ICN Newsletter Archive

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Google search for “Community News” yields 1,210,000,000 hits, with Ithaca Community News #7 on the list.

I was recently informed that the plain text versions of the past few newsletters were truncated about one-third of the way into the newsletter. If you received ICN and found it cut off around the Labor News section, you were one of the unfortunate ones to miss out on lots of event listings and other useful info. Rest assured, I am working on solving this problem, and should have it taken care of soon. All I know at this point is that it is not the email software I am using; it may be a server problem. In the meantime, I am sending this in html version only! Please email me with any technical problems (mailto:ebauchne@twcny.rr.com) and read past issues from (http://www.ithacanews.org).

IthacaClassifieds.com will soon look, feel and act different. The free, online classifieds that Paul Glover started and promoted will soon be replaced with a new system. The new classified system will be divided into categories for easier navigation for both sellers and buyers. Sellers will also be able to state how much in HOURS they are willing to take. There will be a small fee for the use of this service, but certain ads will remain free, such as lost and found. In order for this to be a reliable service and up to date, ads will be allowed to remain on the site for up to four weeks then they will have to be renewed. If you have your business or service listed on IthacaClassifieds.com now, contact me if you’d like to find out about continued advertising when the new site is up and running:  mailto:ebauchne@twcny.rr.com. 

Survey Winner: Thanks to all who participated in my online survey and offered suggestions for improvement of ICN. The survey winner is Gundy Lee. Congratulations! You win a pound of Gimme! Coffee. Email Elizabeth with mailing address to collect: mailto:ebauchne@twcny.rr.com.

Donate through PayPal. Go to (http://www.ithacanews.org) and click on the DONATE button. It’s an easy and secure way to support ICN.

He was promoting his forthcoming Huckleberry Finn: (http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/huckfinn/hftourhp.html)

Ithacans recently celebrated the life and teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. at the annual breakfast and celebration of his life and teachings at BJM elementary school. According to the Cornell Chronicle, he gave a sermon in 1960 in Cornell University’s Sage Chapel, and returned in 1961 to give a speech in Bailey Hall.

--Will Ithaca make history again by renaming State Street Martin Luther King Jr. Street?

Today marks the beginning of Black History Month, a month to celebrate, appreciate and learn about the contributions of African-Americans to American life. It was originally started in the 1920s as “Negro History Week” and expanded in the 1970s to a month.

No doubt Martin Luther King Jr. gets the bulk of attention during Black History Month, but I recently came across a transcript of one of his speeches that is so incredibly germane to our current fiasco in Iraq, that I am quoting an entire paragraph below. He was addressing the criticism he’d received for coming out against the war in Vietnam, and specifically, answering the question of whether he could still consider himself a civil rights activist:

“There is at the outset a very obvious and almost facile connection between the war in Vietnam and the struggle I, and others, have been waging in America. A few years ago there was a shining moment in that struggle. It seemed as if there was a real promise of hope for the poor—both black and white—through the poverty program. There were experiments, hopes, new beginnings. Then came the buildup in Vietnam, and I watched this program broken and eviscerated, as if it were some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war, and I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. So, I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such.”

Today, as the war in Iraq rages on with no end in sight as far as George W. Bush is concerned, it’s past time to take a look around and make some of these same connections that MLK made so many years ago. For the past few years, programs such as Head Start, Pre-K, food stamps and Medicare got cut, although congress had no problem finding unallocated funds in our federal budget to fund the war—to the tune of $85 billion per year.

The horrible irony is that as we drain the social programs that help the poor reach educational goals and build up community, we create a situation in which one of the only available opportunities for the disenfranchised is to join the military. At this point in time, before it gets any worse, can we continue to think of ourselves as only civil rights activists, or only anti-war activists? Are we merely environmentalists or feminists? If we honor King’s message in only one way, let it be that we finally connect all the dots.

This war in Iraq, like the one in Vietnam, is an enemy of the poor. Connect the dots—and then, do something. I urge anyone who wants to celebrate and support Black History Month to also consider joining the anti-war movement. Blacks currently serve in the military in disproportionately higher numbers than whites, because they are living disproportionately in poorer communities across the nation.

