Dakota Rez Emergency-How About Us?

by: oke

Fri Feb 05, 2010 at 10:02:26 AM PST

The ice storm and an extra hard winter has added to a situation that ALWAYS exists, not having basic needs and living in conditions that are at the level of Third World countries.

It is evident that the outpouring of support has been overwhelming from the Bay Area, but it would be great if we could take this a few steps further..............
I'd like to throw out the idea of using SFKossacks to get together a list of other needs, and also.............

How about a get together to collect things and do some brainstorming as a group for those interested in continuously monitoring current needs and doing what we can on a long term basis?
Summers can be  harsh and deadly on the rez too and basic human needs are always unmet.

There are not words to convey what life is like there unless one has seen it first hand. I've been there, it is a subhuman and brutal way people are forced to live, 365 days a year, even in the best of weather conditions

Please leave any suggestions and thoughts.

Thanks, Laura

Soup recipes from Holiday party

by: side pocket

Tue Jan 12, 2010 at 18:22:51 PM PST

Indonesian Squash & Spinach Soup   serves 6

1 tsp coriander seeds     1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp turmeric                2 small chiles
15 blanched almonds

1 large onion, diced      2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp veggie oil       2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 tsp salt                   2 cups veggie stock  (I made my own)
14 oz. can of coconut milk                                                                                                                                         6 handfuls chopped, fresh spinach
4 cups peeled & cubed butternut squash    fresh lemon juice

Easy spice grinding: spices, nuts, chiles  in blender
In ½ cup of water.  

In soup pot, sauté onion & garlic in the oil. Add ginger & salt, sauté
Till onions are translucent, add stock and spice mixture and simmer
For 5 minutes.    Stir in coconut milk and squash and simmer uncovered for
40 minutes, take off heat, stir in spinach and lemon juice to taste.

Mushroom Soup  (serves 6)

2 large onions, minced             2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ cups chicken stock            1 lb. fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
                                                (food processor slice blade makes it easy)
½ cup dry white wine              5 tbs butter   1 tsp oil
2 tbs sour cream                       ½ cup ½ and ½
½ tsp tarragon (or more)          1 bay leaf
1 tsp corn starch                       chopped parsley or chives     salt & pepper

Saute onions and garlic till golden in 2 tbs butter and the oil, remove from soup
pot and reserve.  Add rest of butter and mushrooms, sauté 2 or 3 minutes. Return
garlic and onions to pot, add salt and pepper, tarragon, bay leaf. Blend corn starch and wine.
Add to the stock, pour the whole into onion mixture in the pot. Simmer 15 minutes.
Add ½ and ½ , sour cream and bring ONLY to a simmer. Pour into cups or bowls,
Sprinkle with parsley or chives, and serve.

Organizing Locally: Using New Media to Win on Immigration

by: navajo

Mon Jan 04, 2010 at 17:43:33 PM PST

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As the national debate about comprehensive immigration reform begins to heat up, activists across the country must begin strategizing now about how to organize around this key issue. Join Netroots Nation for a discussion on the role online and offline activists can play, particularly on a local level, in the upcoming battle to pass CIR. How can we ensure that our techniques are effective and how can we personalize this federal fight on a local level and engage activists in our own communities? Strategist Jenifer Fernandez Ancona will moderate this discussion about how online and offline activists can work together locally in the coming months to ensure that when the battle heats up nationally, we're ready to fight. Panelists include Paul Hogarth of Beyond Chron, activist Bobbi Lopez, Christopher Punongbayan of the Asian Law Caucus and Favianna Rodriguez of Presente.org.

Organizing locally: Using new media to win on immigration

Hosted by Netroots Nation

Location: World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter Street, San Francisco
Date: January 13, 2010
Time: 6 to 9 p.m.

Free. RSVP is requested to help us manage crowd size. Click here to reserve your spot.

Cohosted by the Good Ol' Girls and Presente.org

Jenifer Fernandez Ancona is a strategist in the progressive movement, with a focus on multi-racial coalition building, fund raising and strategic communications. She is currently an advisor to the Roosevelt Institute and Presente.org. Jenifer was previously a senior advisor to Steve Phillips and Susan Sandler, where she was responsible for communications and messaging to a broad network of progressive donors. Jenifer has also served as a top legislative aide in the California State Assembly, and was a news reporter for the Los Angeles Times. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Dan Ancona, and their cat, Oscar.

