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Monday, November 27, 2006

All you Literature Lovers:
Exclusively Available Here
for a Limited Time
Free Poetry!
Come and Get It Please

I've been unwilling to post my poetry to this blog as simply a text post, but I've wanted to share it with my readers for a while. So, I've come up with a compromise. I've uploaded and made available for free four of my poems at box.net, a handy little free Ajax-built file hosting/sharing website. They are in .pdf format, so you will need a PDF reader.

I'm going to keep them here and active until December 8th, 2006. If you know any other poetry lovers, or writers (and aren't we usually one and the same?) please share this post and the link with them. I would love to here from you, as well.

What is strong, what is weak in these poems? What sorts of poetry do you like? Love? Rhymed? Dark? Prose? Found poetry? Share your interests with me and also, if you have any of your own poetry to share, please post a link to it in the comments section, or just email it to me.

Thanks.

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I Survived My First Poetry Reading in Years

This past Sunday I participated in my first poetry reading since i lived in across the street from Dolores Park in San Francisco in th late '90s. I went a couple times to a bar around the corner on Valencia whose name I forget and would read for three minutes. I remember the cavernous space, the stage and microphone and the luiquid green and blue spot that turned the patrons, most of whom were drunk or nearly drunk into a dim mist. I especially remember the curator motioning the "cut! cut!" motion across her throat as I went over my time and I remember thinking, people really do that?

By contrast the PRISM reading this past weekend was held at a coffeehouse in one of the most beautiful buildings dedicated to the literary arts that I know, OpenBook. I could read for up to an hour. Now, I ask you, what kind of sadistic writer would subject her or his audience to a whole hour of their poetry? Not I. Considering the special sort of trauma that public speaking visits on my brain, I was not prepared to read for more than 20 minutes.

It turned out well I was told. My partner and several of my friends came. Besides them there were maybe 10 or 11 people. The other featured reader was poised and delivered a good reading. His poetry is well worth checking out. His name is Steve Mueske. Below there is a link to his website on the left-hide side of this page under the Poets & Authors heading. He reminded me that humor in poetry is a good thing.

I'm looking forward to the next two readings I have lined up. December 18th at Intermedia Arts in Uptown and January 24th at Intermedia Arts as well. I'll post specifics soon.

Do come.

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Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Impeachment, Nancy Pelosi and Israel/ Palestine

Nancy Pelosi has her work cut out for her. She has a Congress to clean up, many of her crop of new Senators are young and inexperienced, and she lost the battle for John Murtha. For the record, I don't believe this was a "stumble" as reported by Time. To me it seemed like a carefully choreographed dance, rather than a knockdown drag-out fight. Do I have any sources that support this? No, it's just a feeling.

Then there's impeachment. She's going to have to answer to many progressive democrats and others who feel that we have farther to go as a nation. Pelosi has said that democrats are not interested in revenge and many respond that the idea of "revenge" is a red herring. Impeachment is not about revenge, but about holding those who are in positions of power ultimately responsible for the lies and spin that lead to war. Impeachment is about discovering the depth and breadth of those lies.

Pelosi also faces another major challenge. For those who watch the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Pelosi has been an influential figure in shaping the debate. Recently, with her anticipated move to Speaker of the House and the media coverage of the Middle East which has been slowly acknowledging that the war on Iraq is not simply about Iraq, but also about Iran, Israel, Palestine, Syria, et al., Pelosi's feelings toward Israel in particular have come under some scrutiny.

It remains to be seen whether she can be less the idealogue and more a leader for peace in the U.S. and abroad.

Annotated Links

The Pelosi-Harman Fault Line

Nancy Pelosi and Jane Harman have been on a collision course for some time. They are both very tough-minded, opinionated, media savvy Democrats on the rise, and they have been knocking into each other for some time while still feigning mutual admiration ...

Is the "Israel lobby" distorting America's Mideast policies?

Two leading academics have tried to break the taboo against criticizing Israel's powerful U.S. lobby. It's a worthy aim, but their clumsy argument may backfire.

For Pelosi, Israel is Personal
"She [Pelosi] likes to say that, growing up in Baltimore, she went to a bar or bat mitzvah ... JTA also quotes a speech that Pelosi gave before an AIPAC crowd three years ago. Talking about her Jewish son-in-law, Pelosi told the crowd: ...

