The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Originally intended for New York City progressives, its readership is now national. For anyone who wants to be alerted by email whenever this newsletter is updated (usually weekly), please send your email address and let me know what state you live in (so I can keep track of my readership).
This week Biden showed us why Obama picked him as VP...how many other people will take on Dick Cheney? Biden said what we all want said to Dick Cheney:
Meanwhile Obama made a "surprise" visit to Baghdad (I had actually been wondering when he was going to make an appearance) and was greeted with wild enthusiasm by our troops: (image from BBC News)
Better yet, here's a video:
And while there he reiterated his promise that all American troops will be withdrawn by the end of 2011. Not as quick a time frame as I would like, but it is nice to hear a definite date and to hear it being emphasized at every opportunity. I should also add that MOST US troops are to be out by the end of 2010, a timeline that is reasonable given the logistics of transporting that many troops out in an orderly fashion. The residual "advisers and support staff" that will remain until 2011 is worrisome. What happens if they are attacked? Will we send in reinforcements? It sounds like a possible disaster, but also could be a good way to help ensure stability in Iraq without committing our combat troops.
This past couple of weeks has been big for marriage equality. Iowa's supreme court declared the limiting of civil marriage (note...CIVIL marriage, not referring to any religious ceremony) to only opposite-sex couples is unconstitutional. Then Vermont's legislature managed to override their governor's veto and legalized marriage equality. That means more than 2/3 of Vermont's state legislators supported marriage equality! Finally, Washington, DC had said it would recognize all marriages recognized in other states, meaning that although marriage equality is not accepted in DC, the same-sex marriages in Iowa and Vermont will be legal in DC.
Here is a statement from Iowa's Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal:
Of course the right wing extremists are going insane, mis-quoting chapter and verse to try and support their intolerance. Well, funny that they are so selective about what they take a stand on. For those who want to go all the way with Leviticus and Deuteronomy, there is God Hate Shrimp, taking the rightous protest to Long John Sliver's and Red Lobster.
Finally, let me note that the candidates I was plugging in Wisconsin's Spring election this last week did extremely well. You can read about it below.
It is well known that confessions obtained under severe duress, like under torture, are very unreliable. At a point most people will confess to anything once the duress gets to a certain point. This basic fact was well known as far back as the Spanish Inquisition. Such confessions, clearly false, were obtained from the Knights Templar and from the Albigensians when the Catholic church and French kings wanted to suppress them.
Most modern police forces know that duress is a bad way to get a confession. It is a delicate balance between using duress properly and using it improperly. But by the time you get to torture, that balance has long ago been violated.
Bush and the Republicans argued that America had to us torture (illegally) to protect Americans from terrorists. Ignore for a moment the stupidity and Orwellian doublespeak in this and the fact that violating one's own morals to feel marginally safer is immoral. The simple fact is that the premise behind this, that torture could be used to make us safer, was false.
In the end, though, not a single significant plot was foiled as a result of Abu Zubaida's tortured confessions, according to former senior government officials who closely followed the interrogations. Nearly all of the leads attained through the harsh measures quickly evaporated, while most of the useful information from Abu Zubaida -- chiefly names of al-Qaeda members and associates -- was obtained before waterboarding was introduced, they said.
Moreover, within weeks of his capture, U.S. officials had gained evidence that made clear they had misjudged Abu Zubaida. President George W. Bush had publicly described him as "al-Qaeda's chief of operations," and other top officials called him a "trusted associate" of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and a major figure in the planning of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. None of that was accurate, the new evidence showed.
Abu Zubaida was not even an official member of al-Qaeda, according to a portrait of the man that emerges from court documents and interviews with current and former intelligence, law enforcement and military sources....
Abu Zubaida is not a good man. He deserves to be captured, inetrrogated legally, and procecuted for terrorism. But we did not stop there. When we used torture, we broke the law, broke basic codes of morality, and used improper interrogation techniques. At that moment we lost our moral high ground, lost the sympathy of many in the world, and, in essence, misled ourselves.
The use of torture by the Bush administration, far from being effective, almost certainly MISLED officials, making us LESS safe. This error is so basic that most law enforcement agencies in the nation know it. Yet the Bush administration, fully supported by the Republican Party, violated basic American morality while also making us LESS safe. Furthermore, it has since been well established that our use of torture was one of the factors inspiring NEW recruits to al-Qaeda. We violated our own laws and codes of morality, we allowed ourselves to be misled by information we should have known was wrong, and we gave our enemies on of their best recruiting tools ever. THAT is the Republican legacy.
Torture is seldom used as a genuine tool to get information, and when it does it often leads to false information. Torture is generally used primarily as a tool of oppression. That is how Hitler, Stalin, the Khmer Rouge, and a whole host of others used it. Even, I should think, the ancient Roman law that required testimony of slaves to be obtained under torture to be admissable was mmore a way of keeping the slaves in their place than an effective way of obtaining information. The Republican support of torture will go down in history as one of their worst atrocities and their worst blunders.
I have often raised issues with nuclear energy in response to the resurgence of nuclear advocates that seem to be blogging these days. I have raised many objections, based on what I read from the Union of Concerned Scientists and other scientific sources. One source in particular I drew from was a book on global warming I discussed here and here.
Most recently I got caught up in yet another debate on Daily Kos with nuke advocates. They, quite typically, denigrated other energy sources, over sold nuke energy, and behaved rude and overbearing. And they kept claiming that nuclear waste wasn't a problem or was a soluble problem, that nuke energy was either the ONLY alternative to fossil fuels or the main alternative, and that the cost of nuke energy was cheaper than anything else.
Coincidentally I was listening the same day to an NPR interview with an expert from the Federation of American Scientist who was being asked about nuclear energy. He raised the following difficulties with nuke energy, all of which I have raised in the past:
1. Nuke energy is hugely expensive to build.
2. It takes 10 years to get a nuke plant running (which is too late given the time frames given by global warming scientists who tell us we have 1-5 years left to address global warming)
3. Reprocessing only addresses about 1% of the waste and even then it is so expensive to do that mining new uranium is more practical.
4. There is nothing currently planned for dealing with the waste. All is stored in "long-term, temporary" sites in hopes something will be worked out eventually.
5. Safety is hugely improved since the 1970's but the waste issues remain unresolved.
6. Nuke energy gets huge government subsidies on many levels including government taking responsibility for liability insurance, tax breaks for building the plants and taking over responsibility for storing waste
I have been told by nuclear activists that waste is not a problem anymore, that it isn't so expensive to build, that the government doesn't subsidize, and that it only takes 3-5 years to build a plant. Yet this guy's comments supports everything I have heard and quoted before as problems with nuke energy from many sources. The bulk of nuke advocates seem to be going against what the Union of Concerned Scientists AND the Federation of American Scientists are talking about.
I will note some other details that have been brought up relating to some of these points.
