Halloween highlights

• A Halloween-themed swing dance Oct. 29 at 7 p.m., 519 Willard Straight features a free dance lesson, 7-8 p.m., music and dancing at 8 p.m. Costumes encouraged. Admission: $5. Information online.

• The all-female a cappella group After Eight will present their "Witching Hour" fall concert, Oct. 30 at 8 p.m., Barnes Hall. Tickets: $5 in advance; $7 at the door; discounts for attendees in costumes. Information online.

• The Johnson Museum will offer tricks and treats, art-making, scavenger hunts and performances, Oct. 31, 1-4 p.m. Competition for costumed visitors. Free and open to the public. Information: http://museum.cornell.edu.

• A Halloween organ concert, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. in Sage Chapel, will feature performances by Annette Richards, David Yearsley and others. Come in costume. Free and open to the public. Information online.

Farmworker needs

The Cornell Farmworker Program will host its fifth annual 2010 Student Summer Internship Panel, presenting such topics as fair trade in New York, farmworker housing, on-farm emergency planning and immigration concerns, Nov. 1 at 4:30 p.m., Mann Library, Conference Room 102. Student-designed posters highlighting the results of research projects and on-site extension activities will be exhibited. Information: http://www.farmworkers.cornell.edu.

American Indian Program events

November is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month and Cornell is celebrating with a series of events. Next week's schedule includes:

• Haudenosaunee Social: Nov. 1 at 7 p.m., Townhouse Community Center;

• Roundtable discussion on Arizona SB1070 and its impact on native peoples: Nov. 3 at 4:30 p.m., 142 Goldwin Smith Hall. Scholars and community organizers will talk about the bill and its relationship to the day-to-day economic, social, cultural and human rights of people in Arizona and elsewhere. Panelists include: Michael Flores, member of his tribal council and board member of the International Indian Treaty Council; Alan Eladio Gómez, assistant professor, Arizona State University; Margo Tamez, poet and assistant professor, University of British Columbia; and

• Discussion on Indigenous educational research: "Fostering culturally competent contexts in education," Nov. 4 at 4 p.m., Akwe:kon.

Cornell Store book talks

Associate Professor Jon Parmenter, an expert in early American history, will talk about his book "The Edge of the Woods: Iroquoia, 1534-1701," Nov. 2 at 4:30 p.m. The book offers a new understanding of the Iroquois people during their early contact with intruding settlers.

Lawrence McCrea '89, assistant professor of Sanskrit studies in Cornell's Department of Asian Studies and co-author of "Buddhist Philosophy of Language in India: Jnanasrimitra on Exclusion," will talk Nov. 3 at 4:30 p.m. about Jnanasrimitra, an important Indian philosopher of the 11th century. The book is an exposition and translation of Jnanastrimitra's Sanskrit masterpiece.

Both talks will be in the book department; copies of these books will be discounted 20 percent.

Messenger lectures

Professor Nancy Fraser, The New School for Social Research, and Cornell Messenger lecturer, will present "Rethinking Capitalist Crisis: Contours of Critique," Nov. 2; "The Market in Nature: Commodity Fictions in the 21st Century," Nov. 3; "The Wages of Care: Reproductive Labor as Fictitious Commodity," Nov. 4. All at 4:30 p.m. at the Guerlac Room, A.D. White House. Information: http://www.arts.cornell.edu/fgss/events/.

Missing Mexicans

The Fall 2010 Latino film series presents "A Day Without a Mexican," Nov. 3 at 7 p.m., 253 Malott Hall. When Mexican workers, spouses and business owners go missing, California's economy grinds to a halt. Free and open to the public. Information: http://latino.lsp.cornell.edu/events.asp.

Long-term care insurance

What is long-term care and what does it cost? How does long-term care insurance work and who might need it? Maureen Brull, Cornell's Benefit Services, and Dave Stoyell, Tompkins County Office for the Aging, will discuss these issues Nov. 3 at noon, 221 Weill Hall. Open to the Cornell community; RSVP at emw76@cornell.edu.

