April 2010 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME SIX - #1

IN THIS ISSUE:

THE NEW CD IS READY!  ORDER ENCHANTED WAY!

COME TO IRELAND WITH ME!  DEADLINES EXTENDED!!
EVAN GREER AND ANNE FEENEY "GENERATIONS OF RESISTANCE" TOUR
THE OSCARS DINNER
THE PRODIGAL iPHONE - AND A WORD TO THE WISE iPHONE USER... 
THE HEALTH CARE BILL PASSED - NOW WHAT? 
FAMILY NEWS/BIRTHDAYS


IMMEDIATE DESTINATIONS:

(show details at the bottom of this post, and continuously updating at http://annefeeney.com/calendar.html)

Tallahassee, FL   - April 1
Pittsburgh, PA     - April 8
Athens, OH         - April 9
Cincinnati, OH    - April 10
Lexington, KY   -  April 11
Champaign, IL   -   April 13
Bloomington, IL  - April 14
Pekin, IL              - April 15
Decorah, IA         - April 16
Mt. Vernon, IA   -  April 17
Lawrence,  KS    - April 18
Kansas City, KS  - April 18
Columbia, MO     - April 19
Indianapolis, IN   - April 20
Lafayette, IN       -  April 21
Chicago, IL         - April 22
Dearborn, MI      - April 23-25
Kalamazoo, MI - April 25
Kent, OH            - April 27
Ambridge, PA    - April 28
Binghamton, NY - April 29
Schenectady, NY - April 30
Philadelphia, PA  - May 1

Kerrville Folk Festival Threadgill Theater!! June 8th

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THE NEW CD IS READY!  ORDER ENCHANTED WAY!

My new double CD of Irish music is available now on CDBaby.  Click on the box, or call 1-800-BUY-MY-CD to get your copy of this terrific double-album (24 songs!) today.  You can also digitally download the recording at CDBaby...

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COME TO IRELAND WITH ME!  DEADLINES EXTENDED!!

I still have 9 empty seats for the "Best of the West" tour which runs from August 10-19, and 14 empty seats on the August 22-31 tour of "Dublin, Belfast and Derry."   I'm particularly excited about the Dublin, Belfast, Derry tour ... even if you've been to Ireland 30 times you will see many many things you've never seen before.

Everyone I know in the industry says these tours are an extraordinary value, and I'm sure they're right.  But they're also exciting, memorable, unusual and lots of fun.  You couldn't see Ireland any better way unless you had a charming and talented family member in Ireland taking you around.


Seeing Ireland with me and Tom Piggot is a fantastic opportunity.  He has been immersed in the traditional and contemporary Irish music scene for decades, and is an outstanding singer in his own right.  Paddy Downes, the driver of our 'luxury coach' is charming, most helpful, and a talented step dancer and bodhran player.  You'll meet lots of interesting and unforgettable Irish people - musicians, artists, artisans, activists.

These tours are so much more fun with a full complement of fellow travelers!  While I love taking people to Ireland (and they love coming with me!), I guess I'm just not as good as I should be at the essential task of filling the seats. Both of these tours will certainly happen.  I have never cancelled a tour.  Tom and I recognize that you have arranged your vacations and put your trust in us and we would never let you down.

Reply to this promptly and I'll send you the details. Here's what Enchanted Way tours has to say about seeing Ireland:

Enchanted Way Tours is for people who hate tours! No big buses, name tags, hurried stops, or large groups being herded around like cattle! We help you find the best music sessions, the least touristy pubs, the most beautiful back roads, and the longest lasting memories.

After watching seemingly endless groups of tourists jumping on an off big, exhaust-belching buses and being whisked around to pre-arranged "shows" of Irish music before being shuffled off to their hotels just when the real fun was starting, we thought, there has to be a better way!

How can you see a lot of Ireland, but see it at Ireland's pace? How can you have the convenience of group travel, without the herd-like drawbacks? And what about people who usually travel on their own, but who really want to get to know the place through traditional culture - the music, the language, the stories? The answers to these questions were the seeds of Enchanted Way Tours founded in 1973 by Tom Pigott, an Irish musician based in Limerick. Tom will be along, adding his 35 years of experience - making this tour unforgettable!

The dollar is really strong against the Euro this year, and Ireland will be a bargain. In the past two years I have had hundreds of people write and say, "someday I'd really like to do the Irish tour."   I hope a couple dozen of you decide to try it this year.   

