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Articles by Source

Source has written 1739 articles for the OB Rag!

San Diego’s Favorite Bicycle Rides #1 – Ocean Beach to National City

April 26, 2013 by Source

By John P. Anderson / San Diego Free Press

A few weeks ago I wrote up one of my favorite bicycle routes, from North Park to Ocean Beach. I got some good feedback and suggestions in response and decided to continue this idea. However, I’m still a relatively new to cycling in San Diego and there are many areas of the city and county that I haven’t ridden.

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Why Bomb the Boston Marathon?

April 25, 2013 by Source

Islamic Totalitarians, the Apocalypse, and Terrorism

By Chip Berlet / Talk to Action

E 43.tifWalk a mile in the shoes of those who claim to honor God and yet cheer the bombing of the Boston Marathon. They represent only a tiny fraction of the Muslims on our planet, yet they see themselves as carrying out the will of God. Fanatics such as these can be found in many of the World’s religions. They shoot abortion providers in the United States; blast apart buses in Israel; and murder Muslims in India (and vice versa).

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Planning Meeting for “March for Healthy Food” – April 25

April 25, 2013 by Source
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The local organizers who are planning a march against Monsanto on May 25th, in San Diego (there will be marches elsewhere across the country) are holding a first planning meeting tonight to create something positive and lasting from these efforts. They want to create something positive for the food systems of our local and global community.
The following is from their Healthy Food for Local Earth website:

Intention: Bring together anyone in San Diego with an interest in planning, supporting and participating in the CommUNITY March for Healthy Food.

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The Joys and Pleasures of Composting

April 22, 2013 by Source
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Why Are People So Squeamish About Composting?

By Jill Richardson /La Vida Locavore / April 19, 2013

I wrote this week’s column on composting, and I’ve been really pleased to see how various newspapers have picked it up. Honestly, I’ve been really surprised in the past several years about how squeamish people are about composting.

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Gabby Giffords: A Senate in the Gun Lobby’s Grip

April 22, 2013 by Source
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“If we cannot make our communities safer with the Congress we have now, we will use every means available to make sure we have a different Congress”

By Gabrielle Giffords / New York Times / April 17, 2013

SENATORS say they fear the N.R.A. and the gun lobby. But I think that fear must be nothing compared to the fear the first graders in Sandy Hook Elementary School felt as their lives ended in a hail of bullets. The fear that those children who survived the massacre must feel every time they remember their teachers stacking them into closets and bathrooms, whispering that they loved them, so that love would be the last thing the students heard if the gunman found them.

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When Banks Wrongfully Foreclose, They Get a Slap on the Wrist

April 22, 2013 by Source

Those illegally foreclosed on get a pittance in return.

foreclosure

By John Lawrence / San Diego Free Press

Banks foreclosed on military service members, homeowners who had been approved for a loan modification and even homeowners who were current on their payments. At least 53 homeowners who weren’t behind on their payments were successfully foreclosed on and lost their homes for no reason.

There was widespread criminal behavior on the part of the banks, but in a recent settlement they got off relatively cheap.

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So, these are the fools who voted against background checks …

April 18, 2013 by Source
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XL Pipeline Protest Today – April 17th – in Coronado

April 17, 2013 by Source

Don’t Miss this Event!

XL Pipeline Protest

April 17, 2013 11:30 – 12:30

Silver Strand Blvd & Coronado Bay Rd, Coronado

Join organizes for a press conference and protest outside the Loew’s Coronado Bay Resort where the American Petroleum Industry (API), the primary trade association of the oil and gas industry, will be holding its annual Pipeline Conference.

They will be there to say that climate change demands an end to the fossil fuel industry’s “business as usual” and to call on President Obama to reject the Keystone XL Pipeline. They”ll also draw attention to the recent tar sands spill in Arkansas, and the surprising revelation that tar sands are already being brought by train to Los Angeles for refining.

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Councilman Faulconer’s State of the District Address

April 12, 2013 by Source

City Councilman Faulconer says things are looking good here in District 2 and San Diego

Mission Bay at sunset

By Mic Porte

Wednesday April 10, 2013, Paradise Point Resort -

Sounds like the name of the sequel of a sci-fi film, but it was actually a fantasy island dream moment with our San Diego District 2 elected official, Councilmember Kevin Faulconer, and his team, at beautiful Paradise Point Resort in the middle of beautiful Mission Bay in beautiful San Diego, on a beautiful evening and with all the beautiful people around, you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

And according to Councilmember Faulconer, things are looking pretty beautiful around here, and with a little more bi-partisan effort on the part of the city council and everybody else in San Diego and the great state of California, and regional funding, we might even be able to finally get the crumbling oldest part of the seawall in front of Belmont Park repaired in time for the rising ocean levels, and balance the city budget too, and get back to pursuing happiness, something we do great here in San Diego.

