PhilaNet.com

Christmas at the Mansion
Glen Foerd on the Delaware
5001 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114
215 632 5330

Sunday, December 15th @ 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Non-members $5.00, members & students under 18 $4.00, Children under 3 free
Outdoor tree lighting ceremony at 5:00pm free

Experience the magic of the holidays at Glen Foerd. While touring the mansion, enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. This year’s decorating theme is “A Celtic Christmas” in honor of the Scottish heritage of the estate’s founder, Charles Macalester. There will be Nutcracker Ballerinas, music and entertainment for the young and young at heart. Children under 4 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Advance tickets can be purchased online.

Mon Nov 11

6:00pm Act-UP Weekly Meeting – St Luke’s Church Basement – 330 S. 13th St Between Pine and Spruce

Tue Nov 12

7:30pm Books Through Bars Packing Cafe – The A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave

Fri Nov 15

4:30pm Third Friday Protest In Solidarity With The Palestinian People – 19th and JFK Blvd

Sun Nov 17

2:00pm PHARE/Wells Fargo working group – 1706 Race St.

5:00pm Long Term Organizing MDU working group – Ethical Humanist Society, Rittenhouse Square

Tuesday November 12, 6:00pm, Philly Net Tuesday, 1501 Cherry St.
On November 12, Philly Net Tuesday will feature our signature “Crowdsourcing Change” format. (NOTE the change of date — since our usual “first Tuesday of the month” is Election Day.) Here’s how it works: Three local nonprofits share how they’re using online marketing and social media/networking to achieve their goals and objectives. Then the crowd (that’s you!) participates in a facilitated discussion about how each organization might use the social web to even greater effect.
We’re pleased to announce two local organizations eager to receive the wisdom of the crowd will be:
The Agatston Urban Nutrition Initiative (http://www.urbannutrition.org).
The West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools (http://westphillyschools.org).
And there’s room for one more! If your organization would like to apply to participate in this fun and (hopefully) useful process, please fill in the form at http://tinyurl.com/phlnet2-crowd).
More info about the participating organizations will be coming out shortly.
The event will be held at the Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street. Doors open at 6:00 PM on the evening of Tuesday, November 12. Light fare will be available, and RSVP’s are appreciated for planning, but not required.
Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee for sponsorship

Wednesday, November 13, 4:30pm, PHILLY SOLIDARITY PROTEST: Drop the Charges Against Rasmea Odeh!, 5th and Market Sts.
A protest at the Federal Building in Philadelphia in solidarity with long-time Chicago resident and community organizer Rasmea Odeh.
Rasmea was arrested Tuesday, October 22nd, at her home in Chicago by agents of the Department of Homeland Security, FBI and ICE. She is charged with immigration fraud. Allegedly, in her application for citizenship, she didn’t mention that she was arrested in Palestine 45 years ago and tried in an Israeli military court that does not recognize the rights of Palestinians to due process. She is now facing being stripped of U.S. citizenship, a prison term of ten years and probably, after prison, deportation.
Rasmea is the associate director of the Arab American Action Network (AAAN), one of the oldest institutions in the Arab community in Chicago. She leads a women’s committee with 600 Arab and Muslim women and she is also a leader in the immigrant rights movement in Chicago.
Come out in solidarity with Rasmea, and against the political attacks on the Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities across occupied Turtle Island and in occupied Palestine by the United States and Israel.
Drop the charges on Rasmea Odeh now!
Endorsed by Philly BDS and the International Action Center.