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 EVAN GREER AND ANNE FEENEY "GENERATIONS OF RESISTANCE" TOUR

My wonderfully talented young colleague/companero/co-conspirator Evan Greer (he's 24) came up with the name for this ambitious ten state tour, and has also done most of the booking for it.  Most of our concerts will be on college campuses -  I'm pretty sure the overwhelming majority of them are free and open to the public.  The only hitch is that the final details for most of these shows aren't available as we go to press.  So, please, call me 412-877-6480 for details on shows in your hometown.

Evan is touring in support of his terrific new CD, "Never Surrender."  You can listen to and buy the CD at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/evangreer (Evan and his partner are expecting a baby, so buy a CD!! You'll love it!)

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THE OSCARS DINNER MENU


Several of you wrote to find out about this years Oscars Dinner menu:

I covered an old microwave cart with aluminum foil and decked it out with a full array of miniatures, beer, wine, mixers, soft drinks and juices and got Southwest Airlines to give me 25 bags of airline peanuts. That was our "Up in the Air" appetizer

Then we had a round of nachos for "Blind Side" (the husband owned a chain of Taco Bells)

Then fried chicken ("Precious")
Biscuits ("Crazy Heart")
Noodle Kugel ("A Serious Man")
Seafood Souffle ("Up")
Blueberry Sorbet ("Avatar")
Apple Crumble ("An Education" i.e. 'an apple for the teacher')
Apple Strudel ("Inglourious Basterds")
Bananas Foster ("The Hurt Locker" - i.e. they 'explode')

We also had a couple cans of cat food available for District 9 fans, but I don't think anyone ate any of it.

We also had four salads so people who were trying to watch their weight could do that.

And my fabulous friend Jeanne Clark presented me with an Oscar for "Best Party Thrower - 2010"

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THE PRODIGAL iPHONE - AND A WORD TO THE WISE iPHONE USER... 

I left my 9 month old iPhone in a restaurant in St. Petersburg in the middle of my Florida tour...  When it didn't turn up there or anywhere else for 3 days I decided to bite the bullet and pony up the $299 to replace the phone.  Imagine my surprise when I found out it would cost $750 (including tax) to get another iPhone.  Yes, folks... if you lose your iPhone mid-contract you are not eligible for the "discount" price of $299.  It costs $699 + tax!!!!


I left the AT&T store despondent and phoneless.  About 100 miles down the road I decided to drown my sorrows in a bucket of steamed oysters at Captain Curt's. An iPhone user there told me I could get an iPhone much cheaper at Best Buy.  Not so. I raced to Best Buy only to discover the same deal.  The only difference was that Best Buy had an 18 months same-as-cash deal, which took enough of the sting out of the purchase to let me go ahead and buy a new iPhone.


Two days later I got a call from an AT&T store in St Pete saying that my lost iPhone had been returned to them!!! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!  My old pal Phil Keyes went straight to the store and picked it upand overnighted it to me.  Best Buy took back the new phone minus a 10% restocking fee.

The moral of the story is: don't let that iPhone out of your sight!  And if you're the forgetful type, the $15/month replacement insurance might be a good investment...

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THE HEALTH CARE BILL PASSED - NOW WHAT? 


The defeat of the so-called health care reform bill would have energized conservatives and teabaggers in very dangerous ways  -- but that's about the only reason that I'm really happy that it passed...  I can't imagine what those loonies would do next if they had succeeded with their "Kill the Bill" agenda.

The comparisons of this bill to Medicare or Social Security are totally Newspeak Orwellian.  This statement from Physicians for a National Health Plan sets forth a lot of my problems with the bill that was just passed.


"As much as we would like to join the celebration of the House's passage of the health bill last night, in good conscience we cannot. We take no comfort in seeing aspirin dispensed for the treatment of cancer.
Instead of eliminating the root of the problem - the profit-driven, private health insurance industry - this costly new legislation will enrich and further entrench these firms. The bill would require millions of Americans to buy private insurers' defective products, and turn over to them vast amounts of public money.

