First Friday in North Adams -- flute and guitar music; MoCA dance party Sunday

Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2005; From: Rod Bunt <tourist@bcn.net>

North Adams This Week

First Friday activities in North Adams - Papyri Books, 49 Main Street, will present a flute and guitar duo performing acoustic folk music on First Friday Sept. 2 from 7 to 9 pm. Liz Stell of Lanesboro on flute and Roger Tremblay on guitar play a mix of Celtic, Scandinavian and
American tunes. Roger also sings American classics backed up with finger-style guitar. Refreshments will also be available.

MASS MoCA Alt Cabaret, Friday, September 2, 8:00 PM, featuring Don Edwards. This renowned cowboy poet keeps alive traditional verse of the Old West with ballads that evoke the sights, sounds, and feelings of frontier living. A historian, author and musicologist as well as musician, Edwards is the living embodiment of this most distinctive expression American culture. Courtyard Café or Club B-10. $16 adv/$19 day of
Call 413 MoCA-111 for additional information.

Farmer's Market this Saturday Morning, September 3 - North Adams Farmer's Market sales continue this weekend at the Saint Anthony's Municipal Parking Lot, across from the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art on Marshall Street. Fresh produce and other locally grown items will be offered for sale Saturday morning beginning at 8:00 AM. Although the market is open until noon, the public is urged to get to the parking lot early, as some of the most desirable items are sold quickly. The weekly event is backyard-gardener-friendly. Local folks with even a small amount of produce are certainly welcome to join the sale. Registration forms are available by calling the Mayor's Office of Tourism, 6 west Main Street, North Adams at 413-664-6180, or by registering the morning of market - day between 7:30 - 8:00 AM and paying a $2.00 plot fee. Sales will be conducted through the first weekend in October, weather permitting.

MASS MoCA Dance Party, Sunday September 4, 7:30 PM
New Orleans R&B Dance Party, featuring Walter Wolfman Washington,
mixing up funk, soul, and blues. With the classic Big Easy R&B sound, Washington storms into town to raise the roof and lower inhibitions at a dance party not to be missed. The event will be held in Courtyard C or Hunter Center, depending on the weather. $14 adv/$17 day of
Call 413 MoCA-111 for additional information.

Now taking applications for the Autumn Arts Festival in Downtown North Adams, to be held on October 1st, the day before the annual Fall Foliage Parade. This is an autumn arts festival featuring local artists' work. The event came about with the acknowledgement of the many talented artists who reside and work here, and the belief that such a vibrant group deserves more opportunities to exhibit and sell locally. Call the Mayor's Office of Tourism for details, 413-664-6180

Fall "Applefest" set for Sept. 24 at Little Red Schoolhouse

Williamstown Cooperative Nursery School at the Little Red Schoolhouse announced their annual APPLEFEST fundraiser for Saturday, Sept 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will take place at the schoolhouse, located at 32 New Ashford Road (U.S.Route 7) in Williamstown just south of the intersection of Routes 7 and state Route 43 ("Five Corners").

Applefest, Little Red's annual country fair for children, celebrates the beginning of autumn with activities for the whole family, including games, face painting, crafts and a small petting zoo for children. A fire truck with Sparky the Dog as well as tractor rides will be available at the site. A "guess the size of the pumpkin" contest will take place as well as an apple pie competition with homemade pies baked from families attending the cooperative school. The annual bake sale and food concessions will offer food and drink to attendees.

In addition, a raffle will take place with more than 70 prizes donated by local businesses including gift certificates to Gideon's, Gramercy Bistro, Hobson's Choice, Mezze Bistro & Bar, Mill on the Floss, The Orchards and Taconic Restaurant plus 10 additional eateries, memberships to The Springs, YMCA, Clark Art Institute and Bennington Museum, a great selection of books from Storey Publishing, a jacket valued at more than $200 from The Mountain Goat, and tickets to Williamstown Theatre Festival and Tanglewood.

Applefest is the largest public fundraising event of the year for The Little Red Schoolhouse. The funds raised are used for classroom materials and curriculum planning. For more information on Applefest or programs at the school, call Angela Cardinali at 413-458-8668 or email cardinal@berkshire.net.

