Month: September 2011

Yesterday we marked the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11 when most Americans watched in horror at the devastation of the terrorist attacks in New York City and elsewhere but were then moved by the heroism of the first responders to the disaster—most of whom were firefighters and cops who risked their lives to help their fellow citizens. They were America’s working class heroes, the pride of the nation.

This led to a wave of appreciation of public servants like them across the country as not just New York’s finest, but public safety workers were honored in the press, at ballgames, and during community events. Here in San Diego, …

According to very recent media reports, three passengers who exhibited “suspicious behavior” were taken into custody on a flight from…

By John Lawrence / Will Blog for Food / Sept 10, 2011

All of San Diego County as well as some parts of Orange County, Arizona and Mexico experienced a blackout for about 12 hours Thursday, September 8, 2011, one of the hottest days of the year although the blackout had nothing to do with air conditioning overload or any other kind of overload to the system.

Thoughts Stemming from 9-11

My radio alarm woke me up with someone summarizing a study that found that a significant number of schools have not done much as far as engaging students in learning experiences involving 9-11. Because it’s too “controversial.” Is that not sad?

That reminds me of a man on TV, not too long after that fateful day, who said we should tell our children that nothing like this will ever happen again.

The city of San Diego has issued a precautionary measure, called a “Boil Water Advisory“, for water that the public will consume for the foreseeable future. Reduced water pressure in some areas, caused by the power outage, may allow contaminated water to backflow into the system.

The following water districts report no need to boil water;

• Otay Water District

See complete details inside…

Michael Moore / Sept 8, 2011

“I”m thinking about killing Michael Moore, and I’m wondering if I could kill him myself, or if I would need to hire somebody to do it … .” – Glenn Beck, live on the Glenn Beck show, 17 May 2005

Wishes for my early demise seemed to be everywhere. They were certainly on the mind of CNN’s Bill Hemmer one sunny July morning in 2004. Holding a microphone in front of my face on the floor of the 2004 Democratic National Convention, live on CNN, he asked me what I thought about how the American people were feeling about Michael Moore:…

By Noam Chomsky / TomDispatch.com / Sept. 6, 2011

Was There an Alternative?

We are approaching the 10th anniversary of the horrendous atrocities of September 11, 2001, which, it is commonly held, changed the world. On May 1st, the presumed mastermind of the crime, Osama bin Laden, was assassinated in Pakistan by a team of elite US commandos, Navy SEALs, after he was captured, unarmed and undefended, in Operation Geronimo.

By Anthony Papa / AlterNet / September 8, 2011

In September of 1971, one of the bloodiest prison riots in the history of the United States took place at Attica Correctional Facility in Attica, New York. The uprising was brought on by prisoners living in terrible conditions who wanted to fix a broken system of justice.

Hundreds of Longshoremen stormed the Port of Longview early Thursday, overpowered and held security guards, damaged railroad cars, and dumped grain that is the center of a labor dispute, officials said.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union dispute spread to Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and Anacortes ports ahead of a court hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday in Tacoma, where a judge is expected to consider alleged union violations of a previous restraining order.

Even though there was nothing on last night’s Ocean Beach Planning Board agenda, our roving reporter tells us there was two very interesting things came up during the meeting.

First: Ocean Park Villas Circumvention

Steve Lombardi – local architect – came to the Planning Board to inform them that the entity who had purchased the plans and permits for the Ocean Park Villas project (the Dempsey’s building) has proceeded to make significant changes to the design (his design) and is attempting to proceed with the amendments to the Permit with the Coastal Commission under the concept of “substantial conformance”.

When you try to understand how Rick Perry “defeated Barack Obama” in the 2012 election, look to the summer of 2011. That’s when Obama did almost everything possible to alienate the voters he needs for re-election.

Obama began with a humiliating surrender to Republicans on the debt-ceiling deal, leaving even longtime supporters questioning his leadership.

Certainly we all have someone in this world we would savor meeting and perhaps spending time to listen to his or her words. Several come to mind as I write this. Some I will never meet because I have missed the chance opportunity for this reason or that. Joe Strummer was one. My friends invited me to come along to Rock-a-Billy show several years ago, but I had some important shit to do, and later they told me of sharing a beer with Joe backstage… and then six months later Joe left us.