Author: Source

By John P Anderson / Walking Miss Eva

With the traditional start of summer in the United States, I recently got a request for a post on recommendations I have for how to be ‘more green’. This post is my top 5 recommendations for simple, easy, and cheap ways to live in a more Earth-friendly way this summer.
_______________

1) Stop – Don’t use pesticides, herbicides, insecticides or other poisons in your yard

• Although when pesticides and other poisons are mentioned, the most likely picture brought to mind is one of large farms or crop dusting planes, backyards are often where the highest concentrations of these poisons can be found. Due to drift from neighboring yards, as well as the mixing of many different types of poisons in one yard the concentrations can be many times higher the recommended levels noted on product labels. (And regardless of the recommendations on the label consider if you would like to ingest the product you are putting onto your yard or garden.)

By Robert Scheer / TruthDig / June 7, 2012

On, Wisconsin! Or so it was meant to be with a union-led recall in the home state of Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette Sr., the populist governor and senator who once shaped the cry for anti-corporate social justice in this nation. After La Follette there was the Wisconsinite William Proxmire, the great conscience of the U.S. Senate, followed by the equally impressive Russ Feingold, who, despite being exactly correct in warning of the consequences of unfettered banking greed, was turned out by Wisconsin voters in 2010. Perhaps if the original McCain-Feingold legislation—gutted by the Supreme Court—was still the law of the land on campaign finance, the Democrats and their union base would have survived Tuesday’s election.

By Peter Bohmer / Special to the OB Rag

Here is Part One.

The 2012 Election

It is very important that Hugo Chávez get reelected President in the upcoming October, 2012 election for the revolution to move forward. I am quite certain that Chávez will be reelected as he continues to be very popular and deservedly so with the large majority of Venezuelans from the popular classes.

The popular classes comprise as much as 80% of the people of Venezuela. President Chávez has dealt with two serious bouts of cancer in the last year, yet he continues to be an active and involved president. If at some time during his next term in office because of health reasons, Chávez cannot continue as president, there does not seem to be another person that has both the vision of Chávez and also the strong support of the people.

By Nadin Abbott / Special to the OB Rag / June 9, 2012

Photographs Nadin Abbott

Women Occupy San Diego held a permitted event Saturday, June 9th, at Civic Plaza (Freedom Plaza). The arts event, free and open to the public, also featured Mexican and Azteca traditional dances, political speeches – including one from Councilmember Marty Emerald.

Folkloric dances from the State of Jalisco, by the group Ballet Folkorico El Tapatio, were presented, along with Calpulli Azteca which performed four traditional Nahuatl Aztec dances, to the delight of all present, wearing complex traditional costumes, as well as braseros and some fire. The day ended with a circus act.

FAMILY FRIENDLY AND FUN: Occupy Women Lend a Creative Twist to the Movement
Occupy OUR Arts’ is a Celebration of the 99% Culture and Creative Arts.
SAN DIEGO: Women Occupy San Diego (WOSD), with the support and endorsement of many community groups and artists will be hosting an all-day, family-friendly arts festival at Civic Center Plaza on Saturday June 9th, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Occupy Our Arts will highlight the artistic side of the Occupy movement, focusing on the creative arts and bringing together people from all walks of life to celebrate our diverse culture.

Popaditch Incites Mob, Curses at Filner and reportedly pushed Opponent at Election Central By Miriam Raferty / East County Magazine…

Editor: Here is a two-part series about what is going on in Venezuela by Peter Bohmer – a former OBcean, who now teaches at Evergreen College in Washington state. Bohmer just recently returned from a ten week visit to Venezuela, and filed this report.

by Peter Bohmer / Special to the OB Rag / June 7, 2012

I spent 10 weeks in Venezuela in early 2012, two months with a group of 30 students from the Evergreen State College and then two weeks continuing my travels with a good friend. I had a similar 10 week experience in early 2009 and also spent three weeks in Venezuela in 2011. Based on my 2009 study and travel in Venezuela, I wrote an article that can be found here. This article here is a continuation of that one. It focuses primarily on the changes in Venezuela since 2009. Most of my time on this trip was spent in Caracas, Mérida, and Barquisimeto.

Judge Katherine Forrest Denies Government’s Attempt to Limit Ruling

By Charlie Savage/ New York Times / June 6, 2012

The government may not rely on a disputed law enacted last year to hold people in indefinite military detention on suspicion that they “substantially supported” Al Qaeda or its allies — at least if they had no connection to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a federal judge said on Wednesday.

In an eight-page memorandum opinion and order, Judge Katherine B. Forrest of the Southern District of New York clarified a preliminary injunction she issued on May 16 in a lawsuit brought by journalists and activists who challenged the statute — a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011 — and expressed fear that they could be detained.

By Mel Freilicher / Special to the OB Rag

Emma Goldman: Revolution as a Way of Life
By Vivian Gornick
Yale University Press, 2011; 151 pages; $25

Rather than write a political history of Emma Goldman’s very full life (which is already documented in great detail, including in her own hefty, 2 volume autobiography, Living My Life), Vivian Gornick has chosen to “concentrate on the force of her extraordinary rebelliousness and try to understand it in light of the existential drive behind radical politics.”

To illuminate what she believes to be at the heart of many dedicated radicals’ commitment, Gornick delivers a provocative portrait of Goldman’s soul, really: embodied in what’s famously paraphrased as, “If I can’t come to your dance, I’m not coming to your revolution.”

Balboa Park Conservancy Board of Director members Judy Swink and Vicki Granowitz recently issued a joint press release in which they announced their resignations from the board. Both of their resignations were precipitated by the board’s June 1 majority endorsement of politically powerful San Diego philanthropist Irwin Jacobs’ controversial Plaza de Panama plan. According to the press release, prior to June 1 the Balboa Park Conservancy had maintained a neutral role with no direct involvement in the creation or implementation of this plan. It now not only supports the plan, it will actively lobby for it.

From Stop Prop A

San Diego, CA – “San Diegans do love their parks, but our parks could be at risk if Prop A passes,” begins District 7 Councilmember Marti Emerald in a taped statement released today by the No on Proposition A campaign.
COME INSIDE FOR DETAILS

Voter Approval of Proposition A on the June 5 Ballot could cause the City of San Diego’s Bond Ratings to Drop

San Diego, CA – Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency dedicated to scoring agencies’ financial strength, has cautioned the City of San Diego that passage of Proposition A will present severe fiscal consequences to the city, …COME INSIDE FOR DETAILS

Walk, Ride or Roll to your Next Destination

By Nicole Burgess

Have you seen this biking crew? These students from Dana Middle School and others are becoming active and riding to and from school on a daily basis. They have fun, explore their neighborhoods, and are becoming less reliable on the normal means of transportation, the car. They have traveled to local distances such as Shelter Island and around Mission Bay as well as a few making the trek to Knott’s Berry Farm for spring break. These kids know how to ride.