Progressive Democrat Issue 192

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

As I think about the terrorist attacks in India and the still declining economy I am struck by just how little Bush ever accomplished. When he entered office, Clinton handed him a strong economy with a solid budget surplus, and a definite warning that al-Qaeda would be a top priority. Bush ruined that economy to the point where at NO POINT during Bush's terms was the economy outright good and at least twice it has entered recession territory. Bush squandered that surplus, giving us the worst deficit in our history. And he initially ignored the warning about al-Qaeda, and since 9/11/2001 has failed to stop Osama bin Laden and his network. They still operate worldwide, stronger than ever, hitting targets almost at will. Bush has failed miserably. So we are waiting, impatiently waiting, for Obama to, we hope, save the day. But, my god, Obama has a tough job ahead of him given the mess Bush is handing him. We are going to need some patience to get us through because no one could solve our current problems quickly. But even though he is not yet our President, he is acting Presidential and already working on America's problems:



This week I am focusing on, well, Thanksgiving related stuff. My usual Thoughts on Thanksgiving, and a reminder of Pretty Bird Woman House, a woman's shelter on a Sioux Indian reservation that we helped save and which the liberal blogsphere continues to help out. I also cover Operation Survivor, helping returning veterans. For my Brooklyn readers I have a list of businesses that have been supportive of preserving our community from irresponsible development. And, of course, I continue local coverage in 16 states.

Here is this week's newsletter:

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

PRETTY BIRD WOMAN HOUSE: helping out a Sioux Woman's Shelter in South Dakota

THANKSGIVING DAY THOUGHTS

OPERATION SURVIVOR: Supporting our Troops

BROOKLYN FOCUS: Shopping Locally, Helping our Community

NEW YORK

CALIFORNIA

GEORGIA

TEXAS

ARIZONA

NORTH CAROLINA

COLORADO

WASHINGTON STATE

VIRGINIA

IOWA

WISCONSIN

NEW JERSEY

FLORIDA

PENNSYLVANIA

NEVADA

ILLNOIS

Pretty Bird Woman House Update: 'tis the Season!

This is excerpted right from Daily Kos. It is a cause I have focused on before and I chipped in again this year. From Daily Kos:

Many of you know the story of Kossacks' involvement with saving the Pretty Bird Woman House, which is a women's shelter on the South Dakota side of the Standing Rock Reservation. Last fall we conducted a fundraiser thatraised enough money to buy the shelter an entire new house. Since this week is the beginning of the holiday giving season, I want to give you an update on the shelter and some ideas for donating if you are so inclined...

First, for everyone who donated to the furnace fund drive that we didin memory of Joe Biden's mother-in-law, Bonny Jean Jacobs...We had enough money for the new furnace by the third week in October.I had promised to send the letter before the end of the campaign, and I just squeaked in with it on November 3. Unfortunately, my own mother died of pancreatic cancer just as the fundraiser was ending, so that was the best I could do. The new furnace was installed on November 12th. YAY everybody. Now the women will be warm this winter. They were all SO psyched to get it. A few people have been wondering what they can do for the shelter around the holidays.

Here are a few ideas.

1. Contribute to the general fund The shelter always needs money for expenses that aren't covered by grants (everything is tax deductible).

2. Contribute to the gift card fund for the shelter staff. Women's shelters are always underfunded and the staff underpaid. There is no money for bonuses ever, so if you'd like to see the staff get a few extra prezzies this year, contribute here. I will go buy Visa gift cards from the local bank, so they can use them anywhere they please.

3. Buy some towels. Right now the shelter is having a towel and wash cloth shortage because it lets women coming and going take their towels with them. Anna's Linen online seems to have really good prices. Other general items that are always needed are:

Twin and queen size sheets and blankets, toothbrushes andtoothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, women's hygiene items, diapers of all sizes, baby wipes, first aid kit items, and analgesics such as ibuprofen and aspirin.

Address to send items and checks:

Pretty Bird Woman House
211 First Ave W.
McLaughlin, SD 57642

4. FREE things you can do. The economy sucks, I know,and I for one am one of the Kossacks out of work (don't feel sorry for me, I just handed in a dissertation, so I'm hopeful for the future).There are 2 things you can do that I would call passive giving.

Sign up for: iGive If you do this, whenever you shop at what seems to now be most online stores, the store will donate a percentage of your purchase to the shelter. Everybody has to shop for the holidays, so if you shop online, this is the way to go. Since last year we've raised over $300 in this kind of passive giving, just with 60 people on the list. Imagine of we had 300 people on it?

If you download this GoodSearch bar and use it when you do a search,they will donate 2 cents for each search. That adds up, especially if there are a lot of people doing the searches. Since last year, we've raised $118 on GoodSearch. Passive giving, I like it!

5. Buy Christmas presents for women and children who will be at the shelter. I've been talking to the shelter director about this, but one of the staff just quit so right now she's having a hard time keeping her head above water. Here are some good ideas from another shelter director.

Don't forget socks, underwear and sweats! As a shelter director, I can tell you this - the women & kids who arethere right now, will probably not be there by Christmas I always tell generous donors to send gifts that you and your family members would like to receive for a Christmas present. So, if you are an adult woman, you might want a nice robe or pajamas,slippers or perfume or a long distance calling card or a beautiful warm neck scarf with matching hat & gloves for the winter, a watch, or a clock radio or a nice new hair dryer or straightener or culring iron, diaries, journals, wallets, backpacks, picture frames, photo albums. The majority of children in shelter are between the ages of 2 and 12 with all ages sprinkled in, so legos and action figures are good for boys, coloring books, word puzzles books, games, decks of cards,dolls/barbies of all cultures, leapster learning toys, anything Disney, Bratz, Dora & Diego, Sponge Bob. Don't forget about the batteries if you purchase a gift that requires batteries, please send them with the gift! For the tweens & teens, hand held games, travel games, music by Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana, Cheetah Girls, sleeping bags, blankets, backpacks, belts, hand bags, cosmetics, hair accessories, small suitcases on wheels, disposable cameras are so cheap these days! Gift cards are always great for all - food, clothing, gas cards, phonecards, shoes. Keep the candles for yourself - it is not usually safe to burn candlesin a shelter home but the temptation is so great if you have one! When thinking shelter, remember storage is at a premium so think smaller, more portable gifts.

The Pretty Bird Woman House operates at capacity nearly all the time. One of their staff just quit (too much stress), and they are quite over their heads right now with the work load. Thanks to YOU this shelter exists. Without you, the women on the Standing Rock Reservation wouldn't have any place to go if they are victims of domestic violence. You are amazing.

PS. We'll need to keep this diary going to raise holiday funds. Feel free to take any of this material as your own to keep it posted.

Thankgiving Day Thoughts

My regular readers will know that I usually give my thoughts on the ambiguous meanings of Thanksgiving, and this year is no different. I think, though, that the election of a black man named "Barack Hussein Obama" to the Presidency gives us a bit of a good feeling this year that the often ambiguous ideals of America, celebrated in holidays like Thanksgiving, are closer to fulfillment than ever before. This year my thoughts on Thanksgiving are not that much different than last year's (unlike my recent Columbus day diary, which had some new info), but my thoughts this year do have a certain sense that America has taken a huge, historic step forward in fulfilling the ideals it was founded on. The election of Obama as President has caused even people like Black Nationalist Muhammed Yungai to reassess his generally angry feelings towards the US:

And now we have a President Obama! The mold has been irrevocably broken! The possibilities of opportunity in American life have been exponentially expanded.

I am still wary of the promise of these opportunities because of the gross structural inequities built into “the system.” But given the psyche-shattering results of this election, I am willing to at least meet anyone halfway in the new pursuit of that promise.

America, in my mind, always had huge promise. Yet it has never lived up to it. As long as slavery existed it never could even come close to fulfilling it's promise. As long as Jim Crow existed, it couldn't come close to fulfilling its promise. And even more recently, under Republican administrations that put greed above justice, oil above blood, intolerance above inclusiveness, America could not fulfill its promise. But there have always been steps towards fulfillment. The Bill of Rights. The abolition of slavery. The legalization of unions. Voting rights for women. The elimination of Jim Crow (at least as it was enshrined in actual law). The Civil Rights movement. And the election of Barack Obama.

Together, Columbus Day and Thanksgiving are the foundation myths of America. I have been ambivalent, in the litteral meaning of the word, towards Columbus Day for years now. I celebrate America and Columbus' "discovery" of the "New World" because the result of his discovery and the ultimate founding of America is that my family, myself included, is alive and thriving today. Without America, my family would have been exterminated in the genocide of Nazi Germany if not before that in the genocide of the pogroms in Tsarist Russia and later Stalin's genocide in the Soviet Union.

But there is another side to the events celebrated on Columbus Day and Thanksgiving. For those descended from slaves or from Native Americans, these days represent the beginning and continuation of some of the most horrible series of events in World History. I am not going to review them again, but for those interested in the horrors that accompanied colonialism worldwide, I covered them in some detail in my Columbus Day diary. The spread and elaboration of slavery and the decimation of the Native American populations were also outcomes of the events celebrated on Columbus Day and Thanksgiving. These holidays represent BOTH the opportunities offered many of our families to survive and better our conditions, AND the horrors of slavery and genocide. We cannot deny either side of these holidays. Both sides are factual and are important.