With regards to reprocessing, although it only deals with 1% of the waste, some people feel that more than 95% of the waste is non-radioactive and therefore not a problem This would mean that reprocessing could deal with MORE than 20% of the dangerous waste. First off, this is not how the FAS representative presented it, so I am not sure that it is true that almost all the waste is safe. More importantly, the assumption is that if it is non-radioactive it is safe, which is not necessarily true. So from what I understand almost all the waste is toxic, and a portion of it is severely radioactive. Reprocessing can mitigate the latter issue, but not the general toxicity. The waste is still a problem and one that has not ever been adequately addressed.
The subsidies issue is another hot topic. There is much debate about what precisely is a subsidy. But what has been pointed out to me is this: fossil fuels get more subsidies than either nuclear or clean energies. Getting rid of subsidies for fossil fuels would be of benefit for both the nuke energy and the renewable energy industries. It is possibly the main area of agreement between these two groups.
Finally, I should note that the nuke advocates keep claiming that alternatives can't meet our energy needs. In so claiming they are not adequately taking into account the COMBINATION of energy efficiency with alternatives like solar and wind with alternatives like biomass, small hydroelectric, and geothermal. Generally they ONLY address wind and solar, ignoring all these other alternatives. I would add tidal but I am not sure it's applicability to the current debate.
So beware the nuke advocates. They will mislead you. This does not mean they are completely wrong. There may well be a limited role for nuclear energy in our future. I don't rule that out. But they too often mislead on the promise of other energy sources, mislead regarding nuclear waste, mislead on safety (which is a shame since in general they are right that the American industry has improved safety a great deal), and overstate the promise of nuke energy. They also usually ignore the costs and environmental impact of building the plants and mining the fuel.
For now I think wind, solar, biomass (biodiesel and methane from trash and manure in particular) and geothermal are our main energy sources we need to throw money at. After that might come tidal and nuclear, which have huge cost and technology issues that might be soluble. Keep this in mind when you hear energy debates.
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.
Democracy for NYC in Brooklyn:
Democracy for New York City (DFNYC) is a volunteer-driven non-profit politicalaction committee. We are part of a national coalition of local groups committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean.
We work both locally and nationally to ensure that fiscally-responsible and socially-progressive candidates win elections at all levels of government. We develop innovative ways to advocate for the issues that matter to our members and promote legislation which has a positive effect in our communities. We engage people in the political process and give them the tools to organize, communicate, mobilize, and enact change on the local, state, and national level.
Currently there is only one Brooklyn chapter:
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn - Meets First Wednesday of every month. 7:00pm, Wyckoff-Bennett Homestead 1669 E. 22nd St. with host Annette Mont and Estelle Glasser.
I love Brooklyn—our neighborhoods and our people, the incredible warmth I feel walking around our vibrant and diverse communities. Like you, I know that Brooklyn is a terrific place to live and raise our families. But everywhere we look these days, the things that make our borough great are under assault. Developers and out of touch politicians seem determined to transform our community into an endless series of high-rise condos and strip malls. I believe that unchecked development threatens the beauty and integrity of our neighborhoods, overtaxes public services, and places an incalculable burden on our fragile ecology. I’m willing to stand up to the developers, and I hope you’ll stand with me.
As President of Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID) for the past two years, and as an executive member of Democracy for New York City, I've had the honor and pleasure of working with fellow concerned citizens to help change Brooklyn for the better: Local government that doesn't fear its constituents, but embraces them. A political ecosystem that nourishes and amplifies our core values rather than suppresses them. Transparency, honesty, community empowerment, and more than just lip service for the progressive values our neighborhoods share. I will continue to work on behalf of schools and teachers for our children, an environmental policy brave enough to protect the planet for future generations, and I will stand strong and defend our neighborhoods from the out of control, out of context development that seems to be everywhere, and advocate for smart growth and community based planning.
I look forward to bringing the enthusiasm I've shared with so many of you to city council.
Here are some more of my endorsements in Brooklyn:
34th City Council District: Diana Reyna. The first woman of Dominican-American descent to be elected to NYC public office. Reyna is being heavily targeted by Brooklyn Boss Vito Lopez because she hasn't gone along with his corruption. Seems to me a certain Surrogate Judge had a similar experience and won when Vito tried to take his revenge. I think we can defeat Vito again. I don't consider Reyna my ideal candidate (she is one of the Bloomberg 29, for example), but I certainly won't support Vito's corruption candidate against her.
35th City Council District: Letitia James wholeheartedly. An amazing woman!
38th City Council District: David Galarza wholeheartedly. I know him and he is a good guy. Smart, honest, progressive and reform minded.
40th City Council District: Rock Hackshaw. He is a fellow blogger and his knowledge of Brooklyn politics is amazing. I differ with this guy on some issues. He is too conservative to my mind. But I know him and his honesty and integrity are exceptional and I think he would be an excellent City Councilman. Since he is running against a guy who lies about being a doctor and is as strange and squirrely as you can get, Rock would be a very welcome change. (No website yet?)
45th City Council District: Two candidates I like. First Terry Hinds. I have three people giving very good recommendations for this guy. But I also think Rod Daley is good and represents a chance to get another educator on the city council.
DRINKING LIBERALLY IN BROOKLYN:
An informal, inclusive progressive social group. 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.
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
FOOD CO-OPS IN BROOKLYN:
Park Slope Food Co-op 782 Union Street Brooklyn, New York 11215 Phone: (718) 622-0560 FAX: (718) 622-5685 linda_wheeler@psfc.coop http://www.foodcoop.com/
This is the largest Food Co-op in America. Joy and I are members (as are City Council Candidates Ken Baer and Josh Skaller). Low prices and high quality even if it can be a bit inconvenient at times.
Flatbush Food Cooperative 1318 Cortelyou Road Brooklyn, New York 11226 Phone: (718) 284-9717 FAX: (718) 284-9719 info@flatbushfoodcoop.com http://www.flatbushfoodcoop.com/
Established in 1976, and located on Cortelyou Road in the heart of Victorian Flatbush since 1985, Flatbush Food Coop is a community-owned, full-service natural foods store specializing in organic products. We are committed to serving the diverse community in which we are situated, and beyond, by providing goods and services that promote personal and environmental well-being. Like the 300 food coops across the nation with which we are affiliated, we are open to all—it is not necessary to be a member to shop. By joining the Coop, however, you become a joint owner of our business and are able to take additional savings on your purchases. There are opportunities for varying degrees of involvement in the coop, and our member-owners are able to influence the direction of our organization. We are particularly proud that the dozens of ethnic groups in Brooklyn’s most diverse neighborhood are reflected in our staff, our close to 3,000 members, and countless shoppers.
QUEENS, NY: Democracy for America, Candidates and Drinking Liberally
Democracy for NYC in Queens:
Democracy for New York City (DFNYC) is a volunteer-driven non-profit political action committee. We are part of a national coalition of local groups committed to the ideals espoused by Democracy for America, the organization founded by Howard Dean.