AUGUST 2: Cleanup to Begin at Photech Site in Williamstown, Mass.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's office in Boston announced on Aug. 2, 2005, that the $878,000 cleanup of the Photech site in Williamstown had begun. The EPA news release is available by clicking on the headline above.

BOOKS: The Long Emergency -- future w/out oil -- by James Kunstler

What follows is a brief synopsis, and then an excerpt, from the book, "The
Long Emergency," published in May, by James Kunstler.

Title Long Emergency
Author(s) James Howard Kunstler
Publisher Atlantic Monthly Press
Publication Date May 1, 2005
Format Hardcover, 320 pages
ISBN 0871138883

Kunstler is a journalist who has been on staff at Rolling Stone and now lives in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He is one of the "experts" featured in the documentary: "The End of Suburbia", which played at Images Cinema a few months ago.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Howard_Kunstler

He paints a future scenario resulting from diminished, and high-priced oil. Kuntsler predicts that local will become far more important, especially local food production. Other predictions: A likely return to use of nuclear power. The U.S. now produces from its owns territory only one quarter of the oil which it uses -- in 1970 it produced all of its needs internally. Kunstler predicts that the Pacific Northwest, the Upper Midwest and New England are the three regions which will be the least-worse off, and that smaller cities and villages -- with good farmland around them -- will also suffer least.

Kunstler concludes: "These are daunting and even dreadful prospects. The Long Emergency is going to be a tremendous trauma for the human race. We will not believe that this is happening to us, that 200 years of modernity can be brought to its knees by a world-wide power shortage. The survivors will have to cultivate a religion of hope -- that is, a deep and comprehensive belief that humanity is worth carrying on. If there is any positive side to stark changes coming our way, it may be in the benefits of close communal relations, of having to really work intimately (and physically) with our neighbors, to be part of an enterprise that really matters and to be fully engaged in meaningful social enactments instead of being merely entertained to avoid boredom."

BELOW FROM:
http://print.google.com/print?id=zC2OMovDiC4C&lpg=PP13&prev=http://print.google.com/print%3Fq%3D%2522The%2BLong%2BEmergency%2522%26oi%3Dprint&sig=KngFnEr74wI7ZOgA8LrV3UqN_sg

Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century

by James Howard Kunstler

Synopsis

With his classics of social commentary "The Geography of Nowhere and "Home from Nowhere, James Howard Kunstler has established himself as one of the great commentators on American space and place. Now, with "The Long Emergency, he offers a shocking vision of a post-oil future. The last two hundred years have seen the greatest explosion of progress and wealth in
the history of mankind. But the oil age is at an end. The depletion of nonrenewable fossil fuels is about to radically change life as we know it, and much sooner than we think. As a result of artificially cheap fossil-fuel energy we have developed global models of industry, commerce,
food production, and finance that will collapse. "The Long Emergency tells us just what to expect after we pass the tipping point of global peak oil production and the honeymoon of affordable energy is over, preparing us for economic, political, and social changes of an unimaginable scale. Are we laboring under a Jiminy Cricket syndrome when we tell ourselves that alternative means of energy are just a few years away? Even once they are developed, will they ever be able to sustain us in the way that fossil fuels once did? What will happen when our current plagues of global warming, epidemic disease, and overpopulation collide to exacerbate the
end of the oil age? Will the new global economy be able to persevere, or will we be forced to revert to the more agrarian, localized economy we once knew? Could corporations like Wal-Mart and McDonald's, built on the premise of cheap transportation, become a thing of the past? Will the misguided experiment of suburbia--considered a birthright and a reality by millions of Americans--collapse when the car culturebecomes obsolete? Riveting and authoritative. "The Long Emergency is a devastating indictment that brings new urgency and accessibility to the critical issues that will shape our future, and that we can no longer afford to ignore. It is bound to become a classic of social science.

READ AN EXCERPT OF THE BOOK (published April 13, 2005 in Rolling Stone magazine) AT:
http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0413-28.htm

Cultural Pittsfield plans party Saturday night

From: Megan Whilden, Cultural Pittsfield

Find out why Mona Lisa is smiling...
Join us at THE PARTY Saturday, August 27!

The public is invited to THE PARTY to celebrate a summer filled with art in downtown Pittsfield. Featuring fabulous delectables by Pittsfield's own Cafe Reva, groovy jazz music by the ArtShow Jazz Trio featuring Dave Christopolis, and great art on the wall by ArtShow artists from New York City to the Berkshires and beyond up for sale via silent auction.

