February 2008

Hey! We’re On Vacation for a Few Days!

February 26, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

To our faithful readers, our critics and those who are here for the first time, we’re taking a break, going out to the desert. We will return to San Diego by Saturday, March 1st.  There’s still lots to peruse in our archives, just recently posted articles, and our scans of the original OB Rag and […]

Read the full article → 1 comment

Run, Ralph, Run! (But I Won’t Vote for You)

February 26, 2008 by Staff

Ralph’s no spoiler, but this is not the time for third-party runs. By Joshua Holland AlterNet Staff Writer, Posted February 25, 2008 In announcing another quixotic presidential bid on Meet the Press, Ralph Nader was his usual cogent self, asking, as he does, why so many in the “liberal intelligentsia” condemn him for discussing the […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Nader announces new bid for White House

February 24, 2008 by Staff

By HOPE YEN, Associated Press Ralph Nader said Sunday he will run for president as a third-party candidate, criticizing the top White House contenders as too close to big business and pledging to repeat a bid that will “shift the power from the few to the many.” Nader, 73, said most people are disenchanted with […]

Read the full article → 5 comments

To Aguirre and the Union-Trib: A Pox On Both Your Houses

February 22, 2008 by Staff

by Joe Exasperated To anyone who has been keeping track or even reads the Union-Tribune, they know that San Diego’s only daily newspaper has been gunning for Michael Aguirre, San Diego’s City Attorney. Just about everyday there is an article dissing Aguirre. Why? The primary theory is that Aguirre has simply ruffled the feathers too […]

Read the full article → 1 comment

After All These Years – Pushing 60 with Pot

February 22, 2008 by Staff

By Norm Kent I am close to being a senior citizen. Though I will always think of myself as a student at Hofstra who was the 19 year old President of the Sophomore class, I am turning 58 this year. Damn, 60 is around the corner!You know what that means? When I open a newspaper […]

Read the full article → 8 comments

“Good News,” Iraq and Beyond – by Noam Chomsky

February 21, 2008 by Staff

[Posted February 16, 2008 on ZNet ] Not long ago, it was taken for granted that the Iraq war would be the central issue in the presidential campaign, as it was in the mid-term election of 2006. But it has virtually disappeared, eliciting some puzzlement. There should be none. Iraq remains a significant concern for […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Debunking the Hemp Conspiracy Theory

February 21, 2008 by Staff

Pot isn’t illegal because the paper industry is afraid of competing with hemp — it’s because of racism and the culture wars. By Steven Wishnia, AlterNet. Posted February 21, 2008. Scratch a pothead and ask them why marijuana is outlawed, and there’s a good chance you’ll get some version of the “hemp conspiracy” theory. Federal […]

Read the full article → 4 comments

Mainstream Media Critics Call For “Truth with Consequences”

February 20, 2008 by Richard Nadeau

The “Truth Emergency Movement” (http://www.truthemergency.us/ ) held its first national strategy summit in Santa Cruz, California Jan. 25-27, 2008. Over three hundred whistleblowers, investigative and citizen journalists, bloggers, and independent media providers braved stormy weather to discuss decentralized, critical, and alternative models for the creation and distribution of suppressed news.I drove from Sacramento and represented […]

Read the full article → 2 comments

The Million Year War: How Never to Withdraw from Iraq

February 20, 2008 by Staff

By Tom Engelhardt Think of the top officials of the Bush administration as magicians when it comes to Iraq. Their top hats and tails may be worn and their act fraying, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Their latest “abracadabra,” the President’s “surge strategy” of 2007, has still worked like a charm. They waved their […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

REPOSTED DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND: San Diego’s Foreclosure Crisis and the Depression in the Credit Market

February 19, 2008 by Gregg Robinson

[Ed.: We decided to repost Gregg Robinson’s very recent article on San Diego’s foreclosure crisis, due to several factors, including the interest shown in it immediately, plus we posted 4 articles after his, burying Robinson’s very timely piece. So, here it is again. If you’ve read it, go to the articles below it.] THE RETURN […]