The hype surrounding the new health bill is belied by the facts:

• About 23 million people will remain uninsured nine years out. That figure translates into an estimated 23,000 unnecessary deaths annually and an incalculable toll of suffering.
• Millions of middle-income people will be pressured to buy commercial health insurance policies costing up to 9.5 percent of their income but covering an average of only 70 percent of their medical expenses, potentially leaving them vulnerable to financial ruin if they become seriously ill. Many will find such policies too expensive to afford or, if they do buy them, too expensive to use because of the high co-pays and deductibles.
• Insurance firms will be handed at least $447 billion in taxpayer money to subsidize the purchase of their shoddy products. This money will enhance their financial and political power, and with it their ability to block future reform.
• The bill will drain about $40 billion from Medicare payments to safety-net hospitals, threatening the care of the tens of millions who will remain uninsured.
• People with employer-based coverage will be locked into their plan's limited network of providers, face ever-rising costs and erosion of their health benefits. Many, even most, will eventually face steep taxes on their benefits as the cost of insurance grows.
• Health care costs will continue to skyrocket, as the experience with the Massachusetts plan (after which this bill is patterned) amply demonstrates.
• The much-vaunted insurance regulations - e.g. ending denials on the basis of pre-existing conditions - are riddled with loopholes, thanks to the central role that insurers played in crafting the legislation. Older people can be charged up to three times more than their younger counterparts, and large companies with a predominantly female workforce can be charged higher gender-based rates at least until 2017.
• Women's reproductive rights will be further eroded, thanks to the burdensome segregation of insurance funds for abortion and for all other medical services.

It didn't have to be like this. Whatever salutary measures are contained in this bill, e.g. additional funding for community health centers, could have been enacted on a stand-alone basis.

Similarly, the expansion of Medicaid - a woefully underfunded program that provides substandard care for the poor - could have been done separately, along with an increase in federal appropriations to upgrade its quality.

But instead the Congress and the Obama administration have saddled Americans with an expensive package of onerous individual mandates, new taxes on workers' health plans, countless sweetheart deals with the insurers and Big Pharma, and a perpetuation of the fragmented, dysfunctional, and unsustainable system that is taking such a heavy toll on our health and economy today.

This bill's passage reflects political considerations, not sound health policy. As physicians, we cannot accept this inversion of priorities. We seek evidence-based remedies that will truly help our patients, not placebos.

A genuine remedy is in plain sight. Sooner rather than later, our nation will have to adopt a single-payer national health insurance program, an improved Medicare for all. Only a single-payer plan can assure truly universal, comprehensive and affordable care to all.

By replacing the private insurers with a streamlined system of public financing, our nation could save $400 billion annually in unnecessary, wasteful administrative costs. That's enough to cover all the uninsured and to upgrade everyone else's coverage without having to increase overall U.S. health spending by one penny.

Moreover, only a single-payer system offers effective tools for cost control like bulk purchasing, negotiated fees, global hospital budgeting and capital planning.

Polls show nearly two-thirds of the public supports such an approach, and a recent survey shows 59 percent of U.S. physicians support government action to establish national health insurance. All that is required to achieve it is the political will.

The major provisions of the present bill do not go into effect until 2014. Although we will be counseled to "wait and see" how this reform plays out, we cannot wait, nor can our patients. The stakes are too high.

We pledge to continue our work for the only equitable, financially responsible and humane remedy for our health care mess: single-payer national health insurance, an expanded and improved Medicare for All."

Here's another well-reasoned look at the new legislation from Rose Ann DeMoro,  Executive Director of National Nurses United and the California Nurses Association -

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rose-ann-demoro/diary-of-a-wimpy-healthca_b_510706.html

And here's a positive look at the bill from USW President Leo Gerard - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-w-gerard/change-to-believe-in-or-f_b_513167.html

The message I got at the Labor Campaign for Single Payer conference a couple weeks ago is this:  Keep working for single payer as if the bill were coming up very soon.  The current health care crisis will be exacerbated in many ways by this so-called reform bill.  Educate yourself, your friends and neighbors so real health care for all cannot be derailed again!

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FAMILY NEWS/BIRTHDAYS

Our good friend Faith Petric "The Fort Knox of Folk Music" has broken her hip.  She's expected to fully recover, but I'm sure she'd love to hear from you. Send her a get well card at:

Faith Petric
885 Clayton
San Francisco,  CA 94117





My husband, Julie Leonardsson is at home in Sweden chained to his easel working on a large oil painting for a big show in Sweden this summer.  Avesta Arts is a prestigious international exhibition which will run from May 15th to September 15th.  For at least part of the exhibition Julie will be on site painting. Here it is - a work in progress - standing on an easel in his kitchen:

This past month my daughter Amy Berlin and her brother Dan spent a week together in Austin and at Amy's house in San Marcos during South by Southwest.  SXSW is a huge musical event in Austin.   Many of Dan's wonderful Peace Corps pals joined him in Austin for a mini-Peace Corps Guatemala reuinion.

