OB Rag

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.

By Barbara Ehrenreich / TomDispatch / May 17, 2012

Individually the poor are not too tempting to thieves, for obvious reasons. Mug a banker and you might score a wallet containing a month’s rent. Mug a janitor and you will be lucky to get away with bus fare to flee the crime scene. But as Business Week helpfully pointed out in 2007, the poor in aggregate provide a juicy target for anyone depraved enough to make a business of stealing from them.

The trick is to rob them in ways that are systematic, impersonal, and almost impossible to trace to individual perpetrators. Employers, for example, can simply program their computers to shave a few dollars off each paycheck, or they can require workers to show up 30 minutes or more before the time clock starts ticking.

With more and more doubts about San Onofre’s safety and future being raised on a nearly daily basis, San Diego and Southern California activists are converging on utility giant Sempra as a focal point for their protests here locally. And there are apply pressure that is mounting across California.

For instance, activists will be presenting a “Demand Letter” to Sempra Energy Chair Donald Felsinger on Friday, May 18th. And a rally is being held at Sempra headquarters in downtown San Diego on Wednesday, May 23rd – part of a state-wide coordinated day of actions at utilities. Actions will also be held in Irvine, San Francisco, Oakland, and Fresno – all to demand a nuclear-free California.

Suit Against NDAA by Writers Including Chris Hedges Wins Temporarily Victory

By Bob Van Voris and Patricia Hurtado / Bloomberg/ May 17, 2012

Opponents of a U.S. law they claim may subject them to indefinite military detention for activities including news reporting and political activism persuaded a federal judge to temporarily block the measure.

U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest in Manhattan yesterday [May 16] ruled in favor of a group of writers and activists who sued President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and the Defense Department, claiming a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law Dec. 31, puts them in fear that they could be arrested and held by U.S. armed forces.

On Friday, May 18th – the Ocean Beach Historical Society presents their annual show, OB Exposed! It will be held at the Masonic Center – at 1711 Sunset Cliffs Blvd, from 6 to 8:30 pm.

Here are some reasons that the OB Historical Society says are great reasons to attend:

• We have some incredible photo entries in this years OB Exposed!

• We also have several additions to the show: A series of 8″x 10″ photos from 1911-1912 of the restored historic home on the corner of Del Mar Ave. and Cable (Hundred year anniversary of the home being built). The photos show the six week period the house was built in.

• We will be showing the film of the recent “Respect OB ” Event.

• The Green Store has lent us their picture boards of 23 years of photos.

Ch 8 News / May 16, 2012

The City Council’s Rules Committee Wednesday directed the city attorney to draft an ordinance that would require banks with which the city of San Diego does business to submit annual data on loans, foreclosures and other issues.

The proposal by council President Tony Young calls for banks to provide information on their home and small business lending, modifications of distressed loans, foreclosure information, community investment, employment diversity and number of jobs.

Young also wants two-year community reinvestment plans to be submitted for residential and small business lending in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.