July 27, 2008 - Some News, Views, and Info

No Human Being Is Illegal: In April 2006, hundreds of thousands of immigrant rights protestors marched in cities across the United States. They countered prolonged debates about the pros and cons of comprehensive immigration reform with a short but sweet affirmation, scrawled on placards: "No Human Being Is Illegal." It's time for all of us to march with those immigrant rights signs. (MR Zine) July 22, 2008

Wind Farm Puts Tiny Mo. Town On Alt-Energy Map: When it comes to alternative energy, little Rock Port, Missouri - population about 1,400 - is a pioneer: it's the site of a wind farm that's projected to generate more electricity than the town uses in a year. (Belleville News-Democrat) July 25, 2008

VIDEO: Permanent Peoples' Tribunal On Occidental Petroleum: Film of the July 22, 2008, Los Angeles, California, rally in solidarity with the People of Colombia. (LEFT IN LA LA) July 25, 2008

It's Time For Wind and Wave Power: George W. Bush is right in one sense: We need to maximize our offshore assets. He just has the wrong energy source in mind. Instead of endless oil derricks that bring polluted beaches and rising seas, it's time to move to wind and wave power. (Baltimore Sun) July 23, 2008

After Years of Struggle, California Hotel Workers Make Gains (Labor Notes) July 2008

First Tidal Power Turbine Gets Plugged In: An underwater turbine that generates electricity from tidal streams was plugged into the UK's national grid. Tidal power isn't 20 to 30 years away and a dream. It is something that, if we get the right resources around it, could become a significant reality and contributor much quicker than that. (The Guardian UK) July 17, 2008

Total Recall in Bolivia: Divided Nation Faces Historic Vote. In early July in Sicaya, Cochabamba, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced that if he wins the August 10 recall vote on his presidency, "I'll have two and half years left." But if he loses the vote, "I’ll have to go back to the Chapare" to farm coca again. Though the recall vote is likely to favor Morales, it’s unclear if it will resolve many of the divided nation’s conflicts. (Toward Freedom) July 23, 2008

People to Ratchet Up Climate Heat: Teams of people concerned about climate change are planning to take to the streets over the coming weeks to put the spotlight on policy makers who they say are prioritizing corporate interests in the coal and oil industries over the impending threat of global warming. (OneWorld) July 25, 2008

July 23, 2008 - Some News, Views, and Info

"The Democratic Party of today is a corporate/imperial war party. End of story": An Interview with 'Savage Mules' Author Dennis Perrin (Green Left Infoasis) July 19, 2008

A Review of 'Savage Mules': Dennis Perrin’s “Savage Mules” is a slashing attack on the Democratic Party so badly needed in a time when so many false hopes are now invested in the party of “peace” and “progress”. “Savage Mules” is a pithy, sharp and funny survey of Democratic presidencies (and failed bids) going back to Woodrow Wilson that takes no prisoners. While it was written prior to the rise of Obamamania, it would certainly provide a useful corrective to a “change” campaign that seems to be recycling the centrism of the past 30 years at least. (The Unrepentant Marxist) July 23, 2008

First All-Women-of-Color Presidential Ticket in US History: Green Party Nominee Cynthia McKinney and Running Mate Rosa Clemente on War, Democracy and Hip Hop (Text, Audio, or Video) (Democracy Now!) July 21, 2008

No U-turn. Obama's Stance on Iraq is Chillingly Consistent: Tactical differences and issues of style aside, Obama's message on occupied Iraq is deeply troubling - not because it has U-turned but because it has been consistent. His 300 foreign policy advisers are making sure that he will not stray from protecting US imperialist interests, even if it does mean launching new wars and bolstering puppet regimes and corrupt dictatorships throughout the "greater Middle East". (Buzzle) July 21, 2008

Solar Thermal Power Coming to a Boil: After emerging in 2006 from 15 years of hibernation, the solar thermal power industry experienced a surge in 2007, with 100 megawatts of new capacity coming online worldwide. (Inter Press Service) July 23, 2008

Lessons From The Picket Line: A five-day strike by 8,500 service workers in the University of California system--in defiance of a judge's temporary restraining order--ended July 18 with workers even more determined to continue their fight for a decent contract. (Socialist Worker) July 23, 2008