The Second Annual "Southern Exposure" Festival in Switzerland, FL was a total blast.  It was so great to see Stetson Kennedy having so much fun with his friends, Arlo Guthrie, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Willy Green, Frank Thomas, Doug Gauss (and me!!) - what a privilege it is to call this remarkable man my friend... Read more about him at http://stetsonkennedy.com  - and here are some nice photos of Stetson and me and the other festival performers http://nonets.blogspot.com/2010/03/second-annual-southern-exposure.html

A super highlight of my Florida tour was to get to spend time with seven of my eight McCahill cousins and their families in St. Augustine... My cousins came from Brooklyn, Annapolis, Columbia MD, San Diego and New Orleans to rehearse 10 songs they had decided on. They hired a choral director and sang together all day and all night for six days. (I think they did take some time for some eating and drinking, too!)

On the last day of their week at the lovely beach house my recording-engineer cousin Ben Mumphrey showed up from New Orleans and took all my cousins to a Jacksonville recording studio where they recorded their second CD of musical favorites.  This CD includes some of my favorites, too - "The Parting Glass,"  "The Water is Wide" -- also some very challenging pieces... "Panis Angelicus," "Ave Maria," "Locus Iste"

Here's a link to their (rehearsal) performance of "Amazing Grace"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2laXxiLA6Q

... My cousin Karen sings with the New York Oratorio, but the rest of my cousins just love to sing, and to sing with each other... It was great to be with them!

BIRTHDAYS

Guy Zahller - April 9th,  David Rovics - April 10th, Laura Daniels - April 12th, Joyce Kornbluh - April 16th,  Joey Only - April 17th,  Rosanna Lane - April 19th, Karen Newman  - April 19th



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THE TOUR

Thursday, April 1st, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney in Concert - April Fools Concert
Imaginary Fool's Juggling and Singin Club
Tallahassee, FL
850-878-4149
Price: $10-20 suggested
No potluck this time, but great music and good company guaranteed!

Thursday, April 8th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney & Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour Kickoff Concert!
Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church
416 W North Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
412.877-6480
Price: $10-20                                           

Friday, April 9th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour!
Ohio University
Athens , OH
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
Details TBA! Workshop and Performance sponsored by Sierra Student Coalition, Social Justice Coalition, and the UCM Center for Spiritual Growth. More info soon!


Saturday, April 10th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
University of Cincinnati
tba
Cincinnati, OH
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf



Sunday, April 11th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
any ideas?
Lexington, KY
contact Janet Tucker jlynjenks(@)qx.net if you have a good idea for a location or for more information....
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
University of Illinois
Champaign/Urbana, IL
847-721-9257
The Feminist Majority is among the groups presenting us...
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
tba
Bloomington/Normal, IL
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Thursday, April 15th, 2010 4:00 PM
"Survivor" Celebration for PAL Strikers!
Laborers Local 231
Pekin, IL
food, fun and music! bring desserts!


Friday, April 16th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
tba
Decorah, IA
563-382-8833
Mary Moody is the contact
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Saturday, April 17th, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Cornell College
tba
Mt Vernon, IA
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Sunday, April 18th, 2010 4:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
UK - Kansas University
tba
Lawrence, KS
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Sunday, April 18th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour in support of KKFI-FM
tba
Kansas City, KS
Price: $10-20
Judy Ancel is the contact - jancel@igc.org
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Monday, April 19th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Butler University
tba
Indianapolis, IN
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 12:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Purdue University
tba
Lafayette, IN
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 4:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
University of Chicago
Chicago, IL
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf

4:00pm Workshop: Community Organizing Skills for Students.

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010 6:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
University of Chicago
location tba
Chicago, IL
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf
6:00pm Concert! Sponsored by Green Campus Initiative and SDS.


Friday, April 23rd-Sunday, April 25th, 2010
Labor Notes
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Dearborn, MI
http://labornotes.org/conferences/details.shtml
Friday Evening look for us in the Railroad Workers' United Suite...
Saturday Evening look for us in the IWW Suite


Sunday, April 25th, 2010 8:00 PM
Kalamazoo Peace Center presents Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
tba
Kalamazoo, MI
(269)344-3883
Details TBA! Contact: alliefine@gmail.com for more info
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Tuesday, April 27th, 2010 8:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer "Generations of Resistance" Tour
Kent State University
tba
Kent, OH
http://riotfolk.org/files/evangreer/press_kit/generations_of_resistance_smaller.pdf


Wednesday, April 28th, 2010 7:00 PM
Anne Feeney and Evan Greer in Concert for Beaver County Peace Links
FELLOWSHIP UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
235 MERCHANT ST
Ambridge, PA
Price: $10-20

