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Putting the Sex Back in Birth Control: Why the Dominant Narrative on Contraception Undermines Young People

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by Andrew Jenkins, Choice USA

While I applaud Elizabeth Banks for her new ad supporting Planned Parenthood, birth control, and President Barack Obama–and wholeheartedly empathize with her personal story–I’m reminded of a sobering fact: the progressive community is deathly afraid of talking about sex and young people.

That’s right. I said it.

Between Banks new web promo aimed at female voters, Sandra Fluke’s testimony before Congress last February, and the reactive messaging around Rush Limbaugh’s vile comments, one thing has remained clear: our movement is far more comfortable elevating stories about birth control when they don’t involve sex. Pure unadulterated sex. Sex without the fear of an unintended pregnancy. You know… the primary reason young Americans use birth control.

And for arguments sake, maybe there’s a good reason for this. Maybe–just maaaayyyybe–we’re trying to appeal to conservatives. Perhaps we’re making our funders happy. Or maybe we’re just trying to sell a message that is palatable; easy to consume.

Nope. Bullshit. Not buying it.   [Read more…]

Community/Labor forum blasts Prop 32

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by Dave Rice / San Diego Reader

A Better San Diego, a non-profit consisting of community, faith, and labor-backed groups hosted its monthly breakfast forum yesterday, this time using the meeting to host a panel of speakers opposing passage of Proposition 32 on the November ballot.

Prop 32 is marketed as a proposal to ban contributions from labor unions and corporate entities to political candidates and candidate-controlled committees. One specific point of the measure bans voluntary payroll deductions from workers that are directed toward political action committees (PACs).

But opponents argue that while the measure is effective in blocking political contributions from typically liberal-leaning union members, the door is left wide open for more conservative business interests to continue buying influence.

For the full article, click here.   [Read more…]

Duffy Hoax Revealed – Medical Marijuana Advocates Tell All

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By Eugene Davidovitch / Americans for Safe Access

BACKGROUND: On October 7, 2011, at a press conference in Sacramento, US Attorney Laura Duffy, along with several other US Attorneys, announced a statewide crackdown on medical cannabis cooperatives, collectives, gardens, and others.

Without citing any specific violations in state law, Duffy’s office claimed all were out of compliance and would be targeted for eradication including those fully licensed and regulated by local government and law enforcement.

Since this proclamation of war on California’s medical marijuana program, Duffy’s office sent hundreds of letters to landlords threatening asset forfeiture if they did not immediately evict their dispensary tenants. As a result of these backhanded tactics, many landlords were forced to comply. Within six months, Duffy closed over 200 dispensaries in San Diego alone.

These closures forced thousands of employees into unemployment, left hundreds of properties vacant and most importantly, left the 70,000 plus medical marijuana patients in San Diego county wondering where to get their medicine.   [Read more…]

Field of View: OB Farmers Market

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I arrived at the Farmers Market in Ocean Beach a little late, but there was still plenty to see and taste. The sinking sun set Newport Avenue aglow, and there was quite the bustling of activity even as vendors slowly began to close up shop.

The Farmers Market runs from 4 to 8 p.m. during the summer and 4 to 7 p.m. during the winter every Wednesday. It takes place on Newport Avenue between Cable and Bacon streets.

All photos by Annie Lane.   [Read more…]

Bad Boys With Terrible Judgment

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By Norma Damashek / NumbersRunner

Dog days of summer — they’re scorchers.

Not quite like the old days when sweaty families uncapped the corner fire hydrants to cool off with communal dousings.

If you haven’t seen it on TV news you can read about last Saturday night’s ‘happening’ in Balboa Park here.  This was no spontaneous event.  Rather, it was a vigorously-publicized invitational extravaganza to entice thousands of unchaperoned, unsupervised, unpermitted revelers to come on out and wreak some mindless havoc on a landmark piece of public property.  “Load your guns,” broadcasts a Facebook page (now expunged) “and join us for the 2nd Annual Midnight Water Gun Fight in Balboa Park!”   [Read more…]

Our Poetry Place – WMD

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WMD

In countries

where people read

 

A writer

would rot in prison

for burning his president in prose

in the land that manufactured Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

remote-controlled drones   [Read more…]

Sex In San Diego: The War on Pubic Hair Must End

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KevinMD.com / Emily Gibson

I must have missed the declaration of war on pubic hair.

