Hey, anyone got spare tickets to the Oracle Arena Eddie Izzard show in January? Sorry for the spam.

(This was originally posted on Craigslist 12/24/2001. I'm not the author but it helped me during a sad time in my life so I post it every year on behalf of the real author in the hopes that it might help someone else.)


Christmas bums me out. I have no family, and most of my friends have died. I have no place to go for a friends & family & tree dinner and day of Yule Tide Spirits. However, I won't pule about my misery. I've done this for the past four years and it works for me.


But. This is what I do to make Christmas bearable for me.

Preface this with saying that this Christmas looks like it's going to be nice weather, so no reason to sit isolated at home!

OK? These are just my things. Think of some of your own, too.

1. Get out of your apartment.

2. Take a walk.

3. Ride MUNI somewhere neat. The drivers aren't happy about working Christmas, so be nice to them and greet them with "Merry Christmas," and thank them for the transfer. Make eye contact with other passengers and smile.

4. Go to different parts of town you've not been to.

5. Round up some of that spare change you have in a jar or such ... carry it around with you and give it to panhandlers and watch their surprize ... sure, let 'em buy a beer or cigs or whatever. It's Christmas for them, too. Who am I to judge?
( Read more... )

A friend's partner is having top surgery soon and I was going to send a card or two to cheer him up during his recovery. I'm new to the area, but in the past in situations like these, I never expected to find anything beyond the standard "get well" card. However, now that I'm living in the bay area, I figured there just might be a local artist or store selling more appropriate cards.

Do any of you have any suggestions? I'm near Oakland and Berkeley most often, but a trip into SF is pretty easy for me, too. (I'd prefer to stick close to home!) Thanks!

So my husband and I are planning on moving to the San Francisco Bay Area sometime next year, in January, February, or March 2010. We are looking for a studio or one bedroom apartment and these are some of the questions we’ve had for people who live in the area.

From the research we’ve done thus far, West Portal, Noe Valley, the Marina, Northern Sunset, and Richmond seem to be areas that we would be interested in living. What’s the culture like in these areas? Which areas are more commercial and which areas are more locally focused? Generally speaking, is rent cheaper in any of these areas more so than others, and which areas have more available apartments? We were also interested in the North Beach and Russian Hill.

I am curious as to what you can tell me about Oakland and Berkeley. Are there any areas within Oakland and Berkeley that are less commercial and more local, but also near the BART? Can you tell me anything about the Lake Merritt area?

For locals, where are the best beaches to go to in the Bay Area? What ones are the most popular, and where can you find some that are less busy?

Finally, I’m interested in knowing if anyone has any insights into the job market at non-profits. I just completed my MA in International Human Rights, and I would really like to find a job at a non-profit, particularly focused in poverty alleviation and economic development in Asia, but I’m open to other non-profits too!

Well, thanks ahead of time!

(Cross-posted at bayarea, sanfrancisco, and sfbayarea)

Howdy! After 30 years of being away from it, I have the urge to take a jazz dance class. I used to be reasonably competent, but I'm in my 40s and out-of-shape, so I'm looking for a beginner-level class. When I say jazz, I mean Broadway-style dancing, not something that involves a partner. I'm also looking for something that focuses on dance, not jazzercise.

Can anyone recommend a place in San Francisco, the Oakland/Berkeley area, or somewhere nearby that would have an adult beginner-level jazz class?

This large Pacific island was discovered by James Cook in 1774, and named Caledonia, the ancient name of Scotland, Cook's homeland. Favorable island climatic conditions and fertile soil had attracted the interest of European colonizers - traders, planters and missionaries. In 1853 France announced the island its colony. Then within 30 years the French government had deported many convicted criminals to New Caledonia.

