Inside Books Volunteer Night

Come and open letters from Texas inmates and send them books that they request. We need all the help we can get.
Also, we always encourage people to bring dictionaries and book donations (soft back, please)for our library.

This is a non-profit organization formed to help Texas inmates through literacy and self-education.

Thursdays 6pm-10pm
Sundays 7pm-12am

Location:
Rhizome Collective
(300 E Allen St)

Cost: FREE

Organizer:

Big Muddy IMC Collective Meeting

At the meeting, which is open to all interested in taking part in the BMIMC, we will work on revising policy and guidelines.

Location:
BMIMC Space
214 N Washington St
Carbondale, IL

Organizer:

Counter-Inaugural Events

This is a great site for info on the Counter-Inaugural activites.

Location:
Washington DC mostly

URL: http://www.counter-inaugural.org/index.php?name=events

"Visions of Europe" (film)

Screening on
January 23 (Sunday) 7pm
January 25 (Tuesday) 7pm

Visions of Europe
Denmark/Germany, 2004, b/w and color, 140 min.

From the producers behind some of Lars von Trier’s most notable works comes a highly-regimented film experiment: twenty-five countries are represented by twenty-five short films from respected directors each of whom offer a distinctly personal vision of life in the new European community. This ambitious omnibus project featuring contributions from Peter Greenaway, Tony Gatlif, Theo Van Gogh, Aki Kaurismäki, Barbara Albert, Béla Tarr and Fatih Akin presents a wide range of perspectives that both celebrate and critique the growing influence of the European Union.

Location:
Harvard Film Archive, Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, 24 Quincy Street, Cambridge

Directions: east of the Harvard Square Red Line T Stop and next to the Fogg Art Museum. one block north of Massachusetts Avenue between Broadway & Harvard Street in the Harvard University campus

www.harvardfilmarchive.org/map.php

URL: http://www.harvardfilmarchive.org

Cinema a Can Vies

Continuem amb el cicle de cinema els diumenges
La noche del Cazador. V.O.S 23/01/05 18 hores

Location:
CSO Can Vies

Cost: GRATIS

Dia del soldat català

Dia del soldat català; 26 de gener

Aniversari de l'expulsió de l'exèrcit espanyol a la Batalla de Montjuïc (1641) i de la mort en combat del militant de Terra Lliure, Martí Marcó (1979).


Diumenge 23 de gener;
9:00 ascens al cim del Matagalls des de Sant Marçal
11:00 acte polític al Matagalls
14:00 dinar

Per més informació sobre el dinar i l'acte:
vallesor-AT-psan.net

Location:
Matagalls

Organizer:

CineFòrum: "El Odio" al CSOA l'Estella

Seguint amb el ja clàsic cine fòrum dels diumenges al CSOA l'Estella:

diumenge 23/01: "EL ODIO"
pel·lícula de Mathieu Kassovitz que relata 24 hores de la vida de tres joves
d'un barri marginal de París

diumenge 30/01: "SIDA: LA DUDA"
reportatge que posa en dubte la versió oficial de la causa de la sida
i que va ser censurat al 1996 quan havia de ser emès per TVE

diumenge 6/02: "BLOODY SUNDAY"
pel·lícula de Paul Greengrass que explica els fets que van tenir lloc a la
ciutat de Derry (Irlanda del Nord) el 30 de gener de 1972,
conegut com a diumenge sagnant i que van marcar un punt d'inflexió a la història
contemporània del conflicte irlandès

diumenge 13/02: "MI NOMBRE ES JOE"
pel·lícula de Ken Loach que explica la vida d'en Joe, un ex alcohòlic que viu en
un barri marginal d'una ciutat anglesa

Location:
CSOA l'Estella

Directions: c/ Lepant, 83
al costat de l'estació de tren
de Mataró

Organizer:

