Author: Source

By Bernie Sanders / RSN – Green Mountain Daily / December 30, 2011

The year 2011 has been a tough one for Vermont and our country. The recession caused by the greed, recklessness and illegal behavior of Wall Street continues. While Vermont is doing better economically than much of the country, too many of our friends and neighbors are unemployed or underemployed or are earning less than they need to adequately support their families.

Further, in Vermont we have had to deal with the devastation of Hurricane Irene, which caused so much hardship for individuals and businesses. We should all be grateful for the efforts of state and local officials, first responders, the many hundreds of volunteers, and members of the National Guard who all did such an extraordinary job in the cleanup and recovery effort.

Editor: With this California Supreme Court ruling, San Diego’s ruling elites find that they now have to come up with a different revenue source to fund any downtown stadium for the Chargers other than public redevelopment monies. Check out long-time San Diego architectural expert and observer Roger Showley’s latest piece (Showley: Point Loma High Class of 1966).

By Roger Showley / SignOnSanDiego / December 29, 2011

The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday against redevelopment agencies, including San Diego’s, and said they cannot remain in business by paying the state a portion of their property tax receipts.

The ruling, affecting some 400 redevelopment agencies statewide, throws into doubt many projects, including the proposed Chargers Stadium downtown and the Padres’ minor league baseball stadium in Escondido.

Across the country, state legislatures and governors are pushing laws that seek to restrict access to the voting booth.

By Amy Goodman / AlterNet / December 28, 2011

All eyes are on Iowa this week, as the hodgepodge field of Republican contenders gallivants across that farm state seeking a win, or at least “momentum,” in the campaign for the party’s presidential nomination. But behind the scenes, a battle is being waged by Republicans—not against each other, but against American voters. Across the country, state legislatures and governors are pushing laws that seek to restrict access to the voting booth, laws that will disproportionately harm people of color, low-income people, and young and elderly voters.

By Gail Powell / Special to the OB Rag

The ASA Medical Cannabis Rally and March came to life on the beautifully sunny Ocean Beach afternoon of Monday, December 26th. Like just about everything else in our berg, the event was spontaneous, mellow, yet very productive. Despite the hovering presence of “The Man” hanging out across Abbott Street in front of the Ocean Beach Hotel, people were at ease and yet vocal about what they perceive as the wrongs being committed against medicinal marijuana patients and the dispensaries by the feds and various city officials.

As the ASA Facebook event page states:

“the federal government has begun a crackdown on legitimate medical marijuana patients, caregivers, and providers. In San Diego alone as a result of Federal threats, hundreds of safe access locations have been shut down causing legitimate patients to go without their doctor recommended medicine.”

The bold actions of the Ocean Beach social activists got the word out to the community and first up with a Bob Filner for Mayor collared shirt and a confident way with a bullhorn was Democratic congressman and 2012 Mayoral candidate Bob Filner.

NewSchool of Architecture and Design (NSAD) students developed proposals outlining how Low Impact Development (LID) practices can reduce polluted storm water runoff within San Diego’s Ocean Beach community. The proposals were developed in NSAD’s Design Clinic, an elective course that allows students to undertake community challenges, and formally presented during a public forum in December.

After over a decade of the so-called “War on Terror,” President Barack Obama is about to sign the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into law. The NDAA permits the indefinite detention of anyone, including citizens of the United States, who “was part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces, under the law of war until the end of hostilities” – an extremely problematic and vague definition. In addition, it permits the transfer of any detained individuals to any foreign country and trial of such persons before a military tribunal.

By Miriam Raftery / East County Magazine / December 27, 2011

Starting January 1, new California laws take effect. Some give new protections to the public. Buying a used car? You now have a right to know its history. The government can’t snoop into your online reading habits. Your employer can’t peek at your credit report, in most cases. New laws also benefit pregnant employees, organ donors, renters, domestic partners, and bullied gay students.

Other laws impose restrictions. Want to buy popular cough syrups? You’ll need a prescription. If you order items online, you’ll be charged state sales tax. Shark fin soup and beer spiked with caffeine are banned. Employers have new requirements for notifying employees about pay and more. Kids must ride in a booster seat until age 8. Openly carrying a handgun is illegal, even if it isn’t loaded.

by Medea Benjamin / Common Dreams / December 27, 2011

I had the privilege of starting out the year witnessing, firsthand, the unfolding of the Egyptian revolution in Tahrir Square. I saw people who had been muzzled their entire lives, especially women, suddenly discovering their collective voice. Singing, chanting, demanding, creating. And that became the hallmark of the entire year–people the world over becoming empowered and emboldened simply by watching each other. Courage, we learned in 2011, is contagious!

1. The Arab Spring protests were so astounding that even Time magazine recognized “The Protester” as Person of the Year. Sparked by Tunisian vendor Mohamed Bouazizi’sself-immolation to cry out against police corruption in December 2010, the protests swept across the Middle East and North Africa—including Egypt,Libya, Bahrain, Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Iraq, and Jordan.

Billions in post-9/11 taxpayer dollars have paid for combat-style gear on display in the Occupy crackdowns.

By Justin Elliott / Salon / December 26, 2011

The militarization of America’s metropolitan police forces was on full display in recent months as police from Los Angeles to New York cracked down on Occupy protests, decked out in full SWAT gear and occasionally using strange pieces of military hardware.

San Diego “Portland Loo” Project to be Delayed Longer than Expected -project suggested to City Council by Girls Think Tank over a year ago still has not seen the light of day

by Lara McCaffrey / Empower San Diego / Originally posted Dec 21, 2011

San Diego, CA. With the end of the fiscal year approaching fast in June, there is only so much time to change the budget conversation in San Diego. Like Empower San Diego, fellow non-profit Girls Think Tank (GTT) has taken steps to convince the City Council to use valuable tax-payer funds for projects that benefit the less fortunate. GTT has been working for nearly 2 years to get the City to install 24 hour access public restrooms as a part of their Basic Dignity Campaign for San Diego’s homeless.

By Nadin Abbott / December 23, 2011

During the early morning hours of December 23rd the Occupy San Diego encampment was raided by San Diego Police, and three people were arrested, at least two of them seemingly without cause.

Later that day, the American flag that’s been guarded by Occupiers at Civic Center Plaza (dubbed “Freedom Plaza” by occupiers) was confiscated from a Marine Corp veteran of the Gulf War, John Canter. Carter stated “I was guarding the flag during the raid. They took anything not held.”

msnbc / Dec. 23, 2011

SEATTLE — Across the country, the long-awaited release of Nike retro Air Jordan basketball shoes on Friday resulted in fights, arrests, and the use pepper spray as police tried to calm frenzied shoppers, many of whom had waited outside stores overnight.

In Richmond, Calif., a man was arrested after he fired a gun while waiting in line, KTVU TV reported.

In Seattle, Tukwila police officer Mike Murphy said more than 1,000 people lined up to buy shoes at 4 a.m. at four stores in the Westfield Southcenter mall. He said police used pepper spray on about 20 people who were fighting, while one man was arrested for assault after police say he pushed an officer.