Paul Hogarth is a lawyer and community organizer at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, a non-profit in San Francisco that also publishes Beyond Chron, voted the Bay Area's Best Local Website in 2008. Paul is Beyond Chron's managing editor, where he covers City Hall, affordable housing and marriage equality. He is a former elected member of the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board and almost filed to run for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors this year. Paul has appeared on CNN's "Blogger Bunch" to discuss Prop 8 and is a frequent guest on Bay Area radio shows about local politics.

Active in the Asian American community for over a decade, Christopher Punongbayan is currently the Deputy Director of the Asian Law Caucus, the nation's oldest legal civil rights organization promoting the rights of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. In 2004, he was a recipient of the Ford Foundation New Voices Fellowship where he served as Advocacy Director for Filipinos for Affirmative Action. He currently serves on the boards of directors for the South of Market Community Action Network and Public Benefits Attorneys, and has provided non-profit management oversight to a number of LGBT, youth and API advocacy organizations in New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Favianna Rodriguez is an artist, entrepreneur, and organizer who has helped foster resurgence in political arts both locally and internationally. Named in 2008 by UTNE Magazine as one of the country's leading visionary artists, Rodriguez is renown for her art work dealing with social issues such as war, immigration, globalization, and social movements, as well as for her leadership in establishing innovative institutions that promote education and engage new audiences in the arts. In 2009, Rodriguez she helped found Presente.org and its sister organization Presente Action after recognizing the need for Latino communities to make better use of technology-based organizing techniques. Since April 2009, Presente's campaigns have brought national attention to hate crimes against Latinos, anti-immigrant violence and most recently, the historic nomination of Sonia Sotomayor.

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Please leave a comment if you are attending.  Perhaps we should meet for a short dinner before.  Who's in?

WhiteT

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Announcing: SFKOSSACK SERVICE PROJECT

by: navajo

Thu Dec 10, 2009 at 14:55:58 PM PST

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I was inspired by our SFKossack Shanikka's REC LISTED diary about the Giving Tree at her office and suggesting that we give of our time at Food Banks or Shelters.  I'm sure there are many places we as a group can serve.

I would be more inclined to give of my personal time if I had buddies to go with me.  I think it would be a great idea if we start organizing a monthly or every other month event where a subgroup of us meets to serve together in our communities.

And since we are spread all over, let's have ONE event each month or every other month in a different town with a different subgroup of SFKossacks.

To start let's identify possible places to meet and work. We'll pick one a month or every other month to start.  We'll need a captain to volunteer for each event to interface with the charity, gather SFKossacks and communicate the date, time and directions to the subgroup.

I like this idea because it's not asking for you to donate money, it is much easier for me to donate time than money.

So, tell me in the comment thread:
What are the local community projects where we could meet as subgroups and give of our time? (then grab a beer afterward ;)

Also tell us if you do this already on your own and if you'd like some SFKossack buddies to join you next time.

Also a project could be like the one FFDAR suggested recently.  Maybe this could be January's project.

Request for a future "fundraiser" related to NFTT  

I live near the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital (which has a section treating brain injuries).  They collect clothing (remember the female vets), toiletries, magazines, and snacks for the vets treated at the facility, as well as potentially homeless vets.   http://www.palo-alto.med.va.go...
But if anyone just "has" to unload some extra items now, I'll be glad to transport them in time for the holidays.  ;-)

by: FFDAR @ Mon Nov 30, 2009 at 09:38:26 AM PST

I'm down with this, I really need to clean out my closet.

For DECEMBER'S SFKOSSACK SERVICE PROJECT, may I suggest coming with me to Shanikka's office in East Palo Alto and pick a name off her Giving Tree.  We'll empty that tree of names, dammit.

Also, thank you to everyone who donated already this December to the side pocket's Heifer, Int. project.  You ROCK and if you can come with me to Shanikka's office you DOUBLE ROCK!

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better late than never i suppose -- december 6th photos

by: dadanation

Mon Dec 14, 2009 at 14:29:00 PM PST

so, be that as it may, here are my few photos from the event that i wanted to share with everyone.  if anyone wants a hard copy or an electronic copy of any of these photos, please let me know in the comments section, ok?

follow me if you please for 51 more photos to add to the collection...