The struggle for independence of the Kanak people, indigenous people of New Caledonia, has a long and glorious history. A new stage of this struggle began in 1985 when “Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front”, led by the outstanding son of the Kanak people Jean-Marie Tjibaou, started its activity. FLNKS had advocated the establishment of an independent Kanak state. The events on the Ouvéa Island in 1988 became culmination of the struggle. FLNKS fighters had taken hostage 27 French gendarmes and judge and demanded immediate independence. The French colonial authorities sent a special commando unit. As a result of bloody clashes, the rebels were forced to let gendarmes off. Jean-Marie Tjibaou was assassinated. But the colonizers realized that they can not longer maintain their dominance in the previous form and made some concessions.

According to the Matignon (1988) and Nouméa (1998) Accord, New Caledonia

For more info about the 1000-DVD Drive.

http://halfdate.com/2009/11/22/dawah-dvd-drive/

Boxer supports abortion deal

California Sen. Barbara Boxer, deep in the negotiations with health care holdout Ben Nelson, signed off on the abortion compromise that goes further than she wanted, but clears the way to get the health care bill out of the Senate by Christmas. Democrats consider the deadline a political imperative.

The compromise goes further than Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, wanted, but may help keep the Stupak crowd on board in the House, another political imperative.

Here's Boxer's statement with Sen. Patty Murray of Washington:

"We said all along that we wanted to ensure there was a firewall between private and public funds -- this compromise achieves that.

"We said we would not accept language that prohibited a woman from using her own private funds for her legal reproductive health care --this compromise meets that test.

"And we said we would stop Stupak -- which we did. Let's be clear -- we were both much happier with the Capps language and the language in the underlying bill.

"But compromise was necessary to get a health care bill for the American people, and this compromise achieves that."

####

( My Call for Action under the cut )

Current Mood: determined

Hi Friends and Colleagues,

I am writing to urge you to contact the White House and let President Obama know that you are opposed to BOTH the Senate and House versions of the currently propose health care reform.

Like most of you, I too have been filling out petitions, blogging and Twittering about these underhanded attempts in our Congress to violate women's fundamental Constitutional right to abortion. I understand it has become tiring and seems repetitive, but the fact of the matter is that no one in power seems to be listening to the big advocacy organizations like NARAL, Planned Parenthood or NOW, so I think it is time that folks as individuals make their voices heard. Please keep in mind that contacting our Senators did not stop the most recent anti-abortion amendment being pushed through without the approval of the majority of the Senate. In my mind, this means that it has gone beyond the point of people asking their elected officials to look out for their interests. If these officials were able to adequately represent us, we wouldn't have a small cabal of three or four persons (most of them white men, who will never become pregnant), flagrantly ignoring the procedures of the Senate, while being given the approval of The White House in the process.

So, pick up the phone, fax or email The White House TODAY!
They can be reached here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

I suggest that folks also write letters to the editors of their newspapers, magazines and television stations and DEMAND that they interview local citizens about their opinions regarding this health care reform and the subversion of abortion rights, because I for one am sick and tired of only reading pieces with commentary by the advocacy groups when again, it seems as though those same groups are not being heard or are not engaging in an effective manner with our representatives. The whole thing stinks and feels very gamed to me. In my experience, the best way to effectively deal with these types of situations is to introduce a third party (namely individuals citizens), who can use the internet or other means so that their voices are actually seen and heard.

Here is a thorough explanation as to how the current Nelson amended Senate Bill will restrict women and trans folks' (FTMs and genderqueers) access to abortions and other reproductive health services:
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/12/20/the-nelson-compromise

Here is a look into the pork barrel bribe that was offered to Senator Nelson and the State of Nebraska in exchange for his 60th vote, which came at the expense of reproductive freedom:
http://biggovernment.com/2009/12/19/sen-nelsons-bribe/

Here is a breakdown of why the health care reform overall is horrible for US people and our future health and financial well being:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/19/816961/-Why-This-Senate-Health-Bill-Should-Not-Pass

Yours in Feminist Solidarity!

Current Mood: determined