Thursday, November 14, 4:30pm,
Lois Weiner, The Future of Our Schools: Teachers Unions and Social Justice, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut St. Annenberg Rm. 111
Lois Weiner is a professor of education at New Jersey City University. She brings to her wide-ranging scholarship first-hand experience, as a classroom teacher and union officer.
In her presentation at University of Pennsylvania, she will analyze how changes being made to public education in Philadelphia, including school closings, budget shortfalls, and use of standardized testing to judge student and teacher performance, relate to the global project that is reshaping education throughout the world. Her presentation will take up ideas she explores in her most recent book, “The Future of Our Schools: Teachers Unions and Social Justice,” (Haymarket Press, 2012).
Teacher Action Group Philadelphia hopes to see you at this essential author event. Sponsored by Penn GSE / Teacher Education
P.S. Also, mark your calendars for a special evening with City Paper education writer Daniel Denvir on Tuesday, Nov 19th at the Media Mobilizing Project!

Thursday, November 14, 6:00pm, May Day 2014 Planning Meeting (for the 7th Annual Philadelphia May Day Rally & Family Celebration), PhilaPOSH Office 5th Floor of AFSCME DC 33 Bldg.
30th & Walnut Streets, Philadelphia.
We’ll discuss next year’s event – May Day 2014 – ALL ARE WELCOME.
Agenda:
Building May Day USA Planning Committee/Outreach
Fund Raiser
May Day Rally & Family Celebration @ Elmwood Park
Determine Time for Saturday May 3rd
Rally/March
Keynote/Main Speaker
Music/Entertainment
“Spiral Q”
Kids “Stuff”
Other stuff
Please RSVP your attendance to:
Jim Moran <Jimmoran2008@verizon.net>

Friday, November 15, 4:30pm,
Third Friday Protest In Solidarity With The Palestinian People, 19th and JFK Blvd.
The next monthly 3rd Friday protest in solidarity with the people of Palestine will be held on Friday, November 15 from 4:30-6pm outside the offices of the Israeli Consulate at 19th and JFK Blvd. Bring signs, noise makers and your energy to demand an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Sunday, November 17, 3:30pm, Peace Center of Delaware County, 1001 Old Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064. Free!
Beacon Theatre Productions Presents… ‘MR. PRESIDENT, I’M FREDERICK DOUGLASS’: Ex-Slave Challenges Lincoln”at Peace Center of Delaware County, 1001 Old Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064.
A one-act, 35-min. play based on writings of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. Followed by open discussion on racism in America today. Doors open at 2:30p.m. for refreshments and fellowship. More and directions at www.delcopeacecenter.org

Monday, November 18, 4 p.m. – District Office of Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D, CD #13), 801 Old York Road, Jenkintown, PA 19046. Sponsored by BuxMont Coalition for Peace Action.
Friday, November 22, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. – District Office of Rep. Patrick Meehan (R, CD #7), 940 West Sproul Road, Springfield, PA 19064. Demonstration at well-traveled intersection will include large Reaper drone replica. Co-sponsors: Brandywine Peace Community, Central Baptist Church Peacemakers, Peace Center of Delaware County.
Representatives Patrick Meehan (R, CD #7) and Allyson Schwartz (D, CD #13), who is soon to leave her seat in Congress to run on the Democratic ticket for the PA Governor’s post of Thomas Corbett (and head of the PA Guard/Air National Guard) were both effusive in their support of the drone war command center in Horsham, as well as PA Senators Casey (D,PA) and Toomey (R, PA). Meehan is the chair of the House subcommittee on Cyber-security of the Homeland Security Committee, who spoke at the press conference announcement last March said regarding the establishment of the drone command center, “The new battlefields of the 21st century of the 21st century are being fought increasingly through the use of drone…Our region will soon be at the forefront of this effort.”
Drone War Command Center in Horsham, Montgomery County: Your Senators and Congresspeople supported it, promoted it, voted your Taxe$ for it. Now, we need to protest it! De-Fund the Drone War Command Center.
Protest Demonstrations & Visits, with signs, banners…at the district offices of Representatives Allyson Schwartz and Patrick Meehan, a part of demonstrations against drone war and surveillance around the country at congressional offices.

