OB Rag

This weekend is the crazy weekend for Chicago. NATO is meeting about Afghanistan, protests are happening, nurses storm the streets demanding taxes on the rich wearing Robin Hood masks on, Iraq and Afganistan veterans are throwing away their medals in protest of the wars – and now, an attempt to trump it all, we have “terrorism” charges against some activists which are being met with swift denials and charges of “set up”.

President Obama had a sleep-over for world leaders at Camp David, getting ready for a G8 meeting on Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, dozens of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars plan on leading a march of thousands on Sunday, May 21, alongside Vietnam veterans, and will be presenting their medals to NATO officials during. This anti-war march will proceed through Chicago’s downtown area to the convention center where NATO is holding its summit.

And of course, inside the summit will be President Obama and other world leaders. The City of Chicago is bracing for major protests. Organizers are hoping the rally, which caps a week-long series of anti-NATO actions, will draw thousands. The Iraq and Afghanistan and Vietnam veterans will hold a reconciliation

SEMPRA denies activists access to property to deliver letter outlining their concerns about the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant – (Or Marcia, Carol, Hugh and Ray’s magnificent adventure)

by Carol Jahnkow

May 19, 2012–Representatives of the Peace Resource Center of San Diego, Citizens Oversight Project, the Green Party of San Diego and the newly formed Shut San Onofre Working Group were told Friday morning by SEMPRA security officers that they would not be allowed on SEMPRA’s property at 101 Ash Street to deliver a letter directed to SEMPRA Executive Chairman, Donald Felsinger.

Marcia Patt, Hugh Moore, Carol Jahnkow and Ray Lutz were told that instead, a security officer would come out to the street to accept the letter on behalf of SEMPRA Executive Chairman, Donald Felsinger. Three San Diego Police Department cars with 5-6 officers observed from across the street.

Just having finished a review of who – and what – the San Diego Left endorses for this June’s Primary, I wanted to offer a summary of where different groups and media projects are at with the current crop of candidates and propositions. (Note: not all races are covered, especially those of smaller municipalities and non-controversial propositions).

First – of course, there is a left in San Diego politics – so, those who cannot accept it, get over it. (For a refresher course on left vs right, see here and here.) The groups reviewed for their endorsements are all left or left-of-center. And by reporting on any group’s choices does not mean that I necessarily endorse them, their choices, or politics.

I scanned the endorsements of the following news sources and organizations:

• CityBeat – the weekly magazine is generally left-of-center in their views, policies, and endorsements.

• Democratic Socialists of America – clearly a left organization – an out-and-out “socialist” stance. Here’s their endorsements in a pdf file: Download File

• Progressive Democrats of America – they have a local progressive group, on the activist left side of the Democratic Party.

• San Diego Labor Council – labor and its manifestations are usually on the left side of the political spectrum.

WASHINGTON — A judge may have found unconstitutional the law that allows people to be held indefinitely without trial by…

From Democray Now / May 17, 2012

AMY GOODMAN: A federal judge Wednesday struck down part of a controversial law signed by President Obama that gave the government the power to indefinitely detain anyone it considers a terrorism suspect anywhere in the world without charge or trial, including U.S. citizens. The ruling came in a lawsuit challenging the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, filed by a group of journalists, scholars and political activists including Noam Chomsky, Daniel Ellsberg, Chris Hedges, Naomi Wolf and Cornel West [correction: Wolf and West are not plaintiffs but in the process of becoming plaintiffs].

Judge Katherine Forrest of the Southern District of New York struck down the indefinite detention provision, saying it likely violates the First and Fifth Amendments of U.S. citizens. The judge rejected the Obama administration’s argument that the NDAA merely reaffirmed an existing law recognizing the military’s right to perform certain routine duties.

From La Prensa / Originally published May 10, 2012

The personalized automobiles known as “Lowriders,” are part of a subculture whose aesthetic tendencies cross over into the world of fine art. Lowrider describes a car that is typically customized with a hydraulic setup to be low to the ground, with an elaborate paint job, striking chrome features and uniquely designed upholstery. But this term reaches beyond cars, and has become a cultural phenomenon and way of life for many people.

Today Lowrider culture can be seen not only in cars and motorcycles, but also in sculptures, photography and paintings as a way for people to express their individuality and cultural pride. This exhibition will feature a display of full-size cars, motorcycles and bicycles that have been created in the Lowrider style.

By Michael Greger, M.D. / HuffPost / May 18, 2012

Yesterday was a good morning to wake up and smell the coffee. The New England Journal of Medicine published outcomes from the the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, which found drinking coffee was associated with living longer in both men and women. This is not only the largest study ever to look into this question, NIH-AARP is one of the largest prospective (forward-looking) studies ever performed on nutrition and disease, following more than a half million people for a dozen years.

