Friday quasi-short takes

-- N4N says Sox beat the Rays in six, although I really have no gut feeling other than anticipating series of close and hard-fought games. 

-- Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket has an opening tonight, the Museum of Small Finds, from 7-9.

-- The Dominican American National Roundtable's national conference takes place in Providence this weekend:

The Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) today announced a free workshop on Jewish and Dominican relations entitled, “Building Alliances: Jewish/Dominican Relations,” will be part of the 11th Annual DANR National Conference taking place in Providence this weekend. The workshop, which will feature testimony from Holocaust survivor Denny Hertzberg, CEO of Vitusa Corp. and the first baby settler to arrive in the Dominican Republic to find refuge during World War II, will take place Saturday from 10:00-11:45 a.m. at the Providence Westin Hotel, the official site of the conference. The workshop, as all workshops offered as part of the conference running October 11-13, is free of charge and open to the public.

In addition to a discussion with Mr. Hertzberg and a panel of experts on Jewish and Dominican relations, “Building Alliances:Jewish/Dominican Relations” will include an original film documentary depicting the arrival of the first Jewish refugees who settled in Sosua during the 1940s. Guests will learn about the large number of refugees who were welcomed into the town by the Dominican Republic after fleeing the Holocaust during World War 1I and will engage in furthering the conversation on the importance of Jewish/Dominican relations.

-- Mark Stahl of the RI Community Coalition for Peace sends word of this demonstration planned for tomorrow:

In an inspiring spirit of cooperation and solidarity, a diverse group of community, religious, political, and student groups has organized a march for October 11 to publicly demand:

1) Bring the Troops Home Now! No Attacks on Iran

2) Protect Our Families: Stop the Deportations Now!

3) Defend Our Civil Liberties and Right to Free Speech.

4) Money For Jobs, Education, Housing, and Healthcare, Not for War.

As these demands reflect, many people are acutely aware of the interconnections between empire, “free” trade, immigration, and poverty. Also, future poverty is assured when families are broken up by draconian immigration policies. With the October 11 public action, all Rhode Islanders are encouraged to increase their awareness, recognize our shared humanity, and become involved in the cause of justice and peace.

Throughout the Americas, October 12 is celebrated as Indigenous People's day, or Dia de la Raza, with marches and other events that promote alternatives to the conquest which began in 1492.  Appropriately, October 12 had been chosen this year as a national day of action for immigrant rights. The immigrant rights community in RI, however, has taken a bold step in promoting local unity by joining in a combined October 11 action. People opposed to U.S. wars and occupations realize that on October 11, 2002, the US Senate, following the House of Representatives, passed the Joint Resolution authorizing President Bush to go to war on Iraq. Thus, Saturday, October 11, 2008 marks exactly six years after Congress gave their assent.

Antiwar actions as well as pro-immigration rights actions are also planned on the October 11 weekend in many other cities around the country, including Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, Seattle, San Antonio, El Paso, Los Angeles, and New York.

Participants in the RI action will begin to assemble at the Dexter-Training Grounds beside the Cranston Armory at 12:30 pm on Saturday October 11, for a rally that will start at 1:00 pm. After a short program of music and speakers, the march will move down Cranston Street, go through Providence, and end at Burnside Park for more music and speakers. Along the way, the march will stop briefly at: Central/Classical High Schools, Crossroads, Beneficent Church(2:30 pm), the US Army National Guard Recruiting office on Weybosset, and Textron’s World Headquarters. People may join the march at any point along the way. The program at Burnside Park should finish around 4:30 pm.