Month: January 2012

Married at the age of 17; divorced at the age of 27; remarried at the age of 27, didn’t give…

By Gail Powell

D.A. DUMANIS, once dis-invited from the City College campus due to students irate over her perceived mishandling of the Diana Gonzalez murder case, has turned up again at a San Diego school.

This time, the Republican mayoral candidate managed to weasel herself into a class at Point Loma High School, alma mata of a number of people at the OB Rag including this author. Dumanis spoke in Room 301, according to the Point Loma High School Daily Bulletin, on Wednesday, January 11th from 12:30-1:30 with teacher Palmiotto hosting.

This bit of campaigning disguised as a school visit did not sit well with some parents. @Bonnie Dumanis on Twitter actually posted a picture of this adventure and it claimed, according to the caption, that Bonnie Dumanis was there to “meet with students at Pt. Loma High School and discuss her ‘Blueprint for America’s Finest Schools.’ http://twitpic.com/89b2nf

Editor: Our Councilman Kevin Faulconer joined with County Supervisor Greg Cox to cut the ribbon today, opening – officially – the new Ocean Beach Gateway Park. Here’s the Press Release from Faulconer’s office:

NEWS RELEASE

Office of San Diego City Councilman Kevin Faulconer

Ocean Beach Unveils Gateway as Unique as its Community

Park designed to feature “O.B.” character; funded by donations and grants

SAN DIEGO — Today, Council President Pro Tem Kevin L. Faulconer and County Supervisor Greg Cox joined Ocean Beach residents to cut the ribbon on the first phase of the Ocean Beach Gateway Park. The grand opening is the culmination of 15 years of planning and fundraising by local leaders and the non-profit Ocean Beach Community Development Corporation.

“The Ocean Beach Gateway Park is a beautiful entrance to the neighborhood, designed by the Ocean Beach community, for the Ocean Beach community,” said Faulconer. “I am proud to have collaborated with Ocean Beach residents to bring the vision of a coastal, pedestrian-friendly park to life.”

By Marcela Salas Cassani / La Prensa / Originally published Jan. 13, 2012

La Prensa Ed.’s Note: Desinformemonos.org, an “autonomous, global communications project” and sister organization to the Americas Program, covers grassroots movements throughout the world and the ideas and aspirations behind them. Its team has been in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas reporting on an international seminar there to commemorate and reflect on the 18th anniversary of the Zapatista uprising. In collaboration with Desinformemonos, the Americas program presents this summary in English of their coverage of the event.

Hundreds of activists and academics from around the world gathered at the International Seminar “Planet Earth: Anti-Systemic Movements” to discuss the importance of the 1994 Zapatista uprising on its 18th anniversary. In the context of the popular insurrections that have emerged this year across the globe, the seminar held from Dec. 30 to Jan. 2 in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, concluded, with Portuguese sociologist Boavent-ura de Sousa Santos, that seen in retrospect Zapatista influence has been so strong that “one cannot view the left or the struggle against capitalism without this point of reference.”

By Pauline Repard / U-T San Diego / Jan. 19, 2012

San Diego police arrested a freelance news videographer last week after they said he interfered with officers while filming a rescue along the San Diego River.

Edward Baier of Point Loma, who sells breaking news and sports footage to television stations, was jailed Jan. 14 on six counts of interfering or resisting officers. His camera gear was impounded.

He posted bail, which was set at $30,000, and was released early the next morning.

Mayor Candidates Filner and Fletcher Will Join Count – As Will Kevin Faulconer and Toni Atkins

The Regional Task Force on the Homeless seeks volunteers to help with its annual countywide point-in-time count of homeless people in our region. Titled the “We all County Campaign,” the count will be held on Friday, January 27 from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. To volunteer, sign up here.

Forming teams is encouraged, but not required. Another 200 volunteers are needed to reach this year’s goal of 750 volunteers.

Training will be provided at locations throughout the County. Register by January 22. Homeless people will be counted on the streets as well as those living in cars. The count also includes an in-depth survey of about 1,000 individuals.

by Lucas O’Connor / Two Cathedrals / Jan. 19, 2012

In 2007, massive wildfires swept through San Diego, destroying more than 1,000 homes and hundreds of other structures. Investigation into the cause of the Witch Creek fire found that SDG&E power lines were largely responsible for starting the second-largest wildfire in California’s history. The thing is, SDG&E’s insurance only covered $1 billion in damages, and it now looks as though SDG&E practices are leading to fire settlements totaling at least $2 billion.

On Sunday, January 22, 2012, the Radical Feminists of Occupy San Diego are hosting the Roe v. Wade Anniversary Abortion and Reproductive Rights Rally, March, and Speak-Out.

A rally with speakers will be held from 1-1:30 in the Civic Center Plaza (or Freedom Plaza – nicknamed by Occupy San Diego), followed by a march downtown and an open-mic speakout.

The event is to commemorate the 38th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion on a federal level in 1973, and to protest the many restrictions on abortion rights and access.

by Ralph Lopez / truthout / January 19, 2012

It’s a quid pro quo. Only the most gullible rube ready to buy swampland in Florida could think otherwise. The citizen’s watchdog MAPlight.org found that congressmen who voted for TARP, the “Troubled Assets Relief Program,” received nearly 50 percent more in campaign contributions from the financial services industry (an average of about $149,000) than congressmen who voted no.

And House Energy and Commerce Committee members who voted yes on an amendment in 2009 favored by the forest products industry, to allow heavier cutting of trees, received an average of $25,745 from the forestry and paper products industry. This was ten times more than each member voting no. The pattern repeats itself over and over, ditto for why wars go on when polls show most of the population is against them.

Sitting reflecting
on my lifetime.
And, man, I’ve ridden
the currents
of many kinds
of times:
times when I’ve danced in the street
like when Mandela was set free
as though he was ever really imprisoned,
if you hear me;
times when I didn’t want to open my eyes,
knowing the ugliness that was in front of me;
times when life was just a flatout mystery,
like George W. Bush
twice winning a presidency
in the land of the freakin’ free,
do you hear me?;
times when they played my song,
“Ernie, Ernie, he’s our man
if he can’t do it nobody can!”

Lots goin’ on today Friday, so we made up a special calendar for these two days of activism.

Occupy the Courts – Move to Amend – protest vs Citizens United

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San Diego Free Speech Fight Memorial

“1938: A Year in the Life of Three Women, Anarchists, Prostitutes,” performed by Dr. Emily Hicks and “The Wobblies,” a film screening and discussion. January 20, 2012, Centro Cultural De La Raza, 2004 Park Blvd. Balboa Park. Time 7:00PM.

_________________

Occu-Party Benefit Concert #2 – “Sounds of Occupation”

When Friday, January 20, 2012 7:30 PM – 1:00 AM , Location World Beat Cultural Center – 2100 Park Blvd.

Cost: $5. (100% of proceeds go to Occupy!)

Bands: Mark Boyce from G. Love & Special Sauce; The Rootstrikers Feat. ‘ Emily Richards; Liquid Blue;’ Justin Werner & Co

By Lorena Gonzalez

Local elections rarely matter to the rest of the state. We all are facing so many challenges in our own regions, that paying attention to another part of the state is often just an after-thought. But, once in a while, there is a local politician with such dangerous beliefs, tactics and immense corporate backing, that it warrants statewide attention. Such is the case in San Diego today.

I came of age as a young San Diegan at the same time Pete Wilson left our City Hall to become a U.S. senator, and then governor of California. And, as harmful and antagonistic as a Governor Pete Wilson was, he was mild compared to Carl DeMaio, one of four high-profile candidates vying for San Diego’s top spot this June.