Jim Kirwan - Pelosi Revisited
by FOREIGN PRESS FOUNDATION
Nancy Pelosi, the darling Democrat from the Bay Area who leads her party in the House. Pelosi's recent speech to the Israel-American lobby AIPAC, the second largest lobby in Washington, was monumental - truly unparalleled in its candor. ...

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Monday, November 20, 2006

New Blog on Orchid Culture, Pictures, Tips and Tricks

My partner Jonah just launched a new blog called The Armchair Orchidist in which he writes articles for the beginning and intermediate orchid grower who longs to successfully grow their plants indoors. Apparently it can be quite complicated to induce these plants to flower. He's got such a green thumb, though, let his experience help you succeed! He also posts gorgeous pictures of the plants, as well as tips, tricks and reviews.

I'm helping him focus, market and design his blog. All the writing he does himself. Please check it out and comment. I will be posting here about the process of building the content for the Armchair Orchidist, as well as marketing it.

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Sunday, November 19, 2006

Latest Links: Israel - Palestine

International">Protest Forces Israel to Call Off Gaza Airstrike
Israel halted an airstrike against the house of a suspected Palestinian militant after neighbors surrounded the building.

Welcome the New Neighbors:
An ambitious new group blog called Good Neighbors is "designed to increase dialogue and understanding between all of the neighboring countries in the Middle East including Jordanians, Lebanese, Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians, Saudis, Iranians, and Syrians on a cross-country level, as well as to increase understanding, respect and dialogue among the various strata of society within our countries." Quite a challenge.

NAM Awards Winner: Ray Hanania
The writer has received a New America Media Ethnic Media Award for 2006 for a series of humorous commentaries on Israeli-Palestinian relations, reprinted here. NAM recognized outstanding ethnic media reporters this week in Washington, D.C.

Israel Encourages Citizens to Return to Homeland
For the first time, Israeli government officials are touring the United States and Canada to help Israeli immigrants connect to employment opportunities and invite them to return home.

WSU law professor candidate protested
A pro-Israel group says the son of a prominent Palestinian intellectual should not be considered for a law professor post at Wayne State University, and local leaders of Palestinian and Arab descent say the effort is part of an attempt to marginalize their community in Metro Detroit.

palestine journal: 16 november - the lame duck massacres
soooo... while the lame-duck congress in the US goes ahead with passing some of the most draconian laws yet, like the one they passed yesterday that makes protesting animal cruelty at a circus or an animal lab a terrorist act (!) -- which, by the way, goes right along with their stated priorities of 'who is a threat'...... ie. not bin laden or the saudis who fund him.... but instead, as the FBI has stated publicly on multiple occasions, their 'Number One Domestic Terrorist Threat' is the 'animal liberation front', an organization that has never ever been charged with killing or hurting anyone, but whose only purpose is to rescue animals from cruel conditions (!)....

Israeli aircraft strike Hamas car
Israeli missiles hit a car carrying Gaza militants, injuring several people, after Palestinian rockets hit Israel.

Kill Hamas Now: "They ... have to disappear, to go to paradise, all of them, and there can't be any compromise."
"Israel's deputy prime minister [Avigdor Lieberman] on Saturday said Israel should assassinate Hamas' leadership, ignore the moderate Palestinian president and walk away from international peace efforts, the latest in a string of hard-line positions voiced by the newest member of the Cabinet."

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Thursday, November 16, 2006

Restaurant Recommendation: Tomasita’s in Santa Fe, NM

The Chile is Hot, The Marguerites are Strong

Tomasita's Restaurant at 500 S Guadalupe St. in Santa Fe is a Mecca for frequent travelers to the high desert, an icon for locals and a must-see for first-time visitors. Around dinner it is inevitably packed and would-be diners are forced to deal with a long wait. So if you can eat early or very late, you should.

Don’t forget the chile. Think on your choice carefully. Red or green? Vegetarian or regular? Chiles are everywhere in New Mexican cuisine. They eat them with everything, and perhaps at first, the fire will make you wonder why. You’ll surprise yourself by the end of the meal, though, as you’re shoveling spoonfuls into your mouth between gulps of water, sweating and happy. Order a liter of marguerites and share with friends. Rinse. Repeat.