Creative hatwear is encouraged! It starts at 6pm and goes until 10pm at the Howard Building, located at 132 Fenn Street at the corner of First Street. The silent auction of the ArtShow Selected Works Exhibition pieces, including sculpture, painting, photography and drawing, ends at 8pm.

Tickets are $15 and can be reserved in advance (or purchased via credit card) by calling 413-443-6501 or emailing downtown@rnetworx.com. If you are going to another cultural event the same evening, show your ticket and save $5. All proceeds benefit the non-profit organizations Downtown Inc. and ArtShow Street Galleries in support of their work in bringing ArtShow to the streets of Pittsfield this summer. MANY THANKS to ALL of ArtShow's sponsors, especially our major sponsor, Legacy Banks, media sponsors the Berkshire Eagle and CBS Channel 6, and THE PARTY sponsor...

[Caretaker Newsletter] Monday, August 22, 2005

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Caretaker Farm is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm supported by its members. To apply for membership, email elizabeth@caretakerfarm.org.

Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 06:51:25 -0400
From: Elizabeth Smith <elizabeth@caretakerfarm.org>

CARETAKER FARM NEWSLETTER  Monday, August 22, 2005  Week #12

This week's distribution manager is Apprentice Kim Feeney

CROPS: Arugula, Beets, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chard, Collards, Corn, Cucumbers, Fennel, Green Peppers, Lettuce, Muskmelons, Scallions, Yellow Squash and Zucchini, Sweet Onions

PYO HERBS: Cilantro, Thyme, Tarragon, Oregano, Chives, Lovage, Parsley, Basil, and Lemon Balm (growing next to "the rock").

PYO VEGGIES: Green and Purple Wax Beans and Collards continue to be plentiful, unlimited, and tasty. (Check in the barn for some recipes.) Check the blackboard for the limit on cherry tomatoes, but the regular tomatoes are in full swing. Please feel free to take them to preserve.

RASPBERRIES: Regular raspberry picking will begin in early September. Every now and then we will invite you for a taste of them if you wish to walk across the river. Check the blackboard.

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL. In a few weeks, we will print Membership Forms for the 2006-07 season. Because of the large number of households on the Membership Waiting List, it will be critically important for present members to pledge for the coming season by October 31st.

SAM'S REFLECTIONS:

May Caretaker Farm always be an inclusive community that opens us to life-enhancing communion with the whole of Humankind, and of Otherkind as well.

- Epigram and vision for Caretaker Farm

The dominant food system in America is based on the concept of food security, a system where there is very little connection between the consumer and producer. Another system is based on Food sovereignty’ where food is an integral part of culture, self-reliance, and the sovereignty of local communities.

The concept of food sovereignty has developed as a reaction to the increasing (mis)use of food security. The mainstream definition of food security, endorsed at Food Summits and promoted by large, globalized, agribusiness interests*, talks about everybody having enough food to eat each day. But it doesn't talk honestly about where the food comes from, who produces it, how and under what conditions it is grown. In short, it plays on our fear of scarcity and insecurity and, more importantly, destroys the possibility of creating economic spaces that underscore our spiritual and physical connection to creation and each other.

*Note: Sadly Monsanto and the American Farm Bureau Federation, along with the National Corn Growers Association, U.S. Grains Council, ADM, etc., are planning to use PBS as the mouthpiece for their latest round of industrial agriculture propaganda. If everything goes according to Monsanto's plan, 20 half-hour episodes will appear weekly beginning this September on 300 public television stations across the country and will extol the virtues of Monsanto's, et al, products and preferred farming practices. Not a single group that represents sustainable agriculture or America's traditional family farmers is anywhere to be found. In all, the series promotes a vision that has no room for supporting networks of beloved, human communities.

RECIPES: By Apprentice Kim Feeney

This past week, my friend Kevin was visiting from Boulder, Colorado. He cooks in a restaurant there, and although most of their suppliers are local organic farmers, he could not get over the abundance and flavor of the vegetables grown at Caretaker Farm. On Friday nights in the summer, he cooks for roughly 200 people and he might get two quarts of the Sun Gold cherry tomatoes to garnish the plates, the same as the limit for a share here at the farm, where a family can base several meals out of two quarts of cherry tomatoes! Kevin enjoyed working alongside us at the farm as well as a chance to really taste how good "off the vine" really is. The following are two of his recipes he made during his visit. He cooks "by taste" and not "by measurements" so I will do my best to adapt and do them justice. Kim.

