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has written 460 articles for the OB Rag!

‘Stop the Suffering’ – Shut Down the SeaWorld Fireworks

April 9, 2021 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

I realize that I have written about the fireworks at SeaWorld many times in the past. There are definitely two camps in this on-going battle – those that love the fireworks and those that see the pain and suffering to animals, big and small; pain and suffering to those people diagnosed with PTSD; the harm it is doing to the environment; and the lasting effects every time a firework is shot off.

I am, quite frankly, tired of the people that give stupid advice about turning up the volume of the television to distract the animals from reacting to the noise and repercussions of the fireworks; the people that are now advocating giving the animals a small dose of CBD to calm them down. (I wonder how small a dose you would have to give an Orca, a seal, a porpoise, a dolphin, etc. to “calm them down.”)

How loud would you have to turn up the volume of a television, or a radio, or….to calm them down?

This article is NOT for those people. This is for those people, like me, who are fed up with watching our animals shiver and shake every night when this unnecessary display is going on. And they don’t just react at the time of the noise; they react for hours afterwards.

Is there any real purpose for the fireworks?

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Restaurant Review: StarFish Filipino Eatery in Ocean Beach

March 22, 2021 by Judi Curry

Restaurant Review

StarFish Filipino Eatery
1830 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Suite E
San Diego, CA 92107

By Judi Curry

I am always intrigued when a new ethnic restaurant opens nearby. I have long felt that Ocean Beach has enough Mexican, Pizza and Asian – read Japanese – restaurants and not enough “other” kinds. I was thrilled to hear that a Filipino restaurant has now opened right on Sunset Cliffs.

When I was working at Job Corps in Imperial Beach, I had several instructors and secretaries that were Filipino. When they brought in food for different occasions it was usually the first to go. They could never make enough Lumpia to satisfy the staff – you have to know that I had over 130 staff members! – and the Pancit was the best I had ever tasted. I “borrowed” Alicia’s recipe for Lumpia, and would spend hours cutting up the vegetables the way she taught me to but it never tasted as good as hers.

The pancit was interesting, because Alicia would put a layer of raw oysters on the top, and that stopped many of the staff from devouring the tasty dish. Other staff members did not put any topping on theirs at all and they were the first to be finished!

Now we have a Filipino restaurant in Ocean Beach. They have very limited hours – close their doors by 6:00 – which I am hoping will change as the pandemic decreases.

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SeaWorld Fireworks! Here We Go Again – But Why?

March 16, 2021 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

When you think of SeaWorld what do you think of? Shamu? Orcas? Dolphins? Seals? Sharks? Fish? What was the reason that Sea World started in the first place?

Let me give you some history:

“SeaWorld® opened its gates for the first time in 1964, founded by George Millay, Milt Shedd, Ken Norris and David DeMott. Originally planned as an underwater restaurant, the concept grew into a marine zoological park on 21 acres along the shore of Mission Bay in San Diego. With an initial investment of $1.5 million, 45 employees, several dolphins, sea lions, and two saltwater aquariums, SeaWorld drew more than 400,000 visitors its first year.

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A $48,000 Mistake in Going Solar

March 15, 2021 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

What I am about ready to write about is only my experience with trying to help the environment. Others may not have had the same experience and I want to say, again, that this is only my opinion and experience.

In August of 2018, I decided that I wanted to put solar on my roof. I thought it would help the environment; it would lessen my enormous electric bills; and with the offers of “no pay” it was too good to turn down.

I checked with my accountant, and she told me that I would be able to take a write-off on my taxes every year. So, I had it installed.

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‘I Got Him Out of a Jam’

March 3, 2021 by Judi Curry

A “Feel Good” Story

By Judi Curry

I am going to begin this little story by stating that there is nothing deep about this.

Some of you will think it is a complete waste of time to read; a complete waste of time to even publish it. So let me start out by saying that you are correct. If you are looking for something with deep meaning, something that you will learn from, something that you will want to repeat to others, STOP READING now – because this is none of those things.

Rather, this is about a sweet thing that happened this week.

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On the Path to Recovery – Part 2

February 24, 2021 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

During the past month when in the throes of Covid, I have been overwhelmed by the responses I have received from my friends, relatives, neighbors, strangers, etc.

I received over 100 get well wishes; I even received over 75 “Happy Birthday” wishes.

People that I do not know have sent me cards; a neighbor that I still don’t know sent me a long note telling me that he would be glad to anything for me that needed to be done during this time. (He sent me his address so that when I am finally able to go out I can see where he lives with his family.)

