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<item><title><![CDATA[Edge Center for the Arts: Edge Center Gallery News  by Lynn Nachbar0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Art on the Edge:  Sixth Annual Juried ExhibitTwenty-seven artists were selected for Art on the Edge:  Sixth Annual Juried Art Exhibit at the Edge Center Gallery in Bigfork.  The 39 artworks are in the Gallery from July 1 through July 31.  Juror, Keith Williams chose the Award winners.  The First Place Award for 2-D work went to Elizabeth Blair for her photograph, All That Glitters.  The Second Place Award for 2 D was given to Terry Honstead for her painting Harmony.  In the 3D category, First Place was awarded to Peter Pestalozzis Surfs Up Rocker and Second Place went to Barry Nelson for Small Cabinet. The Peoples Choice Award was presented to Peggy Selander for her painting Sisters Watching.Intentional Realism:  Handmade Prints by Cecilia LeiderBeginning August 5, Cecilia Leiders woodcut prints will be on exhibit in the Edge Center Gallery.  These woodcut prints vary in size from small to unusually large with a variety of subjects all derived from nature.   Woodcuts involve carving away all the surface of a wood block that is not needed for the part of the picture that will be printed.  As Leider explains, Each of the colors in these prints required a separate printing plate, which is keyed to the other plates and printed individually. For example, if a print contains eight colors and the edition size is 50 prints, there are no fewer than 400 separate printings involved in the production of the full edition.  In a further description of the process, Leider says, I draw, make the color separations, carve the blocks &brvbar;and hand print all of my work myself. I still print the woodcuts with a wooden spoon or baren which allows me greater flexibility and textural variety. I enjoy pushing the limits of size and color in woodcuts.The title of the exhibit, Intentional Realism, is clarified by Leiders explanation of how she relates to the to what she sees.  Through keenly focused observation of the natural world around me, realistic accuracy has become a search for truth. In the extended process of bringing an image into existence as a print, the meaning of the subject matter - both abstractly and in my own growth - reveals itself to me. In this way, the work that results is both a record of my discoveries, and a dynamic process of growth in itself. Consciously using the physicality of objects as a door to growth and transcendence in this manner, I call Intentional Realism. &uml;Cecilia Leider is an exceptionally skilled and perceptive artist whose artwork is amazing both for its technical proficiency and its thoughtful meaning.  Meet and talk to Leider at the Edge Center Gallery Opening Reception on August 6 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm in conjunction with the Hospital Auxiliarys Arts and Craft Fair in the Bigfork School.The Gallery is open from 1:00 to 4:00 on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The Edge Center Gallery is next to the Bigfork School.Gallery CalendarAugust 5 to September 4: Intentional Realism:handmade prints by Cecilia LeiderOpening Reception:  August 6, 1-3 pmAugust 20, 2010:Wine in the Wilderness Wine Tasting Fundraiserat Richies Bar, Marcell, Minnesota   September 9- October 2: From the Prairie:Glass Vessels and Landscapes by Jon OffuttOpening Reception:  September 10, 5-7 pmDemonstrations: September 10 &amp;amp;amp; 11October 7 to October 30:  This Is Displacement:Native American Artists Consider the RelationshipBetween Land and IdentityOpening Reception:  October 8, 5-7 pm.]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:45:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Edge Center for the Arts: Arts on the Edge by Patricia Feld0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[WILLY WONKA PERFORMS 4 TIMES Children off all ages have loved the shows that Stages Theatre from Hopkins, has brought to us, Honk! in 2007 and Youre a Good Man, Charlie Brown in 2008.  (Last summer they toured England).  These professional and student actors are excellently trained performers who we all learn from.  Their sets, costumes, and props inspire us too.  This year's performance was Willy Wonka, (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory).  The stage was alive with a great set and over 20 actors and actresses of all ages; truly an amazing productionNEW DREAM &amp;amp;amp; MYSTERY DONATION  In our continuing efforts to become more mature as an organization, several of us have been selected to participate in a three-year capacity building grant and its workshops. Its called ArtsLab, and we one of sixteen, small-sized visionary arts organizations that make up the participants.  We are the ONLY one that is still run only by volunteers.   We have become very aware that that must change so that we can continue to provide the kind, quality, and quantity of arts experiences that will make us a Forever Organization.  The dream is to get one, part-time person to work in our newly remodeled office in the Gallery.  And we are about halfway toward paying that person!  An anonymous donor has given us $5,000 a year for three years and when we can match that, we will just about be there! As was said in Fiddler, maybe we have a rich uncle!  JUST IN CASE&brvbar; Remember that we have a GiveMn link on our website, www.the-edge-center.org.  That makes giving very easy, and we get every penny that is contributed using that site!  FIDDLER ON THE ROOF  Wasnt that fun?!?  And moving? And beautiful to look at?!  Local builders constructing professional sets, new friendships, kids learning Old School Theatre Discipline, personal growth, new volunteers getting the community theatre bug, all in 5,000 volunteer hours!  One thousand one hundred twenty-five people saw it!  It was the kind of event we dreamed about bringing to the communities back when a fine arts center was only a dream.COMING EDGE EVENTS&cent;  28 August &#8220; John Perkins returns to sing of the Northwoods, 7pm.&cent;  12 September  - The Pretenders, our rockin buddies play, 2pm.&cent;  26 September -  Celtic music with Laura McKenzie, 2pm.&cent;  16 October &#8220; The Twin Cities acclaimed modern dance company, TU Dance comes, 7pm.&cent;  12 December &#8220; The LaPlante Family Bluegrass Christmas Concert, 2pm.&cent; &brvbar;and keep watching for more as they become finalized!]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:44:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Edge Center for the Arts: 0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Stages Theater Company Presents      WILLY WONKATheater for Young Audiences version  July 16- 7 p.m. July 17 &#8220; 4 p.m. &amp;amp;amp; 7 p.m. July 18th &#8220; 2 p.m.  Tickets available: Bigfork Two Rivers Cenex Online at www.the-edge-center.org At the Door  Adults $10  Kids $5 This presentation is enjoyable for audiences of all ages, Adults and children alike! ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:50:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Edge Center for the Arts: Nicole Fredricksons Winterscapes Featured  at the Edge Center Gallery0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Many people come to this area for the crisp cold, open spaces and vast possibilities of a Northern Minnesota winter.  All of these things are celebrated in Snow Blind, the exhibit in the Edge Center Gallery in Bigfork from May 27 to June 26. The oil paintings of Nicole Fredrickson are based on her experiences visiting Bigfork in the winter to see her grandmother, Teresa Fredrickson, and other family.  She says, The sense of isolation offered by a frozen Minnesotan landscape instilled within me the deepest feelings of serenity and the paintings reflect these feelings.  Vast areas of quiet, snow covered fields or woods are shown, but many of the Winterscapes include people off to the side as observers or as small intruders.Nicole Fredrickson was born and raised in New Jersey, graduating from Drew University in 2008.  She is presently a graphic designer with Hooper Holmes in New Jersey.  It is from a visitors prospective that she loves and paints Northern Minnesota, appreciating the beauty and isolation in contrast to hectic everyday life.   Viewers of the paintings may experience the quiet as well.Meet the artist at the Opening Reception is on Friday, May 28 from 5:00 to 7:00.  The exhibit runs through June 26.  You can also find out more from her website:  www.ntfredrickson.com.]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 19 May 2010 13:44:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Edge Center for the Arts: Arts on the Edge      By Patricia Feld0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[After eight big events at the Edge in April, May brings eight more!  Four are Bigfork School non-arts events.  The school is using the lovely setting of the Edge Center for the Proms Grand March, Academic Awards, Senior Reception, and the Athletic Awards.The two school arts events are the High School Band and Choir Concert on Wednesday the 19th of May at 7pm and the Drama Class Productions on the 27th of May in the early afternoon and at 7pm.  (Check with the school, 743-3444, for the exact time of the afternoon performance).The Drama Class will present Trifles, a one-act mystery, and Mmmbeth, a MacBeth parody.  Twenty of the twenty-five students will be acting!  