Indymedia Videos

As the 10th anniversary of the WTO protests in Seattle approach, we have rooted around in our archives to bring you the 5 original episodes of "Showdown in Seattle," produced at the Seattle Indymedia Center that week. "What Democracy Looks Like" Dec 3, 1999 William Kunsler, great American defense attorney describes Michelangelo's Statue of David as unique because it captures the moment of decision, not the moment of victory. The first four episodes of "Showdown in Seattle" were produced while the battle was raging, when each activist and group had to face THEIR moment of decision, the moment when they decided to go up against all odds to really stop the WTO. This, the final episode of "Showdown," proclaims their victory as the WTO talks collapsed in defeat. (Although not shown in this episode, to really rub it in, the city government of Seattle refused to let the WTO conference extend their stay in town by even a day, even though the WTO begged for an extension. Activists in the streets shut down the WTO on the first day, and the City shut them down again on the last day. Double shut-down! Some people feel that it took 911 and the subsequent development of the US security state to check the people's movement that stopped the WTO. Irregardless of 911, the united front that emerged to stop the WTO in Seattle still is needed, now, more than ever. There have been subsequent losses of liberties, economic collapse, and an ever greater understanding of the importance of taking into consideration the environment. As a species, we are still racing for the bottom when we need to fight for the other world that is possible. (There is not one peep about global warming in ANY of these 5 episodes. That's one example of an issue that has arisen full force since 1999, but that proves the point of the protests.) These videos serve as a fine example of what can come out of a people's media. The IMC went viral, spreading to countries around the world, playing an important part in keeping the movement alive and well. The PepperSpray Collective, producers of "Indymedia Presents," began as part of the Seattle IMC. We are proud to continue this fine tradition. Like Michelangelo's David we have decided we CAN fight the giant, and we can win. Please visit our website for more info: www.peppersprayproductions.org

As the 10th anniversary of the WTO protests in Seattle approach, we have rooted around in our archives to bring you the 5 original episodes of "Showdown in Seattle," produced at the Seattle Indymedia Center that week. "What Democracy Looks Like" Dec 3, 1999 William Kunsler, great American defense attorney describes Michelangelo's Statue of David as unique because it captures the moment of decision, not the moment of victory. The first four episodes of "Showdown in Seattle" were produced while the battle was raging, when each activist and group had to face THEIR moment of decision, the moment when they decided to go up against all odds to really stop the WTO. This, the final episode of "Showdown," proclaims their victory as the WTO talks collapsed in defeat. (Although not shown in this episode, to really rub it in, the city government of Seattle refused to let the WTO conference extend their stay in town by even a day, even though the WTO begged for an extension. Activists in the streets shut down the WTO on the first day, and the City shut them down again on the last day. Double shut-down! Some people feel that it took 911 and the subsequent development of the US security state to check the people's movement that stopped the WTO. Irregardless of 911, the united front that emerged to stop the WTO in Seattle still is needed, now, more than ever. There have been subsequent losses of liberties, economic collapse, and an ever greater understanding of the importance of taking into consideration the environment. As a species, we are still racing for the bottom when we need to fight for the other world that is possible. (There is not one peep about global warming in ANY of these 5 episodes. That's one example of an issue that has arisen full force since 1999, but that proves the point of the protests.) These videos serve as a fine example of what can come out of a people's media. The IMC went viral, spreading to countries around the world, playing an important part in keeping the movement alive and well. The PepperSpray Collective, producers of "Indymedia Presents," began as part of the Seattle IMC. We are proud to continue this fine tradition. Like Michelangelo's David we have decided we CAN fight the giant, and we can win. Please visit our website for more info: www.peppersprayproductions.org

Author: Zach Riot News, Views, of Indymedia from around the world featuring underground music www.freewebs.com/wjam read more

