Mn-prog-events Mailing List: Progressive Calendar 11.08.07

[David Shove (shove001]

            P R O G R E S S I V E   C A L E N D A R    11.08.07

1. Iran/war/KFAI    11.08 11am
2. Usability Day    11.08 11am
3. Eagan vigil      11.08 4:30pm
4. Northtown vigil  11.08 5pm
5. Shop for WAMM    11.08 5pm
6. Atheism/theism   11.08 6:30pm
7. Class struggle   11.08 7pm
8. LRT debate       11.08 7pm
9. Glimmer/film     11.08 7pm
10. Rights day      11.08 7pm
11. Iraq            11.08 7pm
12. Hiroshima       11.08 7:30pm
13. Survive/dance   11.08 8pm

14. Pwdrhorn bowls  11.09 11am
15. Law/Pakistan    11.09 12noon
16. CritMass bene   11.09 6pm
17. Pro-choice/art  11.09 6:30pm
18. Labor/$scumbags 11.09 7pm
19. David Rovics    11.09 8pm
20. Kids health ins 11.09 8:30pm

21. PC Roberts - Supermodel spurns the dollar
22. Jim Fuller - Clinton's complaint
23. ed         - Dream universe  (poem)

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From: Write On Radio <writeonradio [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Iran/war/KFAI 11.08 11am

Write On Radio!  Write on radio airs every THURSDAY 11 am - noon central
time on 90.3 FM Minneapolis and 106.7 FM St. Paul and live on the web at
www.kfai.org. Shows are archived for two weeks on line.

Thursday, November 8th, Ian talks with Reese Erlich, author of The Iran
Agenda: The Real Story of US Policy and the Middle East Crisis.

We also welcome to the studio translator and editor Eleni Electri-Lindsay,
whose new book is Memoirs from the Front 1940-1941: A Wartime Journal from
the Greek-Italian Front. And Cyn Collins is our special guest engineer, so
listen up!


--------2 of 23--------

From: Rosa Maria de la Cueva Peterson <rmdelacp [at] umn.edu>
Subject: Usability Day 11.08 11am

World Usability Day 2007 Events on Nov. 8th

Just a reminder that November 8th is World Usability Day 2007 and that you
are invited to attend our free events about user-centered web design in
Walter Library tomorrow!  http://1help.umn.edu/usability/wud.html

Announcing World Usability Day 2007 Events at the University of Minnesota

The Usability Services team at the University of Minnesota will be hosting
a free program of events on World Usability Day 2007, which is Thursday
November 8th, to promote awareness of the benefits of usability
engineering and user-centered design. World Usability Day was started in
2005 by the Usability Professionals Association and involves 36 hours of
usability-related activities around the world in 35 countries.

On November 8th, you are invited to a "World Usability Day" program
jointly sponsored by the Office of Information Technology and the Digital
Technology Center at the University of Minnesota. There will be speakers
on usability and accessibility in human/computer interfaces in Room 402
Walter Library (see schedule below). In addition, the Usability Services
team will give usability lab tours and eye-tracker demos in Room B26
Walter Library, from 11:00 - noon, and from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. All events
are free and open to faculty, staff, students, and other visitors. No
registration is required and anyone may attend.

For more information and directions to the World Usability Day events:
http://1help.umn.edu/usability/wud.html

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS ON NOVEMBER 8th

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Room B26 Walter Library
Open House at the Usability Lab
Usability lab staff will be available to do demos and answer questions

12:00 - 1:30 p.m. Room 402 Walter Library
Presentation: "Intro to Usability -- How to Get Started"
by Lee-Ann Kastman Breuch (Associate Professor, Writing Studies) and
David Rosen (Usability Consultant, Office of Information Technology)

1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Break and networking in the 4th floor atrium, Walter
Library

1:45 - 3:15 p.m. Room 402 Walter Library
Presentation: "Accessibility News: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG) 2.0 and a Web Accessibility Self-Audit Tool"
by Josh Carroll (Usability Consultant, Office of Information
Technology),
Phil Kragnes (Assistive Technology Specialist, Office of Information
Technology),
Kim Doberstein (Web Designer, Office of Information Technology), and
Nicole Tollefson (Web Designer, Office of Information Technology)

3:15 - 3:30 p.m. Break and networking in the 4th floor atrium, Walter
Library

3:30 - 5:00 p.m.  Room B26 Walter
Open House at the Usability Lab
Usability lab staff will be available to do demos and answer questions

We hope you can join us for these great events! Please pass this
invitation along to anyone else who might be interested.

