter education. We must make smarter use of our votes in every office from local to national.

Rats!

Officials spar over city's rodent funds A proposal to take on the city of Pittsburgh's rodent population had city officials gnawing at each other yesterday.

What a shame and pitty. We can't even get on the same page, from within the same party, to take care of this pressing problem with rats.
Nobody is going to want to keep living in the city with these rats running around.

Flashback quiz: This isn't a rat nor is it a bobcat. Furthermore, it isn't a racoon. What is it? (Click to see comments for answer. Click the image to see a larger version.)

In football, the Ohio University Bobcats play the Pitt Panthers tonight -- in Athens, Ohio. Safe travels to all. Enjoy. Be sure to watch the OU band play pre-game, halftime and post-game. That is well worth the trip. That's what I'll be missing the most.

MoveOn -- OMG

Last night's 11 pm news showed a short story from Washington DC and Katrina. MoveOn sent protesters to rally in DC as to how the federal response in the Gulf was too slow, etc.

My wife (not too political) wasn't happy.

Her thoughts -- rather than a picket and a protest in DC, grab a broom and get to work helping someone somewhere.

One does not need to go to the Gulf Coast to help, by the way.

Main Page - Recovery 2.0 - a WIKI and people are gathering next week in S.F. too

Main Page - Recovery 2.0
Our goal is to be ready for the next disaster so people can better use the internet via any device to better:
1. share information,
2. report and act on calls for help,
3. coordinate relief,
4. connect the missing,
5. provide connections for such necessities as housing and jobs,
6. match charitable assets to needs,
7. get people connected to these projects - and the world - sooner.

WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: People Finder Tech

WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: People Finder Tech: "There are over 50 sites on the web set up to help New Orleans evacuees and their loved ones find each other. Problem is, none of these sites talk to each other, so people trying to find their family and friends end up having to find and search every one of the sites, just in case the names they were hoping to see only ended up in a single database. The PeopleFinderTech team has set out to implement a standardized data format (PFIF, or PeopleFinder Interchange Format) for these sites, making it possible to search many (hopefully all) of the databases in one go. The database, when completed, will live at http://katrinalist.net.

The project is well underway, but still has some major hurdles to leap before it's ready -- and here's how you can help.

To apply for FEMA aid online, Katrina survivors will need IE 6 - Computerworld

Jagoffs smell.

To apply for FEMA aid online, Katrina survivors will need IE 6 - Computerworld To apply for FEMA aid online, Katrina survivors will need IE 6 Mac and Linux users will have to seek FEMA help by phone.

Just a few minutes ago I wrote a letter to the Creative Commons talk list with an update. I'll put that in the comments of this post.

Univ. of Pittsburgh has a club for LIBERTARIANS. The first meeting report follows.

Hi all! We had the first meeting of the Pitt libertarian club last
night, and I think it was a great success!

We had around 15 people come, many of them freshman students.

A few of them were there to get more information, and we had several that already knew alot about the LP that wanted to be very active (perhaps even meeting more than monthly) and raise funds.

We ate 4 out of the 5 pizzas we had (the 5th one was free...they had an extra one I think), cracked some jokes, discussed the politics of South Park and threw around some T-shirt ideas (one student's idea and later drawing of an elephant humping a donkey and the resulting hybrid was hilarious).

We also have another student named Scott, who is in the National Guard, whom shall be interesting to talk to in future about the geopolitics of the military.

Re: Dave E and CMU Libs: It turns out that 7 PM is too early, as there are several people that had night classes (Scott even skipped his first Calc class because he wanted to attend so badly!), so we decided to push the time back to 8PM, perhaps with a video to start things off and let the stragglers coem in. Dave, do you think you and the CMU people can work with this?

I've got to run now...more later!
DaveP

Evil Jagoffs = MS and Katrinasafe.com

http://www.katrinasafe.com/OtherLocatingSites.htm

These guys can rot in hell.

The list on that page has 27 sites but does NOT include KatrinaList.net. Meanwhile, a group of volunteer netizens in a loose network there (and elsewhere) pounded the web and merged data from countless sources and crammed tens of thousands of records into a new standard interchange format. People were working their fingers to the bone and not a link to that site -- nothing.

The FEMA, Red Cross, Microsoft corporate folks did a hijack and some seemed to have left the citizen centric project after unloading poison pills.

