On September 23, Felton FLOW (Friends of Locally Owned Water) organized a film screening of Thirst at the Rio Theater in Santa Cruz, CA. Thirst is a new documentary that examines community water conflicts on three continents. 'Thirst' demonstrates that popular opposition to the privatization of water ignites remarkable coalitions that cross partisan lines. When it comes to water, many people demand local control and fear the arrival of multinational corporations with large lobbying budgets and little local accountability.

Thirst also shows that the individual struggles of these communities raise the same profound questions: Is water a human right for all people? Or, is it a commodity to be bought, sold, and traded in a global marketplace?

After watching Thirst, a six speaker panel discussed water issues around the world with a focus on Felton, a rural community in the Santa Cruz mountains. For more information on Felton's struggle for community controlled water resources, visit FeltonFlow.org. Also visit ThirstTheMovie.org.

An International Week of Protest to Stop the Militarization of Space will take place from September 25 to October 2. Helen Calidicott is the keynote speaker on September 25 at the Front Gate Protest Rally at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. At 11:30 there will be a 3 mile march to the front gate starting at the Hwy 1 on-ramp at Vandenberg Village.

The Bush Administration (after abandoning the ABM Treaty that outlawed missle defenses) plans to deploy missle defense interceptors before the next election as the next step to controlling and dominating space. Fifteen interceptors (that have yet to be proven effective) will be put into the ground at Ft. Greely, Alaska and Vandenberg AFB, California. We oppose the development of the proposed "sheild" from behind which pre-emptive strikes can be launched. Help build support for a U.N. sponsored ban on weapons in space.

Audio and Photo: Raging Grannies: The Best Things In Space Ain't Free
Audio and Photos: Bruce Gagnon's Update on the Privatization and Militarization of Space
Audio: Question and Answer Session

[ Vandenberg Peace Legal Defense Fund I Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space I Womens International League for Peace and Freedom I DISARM committee I Sept 25 – Oct 2 Local Actions ]

So much has been going on that I can only tell of a few things, a tiny window into the enormity of this protest. I am of course here with my street medic collective from the bay area, working in a larger network of street medics from all over the country, so that is often the angle I get on things, the cops vs. protesters play-by-play and all the injuries, not to mention heat exhaustion (it's in the 90's and muggy here, feels like cancun!).

Things started off Thursday with a banner drop from The Plaza Hotel by four activists who rappeled from the roof with a sign with opposing arrows with "Bush" and "truth" in opposite directions.

Friday night was a critical mass ride (truly massive), with 5,000 riders and ultimately about 250 people arrested, lots of angry motorists, and general chaos in midtown and lower manhattan.

Sunday, as you all may know by now, was ENORMOUS, with at least half a million people marching in manhattan ALL DAY LONG, wrapping all the way around from union square up to madison square garden and back down to union square, a constant stream from noon until about 5 pm.

Today a few marches and rallies are planned, including Still we rise (community organizations from NYC) and the poor peoples' march (kensington welfare rights union). Then Tuesday will be a whole slew of direct actions, so keep your eyes and ears open.

(((i))) BREAKING NEWS: Gov't Attempts Subpoena For Indymedia Logs - Service Provider Refuses

see also: [ NYC-IMC I Portland Indymedia Coverage I Puerto Rico Indymedia Corbertura en Espanol ]

Para el próximo domingo 15 de Agosto, está previsto en Venezuela la realización de un referendo nacional para decidir sobre la continuación o no del gobierno liderado por el presidente Hugo Chávez — democráticamente electo en 1998 y re-electo en 2000. Sin embargo, lo que ocurre en Venezuela, lejos de ser un mero proceso electoral que determinaría el destino de un líder, es una confrontación directa entre los movimientos populares de Venezuela y el Imperio Capitalista. Esta confrontación, sin embargo, no se decidirá en las urnas electorales, sino en la calle...

[ Coverage from: Indymedia.org I Puerto Rico Indymedia I UK Indymedia ]

After one and a half hours of public testimony, the County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to create a Community Facilities District as a first step in the acquisition of the Felton Water system.

The county will essentially loan Felton $50,000 to finance a formal appraisal and put a bond to the voters.

CalAm RWE has been running an extensive 'scare' campaign to convince residents that the water will cost up to $20 million ($1,165 per rate payer/month). Even higher figures have been cited. Residents testified that they've received phone call, letters, pamphlets, and posters from the company.

The Supervisors came out strongly in favor of taking back the water. Jan Beautz summed it up. "Some things should be owned by the public. Water is one off them. It should not be in the hands of private companies."

Friends of Locally Owned Water (FLOW) Felton



previous coverage: [ Felton fights privatized water I Felton organizes to stop privatization of its water I Jeff Almquist on water privatization in SC county I Felton Organizes to Take Back Water From RWE AG I KUSP advertises American Water ]

This a press release/summary of what happened today at UCSC. Pictures are coming...

Got this idea while thinking about the ambush the CIA is playing on the neocons.

Forwarded from LPDC:

Since 1970, Native Americans have gathered at noon on Cole's Hill in Plymouth to commemorate a National Day of Mourning on the US thanksgiving holiday. Many Native Americans do not celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims and other European settlers.

With one phone call you can stop the steady flow of Victoria's Secret catalogs made from virgin timber... at least in your mailbox.