Greenspiration News: G20 anarchism and non-violence

[Angela Bischoff]

Greenspiration News

"Why – knowing of the dangers of holding the G20 in a fenced-off, emptied out downtown Toronto – did Prime Minister Stephen Harper not respond to Toronto’s pleas
and change the venue? Why were legitimate NGOs blocked from access to the press, within the security-protected playpen? What accounts for the Ontario government’s
confused instructions about security laws? Why the beat-up journalists? Why the nonchalance about the Black Bloc rampage?Why the wholesale roundups of bystanders?
And why the factory-chicken detention facilities for those corralled – scant food and water, no calls to lawyers and, if witnesses are any indication, nasty language
and harassment? Is this “normal” – give a group unlimited,unsupervised power over another group, and this is what happens? If so, who authorized that power? Was the
treatment of those arrested some sort of dry run – a testing of the waters to see how far those in authority can move toward Tinpot Dictatorship North, without a
vote-losing backlash? Was the Black Blocker mayhem allowed so there would be a justification for the undue force later? And why is not a public inquiry in order?"
- Margaret Atwood
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/a-second-chance-or-a-boot-in-the-face/article1629286/

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WHO COMMANDED THE G20 COMMANDER? 

Watch the CP24 coverage of police cars on fire Saturday night on Queen St. The journalists ask over and over again, where are the police? One says the police were
here and then they left, leaving the cars to be torn apart and torched. Read the Toronto Sun reports on embarrassed police who say they were told to stand down. Was
this part of a plan or a "lack of available resources" as we have been told? Only a public inquiry can answer the question. 

So, we get back to the one billion dollars (ok, to be exact according to the PBO it's $929,986,110). If Toronto police spent $122 million (that included their own men an all the city police who travelled from across Canada, airfare, hotels and overtime), and the OPP bill for the G8 in Huntsville was around $35 million, how much of the remaining $840 million or so was actually for the G8/G20 weekend?

National Defence got $77 million and CSIS $3 million, but the Mounties received the lion's share - at least $500 million.  But given how much more this is than the cost
of thousands of men paid out of Toronto's much smaller budget, it's hard to fathom that this was mostly manpower cost. 

Kevin Page, the Parliamentary Budget Officer, in a report roughly breaking down the costs says, "It is still unclear how the RCMP will spend its sizeable share of
incremental costs".  So, where did the money go?

One is forced to wonder if a hidden agenda of the government was to build the RCMP's technical and surveillance capacity. Are they preparing for the kind of social
unrest that might develop in the future if Canada is serious about meeting its G20 pledge of halving its deficit by 2013 - at a time when the world seems heading back
into recession?  Do our security forces look at the rising tide of strikes and protests in Europe and decide to get ready here?

Only a public inquiry, with subpoena power, led by a person of courage can really get to the bottom of this. But that’s not likely to happen, unless dear readers, you
raise your voices and demand it so.

http://communities.canada.com/shareit/blogs/reality/archive/2010/07/06/who-commanded-the-g20-commander-it-s-time-for-the-prime-minister-to-take-responsibility-for-the-g20-fiasco.aspx

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Anarchism and Nonviolence: Time for a "Complementarity of Tactics"
This may not win me any new friends among fellow anarchists, yet it needs to be said: Anarchists ought to publicly and demonstrably proclaim their nonviolence, especially in the context of mass demonstrations. This will make it clear that any violence done in that theater — which time and again is used to legitimize mass arrests, bloated police budgets, and the rest of the fascistic enterprise — is not the product of anarchists but more likely of agents of the state itself. After all, that is the basic notion being advanced, isn’t it? To wit: the state (including its corporate underwriters and beneficiaries) is inherently violent both overtly and structurally; anarchists above all reject the state and thus would do well to highlight the fundamental contrast. “The state is violent, and we are not” would be a very good place to start the discussion. 
http://www.truth-out.org/anarchism-and-nonviolence-time-a-complementarity-tactics61371
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FOR MORE G20 NEWS AND ANALYSIS GO TO: 

