MyDD :: Schiavo news aggregator and blog alliance development for religious community

Schiavo news aggregator and blog alliance development for religious community

by janfrel, Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:43:56 AM EST

Look at this. It's a very effective news aggregator site that also lists all of the interested bloggers who want to save Schiavo. A Save Schiavo web hub.

http://www.prolifeblogs.com/articles/aggregator.php?schiavo=1

It's also very low-tech, low-cost, seemingly automated, and it gives offering to a gigantic nexus of like-minded bloggers. What's missing from it of course is the actionability... there's no shared discussion about what steps visitors can take, or a schedule of planned events, etc. Even without that side of it, it's still very effective and efficient.

This is a truth channel assembled practically over night.

There's a separate section for organizations that have joined under the save Schiavo banner. I would want these organizations' info on what can be done listed on the main page.

I would want these tools fused with some that allowed for the display of permanent text as well as some simple actionability items as a template for future political and movement-based netroot activities.

I would also want more in-depth display of the content from the blogs listed on either side of the blog roll, with bean counting technology that brought the more popular content to the top of the page.

Of course, there's at least one person overseeing the assembly of this Schiavo hub, so it's not totally automated on the web, but there's nothing wrong with that (except that in this case, the cause is bloody silly, and we have a chance to see just how craven the GOP is to these nuts. Bush is willing to quit his vacation in Crawford, TX, and head back to DC for a little bit of posturing.)
That said, despite how crazy the cause is the guy who set it up has written a rather level-headed explanation of what the site is:

Welcome to ProLifeBlogs. The objective of this site is to raise awareness and support for the pre-born and the sanctity of human life by communicating pro-life news and materials and by enabling a community of pro-life bloggers to promote their sites, interact with one another and influence internet readers.

The main ideas for ProLifeBlogs came from the excellent work of others in setting up Blogs4God, a link database for Christian blogs, and the Blogdom of God, a Christian blog aggregator. If you are looking for a blog meta or aggregator that are strictly Christian these are definitely the places to start. I'm envisioning that ProLifeBlogs will be comparatively small and, as a result, will provide individual bloggers a greater opportunity to promote their pro-life message.

The major building blocks of ProLifeBlogs have been implemented and the site design is near completion. The components are a weblog for communication and publication, a link database and an aggregator. Sites that are syndicated (have an RSS, XML or Atom feed) are aggregated and have their latest entries posted on the ProLifeBlogs homepage.

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Permalink :: 32 Comments :: Post a Comment

Saving Schiavo? (3.00 / 1)

Let me see if I have this right. Bush will give up his vacation so he can sign legislation to "save" a woman who cannot be saved,but didn't give up his vacation on August 6,2001 when his PDB warned about the upcoming Al-Queda attacks on this nation. I have that correct? As for Delay,I would presume that this gives him so breathing room against the stench of the numerous ethics violations against him. They are so transparent and vile that it defies description. They are most assuredly pandering to their far right base. The only time one sees Delay move this fast is when someone writes him a check with lots of zereos in it. Where was Delay in 2004 when 6 month old Sun Hudson's breathing tube was removed by the Houston hospital despite the numerous pleas from his mother? Nowhere to be found!!!! I guess that Mrs. Hudson,a poor black woman couldn't write a check big enough for Delay to care. Who signed the legislation to "murder" little Sun Hudson? It was W. It is also the height of hypocrisy for Delay et al to run around crying how we need to help the poor and those who cannot defend themselves,yet will without a thought,slash billions from social programs to actually help the poor and downtrodden they allegedly wish to help. This is nothing more than a crass politicial farce. (liebermanlives guest blogger)

by liebermanlives on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 08:57:57 AM EST

Pro Life? (none / 0)

If the US had better access to health care, and our infant mortality was as good as, say, Singapore's - we would save 20,000 babies - a month...

And that is just one aspect of the problem..

Compulsive liars, like the GOP, project their own faults on to others..

Hence the 'pro life' emphasis..

They are PRAYING that we don't realize that their policies kill and maim, on a massive scale, both others AND OURSELVES, every single day.

Because of greed, they are KILLING us..

Just say NO to the GOPs DoubleSpeak..their lies..

by ultraworld on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 10:01:57 AM EST

who would Jesus.. (none / 0)

bomb...

NO ONE...

by ultraworld on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 10:02:50 AM EST

Food for thought (3.00 / 1)

The parent's reaction to their daughter's death is understandable.