Finally, an entire paragraph must be devoted to the flakiest, warmest, softest sopaipillas in all of America. If you don’t know what a sopaipilla is, you have not lived. Calling it “flat bread” or “fry bread” would only demean it. These are puffy, chewy patry-like clouds of dough. With a fresh squirt of honey on each bite of a piece of sopaipilla at Tomasita’s, the diner is treated to a sweet, fluffy taste of heaven. They make the perfect end to a hearty and authentic New Mexican meal.

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Tuesday, November 14, 2006

How to Live the Good Life While Staying in Santa Fe, New Mexico


Sleeping in a 300 year old adobe building in the desert might sound like a night only a lizard would enjoy, but my partner and I recently had the pleasure of shedding our urban skin for the luxe life in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Hilton on the Plaza offers three casitas behind the main building that are decked out with kiva-style gas fireplaces, kitchenettes, humongous king-sized beds, a Jacuzzi tub and at least two televisions.

A short walk from the front door is the main plaza of Santa Fe where Native Americans sell jewelry and blankets along the Portal of the Palace of the Governors. Upscale dining is everywhere and art galleries line the streets.

The casitas were originally built by the Ortiz family in the late 1600s after a long grueling trip north fom Mexico City. Though the rooms have been restored and upgraded to modern standards, the hotel has left sections of the walls in each room in their original state. Safely shielded behind glass, the old walls are grey and crackled with plaster and the original bricks. Not to fear, though, we didn’t see a single ghost. At over $400 per night, likely any lonely spirits left wandering the veranda couldn’t afford to haunt the place. How did we afford it? A combination of generosity and luck. It never hurts to call up the hotel and ask about availability.

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Sunday, November 12, 2006

Poetry Press Release: PRISM Poetry Series November 26th

Sunday, November 26th
1:00-3:00 pm
The Coffee Gallery at OpenBook
1011 Washington Ave.
South Minneapolis, Minnesota
(612) 215 - 2626

PRISM Poetry Series announces its featured readers for November 2006, Chris Pommier and Steve Mueske.

Steve Mueske holds an MFA in Writing from Hamline University and has published poems recently in The Massachusetts Review, 32 Poems, The Tusculum Review, and Best New Poets 2005. He is the author of a chapbook and the full-length collection, A Mnemonic for Desire (Ghost Road Press). He serves as Editor-in-Chief for three candles journal,
publisher for three candles press, and site curator for Poetry 365. More informationis available on his website http://www.stevemueske.com

Chris Pommier just finished a SASE/Jerome Foundation mentorship with poet Sun Yung Shin and other wonderful poet-peers who helped him grow immensely as an artist. He has published poetry in anthology chapbooks in California and Alaska. Currently he works a day job, but slave away as a freelancer at night, writing for local publications in the hopes of someday writing for a living.

PRISM Poetry Series offers an open mic the 2nd Sunday of each month and featured readers on the last Sunday. All readings are held from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Coffee Gallery. For more information contact prismpoetry [AT] earthlink.net or visit us on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/prismpoetry.

For more information, contact:
Laura Winton
prismpoetry [AT] @earthlink.net or
fluffysingler [AT] earthlink.net

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Thursday, November 09, 2006

World Corruption: The United States Falls near the Middle


It's safe to say that corruption in the single-party cultural gulag created by Big Brother Bush and his thought police carried many of us to the polls this year, but how does the United States rank in perceived corruption around the world?

Transparency International published the 2006 Corruption Perception Index. On the map to the right, darker is more corrupt. The U.S. falls at 20 with Chile and Belgium, far below Finland (1) and Singapore (5) with Iraq (160) falling nearly dead last, an indictment of U.S. involvement with that country. According to Transparency International, poverty and corruption go hand in hand. The organization looks to the Americas here:
While there are no winners in the Americas, the index shows substantially higher scores for countries with relatively strong democratic institutions, such as Canada and the United States, but also notably for Chile, Costa Rica and Uruguay. But as recent scandals show, they too must continue to strengthen their institutions. There is, for example, a strong sense in the United States that corruption is on the rise in Congress, with special interests able to buy access and Congress doing little to police itself.
Money, The 109th Congress and Nepotism

The Sunlight Foundation, using technology to enable citizens to ensure greater accountability and transparency in government, has been following the money trails in the 109th and published their second installment in the "Is Congress a Family Business?" report. Citizen journalists working with the Foundation have found that over $635,000 have been spent from campaign moneys on businesses and consulting fees for the spouses and family members of around 19 members of the House. This practice is not necessarily illegal as the federal nepotism statute keeps members of Congress from hiring family to work in their Washington offices, but doesn't address the issue of family working on campaigns as long as they render bona fide services to the campaign at fair market value.

