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Time: 2008/5/16-2008/5/18Venue: PKU Centennial Memorial HallPrice: 20/40/60/80/100/120/150/200MSN: ponypiaoen@hotmail.comTel: 86-10-64177845Booking now:http://www.piao.com.cn/en_piao/ticket_1705.htmlFor other tickets:http://www.piao.com.cn/en_piao/allticket.aspPlaywright, Director, Artistic Director: Zhang YimouCostum Designer: Jérome Kaplan(French)Lighting Designer: Zhang YimouPerformer: National Ballet of ChinaAccompaniment: Symphony Orchestra of China National BalletConductor: Zhang YiWithan unsurpassed repertoire that includes dozens of traditional classics,the National Ballet of China is one of the world's supreme balletensembles. Raise the Red Lantern (an adaptation of Zhang Yimou'saward-winning film) is among the ensemble's most breathtakingaccomplishments, displaying a uniquely Chinese style of ballet theater.It’s the first ballet to blend Peking Opera and Western dance, it hasbeen controversial in Chinadue to its subject matter—the role of women under feudalism—and daringartistic mix. It makes dramatic narrative and visual brilliancepowerfully serve each other, yielding an absolutely clear and richlyexpressive story line. Combining the ballet dancing with Chinese artelements, the result is spectacular: dancing of exquisite grace andline, sumptuously clever stage and costume design, a brilliant infusionof some Peking Opera dance, song and fighting elements, and thepoignancy of the simple story itself. This ballet version of Raise theRed Lantern was published as one of the national stage art elite series.SynopsisRaisethe Red Lantern tells of a girl who reluctantly becomes the third wifeof a powerful mandarin in the 20s of the last century. Her beauty makesher husband desire her greatly, to the extent that he forces her tosubmit when she shows reluctance. She protests desperately but fails toavoid her tragic destiny. She idles away her life by watching operas intheaters or playing mah-jong all day long. From time to time she wouldseek chances to meet her former lover, a handsome young operaperformer. But her private dating is spied by her husband's second wifewho is jealous. Her adultery is caught by her husband on the spot. Butthe second concubine receives nothing but a slash on the face from herhusband. Frustrated in agony, she tears all the red lanterns in thecourtyard. Their husband, also their master, because furious and puthis two concubines to death. Before dying, the two envious concubinesforgive each other, entirely forgetting their hatreds.

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2008: Immigration and LaborWhere Are We Now? Speaker: Brian Cruz, Immigrant Rights and Labor ActivistSF Gray Panthers Monthly EventTuesday, May 20, 12:30 – 3:30 PMFireside Room, Unitarian-Universalist Center1187 Franklin St., betw. O’Farrell and GearyThis May Day, immigration and labor stand at crossroads.In immigration, a legislative stalemate exists between reactionary interests that hope to simply expel immigrants, versus liberal business interests that hope to exploit more immigrants through a Guest Worker program like the infamous 1950s bracero program. So instead, immigration police are sweeping the nation in the worst workplace raids in decades. But workers all over the country have marched on May Day to support immigrant rights.In labor, a huge fight is developing. Workers will need strong and united action against layoffs and wage cuts as the country goes into recession, yet one of the country’s largest unions is rolling out a strategy of growth by cooperation with corporations and employers, and is signing secret contracts with employers forbidding strikes and designating which facilities can be unionized. But longshore workers have defied their employers and even their top union leaders in an 8-hr shut-down of all shipping on the West Coast, demanding an end to the MidEast oil war.It is becoming clear that workers’ needs and immigrants’ needs are the same. We will explore these connections and how we can work together to build a movement that improves life for us all.Brian Cruz is longtime immigrant rights and labor activist. He has been involved planning May Day marches and protests against ICE raids, and has organized against national SEIU’s support of guest worker programs and interference in local union politics.Read more about this meeting:http://graypantherssf.igc.org/08-05-20-gen_meeting.htm

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Stop torture! End the torture flights!March, picket, and press conference at Jeppesen headquartersJeppesen is a San Jose company that profits from illegal kidnappings and torture. The company handles the logistics for the CIA's so-called "extraordinary rendition" flights -- torture flights.11:40 a.m. - March from San Jose Caltrain station to Jeppesen headquarters12:00 noon - Informational picket and press conference outside Jeppesen HQ225 W. Santa Clara St. #1600, San JoseThis month's Iraq Moratorium action honors the upcoming International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture on June 26, which is the anniversary of the effective date of the UN's Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The UN Convention Against Torture clearly states that no country may "extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture." The convention entered into effect on June 26, 1987 and was signed by the U.S. in 1988. This means that the CIA’s practice of "extraordinary rendition" -- outsourcing the interrogation of suspected terrorists to countries known to practice torture -- violates U.S. as well as international law.San Jose-based Jeppesen, a Boeing subsidiary, has been accused of providing logistics for those "extraordinary rendition" flights. The U.S. Justice Department intervened in a lawsuit against Jeppesen, claiming that state secrets would be revealed if the lawsuit were allowed to go ahead. But in July 2006, Jeppesen Managing Director Bob Overby told employees, "We do the torture flights."Suppose a local company had been accused of sex trafficking or drug running? Wouldn’t there be a general outcry and condemnation? Should law-breakers be able to do business freely in our city? Why is Jeppesen still a respected member of the San Jose business community?For more than a year, San Jose Peace and Justice Center and other activists in San Jose and on the Peninsula have been organizing protests against Jeppesen, demanding that it cut ties to the CIA and torture flights. Jeppesen has so far refused to respond. Tell Jeppesen: "We don't want torturers in our community! Stop working for the CIA!"Take the Anti-Torture Train - Board Caltrain #138; get on at the first car. Partial train schedule: 10:31 a.m. - Millbrae || 10:38 a.m. - San Mateo || 10:55 a.m. - Redwood City || 11:03 a.m. - Palo Alto || 11:15 a.m. - Mountain View || 11:20 a.m. - Sunnyvale || 11:29 a.m. - Santa Clara || 11:38 a.m. - San José Diridon. Non-marchers can take the VTA Downtown Area Shuttle #201 from the Caltrain station to Jeppesen.For more information, contact San José Peace and Justice Center // www.SanJosePeace.org // 408-297-2299 // ccasey@pacbell.netPart of the Iraq Moratorium campaign. Local Iraq Moratorium events are organized by these Peninsula and South Bay groups: American Muslim Voice, Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, Declaration of Peace - San Mateo County, Global Peace Partners, Gold Star Families Speak Out, Green Party - Santa Clara County, Jewish Voice for Peace - South Bay Chapter, Los Altos Voices for Peace, Mountain View Voices for Peace, MoveOn District 14 Council, Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice, Pacifica Peace People, Peace Action of San Mateo County, Peace Umbrella - Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Raging Grannies Action League, The Rebuilding Alliance, San Jose Peace and Justice Center, San Mateo County Democracy for America, South Bay Mobilization, Veterans for Peace, Womens International League for Peace and Freedom - Peninsula Branch