Experts say that is not an unusual reaction in such cases, at least initially. "The vegetative state can be described as a state of wakeful unresponsiveness, and it's a very hard concept to get your arms around," said Dr. Joseph Fins, chief of the medical ethics division of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell hospital. "When the eyes are open, we associate that naturally with sentient awareness, when it is not. And this paradox feeds into the denial that a catastrophic medical event has taken place."

Especially when a patient's eyes open on emergence from a coma, Dr. Fins said, family members are likely to assume that this is evidence of recovery. In fact, he said, it can augur poorly for the patient. When the eyes open but there is no quick return to mental responsiveness, it suggests that the primitive brain stem is reasserting itself, without engaging the higher brain: the cortex and other parts that are involved in thought and emotion.

Everybody would be better off if the parents had allowed her to die with dignity. Michael Schiavo wants to do the right thing:

Michael Schiavo, who had sought to have her feeding tube removed, said that Congress was "getting into something they know nothing about."

"And it's sad," he said. "If they can do it to me, they can do it to everyone in this country."

It is sad. What is being done to and for Terry Schiavo is sad. It is sad how Michael Schiavo is being persecuted and demonized. What the parents are putting themselves through is sad. How the family is being manipulated is very sad.

And if there any lingering regrets associated with the person, as there almost always are, then family members may feel tremendous guilt over giving up and accepting the label "vegetable," said Dr. Ellin Bloch, director of the clinical doctorate program at Alliant International University in Los Angeles.

"I think that is often what people are afraid of, that they may end up feeling horrible, like they murdered somebody, that they failed them in the end - perhaps because they think they failed them previously in their life," Dr. Bloch said. "And all the while, they're looking at this tangible human being, and having a very hard time believing they can hold on to a relationship if this tangible being is not present. For all our talk about souls and what is the essence of a person, we are far more attached to the body than we know, I think. It is kind of a physical fear, that the person will be out of sight and forever out of mind."

These feelings are especially intense in parents who take care of a brain-damaged child. For mothers in particular, said Dr. Elaine Rodino, a clinical psychologist in Santa Monica, Calif., there can be genuine comfort in sustaining even so one-sided a relationship.

"Mothers are so used to doing a lot of caretaking, it comes so natural," Dr. Rodino said. "It can be filling their time so much that, to them, it really does feel like another person is there - someone they love, someone they remember caring for dearly. And to admit they're gone, well, it really does change the mother's life."

It is sad that media vampires like Bo Gritz are interjecting their personal agenda into what should be a private personal decision.

Shortly before 11 a.m., James. G. "Bo" Gritz, a former Green Beret commander and prominent member of a militant antigovernment movement, was arrested when he entered the hospice's driveway carrying a cup of water that he said was for Schiavo. A phalanx of police blocked his path. "I wouldn't leave anyone on the battlefield," he told the officers.

Maybe Bo Gritz is planning a trip to Viet Nam to see if there are any corpses he can dig up to offer them water. The last thing this case needs is another media vampire with absolutely no genuine interest in or attachment to Terry Schiavo. Unfortunately, he won't be the last.

Family members have difficulty dealing with the complex emotional combination of guilt, love and grief.

All of Terry Schaivo's other supporters should probably be charged with a felony. The religious and media freak show surrounding this poor family is celebrating a culture of necrophila.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 10:57:50 AM EST

WWJD? (none / 0)

What Would Jesus Do?

by falcon4e on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 11:05:45 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: WWJD? (none / 0)

He would have taken her away to heaven long ago I would imagine.

by Curt Matlock on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 11:34:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

She's already gone to her reward (none / 0)

Terri Schiavo has already gone on to whatever's next. There's nothing left of her in the body they are feeding. That brain tissue is all dead. Not even any stem cell miracle breakthroughs could help her.

by afs on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 12:34:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I basically agree with Reid on this (none / 0)

It looks like Reid just wants us Dems to keep our heads down, out of the spotlight, and unavailable for anyone pointing fingers of blame at any Dems for a sad situation. Let the neo-cons wail and gnash their teeth all they want on this. The whole situation is straight out of "Ripley's Believe It or Not" episode. It's a million to one shot that a patient with no cognitive ability would be able to survive with no support other than a feeding tube. No case law precidents will be set here.

Let's just have all the Dems just duck their heads and get off the stage on this case.

by afs on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 12:24:32 PM EST

Re: I basically agree with Reid on this (3.00 / 0)

I agree as well. They are trying to pick a fight that they know they can turn into votes. We believe that this issue has no place in politics and the courts should settle it.

Let's not play their game.

