RISING UP GREEN e-Newsletter, GPUSA 3-29-2004

RISING UP GREEN

e-NEWSLETTER of Green Party USA

Green Party USA PO Box 1406 Chicago, Illinois 60690 1-866-GREENS2 (or 1-866-473-3672) greenpartyusa@igc.org http://www.greenparty.org

March 29, 2994

Hi People - Please send Items for Newsletter to Editor@greenparty.org.

In this issue:
--plea for help with GPUSA work in Ventura, California
--information on Hearings on monster garbage dump state wants to site in Old Town, Maine (near Bangor).
--internship available with GPUSA activist on Maine saltwater farm, small stipend available
--expose on pharmaceutical anti-depressants (legal) and how they make you worse
--brief synopsis of work on marijuana component which seems to assist cells in healing
--Note from Editor of Synthesis/Regeneration, A Magazine of Green Social Thought, listing whatís in the latest issue ñ more than you would think could be stuffed into one issue!

You can join online at http://www.greenparty.org or mail your check (better for us ñ no fees) for $48. for one year (regular) or $24. for one year (low-income) or, better yet, $100. per year Supporting Member.
- Nancy Oden, GPUSA Green National Committee member

1. Green Party USA member Ed Shacklett in Ventura, California needs some help setting up an email listserve. He recently hurt his eye, so can't do his computer work as well as he could. Can you help him with that and other GPUSA work? He'd much appreciate it. His phone number is 213-643-8068. Thanks.

2. For those of you in Maine, Hearings will be held on March 29, 30, and 31 on the Old Town Dump Proposal. This is the Governor's proposal which would bring millions of tons of out-of-state garbage into Maine for dumping onto Old Town's wetlands, close to the Penobscot River.

This state-owned (yours and mine) dump also accepts paper mill sludge, which contains all manner of toxics chemicals. Come speak your mind!

Dr. Paul Connett, famous dioxin, incinerator ash, and dump activist, will testify on Tuesday beginning around noon.

Hearings are being held at the Elks Club in Old Town.

Do we want Maine to be the garbage dump of the Northeast? Don't think so. Come join us!

Citizens groups involved are We the People, whose members are primarily in the Old Town/Bangor area, and Clean Maine Coalition, primarily located in Washington and Hancock Counties.

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3. Wondering what to do this summer? Want to do something worthwhile, something that helps the Earth while you learn new stuff? Internship available with GPUSA member, organic grower, and environmental/political activist, Nancy Oden. Come stay in old saltwater farmhouse, North Coast of Maine, and help with organic gardens, as well as anti-pesticide and anti-toxic dump work. Work with other activists and be surrounded by beautiful scenery in quiet, rural area.

Small stipend available. Must be self-starter. For more information, email cleanearth@acadia.net , write about yourself and why you might want to do this and what you would hope to get out of it.

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4. Depressed? Don't take those pharmaceuticals; turns out they'll make you worse! In fact, they've been shown to make people suicidal. Corporations are amoral; money-making is all there is to them. And because so many people are depressed today, anti-depressants are heavily used. See story from Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19163-2004Mar23.html

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5. More on drugs - this one from NORML, the group that's been fighting for decades for the legalization of marijuana.

The NORML E-Zine is a free weekly compilation of major news items regarding marijuana policy. Text of archived stories is available on NORML's website at: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3442

Pot Compound Increases Cell Survival, Study Says

Naples, Italy: Administration of cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive compound in marijuana, increased survival in cultured rat cells, according to clinical trial data to be published in the April issue of the Journal of Neurochemistry.

"Treatment of the cells with cannabidiol ... significantly elevated cell survival," researchers at the University of Naples concluded. "Our results indicate that cannabidiol exerts a combination of neuroprotective, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects (effects associated with the programmed cell death of malignant cells) against [induced] toxicity.

Authors further speculated that CBD's anti-oxidative effects may play a potential role in combating Alzheimer's disease.

A 1998 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) found that CBD protected rat brain cells from injury better than standard anti-oxidants. A 1999 report by the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that marijuana's neuroprotective qualities are the "most prominent" of its potential therapeutic applications.

Last year, researchers at the University of Milan reported that the administration of CBD in gerbils prevented brain damage caused by ischemia (a reduction of blood flow to the brain that can cause cell death). Earlier this week, the Israeli pharmaceutical company Pharmos announced that it had completed patient enrollment in a multi-country Phase III study of the effectiveness of the synthetic marijuana derivative Dexanabinol to treat brain damage resulting from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or stroke. Study results are expected by the end of 2004.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, senior policy analyst of the NORML Foundation, at (202) 483-5500.