We work both locally and nationally to ensure that fiscally-responsible and socially-progressive candidates win elections at all levels of government. We develop innovative ways to advocate for the issues that matter to our members and promote legislation which has a positive effect in our communities. We engage people in the political process and give them the tools to organize, communicate, mobilize, and enact change on the local, state, and national level.
Currently there are three Brooklyn chapters: Each meets the First Wednesday of every month.
Astoria, Queens - 7:30pm, - Ommonia Cafe 32-20 Broadway, with host Jeremiah Frei-Pearson and Costa Constantinides.
Sunnyside, Queens - 7:30pm, Bliss Street Station restaurant, 47-02 Greenpoint Ave., with host Dan Jacoby.
Bayside, Queens - 7:00pm, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics.
Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens
The Lesbian & Gay Democratic Club of Queens (LGDCQ) is the only lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender independent Democratic club in the Borough of Queens.
The LGDCQ was founded eleven years ago to increase the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities in the political arena of Queens, New York City, New York State and the nation.
To receive the monthly newsletter or to be put on the Club's mailing list contact; Democratic District Leader Daniel Dromm at Write "LGDCQ Newsletter" in subject title.
CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATES IN QUEENS:
Marquez Claxton for City Council: A former NYC Police Officer and co-founder of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, Marq Claxton is running for the City Council District 31 seat in Queens. He is currently the chair of the Public Safety Committee for Community Board 13. He has been endorsed by Eric Adams (who I know and respect) and is being considered by the Working Families Party as a candidate. Here is Eric Adam's endorsement statement:
Here is Marq Claxton opposing Bloomberg's term limits coup:
Daniel Dromm for City Council: a public school teacher running for the City Council District 25 seat in Queens. He was a founder of the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens and chapter leader of United Federation of Teachers, PS 199Q. He has been endorsed by the United Federation of Teachers, Mark Green, and others. WFP seem to be considering him as well. Dromm received the "Community Service Impact Award" from the Times Ledger Newspapers (2006), the "Outstanding Teacher of the Year" PS 199Q Principal's Award (2006), and the "Citation of Honor" from the Queens Borough President (1995). Seems like exactly the experience we need on the City Council.
Here is a video of Daniel Dromm at Pride '09:
Here is a video of Daniel Dromm protesting the Con Ed rate hikes and inadequate service:
This guys sounds pretty exciting given his experience. From his website:
Melquiades Gagarin was born in Elmhurst, Queens to a diverse family background. Mel was raised by his grandmother and mother, a nurse, who emphasized the value of hard work and service to others. Mel carries these values with him into his campaign to represent the 29th Council District.
Mel is a graduate of Archbishop Molloy High School, in Jamaica and received his degree in Political Science from the American University in Washington D.C. After graduation Mel worked for the National Foundation for Women Legislators, a non-profit organization that assists female state legislators develop leadership skills.
In the fall of 2005, Mel and his future wife Aleda returned to New York and moved to Kew Gardens where they would start their family. Mel served as the Communications Liaison to New York State Senator José Serrano before being hired by Congressman Anthony Weiner as his Community Representative. As the Congressman’s Community Representative Mel was dedicated to assisting constituents and working to solve their problems.
Mel now serves as the Media Manager for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, where he is responsible for spreading the organization’s message of equality and justice for all Americans. He lives in Kew Gardens with his wife Aleda, son Micah, and daughter Zoe Frances.
And a video from his website:
Some other endorsements I am making in Queens:
19th City Council District: Steve Behar. I have met Steve at several Democracy for NYC events. Great guy who has worked tirelessly for progressives in NYC and throughout the state.
24th City Council District: Jim Gennaro. Excellent environmental advocate pushing for more biodiesel in NYC to reduce pollution, and a strong advocate for preserving the safety of our drinking water.
DRINKING LIBERALLY IN QUEENS:
An informal, inclusive progressive social group. 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.
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
BRONX, NY: Green Collar Jobs, Food Co-ops, City Council Candidate
April 25th: Get Green: South Bronx Earth Fest Join Sustainable South Bronx at St. Mary's Park on St. Ann's Avenue and 146th Street from noon to 4:00 p.m. to celebrate Earth Day. This intergenerational event will not only celebrate our environment, but also the community we live in. Other expected organizations include Bronx Chamber of Commerce, Bronx River Alliance, Bronx YMCA, CityMatters, Council on the Environment of NYC, Materials for the Arts, Nos Quedamos, NYC Parks Department, and Waste Management of NY.
Training a New Generation of Green Collar Workers
Celebrating Over 100 Graduates and 5 years of Success
BEST & Introducing BEST for Buildings
The Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training (BEST) program is one of the nation's first and most successful green-collar job training & placement systems. Students graduate with several certifications, job readiness preparation, and a powerful environmental justice perspective on all of the important work they are qualified to do. Nearly all of the students were on some form of public assistance, and about half have prison records. This 14-16-week program is free to qualified applicants. We work with our graduates to help them find the right job, and we track their progress for 3 years in case they need help finding their place in this growing and rewarding job market. Now in its 5th year of operation, over 80% are employed and 15% have gone on to higher education.
Due to the ever increasing demands in the burgeoning green-collar economy and its successful track record of pathways out of poverty, SSBx is proud to announce its new 10 to 13 week pilot job training program in basic building construction, energy retrofits, and home energy audits - BEST for Buildings! Accepting applications NOW!
HOW TO APPLY- We are currently accepting applications for both BEST training programs now! Download application!
BEST CURRICULUM Hands-On Training:
River BankRestoration Bioremediation Green Roof Installation Green Roof Maintenance Phytomediation Ecological Restoration Wetland Restoration Stream Bank Stabilization Landscape 101 Plants, trees, shrubs, identification Water and Soil Quality Testing Wildlife Identification Brownfield Remediation Hazardous Waste Cleanup Asbestos Abatement Power Tool Safety & Operation
CERTIFICATIONS: First Aid and CPR NYC Tree Pruner Entry Level Tree Climbing 40 Hour Hazardous Waste Cleanup 10 Hour OSHA Herbicide/Pesticide Applicator
New York Botanical Garden Classes: Intro to Horticulture Intro to Ecology Chainsaw safety and usage Preparation for Pesticide Applicator Certification Examination Intro to Wetland Restoration
BEST for BUILDINGS CURRICULUM: CERTIFICATIONS: OSHA 10 Hour Safety for Construction Lead Awareness Asbestos Handling
SOUTH BRONX FOOD CO-OP:
It took nearly 7 years living within a few blocks of one of the biggest food co-ops in America before Joy and I joined it. We were definitely reluctant. But, in the end the lack of good produce and the decline of our local supermarkets led to us joining. And the result is a slighly more inconvenient shopping trip each week, but much healthier, higher quality and cheaper food. I recommend joining a co-op if there is one nearby. You will save money and eat healthier. So I will try to highlight some co-ops in the coming week.
