Festival de teatro de resistencia en la calle
Theater Festival of Resistance in the Streets
At the Placita one block from the entrance to the Fruitvale BART Station.
En la placita a una cuadra de la entrada de la Estación Frtuivale de BART
Live with/En vivo con: HeadRush theater group/grupo de teatro, poetas, decimistas, spoken word, music & community art project
Sábado/Sat. May 10, 2:00-4:00 p.m.: ¡Paz para la gente! – Peace for the people!
Sábado/Sat. May 17, 12:00-2:00 p.m.: Sacred Mother Earth – Madre tierra sagrada
Organized by headRush!
With Libros Arte y Cultura bookstore and La Carpa del FEO
For more info, visit www.headrushcrew.com

...is this weekend. Buy your tix now to see the Sac City Rollers square off against the Bay Area Derby Girls for the first ever Saturday and Sunday in Davis. The stakes: The title of California champion. 
Participating leagues include the Sac City Rollers, Bay Area Derby Girls, Sacred City Derby Girls , Angel City Derby Girls, Bakersfield Rollergirls, Central Coast Roller Derby, Orange County Derby Girls and the Port City Roller Girls. Leagues were chosen based on their Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA.org) status and include sanctioned and non-sanctioned leagues. What's not to love about gals who call themselves names like "Taxi Scab"? This is an all ages event and tickets are available for $15 (full day) and $25 (weekend).
The tournament schedule: Saturday — Opening ceremony begins 12:45 p.m.
Round Robin Play: 1 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Sunday — Semi Finals: 9 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.
The championship: 3 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Awards Ceremony to follow. Visit www.thebigoneca.com for a complete schedule and all the details.

On a lighter note, here's the story about the "People Party"  at the Oasis club in Oakland in today's Trib. It was a hoot. Someone e-mailed me asking what the clubs address is. The answer: 135 12th St.
Have fun if you go. The next one is April 26 — every fourth Saturday.

I don't get to write politics much on this beat but the past Friday I got some material from comedian Paul Rodriguez that gives me just the excuse.
At the fundraiser for the Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation, Rodriguez said he has met the gov (Schwarzenegger) and talked with him a few times – through an interpreter.  Talk about English as a second language...
About the presidential race: Iraqis will surrender if Obama is elected, according to Rodriguez. They'll say "We want to stop now. A brother's in office."
The White House has been two white for too long, he continued. "I'd like to see some color in there. That means we're just a shade away." 
Hoots and hollers rang out when Rodriguez mentioned the news last week that Republican candidate John McCain was born in Panama. "We just found out McCain is illegal." Close call. He was born on a military base in Panama,  technically U.S. soil. Sorry Aahnie.
I bet you can't guess the direction of my political winds... 
Speaking of comedy, I missed the comedy show last night at Simone's Jazz and Soul Cabaret on Second Street. But tonight is "Pizza and Love Comedy Showcase" at Spud's Pizza and Brew over on Telegraph in Berkeley. I could use more of both in these very unfunny times.  Admission is $7. 
OTOH, Sunday is the benefit for Babatunde Lea's Educultural Foundation at Yoshi's in Oakland. No comedy that I know of but there should be some fine music to be heard. Who is Babtunde Lea? His MySpace page probably says it best.
Okay, here is the last of the jokes I am swiping for you from Rodriguez:
"Tequila — another thing Mexican Americans have gifted to us. It's Viagra for the unattractive. You drink enough and everything looks good."
Cheers and happy weekend.

A Spanish conversation group meets 7:30 p.m. every other Wednesday (next one Feb. 6) at Diesel Books on College Ave.  You'll be in good form for Cinco de Mayo.

The "Focus the Nation" teach-in inspired effort will kick off 7 p.m. Wednesday night, Jan. 30, at the Nomad Cafe with "2% Solution," a Webcast produced by the National Wildlife Federation and aired by the Earth Day Network.
Panelists will include actor Edward Norton, Stanford climate scientist Steve Schneider, Hunter Lovins, CEO, Natural Capitalism and environmental justice leader, Van Jones, executive director, Ella Baker Center in Oakland, Calif.
The Green Café Network and Nomad will host a free screening of "2% Solution," followed by Q&A and discussion.  They will also screen a 20-minute film, “The Story of Stuff,” produced by Free Range Studios with host Annie Leonard. 
After screening the "2% Solution," participants will be encouraged to vote on what they think are the top five solutions from a list of 10 that are available at www.focusthenation.org. Vote results will be presented nationally in mid February. All students who vote on the Choose Your Future ballot will be eligible to win a $10,000 leadership scholarship for a project to be completed by end of August 2008.  The Nomad is located at 6500 Shattuck Ave.  The tel# is (510) 595-5344.