The Lazy, Good-for-Nothing 109th Congress

The 109th Congress is also poised to be the least productive Congress since the late 1940s, according to this report (pdf) from the Sunlight Foundation. Don't we all wish we could go to work for only about 129 days this upcoming year, like the Senate? And the score in the House:
This year the House of Representatives scheduled a mere 88 days in session. At least 23 of those days have votes occurring after 5:30 or 6:30 pm with one voting day ending at 2 pm for Rosh Hashanah. Twelve of these 23 postponed voting days occur on a Monday or a Tuesday following a Monday off. This allows members to come in late on Mondays or Tuesdays just in time to cast a vote. There are also 37 days with no votes on the calendar. Congress has so far failed to meet for 23 of those 37 “no vote” days with four “no vote” days remaining. Of the ten “no vote” days that the House has met, nine of them lasted for no more than 11 minutes. Fewer than one-out-of-three “no vote” days become a day in session.
The New Congress: Can Democrats Address These Issues?

What do you think? Post your comments below. Will Democrats really make a difference? How will the transition from campaigning to governing go? They have their work cut out for them. Will their watchword be transparency? How many secret meetings will they have? I've been hearing a lot lately about three issues:
  1. The Democrats squeaked into office and their reign is only temporary, at best.
  2. They are more centrist, less progressive these days.
  3. There are many who are new to the business
Don't take your eyes off them. For those of us who voted them into office, we can't sit back on our laurels and hope for the best. Let's make sure they do their job, shall we?

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Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Election 2006; There's a First Time for Everything

Some of the firsts from this year's election:
  1. Nancy Pelosi, the first woman Speaker of the House, third in line for the presidency.
  2. Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the first Muslim in Congress.
  3. Keith Ellison, the first Black person elected to the House from Minnesota.
  4. Amy Klobachar, the first woman to be elected to the Senate from Minnesota.
---
Update 11/09/2006 11:57 AM


C'mon people. Whatever happened to Web 2.0? Social media? I had to dig up these two firsts myself:
  1. Bernie Sanders of Vermont is the first Socialist to be elected to the U.S. Senate
  2. Deval Patrick, the first African-American Governor of Massachusetts
---

Update 11/09/2006 6:36 PM
  1. Ellen Young is the first Asian Assemblywoman in New York.

Please comment and add any local or national firsts you're aware of this year, and correct me if I'm wrong on any of the above.

Thanks!

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Wednesday Morning Brings Democrats and Yet More Waiting

It was too much to hope that when U.S. citizens woke up this morning to go to work, we would have elections results waiting in our inboxes. Official news outlets like the Associated Press and the New York Times are handing the U.S. House of Representatives to the Democrats under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). From the look of it, the House victory was decisive. The democrats needed 16 seats and they've picked up nearly twice that. The Senate still hangs on close races in Virginia and Montana this morning.

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Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Latest Links: Voting 2

Diebold Voting Machines Jam in Vista
Two Diebold voting machines in Vista experienced paper jams on the already controversial computerized format that has been challenged on local, regional and national levels.
"What happend today in Vista is an example of the continued erosion of our democracy," said Fredia Avalos, a communication lecturer at Cal State San
Marcos. Vista filmaker Mark Day commented "I ended up voting twice. Those machines make a lot of racket and sound like an old harvesting machine. The whole thing is very scary."

Klobuchar wins
Democrat Amy Klobuchar sailed to an easy victory in the U.S. Senate race Tuesday, capitalizing on voter anger over the Iraq war to become Minnesota's first elected female senator.
Klobuchar, the elected prosecutor of Hennepin County, kept an important post in Democratic hands by beating Mark Kennedy, a three-term Republican congressman from west of the Twin Cities.
Klobuchar's win was based on a statistical analysis of the vote from voter interviews conducted for The Associated Press by Edison Media Research and Mitosfky International.

