G20Voice

On Friday, 9-25-09 I participated in the Mass Meditation for Peace in Schenley Park, watched Obama summarize what went on behind closed doors at the Convention Center, and attended the Michael Froman press conference at the August Wilson Center. For an interview with Peace Meditation organizer Sarah Bauer, my take on Obama’s speech and on the press conference, photos and original video by Jessica Silver visit http://pittsburghalphatoomega.com/mass-meditation-for-peace-obamas-speech-michael-froman-press-conference/

I was late for the G-20 Resistance Project march “The People’s Uprising!”, but early, as it turned out, for the “Battle of Lawrenceville”. Biked through the Strip, North Side, Downtown and Oakland and wound down at the “G-Spot” art exhibit at Lawrenceville’s Fe Gallery. Read more about my experiences, along with mp3 interviews recorded throughout the day (with the Merton Center’s Miles Dinnen, some anonymous anarchists, Dean Cercone and Alberto Almarza) at Pittsburgh Alpha to Omega.

Young activists from the Avaaz Action Factory joined the mass “People’s March” into downtown Pittsburgh on Friday afternoon, not far from the site of the G20 Summit, after holding their own climate-focused march in the morning. Their Twitter-friendly slogan is “G20 Climate FAIL,” criticizing what they say has been a lack of action toward a global climate treaty.

The world’s most upstanding corporate citizens, like Halliburton, Monsanto, and ExxonMobil, take climate change seriously. It’s a serious opportunity for profit. That’s why, in addition to spending millions to perpetuate the energy, environmental, and subsidy policies that sustain their ongoing operations, they’ve created this “gated community for one” — the SurvivaBall.

After three days of an all-climate schedule in New York City, featuring Tuesday’s all-day United Nations Climate Summit, I’m now in Pittsburgh to cover the meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) major economies. My thanks to Grist and G20Voice for helping me to be here.

Given that the heads of state chewed over global warming at the United Nations Climate Summit on Tuesday, where will climate figure into tomorrow’s G20 agenda of meetings?

What is the G-20 and why is it coming to Pittsburgh?
Looking forward to G-20 protests
Pittsburgh must encourage G-20 protests
Read Community Matters at http://www.examiner.com/x-14931-pittsburgh-public-policy-examiner

At 1:30 am on September 21, Lawrenceville’s Cyberpunk Apocalypse writers collective was harassed by a large contingent of shotgun-wielding police, apparently part of a series of pre-summit “shows of force” which also targeted the Landslide Community Farm and Seeds of Peace. Apocalypse owner and futurian Daniel McCloskey says police told him the Apocalypse was ‘on a list’.

Mp3s of my interview with Daniel can be downloaded from Pittsburgh Alpha to Omega or streamed from G20 Bed & Breakfast.