Jagoffs.

This is ten days after the storm and that end-all, be-all mega site is just coming online.

By the way, all the work done in terms of bits and bytes by the volunteer network has been submitted and uploaded to the jagoffs' site. They got the data already. And they should have been given it. We all agree that the data should be out there -- far and wide. But, the data ain't coming back. And, the net isn't going to be there for the next update yet alone the next crisis.

I really gets me mad when some people don't play well with others. And, when it is by design -- it is worth a little name calling.

It feels like Steve Leeper or Tom Cox has their hands in this.

Well, more windmills await around the next bend and in the days ahead. Perhaps good, open cooperation will champion for 10-weeks then, rather than 10 days.

Perhaps after all those boneheads at FEMA get sacked, the next crew will arrive and see the stupidity and fatal flaws in thinking and process and security and accessibility and outreach and stability, etc.

Or, there is always the "INVESTIGATION" to come.

Flash slide show of 55 images from Katrina

Defining images of a disaster, from PaynterExtra.org that requires the Flash plugin.

SI.com - Olympics - Koreas agree on unified team for 2006 Asian Games

Playing well together is nice.

Generally I say that the mind leads and the body follows. Sometimes the body leads and the politicians follow too. Sports are a venue for improvements of relationships. I love to see advances in sports be transfered to other pursuits in life.

Sports Illustrated The two Koreas agreed to field a unified team for the 2006 Asian Games.
The agreement came during a meeting between the heads of the North and South Olympic organizations in the Guangzhou, China, the South Korean Olympic Committee said Thursday. Details are still to be worked out.

The nations also tentatively decided to form a unified soccer team for exhibition games against Brazil next spring in Pyongyang and Seoul.

Sports exchanges between the Koreas have flourished following a breakthrough meeting of the two nations' leaders in 2000. Athletes from the North and South marched together at the opening and the closing ceremonies of the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.

The 2006 Asian Games are scheduled for Dec. 1-16, 2006 at Qatar.

A geek's-eye view of hurricane relief - Science - MSNBC.com

Good ink on a project I'm assiting with -- slightly.

A geek's-eye view of hurricane relief - Science - MSNBC.com

But now there is much more brewing -- another storm. A fork of sorts. The FEMA and Red Cross and Microsoft folks seem to want to be a uni-center for data. But there are many others who are skeptical.

Katrina: Recovery Information Protection Act (RIP A)

Dan Chaney sent an email to katrinadev. We are working on a people finder application for use in the wake of Katrina. His post is at the top, followed by my reaction.

The Recovery Information Protection Act (RIPA, a term I completely made up as I was typing this in...) would be legislation designed to protect the information being posted in order to find survivors from being used for any other use, such as spam, commercial interests, etc. With the best of intentions, people are providing data on themselves and other individuals in order to find them. However that same data can be used for less altruistic purposes unless there are specific prohibitions against it. As generators of systems that collate and expand that data, we need to be aware of this issue. I am NOT suggestion we scale back efforts in any way, shape or form, the priority of finding people remains the highest priority (I'm not changing FamilyMessages' input screens, for example and we're continuing the PFIF implementations.) Nonetheless, a parallel effort to protect the use of that data should begin.

1. Does anyone know of existing legislation that would cover this issue?

2. Can anyone recommend US Congressional contacts that would be helpful here? I believe this would require quick action at the federal level (and that isn't the contradiction it seems if it can be a rider onto an emergency funding bill) but federal level is the only way to make it apply safely to the Internet.

3. Is there a downside to such legislation? (Let's assume it is narrowly drawn but precedent setting nonetheless)

I recognize this isn't a key issue for most of us focused on the technological, immediate and demanding issues but I'm hoping to help them head off another set of problems tomorrow by sidestepping them today. No one in their situation needs to deal with a million telemarketers with scams designed to play on their misfortunes,
financial or otherwise.

-dan

---

Hi,

Dan, Good, proactive thread... Nice thinking. You open a big can of worms.

However, I don't think your proposed legislative direction makes for a good outcome. It is NOT something I'd want to push in the real world. But after slamming the core of the ideas -- I'll attempt to offer a better solution / direction / approach (perhaps we'll agree). So, Dan, nice jucy can of worms -- but no thanks. I'll take a different flavor -- say a JAR of worms.