These two sides of Thanksgiving, the ideal and the horrible, have generally been my focus. But there is also a third side of Thanksgiving and that third side is the genuine intended meaning of the holiday. The holiday may commemorate vaguely real events from the 1600's, but it really dates from 1863 when Abraham Lincoln initiated a holiday in an attempt to reunify and reinspire Americans in the midst of a Civil War. Today, after the Democrats have soundly defeated the currently corrupt and anti-Constitution Republicans and elected its first black President, this message of reunification and reinspiration is particularly important. The Republicans under Bush have been frightening and dividing us for years. Even before Bush, they were doing the same thing under the leadership of the now disgraced Newt Gingrich. In a recent book called The Yamato Dynasty about the history of Japan and its oligarchs from the Meji Restoration to 1999, I learn that this kind of fear mongering and naked, corrupt greed by the Republican Party dates all the way back to Herbert Hoover and Douglas MacArther and has been pretty much a constant within the upper echelons of the Republican Party ever since (with somewhat better behavior under Eisenhower who was no fan of the Hoover/MacArther wing of the party).

Right now America has soundly rejected Republican intolerance, greed, corruption and fear-mongering consistently since 2006. And I feel that is a good sign. The Democrats, uniting progressives and moderates, represent renewed hope for a united and inspired America. One cannot find genuine inspiration in fear and divisiveness and greed. That is what Bush represents. We need to represent something different: unity, new ideas, progress, equality. This Thanksgiving I am contemplating the genuinely inspiring new ideas from Democrats that I have been highlighting since before the election.

It is right and proper for any nation to celebrate its foundation myths, and it is particularly appropriate to celebrate the opportunities offered to us by America at its best. And more than ever I want to celebrate the BEST side of America as represented by this year's alliance of progressives and moderates that defeated the right wing extremist Republicans. But I also want to acknowledge what was lost when our American culture was founded and spread. In this light I simply want to point people's attention to a few ways to help the surviving Native Americans should you find that this makes your Thanksgiving even more special.

I will first mention the American Indian College Fund, which provides scholarships to American Indian students and helps Tribal Colleges. Education is part of the secret of my family's success. Can we give the same kind of opportunity to those whose homes and rights were lost when this nation was founded? If you think we can, please donate to the American Indian College Fund.

I want to also mention the Native Energy Project, which builds an alternative energy infrastructure and helps both Native Americans and American farmers at the same time. They help build wind power generation projects in areas ideal for wind power and in many cases these projects are Native American-owned and operated or are owned and operated by American farmers. This project is a way to energy independence for America, to create new jobs right here in America (rather than in Saudi Arabia) and to create a solid economy in the Native American nations that co-exist within the borders of the United States. They also have a neat way that you can offset your personal carbon dioxide load by helping build alternative, clean energy for America.

Finally, I want to emphasize political rights for Native Americans. Education, economy and political power are what Native Americans need to survive. For political power I want to remind you of a relatively new project started to help Native Americans who run for office as Democrats. This project is the Indigenous Democratic Network. From their website:

The Indigenous Democratic Network is the only grassroots political organization devoted to recruiting and electing Native American candidates and mobilizing the Indian Vote throughout America on behalf of those candidates. We are dedicated to making a unified Indian voice heard at the local, state and national levels by helping Indians build and run effective campaign organizations and to win elected offices across America.

In order to do so, we will be supporting a select group of Indian candidates for state and local offices across this land in 2006. This will be the first step in training a new generation of Indian leaders at the national level. The Indigenous Democratic Network identifies Democratic Indian candidates running for state and local office and recommends them to our members. INDN’s List will also keep members informed of political events and news headlines via, newsletters, e-mail alerts, direct mail, and our website.

In addition, as a member you will receive invitations to meet with other members, candidates and office-holders across the country. Your membership is what you make it.

Helping the Indigenous Democratic Network helps both the political power of Native Americans, AND helps the Democratic Party. Here is their website.

So if you want to celebrate our founding myths AND want to show your appreciation for the cultures we replaced/absorbed, donations to these groups may be a good addition to your Thanksgiving traditions, particularly in the context of the original intention of Thankgsgiving as a unifying holiday to bring all Americans together. I urge you to give a little bit to one of these groups this year and every year. That way your Thanksgiving celebration can celebrate BOTH the founding of the nation that has given most of us new opportunities AND the cultures that were hurt most by that process.

Supporting our Troops: Operation Survivor

This was sent to me on Veterans Day but I am just getting around to posting about it.



Here's what they are all about:

Within the United States there are over one and a half million service members that have served in military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over thirty thousand have been physically wounded, but many more have experienced less visible, psychological wounds. Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder have emerged as signature injuries of these conflicts, with recent reports suggesting an increase in rates of suicide, alcohol and drug abuse, homelessness, and domestic violence among returning service members and veterans.

These traumatic affects of conflict, left unaddressed, could have far-reaching negative consequences for the individuals affected, their families, and our country. Survivor Corps’ work in some of the most conflict affected countries in the world has shown community reintegration to be the key factor in those that overcome their traumatic experiences, and those that are consumed by them.

YOU CAN HELP!

Operation Survivor

Ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are creating a generation of veterans in the United States from all branches of the armed services and all 50 states who are struggling to overcome physical and psychosocial injuries. Most combat veterans convalescing in military hospitals across the country will survive physically, but getting on with their lives after returning home to their families and communities is proving a significant challenge for hundreds of thousands. Among the 1.6 million who have served since 2001, suicide is on the rise, as is unemployment and incidents of substance abuse and domestic violence.

The successful reintegration of returning service members is an issue that will have a long-lasting impact on American society, and may become the single defining struggle facing this new generation of veterans. Survivor Corps and its partners are determined to avoid the mistakes made when veterans returned from Vietnam, which resulted in tens of thousands of post-war suicides and over 200,000 men and women living on the streets.

To head off this tragic outcome, Survivor Corps will build peer support programs at the community level that will bring service members and veterans together for mutual support and encourage both individual responsibility and collective action to help others in need.

Survivor Corps is offering an alternative “treatment” that can be made readily available in all communities, regardless of proximity to traditional military or govern¬ment centers of support. Our approach is nimble enough to address the needs of individual survivors, while still broad enough to build a coalition of survivors and service providers working to effect long-term positive change.

This new program will help the recovery and reintegration of hundreds of thousands of returning U.S. service members at a critical time for them and their country.

Click Here to read more about Operation Survivor

BROOKLYN FOCUS: Shop Locally, Save Brooklyn: DDDB friendly business list

The Develop, Don't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) website lists, just in time for the holidays, all the businesses that have been supportive of their efforts to preserve Brooklyn. Here's that list below:

RESTAURANTS AND BARS:

7th Avenue Donuts Luncheonette (Park Slope)
Diner fare and fresh baked donuts.
324 Seventh Avenue (between Eighth and Ninth Street)
(718) 768-0748

Al Di La Trattoria (Park Slope)
Park Slope’s perpetually packed, widely-acclaimed Venetian institution.
248 Fifth Avenue (Near Carroll Street)
(718) 852-1572
www.aldilatrattoria.com
(I can personally vouch for this one. Absolutely excellent! The sage butter gnocchi and the saltamboca (sp?) are among the best as is their frozen cappuccino).

Antonio's Pizzeria (Park Slope)
Pizza since 1950.
318 Flatbush Avenue (between Park & Sterling Place)
(718) 398-2300

Bacchus Bistro (Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill)
French bistro.
409 Atlantic Avenue (between Bond & Nevins Street)
(718) 852-1572
www.bacchusbistro.com

Beast Bar (Prospect Heights)
A unique take on Spanish tapas, and bar.
638 Bergen Street (at Vanderbilt Avenue)
(718) 399-6855
www.brooklynbeast.com

Bergen Bagels (Park Slope/Prospect Heights)
Fresh, homemade bagels.
473 Bergen Street (between Flatbush & Sixth Avenue)
(718) 789-7600
www.bergenbagel.com

Blue Sky Bakery (Park Slope)
Fine baked goods and café drinks.
53 Fifth Avenue (between Bergen Street & St. Marks Avenue)
(718) 783-4123

Bob Law’s Seafood Café (Prospect Heights)
"More than just Fish & Chips…"
637 Vanderbilt Avenue (between St. Marks Avenue & Prospect Place)
(718) 789-4060

Bogota Latin Bistro (Park Slope)
Pan-latin restaurant specializing in Central & South American cuisine with an emphasis on Colombian dishes.
141 Fifth Avenue (between St. John’s & Lincoln Place)
(718) 230-3805
www.bogotabistro.com
(I can also vouch for this one. Great empanadas)

Chez Oskar (Fort Greene)
Funky French bistro.
211 DeKalb Avenue (at Adelphi Street)
(718) 852-6250
www.chezoskar.com

The Chocolate Room (Park Slope)
"Chocolate boutique and dessert café."
86 Fifth Avenue (between Warren Street and Prospect Place/Baltic Street)
(718) 783-2900
www.thechocolateroombrooklyn.com

Cousin John's Café & Bakery (Park Slope)
Breakfast and dessert pastries, pies and cakes.
70 Seventh Avenue (between Lincoln and Berkeley Place)
(718) 622-7333

Curry Source (Boerum Hill)
Anglo-Indian cuisine.
88 Bergen Street (between Smith & Hoyt Street)
(718) 797-9719

Erica's Rugelach and Baking Company
Baked by the Best in Brooklyn! Inspired by her great aunt's recipes, Erica's all-natural, sweet buttery pastry treats have been praised by journalists and cookie lovers across the nation.
(718) 965-3657
www.ericasrugelach.com / EricasRugelach@aol.com

F-line bagels (Gowanus/Cobble Hill/Red Hook)
Fresh Brooklyn bagels.
476 Smith Street (between Huntington and Ninth Street)
(718) 422-0001

Franny’s (Prospect Heights)
Farm fresh brick oven pizza and pasta.
295 Flatbush Avenue (between Prospect Place & St. Mark’s Avenue)
718-230-0221
www.frannysbrooklyn.com

