Progressive Democrat Issue 108: THOUGHTS

Busy week! I continue to be impressed with the pace and quality of legislation by Democrats in the House. The Senate is lagging a bit, but that is partly because the Democratic majority in the Senate is razor thin...and it includes Lieberman who, though a solid Democrat on many issues, is too close to Bush on other issues and seems to be making his career on enabling some of Bush's worst ideas. The plan for escalation in Iraq can be considered a McCain/Bush/Lieberman collaboration and the consequences in money and lives lost will be on their heads.

I also should add that Presidential hopefuls Vilsack, Edwards, Obama, and Richardson are all calling for withdrawal from Iraq and urging Congress to act decisively. Sounds good! I think Democrats have finally regrown their backbone and, more importantly, enough of them are showing it that it is far harder for the media to ignore.

Here in NY State we had a wonderful special election for the 7th State Senate district where the nastiest possible dirty tricks by the anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-stem cell research Republican candidate failed...the Democrat won, flipping a seat from Republican to Democrat. The netroots and progressive grassroots played a large role in this win, making it a continuation of the excellent progressive/grassroots-moderate/mainstream coalition that won so big in November. I should note that some long time readers of this newsletter were in the thick of things! The newly elected State Senator, Craig Johnson, graciously thanked the netroots for all the help. And you can read about what it felt like to be in the room with Craig Johnson and his campaign on the night of victory. Apparantly it really kicked ass.

Here is this week's issue:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

BRING THE TROOPS HOME

THE EXXON/MOBIL-REPUBLICAN AXIS OF EVIL

FLORIDA THROWING AWAY THEIR DRE MACHINES

JUMPSTARTING THE SOUTH

BLACK HERITAGE ENDANGERED

NYC FOCUS: Fighting Wal-Mart

NYC GROUPS AND EVENTS

VIRGINIA FOCUS: Running for Delegate

VIRGINIA GROUPS AND EVENTS

MICHIGAN FOCUS

IOWA FOCUS

MIDWEST GROUPS AND EVENTS

NEW JERSEY FOCUS: Jobs and Internships

NEW JERSEY GROUPS AND EVENTS

CALIFORNIA DARWIN DAY EVENTS

CALIFORNIA GROUPS AND EVENTS

Progressive Democrat Issue 108: BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW

Found out about this at the Democracy for NYC meeting in my neighborhood last night. And let me take this opportunity to say that if you aren't working with your local DFA group, you really SHOULD be. They do good work and they really started the surge of the grassroots that grew out of the Dean movement.

New York Congressman Jerrold Nadler has introduced one of the better Congressional Bills regarding the Iraq War. Most of the bills introduced specifically aim to block the Bush/McCain escalation of the war. Nadler specifically aims to bring the troops home in a safe, responsible way.

I met Congressman Nadler at a National Jewish Democratic Committee breakfast a couple of years ago. My son, then very young, liked him and Nadler regaled us with a story of a local legislator giving a long speech holding another legislator's baby, who had been crying. Nadler is a no-nonsense man and someone who will advocate well for troop withdrawal and who can stand up to Republican smears.

Nadler's bill would limit Congressional funding of the war ONLY to protecting the troops while withdrawing and for diplomacy and specifically rules out paying for any additional troops. Withdrawal must start within 30 days of enactment of the bill and end by Dec. 31, 2007. Here is what Nadler has to say on his website:

“It has been wrongly asserted that Congress cannot force the President to de-escalate or withdraw from Iraq because it cannot use its only real power – cutting off funds - lest it be accused of ‘abandoning the troops,’” says Rep. Nadler. “But if Congress appropriates funds, but limits those funds to protecting the troops and redeploying them from Iraq, that would be the best way of supporting the troops. In fact, keeping (or adding) American soldiers in the middle of a civil war with no end in sight is the ultimate act of abandonment. We must save American lives by bringing them home as soon as possible.”

The Protect the Troops and Bring Them Home Act would limit the use of funds to:

1. Protecting our troops while they are in Iraq
2. Bringing the troops home in a safe and orderly manner on a timetable beginning one month after enactment of the Act and ending by December 31, 2007
3. Providing assistance to Iraqi security forces
4. Providing economic and reconstruction assistance
5. Arranging for diplomatic consultations.

“If we want to end America’s military involvement in Iraq’s civil war, the only way we can overcome the President’s stubbornness in keeping us involved in this misguided effort is to limit the use of the funds to protecting our troops while carrying out a withdrawal,” says Rep. Nadler.

Please write your Congress Critter to express support for HR 455. Also write the media expressing your support of Nadler and this bill. This could be our best shot at stopping the Bush/McCain escalation plan, or at least getting it debated publically.

Can I just once again say that I am happy as can be with the Democratic Majority in the House so far!

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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: THE EXXON/MOBIL-REPUBLICAN AXIS OF EVIL

Our lives revolve around oil. The bulk of our transportation and heating is run by oil. Plastics, keeping the temperature right in you home and office, cars, getting produce to your supermarket...all runs on oil.

Consider the dominance oil has over your life. Your finances are controlled by oil. Entire stock markets are driven up or down by tiny fluctuations in oil prices, making or breaking your retirement. The cost of almost everything you buy that isn't produced locally depends on the cost of oil. And who determines the cost of oil? Saudi Arabia, George Bush, Exxon/Mobil, etc. And when oil prices are high, who profits the most? Same list. In 2005 and 2006 one company broke the record for profits made by a US Company. And that company made those profits from the deaths of our soldiers and from your wallet.

Oil.

Sometimes it seems like the focal point of all that is disgusting, corrupt, unfair and evil in the world.

Oil profits are a major source of financial support for terrorists. Oil is the number one contributor to our national trade deficit, draining us of money and sending that money to feed the wealth of royal families in Middle Eastern kingdoms where women are second class citizens.

And oil is one of the main driving forces for inflation in our nation today. Rising oil prices feed rising prices for every commodity we buy that isn't produced locally.

Think about how much you spend on oil: gasoline for your car, high transportation prices for almost everything you buy, heating oil...

Think about how much oil is draining from your family's finances.

Then consider this. For the second year in a row, Exxon/Mobil has made record oil proifts. In 2006 Exxon Mobil posted the all time record for the largest annual profit by ANY U.S. company: $39.5 billion. That beat the previous record of $36.13 billion...set in 2005 by, you guessed it, Exxon/Mobil. We are struggling and soldiers are dying for these profits. When we consider Bush's invasion of Iraq, threats against Iran and Venezuela, remember that Exxon/Mobil profits from this instability and fear and that Exxon/Mobil, like most oil companies, overwhelmingly supports Republicans. ALL of the top 20 oil company contribution recepients in 2006 were Republicans. Exxon/Mobil was the top oil company donor to political races in 2006 and donated 89% to the very Republicans driving the foreign policy that is keeping oil prices high on fear and instability.

And it isn't just Exxon/Mobil, of course. Shell oil has also posted a record profit of $25.36 billion.

So what will feed the next few years of record oil profits? Well, let's see, there is the massive taxpayer funded Bush/McCain "surge" that guarantees more US soldiers than ever will die to keep Iraq destabilized and the buildup to war with Iran. So far we haven't succeeded in destabilizing Venezuela, but Bush certainly would love to do that as well.

Remember these things next time you pay for gasoline, heating oil or are surprised at the rising cost of your family's groceries. You are sacrificing for the Exxon/Mobil-Republican Party alliance.

We have to start doing something to reduce the hold the Exxon/Mobil-Republican Axis has on our lives.

To look into buying Green Energy through the grid go here. In NYC you can look here.

To offset your carbon load by helping build wind generating plants through Native American companies, go here. Wouldn't it be nice to see some of America's energy costs going to benefit Native Americans HERE in America?

For some discussions on weaning oursleves from fossil fuels, go here, here, here, and here.

To express yourself to the media, go here.

And to express yourself to Congress, go here.

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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: FLORIDA THROWING AWAY THEIR DRE MACHINES

The foundation of any democracy has to be free and fair election. I have written considerably about the danger the over-priced, insecure and non-verifiable DRE eVote machines are. By now you'd think the evidence was more than enough to kill any interest any state might have in these machines.

To me one of the deciding factors should be the fact that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has advocated the decertification of these machines because:

According to an NIST paper to be discussed at a meeting of election regulators at NIST headquarters in Gaithersburg, Md., on Dec. 4 and 5, DRE vote totals cannot be audited because the machines are not software independent.

In other words, there is no means of verifying vote tallies other than by relying on the software that tabulated the results to begin with.

The machines currently in use are "more vulnerable to undetected programming errors or malicious code," according to the paper.

The NIST paper also noted that, "potentially, a single programmer could 'rig' a major election."

But there recently is yet more evidence that the DRE machines suck. Florida under Jeb Bush was a state that embraced the DRE machines early. Perhaps Jeb should have waited. DRE machines are probably responsible for an 18,000 vote undercount in Florida's FL-13 Congressional race in 2006 which more or less made those election results a farce.

