CONTENTS:
PHILLY AREA ACTION:
NATIONAL &
INTERNATIONAL
ACTION:
COMMENTARY:
===========
PHILLY AREA ACTION:
Any Day
Now,
4, 000
U.S. Soldiers will have died in this war.
Iraqis
who die - and hundreds of thousands have - do so with no
notice
in this country so we must)
Iraq War
Death Toll Rush-Hour Solemn Vigil: Next Working Day
after
the 4,000 U.S. war death is announced (www.icasualties.org),
5PM,
Phila. City Hall (west side), 15th & Market Sts., Bell-tolling and
Silent
Vigil, reading of names of war dead, Iraqi and U.S.
Bring a
flower, a picture, or some other expression of peace and
mourning
for all the war dead.
brandywine@juno.com
www.brandywinepeace.com
__________________________________________________
Show UP: Specter with
Granny
Peace Brigade Philadelphia Monday at 6:30 Free Library
Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia members will
be
gathering at 6:25
outside the Free Library, 21st & Parkway on
Monday
evening in advance
of an author event where Senator Specter will
speak
about his book
describing combating cancer while in the Senate.
We will hold
signs : We
Celebrate Your Good Health
War is A Disease
Too /
Bring the Troops Home / What about Habeas Corpus?
Grannies will give out palm cards and have
folks sign
petitions.
Grannies wear your smocks, t-shirts, hats,
buttons.
When: Monday,
March
24 6:25-7pm
Where: Free
Library on the
Parkway
What: Senator
Arlen
Specter speaking at an author event
_____________________________________________________________
Philly Palestine Film
Festival
Mar. 22 - Mar. 29
2008 marks the 60th
year of Al
Nakba - "the catastrophe" Al Nakba: 60 Days for 60 Years
For the complete schedule of Al Nakba events, go to:
<http://www.phillyalnakba.org/>.
________________________________________________
March 27 Seminar on
the media and
war propaganda
Bryn Mawr Peace Coalition-sponsored seminar on
the use of
the media to justify the Iraq war will take place this Thursday, March
27 from
7 - 9 p.m. at Villanova University in Bartley room 1011.
Contact: Karen
L. Barton,
714 Old Lancaster Road, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
(610) 525-3784, astrique@aol.com
___________________________________________
The Third World
Coalition of the
American Friends Service Committee invites you to
A Conversation with Don Rafael Cancel Miranda
Come and listen to Don Rafael Cancel Miranda, a
leader in
the struggle for Puerto Rico's independence and self-determination, for
an open
discussion on the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners, Grand Jury
investigations
of Puerto Rican Independentistas, and the ongoing struggle for a
resolution to
the island’s status as a colony of the United States.
Thursday, April
3rd, 2008,
11 AM – 1 PM
Friends Center –
1501 Cherry Street, Philadelphia, PA
CONTACT: Oskar Castro, National Youth &
Militarism
Program, American Friends Service Committee Phone: 215.241.7046,
Cell: 267.266.8745, www.youth4peace.org
_______________________________________________________________
Acknowledging the
Past; Imagining
the Future /
Israelis and Palestinians on 1948 and the Right of Return
Sunday, April 6, 6:00
PM Presentation
and Fundraiser
Featuring Muhammad Jaradat of Badil and Eitan
Bronstein
of Zochrot
RSVP to
tgreen@afsc.org or
philly@jvp.org for location
This speaking event in Philadelphia explores
Israeli and
Palestinian experiences of 1948, the creation of the Palestinian
refugee crisis
and the role of the right of return in any just solution to the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Co-sponsored by
The
American Friends Service Committee and
Jewish Voice for
Peace
– Philadelphia.
_________________________________________________________________
What an exhilarating
weekend....
Phila Barack Obama Hq, as a volunteer
I spent the better part of Saturday and Sunday
at the
Phila Barack Obama Hq, as a volunteer
If you are interested in volunteering, the
office is open
7 days a week from 9:00AM to 9:00PM, and is located at 1500 Sansom St,
2 blocks
from the 15th exit of PATCO. You can just walk in, and you
will be
put to work.
