Progressive Calendar 06.16.06 | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: David Shove (shove001tc.umn.edu) | |
Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 04:49:55 -0700 (PDT) |
P R O G R E S S I V E C A L E N D A R 06.16.06 Stadium meeting sprung 2500 US dead - Iraq war protest today 1. Stadium/Mpls CC 6.16 9:30am 2. 2500 dead/protest 6.16 5pm 3. Haiti justice 6.17 9am 4. Juneteenth 6.17 9am 5. Labor door knock 6.17 10am 6. PRT/Bakken 6.17 10am 7. Burma event 6.17 1:30pm 8. Roadless wilds 6.17 6pm 9. Walking Elk music 6.17 7pm 10. Luxemburg/film 6.17 7pm 11. See Haiti 6.17 7:30pm 12. NCountry films 6.17 8pm 13. John Kolstad - Press conference speech 6.14.06 --------1 of 13-------- [When government wants to do something disreputable, it likes to do it quickly, with as little notice as possible. Pohlad's gift stadium is as disreputable as it comes. Why should we screwed citizens be given adaquate notice? -ed] Date: Fri, 16 Jun 2006 05:11:02 -0500 From: Dave Bicking <dave [at] colorstudy.com> Subject: Stadium/Mpls CC 6.16 9:30am The stadium issue comes to the Mpls City Council meeting this morning (Friday). Sorry for short notice. We've been wondering how and when the Council would be taking the action they need to, now that the governor signed the stadium legislation three weeks ago. A resolution regarding the stadium just showed up on the council agenda late yesterday afternoon. At the same time, we found out more about the process for the city to make its appointment to the Ballpark Authority. That very important appointment is scheduled for this morning's meeting. Details if you can go: Full city council meeting, Friday, June 16, 9:30am, at City Hall, downtown Mpls, Room 317. The stadium resolution is near the end of the agenda. It could come up by 10:30, or as late as 1:00pm. As hard as it is for people to come downtown on a weekday morning, it is even more difficult when we do not know how much other process we may need to wait through before "our issue" comes up. The Ballpark Authority is the 5 member public body that will oversee the construction and operation of the new Twins stadium. 2 members are appointed by Hennepin County, 2 by the governor, and one by the Mpls City Council. The Ballpark Authority is very important - it will be overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in public money. It also negotiates the final construction and leasing contracts with the Twins. The details of those contracts will have a great effect on whatever protections the public has, and what few benefits we may receive. The process for appointing a city representative to the Ballpark Authority has been totally secret until now. Even now, the meeting agenda does not specifically mention the appointment, nor does it disclose the person who is being proposed. I am told that the appointment is being made by Barb Johnson, as Council President, and she has chosen former council member Joan Campbell. That appointment must be approved by the full council. I'm really tired and can't tell you much more right now. More information, and my commentary, is included in the letter I have sent to all the Council members, which I am pasting in at the end of this email. Due to the outrageous process, and the poor choice being made, I am trying to open up more discussion by applying for the position myself. More about that in the letter below that I sent to the council members. I recognize that very few people will be able to attend the council meeting, especially on such short notice. Your support would be appreciated, though, if you could. I would urge you though, first thing this morning, to call or email your council representative to tell them to vote against the stadium resolution, and particularly to block or delay the appointment until there is opportunity for public knowledge and input. And if you also want to support my application for appointment to the Ballpark Authority, let them know that - I'd appreciate it. Dave Bicking 612-276-1213 Here's the letter I sent to the Council members: To all City Council members: Near the end of today's agenda is a resolution "approving the Ballpark Implementation Process." I have been told that the first resolving clause of this resolution is the appointment of the city's representative to the MN Ballpark Authority. I wish to comment on the process and on the presumed appointee. Also, due to my concerns, and due to my experiences while following this issue, I wish to offer my application for consideration for this position on the Ballpark Authority. This is an extremely important appointment, and it deserves much more public notice, input, and deliberation than it will receive - which is essentially none if this resolution is passed at this morning's meeting. I have tried for