Florida's new governor probably also wishes Jeb Bush had waited before buying all those extremely expensive DRE machines, because he now wants to throw out the DRE machines and buy the main alternative technology, PB/OS (Paper Ballot/Optical Scan) machines. Now PB/OS machines also have problems, but ultimately they do have a paper trail that is verifiable, they are cheaper and more reliable than the DRE machines.

What about YOUR state? Is YOUR state learning from the lesson of Florida? Or is your state considering buying the over-priced, easily hackable, unrelaible pieces of crap called DRE eVote machines? Go to Verified Voting.org and find out.

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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: JUMPSTARTING THE SOUTH

Continued from last week.

January I introduced my Jumpstart the Midwest Campaign, trying to look ahead to key states for 2008. My Midwest focus included Iowa, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin and I was hoping to get some money raised to help these states get a jump on the next election. Michigan in particular is key for two reasons: it may well be one of the must-win states of 2008 and it is the first State Democratic Party to adopt the community-centered Blue Tiger Democrat model which I think is the next step beyond Dean's 50-state policy that has worked so well. So I would like to see Michigan's Democratic Party do well with this new model. In all my Jumpstart the Midwest plan picked up $50 for Michigan, $10 for Iowa and $25 for Indiana. Well, it's something! And hopefully I also inspired a few people to volunteer with a local organization in their area if they can't donate. Plus now those fundraising tools are out there if any of you want to use them. I will come back to asking people to focus on the Midwest. But for February I want to focus on the South.

I have said before that I am not one of those Progressives who dismisses the South. There are too many good people from there to write it off: Ann Richardson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Christine Jennings all came from the South. So let's focus on what we CAN do in the South.

Let's start with North Carolina. We have a Senate race that will be hard but we can win IF we start early. Republican Elizabeth Dole now holds this seat. If we want a good shot at taking it, we need to start early. Our chances of taking it will depend on which Democrats run, with Democratic Governor Mike Easley being a possible favorite to beat Dole. Let’s do to NC in 2008 what we did to Virginia in 2006: flip a Senate seat blue against all odds. Plus we have a House race, NC-8, that we came very close to winning in 2006 and our candidate, Larry Kissell, is already building up for a rematch. Larry Kissell is the Democratic Party in a nutshell: former textile worker, BA in Economics, and public school teacher, Larry Kissell nearly beat the Republican incumbent in this district in 2006 running a strictly grassroots/netroots campaign. The vote went into a recount and Kissell only lost by 329 votes out of 121,000 cast. He has already announced his intentions for a rematch and now is the time to back him up. If the slot for Kissell on my NC page is not available for donations through Act Blue, please click on his website. So with one Senate seat AND a House seat, NC is on my list for 2008. Please help!

Next let's look to Missouri. Missouri will be a big one because there is a Governor's race plus it, like Michigan in the Midwest, could be a key state for winning the Presidency. Laying the groundwork now in Missouri could pay off big time in election after election. And our big win for the Senate in 2006 means we are starting to get a good foothold in Missouri. Missouri’s Republican Party is among the most corrupt in the nation, which makes it vulnerable. So let’s build now to win big in Missouri. The Republicans have nothing but corruption and a message of fear. Democrats have a message of raising the minimum wage for working Americans, making education more affordable for working Americans, and making health care more affordable for working Americans. Let’s help the Democratic Party bring that message to the people of Missouri.

Let's turn now to Kentucky. Kentucky has a Senate election in 2008. This seat is currently held by Mitch McConnell (R). Plus we will definitely have a tough race to hold the KY-3 House seat. Newly elected Congressman Yarmouth is a progressive populist who won unexpectedly in 2006. You can be sure he will be heavily targeted by the Republican hate machine in 2008. Let’s give him a real shot at holding his seat with some early money. Like North Carolina, I am targeting Kentucky because it has an important Senate race AND an important House race. Help win these races in 2008.

Now we come to one of my favorite Southern States since I have been focusing on it through two years of solid surprise victories: Virginia where we won the Governor's race in 2005 and picked up a Senate seat in 2006. I want to build further on these wins. Virginia has a Senate race in 2008 and we need to start early if we want to win it. This seat is currently held by the horriible John Warner (R). John Warner gets a D+ on Veteran and defense issues by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association, an 8/100 on seniors issues from Alilance for Retired Americas, a 14/100 on environment from LCV, 16/100 on labor issues from AFL-CIO and 21/100 on choice from Planned Parenthood. There may also be a rematch for the VA-5 House seat which we came closer than expected to winning, though still fell short. And who knows. At this rate, we just might be competitive in Virginia for their electoral votes for President. THAT would be great. Let's make it happen.

Finally, let's not forget Florida. Florida has been the supposed “must win” state for Democrats since 2000. I am not sure I buy that, but I do think it is well worth trying. And I think we could win it. If we do, then we almost certainly will win the Presidency. So it is well worth focusing on Florida. But there is another reason to focus on Florida. We probably had another stolen election in 2006, this time the FL-13 race where 18,000 votes for Congress were missing. And by all calculations most of those votes were Democratic, so Christine Jennings probably won. So we really need to focus on this race early and often to make sure the Republicans don’t keep that seat in 2008. So let's win Florida, like we should have in 2000 and again in FL-13 in 2006.

Please pick one of these States and give a little. Even $10 can make a difference!

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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: BLACK HISTORY ENDANGERED

A friend of mine, Bill Batson, has been active in trying to preserve Underground Railroad sites in Brooklyn. He has observed that some of the first things to go when developers start to gentrify a neighborhood are the black heritage sites...including things like a graveyard where black Revolutionary War soldiers are buried and the Harriet Tubman museum. Sometimes Batson has been successful in drawing attention to endangered sites. But too often these sites are ignored and forgotten. And it isn't just in Brooklyn that there is a problem. Iowa State Representative Elesha Gayman includes in her newsletter a report on Underground Railroad sites in Iowa:

PRESENTATION ON UNDERGROUND RAILROAD DISCOVERIES

As part of the Black History Month celebration, there will be a presentation on the recent discoveries made on the underground railroad. The presentation will happen on Feb. 11 at the Western Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs and be made by John Zeller, Project Historian and Douglas W. Jones, Archaeologist, State Historic Preservation Office.

The State Historical Society of Iowa has been conducting historical research and fieldwork since 2002 on the Iowa Freedom Trail Project. This project seeks to document Underground Railroad activities throughout Iowa by identifying individuals and groups who were involved with these activities and the places where these events occurred in Iowa.

The preliminary results have shown that most of the homes and properties associated with the Underground Railroad activities in Iowa have been demolished or abandoned. Most of these former homes and properties are now archaeological sites. As part of the project, the State Historical Society of Iowa has sponsored several archaeological investigations to help document the locations of these former homes and properties associated with the Underground Railroad activities.

From Brooklyn to Iowa, and many places in between I suspect, black heritage is endangered. To join the fight to defend black heritage in NYC, call (917) 627-6528 or go to www.batsonforbrooklyn.com. To help defend black heritage in Iowa, you can contact the Iowa Historical Society or contact Elesha Gayman's office: (515) 281-7342. For other states, you can try finding your closest African-American history museum or your local historical society to find out more about what is being done, or more likely not done, to preserve black heritage in your area.

To quote Bill Batson: If you destroy a person's heritage you can do whatever you want to them.

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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: NYC FOCUS

Wal-Mart is trying yet again to enter NYC. So far they have been blocked from building in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island by a pretty broad coalition, including Democrats and Republicans, small business groups, environmental groups, community groups, etc. But they keep trying.

Wal-Mart's latest attempt to sneak into NYC is taking place in Brooklyn at Allbee Square. On last Thursday there was a rally against Wal-Mart at Allbee Square. It seems the coalition behind that rally may have scored another victory: the developer of Allbee Square publicly stated that he will not allow a Wal-Mart in the Gallery. So it looks like we may have blocked them again. But we need to keep up the pressure. First, find out the facts. Here is an outline of why Wal-Mart is bad for our community. Want more detail, find more detailed reports here.

Next, write your local politicians and the media expressing your opinion of Wal-Mart. And what the hell, write Wal-Mart and tell them to keep out of your neighborhood. Keep up the pressure!


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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: NYC GROUPS AND EVENTS

Local involvement is really what wins elections. Please get involved. I have made friends, met many of my elected officials who now (sometimes!) actually listen to me, and have really felt like I am making a difference. From time to time I will also post events going on, but mostly this is a list of organizations in your area. If I have missed any, please let me know.

