On Monday, June 20, I spoke with John on the Indynewswire program on Free Radio Santa Cruz. John gave an update from the Philly IMC space about BioDemocracy 2005 which is taking place in Philadelphia.

Audio: Download the mp3 (10:22 minutes / 4.8 MB)

The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) is holding their international corporate convention in downtown Philadelphia from June 19-22. People from across the country have converged to bring attention to BIO's closed-door agenda of medicine for profit, genetically engineered agriculture and bioweapons proliferation.

Audio Recordings from BioDemocracy Conference

[ Philadelphia IMC || Philly IMC's BioDemocracy 2005 page || Reclaim The Commons || BioDev ]

So far, Santa Cruz County has managed to keep out ultra-evil Wal-Mart from its communities. Wal-Mart is now trying to come into Santa Cruz County... by locating themselves just outside of county lines in the small, unicorporated area of Pajaro. Please help fight the corporate monster!

Sometimes a moment comes when what we do, individually and together, MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE in what happens, for better or for worse, in our communities here on the Central Coast. If we respond, we win. If we fail to respond, we lose. A moment like that has arrived NOW.

At 9:30 AM on Monday morning June 20 the Monterey County Board of Supervisors will hear public comment on whether the county should regulate the development of big box superstores-- combining huge discount grocery sales with cheap consumer goods-- like the WalMart superstore proposed for the unincorporated rural area of Pajaro.

Actions calling for an end to the Iraq war were held across the US on Sunday, May 15. Protestors wore numbers to dramatize the more than 100,000 Iraqis and 1,600 US soldiers who have died in the war. In Philadelphia, anti-war activists staged a die-in at the Liberty Bell, while in Seattle, Boston, and elsewhere, peace advocates held candlelight vigils, and other actions. FSRN's Vinny Lombardo reports from Santa Cruz, CA where about 40 people handed out leaflets to educate tourists about the costs of war. (call to action)

Audio: Download the mp3 (2:47 minutes)

Photos from Santa Cruz: The Cost of War: Iraq as of May 15th, 2005

[ CountingTheCost.org ]

5/6/05: Complete with costumes and characters such as UC President Dynes and "Hans" of SNL fame, the march through Science Hill, organized by Students Against War (SAW)'s Demilitarization working group, highlighted UC's management of Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore Labs, as well as the large amount of weapons research currently underway on UCSC's campus. Student 'weapons inspectors' stopped outside the new Baskin Engineering building before a die-in outside the Science and Engineering Library. The inspectors also marched silently through the library and passed out information about UCSC's connection to the war machine.

Students Against War (SAW) meets every Friday in Conference Room #C above the Baytree Plaza at 5pm. SAW's demilitarization working group meets every Sunday in Cowell's fireside lounge at 7pm.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Audio: Hans; UC Plays Central Role in Thermo-Nuclear Weapons R&D

See also: UCSC's weekly "Weapons Inpsections" Tour a success (4/22/05) || Fiat Pax || FuckTheRegents.com

On Saturday, May 7th, the UCSC Anarchism Research Cluster and the Center for Cultural Studies hosted a one-day conference and conversation exploring and contextualizing contemporary anarchism. The conference took place from 9:30am - 6:00pm in Oakes 105.

Organizing questions included: How can we think adequately about anarchism’s place in current social justice movements? What resources does anarchism present us for addressing the current moment? What is it about this current conjuncture that resonates with anarchism? How might anarchism be a part of re-politicizing the academic left?

The conference included two panels with ample time for discussion, and an extended lunch discussion. Conference speakers include Iain Boal, Arif Dirlik, Carwil James, John Holloway, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Barry Pateman, Roger White, and Eddie Yuen.

The open form of the conference facilitated a roundtable atmosphere for all to participate actively.

Photos: Lunchtime

Audio: Second Panel and Closing Discussion

Tune in to the Critical Mass Radio Network, Saturday December 31st.

* A member of the group promoting the Alternative Social Forum explains why the World Social Forum (WSF), taking place in Caracas during January 2006, is another attempt by the Chavez government to impede the autonomous development of social struggles in the country.

While families get together to celebrate the holidays this season, and corporations smile at their record profits, many Santa Cruzans won't be seeing any gifts, food, or even a warm place to sleep.

In this 'season of giving' (so are all other seasons, times for 'not giving'?), iPods, XBoxes, jewelry and golf clubs, find their way under trees (dead or petrolium-based plastic) or next to the latkes or candle stick holders. Yet, although everything made in overseas sweatshops are brought into the home, our own homeless population remain mostly-forgotten on the street.

The whole year is a 'season of giving' for capitalism.

Happy Holidays.