IF YOU CAN MAKE A WEB SITE, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY MAY NEED YOUR HELP

[Jeffersons Ghost]

Regrettably, I must report that our Party, here in Alabama, needs your help if you have the expertise to design a web-site for grass-roots local activity in this university town of around 100,000 people. I've personally donated server space, which I will continue to pay for but the local party coordinator will approve all content. To truly understand the problem, please check the link on this plea for your assistance. Here's our current site: http://www.tuscaloosademocrats.org/

As you see, it's a bit outdated
thanks for at least reading this posting. I hope things are better where you live.

[Imalittleteapot]

1. University town = university students.

Contact the art, journalism or advertising department. Ask for student help - preferably a Dem.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Good idea

Maybe an intern thing or something. You can post flyers around and stuff too.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. go here:

http://www.wolfeforcongress.com

and here:

http://www.warrenctydems.com

and here:

http://www.saintmarys-church.org

and here:

http://www.worldnewstrust.org

Then PM me.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

4. nice sites

I don't know how to "PM" I'm new here but I did figure out how to read PMs yesterday when I volunteered for a task here at DU. Can you PM me instead?

[JohnWxy]

23. REally good info

Those were some good sites.

Re content, (on teh WarrenctyDems site) the info on the so-called Abramoff contributions to Dems was very significant. Contributions to Dems all came from Indian tribes. These are being thrown in with direct Abramoff contributions and pay-offs for services performed (Rep. Ney) by the Corporate Network News outlets - an outrageous distortion.

Thanks , I'm going to go the Center for Reaponsive Politics site, copy the chart and forward to network news producers and challenge them to tell the truth (I know, "fat chance!")- but I still believe in trying!

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

3. I see the home page needs updating,

and most of the linked pages don't exist from the menu on the left.

I do some web stuff.

I could create an updated version of the home page if you tell me what you want on it, ie the text, any graphics etc.

Like here with very slight changes:

http://www.owlgang.com/pages/aolfriends/Tuscaloosa.html

[Jeffersons Ghost]

6. OK

Tomorrow, I'll get some approved updated copy from the local coordinator, if he has it, if not I'll work hard at state level or simply generate the copy and then submit it for approval. I also have enough server space for another site with a separate IP that needs developing. It's at this door-knocking phone-calling level that we will change this red state to blue for the national elections.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

7. Okay. n/t

[Jeffersons Ghost]

8. LOL

How did you do that? that's really all it needs with some regularly updated news

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

9. Just copied the source, put it into my html

software and made a few changes.

Feel free to use it.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

12. Can we create the copy?

The names have likely changed... Are you willing to regularly alter the site or, better yet, send me a way to keep it up to date?

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

19. I can help.

Not sure what you mean can we create the copy?

How do you all upload the html files?

An FTP program?

[Rebellious Republican]

5. I just sent you a PM check your box.

to send a PM, look at the top of a posters reply, click on the ICON that looks like an envelope with a letter coming out of it. It is right next to the number of posts by the poster, Top Left Corner. Good luck!

[StraightDope]

10. I do webdesign for a living...

I could probably whip up a basic flash/xhtml site in a day or so. Let me know if you're interested.

SD

[Rebellious Republican]

11. Welcome to DU StraightDope, way to jump in with both feet!

:toast:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

13. thanks

yes, I'm very interested... I hope to meet with my local coordinator tomorrow... I've just signed up with the party to unseat a dictator last week. I used to pick the lesser of two evils, until I found the greatest evil of all. The local chair said, he really needed help with this because the grad student that did the last one has graduated and left. With this really high-speed cable I pay for with Charter furnishes some space, enough for a small site but i have no idea how to develop it. Can you help?

[StraightDope]

14. Look, I can't promise you anything world-class... I have a lot on my plate

But I can improve TREMENDOUSLY on the existing site. If you like, we can teleconference or old-school phone contact an you can describe what you want, and I can do my best to oblige. I'll need at least a day, possibly two to rework your entire site. Incidentally, I'm talking about a total revamp, not just a simple CSS change or a different XHTML template. I already looked at the source for your current main page. It looks like it was last updated circa 2000, maybe 1999 or 2001. I'd be surprised if it were the latter year, but anyway... [e-mail]. Let me know...

SD

[Jeffersons Ghost]

15. thanks

I just emailed you.