Wednesday, November 20, 7:30pm, Activists to discuss U.S. spy revelations Socialist leader to speak in Philadelphia, 1315 Spruce St., Philadelphia
On Nov. 20, two long-time political leaders and scholars will share the platform to discuss “U.S. Government Repression and Spying: What the Snowden Revelations Tell Us.” The speakers will be Socialist Action National Secretary Jeff Mackler and Temple University African American Studies lecturer Anthony Monteiro.
The event will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., at the William Way LGBT Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., in Philadelphia.
Jeff Mackler, based in San Francisco, is currently on a speaking tour of East Coast cities. Mackler is a national coordinator of the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) and a key figure in organizing nationwide support for the defense cases of Mumia Abu-Jamal and Lynne Stewart. He is a former schoolteacher and a vocal activist for quality public education for all. He is the author of numerous articles, books, and pamphlets on topics as varied as the Arab Spring, the threat of climate change, and Marxist economics.
Prof. Anthony Monteiro, a distinguished lecturer at Temple, has been a leading activist in the African American movement since the 1970s. Dr. Monteiro’s recent scholarship has centered on the work of social commentator and historian WEB DuBois; his forthcoming book on DuBois is scheduled to be published soon by Africa World Press.
This event is sponsored by Philadelphia Socialist Action. For more information please contact philly.socialistaction@gmail.com.

Events listed here include Occupy Philly related events as well as other social justice events. For more updates be sure to check the Occupy Philadelphia Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OccupyPhiladelphia. Your support is greatly appreciated!

PHILADELPHIA, PA — When I first volunteered for the “Matties Grand ‘Ol Hoo Hoo Hootenany” benefit, I had no idea as to the purpose. It was the line-up of top Southeastern Pennsylvania bands that caught my attention: The Whiskeyhickon Boys, Native Maze, Philadelphia Funk Hustle (PFH), Montoj, Catullus and The Happy Dog featuring Bernie Worrel.

So, I set off on assignment for Headspace magazine to the World Cafe Live in University City, Philadelphia. There I was greeted by not only the best local musicians, but also many of the major concert promoters from Montgomery County, including Who Hill, Opple Topple and Stir Fry.

Part of the assignment was to interview the bands about the benefit for Mattie Cassady. “What is this benefit about?” Much to my surprise, there was a reluctance from many of the artists to talk “on the record”… until I explained my dilemma to Jesse Wagner of The Happy Dog. “I’ll talk to you,” said Jesse. “We’re living 20 years in the past. It’s time we moved up to at least only 5 years.”

Thinking to myself, “Isn’t that the truth,” I headed back in to listen to the music. It was like having the best festival bands of 2013 at your own private concert — mind blowing. Then, I started to notice that quite a few of the song selections were the bands way of getting the message across. Many of the song titles and lyrics had been chosen to help the musicians communicate Mattie’s plight.  What a way to  give proof to the proverb “When words fail, music speaks.”

That is when it hit me. If it’s difficult to talk about a taboo subject, find a way to express yourself. Then, it hit me again. How ironic to have a Halloween Hootenany for the benefit. What other time of the year are you allowed to dress-up and be whatever you want to be?

Pictures

PHILADELPHIA, PA — On a monthly basis, the Panic Hour and Philly Norml hold a protest at the Liberty Bell in Old City Philadelphia. Each time there is a varying degree of police presence with agencies, such as, the US Park Service, Fish and Wildlife, the Philadelphia Police Department, SEPTA Police, Homeland Security and ICE.

At the most recent protest, a disturbing development was observed — US Park Service Rangers wearing video and audio recording devices to surreptitiously monitor protesters.

Illegal Recording Device

Holiday Harp Concert
Glen Foerd on the Delaware
Featuring Ellen Tepper

Friday, November 29 at 7:00 PM

Glen Foerd is kicking off the holiday season with a concert by talented harpist, Ellen Tepper. Ms. Tepper is an authority on the early harp and will be performing selections from her newest recording Winter Cycles. The concert will be held in the Art Gallery, so seats are limited and reservations are required. Please note that the Art Gallery is located on the second floor, where there is no disability access.