Alice de la Cova Usability Services Manager Office of Information
Technology University of Minnesota (612) 624-9365 a-dela [at] umn.edu


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From: Greg and Sue Skog <skograce [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Eagan peace vigil 11.08 4:30pm

CANDLELIGHT PEACE VIGIL EVERY THURSDAY from 4:30-5:30pm on the Northwest
corner of Pilot Knob Road and Yankee Doodle Road in Eagan. We have signs
and candles. Say "NO to war!" The weekly vigil is sponsored by: Friends
south of the river speaking out against war.


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From: EKalamboki [at] aol.com
Subject: Northtown vigil 11.08 5pm

NORTHTOWN Peace Vigil every Thursday 5-6pm, at the intersection of Co. Hwy
10 and University Ave NE (SE corner across from Denny's), in Blaine.

Communities situated near the Northtown Mall include: Blaine, Mounds View,
New Brighton, Roseville, Shoreview, Arden Hills, Spring Lake Park,
Fridley, and Coon Rapids.  We'll have extra signs.

For more information people can contact Evangelos Kalambokidis by phone or
email: (763)574-9615, ekalamboki [at] aol.com.


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From: "wamm [at] mtn.org" <wamm [at] mtn.org>
Subject: Shop for WAMM 11.08 5pm

Benefit Shopping Night at Ten Thousand Villages
Thursday, November 8, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Ten Thousand Villages, 867 Grand
Avenue, St. Paul.

Since 1946 Ten Thousand Villages has supported the work of literally tens
of thousands of artisans in over 30 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin
America and the Middle East, making it one the largest fair trade
organizations in North America. Working with more than 100 artisan groups,
they purchase fine pieces from craftspeople with whom they have
longstanding, nurturing relationships. 20% of all sales will be donated to
WAMM. FFI: Call WAMM at 612-827-5364.


--------6 of 23--------

From: August Berkshire <augustberkshire [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Atheism/theism 11.08 6:30pm

Thursday, Nov. 8, 6:30-8:30 p.m. - "To Believe or Not to Believe" - a
debate between Minnesota Atheists public relations officer August
Berkshire and Northwestern College theology professor Ronn Johnson.  One
hour of debate followed by one hour of questions from the audience.

Topics to be discussed include the burden of proof, the universe, life,
morality/ethics, the problem of evil, and afterlife.

Free and open to the public.  Seating is limited so please arrive early.
Northwestern Bookstore, Arbor Lakes Mall, 12985 Elm Creek Blvd. N, Maple
Grove, MN 55369, (763) 420-3883.

The program will also be recorded, to be broadcast Friday, Nov. 9,
noon-2 p.m. on "Along the Way," KTIS AM 900 radio.  It will also be
archived as a podcast.


--------7 of 23--------

From: Michael Wood <mwood42092 [at] yahoo.com>
Subject: Class struggle 11.08 7pm

Gus Hall Action Club warmly invites you to study and discuss an article,
"The Class Struggle and Ideology," with us November 8 AND 15th at 7:00
Mayday Bookstore, 301 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis.

Gus Hall, one of the founders of the Steelworkers' Union (USWA), was born
in Minnesota and was the leader and presidential candidate of the
Communist Party for many years. Hall's essay, "Class Struggle and
Ideology," addresses the ideology and worldviews of the capitalist class
vs. the working class. He writes: "There are two main world views -
capitalist and working class. This is based on the law that in a class
divided capitalist society, the interests of the capitalist class and the
working class will remain irreconcilable, antagonistic, in opposition
until the end of capitalism." Hall's essay addresses ways of interpreting
and struggling to change the world. Hall calls Marxism-Leninism "a science
for social change."

The full essay may be read at:
http://www.pww.org/past-weeks-1999/The%20class%20struggle%20part%201

See the Gus Hall Action Club blog at:
http://gushallactionclub.blogspot.com/


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From: Dave Bicking <dave [at] colorstudy.com>
Subject: LRT debate 11.08 7pm

Light Rail public debate - Thursday evening
I will be participating in the following event, and I hope you can
come:

The University of Minnesota Debate Team is hosting a public debate on
Light Rail Transit in Minneapolis.

7:00pm Thursday, November 8th.
110 Pillsbury Hall, 310 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis
(U of M East Bank campus)
Campus Map with parking:
http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/maps/PillsH/PillsH-map.html

Debating:
Resolved: that the city of Minneapolis should increase the portion of
transportation funding for light rail.