David Kalkstein
==========================
ONGOING EVENTS
(Daily/Weekly):
Contact members of Congress
a. Capitol Switchboard is 1-800-828-0498 or to
call
anyone in Congress.
b. Use the following excellent link:
http://www.capwiz.com/ncec/home
Mondays:
5-6 PM - Newtown Peace Vigil at the corner of
the Newtown
By- Pass,route 332, and the
Newtown-
Richboro Road. For more information, call Sister Jean at 215-968-2262.
6:00-9:00 p.m. Weekly ACT UP
Meeting
St. Luke's Church, 330 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, PA.
For info, email actupphilly@critpath.org
5:00-7:00 p.m. Radio Show: "Labor
to
Neighbor" with hosts Janet Ryder, Pat Eiding & Pete
Matthews, 900 AM WURD--215-634-8065.
Tuesdays:
6-7 PM - Doylestown Peace Vigil at the
intersection
of State and Main in Doylestown.
All are welcome to join and we have signs to use if you
wish.
7:00-9:00 p.m. Organizing Meeting
,
Toviah Thrift Shop Chestnut
St. (between 42nd & 43rd. Call (215) 382-7251, box 1 for
info
Sponsored by Neighbors Against McPenntrification
Wednesdays:
4:30-5:30 p.m. Peace Vigil Federal
Building, 601
Market St., Philadelphia, PA
Sponsored by House of Grace Catholic Worker
For info, email brandywine@juno.com .
5:00 p.m. Vigil for
Peace Outside
Unitarian Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Dr.,
Philadelphia, PA (in Mt Airy)
For info, see http://www.northwestpeacecoalition.org.
7:00 p.m. Peace Vigil Germantown
Ave. &
Bethlehem Pike, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA
For info, see http:// www.northwestpeacecoalition.org.
Thursdays:
6-7 PM - Levittown Vigil for Peace and
Remembrance.
Meet/park at 1631 Edgely Road in Levittown and walk to corner of Rt. 13
and
Edgely.
Sponsored by PA Action. Call Robin at
267-240-9819
Fridays:
NOON: Grandparents (Bubbies & Zaydes) for
Peace in
the Middle East
Plan to join us any Friday on S 15th Street above Locust.
Vigil and witness for justice and peace in Palestine/ Israel.
4:30 p.m. Anti-war leafleting and
picket
Market & 11th Sts., Philadelphia, PA.
or info, email pawf@critpath.org
5:00 p.m. Vigil--Women in Black
Swarthmore Train Station, Park Ave. & Chester Rd.,
Swarthmore, PA
For info, email wibswarthmore@hotmail.com.
5-5:30 PM - Phoenixville Peace Vigil at
corner of
Bridge and Main
in downtown Phoenixville.
5-6 PM - Honk for Peace on Final Friday
(every
month) at Broad and Cherry/in front of the
Recruiters
Office. Stand with signs and conviction until the war is finally over-
remembering the American soldiers have who have died in
Iraq and
scores of Iraqis
whose
names will never be known. Take your stand, lend your support,
bring a
sign.
Celeste Zappala, Gold Star Families Speak Out
9:30 PM - Bill Moyers Journal on PBS.
10:30PM - David Brancachio's NOW, on PBS.
Saturdays:
10-11 AM - Sellersville Peace Vigil at Main St.
and
Temple Ave.
sponsored by Upper Bucks Coalition
for
Peace Action.
Call Angela at 215-257-1300 for more information.
10:00 a.m. to noon - "Talking Union" weekly
call-in radio show, 1340 AM
11AM-Noon - Bryn Mawr Honk to Impeach Rally
will be held
at the
Lancaster Ave and Bryn Mawr Ave. intersection
by Ludington Library. Sponsored by Main Line Citizens for Impeachment.
Call Jane Dugdale at 610-527-4170.
Noon-1:00 p.m. Peace Vigil Rte. 38
&
Cherry Hill Mall Dr., Cherry Hill, NJ
For info, email greatercamdenunitycoalition@yahoo.com
1:00-2:00 p.m. Protest at Ferber
Furs 1708
Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA
For info, email phillyar@yahoogroups.com.
