Every day is a new day and with that, a new opportunity.
EVERYONE is welcome and please join us each morning at 7:30 AM PACIFIC
to tell us what you're working on, share your show & tell, vent, whatever you want...
...this is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.
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Boujou!
It's been a busy week in Indian Country. We have a lot to get through today, so let's get to it.
We begin with voting rights. Several of us have written over the years about continuing GOP attempts to suppress the Native American vote. Any change to the VRA will have serious repercussions for Indian voters. On Wednesday, SCOTUS hears oral arguments in Shelby County v. Holder, in which an Alabama County covered by the Voting Rights Act (VRA) federal consent decree seeks to overturn the relevant section of the VRA. Last Friday, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights held a press call advisory, "Why Native American Voters Need the Voting Rights Act."
Amicus briefs in the case have been filed by both the Navajo Nation and the Alaska Federation of Natives [.pdf files]. For more information, see the ACLU's report, Voting Rights in Indian Country [.pdf], or this video by Thomas Shortbull (Lakota), president of Oglala Lakota College and a voice of experience when it comes to suppression of Indian votes.
POLITICS: VAWA UPDATE: NOW YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT A "FAIR TRIAL?"
There's news in the ongoing GOP obstruction of VAWA protections for Native women. Led by Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Tom Cole (R-OK), a few House GOP members introduced compromise legislation last week:
The legislation gives tribal courts the authority to prosecute non-Indians accused of abusing partners on tribal lands.
The bill, introduced by Reps. Darrell Issa of California, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, and six other Republicans, would also allow defendants to request that their case be moved to a federal court if they felt their constitutional rights were being violated.
It's still problematic, but as I've said previously, it may simply be one more bitter pill we have to swallow to get this done; we can fight to overturn that provision later. And, of course, it'll be a fight. While his colleagues were busy trying to show the face of compromise, Chuck Grassley (Racist-IA) was busy ripping off the mask:
"But under the laws of our land, you got to have a jury that is a reflection of society as a whole, and on an Indian reservation, it’s going to be made up of Indians, right? So the non-Indian doesn’t get a fair trial."
Because of course, despite the fact that Indians have been tried by non-Indians . . . well, like, since European contact, we couldn't possibly have the reverse situation. Because everyone knows Indians can't be unbiased jurors, apparently. Or something.
POLICY: AMERICAN INDIAN POVERTY RATE EXCEEDS 50% IN SOME AREAS
From the #NothingWeDidn'tAlreadyKnow files: In Rapid City, SD, a city with one of the greatest percentages of Indian residents in the country, the poverty rate for Indians exceeds 50%. In nine other states (Arizona, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Utah) and five other U.S. municipalities (Tucson, AZ; Minneapolis, MN; Gallup, NM; Shiprock, NM; and Zuni Pueblo, NM), the number hovers at or exceeds 30%. According to a report released by the Census Bureau's American Community Survey project:
Two race groups had poverty rates more than 10 percentage points higher than the national rate of 14.3 percent: American Indian and Alaska Native (27.0 percent) and black or African- American (25.8 percent). Rates were above the overall national average for Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders (17.6 percent), while poverty rates for people identified as white (11.6 percent) or Asian (11.7 percent) were lower than the overall poverty rate. Poverty rates for whites and Asians were not statistically different from each other. The Hispanic population had a poverty rate of 23.2 percent, about nine percentage points higher than the overall U.S. rate.
Read the full report here [.pdf].
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HISTORY: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY INVESTIGATES FOUNDER'S ROLE IN SAND CREEK MASSACRE
Under pressure from the school's Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance, Northwestern University has appointed a panel of four faculty members and three professors from other schools to investigate the history of university founder John Evans.
John Evans — the namesake of the city of Evanston — was territorial governor of Colorado in 1864 when a militia of about 700 men attacked a temporary village of Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho people at Sand Creek. According to the National Park Service, the soldiers killed 165 to 200 Native Americans, about two-thirds of them women, children and elderly.
Known as the Sand Creek Massacre, it is considered one of the worst acts of genocide in U.S. history and led to Evans' removal from his governorship after a congressional investigation.
According to the Native American and Indigenous Student Alliance at Northwestern, the university has ignored that part of Evans' history. Evans continued as a major benefactor and member of Northwestern's board long after details of the massacre came to light.