Boys and girls, are we lucky? Yes, thank you.

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Mental Health Walk in Point Loma – Sat. April 13th

April 12, 2013 by Source

WallStreet Journal / April 11, 2013

San Diego County Annual 5K NAMI Walk to be held this Saturday at Point Loma Liberty Station

Calling all walkers! The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI San Diego and NAMI North Coastal) is holding their annual walk on Saturday, April 13 at NTC Park in Liberty Station and wants you there!

The walk starts at 9 am Saturday with check-in beginning at 7:30 am at NTC Park in Liberty Station at 2455 Cushing Road, San Diego, CA 92106.

Media personality Geni Cavitt will be the emcee for the event. “A lot of people there know how I feel about NAMI so I’m happy to do it,” said Cavitt, who has more than 20 years of experience in communications and broadcast journalism and is a champion of mental health in the community.

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North Park Has One Up on Ocean Beach As It Begins San Diego’s Very First “EcoDistrict”

April 11, 2013 by Source

Editor: Apparently, the commmunity of North Park has something to show Ocean Beach: North Park is about to initiate San Diego’s first “EcoDistrict”. What is that?

By John Anderson / San Diego Free Press

North Park in the first stages of becoming the first sustainable-focused neighborhood in San Diego following the U.S. lead of Portland, OR. I recently talked with Paulina Lis, who is heading up the North Park EcoDistrict project along with colleague Jennifer Owens, to learn more about the project.

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Pacific Beach Planning Group and Local Residents Fight Bar Expansions

April 11, 2013 by Source

By Sub-committee

Wednesday, April 10, Bill Allen – owner of the Crystal Pier Motel - and other residents called a press conference at the pier to help expose a simmering problem in Pacific Beach to the larger community. Allen and many other concerned residents have over the last while voiced their complaints about Scott Slaga – owner of the 710 Club (ex-Blind Melons) near the Crystal Pier – in his efforts to obtain a sidewalk encroachment variance for his establishment.

Allen and the complaining residents have issues caused, they contend, by encroachments for bars, problems such as the high crime stats and high noise impact, to lowered property values to no room on the sidewalks for people to walk to the beach.

This is all in preparation for the city council vote today, April 11, on whether or not to allow Slaga to obtain his sidewalk encroachment variance.

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‘State of Cycling in San Diego County’ – A Snapshot of the Region and Plans for the Future

April 11, 2013 by Source

By John Anderson / San Diego Free Press

valet bike parkingLast Saturday, April 6, the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition (SDCBC) hosted a ‘State of Cycling in San Diego County’ event in the Balboa Room of the historic Lafayette Hotel on El Cajon Boulevard in North Park.

This event was held to mark the one-year anniversary of the 5-Year Strategic Plan the group adopted in 2012 and discuss progress and goals for the coming years. Every seat in the room was taken, plus some standing in the doorways. I counted approximately 60 people. A bicycle valet service was provided outside the hotel for attendees – a service the SDCBC also offered at the Padres home opener on Tuesday, April 8.

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Keys to the San Diego Kingdom

April 10, 2013 by Source

By Norma Damashek / NumbersRunner

For the first time ever, the San Diego public has been awarded the Keys to the Kingdom.

The grantor of this unique gift to the people of San Diego is former councilmember Donna Frye and her Open Government project, developed during her three-month stint in the office of Mayor Bob Filner.

Finally, regular citizens and ordinary folk (you and I) have ready access to just about everything we wish to know about the ins-and-outs of City Hall.

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Will San Diego Implement a Great and Safe Bicycle Network?

April 9, 2013 by Source

By Beryl Forman & Sam Ollinger / San Diego Free Press / April 8, 2013

Photo: Bikesd.org

Last year, SANDAG began the work of implementing their Early Action Projects that are part of their 2050 Regional Bicycle Plan. Within the City of San Diego, SANDAG is currently working on the design of the Uptown and the North Park/Mid-City regional bike projects both of which are currently in the design phase of implementation.

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West Coast Babies Suffer Thyroid Problems After Fukushima Nuclear Meltdown

April 8, 2013 by Source
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Children born in Pacific coastal states in 2011 may be at greatest risk.

