OB Rag

OBceans and other citizens of the world:

Your OB Rag needs you!

As we cruise into our Third Anniversary as a blog – we began in October 2007 – we are celebrating the fact that we’re still here – and mostly because of those who have been supporting us over these few years – and of course because of our talented writers and bloggers and photographers and techies.

Editor: The following was a response by Seth Connolly, a member of the OB Planning Board, to Dan Morales’ post about the October 6th Board meeting (“Class bias dominates OB Planning Board discussion” ).

I always appreciate Dan’s perspective, but as someone who serves on the OBPB and who was at the meeting last night, I am just going to offer a few thoughts mostly in counterbalance… speaking only for myself as a community member, of course, and not for the OBPB or in that capacity.

That is pretty much the choice we face in voting thumbs up or down on a five year one half percent sales tax increase on Prop. D in November. Also throw in reduced Fire and Police services, which also concerns us, if D doesn’t pass.

Last month Mayor Sanders announced that the City was facing a $72Million budget deficit in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2011. As you all know, yearly and sometimes twice a year budget reductions have been going on for a long time- four years in fact.

What is it about this poster that is a threat to others? And, more importantly, why can’t I put a poster on MY fence, on MY property, and have it remain where I have put it as long as I want it there. Who is the skunk that thinks he can foul my yard and violate my privacy. (Of course, if you read the poster you can KNOW what the skunk thinks.)

I have had three signs removed by a “skunk” in the neighborhood. He has smelled up my yard several times since the election began. BUT…this poster is not about the election. This poster is about tolerance, understanding, and acceptance.

I can’t shake the sadness I feel for Tyler Clementi, the 18 year old Rutgers University student who recently took his life by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after a classmate broadcast his intimate encounter with another man online.

My goodness, how many more gay people must die due to society’s hateful attitudes towards them? Tyler wasn’t the only gay youth to end his life in September. There were about seven ….

by Michael Moore / OpenMike blog

So … it turns out President Eisenhower wasn’t making up all that stuff about the military-industrial complex.

That’s what you’ll conclude if you read Bob Woodward’s new book, Obama’s War.

In fact, after you read Woodward’s book, you’ll split a gut every time you hear a politician or a government teacher talk about “civilian control over the military.”

Here is the agenda for the OB Planning Board meeting for Wednesday, October 6, 2010. The meeting will be held at the OB Rec Center at Santa Monica and Ebers, and begins at 6pm.

(Go inside to read the agenda.)

While you may recognize Kimberly Quinn from her guest spots on House, Two and a Half Men, CSI: NY, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager, it’s her current role as Gretchen Dolworth on FX’s critically acclaimed new series Terriers that is turning into her coming out party.

MSNBC has reported that a group of local mothers rallied outside DA Bonnnie Dumanis’ downtown office today to galvanize the district attorney to support Prop 19, the marijuana legalization initiative on November’s ballot. The group, called Moms United to End the War on Drugs, believe that legalization of pot will bring a halt to the waste and violence of this so-called war on drugs.

It was a rainy and humid day when we packed up and headed for Big Sur last Thursday. Patty had never driven the famous Highway 1 – Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), nor had she ever seen Big Sur, and had never been to Hearst Castle. And I aimed to change all that. With camping tent, propane stove, food for 4 days and 2 plastic chairs, we packed up the PT Cruiser and headed out of town with a big sigh – ‘finally’- !

(Tip o’hat to Judi Curry) Poster by Dennis Nyhagen

by Judi Curry

I am a high school dropout that went back to school and ended up as an assistant professor at local colleges.

I went back and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Educational Teaching and followed up with a Masters Degree in Elementary/Secondary Education Administration. I was an Assistant Professor at SDSU and UCSD, Extension, working with new teachers in developing curriculum to meet the needs of their individual students. I was a teacher; a Vice Principal; a Principal; A Director of Education and Vocational training as well as a Deputy Director of a Job Corps site shortly before retiring in 2004.