URL: http://www.musaik.net/estella

Picnic in the Park

Click here for the history of Food Not Bombs.
Food not bombs is an international movement of people who work along autonomous, egalitarian, decentralized, organization in order to share vegan and vegetarian food with the hungry and homeless, as well as protest social, economic, environmental, and animal injustice world wide.
Our three main principles are food recycling, non-violence, and consensus.
We feel food, being a substance necessary to sustain life, is a right, not a privilege.
According to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
We feel that the government spends too much money on weapons and war, and not enough to attend to the basic needs of its people.
We feel that by spending money on war instead of its own people, the government's main priority lies outside its own borders.
According to the Congressional Budgeting Office, the United State's will spend over $400 billion on defense alone, and only $387 billion on all other services (Table 10).
We do not feed the homeless. We have picnics and share food with anyone. The most hungry happens to be the homeless. We don't feed them. The food is shared; we sit with them, talk to them, and learn from them. This is not a soup kitchen or any other impersonal service.

Who is Hungry and Why?

According to the US Census, 12.1% (34.6 million people) of the population are current in poverty.
According to America's Second Harvest, the number of Americans who were hungry or food insecure was 33.6 million in 2001.
23.3 million people sought emergency food relief from their network of services in 2001.
The number of homeless people living in America is unknown, however the National Coalition for the Homeless cites an Urban Institute study which says that 3.5 million people (1.35 million children) will experience homelessness in any given year.
In Florida, America's Second Harvest states that the poverty rate is 12%, and that the childhood poverty rate is 18.8%.
The Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough County counts 6,481 homeless people.
There is no single cause of homelessness in the United States.
Some reasons include lack of jobs, lack of a living wage, decline in public assistance, a lack of affordable housing, lack of affordable health care, domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse (this may often begin after becoming homeless, as a way to deal with the harsh reality of living on the street).
The Homeless Coalition of Hillsborough says the two biggest trends of homelessness in the county are a shortage in affordable housing and a rise in poverty, although other factors do have an influence.
There are homeless because our society needs them. It needs people on the bottom and it needs minimum wage earners/"flexible" labor/a reserve army of labor, etc. Why criminalize what we're doing? Doing what we are doing threatens the status quo, social stratification, the "necessary" reserve.. We are lifting the homeless up and treating them as equals - it's revolutionary.

Why Not Get a Permit?

See the main page, Information section, for all the documents the police have given us.
The permit application is expensive, around $100, although the application fee can be waved for non-profit organizations.
We cannot nor do we want to obtain 501(c)3 non-profit status. It is not beneficial to our organization.
The city requires $500,000 liability insurance (3.2).
Insurance purchased through the city costs $240 or more per event.
There is a $25-$50 fee for reservations, plus a $100 clean up fee (although we make no messes).
Permits can only be obtained three times per year.
According to page 2 (#16), of the City of Tampa Special Events Permit Application (the permit we have been arrested for not having) "food and drinks cannot be given away to the public". However it specifies food may be sold, although to do so requires an additional $100 vendor permit.
Overall, we feel that we do not need permission to share our food in our parks with those in need.
We take full responsibility for all food consumed. In fact, we are eating with the homeless, and keep all of our health and safety in mind.

Why Not Feed on Private Property?

Picnics and gatherings are what parks are for.
These are public parks, which means they are our parks, and we have a right to use them.
This is where the homeless live. We feel it is wrong to make the homeless come to us. We wish to share food and have them eat at their homes, and speak with them in their environment.
Tampa Food Not Bombs has been picnicking there for 8 years. The homeless know us and like us; some even prefer our food over others.
Herman C. Massey Park, according to the Tampa Government website, is solely dedicated for picnic use. The fact that there are no bathrooms is something the city must reconcile. What if a family was there to have a picnic and needed to use the bathroom? Where should they go?
The human body takes 4-8 hours to digest food. People are able to find bathrooms within that time, however, are often only able to use them after paying for goods. This excludes the poor, hungry, and homeless.
We have not encountered any problems with waste disposal.

Why is FNB Doing This?