Freddy's Bar and Backroom (Prospect Heights)
Consistently chosen as one of NYC’s best bars, free music and events almost every night. And Freddy’s is a plaintiff on the federal eminent domain lawsuit.
485 Dean Street (between Fifth & Sixth Avenue)
(718) 622-7035
www.freddysbackroom.com

Le Gamin Café/Creperie (Prospect Heights)
French cuisine.
556 Vanderbilt Avenue (between Dean & Bergen Street)
(718) 789-5171
www.legamin.com

Le Grand Dakar (Clinton Hill)
African Senegalese cuisine with a global influence, live music as well.
285 Grand Avenue, between Lafayette Avenue and Clifton Place
718-398-8900
http://www.granddakar.com

The Greene Grape (Fort Greene)
Fine wine and spirits.
765 Fulton Street (between South Oxford and South Portland St.)
(718) 797-9463
www.greenegrape.com

Maggie Brown (Fort Greene/Clinton Hill)
Restaurant & Bar - International home cooking.
455 Myrtle Avenue (between Waverly & Washington Avenue)
(718) 643-7001
www.maggiebrownrestaurant.com

Maha's Middle Eastern Café (Park Slope/Prospect Heights)
Variety of Middle Eastern cuisine, prepared foods and sandwhiches
69 Sixth Avenue (between Bergen Street & Flatbush Avenue)
(718) 789-0510

Maria's Mexican Bistro (Park Slope)
Considered by many to be the best Mexican restaurant in Park Slope, Maria's serves everything from Mexico City street food to coastal specialties.
669 Union Street (between Fourth and Fifth Avenue)
(718) 638-2344
(I think this may have changed its name but not sure. Same location)

Night Of The Cookers (Fort Greene)
Restaurant & Bar (Continental cuisine), Live Entertainment, Jazz Brunch.
767 Fulton Street (between South Oxford & South Portland Street)
(718) 797-1197
www.nightofthecookers.com

Olea Mediterranean Taverna (Fort Greene)
Eclectic blend of various Mediterranean cuisines, from Spanish, to Greek, to Moroccan, to Turkish.
171 Lafayette Avenue (between Adelphi Street & Clermont Avenue)
(718) 643-7003
www.oleabrooklyn.com

Pane e Vino (Carroll Gardens)
Affordable Italian cuisine on Smith Street, live music as well.
174 Smith St. (Wyckoff & Warren)
718-501-1010

Pequeña (Fort Greene)
Mexican Restaurant.
86 South Portland Avenue (between Lafayette Avenue & Fulton Street)
(718) 643-0000
www.pequenarestaurant.com

Pillow Café Lounge (Fort Greene)
Assortment of sandwiches, pannis and salads.
505 Myrtle Avenue (between Ryerson Street & Grand Avenue)
(718) 246-2711
www.pillowcafenyc.com

Pino's La Forchetta Pizzeria (Park Slope)
Classic Park Slope pizza.
181 Seventh Avenue (between First & Second Street)
(718) 965-4020

Prospect Perk Café (Park Slope/Prospect Heights)
Coffee, tea, sandwiches, salads, soup and breakfast pastries.
183 Sterling Place (between Flatbush & Vanderbilt Avenue)
(718) 398-2760
www.prospectperk.com

Quercy (Cobble Hill)
French cuisine.
242 Court Street
(718) 243-2151

Red Mill Farms, Inc. (Williamsburg)
Producers of the Omega 3 Energy bar, macroons and other health bars.
290 South Fifth Street (between Havemeyer Street & Marcy Avenue)
www.macaroonking.com

Restaurant New Orleans (Fort Greene)
"Offering Fine Southern Creole Cuisine" (bring your own wine or beer).
747 Fulton Street (between South Elliot Place & South Portland Avenue)
(718) 596-6333

Sample (Cobble Hill)
Tapas/Small Plates at this eclectic restaurant.
152 Smith St. (corner of Bergen)
718-643-6622

Scopello (Fort Greene)
Ristorante Bar.
63 Lafayette Avenue (between South Elliot & Brooklyn Tech Place)
(718) 852-1100
www.scopello.net

Soda Bar (Prospect Heights)
Great drinks, great bar foods, great vibe, music and video. A great neighorhood place.
629 Vanderbilt Avenue (between St. Marks Avenue & Prospect Place)
(718) 230-8393

Stonehome Wine Bar (Fort Greene)
Contemporary American cuisine and fine wines.
87 Lafayette Avenue
(between South Portland Avenue and South Elliot Place)
(718) 624-9443
www.stonehomewinebar.com

Thai 101 (Clinton Hill)
Thai restaurant.
455A Myrtle Avenue (between Waverly & Mary Pinkett Avenue)
(718) 855-4615

Tillies (Fort Greene)
Alittle bit of small town hospitality in the big city. Fine teas, coffees, French pastries and baked goods as well as bagels, sandwiches, quiche, organic smootthies, egg creams and more!
248 DeKalb Ave, corner of Vanderbilt
718-783-6140
www.tilliesofbrooklyn.com

Tini Wine Bar Café & Catering (Red Hook)
Fine foods, wine and beer, and catering services.
414 Van Brunt Street (between Van Dyke & Coffey)
(718) 855-4206
www.tiniwinebar.com

home/made
293 Van Brunt Street (between Pioneer and King)
www.homemadebklyn.com

Tom’s Diner (Prospect Heights)
World famous old-fashioned diner.
782 Washington Avenue (between St. Johns & Sterling Place)
(718) 783-8576
www.tomsrestaurant.wordpress.com/about-toms-restaurant-in-brooklyn

Total Wine Bar (Park Slope)
Fine wine, beer, cheese and more.
74 Fifth Avenue (between St. Marks Place & Warren Street/Prospect Place)
(718) 783-5166
www.totalwinebar.com

Trois Pommes Patisserie (Park Slope)
Specialty cakes, cupcakes, pies, tarts, cookies, ice cream, sorbet and other sweets.
260 Fifth Avenue (between Carroll Street & Garfield Place)
(718) 230-3119
www.troispommespatisserie.com

Area Emporium & Day Spa (Cobble Hill)
Massage, yoga and beauty products.
252 Smith Street (between Douglass and Degraw Street)
(718) 624-3157
www.areabrooklyn.com


SHOPPING:

Addy & Ferro (Fort Greene)
A fine clothing boutique (emerging, contemporary & vintage clothes).
672 Fulton Avenue (between South Elliot Place & South Portland Avenue)
(718) 246-2900
www.addyandferro.com

Ankhafly
A local Brooklyn designer providing urban ethnic fashion fusion for men and women.
www.ankhafly.com / info@ankhafly.com

Boing Boing (Park Slope)
"Maternity…Nursing…Infant…"
Maternity & baby care and clothing.
206 Sixth Avenue (between Berkeley Place & Union Street)
(718) 398-0251

Brooklyn Beads Boutique (Cobble Hill)
Beads, beading and jewelry making – on your own or in classes.
244 Smith Street (between Douglass and Degraw Street)
(718) 855-2375
www.brooklynbeads.com

Cloth (Fort Greene)
A chic women's clothing boutique.
148 Fort Greene Place (between Hanson & Atlantic Avenue)
(718) 403-0223
www.clothclothing.com

Cog & Pearl (Park Slope)
"Handmade stuff to give or keep" – Jewelry, accessories & apparel.
190 Fifth Avenue (between Berkeley Place and Union Street)
(718) 623-8200
www.cogandpearl.com

Community Book Store of Park Slope (Park Slope)
Catering to the literary desires of Brooklyn’s residents.
143 Seventh Avenue (between Carroll & Garfield Street)
(718) 783-3075
www.cbjupiterbooks.com
(also has, or at least had, a nice, delicious coffee/dessert place in the back)

Enamoo (Boerum Hill/Cobble Hill)
Clothing and household items.
109 Smith Street (between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street)
(718) 624-0175

Extraordinary (Park Slope)
Home accessories and gifts.
195 Fifth Avenue (between Berkeley Place and Union Street)
(718) 230-9503
www.extraordinaryny.com

Flirt (Park Slope & Carroll Gardens)
Women’s Clothing & Accessories at Two Locations
93 Fifth Avenue (between Prospect & Park Place)
(718) 783-0364
252 Smith Street (between Douglas & Degraw Street)
(718) 858-7931
www.flirt-brooklyn.com

Frosted Moon Emporium (Fort Greene)
A fine gifts store.
South Portland, between Lafayette and Fulton
(718) 858-3161

The Green Onion Children's Shop (Carroll Gardens)
Children's clothes and toys.
274 Smith Street (between Degraw and Sackett Street)
(718) 246-2804

Handmade (Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill)
"Extraordinary accessories."
251 Smith Street (between Douglass and Degraw Street)
(718) 694-9336
www.handmadenyc.com

Harry Tarzian
World class art photographer.
(201) 400-8770
harry@harrytarzian.com

Homage (Cobble Hill)
Homage to skate and snow! A full service skateboard & snowboard shop offering lessons, rentals, winter bus trips, tuning, repairs, videos, clothing and sneakers.
151 Smith Street (at Bergen Street)
718-596-1511
www.homagebrooklyn.com

The Melting Pot (Atlantic Avenue)
A unique batik boutique owned and operated for three decades by artist Nancy Cogen, features original, colorful batiks for kids of all ages, from infants to seniors.
492 Atlantic Avenue (between Nevins and 3rd Ave.)
718-596-6849

Memories Out of the Box (Prospect Heights)
Get your photos out of boxes and into albums; do-it-yourself, do it with their help or let them do it for you!
633 Vanderbilt Avenue (between St. Marks Avenue & Prospect Place)
(718) 398-1519
www.memoriesoutofthebox.biz /martie@memoriesoutofthebox.biz

MissWit Designs
MissWit designs original and custom t-shirts for any occasion. Funny and pretty tees, just for you! (Special Note, MissWit supplies the DDDB t-shirts)
www.misswit.net / deb@misswit.net

