On Saturday July 25 , the 2nd annual Bay Area Bike 4 Life will be taking place at Lake Merritt 468 Perkins St. Oakland. Bikes for Life (B4L), is a community social enterprise in West Oakland promoting peace and call for a gun truce.

The 21st Fremont Solstice Parade took place on June 20th. Thousands of people turned out to watch the parade. The collective work and creativity that goes into the floats is reason enough to attend the parade. However, the hundreds of naked bicyclists are also very popular with the crowd. Most of the bicyists have painted bodies with elaborate designs. They pass so quickly that it's hard to appreciate the quality of work that the body artists have created.

Michael Steinberg writes: , "On Saturday the third annual Bicycle Music Festival in San Francisco was kicked out of two sites in Golden Gate Park, and then threatened with expulsion in Dolores Park, before finally partying on pedal power late into the night on the SF waterfront."

The Stumptown Joustdown is one of those events in Portland that make this such an amazing city. Today I made my way over to Col. Summers Park in SE Portland with my brother Andrew to take in the action.

Portland's bike culture did not disappoint. The Stumptown Joustdown is absolutely insane. Competitors speed their bicycles, chariots and other wheeled craft straight at each other while wielding a jousting pole with which to pummel their opponent, hopefully to the ground. The action was fast and the impacts spectacular. There is no way I would compete in this event. My hats off to those that picked up the joust and competed today. We saw bicycles, mini bikes, a bride/groom match and chariots but had to leave before the open class. Thanks Portland.. you weirdo. ~H

"Twelve Lanes? That's Insane!" chanted 70 Portlanders as they rallied at Mississippi Avenue, just south of Mason Avenue Sunday evening. The rally was accompanied by a mobile bike-carted sound system, live musicians, and a huge banner unfurled from the roof of a nearby construction site reading "More Lanes=More Cars=More Climate Change. No CRC!" The protest followed a "Pedalpalooza" bike ride earlier in the afternoon - organized by Portland Rising Tide which toured areas of North Portland impacted by the current Columbia River Crossing (CRC) proposal, talking to neighborhood activists opposed to the project. Read More | Photo from Bike Ride Against I-5 Expansion with Portland Rising Tide

On June 5, 25-30 riders set out for the monthly Critical Mass bike ride in drizzle and light rain. In the K st area, an SUV driver deliberately rammed into the ride, striking one rider's bike. Fortunately, this time riders reacted fast enough to avoid property damage or personal injury. Video

Many New Yorkers, upon hearing that the Metropolitan Transit Authority was threatening to hike fares up by 23 percent and cut service that would eliminate two subway and thirty-five bus lines, shook in their boots.

How could the MTA do this in a time of economic crisis, when New Yorkers are retrenching and tightening their purse strings?

While the drastic service cuts and huge fare hikes were toned down in a plan recently passed by Albany, the MTA’s problems don’t end there.

The Indypendent takes a look at the MTA and why it’s a broken agency, with reporting done by Danny Valdes and Arun Gupta.

Valdes and Gupta write, “The next time you purchase a monthly Metrocard, which is slated to increase to $89 at the end of June, think about this: Almost one-third of the money you spend — about $29 — will go to service the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s massive $26.8 billion debt.

This simple fact indicates why the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is in perpetual crisis. The MTA will spend nearly $1.5 billion to service debt in 2009, and it projects debt servicing will swallow up an average of more than $2 billion a year from 2010 to 2012.

Wiley Norvell, communications director for Transportation Alternatives, says the reason for this debt load, reportedly the fifth largest of any state or local government body in the United States, is because the MTA pays for improvements “on a credit card.” Norvell explains that “the city and state have stopped contributing to the capital construction,” leaving borrowing as the main source of funds for new transit projects.

The MTA breaks down expenditures into operating and capital. The capital budget pays for expanding and building subway lines and stations, purchasing new subway cars and buses, maintaining signals and communications and related activities. The operating budget includes salaries, health and pension benefits, fuel and electricity and cleaning trains and stations.”