GENERAL INTEREST:

NYC DARWIN DAY EVENTS: Darwin Day is February 12th. All over the world people mark the day with events that celebrate science and humanity. Here are a few NYC area events:

Title: Reading & Signing - Living With Darwin ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-12 18:00:00
Event Website: http://columbia.bkstore.com
Activities:
In honor of Darwin Day - The Columbia University Bookstore is delighted to welcome faculty author, Philip Kitcher as he discusses and signs copies of his enlightening new book, "Living With Darwin"
Address:
2929 Broadway, Lerner Hall
New York, NY UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Columbia Bookstore
Contact: Nick Frayn, Bkstore707@bncollege.com, 212.854.4131

Title: New York Hall of Science Darwin Celebration ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-10 12:30:00
Event Website: http://www.nyscience.org
Activities:
Celebrate the life of Charles Darwin with activity carts that delve into the world of Darwin:
Cool Craniums – Compare a number of skulls and try to unlock the secrets of a mystery skull.
Life Under a Magnifying Glass – Find the young Darwin in you and observe live insects using magnifying lenses.
Camo-flies – Become an insect investigator as you uncover the keys to survival in the wild.
Homologous Structures – Learn how different species have many similar features.
Finch Beaks – Choose the bird to survive the varied weather conditions of the Galapagos Islands.
"Flock of Dodos" film screening - 4 pm on
Saturday, February 10 and Sunday, February 11; 3 pm on Monday, February 12
Address:
47-01 111th Street,
Queens, NY UNITED STATES
Sponsor:
Contact: Marcos Stafne, mstafne@nyscience.org, 718 699-0005, #343


BROOKLYN GROUPS AND EVENTS:

Independent Neighborhood Democrats Presents: THE IMPEACHMENT OF GEORGE W. BUSH:
on Thursday, Feb. 15th at 7 PM, 489 Court St. in Brooklyn, IND is hosting the Honorable Elizabeth Holtzman, former Congresswoman and member of the Nixon Impeachment Panel. She will be discussing the impeachment of Bush. Since she has been there in Congressional deliberations over impeachment of a President, I am VERY interested in what she has to say!

Brooklyn Critical Mass:
Critical Mass is a monthly celebration of bicycles and other nonpolluting means of transportation, exercising our right to the road. Critical Mass is a movement, not an organization; no two riders participate for exactly the same reason. Brooklyn Critical Mass started rolling in 2004.

Brooklyn rides are the Second Friday of every month, 7:00 p.m., meeting at Grand Army Plaza. Come out and join Critical Mass in Brooklyn. Celebrate cycling, and assert your right to the road -- Brooklyn style!

For more events and bike workshops, check out their calendar.


Brooklyn Democrats for Change: covering Bay Ridge, Fort Hamilton, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, and Bath Beach; Meets the 1st Thursday of the month at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Muller Conference Room, 7420 4th Avenue Bay Ridge.


Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) (mostly covers Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and Kensington). My wife, Joy, is now on the executive board and is the corresponding secretary of this club. This club is very grassroots and worked very hard for progressive candidates in the recent primary. They need more people if we want to strengthen the grassroots. If you are not yet a member, please come to the next meeting and join. Membership is cheap! Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every month at 7 PM at the Park Slope United Methodist Church, 6th Ave. & 8th Street in the basement (enter through the garden gate on 6th Ave).


Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND): I usually work with this club. They cover the 52nd Assembly district, covering Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill. Meetings are usually held on the third Thursday of every month at 7 PM (yes...same time as CBID above because they are sort of rival groups!) at their clubhouse 489 Court St. in Carroll Gardens.


New Democratic Majority in Brooklyn: Originally an outgrowth of the Dean campaign, NDM is one of the more active progressive organizations around. This is the Brooklyn branch of that organization and we are still building our membership. I will be a co-host of this meeting. We meet the 4th Thursday of every month at the 5th Ave. Ozzie’s in Park Slope, 249 5th Ave (intersection of 5th and Garfield) at 7 PM. You can contact me (mole333@gmail.com) for more info.


Democracy for America Meetings: Another outgrowth of the Dean Campaign, this is another excellent local progressive organization. Usually meets the first Wed. of every month at various locations. CLICK HERE to find your closest monthly meeting.

Park Slope/Brooklyn, Ozzie's, 249 5th Ave, with host Josh Skaller

Williamsburg/Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Boulevard Tavern, 579 Meeker Ave. (btwn. N. Henry and Monitor St.) There will be no official DFNYC Linkup host here this month, but Harold at Boulevard is a DFNYC member and encourages everyone to stop in. Harold will have DFNYC info about the upcoming elections.

Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Wycoff-Bennette Homestead, 1669 East 22nd. St. (between Quentin & Kings Highway), with hosts Annette Mott a& Estelle Glasser


Lambda Independent Democrats (Brooklyn’s gay and lesbian organization) for meeting info contact LID@LIDBrooklyn.org.

DRINKING LIBERALLY: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. Here are our local Brooklyn groups:

Park Slope: First Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward, Commonwealth, 497 5th Ave (at 12th Street). Hosted by Emily Farris and Peter Wohlsen, parkslope (at) drinkingliberally.org

Williamsburg: Every other Tuesday, 8:00 pm onward the Levee, 212 Berry St. (corner of N. 3rd). Hosted by Elana Levin and Michael Freedman-Schnapp, williamsburg (at) drinkingliberally.org


To find your nearest Brooklyn Democratic club, please CLICK HERE.


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MANHATTAN GROUPS AND EVENTS:


NYC Critical Mass The last Friday of the month, every month, 7:00 p.m., starting at Union Square Park North. Come along for the ride! Critical Mass is a monthly celebration of bicycles and other nonpolluting means of transportation, exercising our right to the road. Critical Mass is a movement, not an organization; no two riders participate for exactly the same reason. New York City's first Critical Mass was in 1993.


Democracy for America Meetings: Another outgrowth of the Dean Campaign, this is another excellent local progressive organization. Usually meets the first Wed. of every month at various locations. CLICK HERE to find your closest monthly meeting.

Upper West Side, Cosi (downstairs) 2160 Broadway @76th Street, with host Merle McEldowney

Upper East Side, location TBD, with hosts Lewis Cohen & David Kogelman

West Village, Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St. (near 7th Ave.), with hosts Dana Northcraft & Judith Ren-Lay

East Village, Cinema Classics/Rafiffi, 332 East 11th Street (btwn. 1st & 2nd), with host Heather Woodfield


DRINKING LIBERALLY: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. Here are our local Manhattan groups:

Upper East Side Last Tuesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward, Doc Watson's, 1490 2nd Avenue (at 77th). In the backyard, weather permitting. Hosted by Matthew Bachiochi, ues (at) drinkingliberally.org

In Manhattan: Thursday, 7:30 pm onward, Rudy's, 627 9th Avenue (between 44th & 45th Streets). Hosted by Justin Krebs and Matthew O'Neill, nyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Bar Hopping Manhattan: Second Tuesday of each month, 6:00-9:00 pm
A monthly Democratic drinking club at different gay bars around Manhattan. Join the mailing list to receive updates of future venues. Hosted by Dirk McCall, outnyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

East Village: Last Wednesday of each month, 8:00 pm onward, Grassroots Tavern, 20 Saint Mark's Place (between 2nd and 3rd). Hosted by Quinn Raymond, Elena Morin and Abby Cook-Mack, eastvillage (at) drinkingliberally.org


To find your nearest Manhattan Democratic club, please CLICK HERE.


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QUEENS GROUPS AND EVENTS:

Democracy for America Meetings: Another outgrowth of the Dean Campaign, this is another excellent local progressive organization. Usually meets the first Wed. of every month at various locations. CLICK HERE to find your closest monthly meeting.

Sunnyside, Queens, The Grind, 39-24 Queens Blvd., with host Dan Jacoby

Bayside, Queens, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics


Queens Jefferson Democratic Club: Our meetings are normally held the first Thursday of every month, @ 8:00 p.m. (the doors open @ 7:30 P.M.) except for July, August, and months in which a holiday falls on the First Thursday. Meetings are held at the Auburndale American Legion Hall, 198-09 33rd Ave Flushing, New York 11358 (just off Francis Lewis Blvd. near 33rd Avenue).

Queens County Young Democrats: for information CLICK HERE.

DRINKING LIBERALLY: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. Here are our local Queens groups:

ASTORIA: Last Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward. Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102. Hosted by Donald Graff, queens (at) drinkingliberally.org

To find your nearest Queens Democratic club, please CLICK HERE.


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STATEN ISLAND GROUPS AND EVENTS:

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO STATEN ISLAND DEMOCRACY FOR NYC CHAPTERS! You can start one by emailing linkup -at- dfnyc.org (replace -at- with @). These groups are great for keeping in touch and for candiates to introduce themselves and beg you for support.

Young Democrats of Staten Island: The future of the Democratic Party in Staten Island!

Staten Island African American Political Association: For more information, contact deb2badd –at- aol.com (replace –at- with @)

THERE ARE NO DRINKING LIBERALLY GROUPS IN STATEN ISLAND!!! You can start one by clicking here. It is a fun, social way to grow the grassroots and patronize a local watering hole as well.

For more Democratic Clubs in Staten Island, CLICK HERE.

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BRONX GROUPS AND EVENTS:

THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO BRONX DEMOCRACY FOR NYC CHAPTERS! You can start one by emailing linkup -at- dfnyc.org (replace -at- with @). These groups are great for keeping in touch and for candiates to introduce themselves and beg you for support.


WEST BRONX DRINKING LIBERALLY: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. There is currently only one Bronx Drinking Liberally group:

West Bronx: First and third Friday of each month, 7:30 pm onward at An Beal Bocht, 445 W 238th St (between Waldo and Greystone). Hosted by Jamin Sewell and Scott Kennedy, westbronx (at) drinkingliberally.org


Find your closest Bronx Democratic Club by CLICKING HERE.


