Jeff Perlstein on "The Real Media Indecency and What You Can Do About It"

Jeff Perlstein is the Executive Director of Media Alliance in San Francisco, a media resource and advocacy center for journalists, activists, nonprofits, and the community. Jeff initiated campaigns for Press Freedom during Wartime, greater community accountability at Clear Channel station KMEL-FM, and public hearings on the FCC's media ownership rules. He is also co-founder of the website Indymedia.org, which launched during the Seattle WTO protests in 1999 and now links over 120 Independent Media Centers in more than 22 countries.

You can listen to a presentation Jeff gave in Santa Cruz on March 4 titled, "The Real Media Indecency and What You Can Do About It."

santacruz.indymedia.org/feature/display/7962/index.php

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Santa Cruz County Residents Say Marriage Discrimination is a Human Rights Abuse

On March 9, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors meeting was filled with a couple hundred Santa Cruz County residents to advocate for Gay Marriage. Santa Cruz County locals have been asking the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to follow the lead of San Francisco and join the lawsuit being filed against the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment banning same-sex marriages.

santacruz.indymedia.org/feature/display/7912

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Will Your Vote Count in the Next Election?

A growing concern over the inadequacies of election equipment in the United States has recently been heightened by the problems of the 2000 Presidential election. Added to the mix is the election reform mandated by recent federal legislation attempting to address the concerns. The result is that many states are scurrying to replace their older equipment with new electronic voting computers.

Unfortunately, election technology has not advanced to the point where it can provide us with electronic systems that are reliable enough to trust with our democracy. In other words, we just aren’t there yet.

santacruz.indymedia.org/feature/display/7895

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Mendocino County Votes to Ban Genetically-Modified Foods

Voters in California's Mendocino County voted to pass Measure H, a county-wide measure to ban the "propagation, cultivation, raising and growing of genetically modified organisms in Mendocino County." Measure H passed, in spite of enormous financial expenditures by CropLife America in an attempt to defeat it. Washington DC based CropLife America represents biotech giants such as Monsanto, Bayer, Dupont, Dow Chemical and others. Mendocino County is now the first county in the nation to ban the growing of genetically altered crops and animals.

santacruz.indymedia.org/feature/display/7816

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Demonstrations at Two Santa Cruz Taco Bells in Solidarity with CIW

On February 27, at least 300 people took part in demonstrations focusing on the sweatshop conditions in the Florida fields where Taco Bell's tomatoes are picked. People rallied at the Mission St. Taco Bell before marching through parts of downtown Santa Cruz and on to the Laurel St. Taco Bell. A large number of UCSC students took part in the demonstration, as well as various labor organizations such as the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and United Farm Workers (UFW).

santacruz.indymedia.org/feature/display/7750

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Natural Bridges Elementary School Rented Out to Pacific Collegiate Charter School

On February 25, the Santa Cruz City School Board approved plans to rent out Natural Bridges elementary school to Pacific Collegiate Charter School. This decision came only a month after the board voted to close both Natural Bridges and Branciforte elementary schools.

santacruz.indymedia.org/feature/display/7744/index.php

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Unfair Labor Arrangements Hurt Us All

The rules are from the contract between Local 23 of the United Transportation Union (UTU) and the Lift Line division of Community Bridges. The contract covers paratransit van drivers. Half of their work involves transporting the 3,400 people who are currently registered for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) paratransit. The rest of their work involves transporting clients of other programs, such as Medi-Cal (medical insurance for the very poor).

santacruz.indymedia.org/feature/display/7742/index.php

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* * * UPCOMING EVENTS * * *

Percy Schmeiser presentation

Friday, 12 March
1:00 - 3:00 PM
201 Multi Purpose Room (Red Bldg.)
College Eight, UCSC

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Triangle Speakers Training

Saturday, 13 March
9:00 - 5:00 PM
Cabrillo College

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Local Day of Mourning for GIs and Iraqis

Saturday, 13 March
11:00 AM
San Lorenzo Park
(Duck Pond area)

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Brian Avery of the ISM to Speak in Santa Cruz

Sunday, 14 March
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Resource Center for Nonviolence
(515 Broadway at Ocean)

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UNCOVERED: The Whole Truth About the Iraq War

Tuesday, 16 March
7:00 - 8:30 PM
Santa Cruz Friends (Quaker) Meeting
225 Rooney Street, Santa Cruz

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Prepare for the FCC meeting

Tuesday, 16 March
7:00 - 8:00 PM
260 High St.
Piedmont Court

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Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) meeting

Wednesday, 17 March
9:30 - 11:00 PM
Resource Center for Nonviolence
(515 Broadway @ Ocean)

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Critical Resistance meeting

Tuesday, 23 March
6:30 - 8:00 PM
Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos
1817 Soquel Drive

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Be sure to check Santa Cruz Indymedia and the Santa Cruz Indymedia RadiCalendar for more information on the events posted above, as well as other events in the Monterey Bay area.

Santa Cruz Indymedia
santacruz.indymedia.org

Santa Cruz Indymedia RadiCalendar
www.radicalendar.org/group/SC-IMC