Mall of America Starbucks Workers Join The IWW: The nation’s largest mall, Minnesota’s Mall of America, now has one of the county’s first organized Starbucks coffee shops. (Workers Independent News) July 23, 2008

Maryland Spying Uncovered: Some Links

Spying Uncovered. Documents show state police monitored peace and anti-death penalty groups: Undercover Maryland State Police officers repeatedly spied on peace activists and anti-death penalty groups in recent years and entered the names of some in a law-enforcement database of people thought to be terrorists or drug traffickers, newly released documents show. (Baltimore Sun) July 18, 2008

'COINTELPRO Comes to My Town: My First-Hand Experience With Government Spies' by Dave Zirin (Yahoo! News) July 20, 2008

AUDIO/VIDEO: Maryland State Police Spied on Peace, Anti-Death Penalty Groups: The American Civil Liberties Union released documents Thursday showing that undercover officers from the Maryland State Police spied on peace groups and anti-death penalty protesters for over a year in 2005 and 2006. The police summaries and intelligence logs reveal that covert agents infiltrated groups like the antiwar Baltimore Pledge of Resistance, the Baltimore Coalition Against the Death Penalty, and the Committee to Save Vernon Evans, a death row prisoner. DN! speaks with antiwar activist Max Obuszewski and with journalist Dave Zirin. Both were the target of surveillance. (Democracy Now!) July 21, 2008

ACLU of Maryland Lawsuit Uncovers Maryland State Police Spying Against Peace and Anti-Death Penalty Groups (ACLU.org) July 17, 2008

[People who want to express their outrage can contact the office of the current Governor Martin O'Malley. We should demand a full investigation of the MSP, public release of all documents obtained through this illegal activity, and a specific commitment that the
anti-death penalty and anti-war movement will not be targeted. Call the office of the governor at 1-800-811-8336, or submit a comment online at http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/]

July 7, 2008 - Some News, Views, and Info

Declare Your Independence From Tweedle Dum / Tweedle Dee Politics and Support Cynthia McKinney: From Port-au-Prince, Haiti to Jamaica, NYC the name Cynthia McKinney is synonymous with the phrase "on my side". (American Chronicle) July 6, 2008

Rallies Held Worldwide to Protest Firing of Pro-Union Starbucks Workers: Rallies were held at Starbucks locations around the world this weekend in response to the alleged firing of two employees for union activity. (Workers Independent News) July 7, 2008

Strike Shuts Down Seattle Building Sites: A strike by 300 fire sprinkler installers, members of the United Association of Plumbers, Pipe Fitters and Sprinkler Fitters Local 699, has shut down construction at most large construction sites here and Bellevue, Wash. (Socialist Worker) July 4, 2008

VIDEO: Former Santa Monica Green Mayor Mike Feinstein and Green County Councilmember Linda Piera-Avila Oppose Warehouse on South Central Los Angeles Farm Land (LEFT IN LA LA) July 5, 2008

Guerrilla Gardeners Dig In To Beautify Los Angeles (Associated Press) July 4, 2008

Amtraking the Progress Made: Train travel is finally becoming a third rail of US politics. Suddenly, the traveling public is demanding the development of commuter and high-speed intercity rail. According to the American Public Transportation Association, light rail was up 10 percent in the first quarter of this year, commuter rail was up by 6 percent, and subways were up 4 percent. (Lotus - Surviving A Dark Time) July 5, 2008

“Staunch advocate for the Green Party and long-time advocate for working people” Vic Roberts Dies At 75 (Green Party Watch) July 6, 2008

Independence from US Nationalism: We need to wake from the Patriot's Dream. It obscures history -- slavery of blacks, slaughter of native Americans, colonialism. We need to see the other dreams of the world and awake to the bliss of our collective Global Reality. (Husseini.org) July 4, 2008

Nader Tackles Sports: Sportswriter and author Dave Zirin interviews US presidential candidate Ralph Nader on sports and politics (The Nation) June 30, 2008

June 11, 2008 - What the Heck is Goin On? Some News, Views, and Info

Kucinich Offers Impeachment Articles Against Bush: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) introduced 35 articles of impeachment against President Bush on Monday night, reading the resolution into the Congressional Record. (CBS News) June 9, 2008

AUDIO/VIDEO: Allen Ginsberg & Paul McCartney "A Ballad of American Skeletons" or "An American Ballad of Skeletons" Live at the Royal Albert Hall, October 16, 1995. (Youtube)