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A note from Editor, Don Fitz, about the latest issue of Synthesis/Regeneration, the Magazine of Green Social Thought.

Dear Green or greenish friend,

Congress has earmarked $11 billion for "biodefense" research, which will give the US the largest research program on biological weapons in the world.

In order to develop a vaccine for a hypothetical bioweapon, a lab may devote massive effort to first creating the deadly organism via genetic modification. It might combine something deadly like the plague with something highly contagious like Legionnaire's Disease.

Who is at greatest risk? Largely, those who work in bioweapons labs and communities next to them. Existing nuclear labs, some of which will add bioweapons development, have atrocious records of leaks, spills and accidents. Following this subscription information, see the list of articles in S/R issue 34.

Rates for S/R 34 are: 1-4 copies, $3.95 each; 5-9 copies, $3.00 each; 10+ copies, $2.00 each.

Please make checks to "WD Press" and mail to P.O. Box 24115, St. Louis MO 63130. No postage charges if in US., inquire for out-of-country rates.

A subscription to S/R comes free with your Green Party USA membership, for which information go to http://www.greenparty.org [or see above ñ N.Oden]. Following is the list of articles in S/R Issue 34, available now. In solidarity,

Don Fitz, Editor, Synthesis/Regeneration

SYNTHESIS/REGENERATION 34: SPRING, 2004

BIOWEAPONS: THE TRUE DANGERS

US Leads in Production of Bioterror Diseases Edward Hammond reveals that the US stands in the way of international cooperation to prevent biowarfare.

Nuclear Labs Move into the "Biodefense" Business Inga Olson documents a 50-year history of leaks, spills and accidents.

Bioweapons in New Mexico Colin King describes how scientists had been conducting research on agents such as anthrax without the knowledge of their superiors.

US Army Dugway Proving Ground: Basin for Bio- testing Steve Erickson found Dugway unwilling to provide any information concerning the anthrax letter attacks of Fall 2001.

Resistance to Genetic Engineering in Africa Raymond Bokor finds the greatest negative impact of biotechnology to be on resource poor farmers.

Lead Poisoning in St. Louis Daniel Berg observes a failure to confront a totally preventable cause of brain damage.

Schmeiser Stands Up to Biotech Tyrant Uncle Don Fanning thinks that Monsanto is aiming for monopolistic control of our food supply.

THINKING ECOLOGICALLY

GM Crops Increase Pesticide Use Charles Benbrook's data convinces Lim Li Ching that new resistant weeds will continue to arise.

Genetically Modified Crops in Africa Glenn Ashton exposes an attempt to transform Africa into a food dependent vassal continent.

Transgenic Trees Spread Mercury Poisoning Joe Cummins explains "remediation" that would simply move the pollution into the atmosphere.

Chemical Industry's Secret Plan to Attack California's Anti-Toxics Trend The Environmental Working Group uncovered tactics including the creation of phony front groups and spying on activists.

The Independent Science Panel on GM Final Report The Institute of Science in Society reports on a meeting concerned with misrepresentation and suppression of scientific evidence.

THINKING POLITICALLY

Should the Democratic Party Nominate a Presidential Candidate in 2004? Don Fitz notes that the Democrats chose George W. Bush as their "lesser evil."

The Avocado Declaration Peter Camejo sees the two-party system shifting back and forth to maintain corporate control.

Letter to the Green Party of the US Ralph Nader says that a presidential candidate cannot wait until June to see what the Green Party will do.

"Atoms-Out" in Germany Jason Murphy credits the Greens with the first nuclear reactor being taken off the grid.

The Importance of Being Alienated (and Organized) Patrick Eytchison argues that elections function to transform dissent into manageable dialogue within a system of exploitation.

THINKING ECONOMICALLY

Protecting the Economy in a Participatory Economy Robin Hahnel advocates people in different regions choosing tradeoffs between less pollution and more consumption.

Information Warfare in the Age of Empire Ilyse Hogue & Patrick Reinsborough understand the bigger agenda of Miami policing was to control the public perception of mass protest.

GM Industry & Science Busy Exploiting Hunger Devinder Sharma realizes that millions starve while mountains of foodgrains rot in the open.

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That's it for now, people. Please send your Newsletter items to Editor@greenparty.org. Keep your spirits up - plant a garden to feel the Earth and rejuvenate yourself. Lots to do this year! Oh, yes, Free Kittens in Two Months!

Love to All, - Nancy Oden

Green Party USA