READERS, this has NOTHING to do with "DEV" on the pressing software / network application. So, it will be my ONLY posting to this list. I'll take the concepts to the WIKI, however, and my personal blog. You can stop reading now if busy and only interested in the bits and bytes.

First off -- there is a NATIONAL Do not call database. They also exist on a state by state basis. We also have one in our state.

(FYI, I don't agree with DO NOT CALL LISTS either -- and my name and #s are not in that db. But, that is another point well beyond this.)

Plus, local state attorney generals can be at the forefront of your concerns. An attorney general could -- and should perhaps -- stand up at a press briefing (while talking about gasoline price gougers, etc.) and cover what you put forth in your concerns. The attorney general can say -- "HANDS off to the unscrupulous." Otherwise, you'll feel the wrath of my office, blah, blah, blah.

I'm fine and would even support you taking these concepts to any and all Attorney Generals of each state.

Next, in the marketplace, there is sure to be a lot of backlash to any firm who might mine for sales given these reports. Is Lands End going to do a special Down South Gulfin catalog for the fall season and try to target victims of Katrina? No way.

The data, as we'll be finding out, is going to be very, very fluid. People are on the move. A relationship with a moving target is hard to use in a direct marketing campaign.

Next there is delivery of goods purchased, etc.

But, on the other hand, the people are getting, so says the news, a $2,000 debit card. So, catalog sales and efforts would be possible.

Then there is the matter of the necessary navel gazing that needs to be done by those in office now -- as to the delays and investigations, etc. These guys need to take a long, hard look in the rear view mirror. They are in a reactive mode, sadly. This effort for new legislation is proactive and where they should be -- but they are not. I don't think it will resonate with any office staffers at this time.

This could be a good campaign point to mention in 2006 races, for sure. But it would need a lot of buzz to take root -- when roots are so frail.

Furthermore, why don't we allow the marketplace to heal when it can -- not make these people islands where there can't be outreach. Some want normal relations without "special interest" pockets of "isolation."

For example, perhaps there is a truck load of work boots for $5 a pair headed to the Gulf or a shelter -- and handbills are delivered. Who is to say that those efforts ( relief in part, commerce in part ) CAN'T occur except by special order of FEMA or some other bureaucrat.

I think the tone needs to be "buyer beware" and "protect yourself" and "don't be slopp with your personal security."

However, this does lead to the points of ELECTIONS and VOTER Registrations.

Since 2001's hanging chad fumbles and follies -- we've done more damage than good in efforts of Voter Protection, vote counting, and so on.

What if you are running for school board in Houston and there are 15,000 new neighbors -- and you gotta go door-to-door in the next month, before a November election. ???

We do need, as open-source folks, have good measures of freedom and responsibility -- BOTH are needed.

Furthermore, I think we need to elbow a few along the way in terms of "democracy" and "inclusion" and allowing every voice to count and/or be heard.

This (people finder) is a massive project where each individual needs to be accounted for. The same is true in our American society with voting. Each individual needs to be able to have the opportunity to cast a vote. Not just men. Not just land owners. Not just residents since before Katrina. There is a dignity and worth to every human that DOES not change because of situations (skin color, neighborhood,
parents, job status, etc.)

I don't think we need to be MORE controlling -- but instead insert more LIBERTY -- and have a big sense of the core justice avenues. In America -- we vote. We do JURY Duty. We are all innocent until proven guilty.

Generally, too, we have freedoms to associate and free travel -- and free trade.

We are sure to need efforts of protection -- but, IMHO, they need to be geared to inclusion -- not isolation.

---

More to come, I'm sure. I just thought of another option.

How about a Creative Commons License that prevents commercial use? I'll email Lessig.

Polo anyone? I hope so. Play begins this weekend at CV.

Dripping with desire -- I'm ready to re-enter the game.

In the early 1990s, I published what is thought to be the best book on water polo, authored by then four time and now five time Olympic Coach, Monte Nitzkowski.

Around the same year, I started some water polo activities at Plum High School. We played there twice a week with adults and high schoolers in a co-ed practice. We did drills and wash-scoring mini-games.

When I coached the Foxes, two of the seniors did "senior projects" with water polo. We even had a joint practice with another high school team to play polo. And, our Firday AM workouts were designed to not include lane lines. We often worked on water polo skills as a change of pace in our overall conditioning sessions.