Need ideas? Attend rallies and protests in support of the growing anti-war movement. Just show up! Consider becoming a war tax resister (see http://www.warresisters.org/wtr_menu.htm). Get involved in (or start) local counter-recruitment efforts (ideas at http://www.projectyano.org/yano_about.html). Write letters to the editors of the Ithaca Times and Ithaca Journal. Finally, support programs in our community like the Village at Ithaca (http://www.villageatithaca.org), because education and community support are key factors in our strength as a community. To quote another inspiring African-American, Michael Franti, “Every million mile got to take a first step.” Just get out there and start walking.

You are invited to indulge in a free week of yoga at the Lotus Room February 6-12. Join us for a free week of yoga including Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Kundalini, Pranayama and Meditation. We take an overall holistic approach to practicing and teaching yoga. Blending stillness with movement, our classes inspire heart-centered awareness and a self-loving attitude. We are committed to creating a vibrant, supportive community of yogis here in Ithaca, and hope to provide a sacred space to enhance your practice and beautify your life. Beginners welcome. The Lotus Room at Courtside Racquet and Fitness, 380 Pine Tree Road, Ithaca, NY 14850, 607-277-0200. For full schedule and more information, http://thelotusroomatcrf.blogspot.com.

Ithaca Community News is now accepting advertisements from local businesses who meet our advertising guidelines. Please see http://www.ithacanews.org/adpolicy.html for details.

Reach over 7,500 local residents who share your values!

THANKS TO THE DONORS WHO HAVE DONATED IN THE PAST. Ithaca Community News accepts donations in cash or HOURS. Donations can be sent to ICN P.O. Box 874, Ithaca, NY. 14851.

FYI, an updated version of the document “Paying for Health Care in Tompkins County:

Information for Persons Facing Serious Illness” is available at (http://www.ibca.net/local_resources/financial_information.php). Thanks to the good folks at the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance for putting the research together.

The Federal Register released the updated Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2006: (http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/06poverty.shtml).

Tompkins County Workforce is offering a series of classes and workshops throughout February geared to helping people find employment. See the calendar of events at (http://www.TompkinsWorkforceNY.org) for more info. 

Would you like to help make biodiesel more of a reality in Ithaca? Ithaca Biodiesel is seeking a place to call home. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel for diesel engines made from vegetable oil. Ithaca Biodiesel uses waste cooking oil from local restaurants and wants to expand its operations to make fuel available to the local community. They are looking to rent a heated and insulated space of at least 400 sq ft with water and a drain. A drain to the public sewer is preferable but not necessary. Their processor stands 8 ft tall, so a ceiling height of 15 ft or more is ideal, but 10 or 12 ft is also workable. The processor runs on 220V 3-phase electricity so a 3-phase electrical connection is best. Due to code considerations, a space zoned for industrial or agricultural activities outside of the city of Ithaca would be best. If you have or know of such a space, or a space that comes close, please contact Meghan Murphy at mailto:meghan@biodieselamerica.org or 607-227-8817, or Micaela Cook at 607-342-1071.

Thanks to Jon Bosak of the Tompkins County Relocalization Project for passing on the following URL; it’s a good introduction to Peak Oil: (http://energybulletin.net/12226.html).

Jon is also editing a document for what we in Tompkins County can do as our natural resources dwindle. See an introductory TCRP slide presentation at (http://www.ibiblio.org/tcrp/pres/tcrp-intro.pdf).

Another source for local preparedness thanks to Katie Quinn-Jacobs: (http://preparedtompkins.org). This site was just launched on January 16 and will offer local citizens information on how to prepare your home for short and long-term emergencies having to do with man-made and natural disasters.

New, local, Wind Generator web site: (http://www.joeswindenergy.com/).

What will Ithaca be like in the year 2030? Check out the pilot issue of the Emerald City, a forthcoming publication of ideas, visions and plans for the future of Ithaca: (http://www.emeraldcityithaca.net). To get involved in the project, contact Josh Dolan, mailto:rainbowwarrior14874@yahoo.com.

Ithacan in New Orleans seeks help for rebuilding with solar energy. Anna Ritter, of Ithaca, has been in New Orleans for much of the past five months helping to clean up and rebuild the 9^th ward. She wrote in an email, “The upper 9th ward is no longer a deserted and desolate place. The trash and rubble is being pushed back and forth, and we now see more than just the National Guard, NOPD and animal rescue. There are people here! I see families returning to their homes. However…Without electricity many people are using unsafe or unreliable generators or propane lamps to light their houses.” After speaking with a neighbor, Anna decided to try and pioneer some work in rebuilding the poorest (and hardest hit) neighborhoods of New Orleans by installing solar panels for as many people as possible. If anyone can help Anna with donations, supplies or money, please contact her at mailto:annathebuddha@yahoo.com. This is an opportunity to help an extremely disenfranchised community pull back together, and to do it in a more sustainable way.