Doyle wins in Wisconsin governor's race
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, a Democrat, won a tough reelection race Tuesday over U.S. Rep. Mark Green, a Republican who focused on state spending and property taxes.
In the U.S. Senate race, Democratic incumbent Herb Kohl easily defeated Robert Gerald Lorge, a Republican lawyer from Bear Creek.
Kohl, who used to run his family's grocery and department stores and now owns the Milwaukee Bucks, has served three terms in the Senate.
Wisconsin voters also approved Tuesday a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Similar measures banning same-sex civil

Immigrants turn out to vote in California, spurred by tech-saavy and traditional registration drives, voter guides and rights cards from Mobilize the Immigrant Vote 2006.

Mapping the Movement: Washington
Heavy rain falls on election day. Shankar Narayan, director of the Hate Free Zone, hopes it won't keep away the 11,000 immigrant voters it's registered through canvassing and phone banking.

La Nueva Cara del Votante: Jóven y Latino
Los jóvenes latinos en San Diego conformaron más de la mitad del crecimiento del electorado latino del condado.

Black voters a poll factor
While incumbent Republican Gov. Bob Riley has a comfortable lead in polls over Democratic Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, political observers say the outcome of other races could depend on how many voters turn out, particularly black voters.

FBI looks into voter intimidation
The FBI is looking into possible voter intimidation in Virginia's hard-fought U.S. Senate contest between Republican incumbent George Allen and Democrat Jim Webb.


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Latest Links: Voting

Election problems: New machines, databases, rules

Programming errors and inexperience dealing with electronic voting machines frustrated poll workers in hundreds of precincts early today, delaying voters in Indiana, Ohio and Florida and leaving some with little choice but to use paper ballots instead.

In Cleveland, voters rolled their eyes as election workers fumbled with new touchscreen machines that they couldn't get to start properly until about 10 minutes after polls opened.

"We got five machines one of them's got to work," said Willette Scullank, a trouble shooter from the Cuyahoga County, Ohio, elections board.
StarTribune.com | Politics
Published: Tuesday, 07 November 2006 23:00:00

Voter ID Numbers

Around noon today, the DFL volunteer army made its five millionth voter identification call.Five Million. 5,000,000 calls made.

Among those, more than 1.8 million voters have been identified successfully.

That, my wonderful readers, is what we call “ridiculous.”

Minnesota Campaign Report
Published: Tuesday, 07 November 2006 15:31:08

Despite delays, glitches,...
Despite delays, glitches, and other snafus, most polls will not extend voting hours. In Denver, where the lines are long, the Democratic candidate for governor waited nearly two hours to vote, presumably for himself.
Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall
Published: Tuesday, 07 November 2006 15:25:43

In CO, Dems Allege Threats to Latino Voters
From Roll Call: In automated and live calls, Democrats allege, Latinos have been told that their ethnicity makes them ineligible to vote in today’s elections. The calls also threatened that Latinos would be arrested at polling places if they did...
TPMmuckraker
Published: Tuesday, 07 November 2006 15:23:07

MD GOP Candidate Recruits Homeless to Pass Out Deceptive Flyers
Misleading flyers were handed out at several Maryland polling places by men and women recruited by the GOP governor's campaign from out-of-state homeless shelters, the Washington Post reports. The flyers, given to voters in a heavily Democratic area, showed GOP...
TPMmuckraker
Published: Tuesday, 07 November 2006 14:32:34

Northern Minnesota Report

Things are going well in the Bemidji DFL office, according to reports from the northern part of the state. A light rain is falling, but turnout appears to be high. Plenty of volunteers, and not so many in the local Republican office. Sporadic reports of voter intimidation in largely Native areas, as well as issues getting some voters in the Red Lake area to the county courthouse - they were supposed to vote by mail, and were unaware that the precinct voting location would not be open. Drivers needed - if you’re near there, go help out.

