June 2010

OB FLASHES: News, calendar and whatever – June 30, 2010

June 30, 2010 by Frank Gormlie
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DETAILS AND LINKS INSIDE:

*OB Fireworks to begin at 9pm on July 4th
*’Bum’ Sticker Not Popular on Newport Ave.
*Keep Your Dogs Inside During the Fireworks on the 4th
*”Morning-After Mess” Clean-up Scheduled
*Community Forum On Homelessness In OB On July 6th
*OB Library Performance Programs for the Summer
*A Historian’s View on Growing Up in OB
*Join OB Historical Society on their Annual OB Historical Walk – July 17th
*Jazz 88 OB Music & Art Festival September 11th

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Riyadh Calling: Summing Up Six Months As an ESL Teacher

June 30, 2010 by John M. Williams
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by John M. Williams / June 30, 2010
Section 1: Last re Working Here

I have achieved some goals and failed to achieve others during my six months in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as an English teacher.

The most significant failure is in not being retained at the school where I taught for most of this past six months. It was my goal upon arrival to do well, and to work through a year at this one school. It even seemed possible to me that I might advance to a supervisory or administrative position as the year progressed.

As it is, I have become toxic, radioactive, a leper; not only removed from class overnight, but denied any contact at with students, to the extent that I was not even allowed to grade final exam writing papers.

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Standing for Children in Front of The Black

June 29, 2010 by Ernie McCray

Getting in my car to drive to OB to protest The Black’s “Don’t Feed our Bums” mentality, my mind said to me: “Hey, nobody will as much as give us remnants of picketers from another day the time of day.”

But when I walked down Bacon and hit the corner where it intersects with Newport Avenue and saw all the people and picket signs …

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Credibility: Darrell Issa’s Problem

June 29, 2010 by Andy Cohen
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by Andy Cohen/ The Politics of Football

If you would like to know just exactly what’s wrong with Washington these days, look no further than Darrell Issa, the Representative of the 49th district in North San Diego County. Nothing screams “extreme partisanship” more than the way Issa has comported himself during his tenure in office.

Darrell Issa is on a one man crusade to discredit the Obama administration …

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Watching DeMaio’s tactics of disruption in his pursuit of privatizing water and other City services

June 29, 2010 by Source
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Editor: San Diego is fortunate to have a watchdog on water issues here in our seacoast desert like Groksurf . Run by George, the blog keeps track of anything to do with our liquid necessity. Here is a recent sample of George’s work, as Groksurf observed Councilman Carl DeMaio’s tactics of disruption as he pursues his goal of privatizing water and other city services.

by George/ Groksurf’s San Diego /

Councilmembers Sherri Lightner and Carl DeMaio took advantage of councilmember Marti Emerald’s absence at [the June 16] Natural Resources and Culture Committee meeting and threw a wrench into the gears of San Diego’s Indirect Potable Reuse/Reservoir Augmentation Demonstration Project (IPR Project).

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Prop 19: Imperfect, but worthy of your vote

June 28, 2010 by Dixon Guizot
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At first glance, the November ballot initiative to legalize marijuana in California seems like a no-brainer. It will boost tax revenues. It will lighten the burden on our prison system and allow law enforcement to focus on more serious issues. It will move billions of dollars out of the hands of drug traffickers and into the legitimate economy, creating thousands of jobs. Overall, it will end the prohibition of a relatively harmless drug that has demonstrated medical benefits and is enjoyed by millions of recreational users.

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‘Hands Across the Sands’ from OB to the World

June 28, 2010 by Staff
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At least 80 people left the OB Street Fair on Saturday, June 26th, to join the “Hands across the sands” movement. They literally crossed the beach and linked hands with each other at the ocean’s edge to form a human wall against any further off-shore oil drilling. The line stretched from close to the pier all the way past the lifeguard station.

The OB event was one of over 800 such happenings across the country, and it was coordinated by Mike James.

