Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 07.31.05

[David Shove (shove001]

            P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R     07.31.05

1. Al McFarlane/KFAI   8.01 11am
2. AFL-CIO split       8.01 12noon
3. Picket Norm Coleman 8.01 4:30pm
4. Toxics workshop     8.01 7pm
5. Fresh grounds       8.01

6. Superior hiking     8.02 10am Duluth
7. ATK unwelcome       8.02 1:30pm

8. The future          8.03 7:30am
9. Iraq vigil          8.03 4:30pm
10. Dickinson buffet   8.03 7pm
11. IWW meeting        8.03 7:30pm

12. John Walsh  - Dems field another pro-war candidate: meet Hack the Hawk
13. Shakespeare - Sonnet 29

--------1 of 13--------

From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Al McFarlane/KFAI 8.01 11am

Conversaions with Al McFarlane (publisher of Insight News, an
African-American weekly newspaper): broadcasts every Monday @ 11am on KFAI
Radio, 90.3fm Mpls 106.7 fm St Paul all shows archived for 2 weeks after
broadcast www/kfai.org

August 1 - Organ Donation in the Black Community
	     Sponsored by: LifeSource/Southside Community Clinic

Remember to listen every Saturday for the re-broadcast of "Conversations
with Al" between 9-11am on KMOJ 89.9FM "The People's Station".

Lauretta T. Dawolo Assistant to Publisher Insight News Group McFarlane
Media Interests, Inc. Office: (612)588-1313 Cell: (763)232-7560 Email:
lauretta [at] insightnews.com ldawolo [at] yahoo.com


--------2 of 13--------

From: mnlabor [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:mnlabor [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of bradsigal
Subject: AFL-CIO split 8.01 12noon

I just wanted to let you know about this "unions, pizza & politics" event
I'm helping put together on Monday over lunch hour for union members and
supporters here at the U of M.  In Amundson 124 (East Bank), we'll be
having a discussion about the split in the AFL-CIO and what it means for
rank & file union members and supporters of the labor movement.

We'll be ordering some pizzas (donations accepted but not required) and
hearing a presentation from a guest speaker, then hopefully getting into
some good discussion about what's going on in the broader labor movement
and how it affects us.

If you want to come, you can just show up, but if you email me (
sigal003 [at] umn.edu ) before 10 a.m. on Monday to let me know you're coming
it will help to order the right amount of pizza.

Brad Sigal
AFSCME 3800
(* this event is not organized by AFSCME 3800, just put together by
some members informally)

The Split in the AFL-CIO
What Does it Mean for Rank & File Union Members?

Discussion with guest speaker Richard Berg

Richard is a rank & file Teamster member and a union reform leader in
Teamsters Local 743, Chicago, IL. He is also on the International Steering
Committee of Teamsters for a Democratic Union.

Monday, Aug 1
12:00 - 1:00
Amundson 124 (U of M East Bank)

The AFL-CIO is the union federation in the U.S. It was formed in 1955 and
includes more than 13 million workers.  At this year's convention in late
July, a split erupted with four of the biggest unions boycotting the
AFL-CIO convention and likely to leave the federation - those include
SEIU, Teamsters, UFCW, and UNITE HERE. This is the first major division in
US unions in decades.  The unions leaving the AFL-CIO say they'll focus
more on organizing more people into unions (now only 8% of private sector
workers in the US are in unions, down from 35% a couple decades ago). The
unions that stayed in the AFL-CIO promise to continue spending lots of
money on politicians.  Unions on both sides have had trouble with
rank-and-file democracy. Unions on both sides have tended to be about
business-as-usual unionism as opposed to actually fighting for what
workers need.  How will this split in the AFL-CIO affect rank-and-file
workers & the labor movement?  Come join a discussion with union democracy
activist Richard Berg to talk about what the split in the AFL-CIO means.

Event Info: aug1event [at] uworkers.org


--------3 of 13--------

From: ty <tytymo [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Picket Norm Coleman 8.01 4:30pm

TAKE ACTION!
 STOP Bush's Right-wing Takeover of the Supreme Court
 Mobilize to defend reproductive rights, labor and environmental
protections, LGBT rights, and civil liberties!
 Picket at Senator Norm Coleman's Office

Monday August 1, 4:30pm
2250 University Avenue W, St. Paul
At intersection with Hwy 280

Bush is moving to extend the right-wing domination of the Supreme Court.
The nomination of John Roberts to fill the seat vacated by Sandra Day
O'Conner has opened the door for deepening right wing attacks that
threaten the rights of women, workers, the GLBT community, immigrants, and
people of color. We need to urgently organize a campaign to show that
Roberts' reactionary ideas are not shared by the majority of Americans.