[luckyrooster]

16. Be Glad To Help

I'm doin' a site here in SC under red conditions. I'll be glad to help you out.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

17. thanks

This is beginning to remind me of my Jaycee days. Lot's of volunteers and no real follow up yet. I hope at least one of these people comes through. There's alot of talent on this board right now. I wish you the very best in your red state. It's going to be an uphill struggle but WE SHALL OVERCOME!

[diamondsndust]

21. No Real Follow up yet....

It looks to me like there was only 3 hours time between your initial post and this one. You probably just lost a lot of help. How much real follow up did you expect in 3 hours? Have you supplied anyone with any information to upload anything to your site? Even with all the WYSIWYG editors available today, it still takes time to make a quality site. Even creating static pages in raw html for your "contact us", "links", "Executive Committee" and possibly even the "Volunteer" page would be time consuming. Have you supplied anyone with the names of the current committe members? Have you supplied anyone with the up to date email addresses of your members for your "Contact Us" page? Have you set up a PayPal account or some kind of payment processor where you take donations or try to maybe sell campaign items to raise money for your organization? Have you even given that a thought? A QUALITY website takes time and work to build. Good luck, and when you have some REAL information to give a programmer or designer, you will get some REAL follow up. Let me know if you need help.
self edit: add comment below

You should also think about setting up a Google Adsense Account as a way of putting advertising and possibly raising some revenues for your site.
You also need to think about marketing and promoting your site. I have some good software for that, some that is free, some that costs. The "pay for" ones are well worth the money in my own honest opinion. I'll be glad to share what free ones that I can with you, as I am involved in a lot of things that I have Master Resell License to and have Giveaway Rights to.
Again, let me know if you need help

[newyawker99]

32. Hi luckyrooster!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[ddeclue]

18. What would you like to do...

For instance...

Seminole County Florida's DEC is run by Carol Cox who does web design for a living and is interested in finding new clients. She has a very nicely integrated solution (at least for here in Florida) that integrates both a party website and a voter database system that is useful for campaigning. She does charge for the service however.

Do you have a budget? or is this purely volunteer?

At least some of what you need is fairly essy to fix if you own any of the visual HTML editors. I own Front Page 2000 and just stuck up a simple website last night at : www.demsouth.com that I plan to expand on.

Your sight generally looks ok, except for some broken links and old content. You really need to have a volunteer page and a guestbook page that work.

Do you have new content to put up? This would need to be provided by a local party person such as who the new DEC board is, how to contact them, what the latest news is, I assume you want to replace the Kerry Edwards info with your local, Congressional, (Senate if running) and Governor's races? This would need to be provided to who ever does it.

They would also need the webmaster passwords and the ftp upload site for the webpage.

Send me your email via a private message and I can follow up with you further.

Doug De Clue
Orlando, FL (formerly lived in Huntsville AL for about 3 months)

[Jeffersons Ghost]

20. I'll post it here

There is no budget for this. In red states there is less funding to work with, so we do the best with what we have. [e-mail]

[JohnWxy]

22. We have to be impressed by your fortitude.

I have to be impressed by the guts and fortitude of anyone who can hold out to be a Democrat where you are. I would like to say it's not so much whether your web-site is glitzie that matters, it's the content that counts.

You have my respect and admiration. Hang in there. You've got seven times the guts it takes to be a freedom fighter (against totalitarian government) in a 'Blue' state (although with the fake news, subverted elections (a la Diebold) and the power of lobbying and graft 'blue' states aren't much better).

[Jeffersons Ghost]

33. JohnWxy thank you very much

But much of what write is undeserved. Wouldn't any father of three do this to leave a legacy for his children? I write you hoping for an opinion on this humble copy:

I CAN'T POST PICTURES ON DU BUT THE LIBERTY BELL SUPERIMPOSED ON A LOCAL BELL TOWER WILL BE HERE

LET COURAGE RING

Though the Liberty Bell rings no more, Denny Chimes still sings of local courage. Dedicated in 1929, the chimes seem to echo our long-term need for responsible educational funding in Tuscaloosa County. A desire to honor Alabama students who died in World War 1, gave rise to plans for a campus bell tower but scarce funding doomed the project. Ten years later, students at Alabama, upon hearing a rumor that University president George H. Denny might return to Virginia, gathered enough money to build the landmark in his honor. Starting after 1940, modifications at the base of Denny Chimes began to display the Alabama Football Captain’s Walk of Fame, which features hand and foot imprints of each courageous Crimson Tide leader.


