PERSONAL NEWS #117
Saturday, February 10th, I headed up to Yonkers on Metro North to do volunteer work at Joanne’s ferret shelter. Quite a few furkids were in the shelter and only two adoptions since my last visit. I brought up two paper shopping bags from my grocery store, with old smelly socks in them, for the wee ones. They love to scamper inside, dig, sniff and jump about in excitement. Especially in regards to smelly old socks. Ferrets just love them. During our tea break, I was telling Joanne about that chap Walter and how things tanked between us. Hum, haven’t even thought of him since then. Not worth it, besides, there are other “fish” in the sea.

On Monday evening, February 12th, I joined others from the weekly Peace Circle at Mary’s home in Brooklyn to work on the “Valentine Peace Project”. Mary had a full house and some folk brought delicious goodies for everyone to nosh on, plus indulging in wine. Got to meet some new faces and engage in diverse conversations, and many laughs, while we worked on assembling the project. We had an assembly line going of printing out excerpts from poems, wrapping them around stems of white roses and tying with multi color ribbon. Around 10pm I left the festivities with my bundle of roses ready to distribute to my co-workers on the February 14th. Made it through the snowstorm on the 14th and surprised many on my floor at work with a rose. Many were very touched and expressed thanks for the thoughtful gesture. It was a great feeling and I couldn’t stop smiling.

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Thursday, February 15th, I participated in the NYDoP board and core team meetings. This was a first for our group, in that; we held them separately on the same evening. Also, it was to be our last meeting held at this particular location in the Empire State Building. We need to find new, larger accommodations. Those in attendance for the Board meeting was Kevin, Joe, Carol, Dawn, Karen, Howard and Liz joined us via conference call. Sadly Marianne couldn’t make it. We had a productive meeting and I took notes in long hand, plus utilizing the mini cassette recorder. Howard left after we concluded the Board meeting and on the conference call we were joined by Gay, Susan, Jade and Priscilla. Majority of the conversation and feedback was on the recent Peace Conference in DC. We also talked about the upcoming Grassroots Media event and working with CDTLs in NY state. We wrapped up at 8:15pm and for once I got home by 9pm. In time to watch CSI Las Vegas, which is one of my few fav programs on the telly.

Saturday evening, February 17th, Jackie came over to watch LOTRs FOTR cast commentary and we noshed on Chinese take out. As always, we had a nice relaxing time and also chatted on several topics [ie: work, immigration & current events]. Of the three LOTRs extended versions, I have to admit that FOTR is my fav and some of that has to do with my admiration of British actor, Sean Bean.

On Tuesday evening, February 20th, I listened in on the monthly PDA [Progressive Democrats of America] conference call. This was my first time participating in these calls and it was really fascinating. There were 40+ folk from all over the US on the call. Cool! Tim Carpenter hosted the call and actress/activist Mimi Kennedy was guest speaker. Another guest speaker was John Bonifaz from PDA. Many topics were discussed and the main one was on voter rights. Legislation is in Congress at this time and its bill HR811. It was mentioned that a key player to network with is Congresswoman Diane Feinstein and Congressman Conyers. Other references to HR811 was regarding “vote pad” for disabled individuals, Optical scan, election protection, mandatory paper ballot/trail, etc. I plan on being part of these conference calls in future, as they are so informative.

Mythopoeic Society
http://www.mythsoc.org/
Founded in 1967, The Mythopoeic Society is a non-profit international literary and educational organization for the study, discussion, and enjoyment of fantastic and mythic literature, especially the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams. Membership in the Mythopoeic Society is open to all scholars, writers, and readers of these literatures.

How is Withdrawal in Iraq a 'sellout'?
Peter Marshall
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/0330frilets302.htm

Regarding "A sellout over Iraq" (Tuesday, Opinions) … Cal Thomas continues to spout the conservative cultists' line about the Dems' "sellout of American troops in Iraq." How can anyone believe that trying to bring the troops home according to an orderly timetable is selling them out? Thomas and his jingoistic ilk sold them out years ago by wasting the lives and limbs of these young people in this illegal and useless war. Thomas calls "pork" the projects the Democrat leadership used to get their gun-shy members to pass the Iraq timetable. None of the projects Thomas himself mentions come close to the "bridge to nowhere" and other unworthy budget-busting pork his fellow Republicans tried to reward themselves with over the last six years. As for the usual ranting mantra about the Islamofascists' ultimate aim of destroying the United States: If we had spent the billions used in Iraq to secure our borders, ports, territorial waters and airspace, al-Qaida and its followers would pose little threat to our homeland. But then there would less juicy contracts for Halliburton and Blackwater, which are the true Republican constituencies.