some time to determine how, when, and by whom this appointment was to be made. The process to this point has been kept secret, as least from the general public. The opening for this position has not been posted on the city's web site, nor has it appeared on any meeting agenda until now. Even now, there would be no way for the general public to look at this agenda and realize that this appointment is to made as part of this resolution. I have been told that this appointment is the prerogative of the Council President, Barb Johnson. How has this been determined - what criteria are used to decide which appointments are up to her to propose to the council? For city advisory boards, openings are published on the city website, applications are provided, and there is an open process for the selection of candidates. For a much more powerful and influential position on the Ballpark Authority, shouldn't the process be at least as open, public and transparent? (within the limits imposed by the shortened time frame available) The state legislation gives extraordinary power and responsibilities to the Ballpark Authority. It will manage hundreds of millions of dollars of public money. It will negotiate the final contracts with the Twins regarding both construction and leasing of the new ballpark. The current principles of agreement between the county and the Twins are very vague. The actual language which protects the public from unacceptable and unnecessary risk and liability is very important. Truly, "the devil is in the details". The city's representative to the Ballpark Authority will also be responsible for protecting the particular interests of the city and its citizens. The secret process which has taken place behind closed doors does little to assure the public that the chosen representative will be best qualified and committed to protecting the public interest. I appeal to you to delay action on at least this portion of the Ballpark resolution. This requires public input and comment. My understanding is that even many council members have not had much opportunity to consider this appointment. Even if the chosen appointee is the best qualified, you can not know this without a greater opportunity to examine her qualifications, her philosophy, her possible conflicts of interest, and her commitment to the position. You also can not know this without a consideration of possible alternatives. The general public should also have an opportunity to be a part of this deliberation. Please, put this matter aside for later consideration after more information is available. Possibly the council could reconvene late next week for consideration of this matter, still before the statutory deadline of June 25. My greatest concern is with the process, because process truly matters when making important decisions. However, I also have concerns regarding the presumed outcome of this secret process - the selection of Joan Campbell as the city's representative. I have been told that she is the proposed appointee, but that knowledge is still not available to the general public, which may find this to be a curious choice to protect us from risk and liabilities far into the future. I confess that I know little of Ms. Campbell's recent accomplishments or her current opinions. Like the rest of the public, I have been deprived of the time to do adequate research on this due to the sudden appearance of this appointment. Nevertheless, I understand that many consider her to be part of the "bad old days" of the City Council, when the public purse was opened to every downtown developer. Her three terms on the council coincide with the period when many financial decisions were made that still plague the city today. I don't have personal knowledge, but I have read that she, along with Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and CM Jackie Cherryhomes, was most closely associated with these public subsidies of private profit. It is likely that the public perception of her appointment will be that the council has learned NOTHING since those days. The timing of this appointment is ironic, seeing as how it has been recently determined that the city is on the hook for a $1.2 million bail-out of operating losses at the Target Center. A determined negotiator on the Ballpark Authority can make the critical difference between protecting the taxpayers, or leaving us open to such liabilities. Will Joan Campbell now be such a determined protector of the public interest? Without further knowledge, I honestly don't know - and I suspect you don't either. After serious consideration, I wish to offer my application for this position on the Ballpark Authority. I do this only out of concern for the public interest - this would be a considerable personal sacrifice. I also realize