Guest Speakers:

Proposing: Dave Van Hattum, Policy and Advocacy Program Manager, Transit
For Livable Communities
Opposing: Dave Bicking, Former Minneapolis City Council candidate, local
activist

The debate format includes an opportunity for every audience member to
give a 1-minute floor speech defending the side they agree with most.

Come, hear the sides, and Have Your Say!
--

I wish to make it clear that I am NOT speaking on behalf of the Green
Party at this debate.  I will be speaking as a strong advocate for more
and better public transportation.

However, I believe that Light Rail, as currently operating and as proposed
in the Twin Cities, is an outrageously expensive boondoggle that
undermines our ability to fund much more extensive and desperately needed
improvements to our transit system (primarily buses).  Light rail has some
nice benefits and amenities (I use it frequently myself), and it has been
shown to attract those who would otherwise drive.  It also has some
drawbacks, in addition to the cost.  It is inflexible - the route can not
be easily adapted to conform to future land uses, it can not detour around
temporary obstacles or construction, and it can not allow express service
on the same route, because trains can not pass one another.  It also
exacerbates traffic congestion, rather than reducing it - thus causing
more, rather than less, energy use and pollution.  Come to the debate to
hear me expand on these themes and provide documentation.

One fundamental issue, for me, is that - while drawing people out of their
cars is important - our FIRST priority must be to provide better public
transportation for those who are transit dependent.  This includes
children, the elderly, the disabled, and those too poor to afford a car
(or a second car for a two-adult household).  It also includes those who
have chosen to give up their car to rely totally on transit!

The Green Party takes a strong stand in favor of public transportation
funding.  However, within the Party, there are strong differences of
opinion on the particular technology of Light Rail.  Certainly, an
argument on either side could be compatible with our Ten Key Values.
Currently, our State Platform says, "We advocate light rail transit as an
essential part of the public transit system in the metro area."  The last
two or more state gatherings have considered changes to that part of the
platform.  Attempts have been made to include other alternatives (bus, bus
rapid transit, PRT) along with light rail, or to omit mention of
particular technologies and instead list our criteria for what we desire
in a public transportation system.  My sense is that there has been
considerable, probably majority, support for a change; but it has been
difficult to fashion a consensus for a particular change, and efforts have
failed largely due to lack of time.

Please come to the debate if you are interested in the issue - perhaps it
will help inform both sides of the issue.  And remember that there is an
opportunity for audience members to speak!

Dave Bicking


--------9 of 23--------

From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com>
Subject: Glimmer/film 11.08 7pm

Thursday, 11/8, 7 pm, documentary "Glimmer of Hope" about a family trying
to understand the tragedy of their daughter's death during a 3-year
victim/offender mediation,Humphrey Institute Cowles Auditorium, 301 - 19th
Ave S, Mpls.  ccfilmseries [at] gmail.com or
http://www.creativeconversations.info/


--------10 of 23--------

From: Meredith Aby <awcmere [at] gmail.com>
Subject: Rights day 11.08 7pm

Human Rights Day Planning Meeting
THURS, 11/8 @ 7pm @ 1313 5th St. SE, Mpls Room 102A

Come to the Anti-War Committee meeting where we will start our plans for our
annual Human Rights Day event.  Everyone and all ideas are welcome!


--------11 of 23--------

From: Carole Rydberg <carydberg [at] comcast.net>
Subject: Iraq 11.08 7pm

Before I write another word, I want to tell you that on Labor Day my
great-granddaughter's father, a 25 year old Iraq vet, committed suicide by
hanging. Jason Rynes, of Maple Grove, had a large circle of friends, an
almost-four year old daughter he adored, a loving family ... and not one
person saw signs that Jason was troubled.  This is not an isolated event;
I fear that it is one we will face again and again for years to come.
Mike's presentation on November 8th is very timely; it is a topic that our
society has ignored for too long. I hope you will help us to spread the
word in every way you can and to attend, if possible.

Michael Perkins,  co-founder of Military Families Speak Out-Minnesota,
will share his experiences on Thursday November 8, 7 PM.

Mike strongly supports our troops but does not support the continued
sacrifice of those troops and their families nor the use of tax dollars to
occupy and destroy Iraq.  His son, Robert, has paid a very high price for
his18 months of service in Baghdad. And, Mike's brother, a tank commander
in Gulf War 1, committed suicide after receiving no help for depleted
uranium poisoning.  Mike strongly feels that he cannot stand by while our
troops and their families alone pay the price for this war. He has made
the decision to run for Third Congressional District Representative to
Congress because he is disappointed at the lack of Congressional action to
end this war, to provide the care our troops and their families deserve,
and to use a part of the money that is going to Iraq to fix America.  He
feels that there is a lot of talk of "supporting our troops" but not
enough action.