7:30 p.m.
Books
Through Bars Packing Cafe The A Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave.,
Philadelphia,
Help pack books to send to prisoners. Email
info@booksthroughbars.org
M-F:
8 a.m., noon, 7 p.m., midnight, Excellent TV
program
"Democracy Now" with Amy Goodman
DUTV Ch. 54 on WYBE (Channel 20 or 35 in some areas;
3,48,62,99 in others.
You can also listen daily on the internet at
http://www.democracynow.org/
===============================
NATIONAL &
INTERNATIONAL
ACTION:
MOVEON.ORG asks, “Did
you
hear Barack Obama's incredible speech on race in America?”
It was honest and
moving. You
should definitely check it out—especially since the media soundbites
really missed the point. You can watch or read the whole speech here: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=3511&id=12333-6403956-AEBaYh&t=546
____________________________________________________________
Urgent Appeal to Help
Fund
Delegates from Costa Rica and Colombia to Mexico City Conference
We are less than
two weeks away
from the Second Continental Conference Against "Free Trade" and
Privatizations, which will be held in Mexico City. We are writing to
ask for
your financial support to the Special Travel Fund for this important
event.
[For more info, in Spanish, on the conference, please go to
www.encuentrocontinental.org.]
Our U.S. Support Committee has been approached by leaders of the
anti-CAFTA
protest movement in Costa Rica with the request that we help them with
a
matching fund to assist their delegation to travel to Mexico City. We
also have
been asked for financial help from trade unionists in Colombia, who
daily face
paramilitary death squads. Anti-corporate-globalization student
activists at UC
Santa Cruz, DeAnza College, UCLA and UC San Diego also have contacted
us
requesting financial assistance so they can be part of this organizing
conference and come back with renewed energy to wage this hemispheric
struggle
for labor, human and environmental rights.
We need to raise $2,500 -- a very modest sum -- in one week to enable
12 people
attend the Mexico Conference -- which will be an extremely importance
gathering
of unionists and activists from more than 20 countries.
We urge you and/or your organization (union locals, community groups,
coalitions, campus organizations, etc.) to contribute to this fund. We
need to
hear from you before Friday, March 28, so that we can purchase the
airline
tickets for these activists. Please fill out the Pledge Coupon below
and return
it to us ASAP to <ilcinfo@earthlink.net>. And please make your
checks
payable to WHC (or Western Hemisphere Conference) and send to WHC, San
Francisco Labor Council, 1188 Franklin St. #203, San Francisco, CA
94109.
(All funds raised
beyond the
$2,500 goal will go to help defray the conference expenses.)
Thanks in advance
for your
support. In solidarity,
Eduardo Rosario and
Alan
Benjamin, Co-Coordinators Open World Conference Continuations Committee
----------
CONFERENCE TRAVEL
FUND DRIVE
PLEDGE COUPON
[
] I pledge $ ____ toward the Conference Fund to help
with
travel matching-fund scholarships for unionists and student activists
with
limited funds from Costa Rica, Colombia and the United States.
NAME
CITY
STATE
TEL.
EMAIL
[Fill out and mail
this Pledge
Coupon to <ilcinfo@earthlink.net>. Make your checks payable to
WHC (or
Western Hemisphere Conference) and send to WHC, San Francisco Labor
Council,
1188 Franklin St. #203, San Francisco, CA 94109.
__________________________________________
Please sign the Open
Letter to
the Candidates for Single payer national health program
Please consider
(1) signing the
below
“Open Letter to the Candidates,” which supports a single payer
national health program, and
(2) passing the
link on to interested
colleagues (and they do not have to be physicians).
It is sponsored by
my
organization, Physicians for a National Health Program.
Tim (&
Diane) Lachman
The link is:
https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/307/t/5720/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3304
________________________________________________________________________________
Water: Our Most
Precious Resource
USA Today recently
reported
that huge increases in water and sewer bills are on the way in many
places as
cities and towns try to deal with their aging pipes and “artificially
low
prices.”
