OB Rag

By John Lawrence/ Will Blog for Food

The Republicans have Obama exactly where they want him: a failing economy with no chance for any significant job creation program. Why isn’t there any chance for a job creation program? Because Republicans control the House and have veto power in the Senate.

The Supreme Court on Monday blocked the massive sex-discrimination case female employees brought against Wal-Mart in a decision that might make it harder to bring future discrimination lawsuits against large corporations.

Here’s America’s 10 wealthiest billionaires:

No. 1. : Bill Gates – Microsoft tycoon Bill Gates is worth a huge net $54 billion.

No. 2.: Warren Buffett – Financial magnate Warren Buffet smiles as he is introduced at the Berkshire Hathaway. Chairman Warren Buffett has $45 billion to smile about.

No. 3: Larry Ellison – Larry Ellison, chief executive officer of Oracle Corp., a computer technology company, is worth $27 billion ….

By Jack Hamlin/ Special to the OB Rag

I have mentioned my father in past writings, and you have probably guessed we have a good relationship, looking forward to the time we spend together. Our political views are generally the opposite side of the same coin, so we typically have very common ground from which we address issues with each other. In fact during the course of our weekly breakfast we solve most of the nation’s problems and have decided to let the rest of the world to sort out theirs.

The gap between America’s rich and poor is so extreme levels of inequality are worse in the land of the free than they are in many developing countries.

The U.S. ranks way behind the European Union and the United Kingdom in terms of inequality of pay, figures show.

In fact, the situation is so extreme the land of the free falls behind countries such as Cameroon, the Ivory Coast and revolutionary Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen – and only just in front of Uganda and Jamaica.

Following up on our first foray into the wonders of Google Art Project, we once again stroll a gallery of…

I went to see Sir Paul the other night. Talking about Mr. McCartney. As in Fab Four. And all I can say is Wow!

I love the dude and that love was further solidified, intensified, and personalized, in particular, one moment, when I found myself completely into the moment, with my head laid back, swaying as Paul in an aging, yet still eloquently and deeply expressive one of a kind voice, sang:

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

By Jack Hamlin/ Special to the OB Rag

With the proliferation of Antique Stores in the Ocean Beach business district and in the greater San Diego area, I believe it is high time the City Council formed a task force to create regulations for these types of businesses. After all, they are popping up all over and as a homegrown problem the police need tools to oversee the manner in which these places do business.

Imagine my surprise when I found out earlier this week on the Rachel Maddow show that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney registered his domicile for voting purposes as the unfinished basement of his son’s Massachusetts home, a few blocks from the home that the Romney’s sold earlier. She went on to say that Romney also has a home in La Jolla, which is a community of San Diego, and a cabin in New Hampshire. Her guest Fred Karger, who didn’t make the Republican cut for the New Hampshire debate last week, maintains that Romney hasn’t really been living in his son’s basement but rather in La Jolla for the past couple of years and may have committed voter fraud in the Massachusetts election of 2010.

I read the HEADLINES this morning that Anthony Weiner has resigned from his House seat. Thank goodness that “distraction” is now over and the Dems can resume their laser focus on creating jobs-hopefully in this country; protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; and continuing their unwavering support for working people. Democrats have purged their party of a lying jackass who is admired for his fiery policy positions by progressives but not so much by his congressional colleagues. Their moral compass has been reset– to campaigning and fund raising 24/7 and I’m sure it’s going to be nothing but distraction free sailing to November 2012.

Just before 1 pm this Thursday afternoon, three thieves entered the OB Antique Mall at at 4926 Newport Avenue. One had a shotgun and another reportedly had a hand gun.

Employees were tied up by the robbers before they made off with gold jewelry and a silver handgun.

First Protest Against Starbucks

The very first protest against Starbucks coming into OB was held on Sunday, March 25th, 2001. At first at the anointed time, dozens upon dozens of people gathered at all four corners of Bacon and Newport, chanting, waving signs, picketing back and forth in front of the empty building. They handed out clipboards with a petition opposing the lease to Starbucks, and there lots of hand-crafted signs – as the Coalition had met at the Green Store the night before to make them. As the crowd grew, it continued to be generally very boisterous and friendly. It was almost a party atmosphere. Lots of smiles, some chants. One was: “We don’t want no corporate whores, on our beautiful OB shores!”