October 2010

Halloween Scare: Meg Whitman came to OB – not to buy a surfboard but – to buy the community.

October 31, 2010 by Frank Gormlie

During Meg Whitman’s Halloween visit to San Diego today – Sunday, October 31st – we have learned that she will push her offer to actually buy the community of Ocean Beach to local leaders.

During Whitman’s visit to Ocean Beach earlier in the week, much was made of her stop at a local OB surf shop to buy a surfboard and telephone the governor of Texas over a wager involving the World’s Series. Whitman was supposedly wagering the surfboard for a pair of Texan boots over the victor of the baseball games. But this was just the spin of why she really was here.

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Midterm Elections U.S. Style: Get Out the Hate

October 31, 2010 by Source

By Kit-Bacon Gressitt

There is nothing like a midterm election to reveal our putrid political underbelly. It is a dark, stinky place where paranoia, distrust, disaffection and outright deceit are reduced to hatred in a cauldron fired by fear and boiling over in a miasmic wave of bigotry.

Gross, eh?

Throw in a recession and all its attendant terrors, and what do you get? “Double, double toil and trouble” …

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Anna’s Video Pick for Halloween!

October 31, 2010 by Anna Daniels

A preview of Anna’s video pick of the day, this one especially for Halloween.

Sally Cruikshank- Face Like a Frog

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Altercation on Newport Avenue Thursday Night – Woman Arrested

October 29, 2010 by Frank Gormlie

A San Diego Police Department Community Relations Officer has confirmed that there was an altercation on Newport Avenue Thursday evening, October 28th. Apparently a “traveling” homeless woman attacked a “mainstay” homeless male, kneeing him in the face, resulting in the loss of lots of blood.

She was arrested by police. Her dog got loose and was taken to Animal Control where it will be held for her.

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OB Flashes: News, Calendar, and Whatever – October 29, 2010

October 29, 2010 by Frank Gormlie

ALL LINKS AND DETAILS INSIDE:

Redesign of Thee Bungalow Near Complete, Bo-Beau to Debut Early November
____________
OB Lifeguard Restrooms Still Stink
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Noodle House Robbed
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Will Pot Dispensaries Be Zoned Out in Places Like Ocean Beach?
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Halloween Events … and MORE ….

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2010 Elections: His-Her Panics and the Chicano Community

October 29, 2010 by Source

by Herman Baca / October 27, 2010

Numerous persons in the Chicano community have asked if anything will substantially change after next weeks elections, especially with all the His-Her Panics candidates running for public office?

The question is important for those seeking change to address and find solutions to the myriad of problems/issues affecting our communities.

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The Local Races: Taxes, Lawyers and Developers, Oh My!

October 29, 2010 by Doug Porter

OB Rag Election Guide

Here at the OB Rag we don’t have an “editorial board” that sips on lattes and slathers cream cheese on bagels at the Clair de Lune coffee shop as we sit around and make election recommendations. That’s my way of saying that the opinions expressed in this article are nobody’s but my own. As a group, we are most divided over Proposition D with some of our friends. You naysayers need to chime in with comments, okay? And here are my picks and prognostications…

Proposition A: Ban on County Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) — Vote NO

This is a symbolic gesture on the part of local reactionaries that is part of a larger movement to attack unions in this country ….

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A Future TV Script: “The Conflicted Moon”

October 29, 2010 by Judi Curry

SCENARIO: Dinner table – dessert being eaten

Participants – Tomo, Japanese student

Lorena, Taiwan student

Corinne, Swiss student

Walking into the living room – Judi, Host Mother

Judi: Girls, girls, come here quick!

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The High Price of Patriotism – the Afghanistan Quagmire

October 29, 2010 by Source

By Robert Scheer / truthdig.com

It’s over for the U.S. in Afghanistan, but that doesn’t mean the death and destruction are about to stop. Quagmires don’t just go away. However, the signs are everywhere that the American course in that nation is doomed, that those directing this forlorn attempt at occupation of a country that has never tolerated occupation know there is no positive end in sight, and that the locals from President Hamid Karzai to the competing warlords and the Taliban are cutting their own deals on the assumption that our wishes no longer matter.