Please plan on attending to support our young community members artistic endeavors.BEMIDJI TRIO PLAYS CLASSICAL CONCERTOnce again Dr. Stephen Carlson will play the fine Edge Center grand piano.  This time he brings with him two colleagues from the music department of Bemidji State University, violinist, Michelle Laliberte, and cellist, Patrick Riley.  Dr. Carlson loves the Edge, its piano, and the warm reception of our volunteers and audiences, so he wants to treat us to the sound of an elegant trio.  Their program will include major works by three composers, Mozart, Beethoven, and a crowd-pleaser by Russian composer, Anton Arensky.  Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and $3 student rush.  They are available at the door.BIGFORKS 13 VIOLIN STUDENTS PERFORMYes, thirteen young people from our area are taking violin lessons from the Itasca Orchestral Societys Debbie Losik both during and after school.  Monday May 24th at both 12:30 and 7pm they will perform recitals with some students from Grand Rapids. Their accompanist will be Elizabeth Ophoven playing the Edge grand grand piano.The students are Greta Anderson, Kristen Anderson, Lexi Becker, Zoe Butler, Andie Chase, Ryan Johnson, Hannah Johnson, Jaden Meyer, Jenna Meyer, MacKenzie Pearson, Liam Prato, Jada Tendrup, Anders Westman, and Erik Westman.  Admission is free and refreshments will be served in the Gallery after the evening recital.FIDDLER ON THE ROOF  with 3 RevolvesWe will have our first professionally designed set for an EdgeWild Production, and it will feature three lazy susan-like devices, called revolves or revolving stages!!  Tom Barrett, the Technical Director at Macalester College and designer for many Twin Cities theatres, is sketching the plans for the set of Fiddler right now.  After we approve those, hell send us the first 3-D model of a set weve ever had, then the designs for our talented crews to build from. The excellent cast has begun rehearsals, most of the orchestra is selected (local and Itasca Orchestra members too), costumes are being found and/or sewn, andtickets will be $15 for Preferred Seating, $10 for adults,  $5 for children, and $3 student rush seats.  Tickets will be available at Two Rivers Cenex Convenience Store, online at www.the-edge-center.org, and at the door (if were not sold out)!Performances will be the 24th -27th of June, (Thursday through Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm), and we look forward to seeing you there!DEAR SEASONAL RESIDENTS,Where do you want us to reach you?  Each year Dr. Korstad sends out her inspiring membership letter to all the people who we know want to support the Edge Centers mission.  We are bringing visual arts and live performing arts to the lives of young and old alike in the woods.  Help us to reach you WHERE you would prefer to be contacted.  We love to see you whenever you come.  You are important to us. Drop us a note at info@the-edge-center.org or call 218-743-6670 and leave a message.COMING EDGE EVENTS&cent;  16 May &#8220; Violin, cello, piano concert, Bemidji Trio plays, 2pm.&cent;  24 May &#8220; Recital of violin students from Bigfork,12:30 &amp;amp;amp; 7pm.&cent;  27 May &#8220; Bigforks Drama Class performs two one-acts, early afternoon &amp;amp;amp; 7pm.&cent;  24-27 June &#8220; The EdgeWild Players present Fiddler on the Roof, 7pm &amp;amp;amp; 2pm Sunday.&cent;  16-18 July - Willy Wonka will be brought north by Stages Theatre Company.&cent;   14 August - The Piano Bar with Northern Lights Trio return for dancing on the stage.&cent;  28 August &#8220; John Perkins returns to sing of the Northwoods, 7pm.&cent;  12 September  - The Pretenders, our rockin buddies play, 2pm.&cent;  26 September -  Celtic music with Laura McKenzie, 2pm.&cent;  October &#8220; The Twin Cities acclaimed modern dance company, TU Dance comes.&cent;  12 December &#8220; The LaPlante Family Bluegrass Christmas Concert, 2pm.&cent; &brvbar;and keep watching for more as they become finalized!]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 05 May 2010 13:57:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Basketball in Bigfork MN: MN Scores QRF0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Bigfork started pretty low on the QRF this year...at least in my opinion. They were at 28, then 26 and jumped big time to #4 after beating Hibbing and Cambridge-Isanti in the Hibbing tournament.  That is a huge jump!  Barnum is #2 and I think Parkers Prairie is #1 right now....interesting! Keep up the good work Lady Huskies!]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 20:43:19 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Basketball in Bigfork MN: Annalise Klamm Hits 1,000 Mark The Very Next Day0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Annalise Klamm hit her 1,000 point on 12/29/09 in the second game of the Hibbing Holiday Tournament against Hibbing. She needed only one point to hit the mark. Here is her 1,000 point shot. Congrats Lise!]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:43:03 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Basketball in Bigfork MN: Adrianna Ivanovic' Hits 1,000 Mark0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Adrianna Ivanovic' hit her 1,000 point on 12/28/09 in the first game of the Hibbing Holiday Tournament against Eveleth-Gilbert.  Here is the picture of her 1,000 shot. Congrats Andi!]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:41:20 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Basketball in Bigfork MN: Hibbing Holiday Tournament Champions!!0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[The 2009-2010 Lady Huskies won the Hibbing Holiday Tournament for the first in their history of attending this tournament.  I'm not sure how many years they have been going but at least 10 or more. I'd have to ask Coach Powell on that one.  They easily defeated Eveleth-Gilbert the first day 68-43 with Adrianna hitting her 1,000 point in that game.  She needed 10 and ended the night with 28.  At the end of that game Annalise needed ONE point to hit her 1,000.  She threw up a long 3 point shot at the buzzer and it hit glass, rim and then out...I was panicked because if it would have gone in I didn't have my camera ready for her shot!  Good thing she missed...The second game was against host team Hibbing and it was a very exciting one.  Bigfork won that game 58-56 but it was close and intense.  Annalise hit her 1,000 point of course and ended the night with 15 I think.  The Championship game was against 4A Cambridge-Isanti.  The team that Bigfork drew as the first game in the past THREE holiday tournaments.  Last year the girls lost in a very close game by 4 points.  This year they had enough and took it to the Bluejackets and claimed the Championship!  63-60.Congratulations!]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:58:58 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Basketball in Bigfork MN: Bigfork Takes Care of Cherry0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Bigfork defeated Cherry tonight on their home court, 57-32.  The score at the half was 37-20.  I don't have all the points for the girls so I will wait for the box score from Mesabi Daily News and add it tomorrow sometime.They are ranked 5th in Class A in the State of MN right now.  They moved down a notch after their loss to Grand Rapids.I'm sure the girls are looking forward to a small break before the Hibbing Christmas tournament begins on December 28th, 29th and 30th. I'm looking forward to attending all three days of the tournament as I have those days off. Yippee!  Finally get to see lots of basketball..Shelby will be coming with me to some of them. It will be fun for her to see the girls again...]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:00:06 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[thoughts from podunk: Blocking Escalation Not Good Enough0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[From: Alan Maki [mailto:amaki000@centurytel.net] Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 10:27 PMTo: 'David Swanson'Cc: 'David Shove'; 'teresa_detrempe@klobuchar.senate.gov'; 'elizabeth_reed@levin.senate.gov'; 'keith@keithellison.org'Subject: Re: Blocking Escalation Not Good EnoughDavid,I am glad--- and appreciate--- you have spoken your mind very forcefully and taken this initiative encouraging this action (see below).I am sending this around for others to mull over and hopefully act on.I do think you are missing one important point that needs to be addressed because it is so basic and fundamental to any kind of democracy and we never seem to get around to discussing this:AccountabilityIn addition to what you are proposing; I hope you will consider the issue of accountability.In my opinion, there are two ways progressives can enforce accountability from these politicians:1. Tell them in no uncertain terms---A. No peace; no votes. B. No real health care reform; no votes.2. We need to get progressive peace and health care candidates to challenge all of the pro-war candidates in the caucuses, conventions and the primaries; and, if need be, run as independents on a platform of peace and health care in the general election.There is no way in hell that in any country where the vast majority of the people want two things so badly--- peace and health care--- that these dirty wars should continue while the American people are denied health care.For those who dont want to criticize Obama and the Democrats, they