Red Lipstick Boutique (Prospect Heights)
Clothing, jewelry and accessories for women.
560 Vanderbilt Avenue (between Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Street)
(718) 857-9534
www.redlipstick.net

Refinery (Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill)
Handbags and accessories.
237 Smith Street (between Douglass and Degraw Street)
(718) 643-7861
www.brooklynrefinery.com

SaveOnScents.com (Red Hook)
Fragrance, bath & body supplies.
279 Columbia Street (between Carroll & Summit Street)
(718) 858-7422
www.saveonscents.com

Shakespeare's Sister (Cobble Hill)
Providing gifts a little more surprising, a bit more unexpected than what might be found at other gift stores.
270 Court St, between Butler & Douglas
718-694-0084
www.shakespearessister.com

Tarzian True Value Hardware (Park Slope)
Park Slope's nearly century-old purveyor of hardware and housewares.
193 Seventh Avenue (between Second & Third Street)
(718) 788-4120
(We shop here for all our paint, lighting, battery, garden, etc. needs)

Video Free Brooklyn (Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill)
DVDs*Videos*Rent*Buy*Sell
244 Smith Street (between Douglass and Degraw Street)
(718) 855-6130
www.videofreebrooklyn.com

Zuzu’s Petals (Park Slope)
Floral and garden needs. Two locations.
374 Fifth Avenue (between Fifth & Sixth Street)
(718) 638-0918
158A Berkeley Place (between Sixth & Seventh Avenue)
(718) 636-2022


SERVICES:

Brooklyn Frame Works (Park Slope)
Custom Framing.
142 Fifth Avenue
(between Douglass Street /St. Johns Place and Sterling Place)
(718) 399-6613

Miracle Maids
Earth Friendly Cleaning Service
www.miraclemaidscleaning.com
(718) 369-9000

The Puppeteer's Cooperative
A group of artists and puppeteers working in cities around the nation to create giant puppet parades, pageants, and ceremonies of celebration and complaint, using simple materials and movements to build community cardboard extravaganzas.
www.gis.net/~puppetco / puppetco@gis.net

StyleLynne
Event Producer, and Wardrobe Supervisor, Lynne Curtis offers professional service for: Image Consultation, Closet Consultation, Personal Shopping, Home Décor, Event Planning, Special Gift Wrappings, Personal Gift Shopping, Corporate Gifts, and more.
877.STY.LYNNE
www.stylelynne.com / lynne@StyleLynne.com


HEALTH AND WELLNESS:

Alexandra LaRosa, Certified Yoga Instructor
Private Yoga Lessons.
(718) 415-9133 or Alexandra.Larosa@gmail.com

Amy Gerard, Licensed Massage Therapist
Recommended by Park Slope Parents
Specializing in deep massage and pre and post-Natal massage.
(917) 971-2193 or agerardlmt@yahoo.com

Dr. Margaret Rose de Cruz (Park Slope)
Dr. Cruz is a Holistic Health practitioner, using Mind-Body Therapies. Massage Therapist, Chiropractor, Mental Health Counselor.
400A Prospect Avenue (between Seventh & Eighth Avenue)
(718) 499-7258

Ellie Herman Pilates Studios (Park Slope)
Changing the world -- one vertebrae at a time.
788A Union Street (between Sixth and Seventh Avenue)
(718) 230-3707
www.ellie.net

Embora Wellness & Movement Studio (Clinton Hill)
Offering classes in Yoga, Pilates, Martial Arts and Holistic exercise, in group, private or semi-private training formats.
900 Fulton Street (corner of Washington Avenue)
(718) 857-4360
www.embora.com

Mona Fafarman (Park Slope and Manhattan)
Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
212-614-6716

Finetune Pilates Studio (Boerum Hill)
Offering personal coaching pilates instruction.
329 Atlantic Avenue (between Smith & Hoyt Street)
(718) 802-0928
www.finetunepilates.com/about_finetune.cfm

Opal Center (Park Slope)
Center for massage and allied therapies offering licensed, therapeutic bodywork, employing an eclectic variety of techniques from the time-tested ancient to the newest innovations.
158 Fifth Avenue (between St. John's and Lincoln)
(718) 857-6183
www.opalcenter.com

Providence Day Spa (Boerum Hill)
Massage, facial & body treatments, pre-natal massage and body treatments, and acupuncture.
329 Atlantic Avenue (between Smith & Hoyt Street)
(718) 596-6774
www.providencedayspa.com

Liese Schneider,
Certified Holistic Health Counselor & Pilates Instructor
Personalized health counseling programs.
www.lieseschneider.com / liesehhc@gmail.com

Stana-Lea Weisburd, LMT Licensed
Massage Therapy, Doula Services & More!
917.575.1227

Yogasana Center for Yoga (Park Slope)
Offering yoga practice in the Iyengar tradition.
90 Fifth Avenue (between St. Marks Place & Warren Street/Prospect Place)
(718) 789-7255
www.yogasanacenter.com

NEW YORK STATE FOCUS: Blogs, 2009 Candidates, Groups and Events

Here are some articles worth reading:

NYC's chief urban designer salutes continuity and vitality of streets (and what about AY?)

Sign this Petition to Save Freedom of the Press for NYC's Bloggers...and on a related note: Online Journalists Denied Press Credentials by NYPD; Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed

"Bloomberg's bombast": historian Siegel says sports facility subsidies don't pass cost-benefit analysis

NY State Budget Crisis: Ideas and Possibilities

Was the Lie of “Consistent Leadership” Old Media’s Last Stand?

The case against Bloomberg: Tsardom for Bloomie NOT a good idea

Upstate NY as The Silicon Valley for Alternative Energy

Bloomberg vs. Thompson on Bruce Ratner: Comptroller and possible mayoral candidate Bill Thompson is saying no more public money for greedy developer Bruce Ratner while Tsar Bloomberg is raising YOUR taxes and cutting jobs but letting rich Ratner dodge taxes.

Hate Crime on Long Island

Racist Right Wing Attack on Staten Island

Here's an interesting rundown of the polluters in Brooklyn from the Josh Skaller for City Council website. Con Edison - Hudson Ave Station, Gowanus Generating Station, Kings Plaza Total Energy Plant, American Sugar Refining Inc, Brooklyn Navy Yard Cogeneration Plant seem the worst polluters in Brooklyn. I think the fact that our air and water are being poisoned mostly by the energy generating stations in our neighborhoods shows how important conservation on our part and alternative energy solutions are to our own health and the quality of our neighborhoods. You can help by choosing to buy YOUR energy from all wind and small hydroelectric power through Con Ed. You will get your same Con Ed bill, and it costs only 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) more, which is partly offset by an elimination of the sales tax on the delivery portion of your utility bill. Joy and I have been doing it for at least three years now and we didn't really notice the slight increase. We saved far, far more money when we switched to compact fluorescent light bulbs, so the combination made us far less polluting and saved us money.


NEW YORK BLOGGING:

The Albany Project gives excellent coverage of New York State politics.

The Daily Gotham covers both New York City (with a slight emphasis on Brooklyn) and New York State politics.

Reform NY is the blog of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law

No Land Grab: News from the point of view of Brooklyn opposition to overdevelopment

On NY Turf is run by someone I know. Long overdue that I add his blog here. Contains political info, good map resources for NYC and discussions of development issues.


Let me highlight some excellent candidates running in New York in 2009:

Norm Siegel for Public Advocate
For those of you who live in NYC, let me introduce you to Norman Siegel, one of America's top Civil Rights Lawyers, is running for New York Public Advocate. Here's a Youtube video of him:



And here is Youtube footage of Norm Siegel and the NYC Coalition To Preserve Term Limits Press Conference:




Josh Skaller for City Council. A progressive who is coming in second in fundraising, Josh is considered a serious contender by several pragmatic allies I have talked to and has been endorsed by State Senator Eric Adams. Josh may well become the frontrunner if he keeps it up. Josh is a good friend of ours, a solid progressive, and about as honest as you can get. Josh will be one of my top priorities in 2009!


More Races: Here is a Facebook Site highlighting some good primary challenges against those City Council members who voted themselves a pay raise then voted themselves a third term in the council over the vote and objections of the voters. In the future I will be highlighting some of these challengers, though for now electing Norm Siegel and Josh Skaller are my main efforts.


Here are a handful of Organizations worth checking out:

NY Citizens for Clean Elections: We are committed to passage of Clean Money Clean Election legislation in NYS that provides a non-partisan approach for full public funding of campaigns for all qualified candidates who refuse private money and abide by spending limits. We want to ensure that all Americans, regardless of wealth, have an equal voice in the political system and that qualified candidates are not discouraged from running because they do not have access to the money needed for a competitive campaign.

The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats is a community-based Democratic club. CBID has fought for reform and progressive causes since 1968. As a Brooklyn-based Club, we have been instrumental in the election of many candidates for public office. Much of this success was a result of our question-and-answer forums with prospective candidates as well as our extensive on-the-street contact with our constituents.

Staunchly opposed to political corruption, we are proud of our independence and our commitment to progressive reform in city, state and national politics. We are a vehicle for citizen empowerment and making government more accountable to our neighborhoods.

We meet monthly, usually the fourth Thursday evening of the month in the basement of the Park Slope United Methodist Church, on the corner of 6th ave and 8th street, at 7:30pm. All are welcome.

New Kings Democrats (”NKD”) is a new, grassroots organization in Kings County (Brooklyn), New York whose primary mission is to recruit and prepare individuals to run for Kings County Democratic Committee. NKD hopes to achieve the goal of an inclusionary and participatory democracy by making it easy for individuals to run for local, elected office. NKD will serve as a training ground for individuals seeking higher office, and hopes to build and nurture a new group of Brooklyn Democratic leaders.