Al Nashashibi from Faurouz left me a huge of amount of his restaurants’ “Lemon Grass” soup by my front door;

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‘She’s Almost Among the Living Again’

February 10, 2021 by Judi Curry

The Saga of the Widder Curry’s Covid -19

By Judi Curry

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you that sent me prayers, positive thoughts, greeting cards, flowers, soups, foods, magazines, funny sayings, etc. during these past 22 days that I have been wiped out by Covid.

NEVER in my entire lifetime, which is substantial, have I ever been so weak, so indisposed as I have been the past three weeks.

When I say that I had no energy even to lift myself off the commode, that is no exaggeration. I needed help, each and every time. And do you want to know the strange thing about this disease? I had a “mild case.” I never had an elevated temperature; I never had low oxygen; my blood pressure remained normal throughout the entire 22 days.

I just had no energy. None. Nada. And one of the worst sensations I had in the 22 days was that my bones were on fire! Truly! They felt like there were flames emanating from them. All day. All night. For 18 days!

And how did it start?

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Info on the Recall of Jen Campbell

January 12, 2021 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

Until now, I didn’t know what was really happening with the recall of Councilmember Jennifer Campbell. I got a phone call from Bridger Langfur who kindly filled me in. Here’s what I learned.

The core of the movement is a large group of District 2 community members who, having witnessed Jennifer Campbell’s “governing style” over the last two years, now agree that her removal from office is the only way forward.

Campbell’s tenure has been characterized by reversals of promises she made during her campaign. Two notable examples are short term vacation rentals and the preservation of the 30 foot Coastal Height Limit Law.

During her campaign, she vowed to advocate for enforcement of the existing municipal code ordinances which prohibit short term rentals in residential zones. She’s now pushing an ordinance that not only would legalize short term rentals, but also earmarks thousands of San Diego housing units to be used as tourist lodging, in perpetuity, by billion dollar multinational corporations such as Airbnb and Expedia.

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It’s Still a Life or Death Situation

January 4, 2021 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

I realize that this article will tick off a lot of people. Some people will agree with me. At this point I really don’t care if you agree or disagree, but there is a tremendous problem out there that some are denying really exists.

Yes, I am speaking about the death rate of COVID-19.

Yesterday, at one of the larger shopping malls in the Los Angeles area, there was an “anti-masker” protest. It was an organized demonstration and a whole lot of people went to this mall, unmasked. They tried to get into many of the shops that were open for sales as they could. They coughed in people’s faces. They fought with the management; they fought with those people wearing masks; they put hundreds of people’s lives at risk because of their belief that COVID-19 doesn’t exist, that it is something that the fake media made up.

It is easier to forgive ignorance than it is stupidity. In this case, it is hard to forgive either. How many times have you heard people say that they didn’t believe this epidemic existed until they – or friends – or relatives came down with it?

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Time for a little schmaltz

December 31, 2020 by Judi Curry

Time for a little schmaltz

By Judi Curry

I’m so glad this year is over,
It hasn’t been the best,
Sometimes it was so unbelievable
I had to think things were said in jest.

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A Second Visit to Soi-OB Thai Street Food

December 28, 2020 by Judi Curry

Restaurant Review

Soi-OB Thai Street Food
1916 Cable St.
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
619-230-5885

By Judi Curry

When this restaurant first opened, Soi-OB Thai Street Food, my foreign language student – Hitomi – and I were there the first week. We both really enjoyed what we had, and went back several times until she moved to Los Angeles in July.

Last night I decided it was time to try it again, so went on-line to set up a delivery of a few items. Now that I do not have any students, I am not trying as many items as I did in the past. However, tonight one of my tenants – George – was home and he joined me in my tastings.

I ordered a Tom Kah Soup, with mild spices, and just vegetables.

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In Search of the Best Tamale

December 23, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

Many years ago I worked with a teacher named GiGi that taught Office Skills to our Job Corps Students. GiGi was outgoing, fun to be with, and about 45 years old. One year she invited about 15 of our staff members to her home in Tijuana to make tamales for Christmas. I am pretty sure that none of us had ever made tamales before – and I am almost willing to bet that none of have made them since!

I wish I had pictures of the scene, but I will do my best to recreate it for you. When we walked into her huge living room/ dining room, we found that she had prepared different fillings for the tamales – pork, chicken, fruit – for a typical Christmas tamale – cheese and beef. Imagine seeing all of these in huge pans on 10 long tables in her house!