that I subject myself to ridicule, because it is generally accepted that such appointments only go to "well- respected members of the community" who have extensive personal and political connections, and who already serve on a half dozen other boards. Nevertheless, I consider myself to be fully qualified, and a serious alternative to the usual candidates. I have attached a "Letter of Qualifications" which I hope will serve as an application. I know this is last-minute - but until now, I have not been given any indication of how this position was to be filled, or who else would be considered. The attached document details not just my standard resume but also more information on why I am applying, and what concerns I believe need to be addressed in making this appointment. I would appreciate your consideration, and if you believe I warrant it, your support. Whether or not you support me as a candidate for this position, I feel it is most important that this appointment be given the full public hearing and consideration that it deserves. Yours sincerely, Dave Bicking 3211 22nd Ave. S. #1 Minneapolis, MN 55407 612-276-1213 --------2 of 13-------- Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2006 20:33:36 -0000 From: awcmere <meredith [at] antiwarcommittee.org> Subject: 2500 dead/protest 6.16 5pm EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACTION Passing A Tragic Milestone: 2500 U.S. Military Dead in Iraq Protest vigil to mark the 2500th U.S. military death in Iraq: Not one more death, not one more dollar! End the war in Iraq! Friday, June 16, 5pm In front of the offices of U.S. Senator Norm Coleman 2550 University Av W StPaul News reports confirm that a tragic new milestone has been passed in the U.S. war in Iraq, the 2500th U.S. military death. To mark this tragic milestone a coalition of Twin Cities area peace and anti-war organizations will hold a vigil on Friday, June 16, starting at 5:00PM in front of the offices of U.S. Senator Norm Coleman at 2550 University Ave. West in St. Paul (near the intersection of University Ave. & Hwy 280). The vigil is being organized under the call of "Not One More Death, Not One More Dollar." The Friday anti-war event will call attention to not only the 2500 U.S. military dead but also the unknown thousands of Iraqi people who have died as a result of the U.S. war. A statement issued by organizers says in part, "The sad day has come when the 2500th U.S. military death has occurred in Iraq. We will gather to mark this tragic milestone and to call attention to the tragic human and economic costs of the war in Iraq and to call for immediate withdrawal of U.S. military forces." The statement continues, "How many U.S. soldiers and Iraqis must lose their lives before our government finally admits that the war was wrong and it is time to bring the troops home?" Events are set in cities and towns, large and small, across the U.S. to mark the 2500th U.S. military death in Iraq. Among the Twin Cities area organizations that are sponsoring the vigil are, Twin Cities Peace Campaign-Focus on Iraq, Women Against Military Madness, Anti-War Committee, Iraq Peace Action Coalition, Military Families Speak Out and others. For information call Twin Cities Peace Campaign 612 522-1861 or Women Against Military Madness 612 827-5364. --------3 of 13-------- From: Rebecca Cramer <biego001 [at] umn.edu> Subject: Haiti Justice 6.17 9am The Haiti Justice Committee meets monthly, at 9am on the third Saturday, at the Resource Center of the Americas (27th Ave. S. and E. Lake St.), in the Victor Jara room. Please join us this Sat. to discuss the current political crisis in Haiti. Join our committee, learn the facts and be a part of the growing international outrage against the murderous political repression occurring in Haiti since the ouster, in Feb. 2004, of the democratically-elected President of Haiti, Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Rebecca Cramer --------4 of 13-------- From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com> Subject: Juneteenth 6.17 9am Saturday, 6/17, Juneteenth festival with parade starting 9am at Penn Ave N & Plymouth Ave N and continuing to Theodore Wirth Park. Booth open in the park from 11am to 7pm. --------5 of 13-------- From: stpaulunions.org <llwright [at] stpaulunions.org> Subject: Labor door knock 6.17 10am A Call to Action from the St Paul Trades and Labor Assembly Union Member Door Knock to Win Back Minnesota in 2006! Join Our Union Brothers and Sisters as we kick off the Labor 2006 program in Minneapolis. Saturday, June 17 at 10am Operating Engineers Local 49 - 2829 Anthony Lane South - Minneapolis DETAILS: We will door knock labor households in Minneapolis and the surrounding inner ring suburbs. Lunch to follow. DIRECTIONS: From 35W, take exit 