Stonewall Democrats of Western New York is the GLBT Democratic voice in WNY. Our mission is to advocate for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community within the Democratic Party and to encourage GLBT participation within the Democratic Party. Our membership includes representatives from State, County, and City government, and several Democratic committee members amongst the various County Committees in WNY.


DEMOCRACY FOR AMERICA MEETINGS IN NY STATE:

Capital District of NY/GenDFA

Democracy for the Hudson-Mohawk Region

Democracy for the Hudson Valley

Mid-Hudson Progressive Alliance

dfaROCHESTER

Democracy For Westchester

Democracy for Long Island

Democracy For The Greater Glens Falls Area

North Country Democracy for America

Central New York DFA

Eastern Long Island Democracy for America

Democracy For Saratoga Springs

Kingston Democracy for America

Democracy For The Southern Adirondack/Tricounty Area

Democracy for Otsego and Delaware Counties

Philipstown for Democracy

DFA: Greene County

Livingston County for Democracy


DEMOCRACY FOR NYC MEETINGS:
First Wednesday of every month

Staten Island, Muddy Cup, 388 Van Duzer Street with hosts Al Dykes and Tracey Denton at 7pm

Upper West Side, The Parlour, 250 West 86th(btwn Broadway & West End), with host Merle McEldowney,7pm

West Village, Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St. (near 7thAve.) with host Abhishek Mistry, 7pm

Astoria, Queens, at Sanford Diner, 30-13 Broadway, with hosts Costa Constantinides and Jeremiah Frei-Pearson. Note: this Linkup will begin at 7:30.

Sunnyside, Queens, at The Grind, 39-24 Queens Blvd. in the back room, with host Dan Jacoby. Note: this Linkup will begin at 7:30.

Bayside, Queens, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics, 7pm

Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, Wycoff Bennett Homestead, 1669East 22nd Street, 7pm with host Annette Mont


DRINKING LIBERALLY MEETINGS IN NY STATE:

Clifton Park, New York
* First Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Old Dublin Inn, 130 Meyer Rd (Google maps is wrong, please contact me for directions.)
* Hosted by Chris Selkirk, cliftonpark (at) drinkingliberally.org

Ithaca, New York
* Every Wednesday, 6:30 pm onward
* Felicia's Atomic Lounge, 508 W State St
* Hosted by Joseph Cannon Murtagh, ithaca (at) drinkingliberally.org


New York City, New York:

The Original Drinking Liberally
* Every Thursday, 7:30 pm onward
* Rudy's, 627 9th Ave (between 44th and 45th)
* In the backyard, weather permitting
* Hosted by Justin Krebs, Matthew O'Neill and Katrina Baker, nyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Drinking Liberally Steps Out
* Third Tuesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* XES Lounge, 157 W 24th St (@ 7th Avenue)
* In conjunction with the Stonewall Democrats of New York City www.sdnyc.org.
* Hosted by Matthew Carlin and Greg Rae, outnyc (at) drinkingliberally.org

Harlem
* Second Wednesday of each month), 6:30 pm onward
* Soundz Lounge, 3155 Broadway (between 123rd and 124th)
* Hosted by Yolanda (Shoshi) Shoshana, harlem (at) drinkingliberally.org

Park Slope
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:30-10:00 pm
* Commonwealth, 497 5th Ave (at 12th Street)
* Hosted by Anthony Accurso, Emilie Harkin and Emily Farris, parkslope (at) drinkingliberally.org

Queens
* Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Avenue, Astoria, NY 11102 (group of young liberals taking up one lane)
* Hosted by Donald Graff, queens (at) drinkingliberally.org

Upper East Side
* Last Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Doc Watson's, 1490 2nd Ave (at 77th)
* Hosted by Matthew Bachiochi, ues (at) drinkingliberally.org

West Bronx
* First and third Friday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* An Beal Bocht, 445 W 238th St (between Waldo and Greystone)
* 1 to 238th, turn left, straight on 238th, just past the top of the stairs
* Hosted by Jamin Sewell and Scott Kennedy, westbronx (at) drinkingliberally.org

Rochester, New York
* Every Thursday, 8:00-10:00 pm
* Monty's Korner, 355 East Ave
* Hosted by Tom Tucker and Tracy Logan, rochester (at) drinkingliberally.org

And then we have: Shooting Liberally
Tuesday, Feb 19
From your friends at Drinking Liberally comes the debut of SHOOTING LIBERALLY...

For the First Amendment enthusiast ready to move on to the Second. A social evening at the gun range including training & weapon rental.

For more info and to reserve your spot, contact: Stanley Sherman - maskarts (at) worldnet.att.net

CALIFORNIA FOCUS: Blogs, Alternative Energy, Groups and Events

I will continue, for some time, be focusing on Marriage Equality. I will keep the statement by Keith Olbermann on Prop 8 on the top of my California Focus for sometime because I think it needs to be heard over and over again. It is a brilliant statement right from the heart. I don't have much to add to it except I am also a straight man from a family of straight folks who support Marriage Equality and just don't get this whole homophobic anti-gay marriage movement:



What I don't understand is how two consenting adults loving each other threatens anyone else? My marriage isn't threatened if gays can marry!

FIGHTING BACK:

Proposition 8 is among the worst results in California. It is, basically, a homophobic Hate Amendment that lets government define whether the love between two people is legitimate. There is now a backlash against those who led in the movement to pass this hateful amendment. Among the leaders of this year's movement to discriminate against gays was the Mormon Church. Once again right wing religious fanatics want to force THEIR religion on American society. This is one more example of the American Taliban trying to marginalize anyone they see as different.

For those who doubt the extremist aspects of the Mormon Church (though of course not all Mormons), read Jon Krakauer's book, Under the Banner of Heaven.

There is a backlash. It is the kind of left wing backlash that seldom gets much momentum, but when it does, it can have a powerful effect. Over at Daily Kos there is a list of businesses that endorsed Proposition 8. These are businesses that should be targeted for economic pressure. On the left suggestions like this often cause consternation. Truth is, boycotts DO WORK when enough people get pissed off enough to actually do them. The California grape boycott was a long term effort that finally worked. The anti-Apartheid boycotts were often vague and irregularly carried out...but in the end they were part of what worked. Here is the list of targets for actual economic pressure:

ACMS
Ag West Distributing Co., Inc.
Ronald Allison, M.D.- Allison Geriatrics
Alpasina Insurance Services
Pastor Marcelo Alvarado, Iglesia Misionnera HispanoAmericana
American Build & Design, Inc.
Automated Environments
Best Tire and Automotive
Rich Bott-Bott Radio Network
Boy's Republic
Donovan S. Browning, DDS
Mary J. Buzzell, M.J.B. Floral Services
Catherine Callen - Lampstand Studios, Divide CO
Ron Carter- Carter Construction Company
CC Layne & Sons Inc.
Duncan Chamberlin-Duncan's Auto Sales
Richard and Marie Clayton- Maric Services
Community West Mortgage
Cornerstone Custom Construction
CRS, Inc.
Culp Diversified Properties
Curry Copy Center of Hemet
Eldon Cyrus- Cyrus Tree Service
Thomas B. Dafoe – Briden Wilson Farm, Arbuckle
John DeCesare, President - inetMatrix
Joyce Edge, Founder/President – Survivors of Assault Recovery
EL VOCERO MAGAZINE
Everything4Mom.com
Jason & Andrea Ewell – Jason’s Glass Tint, San Clemente
Fahillion Technology Consultants
Fernandez and Fernandez
First Experiences Preschool
John Gaines, D.D.S.
Mark E. Gething, Insurance - Amarillo TX
GFBB Benefits and Insurance
Peter Giannini, CPA
John J. Gobbell, Jr., Real Estate Appraiser
Richard A. & Susan J. Gregg, SueGreggCookbooks, Riverside
Guy Strohmeiers Auto Center
H M S Capital
Hartman Construction of Home Services
Dr. Jay W. Henderson, President - The Law Offices of Jay W. Henderson, Ltd.
Higham, Richards & Vranes
Inspired Stylus Writing and Copyediting
GLen Inverso- MJ Baxter Drilling Company
R. Christian Jesperson- Chiropractic Family Health Center
Justin A. March Associates, Inc.
Richard Kerr- Kerr Real Estate Advisors
George M. Knapp, Investment Advisor: Knapp Financial
James Knox, American Focus
Land Resource Investments
Lane Associates, Inc.
Law Offices of Kimber B. Goddard
Leon's Place Independent Living
Lewis Appliance Repair and Installation
Logos Tax Service
David W. & Alice G. Magnusson: Haws, Record & Magnusson, Attorneys at Law
Vlade Mamayev, CEO – Buildex Inc.
Mammoth Auto
Nora O. Marin - Little Angel's Daycare, Rancho Cordova
Wayne M. Martin – Wayne Martin Associates, Oxnard
Maximum Marketing Inc.
Joseph McFarland, DDS
Douglas McMullin, MD
Anchi Miller – ATM International, Kirkland WA
Ridley R. Molders – Molders Logistics, Santa Ana
Todd Mowrey-Fit-To-Be-Tyed
Fabricio Mundo- LinearB Enterprises
NordalAppraisal.com
Don Nordgren, Owner - Pacific Coast Auto Body, Paint & Frame, San Diego
Dr. Phillip Ortiz, President/Owner - Direct to You Mobile Dentistry, Murrieta
Michael A. Padgett – Law Office, Fontana
Bradley L. Quick - Bradley L. Quick Insurance Agency
Rick J. Radecki – Lion’s Roar Media, Victorville
RCS Door Service/ Rodney Press.
Peter M. Reimer - Peter Reimer Farms, Shafter
Reimer's Wholesale Nursery
Resources For Continuing Education, Inc.
RF Sweet & Associates Real Estate
Anthony Rios- First Security Home Loans
Rockingham Asset Management
Rod B. Johnson, CPA
Denise M. Roland – Reliable Referrals LLC, La Crosse WI
RPM Events, Inc.
Joel Sanders – Sanders Heavy Towing, Williams
Ross L. Sardo – RLS Inspections, Inc. Ventura
Janice Schindler, President - Schindler & Schindler Inc. Fountain Valley
Scott McDonald & Assoc.
SCVHHS
Sheppard & Associates Insurance Agency
David Smalley, M.D.
Patricia Smith – Classic Clean, Inc. Los Gatos
Splash! Designworks
Cynthia L. Stevens - Cynthia’s Cleaning Service
Robert D. Stevenson, DDS
Douglas Stevenson-Quietcool, inc.
Stubblefield Family Chiropractic
Scott Suchomel-Sibling Systems
Superior Notary, LLC
Teague Construction
The Fire & Cop Shop
The Law Office of H. Craig Miller
The Wellness Advantage
President Daniel y Susana Torres, Vision De Futuroag
Tri-Valley Propac, Inc.
Tropical Sands Vacations
William U. Valencia, Tax Consultant: Valencia Tax Service
Keith Walker, Writer-Publisher: Golden Door Press
Warren Photography, Victorville
Robert R. Weedon LCSW, Coherent Counseling Services
West Coast Commercial Mortgage, Inc.
White Diamond Jewelers
Zane Schaeffer Construction

