<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10>Hello Fellow Greens,
<BR>
<BR>In this update:
<BR>1. News
<BR>2. Events
<BR>
<BR>NEWS:
<BR>This past week marks the swearing-in of our own Ross Mirkarimi, who is now a San Francisco Supervisor representing District 5. Ross thanks those who walked with him in the pouring rain to last Saturday's ceremony at City Hall, during which Ross received a standing ovation. The story was covered in the San Francisco Chronicle:
<BR>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/01/08/BAG13ALGCI47.DTL
<BR>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/01/09/BAGRVANKV51.DTL
<BR>For more stories on our city's newest Supervisor, see
<BR>http://www.sfexaminer.com,
<BR>http://www.sanfranciscosentinel.com
<BR>http://www.sfgreenparty.org
<BR>
<BR>And some good news to report on the school board! Congratulations to our newly re-elected Mark Sanchez, who was sworn in at a packed ceremony on Friday January 7. Congratulations to Eric Mar, a progressive Democrat we supported, who was just made Board President by his colleagues at their January 11 meeting. See the news links about this story at http://www.sfusualsuspects.com
<BR>
<BR>Thanks to those who joined us for Matt Gonzalez's last day. Matt received many accolades from both members of the public and his colleagues.
<BR>Photo and web stream link of Matt's last meeting:
<BR>http://sfprogress.textamerica.com/?r=1881711
<BR>Photo of revelers at Gonzalez's send-off party:
<BR>http://www.mckeethen.com/journalism/photos/IMG_0105.jpg
<BR>Read a story on Matt's legacy at http://www.beyondchron.org/ and see more stories about Matt's last day as Board President at http://www.sfusualsuspects.com.
<BR>
<BR>Our own Christine Miller wrote an article about Matt Gonzalez and his contribution to the pursuit of tidal energy in San Francisco.
<BR>http://www.sfcall.com/issues%202005/1.10.05/1.11.05%20miller.htm
<BR>There is also an interview with Gonzalez in the current issue of SF Call.
<BR>http://www.sfcall.com/
<BR>
<BR>Take a few minutes to grade the city on parks, public works, libraries, etc.
<BR>http://citysurvey.sfgov.org/
<BR>
<BR>Our members continue to use their creativity to grow our party. The SFGP now has three types of buttons - some that have a peace sign, some that have pithy political and anti-war slogans, and some that say - San Francisco Green Party. If anyone knows of a bookstore, coffeehouse, or other business that would like to sell these for us, would s/he please send an
<BR>email to sfgreenparty@yahoo.com. For more about button design, contact Pat Gerber ppaattg@yahoo.com.
<BR>.
<BR>Check out Newsroom on AccessSF for some great local stories about SFGP and other topics. See the latest show descriptions on http://www.accessnewsroom.com/home.html. Their latest episode includes a segment that covered the SFGP Housing and Land Use Working Group's forum to discuss post-election strategies. As written on the program's web site, "The Greens aren't just sitting on their asses wailing, they're getting busy, because they know the time to act and get organized is now!"
<BR>Here are show days and times:
<BR>Tuesdays at 2:00 PM
<BR>Wednesdays at 9:00 AM
<BR>Thursdays at 2:00 PM
<BR>
<BR>Attention Fox Mulder! Little Green Men Have Landed on Earth!
<BR>House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, that bastion of integrity and reason (NOT), has referred to those of us calling attention to voting irregularities in Ohio and elsewhere in the 2004 Presidential Election as "The X-Files wing of the Democratic Party." DeLay also denied the possibility of ANY voting irregularities in 2004 OR 2000. Read more about the historic challenge to the Ohio vote, and get links to the debate on C-Span at our web site
<BR>http://www.sfgreenparty.org/
<BR>
<BR>In honor of the upcoming Martin Luther King holiday on January 17, CodePink has produced an inspiring internet flash movie that reveals just how out-of-sync the White House is with Dr. King's message of peace and love. View it by visiting http://www.codepinkalert.org.
<BR>
<BR>And on the happier side of the news, an engagement has been announced amongst our own! County Council Member John-Marc Chandonia and San Francisco Green Party Spokesperson (and newsletter Editor) Erika McDonald have announced their engagement, and are planning to wed in the Fall of 2005.
<BR>
<BR>EVENTS:
<BR>Wednesday, January 19
<BR>San Francisco Green Party General Meeting
<BR>This is the first general membership meeting for 2005. We will be discussing strategies, goals and vision for 2005 and beyond. Meeting will be held at the Green Party office, located at 1028 A Howard Street in San Francisco, and will begin at 7:30 PM. Visit http://www.sfgreenparty.org for a more information.
<BR>
<BR>Thursday, January 20
<BR>Don't Spend a Dime Day!
