Glen Chase, a Professor of Systems Management, has released a third report detailing the methodical fraud that the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Management perpetrated to attempt to create a bogus emergency eradication program for the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM). This third report demonstrates the fraud and deception within the program strategy that CDFA Management used and is continuing to use to qualify for $100's of millions of dollars of emergency taxpayer funds, which were intended for real emergencies.

CDFA's main method of fraud is "Fear and Solution." CDFA Management creates a false fear and then comes to the rescue with a solution. The false fear is the nearly harmless moth that CDFA characterizes as the moth of mass destruction. CDFA falsifies that eradication is necessary and possible, and extorts taxpayer emergency funds for the solution. It is very much like paying the CDFA to keep the sky from falling. Read More

Professor Chase's first report (CDFA LBAM Eradication Program - A Fraudulent Program) revealed the falsehoods CDFA delivered after June 19 when courts and public pressure stopped the CDFA from aerial spraying synthetic pheromone based pesticides directly on cities. Professor Chase's second report (LBAM in California: The True Story: Summary & References) revealed the fraud and misinformation delivered by CDFA from fall 2007 until June 19, 2008.

download the third report: Fraud and Deception: The CDFA LBAM Eradication Program

Sarah Palin flew into San Francisco to attend a GOP fundraiser on October 5 but did not speak publicly and won't be staying a minute longer than necessary to collect money in the bay area. Several hundred angry protesters gathered in front of the Hyatt-Regency Hotel in Burlingame, adjacent to the San Francisco airport, to demonstrate their displeasure with the GOP platform. Following the vice-presidential candidates recent debate with Democratic candidate Joe Biden, many protesters' signs referred to Palin as an outright liar. Others took issue with her extremist views on abortion. The California Democratic Party sent invitations to area party members to "Greet Sarah Palin" in protest, but representatives of groups World Can't Wait and the Raging Grannies outperformed the more staid Democrats with colorful costumes, props and chants.

Environmental activists dressed as wolves howled in pain while union members led chants from a flatbed truck. Veterans for Peace members from chapters 101 (San Jose and SF Peninsula) and 69 (San Francisco) mocked the Republican McCain ticket campaign poster by adding the tag line "War Without End" and "Give Us Several Trillion Dollars" to their signs.

Palin's motorcade drove past the demonstrators and arrived at the Hyatt-Regency in Burlingame at about 11:00am though she was scheduled to speak to a fund-raising brunch at 10:30am. Several demonstrators commented that it is typical of Republican officials to swoop into the San Francisco airport and appear at one of Burlingame's airport hotels in order to make a quick getaway from an overwhelmingly anti-war San Francisco.

Following the vice-presidential candidate's recent debate with Democratic candidate Joe Biden and her attacks on Obama's character made at a speech in Carson, CA on October 4, many protesters' signs referred to Palin as an outright liar.

Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

The Bush Administration has proposed that the federal government provide $700 billion to buy bad debt from financial institutions. The financial bailout comes in response to a "credit crisis" largely caused by a drop in housing prices combined with defaults on home loans caused by shady and often illegal lending practices. While the bailout will help financial institutions that own derivatives based on mortgages, it will do little to help the more than 2 million Americans who lost their homes to foreclosure last year.

On Thursday September 25th, protests took place around the United States to oppose the bailout of Wall Street firms. In the Bay Area, protests were held in San Francisco, San Mateo, Palo Alto, and San Jose.
Event Announcements: 1 | 2 | 3 | | SF Protest Photos & Video (1 | 2) | Palo Alto Protest Photos
Fresno Protest Photos | NYC Indymedia Protest Photos | LA Indymedia Protest Photos | Democracy Now: Demonstrators Head to Wall Street to Protest Bailout

The SF Labor Council has also come out strongly against the bailout, stating that the "proposed bailout will fall on the shoulders of the working class, some $2,000.00 for every man, woman and child in America -- on top of the $3 trillion debt imposed on us by the two unending wars." They also point out that "the leaders of this economy oppose even minimal government assistance for the people, but demand it by the billions for themselves when they run into trouble caused by their own greed."

