This was the sixth consecutive year (a conservative count) that the Northeast LA Radical Neighbors have held vigils on December 25. The last several vigils have been a joint collaboration with the weekly Montrose Peace Vigil.

Locations of our December 25 vigil have changed over the years. Yesterday, we had it in Eagle Rock. Six of us turned out. While many passersby were non-committal, many others gave us peace signs (and we exchanged waves with a police car). A few even thanked us for being there.

Many of ours signs addressed the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, but support for same-sex marriage was also prominent.

Story and photos"Peace on Earth" vigil 2009 by R of the Northeast LA Radical Neighbors

Tesla management and the Google major stake holders Larry Page and Sergey Brin along with former owner of Paypal Elon Musk are moving ahead with plans to build a “green” auto assembly plant at the toxic downey dump site in southern California where hundreds of workers have been sickened. They have also received a $465 million loan from the Obama Department of Energy DOE to build the non-union assembly auto plant. Why would these billionaire owners need a US government loan to build a green electric car plant if they believe in this product?

. . . The California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day and the Peninsula Raging Grannies will be having a press/education/musical event in conjunction with the Detroit Auto Show which opens in Detroit on January 8, 2009.

Story: Google/Paypal Owners Building "Green" Electric Car On Downey Toxic Dump Site?1/9 by California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day

RELATED: Is Tesla Nuts? by by California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day | | IATSE Local 44 Movie Propmaker Steve Basile At Tesla Motors To Report On Downey Toxic Dump by Labor Video Project

ECHO PARK - En la iglesia metodista de Echo Park, el sub-comité teatral del Comité Pro-Democracia en México realizó la actuación de una obra de teatro popular para conmemorar la masacre de Acteal de 1997. La obra fue desempeñada en conjunto con presentaciones musicales y poéticas. Informe: Obra teatral en homenaje a los víctimas de la masacre de Acteal, Chiapas por Rockero

RELATED: Immigration advocates advise against holiday travel on bus and rail due to constant raids by Inland Empire Rapid Response Network | | The Eighth Annual AntiMall by RP

In advance of his appearance this week at an L.A. screening of "Warrior: The Life of Leonard Peltier," Ben Carnes of the Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee discussed that film, Leonard Peltier, and a variety of other Native American issues.

The free showing of "Warrior: The Life of Leonard Peltier" will take place on December 17 at the National Center for Preservation of Democracy in Little Tokyo at 7pm. Carnes, who will present the film, believes it is one of a few documentaries that explains and clarifies the circumstances surrounding Peltier's imprisonment. (Another film he mentioned was Incident at Oglala by Michael Apted.)

At the time of Peltier's alleged shooting of an FBI agent (June of 1975), Carnes said that "they just wanted to arrest a group of AIM (American Indian Movement) people and have a big media riff because there was such a propaganda campaign that was going on against the American Indian Movement—that they were being trained by communists in Cuba, all kinds of derogatory things to help discredit them. But on the day of that shootout there were just strange things that happening that day that screwed their plans up. When the agents went in, there was another agent."

Interview: Ben Carnes on the film "Warrior: The Life of Leonard Peltier" by RP

Practically unknown in the United States, International Human Rights Day commemorates the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and is recognized worldwide as an important step toward respect for humanity. Here in Los Angeles, the activist community has played an important role in restoring the Declaration, and human rights in general, to the public view, making use of the occasion to highlight human rights abuses in the US, Mexico, the Philippines, and Honduras.

From the newswire: Update on Imprisoned People's Lawyer Lynne Stewart | | Vigiling in the Rain by R of the Northeast LA Radical Neighbors | | Solidaridad con Atenco: Cita en Consulado de Mexico por debbieX, Protestas en solidaridad con Atenco en Santa Ana y San Bernardino por Siete Filos | | Nationwide Protests Demanding Justice for Maguindanao Massacre Victims by Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP) | | Women Leaders of the Honduran Resistance Speak in L.A. by Sidney Ross-Risden and Ross Plesset

Right: The table for the Open Source Voting Consortium at the L.A. Linux Expo '09.

In the spring of 2008, after years of getting p.o.'d at Microsoft on almost a daily basis, I switched over to Linux (free, non-proprietary software). I had just gotten a new computer, and a friend who was setting it up for me, offered Linux as an option. This seemed a bit risky since Linux sounded less user-friendly than Microsoft, and I am not a technically-savvy person. Yet I loved the idea of being free of Microsoft and proprietary software. I took a chance and went with Linux. In the ensuing year, my computer sessions became markedly less stressful--it was usually at zero.

