Feature Archives

Californians for GE-Free Agriculture reports that SB1056, the bill that would have preempted local restrictions on genetically engineered organisms, failed to make it through the California Senate, and has died with the close of the legislative year. This is seen as a major victory. The Monsanto-backed bill was introduced last year after the passage of four county and two city bans on GE crops.

"Dark Water Rising: The Truth About Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescues" is a new documentary about animal rescues in New Orleans. The film spotlights the plight of more than 50,000 dogs and cats that were left behind in New Orleans, along with the efforts of a small group of rescuers from around the world. Filmmaker Mike Shiley introduces the film and answers questions after each screening. The film was shown on Monday, August 28th, 2006 at the Roxie Film Center in San Francisco. It was also screened at the San Rafael Film Center on Thursday, September 7th at 7:00pm.

Fault Lines, the bi-monthly newsmagazine of the SF Bay Area Independent Media Center, has released its 18th issue of radical political analysis and social commentary (PDF). Free issues of Fault Lines are available at various locations throughout the Bay Area, with many articles online. The Fault Lines page on Indybay has details on how to get involved. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, September 6th.

Several events were held in SF and Oakland to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Hurricane Katrina disaster on the Gulf Coast. People honor those who have died, committed to fight for the right to return for all those who are still displaced, and demanded an end to blatant racial discrimination in post-Katrina New Orleans. A Katrina Community Commemoration Event was held on Tuesday, August 29th at the First Unitarian Church in Oakland. Other Bay Area events included a film festival on Sunday, August 27th in SF, and a press conference on August 28th at FEMA Headquarters in Oakland. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Flyer SF Critical Mass will also commemorate Katrina on August 25th.

Bob Watada visited the West Coast on a speaking tour in support of his son, Lt. Ehren Watada, from August 19th through 27th. On the tour, he: spoke out about why his son refuses to participate in the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq; built support for his son as he faces military court- martial proceedings; and raised funds for his son's legal defense. Lt. Ehren Watada is the first commissioned U.S. military officer to publicly refuse orders in support of the Iraq War. A military pre-trial hearing took place on August 17-18, and the actual court-martial will likely be 6 to 12 weeks later.

Somatherapy was developed by by Brazilian torture survivor Roberto Freire. It incorporates the ideas of Wilhelm Reich, the politics of anarchism, and the culture of capoeira angola, and it is used by therapists organized in anarchist collectives to fight the psychological effects of authoritarianism. Nick Cooper of Houston Indymedia travelled to Brazil to learn more about somatherapy. Soma: an anarchist therapy, the documentary that Nick made, was screened several times in the Bay Area in August.

Parts of California's Central Valley endured 10 days or more in a row of temperatures in excess of 100 degrees in mid-July. Some 100 people perished in the heat, the majority of them senior citizens whose bodies don't cool themselves as well as younger people. Thousands of animals died on farms: over a million "pounds" of poultry, and thousands of cows, primarily dairy cows. Extra-hot temperatures, growth in the state's $5 billion dairy industry, and fewer rendering plants to dispose of the animals combined to cause a crisis for farmers in the state.