Minnesota Campaign Report
Published: Tuesday, 07 November 2006 14:10:42

Election 2006: Penetrating The Voting Vortex
By Erin Thompson
Google the terms “hiccup” or “glitch” along with the words “electronic voting equipment” and you’ll get some interesting insight into widespread chaos that could hit polling places this November. In primaries across the nation earlier this year, problems with newly implemented computer-based voting systems, often blamed on software “glitches” or election “hiccups,” caused voting results to be delayed, tallied incorrectly or reversed entirely.
Election 2006: Resisting The Voting Rights Rollback
By Ula Kuras
Among the new voting requirements recently contested in courts are state-issued photo IDs and tight restrictions on voting registration drives. Proponents of such requirements tend to be conservative white Republicans who argue that tighter rules are essential for preventing voter fraud. However, critics say such laws will unfairly impact the poor, the elderly, the disabled, and college-age students, all of whom tend to vote more for the Democrats.

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Designers for Democracy Suggest Photographing Polling Place

Today, November 7, 2006, a tiny percentage of United States citizens will decide which individuals will represent everyone in Washington D.C. In order to document this event, the American Institute of Graphic Artists (AIGA) and Design for Democracy are supporting the Polling Place Photo Project. William Drenttel of Design Observer initiated the project in collaboration with Jay Rosen, founder of NewAssignment.Net.

This project pursued two goals:
  1. To archive and document the voting process in order to provide a record for research on "how voting happens in America and how it can be easier, less confusing and more enjoyable."
  2. To make sure the election isn't stolen, votes aren't miscounted and to provide protesters and activists a photographic record if necessary to support claims of fraud.
Keep in mind that local laws vary greatly and any would-be citizen journalist should be familiar with her or his statutes before snapping pictures of happy voters. Lauren Gelman, deputy director of the Center for Internet & Society at Stanford Law School, has posted a blog entry covering that question.

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Go Vote! Democracy Still Needs Defenders

Even though voting is today, anyone can still participate in Get Out the Vote activities in order to give their fellow citizens that extra little push. Do More Than Vote has a great resource here for what you can do from your computer at work today until the polls close.

Devote 5 minutes at your desk
Get Informed. Become a part of MoveOn.org and get updates and alerts about current issues and easy actions you can take to influence your lawmakers. And, sign up for the Center for American Progress's daily report and talking points to stay up to speed on the political topics of the day.

Devote 10 minutes at your desk
Call talk radio shows to let listeners know what you think. Getting Democratic voices onto the conservative-controlled airwaves is a must. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) gives you numbers to call and talking points to use. For some local flavor, try these conservative shows: Jason Lewis on KTLK 100.3 FM, Mon-Fri 5-7 PM (651-989-KTLK); or Joe Soucheray on KSTP AM 1500, Mon-Fri 3-6 PM (651-646-TALK). If you prefer to call a progressive show, try: Minnesota Matters on Air America AM 950, Mon-Fri 5-6 PM (952-946-6205).

Devote a half-hour at your desk
Write letters to media across the country- the perfect way to express approval of or disdain for the news and views of the day. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) makes it simple. To get issue specific talking points: click on an issue, then enter your zip code. Your letter is emailed automatically.

Devote an hour at a computer
Make Calls anytime, anywhere as long as you have access to the internet and a phone. Use Moveon.org's phone program to call voters in crucial districts all across the country. You can make one or one hundred calls, and take breaks as often as you like. Their program is user-friendly and proven to work, so get started today.

However, let's not forget the basics. In Minnesota you can find your polling place here. You can find the candidates on your ballot anywhere at Vote-USA.org. Keep in mind that Vote-USA.org may not have the most accurate information. I found that the Democratic incumbent was listed as an Independent on the Vote-USA.org website. Also their servers have been overloaded with visitors, so it may be very slow to load.

The local blog Eleventh Avenue South is providing the a Minnesota Big Gay Voter Guide with a rundown of who, what, where, when and why.

Now, go vote!

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Thursday, November 02, 2006

Latest Links: Minimum Wage

Propositions split 26th Dist. House, Senate hopefuls
From raising the minimum wage to smoking bans, candidates for District 26's House and Senate seats disagree over which propositions would most help Arizonans.