Please act on November 8th, by coming to the Parish Community of St.
Joseph, 8706-36th Avenue N., New Hope (corner of 36th and Boone) and
hearing all that Mike has to share with us. This program is free and
totally open to all. For more information contact Carole, 763-546-5368 or
nwn4p [at] yahoo.com.


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From: Stephen Feinstein <feins001 [at] umn.edu>
Subject: Hiroshima 11.08 7:30pm

Nov 8 Thursday, 7:30PM at Weisman Art Museum "Owning Hiroshima": A talk
with Mark Nornes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Sponsored By:   Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies
Free! Paid Parking available in Weisman Lot or on River Road (meters).
Weisman Art Museum
Minneapolis Campus

In the wake of atomic warfare, crews of filmmakers were dispatched to the
ruins of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. American troops stumbled on the Nagasaki
crew, promptly seizing their footage and stopping the production. The
project was restarted under the aegis of the Strategic Bombing Survey, the
end product of which was The Effects of the Atomic Bomb in Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. This film is the only moving image record of the atomic
bombings, and thus has been deposited in the imaginations of nearly every
person on the planet. However, it came close to oblivion on more than one
occasion. Before the film was even completed, it was subject to a series
of power struggles and suppressions. The film was simply missing for
several decades. Although a print was discovered and is preserved at
several archives, it is rarely screened and has yet to be released on
video. The struggles over the film continue; struggles over meaning,
responsibility and ownership. Parts of the film will be shown to
illustrate the lecture. However, it will not be shown in its entirety.
Reception after the talk.

About the Speaker: Markus Nornes is an associate professor in both the
Department of Screen Arts and Cultures and the Department of Asian
Languages and Cultures. He is the author of "Forest of Pressure: Ogawa
Shinsuke and Postwar Japanese Documentary Film" (Minnesota UP) and
"Japanese Documentary Film: From the Meiji Era to Hiroshima" (Minnesota
UP).


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From: marketing [at] intermediaarts.org <marketing [at] intermediaarts.org>
Subject: Survive/dance 11.08 8pm

Intermedia Arts presents
The Survival Pages
A Naked Stages 2007 Performance - November 8-10, 2007

In a time when environmental issues are so highly abstracted and
politicized, The Survival Pages invites you to reconnect, viscerally, with
the ecological good sense of what it means to survive. Using Butoh Dance,
original music, video, and found-object puppetry, Naked Stages 2007
performance artist Malia Burkhart journeys into the roots of our human
disconnection from the natural world. Smell the dirt as Malia unearths her
relationship troubles with the planet through humor and beauty.

The Survival Pages is about a piece of nature "myself" investigating
itself as a piece of nature.  An intrinsic element in the development of
this piece has been exploring the Minnesota environment and seasons
through Butoh, a postmodern form of Japanese dance. When immersed in the
experience of the dance, my senses are heightened; the layer of separation
between myself and my environment becomes permeable.  The messages I
received throughout the course of these explorations form the basis of
this piece.
  -Malia Burkhart; creator, performer, The Survival Pages

This performance is part of a double bill, also featuring Mad King Thomas'
Premium White Morsels. For the most up-to-date information and to learn
how to purchase tickets, call Intermedia Arts at (612) 871-4444 or visit
www.intermediaarts.org. Intermedia Arts is located at 2822 Lyndale Avenue
South, Minneapolis, MN 55408.

Thursday-Saturday, November 8-10, 2007
8 PM at Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis


--------14 of 23---------

From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com>
Subject: Powderhorn bowls 11.09 11am

Powderhorn Empty Bowls, an event to raise awareness of and funds to end
hunger in the Powderhorn neighborhood
Friday, Nov. 9, from 11AM to 7PM in the
Powderhorn Park Building, 3400 15th Ave S Mpls

Check it out: _http://powderhornemptybowls.org/_


--------15 of 23--------

From: Caroline Palmer <sealinesadie [at] mac.com>
Subject: Law/Pakistan/NLG 11.09 12noon

PUBLIC DEMONSTRATION OF SUPPORT FOR RULE OF LAW AND PAKISTANI
LAWYERS AND JUDGES
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2007 - 12:00 P.M. - FEDERAL COURTHOUSE -
DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS

The Minnesota Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild calls on the Lawyers
and Judges of Minnesota to respond to a call for defense of the Rule of
Law and in support of Pakistani Lawyers by assembling, in person, at the
Minneapolis Federal Building at 12:00 Noon on Friday, November 9, 2007 for
a public expression of support, and press conference:

Since Saturday, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan has suspended the
national constitution, detained eight members of the Supreme Court and
arrested more than 1,500 Pakistani lawyers.  This is a profound breach of
the rule of law. These actions have been condemned by the National Lawyers
Guild, The American Bar Association, the National Association of Criminal
Defense Lawyers, the Society of American Law Teachers, and others. 