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Update on the ‘bum’ sticker controversy

June 25, 2010 by Frank Gormlie
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Here’s an update on the whole ‘bum’ sticker controversy.
Wednesday, June 23rd in front of The Black

* I started to write up a summary of what happened the other day in front of The Black but ended up deleting a lot of it. (It had been such a challenging two hours out there in front of a crowd, I almost didn’t want to relive it again by blogging about it. So, here’s an abbreviated version.)

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“I hate that you suffer. …”

June 25, 2010 by Source

Editor: This was submitted to us totally unsolicited, perhaps inspired by JM Williams post on hate.

by Kenloc

I hate that you suffer.

I hate that you fear.

I hate the solution is not crystal clear.

I hate this issue.

I hate this talk.

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I Need Somebody to Hate; Please Help!

June 25, 2010 by John M. Williams

by John M. Williams

I’ve decided that that’s what I need: Somebody to hate.

The old Airplane song had it backward, I think. We don’t need Somebody to Love, we need Somebody to Hate. That way, we’d have something we could share; we’d have something in common and could get along even though we each thought the other to be an idiot, fool, dolt, or just plain stupid and bad mannered.

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Fear and Loathing at the Black

June 24, 2010 by Doug Porter
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by Doug Porter

That old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing. –Martin Luther King, Jr.

I was a few minutes late arriving for the picket line at The Black, a 1960’s throwback head shop on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach that’s been at the center of the controversy over its promotion of teeshirts and stickers that say “Welcome to Ocean Beach, Don’t Feed The Bums”.

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Local OB Churches to Organize Community Forum on Homelessness

June 23, 2010 by Jack Hamlin

by Jack Hamlin / Special to the OB Rag / June 23, 2010

Yesterday (6/22/10), I was invited to attend a meeting of OB’s local faith community. The purpose of the meeting was a beginning point to discuss and work together with the community to address homelessness in OB and all the attendant issues. In particular, there was an overriding concern the current sentiments by some could lead to violence in our community.

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Activists Organize to Oppose Offshore Drilling in OB and Across California

June 23, 2010 by Source
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On Saturday June 26th, people from around the world will join hands for 15 minutes at local beaches to say no to offshore oil drilling and yes to clean energy. The event, called “Hands Across the Sand,” is a movement of people from all walks of life and political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industry. Nearly 700 sites are planned worldwide.

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It’s Bash The Homeless Week In San Diego

June 22, 2010 by Doug Porter

by dougbob / Daily Kos / June 22, 2010

Greg Sullivan followed his conscience. He showed up last Saturday to picket a local head shop that was selling anti-homeless stickers. The stickers, which read “Welcome to Ocean Beach, Please Don’t Feed Our Bums” are spoofs of a sticker often seen in national parks that urges people to not feed bears.

The OBRag blog noticed these stickers being posted on street signs around the community and ran several stories, one of which pointed out that the stickers were the brainchild of a co-manager at a local retail store.

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Opinion on Current Anti-Homeless Sticker by Former Owner of The Black

June 22, 2010 by Source
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by Steve A/ Special to the OB Rag / June 22, 2010

During the seventies, (from 1970 to 1980), I was one of the co-owners of The Black.

As of late, via the evening news (I no longer reside in the area), I have been made aware that there has been considerable discussion regarding the homeless or bums in O.B. and that The Black is smack in the middle of a controversy and possibly even on the wrong side of the fence in the matter.

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Children, as They Relate to the Lack of News from Afghanistan and Pakistan

June 22, 2010 by Ernie McCray
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Recently, while channel surfing on TV, I happened on a little repartee on the war in Afghanistan and I couldn’t help but notice in all the wit and pontification that Pakistan was barely mentioned since we’re there, too, chasing down al-Qaeda and the Taliban. With robots: Predator Drones.

This bothers me deeply because, with me, it’s all about the children …

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Counterfeit ring run by white supremacists in OB busted

June 22, 2010 by Source
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About a year ago local merchants and the local OB merchants group were complaining that stores were being hit with fake hundred dollar bills. Warning were sent out to Newport businesses to be on the look-out.