Some Atlanta, Ga.,
communities
are about to get scalded by increases of 50 to 100 percent, putting
them in
line with what residents in Michigan, Arizona and even Florida are
about to
face as well.
While we can’t do much to change the rates, one way to keep a lid on
out-of-control costs is to use less water. American Water & Energy
Savers,
of Florida, have put together a list of 49 ways to save water. Here are
my
favorites:
1. Never put water
down the
drain when there may be another use for it, such as watering a plant or
garden,
or cleaning.
2. Verify that your
home is
leak-free, because many homes have hidden water leaks. Here’s how to
test: Read your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no
water is
being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a
leak.
3. Repair dripping
faucets by
replacing washers. If your faucet is dripping at the rate of one drop
per
second, you can expect to waste 2,700 gallons per year which will add
to the
cost of water and sewer utilities, or strain your septic system.
4. Check for toilet
tank leaks
by adding food coloring to the tank. If the toilet is leaking, color
will
appear in the toilet bowl within 30 minutes. Check the toilet for worn
out,
corroded or bent parts. Most replacement parts are inexpensive, readily
available and easily installed. (Flush as soon as test is done, since
food
coloring may stain the tank.)
5. Avoid flushing
the toilet
unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other such waste in the
trash
rather than the toilet.
6. Take shorter
showers.
Replace you showerhead with an ultra-low-flow version. Some units are
available
that allow you to cut off the flow without adjusting the water
temperature
knobs.
7. Use the minimum
amount of
water needed for a bath by filling the tub only one-third full. Stopper
the tub
before turning on the water. The initial burst of cold water can be
warmed by
adding hot water later.
8. Don’t let water
run
while shaving or washing your face. Brush your teeth first while
waiting for
water to get hot, then wash or shave after filling the basin.
9. Operate
automatic
dishwashers and clothes washers only when they are fully loaded, or
properly
set the water level for the size of load you are using.
10. Store drinking
water in the
refrigerator rather than letting the tap run every time you want a cool
glass
of water.
Go to
www.americanwater.com to
read the other 39 ways to save water.
==========
COMMENTARY:
* Take Back
America: Green Jobs
for a Stronger Economy By Seth Michaels
http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/19/take-back-america-green-jobs-for-a-stronger-economy/
Watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=318OEVIYBns
The climate crisis
isn't a
reason for despair-it's an opportunity to strengthen our economy as
we're
improving our environment, say the panelists of 'A New Green Deal,' a
session
held at Take Back America 2008.
* States' Data
Obscure How Few
Finish High School
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/032008P.shtml
Sam Dillon reports
for The New
York Times: "When it comes to high school graduation rates, Mississippi
keeps two sets of books. One team of statisticians working at the state
education headquarters here recently calculated the official graduation
rate at
a respectable 87 percent, which Mississippi reported to Washington. But
in
another office piled with computer printouts, a second team of number
crunchers
came up with a different rate: a more sobering 63 percent."
* US Pushed Allies
on Iraq,
Diplomat Writes
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/032308A.shtml
Colum Lynch,
writing for The
Washington Post, reports, "In the months leading up to the US-led
invasion
of Iraq, the Bush administration threatened trade reprisals against
friendly
countries who withheld their support, spied on its allies, and pressed
for the
recall of UN envoys that resisted US pressure to endorse the war,
according to
an upcoming book by a top Chilean diplomat."
* Japan's Okinawans
Rally
Against US Military Crimes
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/032308F.shtml
Linda Sieg, writing
for
Reuters, reports, "Thousands of Okinawans rallied on Sunday to protest
crimes by US troops and demand a smaller US military presence on the
southern
Japanese island after last month's arrest of a Marine on suspicion of
raping a
schoolgirl."
* An Uncluttered
Calendar, Clinton's
schedules reveal curious deletions, Michael Isikoff and Mark Hosenball,
Newsweek Web Exclusive, http://www.newsweek.com/id/124271>
* Cynthia McKinney:
A
discussion of race worth having- A Message from Cynthia McKinney