still have a responsibility to move these issues forward without compromise coming from their lips before the battle even begins--- as you point out, this is an invitation--- a situation, if you will--- where you give into these warmongers and insurance companies by giving them one little inch and they take the proverbial country mile.It is interesting that it is those politicians who keep voting to continue these wars while denying the American people health care who advise the anti-war and health care advocates that they need to compromise in order to maintain respectability.And then, even on the left, we have these muddle-headed middle class intellectuals who are going around yelling ultra-leftists at anyone who dares to advocate the radical idea that democracy is based upon accountability and all the while they talk about how we need to fend off the danger from the right when nothing can be more reactionary than waging unconstitutional, illegal and unjust wars by squandering tax-payers dollars on death and destruction rather than providing health care to people for free.Our union Organizing Council and our associated Organizing Committees were among the first to take a stand against the war in Iraq and then against the war in Afghanistan and the senseless carnage now taking place in Pakistan&brvbar; this region of the world is just waiting to explode in massive violence and destruction as a result of the animosities, injustices and the human indignities spread and fostered by the United States government which might just as well be taking the resources of our country--- the wealth created by workers--- and dumping this wealth into the ocean&brvbar; at least if this were to be done people would not be dying.However, I think it has become obvious to the overwhelming majority of the American people that they have come to recognize that if their government has these kinds of resources to waste on such unjust wars, that this government can provide the best health care in the world for its own people without further enabling insurance companies to dig their greedy Wall Street fingers further into the public till as the merchants of death and destruction do. If we can join together the peoples struggles for peace and health care a very powerful coalition could be forged that neither Barack Obama nor any member of congress would dare to oppose.Again, the demand for accountability is primary, in my opinion, to forging such a massive coalition.Warriors for peace and justice demanding accountability is what we need.Our votes are too precious to continue throwing away on candidates who imply they are for peace and real health care reform  to get elected; then turn around and wage wars with our tax-dollars which we thought would be ear-marked for health care reform, not health insurance reform.Obama is a darn good health insurance salesman; Wall Street coupon clippers are smiling as the children die.Thanks for your efforts;Yours in solidarity in the struggle,Alan L. MakiDirector of Organizing,Midwest Casino Workers Organizing CouncilBlocking Escalation Not Good Enoughhttp://afterdowningstreet.org/node/47250By David SwansonWhy is it that every time we elect &amp;quot;peace&amp;quot; candidates we defund the peace movement, stop calling for an end to wars, and limit our demands exclusively to opposing war escalations?In 2006 we voted into Congress the candidates who looked most likely to end the war in Iraq. We congratulated ourselves on a job well done. Then we mildly urged them not to escalate the war they'd been elected to end, and they escalated it anyway.In 2008 we voted into Congress and the White House the candidates who looked most likely to end the war in Iraq. Candidate Obama promised to pull out two brigades per month for sixteen months. Here we are in month 10 and that withdrawal has yet to begin. And what in the name of all that is true, good, and free-of-hope are we doing about it? Not a god damned thing.Meanwhile Obama promised, much less noisily, to escalate a war in Afghanistan and has done so with no resistance, even as the American people have (at least in polls) turned against it. Now party leaders in Congress have given Obama the go-ahead for a larger escalation, and what have we done?To begin with we've accepted the terms of the debate that our government officials always impose on us following an election: Are you for an escalation or do you think the current troop/mercenary levels are adequate? There is no room in that debate for arguing that the entire enterprise is illegal, barbaric, self-destructive, and must be immediately replaced with civilized acts of aid and diplomacy.Of course we should oppose an escalation, just as we should prefer a &amp;quot;public option&amp;quot; to no healthcare reform at all. But self-censoring our demand for single-payer shifts the debate so far right that we can't even pass a public option. And self-censoring our demand for an end to wars shifts the debate to a point where the middle ground becomes an escalation of half the largest size anyone proposes -- and the war in Iraq is not even mentioned.Well-meaning peace groups are pointlessly urging us to lobby the president, and are publicly whipping congress members on the following items: sponsorship of a bill that would require some sort of non-binding exit plan for Afghanistan if actually passed by the House and Senate and signed by the president, and sponsorship of a bill that would deny funding for an escalation in Afghanistan if actually passed by the House and Senate and signed by the president. But getting either of those bills through the Senate is going to be significantly more difficult than getting the House to stop funding the wars, and thus far no organizations have begun building a public list of House members committed to voting No on war money.In June, because all the Republicans were voting No on the war money for their own crazy reasons, we only needed 39 Democrats to vote No to block it, and we managed to get 32. We could easily line up 39 right now if we worked at it. Then we could begin building from there in the direction of 218. Even if all you wanted to oppose was escalation, the way to actually do so would be to build a whip list of House members committed to voting No on war funding bills that did not limit troop levels in Afghanistan to the desired level. Nobody is doing that. The next supplemental spending bill will probably come by spring, and it'll come sooner the greater the escalation, but peace coalitions tell me they think it's smarter not to prepare for such fights ahead of time.FireDogLake, which hosted our whip list in June, is fully immersed in healthcare struggles. United for Peace and Justice and a new anti-escalation coalition have both refused to host a list of congress members committed to voting No on war funding or even escalation funding. So, I'm going to provide, not a replacement for the anti-escalation campaigns, but a necessary addition to them. I'm going to post a list at the top of http://afterdowningstreet.org and encourage you to ask these 32 heroes from back in June (plus a very short list of Republicans) whether they are committed to voting against further funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Please phone them at (202) 224-3121 and post your responses on the website.Tammy BaldwinMichael CapuanoJohn ConyersLloyd DoggettDonna EdwardsKeith EllisonSam FarrBob FilnerAlan GraysonRaul GrijalvaMichael HondaMarcy KapturDennis KucinichBarbara LeeZoe LofgrenEric MassaJim McGovernMichael MichaudDonald PayneChellie PingreeJared PolisJose SerranoCarol Shea-PorterBrad ShermanJackie SpeierPete StarkJohn TierneyNikki TsongasMaxine WatersDiane WatsonPeter WelchLynn WoolseyRon PaulWalter JonesAlan L. Maki58891 County Road 13Warroad, Minnesota 56763Phone: 218-386-2432Cell phone: 651-587-5541E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.netCheck out my blog:Thoughts From Podunkhttp://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 22 Oct 2009 20:30:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[thoughts from podunk: The new normal0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Following this essay appearing in the new on-line &amp;quot;People's World&amp;quot; are my comment and a comment from Rosalio Munoz, Betty Smith and others.The new normalhttp://www.peoplesworld.org/the-new-normal#PageComment_988by: Sam Webb October 21 2009 Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan Chase are back to the &amp;quot;old normal.&amp;quot; Profits are soaring - $3.2 billion and $3.6 billion respectively in the third quarter. Bonuses of $23 billion (yes, I got it right - 23,000,000,000 bucks) are in the pipeline for their managers and traders.  Their field of competitors has thinned. And these leeches have morphed from &amp;quot;too big to fail&amp;quot; to &amp;quot;much too big&amp;quot; to fail.In the meantime, the rest of us are fast-forwarding to the &amp;quot;new normal.