I attended the New Urbanism Film Festival and watched “Trainsforming America”, which is a documentary on how people in Europe and other regions in the world use trains, especially high speed rail, to move about and not drive to whatever place they’re going to.
I liked that the film explored how the US used to have such great and extensive rail network that people used to move about, even inside cities. Los Angeles used to have at one point, the most urban rail in the entire world, even more that New York. That was torn out and replaced by miles of freeway as the automobile became prominent across the country. The social and cultural changes that came with the car are still with us today, and this is the reason why rail is taking so long to be adopted by the American public today. After watching the movie, I became excited about the future of rail, at least in California where the California High Speed Rail is already under construction in Fresno.
I also watched the Democracy Now! Maui Vs Monsanto video. I was very glad to know that Hawaii passed this anti GMO bill. The fact that Monsanto is allowed to do this patented seed technology to charge farmers to get seeds with their information is outrages. They can sue farmers into bankruptcy because they used “their” seeds. The fact that any company can say that all seeds around the world of one type are their property is ludicrous. No company or person can own all of nature in that manner or specific plants. Companies shouldn’t be allowed to do this and this law is the perfect example.
rs450navidad 
It is interesting how our posts are totally different! I am surprised that Hawaii passed the anti GMO bill. It is also interesting how the film you watched telling about the rail. However, I think people in California are already used to driving their cars every where they go. So I do not know whether constructing a rail will help.
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I am glad you shared your experience from the New Urbanism Film Festival as I was unable to attend. The “Trainsforming America” film you saw sounds very interesting. We Americans do love our cars and trying to get us out of them is no easy task. It truly is a shame that L.A. did not hang on to their Red Car system, such a loss. You seem excited at the prospect of the California High Speed Rail System, this is an extremely costly and controversial project that may or may not ever come to fruition.
You also shared about the Maui vs Monsanto video, I too was shocked to realize that Monsanto was allowed to sue farmers for growing plants from their GMO seeds that grew on their land. Often not by the farmers choice but because of wind patterns. It does seem ludicrous! It is awesome that Maui County, HI and I have also learned that Humboldt County, CA have passed laws to making it illegal to grow GMO’s. The rest of the farming community needs to pass similar laws to put an end to such ridiculousness.
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