Author: Mike James

Inaugural Vice President and founding member, Ocean Beach Merchants - Association 1979 (later renamed the Ocean Beach Mainstreet Association) - President, Ocean Beach Merchants Association 1980 and 1983 - O.B. Planning Board Member 1980 - President, Ocean Beach Town Council 1988 - President, Ocean Beach Geriatric Surf Club and Precision Marching Drill Team and Gidget Patrol 1984-present (O.K. every member is president) - Founder of the Ocean Beach Fireworks Festival as president with the O.B.M.A. 1980 - Co-chair of the first O.B. Street Fair 1983 - Assisted in starting the Ocean Beach Xmas Festival 1980 - Minister, Universal Life Church, over 50 weddings performed 1988-present - Entertainment Booker for O.B. Street Fair 1993-1998 - Head Auctioneer Ocean Beach Xmas Festival 1981-2001 Guest auctioneer 2007-present - Main Stage announcer Ocean Beach Xmas Parade 1980-present - Member of the improvisational comedy troupe “The Mighty Grunion Players” 1991-1993 - Bartender, Tubaman’s, Shanty Hogan’s, Sapporo’s (same place 3 different owners) 1991-1996 - Fill-in bartender, Cheswick’s West 1991-1996 - Part-owner of James Gang Custom Printing 1976-1991 -

Hey Protesters, Occupy This! (a fun look at Tea Party responses to Occupy Wall Street)

Mike James October 6, 2011 15 Comments

By Mike James / Special to the OB Rag

For the past 6 months I’ve been a subscriber to “The Tea Party Nation” web site to learn more about my fellow citizens. (I have masochistic tendencies.) Below are some outtakes of the Occupy Wall Street related articles and comments that recently appeared on the “The Tea Party Nation” site.

Flashback to the past: 1983 – the City wanted to increase OB’s density then too

Mike James September 13, 2011 13 Comments

By Mike James / Special to the OB Rag

In the fall of 1983 it came to the attention of the Ocean Beach Planning Board that certain large property owners and local Realtors had persuaded then Councilman Bill Cleator to silently put before the Council an amendment for the Ocean Beach Precise Plan. The amendment would have doubled Ocean Beach’s residential density from 25 units-per-acre to 52-units-per-acre.