Well, the mystery is over. Thirty people have just been arrested as part of a counterfeit ring – and it was partially centered here in Ocean Beach, and run by white supremacists.

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New Poll Shows San Diegans Opposed to ‘Bums’ Sticker – Sign Online Petition Here

June 21, 2010 by Staff

10News just announced that they have an on-going poll among San Diegans about the anti-homeless sticker being sold by The Black. Most respondents don’t like the sticker.

The news show is asking readers and viewers if they think the “don’t feed our bums” sticker is appropriate or inappropriate.

56% of San Diegans think it is inappropriate, and 37% think it is appropriate. 7% said they were not sure.

INSIDE: Sign Online Petition Requesting The Black to Remove Anti-Homeless Merchandise

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Ouch! We hit a nerve in exposing The Black’s anti-OB attitude

June 21, 2010 by Frank Gormlie
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Yeah, ouch! We really did touch a nerve with our posts and coverage about the anti-homeless sticker and merchandise the Black is selling in OB, and our subsequent call for a temporary boycott of The Black. Our posts and the coverage by local media have created a major story about this community.

The story went national on last Saturday, June 19th, what with the 10News story and the front-page article on the Union-Tribune / signonsandiego .

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Ocean Beach to Protest Off-Shore Oil Drilling – Noon on June 26th

June 21, 2010 by Source
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by Mike James

On Saturday, June 26, people of the world will join hands on beaches and in parks, united against the dangers offshore oil drilling.

Ocean Beach will also be one of the 600 locations across the world for the “Hands Across the Sands” solidarity event.

Hands Across The Sand‘s aim is to convince our leaders to abandon expanded offshore oil drilling and adopt policies that encourage clean and renewable energy sources.

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OB’s Intolerance Towards Homeless Now Exposed For All to See.

June 19, 2010 by Frank Gormlie

The “Bum Fight” going on in Ocean Beach these last few days has now gone viral. It’s the top story on the Union-Tribune’s online publication, signonsandiego this morning.

Now the intolerance for the homeless in OB is now out there – for all to see. The whole world will now know the hypocrisy in Ocean Beach – a community known for its laid-back attitude, care-free lifestyles and tolerance for everyone and anyone.

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‘Boycott the Black’ Organizers Gear Up as Store Now Sells T-shirts With Anti-homeless Image

June 18, 2010 by Frank Gormlie
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The battle and controversy raging in Ocean Beach over a hateful sticker against the community’s homeless has just intensified.

On one side, The Black – the source of the stickers of intolerance – has just now begun selling T-shirts with the well-known image carrying the the message “don’t feed our bums.”

On the other side, organizers of the Boycott The Black effort are gearing up with a petition and plans to picket the old-time head shop on Newport.

Ken Anderson, co-manager of The Black told me on Monday, June 14, that he would consider taking the stickers off the shelf if he was presented with a petition with a hundred names asking him to do that. However, apparently in a new move to cash in – literally – with this anti-homeless sentiment, Anderson is now selling shirts with the hate logo.

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Fear and Loathing of Carl DeMaio’s November Ballot Initiative

June 18, 2010 by Doug Porter
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San Diego used to be a reliably Republican City. Forty years ago, with a solid backbone of active and retired military as its most important demographic, America’s Finest City was so reliably Republican that former President Richard Milhaus Nixon called it his “lucky” city.

The times, they have changed in our berg. The City isn’t quite so white. High tech industries have attracted a more educated and diverse upper middle class that doesn’t always favor the Party of NO. In fact, there are now more registered Democrats than Republicans within the City limits. “Decline to State” also characterizes a rapidly growing part of the electorate.

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Death at the Border and San Diegans Protest In Arizona

June 18, 2010 by Source

Editor: Rocky Neptune accompanied local San Diegans as they caravaned to Phoenix to join thousands in protest of Arizona’s new immigration and ethnic studies laws. Here, he recites his observations of that trip and summarizes local developments, including the death of Anastasio Rojas.

by Rocky Neptune
San Diego Man Brutally Beaten to Death by Border Agents

In front of hundreds of terrified border crossers several U.S. Border Patrol Officers killed Anastasio Hernandez Rojas, 42, a lifetime resident of San Diego, with a wife and five children. Apparently, trying to flee earlier abuse by agents after his arrest some hours earlier Hernandez Rojas, was attempting to run into Mexico, to awaiting Mexican custom officials, when federal agents tasered him and beat him to death Friday evening, May 28.