Sixth District: Stances on issues not detailed in ads
State Sen. Michele Bachmann isn't sure the United States should remain part of the United Nations. She questions whether there should be a minimum wage law, and she is skeptical that global warming is occurring.
Her opponent, child safety advocate Patty Wetterling, favors abortion rights. She opposes congressional efforts to ban the late-term abortion procedure that opponents call "partial birth abortion" unless they include an exception for cases involving the health of the mother. And she has opposed mandatory parental notification before a minor can obtain an abortion. She opposes the deat

Rendell touts wage hike during Penn State visit
In front of a room full of college students, Gov. Ed Rendell touted proposals on renewable energy and his record on job growth. But he received his warmest reception on a topic that hit close to home: the $5.15 minimum wage.

Min wage, max fight
Business groups opposed to increasing Colorado's minimum wage have raised $1.2 million and plan to spend every dime fighting the ballot initiative, said Jan Rigg, spokeswoman for Respect Our Constitution, a group that is fighting the proposal.

Pot, slots and doves - a look at the year's quirkier ballot questions
Stem cell research, taxation and budgetary matters, and proposals to raise the minimum wage are leading the pack when it comes to national issues that are appearing as voter initiatives or referendums on states' ballots Nov. 7. But there are ballot measures on other, esoteric issues across the nation.

Wage hike would benefit economy, study indicates
On November 7, voters in six states--Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, and Ohio--will vote on ballot measures that would raise the minimum wage in their home states. While recent polls show voters overwhelmingly support increasing their state’s minimum wage, a new study by the Washington, D.C.–based Economic Policy Institute proves that such initiatives would indeed help the economy, particularly for minimum-wage earners and their families.

Minimum wage trends
Source: Economic Policy Institute
“There is a growing view among economists that the minimum wage offers substantial benefits to low-wage workers without negative effect. Although there are still dissenters, the best recent research has shown that the job loss reported in earlier analyses does not, in fact, occur when the minimum wage is increased.”

Docuticker

Opponents say minimum wage idea would hurt Missouri, but supporters question data
Missouri voters should reject a proposed state minimum wage increase and seek legislative changes instead, opponents said Tuesday afternoon.

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Latest Links: Marriage Discrimination

Marriage amendment makes quiet appearance
Depending on which side is speaking, State Amendment 1 on the Nov. 7 election ballot -- a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage -- either protects marriage or discriminates against some families. But supporters and opponents agree on two points: It's been a really quiet campaign and the voting public will make the final decision.

Absentee ballots hint at a higher voter turnout
A hotly contested Senate race and an amendment on marriage have led tens of thousands of voters statewide to request absentee ballots before next week's election, an indicator that turnout could be abnormally high on Election Day.

Faith, law and gay marriage
Faith and love-they represent human potential for goodness. Except when they're on a voting ballot. Then they create ugly, divisive, angry politics.

Marriage question captivates students
Ask the typical college student in Wisconsin who is running for governor, and you may get a blank stare. Ask about the marriage amendment, and the response is sure to be animated.

Marriage Amendment: South Dakota
A new poll suggests that South Dakota might be the first state to reject an amendment to ban domestic partnerships, civil unions, and same-sex marriage by popular vote. The poll shows 47% voting no, 46% voting yes, and 7% undecided....

Thursday Edition: Divorce as a Marketing Tool
The other night, my wife and I were watching TV and saw a Ford ad that seemed to be about a divorced couple and their kids.
The father jumps out of a Ford Freestyle, hugs his kids and tells his ex, "Thanks for inviting me this weekend." She says a sort of sad "sure." She appears as though she could say a lot more -- something like, "If you had kept your paws off the secretary, you could be riding home in this cool new car with us." He promises his kids he will see them next weekend, waves and watches the car drive off.
I could barely believe my eyes. My wife, a marriage and family therapist, said the ad was "affirming."

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Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Enjoy Poetry? Say Hi if You're in Minneapolis This Winter

I haven't had the chance to update this blog in a couple days. I was working on another assignment for Lavender Magazine and scrambling to write a bio and find a picture for a couple upcoming poetry events I'll be reading at. I settled on the picture I have on this page. I really need a newer, less threatening one.

If you're in town, please stop by.

November 26
PRISM Poetry Series
From 1:00 to 3:00
At the Coffee Gallery
In OpenBook
1011 Washington Ave South

December 18
Writer-to-Writer Mentorship Reading
From 7:00 to 9:00pm
At Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Ave S

January 24, 2007
SASE GLBT Reading Series
From 7 to 9 pm
At Intermedia Arts
2822 Lyndale Ave S

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