OB Rag

By OB Rag Staffer

On April 15, 1949, a new kind of radio station appeared on the airwaves. Pacifica Radio was founded by Lewis Hill, a pacifist who believed that radio stations should be funded by listeners, not by corporate sponsors.

The first station was KPFA in Berkeley, which still serves the Bay Area. In 1959, sister-station KPFK came on the air in Los Angeles. For years, KPFK’s powerful signal was heard in San Diego at 90.7 FM. Then in February 2000,…

by Lane Tobias

The Special Election being held on May 19th is being penned by the Schwarzenegger Administration as a way to fix California’s “broken budget system”.

While it is understood that California’s budget woes are going to effect us for generations to come, before voting yes on any of these propositions we should take a look at …

Local birders have been flocking to Ocean Beach’s Robb Field in recent weeks. One big draw has been the osprey family that has nested atop one of the park’s light poles. This family of four includes a proud pair of parents and two chicks, who appear to be about 3/4 of the way to full size.

While I was filming the ospreys at Robb Field, “Dad” flew off toward the San Diego River at one point. A few minutes later, he came back with a large fish in his talons. …

On May 6th, the “new” Union-Tribune, under new management, ran an editorial, entitled “Bible of democracy”. It quoted Walter Lippmann who called newspapers “the bible of democracy”.

Is this a description of the old Union-Tribune? Hardly.

An unexpected lawsuit has provided dramatic new details about who SEIU is hiring – and how much money it’s spending – to carry out its trusteeship of SEIU-UHW.

On Friday, an international security company sued SEIU in federal court for failing to pay all of its $2.2 million in bills for surveillance and security services … r

by Frank Gormlie

This week has witnessed major tidal changes for San Diego’s media.

The San Diego Union-Tribune formally changed publishers – and San Diego News Network (SDNN) has outpaced the other independent net show, the Voice of San Diego, in terms of monthly hits – for the first time.

We have just heard from friends in the know that Rock Paper Scissors and its controversial closure is back in the news – sort of. The Reader, San Diego’s predominant weekly, is supposed to be carrying an article on it in its Thursday’s edition. Jeff Fagan, the original owner of the arts and crafts store, reportedly refused to be interviewed. …

by Mike Davis

“Since everyone is dumping on Mexico these days, you might as well help me do the real thing.”

My friend Marcos Ramirez (aka “ERRE”) isn’t kidding. He’s building a new house in Colonia Libertad, Tijuana’s oldest and most surrealistically colorful neighborhood …

The banks used their power over 12 Democratic members of the Senate to defeat Senator Durbin’s “Helping Families Save Their Homes in Bankruptcy” amendment. And they financed the lobbying of taxpayer representatives with some of the billions of bail-out dollars provided by – taxpayers.

This was a defeat for American democracy.

by Ernie McCray

Now that the hullabaloo is over regarding what Obama has or hasn’t accomplished during his first 100 days, I’m just stoked that he’s still maintaining his cool. I can’t help but be impressed by coolness.

Growing up black in Tucson in the 40’s and 50’s, it sometimes seemed that being cool was …

by Ken Secor

May 1st is observed as International Labor Day by most of the countries of the world. The reason most people believe that May Day is a communist holiday is because corporate America doesn’t want you to even wonder why that day was chosen.

By Mary Mann

Walking down the long row of trailers, I wonder how I will recognize the one that belongs to Daniel Wallace and Judith May. They all look the same. As I near it, though, the ownership of the mobile home is made obvious by a preponderance of what their makers refer to as wobblies, wooden creatures, each with a name and a story. I should have known there would be something.