They want their pork back… House Republicans, frustrated with their own inability to come up with majorities in a chamber where they supposedly rule the roost, have come with a game plan to get things moving. Speaker John Boehner, according to Reuters, has convened a secret group to figure out how to undo the earmark ban after the next election. Party leaders have determined that the earmark ban has “has affected discipline” within the party. So, it was nice while it lasted…. (Editordude: btw, Boehner will be in town later this week at a private fundraiser in Pacific Beach and some Dems and friends are coming out to welcome him and his pal, Brian Bilbray. It’s Thursday, April 5 and starts before 5pm at 1025 Pacific Beach Drive.)
Archives for April 2012
Shame and Injustice in San Diego and America
The killings of Trayvon Martin and Shaima Alawadi tell us something about our society. And what they are saying is not good.
The entire nation is currently up in arms about the killing of Trayvon Martin, the 17 year old Floridian who was shot and killed over a month ago by a neighborhood watch vigilante. And rightfully so. Martin’s only crime was to enter a gated, middle-class community where his father lived while black, wearing a hoodie, and carrying a pack of Skittles and an iced tea. [Read more…]
OB Planning Board election results … and vacancies still exist
On March 13th, the Ocean Beach Planning Board held its annual election. Every year, half of the seats on the 14 member Board are up for election, an election that residents, property owners, and business owners may participate in. Board terms are two years.
The Board meets twice monthly, with the General meeting held on the first Wednesday of every month. Two weeks later, the Project Review Committee – a sub-committee – then meets, to review and make recommendations to the full Board.
According to our Election Committee Chair Nancy Taylor the results are as follows: [Read more…]
First Cuppa Coffee – Monday, April 2, 2012 : Cash for Carl Edition
Thanks for the cash, Carl… The OB Rag April Fool’s post yesterday claiming that Fox News had purchased this site was a big hit with readers. Obviously, for those of you that missed the “sarcasm” tag, it was in jest. We’re all still poor this morning. A whole bunch of other progressive leaning blogs did hit the jackpot this weekend, thanks to Mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio. Surfers logging in from computers ID’d as being located in the San Diego area are seeing DeMaio’s ads on websites like Daily Kos, Truthdig, Talking Points Memo and The Nation. It is a little strange reading about the latest GOP outrage with DeMaio’s beady little eyes staring at you from the screen.
TV’s Morning Madness…. Former Alaska Gov. (And reality show host) Sarah Palin has agreed to co-host the Today show Tuesday. She’ll be lining up against Katie Couric, who be stepping in over at Good Morning America. There’s been no word from either network over whether Couric’s “gotcha moment” video interview with Palin will be rebroadcast on either network. NBC’s not taking any chances on losing the ratings war this week, though… other high profile guests appearing this week include: “Octomom” Nadya Suleman, Kim Kardashian, the Duggar family and rapper Nicki Minaj. Observers expect the nation’s IQ to drop by five to nine points this week.
[Read more…]
Play Ball!
Opening week is upon us and the Padres ownership debacle has already done a lot to dampen the spirits of local baseball fans even before the first pitch has been thrown. With Jeff Moorad unlikely to ever take over the majority share of the team from John Moores, many fans rightly feel they have been bamboozled once again–left to sit in a park that their tax dollars built and pay through the nose for bad baseball and overpriced beer while the swooning friars stumble uncertainly around the bases toward yet another losing season. If you watch the Vegas line, the Padres are picked to finish last in the National League West with only 70 wins. Oh, the horror!
But, of course, that is the destiny of the Padres fan: losing. As I only half-jokingly tell my friends, I have taught my son to love baseball and love the Padres so he knows from a young age the first noble truth: life is suffering. [Read more…]