. . . On February 19th of this year, I attended the 2009 Linux Expo in L.A. Below are conversations I had with a few of the vendors. Story and photos: Transitioning to Linux and a (Late) Report on the 2009 Linux Expo L.A. by RP | RELATED: LA IMC 10th Anniversary - Technology Workshop by Mallory Knodel

Throughout Southern California, solidarity actions have been taking place for the political prisoners of San Salvador Atenco. The Mexican activists have been imprisoned for defending their lands and subjected to sub-human and torturous conditions far worse than those suffered by convicted drug traffickers and murderers. Here in the United States, efforts have focused on raising awareness and building support for the campaign to free the wrongfully-incarcerated. And to demand justice from Mexican government. Actions have included film screenings in Maywood and San Bernardino, and a recent tour by human rights defender and lawyer for the Atenco prisoners; Leonel Rivero. This year's International Human Rights Day events focus on the prisoners of Atenco, abuses in the Philippines, the human rights of migrants, and the people of Iraq and Afghanistan.

From the newswire: Atenco PRESENTE!! en California by debbie

From the calendar: International Human Rights Day in solidarity with the political prisoners of Atenco in Santa Ana, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles.

Other Human Rights Day events: No to US intervention in the Philippines! at the Philippine consulate | | Raging for 16 Days and Renewing Our Commitment to 365 Days of Activism by Jollene Levid | | Imperialism is a Human Rights Violation!!! at the Downtown LA federal building | | Free Alex Sanchez! IHR Press Conference at Immanuel Presbyterian Church | | Community Groups to Highlight Los Angeles Housing Crisis and Demand Attention to Sweeping Human Rights Violations at Los Angeles City Hall

Over the last several years the Northeast L.A. Radical Neighbors ("bad-asses who care"), often in collaboration with the Montrose Peace Vigil, has held one-hour peace vigils on holidays such as and Easter and Xmas. However, this was our first Thankstaking demo.

Obviously, vigils such as this are not stopping America's many wars, but they seem to be reminding people that horrible things are going on. (Personally, I grew up during the Vietnam War totally unaware of that abomination. Had there been community vigils such as this, my world view would have been different.)

We got a lot of positive response from adults and children. One city employee read all of our signs aloud over a p.a. system on their vehicle. As we have done in the past, we brought food for the local homeless people. It was alarming to see how much the local homeless population had increased. There seemed to be about 10 people in addition to the ones we have known over the years. Fortunately, a church group came after our event ended and distributed much more food. Read Full Report by R of the Northeast L.A. Radical Neighbors

WEST HOLLYWOOD, November 20, 2009 - Friday night's dedication of the Transgender Memorial in West Hollywood culminated years of planning and struggle to build a permanent monument to the dozens of Trans identified persons who are murdered each year by hate criminals.

The new plaque is now at Sheppard Triangle in West Hollywood. Dedication speakers, included Bushnell, Jarez, Chaz Bono, West Hollywood Mayor Abbey Land, City Councilmen John Duran and Jeffrey Prange. This author was impressed how tidy each speaker's remarks were, contrasting with the lengthy ones we remember from past Days of Remembrance. It was as if everyone knew that this year was special and that we should not any longer delay the unveiling we had struggled so long to achieve.

The audience was particularly moved by the humbleness of Chaz Bono, who thanked us for inviting him, and said he was new to our community, and did not feel he should take up too much time merely because his celebrity might invite more attention to his personal transition, which was the similar to what all of us face. Full Story: Dedication of Transgender Memorial Ends Years of Struggle by Carolina | | Photos: Dedication of Transgender Memorial Photos By Robert Stuart Lowden

LOS ANGELES, UCLA Campus - November 19, 2009 – An estimated 2,000+ students and union workers took part in various actions campus-wide this week. Covel Commons where the UC Regents held their last day of meetings was completely surrounded by students and workers with arms locked together. They formed a human chain of solidarity against the regents complicity in the ongoing privatization of the UC system. Latest from the Newswire: Students and Workers Resist Privatization at UCLA Regents Meeting | Reports of Arrests | Eye Witness Reportback

Photos: UC Strike - UCLA Nov.19th by Tae | | UC Students Fight Tuition Hike, Occupy Campus by A
Audio: MP3 AUDIO – Interview with UCLA Student on Protesting the Regents By A
Video: Students Pepper Sprayed | Whose University? Our University! (Via vozmob.net) | UC Police break up UCLA protest by Richard Bamattre

Special Section: Report Back From Inside the Occupation of Campbell Hall, UCLA | A few pictures from inside occupied Campbell-Huggins Hall | Students Occupy Campbell Hall

Coverage from other independent media sites: Indybay coverage of actions across the CA education system | Protest at UCLA against the theft of our education | Estudiantes se unen y marchan | Video :Maria's Dilemna (en español)

Background & More info: UCSolidarity.org | UCStrike.com