Friday, April 30th, 2010 8:00 PM
Woo hoo! What fun! Eve of Mayday Concert with Anne Feeney, Roy Zimmerman and Evan Greer!
Eighth Step at Proctors
432 State Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
(518) 434-1703
http://eighthstep.org


Saturday, May 1st, 2010 8:00 PM
MayDay Extravaganza with Anne Feeney, Evan Greer and special guest Roy Zimmerman!
Crossroads Music
801 S. 48th Street (at Baltimore Avenue)
Philadelphia, PA 19143
215.729.1028
http://crossroadsconcerts.org/
Price: $10-30


Anne Feeney
http://annefeeney.com
anne@annefeeney.com
cds available at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid

March 2010 - Anne Feeney's Fellow Travelers' Advisory - VOLUME FIVE - #12

IMMEDIATE DESTINATIONS:

All over Florida - Jacksonville, St Augustine, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Ft Myers, St. Pete, Dania Beach and Miami - details at the end of this message and continously updating at http://annefeeney.com/calendar.html

STILL LOOKING TO BOOK -

March 25, 26, 27 and a UU Service the morning of the 28th - all somewhere in South FL (or within 2 hours of Ft Lauderdale...)

And now booking APRIL in the midwest with Evan Greer!

__________________________________________________________________________________

7 March 2009

Pittsburgh, PA

Hi All -

This is the latest I've ever sent out the Fellow Travelers' Advisory in the five years that I've been doing this... Yup, it's issue number 60! A milestone.  It's St. Patrick's season and Women's History Month, which means I'll be very busy in March too.

February was also very very busy month. My west coast tour was fabulous. I've got some nice pictures included in this issue. 3700 miles in 26 days with 23 shows. While I was on tour I was interviewed by Teri Perticone of No Lies Radio. You can listen to the interview at http://noliesradio.org/archives/12664

I spent the 5th and most of yesterday in Washington, DC at the Labor Campaign for Single Payer conference. Since I think we can all agree that whatever passes in Washington is going to exacerbate the current health care crisis, it's important to keep organizing and educating on Single Payer/Medicare for All so that when this boondoggle crashes we have the momentum to finally cast the insurance industry demons and profiteers out! Saw a lot of my favorite folks in the labor movement there - Kay and Walter Tillow, Jerry Tucker, Donna DeWitt, David Newby, Donna Smith. Met Tim Carpenter from Progressive Democrats of America, and Dr. Margaret Flowers. AND I got to meet John Conyers! woo hoo!

Tonight Julie and I have 25 friends coming for our annual Oscars dinner party. I'm sure to have some great pictures from it in next month's FTA. And I'm packing for Florida. I can't believe that I have a Thursday, Friday and Saturday still wide open on the Florida tour. If you're in South Florida and would like to host a house concert, or happen to know of a riot/rally/conference/convention taking place within 3-4 hours of Miami, PLEASE let me know! 412-877-6480

"Enchanted Way" - my new double CD of Irish music is ready! I'll be mailing all the pre-orders before I leave for Florida. It should be up on CDBaby in the next couple weeks, and available for digital download at CDBaby soon, and at other popular digital download sites (like Itunes) in the next several weeks.

Thanks so much for staying in touch with me. Your friendship, your emails, your interest and your support of my work and music is what keeps me going. I couldn't do this without you! Please pass on my FL tour dates to any and all of your friends in the Sunshine State.

In solidarity

Anne

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In this issue:

The 2010 Irish Tours

2010 Film Reviews

The West Coast Tour Pics

Family News

You can always find current and past issues of the Fellow Travelers' Advisory at http://fellow-travelers-advisory.blogspot.com/

You can buy my CDs at http://cdbaby.com/all/unionmaid (and I hope you will!)

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The 2010 Irish Tours

Are you an independent sort of person who usually travels alone or perhaps with a close friend/partner/spouse? Welcome to the UN-tours that Tom Pigott and I provide through Enchanted Way Tours. No name tags, no rigid agendas, no gigantic tour bus belching diesel fumes ... This is your chance to see one of the most beautiful and interesting countries in the world with people you will like immediately! My friends Jim Gorman and Joey Hartman of Vancouver went on the 2009 tour. I'll confess that I was a little nervous about having them come along as they are such independent folks and they have traveled all over the world. Here's what they said:

"Our 2009 trip to Ireland with Anne Feeney was one of the best trips we’ve ever been on. It was the perfect blend of history, politics, gorgeous scenery and architecture, and of course, music and Irish pubs. And all shared with a group of like-minded and interesting people. We’ve travelled extensively, including with organized labour delegations, and highly recommend touring with Anne and Tom!"

