EVENTS

April 8, 2008

Drinking Liberally Pittsburgh
WHAT: Drinking Liberally Pittsburgh
WHEN: Tuesday, April 8, 2008, 7:00 PM
WHERE: Buffalo Blues, 216 S Highland Ave (Shadyside)

Drinking Liberally is a great organization that exists across the nation. A happy hour that is open for anyone that wants to get together and talk politics. Mostly from the liberal point of view. More info @ http://drinkingliberally.org/locations.html#pa


April 9, 2008

ACORN Protest Against Sen. Specter's Vote Against Families Facing Foreclosure
WHAT: ACORN Protest Against Sen. Specter's Vote Against Families Facing Foreclosure
WHEN: Wednesday, April 9th, 2:00
WHERE: 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 1450, Regional Enterprise Tower (old Alcoa Building, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

"ACORN members, upset by Senator Specter's vote last week to kill a provision that could help 600,000 families facing foreclosure save their homes, plan to protest his Pittsburgh office. The Durbin amendment, which was offered to the Foreclosure Prevention Act, would have allowed bankruptcy judges to modify the terms of the mortgages of primary residences to achieve an affordable monthly payment when mortgage servicers refuse to or are unable to make such modifications....In 2007, Pennsylvania saw 34,089 foreclosures filings, a number which continues into 2008, averaging 77 foreclosures filed every day."


April 10, 2008

Public Hearing on Senate Bill 1250
WHAT: Tell Pennsylvania Senate Members to vote NO on Senate Bill 1250
WHEN: Thursday, April 10th, 2:00 pm
WHERE: Allegheny County Courthouse, Gold Room 437 Grant St., Downtown Pittsburgh, Corner of Grant and Forbes

"Please come to the public hearing in Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 10th and tell Pennsylvania Senate Members to vote NO on Senate Bill 1250. Senate Bill 1250 is a Constitutional Amendment which would ban gay marriage AND civil unions in Pennsylvania. On Thursday, April 10th there will be a public hearing in Pittsburgh to discuss the impact this amendment would have on the Commonwealth. In past hearings, supporters of this discriminatory bill have been extremely active and vocal. It is crucial that we outnumber them this time around. We urgently need people to come to the hearing so senators know that people from the Pittsburgh area don't want our General Assembly to legislate hate." Call (412) 681-7736 for more information.

League's Cocktail Hour With Our New State Director
WHAT: Meet-and-greet for Liz Rincon, PA League's New State Director
WHEN: Thursday, April 10th, 5pm - 8pm
WHERE: DejaVu Lounge, 2106 Penn Avenue (the Strip District), Pittsburgh, PA

"Chat with our new State Director, Liz Rincon, and the politically minded and active in our area at our informal cocktail hour this Thursday, April 10th -- Enjoy the drink specials and free appetizers provided by our hosts at the DejaVu Lounge." RSVP here


April 12, 2008

PUSH (PA United for Singlepayer Healthcare) General Meeting
WHAT: PUSH General Meeting
WHEN: Saturdau, April 12, 2008, 10 – 12 a.m.
WHERE: Church of the Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Ave.(Squirrel Hill), Pittsburgh PA

"Health care for all NOW! Make it happen: Get Active! AGENDA: Reports: March 19th Legislative Hearing on SB300/HB1660. FUTURE ACTIONS: Bird dogging the candidates , Uninsured Trail of Tears & other actions, Leafleting/Tabling at events, Pittsburgh hearing, Lobbying" For more info: PUSHforhealthcare@gmail.com


April 14, 2008

"Should the Mon-Fayette Expressway Be Completed?" Public Debate
WHAT: "Should the Mon-Fayette Expressway Be Completed?" Public Debate
WHEN: Monday, April 14, 2008, 6-7:30
WHERE: Frick Fine Arts Auditorium (Oakland) Pittsburgh PA

Speakers will include Shawn Fox, Allegheny County executive chief of staff; Andrea Boykowycz, PennFuture outreach coordinator, and Pitt student debaters Colin Esgro and Richard Pittman. A webcast of the debate may be viewed at http://mediasite.cidde.pitt.edu/ starting at 6pm on April 14 (select "William Pitt Debating Union" in the catalog window). For more info, 412-624-2887 or red20@pitt.edu


