Meet like-minded progressives and get connected to great social justice organizations in Boston. Haven't been to a Socializing for Justice event? It’s time to meet the friendly faces of the group that’s grown to over 2200 members, hosted 145+ events and fostered hundreds of connections since our founding 6 years ago.

Join us if you are ready to go BEYOND ALLIES and build a CROSS-ISSUE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT.

January 31st, 2013
6-9pm
Lir Irish Pub & Restaurant
903 Boylston St, Boston, MA

RSVP at www.sojust.org - Newcomers always welcomed!

Cost: $5-$20 collected at the door. Newcomers always welcomed!
(every $10 includes raffle ticket for a $25 Trader Joe's gift card)
Complimentary appetizers will be provided.

THIS IS NOT A MEETING - IT'S A FUN NETWORKING SOCIAL!
No Program. No Speaker. Just Us. For Justice.

As always we'll help you meet people - so no worries if you're new to SoJust, plus we'll have "I'M LOOKING FOR" and "ASK ME ABOUT" tags, a CATALYST CORNER staffed by our amazing STARZ (regular attendees), our wildly popular JOBS BOARD and ACTION STATIONS to make it even more likely you'll find the right connections.

The Boston Fire Department reports that for the second year in a row, "the City of Boston recorded the lowest number of fire deaths for large cities nationwide."

In 2012, only one person died in a fire in Boston, compared to 12 in Baltimore, 25 in Philadelphia, 8 in Milwaukee, 6 in Phoenix and 7 in Washington, DC.

[float=right][/float]Hello Kitty is the unofficial mascot for Bostonians For Less Lethal Gun Violence, a loosely knit gun safety coalition.

Seems people want to know:

Q) Is it okay to smoke a "joint" while waiting on the platform for my train?
No.

Q) Is it okay to smoke a "joint" while riding on the bus with my friends?
No.

The Boston Licensing Board is warning bars with food-serving licenses they better start serving up food with their booze.

Several bars across the city got warnings from the board this week after police detectives cited them for possessing food-serving licenses without serving food. At a series of hearings on Tuesday, a police detective testified that, in some cases, bar workers admitted they hadn't served food regularly in years.

A man with a record that includes convictions for armed assault with intent to murder and assault with a dangerous weapon was arrested early yesterday on weapons and drug charges after police spotted the car he was in weaving and ignoring a traffic signal, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Silas Rankins, 33, was a passenger in a car stopped around 3 a.m. on Howland Street, the DA's office says:

Why, some are rolling up their sleeves and getting flu shots (although probably not in Somerville) on air. And then shooting footage of their syringes.

The Massachusetts State House is a beautiful building.

Weekly ER visits in Boston due to flu-like symptoms, week ending 12/29. Source: BPHC.

Mayor Menino made the declaration this morning based on 700 flu confirmed flu cases - compared to 70 confirmed flu cases all of last winter. Four people, all seniors, have died.

Aside from increasing efforts to get people vaccinated, the declaration is a recognition that local hospitals are now near or at capacity due to an influx of people with flu-like symptoms.

The city plans to stock community-health centers with flu vaccine and open them this weekend to provide free doses to Boston residents. See the schedule. For more details, contact the Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050 9 am. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, or the Mayor's 24-hour Hotline at 617-635-4500 after hours.