&amp;quot; Let me explain.A year ago the old model of capitalist accumulation (profit making) and right-wing political governance, resting on the rise of finance, mountains of debt, record levels of inequality, unsustainable global economic imbalances, and successive bubbles in real and fictitious assets came crashing down - not with a whimper, but with a bang that triggered an economic tsunami.The U.S economy imploded, throwing people out of their jobs and homes, closing family farms, evaporating pension funds and savings, shuttering more plants and factories, and devastating cities and towns. Much the same occurred elsewhere in the world.A complete collapse of the economy was dodged, but the crisis was the worst since the Great Depression and isn't yet over. Unemployment levels, for example, are still rising. Reliable forecasts have joblessness climbing to nearly 11 percent officially in the United States.Moreover, the prospects for a quick and robust recovery seem dim. Some economists, including mainstream thinkers, argue that economic stagnation is just as likely as a vigorous recovery.In their view, the economy could operate at sub-normal levels in terms of growth, capacity utilization, employment, and income for an extended period of time. Or to put it differently, the tendencies toward stagnation are stronger than the tendencies toward full recovery.Interestingly, this insight isn't new:&amp;quot;It is an outstanding characteristic of the economic system in which we live that ... it seems capable of remaining in a chronic condition of sub-normal activity for a considerable period without any marked tendency either towards recovery or towards complete collapse.&amp;quot;The author is British economist John Maynard Keynes, the quote is from his masterpiece, &amp;quot;The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money&amp;quot;, and the year is 1936. Keynes' insight, however, fell out of favor among traditional economists with the resumption of vigorous growth in the core capitalist countries following WW II.Ironically, it was Marxist economists, and especially Paul Sweezy and Harry Magdoff, who further theorized this dynamic of U.S. capitalism during this period.But in the wake of the present economic crisis, Keynes' notion of long-term sub-par economic performance is reentering the mainstream dialogue, but clothed with a new name - &amp;quot;the new normal.&amp;quot;In the &amp;quot;new normal&amp;quot; universe, conditions for a fresh round of capital accumulation and economic growth exist on the supply side of the equation. Because of the depth and scale of the current downturn, inefficient plant, equipment, and businesses have been destroyed, a plentiful pool of unemployed wage labor is now available, the price of labor power (wages/salaries) is cheaper, interest rates are low, and economic power is further concentrated and centralized in the hands of fewer industrial, service and financial corporations.But on the demand side of the equation, conditions for accumulation (profit making) are far less favorable. Demand (consumption and investment, domestic and global), and again because of the economic crisis (evaporation of wealth, layoffs, foreclosures, wage implosion, mountains of debt to be paid off, etc.) is insufficient relative to the productive capacity of the global economy. And there are many reasons to think that this will not change in the near or medium term.Indeed, it is hard to see where the new dynamism to power economic growth, employment, research, and broadly shared income gains will come from other than a government financed and directed economic development project. Such a project should be sustainable, green, maximize worker and community input and decision making, and dynamic enough to give a growth impulse to the whole economy.An obvious objection that will arise among friends, as well as foes, is that the federal deficit is out of control now and a project of this size goes way beyond the scope of government and would represent a massive intrusion into people's lives.The federal deficit is at record levels and there are dangers to be sure, but nothing as big as the danger (and costs) of long-term stagnation to the American people. Moreover, some of the financing could come from a reduction in the military budget and a shift of taxes to Wall Street and corporations.As for government intrusion, federally directed development could encourage municipal and regional authorities to plan and organize major projects as well as channel investment dollars to small and medium sized businesses and worker/community cooperatives.Whether a developmental project like this sees the light of day depends only in a small way on its feasibility and necessity. In a larger sense it rests on which of the competing sides (there are more than two on the political landscape) are able to frame the national conversation and win active popular majorities to its vision.At this moment, political strength, moral authority, and public opinion tilts in the direction of the new administration and the broader movement that elected him, but not to the extent that it is able to win such radical economic reforms, assuming for the moment that everyone sees their necessity.That task lies ahead.CommentsBy: Alan L. MakiCo-ChairLake-of-the-Woods Communist ClubWhile the next lesson or step as suggested is very important and should figure prominently in what we do, even more important is that Barack Obama and the Democrats be told in no uncertain terms that they will not be receiving our votes unless they come through with what people expected from them when they went to the polls in the last election. These people have to be held accountable right here and now. It is nothing short of criminal that Barack Obama and the Democrats have refused to legislate a moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions. There is precedent for this action. It is a moral imperative and a political responsibility to the American people who are being victimized by Wall Street coupon clippers, parasites and all kinds of rapacious vultures, not least of which are the mortgage bankers and the health insurance industry. The majority of the people who went to the polls did so looking to end these dirty wars--- not ten or fifty or one-hundred years from now; but now. This sentiment can be summed up and is reflected in: Not another death; not another dime. The majority of the people in this country went to the polls in anticipation of peace and real progressive health care reform of people before profits; not Obama's bogus health insurance reform or any kind of a scam called &amp;quot;the public option.&amp;quot; People have spoken very clearly, they want single-payer universal health care and a vastly expanded public health care sector that is publicly financed, publicly administered with delivery of health care services along the lines of VA or the Indian Health Service... neither of which Obama and the Democrats have fully funded as required by their constitutional mandate. Let's get specific here. People have real problems requiring real solutions. Most Americans are feeling just the way this labor leader feels as quoted in the Boston Globe: Its beyond belief to me, said Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. While Obama and Congress inherited a big mess from Bush, Haynes said, there arent any excuses anymore. If you cant deliver health care, and you cant deliver jobs, and if you cant deliver [card check legislation] , and you cant figure out how to take care of the working people of this great city and country, you dont deserve to stay in office. The time has come to stop talking in vague terms about &amp;quot;developing programs&amp;quot; for the &amp;quot;next election&amp;quot; and this so-called &amp;quot;coalition&amp;quot; without leaders and a &amp;quot;coalition&amp;quot; without a name. The time has come to organize a &amp;quot;people's lobby&amp;quot; along the lines of &amp;quot;the people's front&amp;quot; with real people as its leaders and real people and organizations among the members and to go to Barack Obama and the Democrats and tell them: End these dirty wars. Use the money to finance real health care reforms along the lines people have been demanding and anticipated they would be getting in return for their votes... instead of maintaining 800 U.S. military bases on foreign soil dotting the globe, create 800 public health care centers across the United States serving as the bases of support for the required 30,000 local community health care centers. This would create millions of jobs at good pay with good benefits with the health care workers employed in these centers becoming government employees. We are talking about something so fundamental and basic to anything passing itself off as democracy--- accountability--- that a broad mobilization of the American people, especially the working class, in support of these demands will be a tremendous rebuff to reaction and the ultra-right posing threats to our now fragile democracy... such as it is; not at all cracked up to what it is claimed to be in the first place. Working people who produce every bit of the tremendous wealth in this country have never had a seat at the table when it comes to the real decision-making and this needs to change; and change quickly if we are going to save ourselves from this road to ruin as capitalism is on the skids to oblivion taking us all along down the short bumpy, dangerous ride on the way to perdition. Peace really is the key to health care reform... our call should be for public policies and programs--- including health care--- that put people before profits. What is required is not coming up with issues and devising programs... the issues and the solutions are already part of the national dialog taking place in &amp;quot;the public square.