Report: World Summit On Information Society
Xavier Leonard / Jonathan,

The second part of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) was held from November 16 to 18 in Tunis, Tunisia. The first part was held in 2003 in Geneva. Xavier Leonard of the non-profit Heads on Fire traveled to Tunis from San Diego to participate in this summit. This post contains a video that the SDIMC did some minor editing on and a report from Xavier's blog. I met with Xavier at a presentation he did prior to going to the summit. He stressed the importance of being involved with this process to insure that access to the internet and other communication is a right for the people of the world.

Update from global Indymedia: The second part of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) is held from November 16 to 18 in Tunis, Tunisia. The first part of the UN sponsored event was held in Switzerland in December 2003, where people from all around the world gathered for meetings and actions during the official meeting in Geneva expressing protest under the slogan 'WSIS - we seize'.

The choice of place for the second part of WSIS - Tunis - is more than hypocritical for a summit on information society: While Tunisia is catching up economically with the capitalist North, it is far from any information society if you are talking about the freedom of information (report). Furthermore - and different to 2003 - it seems almost impossible to express protest against this summit. Nevertheless some initiatives and organisations called for alternative meetings. Some Human Rights Groups take part in the "Citizens Summit on the Information Society (CSIS)". Others try to bring in their ideas within the WSIS itself.

Free access to knowledge for everybody is not the goal of WSIS, and the summit organizers' plan is to concentrate on governmental and corporate use of information and communication technologies. This approach fits the choice of place. Yet, the summit does not only give legitimacy to a repressive regime, its focus also ignores the social and technological situation in the Magrebh region. The majority of people in this part of the world do not have access to communication tools and the authoritarian regimes in the region are reliable allies to the european governments in supressing freedom of movement.

Update 16 November:It is reported that Tunesia is blocking unofficial websites related to the WSIS. People said that they could not access Websites as wsisblogs.org or the CSIS Website from hotels or other places outside the official media centre. ( study on Tunesian internet filtering ). Furthermore there were reports of repressiv actions by Tunesian authorities against groups claiming freedom of speech in the days before the conference started.

2005:'Tunisia and WSIS' dedicated page of the WSIS CS Human Rights Caucus| CSIS Website | IP Justice | from the region(fr):tunezine |nawaat | reveiltunisien | Wikipedia On WSIS | IFEX Tunisia Monitoring Group | Some Blogs: one | two | three | four | five (de) |

2003: Feature on the WSIS 2003 at Indymedia UK | World Forum on Communication Rights in Geneva 2003 | Some IMC UK articles on 2003:one | two | three | four | five | San Diego Indymedia WSIS Coverage 2003

After the revolution - Marat/Sade - must see
lotu5,

The play Marat/Sade, currently playing at the Ion Theatre in mission Gorge, is absolutely incredible. Every progressive, thinking person in this city needs to see it and support this theatre for putting on such an incredible production.
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Flexcar: Public Car Sharing in 2005
kirsten anderberg,

Flexcar is a public car sharing program that started in Seattle, Wa., but it is quickly spreading across America. There are Flexcars in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Chicago and DC. Flexcar members pay a small initial fee to join, then have access to a fleet of hybrid vehicles for an hourly fee that includes gas, insurance, parking...
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Kushner's Play "Bright Room" All Too Timely
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine,

Though written in 1987, Tony Kushner's play "A Bright Room Called Day" — the work of a playwright who is "out" both as a Gay man and as a socialist — seems all too timely in the era of George Bush II and American imperialism's push for world domination. Its subject is the paralysis and fatal divisiveness within the German Left in 1932, just before Adolf Hitler and the Nazis took power, and the political and personal dilemmas Kushner dramatizes so effectively in his script are those American Leftists are likely to face as the U.S. becomes increasingly imperialist and fascist. The play runs at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Boulevard, through December 4.
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On Indymedia: Student film with sd indymedia
Jason Moore reposted by lotu5 for indymedia,

On Indymedia is a short video essay with documentation from various rallies and manifestations and interviews on the essentials of Indy Media. It was produced by Jason Moore, a student at UCSD. The video features interviews with members of San Diego Indymedia, Bologna Indymedia and radioActive sanDiego.

The video includes scenes from "Mandate?" by Indymedia Video and the Glassbead Collective, "Remember the Dead, Fight for the Living" by San Diego Indymedia and other footage from San Diego demonstrations.

click here to watch the video
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Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price
sdimc,

The San Diego IMC is happy to host three screening of Robert Greenwald’s new film Walmart: the High Cost of Low Price. Friday, November 18 at 8pm and Sunday, November 20 at 4pm and 7pm at Voz Alta, 1544 Broadway, Downtown San Diego.