Your Tuscaloosa Democratic Party believes that if we heed the historic ringing of freedom and truth, it will silence taunting terrors of the heart. Much like Divine greatness, which teaches us to FEAR NOT, a great American once said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” All great leaders focus on faithful illumination and openness, not dark deceptions or fear.

While faith offers true redemption, are there legitimate fears? Certainly, many families in Tuscaloosa County dread news of a loved one dying for Iraqi freedom but even these brave souls walk in the light of faith, as our prayers march beside them.

To families anxious about skyrocketing fuel costs, high taxes, failing schools and our fastest growing export, American jobs, we say, “Fear not,” because salvation is attainable. With your help, the Democratic Party will bring a new openness to government that will offset your reasonable concerns.

Now is the time to take a stand and become active in the only political party that represents true reform. The Democratic Party in Tuscaloosa, unlike the opposition, is not an exclusive club for only the elite. We welcome everyone to take part in our efforts to preserve your rights and dignity.

Tuscaloosa County Democrats believe that protecting basic liberties endowed to us by God and our Founders will bestow a legacy of freedom to your children. We invite all Americans to join us in bringing traditional values back into a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

25. Thanks for you efforts

I am a webmaster as part of my job.

I'll be glad to share what I know.

[iconoclastNYC]

26. the DNC should have a generic site template

The DNC should have a generic site built on open source software that is easy as 1...2...3.....copy it to the web space....and configure and customize via a browser.

So much of web design is reinviting the wheel. the DNC could fix this for the state and locals by offering leadership.

[Dunvegan]

27. Or those of us that can do webwork could create a template to download...

...and post it here at DU in the activism forum.

Shall we?

[TheBaldyMan]

29. compile a library of web templates

then make them availiable on a 'copy-left' licence. maybe a competition to whittle the entries down to a manageable number?

[EuroObserver]

30. Absolutely.

This would be a fine service to humanity.

[diamondsndust]

31. I'll look thru some...

of my files and packages, I think I've got a couple .zip files of templates with over 100 templates in the package. If I find some good ones, I'll post them where they can be downloaded... They are going to need some kind of marketing campaign too ..

[Jeffersons Ghost]

34. I'm not sure what you mean

But can you post it here?

[gmaki]

28. I recommend a CMS package for what you trying to do.

Of which there are a million choices.

Post Nuke
PHP Nuke
Drupal.

For that site even one of these packages in a very basic configuration will suffice.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

35. Can anyone....

Paste the following copy along with a graphic of Denny Chimes/Liberty Bell on a link, like Humor in Cuniform did earlier on this board?

<GRAPHIC>

LET COURAGE RING

(On edit, the next section is a caption under the image)

Though the Liberty Bell rings no more, Denny Chimes still sings of local courage. Dedicated in 1929, the chimes seem to echo our long-term need for responsible educational funding in Tuscaloosa County. A desire to honor Alabama students who died in World War 1, gave rise to plans for a campus bell tower but scarce funding doomed the project. Ten years later, students at Alabama, upon hearing a rumor that University president George H. Denny might return to Virginia, gathered enough money to build the landmark in his honor. Starting after 1940, modifications at the base of Denny Chimes began to display the Alabama Football Captain’s Walk of Fame, which features hand and foot imprints of each courageous Crimson Tide leader.

(Then, post this main, front page message and please feel free to make rcommendations on all copy)


Your Tuscaloosa Democratic Party believes that if we heed the historic ringing of freedom and truth, it will silence taunting terrors of the heart. Much like Divine greatness, which teaches us to FEAR NOT, a great American once said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” All great leaders focus on faithful illumination and openness, not dark deceptions or fear.

While faith offers true redemption, are there legitimate fears? Certainly, many families in Tuscaloosa County dread news of a loved one dying for Iraqi freedom but even these brave souls walk in the light of faith, as our prayers march beside them.

To families anxious about skyrocketing fuel costs, high taxes, failing schools and our fastest growing export, American jobs, we say, “Fear not,” because salvation is attainable. With your help, the Democratic Party will bring a new openness to government that will offset your reasonable concerns.

Now is the time to take a stand and become active in the only political party that represents true reform. The Democratic Party in Tuscaloosa, unlike the opposition, is not an exclusive club for only the elite. We welcome everyone to take part in our efforts to preserve your rights and dignity.

Tuscaloosa County Democrats believe that protecting basic liberties endowed to us by God and our Founders will bestow a legacy of freedom to your children. We invite all Americans to join us in bringing traditional values back into a government of the people, by the people and for the people.