Newsitem List

Salman Rushdie speaks with Tara Dorabji on KPFA’s Apex Express about his new memoir, Joseph Anton. From spies to death threats to deep within government security—Rushdie’s memoir is a real life thriller that delves into the human psyche and the journey toward love and freedom. 31:00...

The labor supported California proposition 30 will end up restructuring the California constitution to further privatization of education, cut funding to social services and eliminate transparency on where public tax money is going. This proposition by the pro-charter Brown administration was probably written by the privatizers to permanently put public funds into union busting charters in California without any real regulation and control. The California AFL-CIO, CFT and CTA are telling the ...

In a September 17 memo from Karen Garrison, a senior policy analyst with NRDC’s oceans program and co-director of its ocean program, to NRDC staff, she stated: “In summary, we have concluded that the survey will provide only marginal additional informational information that will not affect the safety of the Diablo plant.”...

The Smith bill passed by the House extends the domestic surveillance powers until December 31, 2017. If passed, the Senate bill would grant the government a three-year “Get Out of the Fourth Amendment Free” card. Such a time frame could conceivably coincide with the completion of the sprawling surveillance compound being constructed by the National Security Agency (NSA) in Utah....

THE POLICE ARE AN INVADING ARMY IN OUR COMMUNITIES...

A bill opposing the shackling of pregnant prisoners, AB 2530, has been passed unanimously by the California State Legislature and is now on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk, with thirty days to either approve or veto it. Last year, a previous version of this bill was also passed unanimously by the Legislature, but it was ultimately vetoed by Brown. With Brown’s decision expected anytime, local activists are urgently mobilizing to stop him from vetoing this important bill once again. AB 2530 suppor...

CDFA justified its wide-reaching pesticide plan based on its unsubstantiated claims that the apple moth, which scientists say has been in California for decades, has to be controlled because it will harm crops and native plants and cause financial losses for the agriculture industry, even though the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) admits the moth has done no damage. The apple moth program allows the state to apply pesticides anywhere in the state, any time, with no notice to affected commu...

An expanding network of concerned individuals known as Occupy Monsanto has emerged over the past 8 months staging numerous protests at companies connected to the global trade of genetically engineered foods, also known as GMOs. The network announced today that on September 17, 2012 protests will begin for an entire week in St. Louis, home of the Monsanto Corporation, and across the US including California where voters will decide if they will label GMOs this election and worldwide in Argentin...

One of the Plaintiffs, Richard Winger, had income last year of $6,000. He has no pension, and his social security, after the medicare SMIB is deducted, is only $180 per month. He is currently living on his savings, which are gradually being eaten up. This judgment will cause him great harm. What little money Winger has will go into the pockets of Charlie Munger, one of the richest men in California. What sense does this make?...

For four years, from her emergence as an anti-war activist following the death of her son Casey in combat in Iraq, Cindy Sheehan was a hero among liberals and Democrats for her attempts to hold then-President George W. Bush to account for starting the Iraq war and taking her son's life in vain. Then she ran for Congress against Democratic icon Nancy Pelosi and made it clear she held both major parties responsible for the war and the rest of America's ills. Now she's Roseanne Barr's running ma...