If Bush, big business, and the religious right are able to push through
Roberts' nomination without a real fight-back from the tens of millions
who oppose them, it will only embolden them to launch further attacks on
our rights and living standards. It is already clear that we can't rely on
the Democrats to put up an effective opposition. Lobbying senators will
not be enough. We need to call on the women's organizations, the trade
unions, civil rights groups, and others to build for a mass protest
movement of the kind that won abortion rights, trade union rights, and
civil rights in the first place. Such a movement should continue beyond
this Supreme Court battle, and build toward a real political alternative -
a new party standing up for the rights and interests of working people to
effectively combat the agenda of Bush, big business, and the religious
right.

For more information, contact Socialist Alternative
612-760-1980
mn [at] socialistalternative.edu
www.socialistalternative.edu/mn


--------4 of 13--------

From: CarolGwood [at] aol.com
Subject: Toxics workshop 8.01 7pm

The Seward Neighborhood Group Environment Committee is sponsoring the
following event on August 1, 7pm at Matthews Neighborhood Center, 2400 So.
28th Ave., Mpls.

The School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota is offering a
free, 2 hour community education workshop tailored to South Minneapolis.
The goal of the workshop is to raise community awareness of local toxic
hazards, promote health risk reduction strategies, and emphasize the
importance of preventing and reducing local toxic chemicals. The workshop
is free and open to the public.

The workshop will be taught at Matthews Center on Monday, August 1st at
7pm by Dr. William Toscano.  A noted researcher /toxicologist with the U
of M School of Public Health, Dr. Toscano's research experience is in the
area of dioxin¹s effects on fetal development, but his knowledge about
toxins extends well into other areas. Dr. Toscano has a particular
interest in environmental justice issues.

The two-hour workshop is for community members who are interested in
understanding more about the toxic substances in their homes and
neighborhoods. Participants will find out what might be dangerous where
they live and how to protect their family and friends from those
substances. Toxins discussed will include dioxins, mercury, ddt and other
pollutants.

In Seward and North Longfellow, residents are concerned about diesel fume
exposure with its particulates and carcinogens; arsenic contamination
blown in from the site of the former pesticide plant on Hiawatha; elevated
blood lead levels from paint chips in the soil/lead from auto exhaust, and
exposure to industrial solvents and contaminants both at work and from
those residing in the soil. Information about all of these and more will
be available at the workshop and participants will leave having a better
understanding of their exposure.

If participants wish to learn more about exposure to toxins in South
Minneapolis and want to explore the consequences in greater detail with
Dr. Toscano, additional classes will be arranged by Seward and Longfellow
staff for the fall and early winter.

The format of the course is intended to be user friendly and interactive.
People in the audience will be able to ask questions of Dr. Toscano about
both general and specific toxic substances.  Participants will have the
opportunity to "map" and discuss individual and general sources of
exposure in their community and will be provided with strategies to reduce
those exposures. The course will also provide an overview of pertinent
local, state and federal regulations that address toxins in the
environment (Superfund, CERCLA and others).

Continuing education units can be provided if arranged with the
instructor. For questions, please contact Bernie at (preferably)
bernie [at] sng.org or call 612 338 6205, x102 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2
p.m. to 6 p.m.

---
From: Randall G Cutting <randall [at] bluemississippi.com>

Tom Meersman writes today in the Strib about upcoming federal testing of
soil in the arsenic triangle in the Phillips and Seward neighborhoods.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/5519731.html

While it's good to have testing so we know what toxicants are around us,
but I'll be really happy when they announce the cleanup plans.  That said,
there are things that can be done to reduce exposure to the toxics around
us all the time.  The Seward Neighborhood Group is pleased to host a
series of free community education courses about toxics in the city
presented by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.
Information about the courses follows:

Toxic Hazards and Your Community
August 1, 2005
7:00 pm
Matthews Center
2318 29th Ave. S. Minneapolis

Worried About Your Exposure to Toxic Substances?

The Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach at the University of
Minnesota School of Public Health and several neighborhood-based
organizations are pleased to offer free community education on the toxic
hazards that are present in South Minneapolis. The first of several
upcoming sessions concerning toxins will cover:

- Overview of toxic substances to which people in south Minneapolis are
exposed
- How toxins behave in the environment (air, surface water, soil and food)
- Characteristics of toxins and their health effects
- What is exposure?
- What is risk?
- How can you reduce risk?

