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Slant: Short opinion pieces and rumor-chasing notes. News: Genetic
Trespass Happening People: Lisa Rignell and Shea Hardy EFN SCRAMBLING TO MEET CHALLENGES Three weeks ago David Oaks, executive director of the international human rights support coalition MindFreedom (www.mindfreedom.org),found the electronic mailing lists the organization uses to communicate with members were not functioning. "We have a lot of lists," says Oaks, "including the Human Rights Alert, which connects more than 13,000 people around the world by e-mail." The problem was with a hard drive crash at Eugene Free Network, MindFreedom's ISP. This crash affected not only MindFreedom, but other nonprofit organizations in Eugene. Oaks was concerned about the crash, but even more troubled that EFN had "no backup, no redundancy, whatsoever." "Those lists," says Oaks, "represent hundreds of hours of work." Oaks was told by EFN Technical Manager Mike Jackson that nothing could be done to retrieve the information short of compiling what Oaks calls "Frankenstein-ed lists" from recent mailings. Jackson says the crash occurred because of a "hardware failure." On top of this, he explains, EFN is still working to change over to a new Internet access company from their former provider, Rio, whose failed services for EFN resulted in problems with e-mail and Internet access. EFN is mired in a game of catch-up, where, says Jackson, "We're struggling now just to meet the needs of our paid services — dial-up, DSL and e-mail." Paul Harrison of EFN's board of directors says EFN is "in a tight financial situation," and that the organization is "looking at all possibilities." He had no comment on whether those possibilities included selling the organization, saying only, "We're going to be sure to protect the interest of our customers to the best extent we can." For Oaks, further discussion with EFN staff revealed that the mailing lists could be accessed from the crashed hard drive through a data retrieval process. Problem, says Jackson, is the costs start at about $600 climbing to as much as $2,000. Says Oaks, "I'm sure that if we got a couple of nonprofits together, people would be willing to pitch in to help with the cost." Oaks feels like this may be part of the problem: EFN is not tapping into community feedback and support in this time of struggle. "How about some face to face meetings, getting community people together to talk?" asks Oaks. "I am concerned about what's going on at EFN/OPN. I respect this difficult time. … Maybe it's time to turn to the community." Oaks was able to speak one-on-one with Harrison, and was assured that EFN was "not kaput." They also discussed pulling together community nonprofits interested and able to help defray costs of the data retrieval process. In an OPN meeting Friday, April 9, EFN will continue to discuss how to remain viable as Eugene's only local ISP. Says Harrison, "Members of the community who would like to help may do so through purchase of services through EFN or [monetary] contributions to Oregon Free Network." — Bobbie Willis
TIME TO FLUSH OUT THE ADMINISTRATION Patrice Dotson, 72, is a great-grandmother living on a fixed income, and she's scared. "Many of us are wondering what is going to happen to us in this economy," she says. "We watch our rents go up and our Medicare benefits go down. We watch our medical expenses rise and our medical insurance benefits lower." Dotson, a former corporate salesperson, massage therapist, marketing director and medical technologist, wonders if anyone in the current presidential administration even cares about senior citizens. "Who in the decision-making departments are on our side? Who cares?" she asks.
To make a statement, Dotson has turned an inspirational flash into a work of art she's selling. She's created T-shirts and buttons with the phrase: "Pull Cheney, Flush Bush. It's a healthy movement for America." The words and a commode comprise the logo. "It's what I feel I can do," says Dotson, adding, "It's miniscule but it's something." Dotson sells the T-shirts for $10 and the buttons for $2. She sells out of her house and at Saturday Market, as a strolling vendor. "People also get a chance to laugh a little because of my message … and Lord knows, we all can use a good laugh these days," she says. While sales contribute to her income, Dotson is also planning on donating a portion of the proceeds to the Democratic presidential front-runner. "Perhaps if enough people pull and enough people flush, we can get things moving in a more healthy direction in the upcoming election," she says. To purchase the T-shirts and buttons, call 344-4871 or find her at Saturday Market. — AS
INDEPENDENT ART CELEBRATED AT DIVA An entire weekend celebrating independent art and film begins this Friday at DIVA, 110 West Broadway. The weekend kicks off Friday with a screening of Michael Dean's film, DIY or DIE: How to Survive as an Independent Artist, from 8 to 10 pm.