Read the full article → 5 comments

New Orleans Update: Demolition Opponents Rally & Speak Out

February 18, 2008 by Michael Steinberg

Today opponents of the demolition of public housing rallied and spoke out at the St. Bernard public housing complex. They decried the corruption driving the demolition plans, and called for resident driven rehabilitation efforts to fix up the buildings so displaced residents can come home. New Orleans, February 16-Former residents of the 1463-unit St. Bernard […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

San Diego Blog Journalist Thrown Out of Public Press Conference

February 18, 2008 by Rocky Neptun

Pat Flannery Assaulted & Removed In Front of DA and Sheriff by Rocky Neptun San Diego slid ever further into a police state last Thursday, as independent journalist and blogger, Pat Flannery, was assaulted and thrown out of a press conference at the Westgate Hotel. Under the eye of San Diego Sheriff William Kolender and […]

Read the full article → 4 comments

Non-Electoral Activism in Presidential Election Year

February 18, 2008 by Staff

By Ted Glick Just about a year ago a leading activist in the climate movement made a comment that I took note of at the time and haven’t forgotten: Presidential politics overshadows all other politics during a Presidential election period. This comment was made in the context of a discussion about how do we keep […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Getting Organized, Getting Engaged

February 18, 2008 by Staff

Independent Antiwar Intervention in the 2008 Election Campaigns By Carl Davidson February 13, 2008 If our peace movement wants to make some far-reaching gains in the 2008 election cycle, it doesn’t have much time to waste. Super Tuesday is over, the remaining campaigns will end in November, and critical events are moving at a rapid […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Another “Whole Damn Pie Shop” Scanned

February 18, 2008 by Patty Jones

OCEAN BEACH, CA. It was announced today that another edition of that eighties left-wing mag, “the whole damn pie shop,” was scanned by OB Rag. The November 1984 issue (see it here) is a particularly relevant one as it shows how alternative journalists were grappling with the question of fascism vis a vis President Ronald […]

Read the full article → 2 comments

Congress Acts Against the “Imperial Presidency” For Presidents’ Day

February 17, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

As you enjoy your Presidents’ Day weekend and subsequent happiness, you ought to consider the ironic twist of history that occurred last week in Congress. Just before the Presidents’ Day weekend, the House of Representatives stood up – for a moment at least – against George W. Bush, the embodiment of the Imperial Presidency. The […]

Read the full article → 1 comment

White House Press Sec’y: Congress Controlled by “the fantasies of left-wing bloggers” ?

February 17, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

WOW! Let’s celebrate! We’ve won! Left wing bloggers control Congress! On second thought, what the hell does Dana Perino, White House Press Secretary, know about our left-wing fantasies? We’re left-wing bloggers. Perino has NO idea of what our real fantasies are … certainly we oppose torture, waterboarding, but then we also support impeachment, an end […]

Read the full article → 3 comments

An Accountability Moment That Must Not End

February 16, 2008 by Staff

by John Nichols There have been far too few accountability moments since Democrats retook control of the U.S. House and Senate in January, 2007. But one came Thursday, when the House voted 223-32 to hold former White House Counsel Harriet Miers and White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten in contempt of Congress for refusing […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

What Should the Anti-War Movement Do Now?

February 15, 2008 by Staff

A Proposal from the ANSWER Coalition The ANSWER Coalition is a major national antiwar organization. with chapters in many major cities across the country, including San Diego. The group issued this proposal back last May 2007. but is still relevant for today, even though it obviously did not include any thing about the current electoral […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Keith Olbermann Calls Bush “a fascist”!