Second Earth Day Planning Session, February 15, 7:00-9:00 pm. Imagine a zero waste festival with healthy organic food served on biodegradable plates and a solar powered music stage.  The Center for Environmental Sustainability invites you to an Earth Day planning session. Wednesday, February 15, at the Old Jail House 125 E. Court St, Ithaca. More information, Joey Diana Gates at 607-351-0664 or mailto:earthdayithaca@yahoo.com.

Green Building Seminars. The Ithaca Green Building Alliance, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, and Sustainable Tompkins are presenting a series of seminars to help area residents create healthier, more environmentally sustainable homes. The “Green Building Seminar Series” started January 10 and will continue Tues. evenings through Feb 24. Next seminar topics: Feb 7: Clean Power: Producing Renewable Electricity; Feb 14: Green Remodeling; Feb 21: No Seminar; Feb 28: Straw Bale Design for Northern Climates.

All seminars meet 7:00 – 9:00 pm at the Human Services Building, 320 W. State. St., Ithaca. More info: (http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins/events/index.html). The fee to attend is $5/seminar or $25/series. Ithaca HOURS are accepted and a limited number of scholarships are available. Call 272-2292 to register.

A message of non-violence. As Ithacans debate ways to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., please take a moment to read one of his arguably best speeches, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” which he gave at the Riverside Church in NYC exactly one year before his untimely death. Complete text of the speech and an mp3 recording of it is here: (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkatimetobreaksilence.htm)

“Peace Potluck” February 4. The Perry City Friends (Quakers) invite you to a “peace potluck” on the first Saturday of each month. Everyone is welcome to share thoughts, feelings, and actions in a safe haven as we explore paths to peace together. This month we will discuss conscientious objection to military taxation. Come and learn from local war tax resisters about the many forms that resistance can take. Find a way to bring your actions into alignment with your conscience. Please join us on Saturday, February 4 at the Perry City Meeting House on Route 227 in Perry City. Dish to pass at 5:30 pm; discussion at 7:00. For more information, call (607) 387-9046.

World Peace Begins At Home. Learn to communicate non-violently. The Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy (CRESP) is sponsoring a Workshop on Non Violent Communication, February 26th, from 12:00 to 6:00 pm at the Ithaca Montesorri School, 12 Ascot Place, Ithaca. Nonviolent Communication (NVC) is a unique approach to communicating - thinking, speaking and listening - which guides us in transforming painful patterns of relating into new, compassionate ways of acting, expressing ourselves and hearing others. Developed by Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, this practical and proven process has been used around the world in war-torn countries, schools, prisons, corporations, and in intimate personal relationships. For more information see the Center for Nonviolent Communication website: (http://www.cnvc.org).
Requested Donation is $30. To register, contact Anke Wessels 255 5027, or mailto:akw7@cornell.edu.To ensure your place please register by February 13.

Check out the War Tax Resisters Pie Chart for FY 2006: (http://www.warresisters.org/2006_piechart-BW.pdf). Learn more about how they calculate military spending at (http://www.warresisters.org/piechart.htm).

ROUGH CUTS: COLLAGE AS CREATIVE PLAY Painter, Cuba Ray, and photographer, Carrie T. Chalmers, have their art on display throughout February at the Clinton House Artspace, 116 N. Cayuga Street at Seneca St. Opening Reception Friday, February 3, 5:00-7:00 pm.

Dances of Universal Peace, held on the first Saturday of every month. Next dance: February 4. Meditation starts at 7:15 pm, dancing begins at 7:30. All Dances held at Foundation of Light, 391 Turkey Hill Rd. The Dances are simple Circle Dances and Chants sung in various languages which honor different Spiritual Traditions in the World. All Chants and Dances are taught and are accompanied by live music. No experience is necessary, Come Join the Circle! A $5.00 donation is requested but not required. More info: Diane Olden, 272-7582 or mailto:dianeolden@hotmail.com. All Blessings…

Bienvenidos Spring 2006 Muevete! Baile Latino at the Big Red Barn on Cornell Campus.
February 4, 10:00 pm to 1:00 am. Free Dance Lesson from 9PM to 10 PM. Free Admission.
For ages 18 and over. This event is sponsored in part by Latino Studies Program, GPSAFC and SFAC. Contact information: 607-227-8959.