It must have happened sometime in the last decade because the amount of time, energy, money and emotion both genders spend on abolishing every hair from their genitals is astronomical. The genital hair removal industry, including medical professionals who advertise their specialty services to those seeking the “clean and bare” look, is exponentially growing.

But why pick on the lowly pubic hair? A few sociological theories suggest it has to do with cultural trends spawned by bikinis and thongs, certain hairless actors and actresses, a desire to return to childhood, a misguided attempt at hygiene or being more attractive to a partner. Surely human beings are not so naïve as to be susceptible to fashion trends and biases.   [Read more…]

San Diego For Free – The New Children’s Museum

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SD For Free- A weekly column dedicated to sharing the best sights and activities in San Diego at the best price – free!  We have a great city and you don’t need to break the bank to experience it.

 
The New Children’s Museum is a great place to take young children and thanks to sponsorship from Target, the museum is free to all the second Sunday of every month.  The free day for August was during the past weekend, August 12th, but mark your calendars in advance for September 9th to take advantage of this great free family outing.   [Read more…]

A Restaurant Review: “Jiggle Jiggle” Korean Grill in the Midway

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“Jiggle Jiggle” Korean Grill
3146 Midway Drive
San Diego, CA 92110

Several days ago a request was made by one of our readers to do a review of  Jiggle Jiggle. She said the food was good; inexpensive; and the “mom/pop” running the restaurant are from Korea. It should be noted that this is not a Korean BBQ. There are no hot pots or woks on the table for you to do your own cooking. Rather, it is all done for you in a most delicious way.

I have a Korean student living with me to learn English – Monica – and some of you have already read about her problem with Wells-Fargo. Monica has been with me for almost 9 months. I also have a Japanese student – Yuko – who has only been in the United States 2 weeks, and when my two students get together they spend a great deal of time in a “giggle” mode. It truly is a kick to be around them, and you find yourself smiling with them most of the evening.  Tonight was no exception.   [Read more…]

The Invention of Glory: Pastrana Tapestries in Balboa Park

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by Micaela Shafer Porte

Lucky San Diegans have the rare privilege to host the unique and beautiful exposition of the Pastrana Tapestries, at the San Diego Art Museum in Balboa Park until the end of the summer, on its limited world tour of only six cities. Go see it!

These four giant tapestries, some of the largest in the world, were commissioned by the 14th century Portuguese king, Alfonso V, to glorify his successful campaign to capture the north African cities of Asilah and Tangiers to secure the passage of the Strait of Gibraltar.

Decorative arts meets history in “The Invention of Glory.” Master Belgian tapestry maker, Passchier Grenier, created these masterpieces of delight for the eye and the mind, and now, 6 centuries later, after major restoration, they are touring the world.   [Read more…]

Taking Note of City Heights Job Creators

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We are reminded time and time again that the only human beings in a position to rescue us from our economic woes are the enormously wealthy “job creators.” The bad news is that they are just too uncertain about the economy to tap their accumulated wealth parked far far away from City Heights to start investing again in the US, anywhere in the US.

We are also told that they simply can’t do their “job creating” job without more tax cuts and less government regulation. And they also want us to know that their feelings are very very hurt that we don’t love them enough. None of these wealthy aggrieved individuals live on my block, so I am of course getting this information second hand, but I extend the invitation for tea, even though it will not be accompanied with much in the way of sympathy.   [Read more…]

Surviving Higher Education: A mad feminist gets her degree in Women’s Studies

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There is a nice little pool outside my office door. I recall thinking late one night that the thing would kill me before it ever became a reality. My excavated yard had metamorphosed into a mud pit, transformed by a malevolent deluge, and I was down, sinking into the sucking miasma, my flashlight lifted to the heavens, afraid that my corpse might be found in the morning’s muck.

Turns out, all I had to do was sit up: The mud was barely a foot deep.

But that sense of inundation, of being caught in a vortical force that I could not escape, that became my operating mode as I pursued a degree in Women’s Studies for the past 18 months.   [Read more…]

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