Is it true what they’re saying about SamSphere?

We have no idea because we are SamSphere and when we say stuff about ourselves it just sounds disingenuous, even though we’d say we’re spectacular. When other people who aren’t on our payroll (and no, we didn’t bake them our famous cookies, either) say nice things about us, we tend to believe them. We’re the trusting sort, yes, but we’ve met a lot of these people, they’re pretty powerful out there in the world of online activism, and other important people take them seriously, so we’re hedging our bets that this means we’re something special.

Sometimes when America votes, it makes very bad decisions.

As bloggers, internet and grassroots activists, its your job to make sure that this never, never happens again…or at least that America doesn’t make a similar mistake and poke those chads armed only with underinformed opinions molded by their impressions of each candidate’s hair when it comes to voting in state, local and federal elections. American Idol is a totally different story.

Although we can’t officially endorse a candidate, lets just say that you, the bloggers of the SamSphere are charged with making sure that Sanjaya doesn’t get an inordinate number of votes for President by unleashing a tidal wave of information on the folks you know best: the people who live in your communities. And SamSphere is here to help. On October 18, 2008, SamSphere’s horde of brilliant but not-vocally-talented trainers will decend on key states where bloggers are already making a difference to help train and motivate them for the last push before the election. In one day, we’ll be holding simultaneous conferences in Ohio (Columbus), Michigan (Lansing), Iowa (Des Moines) and Wisconsin (Brewers Territory).

Each of these conferences will feature a unique opportunity for bloggers, grassroots activists and political luminaries from across each state to engage in a SamSphere jam session to prepare them for the final weeks of this eleciton cycle. We’ll discuss how to move grassroots operations online, how to move online operations to grassroots, how to communicate between the two worlds and how the two worlds can communicate with the people they need to be looking out for in each state: the voters. A fun time will be had by all. We promise.

So register here! And we’ll see you there!

We’re heading out west next week to the great state of Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plains and the news spreads fast on blogs. Yes, that was cheesy, but its the only real way to segue into what we’re trying to get you to come to: Oklahoma Online! SamSphere is partnering up with a few good Oklahoma organizations, the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Oklahomans for Responsible Government and Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma, to bring you two days of sun, fun and online community development.

On Friday, October 3, 2008, bloggers, online activists and grassroots superstars from across the state of Oklahoma are invited to mix and mingle with SamSphere staff and political luminaries from across the state at a location TBD. Then, Saturday morning, October 4, 2008, everyone is invited back for a full day of SamSphere training, which will include tips on how to be a more effective state-wide blogosphere, lessons in investigative reporting, and some super-special special guests, including possibly…people from Kansas.

Just kidding. Register here. We can’t wait to see you there!

We weren’t kidding…on September 19-21, 2008, SamSphere and its fantastic staff will be in fabulous Las Vegas debuting their lounge act as part of the west’s largest gathering of freedom-minded individuals, the Conservative Leadership Conference!

Of course, we won’t just be there to have fun. SamSphere will be co-hosting (with CLC’s New Media director, Eric Odom) the CLC’s New Media Day, Sunday, September 21, 2008, and we have lots of fun stuff planned.  We’ll have a “State of the Conservative Movement Online” panel, classes on building and activating an online community, using social media and social networking, and a panel on how to make the most of your podcasts and vlogs. We’ll have plenty of special guests and blog luminaries such as Erick Erickson of RedState, Erik Telford of Americans for Prosperity, and starlet of blog radio, Elizabeth “Media Lizzy” Blackney.

And, of course, we’re looking for a few more *blog luminaries* to join us. If you’re interested in being a part of SamSphere Las Vegas, registration is just a click away.  Let us know you’re interesting and we’ll let you know how you can get to Vegas.

Other than by convertible red sportscar on Route 66, that is…

Just when you thought the traveling was over…SamSphere is headed out to Helena, Montana (not Hannah, Montana — and yes, that joke officially stopped being funny this morning) this weekend to meet with bloggers from across Big Sky Country. Among the few and the proud will be Craig Sprout, creator of the Montana community blog aggregator, Dextrafeed, and Greg Smith of the Electric City Weblog. Throughout the weekend, Montana bloggers will learn about what it means to be and act as a community, how community can aid them in their personal objectives as political bloggers, and they’ll get to see each other face to face, instead of being separated by pixels and computer screens. It should be a great time.

See you tomorrow in Montana!

Incidentally, if you’d like to attend one of our upcoming seminars, click on the page marked “Register!”

 At Sam Adams Alliance, we always love it when things — and bloggers — come together. This weekend, at SamSphere South Dakota, besides coming together as a community for a free lunch and some free advice, the liberty-minded bloggers of South Dakota came together on their own to form South Dakota Shovel, a group blog designed to aggregate liberty-minded online journalism from across the state in one handy place. The idea is not only to combat the influence of mainstream media in South Dakota, which leans heavily toward favoring big government policies and the officials who champion them, but to provide an alternative news source for people seeking real information about whats going on in their communities, and about candidates for public office who share their views.

So far, the Shovel has three sources who have graciously volunteered their content, SD Wingnuts, Dakota Voice, and the pro-life team at Voices Carry. Look for many new additions in the days and weeks to come.

We at Sam Adams couldn’t be prouder of the liberty-minded online activist community in South Dakota. What we do is all about building community effort so that freedom wins out, and the South Dakota bloggers are definitely on the front lines of that battle! Way to go guys!

After a great night hanging out with the SDWingnuts and Dakota Voice learning about how the South Dakota Right-o-Sphere is working for real change, we’re starting the day off at SamSphere right: with a keynote speech on the differences between the Right and Left blogosphere and why they are both good and bad.

The theme of today is “coming together in community:” why (and how) are we working toward a winning ideology? We’re staring the day trying to learn what we have in common and how to put our differences and priorities aside to work together for a common cause: limited government. Online, there are people all over who are willing, ready and able to work together with us in community where we agree — we just need to come alongside each other and take advantage of the places where we know we can work together.

Follow me on Twitter and see whats going on as its going on!

We’re on the road headed to Omaha, Nebraska for a quick stop and then on to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for SamSphere South Dakota, set to take place at the Sheraton Sioux Falls bright and early tomorrow morning.  Center-right bloggers and real-world activists from across the state of South Dakota — and we do mean across…some are traveling five hours — will meet with the community of liberty-minded individuals in their state and learn how to become more effective in bringing transparency to their state governments. We can’t wait!

Sure, the site may look a little funny now, but rest assured, we are working on bringing you something that will change the way you think about how the Blogosphere operates. As we work, feel free to click around and explore the SamSphere events that Sam Adams Alliance has hosted (Chicago, Denver and Kansas) and the events we have planned for the very near future (Phoenix and Las Vegas), and as always, your suggestions on what we can do to make your life as a political activist and blogger easier and more effective are always welcome!

Sincerely,
Your SamSphere Team