Reservations must be made by Wednesday, November 27.
$8 Members, $10 non-members
For more information you can call the business office at Glen Foerd 215 632 5330

Glen Foerd on the Delaware
5001 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The FBI issued a statement saying Christopher Stehm, 51, of Mason, Ohio, was charged with defrauding his employer, Berwyn-based Ametek Inc., of at least $659,731, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the information, Stehm was the chief accounting officer at two different offices of the company when he submitted phony claims for expense reimbursements, many of which he supported with doctored receipts. Stehm is charged with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of filing false tax returns.

Stehm was the controller for Ametek’s Chandler division in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, from about January 2006 through March 2010. In April 2010, Ametek promoted Stehm to be the vice president of finance at its HCC division in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Stehm held that position until November 2012. In both positions, Stehm was his office’s chief accounting officer. According to the information, throughout his employment at Ametek, Stehm used a variety of methods to obtain “reimbursements” for expenses that he either never incurred or that were wholly personal in nature. These methods allegedly included cutting off the tops of receipts or “whiting out” portions of receipts that Stehm submitted with his expense reimbursement claims to make them appear to be business-related. Stehm also allegedly used copies of the same receipts to support multiple expense reimbursement claims.

Ametek is a publicly traded company (symbol AME on the New York Stock Exchange) that manufactures electronic instruments and electromechanical devices for sale in numerous countries. The company is headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, but it has offices in numerous locations in the U.S. and overseas.

The information alleges that among the numerous personal expenses Stehm submitted for reimbursement from Ametek were repairs to his personal cars, private meals, and the purchase of a family dog. Stehm also allegedly hid his illegal income from the Internal Revenue Service and claimed baseless deductions when he filed his tax forms for 2010 and 2011, thereby under-reporting his annual income by more than $100,000 in each of those tax years.

If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 46 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $1 million fine, and a $400 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.

An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

WEST CHESTER, PA — Students enrolled in the Department of Geology and Astronomy are now actually able to visualize what takes place below the Earth’s surface during events such as an earthquake or volcano, and what may have occurred billions of years ago in space.

This past summer, the University replaced its 44-year-old system of gears and mirrors with a 32-foot nanoseam dome and powerful digital planetarium projector, designed specifically for “full dome” education. Built by Spitz, the world leader in projection domes, and powered by “Starry Night” and “The Layered Earth,” the SciDome XD Touch system provides real time simulation for space and earth science teaching. Students can explore the layers of Earth in 3D detail, or immerse themselves in an interactive visual universe.

“In place of sky views seen only from the Earth, the new system allows students to look beyond the solar system and study star formations or clusters of galaxies and galactic mergers beyond our own Milky Way from any prospective,” says Karen Vandlandingham, associate professor and director of the planetarium.

“Students have the capability of standing on Mars, for example, and of having a view as if they’re next to the rover that was left there.”

“Geology students are taking advantage of this equipment as well,” says Vanlandingham. “The ‘Layered Earth’ program can project huge areas of the Earth onto the dome. Any data base of earthquakes, for example, can be projected – even the center of a quake. Students can also observe what’s happening under the Earth’s surface as a volcano develops.”

Located in the Schmucker Science Center link, the new facility is named after alumna and retired faculty member Dr. Sandra F. Pritchard Mather. In addition to enhancing the educational experience of WCU students, the new planetarium is expected to continue being an exceptional resource for the surrounding community. Each year, thousands of children, local community groups and individuals attend its weekly private presentations and hour-long monthly evening shows – all which begin again on October 18.

Map of Love Park, Philadelphia, PA

Love Park is the name locals have given to John F. Kennedy Plaza in center city Philadelphia. The famous Love sculpture was made by Robert Indiana. It “was first placed in the plaza in 1976 as part of the United States’ Bicentennial celebration. It was removed in 1978, but the sculpture was missed and the chairman of Philadelphia Art Commission, F. Eugene Dixon, Jr., bought the sculpture and permanently placed it in the plaza, in 1978.”