In a statement, Provost Daniel Linzer said: "The year 2014 will mark the 150th anniversary of Sand Creek, so it is appropriate to assess how and what we report about John Evans as part of our institutional history, and if and in what way we should continue to recognize his contributions to the university. Although Sand Creek occurred 13 years after the establishment of Northwestern, we would like to know in detail the nature of John Evans' relationship with the university when he was territorial governor and afterward."
Among other issues, the university says that it intends to investigate the relationship between Evans's financial contributions to the school and how his wealth was acquired, including effects on Native peoples of the day. The report is expected to be completed in June.
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More News and Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Below the Frybead Thingey
SCIENCE: FEMA ARCHAEOLOGISTS FIND ANCIENT ARTIFACTS IN LOUISIANA
While conducting "hazard mitigation" land surveys in the Bayou St. John area south of Lake Ponchartrain, Louisiana, FEMA contract archaeologists uncovered some of the oldest Indian artifacts yet found in the region. The excavation site was originally used by local Indians as a shell midden; when the French took over the area, they built a fort over it. Found in the shell midden were the remains of clay pipes, Marksville Period pottery sherds dating to 300-400 C.E., and animal bones. According to local coverage:
The Marksville culture flourished from 100 B.C. to 400 A.D. in the lower Mississippi River valley, including parts of the future states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri and extending eastward along the Gulf Coast to the Mobile Bay area. It took its name from the Marksville prehistoric Indian site in Avoyelles Parish.
Local tribes and the Louisiana Office of Historic Preservation are coordinating with FEMA on the survey and excavation work.
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HEALTH AND LIVING: CONSORTIUM OF NEBRASKA SCHOOLS CALLS FOR ANHEUSER-BUSH BOYCOTT OVER WHITECLAY LIQUOR SALES
On January 22, students at three Nebraska schools announced a "Boycott Bud, Support Pine Ridge" campaign, urging family members, friends, and fellow students to refuse to buy or consume alcoholic beverages manufactured and distributed by Anheuser-Busch. The purpose is to halt liquor sales in the Nebraska "town" of Whiteclay, which abuts the Pine Ridge Reservation:
Budweiser sales account for 78 percent of all alcohol sold in Whiteclay, Nebraska, a town of 14 people, where four off-sale liquor stores supply millions of cans of beer annually to residents of the adjacent Pine Ridge Reservation.
Yes, you read that correctly. It's a "town" of fourteen people - a company town, in other words. And the company business is pushing alcohol to Indians.
According to [organizer David] Fuxa, the student group is asking Anheuser-Busch InBev to end all sales to Whiteclay and establish a rehabilitation center on the reservation. The campaign is requesting a show of solidarity by signing their online petition at WhiteclayBoycott.Blogspot.com.
Since 2009, the students have arranged trips to Pine Ridge, given presentations at schools and lobbied Nebraska state officials concerning the situation at Whiteclay.
In a May 18 letter to Luiz Edmond, president of North America for Anheuser-Busch InBev in St. Louis, Fuxa and Lexie LaMere, daughter of well-known activist Frank LaMere of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, suggested the Belgium-based company purchase the stores in Whiteclay and retire their licenses since Nebraska law does not permit a manufacturer to hold a retail license.
The campaign's founders are students at Creighton Preparatory School, Creighton University, and the University of Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln campuses).
The Native-made 2002 movie Skins contains a fictionalized version of one of the Whiteclay liquor stores. Without endorsing the actions taken in the movie, which have horrifying consequences, I've known several folks who've fantasized about being able to take similar action without similarly tragic results, and I fully understand the sentiment.
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ARTS AND CULTURE: NATIVE JAZZ BAND PERFORMS IN TUCSON
Not all Native music is flutes and drums. On Saturday evening, the Redhouse Family Jazz Band, known locally as the Native American First Family of Jazz, performed live for a Tucson audience. The six siblings (DinéFilipino) are: Charlotte Redhouse Tividad, vocals and percussion; Larry Redhouse, composer and pianist; Lenny Redhouse, drums; Mary Redhouse, vocals (including a five-octave range) and electric bass; Tony Redhouse, conga drums and hoop dance; and Vince Redhouse, Native flute, guitar, and tenor sax. "Together they create music influenced by Latin, fusion and contemporary jazz, as well as R&B, funk, folk and traditional Native American sounds and spirituality." All have performed together and as solo artists for years, and between them have numerous GRAMMY nominations and NAMMY awards.