<BR>It doesn't really matter that everyone will be out spending what they didn't the next day - a point or two will have been made: Since our religious leaders will not speak out against the war in Iraq, since our political leaders don't have the moral courage to oppose it. On "Not One Damn Dime Day" those who oppose what is happening in our name in Iraq can speak up with a 24-hour national boycott of all forms of consumer spending. During "Not One Damn Dime Day," please don't spend money. There's no rally to attend. No marching to do. No left or right wing agenda to rant about. On "Not One Damn Dime Day" you take action by doing nothing. You open your mouth by keeping your wallet closed.
<BR>
<BR>Saturday, January 22
<BR>Defend Women's Health and Rights!
<BR>January 22nd is the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that established the constitutional right to reproductive freedom. On the same day, anti-choice organizers will be marching in San Francisco against women's health and rights. A coalition of pro-choice organizations is planning a counter-demonstration.
<BR>10 AM - Rally at Powell and Market Streets, San Francisco
<BR>11 AM - March to the Embarcadero
<BR>Bring signs! Bring noisemakers! Bring friends!
<BR>For more information or to get involved, call 415-890-1020 x209 or visit http://www.ppaction.org/ppgg/events/demo/details.tcl
<BR>http://www.indybay.org/womyn/
<BR>Driving? Need a ride? Visit
<BR>http://www.drivingvotes.org/rides/sfprochoice.php
<BR>To see learn more about what the anti-choice organizers are planning, visit http://www.walkforlifewc.com.
<BR>
<BR>Saturday, January 22
<BR>Join us for a San Francisco Green Party sponsored event, featuring a panel discussion "Invigorating the Progressive Movement in 2005 and Beyond". Speakers include Supervisors Ross Mirkarimi, Chris Daly, Jake McGoldrick, School Board members Eric Mar, Mark Sanchez, and Sarah Lipson, as well as Green Party local candidates Lisa Feldstein, Terry Baum, and Renee Saucedo. Light refreshments will be served. Cost is $5 and up, sliding scale. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. This event is being held at the Canvass Gallery, located at 1200 9th Avenue at Lincoln in the Inner Sunset. Time of the event is 6 - 9 PM.
<BR>
<BR>Tuesday, January 25
<BR>Please attend the Environmental Commission hearing at 5 PM in Room 416 of City Hall for a discussion of a resolution recommending the regulation of plastic bags in San Francisco. If you cannot make the hearing, please contact the commissioners at:
<BR>The Environmental Commission
<BR>The Department of the Environment
<BR>11 Grove Street
<BR>San Francisco, Ca. 94102
<BR>OR:
<BR>environment@sfgov.org
<BR>The commissioners are: Nia Crowder, Paul Pelosi, Jr., Christina Desser, Angelo King, Alan Mok, Arlene Rodriguez, and Johanna Wald.
<BR>**Note: The SFGP has not taken any formal position on this, but we have been discussing approving the regulation of plastic bags via e-mail.
<BR>
<BR>2) Please contact the members of the Board of Supervisors and briefly tell them you oppose the widening of MLK Drive in Golden Gate Park. Such a position would agree with the transportation plank of the SFGP.
<BR>The contact information for the supervisors is below:
<BR>"michela alioto-pier" <michela.alioto-pier@sfgov.org>, 554-7752
<BR>"tom ammiano" <tom.ammiano@sfgov.org>, 554-5144
<BR>"chris daly" <chris.daly@sfgov.org>, 554-7970
<BR>"bevan dufty" <bevan.dufty@sfgov.org>, 554-6968
<BR>"sean elsbernd" <sean.elsbernd@sfgov.org>, 554-6516
<BR>"fiona ma" <fiona.ma@sfgov.org>, 554-7460
<BR>"sophie maxwell" <sophie.maxwell@sfgov.org>, 554-7670
<BR>"jake mcgoldrick" <jake.mcgoldrick@sfgov.org>, 554-7410
<BR>"ross mirkarimi" <ross.mirkarimi@sfgov.org>, 554-7630
<BR>"aaron peskin" <aaron.peskin@sfgov.org>, 554-7450
<BR>"gerardo sandoval" <gerardo.sandoval@sfgov.org>, 554-6975
<BR>
<BR>Wednesday, January 26
<BR>Join us for a free screening of the documentary film "End of Suburbia"! The Transportation and Energy working groups of the SFGP are presenting a documentary and panel discussion about Peak Oil. Event begins at 7 PM with the showing of a documentary "The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream." Afterwards (starting at around 8:30), we will host a panel discussion on Peak Oil, with Richard Heinberg, author of "The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies". Other guests to be announced. Location is the Off-Market Theater, located at 965 Mission Street, between 5th and 6th Streets in San Francisco.
<BR>
<BR>Warm Regards,
<BR>Erika McDonald
<BR>To have an item included in this newsletter, send email to erikasf@aol.com. No attachments please.
<BR></FONT></HTML>