It was the moment when a great coalition of the future, the people of the world, united together, first became visible. American labor had seen its factories closed down, jobs exported to more exploitative regions of the world. The third world had felt its own pains, and WTO delegates from those countries knew they were committing their homelands to perpetual poverty if they willingly locked on the shackles of the WTO agreements. Farmers of India were committing mass suicide. Environmentalists had recognized the signs of ecological collapse. Nowhere was safe from the reach of global capital and a bleak future of corporate monoculture, all in the name of ?free trade.? The crack-down intensified, the jails filled up, but demonstrations continued. In the swirling clouds of teargas, the American public got a glimpse of the crossroads of the future: one way was the road of repression and a corporate-dominated race to hell. The other road raised the possibility of world unity and a fight to lift us all, symbolized by the coalition of ?Teamsters and Turtles.? At the least, people the world over, wondering what the fuss was all about, got a quick political education, fulfilling one of the goals of the protests. This is episode 4 of the 5-part series ?Showdown in Seattle, 5 days that shook theWTO,? produced by the Seattle Indymedia Center during the week of meetings and protests in late 1999. Looking back we know that the ?Millennium Round? of the WTO collapsed that week, but when this episode was produced, the collapse had not yet happened. Like the Berlin Wall, which fell without warning, the demonstrators rage against the machine, not knowing how close to total success they were getting. Students of political process could study these videos and learn profound lessons about going up against the corporate state.

It was the moment when a great coalition of the future, the people of the world, united together, first became visible. American labor had seen its factories closed down, jobs exported to more exploitative regions of the world. The third world had felt its own pains, and WTO delegates from those countries knew they were committing their homelands to perpetual poverty if they willingly locked on the shackles of the WTO agreements. Farmers of India were committing mass suicide. Environmentalists had recognized the signs of ecological collapse. Nowhere was safe from the reach of global capital and a bleak future of corporate monoculture, all in the name of ?free trade.? The crack-down intensified, the jails filled up, but demonstrations continued. In the swirling clouds of teargas, the American public got a glimpse of the crossroads of the future: one way was the road of repression and a corporate-dominated race to hell. The other road raised the possibility of world unity and a fight to lift us all, symbolized by the coalition of ?Teamsters and Turtles.? At the least, people the world over, wondering what the fuss was all about, got a quick political education, fulfilling one of the goals of the protests. This is episode 4 of the 5-part series ?Showdown in Seattle, 5 days that shook theWTO,? produced by the Seattle Indymedia Center during the week of meetings and protests in late 1999. Looking back we know that the ?Millennium Round? of the WTO collapsed that week, but when this episode was produced, the collapse had not yet happened. Like the Berlin Wall, which fell without warning, the demonstrators rage against the machine, not knowing how close to total success they were getting. Students of political process could study these videos and learn profound lessons about going up against the corporate state.

Nick has written extensively on the notion of living off grid, that is how to disconnect yourself from energy and utility companies in order to make yourself self-sufficient and sustainable. Why would you want to do that you may ask? Well as climate change and energy resources such as oil continue to decline, the cost and availability of cheap energy will also decline. Currently our energy needs are being fulfilled by others, such as gas from Russia and Oil from all over the world putting the UK in a very precarious position in terms of energy. This means that new energy solutions will have to be found for the population of the UK. So how do people live off-grid, well there is no one way of doing this. Nick outlines a variety of ways that people are living off-grid in his book, from those who are living in forests and using a minimal amount of energy, to people who have developed complex technological systems to provide themselves with large amounts of energy, to those living in canal boats and storage containers. All of these people are finding ways to live off grid using a variety of methods such as solar power, water power, growing their own food in a drive to become self sufficient. Off grid communities are springing up everywhere and Nick has recently been travelling around the US talking to them. Nick also runs a website http://www.off-grid.net which has huge amounts of information on all aspects of living off grid. The option of living off grid has never been so important - with unemployment about to rise above 3 million (and real unemployment above 4.6 million), with the collpase of banks and companies and houses still out of reach of first time buyers, living off-grid maybe the only solution to survive in these austere times. Living off-grid is destined to become more and more part of public debate as time moves on and energy resources change, recently it has featured on the front cover of Wired magazine. Related Link: http://www.off-grid.net/

First dispatch from the Torch Relay kickoff from Victoria, on occupied Coast Salish territories October, 30th 2009 This is a joint production of B-Channel News, subMedia.TV, Vancouver Media Coop and Victoria Indymedia