February 15, 2008 by Staff

Olbermann’s Special Comment on FISA: President Bush Is a Liar and a Fascist Keith Olbermann, probably the best television news commenter, and most left-wing, called President Bush “a fascist,” on his regular MSNBC program, Tuesday night, Feb. 14th. Here are his comments, and the video. It’s simply great. Democrats in the House of Representatives are […]

Read the full article → 2 comments

Election Madness

February 14, 2008 by Staff

By Howard Zinn, The Progressive – March 2008 Issue There’s a man in Florida who has been writing to me for years (ten pages, handwritten) though I’ve never met him. He tells me the kinds of jobs he has held-security guard, repairman, etc. He has worked all kinds of shifts, night and day, to barely […]

Read the full article → 1 comment

Protest in San Diego Against Weapons Training in Schools

February 14, 2008 by Patty Jones

From the San Diego Coalition for Peace and Justice San Diego students, teachers, parents and others protested on Feb. 12, 2008, at the city school board meeting. They asked the school board to have a full hearing on their proposal to: Ban JROTC weapons training. Stop the involuntary placement of students in military science classes. […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Police Estimate 2,000 Protestors At Berkeley Marine Center Dispute

February 14, 2008 by Staff

By ASAF SHALEV – from the Daily Californian Feb. 14, 2008 Activists from around the Bay Area and across the country were drawn to Berkeley yesterday in a day-long protest as part of the backlash from the Berkeley City Council’s stance against the Downtown Marine Corps recruiting center. The protestors, which police estimate numbered as […]

Read the full article → 1 comment

Bomb Drops on Big Island a Public Health Concern for Hawaiians

February 14, 2008 by Staff

by: Cathy Garger February 12, 2008 In a recent press release, a Hawaiian peace group, Malu Aina (“Land of Peace”) www.malu-aina.org issued a public statement on the bombings of a military training area on the Big Island of Hawaii. The monthly exercises involve United States Air Force B-2 stealth aircraft dropping bombs on the Pohakuloa […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Update on Berkeley City Council vs. the Marines

February 13, 2008 by Staff

Going into the wee hours of the night Wed from a meeting that started at 7pm Tuesday, Feb. 12th, the Berkeley City Council passed a resolution clarifying their position vis a vis the Marine Corps recruiters in that they can stay, but the Council did not issue an apology. [See here for an update.]

Read the full article → 0 comments

Video on History of Iran-U.S. Relations

February 11, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

Everyone needs to watch this video about the history of US and Iranian relations and the need for diplomacy between the two countries. Please watch this.: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/iran/video.html

Read the full article → 0 comments

Torture, Then Execution…

February 11, 2008 by Staff

From the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) Today Military commission charges were handed down that seek the death penalty against CCR’s client Guantánamo detainee Mohammed al Qahtani. No military commission against Mr. Al Qahtani will ever achieve justice. Instead, it will deteriorate into a controversy over secret trials and the United States’ well-documented torture of […]

Read the full article → 1 comment

Berkeley City Council & Marine Recruit Center Square Off Tuesday Feb. 12th

February 11, 2008 by Staff

Bay City News Service 02/11/2008 Large crowds on both sides of the issue are expected at the Berkeley City Council’s meeting Tuesday night, [Feb. 12,2008] when the council addresses a flap over a Marines recruiting center for the second time. The City Council ignited a nationwide controversy two weeks ago when it voted 6-3 to […]

Read the full article → 1 comment

New Revelations About the Original OB Rag

February 9, 2008 by Staff

OCEAN BEACH, CA. New and exclusive revelations about the original OB Rag have been made and recorded here in our continual and on-going exposure of the controversial underground newspaper and the fiery characters that made up its staff. In the latest installment, “OB Rag Matures,” we learn how staff members grew wealthy from their journalistic […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

EXCLUSIVE: 1980’s “Pie Shop” Now Scanned

February 9, 2008 by Frank Gormlie

OCEAN BEACH, CA. In a dramatic but not unexpected move, the publisher and editor of a 1980’s progressive publication, “the whole damn pie shop,” has offered OB Rag an exclusive opportunity to scan some of its issues. The Pie Shop, a bi-monthly free left wing alternative to the Reader, was published from 1981 to 1986 […]

Read the full article → 0 comments

← Older Articles