Tomato Raspberry Salad
Serves 4-6

Enough tomatoes to serve 4-6 people cut up into bite sized pieces. We used a variety for taste and visual, so include some orange and red cherry tomatoes as well as regular ones. (Bite sized pieces is roughly the size of a cherry tomato cut in half).

1 TBS ginger minced
1/8 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 pint of raspberries
Olive oil to taste
Freshly squeezed orange juice
Handful of basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Mince the ginger and let sit in the red wine vinegar as you get together the remaining ingredients. Chop the tomatoes mix in on top of the ginger and vinegar. Add the basil and mix. Then add the olive oil, orange juice, salt and pepper to taste. Mix in the raspberries at the end. Enjoy and feel free to modify depending on your individual preference.

Oven-dried Tomatoes and Tomato Oil

Makes roughly 2 pints

Regular sized Tomatoes
Whole garlic cloves
Thyme
Olive oil (any old kind will do, no need to use expensive olive oil)
Salt, pepper
Canning jars and lids

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. We quartered the tomatoes and cut out the seeds. Place these "boats" on a baking sheet and fill the entire sheet with no overlapping. On the baking sheet, spread lots of sprigs of fresh thyme, several whole garlic cloves (4-6 depending on the baking sheet) and drizzle the olive oil generously over the entire pan. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Bake in the oven until they are at the desired dryness. Roughly 4-5 hours but check often because not all ovens are the same.

Pour the finished tomatoes as well as the garlic, thyme and excess oil from the pans into canning jars so the tomatoes reached 1/4" below the top of the jar. Fill the remainder of the jar with additional olive oil and be sure to get the air bubble out of the jar. Seal the jar and hot water bath for 15 minutes or until sealed. Enjoy the tomatoes at any time, but also be sure to use the tomato-scented oil for cooking when you open the jars.

100 riders anticipated for the inaugural Hoosic River Ride

Submitted by:
Lisa Carey Moore, Hoosic River Watershed Council
413-281-0661
careymoore@adelphia.net

100 Riders Anticipated for the Inaugural Hoosic River Ride

(Williamstown, MA)-- Organizers for the inaugural Williamstown Savings Bank Hoosic River Ride announced that 80 riders have pre-registered for this one-day bicycling tour to take place on August 27, 2005. "We're excited as we have registrants from as far away as Toronto Canada as well as many riders from around the region" said Lisa Carey Moore, one of the rides organizers. With registration available on the day of the ride, Carey Moore said organizers hope to top their 100-rider goal. "We are on track to have a very successful benefit which will provide money for the Hoosic River Watershed Association's programs in education, research and advocacy" she explained.

Same day registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. at Mt. Greylock Regional High School and will cost participants $50 (fee includes cost of a one-day USCF license. If riders have a valid license, the cost is $45). Riders may choose from a 31-mile or 64-mile loop, both traveling through the watershed states of MA, VT and NY. All participants will receive a water bottle, Berkshires Cycling Guide courtesy of Storey Publishing, as well as wonderful home-made food at the post ride picnic. In addition, riders will be able to stop for food and drink at one of six aid stations, and will have access to tech support courtesy of The Spoke bike shop while riding.

Organizers would like to alert area motorists to the potential of increased traffic along some of the region's major roads, including: Route 7 north of the Mt. Greylock Regional H.S. and into Pownal Vermont; Route 2 west into downtown Petersburg, NY; Route 22 north of Petersburg into Hoosick; Route 346 from Pownal to North Petersburg; and Route 67 from the Buskirk covered bridge into Eagle Bridge, NY. Many county roads in Rensselaer County will be used for the 64-mile ride, including: 103, 110, 111, 114, 59, 104, and 95. Motorists are urged to exercise caution along these roads on the day of the ride.

Finally, organizers are asking dog/pet owners to keep their animals safe on the day of the ride as the cyclists will be traveling at higher speeds and will not always be able to react quickly enough to avoid animals in the road.