We call upon President Musharraf to rescind these actions immediately. As
set forth in the ABA statement, courts are society's referees. A
judiciary that can impartially apply fair rules, without outside
interference, is a cornerstone of lawful government. President Musharraf
sought to justify his actions by citing the threat of terrorism. But
shutting down a nation's lawful institutions of justice will hurt, not
help, the fight against terrorism. The ABA, which represents more than
413,000 members worldwide, has a longstanding commitment to advancing the
rule of law. When a nation's Constitution is suspended, and its Supreme
Court is shut down, that is a blow to the rule of law everywhere. We urge
all Minnesota lawyers and Judges to join the call of the ABA which
urges all governments, bar associations and other civil society
organizations to support the rule of law, by using every peaceful, legal
means, to persuade President Musharraf to restore justice to the people of
Pakistan.

The Lawyers and Judges of Minnesota join with lawyers worldwide in support
for the Rule of Law in all countries, for release of Pakistani lawyers and
all lawful protestors and the re-institution of constitutional norms in
Pakistan. 

Individual members of the Bench and Bar and representatives of lawyers
organizations present at the Friday public expression of support will make
their own statements in support of the return to the Rule of Law in
Pakistan, a country which has received over $10 billion in aid from the
United States since 2001. If you are interested in speaking or submitting
a written statement of support on behalf of your organization, or would
like to receive further information about this public demonstration of
support, please use the contact information below:   Bruce D. Nestor,
President National Lawyers Guild - Minnesota Chapter 3547 Cedar Avenue
South Minneapolis, MN  55407 612-659-9019 612-436-3664 - Facsimile
nestor [at] denestlaw.com  

NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD STRONGLY CONDEMNS STATE OF EMERGENCY IN
PAKISTAN, URGES BUSH TO SUSPEND AID
 
Contacts:
Marjorie Cohn, NLG President, marjorie [at] tjsl.edu, 619-374-6923
Jeanne Mirer, NLG International Committee, mirerfam [at] earthlink.net,
212-473-8700

The National Lawyers Guild strongly condemns the State of Emergency
imposed on the people of Pakistan and the attacks on lawyers and the
judiciary.  The NLG demands that President Musharraf immediately withdraw
the emergency declaration of November 3, 2007, the Provisional
Constitutional Order No. 1 of 2007 (PCO), which suspends Pakistan's
Constitution. This declaration includes suspension of the right to life
and liberty, freedom of speech, assembly and association, and equal
protection of the law, all of which are guaranteed by the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.  

Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry is being held under
house arrest, and over 2500 lawyers in different parts of Pakistan
including the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association and other
leaders of the Bar including officials of the Democratic Lawyers
Association of Pakistan, have been detained.  Journalists said the
government ordered that journalists who brought "ridicule or disrepute" to
Musharraf could face three years in prison.

The real motivation for the PCO is not to defend the country against
"Islamic extremists" but to maintain Musharraf in power.  The State of
Emergency was declared after the Supreme Court indicated it would overturn
the results of the illegitimate election that preserved Musharraf's rule. 
Musharraf seeks to prevent public protests that lawyers and political
parties were organizing.

The lawyers and the judiciary are resisting efforts by Musharraf to
violate Pakistan's Constitution and to interfere with the judiciary. The
NLG salutes the lawyers of Pakistan for their principled stand in
upholding the Constitution, independence of the judiciary, and the rule of
law.  The NLG supports the call by the lawyers of Pakistan to refuse to
practice before judges who have agreed to take oath under the PCO. The PCO
has been held to be unconstitutional and illegal by a 7-judge bench of the
Pakistan Supreme Court. Chief Justice Chaudhry and other judges of the
Supreme Court and of the High Courts who have refused to take oath under
the illegal PCO continue to hold office and cannot be removed.

The NLG demands the immediate release of the lawyers and others from
custody and/or house arrest and withdrawal of all restrictions illegally
imposed.  The NLG further urges President Bush to discontinue all aid to
Pakistan until the state of emergency is lifted, the Constitution is no
longer suspended, and Musharraf provides assurance that the January 2008
elections will proceed as planned.  