To read the full article, click on the link to “Why the MTA Is Broken,” below. Also included in this issue of the Indypendent: How New York’s Hudson River problem will soon become Andrews, Texas’ problem; a review of a documentary about William Kunstler, the legendary radical lawyer; and a photo essay from the frontlines of the battle against mountaintop removal in the Appalachians by Antrim Caskey. See below for all the links.

Hudson Contaminates Go to Texas || WBAI Bounces Back || Why the MTA Is Broken || ‘Peace Pentagon’ Faces Uncertain Future || The People’s Lawyer || Community Calendar || Reader Comments || New York Has a Dirty Little Secret || The Revolution Will Be YouTubed || Sri Lanka’s Bloody Conflicts Not Over Yet || World Briefs || Operation Appalachian Spring || Courthouse Rebel: A Review of William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe || Muslim In and Out: A Review of The Islamist: Why I Became an Islamic Fundamentalist, What I Saw Inside, and Why I Left || Re-Forging the Working Class: A Review of Labor Law For The Rank And Filer: Building Solidarity While Staying Clear Of The Law || Colonization TV Reality: A Review of Expedition Africa ||

High Country EarthFirst! kicked off its campaign to stop the Interstate 70 expansion in Denver. A banner over the Colorado Blvd overpass, "Stop I-70 Expansion", was dropped by EF!ers on 5/26/09 during afternoon rush hour traffic. HCEF! read more

Mayoral Green Party candidate Billy Talen, better known as Reverend Billy, took his gospel of an affordable, neighborhood friendly New York City under ground this past Thursday. That is, in an performance-action entitled “F the Fare Hike,” Talen rode the F train from Broadway-Lafayette Street station to Jamaica Street in Queens to Coney Island, preaching all the while against the recently announced public transportation fare hike, and criticizing the tactics of his mayoral race rival, incumbent Michael Bloomberg.

City of Santa Cruz Takes Broadcaster to Court for Chatting at the Metro

Robert Norse writes: "Over six months ago on Sunday November 2nd, 2008, I was approached by a Metro security guard at the Metro Transit Center in downtown Santa Cruz. I was interviewing two homeless men for Free Radio Santa Cruz. The guard insisted I leave. I declined to do so. He called the police."

Fight Tri-Met Cuts! Public transportation is a human right!

We are a group of Tri-Met riders and community activists which was initiated by the Portland Social Forum. In these times of economic disparity, when ridership is up, we believe that cutting services, hiking fares, and possibly even laying off public transportation employees is counter to building a sustainable city. Inspired by the Los Angeles Bus Riders Union, we work to build a long-term program for community involvement and participation in the decisions that affect millions of riders, and like the Bus Riders Union we believe public transportation is a human right. We reject any attempts to cut services or hike fares and strive to work with Tri-Met to build a truly democratic and sustainable city. For questions, comments or contributions please contact us.

After months of pressure for greater transparency in BART policy making by Oscar Grant's family, community members, and activists, BART has scheduled its first public meeting on police oversight for Saturday, May 2nd in Oakland. Activists intend to remind BART that they still question if BART even needs its own police force, as well as to continue to demand that General Manager Dorothy Dugger and BART Police Chief Gary Gee be held accountable.

When: Friday, April 24th
Where: Jefferson Park, Tacoma, WA at 6pm
Meet up at the corner N 9th St and N Madison St. Not sure where to go? Check out the magical Google Maps!

But what is Critical Mass?

Critical Mass bike rides are spontaneous, leaderless rides that begin at specific times and locations in various cities around the world...

On April 9th, No Justice No BART assumed control of the BART Board meeting. Demonstrators took turns voicing their objections to the lack of accountability and the apparent cover-up attempts at BART regarding the murder of Oscar Grant. One demonstrator threw red paint onto BART General Manager Dorothy Dugger. Gabe Meyers was arrested. On April 2nd at the MacArthur BART station, No Justice No BART distributed fliers with campaign demands to over 1000 commuters.

Bike the Pipe event This Saturday will tour parts of the proposed LNG pipeline in the Willamette Valley from the seat post. Ride will be easy-going, informative, and help to forge connections with immediately affected communities and local climate & anti-pipe activists. Pdx ride will gather @ the PGE Park MAX (7:15) & then bike from Hillsboro to the Main Meetup @ Pacific U (9:00). Ride set to end at 4:00.