For more information on the ride or the roads to be used for the ride, please visit www.hoorwa.org.

Pittsfield Street Dance Festival: Saturday, August 27

From Megan Whilden, Cultural Pittsfield, 499-9370
mwhilden@pittsfieldch.com
Posted Sat, 20 Aug 2005 16:35:18 -0500

DOWNTOWN PITTSFIELD STREET DANCE DAY HIGHLIGHTS COMMUNITY GROUPS
Over a dozen local dance and music groups to perform free on North Street.

Local dancers and musicians both young and old will bring their art to the
streets of downtown Pittsfield on Saturday, August 27, from 12noon to 6pm
in free outdoor performances open to all.

Entitled Pittsfield Street Dance, the multicultural performing arts festival
celebrating community will be held on the City of Pittsfield’s Artabout stage
on the lawn of St. Joseph’s convent on North Street between Melville and
Maplewood Streets. The festival is co-sponsored by the City of Pittsfield’s
Office of Cultural Development and ArtShow Street Galleries and produced by Ken
Duncan of Berkshire Earth Charter and Jeff Winslow of Wild Sage. Pittsfield
Street Dance is being held in conjunction with the final weekend of ArtShow
Street Galleries, a summer-long juried outdoor fine art show featuring
sculptors, painters, printmakers, photographers and more from Berkshire County
and throughout the Northeast.

Over a dozen local dance and music groups will take to the stage throughout the
afternoon. The performances begin with the Rising Stars, a youth hip-hop group
from the Gladys Allen Bingham Center (formerly Girls Inc.) at 12noon, the
“Focus is Our Children” Dance Company performing ballet, jazz and hip-hop at
12:30pm, and Youth Alive! a step dance and drumming group from the Westside
neighborhood of Pittsfield at 12:40pm.

Darrell Pucciarello of the newly opened Studio One dance school at North Street
will perform modern, jazz and ballet at 12:45pm, followed by students from
downtown Pittsfield’s Terpsichore dance school performing ballet, jazz and
hip-hop at 1:20pm, and rhythm tap dancer, choreographer and teacher Stefanie
Weber at 1:45pm.

Beginning at 2pm, there will be dancing to disco music from Albert Turner,
followed by the Straight Ahead Jazz Trio, featuring Dave Christopolis, Fran
Curley and Ben Cohn at 2:15pm. Guitarist and balladeer Octavio Hernandez will
play Mexican and Cuban-Caribbean music at 3pm.

Planet Blues Harpoon, playing earth-friendly improvisational rhythm and blues,
will perform at 3:15pm and again at 5pm, the Berkshire Fiddlers youth group
play at 3:45pm, and LiquidBody, a dance group inspired by the movement of
water, performs at 4:30pm accompanied by the World Music of Nana, a solo act
featuring Indian sitar, Greek bouzouki, and aboriginal didgeridoo.

For more information, please call the City of Pittsfield’s Cultural Development
Director, Megan Whilden, at 413-499-9370 or email mwhilden@pittsfieldch.com.

Pittsfield Street Dance Performance Schedule
Saturday, August 27, 12 noon –6pm
The lawn of St. Joseph’s Convent; 414 North Street, Pittsfield

Rising Stars youth hip-hop group: 12noon
“Focus is Our Children” Dance Company: 12:30pm
Youth Alive! step dance and drumming group: 12:40pm
Darrell Pucciarello of Studio One Dance School: 12:45pm
Terpsichore Dance School students -- ballet, jazz and hip-hop: 1:20pm
rhythm tap dancer and choreographer Stefanie Weber: 1:45pm
Disco music from Albert Turner: 2pm
Straight Ahead Jazz Trio: 2:15pm
Octavio Hernandez playing Mexican and Cuban-Caribbean music: 3pm
Planet Blues Harpoon: 3:15pm
Berkshire Fiddlers: 3:45pm
LiquidBody dance group with World Music of Nana: 4:30pm
Planet Blues Harpoon: 5pm

From Williamstown to west coast -- Cindy's vigil report

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 18:59:18 -0700
From: "Tom Matzzie, MoveOn.org Political Action" <moveon-help@list.moveon.org>
Subject: The Vigils--All Across America.

