READER RANT: ‘She begged them to keep the Children’s Energy Center open’

 Frank Gormlie  April 14, 2009  5 Comments on READER RANT: ‘She begged them to keep the Children’s Energy Center open’

Chris Yule is far to modest. My family has known Chris for years, she is my closest friend.

She begged both Funke and Winkler to keep the school open. At the time of its closing, less than $3,000.00 in repairs would have kept the school open. The school was refurbished long AFTER its closure.

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City workers’ union responds to Union-Tribune editorial

 Source  April 14, 2009  3 Comments on City workers’ union responds to Union-Tribune editorial

by Judi Italiano

In another shameless effort to pit the public against City employees and their Unions based on lies, the Union Tribune editorialized this morning that “to no one’s surprise, organized labor rebuffed the mayor’s bid to negotiate $32 million in employee benefit concessions to help close a $60 million deficit in the budget year that will begin on July 1.”

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Mayor Sanders to announce no cuts for libraries in front of OB branch Tuesday April 14th

 Frank Gormlie  April 13, 2009  7 Comments on Mayor Sanders to announce no cuts for libraries in front of OB branch Tuesday April 14th

by Frank Gormlie

Tomorrow, April 14th, your mayor Jerry Sanders will stand in front of the Ocean Beach branch library and announce to the world that his proposed FY10 City budget will include no Library cuts. The Mayor’s budget will have no reductions in library branches, hours or staff.

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Anatomy of a Bank Failure – Does FDIC Encourage Excessive Losses?

 Dave Rice  April 13, 2009  5 Comments on Anatomy of a Bank Failure – Does FDIC Encourage Excessive Losses?

Okay, by now we’re all pretty familiar with the Troubled Asset Relief Program, right? Can you watch a newscast without some mention of what bank is receiving TARP funds, what they are (or, rather, aren’t) doing with them, who’s criticizing who got them, and who has a better idea about how to end the ‘recession’ whilst dancing around the taboo ‘D’ word decribing our current situation? How about a different look at what’s going on with the banks, namely the ones that fail?

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READER RANT: Open Letter to the Metropolitan Transit Board

 Source  April 11, 2009  4 Comments on READER RANT: Open Letter to the Metropolitan Transit Board

My apologies in advance for any perceived crudeness of language in the e-mail. That’s just how I roll, yo.

Hi, Please allow me to preface this letter by identifying myself as an infrequent user yet ardent supporter of public transit in our county.

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A Trip by President Obama Filled with Hope

 Ernie McCray  April 11, 2009  2 Comments on A Trip by President Obama Filled with Hope

by Ernie McCray

I loved the image Obama projected abroad although I could have gone without the scene wherein our troops in Iraq stood wide-eyed listening to him, in so many words, say to them: “You don’t have much longer to stay but you just might end up shooting and ducking and covering your behinds in Afghanistan someday.”

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Greed is a screed in OB: the shameful story of the Children’s Energy Center

 Frank Gormlie  April 11, 2009  11 Comments on Greed is a screed in OB: the shameful story of the Children’s Energy Center

by Frank Gormlie

Remember the old Children’s Energy Center? it sat directly across from the OB Elementary playing fields. It was usually full of kids as it was a child care center itself, serving kids from 2 to 10 years of age. Well, the kids were all kicked out three years ago – and it appears all for greed. …

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Do real taxpayers think Transit riders are pond scum?

 Anna Daniels  April 11, 2009  13 Comments on Do real taxpayers think Transit riders are pond scum?

by Anna Daniels

This past Friday morning (April 10) the SANDAG Board of Director’s meeting had an agenda item for a special Transit Operations Funding workshop. Thirty public speakers presented testimony for and against additional fiscal support for MTS. (SANDAG is the San Diego Association of Governments – a coordinating policy body for the area.)

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Water quality testing and life guards at Mission Bay to be replaced by surveillance cameras

 Frank Gormlie  April 10, 2009  4 Comments on Water quality testing and life guards at Mission Bay to be replaced by surveillance cameras

by Frank Gormlie

Water quality testing around Mission Bay is being severely cut back … Mission Bay is losing two life guards. But don’t worry! The Department of Homeland Security iS funding 13 to 16 surveillance cameras to be installed around Mission Bay …

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Keith Kifer – the Blues Wizard: “I’m always on stage.”

 Mary E. Mann  April 9, 2009  18 Comments on Keith Kifer – the Blues Wizard: “I’m always on stage.”

by Mary E. Mann

A pigeon hops through the open door of the plywood camper, sneaking up behind an unsuspecting Keith Kifer, who’s busy preparing lunch. Kifer, otherwise known as the Blues Wizard, gently shoos the bird away, exclaiming: “How rude! He didn’t even knock.”

How rude indeed, to sneak up behind a burgeoning blues legend. Kifer has been making a name for himself in San Diego, as the lead guitarist for The Blues Wizard and the Masters of Humility.

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Why Marijuana Legalization is Gaining Momentum

 Source  April 9, 2009  3 Comments on Why Marijuana Legalization is Gaining Momentum

Back in February, we detailed how record numbers of Americans — although certainly not yet a majority — support the idea of legalizing marijuana. It turns out that there may be a simple explanation for this: …

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