Rabble http://rabble.ca/issues/g8-g20

Media, paralegal arrested and dumped across town
G20 cops dump media in spots far away from the protests
http://www.torontosun.com/news/g20/2010/07/08/14649986.html

Velcrow Ripper's 'Love versus the G20'
http://rabble.ca/rabbletv/program-guide/2010/07/features/velcrow-rippers-love-versus-g20
Toronto Neighborhood Responds to G20 Policing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVwXOKZh4Os 
Straight Goods http://www.straightgoods.ca/Frontpage.cfm 

Sign the Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s Petition for Action on the G20!
http://ccla.org/2010/06/30/sign-the-cclas-petition-for-action-on-the-g20/

Appeal for public help exposing police crimes
Groups launch peoples’ investigation into police abuses at G20

Community groups are calling on the public to come forward with photos, video, and eye witness accounts of police violence against civilians during the G20 summits in Toronto.  This evidence will be used to ensure that there are consequences for all those who beat and injured people, and for the masterminds who conspired to plan and give orders for the widespread police violence and repression that was experienced by thousands on the streets. Further details can be found at
http://g20.torontomobilize.org/PeoplesInvestigation
G20 Toronto - "State of Emergency" - Democracy in Canada
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLH463ZGelo&feature=player_embedded#! 

10 reasons to have a G20 inquiry
http://rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/statica/2010/07/10-reasons-have-g20-inquiry 

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As wake-up calls go, it's hard to beat the BP oil spill
by Linda McQuaig
Here in Canada, while regulations for offshore drilling are being reviewed, it's still pretty much business as usual. Last week, the Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board actually invited bids for new deepwater exploration licenses.
And a Chevron-led consortium has just begun drilling off Newfoundland 2,600 metres below sea level, setting a record for deepest offshore drilling in Canada -- fully 1,100 metres deeper and darker than where BP has had such trouble finding a needle in the haystack.
Canadian politicians insist that Canada's waters are suitably regulated. But last December, in response to extensive industry lobbying, the Harper government actually relaxed offshore drilling rules, giving the industry more flexibility in ensuring safeguards against oil spills.
The BP gusher is seen by Ottawa, not as a wake-up call, but as a fresh marketing opportunity for Alberta's oilsands, which are now preposterously being pitched as a "safe" land-based alternative.
http://rabble.ca/columnists/2010/07/wake-calls-go-its-hard-beat-bp-oil-spill
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PRAWNS ON PROZAC / SHRIMP HIGH ON SEA DRUG WASTE 
 
PRAWNS and shrimps around Britain are getting high on anti-depressants, say experts. A rising level of drugs like Prozac in coastal waters is changing the habits of
marine life. 

Sea creatures are FIVE TIMES more likely to swim up to light when exposed to drugs, tests revealed. The behaviour puts the mud-loving crustaceans at risk of being eaten by fish or birds - which could have a devastating effect on their numbers. 

Dr Alex Ford said: "Crustaceans are crucial to the food chain. If behaviour is being changed this could seriously upset the balance of the eco-system." 

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/weird/3043891/Prawns-on-Prozac-Shrimp-high-on-sea-drug-waste.html

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NEW ECO FEES CATCHING CONSUMERS BY SURPRISE 

Levies ranges from a few cents to several dollars

The levy for thousands of new products, from pharmaceuticals to fire extinguishers, quietly came into effect July 1, the same day as the harmonized sales tax.

Manufacturers must pay the province a levy for recycling their products. Some companies are passing these costs, ranging from a few cents to several dollars per product, onto consumers.

The fees now cover all aerosol containers from hairspray to whipped cream, pharmaceuticals, syringes, mercury-containing devices and other toxic, corrosive or flammable products. For a full list and details on where to dispose these items, visit makethedrop.ca 

The companies that produce the goods are being charged a levy, which pays for the hazardous waste to be properly recycled instead of being dumped into landfills

By clicking the makethedrop.ca <http://www.makethedrop.ca/>  website and inserting their postal codes, residents can find which products they can recycle and where the closest collection site is located. There are 92 special disposal sites across the province.