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Chi miigwech.
:: COMMUNITY BUILDING UPDATES ::
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Let's build communities!
Every region needs a meatspace community like SFKossacks.
We take care of each other in real life.
I urge YOU to take the lead and organize one in your region.
Please tell us about it if you do and we're here for advice.
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THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
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Click >>>HERE to see a list of all the regional Kossack groups that have organized for social and activism events. There are handy links to contact each organizer to join.
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>>>Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
:: Events Currently on the Books for ALL Kossacks ::
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Saturday, March 2nd
Maryland Kos Meet-up
TIME: 5:30 PM
LOCATION: Wegman's Cafe Area
8855 Mcgaw Rd • Columbia
ORGANIZER: Send JamieG from Md a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. JamieG from Md
2. BilllaurelMd
3. Mollyd
4. Chi
5. Roxine
6. sreeizzle2012
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7. JanetT in Md
8. rb608
9. Deep Harm
10. Tamar
Maybees:
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Latest diary: Maryland Meetup, March 2nd, Columbia, Md.

Saturday, March 2nd
LAKossacks Brunch Meet-up in the Valley!
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: Cafe Bizou
14016 Ventura Blvd. • Sherman Oaks
ORGANIZER: Send Dave in Northridge a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Dave in Northridge
2. RLMiller
3. SanFernandoValleyMom
4. Shockwave
5.
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Maybees: |
Saturday, March 23rd
LAKossacks Monthly Meet-up
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Casey's Irish Pub
613 S Grand Ave. • Los Angeles
ORGANIZER: Send Dave in Northridge a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Dave in Northridge
2. Joe Bacon
3. jakedog42
4. SanFernandoValleyMom
5.
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Maybees: |
Latest diary: LA Kossacks: 2/16 Meetup and March Schedule
Saturday, March 2nd!!
Lone Star Spring Texas State-Wide Meet-Up in Austin
TIME: 2:00-5:00 PM
LOCATION: Opal Divine's Penn Field restaurant and bar
3601 S. Congress Ave • Austin
ORGANIZER: Send nomandates Kosmail to RSVP.
RSVPs:
1. nomandates
2. teknohed
3. papa monzano
4. Chrislove
5. Chrislove's BF
6. glorificus
7. politik
8. mr pea
9. anotherdemocrat
10. Odysseus
11. suesue
12. mr sue sue
13. blue armadillo
14. texasmom
15. texasdad
16. htowngenie
17. navajo (honorary TX Kossack!)
18. afisher
19. manoffire
20. Wino
21. Mrs. Wino
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22. VinaMist
23. doraphasia
24. Urban Owl
25. Texdude50
26. icelus
27. entrelac
28. Mr. entrelac
29. JayRaye
30. cosette
31. belinda ridgewood (honorary TX Kossack!)
32. Carol in San Antonio
33. krwheaton
34. +1 from Harris County
35. KTinTX
36. TexMex
37. Musicman (honorary TX kossack)
38. freerad
39. freerad's guest
Maybees:
Mosquito Pilot
Over the Edge
yoduuuh do or do not
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Sunday, March 3rd
Austin's 84th Annual Zilker Park Kite Festival
TIME: Early Afternoon
LOCATION: Zilker Park
2100 Barton Springs Rd. • Austin
ORGANIZER: Send papa monzano Kosmail to connect at the event.
Latest diary: Tex Kos Inaugural Gathering, plus T-Shirts, SDEC Meeting, and Kite Festival
Monday, March 4th
New York City Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Spitzer's Corner
101 Rivington Street (Ludlow) • NYC
ORGANIZER: Send Sidnora a kosmail to RSVP
RSVPs:
1. sidnora
2. joanbrooker
3. ask
4. brooklyn liberal
5. rubyr
6. casperr
7. thankgodforairamerica
8. Rosalie 907 + friends
9. blue jersey mom
10. clenchner
11. Ollie Garkey
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Maybees:
plf515
Laura Clawson
Arjun Jaikumar
belinda ridgewood
Its the Supreme Court Stupid
srkp23
David Nir
Batya the Toon
kathny
TiaRachel
Mets102 |
Latest diary: NYC Meetup 3/4 - One week from today!

DailyKos readers who live and/or work in New England
(Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont)

New England Kossacks All Day Meet-up
Saturday, March 9th
ORGANIZER: Send Clytemnestra a kosmail to attend.