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Aging with the University of Arizona

October 29, 2010 by Ernie McCray

I recently enjoyed the honor of a lifetime: addressing the University of Arizona’s Class of ’60 with my take on our times at our alma mater. My classmates and I showed up brimming with youth and Rhythm and Blues and Rock and Roll, more than ready to “Go! Go! Wildcats! Go!” and the school welcomed us with open arms.

In the background, besides the up tempo music, the likes of I Love Lucy had us laughing crazily and we relied on Ed Sullivan giving us a “Really good show” every Sunday but the world, at large, was in no way like a picnic on a carefree sunny day.

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What’s goin’ down around Hodad’s tonight OB?

October 28, 2010 by Frank Gormlie

There are reports coming in that there is some kind of disturbance on Newport Avenue around or possibly involving Hodad’s. There is a police helicopter circling as well. A paramedic truck, eight police cruises were also reported to be in the area.

One unconfirmed report is that the helicopter is ordering the crowd to disperse.

Another unconfirmed report mentions a possible dog attack and/or a possible stabbing.

If you know anything, please either make a comment here or email us at obragblog@gmail.com

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OB Town Council Report: Further Fire Department and Lifeguard Cutbacks Loom

October 28, 2010 by Andy Cohen

Representatives from the San Diego Fire Department appeared at the OB Town Council meeting last night to give their grim report on the state of San Diego’s emergency service providers. And for the first time San Diegans will start to see noticeable cuts in the department’s ability to serve the community.

San Diego Fire Chief Jeff Carle and Lifeguard Chief Rick Wurts delivered the bad news in a detailed report describing exactly how we got here, what further cuts are likely in the near future, and how it will affect Ocean Beach and beyond.

I am so tired of … INSOMNIA!

October 28, 2010 by Judi Curry

When was the last time I had a good night sleep?

I have no trouble falling asleep; my problem is in staying asleep.

Maybe, if I am lucky, I can go two hours without waking, but that is usually not the case. No…I am looking for the elusive “all nighter.” You know, the full night sleep without the blasted helicopters waking me up as they search the seas for drug runners, or illegals.

I mean a full night sleep without someone’s security alarm beeping when they go out to their car to retrieve something at 2:00am. I don’t understand why the bartender neighbor down the street MUST have his stereo blaring when he comes home from work night – no morning – after morning.

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Homeless Task Force: 8.6% increase in County Homelessness

October 28, 2010 by Source

8.6% increase in County Homelessness and additional regional homeless trends discussed

San Diego, CA – The Regional Task Force on the Homeless (RTFH) released it’s annual Regional Homeless Profile on Tuesday, October 26. RTFH has compiled a report on regional homelessness since its inception in 1984. This year’s numbers highlighted a daunting 8.6% increase in County Homelessness since 2009. Specific demographics with a significant rise include young and female veterans, the elderly population, and families. This report and subsequent research initiatives allow the continuum to prioritize funds to match the region’s need.

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Settlements from over-reaching by law enforcement in the news …

October 28, 2010 by Staff

Editor: There have been a couple of legal settlements in the news of recent over incidents where law enforcement over-reached. The first was the outrageous shooting death of a gay hired dancer – Steven Hirschfield – by Harbor Patrol cops in July 2008. He was shot in the back by officers when they tried pulling in out of the water after he had jumped into the Bay from the cruise ship he was on.

The second settlement stems from an incident that occurred at a Francine Busby fund-raiser in North County in June of 2009 when a deputy sheriff, supposedly responding to a noise complaint, ended up pepper-spraying a number of guests.