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Progressive Democrat Issue 109: VIRGINIA FOCUS

This comes from the Virginia Young Democrats. Apparantly there is a Virginia Republican making an ass of himself and the Young Democrats want to field a candidate against him.

We need a Democrat from Hanover County, from House District 55, to challenge Delegate Frank Hargrove. If you don't know why, you live under a rock - but I've provided the necessary information below.

If there is a YD willing to challenge this museum piece, contact me immediately. There are only four states that have elections this year - and this story already went national (H/T, Waldo). In other words, there are going to be a lot of people all across the country willing to give money to get rid of this guy. There's no sense in letting the money go to waste in Kentucky.

To recap: if you live in one of these precincts, and you want to put a piece of Virginia's past in the history books, contact me. The future doesn't deserve to be burdened with this type of thinking.

Full story after the jump ...

“I personally think that our black citizens should get over it,” Hargrove said of slavery, which existed in Virginia from 1619 until the Civil War. “By golly, we’re living in 2007.”

“Are we going to force the Jews to apologize for killing Christ?” Hargrove wondered. “Nobody living today had anything to do with it."

The Daily Progress - Tuesday, January 16

Delegate McEachin responds (audio).

Delegate Jones responds (audio).

Del. David L. Englin, D-Alexandria, seated next to Hargrove, spoke passionately about his grandparents leaving Poland "where they were driven from their homes by people who believed that as Jews, we killed Christ."

As he held up a wallet-sized photo of his 7-year-old son, Caleb, Englin struggled to keep his composure as he pondered the possibility that the child might have to cope with anti-Semitic comments.

When Englin sat, Hargrove reached over and softly patted Englin on the arm. Then, Hargrove rose to speak and, looking down at his seatmate, said, "I didn't even know you were Jewish, I had no idea of what your religion, (and) I don't care what your religion is. I don't care."

"I think your skin was a little too thin," he said as Republicans and Democrats gasped and groaned in disbelief.

Not Larry Sabato

Delegate Englin's response (audio).

Delegate Hargrove does not apologize, chides Del. Englin (audio).

Progressive Democrat Issue 109: VIRGINIA GROUPS AND EVENTS

2007 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner: Special speaker U.S. Senator Barack Obama, Saturday, February 17th, 2007, 6:00 p.m. Greater Richmond Convention Center. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on January 17, 2007. Visit the Virginia Democratic Party website for updates.

Democracy for America: One of the best ways to get active! If you only do one thing that is political, join your local DFA group! FIND YOUR LOCAL DFA MEETUP AND GET INVOLVED! The statewide site seems to not be active, but it has MANY great links on the right hand side, including links to some local Virginia DFA groups. And for Washington, DC, your local DFA group can be found here.


Virginia Organizing Project:
The Virginia Organizing Project (VOP) is a statewide grassroots organization dedicated to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives. VOP especially encourages the participation of those who have traditionally had little or no voice in our society. By building relationships with individuals and groups throughout the state, VOP strives to get them to work together, democratically and non-violently, for change. Here's a calendar of events.


Virginia Young Democrats: The next generation of Democrats in Virginia! Their stated goals are:

# To support and elect Democratic candidates for public office
# To widen and increase the interest and knowledge of young people in government and the political process
# To train and develop young people for positions of leadership
# To increase the role of under-represented people in our Party, government, and society
# To serve those in need in our community

Join in or, if you are no longer young enough to be a "Young Democrat," give them a little support.


The Democratic Party: Here are links to some of your local Dem clubs. This is another very important way to be active. You can also find a calendar of events for Democratic Party activities in Virginia here.

Washington DC Democratic Party

Albemarle County Democratic Committee, Albemarle County, VA

Arlington County Democrats, Arlington VA. Contact Name: Elizabeth Weitzman mewsician1@msn.com (703) 528-8588

Arlington Young Democrats, Arlington VA. Contact Name: Jaime Mulligan publicity@arlingtonyoungdems.org 571-334-7626

Democratic Party of Fluvanna County, Virginia, Bremo Bluff, Virginia VA

Hanover Democrats, Ashland VA

Loudoun County Democratic Committee, Leesburg, VA. Contact Name: Steve Deak chairman@lcdems.com

Norfolk Democratic Party Meetup, Norfolk VA. Contact Name: Alma D. Kesling akesling@yahoo.com 757 333-8694

Rappahannock County Democrats, Rappahannock VA.

Stafford County Democrats, Fredericksburg VA:

Virginia Beach Democrats, VA

Virginia Young Democrats, Richmond, VA. Contact Name: Justin Wilson justin@justin.net


Drinking Liberally: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. Find your local drinking liberally group or start your own with a few buddies. If there isn't one near you, it is easy to start your own!

Alexandria, Virginia
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
* Shenandoah Brewing Company, 652 S Pickett St (Look for us upstairs)
* "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world" - Margaret Mead
* Hosted by David Swim and Quinn Jones, alexandria (at) drinkingliberally.org

Danville, Virginia
* Every other Wednesday, 7:00 pm onward
* The Purple Onion, 215 Main St
* Hosted by Meryl Ibis, danville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Charlottesville, Virginia
* Every Tuesday, 8:30 pm onward
* Biltmore Grill, 16 Elliewood Ave
* Hosted by Michael Snook, Justin Villegas, TJ Bateman and Bridget Moriarty, charlottesville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Norfolk, Virginia
* Third Thursday of each month 5:00-7:00 pm
* The New Belmont, 2117 Colonial Ave (upstairs at the bar)
* Hosted by Megan Feeley and Steve Earnhart, norfolk (at) drinkingliberally.org

Virginia Beach, Virginia
* Second Tuesday of each month 6:00 pm onward
* Jewish Mother, 3108 Pacific Ave
* Hosted by Chris Jaramillo and Eileen Levandoski, vabeach (at) drinkingliberally.org

And two Washington, DC groups:

Capitol Hill
* Every Wednesday, 7:00-9:00 pm
* The 18th Amendment, 613 Pennsylvania Ave SE (~2 Blocks NW of Eastern Market Metro Stop)
* Hosted by Micha Rieser, dcwed (at) drinkingliberally.org


Dupont Circle
* Every Thursday, 6:30-8:30 pm
* Timberlake's, 1726 Connecticut Ave NW
* Metro: Dupont Circle (red line)
* Hosted by Kim Davis and Keith Ivey, dcthu (at) drinkingliberally.org


Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 108: MICHIGAN FOCUS

Republican lies and corruption have reached epic proportions. It seems like everything they say, from "we have clear evidence of WMD in Iraq" to "Mission Accomplished" is a lie and all they are interested in is naked power and greed. We have to watch everything they say and everything they do. The Michigan Democratic Party can help.

The Michigan Democratic Party has launched an expanded version of their "GOP Watch." In 2006, they used their "GOP Watch" to fact-check and set the record straight on the MIGOP's statewide candidates. "GOP Watch" has now been expanded to include all GOP Members of Congress and also GOP presidential candidates for the 2008 election. Click here to stay informed about GOP elected officials and candidates.

Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 108: IOWA FOCUS

Here is this week's update on Iowa's legislators, coming from the Iowa Democratic Party.

From Senator Tom Harkin:

Statement of Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) On the Republican Effort to Stifle Debate On the Escalation of the Iraq War:

“Today, Senate Republicans voted to block debate on questions we as Senators have a duty to ask: Does the President have a credible plan in Iraq that is worthy of the sacrifices of our brave men and women in the United States Military? Is the President’s plan to escalate the war in Iraq in the best interest of the United States? Will the additional troops be sent into combat with proper equipment? The answer to those questions I strongly believe– after nearly four years of incompetence, bungling, and disastrously bad judgment by this administration – is a resounding ‘no.’

“The President’s plan to escalate the war is not just deeply disappointing, it is deeply disturbing. Escalation is not a way forward; it is a way deeper into a tragic quagmire. This is not in our national interest. It is not in the interest of the long-suffering Iraqi people. And it is certainly not in the interest of our troops, who will be in the crossfire of a vicious civil war.

“An overwhelming majority of the American public have called for a change of course in Iraq. That’s why it is deeply disappointing that Senate Republicans refuse to listen, and refuse to even have this debate. Americans deserve to know where each and every member stands on this escalation, and should not have to settle for Republicans providing political cover for President Bush.”

Tom Harkin on Bush's Anti-Education Policies: (including his cutting his own "No Child Left Behind Program)

Bush Has Chosen Tax Breaks Over Textbooks

Senator Tom Harkin joined with Iowa educators and officials in decrying President Bush’s recent budget proposal that seeks to slash funding for valuable education funding at a time when America needs to do everything it can to make sure it’s students remain competitive in the global arena. The Administration’s FY08 budget would cut the Department of Education’s discretionary funding by $1.5 billion and eliminate 44 programs.

“More and more children are being left behind by this Administration’s budget priorities,” said Harkin, the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations panel that funds education initiatives. “As this spending proposal shows, the federal government is abandoning our teachers and our children. President Bush has chosen tax breaks over textbooks.”

In the President’s budget, No Child Left Behind, special education, higher education and Perkins career funding and technical education all face significant cuts. Many Iowan educators are concerned about the impact these cuts have for the state. Below is some reaction Senator Harkin has received in the wake of the Administration’s budget plan.