November 13th through 19th is "Higher Expectations Week," with events planned in over 1200 locations to hold Wal-Mart accountable for its negative impacts on communities. A major complaint that many people have is that Wal-Mart's growth has been thus far nearly unchecked. This past weekend, in hundreds of churches, mosques and synagogues across the country, congregations heard messages of economic justice, respect for community and fair labor practices. Robert Greenwald's new documentary "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price" has been shown in thousands of homes and public places all over the US. Search for more screenings

A leaked internal document recently detailed the company's plans to open or expand 484 stores next year alone. The document lists 100 more expansion sites than Wal-Mart had previously disclosed. Another recently-leaked memo reveals the disregard with which Wal-Mart's executives view their more than 1.3 million employees in the U.S. It confirms facts that Wal-Mart has long denied, including that 46% of the children of Wal-Mart's U.S. employees are uninsured or on Medicaid. This memo lays out plans to remedy Wal-Mart's healthcare crisis, the memo lays out plans to cut spousal benefits, hire more part-time employees and encourage faster turnover, and discourage older and unhealthy people from working at Wal-Mart by requiring more jobs to require physically challenging tasks. Read more

Some are calling for Buy Nothing Day protests to target Wal-Mart on the day after Thanksgiving.

WalMartWatch's Full list of events | WalMartWatch's report from the beginning of Higher Expectations Week | WSWS Report: US Labor Department and Wal-Mart’s secret agreement on child labor | Sprawl Busters

Check out Philly IMC, Binghamton IMC, Indybay for more info, and www.indymedia.us,
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SD Foundation Honors Community Activists
rocky neptun,

The San Diego Foundation for Change, a funding organization for social justice and community development, gives $55,000 to activists.

Photos here

There are many good people in our community who spend many precious hours volunteering to help their fellow human beings. In soup kitchens, youth programs, clinics, the penal system, gender and sexual orientation crisis units, they work unselfishly to mitigate the individual tragedies of those floating helplessly in a world dominated by profit and success driven competition.
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California voters rebel against corporations
PWW - People weekly world,

Across the nation, elections signal trend against right-wing politics
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830 Tasers for $825,000
TASER IMHO,

The latest news directly from Taser International via its paid Press Release service, PR Newswire, trumpets an astounding achievement in an “award to supply”.
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Update: Grand Jury Resister Nicole Fink
Bob,

Hearing has been moved up from 1030AM to 9AM.
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Free Speech Arts in Balboa Park
Michael Klam,

Poetry and Art is a well attended quarterly free speech arts event in the House of Charm. The museum is looking for artists/performers to feature in upcoming events. Below are some details about the museum and our Wednesday, Nov. 16 Poetry and Art event:
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SDFC to honor social justice organizations
San Diego Foundation for Change,

Rep. Bob Filner, Julie Chavez Rodriguez join annual Changemaker Celebration
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Hearing Scheduled for Jailed Grand Jury Resis
sleeping_cat,

The first hearing since Nicole Fink’s incarceration has been scheduled for Thursday, November 10, at 10:30 a.m. at the Federal Courthouse on Front and Broadway, downtown San Diego. The hearing is open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to attend in support of Nicole.

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Don't make it worse ! Go Vote !
bruce,

Yes, statistically your invidual vote means nothing. Yes, the political establishment is corrupt and lacking awareness. BUT what's at stake in this election is so significant as to make not voting a vote to make things worse than they currently are.
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The Fall 2005 Free Press is Out!
san diego indymedia,

The San Diego Free Press for Fall 2005 is out! Including stories and photos from all of the Anti-Minutemen, Anti-Border actions all summer as well as stories on police killings in San Diego, interviews with local activists, interviews with survivors of Katrina and more! En espanol tambien! We will be having a meeting this week so that folks can come by and pick them up and help us distribute them.

Read it online here!
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Downtown SD: Diversity or Economic Apartheid?
rocky neptun,

The San Diego City Council will be considering the Downtown Community Plan Update on Tuesday, November 15th. Members of ACCORD, a group of 20 grassroots organizations, urges you to attend.
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Anti-Torture Activist Speaks in San Diego
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger’s Newsmagazine,

Jennifer Harbury, director of the First Unitarian-Universalist Church's Stop Torture Permanently [STOP] campaign and author of the book "Truth, Torture and the American Way," spoke at the First U-U Church in Hillcrest November 3. She argued that torture has been a consistent part of U.S. policy since 1947, when the CIA was founded and launched experiments in how to break detainees under torture that resulted in the techniques used in Viet Nam in the 1960's, Latin America in the 1970's through the 1990's and Afghanistan, Iraq and Guantánamo today. She also said that torture simply doesn't work; it doesn't yield good information and it antagonizes the populations it targets and thereby makes them more, not less, likely to resist occupation.
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San Diego Homeless Facts & Info
rocky neptun,

