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Thursday, April 28
LAST CHANCE for a voter-verified paper ballot
by
Trish Nelson
on Thu 28 Apr 2005 10:15 PM CDT
 LAST CHANCE for a Voter-Verified Paper Ballot
Act now or you'll miss the LAST CHANCE for a voter-verified paper ballot (VVPB) law to pass in Iowa this session.
Iowa
lawmakers wrap up the legislative session on Friday, April 29. A bill -
S.F.351 - requiring a VVPB for all new electronic voting machines has
already passed the Senate, but the House has not yet acted - and time
is running out.
Iowa
voters have told the Secretary of State that a VVPB for all new voting
equipment coming to Iowa counties is the number one priority - and he
has asked the Iowa House to act. Now it is YOUR chance to make your
voice heard where it counts. Insist that the House State Government
Committee release the bill for a floor vote, and that the legislature
respond to the will of the people of Iowa.
The
Secretary of State gets it. Now make sure your lawmakers get it too.
Insist that S.F.351 come to the floor for a vote, and ask your
Representative in the strongest possible terms to vote for its passage
today.
TAKE ACTION TODAY! Click on this link VerifiedVoting.org Action Center to send your message to your representative.
Cheese Trade Causing Problems For Dairy Farmers
by
Chad Thompson
on Thu 28 Apr 2005 01:39 PM CDT
 Cheese Trade Causing Problems For Dairy Farmers
Some days, you really learn just how dependent we are on trusting others to pay a fair price for goods and services. This article comes by way of A.V. Kreb's Agribusiness Examiner. A group of dairy farmers is protesting the ability of Big Dairy to manipulate prices to the advantage of the buyers.
IT'S A STRUGGLE BETWEEN
SMALL DAIRY FARMERS
AMD MULTINATIONALS IN
MERC CHEDDAR CHEESE PIT
JEREMY GRANT, LONDON FINANCIAL TIMES: Every morning, about 30 people gather in a corner of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to conduct one of the world's most unusual auctions: buying and selling cheddar cheese.
Traders with telephones pressed to their ears shout orders to two men standing in front of a white board, on which they mark up bids and offers. The session is the only one of its kind in the U.S. and probably one of the shortest commodity auctions, never lasting more than 15 minutes.
Cheese trading has carried on largely unnoticed for years, but this week it has become an unexpectedly public battleground in the struggle between small farmers and "big dairy" multinationals.
A coalition of farmers and consumer groups gathered outside the exchange on Monday, many dressed in cow suits, to protest against alleged price manipulation on the market. Their targets were dairy co-operatives such as the Dairy Farmers of America, the largest grouping in the country's second biggest agricultural sector, and multinational food companies such as Kraft Foods.
more »
Darfur Benefit Dinner in Iowa City April 30th
by
Linda Thieman
on Thu 28 Apr 2005 03:55 AM CDT
 Darfur Benefit Dinner in Iowa City April 30th
Iowans For Peace and Sudanese Community Services present:
DARFUR BENEFIT DINNER
100% of admissions go to refugee relief in Darfur
SUDANESE CUISINE, SPEAKERS, MUSIC
Saturday, April 30
Wesley Center, 120 N. Dubuque St., Iowa City
MENU (includes many vegetarian options):
Dakwa (tomato, onion, peanut salad)
Ta'amih (Sudanese felafel)
Gima (potato and ground beef dish)
Adas (lentil dish)
Ful (fava bean salad)
Baba ganoush (eggplant salad/dip)
Basbusa (semolina dessert)
Dates
Hibiscus tea
5:30 DOORS OPEN
-- Stop by the information table, drop off material aid donations,
write a postcard calling for action, tie knots on a quilt to be sent to
Sudan
6:00 MEAL SERVED
7:00 SPEAKERS & MUSIC
Elraya
Khalifa, an Iowa City resident for 10 years, was a judge in Northern
Sudan and a colleague of leader Mahmoud Mohammed Taha, who was known as
Sudan's 'Gandhi.'
Kuat
John Afar was displaced during war in Southern Sudan, has taught
displaced and refugee children Arabic and biology, and recently
immigrated to Moline.
It is not yet confirmed, but several refugees from Darfur are also likely to attend the dinner as special guests.
TICKETS (Available in advance or at the door):
$10-15 donation
$7 students and restricted income
Children ages 12 and under admitted free
PLEASE HELP US PLAN BY PURCHASING TICKETS IN ADVANCE!
BEGINNING WED., APRIL 20, TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE FROM:
Lori Nelson, 358-1557, ljnelson@avalon.net
Ilham Mohamed, 358-0438 (her work number at the Pheasant Ridge Neighborhood Center)
Greta Anderson, 337-9902, greta@avalon.net
Karen Nichols, 339-8967, karenenichols@gmail.com
Margie Haworth, 643-5438
BENEFICIARIES:
Proceeds
will go to the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker non-profit
organization, to benefit Darfur and southern Sudan refugees and
displaced persons. A small portion (% TBA, maximum 20%) may go to the
local organization Sudanese Community Services, which aids refugees and
asylum-seekers from Sudan. 100% of the ticket price will be donated to
the beneficiaries. If you are unable to attend the dinner, please
consider making a donation.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP WITH FOOD PREP, SET-UP, SERVING, AND CLEAN-UP.
YOU WILL HAVE FUN AND MEET NEW PEOPLE! Food prep (chopping vegetables,
etc.) volunteers are needed for the afternoon, starting sometime after 1:30. No experience necessary. There will be a small group preparing each dish, with each group directed by a Sudanese cook.
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