“Cutting funding for special education is failed leadership,” said Richard Clewell, Davenport School Board member. “If you are truly committed to the success of every child, you don’t cut funds to serve the students with the greatest needs.”

Congressman Bruce Braley - Iowa 1st District

Braley Introduces New Era Act

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Waterloo) introduced the National Endowment for Workforce Education in Renewables and Agriculture (“New Era”) Act of 2007. The bill is the first Braley has introduced in the House of Representatives.

“Investing in renewable energy is a win-win scenario for Iowa: we can both create jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” Braley said. “But to make Iowa the renewable energy leader of the world, we need a workforce trained with the skills to research and produce renewable fuels.

“The New Era Act addresses this need by creating a workforce education program in renewable energy technology to be implemented by Iowa’s community colleges. This bill is the first step toward equipping our state’s workforce with the skills they need to fill jobs in renewable energy research and production that are being created in Iowa and the Midwest.”

The New Era Act of 2007 would authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to community colleges so they can establish education and training programs in the fields of bioenergy and agriculture-based renewable energy.

Under the bill, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) would be charged with overseeing the implementation and scope of the training program. Funding for the program would be determined through Congressional appropriations to the USDA to satisfy the demand for and requirements of the program.

Iowa and other Midwestern states’ community colleges would be eligible to receive grant funding for new renewable energy workforce training programs under the bill.

Congressman Dave Loebsack - Iowa 2nd District

CONGRESSMAN LOEBSACK RESPONDS TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S PROPOSED 2008 FISCAL YEAR BUDGET

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Bush released his proposed 2008 Fiscal Year Budget, and to the dismay of many in Congress, the President continued to pursue the same fiscally irresponsible policies that transformed a $5.6 trillion dollar surplus in to a $2.8 trillion dollar deficit.

"I am very disappointed with the President's proposed 2008 budget. Instead of taking our country in a new direction, the budget continues to make choices that are wrong for the American people," said Congressman Loebsack. "It cuts vital investments and services for children and working families, yet includes a costly tax agenda that heavily benefits those who least need the help."

How the President's proposed 2008 budget will affect Iowa:

- The President's budget includes $78 billion in Medicare and Medicaid cuts and implements new premiums that threaten Iowa's 484,000 Medicare patients' access to high quality affordable healthcare.

- The President's budget does not fund the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) at adequate levels to continue covering the children already enrolled. This budget gives less money to cover Iowa's neediest children and may add to the Iowa's 44,000 uninsured children.

- The President's budget does not meet the required 13-14 percent annual increase the veterans Health Administration requires to meet the rising costs and increased demand. Without adequate funding, the VA will find it increasingly difficult to provide quality healthcare for Iowa's 250,000 Veterans.

- The President's budget continues to freeze funds for key college programs like work study and zeros out Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). As college tuition continues to rise, these cuts in student aid will put college further out of reach for many Iowa students.

"Today's budget is just one more example of the President's misplaced priorities and refusal to listen to the American people, I will not stand idly by as the President continues to take our country in the wrong direction."

Congressman Leonard Boswell - Iowa 3rd District

Boswell speaks out against troop surge

(Radio Iowa)The House is expected next week to take up funding for the president's proposed "surge" of troops to the war zone in the Mideast. Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell, a democrat, says he continues to oppose U.S. involvement, including the plan to send more troops to Iraq.

Boswell says, "They've got their government in place, so they've got their challenges. But...they've got to deal with it." He says the administration's told us that the Iraqi Army has more than 300-thousand people trained and equipped in the field, so "they ought to start taking responsibility," and he says the US should start bringing our troops home...

Boswell says despite a November election that signaled a call for change, the president's budget for fiscal 2008 is "just more of the same." Boswell says the president's budget "sends billions more to Iraq," but cuts funding for Homeland Security, which he says is taking a 33-percent cut in the funds the agency sends states to prepare their first responders, and a 55-percent cut in grants for firefighters. He says the president's proposed budget also "severely under-funds" a state children's health insurance program.

Remember, you can always contact the media and your Congress Critters to let them know what you think about these issues.

Click here to go back to THOUGHTS section and Table of Contents for this issue.

Progressive Democrat Issue 108: MIDWEST PROGRESSIVE GROUPS (IA, IN, WI, MI)

I apologize for lumping such diverse states together under "Midwest," but to date I don't have enough readers in any one Midwestern state to give any of them their own attention the way I do with Virginia, NYC and California. Get me more readers in YOUR state and I will happily put more effort into writing about that state. Until then, these are the four Midwestern region states that I get some readership from regularly.

IOWA GROUPS:


First I naturally will highlight Iowa's local Democracy for America group, Blog for Iowa. Joining this blog will help you connect with fellow progressives in Iowa and help establish a progressive infrastructure in Iowa.


Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement: ICCI has helped ordinary Iowans get to work on a variety of social, economic and environmental justice issues they care deeply about. Whether the issue is factory farms, housing or improving neighborhoods, ICCI is there organizing people to make a difference. Find out what you can do for Iowa here. For a calendar of events, go here. This organization is all about COMMUNITY.


Drinking Liberally in Iowa: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are four Iowa Drinking Liberally groups (see below). If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Iowa groups:

Davenport:
* Meets second and fourth Friday of each month, 6:00 pm onward
* Pat McQuire's Bar & Grill, 3333 N Harrison St (Set back form Harrison - Next door to the Citgo on the corner of 32nd and Harrison)
* We will also drink liberally in the AM on the 1st Saturday at 9:30am at Mojo's (corner of Main and 2nd St - downtown Davenport)
* Hosted by Alta Price and Caroline Vernon, quadcities (at) drinkingliberally.org

Ames:
* Every Friday, 5:00 pm onward
* Legends American Grill, 200 Stanton Ave, 7th Floor (in Campustown) (map)
* The group will meet in the large accessible party room left of the elevators unless it is booked by a larger group. We will then be in the Sky Box. Ask a waiter for our location.
* Hosted by Jan Bauer and Brent Wynja, ames (at) drinkingliberally.org

Des Moines:
* Every Thursday, 8:00 p.m. onward
* The Lift, 222 4th St (between Court Ave and Walnut) (map)
* Hosted by Amanda Mittlestadt, Tricia Kell, Dan Chibnall, Cassie Samspon and Matt Jesson, desmoines (at) drinkingliberally.org

Iowa City:
* Every Thursday, 8:00 pm onward
* The Mill Restaurant, 120 E Burlington St (map)
* Hosted by Nicholas Bergin, iowacity (at) drinkingliberally.org


WISCONSIN GROUPS:

WISCONSIN DARWIN DAY EVENTS: February 12th is Darwin Day and people around the world mark the day by celebrating science and humanity. Here are some Wisconsin Darwin Day events coming up Feb. 12th.

Title: Evolution Matters ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-10 09:00:00
Event Website: http://www.geology.wisc.edu
Activities:
A morning session with three talks ("Irreducible complexity and the human eye"; "DNA and human evolution"; "An introduction to Evolutionary Medicine". Afternoon of interactive displays that explore the importance of evolution to medicine and agriculture, sexual selection, convergent evolution, why flowers are beautiful, farming and pharmacy in ants, evolutionary trees, transitional fossils, biogeography, human evolution, and the age of the earth.
Address:
University of Wisconsin campus,
Madison, WI UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Letters and Sci
Contact: Dana Geary, dana@geology.wisc.edu, (608) 263-7754

Title: UWM Darwin Day Celebration ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-11 14:00:00
Event Website: http://ww.uwm.edu/~ajpetto/D_Day2007
Activities:
Science Bag Presentation: Monkey in the Mirror.
Poster Session: Evolution Matters (contributions of evolutionary research to everyday life).
Screening: A Flock of Dodos
Address:
137 Physics Building (Monkey in the Mirror), 1900 E Kenwood Ave, 185 and N101 Lapham Hall, 3209 N Maryland Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin UNITED STATES
Sponsor: UWM Biology Club, UWM Biology Faculty & Grad Students, SWiFT
Contact: Andrew Petto, ajpetto@uwm.edu, 414.229.6784

First I naturally will highlight Winsconsin's local Democracy for America group, Democracy for Wisconsin. Democracy for Wisconsin grew from the seeds planted by Howard Dean's presidential campaign. We believe that strong values and grassroots participation are the key to successfully promoting progressive policies and rebuilding the Democratic Party. Please help us take our country back! Local chapters are listed on their website.


WISCONSIN FAIR TRADE COALITION: The Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition is a statewide collaboration of labor, environmental, consumer, family farm and interfaith groups founded in 1994 during the fight over the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). They are united in a common belief that international trade and investment are not ends unto themselves, but instead must be viewed as a means for achieving other societal goals including economic justice, human rights, healthy communities and a sound environment. The economy exists to help people, not the other way around.

WFTC is the leading state advocacy vehicle to fight for trade policy that is not tilted in favor of multinational corporations and against the interests of Wisconsin ’s -- and the world's -- working people. If you want to join the coalition, sign up for the newsletter or find out more, contact them at 608.237.1659; Fax 608.442.1439;
Postal Address: 3129 Hermina Street , Madison WI 53714.