Annual Holiday Party w/ Book Signing by Markos [UPDATED]

by: navajo

Mon Sep 07, 2009 at 16:40:02 PM PDT

Directions have been sent via email. If you didn't receive them email navajo at nativeamericannetroots dot com.

WHO:      SFKossacks
WHAT:    Annual Holiday Party
WHERE:  Side Pocket's Farm in the Wine Country
WHEN:    1:00 P.M.  Sunday, December 6th, 2009

(Address will be emailed to RSVP'ers.)

Sebastopol is 1 hour north of the Golden Gate Bridge in the Wine Country
(I can promise that 1 hour of driving is beautifully scenic)

UPDATE ONE:

Side pocket is providing ALL the food and is hoping that you would contribute to his favorite cause, Heifer International instead of bringing potluck.

Please bring your donation for side pocket to collect.  If you can't give this year don't worry, please come anyway.

A note from side pocket:

At a past Kossack Christmas party, under the lead of Sallycat and York, we filled one of their bedrooms nearly to the ceiling with clothes and toiletries for those in need of them.

This year please consider bringing a gift for Heifer, International. In case you are unfamiliar with Heifer, It is a nonprofit working in 125 countries, including the U.S., to alleviate hunger and protect the environment by providing livestock, trees, seeds, and training in small-scale, sustainable agriculture. "Passing on the Gifts" is an essential element in Heifer's approach. Recipients agree to pass on one or more of their animal's offspring as well as their training in environmentally sound agriculture to another person in their community. It is a way of giving which hands the power to the recipient. Every recipient becomes a giver and a teacher, an equal partner in working to end poverty; and the gift goes on.

When Mary and I visited Heifer projects in Honduras a year and a half ago, it was the passing on of information and learning that people seemed most excited about. This was in 2007, still the Bush years, and we were feeling that all the causes we poured our time and money into were on the losing side. So, when we saw that something was working right now, on the ground, to improve people's lives and empower the poor, we were so energized that (as you can see) we are still talking about it.

So, this year all the food for our party will be provided. If you feel an urge to contribute a dish, try channeling the urge to a contribution that will feed the truly hungry in an ongoing, multiplying way. Donations made by check are tax deductible. If you want to make donations in the names of friends or family members as a holiday gift to them, gift cards will be available. You could give a flock of chicks or ducklings, a goat, tree seedlings, a hive of bees, or even a water buffalo in the name of your friend. Contributions will be confidential and go directly to Heifer.  And, if you are unable to give this year we will all understand.

UPDATE TWO:

This is farm country (rain? =mud.) so wearing sensible shoes is... well... sensible.

UPDATE THREE:

WINE SIGN UP LIST:

If you can contribute to Heifer, Int. and also bring some wine
YOU TOTALLY ROCK!

(stay tuned on this project as it unfolds over the next few days...)

1.  Gina Cooper 6 bottles
2.  Neeta  2 bottles
3.  Trashablanca 2 bottles
4.  frugalgranny 1 bottle
5.  dweb8231 1 bottle
6.  DavidW in SF 2-3 bottles
7.  rfall 2 bottles
8.  Jeff in CA 1-2 bottles
9.  kimoconnor 2 bottles
10. Martha Ture 2 bottles
11. sallycat 2 bottles
12. leftcoast 2 bottles
13. elfling 1 bottle
14. maggiejean 2 bottles
15. norm 1 bottle
16. jotter 1 bottle
17. Predictor 2 bottles

Special Announcement:  

Markos will be attending and I don't know about you but I need my book signed. I'll be bringing mine and you should also.  If you don't own one you can buy one from SFKossack DavidW in SF at his San Francisco online bookstore.

From DavidW in SF:

For delivery: If anyone wants their copy delivered to the event, it's Free Freight. They'll just need to specify "FREE EVENT DELIVERY" in the special instructions during checkout. (If they don't specify "FREE EVENT DELIVERY" I'll assume they want it shipped home.) Assuming they don't run out at the distributor's, they should be able to place their order to us by November 30 for Event Delivery. I'll hopefully be bringing the stock personally, but if not, I can Priority Ship them to event site.

