This is hot off the press. Their website isn't fully up yet. But they have a plan:

(Dec. 19, 2011) – Des Moines, IA

Today Occupy Iowa Caucus (#OIC) launches a campaign that calls on all Iowans to show our dissatisfaction with the current field of political candidates, both Republican and Democrat, by caucusing for “Uncommitted” on January 3rd. To learn more, visit Occupy the Iowa Caucus’ website at http://occupyiacaucus.org/.

Occupy Iowa Caucus (#OIC) is a non-partisan grassroots movement that believes Iowans should support exceptional individuals to serve as President, not merely caucus for the least bad candidate. As the first to have our voices heard, Iowans would be failing in our duty to the nation if we simply rubber-stamp nominees that political and economic elites have selected for us. Instead, together, we must send a message to both parties in Washington that the nation will not support candidates who have been bought by special interests.

Occupy Iowa Caucus (#OIC) is not seeking disrupt the caucuses. Rather, Occupy Iowa Caucus asks Iowans to demonstrate the strength of our democratic traditions by using democratic processes to tell both parties we are unhappy with political games, and want real change.

Occupy Iowa Caucus (#OIC) will be promoting our message through a meme-campaign, designed to combat multi-million dollar presidential campaigns, with the strength of our ideas and creativity. This new method of campaigning allows Occupy Iowa Caucus to inject ideas into the political arena without relying on the support of large corporations and special interest groups. It is the combination of traditional neighbor-to-neighbor outreach and an adept social media presence. Please see the attached graphics for examples of the images and slogans we will use to raise awareness about our campaign.

Yes, 24-hours of talking to benefit Occupations across the country.

Radio Or Not presents Occuthon 2011 – A 24 hour nonstop broadcast in support of the Occupy Wall Street and 99 percent movement. Occuthon will highlight local Occupy camps and charities around the nation and provide all the information on how to give support directly to the movement.

This event will proudly feature special guests, OWS occupy interviews, news, surprises, and the voice of the 99 percent- you! Occuthon will take your calls toll free nationwide, and host the webcast with a live chat room.

The Radio Or Not Network is the home of Nicole Sandler, former Air America Radio host, and the evening line up: Filter Free Radio with Jacob Dean, Turn Up The Night with Kenny Pick, Left In Dixie with Danielle the Left Neck Chick, and Funked In The Head with Shane-O.

They're not raising money themselves, they're (smartly) featuring different Occupy groups each hour and encouraging people to donate to support the movement. And did I mention it's from 7pm (tonight) Friday December 16th until Saturday December 17th? I will be on at midnight eastern. Our lovely Nicole Belle will be on at 1am Pacific after me. There are a couple of other notable guests: Sam Seder, John Fugelsang and Stephanie Miller.

Make sure to tune in!

Today is the Final Four and then comes the Championship game so we're nearing the end of our tournament. I was done by the Sweet Sixteen. There's only a handful of people that have a shot at winning the Ipod Nano which goes to the winner so make sure you check your results here.

We had a really great turnout this year so thanks to everyone who participated. It's all fun and for free.

The Bobblespeak Translations: Meet the Press - January 2. 2011

Emptywheel: Peter "Material Support for Terrorism" King

David E's Fablog: Goodbye Sailor

Jack & Jill Politics: In case you missed it, Arizona bans Ethnic Studies (h/t Blue Gal)

Bob Cesca: Adults? That's Rich

Bernard Avishai: Rising Calls For An American Imposed Peace Plan

Back in the day, I was one of the kids who spent the week between Christmas and New Years' Day gluing flowers onto Tournament of Roses floats. The best place to be in those days was near the Dr. Pepper float, because they served hot Dr. Pepper with lemon to keep us warm in the decorating caverns. The flowers were locally grown from various farms around California, and the glue for them could get you high as a kite in about an hours' time.

Growing up in Glendale meant you knew at least one Rose Princess in your lifetime and considered the spectacle in next-door neighbor Pasadena to be as much yours as theirs. I've camped out overnight on Colorado Blvd, marched in the bicentennial parade, and never, ever miss it.

It has always been a huge corporate event. Even back when I worked on those floats it was the province of big corporations with a smattering of ingenuity from schools like Cal Poly. Though it was corporate, it was also local. Flowers came from local growers. Float decorators worked for local charities and youth groups. It was very much a California event.

Today, not so much. In a LA Times report about Honda being the first to use a hybrid motor to power their float, they note that today's Tournament of Roses is neither green nor local.

Leading Saturday's 122nd Tournament of Roses will be a 35-foot fairy tale castle called "A World of Dreams," the first float to be powered by fuel-efficient hybrid technology. And the pace car will be the fuel-sipping Honda CR-Z.

But behind the World of Dreams will be a whirl of planet-warming emissions: 46 floats powered by V-8 engines, some supplemented with gasoline-powered motors for moving parts, that are expected to burn through about 800 gallons of gasoline by the time they finish their 2.5-mph cruise along the 5.5-mile route. Mixed in are 80 auxiliary trucks, 145 fleet cars and dozens of law enforcement vehicles — all of them powered solely by old-fashioned fossil fuels.

Festooned to the floats are an estimated 20 million flowers transported from around the world in aircraft and trucks: orchids from Asia; dried everlasts from Africa; roses from Colombia and other South American countries; and tulips from Holland.

The reason for the foreign-grown flowers? Trade agreements, of course.

The exact "carbon footprint" of the parade and related festivities is difficult to calculate. But California growers are quick to point out that their home-grown ingredients have been forsaken for energy-intensive but still less expensive imports. Those flowers became increasingly available after 1991, when the United States struck a trade agreement with Colombia and Ecuador in an effort to curtail cultivation and processing of coca for cocaine. That gave cut-flower farmers and floral exporters duty-free access to the U.S. market, where 70% of flowers sold now hail from Colombia, according to the California Cut Flower Commission.

I don't think anyone could take all of the magic away from the Tournament of Roses for me. It's too much a part of my New Year's Day tradition, and always will be. But I live in a small city sandwiched between strawberry and flower farms and know what a price they pay when flowers are exported from other countries. That, and parade organizers' reluctance to make the shift to hybrid motor technology to power the floats makes the whole spectacle a little less impressive.

C'mon, Tournament organizers. Set the trends, don't buck 'em.