P.S.: Since we aren't invading anyone and "liberating" markets, "neo-cons" don't give a shit. These are "theo-cons", not "neo-cons". Know your enemies.

by wayward on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 12:46:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Theo-cons (none / 0)

I like that a lot.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 01:32:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Neo/Theo-cons... I'm torn (none / 0)

The question is whether you believe the extremists in the GOP actually believe in the religious extremism they promote. Do you believe Dubya is on his knees close to as much as he says he is?

I don't. I don't think they actually believe one bit of it. I think they use religious extremism as a tool for gathering further power and wealth. I think Rove, DeLay, and Co. spend just as much time laughing at the real religious extremists as Mike Malloy does.

by afs on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:05:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I basically agree with Reid on this (none / 0)

Theo-cons is pretty good...

by MadProfessah on Mon Mar 21, 2005 at 10:54:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

It's Too Late (none / 0)

Let's just have all the Dems just duck their heads and get off the stage on this case.

About 6 Congressional Dems just had a press conference on CSPAN about the law.

by JenAtlanta on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:11:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Too Late (none / 0)

I wasn't paying attention. Were those Dems who were sucking up to the religious taliban? That dude from Florida was a Dem?

I had the telly on in the living room while I was making lunch and just assumed they were GOPers. Were those Dems?

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:43:03 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It's Too Late (none / 0)

Well the GOP Congressmen went after the Dems, so you most likely were listening to them. No way would Barney Frank ever be in a group praising the religious taliban.

by JenAtlanta on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:53:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

CSPAN (3.00 / 1)

For JollyBuddah,

No, they were standing up for the American people, Thank God!

And they were fabulous, all of them. I recommend anyone who's wondering why Dems should fight this check out the press conference when it's re-run on CSPAN.

Barney Frank said this law the Repubs are trying to push through would make the Congress the "Supreme, Supreme Court" and spoke eloquently about its serious constitutional consequences.

Rep. Wasserman-Smith from FL was even better as she spoke about her family's recent decision to remove a feeding tube from a loved one and how Congress has no right to intervene in these tragic family decisions.

She also brought up the current Texas law granting the right to end life to hospitals and medical care professionals under "futile" circumstances. She added, that the bill was signed into law by none other than Governor G.W. Bush.

I'll tell you it was heartening to watch Democrats acting like Democrats for a change of pace. Very Impressive.

by bellarose on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 03:45:06 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: CSPAN (none / 0)

Pardon me, I got her name wrong: Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was the Democrat from Florida who spoke during the press conference.

She's terrific on-camera.

by bellarose on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 03:57:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Bravo! (none / 0)

Thank god for small miracles. I am going to try and pick this one up later today. Barney Franks I like every time the man opens his mouth. Wasserman sounds like someone to keep an eye on.

Thanks for the tip. I am so relieved that those bone heads I was sort of watching were GOPers. For a second I thought a few non-descript dems had poked their head under the GOPer tent.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 06:38:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

S. 653 (none / 0)

There is another bill entitled S. 686, the text of which is not yet available on the Congressional website. Here is the bill they pull on the agenda today. It is S 653:

AN ACT

For the relief of the parents of Theresa Marie Schiavo.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. RELIEF OF THE PARENTS OF THERESA MARIE SCHIAVO.

The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida shall have jurisdiction to hear, determine, and render judgment on a suit or claim by or on behalf of Theresa Marie Schiavo for the alleged violation of any right of Theresa Marie Schiavo under the Constitution or laws of the United States relating to the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain her life.

SEC. 2. PROCEDURE.

Any parent of Theresa Marie Schiavo shall have standing to bring a suit under this Act. The suit may be brought against any other person who was a party to State court proceedings relating to the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain the life of Theresa Marie Schiavo, or who may act pursuant to a State court order authorizing or directing the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain her life. In such a suit, the District Court shall determine de novo any claim of a violation of any right of Theresa Marie Schiavo within the scope of this Act, notwithstanding any prior State court determination and regardless of whether such a claim has previously been raised, considered, or decided in State court proceedings. The District Court shall entertain and determine the suit without any delay or abstention in favor of State court proceedings, and regardless of whether remedies available in the State courts have been exhausted.

SEC. 3. RELIEF.

After a determination of the merits of a suit brought under this Act, the District Court shall issue such declaratory and injunctive relief as may be necessary to protect the rights of Theresa Marie Schiavo under the Constitution and laws of the United States relating to the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain her life.

SEC. 4. TIME FOR FILING.

Notwithstanding any other time limitation, any suit or claim under this Act shall be timely if filed within 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 5. STAY.