The park is open to the public and free to visit.

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   Love Park Philadelphia PA 2)

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   Love Park Concert Philadelphia PA

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   Trayvon Martin Candle Light March Love Park Philly 2

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   Philadelphia Prohibition Protest Love Park 2)

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   Backdoor Love Daniel Writes Music In Love Park

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   Philadelphia Prohibition Protest Love Park 1)

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   WorstDudesCom Skateboarders at Love Park Philadelphia

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   Greg Sover Ceaser Live Soul Love Park 1

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   Oh Lord Look At As Now Daniel Brouse Love Park

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    Dip Your Toe Into Backwards Love Daniel Brouse Love Park

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    Goodbye From Daniel In Love Park

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    Daniel In Love Park Philly Under Willy Penn

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    Daniel Brouse the Christmas Song Childish in Love Park

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    Greg Sover Ceaser Live Soul Love Park 5

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    Greg Sover Ceaser Live Soul Love Park 4

Although Philadelphia is located less than 100 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, its climate is predominantly influenced by air masses and prevailing winds from an inland direction. The weather is highly variable, characterized by a succession of alternate high and low pressure systems moving, in general, from west to east with average velocities of 30 to 35 miles per hour (mph) in winter and 20 to 25 mph in summer.

The normal paths of practically all low pressure systems affecting weather in the United States are toward the northeast corner of the nation. About 40 percent of the low centers pass very close to Philadelphia and most of the others approach closely enough to exert some influence on Philadelphia weather, resulting in a regular change in weather patterns without any consistent periods of stagnation. The movement of high pressure centers is slowest in summer and early fall and, because the lower edge of the prevailing westerlies aloft is farthest north at the same time, high pressure centers sometimes become stationary for periods of several days near the Philadelphia area. The result is increasing atmospheric stability at such times. This condition is frequently broken up diurnally in the summer because of the length and intensity of the sun’s heating during the day, but strongly stable conditions may persist for a number of successive days in almost any month. Persistent stability, lasting ten days or more, occurs infrequently: on the average, perhaps once in ten years, but it may possibly happen in successive years or more than once in the same year.

Stagnating high pressure systems which result in winds of less than seven mph for a period of seven or more days occurs seldomly. Stagnation lasting four or more days occurred much more frequently and reached a maximum in fall.

During the spring, fall and winter, the weather is dominated by cold air masses of the continental Arctic or continental polar types. These air masses are extremely stable at their source, but are subjected to heating from below as they move across the land, thus generally becoming unstable in the lower few thousand feet by the time they reach Philadelphia. In the summer, the maritime tropical air mass plays as great a part in the weather as the continental air masses. Nocturnal cooling from below produces a high frequency of temperature inversions during the summer, but these are most often broken up or weakened by heating during the day, with ensuing turbulence and mixing at the atmosphere.

Philadelphia is located on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, some 50 miles or more from the nearest mountains (Appalachian) and large bodies of water (Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay). The land and sea breeze effect is practically never felt at Philadelphia and the mountain-valley circulation is non-existent.

Within the City itself there are very few marked extremes in topography. Elevations range from sea level at the southern and southwestern extremities of the City to 400 to 450 feet above sea level in the northwestern section (Chestnut Hill), about ten miles away. The Wissahickon Creek and the Schuylkill River flow through the north western part of the City, however, and along these two streams there are some rather sharp rises in elevation, as much as 100 to 200 feet in a horizontal distance of 500 feet. Such extremes are quite limited and would not influence the meteorological patterns which affect the City as a whole. They could, of course, contribute to 2013 – 2014 AMNP increased air pollution problems in a small local area within the City under certain circumstances.

In general, the topography of the City and the immediate surrounding area is such that it would make no significant contribution to increased air stagnation and stability over and above that produced by the meteorological pattern.