Founded in 1937 as an alternative to the American Bar Association, which
did not admit people of color, the National Lawyers Guild is the oldest
and largest public interest/human rights bar organization in the United
States. Its headquarters are in New York and it has chapters in every
state.


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From: Michelle Gross <mgresist [at] minn.net>
Subject: CritMass bene 11.09 6pm

PASTA BAR FUNDRAISER FOR CRITICAL MASS ARRESTEES
(Vegan and Meat Choices Available)
Friday, November 9
6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Walker Church
3100 16th Ave S, Minneapolis
$7 for adults, $4 for children

We're throwing a little party to raise funds for the Critical Mass
arrestees legal fund.  Come get your fill of delicious pasta with your
choice of sauces, salad, garlic bread and dessert, all for a great cause.
So far, five of the arrestees have been charged, some with serious
offenses.  It appears that people with histories of activism are being
most heavily targeted.  In one case, the prosecution tried to get the
arrestee to take a deal specifically not to protest the RNC, so the agenda
behind these prosecutions is pretty clear.  Stand up with these arrestees
and have a great meal and a great time, too.  If you aren't able to attend
but still want to contribute, go to the new Donations page on our website
at and designate Critical Mass Arrestees as the fund you want to donate
to: http://www.charityadvantage.com/CUAPB/DonateHere.asp


--------17 of 23--------

From: Erin Parrish <erin [at] mnwomen.org>
Subject: Pro-choice/art 11.09 6:30pm

More on November 9: Pro-Choice Resources 4th Annual Art for Choice -- A
40th Anniversary Event at the Graves 601 Hotel. Meet the new Executive
Director, Sarita Turner, at the event. 6:30-10PM. To view original works
available to bid on at this event, visit prochoiceresources.org.


--------18 of 23--------

From: Cherrene Horazuk <cherrene [at] afscme3800.org>
Subject: Labor/$scumbags 11.09 7pm  [ed head]

Labor on the Frontlines:
Fighting Privatization and the
Corporate Takeover of Public Services

Featuring:
Ricardo Calderón, Leader of the Salvadoran Union Front (FSS)
Phyllis Walker, President of AFSCME 3800, Clerical Workers at the U of MN

Public services and public sector unions have come under major attack in
the US and around the world. Governments are attempting to privatize and
sell off public health, water, and electrical systems - eliminating
access for poor and working people. At the same time, state universities,
like the University of Minnesota, are being transformed into research
wings for private corporations. Unions are at the forefront of the
struggle to protect public services.

In El Salvador, the Frente Sindical Salvadoreño (FSS) - Salvadoran Union
Front - is leading the national fight against plans to privatize water and
the public healthcare system. Union members have been intimidated and
arrested for opposing the privatization of health care and water. A leader
of the electrical workers union was murdered in July for organizing against
the privatization attempts.

In Minnesota, four AFSCME locals at the U of M went on strike in September
after the U administration refused to give workers the salary increase that
other state workers received and that the legislature had budgeted for them
to keep up with inflation. After almost three weeks out, the strike ended on
September 21. Strikers went back to work still angry at the U
administration, but better organized and determined to carry forward the
struggle for economic justice and against the U administration's corporate
agenda.

Friday, November 9
7:00pm
Minneapolis Central Labor Union Council, Room 215
312 Central Ave. (Central and University)

Sponsored by: AFSCME 3800. Endorsers: AFSCME 3937, SEIU 26, UFCW 789,
UNITE-HERE 17, U of M Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). To endorse
this event, or for more information call: 612-940-0660.


--------19 of 23--------

From: entropy [at] riseup.net
Subject: David Rovics 11.09 8pm

prolific political songwriter David Rovics ( www.davidrovics.com ) is
playing a show in Minneapolis (on his current tour) this Friday, November
9th.

The show will be at the Stevens Square Center for the Arts (1905 3rd Ave
S) at 8 pm sharp.

Advance (reduced price) tickets are available at the Arise! bookstore &
resource center (2441 Lyndale Avenue S. - Minneapolis).  10% of advance
ticket sales will go to support the twin cities favorite volunteer-run
radical/progressive bookstore & resource center, Arise!.


