SFGP WEEKLY For The Week of 10/13/05 - 10/20/05 This Week: ********************************************************** News: 10/2: WiFi For the People? 10/7: A Crisis of Biblical Proportions 10/8: Waging Battle With State’s Pay Standard (With Barry Hermanson) 10/12: Ross Mirkarimi in 7x7 Magazine 10/12: End of the Road ********************************************************** Events: 10/13: Music by Greens Chuck and Liz Gonzalez- Lines In Analog Sound at the Rickshaw Stop 10/14: So How'd You Become An Activist? With Matt Gonzalez 10/15: 5th Annual Educators Conference: "Teaching for Social Justice: An Act of Revolution" 10/15: Music With A Mission 10/15: College Not Combat Fundraiser 10/16: Poor People's March 10/16: Ross and Friends Phonebanking Night 10/17 and 10/19: Fundraising Phone Banking 10/19: Vote 2005 Open House 10/19: SFGP General Membership Meeting ********************************************************** Announcements: Joke of the Week Early Voting Open At City Hall Become A Sustainer! ********************************************************** News ********************* ********************************************************** 10/2: WiFi For the People? 10/02/05 By: John Rizzo "Underdog" Newsom Fights for the Poor At a Monday press conference, Mayor Gavin Newsom vowed to fight lawsuits in defense of his plan to provide free city-wide Wi Fi Internet access. Newsom said one of his motivations was to give the underprivileged access to 802.11 wireless networking, which he called a "fundamental right." "This is a civil rights issue as much as anything else," Newsom said. Given the low place that the poor received in Newsom's budget priorities, this statement may be the most extreme "let-them-eat-cakeism" that he's ever come up with. And given the number of misleading statements in his press conference, one would have thought it came straight out of the Bush administration. Read more at: http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1389 ********************************************************** 10/7: A Crisis of Biblical Proportions By Amanda Griscom Little Grist Magazine A pro-Bush but eco-conscious evangelical launches a crusade against global warming. Polluters will have to answer to God, not just government, says Richard Cizik. Vice president of governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals, Cizik is a pro-Bush Bible-brandishing reverend zealously opposed to abortion, gay marriage and embryonic stem-cell research. He is also on a mission to convert tens of millions of Americans to the cause of conservation, using a right-to-life framework. Cizik has been crisscrossing the United States in recent months, spreading the doctrine of "creation care" to evangelical Christians. Read more at: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2005/100705G.shtml ********************************************************** 10/8: Waging Battle With State’s Pay Standard (With Barry Hermanson) By: Jennifer Coleman Source: Associated Press SACRAMENTO — A coalition of labor and social welfare groups is proposing ballot initiatives to raise the state’s minimum wage, a reaction to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s vetoes of wage bills the past two years. Californians for Fair Wages is pushing two proposals to raise the minimum wage from the current $6.75 an hour. One would phase in an increase by raising the hourly wage to $7.25 in 2007 and $7.75 a year later, with future increases pegged to inflation. Read more at: http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1388 ********************************************************** 10/12: Ross Mirkarimi in 7x7 Magazine District 5 Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi is featured in 7x7 Magazine this month in a full page article with the headline "Green Power". The article is not available online, but you can see mention of it in this table of contents: http://www.7x7mag.com/ ********************************************************** 10/12: End of the Road Will a compromise ballot measure finally end the long war over cars in Golden Gate Park? By Cameron Scott Even as the grand reopening of a rebuilt de Young Museum takes place to great fanfare and anticipation, there is still one final chapter to be written in a long and sordid saga that has pitted powerful museum patrons against the more purist users of Golden Gate Park, those who have been working to minimize the impact of automobiles on this urban oasis. Read more at: http://www.sfbg.com/40/02/news_road.html ********************************************************** *********************************** Events *********************************** *********************************************************** 10/13: 10/13: Music by Greens Chuck and Liz Gonzalez- Lines In Analog Sound at the Rickshaw Stop Thursday, October 13th 155 Fell St. 9pm $7 Ride the Blinds Dale Lawrence solo (of Vulgar Boatmen) Lines in Analog Sound LINES IN ANALOG SOUND is one of San Francisco's most compelling post-indie rock bands. Their "space rock" sound revels in a combination of electronic effects and lyrical softness. Their sound is melodic and electric with infectious hooks that offer a hint of sexual abandon and a rebelliousness that is found in the heart of the San Francisco Mission music scene. www.linesinanalogsound.com *********************************************************** 10/14: So How'd You Become An Activist? With Matt Gonzalez Friday, October 14th New College (777 Valencia St., bet. 18th and 19th St., SF) 7:00pm