The goals of this series of workshops are to raise peoples' awareness of
toxic substances, promote risk reduction strategies and emphasize the fact
that there are many easy things people can do to reduce and prevent the
effect of toxicants on their and their family's lives.

The first workshop will be taught by Dr. William Toscano, Chair of the
Environmental Health Sciences division of the University of Minnesota
School of Public Health. There will be lots of opportunity to ask question
and learn in an interactive way. Don't miss this chance to talk with one
of the premier authorities in Minnesota about toxic exposures to you and
your family. Free activities for children ages 4-10 provided by South
Minneapolis YMCA.

Future programs will include discussion about toxicants produced from:
Transportation and Power Generation (September 26th), Industrial activity
(October 24th), and Home and Garden activities (November 28th).

For more information, please contact Bernie at Bernie [at] sng.org Phone,
612.338.6205, x102, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

These programs are sponsored in part, by a grant from the National
Institute of Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) as part of the Midwest
Consortium for Hazardous Waste Worker Training.

Co-sponsors include: University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Centers for Public Health Education and Outreach, Seward Neighborhood
Group, Longfellow Community Council, South Minneapolis YMCA.


--------5 of 13--------

From: Paul Skrbec <pskrbec [at] comcast.net>
Subject: Fresh grounds 8.01

As many of you know, my partner and are the former owners of Brewery Café
on W 7th Street in St. Paul. I have returned to the corporate world; and
my partner, Steve, has made his return to W 7th as the manager for the
neighborhood's newest coffee shop and community meeting place, Fresh
Grounds Coffee. The grand opening is Monday, August 1st.

Here is a little more information about the Fresh Grounds project:

Fresh Grounds is a supported work program sponsored by RS Eden, designed
to teach employment skills to the residents of Seventh Landing. Seventh
Landing is a supported permanent housing designed to end the cycle of
homelessness of young adults exiting the foster care/out of home placement
systems.

Programs like this are necessary to address the fact that over 70% of
homeless youth in the Twin Cites are former children of the foster care
system. The Fresh Grounds Coffee House project for the last two years has
been to design, fund, and build a working coffee house/cafe to teach
employment skills, and give our tenants the confidence to gain market
employment.

The Fresh Grounds Coffee House project would not have been possible
without the generous support of the City of St. Paul through the STAR
program, Cermak Rhoades Architects, Frerichs Construction Company, the
Wilder foundation, the St. Paul Foundation, the Bigelow Foundation, the
Mardag Foundation and the McCoy Foundation.

The tenants and local community volunteered time, skills, and support to
this project. Best of all the tenants have been involved from the
beginning, naming the project, doing presentations in the community,
attending city council meetings, helping with construction, and now
decorating the space and planning a menu. The tenants are hopeful, excited
and looking forward to seeing all of you here to enjoy the wonderful
space, and great food/coffee.

OPENING AUGUST 1, 2005 FRESH GROUNDS COFFEE
Gourmet FAIR TRADE Coffee, Fruit-Smoothies, Sandwiches, Tea, Muffins,
Scones, Juices, Pasta Salads, Frozen Coffee, Cookies and more.
Located at 1362 West Seventh Street, parking available.
Open Monday - Friday 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

(RS Eden provides recovery, accountability and support services to
facilitate individual, family and community movement from non-productive
behavior to responsible, self-sufficient lifestyles.)

Please stop by and enjoy a new addition to West 7th Street!

Paul R. Skrbec Inver Grove Heights, MN (former co-owner of Brewery Cafe)
pskrbec [at] comcast.net


--------6 of 13--------

From: GibbsJudy [at] aol.com
Subject: Superior hiking 8.02 10am Duluth

The Superior Hiking Trail Seeks volunteers to help build 14 mile of trail
through the city of Duluth. No experience is needed, tools provided. For
registration or more information contact www.shta.org or call 218-728-9827
or email judy at gibbsjudy [at] aol.com.

The following are the upcoming work dates (other dates can be arranged by
contacting Judy)

August 2, Tuesday 10-3 pm and 6-9 pm meet at this locale: Meet at Skyline
Drive parking area located .9 miles from highway 53/Piedmont Ave on
Skyline Parkway, or .8 miles from Haines Road/40th Ave west junction of
Skyline Parkway. [It is confusing to come in off Piedmont/53. It is not
very well marked.]

August 11, Thursday 10-3 pm and 6-9 pm meet at this locale: Meet at
Skyline Drive parking area located .9 miles from highway 53/Piedmont Ave
on Skyline Parkway, or .8 miles from Haines Road/40th Ave west junction of
Skyline Parkway. [It is confusing to come in off Piedmont/53. It is not
very well marked.]

