Human Trafficking (YP Discussion Group)

The World Affairs Council, Young Professionals invite you to our biweekly discussion group:

Wednesday, 1 April 2009 | 7:00 p.m.

Laurelwood NW Public House, NW Kearney & 23rd (MAP)

(Upstairs in the back room.)

Hundreds of thousands of people fall into slavery each year (some estimates even put the figure into the millions). According to the CIA tens of thousands are brought to the U.S. each year (including to Oregon). Recent movies have highlighted this brutal trade (such as Taken andSlumdog Millionaire) where people are used as domestic servants, beggars and thieves, laborers, and in the sex trade. Part of organized crime, human trafficking is often associated associated with the drug and arms trade, such as along the Mexican-U.S. border. What are the conditions that lead to this practice? Why is it so difficult to stop? How many of these victims wind up here in Oregon? Start the discussion on our blog.

 

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CLINIC: Budget World Travel 3/25/09 7pm REI FREE

Somewhere between hostels and luxury hotels is the sweet spot of travel. REI adventurer James Hetland shares tips on how to have a better experience while spending less wherever in the world you?re headed. Learn how to save money while staying in nice places, eating great food, and never getting ripped off. James will share tips that are applicable to travel anywhere in the world: plane tickets, exchange rates, lodging, food, transportation, and more. In the last six years, James has: Lived in Germany for 4 months. Traveled in Venezuela for 3 weeks. Spent over a week each in Japan, Turkey, Spain, Portugal, France, England, Italy, Greece, and Mexico. Spent smaller amounts of time in Latvia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxemburg, Austria. He and his wife will be leaving for a month in Chile and Argentina a week after this presentation. Location:REI Portland, 1405 NW Johnson St. Contact:Customer Service, 503-221-1938 Cost: Free Registration Required? No. http://www.rei.com/category/4500012

Fair Trade Festival: 3/28 FREE

The Fair Trade Federation is holding a fair trade festival at their annual conference. Shop your values while learning about the fair trade movement and how it impacts poor communities around the world. Join Global Sistergoods and 44 other vendors from around the country at this exciting and fun event! March 28, 2009, 3:30-6pm, Cascade Ballroom, Doubletree Hotel,1000 NE Multnomah FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! for more information: http://www.fairtradefederation.org/ht/d/sp/i/9668/pid/9668 -- Kristi Jo (KJ) LewisGlobal Sistergoodswww.globalsistergoods.com, 503-737-1956 cell

Portland Film Crew Ambushed in the Congo

Willamette Week is reporting that a movie crew from the local outfit Spin Films has been rolled by FARDC thugs in the Congo.

The crew was filming a documentary urging a stop the DRC's 10-year civil war. It looks as if they suffered a major setback, losing all their primary equipment.

We wish them well.

A Multipolar World (YP Discussion Group) The World Affairs Council, Young Professionals invite you to our biweekly discussion group: Wednesday, 18 March 2009 | 7:00 p.m. Laurelwood NW Public House, NW Kearney & 23rd (MAP) (Upstairs in the back room.) Fareed Zakaria, who spoke at our most recent International Speaker Series event, writes about the changing dynamics of world power in his latest book, The Post-American World. What will this world look like, especially as China and India (among others) continue to grow their economies? Will the U.S. loose influence in the world? Will solving the world's problems be easier or more difficult as a result? Start the discussion on our blog. Stay Informed: The Official YP Blog Facebook: Become our Friend!

Attacks on lesbians in South Africa

In the last decade or so, South Africa has become infamous for violent crimes committed there- kidnapping, murder, burglary, rape.  It now appears that rape and killing of lesbian women is becoming more of a norm rather than a grisly exception to a crime pattern.  The Guardian has a compelling story of South African problem with rape, as highlighted by a gruesome gang rape and murder of a famous South African football star who was openly lesbian.  Perhaps more appalling than the murders is the police's failure to do much about this. 

Chinese Censors Confounded by Grass-Mud Horse

Those of you who attended the event on the Chinese Internet last summer will find the following interesting and very funny:

NYTimes.com - A Dirty Pun Tweaks China's Online Censors

Ah, the trials of the grass-mud horse!

This reminds me of other stories of folks circumventing censors, such as fairy tale movies in German-occupied France poking fun at the Nazis in a way best understood by the locals. (For example, see comment by metaphor-2 here and the description of Continental films here.)

19th Annual Kells Irish Festival

19th Annual Kells Irish Festival - Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub THE SIGHTS, THE SOUNDS, THE TASTES OF IRELAND! Kells' 19th Annual Saint Patrick's Day Party begins: Friday, March 13, 2009 Welcome to the 19th Annual Kells Irish Festival! The venerable Kells (Portland) is once again celebrating Irish-Style, beginning Friday, March 13th thru Tuesday, March 17th, 2009, Saint Patrick's Day! Get 'Irish' with a few thousand of your best friends and experience one of the biggest Saint Patrick's events, in the Northwest! EVENT DAY(S): 03/13/09 - 03/17/09 LOCATION: Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub 112 SW 2nd Avenue Portland, OR 97204 HOURS: www.kellsirish.com PHONE: 503 227 4057 ADMISSION/TICKETS: www.kellsirish.com

Mercy Corps Gets Funds for Gaza

Willamette Week is reporting that Mercy Corps has received a $10 million grant from Qatar Charity to help rebuild Gaza.

Let's hope the cash infusion helps both the war-torn region and the budget-torn local nonprofit.

Global Food Supply (YP Discussion Group) The World Affairs Council, Young Professionals invite you to our biweekly discussion group: Wednesday, 4 March 2009 | 7:00 p.m. Laurelwood NW Public House, NW Kearney & 23rd (MAP) (Upstairs in the back room.) Food: It's a good thing. Will it last? As the world's population grows, will the food supply keep up? Are "frankenfoods" the answer, or a real problem? Should we really be diverting valuable calories into the fuel supply? Do you know where your lunch comes from? We will be pondering these questions and more as part of the Great Decisions series. Start the discussion on our blog.   Stay Informed: The Official YP Blog Facebook: Become our Friend!