‘Crossing Borders’ begins Live Winter Season February 4. Crossing Borders is a multi-cultural concert series broadcast live on WVBR, 93.5FM, 8:00 to 10:00 pm every Saturday, from the Carriage House Cafe at 305 Stewart Avenue, Ithaca. First show Feb 4 features the Romantics with Jan Nigro, Alice Saltonstall, Ira Kamp, Dana Paul, Fred Schwartz, and Ken Zeserson. Second show, February 11, is Festival a Cappella, setting up a “battle of the bands” in the spirit of fun, music, and multi-voices. Featured are the Cornell University Chordials, and two Ithaca College groups: Premium Blend and Ithacappella. The two hour program will celebrate diversity within the world of a cappella vocal harmony. Fee. For more info: (http://www.Crossingborderslive.org) or mailto:Crossingborderslive@yahoo.com.

Free Show--Pamela Means and Jen Foster--at Felicia’s Atomic Lounge, February 5, 7:00 pm. 508 West State Street. (607) 273-2219. Pamela Means is a Boston-based Out (spoken), Biracial indie folk artist whose “kamikaze guitar style” and punchy provocative songs have worn a hole in her guitar (http://www.pamelameans.com). Jen Foster, a Texas-native, is an award-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist who is known for her direct, honest lyrics (http://www.jenfoster.com).  

Next Bound for Glory concerts: OLD TIMEY MUSIC NIGHT, WITH MEMBERS OF UP SOUTH, AND THE CHICKEN CHOKERS, AND FRIENDS February 5, and LOU AND PETER BERRYMAN February 12. WVBR’s Bound for Glory is North America’s longest running live folk concert broadcast, which broadcasts from Cul de Snack, the Cafe at Anabel Taylor Hall at Cornell on Sunday nights from 8 to 11, with live sets at 8:30, 9:30, and 10:30.  Admission in the live audience is free and is open to everyone in the area.  Kids are always welcome.  Refreshments are available. More info: Phil Shapiro, 607-844-4535, or mailto:pds10@cornell.edu.

POSITIVE NEWS WINTER ISSUE RELEASE PARTY & BENEFIT Thursday, February 9, 7:00 pm at the Lost Dog Cafe on Cayuga Street. Music by Hank Roberts, Zela Zola, Eric Witkowski, and Ki-Tun; Speakers Marty Luster, Anke Wessels, Ilonka Wolch; Information on Positive News and other CRESP projects. Suggested Sliding Scale Donation $5-10 ($10 enables Positive News to distribute 100 newspapers around the country). For more information, Steve 607-319-0737, or mailto:rhythmstevo@yahoo.com.

Celebrate Darwin Day Feb. 9-13 at Cornell, Ithaca College and the Museum of the Earth.
You say you want an evolution? Cornell University and the Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) will honor Charles Darwin Feb. 9 - 13 in a series of joint events that will mark the first official Darwin Day celebration for the Ithaca community. Events include panel discussions on the future of Darwinism in America and on the state of evolutionary biology; family activities at the Museum of the Earth; a lecture on teaching evolution and creationism; and films, including a new documentary on the controversy over intelligent design and a showing of the classic Inherit the Wind. Check out the schedule for all Darwin Day events (http://www.museumoftheearth.org).

Through February 26, check out the exhibit “The Nazi Persecution of Homosexuals, 1933-1945,” at the Handwerker Gallery at Ithaca College. This is a traveling exhibition organized by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. In addition to the exhibit, the Handwerker Gallery will be the site of other related events: Wednesday, February 8, at 6:30 pm, the film “Paragraph 175” will be screened. The title refers to the section in the Third Reich’s penal code that outlaws homosexuality. On Monday, February 13, at 6:30 pm, there will be a showing of “Paper Clips,” a film chronicling the efforts of the middle school students in Tennessee who collected 11 million paper clips to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. For more info on the exhibit and related events (http://www.ithaca.edu/features/nrview.php?release=1858).

The Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art: Yangtze Remembered: The River Beneath the Lake
January 21-March 26. Between 2000 and 2003, photographer Linda Butler made eight trips to rural China to record images of the Yangtze River’s grandeur, its environmental degradation, and its people before, during, and after the completion of the Three Gorges Dam. When the initial phase of the dam was completed, its reservoir inundated more than 300 miles of the river valley, displacing an estimated 1.3 million people. Informal portraits, architectural interiors, and overviews of the river and its cities capture fascinating diversity and dramatic transformation.