Donation $5 (Students $3) Join Matt Gonzalez, Green Party Activist, and Leila Salazar, Campaign Organizer at AmazonWatch, for this monthly series in which local activists share their experience and influences that helped them become effective forces for change- also discussing, "So What Do We Do Now?" *********************************************************** 10/15: 5th Annual Educators Conference: "Teaching for Social Justice: An Act of Revolution" Saturday, October 15th 9:00AM- 2:00PM Mission High School, 18th and Church Street, SF Teachers 4 Social Justice Present: Conference 2005 5th Annual Educators Conference: "Teaching for Social Justice: An Act of Revolution" When: Saturday, October 15, 2005, 9am-4pm Where: Mission High School, 18th and Church Street, SF Who: Teachers and educators from the Bay Area and beyond Why: To explore empowering learning environments through curriculum and practice and to provide a forum for networking and community building. SCHEDULE AND WORKSHOPS REGISTER TO ATTEND 2005 CONFERENCE Want to TABLE at the T4SJ Conference '05? http://t4sj.org/ *********************************************************** 10/15: Music With A Mission Saturday Oct 15 el Rio, 3158 Mission St (@ Cesar Chavez)(415) 282-3325 4-8pm Sponsored by: The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (www.SFBike.org) Come party at the el Rio with: Delightfully Isolated (With your favorite greens: Matt,Chuck, & Whitney) Sid Luscious & the Pants (www.SidLuscious.com) Desoto Reds (www.DesotoReds.com) Afterwards, join the San Francisco Green Party at the College Not Combat Fundraiser!! *********************************************************** 10/15: College Not Combat Fundraiser Saturday, October 15th Women's Building 3543 18th St. #8, SF 7:30PM- 11:00PM Join peace and counter recruitment activists for a fun filled evening of swing/square dancing to the bluegrass legends the Stairwell Sisters. for more info, go to: http://www.collegenotcombat.org/ ************************************************************* 10/16: Poor People's March Poor People’s March Sunday, October 16 11:30am- 5:00pm 11:30 a.m. – Assemble at 16th St. and Mission 12 noon– March to Horace Mann Middle School (3351 – 23rd Street, San Francisco) lunch provided – free admission At 11:30 a.m. on October 16, the Poor People’s March will assemble at 16th Street and Mission Street in San Francisco. The demands of the march are Living Wage Jobs, Universal Health Care, Affordable Housing, Quality Education, and Progressive Taxation of Corporations and the Wealthy. We will march up Mission Street to Horace Mann Middle School on 23rd Street, between Mission and Valencia, where we will hold a Low-wage Workers Community Congress. At the Congress, we will discuss the issues that are impacting the lives of working people and provide training they need for the oncoming political and labor struggles. The Poor People’s March and Low-wage Workers Community Congress will generate urgency on the ground to turn-out working people for the November special election. You can help make this demonstration of workers’ power a huge success by participating in the March as a contingent with your banner, signs or flags. We also are asking you to sponsor or endorse the March. Sponsorships are $100, $250, $500, $1000 and larger commitments. Endorsements are $25 or $50. Sponsors and endorsers will be listed on posters and the program. This is the only source of revenues to pay the expenses for the March and Congress. Please make out checks to the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition. For more information, call the San Francisco Living Wage Coalition at (415) 863-5543; fax (415) 863-5543; email sflivingwage@gmail.com, 522 Valencia St. #1, San Francisco, CA 94110 *********************************************************** Ross and Friends Phonebanking Night Sunday, October 16th 4:00-7:00 pm United Health Care Workers 1338 Mission St., 2nd Floor With the November 8th Special Election, Arnold Schwarzenegger is bringing the Karl Rove right-wing agenda to California. His propositions threaten a woman's right to choose, a worker's right to organize and will bring devestating cuts to education and health care. Schwarzenegger is bringing in Republican operatives from across the country to increase conservative turnout in California. It is critical that we in San Francisco work twice as hard and double the expected voter turnout in order to counter-act these efforts. If we all work together, we can defeat these dangerous propositions. Join Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi as we call San Franciscans and tell the truth about the Special Election. *********************************************************** 10/17 and 10/19: Fundraising Phone Banking Monday, October 17th and Wednesday, October 19th 6:00PM- 9:00PM 1028A Howard St. (SFGP Office) Help us raise money to mail out our slate card. Experienced fundraisers will lead phone calling out of the Green Party Office. New volunteers welcome... we'll teach you how to do it! *********************************************************** 10/19: Vote 2005! Open House Wednesday, October 19th 3:00pm- 5:30pm The Department of Elections Open House is a great opportunity to get a first-hand look at voting processes. On October 19th, come to attend one of the Department's events: VIEW A DEMONSTRATION OF THE "EAGLE" OPTICAL SCAN VOTING TECHNOLOGY TOUR THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS Take a tour of key operations in the Department of Elections. LEARN WHAT VOTERS NEED TO KNOW TO MAKE THEIR VOTES COUNT Review the sample ballot for the November 8, 2005 Consolidated Special Statewide Election. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RESOURCES THE DEPARTMENT OF ELECTIONS HAS TO OFFER Candidates and campaigns may use the flyers, posters and staff resources of the Department to educate supporters about what is new for voters in San Francisco. RCV WORKSHOP Learn more about new voting method, Ranked Choice Voting, to be used in the upcoming November Election. For more information, contact: Valeri Shilov Campaign Services Division S.F. Department of Elections (415) 554-4376 valeri.shilov@sfgov.org *********************************************************** 10/19: SFGP General Membership Meeting Wednesday, October 19th 7:30PM- 9:30PM 1028A Howard St. (SFGP Office) Monthly meeting of the active members of the Green Party. All policy decisions and endorsements are made at the GM. Please contact the County Council if you would like to have an item added to the GM agenda. cc@greens.org *********************************************************** ************************* Announcements: ************************* *********************************************************** Joke of the Week Moral Dilemma: (submitted by Christine McClintock) This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally. No one else will know, so you won't be fooling anyone but yourself if you give anything but a truthful answer. The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which You will have to make a decision. Remember, your answer needs to be honest, Yet spontaneous. Please read slowly and thoughtfully, giving due Consideration to each line. Here's the situation: You are in Louisiana; New Orleans to be specific. There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding. This is a flood of Biblical proportions. You are a photojournalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster. The situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to shoot career-making photos. There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing under the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury. Suddenly you see a man floundering in the water. He is fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. You move closer...somehow the man looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is. It's George W. Bush, President of the United States!! At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take him under...forever. You have two options - you can save the life of G.W. Bush, or you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the world's most powerful men. So here's the question, and please give an honest answer: Would you select high-contrast color film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white? Two Limericks

From Madeline Begun Kane http://www.madkane.com/notable.html 10/6/05

Bush Named The Unqualified Miers By Madeleine Begun Kane Bush named the unqualified Miers To the Court when O'Connor retires. Her only credential? She's Dub reverential. And that should raise Democrats' ires. Bush Debased By Madeleine Begun Kane Many folks in Dubya's base Greet Miers with a frown. They say she's just a crony, Who Dub picked cause he is down. Wanting right-wing nominees With creds quite clearly sound. Instead they got a cipher, A blank slate who'd kiss Dub's crown. Soothing words I have for them, Before in tears they drown. Be glad she's not a moron, And that Dub didn't pick Mike Brown. *********************************************************** Early Voting Open At City Hall For those of you who wish to vote early, the polls at City Hall in San Francisco are now open. Voting will take place during normal buisness hours at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlet Pl. (City Hall), San Francisco, CA. Please go to the Elections Department in the basement to find the polling place. If you are not registered yet, voter regestration will be open until Nov. 2nd. Remember, vote early, vote every election! *********************************************************** Become a Green Party Sustainer! As you may know, the SFGP is supported by our wonderful sustaining donors -- 175 and growing. In the next 12 months we hope to double that figure, and you can help us achieve our goal by signing up to make a regular contribution to the Green Party. Our sustainer program nearly pays all of our basic monthly operating expenses, including rent and utilities on the office, and drastically reduces the amount of work needed to raise money. Our sustainers free us up to do what we're really here for - to pursue Green values through the democratic system. Sustainers also ensure that we are able to keep our office, which has hosted numerous campaigns' headquarters including the successful Prop A, Instant Runoff Voting initiative. Becoming a Green Party sustainer is easy, fun, and secure! Online: http://www.sfgreenparty.org/makeadonation/makeadonation.html Phone: 415-701-7090 ************************************************************ For more info on our activities, please see our website, http://www.sfgreenparty.org. You can also email us questions, comments, Letters to the Editor, or fan mail, at info@sfgreens.org. To send us news items (short blurb please, plain text only), email news@sfgreens.org. Please don't put these addresses on mailing lists; messages not specifically addressed to us won't go through. Submissions for Joke of the Week are welcomed by the editor at ladypest@hotmail.com