24 (County Road C). Head west on County Road C for approximately 1 mile. Turn left on Anthony Lane and make another immediate left. The 49ers Hall is straight ahead. For Information Contact: Bree Halverson, St Paul Trades and Labor Assembly @ 651-222-3787 or bhalverson [at] stpaulunions.org OR Andrea Yevuta, Minneapolis CLUC Political Director at 612-379-4206 or andrea [at] mplscluc.com --------6 of 13-------- From: Margaret Beegle <beegle [at] louberts.com> Subject: PRT/Bakken 6.17 10am Every Saturday in June, Citizens for Personal Rapid Transit will have a display at the Bakken Museum of Electricity, 3537 Zenith Avenue South, Minneapolis. The exhibit is intended for children ages 5 to 12 and on up to adulthood. Hours are 10am to 4pm. Come learn about magnetism and the newest developments with PRT. --------7 of 13-------- From: Pattih2 [at] aol.com Subject: Burma event 6.17 1:30pm Come Celebrate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Birthday!Saturday, June 17 1:30-4pm We are going to celebrate her 61st Birthday and fight for her freedom. Who is Aung San Suu Kyi? Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of General Aung San, a Burmese National Icon who fought for Burma's Independence from Britain. She has spent 10 of the past 17 years in prison or under house arrest. The last time she was able to leave her house was May 30th, 2003. In 1988 she rose to the forefront of Burma's democracy movement as millions of people marched in the streets demanding a transition to democracy. She led the National League for Democracy to a landslide victory in Burma's last democratic election, garnering an overwhelming 82% of the seats in parliament. When the military dictatorship refused to hand over power, she became the symbol of democracy by encouraging her followers to bring about change in a Ghandian manner. She became the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and currently is the world's only incarcerated winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. The US Campaign for Burma - MN Chapter will sponsor an event to honor Aung San Suu Kyi's 61st Birthday. The event will occur on: Saturday, June 17, from 1:30-4:00. Lutheran Social Service 2414 Park Ave Mpls, MN 55404 The EVENT will be video taped and will be part of the nationwide effort to send a message to Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma: 1:30 Show the videos on Burma/ Make birthday cards 2:30 Speakers from various Burmese, Karen, and politicians if available 3:15 "Arrest ourselves" by getting in a circle and tying our hands together 3:30 Picture of group with Birthday cake / Sing "Happy Birthday" Please come and join with us. For more information contact Patti Hurd 651-683-0228 or Aung Koe 651-497-8782 --------8 of 13-------- From: entropy [at] riseup.net Subject: Roadless wilds 6.17 6pm There is a plan coming down the pike from the DNR & National Forestry Service which may begin as soon as this fall & the public comment period is over. OUR MN ROADLESS WILDERNESSES ARE UNDER ATTACK! It looks like they plan on building roads into roadless areas as soon as this fall...with a total of up to 15,000 acres of clear-cutting. This is the forestry management plan for the Superior National Forest's echo trail area (next to the boundary waters). They will build roads & even a bridge in roadless wilderness. They will destroy critical habitat for Lynx, three toed woodpecker, goshawk owl, and much more. They will destroy the wilderness I grew up exploring & loving! THEY WILL DO THIS ALL SIMPLY FOR MONEY!! We have been camping & exploring the proposed road-building & tree-cutting sites. We have been making our own maps and getting more people up there to see these beautiful places they want to destroy. We will continue to do this all summer, and even longer. We will continue to do this until they decide to start the destruction...at which point we plan to be ready to stop them. you can help. you can come camping with us. you can explore with us. and you can help us all get ready for the real fight when they try to clear-cut the forests which belong to all of us (which means they need our permission which we will not grant). join us for our first fundraiser, meet good people, hear some great music, sign up to go camping...ect... this SATURDAY, June 17 6pm at the Belfry Community Center (3752 Bloomington Ave South) this will be an acoustic oriented show with: Rio de la Muerte (from Gainesville, FL), Iron Lung Johnson (local), shugE (local), plus a special guest --------9 of 13-------- From: Lydia Howell <lhowell [at] visi.com> Subject: Walking Elk concert 6.17 7pm Mitch Walking Elk in Concert Benefit for Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Community programs Saturday, June 17, at 7pm Mendota Dakota Community Center 1351 