Benefit Dance and Concert Friday, February 10, 7:00-10:00 pm at the First Baptist Church, Dewitt Park, Ithaca. A musical group comprised of 'Young Folks, Old Folks and Folks In between' (YFFOFI) play their blend of gospel/blues/rock spirituals and a bunch of totally danceable “good time” (50s &60s) rock and roll. Earplugs gratis, goodies and beverages for purchase.  Proceeds equally distributed between disaster relief and local mission efforts. Tickets are limited and on sale now for $5 at FBC.

Muevete! Baile Latino. A night of Latin Music and Dance brought to you by SalsaAmigos. Six Mile Creek Vineyard, Friday February 10, 10:00 pm to 12:30 am. Free Dance Lesson 9PM Admission 21 and over $5 cover (SalsaAmigos accepts  Ithaca hours for cover) contact: (607) 624-3622.

AN EVENING OF JEWISH STORIES, POETRY AND MUSIC Saturday, February 11, 7:30 pm in the social hall at Temple Beth El. This will be the eighth annual gathering for this popular and magical event. It is a family friendly presentation by community members. Refreshments will be served. Suggested donation is $3 per person and $6 per family. The temple is located on the corner of Court and Tioga Streets in downtown Ithaca. Handicapped accessible. Use the entrance at the top of the ramp on Tioga Street.

Second Sunday Celebration Circle. Sunday, February 12, 7:00 - 8:30 pm. An engaging and uplifting Interfaith worship service that weaves together prayer, meditation, singing, and simple participatory ritual from many traditions. Led by Rev. Jody Kessler. Santosha Yoga Center, 120 Brindley Street. This month's theme will be "Embracing the Beloved: Relationship and Spirit." Because of the meditative nature of this service, we ask that you arrive on time, and that you do not bring small children. A $5 donation is suggested. All are welcome, regardless of ability to contribute. More info, 272-0968 or visit (http://www.jodykessler.com).

Five 2 will play a free show February 12, 7:00 pm, at Felicia’s Atomic Lounge, 508 West State Street. (607) 273-2219. Five2 is Uniit Carruyo (vocals and guitar,) and sisters Charisse and Yvette Lucente (vocals). Since their debut in Fall, 2003, this vocal trio has established a presence on the Ithaca music scene, captivating listeners with atmospheric harmonies and tranquil guitar melodies that imbue contemporary folk music with classic country and pop sensibilities. (http://www.myspace.com/five2)

Human Services Coalition to Host Annual Meeting. The HSC of Tompkins County will hold its 32nd Annual Meeting on Thursday, February 16, from 12:00 -2:00 pm, at the Women’s Community Building Auditorium, 100 W. Seneca St., Ithaca. Keynote Speaker Doug Sauer, Executive Director, Council of Community Services of New York State, Inc. will be addressing “Supporting Services in Our Community: Responding to Challenges Affecting Nonprofits.” The Ruth Pettengill and the Anne Tompkins Jones Awards for outstanding community service will also be presented. Full buffet luncheon $15.00. Vegetarian entree also available. All are invited. Please mail your check for $15 to the Human Services Coalition, 100 W. Seneca St., Suite 300, Ithaca, NY 14850, or call (607) 273-8686 / mailto:cmf20@cornell.edu to pay at the door. Please respond by February 13.

One-Heart Community Drum Circle. Every Saturday at Lehman Alternative Community School, 111 Chestnut Street, Ithaca. 6:00-9:00 pm. Bring drums, or just show up to play. More info email Steve Calkins, mailto:ecstacy2@earthlink.net. 

Remember to vote February 7 on the Library REFERENDUM. ICSD voters are being asked to approve a funding referendum that will slightly raise taxes but ensure more hours of operation for the library, as well as more books and materials. SUNDAY HOURS AT LIBRARY WILL END FEBRUARY 12 unless the February 7th funding referendum is approved by voters.  Please vote! More info and FAQs (http://tcpl.org/referendum/index.html).

There’s still time to offer comments on proposed State Street name change! If you missed the public forum on January 30 on whether Ithaca should rename State Street Martin Luther King Jr. Street, you may send your comments, by February 6th, to the Board of Public Works at 108 E. Green St., Ithaca, NY 14850 or to City Clerk, Julie Holcomb, at mailto:julieh@cityofithaca.org.

