Anti genetically-modified organism (GMO) activists have consistently been protrayed as cranks, luddites, and hippies.

Via Nathan Newman, I see that some of the worst predictions of the anti-GMO activists may be coming true

Modified genes from crops in a GM crop trial have transferred into local wild plants, creating a form of herbicide-resistant “superweed”, the Guardian can reveal.

The cross-fertilisation between GM oilseed rape, a brassica, and a distantly related plant, charlock, had been discounted as virtually impossible by scientists with the environment department. It was found during a follow up to the government’s three-year trials of GM crops which ended two years ago. The new form of charlock was growing among many others in a field which had been used to grow GM rape. When scientists treated it with lethal herbicide it showed no ill-effects.

SAVE THE DATE

Join Labor, Democratic and Community Activists at a Town Hall Meeting

to learn how the Special Election initiatives attack California workers, seniors,

and consumers.

Propositions To Be Discussed Include:

73 Parental Notification

74 Teacher Tenure

75 Paycheck Deception

76 Budget Power Grab

78 Prescription Drugs (Industry written)

79 Prescription Drugs (Consumer written)

Join us in the fight against Arnold and these initiatives!

When: Saturday, August 13th

When: 10:00 AM—2:00 PM

Where: California State Building

455 Golden Gate Ave. (between Larkin and Polk)

Governor Schwarzenegger’s PR people have announced that he’s changing his attitude.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is about to try the political version of one of those makeovers popular on afternoon TV talk shows - where the guest is transformed from unsightly to attractive.

Convinced that the public sees the former film star as someone more fixated on name-calling and political head-butting than he is on actual, day-to-day governing, Schwarzenegger and his advisers say they have decided it’s time for a radical change of course.

The House of Labor and the Future

By Katrina vanden Heuvel TheNation.com Posted July 26, 2005.

More principle and less testosterone in the AFL-CIO debates might have halted the storm that’s split the labor movement in half.

So, with the heaving sound of an old tree suddenly splitting apart in a storm, the labor movement is finally breaking up.

On Sunday, leaders of four of the country’s largest labor unions announced they would boycott this week’s AFL-CIO convention, and officials from two of those unions, SEIU and the Teamsters, withdrew from the Federation on Monday.

Here’s good news!

Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin named artist Debra Walker on Monday to fill a vacancy on the city’s Building Inspection Commission.

Yes, you can save a pound tomorrow–a pound of pollution. According to a spokeswoman for the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, via the Chron, “There are 5.1 million cars registered in the Bay Area… and each one contributes a little less than a pound of pollution per day.” Because of the heat and other conditions predicted for tomorrow’s weather, tomorrow has been deemed an “orange-level” air day, so public transit officials are implementing “Spare the Air.” This means public transit is free getting into (but not out of) work tomorrow. Take public transit!

Most of the discussion around the various deregulation and reregulation and dereregulation effort in the telecommunications industry has centered around consumer choice. Specifically, around whether things like internet access will be affordable to everybody.

Via BoingBoing, a Canadian example of another danger of monopoly:

Telus Communications Inc, Canada’s second largest telephone company, whose 13,500 unionized employees setup picket lines only sixteen hours before Telus implemented their non-negotiated contract offer Friday is now playing media censor.

We need to restore poetry to our politics, the meaning that strengthens the muscle. Bread and roses. It may be more than what we bargain for, but for progressive labor, it’s the real deal.

Quote from Kim Fellner, The Labor Movement: It’s More than What We Bargain for, Monthly Review

A friend read my column on recalling Arnold and sent me the following article.
Governor losing Hispanic support

Minority members cite poor outreach and remarks against illegal migrants as poll ratings drop.

By MARTIN WISCKOL
The Orange County Register

Few had better reason to celebrate Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2003 election victory than Republican Manny Padilla. Not only did the North Tustin resident get someone from his own party in the state’s highest office, but Padilla’s job as Orange County GOP Hispanic outreach chief got easier. California Hispanics traditionally avoid Republicans in the polls, but Schwarzenegger parlayed his popularity in the Hispanic community and got about one-third of its votes - a relatively high number.

It’s official. SEIU is leaving the AFL-CIO. Andy Stern announced it at a press conference today. Nothing this big has happened in labor since the 1930s. Check Andy Stern’s blog at Unite to Win or check Nathan Newman’s blog called the House of Labor for ongoing coverage. Click here for a statement from Anna Burger, Chair of the Unite to Win Coalition. Yesterday, the United Farm Workers joined the Unite to Win coalition. Other unions that have signed on include the Teamsters, the United Food and Commercial Workers, and Unite Here.
Click here for an editorial in favor of the split, arguing that the split in the 1930s helped labor. We live in scary times. But I think everyone already knew that.