By Anne Hurley / msn Healthy Living / April 4, 2013

It’s already well known how devastating the March 2011 Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown was for Japan — dramatic spikes in radiation-related illnesses, an increase in likely cancer deaths over the next several years, and pollution which may never truly be cleaned up.

A new study suggests what many worldwide have feared — that the devastation from the traveling radiation has in fact sickened infants in other countries, including babies born shortly after the incident in Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and California.

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Majority of Americans Favor Legalization of Marijuana

April 5, 2013 by Source
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For the first time, a major US poll has found that a majority of Americans support legalization of marijuana.

By Linda Feldmann /Christian Science Monitor / April 4, 2013

The Pew Research Center announced Thursday that 52 percent of Americans say that marijuana use should be made legal, versus 45 percent who say it should not. The trend line has been moving gradually in the direction of majority support for more than 20 years. In 1991, only 17 percent supported legalization, while 78 percent opposed.

As with gay marriage, which has also seen a sharp rise in support in the past few years, the Pew poll found major generational differences in views on marijuana. Among Millennials – those now aged 18 to 32 – support is at 65 percent, up from just 36 percent in 2008. Among Generation X, those born between 1965 and 1980, support has risen dramatically, from 28 percent in 1994 to 54 percent today.

Half of Baby Boomers support legalized marijuana today, and among the over-65 Silent Generation support has doubled since 2002 – from 17 percent to 32 percent.

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April 3rd Meeting of Ocean Beach Planning Board: March Elections Certified, Appointments Made, Officers Elected – and Faulconer Speaks

April 4, 2013 by Source
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Tom Gawronski Elected as New Chair

By Brittany Bailey / Special to OB Rag

Last’s night’s meeting – of Wed., April 3rd – of the Ocean Beach Planning Board held on the agenda the certification of the March 12 election results, election of board officers, and guest speaker Councilmember Kevin Faulconer. First, the exciting news:

Election Results

District Reps

This year the OBPB tried to remove obstacles to participation by adding options for mail-in and email ballots, which bolstered turnout to 47 voters, two of which were provisional. There were four declared candidates on the ballot at the time of election, and one successful write-in, for a total of five candidates on the ballot.

The new representatives are:

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San Diego’s “Anti-Drone Days of Action” Kick Off Nation-Wide Protests April 4 – 7

April 3, 2013 by Source
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San Diego Has Become “National Capital” of Military Drone Production

From San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice /April 3, 2013

“National Anti-Drone Days of Action” from April 4 through 7 in San Diego start a month of protests across the United States against the policy and practice of drone warfare and secret surveillance.

Local and national organizations are coordinating a series of events to increase the attention to why drone killings and surveillance are bad practice and policy for the United States.

San Diego’s “Anti-Drone Days” is not one, but a series of events (see listing).

San Diego is where these protests will start based on the region’s role as the “national capital” of military drone production. Killer and surveillance drones pour out of San Diego at increasing rates, matched by the rise in deaths and dismemberment from US strikes across the globe.

Most of this production is tied to two corporate contracting giants — Northrop Grumman and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, which is headquartered in San Diego.

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Feds Declare ‘Unusual mortality event’ for the California Sea Lion as Sickly Pups Continue to Appear

April 3, 2013 by Source
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Editor: Just today – Wednesday – a dehydrated and sickly sea lion pup climbed into a car near SeaWorld San Diego. A SeaWorld rescue crew was called to the scene. The following piece from the LA Times gives a more regional view, and it ain’t a happy one. Our own Tony Perry was involved in writing this piece. But something is happening to Southern California’s sea lions. Hopefully the federal designation is not too late and will be greatly helpful.

The federal designation comes after sickly sea lion pups have been found stranded on beaches from Santa Barbara to San Diego at rates exponentially higher than in years past.

By Rick Rojas and Tony Perry / Los Angeles Times / April 1, 2013

A weakened California sea lion pup near the Huntington Beach Pier. Sea lion strandings, which began rising in January, have intensified in recent weeks, packing marine mammal centers, perplexing researchers and prompting federal wildlife officials to act.

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Reader Rant: Why Is the Libertarian Party Being Excluded From San Diego’s Earth Day Fair?

April 2, 2013 by Source

By Anonymous Reader (Sent to our OB Rag Facebook page)

I’m writing today to let you know of a huge travesty going on in this town of ours.

In just under a month the annual Earth Day Fair will be going on. Thousands will gather in Balboa Park to celebrate life, the planet, tolerance and humanity.

Unfortunately, though, some will be excluded from this event.