Dear MoveOn member,

Last night's Vigils for Cindy Sheehan were the largest event we've ever
organized. With the help of TrueMajority and Democracy for America, we
held 1,627 vigils together in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Well over 100,000 of us attended, from Alaska to Florida, Maine to
Mississippi, Oregon to South Carolina and New York to Texas.

Here's Cindy's report, from her own vigil in Crawford: "Our candlelight
vigil at Camp Casey was beautiful. There were hundreds of people here and
we are hearing that hundreds of people were involved in vigils around the
country. We at Camp Casey are so amazed and gratified that there were
almost 1700 vigils around the country."

You can see pictures from the vigils, read reports, and look at a map of
all the vigil locations at:

http://www.political.moveon.org/cindyvigils/pics.html?&id=5916-2958088-kny3Eww9vPcLlnhEKaODWg&t=14

The vigils were covered by hundreds of media outlets across the nation.
The San Diego Tribune Union-Tribune reported 250 people on a moon-lit
beach--one of six in the nearby area. The Boston Globe headline was,
"Vigils across state, nation back mother of dead soldier." The New York
Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, The Houston Chronicle, Chicago Sun Times, Detroit Free Press,
Miami Herald, Seattle Times and dozens of other big-city newspapers, TV
stations and radio stations reported on the vigils.

But small towns were also touched. WTAP in Parkersburg, West Virginia
reported with the headline, "Texas Protest felt in Mid-Ohio Valley." The
Joplin (Missouri) Globe reported that MoveOn member Tamara Beinlich
organized the vigil because her son likely will be "in the next round of
soldiers going" to Iraq." The headline in the Dallas Morning News was,
"Vigils amplify mother's voice: Events in Carrollton, elsewhere echo
Crawford war protest." The Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel noted that "South
Floridians join mother's protest against Iraq war" In Kentucky the
Courier-Journal noted that, "Louisville vigil backs mother of soldier:
About 150 support her protest of war" And the Racine, Wisconsin Journal
Times headline was, "Mothers, others march for Cindy."

You can keep the story about support for Cindy Sheehan going by writing a
letter to the editor. Click below to get started.

http://www.political.moveon.org/lte/index.html?lte_campaign_id=29&zip=01267&posted=1&id=5916-2958088-kny3Eww9vPcLlnhEKaODWg&t=15

Better than the news reporting, though, were the reports we received
first-hand, streaming into our e-mail account over night. Here are some of
the best comments:

"For me the best moment was holding the candles high, and speaking with
a mom whose son is in Iraq now. It was great to surround the family with
support. It was great to be surrounded with sane, strong, committed
people."
--Judi Mandl
Harwinton, Connecticut

"The best moment was when the sun went down and hundreds of glowing
Dixie Cup candles glowed softly as we sang "America the Beautiful."
--Molly Wigand
Lenexa, Kansas

"Melanie House (whose husband was killed in Iraq) organized our vigil.
She spoke briefly about her grief and about her hope that other wives
and families will be spared the disaster that has come to her. She is
very brave to be speaking out and I am very moved by her courage."
--Delia Rudiger
Simi Valley, California

"I met a woman with photos of family members serving in the miliary
pinned to her shirt. 'This is my brother and his son, both serving in
this picture. The other is my sister's son, who's going back for a third
time to Iraq.'"
--Northfield People for Peace and Goodwill
Northfield, Minnesota

"Well, more and more people kept showing up, and that was the best part.
To know that you are not alone, and that there are others in your own
community who are so supportive of Cindy Sheehan, and finding a new
way."
--Kate Murphy
Scappoose, Oregon

"When a car pulled up with a little girl about 9 years old in it who had
begged her Mom to stop and she said "I know how you feel... my cousin is
over there." And, next thing you know she was out of the car and
grabbing a candle. She had seen my sign with my nephew's picure on it
with his baby... my nephew is on his way to Iraq in a couple of weeks."
--Maure Briggs- Carrington
Turners Falls, Massachusetts

"Two or three Vietnam veterans happened upon our vigil and join in with
love, tears and peace in their hearts. They were very grateful. A mom
whose son is leaving in five weeks for Iraq was there and was comforted
by all the love and connections. A young woman put a photo of her
brother in Iraq on our small altar."
--Katherine Steele
Lake Worth, Florida

"A little girl placing three American flags in front of the shrine of
candles and signs."
--Michelle Murphy
Manhattan Beach, California

"The best moment was when 6-8 veterans--asked to step forward--came to
the center of the circle."
--Robert Guyer
Reno, Nevada

You can read more reports, and see pictures from the vigils (they're
amazing) at:

http://www.political.moveon.org/cindyvigils/pics.html?&id=5916-2958088-kny3Eww9vPcLlnhEKaODWg&t=16

Thank you so much for helping to make the vigils a success, and for your
support of Cindy. You give us so much hope that we'll be able turn this
country around.