There are still several seats available on this year's tours, although we've got some very exciting folks signed up to go! Come meet my dear friends and join us for a memorable visit to Ireland. Your $2,050 gets you lovely hotel rooms for nine nights, all ground transportation, all breakfasts, three dinners, two entertaining tour guides - me and the amazing Tom Pigott - and admission to many many special events.

Trip #1 - "The Best of the West - Galway, Clare and Kerry" - August 10-19

Trip #2 - "Urban Ireland: Dublin, Belfast and Derry" - August 22-31

Both tours will be extraordinary - and completely different. The tours are great values, too. You can read all the details at http://annefeeney.com/Pages/enchantedwaytours.html - I'll be happy to mail you a brochure to peruse if you like. You can also visit Tom's website: http://enchantedwaytours.ie

I expect both tours to sell out. Please let me know ASAP if you are interested in going on one or both of these terrific tours (you'll get a $400 discount if you do both tours!). You'll be welcome indeed! And Happy St. Patrick's Day!

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2009 Movies in Review

I had practically no time to see movies last year. At the beginning of my West Coast tour last month I had only seen "Food, Inc.," "A Serious Man" and "Precious." In the last month I've seen "Up in the Air," "An Education," "Crazy Heart," "A Single Man," "The Last Station," "The White Ribbon," "Avatar" in IMAX 3-D, "District 9," "The Blind Side," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Julie and Julia," and the Oscar nominated short films - both animated and live action. So, here's my take on the year in film.

It was a better year than I thought it was going to be. There were so few movies released early in 2009 that attracted my interest.

Of all the Oscar-nominated 2009 films that I saw, the only total loser was "The Blind Side." I don't care if the story *is* true. It's a ridiculous story with nothing to teach or even say... unless you think rich right-wing Republicans will save the world one kid at a time. I was horrified to learn that the young man depicted in the film was actually a good football player who certainly did not need to be tutored endlessly by the sitcom-sickeningly-cutesy 8 year old boy to learn how to play the game. (I saw this film with Amy Newell who has the same aversion to glop that I do ... I hear that some folks actually liked this film ... although I have no idea why.)

"Avatar" didn't do much for me either. They were calling it "Dances with Smurfs" in Olympia, and that sums it up pretty well. I particularly hated the idea that, thousands of years into the future, the nature-loving tree people living in harmony with the earth could only save themselves by being trained by a defecting US military spy to become Billy Jack/RamboSmurfs. And the celebrated special effects made me queasy. I'm still going to give IMAX 3-D another shot with Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," but this time I'll try it from the back of the theater on an empty stomach.

"Precious" provided a very moving and satisfying film experience ... I found it quite uplifting, despite some pretty harrowing scenes. Gabourey Sidibe turns in a fantastic performance as Precious, and I would much prefer to see her take the Oscar than Sandra Bullock. The entire cast was terrific. Mo'Nique deserves the best supporting actress Oscar, although I think Maggie Gyllenhaal will probably win it.

"Up in the Air" was so much more than the light-hearted romantic comedy it seemed to be billed as. I thought it was a fabulous screenplay, and very well acted by Clooney and Vera Farmiga. I don't understand Anna Kendrick's nomination for supporting actress. Her crying scene was as annoying as Diane Keaton's in the less-than-memorable "Something's Gotta Give."

"Crazy Heart" was another terrific film - very entertaining, if a little melodramatic. If Jeff Bridges walks away with the Oscar for his performance, I'd say that Colin Firth was robbed. Since Hollywood has already decorated "Brokeback Mountain," and Sean Penn as Harvey Milk - so Colin Firth's superior performance in "A Single Man" will probably not gain him the Oscar he deserves.

I heard some folks complaining that "A Single Man" was too artsy. I loved it. I thought Julianne Moore was fabulous. I loved the mood of the film. It felt a tiny bit too long, but Colin Firth was, as I said earlier, extraordinary. The scene where he gets a phone call telling him that his lover has died in a car accident was a standout moment in 2009 cinema.

"The White Ribbon" and "A Serious Man" both left me hanging at the end. Now THAT'S what I call overly arty. I enjoyed both films right up to the "huh?" endings. I'll give the Coen brothers film another viewing as all their work gets richer for me on repeat views, but once around with "The White Ribbon" was enough for me.

"District 9" was a very innovative and interesting film. I found myself liking it much more than I expected to.

Maybe I saw too many movies this month, but the charming "Julie & Julia" seemed just a little too long to me. Meryl Streep and Helen Mirren both turned in superb performances this year. But I still hope Gabourey Sidibe edges out Sandra Bullock for the Oscar.

