THURSDAY 12/6
GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONTEST--Culinary artists become a centerpiece of this First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square. The Grand Central Arcade will be transformed into a holiday village of gingerbread houses. Like any city, there will be three tiers of society: the houses sculpted by professionals (upper-class), the adequate houses made by non-professionals (middle-class), and the ones that kids make (slums--come on, I built gingerbread houses when I was little, too). Grand Central Arcade, 214 First Ave S at S Main, 5-10 pm, free.
FRIDAY 12/7
ASTROLOGY--Dennis Harness will deliver a lecture titled "Astrology East and West: Exploring the Roots of Tropical and Vedic Astrology." Harness is director of the Institute of Vedic Astrology in Sedona, Arizona, which is the first institution in America to be given the authority to grant B.A. and M.A. degrees in astrology. Dumas Bay Retreat Center, 3200 SW Dash Point Road, Federal Way, (425) 673-4292, 7:15 pm, $10. Call to reserve a seat.
BENEFIT AUCTION--Sponsored by the Committee Against Repression and For Democracy in Mexico, this auction features gifts, services, and art from local Mexican artists. All proceeds will provide humanitarian assistance to indigenous communities in the infamous Chiapas, Mexico region. Covenant House, 4525 19th Ave E, 329-5770, 6 pm, $15.
FESTIVAL AGAINST RACISM--Leftist activism has done something marvelous with language: the word "party" no longer means a lively social gathering or an established political party, but both in the same instance. I'm not sure whether the Left's inability to separate the two meanings is for better or for worse, but today from 9 am to 6 pm, they will be in total conflation for the cause against racism. A concert will be given by the Flood, the poet Chrystos, Spoken Souls, and MC Amelation, and there will be speeches, workshops, and free food. Party on, dude! Seattle Central Community College, Broadway at Pine St, 9 am-6 pm, free.
SATURDAY 12/8
FRIENDS, ENEMIES, U.S. FOREIGN POLICY--Today is International Human Rights Day, and it is being celebrated at the University Friends Center with an afternoon conference called "Making Friends, Making Enemies: Patterns in U.S. Foreign Policy." At 11 am, the Raging Grannies will play music (which just doesn't sound too good to me, whether or not the band name is, you know, "ironic"), and the rest of the day is peppered with panels and discussions. The keynote speaker will be Steven Zunes, a U.S. foreign policy analyst, who will speak on the current "war on terrorism." University Friends Center, 4001 Ninth Ave NE, 325-5494, 11 am-4 pm, free.
WEDNESDAY 12/12
YOUR EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS--Unless you have to work this evening, you should attend this lecture and discussion given by speaker and attorney Pam Crone. If you do have to work, you may stay in permanent, pathetic, terrifying, self-insulting ignorance. Centerpoint Institute, 1809 Seventh Ave, 6:15 pm. Call 622-8070 to register.