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Send BP a message they will understand

June 17, 2010 by Staff
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By now, we’ve all seen the photos of wildlife drenched in oil. We’ve seen Gulf Coast fishermen stranded on their docks, and we’ve seen maps estimating that oil could reach as far north as New Jersey before flowing on to Europe.

It’s easy to feel helpless, but we’re not. There is something you can do right now to help stop the spill: BOYCOTT BP. Go inside for Pledge to Boycott BP.

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Stop the Gregory Canyon Landfill: Send Army Corps of Engineers Email Today

June 17, 2010 by Source
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Progressives and environmentalists all over San Diego County are being urged to send emails and letters to stop the movement toward creating a North County landfill in Gregory Canyon. The deadline is June 18th, so we at the OB Rag are urging our readers to send emails out today – June 17th.

The proposed Gregory Canyon Landfill is an environmental disaster in the making and would ruin sacred Native American lands.

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Three-fourths in Reader Poll want to either prosecute BP for crimes or nationalize it.

June 17, 2010 by Frank Gormlie

For about one week, we asked our readers what they thought the Federal government should do about BP – British Petroleum – the oil company responsible for the worst American environmental disaster in history.

With our readers’ progressive bent, we were not surprised with the results. Three-quarters of our respondents either want the Feds to begin criminal prosecution of BP – 61%, or nationalize it (or at least their American holdings) – 15%. Another 5% asked what would we take BP over with? (This was a reader answer and I’m not certain what they meant.)

On the other side, 9% wanted the Feds to allow BP to “finish the job.” Another 9% agreed with GOP candidate for gov in Kentucky (a Tea Party favorite), Rand Paul who made a public statement criticizing President Barack Obama for taking BP to task, and that it was “un-American” to criticize BP.

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Will Ocean Beach come together and do something about our homeless?

June 16, 2010 by Jack Hamlin
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by Jack Hamlin

A week ago, I saw the article about the “Don’t Feed Our Bums” sticker. I was on my way out the door to conduct three days of restorative justice mediation training which involves methods of collaboration and reconciliation. I have to admit, I was a bit furious about yet another sign of intolerance and hate, and no, my mind has not changed regarding the character of the stickers, but my fury has subsided. After all, as a mediator, neutrality is one of our goals, regardless of personal feelings.

And so rather than enter into the fray on these issues, and there are many here, and adding to the fire, engaging in more community polarization, I decided to take some time and reflect. …

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San Diego Community Farms and Gardens taking root in OB

June 16, 2010 by Jon Carr
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Sunday June, 9th, half a dozen or so volunteers descended on Pescadero Avenue to take part in a joint project between San Diego Food Not Lawns and a local meetup.com group called SD Community Farms and Gardens. Their goal: to help local residents transform their water guzzling grass lawns with sustainable vegetable gardens.

On this Sunday, the group was helping a couple local residents to dig up their lawns and plant an assortment of vegetables. The group provides a great way to get a head start as a homeowner who may be thinking of converting their lawn but lacks the resources or manual labor to begin the process.

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The Bomb Drops on Ocean Beach.

June 16, 2010 by Source
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by Mike James

Poet and actor S.A. Griffin has just journeyed across America in a gas-sucking Ford Econoline van with his sidekick Elsie. At libraries, coffee shops and bookstores from California to North Carolina, S.A. would wheel Elsie out of the van and sit her in a corner. People were immediately drawn to her beauty, yet they probably felt an underlying apprehension knowing her tumultuous past. Within her they knew was where her redeeming soul resides.

She was not human; she was once a dull gray Cold-War Era military practice bomb, lovingly refurbished into shiny brightly colored receptacle of words.

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