The film celebrates independent artists of many kinds — musicians, performance artists and computer savvy folk, and the do-it-yourself ethic. Los Angeles-based Dean will be on hand to answer questions and sing a few songs. Dean will stick around Saturday and Sunday for workshops tailored to independent artists, musicians and filmmakers from the community. They will be held from noon to 4 pm each day. On Saturday, Dean will explore "How to Produce Your Own Independent Film," and teach basic and intermediate video filmmaking techniques. On Sunday, Dean will share his strategies, tips and tricks on getting worldwide exposure without a budget for music, art and film projects in the workshop, "How to Promote Independent Film, Music and Art." "Dean is irreverent and entertaining, and his approach promises to be fun and informative for those involved," says DIVA program coordinator Carolezoom Patterson. The cost for the weekend is $40 with pre-registration or $20-25 per session. Call 954-8373, or email carolezoom@mac.com. Friday night's film is $3-5, ss.
ACTIVIST ALERT David Cobb, front-running candidate for the Green Party's 2004 presidential nomination is expected to attend the Pacific Green Party of Oregon's upcoming Eugene event from 5 to 7 pm Thursday, April 15 at the Strand, 8th and Charnelton. The event is billed as "an evening jam-packed with local and national activists and candidates in a friendly and informal setting." Participants will have the opportunity to meet candidates and also meet organizers working on campaign finance reform, medical marijuana and sustainable forestry ballot measures. Attending will be mayoral candidate Kitty Piercy and forest activist Tim Hermach, who is seeking the Green Party nomination for U.S. Senate. Call.684-3927 or visit www.pacificgreens.org City Club of Eugene is continuing its series on politics in April with a luncheon talk by Portland attorney Dan Meek on campaign finance reform Friday, April 9 at the Hilton. Jefferson Smith of the Oregon Bus Project will speak April 16 at Mallard Hall on West 1st Avenue. City Council candidates will be debating April 23 at the Hilton. And mayoral candidates will debate April 30 at the Hilton. All programs begin at 11:50 am and lunch is optional. Visit www.cityclubofeugene.orgf or more information. A Take Back the City Council House Party in support of Andrea Ortiz is planned for 5:30 Saturday, April 10 at 1439 W. 4th Ave. in Eugene. Ortiz is running for City Council in Ward 7. The event includes an Easter egg hunt, vegetarian Mexican dinner, speech by Ortiz and a Baja slide show by Michael Carrigan. RSVP to 342-1953 or to carrigan@efn.org
CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS The article "Under, Underground" in last week's Swizzle incorrectly stated twice that the band Stacked performed a Madonna cover song. Stacked is a female-fronted rock band, not a cover band. In our cover story on plans for a power plant in Coburg last week we wrote that Gary Marcus "founded the Eugene Jewish Federation." But Marcus tells us he was not the founder, but "just moved it into my office at Frontier Technology and provided the staff for its administrative functions as well as becoming its largest contributor."
Genetic
Trespass Percy Schmeiser has a remarkable tale to tell. The second-generation Canadian canola farmer was sued by Monsanto for patent infringement when his crops were reportedly cross-fertilized by seeds from a neighbor's field. Schmeiser, 76, chose to fight Monsanto and his case is now before the Canadian Supreme Court. This farmer's case, along with the issues it raises, could have a huge impact on the future of agriculture worldwide, and even right here in Lane County. Schmeiser is leading a worldwide battle against U.S. companies enforcing seed patents in other countries, and he is the keynote speaker at a Friday, April 9 conference at the UO. More than 200 farmers, scientists and legal scholars are gathering in Eugene to explore contentious questions about control and ownership of genetically modified crops. His keynote address, titled "David v. Goliath: Patent Law and the Might of Monsanto," will begin at 7 pm in the auditorium of Agate Hall, 1787 Agate St. The talk is open to the public and admission is $5. The one-day symposium will explore how extending intellectual property rights to seeds affects farmers, and how recent Supreme Court decisions and new technologies threaten global food security and genetic diversity. The symposium is titled "Malthus, Mendel, and Monsanto: Intellectual Property and the Law and Politics of Global Food Supply." Thomas Robert Malthus was an English economist who theorized that world population tends to multiply faster than the food supply leading to disastrous results. Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk known as the father of genetics. Monsanto is a multinational corporation that is developing and marketing genetically altered seeds. The Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics at the UO School of Law is sponsoring the event, which will feature experts in patent law, plant genetics and agriculture. "Over the past two decades, genetic engineers have created and patented 'improvements' in seeds used to grow staple crops," says Keith Aoki, UO law professor, conference organizer and one of the speakers. "New international agreements establish the global scope of those patent rights and have allowed a decreasing number of multinational corporations to capture much of the global agricultural market with their patented seed. Four or five corporations could end up with a lock on the global seed supply," says Aoki. Aoki is also concerned about the risk of liability for growers in the Willamette Valley. He says 328 permits have already been issued by the USDA for test plots of "GE crops, both herbicide resistant vegetable and grass varieties and crops with pharmaceutical and industrial compounds. If these crops move from small-scale test plots to widespread planting as they have elsewhere, not only seed saving farmers, but homeowners with lawns may find themselves unwilling defendants in patent infringement lawsuits."