Upon the filing of a suit or claim under this Act, the District Court may issue a stay of any State court order authorizing or directing the withholding or withdrawal of food, fluids, or medical treatment necessary to sustain the life of Theresa Marie Schiavo pending the determination of the suit.

SEC. 6. NO CHANGE OF SUBSTANTIVE RIGHTS.

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to create substantive rights not otherwise secured by the Constitution and laws of the United States or of the several States.

SEC. 7. NO EFFECT ON ASSISTING SUICIDE.

Nothing is this Act shall be construed to confer additional jurisdiction on any court to consider any claim related--

(1) to assisting suicide, or

(2) a State law regarding assisting suicide.

SEC. 8. NO PRECEDENT FOR FUTURE LEGISLATION.

Nothing is this Act shall constitute a precedent with respect to future legislation.

SEC. 9. NO AFFECT ON THE PATIENT SELF-DETERMINATION ACT OF 1990.

Nothing in this Act shall affect the rights of any person under the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990.

Passed the Senate March 17, 2005.

Attest:

Secretary.

by bellarose on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 09:14:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I basically agree with Reid on this (none / 0)

Yes, God forbid the leader of the Opposition Party would act like the Leader of the Opposition party, especially when the separation of powers mandated by the United States Constitution are under threat.

Best to tuck under the covers and pretend no one notices.

by bellarose on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 03:28:02 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Reid's bill was about this case only (none / 0)

It was specifically limited to this case only by the language of the bill.

I say again... this case is a freak occurance. Situations in which there both clinical brain death AND medical life support equipment is unnecesary is an extreme rarity. Nobody on either side of the issue should be trying to make case law or score political points from this case.

The Schiavo case is a very tragic freak of nature situation. We should all be staying out of it. However, I have no real problems with idea of exceptional oversight of an exceptional situation.

by afs on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 04:12:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Just curious . . . (none / 0)

How specific is this legislation that the Republicans are pushing?

Does it invalidate my living will?

by Lystrosaurus on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:10:16 PM EST

Re: Just curious . . . (none / 0)

It very well could.

And the fundies are now trying to enact new legislation in Florida that will only allow the removal of feeding tubes and other life prolonging measures if EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the family agrees to it.

by bellarose on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 03:51:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Just curious . . . (none / 0)

I don't believe so. My understanding is that it doesn' t even apply to anyone except Schiavo and specifically states that it is not a precedent.

That's what makes their whole carnival a sick joke. They are ignoring the other 50,000 people in the country who are either in a coma or persistent vegetative state.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 06:40:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Just curious . . . (none / 0)

I have to explore this further as I've read, unlike the Senate's bill, the House's version reaches beyond the Schiavo case.

Again, I'll have to do a little investigation. I know there are (2) separate bills. I just don't know which one is set for a vote this evening.

by bellarose on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 07:03:57 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Just curious . . . (none / 0)

Oh, and the other bill is a state-wide bill which the Fundies want to introduce in Florida. This is the one where every family member would have to agree before removing someone from a tube, etc.

by bellarose on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 07:05:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Thanks bellarose (none / 0)

I missed the other bill. Why am I not surprised. Add another issue to the anti-state's right agenda on the right.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 07:42:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

But wait (none / 0)

Have any of you actually looked at this news aggregator/blog hub I pointed to?

Forget the content on the page, just look at the format.

by janfrel on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:16:02 PM EST

Re: But wait (none / 0)

I did. It's a massive blog roll like dkos has done a couple of times, but formatted differently.

What's your point? Would that format help link the left's issues together?

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:47:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: But wait (none / 0)

it has a few interesting things going for itself.

1.It's got news fused with blogs (unfortunately in a column-style format but that's the norm for now)
2.It was put together overnight just for this one issue -- the life of terri schiavo.
3.yes this format would certainly help to link the left's issues together. It should be a ready to go template for any time its necessary. Compare this low-tech thing to say, thereisnocris.com. I wrote above some of the things worth adding to this kind of template.

by janfrel on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:56:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: But wait (none / 0)

I know nothing about blog formats. It's not even anything I've ever given any thought to, aside from avoiding the Democratic Underground type format. I've never gotten the hang of those things.

If that's an overnight production, I see your point. As a single issue blog, it may very well have potential. Is the format at There is no crisis an expensive or time consuming format?

Like I said, I know nothing about this topic. If anything the sheer length of the blogroll could be counter-productive, but it could very well be a fantastic networking tool. It certainly looks like something that somebody with expertise should consider.

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 06:46:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: But wait (none / 0)

By the way, what are RSS, XML and Atom feed?

by Gary Boatwright on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 06:48:47 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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