It's the right thing to do!
The government isn't doing it.
We as a community feel we should take care of our fellow humans.
We wish to build and improve our community.
We wish to treat the homeless, hungry, and poor as equals, and raise awareness that they should be treated as such.
We wish to teach self-sustainability.
We wish to build confidence in the homeless.
We are doing this because it should not be illegal. To ignore the laws is to keep sharing food illegal.
We are doing this to change the laws in Tampa. We wish to amend or rescind the current city law that prevents us from sharing food.
For 8 years, we haven't had problems.
We feel this is a violation of our civil liberties guaranteed by the constitution, including the freedom of speech, and the freedom of assembly.
We feel that food is a right, not a privilege or commodity, and therefore it should be given away freely.
We do it out of love.
We feel we must raise awareness that the city is spending more money on redevelopment than on dealing with homelessness and poverty.
There are homeless because our society needs them. It needs people on the bottom and it needs minimum wage earners/"flexible" labor/a reserve army of labor, etc. Why criminalize what we're doing? Doing what we are doing threatens the status quo, social stratification, and the "necessary" reserve. We are lifting the homeless up and treating them as equals - it's revolutionary.

Why doesn't FNB Work with Churches?

We don't need to, the churches are working with us.
The work churches do are important, and we will refer people to utilize their services, however we are not a church, and have different goals, beliefs, and actions.
We are working together to change the laws.
However, we do not share the same goals.
Our organization works on consensus, and we decided through that method that we do not want to be affiliated with churches.
Not everyone in our organization is religious.
We are more secular based.
With religious services, there is no dialogue with the people. You do not get to sit, eat, and talk with those you feed. With us, we ensure open dialogue.
We do not believe humanitarian services should be accompanied by preaching.
We do not believe food should be exchanged for religious ideology.
Churches do not serve vegetarian meals.
Churches are not flexible.
Churches are hierarchical, we are not. We do not want to be entered into their hierarchy and bureaucracy.
Churches should not have a monopoly on feeding the homeless.
There are no requirements to eat food with us.
We feel that religious people often speak to others in a condescending tone.
Religious groups are often exclusionary: excluding different races, ethnicities, other religions, non-religious people, or even gays and lesbians.
We do more than feed. We try to improve lives, provide companionship, promote healthy living, build community, give clothes and books, and teach and learn from the homeless.
We do not push our beliefs on those we share food with.
We don't just feed the homeless; everyone is welcome at our picnics. We also share food at events and protests.

What are the Solutions to Homelessness?

There is no one solution.
We should ask them what they think the solution is.
Taking care of our communities should be our first priority..
We should try to build strong local infrastructures.
We should try to provide more jobs and houses.
We should build more homeless and community centers.
There should be free healthcare and education.
We should end unjust economic practices such as greed; overconsumption; waste; commodification of goods such as food, water, and healthcare; profit fixations, etc.
Mayor Iorio should visit the HUD meetings which have a very detailed blueprint for ending homelessness. She failed to attend the last meeting.
End the stigmatization of homelessness by ending the myths of laziness, violence, etc.
We need to come together to solve the problem because when people suffer, its everyone's problem.
Obviously, there should be money for food, not for bombs.

Location:
Downtown Tampa @ Herman Massey Park

Cost: Free to ALL

Directions: www.tampagov.net/appl_tampa_address_locate/mappage.asp

Organizer:

URL: http://www.TampaFNB.org

Living Roof Workshop - Level One

Learn about living roofs (green or eco roofs), their benefits, applications and potential from three experts in this innovative field.

Why Living Roofs?
What IS a living roof?
What are the Benefits of Living Roofs?
What are the Elements of Living Roofs?
What are the Design Possibilities for Living Roofs?
What are the Differences between Commercial and Residential Living Roofs?
What Resources are available on Living Roofs?

Location:
The Presentation Center
19480 Bear Creek Road
Los Gatos
408-354-2346

Cost: $50. by 1/14/05, then $65. (some discounts available)

Directions: For directions and more information go to:
www.grinnovations.com

Organizer:

URL: http://www.grinnovations.com

Peace Witness, Tallahassee

Join the Tallahassee Network for Justice and Peace, Veterans for Peace, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Sundays and Thursdays in front of the Old Capitol, corner of Apalachee Parkway and Monroe Street
BUSH LIED; CHENEY LIED; RUMSFIELD LIED; POWELL LIED; THEY ARE ALL LIARS; AND THEY THINK YOU ARE TOO DUMB TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. BUSH LIES - GIs DIE
Sundays 12:30 to 2:30.
Thursdays 4:00 to 6:00
www.tnjp.org
organize-AT-TNJP.org

Location:
Old Capitol, corner of Apalachee Parkway and Monroe Street

Cost: FREE!!!!!