Judy Gibbs 728-9827 5875 North Shore Dr., Duluth, MN 55804


--------7 of 13--------

From: actionelist [at] circlevision.org
Subject: ATK unwelcome 8.02 1:30pm

ACTION ALERT Tuesday, August 2 * PLEASE FORWARD
WHO PROFIT$ - WHO DIES?
Annual Shareholders Meeting at AlliantTechsystems

ATK Corporate Headquarters, 5050 Lincoln Drive, Edina
Tuesday August 2
1:30 pm
INFO: online or alliantaction [at] circlevision.org

Un-welcome the shareholders - those who profit from cluster bombs,
landmines, depleted uranium munitions and Trident II nuclear missiles.

Legal bannering at ATK's front door, the largest Minnesota based military
contractor.

Cheer on several members of the AlliantACTION weekly Vigil who have
purchased stock in ATK as they enter the building (legally!) for the 2pm
meeting.

Sponsored by  AlliantACTION.
For more information about AlliantACTION, ATK or directions online:
<http://www.circlevision.org/alliantaction.html>


--------8 of 13--------

From: erin stojan <erinstpaulissues [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: The future 8.03 7:30am

Show us the money! Public finance event series hosted by the Citizens
League

all events will be held at 7:30 a.m. @ Four Points Sheraton (Midway) -
I-94 & Hamline, St. Paul.  Breakfast served; $15 nonmembers, $10 members.
Check, credit card, cash accepted.

Preregistration and more info at
http://www.citizensleague.net/html/mind-openers.html

Wednesday, August 3
The Future
with State Demographer Tom Gillaspy and State Economist Tom Stinson

If demography is destiny, what do the tea leaves predict for Minnesota?
How should we be spending our public dollars now to prepare for the
future? How will we be spending our dollars then?


--------9 of 13--------

From: wamm <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Iraq vigil 8.03 4:30pm

Iraq: 15 Years of Sanctions, War, and Occupation

Wednesday, August 3, 4:30 to 5:30pm. Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge
spanning the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and St. Paul.

August 6, 2005, marks the 60th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima,
resulting in the death of more than 100,000 civilians. August 6th also
marks the 15th anniversary of the U.S. war on Iraq, including 13 years of
sanctions which resulted in the death of more that 1.5 million Iraqi, many
of them children under the age of 5. Join with others on this special
anniversary to remember the children and to call for an end to the ongoing
war and occupation of Iraq. Sponsored by: Twin Cities Peace Campaign-Focus
on Iraq (612-522-1861) and WAMM (612-827-5364).


--------10 of 13--------

From: David Shove <shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu>
Subject: Dickinson buffet 8.03 7pm

Elizabeth Dickinson/buffet/fundraiser 8.03 7pm

You're invited to an important fundraiser to help elect a smart new mayor
for St. Paul: ELIZABETH DICKINSON

Please join us:
Wednesday August 3
7pm
1140 Laurel Av StPaul

Enjoy a light summer buffet featuring locally-grown and organic fare with
musical accompaniment by Pop Wagner.

And, of course, meet Elizabeth, who will be with us to talk about her
progressive vision for our great city, including:

* Strong neighborhoods
* A healthy urban environment
* Sustainable economic development
* Living wage jobs

Elizabeth is smart, she's organized, she's inspiring, she's honest, and
she believes in the power of people and our neighborhoods to make St. Paul
the best it can be.

Sponsors
Sponsored by the following friends of Elizabeth Dickinson: Anne Benson,
Michelle Gross, Thea Johansen, Krista Menzel, and Margie Schally. For more
information, contact Margie at margiels [at] comcast.net or (651) 642-9755.

Other Ways You Can Help
Can't make it, but want to support Elizabeth?  Consider contributing,
volunteering, and displaying a lawn sign!

Volunteer: http://www.elizabethdickinson.org/volunteer.php
Contribute: http://www.elizabethdickinson.org/contribute.php
Lawn Signs: http://www.elizabethdickinson.org/lawnsigns.php
...or Just Learn More: http://www.elizabethdickinson.org


--------11 of 13--------

From: North Star Anarchist Co. <mnacollective [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: IWW meeting 8.03 7:30pm

Do you ride the Jericho road?  This is the question old time IWW
organizers would use as test for workers on a job as to whether they were
fellow Wobblies or not.

Please join us on the Jericho road at the monthly meeting for the Twin
Cities IWW on Wednesday, August 3 at 7:30pm in the Hard Times Cafe (1821
Riverside Avenue, West Bank, Minneapolis).