If people want to place an order to be delivered to their homes in time for the event, please order before November 24.

If you haven't been to side pocket's sustainable farm here is my last diary about it. It is a lovely place to meet in the Wine Country.

Congressman Paul Hodes for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire

by: navajo

Tue Nov 03, 2009 at 15:18:09 PM PST

Dinner with Betson08

by: navajo

Tue Sep 22, 2009 at 19:47:45 PM PDT

Betson:
It's a conference about Guantanamo. Mainly about the so-called terrorist camps, but I had given this project at UCSF some of the Cuban testimonials from my dissertation so they ended up inviting me.

Of course the SFKossacks had to do their welcome wagon thingey.

Betson08 was in the mood for Mexican food so we hit Puerto Alegre on Valencia street in the Mission. Man, the food was tasty!

Date: Oct. 10, 2009
Location: Puerto Alegre
546 Valencia St. (bet. 16th & 17th Sts.) San Francisco
Phone: 415-255-8201
Time: 6:00 PM Please be early. Table reserved for 2 hrs. only

 1.   Betson08
 2.   Neeta aka navajo
 3.   SallyCat
 4.   Mr. Cat
 5.   dadanation
 6.   norm
 7.  
 8.  
 9.
10. Cali Scribe
11. Mr. Scribe
12.
13.
14.
15.

September 27th San Francisco BBQ! NOW WITH PICS!

by: kimoconnor

Fri Aug 21, 2009 at 16:23:25 PM PDT

UPDATE:  Today (9.22.09)  I (navajo) emailed the attendees below with Kim's address.  If you didn't receive it please email me.

Allright the 27th it is!
I am psyched to see you guys, especially those I missed in Pittsburgh this year!

So far I have:

1.  Kim: chicken and meat kabobs, juices, sodas and water
2.  norm Carmelitas dessert
3.  Glorious
4.  Archangel cant make it after all :(
5.  Sallycat: Awesome Potato Salad plus London Broil
6.  Mr. Cat
7.  side pocket: fresh tomatoes, plus white onion dip plus crab dip, beer and wine
8.  Mrs Side Pocket
9.  Raines
10.  Neeta: Wine
11.  Mber: artichoke spinach dip
12.   Jotter:  Black Bean and Corn salad maybe and wine for sure ;)
13.  Mrs. Jotter
14.  Mariva
15.  Eric
16.  Bullwinkele: pumpkin bread
17.  RninNC
18.  Frank with RninNC
19.  MoodyLoner apple bread, brownies, and p00ka-safe chips and dip
20.  Mrs. Moody Loner
21.  Little Loner
22. Vigilant Meerkat
23.  Mr. Vigilant Meerkat garlic bread?
24.  John07801 Chuletas Ahumadas (smoked pork chops)
25.
26.
27.
28.

Who did I miss?

Let's say you all can come anytime after 12:00 noon.
We'll plan on eating main courses at 2:00, giving those latecomers time to get here and not miss the main courses.

I am thinking I will make my kabobs, I can do some meat and some chicken so everyone has some protein who wants some. Plus they are easy to do ahead and easy to eat even without a table.

I am so sorry we are missing you gina and bob! But it was so great to see you in PIttsburgh, and know you always have an aerobed to crash on at my place in SF if you want to visit!

Netroots Nation 2009, Pittsburgh Roll Call

by: navajo

Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:27:03 PM PDT

Agenda Links:

http://netrootsnation.org/sche... overview

http://netrootsnation.org/agenda with details

Outside Events

Google Spreadsheet of NN09 Schedule

***********************************************************

Please tell me in the comments if you are attending Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh this year.

I am going to try have reserved our tables again, look for the same table signs as last year.

I will post any dinners and other meetups in this diary so do check back here even when you are in Pittsburgh.

 1. Neeta
 2. highacidity
 3. ukiyo
 4. norm
 5. Malacandra
 6. Jotter
 7. Jeff in CA  
 8. Jeff in CA shotgun
 9. dweb8231
10. Raines
11. Raines' guest
12. kimoconnor
13. sidepocket
14. Mrs. sidepocket

***********************************************************

WEDNESDAY 8-12-09 DINNER w/ Cheers & Jeers group:

place: http://www.tonicpittsburgh.com/
Tonic Bar & Grill
971 Liberty Avenue
phone: 412.456.0460
time:   tbd

place: http://www.augusthenrys.com/ho...
946 Penn Avenue
Phone: 412-765-3270

Email from Bill in Portland Maine's beau Michael:

Hello All!