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From: t r u t h o u t <messenger [at] truthout.org>
Subject: NOW/kid health ins 11.09 8:30pm

NOW | Showdown Over Children's Health Insurance
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/110707U.shtml

This week on PBS, "NOW investigates the latest Congressional maneuvers to
determine the fate of a children's health care program." Saying that "the
fund is quickly running out of money. President Bush vetoed a bipartisan
SCHIP reauthorization bill on October 3, claiming it would attract
recipients who could otherwise afford private insurance. Now, the issue
has become a political free-for-all, with family lives hanging in the
balance."


--------21 of 23--------

Supermodel Spurns the Dollar
Dollar's Fall Collapses the American Empire; Bring Those 737 Overseas
Military Bases Home!
By PAUL CRAIG ROBERTS
CounterPunch
November 7, 2007

The US dollar is still officially the world's reserve currency, but it
cannot purchase the services of Brazilian super model Gisele Bundchen.
Gisele required the $30 million she earned during the first half of this
year to be paid in euros.

Gisele is not alone in her forecast of the dollar's fate. The First Post
(UK) reports that Jim Rogers, a former partner of billionaire George
Soros, is selling his home and all possessions in order to convert all his
wealth into Chinese yuan.

Meanwhile, American economists continue to preach that offshoring is good
for the US economy and that Bush's war spending is keeping the economy
going. The practitioners of supply and demand have yet to figure out that
the dollar's supply is sinking the dollar's price and along with it
American power.

The macho super patriots who support the Bush regime still haven't caught
on that US superpower status rests on the dollar being the reserve
currency, not on a military unable to occupy Baghdad. If the dollar were
not the world currency, the US would have to earn enough foreign
currencies to pay for its 737 oversees bases, an impossibility considering
America's $800 billion trade deficit.

When the dollar ceases to be the reserve currency, foreigners will cease
to finance the US trade and budget deficits, and the American Empire along
with its wars will disappear overnight. Perhaps Bush will be able to get a
World Bank loan, or maybe one from the "Chavez bank," to bring the troops
home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Foreign leaders, observing that offshoring and war are accelerating
America's relative economic decline, no longer treat the US with the
deference to which Washington is accustomed. Ecuador's president, Rafael
Correa, recently refused Washington's demand to renew the lease on the
Manta air base in Ecuador. He told Washington that the US could have a
base in Ecuador if Ecuador could have a military base in the US. [Ha ha
ha! Good one! LOL! -ed]

When Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez addressed the UN, he crossed himself
as he stood at the podium. Referring to President Bush, Chavez said,
"Yesterday the devil came here, and it smells of sulfur still today."
Bush, said Chavez, was standing "right here, talking as if he owned the
world."

In his state of the nation message last year, Russian president Vladimir
Putin said that Bush's blathering about democracy was nothing but a cloak
for the pursuit of American self-interests at the expense of other
peoples. "We are aware what is going on in the world. Comrade wolf knows
whom to eat, and he eats without listening, and he's clearly not going to
listen to anyone." In May 2007, Putin criticized the neocon regime in
Washington for "disrespect for human life" and "claims to global
exclusiveness, just as it was in the time of the Third Reich."

Even America's British allies regard President Bush as a threat to world
peace and the second most dangerous man alive. Bush is edged out in polls
by Osama bin Laden, but is regarded as more dangerous than Iran's
demonized president and North Korea's Kim Jong-il.

President Bush has achieved his dismal world standing despite spending
$1.6 billion of hard-pressed Americans' tax money on public relations
between 2003 and 2006.

Clearly, America's leader and America's currency are poorly regarded. Is
there a solution?

Perhaps the answer lies in those 737 overseas bases. If those bases were
brought home and shared among the 50 states, each state would gain 15 new
military bases.

Imagine what this would mean: The end of the housing slump. A reduction in
the trade deficit.

And the end of the war on terror.

Who would dare attack a country with 15 new military bases in every state
in addition to the existing ones? Wherever a terrorist turned, he would
find himself surrounded by soldiers.

All of the dollars currently spent abroad to support 737 overseas bases
would be spent at home. Income for foreigners would become income for
Americans, and the trade deficit would shrink.

The impact of the 737 military base payrolls on the US economy would end
the housing crisis and bring back the 140,000 highly paid financial
services jobs, the loss of which this year has cost the US $42 billion in
consumer income. Foreclosures and bankruptcies would plummet.

If this isn't enough to turn the dollar around, President Bush's pledge
not to appoint an Attorney General if Michael Mukasey is not confirmed
offers more promise. If the Democrats will defeat Mukasey's nomination,
there are other superfluous cabinet departments that can be closed down in
addition to the US Department of Torture and Indefinite Detention.