Also over at Daily Kos there is a diary listing Mormon businesses. These are not necessarily endorsers of the homophobic propositions that have been enacted in several states. But they are members of the religious organization that led to fight to marginalize approximately 10% of Americans. These businesses are good targets for establishing a dialogue regarding this proposition and urging them to condemn theHate Amendment. Some may well be right wing nut cases, like Diebold. THEY should be boycotted. Others should not but rather should be part of an effort to talk to people about why marriage equality is fair and a good thing for American society. So here is a list of companies to look into and TALK to about marriage equality.

* Affiliated Computer Services
* AES Corp.
* Avista Corp.
* American Express
* Black & Decker
* Cadence Design
* Corvis
* Central Pacific Bank
* 1-800-Contacts
* Cygnus Inc.
* Diebold
* Dell Computer
* Dionex
* Downey Savings and Loan
* EarthShell
* Franklin Covey
* Hillenbrand Industries
* Headwaters, Inc.
* Hollywood Entertainment
* Host Marriott
* Iomega
* JP Realty
* Key Corp.
* Knight Transportation
* K-Swiss, Inc.
* La Quinta Properties, Inc.
* Marriott International
* Micrel Semiconductor
* Micro General
* Merit Medical Systems
* Monaco Coach
* Microsemi Corp.
* Myriad Genetics
* Novell
* NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
* NuSkin
* Oil States International
* Oakley
* priceline.com Inc.
* Phelps Dodge Corp.
* Ryder Systems
* SkyWest Airlines
* Swift Transportation
* Cornerstone REIT
* Tropical Sportswear
* Williams Companies, Inc.
* Zions Bancorp

If you boycott a company...TELL them you are boycotting. If you contact a company and receive a reply, even just a form letter, write back. Keep up the dialogue. Make a follow up phone call. TALK to people. It can make the difference.

And here is a list of STONEWALL DEMOCRATS and related organizations in California (probably NOT comprehensive):

Stonewall Democrats of Los Angeles

Central Valley Stonewall Democratic Club
Stockton, CA

Desert Stonewall Democrats
Cathedral City, CA

Eleanor Roosevelt Stonewall Democrats of Orange County
Santa Anna, CA

Fresno Stonewall Democrats
Fresno, CA

Sacramento Stonewall Democrats
Sacramento, CA

San Diego Democratic Club
San Diego, CA

Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento
Sacramento, CA

Stonewall Alliance of Chico: The Stonewall Alliance Center offers a range of services to help connect people to their community. Volunteers staffing the Center provide information on activities and events and offer referrals for services. Our Education & Outreach give community members access to the Harlan Adams Memorial Library, Out Education classes, we deliver speaker’s panels to local colleges and presenters to area organizations and groups.


BLOGGING CALIFORNIA: Here are some blogs covering California Politics

Calitics is an open source news organization for California.

The California Progress Report is published by Frank D. Russo, a longtime observer of and participant in California politics.

The Liberal OC covers politics in Orange County.

LeftyBlogs California is the place to find out what's happening in the progressive blogosphere across California.


Some articles of note:

The Rising Tide in California: the realities of Global Warming.

Obama may be a boon for high-speed rail

This Thanksgiving Thank California Agricultural Industry and Workers

Fast Tracking Infrastructure Stimulus

The Anti-Government Ideology That Caused San Diegans to Vote Against Protecting Their Own Property

Waxman beats Dingell in secret vote for Energy and Commerce

The Benefits of Meeting Federal Clean Air Standards

Green efforts boost economy. I've been saying this for YEARS. And boy our economy could use some boosting!


Alternative Energy in California:

Here are some Biodiesel Cooperatives in California. If you have a diesel truck or car, joining one of these co-ops can help you drive more green.

The Berkeley Biodiesel Collecctive
Berkeley, CA
email: berkeleybiodiesel_at_yahoo.com. Or check out their website.

The Biofuels Research Cooperative
Sebastopol, CA
email: veggieoilcoop_at_yahoo.com.

I also want to highlight Conserv Fuels in Los Angeles, which offers a selection of alternative fuels (biodiesel and ethanol included) as well as pretty cheap regular gasoline. Joy and I buy our fuel (whatever we need) when we are in Los Angeles.

And Propel Fuels have several stations around California that offer biodiesel: (I discovered them when I saw they did carbon offsets)

* Rocklin
6700 Five Star Blvd
Sacramento, California 95677

* Citrus Heights
7741 Auburn Blvd
Citrus Heights, California 95610

* Sacramento, Folsom Blvd.
8090 Folsom Blvd.
Sacramento, California 95826

* Sacramento, Norwood Ave.
4200 Norwood Ave
Sacramento, California 95838

* Sacramento, Florin Road
8062 Florin Road
Sacramento, California 95828

* Elk Grove
9190 E Stockton Blvd
Elk Grove, California 95624

* Roseville
999 Sunrise Ave
Roseville, California 95661

* Placerville
151 Main St
Placerville, California 95667


Here are other alternative energy resources for Califorina:

Alternative Energy Resources in California: a short summary of alternative energy resources for California. For more information on each technology, visit the State Energy Alternatives Technology Options page.

San Francisco Community Power pilots innovative programs that improve our neighborhoods' environmental and economic conditions. We help small businesses and low-income families lower their expenses and reduce their ecological footprint. Our work provides policy makers with demonstrative ways to solve complex resource allocation issues.


California for Democracy:
Here are some local Democracy for America groups (click on the link for more info)

DFA Marin

Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley

Democratic Club of Coarsegold

DFA - Central Coast

DFA-CFD of Fresno & Madera Counties

DFA-CFD of Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties

Democracy for Monterey County

DFA-Orange County

East Bay for Democracy

Sacramento for Democracy

San Diego for Democracy

(San Fernando) Valley Grassroots for Democracy

San Francisco for Democracy

San Mateo County Democracy for America

Santa Barbara Progressive Coalition

Sonoma County DFA


Here are some local political meetings in California:

Desert Stonewall Democrats Monthly Meeting
Palm Springs' Desert Stonewall Democrats Democratic Club Monthly Meeting
NATIONAL STONEWALL DEMOCRATS MISSION:
Pride in Our Country
- Pride in Our Family
- - Pride in Our Party

MONTHLY MEETINGS
The second SATURDAY of each month, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Desert Pride Center
611 South Palm Canyon
Palm Springs
760-327-2313

San Ramon Valley Democrats Meetings
We are a group of dedicated Democrats living in the San Ramon Valley who have come together to support and promote the progressive social and political principles that always have been fundamental to the Democratic Party. The San Ramon Valley is comprised of Alamo, Blackhawk, Diablo, Danville, San Ramon, and southern Walnut Creek, and members of our club come from each of those communities. We meet once a month for an educational program at Mudd's Restaurant in San Ramon, alternating between lunch on the second Tuesday, and appetizers (no-host bar) on the evening of the fourth Thursday (6:30 PM). We register people to vote, walk precincts to arouse voters, raise money for candidates, and enjoy the opportunity to socialize with people of common interests. Go here for more info.

Our meetings are lively and our programs are focused on issues of concern to Democrats, locally, statewide, and nationally. Our speakers are chosen for their astute insight into the problems before us as citizens and as voters. We socialize before and after the formal meetings, and enter into animated discussions about the topic of the day. In the process we become fast friends.

Mudds Restaurant
$22 per person (meal included)

Democrats of North Orange County
Bill Daly, President
714-990-6767
Bruce Sandercock, Vice-President
714-871-5244
P. O. Box 6597
Fullerton, CA 92834
Monthly meeting: First Thursday, Sizzler Restaurant,
1401 N. Harbor, Fullerton; 6 p.m. dinner, 7 p.m. meeting

Santa Clara County (San Jose) Democratic Party Meetup
We meet at 7:30pm on the second Tuesday of each month at the Dem Party Office, 2102 Almaden Road, Suite 114, San Jose, 95125. Feel free to bring snacks to share.

Brought to you by the Santa Clara County Democratic Party (http://www.sccdp.org).... Please join us to learn ways to help elect Democrats in Santa Clara County and beyond.

~~Together, America Can Do Better!~~

On Almaden ROAD (not Expwy), between Curtner and Canoas Garden. It's OK to park in the big lot, despite posted warnings.