Corporations Tracking Who Activists Are Dating: We’ve recently learned that Burger King has been spying on human rights activists, and the FBI would like to be spying on vegan potlucks. Not to be outdone, it looks like the Society of Toxicology commissioned a “threat analysis” to try to get smart about, among other things, who activists are dating. (Green is the New Red) June 6, 2008

Eliot, Maine Voters OK Wind, Solar Energy Systems: Voters in Eliot approved two new ordinances permitting wind and solar energy systems in town. (Maine Today) June 11, 2008

Labor-Environmental Coalition Testing of Water Contaminated By Dupont in New Jersey (Workers Independent News) June 10, 2008

The Blue-Green Alliance, Good Jobs, A Clean Environment, and A Safer World: The United Steelworkers and the Sierra Club are working toward a future of green jobs for America in the Blue-Green Alliance as we wrestle with finding a solution to global warming. (Workers Independent News) June 11, 2008

Obama the Hawk: Barack Obama's hard-line speech at the AIPAC conference wasn't just pandering to the pro-Israel lobby, but a statement of his real position on foreign policy issues. (Socialist Worker) June 11, 2008

Climate change: Carbon Capture From Power Stations Must Start Soon, Say Scientists (The Guardian) June 10, 2008

June 4, 2008 - Some News, Views, and Info

The 2nd of May Revolt at the UN Forum on Indigenous Peoples: The United Nations censors indigenous people at a forum for indigenous people (w/ links to video) (Climate and Capitalism) June 2, 2008

From Kennedy to Obama: Liberalism's Last Fling: John Pilger refers back to his travels with Robert Kennedy to describe the false hopes offered by those, like Barack Obama, who exploit the appeal of liberalism then present a very different reality. (JohnPilger.com) May 29, 2008

The American Electoral Charade: Two candidates with almost identical positions on virtually every issue fight to exhaustion over non-substantial concerns for months, and will doubtless soon celebrate having achieved "unity." Those citizens that want to abolish the American oligarchic form of government should vote for the Green Party, and put Cynthia McKinney at the head of the ticket. (Black Agenda Report) June 4, 2008

Dirty Deeds in Bolivia: Bolivia’s right-wing extremists who have been doing their best to rip their own country apart for the past two years rather than accept the rule of their constitutionally elected President Evo Morales finally have showed themselves in their true colours. (Bolivia Rising) June 2, 2008

Blackwater: From the Nisour Square Massacre to the Future of the Mercenary Industry (w/ audio and Video) (Democracy Now!) June 2, 2008

West Coast Winter Soldier: “Enough Is Enough, It’s Time to Get Out”: Dozens of veterans from the U.S. occupation of Iraq converged in Seattle over the weekend to share stories of atrocities being committed daily in Iraq, in a continuation of the "Winter Soldier" hearings held in Silver Spring, Maryland in March. (Inter Press Service) June 2, 2008

Whalemeat Traders Defying Ban: Icelandic and Norwegian companies have begun exporting whalemeat to Japan (BBC News) June 2, 2008

May 19, 2008 - Some News, Views, and Info

Plans For New Coal Plants Under Fire In UK: Protesters are to launch one of the hardest-hitting environmental campaigns for more than a decade over plans to build a new generation of coal-fired power stations in the UK. (London Observer) May 18, 2008

I Give Up, Says Brazilian Minister Who Fought To Save The Rainforest: In a letter to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Ms Silva said that her efforts to protect the rainforest acknowledged as the "lungs of the planet" were being thwarted by powerful business lobbies. (The Independent UK) May 15, 2008

The Emergence of Real Trade Unionism in Wal-Mart Stores in China (China Labor News Translations) May 4, 2008

Comments on the Strike Movement in Egypt (International Socialist Review) May-June 2008

Women - The Guardians of Potato Biodiversity in Peru (Inter Press Service) May 16, 2008

Iraq Veterans Describe Atrocities to US Lawmakers (OneWorld.net) May 17, 2008

Santa Ana, California Labor Rally: HEY, ARNOLD! NO BUDGET CUTS! (Los Angeles Indymedia) May 15, 2008

Steve Earle sings Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land"

Steve Earle sings Bob Dylan's "Master's of War"

"Sleep Now in the Fire" by Rage Against the Machine, video directed by Michael Moore, 2000

"Know Your Rights" by The Clash in 1983

'The Ghost of Tom Joad' by Springsteen and Morello

I don't know how long this one will last on up on youtube.

Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band performing "The Ghost of Tom Joad" with special guest Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine/Audioslave/Nightwatchman) at the Toyota Center in Anaheim, CA on April 7, 2008

LA’s Homeless Women Still Struggling

Uprising Radio, March 28, 2008

GUEST: Deborah Burton, Fabiola Sandoval, Community Organizers with the Downtown Women’s Action Coalition
Since 2001, the Downtown Women’s Action Coalition has organized annual community-based research projects aimed at assessing the needs of homeless and low-income women in downtown LA. “Growing Needs and Shrinking Opportunities,” is the latest annual report surveying nearly 200 women. The DWAC has found through its research, dire housing problems, domestic and sexual assault, and failing health statistics for women living in the Skid Row/Central City East community in 2007. Of those surveyed, 62% had been homeless for at least one year while over half reported physical health problems last year. A clear majority of women reported a need for community resources. But because of the lack of such resources, nearly 40% of women reported being solicited for sexual favors in exchange for housing, protection and money.

Continue listening to 'LA’s Homeless Women Still Struggling'. . .

'What the Classroom Didn't Teach Me about the American Empire' By Howard Zinn

Empire or Humanity?
What the Classroom Didn't Teach Me about the American Empire
by Howard Zinn
Narrated by Viggo Mortensen
Art by Mike Konopacki
Video editing by Eric Wold

Steve Earle - City of Immigrants

The Water Front: What Happens When Water Is for Profit?

A new documentary shows the stark reality of trying to make a buck off a basic necessity.
By Zoe Maggio, Alternet, March 25, 2008

"What if you lived by the largest body of fresh water in the world but could no longer afford to use it?" The Water Front, a documentary film by Liz Miller, is the story of one community's determined resistance to water privatization.
Highland Park, Michigan, was once the center of the early 20th century's booming automobile industry -- the location of the first assembly line implemented by the Ford Motor Company, enabling mass production. Now, the post-industrial city is in financial crisis and the state of Michigan has appointed an Emergency Financial Manager, with the same power as an elected mayor, to sort it out. Seeing the municipal water plant as a potential source of revenue, the manager raises the water rates to impossible levels, with some residents receiving water bills as high as $10,000. If they are unable to pay, the water is shut off. Highland Park's residents, who are mostly poor or low-income and people of color, have organized a campaign to prevent the water plant from impending privatization, and to assert water, an essential life resource, as a human right.

Continue reading and/or watching 'The Water Front: What Happens When Water Is for Profit?'. . .

After Bali: The Global Fight for Climate Justice w/ Patrick Bond (Recorded March 4, 2008 in Toronto)

Part 1 w/ Introduction by Ian Angus, editor of Climate and Capitalism


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Part 5

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Part 7

US Vets, Active-Duty Soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan Testify About the Horrors of War

Democracy Now!, March 17, 2008

US veterans gathered in Maryland this past weekend to testify at Winter Soldier, an eyewitness indictment of atrocities committed by US troops during the ongoing occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers spoke of free-fire zones, the shootings and beatings of innocent civilians, racism at the highest levels of the military, sexual harassment and assault within the military, and the torturing of prisoners. While the corporate media ignored the story, we broadcast their voices.

Continue reading, watching, and listening to 'US Vets, Active-Duty Soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan Testify About the Horrors of War'. . .

Rachel Corrie: Five Years Later

By James Benjamin, The Mahatma X Files, March 16, 2008

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Learn more at Rachel's Words and Rachel-Corrie.com. The anniversary of her death is a stark reminder of just how dark the days were just as the war on the Iraqis was about to begin, and how dark they've been since. While right-wingers in the US and Israel would no doubt find her death to be a source for endless amusement (and for "respectable" liberals and moderates something not even worthy of so much as a shrug), for those of us who still give a damn about human rights there was (and still is) a sense of mourning and anger.

Read and watch all of 'Rachel Corrie: Five Years Later'. . .

Noam Chomsky in 2000. Drugs, Guerillas, Counterinsurgency: US Intervention in Colombia

This was recorded at the Roxbury Community College, Boston, MA on May 12, 2000.
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Part 5