One group will be the San Diego Libertarian Party. We have been told that our message of liberty is not welcome at the fair, and we are also accused of not having genuine concern about a clean, healthy environment.

We are very saddened by this, and there could be nothing further from the truth.

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Shelter Island’s “Fathom Bistro, Bait and Tackle” – Instant San Diego Classic

April 2, 2013 by Source

IMAG0984By John P Anderson / San Diego Free Press

I’ve seen ads in CityBeat for the past couple of months featuring a large pink Lichtenstein-ian tentacle pouring a draft beer and the tagline “San Diego’s Only Tap House on the Water”. Tentacles, beer, and an address on Shelter Island (1776 Shelter Island Drive, 92106) that I couldn’t immediately place. Mysterious and involving beer? I was intrigued and recently made a visit.

The mystery deepened when I arrived at the address (directed by my smartphone navigation app) and saw no bar or restaurant in sight, nor a sign directing me to one.

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Report on Ocean Beach Town Council Meeting: Oversized Vehicle Ordinance, New Area Police Captain, and New Community Garden?

April 1, 2013 by Source

By Brittany Bailey / Special to the OB Rag

On Wednesday night, March 27, at the monthly OB Town Council meeting, local community members had the opportunity to hear updates and ask questions directly from their city representative, Councilmember Kevin Faulconer.

Faulconer gave brief updates on the status of the pilot program he is proposing that will restrict the parking of oversized vehicles in the beach areas. Called the Neighborhood Parking Protection or the Oversized Vehicle Ordinance, it proposes to restrict vehicles more than 7 feet tall and 22 feet in length from parking overnight on city streets between the hours of 10pm-6am.

Residents and their guests who wish to park overnight may obtain 72 hour permits to do so. Planning Board member Giovanni Ingolia asked if the ordinance will go to the OB Planning Board for review, and Faulconer stated it is their intention that the OBPB review the ordinance, which is now published online on the City’s website.

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Garden Blogging in Ocean Beach and San Diego: Learning My Weeds

March 29, 2013 by Source
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This article was originally posted here on October 3, 2012

by Jill Richardson/ La Vida Locavore

With my big front yard swale project out of the way, I’m getting started on the backyard. The backyard intimidates me. It’s huge, full of bermudagrass, and parts of it are covered in chips of paint from the construction that’s gone on here over the past year or so. I’ve been having conversations in bad Spanglish with Jorge the painter about why we don’t want paint in our soil.

Today I decided to take on a mini-project: getting the smallest bed ready for garlic planting. I’m not ready to plant garlic yet, but the garlic’s ready – so I don’t have much choice. As I set out to check out the soil in the bed I wanted to use, I discovered a new weed – and a really unpleasant one at that. I posted about it on Facebook, and that led to a very interesting conversation about local weeds and how to identify them…

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North Park to Ocean Beach by Bike – the Best Route

March 28, 2013 by Source
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By John P Anderson

I’ve only lived in North Park for a couple of months but have been working on finding the best route to get from here to Ocean Beach, my favorite San Diego beach, since I moved in. The biggest issue is finding a good route from the mesa that North Park is on down into Mission Valley. Once in Mission Valley the very solid path along the San Diego River takes you comfortably and quickly directly west to the Pacific Ocean.

I’ve tried various routes into Mission Valley – Texas Street in North Park, Fairmount Avenue between Kensington and City Heights, Bachman Place in Hillcrest – but found them all lacking. Fairmount is very, very intense (read: dangerous) on a bike and Texas only slightly less so. Bachman Place is a much better alternative although it is a meandering windy road down the hill, not bad for cruising down but quite a long haul back up. Recently I was informed of a path through Old Town and it is my favorite by far. After a couple of practice runs I took this trip “in earnest” this week.

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Hospitals to US Citizens: Your Money or Your Life

March 27, 2013 by Source
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By John Lawrence

Chargemaster: Hospitals’ Killer App for Sucking Your Financial Blood Dry – Part 4

Hospital care in the US has morphed into a multi-headed monster in which every advance in medical technology ups the cost of medical care. What Matt Taibbi said about Goldman Sachs in a Rolling Stone article applies to hospitals as well: “[They are] a great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming [their] blood funnel[s] into anything that smells like money.”

More expensive technologies like cat scans are used when less expensive ones would be adequate to do the job. In addition to the economic incentives to use more expensive technology and equipment, there’s the legal incentive that doctors are less likely to be sued if they administer every test under the sun and use the most expensive equipment.

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