Internet directions usually suggest taking Almaden Expressway, which is sometimes backed up. A lower stress route is to take Bird Avenue west from 280 and follow it all the way until it dead-ends at Malone. Left on Malone, Right on Almaden Road and 2102 is on the first corner on your left.

We meet in Suite 114, first door on your left as you enter the glass doors marked Main Entrance.


Drinking Liberally:

For those who like a more social, and beer focused, environment, there's Drinking Liberally. Here are the Drinking Liberally groups in California:

San Jose
* Second Thursday of each month, 6:30 and on
* Trials Pub in downtown San Jose, 265 N 1st St (main cross streets: W St James and W Julian)
* September is our first meeting with our new host! I'm looking for a co-host, so let me know if you are interested
* Hosted by Mia White, sanjose (at) drinkingliberally.org

Downtown Los Angeles
* Third Wednesday of each month, 6:00-8:00 pm
* The Edison, 108 West 2nd St
* We'll be in the area past the bar, known as the "Generator Lounge" (the entrance to the bar is through the alley off of 2nd street)
* Hosted by Vincent Jones, Cecilia Cabello, Becca Doten, Roxi Reeves and Jim Kennedy, downtownla (at) drinkingliberally.org

Hollywood
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 PM
* Molly Malone's Irish Pub, 575 South Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles 90036 (near corner of 6th avenue)
* http://www.mollymalonesla.com/
* Hosted by Vincent Jones, Jim Kennedy and Mary Jack, la (at) drinkingliberally.org

Pasadena
* Every Tuesday, 7:30-10:00 pm
* Madeleine's Wine Bistro, 1030 E Green St (between Wilson and Catalina)
* We'll start out in the wine bar, then move out to the front patio.
* Hosted by Asa Hopkins, pasadena (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Fernando Valley
* First and third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The White Harte Pub, 22456 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills (Two blocks west of Shoup Ave.)
* Hosted by Andy Beaton and Jon Hytowitz, sfv (at) drinkingliberally.org

Westside
* Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7:00-9:00 pm
* Cock and Bull Pub, 2947 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica
* Hosted by Vincent Jones, Mary Jack, Robert Coyner, Gisele Perez, Jeremy Bloom, Tami Reiss, Marc Saltzberg and Jim Kennedy, westsidela (at) drinkingliberally.org

Monterey, California
* First Wednesday of each month, 6:30 pm onward
* Ol' Factory Cafe, 1725 Contra Costa St (In Sand City, off of Del Monte Blvd)
* http://www.olfactorycafe.com/
* Please note that The Ol' Factory Cafe currently only takes cash and local checks.
* Hosted by Annie Ho, monterey (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Ana
* Every Thursday, 8:30 pm onward
* Memphis Bar, 201 N Broadway (Artists Village)
* Hosted by Mike Lawson, orangecounty (at) drinkingliberally.org

Rancho Santa Margarita
* Every Thursday, 7:00 pm onward
* Canyon Fireside Grille, 22312 El Paseo
* Hosted by Gary Kephart, rsm (at) drinkingliberally.org

Huntington Beach
* First and third Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Oggi's Pizza & Brewing Co. - Out Back On The Patio, 19461 Main St
* Next Meeting will be on Thursday November 15th
* Hosted by Scott McKown and Louise Stewardson, huntingtonbeach (at) drinkingliberally.org

Sacramento, California
* Second Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* BJs Restaurant and Brewery, 3531 N Freeway Blvd (Natomas)
* Come check out our new venue and meet some new people!
* Hosted by Leslie Simmons, sacramento (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Diego, California
* Every other Tuesday, 7:30 pm onward
* Nunu's Cocktail Lounge, 3537 5th Ave (Between Brookes and Ivy Ln)
* We will also be meeting periodically at Firehouse in Pacific Beach for special editions of Drinking Liberally. 722 Grand Avenue Pacific Beach, CA 92109
* Hosted by Jesse Rubin and Jason Miller, sandiego (at) drinkingliberally.org

San Francisco
* Every Monday, 7:00-9:00 pm
* Nickie's, 466 Haight Street (between Fillmore & Webster) (Look for our red, white and blue striped bottle!)
* Hosted by Susan Harrison, sf (at) drinkingliberally.org

Oakland
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 6:00 - 9:00 PM
* Luka's Taproom & Lounge, 2221 Broadway
* Join us for the Eating Liberally Oakland Brunch at Luka's
* Hosted by Cyril Allen and Philip Combs, oakland (at) drinkingliberally.org

Napa
* First and third Monday of each month, 5:00-6:30 pm
* Compadre's, 505 Lincoln Ave
* Hosted by Mick Winter and Lauren Coodley, napa (at) drinkingliberally.org


San Luis Obispo, California
* First and third Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* The Graduate, 990 Industrial Way
* Hosted by Lorrie Toles and Sergio Monge, slo (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Barbara, California
* Every Wednesday, 8 pm - 10 pm
* Elsie's Bar, 117 W de la Guerra St (behind Paseo Nuveo Mall)
* Elsie's is 21+ and cash only
* Hosted by Daryl Chrisman and Bart Woolery, santabarbara (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Clarita, California
* Second Wednesday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Mulligans, 25848 Tournament Rd (Near Cal Arts)
* Hosted by Michael Cruz, Bill Bailey and Minerva Williams, santaclarita (at) drinkingliberally.org

Santa Cruz, California
* First Tuesday of each month, 8:00 pm onward
* Cafe Pergolesi, 418 Cedar St (In the orange room to the right and back)
* Hosted by Brandon Smith and Natalie Rojas, santacruz (at) drinkingliberally.org

Stockton, California
* Third Friday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Stockton Grand Hotel, 2323 Grand Canal Blvd (Front of Bar)
* Grand Hotel tel. 209-957-9090
* Joel's Cell: 209-351-3397
* Hosted by Joel Carignan, stockton (at) drinkingliberally.org

Ventura, California
* Second and fourth Wednesday of each month, 8:00 pm
* JJ Brewsky's, now and forever, 2344 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo (in the heart of Old Town Camarillo)
* Join us every second and fourth Wednesdays at 8:00 PM for a pint and some politics!
* Heather, Marie, Mark and Brian
* Hosted by Heather Schmidt, Marie Davis, Mark Eggertsen and Brian Mack, ventura (at) drinkingliberally.org

GEORGIA FOCUS: Blogs, Jim Martin, Alternative Energy, Veterans For Peace, NAACP, Groups and Events

The Georgia Senate Race is in a runoff election. This race is not just another important pick up opportunity. It is a matter of honor both for Democrats and for all Vietnam Vets.

This year Georgia has the opportunity not only to elect a fine Democrat, Jim Martin, to the Senate, but also to right a wrong committed by Republicans 6 years ago. Jim Martin is running against Republican Saxby Chambliss who ran a sleazy, nasty smear campaign against Vietnam War hero and disabled Veteran Max Cleland. Saxby Chambliss, in comparison to Max Cleland's war record, was given five student deferments and he received a medical deferment for a bad knees due to a football injury. So Chickenhawk Chambliss smeared a genuine war hero, Max Cleland to win a Senate seat.

Now Democrat Jim Martin, also Vietnam Veteran, is running to defeat Chickenhawk Chambliss. Here is the latest ad from Jim Martin's campaign:



Jim Martin has been endorsed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

In his almost six years in the U.S. Senate, Saxby Chambliss has built a reputation as a loyal defender of President Bush and his policies and as a champion of corporate interests.

The people of Georgia now have to decide whether that’s the senator they want for the next six years as well...

[Jim] Martin, a University of Georgia graduate who volunteered to serve his country in Vietnam, has pitched his campaign at his opponent’s weak spot by focusing on protecting the middle class. He advocates lower taxes on the middle class, stronger consumer protection laws and an end to corporate welfare. He has also criticized Chambliss’ vote on the Wall Street rescue package, a position that frankly smacks of political opportunism.

However, Martin has a long record of public service in the state Legislature, where he earned respect from Democrats and Republicans alike for his intelligence and willingness to buck party leaders if necessary. He was appointed by Gov. Roy Barnes, a fellow Democrat, to head the Department of Human Resources, and was asked to remain in that post when Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue took office.

He is what he seems like, a smart guy who wants to help his fellow Georgians and doesn’t care who gets the credit...

Overall...the best candidate is Martin. In what look to be six difficult years ahead, he would do well for the people of Georgia.

Jim Martin has also been endorsed by the Macon Telegraph.

Jim Martin is the best choice for Georgia. But it goes beyond this. To me, defeating Saxby Chambliss is a matter of honor as well because of how he "won" the Senate seat through smearing a good man and, quite likely, through fraud. A win for Jim Martin would not only replace a Bush Republican with someone who is more loyal to the people of Georgia than to the failed Bush policies, but also would restore the honor of Georgia.

Six years ago Republican Saxby Chambliss won the Georgia Senate race through a sleazy smear campaign against Vietnam War Hero and disabled Veteran Max Cleland. Chambliss ran one of the nastiest campaigns I have ever seen and the fact that he called the loyalty of a decorated war hero into question added to my disgust. Even fellow Republicans John McCain and Chuck Hagel were disgusted by Saxby Chambiss' sleaze campaign.

But it also appears Chambliss won at least partly due to election fraud. According to Republican cybersecurity expert Stephen Spoonamore, formerly an adviser to Sen. John McCain, investigated a computer patch that was installed PERSONALLY by Diebold CEO Bob Urosevich in just two counties, DeKalb and Fulton, both Democratic strongholds. From Raw Story:

A leading cyber-security expert and former adviser to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) says he has fresh evidence regarding election fraud on Diebold electronic voting machines during the 2002 Georgia gubernatorial and senatorial elections.

