Month: June 2013

Several bipartisan bills have been introduced in Congress that would eliminate federal penalties for those actions that comply with state marijuana laws and regulate marijuana like alcohol in those states legalize pot.

By Nicole Flatow / Think Progress / June 28, 2013

While the U.S. Supreme Court was handing down its string of blockbuster rulings this week on the scope of federal laws, the nation’s mayors were developing their own guidance for the feds.

During the annual convening of city mayors, hundreds of city leaders unanimously endorsed a resolution calling on the federal government to back off federal enforcement of marijuana law.

At 9 a.m. Surfrider Foundation Plans Post-Fourth of July Clean-Ups in Ocean Beach, Mission Beach, PB and Oceanside

From San Diego Surfrider

There’s nothing like celebrating the Fourth of July on a beautiful San Diego beach. However, visit that same shoreline the morning after, and the sight is significantly less lovely thanks to the thousands of pounds of trash left behind.

Trash, plus marshmallows if you happen to be in Ocean Beach after the annual marshmallow fight. Thankfully, the Surfrider Foundation’s San Diego County Chapter will be leading the way in cleaning up the mess.

On July 5, 2013, the nonprofit invites beach-lovers of all ages to join the “Morning After Mess,” cleanup hosted from 9 to 11 a.m. at the following locations:

By Judi Curry

In the past few years, I have found that I do a lot of purchasing from online companies. Lured by free shipping and no tax, I figure I have saved a bundle of money during these purchasing frenzies.

In the past year or so, I have stepped away from Amazon.com and started buying items that are specifically designed to be used in San Diego. And have I been burned – at least initially.

Several months ago I purchased from “Deals For The Cure” some bottles of Raspberry Ketone. This was highly touted on “Dr. Oz” and I had tried it for 3 months. I didn’t notice any loss of “belly fat” as was advertised but I felt a little more energy when taking it. I am down to the last few capsules and that is why I made the purchase.

By Jill Richardson /AlterNet / June 25, 2013

Oops. The World Food Prize committee’s got a bit of egg on its face—genetically engineered egg. They just awarded [3] the World Food Prize to three scientists, including one from Syngenta and one from Monsanto, who invented genetic engineering because, they say [4], the technology increases crop yields and decreases pesticide use. (Perhaps not coincidentally, Monsanto and Syngenta are major sponsors [5] of the World Food Prize, along with a third biotech giant, Dupont Pioneer.)

Monsanto makes the same case on its website [6], saying:

“Since the advent of biotechnology, there have been a number of claims from anti-biotechnology activists that genetically modified (GM) crops don’t increase yields. Some have claimed that GM crops actually have lower yields than non-GM crops… GM crops generally have higher yields due to both breeding and biotechnology.”

But that’s not actually the case. A new peer-reviewed study published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability [7] examined those claims and found that conventional plant breeding, not genetic engineering, is responsible for yield increases in major U.S. crops. Additionally, GM crops, also known as genetically engineered (GE) crops, can’t even take credit for reductions in pesticide use.

By Judi Curry

I have written several articles about the deplorable conditions at Ft. Rosecrans. See here, here, and here.

Michael Turko of KUSI News did a story a week or so ago and I sent him the articles that I wrote. One of the real discrepancies in his report and mine was that he was told the problem began occurring in November of 2012. My first article was written in August, 2012 and it was already a problem.

Editor: The following post by Frances Zimmerman looks at recent manifestations of attacks – both local and national – on our rights as citizens by the government.

by Frances O’Neill Zimmerman

This week City Attorney Jan Goldsmith has brought charges against a former Occupy protester named Jeff Olson who wrote criticism in colored chalk on the public sidewalks outside three mid-City branches of Bank of America. The trial was under way since Wednesday and conviction carries the possibility of years in prison under a California anti-vandalism law.

Superior Court Judge Howard Shore has prohibited Olsen’s defense attorney from mentioning the First Amendment, …

San Diego Columnist is elated over marriage equality rulings but dismayed by court’s ruling on Voting Rights Act

By Mark Gabrish Conlan / East County Magazine

The sun is shining this Wednesday, June 26 and it’s a beautiful, if rather hot, day in San Diego. I sent my husband Charles off to work this morning after we both got up early to watch MS-NBC broadcast news of the United States Supreme Court’s rulings on two cases involving the rights of same-sex couples to marry each other. It was a personal story to us because Charles and I are legally married.

We got hitched on July 4, 2008, during the four- and one-half month “window” …

Over a hundred local residents gathered at the ZLAC Rowing Club in their northwest Mission Bay headquarters last night for a forum on whether Mission Bay is “gross”. Sponsored by San Diego Coastkeeper and the rowing club – America’s oldest women’s rowing club, the public forum was held to address concerns about water quality of the bay.

A number of experts addressed the audience – which had its own concerns about the bay – a bay that is one of the West Coast’s largest aquatic parks and has thousands of visitors every year.

Historically, Mission Bay has suffered conditions that have made it very polluted, …

The vast majority of San Diegans disapprove – way more than approve – the job performance of the U-T San Diego’s publisher, “Papa” Manchester.

A new joint OB Rag – San Diego Free Press poll showed that 77% of over 100 respondents disapproved of Manchester’s job performance by giving him an “F” for failing while only 9% gave him an “A” or “B”.

Seven per cent gave Manchester a “D”, while 3% gave him an “Incomplete” and 3% said “Other”. Combining the “D’s” with the failing and incomplete grades gives Manchester an 87% disapproval rate.

Winter precipitation will more often be rain, rather than snow

By Steve Scauzillo / sgvtribune.com

UCLA scientists predict global warming will reduce snowfall in Southern California mountains by 40 percent in less than 30 years, a climate shift that has serious policy implications, not the least being the loss of the quintessential “only in L.A.” experience of skiing the mountains by day and riding the surf at sunset.

San Diego Coastkeeper, ZLAC Rowing Club host event examining Mission Bay’s ecosystems, water quality

From San Diego Coastkeeper

Is Mission Bay gross? To clear the fog surrounding this issue, San Diego Coastkeeper, which protects and restores fishable, swimmable and drinkable waters, and ZLAC Rowing Club, America’s oldest women’s rowing club, will host a free community forum to address the question, “Is Mission Bay Gross?”

By Evan McMurry/AlterNet

It was Texas Representative Michael Burgess’ turn on the GOP’s Bullhorn of Crazy this week. “You watch a sonogram of a 15-week baby, and they have movements that are purposeful,” Burgess said during a congressional debate on the House Republican’s absolutely pointless bill outlawing abortions past 20 weeks. “They stroke their face. If they’re a male baby, they may have their hand between their legs. I mean, they feel pleasure, why is it so hard to think that they could feel pain?”

Burgess’ prenatal masturbation musing is only the tip of the melting iceberg of Republican science denial. Here are seven battier things they believe, from trees causing global warming to fetuses in your Pepsi.

1. Abortion Leads To Cancer, Birth Defects, And Everything Else

Burgess’ absurdity actually masked a very serious GOP belief. The “fetus pain” theory,