Jail—Mortgage Lenders, brokers, that Knowingly Sold or Made Fraudulent Home Mortgage Loans | Ralph Nader Asks, "Why Is There Need for a Bailout?" | Evasions, half-truths and lies | Daily Kos: What Is This Money Even For? | Bush Admin Faces Congressional Skeptics | Thinking About the Real Socialist Way Out | Retraining the ‘Beast’ | Naomi Klein: Now is the Time to Resist Wall Street's Shock Doctrine | Democrats signal support for Wall Street bailout at Senate hearing | Financial Crisis & Desperate Emergency Measures | The Bailout: Obama’s Biggest Test | Forget the Banks: Bail Out the Poor | Read Messages Delivered In Opposition | Hundreds of Economists Urge Congress Not to Rush on Rescue Plan | Don’t get fooled again: The market is working properly | US Seen Losing Financial Supremacy

On Tuesday, September 16 at 7:30pm, a reportback from the mobilizations against the political conventions this summer will be held in San Francisco, at Station40 (3030b 16th. Street). Video from the streets will be shown with presentations, and afterwards an open discussion will be held to examine activist strategies, police actions, media, successes, failures, and more.

"As the dust settles around the storm of protests surrounding the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, Bay Area activists who were on the streets of Denver and the Twin Cities are coming together to talk about their experiences -- what strategies were employed, what went right, what went wrong, and where we will go from here?" Event Announcement

Indybay coverage of RNC Demonstrations and DNC Demonstrations

During protests at the Republican National Convention in Minnesota, performance artists from the San Francisco Bay Area rolled around in "Oily Dollars" symbolizing the dirty connection between Big Oil and elected officials. While many of the conventioneers tried to stifle laughs, activist-actors made political points with humorous street theater, getting daringly close to the delegates. They met the Texas Delegates for breakfast outside of their hotel with yellow "Support Our Oil Companies" ribbons. At a nearby venue, a San Francisco resident masked as Sarah Palin beat a polar bear with a bag overflowing with dollar bills while dancing to the Beatles' "Money, That's What I Want". "Sarah's" dance partners were frolicking oil executives with oversize heads, name tags, and company logos.

Not all convention attendees were amused, however. Ed Matthews, Republican candidate for Minnesota's 4th Congressional district, took after Jeff Grubler of the performance group Ronald Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane, grabbing Grubler's McCain mask. When Grubler tugged on Matthews' credentials, he was thrown to the ground by a uniformed officer who cuffed him while keeping his knee on the back of his neck. Grubler was then arrested and released after being detained for close to an hour. Matthews, meanwhile, was escorted into the safety of the convention building.

Grubler's San Francisco based group made many of the oversize cut-out masks used to portray McCain, Palin, and well-known oil executives in larger-than-life roles. Humorous signs included one that said, "Thank you Republican Party! Price Gouging, War Profiteering, Global Warming, Toxic Pollution."

Photos | Mugged at the RNC by a Republican Candidate for Congress | I took a swing at a Republican Candidate for Congress

More Indybay 2008 RNC Coverage

The 2008 Democratic National Convention was held in Denver, Colorado, August 25th through August 28th.

Thursday, 8/28/08: More than 800 people gathered at Rude Park in Denver for an immigrant rights march that descended on the Pepsi Center. Demonstrators held signs that read "Immigrant Rights are Human Rights."

Wednesday, 8/27/08: More than 10,000 demonstrators lined up behind a contingent of 70 Iraq Veterans Against the War as they marched nearly four miles from the Denver Coliseum. The anti-war march started after Rage Against the Machine, The Coup and Flobots gave a free show in support of the veterans. Shortly before the show the anti-DNC convergence space raided by police and two people were arrested. At noon, before the march and the raid, Unconventional Denver held a "No Warming! No Green Capitalism!" re-education rally that brought nearly 400 people outside the doors of Denver's most notorious polluters and DNC supporters. The day ended with a stalemate between the Iraq vets and police in front of the Pepsi Center, followed by a 400-bike strong Critical Mass.
Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Tuesday, 8/26/08: The Iraq Veterans Against the War orchestrated guerrilla theater in downtown Denver to show the brutality of the U.S. Occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. The war veterans, dressed in full military gear, staged realistic portrayals of actual interactions between U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians.
Audio: 1 | 2 · Photos: 1

Monday, 8/25/08: Activists goal for the day was to crash lavish fund raising parties throughout downtown Denver. Five community organizers from Kansas and Missouri were arrested this morning by the FBI and Denver PD. Late in the day, a police "kettle" operation (whereby police surround, contain, and arrest large numbers of protesters at once) led to about 100 arrests near a delegate meeting in a Denver hotel.
Video: 1 · Audio: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 · Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 · Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Sunday, 8/24/08: Two pink tanks blasting raucous music and masked protesters took over the downtown of the Mile High City on Sunday on the eve of the Democratic National Convention. Denver's 16th Street Mall — a 16-block pedestrian and public transit corridor in the center of the city — was overrun by an Unconventional Denver orchestrated action at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The day started off with a Recreate '68 morning action that brought out 2,000 people to the corporate gates of the Pepsi Center in the End the Occupation March to protest of the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and other occupations throughout the world. Dead Prez kicked off the march from the Civic Center. World Can't Wait headed the march. Many smaller groups and individuals participated in the Recreate '68 action. Towards the end of the march, a Fox News reporter was surrounded by demonstrators and physically removed from the action. As the day wore on, the Alliance for Real Democracy held a Funk the War march at 2:15 p.m. on the 16th Street Mall in downtown. The event brought out more than 1,000 people, including members of Code Pink and Iraq Veterans Against the War.
Video: 1 · Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 · Reports: 1 | 2