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Watch “Terriers” while you still can – 5 more reasons to see it …

October 27, 2010 by Source

It’s an unfortunate fact that often the most creative, highest-quality shows on TV struggle to find enough viewers to survive. That’s what’s happening right now with FX’s new private-eye series, “Terriers.” It’s hands-down the best new series of the fall, yet no one’s watching. That has to change — come on people, don’t let this be one of those shows you discover on DVD a year from now and go “Huh, this is great, why didn’t I watch this back before it got canceled?”

Cancellation is where “Terriers” is headed unless it can show improvement in the ratings by season’s end. The season’s half over …

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OB Rag Election Guide: State Races

October 27, 2010 by Doug Porter

OB Rag Election Guide: State Races

Here at the OB Rag we don’t have an “editorial board” that noshes on smoked salmon and sips champagne while we sit around and make election recommendations. That’s not how we roll, unlike our dead tree brethren at the daily fishwrap, who have experienced yet another 7% decline in circulation over the past year, according to the Wall Street Journal. That’s my way of saying that the opinions expressed in this article are nobody’s but my own. And here they are…

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The Battle Being Fought South of Interstate Eight

October 27, 2010 by Doug Porter

For the past month or so I’ve been burning the midnight oil, working on campaigns designed to increase voter turnout in the region. I talked with literally thousands of new and infrequent voters over the phone and knocked on hundreds of doors in neighborhood that usually get taken for granted during electoral campaigns. Multiply those numbers by the dozens of volunteer and paid campaigners who have opted to follow the path less traveled and what emerges is a campaign strategy full of possibilities not included in the conventional approaches to electioneering.

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With President Obama on his show and rally set for Saturday, Jon Stewart takes center stage.

October 27, 2010 by Source

Editor: With President Barack Obama scheduled to appear on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show tonight – Wednesday, Oct. 27th (PDT: 11:00 pm Channel 48) and with Stewart and Stephen Colbert’s rally set for this Saturday, Oct. 30th in Washington, DC – where tens of thousands are expected to gather, many eyes are focusing on the Comedy Show Duo and their “Rally for Sanity / Fear”. Here is an update:

WASHINGTON — They’re reasonable, they’re lucid, and, damn it, they want their voices heard.

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In the early seventies Gary Gilmore found ‘heaven’ and he’s been in Ocean Beach ever since.

October 26, 2010 by Frank Gormlie

Gary Gilmore – Newport Avenue’s goldsmith par excellence – is proud of the fact that he arrived in Ocean Beach in 1973 with nothing else but the clothes on his back, his guitar, and his leather tools. He had journeyed across the country and had found heaven. And he’s been in OB ever since. His is a true classic rags to riches story. Yet it’s an OB hippie version of the classic. For Gary Gilmore certainly looked like a hippie when he arrived 37 years ago.

Gary’s love for OB is so evident that it’s almost difficult to get him to talk about anything else. This was all apparent as we took our seats for a lunch at the quintessential OB restaurant – the Old Townhouse – featured prominently in the current television series “Terriers” which was filmed in OB.

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Catchin’ up on “Terriers”: The Pilot – First Episode

October 26, 2010 by Dave Rice

As a rule, I hate soap operas for several reasons. First, I’m not that big on TV in the first place, and when I do watch I tend toward news or other politically relevant programming. Since I don’t watch a lot of television, I can’t be counted on to plop my butt on the couch at precisely the same time week after week to vegetate for an hour or more, so I think I should be able to pick up and put down a show as I please. South Park works for this, but if I miss an episode or three of a soap, I’m lost and might as well go find a magazine article or Rag post to feed my decidedly inattentive attention span.

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Tailing the Traveling Troup of City Officials to Point Loma High

October 26, 2010 by JEC

by JEC / Special to the OB Rag / October 26, 2010

The traveling troupe of City officials drew a small crowd to last night’s presentation at Point Loma High School of the City’s upcoming budget dilemma and promotion for Proposition D, the half cent sales tax increase on November’s ballot.

The audience of 27 mainly gray haired people listened solemnly as Chief Operations Officer (aka “City Manager”) Jay Goldstone opened the show. But before his second paragraph former City Attorney Mike Aquirre showed up walking among the audience distributing a faux invoice charging $2.1 billion for the City’s Pension expenses.

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Who is this man who knows all about you but you know nothing about him?

October 26, 2010 by Judi Curry

Who is this man who knows all about you but you know nothing about him?

Let me give you a hint: He is a native San Diegan. Born and raised in San Ysidro thirty-five years ago. (Need more clues?)

Received an AA degree from Southwestern College in Administrative Justice in 1999. Has an AS degree in the Science of Criminal Justice.

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Chalmers Johnson – Imperialism and Militarism, it’s a Suicide Pact

October 25, 2010 by Patty Jones

Why should we concerned about imperialism and militarism? It’s a suicide pact. That’s the way empires end… ~Chalmers Johnson.

Hat tip to Tanya Winter for the link to this video, Thanks!

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The Scary Thing About the Tea Party

October 25, 2010 by Andy Cohen

by Andy Cohen / The Politics of Football / October 22, 2010

Allow me to start off this post by rehashing a little thing called the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assmeble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

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Budget Cuts to be discussed at Town Hall meeting tonight – Oct. 25th – at Point Loma High

October 25, 2010 by JEC

Fire Station brown outs, closed parks and recreation centers, beach fire rings eliminated, the public quality of life in OB is under significant threat. City officials advocate for Proposition D, to raise sales taxes yet again but with no promise that any of these OB services will be saved. In fact, by all accounts, Prop. D is the opportunity for the city controllers to maintain the status quo. The rich and exclusive will still be served, while the remainder of the city supports their lifestyle.

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Jurassic Ballot – When Corporations Ruled the Earth

October 25, 2010 by Source

This country is being run for the benefit of alien life forms. They’ve invaded; they’ve infiltrated; they’ve conquered; and a lot of the most powerful people on Earth do their bidding, including five out of our nine Supreme Court justices earlier this year and a whole lot of senators and other elected officials all the time. The monsters they serve demand that we ravage the planet and impoverish most human beings so that they might thrive. They’re like the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park, like the Terminators, like the pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, except that those were on the screen and these are in our actual world.

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WikiLeaks Julian Assange Supported by Daniel Ellsberg

October 23, 2010 by Source

LONDON — Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, and Daniel Ellsberg, who leaked the Pentagon Papers, lashed out together on Saturday at the Obama administration’s aggressive pursuit of whistle-blowers, including those responsible for the release of secret documents on the Iraq war.

Mr. Assange also said that WikiLeaks, which released the trove of almost 400,000 Iraq war documents on Friday, would shortly be posting an additional 15,000 remaining secret documents on the Afghan war.

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Have We Really Solved the Mystery Behind the Shocking Die-off of Bees?

October 23, 2010 by Source

The New York Times essentially called it ‘case closed’ on Colony Collapse Disorder, but there is good reason to be wary about their reporting.

The New York Times made a long-awaited announcement on its front page last week: The mystery of the ongoing and agriculturally devastating bee die-off (aka Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD) has been cracked!

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Invisible DNA body spray technology may soon be installed at a business near you

October 23, 2010 by Source

A U.K. company has developed a technology that it says will help deter thieves from robbing local businesses. SelectaDNA Spray, as it is called, coats robbers with an invisible DNA mist that cannot be washed off and remains present on skin and hair for weeks, allowing authorities to better link culprits to the crimes they commit. The system is already used in nine other countries, and will soon be coming to the U.S., according to reports.

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ingrate April 22, 2024 at 9:37 pm on Why San Diego Should Not Be Awarded Anything for Its ‘Bonus ADU’ Program — Not One ADU Unit Has Been Built as Low-Income Housing"When developers trumpet the need for affordable housing but never build it themselves, do they think we’re gullible, or are they just playing a cruel...