Drinking Liberally in Wisconsin: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are surprisingly few Wisconsin drinking liberally groups! There are currently only two Wisconsin Drinking Liberally groups (see below). If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Wisconsin groups:

Madison, Wisconsin
* First and third Tuesday of each month (next meeting October 3), 7:00 pm onward
* Genna's, 105 W Main St
* Hosted by Brian Cadwell, madison (at) drinkingliberally.org

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month (next meeting October 11), 7:00 pm onward
* Club Garibaldi, 2501 S Superior St
* Hosted by Stacie Rosenzweig, Scott Feldstein and Jason Haas, milwaukee (at) drinkingliberally.org


INDIANA GROUPS:

INDIANA DARWIN DAY EVENTS: February 12th is Darwin Day and people around the world mark the day by celebrating science and humanity. Here are some Indiana Darwin Day events coming up Feb. 12th.

Title: Ninth Annual IUN Darwin Day ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-12 12:00:00
Event Website: http://www.iun.edu/~anthronw/cal/2007/02-12-07.htm
Activities:
An International Celebration of Science and the Humanities
Featuring talks by

Rev Roger Brewin;
Spencer Cortwright, Biology;
Adrienne Kochman, Fine Arts;
Larry Ciupik, Astronomy
Address:
IUN Library Conference Center 105AB, 134 west 35th Ave
Gary, IN UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Anthropology Club
Contact: Bob Mucci, rmucci@iun.edu, 219-980-6607

Title: Darwin Day Conference ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-03-03 08:00:00
Event Website: http://www.centerforinquiry.net/indy
Activities:
Interview with Darwin
Evolution and Medical Science
Does God Belong in Science?
Teaching Evolution to Middle School and High School Students
Teaching Evolution to PreSchool and Elementary Students
Address:
IUPUI Campus,
Indianapolis, IN UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Center for Inquiry Community of Indiana
Contact: Reba Boyd Wooden, cfiindy@insightbb.com, 317-885-1612

Title: DARWIN DAY CONFERENCE ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-03-03 08:00:00
Event Website: http:/www.centerforinquiry.net/indy
Activities:
Lectures and workshops plus interview with Darwin
Address:
325 University Boulevard,
Indianapolis, IN UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Center for Inquiry Community of Indiana
Contact: Reba Boyd Wooden, cfiindy@insightbb.com, 317-885-1612

First, I will highlight the very, VERY important Indiana Progressives PAC. Indiana Progressives believe to win nationally we must first win locally. Their message is positive, practical and progressive! And hopefully will be popular as well! Be a part of Indiana Progressives by registering with their site today. This is exactly the kind of organization we need in Indiana to deliver a populist progressive message right to the voters.


Evolution Education Institute (EEI) is a national professional development program that had it's origins in the Michigan Scientific Evolution Education Initiative (MSEEI). The MSEEI was administered by the Michigan Science Teacher's Association and was funded by an Eisenhower Higher Education Competitive Grant through the Michigan Department of Education (MDOE) from 1999-2002. The mission of the MSEEI was to provide Michigan teachers and pre-service teacher education students with the necessary content, pedagogy and support system to effectively teach scientific evolution. The Evolution Education Institute expands upon the MSEEI model and brings it to a national audience. he mission of the Evolution Education Institute (EEI) is to promote the understanding of evolution and natural selection theory within the educational community and society at-large and to advocate for its inclusion in science curricula in a manner commensurate with its importance to modern scientific thought. This issue is particularly important to me (I'm a biologist myself!). So please, help out EEI.


Drinking Liberally in Indiana: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are six Indiana Drinking Liberally groups (see below). I should note that means Indiana has more than some much larger states like Virginia. Makes Indiana sound like fun! If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Indiana groups:

Bloomington
* Every Tuesday, 7:00 pm onward
* Upland Brewery, 350 W 11th St (map)
* Hosted by Eric Foster and Chris Herlihy, bloomington (at) drinkingliberally.org

Indianapolis
* Every Thursday, 7:00-10:00 pm
* Spencer's Stadium Tavern, 802 S West St (SW corner of West & McCarty streets)
* map: http://tinyurl.com/ann6t
* Hosted by Jason Borneman, indianapolis (at) drinkingliberally.org

Noblesville
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Ram Brewery, 12750 Parkside Dr (near the corner of 126th St and Hwy 37)
* Hosted by Keith Clock and Molly Martin, noblesville (at) drinkingliberally.org

Lafayette
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Lafayette Brewing Company - UPSTAIRS, 622 Main St
* Hosted by Amy Clinton-Corbett, Mary Nauman, Curtis Parker, Jon Neal, Susan Schechter and Gavin Steiger, lafayette (at) drinkingliberally.org

New Albany:
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* "The Red Room" of Rich-O's Public House, 3312 Plaza Dr (Near the Kroger on Grant Line Rd; and next to Sportstime Pizza)
* Rich-Os is 21+ and "The Red Room" is in the smoking section, though we are able to meet in alternative areas of the Rich-O's/Sportstime Pizza complex to accomodate under-age attendants and those who are sensitive to cigarette smoke.
* We will now be meeting on THURSDAYS instead of Wednesdays to accomodate the academic work week.
* Hosted by Lacy Davis, newalbany (at) drinkingliberally.org

South Bend
* First and third Thursday of each month (next meeting October 5), 7:00 pm onward
* Oaken Bucket, 1212 S Ironwood Dr (map)
* Hosted by Chris Wilson, Thomas Winegar and Ben Runkle, southbend (at) drinkingliberally.org


MICHIGAN GROUPS:

MICHIGAN DARWIN DAY EVENTS: February 12th is Darwin Day and people around the world mark the day by celebrating science and humanity. Here are some Michigan Darwin Day events coming up Feb. 12th.

Title: DARWIN DAY CELEBRATION ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-18 14:30:00
Event Website: http://WWW.MICHIGANATHEISTS.ORG
Activities:
TOUR CRANBROOK SCIENCE MUSEUM AND VISIT THEIR PLANETARIUM FOLLOWED BY A DINNER GATHERING, PLACE TO BE ANNOUNCED
Address:
39221 Woodward Avenue,
Bloomfield Hills, MI UNITED STATES
Sponsor: MICHIGAN ATHEISTS
Contact: ARLENE-MARIE, AMARIE@ATHEISTS.ORG, (313)388-9594

Title: Darwin Discovery Day ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-11 13:00:00
Event Website: http://museum.msu.edu/Events/NaturalHistoryIDDay/
Activities:
"Beetlemania" is this year's theme--focusing on Darwin's love of beetle collecting when he was a young man. Featured activites include a beetle sorting and taxonomy experience for young naturalists and specimens from MSU's entomology collection for older naturalists. Also offered: tours of the museum's Hall of Evolution, as well as behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum's of vertebrate natural history collections. Visitors are also invited to bring in fossils, bones, and other natural curiosities for specialists from the MSU Museum and College of Natural Science to identify. (The museum cannot provide estimates of the commercial value of any specimens, nor offer expertise on any human-made artifacts.)

Also featured is a special lecture, "Dogma, Doctrine and Deduction: Darwin's Life of Discovery," by Dr. Greg Forbes of Grand Rapids Community College and 2005's Michigan College and University Science Teacher of the Year. Darwin Discovery Day at the MSU Museum is presented free of charge, and birthday cake will be served in the lobby.
Address:
Michigan State University Museum, West Circle Drive
East Lansing, MI UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Michigan State University Museum
Contact: Danita Brandt, brandt@msu.edu, 517 355-6595

Title: Darwin Day — "Mate Choice & Sex; Getting into Someone’s Genes" ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-14 19:00:00
Event Website: http://www.freethoughtassociation.org
Activities:
"Mate Choice & Sex; Getting into Someone’s Genes"
Presented by Greg Forbes, Professor of Biological Sciences at GVSU, Director of its Science Education Center, Educational Director for the Michigan Evolution Education Initiative and Evolution Education Institute, and Board member of the Skeptics Society and the Freethought Association
Address:
Women's City Club, 254 E. Fulton Street
Grand Rapids, MI UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Freethought Association
Contact: Jeff Seaver, info@freethoughtassociation.org, 616-892-9300

First I naturally will highlight Michigan's local Democracy for America group, Democracy for Michigan. Joining this blog will help you connect with fellow progressives in Iowa and help establish a progressive infrastructure in Michigan.


Michigan Young Democrats: The next generation of Democrats in Michigan. For information on how to get involved at the local level, please contact Jody Weissler at jweissler@mi-democrats or (517) 371-5410. To get involved with the MYD Executive Board, please contact our President Isaac Robinson at williamisaacrobinson@yahoo.com.