Here is a food co-op in the South Bronx:
The South Bronx Food Cooperative (SBxFC) is a green shopping alternative to the profit-oriented commercial food markets found in the Bronx. Founded and operated by committed residents, the SBxFC is dedicated to making a difference in the community by working together to provide healthy and affordable food to all who want it.
The South Bronx Food cooperative carries a wide variety of products, including local, organic and conventionally grown produce; pasture-raised, grass-fed and free-range meats and poultry; bulk grains, sugars, spices and pastas; fair-trade coffees and chocolate; environmentally safe cleaning supplies, and much more. All of this plus a selection of standard supermarket items makes the SBxFC a one-stop shopping destination. Sales are brisk at the SBxFC and inventory is replenished often ensuring that the products we sell are as fresh as possible..
As a member of the SBxFC you share ownership of the coop with fellow members. Members have a voice in the decision-making process and participate in directing the organization's future. Equally important, as a shopper you will know where your food choices come from. By becoming a member you and your family not only have access to fresh foods at reasonable prices, you will learn about our local farmers, organizations and vendors.
In addition to providing green/local products and democratic operations (common at most cooperatives), the SBxFC provides various health and nutrition services including workshops, cooking classes and education seminars. Our community education programs are designed and administered by local medical professionals and nutrition specialist. The goal of the SBxFC is to correct the various health disparities faced by Bronxites including diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.
They seem to even have an online shopping option (members only).
Hours:
11:00 am – 8pm, Thursday – Monday CLOSED Tuesday & Wednesday (Additional hours and days of operation will be added in the very near future)
Location:
3103 Third Avenue Bronx NY 10451 (The corner of 158th St)
BRONX CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE:
Here is a City Council Candidate I am considering supporting in the Bronx
Hello, My name is Jerome Rice, I am running to be your next City Councilman for District 12. I am a family man and resident, that attends church in the Bronx, where I serve as both Trustee and Co-chair to Public Safety. I have a Master Degree in Business Administration from Monroe College. I have served 22 years in the New York Army National Guard, before retiring with the rank of First Sergeant. I have a total of 21 years in the NYC Department of Correction, holding the rank of Captain. I have spent the last 13 years in a Civil Rights organization known as 100 Blacks In Law Enforcement Who Care, where I serve as its Director.
I fought against: Wrongful Police Shooting & Policies such as Stop & Frisk, Operation Lucky Bag, Disparate Treatment against Blacks & Hispanic being arrested for lower crime, Privatizing and Re-Zoing of Harlem. Both your Civil Rights and the Bronx are not for sale.
I have been fighting and will continue to fight for those who can't.
Here are some of the concerns, I will address: Affordable Homes: Why are we allowing homes to be built in our community, that we can't afford? Homes ranging from $350,000-$400,000 and the average income is only $40,000 - $60,000 a year. Lets make homes affordable. Also I will increase inspections and penalties on Landlord that refuse to provide you a comfortable living envirnoment.
Education: I have both created and facilitated informative survival workshops on issues affecting our community such as: What to do, when stopped by the police What to do, when you go to court "Because its Just-Us" Gangs "Our community domestic terrorist' Disaster awareness "Are you ready" and Hunting Season "No where to run, No where to hide"
Our Youth should learn in a comfortable learning envirnoment, by ensuring that each school has enough School Safety Officers to patrol our school ground. I will also ensure that each school has Up-To-Date programs to prepare our youth for the REAL WORLD.
Economic Development: Bring in New Business and support existing business. Open more centers for both our senior citizens and youth.
Public Safety- I will call for increase in Police Patrol, in areas that are seriously impacted with crime. I will introduce new programs to educate our youth and senior citizens on issues regarding crime and health.
Rockefeller Drug Law Reform Deal Reached...It is about time! Although Albany remains dysfunctional even under Dem control, this shows that long-needed reforms can still be accomplished once Dems are in control. This is HUGE reform. Now prisons won't have to release rapists because they have to make room for minor drug offenders because of these ill-conceived laws.
Rock Hackshaw and Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats join Democracy for NYC, Senator Eric Adams and myself in endorsing Norm Siegel for Public Advocate. Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats also endorses John Liu for NYC Comptroller
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
True News from ChangeNYC.Org: ChangeNYC.Org is an organization unifying our City’s Democratic Party by welcoming all New Yorkers back into the political process. We are a coalition of real, everyday New Yorkers – young voters, progressives, neighborhood leaders, community bloggers, good government groups, and even conservatives – who believe that in cooperation we can bring the change to our City that together we have begun to bring to our nation.
Let me highlight some excellent candidates running in New York in 2009: (also see my borough specific sections where I also discuss candidates)
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. He has so far been endorsed by Democracy for NYC, Room 8 Blogger Rock Hackshaw, State Senator Eric Adams, and the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats.
And here is Youtube footage of Norm Siegel and the NYC Coalition To Preserve Term Limits Press Conference:
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. I am particularly watching the following people to see if they are running for City Council. If they run, I am likely to support them:
David Galarza, Council District 38 (I hear he IS indeed running!)
Rocky Chin, Council District 1 Rodrick Daley or Terry Hinds, Council District 45
* A $2 billion investment by Spanish energy company, Iberdrola, will double New York's 1,000-megawatt wind capacity to 2,000-megawatts - providing enough electricity for nearly 600,000 homes.
* New York's energy efficiency programs save enough electricity to power almost 115,000 homes for a whole year, save almost $140 million in energy costs, and prevent the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking over 60,000 cars off the road. Although great progress, the state still has much more potential to increase its energy efficiency.
* The state has a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) that requires all public utilities to generate 24% of their electricity from renewable energy resources by 2013.
What you can do for Clean Energy:
For pennies per month more than you currently pay for energy you can buy 100% green energy from Con-Ed. Joy and I have been doing it for years, seriously reducing our carbon footprint and giving NY State cleaner air. Here's how it works:
Clean Energy for Residential & Small Business Customers ConEdison Solutions is leading the way in promoting pollution-free electricity by offering WIND and GREEN Power - clean, 100% renewable power. Instead of drawing on traditional power sources, such as nuclear power and fossil fuel sources, GREEN Power is generated from regional wind and low-impact hydropower sources. GREEN Power is composed of 65% run-of-the-river hydro and 35% wind power. See content label WIND Power is composed of electricity exclusively generated from 100% wind power. The benefit of clean energy is that it produces none of the detrimental environmental effects associated with electricity production that results in air emissions.
ConEdison Solutions is committed to making a difference in the environment and together we have the opportunity to help make a powerful impact. The cost for renewable energy has fallen dramatically in recent years and is only a fraction higher than electricity generated from traditional power sources. ConEdison Solutions' GREEN Power costs only an additional one cent per kilowatt-hour (kWh) more than our standard offer and WIND Power is an additional 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) more than our standard offer. Upgrading to renewable energy makes a difference and is a very affordable way to show that you care about the future of our environment.
