Author: Source

by Shaun Burnie / Friends of the Earth / March 27, 2012 

Friends of the Earth released today a new analysis by one of the nation’s leading independent nuclear engineers, Arnie Gunderson. The report has revealed serious unresolved safety problems at Southern California Edison’s San Onofre nuclear reactors which could lead to significant radiation releases if the plant is allowed to restart.

As many as 500 San Diegans rallied in Balboa Park seeking justice for murdered Florida teen Trayvon Martine, shot just one month ago. Protesters then marched to downtown San Diego and held another rally at the Court house.  “No justice! No peace!” was one of the loudest chants as the crowd moved through the streets.  After the rally at the courthouse steps, candles were lit to continue the vigil.

Monday’s event was the second protest in San Diego in memory of Trayvon.  One woman at the San Diego rally said, “This is our Emmet Till”. Till was a young African-American boy who was murdered in Mississippi at the age of 14 after reportedly flirting with a white woman.  Till’s murder is noted as a pivotal event motivating the African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Protests, rallies, and marches were held across the country as the shooting with racial overtones reverberated coast to coast, including Los Angeles.

Editor:  Michael T. Pines is a San Diego foreclosure activist – that is, he helps homeowners resist foreclosure by banks of their homes.  He has advised over 70 homeowners who have been evicted to move back into their homes because the foreclosure and evictions were illegal, in part due to “robo-signing” by bank employees, which DA Bonnie Dumanis doesn’t like.  And this is why Pines sits in jail today.

By Caroline Zellander

Michael T. Pines is a warrior for homeowners, but today he sits in the George Bailey Detention Facility. Michael’s crime? Being relentless in fighting trumped up felony charges of “Stalking and a death threat”. Michael is being prosecuted by Bonnie Dumanis’ office …

By OB Joe

Hey, kids, hiya doin’? It’s time to ‘wake and bake’ – it’s Sunday and a mainly gray one at that. So, shake off that hang-over from last night. If you haven’t done your exercise for the day, it might be too late, as it’s supposed to rain later today and some tomorrow.

Had some news clippings laying around on my kitchen floor, so I decided to share them with you, plus some ‘internal’ newsy stuff. The editors are usually off on their own projects on Sundays, so I’m alone in the editing room. Shhhh!

OB Rag Survives Cyber Attack ! Yup, it’s true. Somebody doesn’t like us. Not too soon after midnight, somebody did a DOS specifically on us, crowding our OB Rag cyberspace and the server shut us down.

By Mike Lewis / East County Magazine / March 22, 2012

The proposed 100 megawatt (MW) Quail Brush Generation Power Plant Project encountered more resistance at the San Diego Planning Commission meeting downtown Thursday morning.

In a victory of sorts for the project’s opponents, a 30-day continuance was granted, delaying a decision on rezoning the 22-acre plot from open-space to industrial.

by Lucas O’Connor / Two Cathedrals / March 22, 2012

As expected, the City Council earlier this week gave away control of the Convention Center to the private consortium ConVis, “approving a contract that is basically blank” as Councilman Alvarez put it. In the course of a meeting, councilmembers openly negotiated a contract with representatives of ConVis to outsource control of a public asset without any competitive bidding or even any data that would suggest the move would save or make money (for the city at least).

by Abby Normal

I feel myself up quite regularly. It’s quite natural, really as most medical resources say I’m supposed to do a monthly breast self-examination starting after the age of 20. Granted, there was few-year period where I neglected my cancer detecting duties, but I can officially tell you I’m back on track.

I also regularly visit my gynecologist, which is not nearly as much fun as feeling myself up. In fact, the sight of that little three-by-five reminder card can downright put a damper on the day.

By Michael Moore / The Nation / March 14, 2012 (April 2 issue)

Occupy Wall Street. What other political movement in modern times has won the sympathy and/or support of the majority of the American public—in less than two months? How did this happen? I think it was a revolt that has been percolating across the country since Reagan fired the first air traffic controller. Then, on September 17, 2011, a group of (mostly) young adults decided to take direct action. And this action struck a raw nerve, sending a shock wave throughout the United States, because what these kids were doing was what tens of millions of people wished they could do.

Are beef eaters doomed to an early death?

By Alliance for Natural Health / March 20, 2012

A recent Harvard study, accompanied by some unduly alarmist articles in the press, found that the consumption of red meat is associated with higher mortality rates from cardiovascular disease and cancer. The study recommends substituting “healthy” protein sources such as fish, poultry, nuts, and legumes to reduce mortality.

We see a number of big problems with this study.

By Serena Scaglione / East County Magazine / March 21, 2012

The California Energy Commission (CEC) will hold a workshop at 5 p.m. this Thursday, March 22 at Mission Trails to discuss the proposed Quail Brush Generation Project being developed by Quail Brush Genco, LLC, a subsidiary of Cogentrix Energy.

By Channel 6 News/ March 20, 2012

An 18-year-old motorist accused of killing a pedestrian on Interstate 8 in the Ocean Beach area, then taking off, pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony hit-and-run causing death.

Nikolette Kristina Gallo — who is free on $50,000 bail — is charged in the death of 23-year-old Sho Funai in the early morning hours of March 11.

By Matt Taibbi / Rolling Stone – RSN / Originally published March 16, 2012

At least Bank of America got its name right. The ultimate Too Big to Fail bank really is America, a hypergluttonous ward of the state whose limitless fraud and criminal conspiracies we’ll all be paying for until the end of time. Did you hear about the plot to rig global interest rates? The $137 million fine for bilking needy schools and cities? The ingenious plan to suck multiple fees out of the unemployment checks of jobless workers?

Take your eyes off them for 10 seconds and guaranteed, they’ll be into some shit again: This bank is like the world’s worst-behaved teenager, taking your car and running over kittens and fire hydrants on the way to Vegas for the weekend, maxing out your credit cards in the three days you spend at your aunt’s funeral. They’re out of control, yet they’ll never do time or go out of business, because the government remains creepily committed to their survival, like overindulgent parents who refuse to believe their 40-year-old live-at-home son could possibly be responsible for those dead hookers in the backyard.