Take Back the Night planning meeting February 9. Take Back the Night is a march and rally protesting sexual assault and violence.  This is an opportunity to provide support for survivors and educate the community about local resources. Meetings begin February 9 for the Take Back the Night 2006 Collective.  If you are interested in being a part of planning Take Back the Night 2006 or for more information, please contact Patty at the Advocacy Center, 277-3203 or mailto:takebackthenight2006@hotmail.com.  

Lake-Friendly Farms to Be Recognized. Agriculture is the largest single land use in the Cayuga Lake watershed, making it important ecologically, economically, aesthetically and culturally.  Most farmers are dedicated stewards of land and water resources, something the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network will be recognizing with a new Lake-Friendly Farm program. Farms that have incorporated New York States Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM) practices into their operation are eligible. The farms must have incorporated into the operation of the farm business practices that protect and conserve the water resources. The farm should be a full-time, commercial enterprise located wholly or partially within the Cayuga Lake Watershed. The award is sponsored by the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, county Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Farm Bureaus, and Tompkins Trust Company. Nominations due March 10. The application form is available at (http://www.cayugalake.org) and from the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network, 607-532-4104 or mailto:steward@cayugalake.org.

Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes is excited to announce two new websites that will help our community find medically accurate, up to date information about sexuality, sexual health, Planned Parenthood services and programs, youth rights, local resources and much more: (http://www.sextalk.org) and (http://www.ppsfl.org). Planned Parenthood also offers a Sexuality Education Resource Center with information about sexuality education, sexual and reproductive health, services and programs, and resources for parents, teachers, and kids.

Call anytime, 607-216-0021. 

Gadabout Transportation Services is in need of volunteer drivers. Provide door-to-door transportation services for the elderly and disable in Tompkins County. Gadabout will pay for all licensing and training requirements. For more information call 273-1878.

Save Energy, Save Dollars. Two free workshops at Cornell Cooperative Extension. Wednesday, February 1,  6:30-8:30 pm OR Thursday February 16, 12:00-2 pm. This is an energy conservation workshop that teaches low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy and lower your energy bills. Also learn about programs that can help households afford energy-efficiency improvements. All participating households will receive a free energy-saving kit, including weatherstripping, caulk, outlet and light switch gaskets, and more. Workshop is free, with refreshments and door prizes, but pre-registration is required. Please call Carole Fisher of Cornell Cooperative Extension at 272-2292 to register. Classes are held at 615 Willow Ave, Ithaca.

Black History Month Events at Tompkins County Public Library. Every Thursday evening throughout the month of February, from 7-8:30 pm in the Borg Warner Room East, a Cornell scholar will host a free discussion about a favorite book and companion video. Everyone is welcome to attend whichever discussions they want, and there’s no need to have read the book ahead of time. See the full schedule: (http://tcpl.org/blackhistory/index.html).

Transitioning to Renewable and Agricultural-based Products and Energy: A Panel Discussion.” Presented by Future of Rural New York, Department of Development Sociology Seminar Series. Friday, February 3, 32 Warren Hall, Cornell. 3:00 pm. More info: (http://rnyi.cornell.edu/).

Monday Night Seminars at Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology. Paul Nolan of Ithaca College will deliver the Monday Night Seminar on February 6 at 7:30 pm entitled “Avian Communication, from Finches to Penguins.” Paul will discuss a variety of communication strategies briefly and then will focus on the use of song by House Finches and the production of ornamental colors by King Penguins. Monday Night Seminars are free and open to the public. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is located on Sapsucker Woods Road, just off Route 13, north of Ithaca. More info: (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/).

Breast Cancer 101, a two-session educational program of the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance, will be held on February 8 and 15. This program is designed for people diagnosed with breast cancer and/or those who support and assist them. Session 1 focuses on breast cancer diagnosis and treatment basics and Session 2 on wellness strategies and coping with side effects of treatment. The February classes are from 5:00-6:30 pm at the Women’s Community Building. Registration is required. Please register by noon on Monday, February 6, 2006, by calling IBCA at 277-0960. More info: (http://www.ibca.net/news&events/index.php).

FAMILIES LEARNING SCIENCE TOGETHER: FRICTION. Friction is part of our everyday life. Learn all about friction on February 11, 2006 from 2:00-3:00 pm in the Thaler-Howell Program Room of the Tompkins County Public Library. Families will build a vehicle that uses friction to be the slowest, and then use their vehicle in our “The Tortoise always wins” race.