&amp;quot; What needs to be done is bring together everyone and anyone and the organizations they belong to in a very broad people's front... or people's lobby... coalition... call it what you will. Wall Street is our enemy. No peace; no votes. No health care; no votes. Democracy is all about accountability. Not only about accountability from Obama and the Democrats; but, there is the matter of accountability from those who claim to be the leaders of organizations from the labor unions to the Communist Party when it comes to understanding and articulating &amp;quot;What Needs To Be Done.&amp;quot; Alan L. Maki Co-Chair; Lake-of-the-Woods Communist Club Minnesota Posted by Alan L. Maki, 21/10/2009 By: Rosalio MunozBoard MemberLos Angeles Workers' CenterOne of the next steps following up on the thrust of the article is developing a legislative agenda pointing in this direction for the 2010 elections. Such a program should appropriately identify and project itself as solidly with the union movement. It should aim to build the biggest, broadest participation in the ongoing legislative struggles and all aspects of the election. Perhaps a certain focus on young workers. Posted by Rosalio Munoz, 21/10/2009By:Jim LaneWriter for People's World&cent;This commentary comes just as we Texas communists finished, for the time being, posting our programmed lessons on basic economics. If our assumptions are correct, then it seems that even a massive government intervention on the side of jobs and workers' rights would only be a stopgap in capitalism's staggering downturn. A demand that really seems worth re-inventing is &amp;quot;30 for 40 with no cut in pay&amp;quot; to get the workweek lowered to 30 hours while maintaining present pay scales. Is there any other serious idea that would address long-term unemployment? Most of the missing jobs either went overseas or were eaten by automation. At any rate, they aren't coming back. Productivity hit 6.4% last quarter, and has generally risen every quarter since it's been recorded. Albert Einstein is supposed to have said in 1934, &amp;quot;Only a fraction of the abvailable human labor in the world is now needed for the production of the total amount of consumption goods necessary to life. Under a completely laissez-faire economic system, this fact is bound to lead to unemployment.&amp;quot; Let's cut the workweek! Posted by Jim Lane, 21/10/2009By:Betty SmithCPUSA and International Publishershttp://www.intpubnyc.com/&cent;Generally good, but it should say &amp;quot;some&amp;quot; Marxist economists....Lumer, Perlo et al didn't do this...and they get little notice or credit for writings that still stand up well. We've even had requests to reprint Lumer's &amp;quot;Poverty, Its Roots and Future&amp;quot; as one of the best explanations ever, even though his dollar-and-cents figures are of course out of date. Also, when do we develop a program to meet this crisis? General descriptions don't put anyone to work. Posted by Betty Smith, 22/10/2009 And this is from the Associated Press...By:Alan L. Maki&cent;I find this particular comment to be very interesting and note that it has apparently stymied further discussion on Sam Webb's most important article concerning &amp;quot;the new normal&amp;quot; which is Wall Street speak for its current campaign use this capitalist economic crisis as an excuse to drive down the wages and over-all standard of living of the working class with Barack Obama's and the Democrat's help. I know a lot of Terrie's; I don't know if I know this particular Terrie who posted this comment, or not: &amp;quot;&cent;For the record, I know communists. I work with communists and Alan Maki is no communist. Posted by Terrie, 21/10/2009 11:01pm (11 hours ago) &amp;quot; What I find interesting is that Terrie would post something like this without taking issue with the ideas and point-of-view being expressed. I have circulated this article by Sam Webb quite widely as the Editor of PW requests be done with articles from the new People's World because I think this article merits a great deal of discussion. In &amp;quot;Terrie's&amp;quot; eyes I may not be a &amp;quot;Communist&amp;quot; like the communists she knows. But, perhaps &amp;quot;Terrie&amp;quot; would like to explain just what me being a communist--- or not, in her view--- has to do with saving the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and two-thousand to 2,500 jobs in the process? After all, whether or not I am a communist ---in &amp;quot;Terrie's&amp;quot; opinion; I am not the one implementing economic policies in this country with the intent of establishing &amp;quot;the new normal&amp;quot; as a way of life for working people for many years to come. Nor, do I make any of the decisions involved in closing mines, mills and plants and tossing workers by the millions out into the streets. Nor do I make any of the decisions to reduce the work week of employees from 40 hours to 30 hours with an even more drastic cut in pay and loss of all benefits including health care which many public employees at township, county, city and state governments are being subjected to. I have sent &amp;quot;Terrie's&amp;quot; comment and this essay by Sam Webb and all the comments along to a number of Minnesota state legislators and to a number of people in the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and the casino managements we are fighting in our efforts to win living wages and a smoke-free working environment with the full protections other workers enjoy under state and federal labor laws ... I am sure that &amp;quot;Terrie's&amp;quot; comments will enable them to sleep tonight. And, hopefully, whether or not I am a Communist--- in &amp;quot;Terrie's opinion&amp;quot;--- will not deter her from becoming a &amp;quot;warrior for justice&amp;quot; fighting for peace, real health care reform and the rights and improved livelihoods and standard of living for all working people... And for socialism as an alternative to this rotten capitalist system now on the road to oblivion--- which has Wall Street dragging us down the very short, bumpy, winding and dangerous road to perdition where we will rest in a &amp;quot;new normal&amp;quot; state. At first I didn't think that &amp;quot;Terrie's&amp;quot; comment had anything to do with Sam Webb's essay on &amp;quot;the new normal;&amp;quot; on second thought, perhaps &amp;quot;Terrie's&amp;quot; comment has a great deal to do with this essay on &amp;quot;the new normal.&amp;quot; And, speaking of the &amp;quot;profits in the pipeline&amp;quot; which Sam Webb brings forward in his commentary and analysis of &amp;quot;the new normal;&amp;quot; I have a suggestion for another article for the People's World. It would be nice to see an article about the Enbridge Pipeline... the huge pipeline that will carry the oil in the tar-sands of Alberta to the Great Lakes region of the United States for processing... because, in addition to the environmental concerns raised in the PWW, there is the matter of lack of enforcement of affirmative action for Native American workers in hiring for this pipeline construction... might this &amp;quot;new normal&amp;quot; include not enforcing affirmative action guidelines for hiring, too? &amp;quot;Terrie;&amp;quot; for the record--- I will let the views I express speak for me as to what kind of &amp;quot;communist&amp;quot; I am... did you ever consider I just might not want to be the kind of &amp;quot;communist&amp;quot; like the &amp;quot;communists&amp;quot; you know and work with? Posted by Alan L. Maki, 22/10/2009 Higher jobless rates could be new normalBy TOM RAUM (AP) &#8220; 2 days agoWASHINGTON &#8221; Even with an economic revival, many U.S. jobs lost during the recession may be gone forever and a weak employment market could linger for years.That could add up to a &amp;quot;new normal&amp;quot; of higher joblessness and lower standards of living for many Americans, some economists are suggesting.The words &amp;quot;it's different this time&amp;quot; are always suspect. But economists and policy makers say the job-creating dynamics of previous recoveries can't be counted on now.Here's why:_ The auto and construction industries helped lead the nation out of past recessions. But the carnage among Detroit's automakers and the surplus of new and foreclosed homes and empty commercial properties make it unlikely these two industries will be engines of growth anytime soon._ The job market is caught in a vicious circle: Without more jobs, U.S. consumers will have a hard time increasing their spending; but without that spending, businesses might see little reason to start hiring._ Many small and midsize businesses are still struggling to obtain bank loans, impeding their expansion plans and constraining overall economic growth._ Higher-income households are spending less because of big losses on their homes, retirement plans and other investments. Lower-income households are cutting back because they can't borrow like they once did.That the recovery in jobs will be long and drawn out is something on which economists and policy makers can basically agree, even as their proposals for remedies vary widely.Retrenching businesses will be slow in hiring back or replacing workers they laid off. Many of the 7.2 million jobs the economy has shed since the recession began in December 2007 may never come back.&amp;quot;This Great Recession is an inflection point for the economy in many respects. I think the unemployment rate will be permanently higher, or at least higher for the foreseeable future,&amp;quot; said Mark Zandi, chief economist and co-founder of Moody's Economy.com.