Aoki's particularly concerned about "out-crossing" of Monsanto's Roundup Ready creeping bentgrass from bird migration of seeds or air migration of pollen. "If foreign purchasers reject GE creeping bent grass, what will become of Oregon's $200 million a year grass seed industry?" Another organizer of the conference is J.J. Haapala, a second-year law student and 16-year producer of organic vegetable seeds at Heron's Nest Farm in Junction City. Haapala also initiated and directs the Farmer Cooperative Genome Project for Oregon Tilth. Haapala says genetic engineering of plants raises environmental, ethical, and human health concerns, but few people are aware of the legal issues surrounding the patenting of major food crops. "The widespread planting of patented vegetable and grass varieties in Oregon means that not only seed-saving gardeners face patent infringement liability, but so also do homeowners who enjoy lawns," says Haapala. "If, as in the case of Percy Schmeiser, patent holders are allowed to sample crops or lawns without permission and persecute infringers to the fullest extent of the law, Oregonians could face significant legal troubles." Other conference speakers Friday include Madhavi Sunder, a law professor at UC-Davis and expert on intellectual property; Susan Bragdon, senior scientist at the International Plant Genetic Resource Institute; Stephen Brush, a professor of human and community development at UC-Davis; Beth Burrows, founder and director of the Edmonds Institute, a public interest organization focused on environment and technology; Ignacio Chapela, assistant professor at UC-Berkeley and co-author of a study on genetic contamination in Mexico. Other speakers are Margaret Chon, William Heffernan, Stephen Jones, Kim Leval, Charles McManis, Malla Pollack and Henry L. Shands. For more information on Percy Schmeiser, including an audio interview, visit www.percyschmeiser.com For a complete list of Friday's workshops and presenters, along with registration information, visit www.morsechair.uoregon.edu or call 346-3700. Registration on the day of the event is very limited. The symposium is part of a two-year effort by the Morse Center to explore "The Changing Geopolitical Order: Implications for Peace and Stability." "Rapid shifts in the supply of the world's food certainly has implications for global peace and stability," says Morse Center Director Caroline Forell.
LISA RIGNELL AND SHEA HARDY
When Shea Hardy first met Lisa Rignell at a meeting of the Birth Companions Network last September, she learned that Rignell was coaching pregnant teens as a volunteer in Willamette High's teen parent program. An Elmira native and a 20-year employee at PSC, Rignell had experience helping with a dozen births in her own family. "I also wanted to do service work with kids," says Hardy. A South Eugene grad, she had recently returned after seven years of travel as a nanny. "We met and it just clicked," says Rignell. "I was the only one doing this work. Shea got the bright idea to expand it to other places." At the next BCN meeting, the pair recruited six more doulas (birth helpers) as volunteers. Their new project, Doulas Supporting Teens, has become an element of teen parent programs at Springfield High, Looking Glass, and the Opportunity Center, as well as Willamette. "We educate them on the birth process, nutrition, and breast feeding," says Rignell. "A big thing is birth control afterwards. None of our girls has gotten pregnant again." DST volunteers are currently coaching 14 pregnant teens. Five others gave birth last month.
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