More on Indybay: Strategic Lessons of DNC police violence | DNC C.I.R.C.A. Field Report | Schedule: DNC response starts Saturday! | '68 — Then and Now | Misunderstanding causes cancelled DNC Public Enemy concert | Riot Manifesto (IAC)

Other Coverage: Colorado-IMC | Infoshop

Organizers: Recreate 68 | Unconventional Denver | DNC Disruption 08 | Unconventional Action | Alliance for Real Democracy | World Can't Wait

Previous Indybay Coverage of 2008 DNC Protest Planning

Indybay Coverage of 2008 RNC in St Paul

MADERA -- The Lawyers' Committee filed a lawsuit today on behalf of Latino voters against the Madera Unified School District (MUSD), charging that the school district's at-large method of election is racially polarized and violates the California Voting Rights Act of 2001 (CVRA). The suit challenges the school district's discriminatory voting system and seeks to protect the Latino community against vote dilution.

Latinos constitute approximately 44% of MUSD's voting eligible population. Yet, only one of the current school board members is Latino. And over the past 25 years, no more than one Latino has ever occupied a seat on the board. This is a result of MUSD's at- large voting system, which along with a racially polarized electorate, has repeatedly resulted in a school board with little or no Latino representatives despite the significant Latino population in MUSD. The at-large method of election prevents Latino residents from electing candidates of their choice or influencing the outcome of school board elections.

The Lawyers' Committee recently sent letters to 25 school districts encouraging them to voluntarily end their practice of at-large elections or risk litigation. Approximately 90% of the school boards in the state are elected at-large.

Robert Rubin, Legal Director of the Lawyers' Committee and co-lead counsel, said: "We have put on notice city councils, school boards and other bodies throughout the state that conduct at-large elections that we will sue them if their voting is characterized by racially polarized voting. Voting is perhaps our most cherished liberty and any attempt to dilute that vote will be challenged."

Photos, Video, Story

On Thursday, August 12,anti-torture and anti-war activists came to disrupt Pelosi’s book promotion at the San Francisco’s Cowell Theatre. Pelosi was promoting her new book “Know Your Power- a Message to America’s Daughter.” While speaking, activists yelled and disrupted Pelosi’s talk, calling her “traitor” and yelling “torture,” “impeach.” Two people were escorted out by security personnel, and arguments erupted between Pelosi supporters and the activists.

Pelosi tried to keep speaking and avoid the disruption but the yelling grew stronger. Pelosi called on people interrupting her to “use their energy to get Obama elected, so we can stop the war,” but one activist answered back saying “this is what we elected you to do.” When Pelosi asked the crowd to be civil a woman answered, “Torture is not civil.”

Many Activists accuse Pelosi for not stopping the war in Iraq, and for knowing in 2002 about torture being conducted on detainees and not opposing it. Pelosi has stated in the past her opposition to impeachment of President Bush saying if somebody know of crime "that the president had committed, that would be a different story.”

Pelosi book promotion disrupted, or how I gave up on liberal pseudo-feminism | Pelosi event report | Pelosi & The People of the Lie |

Outraged by the shenanigans that led to the "stolen" elections of 2000 and 2004, the Raging Grannies teamed up with the Open Voting Consortium in lobbying against proprietary voting machines. On August 6th, the Grannies helped demonstrate a new, easy to use voting machine that uses open source software at LinuxWorld in San Francisco, the largest single gathering of the open source community.

Open source voting technology has workings that are entirely transparent to auditors and can also be voter-verified, unlike some of the electronic voting machines recently decertified by the state of California due to security problems.

Photos: 1 | 2 | Black Box Voting | Bay Area Raging Grannies

On July 7th through 9th, the G-8 countries held their annual meeting high above Lake Toyoaka in Hokkaido Japan at an exclusive spa resort. This is part of the usual pattern of the annual G-8 meetings to hold them in the most remote areas possible. Hokkaido, a land of beautiful lakes and volcanos is the most rural and least populated of the four major islands that make up Japan. The Japanese government spent $250 million in security measures and deployed 22,000 national police to Hokkaido and another 20,000 were on reserve in Tokyo.

