Feature Archives

Skidmark Bob of Free Radio Santa Cruz interviewed media analyst John Anderson about the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) to be discussed at the G8 summit in Japan and H.R. 4279, the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO IP) Act of 2007. Although ACTA's title might suggest that the agreement deals only with counterfeit physical goods (such as medicines), what little information has been made available publicly by negotiating governments about the content of the treaty makes it clear that it will have a far broader scope, and in particular, will deal with tools targeting "Internet distribution and information technology." The PRO IP Act proposes to make substantial changes to federal copyright law, including the appointment of a copyright Czar.

Armed with bazookas, instruments and colorful posters, residents of Santa Cruz will show their support on Tuesday, June 10th at 3:30pm in favor of a pending city resolution requesting that all US military aid to Colombia be re-directed to domestic drug prevention and rehabilitation programs, which have been shown to be more effective in the “war on drugs.” Bert Muhly of Tres Americas will speak on the issue, as well as Sandra Alvarez, long time Colombia activist and Ph.D candidate at the University of California Santa Cruz.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Santa Cruz County and mental health advocates will rally on Tuesday, June 10th at 9:30am in front of the County Government Building on Ocean Street to call for the protection of mental health services in Santa Cruz County. Children, incarcerated individuals, and individuals with mental illness are losing their services or will receive reduced services.

California held an election on June 3rd. Proposition 98 failed to pass and Proposition 99 passed. In the CA Assembly, Nancy Skinner beat Kriss Worthington and in the State Senate Mark Leno beat Carole Migden. In San Francisco, Prop G passed and Prop F failed to pass.

Propositions 98 and 99 were aimed at changing the government’s power to take private property. Proposition 98 would have abolished rent control and other renter protections. Proposition 99 will block the government from taking single family homes or condominiums to transfer to other private parties.

On May 13th, a huge mob of cyclists rolled peacefully through the streets of Santa Cruz after a 6pm convergence at the Clock Tower. Bikers spanned city blocks in the right lane of Mission Street to raise awareness about California Vehicle Code Section 21202, cyclists may use the full right lane when the lane "is too narrow for a bicycle to safely ride to the side of a motor vehicle." Many people wore yellow shirts with a figure of a bike and the words "MAY USE FULL LANE cvc 21202."

On May 5th, Foster Gamble and the Economic Action Team of the California Alliance to Stop the Spray (C.A.S.S.), released a forty page report on the economic impact to the state of California in response to the CDFA/USDA plan to spray multiple California counties with a micronized concoction of synthetic “pheromone” and chemicals to "eradicate" the Light Brown Apple Moth – a moth with zero history of causing crop damage anywhere in the world.

Unconventional Action Santa Cruz writes, "Continued wars, housing foreclosures and ecological crises have proven that neither docile street marches nor electoral campaigns will solve the problems plaguing our daily lives. We can only have leverage over our rulers by showing our own power, and we must back our demands by demonstrating that we can interfere with their business as effectively as they interfere with our lives. People are gathering at Zami Co-op on Saturday, May 10th for an exciting chance to develop skills and social bonds for direct action of all kinds."