San Diego Housing and Homeless Facts and Figures
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Unidad laboral en San Diego
Danny Morales,

Correspondencia obrera
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Who Controls How You Use the Internet?
Xavier Leonard,

Heads On Fire presents an educational forum about the World Summit on the Information Society
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SDFC to honor social justice organizations
San Diego Foundation for Change,

Foundation to honor local social justice organizations
Rep. Bob Filner, Julie Chavez Rodriguez join annual Changemaker Celebration
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SD City Council Guilty of Negligent Homicide
rocky neptun,

San Diego Renters Union charges city officials with conspiracy to violate human rights, obstruction of justice and negligent homicide over treatment of homeless.

San Diego Homeless Facts & Info

Open Letter to San Diego Police Officers

Photos of the Homeless Memorial Service


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Who's Behind the Minutemen?
Alex Gould,

Contrary to the official story, the USA is not one nation of many immigrants, but a prison of oppressed nations, including Latin@s. In the year 2004, another racist threat emerged against Latin@ and other immigrant workers: the Minutemen.
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Chicano Park Wireless Network/DiaDeLosMuertos
Heads On Fire, posted by sd indymedia,

El Ombligo de los Barrios (the Chicano Park WiFi network) launches with a free family-oriented celebration of Dia de los Muertos from 12pm to 4pm. This fun-filled, family-oriented day honors the Day of the Dead holiday traditions , celebrates the distinctive Barrio Logan culture, and provides an opportunity for all to explore the benefits that wireless technology can bring to a community. The event is free and open to all.
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Announcing Indymedia On Campus
San Diego Indymedia,

San Diego Indymedia is starting a new project called Indymedia On Campus to provide more coverage of Campus issues and activism and also to encourage more university participation in Indymedia. San Diego Indymedia is a grassroots organization committed to using media production and distribution as a tool for promoting social and economic justice in San Diego County.

There are lots of hot stories going on at UCSD, SDSU, USD and City College. At SDSU campus activists are protesting military recruiters and fighting oppression by campus cops. Students in all parts of the county face higher fees and the loss of quality programs. At UCSD SPECFLIC happens tomorrow and SRTV is in danger of being shut down. We'll be doing coverage of SPECFLIC and radioActive sanDiego will be broadcasting it live.
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Statement from Danae Kelley
freespeechdefense,

First and foremost, I would like to thank each and every one of you for
the tremendous amount of support I received. Your thoughts and concerns
helped ease the stress of my incarceration and it was delight for me to
receive as many letters as I did. I was able to meet so many new people,
while reconnecting with old friends. Though I tried responding to all the

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MORE DECEIT
(Roto) Reuters,

Iran lets senior al Qaeda suspects roam free: report
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Great Political Plays at 6th @ Penn
Mark Gabrish Conlan/Zenger's Newsmagazine,

6th @ Penn Theatre, 3704 Sixth Avenue in Hillcrest, is presenting on its so-called "off nights" (Sundays through Wednesdays) through November 16 an intense, profoundly moving program of plays united by the theme of inhumanity. The subjects of the plays include the genocides in Rwanda and Sudan, lingering anti-Jewish prejudice in America and the U.S. practice of "extraordinary rendition" — kidnapping terror suspects and flying them to countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt so they can be tortured. Their styles range from wrenching, realistic drama to circus-like satirical farce, but all four works combine a sense of political commitment with a passionate, artistically integral sense of drama.
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Election fraud? Tell Aguirre tomorrow evening
Mark E. Smith,

Concerned about election fraud? City Attorney Michael Aguirre will be holding a public meeting to hear your concerns tomorrow evening, Wednesday, Oct. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m., at his office at 1200 Third Avenue, downtown San Diego.

If you got a notice about a November 2nd meeting, that one has been cancelled. Tomorrow's meeting is the only one that Aguirre plans to hold before the election.

Please let anyone with an interest in election fraud know about this meeting.
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October 22, 2005 - No More Police Brutality!
sdimc ,

From Police Shootings that result in death to grand jury investigations, San Diego's police state is out of control. Yesterday's Conference was attended by almost 100 people and addressed these tough issues.

For nine days, Cherry Mason frantically looked for her daughter who was five months pregnant. Finally, she was notified her daughter had been shot and killed by a border agent who was participating illegally in a drug bust in a black neighborhood. She later discovered that her child; handcuffed, lying face down in the mud, had been shot in the back. [Complete Story: Angry Mothers Address CopWatch Conference]

Open Letter to San Diego Police Chief
Announcement for the CopWatch Conference

Past October 22 Events on SDIMC
2004: Photos, Announcement | 2003: Collage, Photos, Announcement | 2002: Feature, Photos and Article, Article