OB Rag

As Tim DeChristopher Is Sentenced to Prison for Making Bids on Oil and Natural Gas Lands, He Tells the Court, “This Is What Hope Looks Like”

“In these times of a morally bankrupt government that has sold out its principles, this is what patriotism looks like.”

Editor: On Tuesday, July 25th, Tim DeChristopher was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison and was handed a $10,000 fine for bidding on oil and gas drilling leases in an attempt to protect public lands. Here is our original article from January 2009 by Lane Tobias on DeChristopher’s “crime” of civil disobedience to thwart Big Oil of buying up the Utah wilderness. Here are his words in court.

Many people have read my piece, “Making a Better Place for Children,” that was in Sunday’s Union-Tribune. My friends have responded with “Right on!” And then they ask: “So, do you think the U-T is on the up and up with all this ‘diversity of ideas’ talk?” And to that I say: I do. But we’ll just have to see, won’t we? I mean this is a “new category” of “new territory” for me. But my optimism lies simply in that they solicited me.

This Saturday at The Vault

On Saturday, July 30th, from 10:00 a.m. until noon, Jack Gialanella, a licensed and certified Senior Full Instructor in Rapid Assault Tactics, will be teaching a free seminar geared toward bouncers and bar staff. The seminar will take place at the Vault Combat Academy Mixed Martial Art Training and Fitness gym, located inside the Ocean Beach Surf and Skate Shop, at 4976 Newport Ave. in Ocean Beach.

While the sturm und drang of the debt ceiling debate drowns out the howls of distress of the American public going down with the ship, we are being treated to an equally diversionary coverage of the significant women’s issue of the day. Did someone say douche? I didn’t say douche but someone said douche.

Turko Arranges for Benches to be Returned to Del Mar Avenue Bluff

Late this afternoon, on the bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the end of Del Mar Avenue in Ocean Beach, two memorial benches were lifted by crane off a truck and placed exactly where they had been before they were stolen on July 8th.

UPDATE: The Benches Have Been Returned! (See most recent post.)

As Turko Picks Benches Up, Other TV Station Now Doubts Whether They Were Even “Legal”

While politicians dally in Washington DC, while unemployment rises, social security threatened, and things economically don’t appear to be improving, one little story from Ocean Beach just won’t go away. It’s the story about the two memorial benches removed or stolen from a bluff at the end of Del Mar Avenue earlier this month. There’s new updates and a new wrinkle purported by a San Diego television station.

The father of a child who was shot by an off-duty San Diego policeman during a 2008 road rage confrontation with the child’s mother in Oceanside has settled his son’s federal civil rights lawsuit with the city of San Diego for $500,000.

By Paul Krugman / New York Times / July 26, 2011

Watching our system deal with the debt ceiling crisis — a wholly self-inflicted crisis, which may nonetheless have disastrous consequences — it’s increasingly obvious that what we’re looking at is the destructive influence of a cult that has really poisoned our political system.

And no, I don’t mean the fanaticism of the right.

By R. Erickson / Special to the OB Rag / July 27, 2011

PARIS, FRANCE: Americans who manage to avoid «American Idol» and see some films from France, see some photos or commercials of Paris, or even travel there, might have the image of women in flowing spring skirts or dresses, or in professional skirt suits.

Dear OB Convert:

I have wanted to move to this beachy hippie haven for sometime now. After I graduated I was sure I would be able to find a job in OB where I could ride my bike to work and wherever life takes me. Sadly, having graduated from college this past spring I still haven’t found a job in OB.

The Manchurian Candidate, the idea of a mole, a plant on the inside using a powerful position (the Presidency) to destroy the nation. Consider, in 2001 the GOP was handed a balanced budget producing a mild surplus. The GOP took that balanced budget and turned it upside down; then using lies, started aggressive wars they knew would cost hundreds of billions but they cut taxes and kicked the cost down the road. Now the bills are due and they refuse to pay. It’s like they threw a big banquet, invited everyone to go shopping and are now ducking out on paying their bills.

Find your representative’s office here

Last weekend, it became 100% clear that Republicans would rather see America default, Social Security payments stopped, and unemployment soar ever higher than give an inch on their position: The very richest people and most profitable corporations shouldn’t pay one penny more in taxes.