This follows on the heels of an editorial published last month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition entitled “Coffee Consumption and Risk of Chronic Diseases: Changing Our Views,” which reviewed the growing evidence that for most people, the benefits of drinking coffee likely outweigh the risks. Though the study published today found no significant relationship between coffee consumption and cancer, a recent analysis of the best studies published to date suggests coffee consumption may lead to a modest reduction in overall cancer incidence. Each daily cup o’ joe was associated with about a 3% reduced risk of cancers, especially bladder, breast, mouth, colorectal, endometrial, esophageal, liver, leukemic, pancreatic, and prostate cancers.

By Paul Krugman / New York Times / May 17, 2012

Suddenly, it has become easy to see how the euro — that grand, flawed experiment in monetary union without political union — could come apart at the seams. We’re not talking about a distant prospect, either. Things could fall apart with stunning speed, in a matter of months, not years. And the costs — both economic and, arguably even more important, political — could be huge.

This doesn’t have to happen; the euro (or at least most of it) could still be saved. But this will require that European leaders, especially in Germany and at the European Central Bank, start acting very differently from the way they’ve acted these past few years. They need to stop moralizing and deal with reality; they need to stop temporizing and, for once, get ahead of the curve.

I wish I could say that I was optimistic.

What a fun place to eat with friends, the Raglan Public House – at the corner of Bacon and Niagara. The ambiance is inviting; the beers are numerous – I counted over 81 on the menu; the food is wonderful and the waitstaff – Josie and Alex – were delightful. Josie is really from New Zealand, and her charming accent only added to the atmosphere of the place. Alex, for the women in the audience, was nice to look at; has a mean handshake – like he was really glad we were there – and charming as well. (Yes, I know it is a sexist comment, but let’s face it – I enjoyed watching him.)

Do I need to write more? For those of you that criticized me on my last Ocean Beach venture, I hope that this redeems my taste buds and you no longer come after me with a forked tongue or steak knife.

A friend and I went for lunch at what was formerly “The Vine.” I remember the same restaurant when it was an Italian Restaurant and, like “The Vine” was sorry to see them both close down. I hope that this eclectic place remains in Ocean Beach for a long time.

By John P Anderson / WalkingMissEva

One item our family has given up is our use of paper towels. It took some sweet-talking, but after I got Amelia’s ok it has been smooth sailing and got rid of one of the items that we regularly threw out in the garbage.

In our efforts to be more environmentally friendly we’ve tried to take a look at the items that go into our recycling and trash cans and determine how we can eliminate or reduce those items. Paper towels were an early and somewhat obvious choice. For the following reasons we decided to get rid of paper towels:

• Single-use – after using a paper towel there is no opportunity to reuse, and usually no opportunity to recycle either.

These next couple of days will see San Diego streets swell up with protests of different sorts, as nurses, janitors and anti-nuke activists and their supporters stage demonstrations across the City.

Thursday, May 17th: San Diego Janitors Continue Hunger Fast and Hold 12-Hour Vigil at Civic Center Plaza

San Diego area janitors will hold a 12-hour vigil with community and religious leaders at Civic Center Plaza in downtown San Diego, joining hunger fast participants fighting for health care for themselves and their families. Throughout the day, community volunteers will be visiting hunger fasters at their base camp at the Church of the Brethren in San Diego, where volunteers are working hard making preparations for Friday’s march and rally at La Jolla’s UTC.

Friday, May 18th – Rally for a ROBIN HOOD TAX! at NBC Building

Also on Friday, May 18th – Anti-Nuke Activists to Present Demand Letter to SEMPRA Chair

Wednesday, May 23rd – Rally at SEMPRA

by Emilie Astolat

People who think they’ve never taken their loved-one for granted, no matter how many years have passed, should think again. I’m sorry, but there are no ifs, ands or buts about it. And if you’re one of those people, I suggest you ask said loved-one for their opinion. You just might be surprised.

As I think about my own relationship, I realize I have a lot to be grateful about. We share a happy home, a child, security, a sense of humor, family (like it lump it), tribulations, joys, decisions, love and the list goes on and on. There isn’t anyone on this planet I’d rather come home to and I know he feels the same.

But as the years tick by, sometimes I think we both get into the habit of the everyday routine: kid, school, work, dinner, sleep, repeat. It can go like that for weeks before one of us says, “Hey, how ‘bout a date night?”

Whoever invented the idea of a date night for long-term couples should be given a Nobel Peace Prize. I really mean that. It’s a simple concept, but it does so much to rejuvenate the romance in a relationship.