Stephen Spoonamore is the founder and until recently the CEO of Cybrinth LLC, an information technology policy and security firm that serves Fortune 100 companies. At a little noticed press conference in Columbus, Ohio Thursday, he discussed his investigation of a computer patch that was applied to Diebold Election Systems voting machines in Georgia right before that state's November 2002 election.

Let me just say here that I publicized some Democrats who called attention to this same computer patch back in 2002. No one listend back then. But maybe a major Republican IT expert can finally get some attention to this issue. More from the same article:

Spoonamore is one of the most prominent cyber-security experts in the country. He has appeared on CNN's Lou Dobbs and ABC's World News Tonight, and has security clearances from his work with the intelligence community and other government agencies, as well as the Department of Defense, and is one of the world’s leading authorities on hacking and cyber-espionage...

Spoonamore received the Diebold patch from a whistleblower close to the office of Cathy Cox, Georgia’s then-Secretary of State. In discussions with RAW STORY, the whistleblower -- who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation -- said that he became suspicious of Diebold's actions in Georgia for two reasons. The first red flag went up when the computer patch was installed in person by Diebold CEO Bob Urosevich, who flew in from Texas and applied it in just two counties, DeKalb and Fulton, both Democratic strongholds. The source states that Cox was not privy to these changes until after the election and that she became particularly concerned over the patch being installed in just those two counties.

The whistleblower said another flag went up when it became apparent that the patch installed by Urosevich had failed to fix a problem with the computer clock, which employees from Diebold and the Georgia Secretary of State’s office had been told the patch was designed specifically to address.

The article goes on to discuss probable Republican fraund in Ohio in 2004.

Saxby Chambliss: a dishonorable Bush Republican who even Republicans think cheated and lied his way into office.

Jim Martin: an honorble Veteran respected by both Democrats and Republicans. You can learn more about Jim Martin at his website.


BLOGGING GEORGIA:

For Local Georgia News and Events, go to Lefty Blogs Georgia for the latest.

GEORGIA WOMEN VOTE: Georgia politics from a woman's perspective

Tondee's Tavern: "A Practical and Useful Blog for the benefit of PROGRESSIVES in GEORGIA."


Here are some stories of interest:

The AJC Endorses Jim Martin as a "Fighter for the Little Guy"

Georgia's Unemployment Rate Up To A 16-year High. Bush has sure ruined this economy...with help from people like Saxby Chambliss who can't even bother to make a key vote on extending unemployment benefits to hard hit Americans!

Mike Sheffield in Bed with Republicans

Don't Shop at Wal-Mart this Holiday Season (personally I like Costco better!)

Might the Church Lead on Same-Sex Unions?...and on a related note: Ministers Preach to Gays and Straights at Atlanta’s Join the Impact Protest Against Prop 8

Associated Press Reports Roy Barnes Being Considered For Secretary of Education

Macon for Martin

GA-SEN: Obama sending team to GA to ensure Martin victory . And a related issue: Senate runoff will draw national attention. And, of course, McCain's original view of Chambliss was "reprehensible"

Saxby's Greatest Hits (more like greatest flops!)

Interview With Georgia Senate Candidate Jim Martin


ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IN GEORGIA:

Saving the Economy and Environment with Clean Energy!
Solar, Wind, Energy Efficiency, and Energy Conservation all have the power to meet our current and projected energy demand more cheaply then fossil fuels (read: Fools), all while providing more local jobs then traditional coal, nuclear, or natural gas plants! Join here for more details. Or go here: www.cleanpower4georgians.com

Atlanta Beyond Oil
We are interested in peak oil, global warming, relocalization,
sustainable communities, alternative energy, permaculture, and more. We are beginning to network with other Metro Atlanta groups and to have events that educate people about our concerns. We offer support, information, and opportunities to contribute to the solution. We'd love to have you join us! Go here for more details.

The Atlanta Green Living Meetup Group
We will meet to share ideas, listen to speakers, review new products, and organize in the community to promote the preservation of Atlanta's natural environment. The group focuses on easy, accessible options that everyone can take to reduce their footprint. Join here for more info.

2009 BIO International Convention
May 18, 2009 - May 21, 2009

Atlanta, Georgia - The BIO International Convention is the largest biotechnology event in the world. The Convention helps BIO fulfill its mission to help grow the global biotech industry. The BIO International Convention features keynotes and sessions from key policymakers, scientists, CEOs, and celebrities. Past speakers include President George W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, Michael J. Fox, Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan, among many others. The convention also includes hundreds of sessions covering biotech trends, policy issues and technological innovations, and the world's largest biotechnology exhibition - the BIO Exhibition. Go here for more information and registration.


Veterans for Peace, Atlanta has several vigils and rallies around Atlanta. Here is their weekly schedule. I urge you to join them if you can to show your support:

Tuesdays 12:45-1 pm
Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Emory University , in front of Woodruff Library. For more information e-mail: thee.smith@emory. edu.

Thursdays 5:00-6:00pm
Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at CNN, Marietta and Centennial Olympic Park. For more information e-mail John.Zientowski@ turner.com

Fridays 12:00-1:00 pm
Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Colony Square , corner of Peachtree and 14th Street . For more information, e-mail bobbiepaul@rp.cbeyond.com

Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Marietta Square ( Cobb Court House). For more information e-mail cobbpeace@comcast.net

Saturdays
12:00-1:00
Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at Dekalb Farmers Market At 3000 Ponce de Leon Avenue , Decatur For more information, Fro more information e-mail John.Zientowski@ turner.com

Sundays
12:15-1:00 pm
Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at the corner of MLK Drive and Washington Street (across from the state capitol). For more information, e-mail elogan@gsu.edu or peggyhendrix2000@yahoo.com.

12:00-12:30 pm
Weekly "Stand for Peace" vigil at 910 Ponce De Leon Ave NE ,Open Door Community. For more information contact Lauren Cogswell at lauren_cogswell@yahoo.com, 404-874-9652


Next let me highlight some NAACP groups:

The Cobb County NAACP monthly meetings are the first Monday of the month at the branch office at 6:30 p.m.

General membership meets the fourth Tuesday of the month, mostly at the office location but varies based on programs. Members are encouraged to attend these meetings. Join a committee today. Elections of officers are held in even years.

For more info contact the branch office: 605 B. Roswell St Marietta, GA 30061 770.425.5757 info_at_cobbnaacp.org

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, is the oldest, largest and strongest civil rights organization in the United States. The principal objective of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of the United States.

The NAACP is committed to achievement through non-violence and relies upon the press, the petition, the ballot and the courts, and is persistent in the use of legal and moral persuasion even in the face of overt and violent racial hostility.

Fayette County NAACP Branch General Membership Meeting:
2nd Saturday Each Month - 4:00 PM, Flat Rock AME Church

And if you want contact info for other NAACP branches in Georgia (mainly addresses), please go here.


Here are a couple of Democracy for America meetings in Georgia:

Decatur Meeting: First Wed. of every month, 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM, Location: ChocoLate Coffee, 2094 North Decatur Rd, Decatur, GA, 30033 US Contact: Susan Keith susan_at_georgiafordemocracy.org

The North Fulton/East Cobb Democracy for America: Second Tuesday of every month, 7:00 PM, sign up here to find out where and more details.

You can also sign up here to help organize a Georgia for Democracy group in your area.

Georgia Equality is the political advocacy voice of Georgia's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender citizens and their allies. Founded in Atlanta in 1995, it has grown into a true statewide organization and is known nationally as one of the leaders among state and local LGBT groups.


Here are more groups and events in Georgia:

Atlanta Area Democrats Meetup Group: Grassroots Democrats upset with the direction the Republicans are taking our country and our state - we're taking action! Sign up for more information.

Cobb County Young Democrats
Monthly Happy Hours on the first Fridays of every month and monthly Business Meetings on the third Tuesdays of every month. Both are great opportunities to meet fellow Cobb County Young Democrats and learn about the 2008 heated races taking place in Cobb County.

Happy Hours: BLACKBIRD, 114 W Hancock St, Milledgeville, GA, 31061 US
Contact: Christin Ivey, Christin_ivey@ecats.gcsu.edu,

Business Mettings: Little Azio Pizza and Pasta 1675 Cumberland Pkwy, Ivywalk Unit #415, Smyrna, GA, 30080 US
Contact: Alexandra O'Callaghan, alli@georgiayds.org,

Cherokee County Democratic Party Meeting
Third Monday of Every Month, 7 PM
Hot Springs Community Center
100 Hickory Circle
Holly Springs, GA
More info here.

Atlanta Amnesty International Chapter 75: Meet others in your local area interested in Amnesty International USA, a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. Sign up to find out when and where.


Drinking Liberally is a grassroots social organizations for people who like to meet fellow liberals over a good beer. Here are the Drinking Liberally chapters in Georgia:

Atlanta, Georgia
* Every Thursday, 8:00 pm onward
* Thinking Man's Tavern, 537 W Howard Ave, Decatur
* Hosted by Erin Abrahams, atlanta (at) drinkingliberally.org

Dunwoody
* First and third Wednesday of each month (next meeting January 2), 7:00 pm onward
* Ye Olde Dunwoody Tavern, 5488 Chamblee Dunwoody Rd (map)
* Hosted by Hillary Meister, dunwoody (at) drinkingliberally.org

Augusta, Georgia
* Second and fourth Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm onward
* Helga's Lounge, 2015 Central Ave
* Hosted by Margie Hobbins, augusta (at) drinkingliberally.org

Savannah, Georgia
* First and third Thursday of each month, 7:30 pm onward
* Crystal Beer Parlor, 301 W Jones St (corner of west jones and jefferson)
* lots of parking
* Hosted by John Mattingly, Victor Fishman and McKay Schwalbach, savannah (at) drinkingliberally.org