Reserve a spot today by contacting Kevin at mailto:outreach@ccmr.cornell.edu or call 254-8256. This is a free program open to the public, but space is limited.

Garden Travel Slide Show—Bulbs of the Netherlands, or Tip-Toeing Through the Tulips. Got the winter blues? Anxious for warmer weather? This presentation by Chad Miller, graduate student at the Cornell Horticulture Department, will give you some insight into how the Dutch became the bulb growers of the world. But more importantly, it will provide plenty of pictures of the Dutch landscape in the spring, including the Keukenhof and other attractions. This event will be held Sunday afternoon, Feb. 12, 2:00 - 3:30 pm, at the Cooperative Extension Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca.  Refreshments and time to socialize will follow the talk.  Free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated to help support the Horticulture Program.  Please call 272-2292 for more information.

Community School of Music and Arts offering class in storytelling taught by Lee-Ellen Marvin. February 12, 1:00 to 4:00 pm. The workshop will be built upon fun and non-threatening games and exercises to help participants find their own style of storytelling. CSMA is located at 330 E. State Street in downtown Ithaca. More info: (http://www.csma-ithaca.org) or mailto:info@csma-ithaca.org or 272-1474. Fee.

Parents Apart Class to meet February 15 and 22. Parents Apart is a program for parents wanting to promote a healthy adjustment for their child during separation and divorce. Parents Apart is a six-hour program taught in two three-hour classes and offers tools for parents to help their children cope with separation and divorce and adjust to a changing family structure. Call the Community Dispute Resolution Center at 273-9347 for more information. 

LIBRARY OFFERS NEW ON-LINE LANGUAGE SOFTWARE. Want to learn another language?  Do you know someone who’s working to improve their knowledge of English? Visit Rosetta Stone Online, a new language learning program available through the Tompkins County Library’s website. This resource is free to all library card holders within the Finger Lakes Library System. Visit the Library’s website at (http://www.tcpl.org/navigateway/) and follow the link to register at the RosettaStone Online Language Learning Center with your library card. RosettaStone is easy to use and has thousands of real-life images, written text and voices of native speakers to teach 29 world languages including English, Spanish, Italian, French, German, Russian and Chinese. The RosettaStone is made possible through funding from the Friends of the Library. For more information or assistance, please contact the Reference Desk at 272-4556 to speak with a librarian.

Ongoing Salsa Lessons downtown and at Cornell. For full schedule, both beginner and intermediate, see (http://www.salsaamigos.com) or mailto:info@salsaamigos.com, or (315) 637-0117. Fee.

Women’s Opportunity Center offering free computer classes throughout February, including how to manage and use email, job searching on the Internet, and how to use Windows XP. To find out schedule or get more info, call 272-1520 or mailto:workshops@womensopportunity.org.

Elizabeth, As a born-and-raised Venezuelan (now a US citizen and progressive Ithacan), I deplore the frequent pleas from my liberal Ithaca friends to support Hugo Chavez and his government. Unfortunately, it is not true that if you buy gas at CITGO you will help wonderful causes there. Most of the money will still be used by Chavez and his cronies for their own expenses, or to support his dictatorial political agenda. How can Chavez offer free fuel to the poor of Massachusetts, who make ten times more that the poor of Venezuela? How can he offer cheap oil and millions of dollars to other Latin American countries when the main highway to Caracas is falling down? How can he criticize Bush for his response to Katrina when he has not dealt with the mudslide destruction in the state of Vargas several years ago, which left many dead and homeless? How can he afford homes in several countries on a salary of about $14,000 per year?

As I have told others before, there are more similarities than differences between Bush and Chavez. Both are despicable. --Christian Nielsen-Palacios

Elizabeth, Regarding John Hamilton’s letter in ICN Jan.#2 about Citgo gasoline, the Better World Handbook ranked the company fourth in their 2005 Social responsibility rankings for gas stations, citing “Venezuelan human rights/environmental violations.” Sunoco is ranked first, BP/Amoco second. See (http://www.betterworldhandbook.com/gasoline.html)--David Post

If you're thinking of writing to Ithaca Community News, give in to the temptation. Send emails to: Elizabeth Bauchner, mailto:ebauchne@twcny.rr.com.

Thanks to Homer & Jane at Lightlink, http://www.lightlink.com, for reliable internet services.