TIME: 1:00 - 4:00 PM
LOCATION I: SolToro in the Mohegan Sun Casino
1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard • Uncasville, CT
RSVPs:
1. Clytemnestra
2.
3.
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Maybees:
annieli
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TIME: 7:00 - 10:00 PM
LOCATION II: Mystic Pizza
56 West Main Street • Mystic, CT
RSVPs:
1. Clytemnestra
2.
3.
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Maybees:
annieli
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TIME: 11:00 - ? PM
LOCATION III: TBD
[Address] • [City]
RSVPs:
1. Clytemnestra
2.
3.
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Maybees:
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Latest diary: New England Kossacks - March meet up

Sunday, March 10th
SFKossacks ALL-DAY Event to Roll Out the Red Carpet for a gilas girl
• Meet at the Ferry Building at 11:00 AM to take the 11:35 AM ferry to Tiburon.
I've reserved a group rate $20.00 round-trip per adult and $13.50 round-trip for seniors and children. Arrive in Tiburon at 12:30 PM
• Lunch reservation is at 12:45 at Guaymas for 20 people. We have an indoor terrace reserved with a beautiful view of the City.
We'll only have a little over 1.5 hours for lunch but luckily the dock is right at the restaurant and leaves at 2:35 PM. Arriving at the Ferry Building at 3:25 PM.
• Walk 3 blocks to Market & Main to catch the N-Judah at 3:55 PM. One way fare $2.00. Muni ride to 9th & Irving to arrive at 4:24 PM. Walk 1/2 mile into Golden Gate Park to the
Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park. Arrival at 4:40 and the garden is open until 6:00 PM. Admission: Adult $5.00, Seniors $3.00, Children $1.50.
• 6:30 PM a restaurant for dinner TBD, it will be 10 min. walking distance from GG Park.
• Take return Muni N-Judah at 8:30 PM or 8:49 PM back to BART at the Embarcadero.
RSVPs for Ferry Ride and Guaymas:
1. a gilas girl
2. navajo
3. side pocket
4. dharmasyd [lunch]
5. Meteor Blades
6. Glen the Plumber
7. remembrance
8. smileycreek
9. paradise50
10. Cali Scribe
11. Mr. Scribe
12. slouching
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13. no way lack of brain
14. norm
15. boatsie
16. Lorikeet
17. FogCityJohn
18. madhaus
19. Steveningen
Maybees:
edrie
lineatus
maggiejean
no way lack of brain
scaboni
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RSVPs for Dinner near Golden Gate Park:
1. a gilas girl
2. navajo
3. side pocket
4. Meteor Blades
5. smileycreek
6. paradise50
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Maybees:
lineatus
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Kansas & Missouri Kossacks
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Friday, March 15th
Kansas & Missouri Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: Free State Brewing Company
636 Massachusetts Street • Lawrence
ORGANIZER: Send tmservo433 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. tmservo433
2. glitterscale
3. Geiiga
4. Syoho
5. Paula68154
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Maybees:
Scout Finch
zamrzla |
Latest diary: [Diva waiting...]
Mid-March - Boston Kossacks First Meet-up
Boston Kossacks First Meet-up
TIME: Possibly 2:00 PM, stay tuned
LOCATION: The Border Cafe
32 Church Street • Cambridge
ORGANIZER: Send GreyHawk a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. GreyHawk
2. bjedward
3. gmoke
4. BlueStateRedhead
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Maybees:
AnotherMassachusettsLiberal |
Latest diary: Boston Kossacks - 1st Meetup
TBD - Late March or Early April Meet-up
Colorado COmmunity Kossacks Pot Luck
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: ColoTim's home
Address given by Kosmail • Outside of Denver
ORGANIZER: Send ColoTim a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. ColoTim
2. Frankenoid
3.