April 15, 2008

Sierra Club Tax Day Rally for HR 5351
WHAT: Sierra Club Tax Day Rally for HR 5351
WHEN: Monday, April 15, 2008, 4:30 PM
WHERE: Squirrel Hill Post Office, Murray Avenue (Squirrel Hill), Pittsburgh PA

"WIND NOT WINDFALLS - End the Giveaways to BIG OIL. Oil and gas companies are making record profits and receiving generous taxpayer subsides, while we're paying record highs for gas. Senators McCain, Clinton, Obama and Specter will have the opportunity to vote on redirecting subsidies from oil companies to incentives for job-creating renewable energy. It's time for the senators to move forward and vote for clean energy, not Big Oil. We are asking them to vote yes on HR 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008. Help us get the message out." To sign up contact Justin at justin.wasser@sierraclub.org or call 412-802-6161

Hillary House Party
WHAT: Hillary House Party
WHEN: Tuesday, April 15, 6:30 to 8 p.m.
WHERE: Roselle Private Home, 2525 Collins Road,Pittsburgh 15235 (Blackridge)

"Join us for a celebration of the candidacy of Senator Hillary Clinton. Learn more about her positions and know that she is the strongest candidate to win the Pennsylvania primary and in November. She has the experience to make a difference: economy heading for recession, women’s wages 2/3 that of men, millions without health insurance, unemployment highest in over 2 years, $158 million spent each month on fuel alone to maintain the Iraq conflict. Now is the time to step forward because Senator Clinton will make the changes we desperately need! We will also honor Jeanne Clark and the late Tim Sullivan, longtime NOW activists and Hillary Clinton supporters." RSVP by April 13, 412-731-7490 or roselle25@verizon.net


April 18, 2008

SEAD 2008 GOTV Rally
WHAT: South End Active Democrats 2008 GOTV Rally
WHEN: Friday, April 18, 2008, 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM
WHERE: Resurrection Church Hall, 1100 Creedmore Avenue in Brookline, 15226

For $7 you get free food, beer/wine/pop, a DJ and a chance to meet the Democratic candidates. People from all over the county attend, not just South Enders.


April 22, 2008

Sierra Club "Election Day Adopt a Poll"
WHAT: Sierra Club "Election Day Adopt a Poll"
WHEN: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 (All Day)
WHERE: All over Pittsburgh

"Collect petition signatures at polling places telling Senators to take Big Oils' tax breaks away. We are asking them to vote yes on HR 5351, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act of 2008." To sign up contact Randy Francisco at randy.francisco@sierraclub.org or call 412-802-6161


April 25, 2008

Equal Pay Rally
WHAT: Equal Pay Rally
WHEN: Friday, April 25, 2008, Noon
WHERE: Market Square, Pittsburgh PA

Save the date! Brought to you by the Women & Girls' Foundation of SW PA. More details later.
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Local Stuff

1. For the record, we don't think that Jon Delano is "nuts" either.

2. While Bram and The Burgher link to The Trib's reporting on Lil Mayor Luke's latest paronoid power play management stylings, to give credit where credit is due, Early Returns had it first.

3. And speaking of the P-G, they have a poll where you can express your frustrations opinions on the Mon-Fayette Expressway (link to the poll at Progress Pittsburgh here) and The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat weighs in on the subject here.

4. Did we mention Chad's (Teacher. Wordsmith. Madman.) excellent opinion piece in the P-G or Anthony and Ms. Mon's hysterical collaborative video? No? Well, now we have.

5. Finally, can we note the irony of the petition to make the boyhood home of Pittsburgh native son August Wilson into a designated historic structure languishing in City Council's Planning, Zoning and Land Use Committee (falling through the cracks or sat on depending on who you talk to or who won't talk) at the same time that The Kennedy Center is celebrating his work with their "August Wilson's 20th Century" festival (the first time all ten plays in the Pittsburgh cycle are being performed together) and at the same time that Lil Mayor Luke was lauding Pittsburgh as "the hometown of Gene Kelly, Andy Warhol and August Wilson"? I guess we just did. (Pittsburgh City Council will hold a public hearing on the designation on Feb. 18, at 1 p.m.)


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