Trees and other exhibits

Curator Andrew Weislogel will discuss the new exhibition "Trees and Other Ramifications: Branches in Nature and Culture" during Art for Lunch, Nov. 4 at noon, Johnson Museum. This exhibition examines trees in art -- both as muse for artists inspired by the beauty and variety of trees in the natural environment, and as a means for representing human history, abstract concepts and scientific knowledge.

The opening reception for the late fall exhibitions is Nov. 5 at 5 p.m., with live music, refreshments, art activities and cash wine bar. Special gallery talks will be at 4:30 p.m. Information: http://museum.cornell.edu/.

Streamlining administration

Two Administrative Streamlining Program forums will be held next week: the Facilities Initiative, Nov. 4, 12:15-1:15 p.m., at 101 Bradfield Hall, and Procurement and Finance, Nov. 5, 12:15-1:15 p.m., at 101 Phillips Hall. Vice President for Facilities Services Kyu-Jung Whang will present an update on the Facilities Services area, including the development of campuswide facility standards and services; Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Joanne DeStefano will present an update on proposed actions to manage campuswide spending activity, make e-Shop more effective and create regional financial transaction centers.

'Chats in the Stacks'

Professors Tammo Steenhuis, biological and environmental engineering, and Gail Holst-Warhaft, Romance studies, will talk about "Losing Paradise: The Water Crisis in the Mediterranean" at a "Chats in the Stacks" book talk, Nov. 4 at 4 p.m., 160 Mann Library. They will present case studies from across the Mediterranean region and demonstrate the need for an integrated management system appropriate to each country's stage of development and cultural heritage.

John Murillo reading

As the final event of the Fall 2010 Creative Writing Program reading series, John Murillo will read from his poetry, Nov. 4 at 4:30 p.m., Hollis E. Cornell Auditorium, Goldwin Smith Hall. Murillo has received fellowships from Cave Canem, The New York Times, Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown. He recently published his first poetry collection, "Up Jump the Boogie" (2010).

Alumnus, World Bank leader

Drawing from his 21-year career at the World Bank, Bassam Ramadan '86 will speak about public sector responses to crises, Nov. 4 at 4:30 p.m., 233 Plant Science Building. While at the World Bank, Ramadan worked in the areas of social protection, education and health. He has held various positions in the Middle East and Africa and has served as adviser to the Lebanese government. The lecture is open to the public.

Polanski shorts

Cornell Cinema presents a series of short films directed by Academy Award winner Roman Polanski, Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m., Willard Straight Theatre. These shorts that reveal his surreal and dark style, his masterful storytelling ability and a restless search for the truth about human nature, however crooked and evil it would turn out to be. Live accompaniment by Sza/Za (Paweł Szamburski and Patryk Zakrocki, an electroacoustic duo from Warsaw). Subtitled. Tickets: $10; $8 students and seniors; http://CornellCinemaTickets.com.

High-speed rail in America

Petra Todorovich, director of America 2050, a national urban planning initiative, will speak about "America 2050: High-Speed Rail and the Reshaping of America," Nov. 5, 12:30-2 p.m., 165 McGraw Hall. Todorovich oversees America 2050's research, advocacy and planning, in partnership with such organizations as Regional Plan Association, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Information: http://www.aap.cornell.edu/events/.

Charity auction

Students in the Hotel School's Catering and Special Events Management class will host the annual Charity Auction, Nov. 5, 6:30-9:30 p.m., Statler Hall Park Atrium. The event will feature Middle Eastern cuisine, belly dancer and exotic décor. The auction will include such items as four suite tickets to a 2011 New York Mets baseball game at Citi Field, two tickets to the Gate Theater in London and a case of fine Italian wine. Proceeds from the evening will be donated to Court Appointed Special Advocates (representing the best interests of abused and neglected children); Loaves and Fishes of Tompkins County; and EGBOK Mission, a nonprofit organization that provides hospitality industry training to young adults in developing countries. Semi-formal attire. Tickets: $15 advance at http://www.cornelltickets.com; $20 at the door.

Information: http://cornellsha.maestroweb.com/.