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Stop torture! End the torture flights!Jeppesen is a San Jose company that profits from illegal kidnappings and torture. The company handles the logistics for the CIA's so-called "extraordinary rendition" flights -- torture flights.This action honors the International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture. June 26 is the anniversary of the effective date of the UN's Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The UN Convention Against Torture clearly states that no country may "extradite a person to another State where there are substantial grounds for believing that he would be in danger of being subjected to torture." The convention entered into effect on June 26, 1987 and was signed by the U.S. in 1988. This means that the CIA’s practice of "extraordinary rendition" -- outsourcing the interrogation of suspected terrorists to countries known to practice torture -- violates U.S. as well as international law.San Jose-based Jeppesen, a Boeing subsidiary, has been accused of providing logistics for those "extraordinary rendition" flights. The U.S. Justice Department intervened in a lawsuit against Jeppesen, claiming that state secrets would be revealed if the lawsuit were allowed to go ahead. But in July 2006, Jeppesen Managing Director Bob Overby told employees, "We do the torture flights."Suppose a local company had been accused of sex trafficking or drug running? Wouldn’t there be a general outcry and condemnation? Should law-breakers be able to do business freely in our city? Why is Jeppesen still a respected member of the San Jose business community?For more than a year, San Jose Peace and Justice Center and other activists in San Jose and on the Peninsula have been organizing protests against Jeppesen, demanding that it cut ties to the CIA and torture flights. Jeppesen has so far refused to respond. Tell Jeppesen: "We don't want torturers in our community! Stop working for the CIA!"For more information, contact San José Peace and Justice Center // www.SanJosePeace.org // 408-297-2299 // ccasey@pacbell.netEndorsed by these Peninsula and South Bay groups affiliated with the Iraq Moratorium project: American Muslim Voice, Council of Churches of Santa Clara County, Declaration of Peace - San Mateo County, Global Peace Partners, Gold Star Families Speak Out, Green Party - Santa Clara County, Jewish Voice for Peace - South Bay Chapter, Los Altos Voices for Peace, Mountain View Voices for Peace, MoveOn District 14 Council, Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice, Pacifica Peace People, Peace Action of San Mateo County, Peace Umbrella - Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Raging Grannies Action League, The Rebuilding Alliance, San Jose Peace and Justice Center, San Mateo County Democracy for America, South Bay Mobilization, Veterans for Peace, Womens International League for Peace and Freedom - Peninsula Branch

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A recent Financial Times headline reads, "Western countries have upgraded the food (and fuel) crisis into a national security concern as they fear that record high energy and agricultural commodity costs are destabilizing key developing regions of the world." Considering the underlying causes, including industry-influenced biofuel decisions, an exploding developing-world middle class and a destructive spasm of speculative commodities trading, a solution will not come easily.Coming to help us understand the scope of this global dilemma - and point out possible solutions - is an eminently well-qualified speaker, Dr. Raj Patel.Patel writes, "With estimates of the world's hungry topping one billion in the wake of the current food crisis, increasing levels of obesity and type-2 diabetes, a projected population of 9 billion by 2050, climate change making harvests more erratic, and a limited amount of arable land on which to farm, the future of food seems bleak...but it doesn't have to be. There are ways both to tackle the problem of hunger and the problems of diet-related disease in a way that promotes social justice, environmental sustainability, and human development."We will have for sale Patel's book "Stuffed and Starved," which tells the current story of the global food system.As part of his academic training, Patel worked at the World Bank, World Trade Organization and the United Nations. He has since become an outspoken and noted critic of all of these organizations, and has been tear-gassed on four continents protesting against his former employers. He was one of many organizers in the 1999 protests in Seattle, WA, and has organized in support of the organization Food Sovereignty.Patel is currently a Fellow at Food First. Earlier this year he went to Capitol Hill to testify on the global food crisis before the House Financial Services Committee. He is regularly interviewed on the BBC, NBC, Al Jazeera and NPR. $5-$10 sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds.

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This exhibition features video interviews with Marylanders who participated in the protests, supported the war, or fought in it.

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This exhibition features video interviews with Marylanders who participated in the protests, supported the war, or fought in it.

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