"It's not a tax. The government does not see one penny of it. It all goes to the stewardship councils to make sure that all of these materials do not end up in our landfill sites," the minister said.

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/833510--new-eco-fees-catching-consumers-by-surprise 

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THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BP SPILLS COFFEE 

OK so this is the second and last time I'll send this short video - if you haven't watched it yet, trust me, it's brilliant humour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AAa0gd7ClM&feature=youtube_gdata 
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CREATE YOUR OWN GREEN JOB

Are you looking for green work, but haven't yet found what you're seeking? Would you love to green your career -- but the opportunities aren't exactly falling on your
lap? If so, here's an idea: rather than competing for existing jobs, why not create your own? Whether you want to work with an environmental group, green
business or government, why wait for someone else to "give" you a job? But how can you get started or find help or resources? 
Essential ideas, starting points and resources for making it happen
http://GoodWorkCanada.ca/CreateYourOwnGreenJob

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PFIZER: THE DRUG GIANT THAT MAKES BANK FROM DRUGS THAT CAN KILL YOU 

To say that Pfizer has been accused of wrongdoing is like saying BP  
had an oil spill.

http://www.alternet.org/story/147467/pfizer:_the_drug_giant_that_makes_bank_from_drugs_that_can_kill_you?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=alternet

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ARE ANTIDEPRESSANTS SAFE IN PREGNANCY? A FOCUS ON SSRI'S 

Conclusions and clinical implications:
- There is no evidence that SSRIs in pregnancy improve maternal or infant health, and substantive evidence that they pose a risk to the fetus. Thus the harms exceed
the benefits in this setting. 
- Non-drug options such as cognitive behavioural therapy or psychotherapy are also unproven, but do not carry a risk to the fetus. The common argument of their lack of
availability is not relevant for this relatively small, high priority population. 
- If a woman wants to stop SSRIs in pregnancy, it is best to taper the dose over at least 1 week to minimize withdrawal symptoms. 
- Exercise, social support, sleep hygiene and good nutrition are important for all pregnant women, including those with symptoms of depression. 

http://www.ti.ubc.ca/letter76

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DRUGS CAN CAUSE SUICIDE 

Health Canada has recently announced that Pregabalin (or Lyrica) can cause suicidal ideation and attempts. This drug is a painkiller often prescribed for chronic pain
and fibromyalgia.
http://www.healthcanada.gc.ca/carn

You can report any suspected adverse reactions to drugs and other health  products to the Canada Vigilance Program by visiting the Reporting Adverse Reactions to Drugsand Other Health Products page.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/medeff/report-declaration/index-eng.php

Any cases of serious or unexpected adverse incidents in patients using Medical Devices should be reported to the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/compli-conform/info-prod/md-im/index-eng.php

Any case of serious or unexpected adverse events in patients receiving vaccines should be reported to your local public health authorities or directly to the Public Health Agency of Canada. 
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/im/aefi-form-eng.php

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STRUGGLING TO BE 'FULLY ALIVE': REPORTS ON COPING WITH ANGUISH 
by Robert Jensen
(1) the social and ecological crises we face have been building for a long time and (2) the best of our traditions have, for a long time, offered wisdom useful in facing those crises. 
http://culturechange.org/cms/content/view/663/1/ 
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THE WELCOME RETURN OF THE BICYCLE 

The bicycle has many attractions as a form of personal transportation. It alleviates congestion, lowers air pollution, reduces obesity, increases physical fitness, does
not emit climate-disrupting carbon dioxide, and is priced within the reach of the billions of people who cannot afford a car. Bicycles increase mobility while
reducing congestion and the area of land paved over. Six bicycles can typically fit into the road space used by one car. For parking, the advantage is even greater,
with 20 bicycles occupying the space required to park a car. Few methods of reducing carbon emissions are as effective as substituting a bicycle for a car on short
trips. 

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/07/the-welcome-return-of-the-bicycle.php

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