Drinking Liberally in Michigan: Promoting democracy one pint at a time! Drinking liberally is a social organization with chapters nationwide. There are three Michigan Drinking Liberally groups (see below). If there isn't one near you, you can set one up at the Drinking Liberally website. If you don't like bars, I have always thought non-drinkers could set up their own drinking liberally groups in coffee houses. Here are the current Michigan groups:

Ann Arbor, Michigan
* First and third Thursday of each month 8pm
* Leopold Bros., 523 S Main St
* Hosted by John Redmond and Jenay Karlson, annarbor (at) drinkingliberally.org

Detroit, Michigan
* Every Tuesday, 7:00 pm onward
* Honest? John's, 488 Selden St (at 2nd (lighted, secure parking))
* Hosted by Pete Coseo, detroit (at) drinkingliberally.org

Oakland County, Michigan
* Every other Thursday 7:00 pm onward
* Bo's Brewery & Bistro, 51 N Saginaw St, Pontiac (Corner of Huron and Saginaw inside the Woodward Loop)
* We need co-hosts in Oakland County south, east and west for our Road Trips, please contact me for details.
* Hosted by Ron Wasczenski, oaklandcounty (at) drinkingliberally.org


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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: NEW JERSEY FOCUS: Jobs and Internships

This comes from Democrats 2000:

Democrats 2000 is often asked to help find candidates for a variety of jobs and encourages members to send a copy of their resume to us so that we can keep it on file and make recommendations when approriate positions become available. If you would like to email your resume to us please send it to us in Word format at Democrats2000@aol.com.

Several positions are currently available which we thought you might be interested in:

Assemblyman Bob Gordon (D- 38) is seeking a hard-working, energetic and dedicated individual to serve as a Constituent Services/Legislative Assistant in his Fair Lawn District Office.

The Department of the Public Advocate and its six Divisions seek applicants for the position of attorney who are dedicated to public interest advocacy law. Applicants should be authorized to practice law in New Jersey or willing to sit for the New Jersey bar exam at the first available opportunity. Attorneys with all levels of experience are encouraged to apply.

The New Jersey Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee (DACC) is currently searching for skilled professionals to manage legislative campaigns throughout New Jersey in 2007.

The AFL-CIO is offering a Media Outreach Fellowship. The fellow position is a full-time, generally year-long opportunity to explore and be part of the dynamic new labor movement while developing specific media outreach skills. While the fellowship is based in Washington, D.C., it also includes a period of field work in organizing, political and / or legislative work.

For more information about any of these positions, or to find out how you can apply, contact us today.

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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: NEW JERSEY GROUPS AND EVENTS

First let me highlight a local events:

February 20, 2007
Wanaque Democratic Club Meeting
American Legion Hall, 1109 Ringwood Avenue
Haskell, NJ 07420
Please join us at our next regular meeting.
You will be able to meet your local Democratic leaders and discuss Borough issues that are important to you.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information email dave@wanaquedemocrats.com or call Sandy at 973-248-9788

February 21, 2007
Lower Township Democratic Club Meeting
Breakwater Rd.
Cape May, NJ 08204
Join the Democrats of Lower Township for their monthly dinner meeting at the Knights of Columbus Hall located at 324 Breakwater Rd., Erma, NJ 08204. Meetings start at 5:30pm.

For more information, please contact:

Bob Hartman
609-898-8167
*date may change due to inclement weather*

February 22, 2007
7MI Beach Democratic Club Meeting
Avalon Senior Center
Avalon, NJ 08202
Join Us for a meeting of the Democrats of Avalon and Stone Harbor. The meeting begins at 7:30pm and is located at the Avalon Senior Center.

www.7Milebeachdemocrats.com

For more information, please contact:
Terry Strobaugh, President
tstrobaugh@juno.com

February 25, 2007
Jackson Democratic Club Annual Brunch
Eagle Ridge Golf Club, 2 Augusta Blvd
Lakewood, NJ 08701
RSVP to Mike Kafton at 732-905-7898

February 26, 2007
FEDERATION OF DEMOCRATIC WOMEN & FRIENDS
Willingboro Public Library
Willingboro, NJ 08046
Regular Burlington County monthly meeting to constuctively develop plans to help our Democratic candidates get elected thoughout the state, county and local municipalities. All Democrats are welcome.
Beatrice Holley
Vice-President
609-386-4651

March 04, 2007
Belmar & Lake Como St. Patrick's Day Parade
Main St.
Belmar, NJ 07719
Time: 12:30pm

Come watch as the Monmouth County Democrats March in the parade! Want to volunteer at this event?

March 07, 2007
Middle Township Democratic Club Meeting
DiVico Senior Center
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
Join the Democrats of Middle Township for our monthly meeting the first Wednesday of every month at 7:00pm. Meetings are held at the Samuel DiVico Senior Center located at 23 Romney Place in Cape May Court House.

For more information, please contact Mary Durkin at 609-465-4170.

March 08, 2007
Cape May Co. Federation of Democratic Women Meeting
Sam DiVico Senior Center
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
Join the Cape May County Federation of Democratic Women to discuss important local, state and federal issues. All are encouraged to join!

2nd Thursday of every month.
7:00pm
Sam DiVico Senior Center

For more information, please contact:

Virginia Hesel
609-884-5848

March 20, 2007
Wanaque Democratic Club Meeting
American Legion Hall, 1109 Ringwood Avenue
Haskell, NJ 07420
Please join us at our next regular meeting.
You will be able to meet your local Democratic leaders and discuss Borough issues that are important to you.

Refreshments will be served.

For more information email dave@wanaquedemocrats.com or call Sandy at 973-248-9788

March 21, 2007
Lower Township Democratic Club Meeting
324 Breakwater Rd.
Cape May, NJ 08204
Join the Democrats of Lower Township for their monthly dinner meeting at the Knights of Columbus Hall located at 324 Breakwater Rd., Erma, NJ 08204. Meetings start at 5:30pm.

For more information, please contact:

Bob Hartman
609-898-8167

March 22, 2007
7MI Beach Democratic Club Meeting
Avalon Senior Center
Avalon, NJ 08202
Join Us for a meeting of the Democrats of Avalon and Stone Harbor. The meeting begins at 7:30pm and is located at the Avalon Senior Center.

www.7Milebeachdemocrats.com

For more information, please contact:
Terry Strobaugh, President
tstrobaugh@juno.com


Now let me give you some ideas how to find some local groups to be involved with:

Here is how you can find your local Dem clubs. Go to HERE and click on your county. You can also click on their Calendar to find out Democratic Party events throughout the state.


New Jersey for Democracy: Possibly even more important than finding your local Democratic club, I strongly urge you to find your closest Democracy for America group. This organization, started by Howard Dean, is the future of the progressive grassroots in America. If there isn't a group near you, start one. It is a great way to get started in the political process. Here in NYC we get to meet all sorts of politicians who want our endorsement.


Drinking Liberally: An informal, inclusive weekly Democratic drinking club. Raise your spirits while you raise your glass, and share ideas while you share a pitcher. Drinking Liberally gives like-minded, left-leaning individuals a place to talk politics. You don't need to be a policy expert and this isn't a book club - just come and learn from peers, trade jokes, vent frustration and hang out in an environment where it's not taboo to talk politics. Find your local drinking liberally group or start your own with a few buddies.

New Brunswick, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of every month, 7:00 PM @ Doll's Place, 101 Paterson St. New Brunswick, NJ

Hoboken, New Jersey, Fourth Wednesday of each month, 8:00-10:00 pm, Mulligan's, 159 1st Street (between Bloomfield and Garden), Hosted by Leigh Wolinsky, David Alpert and Morgan Baden, hoboken (at) drinkingliberally.org

Princeton, Princeton, First Thursday Each Month 7:00 PM @ Sotto Ristorante and Lounge (formerly the Annex) 128 1/2 Nassau St, Princeton, NJ. princeton@drinkingliberally.org or http://princeton.drinkingliberally.org/

Montclair Every other Wednesday, 6:30 pm onward, Egan & Sons, 118 Walnut St. Hosted by Jon Hershberg, montclair (at) drinkingliberally.org

Morristown, Third Thursday of each month (next meeting April 20), 7:00 pm onward; The Famished Frog, 18 Washington St. Hosted by Jim Long, Tracy Kurland, Rob Gregory and Dave Cochran, morristown (at) drinkingliberally.org

Toms River, New Jersey
* First Tuesday of each month (next meeting October 3), 8:00 pm onward
* Joshua Huddy Brew Pub, 1250 Hooper Ave (across from Ocean County Mall) (map)
* Hosted by Robin Kinlin and Ian Valentine, tomsriver (at) drinkingliberally.org


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Progressive Democrat Issue 108: CALIFORNIA DARWIN DAY (Feb. 12th) EVENTS

I will continue to post this until it's over...

February 12th is Darwin Day and it's coming up. People around the world mark the day with celebrations of science and humanity. For other states there aren't so many Darwin Day events, but California is big. So rather than clutter up the Events section, I am putting a list of Darwin Day events for California in this separate section.

