EXPERT INTERIOR DESIGN HELP IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MARJORIE DURST DESIGN CONSULTANT I CAN HELP YOU BRING YOUR THOUGHTS TOGETHER, CREATE A COHESIVE PLAN AND HOLD YOUR HAND THROUGH THOSE DARK HOURS OF DECISION MAKING ADVICE BY THE HOUR 512.452.1526 OLDER HOMES A SPECIALTY MARJORIE DURST@AUSTIN.RR.COM

K yle Johnson will be our guest speaker at the July general meeting. His topic will be The Democratization of Information. Kyle graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism. Through his work in journalism he became increasingly frustrated as he saw that fewer and fewer large companies are controlling more and more media outlets (radio, television, newspapers, etc.). The recent decision by the FCC to allow fewer companies to control even more media outlets will have serious implications not only in Austin, but nationally as well.

    Kyle will be speaking on how you, as an individual, can do more to control the information you have access to. Among the many noteworthy things Kyle does is head up the Web site www.bumperactive.com which is based here in Austin. Anyone can log onto the site and create their own bumper sticker. Not only can they express their own personal political, philosophical, religious, or other views, but anyone who visits the site can also purchase those same bumper stickers. As an example of how one individual can express him or herself, after the recent FCC decision regarding media ownership, a bumper sticker proclaiming "This Is The Only Media Outlet I Own" was created (by me). This is but one example of how you can make your voice heard.

    The vast majority of Hyde Park residents are proud of their neighborhood. Kyle would like to invite everyone to participate in a contest to create the best bumper sticker to express the pride they feel for their neighborhood. For example, "I Love Hyde Park" or "Proud Hyde Park Resident" can be easily put on bumper stickers (at no cost to HPNA). Anyone and everyone is then welcome to purchase whichever sticker tickles their fancy. While my examples of Hyde Park stickers are not particularly creative, I am sure that we can get some pretty good submissions from some of the more creative residents of the neighborhood.

    Visit the site and create your own sticker, or bring your ideas to the July general meeting. Kyle will be giving away bumper stickers and we can choose a favorite from the ideas submitted. The bumper stickers can contain color, text, and images. The possibilities are endless. Turn on your creative juices and come to the July meeting for some information and fun.