Here are a handful of Organizations worth checking out:
The Environmental Business Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to supporting the growth of the environmental industry in New York State. Specifically, we help to promote and serve serving the industry sectors of Climate Change, Greening Communities, Energy and WALCE (Water-Agriculture-Land Use-Conservation-Environmental). News here. Events list here (not recently updated).
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.
Drop the Rock: Enacted in 1973, the Rockefeller Drug Laws require lengthy prison terms for the possession or sale of a relatively small amount of drugs. There are over 13,000 people in New York’s prisons incarcerated under the drug laws, most of them minor offenders with no history of violent behavior. It costs New York $500 million a year to imprison drug offenders. 90% of the people locked up in New York for drug offenses are African American or Latino, despite research showing that the majority of people who use and sell drugs are white. Research shows that drug treatment is less expensive than imprisonment and more successful in reducing drug-related crime. Repealing the Rockefeller Drug Laws would save the fiscally strapped state over $220 million per year. Get involved here.
DEMOCRACY FOR NYC MEETINGS: First Wednesday of every month.
Upper West Side - 7:00 pm, The Parlour (back room) - 250 West 86th Street (btwn B'way and West End Ave.), with hosts Bernadette Evangelist and Sally Swisher.
West Village - 7:00pm, Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher St. (near 7th Ave.) with host Tracey Keij-Denton.
Astoria, Queens - 7:30pm, - Ommonia Cafe 32-20 Broadway, with host Jeremiah Frei-Pearson and Costa Constantinides.
Sunnyside, Queens - 7:30 pm, Bliss Street Station restaurant, 47-02 Greenpoint Ave., with host Dan Jacoby.
Bayside, Queens - 7:00 pm, The First Edition, 41-08 Bell Blvd, right near the LIRR stop, with host Steve Behar of Democrats for New Politics.
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn - 7:00pm, Wyckoff-Bennett Homestead 1669 E. 22nd St. with host Annette Mont and Estelle Glasser.
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 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
I want to cover some events, Democratic Clubs (below the events) and Co-ops (below the clubs) in the greater Silicon Valley area. Mountain View is one place where I have the most readers, so I want to meet the needs of people in that area. If you have any ideas or things you want included here, please let me know.
DDCSV working meeting 04/13/2009 7:00pm 5403 Stevens Creek Blvd, North San Jose/Santa Clara/Milpitas
The Dean Democratic Club's working meeting, which is livelier than that might sound. Look us over! Meeting starts 7pm, get there earlier to peruse the menu & socialize a bit. The usual IHOP, just off 280 in Santa Clara.
Annual Democratic Party Dinner 04/17/2009 6:00pm Fairmont Hotel, 170 South Market St., Central San Jose
Keep up the momentum. The best is yet to come. Celebrate the Democratic Party and support our future successes at the Democratic Party Dinner. SF Mayor Gavin Newsom will be our keynote speaker. Reception starts at 6:00 pm, followed by dinner at 7:00. Single tickets are $125. Tables for 10 $1250. VIP Tables $2000. Details: http://sccdp.org/dem_dinner.php, demdinner2009 AT sccdp.org
3rd Annual Red to Blue Grassroots Dinner with Gov. Howard Dean Event Date: Apr 25, 2009 Event Time: 6:00 PM PDT (9:00 PM EDT) Address: 1400 J Street City: Sacramento Website: actblue.com/page/redtobluedinner
Agenda: THE 2009 RED TO BLUE DINNER IS SOLD OUT! CALL 916.734.2782 TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITING LIST FOR DINNER
You are still welcome to join us for cocktails at 6 p.m. This invitation is open whether or not you are a delegate or a convention-goer.
Sacramento Convention Center 2nd Floor Landing (in front of rooms #202/203)
Special Guest Speaker & Honoree: GOV. HOWARD DEAN
$58.00 (in the spirit of our 58-county commitment)
Tons of time to network with fellow activists, prepare for the next round, celebrate our victories & honor our red-county candidates.
TO RSVP & PRE-PAY PLEASE GO TO: www.actblue.com/page/redtobluedinner
Forum on Ballot Propositions 04/27/2009 7:00pm 2635 Homestead Rd, Santa Clara CA 95051, North San Jose/Santa Clara/Milpitas
Former Assemblyman John Laird (D-27, Santa Cruz), who chaired the Assembly Budget Committee for four years until he was termed out in 2008, will speak Monday April 27 on the initiatives that will be on the May 19 special election ballot. The public forum will be held in the Redwood Room of the Santa Clara City Library. Admission is free. The event is sponsored by the Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara County Democratic Club, and the Obama Democratic Club of Silicon Valley.
Democracy For America May 6 get-together Event Date: May 6, 2009 Event Time: 7:00 PM PDT (10:00 PM EDT) Venue Name: TBD State: CA
Agenda:
Place TBD but probably a member's home in Palo Alto or Los Altos. One of our goal task forces will present the main topic.
Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee 05/07/2009 7:00pm County Building Cafeteria, 70 W Hedding St., Central San Jose
The Santa Clara County Democratic Central Committee meets on the first Thursday of the month to coordinate local Democratic Party activities. 408-445-9500. The agenda will be posted at sccdp.org/sccdcc.php 10 days before the meeting.
California Statewide Special Election. Tuesday, May 19th. Measures include creating a state spending cap and rainy day fund, modifying the minimum funding guarantee for schools, changing the state lottery and shifting money from mental health and child-development programs. For a list of the ballot measures click HERE.
Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley. The Dean Democratic Club of Silicon Valley is an alliance in Silicon Valley, California dedicated to the issues brought forth by Gov. Howard Dean, M.D., his cause and his message of progressive, positive change. dfasv.org, www.dfalink.com/siliconvalley, Co-Chairs; Spandan Chakrabarti, Alice Smith. Contact deanclub_at_sccdp.org
Obama Democratic Club of Silicon Valley. A club of volunteers from the 2008 Barack Obama campaign and local arm of Organizing for America. Members of this club will continue to promote Obama's policies and priorities. Peter Allen, President, obama_at_sccdp.org. sites.google.com/site/obamadcsv/
Silicon Valley Asian Pacific American Democratic Club. SVAPADC was founded in 1996 to foster member participation at all levels of the Democratic Party. Our goals are to unify and empower the Asian Pacific American (APA) communities; ensure fair representation of the APA's interests; and educate and promote political participation. Contact Buu Thai at apa_at_sccdp.org. The club's homepage is svapadc.org.
Silicon Valley Democratic Club. Formerly known as the Moorpark Democratic, the Silicon Valley Democratic club prides itself in developing a growing and diverse community with an organized and unifying voice in the political arena. The Club provides a forum for its members to focus, discuss, prioritize positions and promote important issues to our diverse community. Working together, our members help to elect Democratic candidates in local, state, and national elections. Clarence Madrilejos, moorpark_at_sccdp.org. www.moorparkdems.org
Silicon Valley Latino Democratic Forum. A venue for local Latinos to become active in the Democratic Party. Javier Gonzalez, svldf_at_sccdp.org.