"An Education" was a very compelling film - really providing some food for thought on what an education means to a woman. I thought Carey Mulligan was breathtaking. I highly recommend this film... Emma Thompson is, as always, magnificent.

"The Last Station" is another terrific film. I'd like to see Christopher Plummer get the Oscar... although I have NO idea why he's nominated as a supporting actor when he clearly had the leading role - I guess the film's producers didn't want him facing off against Jeff Bridges' performance of a lifetime.

I loved "Inglourious Basterds." Some folks had a real hard time with the trademark Tarantino violence. I thought the film was totally entertaining. If it weren't for "The Hurt Locker," this or "Up in the Air" could have easily won for best picture.

"The Hurt Locker" was a fabulous fabulous film. I think it should win both Best Picture and Best Director. It's brilliant from its first moment until its last.

(Amy Newell says "The Messenger" was the best film of 2009. I didn't see it, but Amy knows her stuff. She liked "Frozen River" best in 2008 - and that was a great film.... although I think "The Visitor" might have been my favorite film of 2008.)

&&&&&&&&&&&

THE WEST COAST TOUR

It was a wet tour. But at least I missed the nearly four feet of snow that smothered Pittsburgh. Starting with a great gig in Bellingham and ending with a great gig in San Diego - what more could a gal ask for? Many thanks to Betsy Pernotto & Bob Marshall, Al & Dotty Dale, Linda Allen, Jim Gorman and Joey Hartman, Pat Hogan, Lisa and Venetta at the Rhizome, Joey Only, Ryan Fletcher, Nancy Eichner, Janet Stecher, Diana Paige, Milo at Joe's, Ken Orchard and Sharon Hazelwood, Tark Hamilton, Bill Zimmerman, Carlyn Syvanen, Christian Skoorsmith, BRICK, Kim Dobson, David Hyde, Jim Cubbage and Lea Mitchell, Grace Cox, Lewis Childs and Sophie, all the folks at Floyd's, Connie and Kenny Cohen, Rick Staggenborg and Karen Devereux, Janet and Ken Bates and Marc Dievendorf, Wes Brain and Brenda Gould, Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice,  Mori and John, Bronson and Max, Pat Dodd, Chris Abbey and Michael Duffy, Ron Kaminkow and the Reno General Branch of the IWW, Darien DeLu and Louis, everyone at SEIU 1000 in Sacramento, Christie Martin and Aodh 'Og O'Tuama, all the folks at Angelica's, Frank Priscaro, Shelley Kessler, Eleanor Walden, Jen DeLyth and Chris Chandler, Jason Luckett, Bobbie Rabinowitz, Amy Newell, Louis and Nancy LaFortune, Tri County Labor Council, Chris Bricker and Keri Ann French, Gloria Velasquez, Kristen Joy, Joel and Carolyn Henderson, Tanja Winter and everyone in Activist San Diego.And thanks to Pat La Manna, Nancy Schimmel and The Lurkers for giving me my favorite three new songs!

saw this sign in Bellingham...

Great to see Janet and Ken Bates back on stage with a new CD and sharing a night with me in Coos Bay! (That's Marc Dievendorf on percussion...)

a windshield full of Mt. Shasta!

a full spectrum rainbow over San Luis Obispo!  (I knew all that rain had to be good for something!)

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FAMILY NEWS

Birthdays...

Shirley Shultz Myers and Mary McCahill Madera - March 1st, Wendyl Jay - March 10th, Griffin Lane McCahill is 5 on March 13th! Rob Shepherd - March 14th, Ron Berlin - March 15th, Tom Weldon and Suzie Edkins - March 17th, John Cunningham - March 20th, Bette Jacobson - March 26th, Martha Shunn - March 27th, Mary Weldon - March 29th, Kelly Grefenstette - March 29th

Congratulations to Amy Berlin for being smoke free for three weeks now!

Congratulations to Maryellen Hayden and Artie Decker for getting engaged!

Congratulations to Karen Newman on landing a great new job! So long Boise!

Congratulations to Joel and Carolyn Henderson who just got married!

Congratulations to Jim Gorman, who recently retired!

And I'm very happy to report that Monique is feeling so much better now that she's started her second trimester.

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Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 12:00 PM

Lunchtime Concert

IBEW #177 Hall

966 North Liberty Street

Jacksonville, FL

(904)-765-5004

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010 3:00 PM

Anne Feeney Live!