&amp;quot;The collective psyche has changed as a result of what we've been through. And we're going to be different as a result,&amp;quot; said Zandi, who formerly advised Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and now is consulted by Democrats in the administration and in Congress,Even before the recession, many jobs had vanished or been shipped overseas amid a general decline of U.S. manufacturing. The severest downturn since the Great Depression has accelerated the process.Many economists believe the recession reversed course in the recently ended third quarter and they predict modest growth in the nation's gross domestic product over the next few years. Yet the unemployment rate is currently at a 26-year high of 9.8 percent &#8221; and likely to top 10 percent soon and stay there a while.&amp;quot;Many factors are pushing against a quick recovery,&amp;quot; said Heidi Shierholz, an economist at the labor-oriented Economic Policy Institute. &amp;quot;Things will come back. But it's going to take a long time. I think we will likely see elevated unemployment at least until 2014.&amp;quot;At best, many economists see an economic recovery without a return to moderate unemployment. At worst, they suggest the fragile recovery could lose steam and drag the economy back under for a double-dip recession.&amp;quot;We will need to grind out this recovery step by step,&amp;quot; President Barack Obama said earlier this month.Obama and congressional Democrats are having a hard time agreeing on how to keep the recovery going and help millions of unemployed workers &#8221; short of another round of stimulus spending amid rising voter alarm over soaring federal deficits.So far, they've been unable to win even a simple three-month extension of unemployment insurance for people in states with jobless rates above 8.5 percent.The extension easily passed the House earlier this month but is bogged down in the Senate over disputes over which states would get the funds. Hundreds of thousands of people have already lost their benefits or are about to lose them.The White House credits the president's $787 billion stimulus plan passed in February for keeping job losses from becoming even worse. Since Obama took office in January, the economy has lost 3.4 million jobs.Republicans argue that the stimulus program has not worked as a job producer and is a waste of tax money. And last week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched a multimillion advertising campaign to celebrate small business entrepreneurs &#8221; and to argue that further government intervention will not spur permanent job growth.Chamber leaders called for creation of more than 20 million new private-sector jobs over the next decade, saying it's needed to replace jobs lost in the recession and to keep pace with population growth.&amp;quot;The government can support a few jobs in the short-run&amp;quot; while free enterprise is the only system that can create 20 million of them, said Thomas Donohue, the chamber president.To many economists, such a goal seems unreachable given today's altered economic landscape.&amp;quot;It's a new normal that U.S. growth is going to be anemic on average for years. Right now, the prospect is bleak for anything other than a particularly high unemployment rate and a weak jobs-creating machine,&amp;quot; said Allen Sinai, president of Decision Economics Inc. He says he doubts that unemployment will dip below 7 percent anytime soon.Many economists consider a jobless rate of 4 to 5 percent as reflecting a &amp;quot;full employment&amp;quot; economy, one in which nearly everyone who wants a job has one. After the 2001 recession the rate climbed to 5.8 percent in 2002 and peaked at 6.3 percent in 2003 before easing back to 4.6 percent for 2006 and 2007.Will unemployment ever get back to such levels?&amp;quot;I wouldn't say never. But I do think it's going to be a long time,&amp;quot; said Bruce Bartlett, a former Treasury Department economist and the author of the book &amp;quot;The New American Economy: The Failure of Reaganomics and a New Way Forward.&amp;quot;&amp;quot;The linkage between growth in the economy and growth in jobs is not what it was. I don't know if it's permanently broken or temporarily broken. But clearly we are not seeing the sort of increase in employment that one would normally expect,&amp;quot; said Bartlett.Copyright &Acirc;&copy; 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:49:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[thoughts from podunk: Why did the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party allow a racist Community Development Director to undermine and circumvent affirmative action?0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[October 20, 2009Rita Albrecht, Community Development Director, City of Bemidji. Minnesotarita.albrecht@ci.bemidji.mn.usMs. Albrecht;I would like to know why in all of your planning surrounding the Bemidji Regional Events Center (BREC)&brvbar; from all the initial planning to the multi-cultural aspects of the ground-breaking ceremonies to the many intricate particulars you have considered from the art-work to adorn the BREC to its shrubbery, not once did you consider employment and affirmative action policies as to construction, maintenance and staffing the completed Bemidji Regional Events Center?Now that this topic of jobs has been broached--- again; what do you intend to do to see to it that this most disgraceful, racist injustice is remedied?Certainly you must see that there is something wrong when you promote multi-cultural awareness and appreciation as a cover for hiding racist hiring practices.Now, what steps are going to be taken to see to it that Native Americans are going to be hired at all levels and paid real living wages and salaries in staffing the completed BREC?I assume you think my questions are just as important as any of the minute detail you have been praised for considering by the likes of the Executive Director of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, John McCarthy who fronts for the interests of mobsters like the Fertitta family who are looking forward to increasing their already obscene wealth using the BREC in promoting the UFC--- Ultimate Fighting Championship scam being passed off as sport.  You have even worked out details about how to shuttle those attending BREC activities to the smoke-filled local casinos where workers are employed at poverty wages without any rights or protections provided by state or federal labor laws.Could you not work out a way to transport and shuttle Native American workers for employment in the building and construction of this tax-payer financed Bemidji Regional Events Center? Did not John McCarthy offer the services of the casino shuttles? McCarthy must have furnished free food to the Beltrami County Democratic Farmer-Labor Party fundraiser expecting to get something in return&brvbar; since John McCarthy and the DFL have refused all comment, let me suggest what McCarthy received in return for furnishing the walleye dinner was Democrats, once again, looking the other way as Native Americans were denied good-paying union construction jobs because the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association doesnt want casino workers getting the idea that it is only through good union contracts combined with the protections offered by state and federal labor legislation that can provide a decent and healthy working environment at real living wages--- the only chance working people have to rise from poverty.No doubt, Ms. Albrecht, you have earned the praises of John McCarthy and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association because your intent is to deny Native Americans employment in staffing the Bemidji Regional Events Center in the very same way you connived to deny equal employment opportunities to those hired to build and construct the BREC. Let us have answers to these questions at the same time you post all the jobs that will be available for hire in staffing and maintaining the Bemidji Regional Events Center. Hopefully these answers and the job postings from you will be forth-coming in time to prevent further racist injustices. Since you have seen fit to use the news media and various list serves to tout your accomplishments regarding the Bemidji Regional Events Center, I assume you are not opposed to discussing this problem in the same public manner.Perhaps you and Senator Mary Olson and all those who participated in the BREC groundbreaking ceremony would like to explain to the Native Americans who participated why they were welcome to perform drum and dance ceremonies but had the door closed on them when it came to employment? Maybe I should ask you, also; are you aware of affirmative action laws regarding hiring here in Minnesota?You might not find this discussion as thrilling as to what kind of shrubbery will adorn the BREC but, I would appreciate you indulging me just the same.Sincerely,Alan L. MakiDirector of Organizing,Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council58891 County Road 13Warroad, Minnesota 56763Phone: 218-386-2432Cell phone: 651-587-5541E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.netCheck out my blog:Thoughts From Podunkhttp://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:54:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[thoughts from podunk: Canada sends a socialist, working class union leader and NDP politician to Washington as its Ambassador0]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Canada's most reactionary ever politician, Prime minister Stephen Harper, has been forced to send Manitoba's Gary Doer, a socialist working class union leader and NDP politician to Washington as its Ambassador because of mounting pressure from the labor, peace and progressive movements in Canada looking for more sane international relations and complementing the international hopes for a new U.S. foreign policy--- which has not yet materialized under the Obama Administration; but, which, is sure to be given a great big push with the arrival of Gary Doer in Washington D.C. as Canada's new Ambassador to the United States.U.S. peace, labor, health care and environmental activists should start beating a path to Gary Doer's door before the multi-national corporations have a chance to mount their campaign, which they are sure to do in attempt to keep Canada within the fold of U.S. imperialism. Gary Doer has proven to be North America's most popular progressive politician in decades as he headed up the Manitoba New Democratic Party for many years leading to becoming Manitoba's Premier where he led the efforts to substantially improve the lives, living conditions and standard of living for the working class.Gary Doer, a rank-and-file worker, is a past president of the powerful Manitoba Government Employees Union. Americans should seek to learn from Gary Doer about Canada's health care system and working people would do well to learn from Gary Doer what kind of political movement it takes to bring workers to power--- even if that power is only limited to political power at this stage of the class struggle within the capitalist economic system and does not yet include economic power.For working people in the United States... the arrival of Canada's new Ambassador, Gary Doer, is much more important than the election of Barack Obama because Doer has demonstrated the ability to lead--- and win--- struggles against capitalist corporate power and imperialist domination.Ironically, the American people, working people, now really do have a real representative in Washington D.C.--- even if he is from Canada... now, there is something to think about!]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:52:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Northern Community Internet Project News: Bemidji e-Democracy: B.R.E.C. AFFirmative action Staffing01]]></title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:32:57 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Northern Community Internet Project News: Bemidji e-Democracy: Green spaces around the BREC01]]></title>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:26:15 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Northern Community Internet Project News: Iron Range ATV Trails: Great fall riding this weekend!01]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[Fall colors have pretty much come to a peak here in northern Minnesota.&Atilde;&#8218;&Acirc;&nbsp; But this weekends weather forecast looks like it could be a great time to get out and ride the trails around the area and catch one last glimpse of the fall color on the Iron Range.
Heres a quick link to some of the trails in the Iron Range region: http://ironrange.org/recreation/atv-ohv/ironrangetrails/.
Several of the Iron Range lodging properties are offering some terrific fall lodging specials, as well.
And dont forget your camera! Take some photos of your ride and whats left of the fall color here on the Iron Range and upload it here.
ShareThis]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:11:25 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Northern Community Internet Project News: Hibbing Public Library: Edgar Allen Poe Website01]]></title>
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<description><![CDATA[www.iknowpoe.com/The Library of Virginia and The Poe Museum are inviting visitors to learn more about the man, the myth, the legend here at this collaborative exhibition website. Four icons greet the visitor: a raven, a swinging blade, a hot-air balloon, and a sinister looking cat. Visitors shouldn't miss the &amp;amp;amp;quot;Learn &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Play&amp;amp;amp;quot; area (symbolized by the hot air balloon), containing the highly entertaining &amp;amp;amp;quot;I Know Poe Game Show&amp;amp;amp;quot;.From the Scout Report. www.scout.wisc.edu/The Scout Report is a weekly publication offering a selection of new and newly discovered Internet resources of interest to researchers and educators. However, everyone is welcome to subscribe to one of the mailing lists.]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:38:00 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[Northern Community Internet Project News: Northern Community Internet Project News: Bemidji e-Democracy: CassLeech] B.R.E.C. AFFirmative Action Staffing011]]></title>
<link>http://www.edgeofthewildernesscommunityinternet.org/story_detail.php?permalink=http://dev.minnesotacommunityinternet.org/story_detail.php?permalink=http://dev.minnesotacommunityinternet.org/open_feed_rss.php?permalink=http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/79ZpohiNbXHsWyoPIGnBXO</link>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:53:21 -0700</pubDate>
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<item><title><![CDATA[thoughts from podunk: Stalled agenda irks labor leaders;  Unions see little action from Democrats in D.C.0]]></title>
<link>http://www.edgeofthewildernesscommunityinternet.org/open_feed_rss.php?permalink=http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/stalled-agenda-irks-labor-leaders.html</link>
<description><![CDATA[This is a comment I made in response to the posting of this article which appeared in the Boston Globe.This statement here, quoted in this article---below, needs to be emphasized over and over again; it should be put on blogs and websites and in leaflets and quoted in letters to the editor and posted on every single union bulletin board in this country:Its beyond belief to me, said Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. While Obama and Congress inherited a big mess from Bush, Haynes said, there arent any excuses anymore. If you cant deliver health care, and you cant deliver jobs, and if you cant deliver [card check legislation] , and you cant figure out how to take care of the working people of this great city and country, you dont deserve to stay in office. Ok, sounds great; real militant... but, why hasn't anyone taken the next step and said to Obama and the Democrats: If you don't deliver peace, real progressive health care reform, jobs at real living wages and card check; you will not be getting our votes?This would be the very simple and common sense thing for anyone with the least little bit of organizing knowledge to bring forward because we all know that most people did not vote for Obama and the Democrats or for any of what they are presently doing--- all of which is against the interests of the working class, because Obama and the Democrats never articulated their agenda when seeking votes from working people which pretty much makes a mockery out of what is passing in this country for democracy.Really, people were led to believe they would get one thing from Barack Obama and the Democrats and all they have received is a kick in the ass.Even the Progressive Democrats of America in their statement released today, conceded defeat on single-payer and the Kucinich amendment and then go on to say... we will be back in several years... how convenient; &amp;quot;several&amp;quot; just happens to be three; just in time for these &amp;quot;progressives&amp;quot; for Obama to drum up a campaign in support of Barack Obama for his second term.Again, we need to ask: Why wouldn't Tim Carpenter and the Progressive Democrats of America declare: We are organizing for the next three years--- organizing to make sure not one single Democrat who betrayed us doesn't get a single progressive vote.Why the hesitancy to organize people around the issue: In a democracy, people are entitled to get what they need for a better life in return for their votes--- no peace, no health care, no jobs, no card check... no vote.And, on top of this, the AFL-CIO and other unions, just today &amp;quot;released&amp;quot;--- it was supposedly leaked from UAW Region 8--- a letter stating that they would be backing Obama by essentially giving in to him by trying to pass off anything Obama and the Democrats do as some kind of victory for labor.Well, if you keep agreeing to whatever Obama and the Democrats dish out to you, you kind of have to call this a victory.The AFL-CIO leadership obviously doesn't have the back-bone to stand up for its members who overwhelmingly insist that nothing less than single-payer is acceptable--- and most Americans want an expanded public health care sector. People are not stupid; they know that any government spending so much money on these dirty wars can cough-up with the funds for free health care for everyone. Just stop the wars and spend the money on health care. Why is it so hard for the leadership of the AFL-CIO to take a stand for peace and reordering this country's priorities... do they think their members will not support this kind of leadership, or what?And the entire process of sucking up to the Democrats who are nothing but a bunch of dumb donkeys starts all over again beginning in 2010, leading up to 2012.With this kind of &amp;quot;strategy&amp;quot; it is no surprise that labor is at such a low point organizationally... here they are talking about organizing un-organized workers and how the labor movement needs &amp;quot;warriors for justice&amp;quot; and these very &amp;quot;leaders&amp;quot; can't even come up with something so basic as telling Obama and the Democrats, &amp;quot;Either come through for us or forget our votes; we will organize our own party.