Politics & Globalization
Where Health, Justice, Sustainability, Peace and Democracy Intersect
International trade agreements force the U.S. and other participting countries to "harmonize" food and envrironmental safety standards to the lowest common denominator. Often these agreements are negotiated behind closed doors, shutting out Congress and the public, while granting corporations and trade associations a seat at the table. It's no surprise that these agreements give transnational corporations "special rights", allowing companies to challenge individual countries' environmental, worker and food safety laws and regulations.
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Rose and Ronnie· Joe volunteer© 2008
News
June 14, 2006
-- "Liberal" and "progressive" conclave in Washington, DC: It's all about controlling and "framing" the message. This week's "Take Back America" conference, sponsored by the Campaign for America's Future, ends today. The conference studiously avoided topics that are uncomfortable to the "limousine liberals" who have steered the agenda of the Take Back America conference over the past four years. After Al Gore's loss in 2000 and John Kerry's in 2004, both resulting from massive election fraud in Florida and Ohio, respectively, the topic of voter fraud was shunned at the conference as a sort Read more
News
June 15, 2006
People who know the most about the world financial system are increasingly worried, and for very good reasons. Dire warnings are coming from the most "respectable" sources. Reality has gotten out of hand. The demons of greed are loose.
What is that reality? It includes a number of factors. Alone they would be exceedingly serious; combined, they are very likely to be lethal.
First of all, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been undergoing both a structural and intellectual crisis. Structurally, its outstanding credit and loans have declined dramatically since 2003 Read more
What is that reality? It includes a number of factors. Alone they would be exceedingly serious; combined, they are very likely to be lethal.
First of all, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been undergoing both a structural and intellectual crisis. Structurally, its outstanding credit and loans have declined dramatically since 2003 Read more
News
June 14, 2006
Greg Palast is such a good investigative reporter, he can't get a job with a mainstream media outlet in the United States. That's right, Palast is good enough for the BBC and the London Guardian and Observer, but he is too good for any paper or television station in the United States.
You see, the mainstream press in America sees a big boulder blocking the road and there's all sorts of arms and legs sticking out from underneath. The White House tells the media that their eyes are deceiving them and there is nothing under the boulder. They warn them not to try and move it, Read more
You see, the mainstream press in America sees a big boulder blocking the road and there's all sorts of arms and legs sticking out from underneath. The White House tells the media that their eyes are deceiving them and there is nothing under the boulder. They warn them not to try and move it, Read more
News
June 14, 2006
LOS ANGELES, California - A three year struggle of South Central Los Angeles farmers to save their gardens came to a climax Tuesday morning as Los Angeles police, firefighters and about 65 sheriffs deputies raided the contested farm land, arresting 45 people. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other city officials negotiated with landowner Ralph Horowitz for hours even as law enforcement officials removed protesters from the property.
The farm, covering 14 blocks, was one of the largest urban community gardens in the United States.
Bulldozers cut a 30 foot wide Read more
The farm, covering 14 blocks, was one of the largest urban community gardens in the United States.
Bulldozers cut a 30 foot wide Read more
News
June 14, 2006
Daily Kos's convention the in-person gathering of the nation's most-read online political blog was practically carpeted with presidential candidates. But perhaps the most notable presentation came from Ava Lowery, a 15-year-old from rural Alabama, whose homemade video was shown at the convention on jumbo television screens.
Ms. Lowery's video, set to the Queen song "We Will Rock You," contrasted the "liars" and "leakers" in the Bush administration with "those of us who choose to stand up for truth and justice." Her handiwork, which can be seen at Youtube.com (Ava Lowery's video Read more
Ms. Lowery's video, set to the Queen song "We Will Rock You," contrasted the "liars" and "leakers" in the Bush administration with "those of us who choose to stand up for truth and justice." Her handiwork, which can be seen at Youtube.com (Ava Lowery's video Read more
News
June 14, 2006
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News
June 13, 2006
The end for South Central Farm?
BY BRENT HOPKINS, Staff Writer
LA Times
6/14/2006
Not legal challenges, not folk singers' entreaties, not even a last-minute infusion of $10 million could save the South Central Farm.
Sheriff's deputies moved in before dawn Tuesday to evict the farmers from the 14-acre plot, a rare swath of green in the otherwise industrial belt between Alameda Street and Long Beach Avenue. Seeking to prolong the multiyear land dispute, protesters chained themselves to pipes inside.
Actress Daryl Hannah, Read more
BY BRENT HOPKINS, Staff Writer
LA Times
6/14/2006
Not legal challenges, not folk singers' entreaties, not even a last-minute infusion of $10 million could save the South Central Farm.
Sheriff's deputies moved in before dawn Tuesday to evict the farmers from the 14-acre plot, a rare swath of green in the otherwise industrial belt between Alameda Street and Long Beach Avenue. Seeking to prolong the multiyear land dispute, protesters chained themselves to pipes inside.
Actress Daryl Hannah, Read more
News
June 9, 2006
The House voted on legislation yesterday that could determine the future of the Internet and public access television in this country. We examine the implications of the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act - known as the COPE bill - with Anthony Riddle of the Alliance for Community Media. [includes rush transcript] The House voted on legislation yesterday that could determine the future of the internet and public access television in this country. In a vote of 321 to 101, the House voted to pass the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act, known as the Read more
News
June 9, 2006
Some fear the decision will mean net providers start deciding on behalf of customers which websites and services they can visit and use.
The vote is a defeat for Google, eBay and Amazon which wanted the net neutrality principle protected by law.
All three mounted vigorous lobbying campaigns prior to the vote in the House of Representatives.
Tier fear The rejection of the principle of net neutrality came during a debate on the wide-ranging Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act (Cope Act).
Among other things, this aims to make Read more
The vote is a defeat for Google, eBay and Amazon which wanted the net neutrality principle protected by law.
All three mounted vigorous lobbying campaigns prior to the vote in the House of Representatives.
Tier fear The rejection of the principle of net neutrality came during a debate on the wide-ranging Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act (Cope Act).
Among other things, this aims to make Read more
News
June 8, 2006
Featured stories in this issue...
The Context of Our Work: Slow Economic Growth, Part 2 Here we pick up the thread from last week, examining the consequences of three decades of decelerating economic growth. The system's responses to slowed economic growth explain much of what passes for "the news" each day.
Humboldt County, California Passes a Law Curbing Corporate Rights On June 6, 2006 the voters in Humboldt County, California approved a new law prohibiting corporations headquartered outside the county from making contributions to electoral campaigns within the county Read more
The Context of Our Work: Slow Economic Growth, Part 2 Here we pick up the thread from last week, examining the consequences of three decades of decelerating economic growth. The system's responses to slowed economic growth explain much of what passes for "the news" each day.
Humboldt County, California Passes a Law Curbing Corporate Rights On June 6, 2006 the voters in Humboldt County, California approved a new law prohibiting corporations headquartered outside the county from making contributions to electoral campaigns within the county Read more
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