Title: Darwin Day Bagel Brunch ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-11 10:12:00
Event Website: http://www.kolhadash.org
Activities:
Join our Bagel Brunch to celebrate Darwin Day with a talk given by Glenn Branch, Deputy Director of the NCSE--National Center for Science Education. He'll address the present day challenges to evolution by the Creationists and "Intelligent Design" crowd. Suggested Donation: $5
Address:
Albany Community Center, 1249 Marin Avenue
Albany, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Kol Hadash, (S.F. Bay Area) Community for Humanistic Judaism
Contact: Basha Goddard or Bernie Rosen, programs@kolhadash.org, 510-848-6137

Title: Darwin Day at Cal ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-10 09:00:00
Event Website: http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/museum/events/shortcourse2007/index
Activities:
Saturday symposium: "The Implications of Evolution: Evidence & Applications". A series of presentations and discussions covering research in evolutionary biology, including behavior and defense, primate evolution, and coevolution and its impact on biodiversity; followed by Eugenie Scott discussing current antievolution strategies, the intelligent design movement, and recent legal decisions concerning the teaching of evolution.

Sunday: Flock of Dodos starting at 2:00 pm hosted by the Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley
Address:
2050 Valley Life Sciences Building,
Berkeley, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: University of California Museum of Paleontology
Contact: Judy Scotchmoor, jscotch@berkeley.edu, 510-642-1821

Title: Evolve! Darwin Day at Revolution Books ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-13 19:00:00
Event Website: http://www.revolutionbooks.org
Activities:
Celebrating the momentous breakthrough of Darwin’s theory of evolution.
Discussion of the attacks on Evolution today, featuring the book "Science of Evolution and The Myth of Creationism" by Ardea Skybreak.
Talks - movie clips - discussion.
This FREE event is wheelchair accessible.
Address:
2425 Channing Way in Berkeley, ½ block west of Telegraph, under the Sather Gate P-lot
Berkeley, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Revolution Books
Contact: Reiko Redmonde, revbooks_event@yahoo.com, 510-848-1196

Title: "Sacramento's Darwin Day Educational Gala" ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-11 14:00:00
Event Website: http://
Activities:
Presentation, literature tables, exhibitors, camaraderie, cake (Happy Birthday, Charlie!)and refreshments -- Tickets $10 (students $5).

Main Presentation: "How Evolution Shapes History: Shells as a Window on an Evolving World".

Guest speaker: Geerat Vermeij, Professor of Marine Ecology & Paleoecology at University of California-Davis, formerly editor of EVOLUTION journal and a MacArthur Fellow . You can read Dr. Vermeij's bio at http://www.pbs.org/kcet/shapeoflife/explorations/bio_vermeij.html
Address:
La Sierra Community Center (John Smith Hall), 5325 Engle Road
Carmichael, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Several community orgs. (educational, civic, & freethought)
Contact: Mynga Futrell, ckprofessional@aol.com, 916-447-3589

Title: Darwin Birthday at UCSD School of Medicine ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-10 19:30:00
Event Website: www.scientificgospel.com
Activities:
In a series of festive songs, Dr. Stephen Baird and the Opossums of Truth will perform a tribute to Darwin, evolution and rational thought, but because of the upcoming Valentine’s Day, scientific love songs will complement the evening concert.
Address:
UCSD School of Medicine - Liebow Auditorium, 2nd floor, Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Scientific Gospel Productions
Contact: Carol Baird, carol@scientificgospel.com, 858-481-0765

Title: Edward Humes discusses Monkey Girl ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-23 19:00:00
Event Website: http://www.duttonsbrentwood.com
Activities:
Bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Edward Humes will discuss his new book, Monkey Girl: Education, Evolution and the Battle for America’s Soul. In Monkey Girl, Edward Humes tells the Science vs. Faith dispute through the eyes of characters on both sides of the conflict. There are Bryan and Christy Rehm, teachers and parents who sued the Dover, PA school district for bringing religion into the classroom, becoming outcasts in the process. There is Bill Buckingham, the school board member whose faith and inner demons compelled him to launch this crusade, and fellow board member Casey Brown, whose opposition led the board president to warn that she would be going to hell. There is Richard Thompson, the head of a law firm that bills itself “the sword and shield for people of faith,” who promised the school board he would use a newly reconfigured Supreme Court to “bring God back into the public square.” And, finally, there are the scientists and theorists who trooped to Pennsylvania to represent both sides of this epic and fascinating battle, from “Dr. Dino,” aka Kent Hovind, the former high school biology teacher and creationist who preaches to packed audiences that dinosaurs and man lived together in Eden, and that Charles Darwin was worse than Adolf Hitler to world-renown Berkeley paleontologist Kevin Padian (“Dinosaurs didn’t disappear,” he says, “we just call them birds now”).
Address:
Dutton's Brentwood Books, 11975 San Vicente Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Dutton's Brentwood Books
Contact: Lise Friedman, duttons@earthlink.net, (310) 476-6263

Title: Dodos Darwin Day: Screenings of "Flock of Dodos" ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-12 19:00:00
Event Website: http://www.flockofdodos.com/darwinday.htm
Activities:
Screenings and panel discussions of the documentary feature film, "Flock of Dodos: the evolution-intelligent design circus," directed by Dr. Randy Olson at museums across the U.S.
Address:
See website for on-going list of locations,
Los Angeles, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Prairie Starfish Productions
Contact: Tyler Carlisle, Producer, info@flockofdodos.com, 323-960-4517

Title: UC Merced Darwin Day Celebration ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-16 10:00:00
Event Website: http://
Activities:
DARWIN DAY DISTINGUISHED SEMINAR:
"The Enigma of Disappearing Amphibians: A Global Biodiversity Crisis"
David B. Wake, UC Berkeley

Address:
University of California Merced, Classroom Building 116
Merced, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: University of California Merced
Contact: Mónica Medina, mmedina@ucmerced.edu, 209-228-7863

Title: Darwin Day at Humanist Hall ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-10 13:00:00
Event Website: http://www.HumanistHall.net
Activities:
Humanist Hall Tea House opens at 12:00 pm with organic snacks.

David Seaborg, renown evolutionary biologist, speaks about "The Principles and Controversies of Evolution" at 1:00 pm.

He will illuminate the principles of evolutionary biology and the controversies surrounding them. He will explain what natural selection -- the mechanism of evolution -- is and how it works; how new species originate; why some types of species evolve very rapidly, while others do not change for eons; why there are so many species of some types, such as insects, and less of others; which ecosystems (such as rain forests) have high species diversity and why; how much of evolution is due to natural selection and how much to random factors; how sex evolved and why this is so important to evolution; sexual selection and sociobiology; the evolution of co-operation and altruism as opposed to selfishness; the evolution of color patterns; and the meaning of variation in evolution. All in one fantastic -- and funny -- lecture!

Sterling Bunnell will contribute to the discussions of David Seaborg's lecture.

The Humanist Tea House resumes all afternoon.
Address:
390 27th Street, between Telegraph and Broadway, below Pill Hill
Oakland, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Fellowship of Humanity
Contact: Florence, HumanistHall@Yahoo.com, 510-393-5685

Title: The History of Life on Earth ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-11 11:00:00
Event Website: http://www.humanists.org
Activities:
Evolutionary biologist David Seaborg (dressed as Charles Darwin in honor of Darwin Day) presents a summary of the evolution and history of life on earth, including principles of evolution that guided it. He will discuss possible origins of life on earth, the evolution of bacteria, the Cambrian explosion, the evolution of invertebrates, the rise of fish, the invasion of land by amphibians, the age of dinosaurs, the evolution of reptiles, birds, and mammals, mass extinctions, and the evolution of humans and our future from an evolutionary point of view.
Address:
Mitchell Park Community Center, 3800 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: Humanist Community in Silicon Valley
Contact: Paul Gilbert, paulpalo@yahoo.com, 650-964-7576

Title: Celebate Darwin's Birthday with The Opossums of Truth ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-03 19:30:00
Event Website: http://www.firstuusandiego.org/
Activities:
Come hear the band perform the Darwin birthday concert favorites that you have come to know well enough to sing along with the band. The Opossums will focus on the problems caused by Intelligent Design proponents. To fill out the program, the band will again sing Humanistic folk songs and perhaps throw in a political song or two.
Address:
4190 Front St., 202 Meeting House
San Diego, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego
Contact: Vicky Newman, vinewman@ucsd.edu, (619) 298-9978

Title: Evolutionpalooza 2007 ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-09 19:30:00
Event Website: http://sfatheists.com
Activities:
6th annual Evolutionpalooza 2007 in San Francisco!
Time & Place TBA (But will be sometime during the weekend of Feb 9-11th, in San Francisco)
Volunteers needed!
For more info see sfatheists.com or e-mail Dave Fitzgerald at Fitz@sfatheists.com
Address:
TBD,
San Francisco, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor:
Contact: David Fitzgerald, fitz@sfatheists.com, 415.939.3043

Title: The Gospel According To Darwin ( Public )
Start Date and Time: 2007-02-06 19:00:00
Event Website: https://northcoastrep.org
Activities:
The Opossums of Truth will continue their concert series with a tribute to Charles Darwin and evolution as they perform humorous songs about science and rationality. Included in this concert will be a series of songs harkening back to the days on the 1950’s and 1960’s when social consciousness was very important to songwriters and political satire was the food of stand-up comedians. Think: Tom Lehrer waxes scientific and Mort Sahl meets Mark Russell or the Weavers.
Address:
987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Suite D
Solana Beach, CA UNITED STATES
Sponsor: North Coast Repertory Theater
Contact: Karen Begin, karen@northcoastrep.org, (888)776-6278 x 10

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