Sibley Memorial Hwy (Hwy 13 off Hwy 55) in Mendota Sliding scale, no one turned away Information: 651-452-4141 --------10 of 13-------- From: Doris G. Marquit <marqu001 [at] umn.edu> Subject: Rosa Luxemburg/film 6.17 7pm ROSA LUXEMBURG--A film by noted German director Margarethe von Trotta Saturday, June 17 7pm, May Day Books 301 S Cedar Av, Minneapolis Suggested contribution: $5. Refreshments served. A Fundraiser for Political Affairs: A Marxist Monthly Sponsored by Central and Southern District, CPUSA Rosa Luxemburg was a German socialist leader, cofounder of the Spartacus Party in 1918. In addition to her radical labor and antiwar organizing, she played an important role in the history of Marxist theory. She and Karl Liebknecht were murdered by German authorities in 1919. Barbara Sukowa won Best Actress at Cannes in 1986 for her portrayal of "Red Rosa" in this film. Von Trotta has directed other award-winning films such as Rosenstrasse and The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum. FFI: Harry at (651) 776-2027. --------11 of 13-------- From: Charles Underwood <charleyunderwood [at] hotmail.com> Subject: See Haiti 6.17 7:30pm Saturday, 6/17, 7:30 to 10:30 pm, "Start Seeing Haiti" fundraiser to benefit Fr. Jean-Juste's feeding program in Port-au-Prince, The Jungle Red Salon, 1362 LaSalle Ave, Mpls. $5 cover. Caribbean food from Victor's Cafe, Ellen_Seagren [at] yahoo.com or 612-388-2542. --------12 of 13-------- From: teresa konechne <tontheroad [at] yahoo.com> Subject: NCountry films 6.17 8pm North Country Coops Birthday Celebration FILM NIGHT. Films, by and with NCC working members and collective members. REVOLUTION and ART - DELICIOUS: films by and with North Country Coop Members. JUNE 17, 8pm BEDLAM THEATRE 14 1/2 Cedar Ave, Mpls.; 612.341.1038 Free CONTACT:Erik Esse 612.8.338.3110 A plethora of films by North Country Coop members, shoppers and collective members. It's a night of documentaries, experimental shorts, new pieces, old pieces, and a celebration of just a bit of the talent that runs amuck through the aisles of the coop. Please join us for some great films and great fun!! Curated by member and filmmaker Teresa Konechne. BREWING DEMOCRACY A group of friends meet every weekend to make beer in preparation for the start-up of a beer brewing business that they could own and manage collectively. Tensions mount as it becomes clear that collective members have different ideas about where their collaboration is heading. This film explores the dynamic of collectivism and asks the question, "Are we prepared for true democracy?" Directed by: Beth Peloff -- Beth is a freelance videographer and currently works at the Minneapolis Television Network as a video instructor and business manager. Shorts by veteran filmmaker Kathleen Laughlin: WE WILL HARBOR YOU: A History of Minnesota's Battered Women's Movement Excerpt from a work-in-progress SUSAN THROUGH CORN A pixilated portrait of my sister in the August cornfields, so tall she's lost; intensities of green, red, yellow, and flute. TOMATO STORY An illustrated phone conversation with my neighbor downstairs, dedicated to Marie, and those everywhere who watch out of windows. GONE BY Nostalgia from '76 Minneapolis' warehouse district -- Kathleen has been working in the Twin Cities as a documentary film and video producer, director, and editor since 1975. NOSEFIGHT A melancholic fairytale about the unlikely reuniting of a brother and sister separated during their youth. Shot on super 8 mm film through colored filters and set to an original ambient score by John Marks. Directed by: Daniel Palahniuk -- Daniel makes short films that have screened in the Fargo and Minneapolis Film Festivals. Films by Teresa Konechne ATRAVES DE TI, YO SOY - An experimental short. Hands, faces and bodies become ephemeral celebrations about love, distance, and cross-cultural relationships in this visually poetic piece. MANOOMIN: a Minnesota way of life Genetic Engineering and the sacred wild rice of the Ojibwe people is a dangerous combination. This documentary was made as part of a legislative campaign for the White Earth Land Recovery Project, to save wild rice from a change that could threaten the tribe's cultural heritage and economic base. -- Teresa uses film to merge her politics with art and beauty. Her documentaries and shorts have screened around the country and abroad. teresa konechne working hands productions minneapolis mn 612.871.2576 (studio) 612.214.1121 (cell) www.workinghandsproductions.com (in progress) --------13 of 13-------- Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2006 18:53:33 -0500 From: John Kolstad <jkolstad [at] millcitymusic.com> Subject: John Kolstad press conference speech 6.14.06 Delivered at the State Capitol June 14, 2006 on the Capitol Steps I