At last month's meeting, we formed working groups around different issues
such as outreach, strike support, and education.  The group discussed ways
in which to fit these issues into future organizing efforts.

If you recognize the strength in building solidarity networks across
groups of workers, students, and unemployed of all races and
nationalities, bring your ideas to the IWW meeting.  All are welcome.

In the words of Joe Hill, "There is power, there is power in a band of
working folk, when they stand hand in hand.  That's a power, that's a
power that must rule in every land - One Industrial Union Grand."

Twin Cities General Membership Branch PO Box 14111 Minneapolis, MN 55414
(612) 339-4418 www.iww.org


--------12 of 13--------

Dems Field Another Pro-War Candidate
Meet Hack the Hawk
By JOHN WALSH
CounterPunch
July 30 / 31, 2005

The latest Congressional candidate to be peddled by the pro-war Democratic
establishment, including Howard Dean, James Carville, the Daily Kos,
Democracy for America, Al Franken on Air America Radio, etc., is Paul
Hackett in southern Ohio. He faces his Republican opponent in a special
election this Tuesday, August 2. Hackett goes by the all too appropriate
nickname, "Hack," and his claim to fame is that he is a marine who fought
in Iraq and will be the only Iraqi veteran in Congress! The truth beneath
this silly gloss is a lot uglier. Among his other "achievements," Hack is
a proud veteran of the campaign which leveled Fallujah, killing untold
numbers of innocent Iraqis and turning hundreds of thousands into
refugees.

Here is how he charactizes, on his web site, what he did in Iraq: "I was
against the war. It was a misuse of our military that damaged our
credibility throughout the world and squandered our political capital.

Still, I volunteered to serve, and I have no regrets." Translation "I will
mindlessly do what I am told no matter what my brain says." And he has "no
regrets" about the slaughter of innocents in Fallujah. On Fallujah, he
says: "Religious fanatics and insurgents had seized the city. They had to
be stopped."

So what does Hack propose now? Again in his own words, "The good news is
we can successfully exit Iraq once the roughly 140,000 Iraqi Security
Forces (ISF) are adequately trained. The bad news is they are nowhere near
the level of skill to accomplish that mission and are likely years away
from that goal. No matter what your position on the war, if we pull out
now the entire region will spiral into chaos. We must not withdraw our
troops before the Iraqis are ready to stand on their own." Translation:
"Stay the course." And he also takes a swipe at those who are against the
war, saying that "too many liberals who opposed the war want to see the
president's Iraq policy fail." Translation: "Those who oppose the war do
so only out of personal hatred for Bush." Both these themes parrot the
line of the war parties.

There is absolutely no difference between Hack and his Republican opponent
Jean Schmidt on the war - or any other issue for that matter. Here is what
she says: "The training of Iraqi and Afghan security forces is ongoing and
will allow both new governments to begin to assume more responsibility for
their security and sovereignty. Our troops should not withdraw from these
nations until they can assume these responsibilities on their own and we
are making rapid progress towards this end." Translation: "Stay the
course." At least, unlike Hack, she did not volunteer to participate in
the criminal slaughter of this illegal war.

This latest of Democratic hacks embodies the worst nightmare of another
Ohioan, the principled Dennis Kucinich, who cautioned in his presidential
campaign that we must not replace a Republican war in Iraq with a
Democratic version of it. The Democratic establishment was clearly not
interested in another Kucinich when they fielded Hack. He also stands in
contrast to Kucinich in another interesting way. During the '04 primary
campaign the Boston Globe ran pictures of the houses of all the Dem
candidates. Besides the mansions of Kerry and the others, there stood the
little home of Kucinich with a single battered car in the driveway. In
contrast Hack, a millionaire who heads a law firm in Cincinnati, is a
resident of Indian Hill, a wealthy Cincinnati suburb. His purchase of this
property in 2000 made The Cincinnati Equirer's column of the most
expensive real-estate transactions in the area.

Hackett is scheduled to face his Republican opponent in a special election
this Tuesday, August 2. Not a bloody dime's worth of difference between
them.

John Walsh can be reached at bioscimd [at] yahoo.com.


--------13 of 13--------

 Shakespeare
 Sonnet 29

 When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
 I all alone beweep my outcast state
 And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
 And look upon myself and curse my fate,
 Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
 Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
 Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
 With what I most enjoy contented least;
 Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
 Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
 Like to the lark at break of day arising
 From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
   For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
   That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

   - David Shove             shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu
   rhymes with clove         Progressive Calendar
                     over 2225 subscribers as of 12.19.02
              please send all messages in plain text no attachments