OB Rag

By JW August / Special to OB Rag

It’s not a book banning or burning but it is the equivalency of it in the age of the internet. Another word for it is censorship.

I learned  E&E (Energy and Environment) News by Politico, an online newspaper, is banned from U.S. Federal agencies.  My source “S” works in a federal agency that has a full agenda of responsibilities but right now the work of the agency is distracted, agitated by the Trump administration’s latest “burn down.”

The source believes that “the ban” is occurring at other agencies as well. Workers  are not allowed to receive E&E, subscribe to it, and it’s “not allowed to come into the building.”

On the website www.eenews.net  is this invitation: “A new Washington is taking shape. Stay informed with E&E News.”

And while there are other options to get accurate information, at least for now, this is a vindictive move and no democracy can allow its government to decide what is appropriate reading for its workers. This reeks of 1984, George Orwell’s book, and the use of Doublethink,

The following is from a talk by Peter Bohmer at a panel discussion about Immigrant Solidarity with Avi Chomsky and Zafira Patiño at a ZNetwork Forum on Feb. 1, 2025.

by Peter Bohmer, February 1, 2025

This is an address I made on how to build immigrant justice, including the right to migrate and right to stay at home while challenging and changing the strong anti-immigrant sentiments of ½ the population in the United States.

This anti-immigrant ideology and agenda are a central part of the right-wing agenda, not only in the U.S. but much of Europe, Australia, Canada and in many countries in the global south such as Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and South Africa. It is acquiesced to by centrist parties such as the Democrats here, Macron in France and the Christian Democrats in Germany.

An example at home is the horrific Laken Riley bill that was just signed into law by Trump, with the vote of 46 Democrats in the House and 12 Democrats in the Senate.  This bill supports immediate detention by the Department of Homeland Security for undocumented immigrants being charged, not even convicted, for minor property crimes such as shoplifting and burglary.

Editordude: This is NOT satire and is the current true cover of Time magazine for Feb. 24.

By Lori Weisberg / San Diego Union-Tribune / Feb. 6, 2025

San Diego’s annual Big Bay Boom will go on as scheduled this year, but California Coastal Commissioners put port officials and the event’s organizer on notice Thursday that they need to start looking at ways to rethink the use of fireworks during the Fourth of July celebration in order to protect the bay and nearby wildlife.

The commission agreed that not only does the scale of the show need to be downsized, but it may need to transition in future years to a drone-only show that could potentially substitute aerial colored lights and synchronized displays for conventional fireworks. While coastal planners had previously been in discussions with Big Bay Boom organizers about moving sooner to a drone show, the staff acknowledged that the port and its partner, the Armed Services YMCA, would not have enough time to make such a major pivot so quickly.

By Ava Kershner / 10News / Feb 07, 2025

Three of the biggest names in surf and skatewear are filing for bankruptcy. Billabong, Quiksilver, and Volcom partially blame fast fashion for the closures.

If you ask the regulars at Ocean Beach: “I surf and skate, yeah. I skate every day,” said Travis, a local skater and surfer. They are familiar with the names.

“Do you have any Billabong, Quiksilver, or Volcom?” I asked.

“All 3, yes,” said Travis.

Billabong, Quiksilver and Volcom stores will be closing their doors, after the company behind them, Liberated Brands, filed for bankruptcy.

New Menu Cycle Begins February 10!

From SD Unified School District / Feb. 6, 2025

Spring has Sprung at Sandi Coast Cafe! New Menu Drops February 10

To welcome the upcoming season, Sandi Coast Cafe has unveiled a new lineup of new, revamped and favorite items. All meals align with USDA nutrition guidelines and offer great taste with nutrition designed to fuel students’ bodies and minds.

(Subscription Needed for Full Article at SD Mag)

By Jackie Bryant / San Diego Magazine / Feb.6, 2025

OB People’s Food Co-Op has been San Diego’s go-to for organic, vegetarian, and locally sourced groceries for over 50 years. In this week’s Happy Half Hour, co-hosts Troy Johnson and Jackie Bryant sit down with general manager Sarela Bonilla and marketing director Nina Gordon to talk about why this neighborhood institution still matters. From its humble beginnings in a garage to becoming a cornerstone of Ocean Beach, People’s is more than just a grocery store—it’s a community hub, a sustainability champion, and a beacon for food lovers who give a damn about where their groceries come from.

Breaking down the president’s suggestion — and whether it’s a distraction, a negotiating ploy or something more.

by Aaron Blake / Washington Post / Feb. 5, 2025

President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered the most untethered idea of an increasingly untethered second term.

Trump said at a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the United States “will take over the Gaza Strip,” will “own it” long-term and will redevelop it — even floating turning it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Trump’s promise has shocked the Middle East, Trump’s opponents and his domestic allies alike. Pursuing such a course would mean the displacement of 2 million Palestinians from their land — Trump proposed setting up “various domains” for them elsewhere — and injecting Americans into the cauldron of the Middle East.

It would also in all likelihood require a massive mobilization of U.S. troops, despite Trump’s years-long attacks on the concept of foreign nation-building.

The immediate question is, of course, whether he’s actually serious. Here are a few theories.

By Jake Gotta / KGTV10 / Feb 03, 2025

Fires have burned thousands of acres all over San Diego County this year, threatening homes and lives along the way. The Border 2 Fire was the most recent to prompt evacuations, and while Cal Fire managed to get it under control, the issue of homes in fire-risk areas has never been more relevant.

The city of San Diego, following state law, has identified very high fire hazard severity zones within city limits and mapped these zones online. “Hazard is based on physical conditions that create a likelihood that an area will burn over a 30 to 50-year period,” the city’s fact sheet says. These zones cover roughly 70% of the city, and from 2021 to 2023, 6,508, or 32%, of the 20,201 new homes permitted in San Diego were in very high fire hazard areas.

That means more than a little more than two-thirds of the new homes were not in very high fire hazard severity zones, but residents still have concerns.

By Arturo Castañares / La Prensa San Diego / Feb.3, 2025

Democrats and labor unions, which are usually united in campaigns, are facing off against each other in a contentious special election to replace San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas, who resigned unexpectedly just weeks after winning a second term.

Three elected Democrats are among the seven candidates who qualified to run in the April 8th Special Election called by the four remaining County Supervisors.

Vargas, 52, who was elected to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors’ District 1 in November 2020, won her re-election in November 2024.

District 1 includes the South Bay areas of San Ysidro, Nestor, Otay Mesa, Imperial Beach, Chula Vista, National City, Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, and areas of San Diego to North Park.

But on December 20th, just two weeks before the date to assume her second term, Vargas announced she would not attend the January 6th meeting to be sworn in.

Within days of her announcement, several potential candidates emerged to run for a seat that has only been open for election without an incumbent once before in more than 50 years.