OB Rag

By Jen Lebron Kuhney / SignOnSanDiego / October 19, 2011

Protesters took to the streets Tuesday to oppose a federal crackdown on medical marijuana dispensaries. Later in the day the city announced a Superior Court judge issued a ruling on Monday that the stores are prohibited by the municipal code in San Diego — a ruling similar to one he made last week.

Approximately 250 protesters marched from City Hall to the federal courthouse to voice their opposition to recent actions by U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy.

Why should you move your money?

Moving your money out of the big Wall Street banks to small community banks and credit unions is a great idea for a number of reasons: you will get better rates and fewer fees, your community banker will learn your name and provide you with more personal service, and you will be keeping money in your local community which increases economic development and eventually, creates more jobs. Yet the most important reason to move your money is to make your voice heard, to stand strong and no longer help a banking system that has run amok

INVEST IN MAIN STREET, NOT WALL STREET

Welcomes “Healthcare is a Human Right” Leader from Vermont

Inspired by moves toward guaranteed healthcare for all in Vermont and Montana, advocates of Medicare-for-all, single-payer-style reform in California have formed a new coalition, the Campaign for a Healthy California (CHC), and are stepping up activity this coming week by hosting a California tour with a Vermont healthcare activist.

By Bob Dorn

The actions of police on October 14, so clearly visible on YouTube, and presumably around the world, is the sort of official mayhem that brings down governments in other parts of the world.

That skin-headed cop with a mace can who wrapped his arms around throats and threw several people to the ground so that their heads crashed into the pavement committed a criminal act. He can easily be identified, and so can others at Civic Plaza on Oct 14 who can be seen provoking people and abusing them.

By Sandra Dibble / SignOnSanDiego / October 18, 2011

TIJUANA — Some two dozen protesters in Tijuana affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street movement were arrested early today by police forces for sleeping in a public right-of-way. The detentions occurred at 2:15 a.m. near a traffic circle in Tijuana’s Rio Zone, according to Heriberto Garcia, Baja California’s human rights ombudsman.

Protest and March to Defend Medical Marijuana Patients and their Collectives!

Tuesday, October 18th from Noon – 2pm

From Civic Center (1200 Third Ave) to Federal Building (880 Front Street)

US Attorneys in California have decided that they no longer respect the rights of patients, voters or the laws of California and are prosecuting medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives.

I have always liked to write. Once I told my former husband that I wanted to be an author but he told me that I didn’t have the experiences behind me to be a successful writer. With that statement in mind, it was close to 30 years before I tried my hand at writing again.

On September 17, 2011, several thousand New Yorkers took over a small park in lower Manhattan, a block from Wall Street itself. Wall Street itself had been blocked from the demonstrators by New York’s finest.

The protesters took over Zucotti Park, a private space, and set up their encampment – and the Occupy Wall Street movement took off. This past weekend, there were over 100 Occupy actions in this country, and over a thousand around the world. A thousand. Get your mind around that.

Soon after Occupy Wall Street took hold, others followed: Occupy Boston, Occupy Denver, Occupy San Francisco, Los Angeles, and even Occupy San Diego, which had its first over-night “occupation” on Friday, October 7th.

But look at this – in one month, in exactly one month, this movement has changed our world. For how long – it remains to be seen. One month. This is incredible.

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011 – 6:30 p.m.

Ocean Beach Recreation Center
4726 Santa Monica Ave., Ocean Beach 92107

6:30 pm

• Call to order
• Introductions
• Agenda modifications and approval

6:35 pm

Item #001 – Action Item
Ocean Park Villas – #6-08-100-A1 (1984 Abbott St – Corner of Abbott and Saratoga)

See inside for contact information for Mayor and Council

By Mike Chek / Special to the OB Rag

Occupy San Diego has lots of friends and supporters. Over this past two week period, they’ve come out with donations and statements of support. This has been great!

But right now – Occupy San Diego NEEDS HELP!

If you support us – then we need you to get on the phone immediately. We need you to call the Mayor of San Diego and the City Council immediately. We need you to tell them – tell them – not ask – to get the police off the backs of the activists of Occupy San Diego!

While it remains to be seen whether the Occupation of America, from Wall Street to San Diego, will be able to sustain its amazing initial momentum, it has unquestionably struck a nerve and sparked a national discussion about class, power, and politics. The heavy weights at the New York Times have recently staked out an interesting range of opinion on the occupation movement.

You have Paul Krugman, the paper’s reliable progressive, observing the panic of the plutocrats and astutely noting that, “The way to understand all of this is to realize that it’s part of a broader syndrome, in which wealthy Americans who benefit hugely from a system rigged in their favor react with hysteria to anyone who points out just how rigged the system is.”

by Phillip Smith / StopTheDrugWar.org

California’s largest doctors’ group is calling for marijuana legalization. The trustees of the California Medical Association (CMA) adopted the position at their annual meeting in Anaheim Friday. The call came after the group last year decided to study the issue and make recommendations.

The group, which represents more than 35,000 physicians statewide, called for legalization even as it acknowledged health risks and questioned the medical value of pot.