Silicon Valley LGBT Democratic Club. Dedicated to providing a grassroots channel for the political participation of like-minded lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Democrats. President: David Parker, lgbt_at_sccdp.org. Visit the club on the web at http://www.lgbtdems.org.
Silicon Valley Young Democrats. SVYD serves Democrats under 36 years old from throughout the Silicon Valley. We provide networking, social, and personal growth opportunities for young people dedicated to progressive ideals. President: Julie Lind, svyd_at_sccdp.org. Visit the club's website at svyd.org.
SILICON VALLEY AREA FOOD CO-OPS: These are the only ones I could find near Silicon Valley, though they are all somewhat peripheral
Kresge Food Co-op 600 Kresge CT, Kresge College UCSC Santa Cruz, California 95064 Phone: (831) 426-1506 coop@dv8.org http://k9.dv8.org/~coop/
The Kresge Food Coop is a student-run cooperative health food store located at Kresge College on the University of California, Santa Cruz campus. We currently consist of twelve Core Collective Members who own the coop and are responsible for its daily operations and for any number of working members. This page has been created in order to better serve our community. Through this page you can email the coop, learn about our Core Collective Members, sign up to be a working member, make suggestions, check sales, read and reread our newsletter, and browse our links to other coops and health food stores.
The Cooperative Grocery (The CoG) 1450 67th Street Emeryville, California 95616 Phone: (510) 868-2883 FAX: (510) 868-2893 info@thecog.org http://www.thecog.org/
The Cooperative Grocery—The CoG—is a non-profit, working members cooperative that offers high-quality groceries at an affordable price to individuals and families in our community.
Members of The CoG work 2 1/2 hours every 4 weeks, performing jobs like stocking shelves, building orders and providing member services. By providing much of the labor for the store, our members keep our operating costs to a minimum. We then pass the savings onto our members in the form of lower prices. Our model is based on the successful Park Slope Food Co-Op in Brooklyn, NY, which serves 13,000 members.
To further control costs and grow our co-op in a responsible manner, we launched the CoG as an online store that is served from a warehouse located in Emeryville, with easy access to communities in Berkeley and Oakland. Our long term plan is to build a retail business as finances allow.
Bolinas Peoples Store P. O. Box 808 Bolinas, California 94924 Phone: (415) 868-1433 FAX: (415) 868-1219
Rainbow Grocery Co-op 1745 Folsom San Francisco, California 94103 Phone: (415) 863-0620 FAX: (415) 863-8955 comments@rainbowgrocery.coop http://www.rainbow.coop/
We have been in San Francisco's Mission District since 1975. We strive to offer resources, education and a forum for informational exchange for many local communities and organizations.
Rainbow Grocery is open every day from 9AM to 9PM
We are located in San Francisco's Mission District at 1745 Folsom Street. Our cross street is 13th Street (also known as Duboce), which runs directly under the central freeway. Use the map below for directions by car. Click here for Public Transit directions. Click here for bicycling directions.
Other Avenues Community Food Store 3930 Judah Street San Francisco, California 94122 Phone: (415) 661-7475 FAX: (415) 661-0835 info@otheravenues.org http://www.otheravenues.org/
Apr 11 (2nd Saturday) 6:30-8:30pm, Irvine: ReclaimDemocracy.org Orange County: Screening of "News War (second half of film)" refreshments at 6:00pm, meeting at 6:30pm Please join us! And if you know someone who may not be familiar with ReclaimDemocracy.org themes, please invite them come along. As always, there is no charge and free refreshments will be available. at the Irvine Ranch Water District building at 15600 Sand Canyon Ave. ReclaimDemocracyOC.org
Apr 14 (2nd Tuesday) 7pm, San Juan Capistrano: South Orange County Democratic Club Gustavo Arellano, Author and Award Winning Journalist Arellano's most recent book, "Orange County, a Personal History", tells the story of his own family?s assimilation into OC American culture amid racism, mega churches, and master planned communities. We hope you will join us for what promises to be an entertaining, thoughtful, educational presentation. Buffet Dinner 6pm $20 inclusive Cash please Meeting Only 7pm $3 Members, $5 non members
RSVP's are required for dinner OR meeting only Reservations required by Friday April 10 Contact: kenton805@ cox.net or 949-498-1372 Since all reservations are guaranteed, if you can't attend, please phone in any cancellations 24 hrs prior. socdc.org
Apr 15 Wednesday 7pm, Laguna Woods: Laguna Woods Democratic Club (3rd Wednesday this month instead of because of Passover) Clubhouse 3, Dining Room 1 Guest speaker Debbie Cook lw-dems.org
Apr 16 (3rd Thursday) 7pm, Anaheim: Anaheim Democratic Club at Mimi's on Euclid, just south of the 91 Freeway
Apr 18 Saturday 9am-5pm, Irvine: UCI Earth Day * promotes a healthy environment and a peaceful, just sustainable world. * aims to increase public awareness of critical environmental issues. * will feature over 30 non-profit agencies, and an array of vendors. * will occur in conjunction with Celebrat UCI the campus' Annual Open House; the campus is estimated to receive 20,000 visitors. * will feature interactive, hands-on, educational booths and displays, eco-friendly vendors, entertainment & much more. * will host the Annual Re-Use Art Competition, consisting of recyclables &/or trash art, & the brand new "Pause for a Cause" Video Competition, a 3 minute video demonstrating the impact that tobacco has on the environment. * is collaborating with ASUCI's Wayzgoose as the whole park turns eco-friendly for the first time, using Bio-Diesel Generators & a concert style Solar Powered Stage. * will be a styrofoam free, solar powered event. Aldrich Park www.volunteer.uci.edu/programs/earthday/
Apr 18 Saturday 3pm, Yorba Linda: Democratic Diva Dessert Hosted by the OCYD Women's Caucus will host a Democratic Diva Dessert at the home of Anne Thahim located at 17274 Blue Spruce Lane, Yorba Linda. Enjoy an afternoon of networking and celebration of pioneering women in Orange County. Host committee rates are Prima Donna $500; Diva $250; and Leading Lady $100. Tickets rates are $50; Young Dem/College Dem $25. You can purchase tickets at ocyd.net. Proceeds will benefit the Orange County Young Democrats Women;s Caucus.