The American empire is being unwound on the battlefields of Iraq and
Afghanistan. The year is two months from being over, but already in 2007,
despite the touted "surge," deaths of US soldiers are the highest of any
year of the war.

The Taliban are the ones who are surging. They have taken control of a
third district in Western Afghanistan. Turkey and the Kurds are on the
verge of turning northern Iraq into a new war zone, another demonstration
of American impotence.

Bush's wars have endangered America's puppet regimes. Bush's Pakistani
puppet, Musharraf, is fighting for his life. By resorting to "emergency
rule" and oppressive measures, Musharraf has intensified his opposition.
When Musharraf falls, thanks to Bush, the Islamists will have nukes.

American generals used to say that the wars Bush started in the Middle
East would take 10 years to win. On Oct. 31 General John Abizaid, former
commander of US forces in the Middle East, put paid to that optimistic
forecast. Speaking at Carnegie Mellon University, Gen. Abizaid said it
would be 50 years before US troops can leave the Middle East.

There is no possibility of the US remaining in the Middle East for a half
century. The dollar and US power are already on their last legs,
unbeknownst to Democratic leaders Pelosi and Reid who are preparing yet
another blank check for Bush's latest request for $200 billion in
supplementary war funding.

There isn't any money with which to fund Bush's lost war. It will have to
be borrowed from China.

The Romans brought on their own demise, but it took them centuries. Bush
has finished America in a mere 7 years.

Even as Gisele throws off the dollar's hegemony, Brazil, Venezuela,
Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Columbia are declaring
independence of the IMF and World Bank, instruments of US financial
hegemony, by creating their own development bank, thus bringing to an end
US suzerainty over South America.

An empire that has lost its backyard is finished.

Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan
administration. He was Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal
editorial page and Contributing Editor of National Review. He is coauthor
of The Tyranny of Good Intentions.He can be reached at:
PaulCraigRoberts [at] yahoo.com


--------22 of 23--------

Clinton's Complaint
by Jim Fuller

Veteran journalist, Fuller was the Mineapolis Star Tribune business
reporter for 30 years. His blog is at http://www.jamesckayfuller.com/

To the women who are twisting themselves into knots to support Hillary
Clinton for the presidency while ignoring her obvious and enormous
failings:  You can't have it both ways.

One of the silliest sideshows of the campaign thus far - we can be
confident that there is much worse to come - is the flood of complaints
that the boys "piled up" on Clinton in the most recent of the phony
candidate debates. Clinton's campaign staff started and fueled the
complaints.

The letters column of the New York Times was full of such nonsense a few
days ago, and the blogs and other opinion-friendly spaces continue to
get countless megabytes of  such commentary, almost all of it from
women.  A couple of better-known female columnists joined the gang
whine, although more said, as I do, that the complaints are absurd and
counter productive to the cause of the letter writers.

Clinton has worked hard to prove to the bomb-loving right that she's as
ready as Dick Cheney to kill, torture and ignore the Constitution in
order to "support freedom."  She's given away much we know to be
irredeemable and much more that has not yet been publicly identified to
gain the support she now has from people like news and propaganda baron
Rupert Murdoch, who have never seen a U.S.-involved slaughter they
couldn't profit from.

She has kicked sand in the faces of Democrats who have made
overwhelmingly clear that they want this country to withdraw from Iraq
and, even more, to prevent the White House lunatics from attacking Iran.

Kicked sand?  Hell, she happily grinds your faces in it, while out of a
corner of her mouth she says she really does like peace - sorta,
sometimes, when it's convenient and won't cut into profits or her
campaign treasury.

But the corporate media keep telling us she's by far the front running
candidate of the Democratic wing of the Corporate Party, and they've
pounded and pounded and pounded that message into our earholes until
most people believe it and, believing it, make it true.

And what do other candidates do with a "front runner" when allowed by
the media to say something? They attack, of course.  Always have, always
will.  They have to show up the opponent's lies and hypocrisy when given
a chance.

They try very hard to show the leading candidate's failings - which in
this case is not difficult, given the number and degree of Clinton's
sins against traditional Democrats and liberals, against good people
everywhere.

It would not be different if the media-created leading candidate were a
male, even one with fewer egregious shortcomings.

So having Clinton, who has worked very hard to show how bloody-minded
and ruthless she is, now doing "the boys are picking on me" act is the
height of absurdity.

It's also another demonstration of her cold calculation and lack of
ethical core.


--------23 of 23--------

 The universe is
 my dream. Humor me. Or else.
 Now here's what I want...


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   - David Shove             shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu
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