Dignity For All Students Town Meeting

January 22nd at 2 pm is a Town Hall Meeting about the upcoming Dignity for All Students bill. This bill is neccessary to protect students from all forms of harrassment and violence, from other students and school officials alike, especially in the case of gender, ethnicity, religion, and sexual orientation. Right now, in FL there are no laws protecting students from harrassment on school property. We need to get as many students, parents, school officials, teachers/professors, interested citizens, and local chapters involved with this meeting as possible to stand up for this bill, as it affects all students and education officials.

There will be speakers including school officials, students, and local chapter groups, related professionals as well as a Panel Discussion. We would love to have as many citizens/students/teachers involved in this as possible. I have a press release and a copy of the bill (to distribute)if anyone knows an interested local party. Please contact me back by email. Also, we are trying to find people willing to speak about personal stories regarding student/teacher harrassment or related speakers. If there is anyone interested in speaking about these issues, or knows someone who might, please contact me by email or phone ASAP. Please come out and show support for the Dignity for All Students bill, because students deserve safe schools.

Location:
1720 S. Gadsden
Progressive Center

Cost: Free

Organizer:

URL: DignityForAllStudents.com

"Revolution" film screening in Orlando

Orlando, FL area showing of "REVOLUTION: Why it's necessary, Why it's possible, What it's all about," a film of a talk by Bob Avakian, will be shown on Sunday, January 23, at 3pm in the meeting room at the Alafaya Library at 12000 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32826 (at the corner of Colonial Drive and Sophie Blvd, one block east of Alafaya Trail). This is a rare opportunity to check out a revolutionary leader who is both capable and ready to lead the fight for a world worth living in.

Location:
Alafaya Library, 12000 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32826

Cost: Free

Directions: One block east of Alafaya Trail on Colonial Drive

URL: http://threeqvideo.com/avakianad.htm

Just Talking with Rev. Fuzz

'Just Talkin' with host, Pastor Enoch Fuzz
WVOL Radio am1470 /Sundays 5pm til 7pm

'Just Talkin' provide an important community forum to interview leaders and news makers who can share unique information and discuss issues pertinent to the lives of people and the community.
Phone calls with questions and comments are always welcome 227.1470 or 737.WVOL!!!

Editors note: This is an excellent community forum in Nashville which focuses on a broad range of issues relevant to progressives in middle tennessee including labor, civil rights, immigrant rights and urban development.

Location:

Mideast Peace Coalition

The mideast peace coalition is a progressive book discussion group and gabfest. It has also been an incubator for some of Nashville's most interesting social justice groups including the Peace Coalition. They meet at the nashville peace and justice center. 1016 18th Ave So.

Location:

Knitting Round Table

knit·ting n.
1. The act or process of producing something knitted.
2. Material that has been knitted or is being knitted.

Sex and the City dubbed knitting “the new Yoga”. And,
www.dailycandy.com raved, “If you think knitting is not glam, think
again.”

Students at the University School (www.usn.org) do it, and so can you!
Knitting club meets at Blueraku Studios beginning January 9th.
It’s about getting creative, discussing ideas, making friends, and just
plain fun!

New to knitting? You'll be able to pick it up within the first hour.
Take one, two, or three months—sign up is as easy as an email . . . The
best part? 15% of your monthly fee goes to benefit the organization
listed below.

“Knitting 'Round Table” meets on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month,
6-8pm; Beginning January 9th, $40/month.
Monthly fee includes yarn and treats for the group. Students must
supply their own needles. And knitting gurus will visit from time to
time to teach new techniques.

Don’t feel like knitting right now, but interested in taking another
class? Check out all spring and summer classes and workshops at
www.blueraku.com.

Location: