Month: March 2012

California could be third State in nation to adopt such a resolution

By Public Citizen / East Co. Magazine / Originally published on March 25, 2012

California is well in stride to be the third state to call for a constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, which allows corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money in an attempt to influence elections. The California Assembly passed a resolution – by a 48-22 vote – calling for an amendment, sending the measure to the California Senate.

When my hand wasn’t being shook or my body hugged by old friends I stood with my mind tripping as I looked down at the multitude of people who had gathered to march in the name of Trayvon Martin who had been slain by George Zimmerman, a man who remains free from imprisonment under Florida’s “Standing Your Ground” law, aka the right to kill.

In between speakers, and as we walked, my mind kept on tripping and I let my imagination flow and from that there rose a scenario featuring a powerfully built African American man named Cleavon Manson and a six foot plus skinny white teenage boy who responds to Gabe. Last name, Zabielski.

By Donna Cassata / Huffington Post / March 30, 2012

WASHINGTON — Facing a conservative backlash, House Republicans are working to change a new law that allows the indefinite detention without trial of terrorist suspects, even U.S. citizens seized within the nation’s borders.

Republicans and Democratic lawmakers said this week that the GOP majority on the House Armed Services Committee was weighing several proposals to revise the provision on indefinite detention that was part of the far-reaching defense bill that Congress passed in December and President Barack Obama signed into law.

By Kevin Gosztola / The Dissenter – OpEdNews / March 30, 2012 

At the start of the first hearing on a lawsuit challenging the Homeland Battlefield Act, a federal judge appeared to be “extremely skeptical” that those pursuing the challenge had grounds to sue the US government. However, by the end of the hearing, the judge acknowledged plaintiffs had made some strong arguments on why there was reason to be concerned about the Act, which passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on New Year’s Eve last year.

It’s been an interesting week here at the OB Rag admin desk with three major bouts of downtime. I’ve spent a good number of hours deciphering error logs, tweaking settings and chatting with tech support.

It seems one major concern for us is the amount of comment spam that hits our server at regular intervals. We have excellent spam filters (Akismet) that keep 99.9% of this crap from showing up on the site where you, dear reader, can see it. But that doesn’t keep it from reeking havoc behind the scenes.

Join us today – Saturday, March 31st – for one of the biggest event of the year, the annual Cesar Chavez Day March! More than 1000 union members will march to celebrate his legacy, 50 years of the United Farm Workers, and highlight the challenges that remain for us today in order to reclaim the American Dream. Help us make this our best march yet!

 Cesar Chavez Day March

 Saturday, March 31 at 10:00 A.M.

 Cesar Chavez Park

1449 Cesar E. Chavez Pkwy., San Diego

Michael Moore, Chris Hedges, and others to address press following hearing

At 9:00 AM this Thursday, March 29th at the Southern District of New York Federal Courthouse, multiple plaintiffs will testify in support of a worldwide lawsuit against the United States government over the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

The NDAA, also known as the “Homeland Battlefield” law, permanently suspends due process and Habeas Corpus for persons accused by the federal government of being involved in hostilities against the United States, or being an “associated force” of terrorists.

Tuesday night- March 27th – supporters of decommissioning San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station packed into the 250+ seat City of Irvine Council Chambers in Orange County.  At least 50 people wore green clothing to mark their support for San Clemente Green, an environmental action group working since the Fukushima meltdown last March towards a San Onofre shut down.

After general city announcements and a few agenda items, item 6.1 came up for the Irvine council. Councilman Larry Agran introduced the topic, stating that is was his motion to add San Onofre to the evening’s agenda; he’d invited San Clemente Green to present public comments as they had previously at city council meetings in San Clemente, Laguna Beach and San Diego’s own Solana Beach.

by Shaun Burnie / Friends of the Earth / March 27, 2012 

Friends of the Earth released today a new analysis by one of the nation’s leading independent nuclear engineers, Arnie Gunderson. The report has revealed serious unresolved safety problems at Southern California Edison’s San Onofre nuclear reactors which could lead to significant radiation releases if the plant is allowed to restart.

Spring was in the air yesterday in Ocean Beach as I walked down Newport Ave. The Ocean had the color of cobalt blue and the wind was strong, although decidedly warmer than it has been. Is it possible? Is summer just around the corner?

I was on a break from preparing the evening meal at Sacred Heart of OB’s Ministry for the Hungry. I had just a quick lunch at the Old Townhouse Café, …

UPDATE: See insideAnn Wright Ann Wright was was one of three diplomats who tendered her resignation on the eve of the Iraq war in protest. Since then, she has become an international speaker on matters of war and peace and rape and assault in the military.

As many as 500 San Diegans rallied in Balboa Park seeking justice for murdered Florida teen Trayvon Martine, shot just one month ago. Protesters then marched to downtown San Diego and held another rally at the Court house.  “No justice! No peace!” was one of the loudest chants as the crowd moved through the streets.  After the rally at the courthouse steps, candles were lit to continue the vigil.

Monday’s event was the second protest in San Diego in memory of Trayvon.  One woman at the San Diego rally said, “This is our Emmet Till”. Till was a young African-American boy who was murdered in Mississippi at the age of 14 after reportedly flirting with a white woman.  Till’s murder is noted as a pivotal event motivating the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Protests, rallies, and marches were held across the country as the shooting with racial overtones reverberated coast to coast, including Los Angeles.