--Tom, Nita, Jennifer and the entire MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Thursday, August 18th, 2005

P.S. To stay involved, visit our co-sponsors:

TrueMajority
http://www.truemajority.org/

Democracy for America
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/

greylocknews: Sheehan supporters plan vigil tonight

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 10:00:09 -0400
From: trish gorman <tgorman79@hotmail.com>
To: NEWS MEDIA
Subject: 8/17: Vigil in support of Cindy Sheehan's vigil, Williamstown

Please forward
Caring People Coming Together Nationwide to Support Cindy Sheehan
Join a Vigil in Your Community

The movement to bring the troops home has a new, powerful voice in Cindy
Sheehan. She's the mother of Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, who was
killed in Iraq, and her vigil outside President Bush's ranch has become
an international symbol for the effort to end the war.
 
This week, let's show the world that there's a huge number of people
across America who want this war ended. Here's how you can keep the
momentum building!
 
Contact Details: Trish Gorman Williamstown MA  tgorman79@hotmail.com
Event name:  "Vigils for Cindy Sheehan" (and for all military families,
Gold Star families, and civilians)
Event venue:  Intersection of Rt. 2 & 7 & South St., Williamstown, MA
Event Date & Time:  Wednesday 08/17/2005 - 07:30 PM
Status:  Public, Maximum of 200 attendees.
Contact Method:  Email
 
Event description:
In honor and/or protest of all those who have lost their lives in Iraq
and the families who love and mourn them, please join with me as part of
a nation-wide candelight vigil. Here is what Cindy has said about the
vigils: "I invite mothers [and everyone] everywhere to stand up with me
so that no more of our sons and daughters lose their lives for a war
based on lies and deception. Join me in demanding the truth- and an end
to the war- by organizing vigils across the country, before one more
mother's child is lost."
Message from host:
We will meet at the War memorial at the Town Green at the intersection of
Rt 2 & 7 & South St. Please bring candels, but I will have some, too.
Let's hang for 45 mins or so.
Location:
North/South St
Williamstown, MA  01267
Directions:
We will meet at the War memorial at the Town Green at the intersection of
Rt 2 & 7 & South St., Williamstown, MA.
   
Visit MoveOn's event site to find the vigil closest to you:
http://www.moveonpac.org/event/cindyvigils/
 
The movement to bring the troops home has a new, powerful voice in Cindy
Sheehan. She's the mother of Army Specialist Casey Sheehan, who was
killed in Iraq, and her vigil outside President Bush's ranch has become
an international symbol for the effort to end the war. This week, let's
show the world that there's a huge number of people across America who
want this war ended. Here's how you can keep the momentum building!
Cindy has asked supporters to start candlelight vigils in their
communities to remind people of the terrible price of war. TrueMajority
and Democracy for America have teamed up with MoveOn to organize
nationwide "Vigils for Cindy Sheehan" (and for all military families and
Gold Star families) this coming Wednesday, August 17, starting at 7:30
p.m. local time. The vigils are an easy way for people to come together
to show support for Cindy and to speak out against the war. You can
either find a vigil in your neighborhood or start one of your own. Click
below to get started.
http://www.moveonpac.org/event/cindyvigils/
Here is what Cindy has said about the vigils: "I invite mothers
everywhere to stand up with me so that no more of our sons and daughters
lose their lives for a war based on lies and deception. Join me in
demanding the truth- and an end to the war- by organizing vigils across
the country, before one more mother's child is lost."
TrueMajority members have been remarkably generous with donations to
support Cindy as she stands up to the president of the United States. As
well as giving her media and organizing tools she needs to keep speaking
out, your support is also helping to send members of other families with
fallen soldiers around the country, following the president with Cindy's
message. Already, last week you helped Casey'ss high school sweetheart
follow President Bush to Illinois to keep the pressure on, and more trips
are coming.
Words of encouragement and financial support are important, but the very
heart of this movement is all of us coming together. So please come to a
vigil this Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Support Cindy, support each other, and
BE the peace movement.
Use this online tool provided by our friends at MoveOn to find a vigil
near you:
http://www.moveonpac.org/event/cindyvigils/
SPECIAL INVITATION: We're extending a special invitation to Iraq
veterans, the families of military members in Iraq today and Gold Star
families. Bring a photo of your loved one to remind all of us what is at
stake. Two great organizations, Gold Star Families for Peace and Military
Families Speak Out, are leading the way to make the voices of military
families heard loud and clear. Thousands of people are already doing a
lot- organizing events and more- to help bring Cindy's stand to
communities across America.
You can attend a vigil or host one. Hosting a vigil is really simple. All
you have to do is choose the location, invite some friends and get some
candles. If you can't host, it's really easy to attend one- just RSVP,
get some candles and show up. We'll send invitations to other
TrueMajority members in your neighborhood, too.
Thanks for all you do,
Duane Peterson
TrueMajority Coordinator
P.S. Cindy's earned a tremendous amount of news about her request for
Bush to level with her and the American people.  Here's the latest:
http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/news/ci_2940391
Learn more about Military Families Speak Out and Gold Star Families for
Peace
http://www.mfso.org/
http://www.gsfp.org/
 
