Communist Party, USA (Houston, TX Branch)

Why "I Have Nothing To Hide" Is The Wrong Way To Think About Surveillance
By: Moxie Marlinspike

Suddenly, it feels like 2000 again. Back then, surveillance programmes like Carnivore, Echelon, and Total Information Awareness helped spark a surge in electronic privacy awareness. Now a decade later, the recent discovery of programmes like PRISM, Boundless Informant, and FISA orders are catalysing renewed concern.

The programmes of the past can be characterised as "proximate surveillance," in which the government attempted to use technology to directly monitor communication themselves. The programmes of this decade mark the transition to "oblique surveillance," in which the government more often just goes to the places where information has been accumulating on its own, such as email providers, search engines, social networks, and telecoms. ...read more.

Anti-Monsanto rally draws Texas protesters
By: Kelly Sinclair

A misty sky didn't dampen spirits at the May 25 March Against Monsanto rally here. Local organizers pronounced themselves pleased with the turnout, which numbered some 60 people.

"This is the Memorial Day weekend, and we didn't have a whole lot of time to put it together," said co-organizer Cole Kelly. "It really says something, to draw this many people with no local media coverage."

Speakers at the rally, which was one of hundreds staged around the world, pulled no punches in attacking corporations that value profit over consumer health.

Said speaker (and co-organizer) Kathe Berg Kitchens, "Why I'm here is because years ago I was poisoned by ag chemicals used by a neighbor. It made me sick. But, I'm not involved just for me. It's the right thing to do. You start by becoming more active." ...read more.

"Homophobia - no! Socialism - yes!"
Havana marches for LGBT rights

By: Michael Leone

It was a bright and colourful day in Havana, Cuba as citizens took to the streets as part of a state-backed campaign against homophobia and for the advancement of the rights of LGBT people. As the procession danced the conga through the streets of town, carrying rainbow flags and pride banners, the dominant slogan of the occasion was "Homophobia no! Socialism yes!", signifying the island nation's rising progressive consciousness, seeing the issue as part of the struggle to develop socialism in the country.

The demonstration was organised by none other than Mariela Castro, daugher of Cuban president Raul Castro, who is a world-renowned advocate of gay rights. ...read more.

The West, Texas explosion shows the deadly effect of profit before safety

By: Amy Goodman

The Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath has dominated the nation's headlines. Yet, another series of explosions that happened two days later and took four times the number of lives, has gotten a fraction of the coverage. It was the worst industrial accident in years. But to call it an accident ignores that it was preventable, and was quite possibly a crime, as is common with so many dangerous workplaces.

The first call came in to the 911 dispatcher at 7:29pm on Wednesday 17 April. A woman at a playground noticed a fire across the railroad tracks, at the West Fertilizer Co facility, in the small town of West, Texas, near Waco. The local volunteer fire department was mobilized. Less than 25 minutes later, a massive explosion leveled the plant, sending shock waves, debris and fire across West, ultimately killing 15 people, among them a local EMT, eight volunteer firefighters and a Dallas fire captain who was visiting his sons ...read more.