Brother Stan Labor Talk Show

Jacksonville, FL

http://radiofreejax.com

Thursday, March 11th, 2010 6-8 PM

Amnesty International UNF Chapter presents Anne Feeney in Concert

Ballroom 3703 of the Student Union

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, FL

candice carter is the contact. This concert is also sponsored in part by United Faculty of FL.

Friday, March 12th, 2010 8:00 PM

Anne Feeney in Concert

The NEW Civic Media Center

433 S Main St

Gainesville, FL

Price: $10-20 sliding

joe courter is the contact

gainesvilleiguana(@)cox.net

Saturday, March 13th, 2010 8:00 PM

Anne Feeney in Concert for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of St. Augustine

2487 A1A S

St Augustine, FL 32080

904-940-4888

http://ciw-online.org

Price: $15 suggested

Terry Buckenmeyer is the contact. As always, no one turned away for lack of funds.

Sunday, March 14th, 2010 12:00 PM

Southern Exposure Festival with Arlo Guthrie, Rambling Jack Elliott and Stetson Kennedy!

Alpine Groves Park

2060 SR 13

Switzerland, FL

904-209-3750

I'm very excited about this! Proceeds benefit the Stetson Kennedy Foundation and the Guthrie Foundation - Gates open at 11:30AM

Sunday, March 14th, 2010 7:30 PM

NOW and WSLR present Anne Feeney in Concert

Lake Osprey Village Cabaret

6265 Lake Osprey Drive

Lakewood Ranch, FL

941-894-6469

http://wslr.org/events

Price: $10/$15

a benefit concert for the Sarasota-Manatee Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) on Sunday, March 14th at 7:30pm at the Lake Osprey Village Cabaret. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. They are available from NOW members, online at www.wslr.org or by calling 894-6469. Lake Osprey Village Caberet is located at 6265 Lake Osprey Drive in Lake Osprey Village, Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota.

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 8:00 PM

Anne Feeney in Concert

private party at Myerlee Country Club

Ft Myers, FL

Laura Griffin in the contact- 239-823-4743 or swflagirl@aol.com

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 8:00 PM

HEADS UP, PITTSBURGH! Peter Yarrow in Concert!!

Four Points by Sheraton

Cranberry, PA

412-281-4404

http://www.pealcenter.org

Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary, is doing a fund raiser for the PEAL Center and for Operation Respect (an anti-bullying project founded by Peter Yarrow). Should be a great show, and it's a great cause. Wish I could be there, too!

Toll Free Info: 866-950-1040

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 8:00 PM

Anne Feeney singing Irish music

Downtown Ft Myers St Pat's Day Street Party

near the French Connection.. 2282 First St

Ft Myers, FL

Price: free!

Laura Griffin in the contact- 239-823-4743 or swflagirl@aol.com

Friday, March 19th, 2010 7:30 PM

Anne Feeney in Concert

Sacred Lands

1620 Park St North

St Petersburg, FL 33710

727-347-0354

http://sacredlandspreservationandeducation.org/

Price: $10-20 sliding

jayalexus@yahoo.com is the contact

For directions, parking info, and reserved seating call 727-347-0354

Saturday, March 20th, 2010 8:00 PM

Labor Coalition for Change/Young Dems present Anne Feeney in Concert

tba

Ft Myers, FL

Laura Griffin in the contact- 239-823-4743 or swflagirl@aol.com

Sunday, March 21st, 2010 4:00 PM

Live in the Studio on Michael Stock's show!

WLRN

172 NE 15th ST

Miami, FL 33132

Michael's wonderful folk show starts at 2PM and streams live on the internet. I'll be on right after his Public Storyteller segment.

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010 7:00 PM

Anne Feeney in Concert

St Maurice Church

2851 Stirling Road

Dania Beach, FL

(754) 423-0051

http://ciw-online.org

Ray del Papa is the contact

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 5:30 PM

Remembering Oscar Romero

Candle light vigil outside US Southern Command

NW 87th Ave & NW 36th St

Miami , FL

http://soaw.org

Join us at the gates of the U.S. Southern Command for a candle light vigil as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of Oscar Romero´s assassination

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 8:00 PM

Anne Feeney in Concert

Luna Star Cafe

775 NE 125th St

North Miami, FL 33161

http://www.lunastarcafe.com

Price: $10

Thursday, April 1st, 2010 7:00 PM

Anne Feeney in Concert - April Fools Concert

Imaginary Fool's Juggling and Singin Club

Tallahassee, FL

850-878-4149

Price: $10-20 suggested

No potluck this time, but great music and good company guaranteed!