Apr 19 (moved from usual 2nd Sunday) 1-3pm, Fullerton: Progressive Women of North OC Meeting Monkey Business Cafe, 301 E Amerige, Fullerton progressivewinoc.org
Apr 25 Saturday 9am-9pm, Santa Ana: Queer People of Color Conference Reclamando Nuestros Colores: Rooting Ourselves In The Community
El Centro Cultural De Mexico 310 W. 5TH Street (2Nd Floor) Santa Ana, CA 92701 All ages, races, genders and sexualities WELCOME! The conference will be directed and will include Latino LGBT issues that affect the latino community in Orange County. There will be several educational and informative workshops along with performances and a dance in the night to end the conference. We still need sponsors and resources so if you can help please contact me. All ages, races, genders and sexualities welcome. jgkahlo@gmail.com
Apr 25 Saturday 10am, Irvine: Irvine Global Warming Group Waste Management's Irvine Recycling Center near Jamboree & Barranca 16122 Construction Circle Irvine, CA 92606 Guided Tour with presentation at the Waste Management Recycling Center of Irvine: meetup.com/Irvine-Global-Warming-Group/calendar/9929278
Apr 25 Saturday 4:30-8:30pm, Santa Ana: Spring Bacchanalia Benefiting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The Africa Project, Orangewood PALS & other Bacchus supported charities 801 N. Main St. Santa Ana, 92701 BACCHUSSOCIETY.ORG www.OC-Bacchanalia.com
May 4 Monday 5pm, Statewide: LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE in the May 19 Special Election
May 16 Saturday 7am-1pm, Anaheim: OC AIDS WALK Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Anaheim, CA 92806-6143 aidswalk.org/oc
May 17 (moved from usual 2nd Sunday) 1-3pm, Fullerton: Progressive Women of North OC Meeting Monkey Business Cafe, 301 E Amerige, Fullerton progressivewinoc.org
California Statewide Special Election. Tuesday, May 19th. Measures include creating a state spending cap and rainy day fund, modifying the minimum funding guarantee for schools, changing the state lottery and shifting money from mental health and child-development programs. For a list of the ballot measures click HERE.
Placer County Democrats Jefferson-Jackson Dinner Sunday, April 19, at the Blue Goose Fruit Shed in Loomis
Last year's event attracted a sold-out crowd of more that 300 attendees and 16 organizations and individuals stepped up to sponsor the event.
This year's theme is "Community Service: A Call to Action" and the evening includes dinner, an awards presentation, special guest speakers, a no-host bar, raffle and much more. Tickets are $30 (in recognition of the tough economic times we are living in, we lowered the price by $5) and we expect them to go fast.
To order tickets online: http://www.actblue.com/page/placerdinner
Or send a check to: Placer County Democratic Party P. O. Box 423 Roseville, CA 95678
Here are the details:
What: The annual Placer County Democrats Jefferson-Jackson Dinner When: April 19, 2009, 4-8 p.m. (Dinner hour 5:30 p.m.) Where: Blue Goose Fruit Shed, 3550 Taylor Road, Loomis, CA. Cost: $30 per ticket (table sponsorships available)
For more information and for sponsorship information, please contact Kim Haswell at kim_haswell@yahoo.com or 530-889-2278.
We are looking forward to another fantastic event. Please mark it on your calendars today!
Planned Parenthood Capitol Day 2009 Other local event · Reproductive Freedom · Women · Women submitted by billl on Thursday, March 5, 2009 - 7:03pm PST
Planned Parenthood Capitol Day 2009 State Capitol 4/22/2009 from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Hosted By: Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California RSVP by: March 27, 2009 at 5:00 pm http://ga0.org/prochoicepower/events/pp_capitol_day_2009/details.tcl
Join Planned Parenthood volunteers, activists, and staff for a Day of Action at the Capitol in Sacramento!
* Participate in the Planned Parenthood Education Fair * Talk with legislators about reproductive health issues that are important to you * Learn about reproductive freedom issues and advocacy opportunities
Join hundreds of other Planned Parenthood supporters as we gather in Sacramento to support reproductive health care access for women and families in California!
The 2009 Planned Parenthood Capitol Day Theme is: Yes We Plan: Taking action for a healthy California.
Time: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 - 8:00am PST
Friends of the River; the voice of California Rivers
New York City has Central Park. Sacramento has the American River Parkway.
2009 Capitol River Awards
When: Thursday, May 7, 5-8 PM Where: Private home Crocker Cir Cost: Individual tickets - $50, Sponsorship - $1,000
River and nature lovers in the Sacramento area owe a tremendous debt to the visionaries that waged the campaign to create the American River Parkway. The Save the American River Association led that campaign from its start 50 years ago and continues to lead efforts today to maintain and improve the parkway. This year as part of the Capital River Awards, Friends of the River will present the Peter H. Behr Award to SARA in gratitude for its long-standing and successful efforts to create, protect, and preserve the American River Parkway.
Accepting the award on behalf of SARA will be long-time SARA board members and parkway advocates Frank Cirill and Felix Smith.
Looking forward to seeing you there,
Paul Tebbel Executive Director
50% of the ticket proceeds will be given to Save the American River Association to support their continued work.
Time: Thursday, May 7, 2009 - 4:00pm PST
California Statewide Special Election. Tuesday, May 19th. Measures include creating a state spending cap and rainy day fund, modifying the minimum funding guarantee for schools, changing the state lottery and shifting money from mental health and child-development programs. For a list of the ballot measures click HERE.
Stonewall Democratic Club of Greater Sacramento Presents: 6th Annual Four Freedoms Award Dinner
Honoring Attorney General Edmund G "Jerry" Brown
Wednesday, May 20 5:30 - Cocktails and Auction 6:30 - Dinner
at the Radisson Hotel Sacramento, 500 Leisure Lane
Contact David Troxel for more information about tickets or sponsorships 916-600-8075 or bestfriendsdavid@aol.com
Location: Radisson Hotel, 500 Leisure Lane When: 5:30 PM Tickets/More Info
Time: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 - 4:30pm PST
ImaginEquality Rally May 30, 2009 Saturday
Equality Action NOW, and many other equal rights organizations will be pulling together a huge rally at the State Capitol to kick off our month of June Pride throughout California. Join us on the step of the capitol and help us pull our ImaginEquality into a REALITY. Real and true equality for all. Info@EqualityActionNOW.org.
Please consider joining this event as a supporter: Send us a link to your web site. We will post your link on our site, we will list your group on materials to show your support of this rally and the equality movement. Let us know if you know of any other grassroots or groups fighting for equality that we may have overlooked - we want as many groups to sign on as partners in this statewide show of solidarity. Unions, faith based organizations, family and friends that might want to show solidarity with our fight for equality - bring them in. A contribution of $500 or $1000 to help us offset the high expenses for an event of this size. Your name will apprear on all printed materials and the web links. If you can't afford the financial contribution, it is still important to request being added to the supporter list.
It took nearly 7 years living within a few blocks of one of the biggest food co-ops in America before Joy and I joined it. We were definitely reluctant. But, in the end the lack of good produce and the decline of our local supermarkets led to us joining. And the result is a slighly more inconvenient shopping trip each week, but much healthier, higher quality and cheaper food. I recommend joining a co-op if there is one nearby. You will save money and eat healthier. Here is the only Sacramento food co-op I could find:
Our co-op began as a food buying club in 1972 and opened a storefront of primarily bulk foods at 16th and P Streets in downtown Sacramento. In 1973, this buying club was incorporated as the Sacramento Natural Foods Cooperative, a Board of Directors was elected and the first paid employee was hired.