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If you like what you see, please click here to contribute. ...and keep
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TrueMajority.org is a grassroots group which envisions a nation where
people care about their fellow citizens, and together enjoy freedom and
broad prosperity. We believe participating in an effective government is
the best way to be mutually responsible for our community.
TrueMajority.org, 191 Bank Street, Third Floor, Burlington, VT 05401
 

Williams College tops two national sports rankings; NCAA will webcast talk with Sheehy Tuesday, 5 p.m.

Submitted by Dick Quinn, sports-information director, Williams College
Date: Mon, 01 Aug 2005 12:01:55 -0400

Williams College Athletic Director Harry Sheehy will be a guest on the NSCA's "College Athlete Today " radio show that airs on the VoiceAmerica Channel [http://www.voice.voiceamerica.com/] Tuesday, August 2nd from 5:00-6:00 p.m. EST. NSCA founder Chris Krause and co-host Jon Kerr will interview Sheehy about Williams College and its highly successful athletic program. Sheehy will be the featured guest on the show.

Williams College Tops Two More National Rankings in Sweeping the 2005 NCSA Power Rankings

CHICAGO -- The National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) has announced that Williams College has finished on top of the NCAA Div. 3 2005 NSCA Collegiate Power Rankings and the Ephs also rank first overall among all 1,044 NCAA member institutions. Williams' power rating of 2.33 led NCAA Div. 3 and all NCAA members. An NCSA power rating of 1.0 would equal a perfect score. The Ephs' power rating of 2.33 was well ahead of archrival Amherst College, which finished second in both power rankings with a 5.0.

The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) was omnipresent in the NCAA Div. 3 rankings with 10 schools finishing in the top 17 and four in the top five: Williams (1), Amherst (2), Middlebury (4), Bowdoin (5), Colby (11), Bates (12), Wesleyan (13), Tufts (14), Trinity (15) and Hamilton (17).

The NCSA's Power Rankings were developed by NCSA founder and CEO Chris Krause in 2002. NCSA's Collegiate Power Rankings are calculated for each school at the NCAA Division I, II and III level by averaging the U.S. News & World Report ranking, the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup ranking and the NCAA student-athlete graduation rate of each school. The U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup ranking evaluates the strength of NCAA athletic departments, while the U.S. News & World Report ranking recognizes institutions of academic excellence. The student-athlete graduation rates are based on those provided by the NCAA.

Williams finished first in both the U.S. News & World Report 2005 rankings and in the U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup and the Ephs' NCAA graduation rate is a five.

The NCSA Collegiate Power Rankings provide data that allows prospective student-athletes and parents to evaluate the particular strengths of universities based on academic and athletic factors, as well as student-athlete graduation rates.

The NCSA Collegiate Power Rankings are a useful tool when comparing colleges you are considering now and those you may consider in the future.  Having this information at your fingertips will assist you in making informed decisions in your college search.