&amp;quot;Furthermore, it is the epitome of arrogance for the Democrats to keep blaming everything on Bush and the Republicans because they either supported everything the Republicans did or at least refused to try to stop them... usually it was support.There is only one solution to putting an end to all of this crap: grassroots/rank-and-file organizing around a progressive agenda aimed at getting people to with-hold their votes from these politicians unless they get something that will make their lives better.Health care is a very important issue because it unites all working people and the left should jump all over this issue.In fact, I don't understand why Michael Zweig and Bill Fletcher didn't take this tact when they had the opportunity on Bill Moyer's nationally syndicated PBS program. We keep hearing these people say that they are going to lean on Obama and the Democrats... well, what more appropriate way to &amp;quot;lean&amp;quot; than to tell them they will not be getting the votes from progressives; and then proceed to organize to demonstrate that they mean business. What other accountability is there if we don't wrest this accountability through our votes. Our votes were important when Obama and the Democrats needed them to be elected; don't we have the right to now use these very same votes to hold them accountable? If we don't have this right and aren't prepared to exercise this right, elections mean absolutely nothing.Maybe Howard Zinn would care to comment?These labor leaders are &amp;quot;irked;&amp;quot; working people are suffering and people, mostly working people, are dying.Alan L. Maki58891 County Road 13Warroad, Minnesota 56763Phone: 218-386-2432Check out my blog:http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/ Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 3:20 AMAnother comment on this article by someone else from a post on a list server:(The real question is why should anyone be surprised? As &#8220; since 1948 - NO Democrat President has ever delivered on his campaign promises. (What Dennis Kucinich says below is correct, except &#8220; as usual - he doesn't draw the necessary conclusions.) Stalled agenda irks labor leaders Unions see little action from Democrats in D.C. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2009/10/12/stalled_agenda_in_washington_irks_labor_leaders/By Susan Milligan The Boston Globe October 12, 2009 WASHINGTON - With Democrats in control of Congress and the White House, organized labor had hoped to be celebrating a long list of legislative successes this year. Instead, labors agenda has been pushed down on the priority list by the very lawmakers they helped elect, leaving some union backers frustrated. Labor is eager to win passage of a card check bill, a measure that would make it easier for workers to form unions, but the White House and Congress took up a Wall Street bailout plan first. In the health care debate, labor is seeking to avoid a tax on expensive health care benefits. But President Obama, who slammed the idea during the campaign, this summer indicated he might be open to such an idea. The Obama administration is also encouraging creation of some charter schools, a long-time concern of teachers unions, who fear money will be diverted from other public schools. And an increase in the minimum wage, which supporters pushed in the last Congress, when Republican George W. Bush was in the White House, hasnt even been introduced in this Congress. Its beyond belief to me, said Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. While Obama and Congress inherited a big mess from Bush, Haynes said, there arent any excuses anymore. If you cant deliver health care, and you cant deliver jobs, and if you cant deliver [card check legislation] , and you cant figure out how to take care of the working people of this great city and country, you dont deserve to stay in office. The poor economy and the attention demanded by such issues as health care, Afghanistan, climate change, and the pending closure of the Guantanamo Bay prison have put labor unions concerns far down on the list in Washington, analysts and lawmakers say. Many labor union leaders say they still have faith that Obama will push for their legislative wish list, especially the so-called card check bill to allow workers to organize unions without a secret ballot, once he gets a health care bill signed. And while unions are anxious about provisions in the health care bill that might affect union members, leaders say the larger goal of getting closer to universal health care is most important. The White House is reassuring. Weve been able to make tremendous progress on issues important to the labor community, said White House spokesman Bill Burton. We have a good partnership, and were going to continue to work hard on issues important to the labor community. Still, some labor advocates within Congress are venting their frustration. Labor is the core of the Democratic party. Labor has always delivered for the Democratic party. But the Democratic party doesnt always deliver for labor, said Representative Dennis Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio. Obama still has time, Kucinich said, but he added that he thinks Democrats need to step up and help workers to merit the campaign help unions can provide. Only a small portion - 12.4 percent - of the workforce is unionized, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Excluding public employment, the percentage is even lower; just 7.4 percent of private-sector workers belong to a union. Union organizing is especially tough during a recession, said Vanderbilt University labor specialist Dan Cornfield, since people are more focused on getting and keeping a job than on securing workplace organizing rights. But despite their low numbers, unions still corral their members to provide Democrats with crucial election help: phone banks, canvassing, and get-out-the- vote drives. Union-sponsored political action committees are still heavy campaign contributors. In the 2007-2008 election cycle, PACs representing labor unions doled out $66.4 million to federal candidates, with 92 percent of it going to Democrats. Less than a year into the 2010 election cycle, the PACs have given almost $16 million to federal candidates, with 93 percent going to elect Democrats. White House aides say that Obama remains committed to passing the Employee Free Choice Act, the formal name for the card check bill, and note that the president signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act early in his tenure. That law makes it easier for employees to sue for pay discrimination for a longer period of time after the alleged violations occurred. But the bill is languishing, as Democrats and White House negotiators focus on health care and financial regulatory legislation. Obama, while giving verbal support for the bill, is not putting political muscle behind it, at least for the moment. A lot of folks on the left . . . thought that it would be this complete revolution in American society, and things just dont work that way, said Glen Spencer, executive director of the workforce freedom initiative at the US Chamber of Commerce, which opposes the card-check bill. The president is looking at some very significant issues, the kinds of things that really shape a legacy. This bill would be very tough to do, may not be successful, and is only going to be seen for what it is: a payoff to this large interest group that put a lot of money into their campaigns. National labor leaders want to take advantage of the rare political advantage of having such Democratic dominance in Washington. But they say they are willing to be patient. The administration has been dealt a really tough economic hand. Theyre doing the best they can, said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. Anna Burger, secretary-treasurer of the Service Employees International Union, said the health care bill was also important to the union, and she understood that Obama needed to get it finished first. Other leaders said that Obama has put strong union advocates in key jobs at the Department of Labor. On balance, hes been a very pro-labor president , said Chuck Loveless, director of legislation at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. But if Obama and Congress do not deliver for labor, lawmakers may lose the campaign help they will need next year, when Democrats face serious electoral challenges, Kucinich and Spencer each said. Representative Marcy Kaptur, Democrat of Ohio, acknowledged the labor strides Obama has made but said it was not yet enough. The president could do much more to give visibility to the cause of working men and women in this country, and their plight, Kaptur said. &Acirc;&copy; Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:39:00 -0700</pubDate>
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