It is getting really close now.....

Ok I have finalized the place.  http://www.augusthenrys.com/ho...

I spoke with the owner and he is very accommodating.  They don't require a deposit, they will do separate checks, they will be adding a18% gratuity to each check.  

We will meet in the lobby at 630 pm or so.  I have the reservation for 7 pm.  It is across the street from the convention center.  

I will send out another email closer to the date to get a feel for who might be attending.  some of you have said no and some yes.  I have kept those emails.  

Looking forward to seeing you all again, and to meeting new people!  

Hugs!

Michael

rsvps:

1. Neeta
2. Raines
3. Raines' guest
4. Jotter (maybe, if the wind is with him...)
5. dweb8231
6. sidepocket
7. Mrs. sidepocket

***********************************************************
Thursday

Lunch - 12:30
Location - TBD

1. Neeta
2.
3.
4.

***********************************************************
Friday

Lunch - 12:30
Location - TBD

1. Neeta
2.
3.
4.

Dinner after Dr. Dean - 7:30 ish
Bossa Nova?

1. Neeta
2. Jotter
3. Kim O Connor
4. Land of Enchantment
5.
6.

***********************************************************
Saturday

Dinner before big party at 8pm
Location - TBD

1. Neeta
2.
3.
4.

***********************************************************

ct's in San Jose!

by: navajo

Mon Jun 22, 2009 at 10:39:00 AM PDT

http://en.oreilly.com/velocity...

Conference Location
Fairmont San Jose
170 S. Market Street
San Jose, CA 95113

If you are interested in meeting for a drink, say Wednesday night please comment below and I can contact ct.

That's ct there in the plaid shirt (kos, miss laura and Nate Silver)

Going Away Party for highacidity and ukiyo (PICS)

by: navajo

Sun Jun 21, 2009 at 21:00:32 PM PDT

Last night we got together one final time in Bay Area meatspace to say au revoir to highacidity/ukiyo and let them know how much we have enjoyed their participation in our group and our lives.  We will miss them but glad that we have virtual access to them.

I will get to see them at Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh and you can too if you register.

Our wonderful SFKossack member sidepocket could not attend but called the restaurant and paid for the several pitchers of margaritas we drank.  What a guy, huh!

A few of my photos below:

Gina and Bob's Going Away Party

by: navajo

Tue Jun 09, 2009 at 16:00:40 PM PDT

Bob and Gina (Ukiyo and highacidity) are moving to Raleigh, North Carolina.

We are meeting at Hola's in Belmont to say au revoir.

Saturday, June 20th at 5:30 PM.

1015 Alameda De Las Pulgas
Belmont, CA 94002
(650) 591-1735

Get directions

RSVP in the comments

Look What Kim Oconnor is Up to

by: Bullwinkle

Tue May 05, 2009 at 23:09:38 PM PDT

http://www.dailykos.com/storyo...

about a trip to Kabul, Afghanistan and work her group is doing in a small way to try and help schools get resources they need.

very interesting....and all this time I didn't know Kim did that.  Will look forward to chatting with her at the next SFKossacks Meet Up.

Stanford PowWow this Friday, May 8th

by: navajo

Mon May 04, 2009 at 20:38:51 PM PDT

http://powwow.stanford.edu/sch...

The Stanford PowWow is free and open to the public. We welcome your donations to help fund our event.

Spectators may come and watch all dances.  Dances begin with the first Grand Entry (or first Gourd Dancing session) until the last dance of the day.  Generally, dances will run from 7pm-11pm on Friday, 11am-11pm on Saturday, and 11am-6pm on Sunday.

There are food booths that will be open prior to the 7pm Grand Entry on Friday.

I will definitely be there at 7pm on Friday.  Not sure I can meet earlier at the food booths but let me know in the comments if you want to meet for food and I'll see if I can get there.  I have a very busy weekend and limited time on Friday evening.

There won't be an organized meeting place.  If you want to meet us leave a comment and I will email you.  We will connect using our cell phones.