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Tribute to a Special Friend Whom the Coronavirus Is Taking

December 22, 2020 by Judi Curry

Jaimee Dawson, Native of Spring Valley

By Judi Curry

In 1992 I went to work as the Vocations Manager for the San Diego Job Corps. For those of you that do not know about the history of Job Corps, it is a Federally funded program for males and females 16-24 that have not finished High School, and want to learn a Vocation.

It is an old program – both my husband and former husband worked at the Pleasanton Job Corps in 1964-5.

In addition to being an education program, the students enrolling in the program live, for the most part, on Center. They are fed three meals a day; their clothes are provided for them, and they attend classes all day long.

We had approximately 650 students living on Center, and if I remember correctly, we offered at least 12 vocational classes for them – solar, plumbing, painting, plastering, carpentry, culinary arts, auto mechanics, office skills, landscaping, security, computer repair, CNA, etc.

And we also gave them the opportunity to complete their high school diploma’s and/or obtain a GED. All classes were taught on Center. It was, and still is, a very viable program and our success rate was enormous. And what made it so successful?

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Little Chef Restaurant in Ocean Beach

December 21, 2020 by Judi Curry

Restaurant Review

Little Chef Restaurant
4910 Newport Avenue
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
619-222-6627

By Judi Curry

This is my third review of the various Chinese restaurants in the Ocean Beach – Point Loma area. I used to go to the Little Chef all the time and I was curious to see if there were any changes since the last time I was here – over 5 years ago. But before I get into the review itself I found out a few things I want to share with you.

It was too early to call in my order to Grubhub so I decided to go through the menu and have everything written down as to what I wanted to order. I also had down the prices on my list, so I didn’t go over the amount I had allocated for this meal. Imagine my surprise when I finally placed the order to find out that everything was more expensive than the menu listed.

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This Man Is ‘For the Birds’

December 16, 2020 by Judi Curry

Diego Marquez
“The Marketplace”
619-672-5911

By Judi Curry

Several years ago, my daughter bought me a very pretty, glass bird bath to attract more birds into my back yard.

For months I loved watching the birds come and drink from the bowl or take a bath when the weather was warmer.

And then, one day, a “murder” of Crows landed on the glass bowl and quickly toppled it. And from that day on I have been searching for another bird bath.

I found that many of them were built very flimsily; and knowing that not only do I have crows that have heard that the water is good at the “Curry Household” I have been providing several different hawks with the same good water so it is imperative that the bird bath be strong enough to handle several large birds at one time.

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Restaurant Review: Z & F Chinese Food in Point Loma

December 15, 2020 by Judi Curry

Restaurant Review

Z & F Chinese Food
2907 Shelter Island Dr., #104
San Diego, CA 92106
619-269-7668

Cooking for One Ain’t Fun – Part 2

By Judi Curry

Last week I ordered several items from another Chinese restaurant in the OB/ Pt. Loma area. Needless to say I wasn’t too happy with it, and decided that I would start looking about the area to find one that was more to more liking. I had had food from Z & F before, and decided to try them again.

The one thing I was very disappointed in at the other restaurant was the Won Ton Soup,

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Cooking For One Ain’t No Fun – Review of Pick Up Stix in Point Loma

December 7, 2020 by Judi Curry

Pick Up Stix
3365 Rosecrans St.
San Diego, CA 92110
619-758-9041

By Judi Curry

As far back as I can remember I have always cooked for many people.

Beginning with my family of 5 – three daughters, husband and myself, trial and error was the key to breakfasts and dinners.

Later on, as my family grew to 18 grandchildren and the number of foreign language students that I have hosted – 598 – (not all at the same time!) I developed many different recipes that eventually made way into the three cookbooks that I authored. I always had “guinea pigs” to try the new concoctions that I was developing. I made it a point not to serve the same meal to my foreign language students for at least 6 months!

Now, because of COVID, several of the English Language schools that I dealt with have closed. One of the remaining schools placed a student with me on October 31, and he was a great guy. However, he is only 19 and really didn’t want to do his learning “on-line” and I did not feel safe from COVID by having him live here. After he told me that he “discovered” Black’s Beach, I asked the school to move him, and with his agreement, it was done. And so I find myself with no one to cook for, talk to, or even do laundry for.

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The Widder Curry: Right-Wing Heroes and Gun Rule

November 24, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

What in the world is happening to America? What has happened to the values our ancestors fought so hard for? How can so many people be so obtuse as to approve the “goings-on” in the world today with a smile and a “victory” sign? And I am not just talking about the man in the White House. No, I am talking about the people that somehow have taken a wrong turn.

Does the name “Kyle Rittenhouse” mean anything to you?

