Updated: the meeting location is the Light & Life Church on the corner of Fairview & 7th!

The Eastside Neighborhood Association (ENA) will be holding its first 2008 quarterly General Meeting, which also happens to be our Annual Meeting. That means that it's board election time!

We have members up for re-election, and we need at least one new member too! Come on out and nominate yourself or someone else. :) Board members serve 2 year terms and help to decide and organize the activities of the ENA.

If you've ever wondered how the neighborhood association makes decisions, this is your chance to help make those decisions!

We'll also have guest speakers on publicly funded elections and a city composting project.

Plus: our fabulous open mic, your 3 minutes of fame talking about whatever neighborhood stuff matters to you.

February 20, 2008

George W. Bush's overall job approval rating has dropped to a new low in American Research Group polling as 78% of Americans say that the national economy is getting worse according to the latest survey from the American Research Group.

Among all Americans, 19% approve of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 77% disapprove. When it comes to Bush's handling of the economy, 14% approve and 79% disapprove.

...that are trying to:

lose weight, raise your kids right, work the job to get the money home, make it in college, make it in love, make it through another day without a drink, make it on time, make it right, succeed in spite of everything...

to all you out there, you are not alone: others notice that you are trying, others respect you even if they never have the presence of mind to say so, or to thank you for what you do.

Happy Sunset from Olympia, WA

Tomorrow is another day 

Alcohol has been referenced in link to the "riot" at TESC.

Does herb play a similar role in our culture and do folks see herb as linked to violence?

I can't say that last time I heard that a bunch of "baked" folks "rioted", although I did get a little tired standing in line for the first LotR movie.

-any thoughts?

(From TESC site)

Published: February 20, 2008 2:30 PM

The Evergreen State College Police Services Department and the Thurston County Sheriff’s Department are continuing their joint investigation of a riot that occurred at Evergreen in the early morning hours of February 14 in which one police vehicle was destroyed and others damaged. “Based on the evidence, we will hold the people involved in the violence and destruction of property accountable for their actions,” said Evergreen President Les Purce.

The college convened a campus forum on February 19 to discuss the incident, answer questions and begin the process of addressing related issues. Approximately 300 students, faculty and staff attended.

“The range of emotions I have gone through from just being flat sad, to disappointed to angry, to violated, have just swung back and forth in me,” Purce explained, “because I think about when you students first came to this campus, the promises we made to you and to your parents about what this place was and what we strive for it to be, and to have that kind of event occur in our house caused me great pause…While we may never know everything about this event, one thing I know and we all have to know is that what happened is not acceptable by any standard.”

President Purce announced a moratorium on student-sponsored concerts and other events that involve substantial safety and security considerations until processes are improved.

“We aren’t having any more concerts until we can get our house in order,” Purce said. “We have to ensure that we have the appropriate kinds of security and safety on campus and a revisiting of our policies as they relate to all aspects of approval of concerts, so that we can be assured that our house is safe.”

From the accounts I've read I have to conclude there were only two woman involved that night, the responding security officer who was threatened by the mob and the woman who identified the person detained. From what I've seen rioting is a macho, testosterone fueled dick thing. I'm curious: How many women threw punches at the show. How many women threw garbage at the cops? How many women helped to turn over the cop car? I ask these questions because I wasn't there and therefore do not know.

Please do not interpret my words as dismissing the power of women to physically defend their beliefs. Women have a centuries-long history of being on the front lines of the barricades. Women were on the front lines of the WTO police riots in Seattle and they were there at the Port military resistance. Their actions speak louder than any words I can write. What I'm raising for discussion is the role patriarchal bias plays in the conversation over the riot.

All NeighborWoods-sponsored workshops are free, and open to anyone who wishes to learn more about planting and caring for trees. Registration is required.

Location: Smith Building (837 7th Ave SE)

Basic NeighborWoods workshop info

NeighborWoods

First read up on what a Chief's Forum is. The public can attend their meetings as observers.

March discussion topic: Maintaining Order in the Community

City Council Chambers, 900 Plum St. SE.