When we went to China in May and June, 2005, I got to play twice a week with the men's squad against a college women's team. The Physical Education College was starting a water polo team for the women and they needed competition. I was happy to participate.

This weekend a new water polo program is starting in Pittsburgh, at Charties Valley High School. It is open to kids from throughout the area.

The Pittsburgh Water Polo LeagueAction and sign-ups are to start this weekend. The league presents the youth of the area an opportunity to join a water polo team and compete against other teams for the league championship. It is more like an "in-house league" as all the players come from the same location and no travel is involved. It is a great chance to learn the sport and play games against your friends.

This league is open to any boy or girl in 9th to 12th grade.

We need to have many additional water polo programs in this region. It is a great game and keeps many more kids in their respective aquatic programs.

In California, there has been a recent (last 8 years or so) trend to build mega water polo programs for kids of all ages. Some of the teams there now have a couple thousand participants.

I think a good program in the area could include adults as well. And, of course, it is a co-ed activity.

Best of luck to the participants and leaders at the CV program. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to attend, even as a spectator, one weekend in the future. I would have like to be more involved on a day-to-day basis, but our travels this fall prevent me from attending too many of the sessions.

The guys were larger, older and stronger -- but the water makes everyone much more equal.

Photo flashback: More water polo photos from June 1, 2005, while in China.

RUMOR: Show Me State converts prison into apartments / shelter for 10,000 Katrina survivors

This is a working post where the outcome isn't known -- yet. Help with insights is welcomed. Just leave a comment below, please.

I heard in Pittsburgh (from a trusted source, a grad student at Pitt with family in Missouri) that 10,000 people are taking shelter in apartments that were converted from a former PRISON.

Kwel idea. Take a closed prison, rush to convert the spaces to apartments, host your neighbors in need.

But, I can't find any news of this -- yet. Pointers would be helpful. So, in my search I wrote to a journalist with a byline in MO who had done a recent article on ways locals are helping and he replied within minutes:

To the best of my knowledge, that's merely a rumor.

Missouri recently closed an old prison and opened a new one, and I know people have floated the idea of using the old prison, but I don't believe it's happening.

Thanks!

Tony

Meanwhile, what has become of the old Allegheny Prison on the North Side?

Niagra Falls visit

There is little else for me to blog about now -- as I'm booked for a flight over the Pacific next month.

The Globe and Mail: Chinese leader still a mystery The President's latest crackdown on dissent has included the arrest of writers and journalists, tougher controls on the Internet, tighter police surveillance of activists, a clampdown on non-governmental organizations, forced propaganda education classes and verbal attacks on the 'bourgeois' system of Western democracy.

Mark your calendars: Pittsburgh Ballet picketing

Dance with musicians in the streets of the cultural district for labor and the arts!

Dear AFM Sisters & Brothers and Pittsburgh Ballet Orchestra Supporters,

On August 18th we held what we believe to be a very successful demonstration and gathering of audience support at the Pittsburgh Ballet's free public performance at Hartwood Acres in Pittsburgh.

Now comes the opening of the season's performances of the Pittsburgh Ballet WITHOUT THEIR ORCHESTRA. It is our goal to flood the streets in front of the Benedum Center Theatre with as many people as possible, who feel that this situation is not only a severe injustice to the Pittsburgh Ballet Musicians, but has serious ramifications for all AFM musicians who play for Ballet and other pit productions. We believe our Hartwood Acres demonstration DID make a difference, and a large demonstration for these opening productions will go a long way towards settling this dispute.

The dates and times of the picketing are as follows (shows start a half hour later):
October 6, 2005 7:00PM
October 7, 2005 7:30PM
October 8, 2005 7:30PM
October 9, 2005 1:30PM

ALL performance will be at the Benedum Center Theatre in downtown Pittsburgh-719 7th Street, 15222. It is on 7th Street between Penn and Liberty Streets.

Please come and join with us in these most important demonstrations. If you are coming from out of town, please do advise the Pittsburgh Ballet Committee and the Pittsburgh Musicians' Union via email (see addresses in the "copy" section), so we may have sufficient signs for everyone, and perhaps arrange for some hospitality.We also hope to have a large turnout from various segments of the Pittsburgh area community.

We hope you can join us in Pittsburgh; together we can win this fight.

Nathan Kahn, Negotiator
Symphonic Services Division
American Federation of Musicians