In recent years we have enhanced our gourmet food selection, including an excellent selection of specialty, artisan cheese and wine. Our Produce Department now sells organically grown fruits and vegetables exclusively. We have also added organic red meat to our product offerings.
2001 also marked the year that we first opened the doors to our Co-op Community Learning Center, adjacent to the Sacramento store and home to cooking classes, health seminars and a variety of owner meetings and special events. We are committed to serving our Co-op owners and supporting our community through consumer education, owner meetings and events, outreach activities and charitable programs and projects.
East County Democratic Club meeting. Wednesday, April 15th, 7:00 to 9:00 pm (refreshments at 6:30). At the El Cajon Library at 201 E. Douglas Ave, El Cajon 92020. Info: (619) 820-5321 or visit www.ecdcweb.org.
EarthFair 2009. April 19th. Balboa Park, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Details HERE.
Naturalization Ceremony Voter Registration. Wednesday, April 22nd, from 10:10 am to noon. Volunteers are needed to help register newly naturalized citizens on Join the other volunteers at Golden Hall, Corner of 3rd and B Street. Parking at Horton Plaza. RSVP to Greg Bolan at sdvoter@gmail.com. Note: The San Diego Voter Registration team uses Google Groups to send out volunteer emails. To receive these emails click HERE, and then click on "Join This Group."
Celebration of Liberty and Justice for All. the 2nd Annual May Day Benefit for the Employee Rights Center. Friday, May 1st, 4:30 - 7:00 pm. The ACLU and the Employee Rights Center (ERC) of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council invite the public to celebrate the historic and modern day connection between the labor and human rights movements at a party and fundraiser for the ERC on May 1. At the Handlery Hotel, Terrace Room Hotel Circle. Appetizers and No-Host Cocktails. $50 per person. Details at http://aclusandiego.org/news_item.php?article_id=000752
29th Annual Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt Dinner. Saturday, May 2nd, VIP Reception 5:30, General Reception 6:00, Dinner and Program at 7:00 pm. At the Holiday Inn on the Bay, 1355 N. Harbor Drive. Tickets: $95 each ($100 after April 25). Purchase your tickets online here or by phone at (858) 277-3367.
California Statewide Special Election. Tuesday, May 19th. Measures include creating a state spending cap and rainy day fund, modifying the minimum funding guarantee for schools, changing the state lottery and shifting money from mental health and child-development programs. For a list of the ballot measures click HERE.
Naturalization Ceremony Voter Registration. Wednesday, May 20th, from 10:10 am to noon. Volunteers are needed to help register newly naturalized citizens on Join the other volunteers at Golden Hall, Corner of 3rd and B Street. Parking at Horton Plaza. RSVP to Greg Bolan at sdvoter@gmail.com. Note: The San Diego Voter Registration team uses Google Groups to send out volunteer emails. To receive these emails click HERE, and then click on "Join This Group."
East County Democratic Club meeting. Wednesday, May 20th, 7:00 to 9:00 pm (refreshments at 6:30). At the El Cajon Library at 201 E. Douglas Ave, El Cajon 92020. Info: (619) 820-5321 or visit www.ecdcweb.org.
SAN DIEGO FOOD CO-OPS:
Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Co-op 4765 Voltaire St. San Diego, California 92107 Phone: (619) 224-1387 FAX: (619) 224-5089 editor@oceanbeachpeoples.com http://www.obpeoplesfood.coop
Ocean Beach People's Organic Food Market is a member-owned vegetarian consumer co-op that has been serving the community since 1971. Originally a worker's collective, the cooperative has grown to include 6000 feet of retail space and more than 8000 member/owners. The Co-op offers an extensive selection of organic produce, grocery, dairy, and bulk foods and herbs, as well as vitamins and homeopathics, cruelty-free bodycare, and aromatherapy products. Enjoy a full service sit-down deli featuring a delicious selection of home-style vegetarian and vegan entrees, salads, sandwiches, freshly prepared baked goods, desserts, and more! At People's, San Diego's only community owned grocery store, we specialize in products that are organic, wholesome, minimally processed, cruelty-free, and environmentally safe.
The UCSD Food Coop 0323F Student Cooperative Center, San Diego, California 92093 Phone: (619) 546-8339 foodcoop@burn.ucsd.edu
I used to shop at this one way, way back when I went to UCSD. It was great then!
Since its introduction to the campus in 1978, the Food Co-op has committed itself to providing the UCSD community with a natural food alternative, as well as a resource for environmentally conscious products and information.
The Food Co-op carries a variety of food and non-food products ranging from baked goods, juices, sandwiches, fresh organic produce, macro-biotic and ethnic foods to cruelty-free cosmetics and environmentally safe cleaning agents. Many foods are stocked in bulk to reduce the price to the customer and the waste of packaging (please bring bags when buying!). Special orders can be made at discount prices (good for items not necessarily carried in the store, as well!).
Come in to shop, get informed, and/or volunteer as a general member of our store. For more information, call (858) 546-8339.
I will also point out some other UCSD co-ops that I liked when I was a student there.
The Ché Café
The Ché Café Collective is dedicated to providing cheap, healthy vegetarian food, all-ages entertainment, and alternative education. We have All-We-Can-Eat dinners every Thursday from 5 pm to 7 pm. Entertainment at the Ché ranges from poetry readings and plays to forums, or shows of local bands.
The Ché Café is surrounded by a grove of old eucalyptus trees and is next to the beautiful garden of the Farm Co-op. Tables and chairs inside and outside of the Ché and its close proximity to the Farm Co-op make it an inviting place to eat, study, or just hang out.
The Ché Café is open to having people come by and help out. The Café provides a great opportunity for people to get involved in the process of cooking, running a restaurant and/or putting on events at any level they feel comfortable at. Stop by or call us at (858) 534-2311.
(The Ché Café is located on the Revelle campus behind the Undergraduate library and down the hill from Stonehenge. We're the building with all the murals on it.) Read more about the Che Cafe Collective at its very own website: http://checafe.ucsd.edu/.
General Store
The General Store Co-op is a student-run store which was founded in 1980 to offer students a less expensive alternative to the high Price Center. [EDITOR'S NOTE: This is not quite right...the Price Center didn't even exist when the General Store was founded and greatly appreciated by students like myself.] As a student cooperative, we try to provide the University community with the best quality merchandise at the lowest prices. And we succeed! The General Store Co-op carries items such as selected essential school and office supplies, household and personal items, stationery and gift wrap, clothing (including UCSD logos), craft-center jewelry, and some food and snack items -- all of which range from 5-25% less than anywhere else on campus.
Students are generally most interested in the fact that we sell textbooks, which are guaranteed to cost less than at the UCSD bookstore. We also try to carry as many used texts as possible. Also, we buy back current editions year round. Stop by to check which classes' books we're carrying.
We encourage everyone to visit the General Store Co-op for our low prices and friendly service. Additionally, anyone is invited to come in and volunteer anytime as volunteers are the backbone of our organization. For further information or friendly help please feel free to call us at (858) 534-3932.