am John Kolstad and I am honored to have been drafted and endorsed by the Minnesota Green Party as their candidate for Attorney General. I am running as a Green because I respect and support the 4 Pillars and 10 Key Values of the Green Party. And I like that the Greens intend to hold their candidates accountable to these principles. There are many pressing issues that we face in Minnesota today. But the four issues my campaign will focus on are: -get out of Iraq now! -bring universal health care through single payer to Minnesota -establish a sound energy policy based on renewable resources. -economic development and job creation by supporting small independent businesses. Today I will briefly address one of these issues: the health care crisis. There is virtually no disagreement about how bad the problem is. The question is, Is there a solution? The answer is yes - it is universal health care through a single payer system. All credible research indicates that universal single payer health care will: -cover everyone -give choice of doctor and hospital -end insurance company interference with doctor patient relationship -and collectively we will save billions of dollars every year. How can we be assured that this research is correct? We can look to the experience of every other industrialized nation in the world. They spend 50% or less per capita, cover everyone and most have better outcomes. That's empirical evidence. So why have the DFL and GOP not implemented this proven solution? In fact these two parties have not even allowed it to be formally discussed at the legislature. It does not take a rocket scientist to see that the governor and the legislature are controlled by the campaign money and lobbyists of the insurance and drug industries. So there are my issues. However, the overwhelming reason for me accepting the Green Party's draft as their candidate is the colossal failure of the two major parties, the DFL and GOP, to solve the pressing problems of the people of this state. So, if the current major parties are failing to serve the people's needs, what are they doing and who are they serving? What did the legislature do last session and where did they spend their time and public resources? They approved, and Governor Pawlenty signed, a $1.1 billion dollar tax on Hennepin county, to build a $522 million dollar building for the richest businessman in Minnesota. And this businessman will not pay a dime in property tax, while it skyrockets for the rest of us. So Carl Pohlad gets a free building and doesn't even pay property tax on it. So $522 million goes to the building, but does any one know where the rest of the $578 millions goes? To make matters worse, these legislators overrode a state law requiring that people of Hennepin county have a referendum vote on this tax. The two parties that crammed this through are morally, fiscally and politically bankrupt. And yes - anti-democratic. Governor Pawlenty signed this bill, making him a billion-dollar hypocrite. House speaker Svigum is also a billion-dollar hypocrite. And so are all the republicans who vote for the stadium or let it go through. But what about the Democrats? They may be even worse than the republicans. Why? First the DFL is supposed to be for the working class - not the wealthy class. Second, the DFL leaders gave the appearance of making a deal to combine the stadium with money for education and other public needs. But when the bill came out of the conference committee, only the stadium and Carl Pohlad's benefits remained. And of course no referendum. Yet the DFL still voted for it. That was a disgraceful act. Minority leader Matt Entenza, the DFL-endorsed candidate for Attorney General, voted for this heist of public tax dollars for the benefit of a billionaire. In addition his wife is an executive at United Health Care. How can we believe that he will represent the ordinary people of Minnesota? The conduct of these two major parties is inexcusable and demonstrates that they do not deserve the trust and votes of the people of Minnesota. So my issue are: -end the war now. Bring home the National Guard -universal single payer healthcare -sustainable energy policy -promoting small independent business. I am qualified for this job. I have the ability to do this job. I have vast experience to bring to this job. I am not controlled by the money and power interests of this state. Vote for John Kolstad and the only one I will owe anything to is you - the voters. Thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- - David Shove shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu rhymes with clove Progressive Calendar over 2225 subscribers as of 12.19.02 please send all messages in plain text no attachments
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