Month: November 2020

Nuclear Shutdown News

By Michael Steinberg / Black Rain Press

Nuclear Shutdown News chronicles the decline and fall of the nuclear power industry in the US and beyond, and highlights the efforts of those who are working to create a nuclear free world.

We’ll use the case of the Crystal River nuke plant in Florida to illustrate the increasing folly of nuclear power.

The US introduced nuclear power to the US public as “too cheap to meter,” with the Atoms For Peace program in the 1950s, after the horrors of atomic weapons the US used to decimate the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was exposed. The federal government employed heavy subsidies and post WWII patriotic zeal to encourage reluctant electric utilities to begin building nuclear plants.

The Crystal River nuke plant began construction in the 1960s and its reactor began generating electricity in the 1970s.

America, Who the Hell Are We?

by Ernie McCray

Whew!
Wow!
What a ride!
I was about
to explode inside!

I mean
as a dreamer
I had thought
this election
was going to be taken
in a landslide,

Celebrating crowd outside White House, November 7, 2020.

Measure E – which just passed – will likely be challenged in court.

The measure, if allowed to stand, will eliminate the 30-foot height limit in the Midway District and open the way for massive redevelopment and high rise in the area. As of Thursday night, 57% voted yes and 43% no.

The group, Save Our Access, has filed a civil action against the city which seeks to block the measure from being implemented. The group, in a petition for writ of mandate, challenges the legality of Measure E in a significant claim that the City of San Diego failed to follow the law as required by the California Environmental Quality Act to study its environmental impact before placing the measure on the ballot. Save Our Access vs. City of San Diego is filed with the central division of San Diego County’s Superior Court, and has been on hold pending election results.

Save Our Access founder John McNab said on Wednesday, the group, which led the campaign against Measure E, would likely proceed with the legal action.

As the US reached a new grim Covid-19 record Thursday –more than 120,000 virus infections in one single day – the Trump presidency reached a new low with Trump’s horrific threats and claims of fraud and a stolen election uttered in the White House briefing room Thursday.

Despite the gains of candidate Joe Biden in the presidential election, Thursday, November 5 will be looked upon as a dark day in American history and a new low for Trump himself.

During his inflammatory and falsehood-filled address from the White House, Trump once again claimed he had won. He asserted “This is a case when they are trying to steal an election, they are trying to rig an election,” Trump said. “If you count the legal votes, I easily win,” he said. “If you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us.” Trump offered not one scintilla of evidence in his claims of fraud and theft.

He also claimed he “won” the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia, citing his substantial early leads in the vote counts there. Untrue.

Joe Biden will be the 46th president of the United States. California Sen. Kamala Harris, will become the first woman, first African American, and first Indian American to serve as vice president.

With insurmountable leads in Pennsylvania and Georgia, Biden is projected to win enough states to garner the all-important 270 electoral votes. Biden could also very well win Arizona and Nevada, states he does not need to become President.

A record turnout has included postal ballots which continue to skew heavily in Biden’s favor in the remaining undeclared states. He is also making preparations to address the nation tonight, Friday. More American voters voted for Biden than any other American presidential candidate in history. As of this writing, Biden has won 73,796,494 votes (50%) and Trump won 69,938,568 votes (48%), which is 4.7 million vote lead for Biden. Pundits think the total popular vote for Biden could reach 5 million, 6 million or more, and perhaps a 5-point spread.

Although voters did not repudiate Trump and Trumpism on Tuesday enough for Democratic hopes, Biden will still win.

November Events All events are online and free unless stated otherwise.

Every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Climate Mobilization Coalition Zoom Meeting.

Mondays and Saturdays 9:30 pm – 12:30 pm Volunteering at Wild Willow Farm

Help support the TKF – Tariq Khamisa Foundation as they celebrate 25 years

Surging caseloads in nearly every state have pushed the daily COVID-19 tally to a record 104,004 new infections Wednesday, November 4.

Eighteen — including Kansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Oklahoma, Montana, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ohio, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin and West Virginia — reported record numbers of patients hospitalized with COVID.

The new numbers have pushed the total number of coronavirus deaths reported since February past 233,000, according to data tracked by The Washington Post.

As the national record daily tally is shocking, the County of San Diego COVID-19 case rate rose to 7.4 pushing the county closer to the most restrictive purple tier, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Here is the official agenda for the Ocean Beach Planning Board, Wednesday night 6pm, November 4.

Register here.

Gloria In the Lead But Bry Refuses to Concede

Assemblyman Todd Gloria held a significant lead Tuesday night over fellow Democrat Councilwoman Barbara Bry in the battle to become San Diego’s next mayor, according to unofficial results released by the county registrar of voters. Bry has refused to concede and said Tuesday night that she expects to gain ground as more votes are counted.

Record Turn-out in San Diego?

Meanwhile, more than 1.2 million ballots were cast in San Diego County. Registrar of Voters Michael Vu was not discounting the possibility of record turnout. He said he expects turnout will exceed 80 percent, which would come close to matching the 81 percent in 2016 or possibly eclipse the record of 84 percent, set in 2008.

Elliott Has Huge Lead

San Diego City Attorney Mara Elliott was leading by a substantial margin over challenger Cory Briggs in the race to become the city’s top lawyer.

By Judi Curry

Never in my entire life have I been so glad that an election will be over. At least the rhetoric and mail and robo calls, and people knocking on my door will be over. (I hope.)

Never in my entire life have I been so emotionally involved; so scared; so cynical; so unhappy with people that I have known for a long time.

Never in my entire life have I “unfriended” so many people from FaceBook; and not unfriended them just during the election – unfriended them forever.

I do not think that I can ever be friends with others again that supported trump; that in disguise supported his putting children in cages; in bragging about grabbing women by their private parts. I cannot ever be friends with people again that believed his multiple lies; that told me that they believed that November 4th will be the end of COVID.

By Colleen O’Connor

Always underestimated. Often belittled. Yet, amazingly powerful.

Tuesday night, Speaker Pelosi will win two election cycles and probably insure an entire decade of Democratic House majorities. Such a victory will seal her place in the History books as the greatest Speaker of the House.

How did she do it?

How did she beat back an ill-fated challenge in 2016 and not only deliver an historical 41- net gain of seats for the Democrats that year, but is now on pace to add to that remarkable feat Tuesday night.

Experience. Massive fundraising. Discipline. And always being underestimated.

According to the Cook Political Report, Pelosi is on track to add anywhere from 5-10 additional seats to her existing hefty majority.