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Maybees:
victoria2dc
acpa
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Latest diary: Colorado COmmunity Meetup - Flowers Edition
Saturday, April 20th]
Dkos Asheville's First Meet-up
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: The Bywater
796 Riverside Dr. • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Otteray Scribe
4. eeff
5. people power granny
6. Joieau
7. LamontCranston
8. cultjake
9. GordonNC (UID 5123 & City Councilman)
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10. DawnN
11. SteelerGrrl
12. SteelerDude
13. Captain Sham
14. Sandy on Signal
Maybees:
polecat
Land of Enchantment
jnhobbs
alicia (plus two)
Nic Goodman
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Latest diary:Dkos Asheville Open Thread
From randallt: "DKos Asheville is hosting a meet up and we've managed to cast a wide net! Asheville NC is the epicenter of cool progressive in the heart of the mountains and we have folks traveling from Eastern Tennessee, the Southern Highlands and Charlotte. So don't let the distance keep you away, come to Asheville, sign up today! You know you want to."

Netroots Nation 2013 in San Jose: Plenary Session Table Reservations
June 20th - 23rd • REGISTER HERE
SFKossacks:
1. side pocket [First Lieutenant]
2. mrs. side pocket
3. kimoconnor
4. citisven
5. lineatus
6. Cali Scribe
7. Glen the Plumber
8. remembrance
9. jotter
10. Mrs. jotter
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SFKossacks:
1. Lusty
2. mrsgoo
3. norm
4. boran2 (Honorary)
5. Lorikeet
6. FogCityJohn
7. slksfca
8. madhaus
9. boatsie
10. maggiejean
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SFKossacks:
1. Kamakhya
2. dharmasyd
3. Ebby
4. Bustergirl
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Native American Netroots:
1. navajo
2. Meteor Blades
3. shanikka
4. no way lack of brain
5. translatorpro
6. Kitsap River
7. Charles Curtis Stanley
8. 4Freedom (maybe)
9.
10.
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Central Valley Kossacks:
1. tgypsy
2. cooper888
3. gotmooned
4. paradise50
5. smileycreek
6. Caddis Fly
7. Kestrel
8.
9.
10.
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Lone Star Kossacks:
1. nomandates
2. texasmom
3. texasdad
4. doraphasia
5. krwheaton
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Cheers & Jeers:
1. Bill in Portland Maine
2. Common Sense Mainer
3. vicki
4. Sharoney
5. Spousal Unit
6. cskendrick
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Los Angeles Kossacks:
1. Shockwave
2. jakedog42
3. susans
4. murphy
5. Dave in Northridge
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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NYC and beyond:
1. sidnora
2. belinda ridgewood
3. belinda ridgewood's guest
4. Jimdotz
5. theroaringgirl
6. thankgodforairamerica
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Community Quilt Project:
1. Sara R
2. winglion?
3. loggersbrat
4. ramara (Arizona)
5. Horace Boothroyd III
6. linkage
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Military Community Members:
1. DaNang65
2. drnatrl
3. angelajean (Maybe)
4. exlrrp (Maybe)
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Misc. registered Kossacks + regions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
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Hopefully we can put together whole tables for them.


Community Quilt Project NN13 Flash Mob Photo
smileycreek is organizing and asking all Community Quilt recipients to bring their quilts to NN13. We'll assemble at a pre-designated location and time for a group photo with one of the NN13 professional photographers. It will be a group hug celebrating one of the most beloved community building projects we have here at Daily Kos with Sara R and winglion at the center of it. navajo and Glen the Plumber are going to scout out and select a location in advance for all to meet with their quilts for a memorable photo opportunity. Stay tuned.
Date: TBD Time: TBD
1. paradise50
2. Dave in Northridge
3. remembrance
4. BeninSC
5. mimi
6. cskendrick
7. DaNang65
8. llbear (not attending, quilt only)
9. Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (may not attend)
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10. Smoh (not attending, quilt only)
11. slksfca
12. belinda ridgewood
13. Ebby
14. Bustergirl
15. Kitsap River
16. Charles Curtis Stanley
17.
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June 27- June 30th
Glacier National Park Kossack EPIC Meetup!
TIME: 24/7
LOCATION: Glacier National Park
402 9th St W • Columbia Falls, Montana
ORGANIZER: Send arizonablue a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. BlueJessamine
2. arizonablue
3. Mr.arizonablue
4. Truman
5. Ojibwa - arriving for the weekend
6. MTmofo - afternoon/early evening possible
7. figbash!
8. spottedbear
9. jakedog42
10.
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Maybees:
Melanie in IA
Jim in IA
Joan McCarter
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Latest diary: Glacier National Park Meetup! w lodging and campground info!
Send navajo a kosmail if you post a diary about an event so we can update our round-up.
Okay. Floor's open.
Tell us what you are doing on this NEW DAY?