He’s the new “hero” (sic) of the conservative right. He’s the 17 year old boy whose mother drove him across state lines – Illinois to Wisconsin – with a rifle to attend the “Jacob Blake” protest. He’s the 17 year old boy that killed two people and said it was “self defense” when every television channel showed him walking down the street with his rifle just “itching” to take a shot a people.

He’s the same 17 year old boy that was released from jail on a two million dollar bond, primarily funded by Mike Lindell – the “Pillow Man” and Ricky Schroder, the “Silver Spoons” actor of yesteryear.

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Is OB’s Recycling Center at Pat’s Liquor Still Open?

November 19, 2020 by Judi Curry

Are they Or aren’t they? That is the question.

By Judi Curry

I received a phone call this morning telling me that the recycling center at Pat’s Liquor Store at 5096 Voltaire was closed. That there was a YELP review that said it had been closed for awhile, and there was no place left to recycle cans, bottles and plastic left in Ocean Beach.

I told my caller that I didn’t think that was right; that the “YELP” review was probably referring to the old recycling center next to Stumps. She thought I was wrong.

So, I called Pat’s Liquor and had a delightful conversation with Basil, the owner of the liquor store, who said that the recycling center was very definitely open, from 11:00am to 5:00pm six days a week.

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‘Never in My Entire Life Have I Been So Glad that an Election Will Be Over’

November 3, 2020 by Judi Curry

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.

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Bicycles Are Ruining Sunset Cliffs Natural Park

October 26, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

Recently, as some of you might remember, I wrote an article about the influx of rats that have inundated Sunset Cliffs and our neighborhood in South OB.

In that article I mentioned the amount of trash that is being generated by people having parties on Sunset Cliffs; food trucks parked in the parking lot selling food to passersby; walkers, joggers, runners, and bicycle riders that finish their snack – or their picnic – and just walk away from the trash that they have generated.

A situation has a new concern for me and others in the Sunset Cliffs area, that I have not mentioned, primarily because it happened after the article appeared.

A few days ago as I was driving south on Sunset Cliffs towards my home, when in the lane going north there had to be at least 100+ people riding their bikes.

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October 23 – a Bittersweet Day for the Widder Curry

October 23, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

Before I get into this more fully, I would like to thank all of you that gave me advice, gave me books, cited professionals as to whether or not I should attend my grandson’s wedding today. I truly appreciate all of the comments that were made – both negative and positive!

The day is now upon me and the decision to attend – or not attend – has been agonizing. I have 18 grandchildren (including a few “greats” in that number.) I am very close to all of them and talk to them frequently. Landon, the groom, is a twin and I attended his brother’s wedding just two years ago. Landon’s “best friend” – Tiffany, whom he will marry today, has been like a member of our family for at least 5 years, when the two of them began dating. I attended her graduation when she received her Master’s Degree, and I count her in as one of the aforementioned 18.

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Meet the Newest Residents of Sunset Cliffs

October 14, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They heard it was a great place to vacation – food is plentiful; many different kinds available, although they might have to look for it under mounds of trash being deposited by other vacationers, residents, dog walkers, etc., but it a great place to raise their children, and their children’s children.

Sometimes it is pizza, sometimes it is hamburger, sometimes it is even dog food or food that has been left for the birds. Sometimes the bounty is so good that they can survive for days.

And how does all this wonderful food come to Sunset Cliffs? To paraphrase Elizabeth Barrett Browning – “let me count the ways.” There are tourists that come to the Cliffs to watch the sunset and leave their trash behind. There are locals

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Musings of the Widder Curry

September 29, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

I received an email today from an even older gentleman this morning that stated, “Morose – not suicidal.” He went on to say that he finds himself “sinking into a perpetual state of quiet desperation” due to the political situation affecting this country.

The sad thing about his note to me and others, is that this is not the only piece of mail that I have received with the same message. I have read messages that start “since the death of RBG, I have been both depressed and/or angry.” Or, ”I can’t sleep at night; I find myself angry and irritated over the smallest little things.” Someone wrote that “ . . a sound I used to like – crickets in the night – is driving me nuts.”

I belong to a group called “Nasty Women for Biden”. The thread of this group is the same as I have quoted above. The fear, the anger, the disbelief that all of this is caused by the political situation today. Thousands of women – and some men too I have noticed – are writing in and seeking confirmation that they are not the only one feeling this way.

As a female, I am appalled at the number of women I see at the trump rallies.

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Nothing Is Being Done About the Night Time Firecrackers and Parties Along Sunset Cliffs

September 9, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

Nightly since before July 4th, my southern Ocean Beach neighborhood has gone to sleep and been awakened by the sound of firecrackers. I can count on one hand how many nights this has not been the case. They start early and go on until the wee hours of the night.