All the G-8 countries; Germany, France, Russia, Italy, England, Japan and of course the U.S. make up less then 35% per cent of the world's population but control the great majority of the wealth. The emerging economies of Brazil, China, India, were not included, but they along with Mexico and South Africa got to have meetings on the side. (The little G-5)

The one agreement that was reached at the summit was that the G-8 countries would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by the year 2050, 42 years from now. Fidel Castro commented in his reflections of July 15, that this "is about the time that hell freezes over".

Photos & Report | Resistance and Repression in Japan continue: Inside the Anti-G8 | G8: Summits and summits

Previous Indybay Coverage of the G8 Summit And Protests

On July 10th, Bush has signed into law the FISA Amendment Act. The law allows the government to spy on emails, phone calls, web surfing, and other communications without warrants. The law also includes immunity to telecommunication companies who participated in an illegal spying by the government. An older version past by the House was threatened to be veto by President Bush for not including this immunity.

The ACLU has issued a statement calling the law unconstitutional, while others have pointed that this law is an assault on fundamental rights such as the first and fourth amendments.

According to Mark Klein a person who worked for AT&T for 22 years, the government built secrets rooms in communication companies across the U.S. and have been monitoring countless citizens in all forms of internet communications.

Numerous democrats have voted for the bill, among them Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama. Obama voted for the bill, although he had promised to oppose the bill if it guaranteed immunity to the telecommunication companies. Obama has justified this by stating that the government should have the ability to defend the American people from terror attacks and that the newer version of the FISA bill allows a secret court, not the president, the right to decide who can be spied on.

In 2004, according to the government’s own figures, all of the 1,758 wiretap warrants submitted to the FISA secret court were granted.

New Wiretapping Law: A Big Leap in Big Brotherization of Society | Obama joins Senate vote to legitimize Bush's domestic spying operation | Today—U.S. Senate Votes Whether to Shoot Down 1st and 4th Amendments l SF AT&T Whistleblower And CWA Member Urges Against Immunity for Telecoms in Bush Spy Program l Compare Provisions in “Hitler’s Laws” with FISA AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2008 l EFF Speaks Out Against Telecom Immunity Deal l Senators Dodd and Feingold Criticize Bond's False FISA "Compromise" l Spying Telecoms Receive Billions in Government Contracts l Interview on the Wiretapping Bill & the Unprecedented Expansion of Presidential Powers l AT&T Works in More Places, Like NSA Headquarters l The FISA Amendment Law is signed into Law l HR 6304 Sets New Referendum

Glen Chase, a Professor of Systems Management, has released a report identifying the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM) eradication program as a fraud. "CDFA claims the moth is an emergency and pretends that they can eradicate it in order to steal $100's of millions from taxpayer emergency funds, set aside for real emergencies."

"CDFA's fraudulent goal of eradication is based on a fake emergency, which was confirmed invalid by The Monterey and Santa Cruz County Superior Courts when both ruled that the CDFA violated California's Environmental Law by claiming an emergency exemption and spraying pesticides on populated areas." Both courts also found that no damage from this moth had occurred, contrary to CDFA's claim.

After the court rulings and after 31 cities passed resolutions to stop the spray of pesticides from this program, the CDFA gave up the aerial spray of synthetic pheromone based pesticides directly on cities. CDFA claimed it was the only method to eradicate the moth within the window of opportunity of only months that existed for eradication.

Now the CDFA reports they will instead use an untested sterile moth release program that won't be fully operational for three years, in 2011. "How the window of opportunity to eradicate the moth magically jumped from just months to years is a story that the CDFA is still working on." Read More and Download the Report

In a July 14th, New York Times Op Ed, Barack Obama says:

"As I’ve said many times, we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. We can safely redeploy our combat brigades at a pace that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 — two years from now, and more than seven years after the war began. After this redeployment, a residual force in Iraq would perform limited missions: going after any remnants of Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, protecting American service members and, so long as the Iraqis make political progress, training Iraqi security forces."

In other words, he does not plan to get all of the troops out of Iraq and he will only get most of the troops out in two years. And what does he explain he will do with these troops? Redeploy them. Redeployed where? His rhetoric has been clear: Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.

Obama goes on to call for a surge in Afghanistan as well as war in Pakistan:

"Ending the war [in Iraq] is essential to meeting our broader strategic goals, starting in Afghanistan and Pakistan [...] As president, I would pursue a new strategy, and begin by providing at least two additional combat brigades to support our effort in Afghanistan. We need more troops, more helicopters [...]" Read More

see also: Obama outlines policy of endless war