Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

In an apparent attempt to make the 14-acre space at 41st and Alameda more attractive to developers, city councilmember and mayoral candidate Jan Perry is trying to waive the requirement that 2.6 acres be devoted to green space. Instead, seller Ralph Horowitz would pay about three million dollars to existing park services nearby.

A petition against this proposal is being circulated. People are encouraged to print out the petition featured here and collect signatures.

Supporters are also encouraged to e-mail public officials.

On Thursday August 4, the Harbor Commission in San Pedro held a public hearing to consider Perry's proposal (announcement).

Report and photos: Jan Perry Proposes Waiver of Green Space Requirement for South Central Farm Land By RP

This week TV stations are observing Shark Week by running shows that play on people's fear of sharks. One even re-creates a grisly attack on a human. Meanwhile, individuals are paying homage to Jaws on their websites. It seems like a better way to observe Shark Week might be to learn more about sharks, how best to avoid contact with certain ones, and how we humans are eradicating them out of existence. Instead, sharks continue to be vilified, and the misconceptions (many arguably the result of Jaws) are being perpetuated. All of this makes them more desirable as hunting trophies, meals, and aquarium exhibits.

Article: Another Way to Observe Shark Week? by Rick Panna

The San Francisco Peaks are a unique mountain ecosystem which are managed as public lands in Northern Arizona. The Peaks are held Holy by more than 13 Indigenous Nations. Nevertheless, a ski resort that plans to use treated human waste for snow is being allowed to go forward with expansion there. In December 2007, many in southern California welcomed and supported opponents of development/desecration of the San Francisco Peaks. Here is an update:

From Arizona IndyMedia (6/16/2011): From the press release: Today we take direct action to stop further desecration and destruction of the Holy San Francisco Peaks. We stand with our ancestors, with allies and with those who also choose to embrace diverse tactics to safeguard Indigenous People's cultural survival, our community's health, and this sensitive mountain ecosystem.

On May 25th 2011, sanctioned by the US Forest Service, owners of Arizona Snowbowl began further destruction and desecration of the Holy San Francisco Peaks. Snowbowl's hired work crews have laid over a mile and a half of the planned 14.8 mile wastewater pipeline. They have cut a six foot wide and six foot deep gash into the Holy Mountain.

Although a current legal battle is under appeal, Snowbowl owners have chosen to undermine judicial process by rushing to construct the pipeline. Not only do they disregard culture, environment, and our children's health, they have proven that they are criminals beyond reproach.

Four weeks of desecration has already occurred. Too much has already been taken. Today, tomorrow and for a healthy future, we say "enough!"

Video: Alberta Nells - Brower Youth Awards 2006

Interview: Klee Benally, Navajo nation (Uprising Radio)

The fight for the Farm is on again. The Los Angeles Times editorial board announced its support for restoring the South Central Farm (see below), once a fourteen-acre miracle of family agriculture in the heart of industrial Los Angeles. What the Times isn't saying here is that the land that was the Farm is in escrow according to reports received by the Farmers, with only four months left to find a way to return the Farm to the community before the land is sold. The Farmers are again relying on Angelinos to come to the aid of the legendary urban farm.

Update: The South Central Farmers: The Dream Reborn by The South Central Farmers | | Video: South Central Farm: Community Visioning at 41st and Alameda, in Los Angeles by The South Central Farmers

Most readers here already know about the effects of plastic on birds and sea life--although the footage shown here is even worse than anything I've seen. There is also footage of impoverished people in China sorting through OUR "recyclables" as their children loiter about and pollution from a processing plant poisons the air.

But most revealing of all (to me, anyway) is the effects plastic seems to be having on us humans, including, perhaps, the increase we're seeing in Autism; Attention Deficit Disorder; early onset of puberty; male infants becoming more feminine and females more masculine; and lower sperm count.

Also insightful is the film's revelations about the powerful American Chemistry Council, which is made up of plastic and oil interests, including Chevron BP, Exxon-Mobil, Shell, Dow, DuPont, 3M, Honeywell, and Bayer. ACC spends huge sums of money battling initiatives that would ban plastic bags. Some of their cute pro-plastic bag slogans include "save the plastic bag!"

Review: Important New Film "Bag It!" Playing on PBS This Week by R

Update: This film is now available on YouTube.