Frequently there are large parties with cars parked in the Sunset Cliffs parking lots, with cars parked on Sunset Cliffs itself, and with cars parked on all of the side streets leading to the ocean. Those cars that are parked in the lots almost always have lights with them to shine on the revelers dancing, smoking, and shooting off firecrackers. (Please notice that I purposely use the word “firecrackers” – not fireworks.) Yes, sometimes fireworks are used, but usually it is M80s that echo off the water’s edge and project all the way up to Santa Barbara Street. (Just ask people that live near the Thursday Club.)

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Each Day of the Pandemic Brings a New Dilemma

September 2, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

Covid-19 is affecting many people in many ways. Listing them all would still leave out some, because none of us are aware of everything others are going through to get through each day.

We are all aware of unemployment; no health care; deaths; inability to pay bills, etc.

Most of us are aware of the depression and boredom facing people today.

Most of us are aware of the dilemma of sending our children to school or NOT sending our children to school.

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Restaurant Review: Soi-OB-Thai Street Food in Ocean Beach

August 24, 2020 by Judi Curry

Restaurant Review

Soi-OB-Thai Street Food
1916 Cable Street
Ocean Beach, CA 92107
619-230-5885
www.SOIOB.COM

By Judi Curry

Hitomi and I had heard a lot about the Soi-OB-Thai since they opened. I like to give a restaurant a chance to get out the “kinks” before I eat there and review it. However, today Hitomi could wait no longer and so we went to the computer and looked up their menu. (She had heard about their North Park location so convinced me that they knew what they were doing.)

There is a very extensive menu, including starters, a variety of soups, pan fried noodles, curries, salads, rice dishes and SOI specials. They have one dessert listed – “mango and sweet stick rice.” It is seasonal, so not always available.

We decided to start with an appetizer, and selected an order of “Shrimp Wraps.” ($7)

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What’s Happening With Buffet Restaurants?

August 18, 2020 by Judi Curry

By Judi Curry

In talking to a friend the other day, he mentioned how much he missed going to Soup Plantation for his meals. He said that they had everything he wanted, be it for lunch or dinner.

That started me thinking about all of the various buffet restaurants we have or had in San Diego – so I thought I’d begin in our general area. This is what I found:

Fairouz Café – 3166 Midway Dr., San Diego, 92110 – 619-2250-0308

No longer has the buffet as we know it. However, they have daily specials and it is possible to order off the menu. They open at 11:30am and close at 7:30pm. They also do takeout and have tables outside the restaurant for “dine-in” dining.

Himalayan Palace Indian Restaurant – 3760 Sports Arena Blvd., San Diego, 92110 – 619-510-4966.

They are open but do not have the buffet as such. Their menu contains Kabobs, sizzlers, meat lovers specials, Naan, Appetizers, etc. They have outside dine-in and pick-up also.

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The Widder Curry: ‘Religion Should Not Be Used as Vehicle for ‘Sales’ on a Regular News  Program.’

August 17, 2020 by Judi Curry

What is offensive to some may not be offensive to others

By Judi Curry

I realize that we cannot agree with everyone at any time. I realize that businesses must cater to their advertisers in order to stay in business. I also know that in my writings I frequently offend some while others are in total agreement with what I have to say. I also know that I do not have to read, listen to, or watch things that I disagree with, nor do you. But when I am “blind-sided” and put in a position that I object to, I react as I am reacting today.

Not too long ago I watched KUSI news all the time. I even did some reports with “Turko”. Then I discovered that the owners of KUSI and I do not agree politically, and I ceased watching their programs.

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The Widder Curry Wants to Know Why Feeding the Birds Is Illegal?

August 4, 2020 by Judi Curry

Don’t Shoot the Messenger

By Judi Curry

Several days ago I read a report on “Next Door” from someone stating that it was not legal to feed the birds in the neighborhood. I looked around my backyard and my 6 hummingbird feeders, my five bird-seed stations, and the plate of peanuts I put out to keep the crows at bay and I wondered if my life was going to change – again – for the worst.

I decided to do some research to find out if the information was correct. And you know what? It is! Damn!

First I contacted the “Fish and Game” department here in San Diego. I asked the nice woman that answered the phone if there was someone there that could answer my question. She said that she could. I asked her “ . . . is it illegal to feed the birds” and without hesitation she told me “yes.” Then I asked her if it was illegal to feed the humming birds and she said she would have to check.

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