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A Post-Labor Day Tribute To My Sister

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By Judi Curry

Labor Day means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.  In my case, at the age of seven, the first time I knew about “Labor Day” was on September 2nd, 1946, because that was the day my mother went into labor with my sister, Andy. (Andrea Jane.)  The house was a flutter and my own governess was going to take care of my sister, leaving me for the first time in my life.

I was going to be “a big girl” now, and I no longer needed to have Nanny Parsons monitor my every move.  All of that was fine with me, except for one small thing – I did not know that my mother was pregnant.  I do not want to say that she kept it a secret from me – but it was not talked about in my presence.   [Read more…]

Wendy McDonald Can Barely Afford a Burger King

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By Bob Dorn

Debby, or Debra, Flores is 20 and has a 2-year-old daughter. She works at Wendy’s downtown, First and Broadway from 11 am to 3 p.m. only four days a week, which means she’s part-time and enjoys no company benefits. She makes $8 per hour from the Wendy’s she’s part of. So, during the week at Wendy’s she’s making $32 a day, taking home $128.00 per week, less taxes.

She pays taxes because she has ANOTHER job at a hookah lounge delivering food and tobacco starting at 7 pm and continuing through the night to 6 am.

Think of it. This slight, lean young girl human on a typical day of the week puts in 15 hours of work a day, commutes to her mother’s home and spends just about 3 hours a day with her child, starting at 3 pm. Sometimes, on a good day, she grabs maybe five hours of sleep, if she can sleep.   [Read more…]

Happy Labor Day, Now More than Ever

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By Jim Miller

Today is Labor Day, but how many of us have any idea where the holiday came from or what it celebrates?

The first Labor Day was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5th, 1882 in New York City and was proposed by the Central Labor Union (CLU) at a time when American workers were struggling for basic rights such as the eight-hour day. The CLU moved the “workingman’s holiday” to the first Monday in September in 1883 and urged other unions to celebrate the date as well.

The movement grew throughout the 1880s, along with the American labor movement itself with 23 states passing legislation recognizing Labor Day as a holiday. By 1894 Congress followed suit and Labor Day became a national holiday.

On that date, in 1894, most American workers still did not have an eight-hour day, the right to organize, social security, health care, or even a living wage. Child labor was common and there were no health and safety laws. Indeed, just being a unionist could get you fired or even killed in some quarters.   [Read more…]

Who in the World Lives in City Heights?

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Karen, Kachin and Shan join South Sudanese, Vietnamese and Mexicans

By Anna Daniels

Over forty percent of City Heights residents are foreign born. La Maestra, which operates health clinics in City Heights, recently provided a memorable introduction to some of our foreign born neighbors when over a dozen residents took to the fashion runway wearing traditional clothing. Their poise belies the fact that many arrived in this country with little more than hope and determination. It is easy to understand why the fashion show is described as the highlight of La Maestra’s gala fundraiser.   [Read more…]

Why Coca-Cola’s New Ad Campaign May Be Dangerous to Your Health

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Coke has rolled out an ad campaign, disguised as public service announcements. Here’s what you should know.

By Katherine Paul, Ronnie Cummins / AlterNet 

It was laughable when Coca-Cola launched a campaign to fight obesity. And even more laughable when the king of soda’s anti-obesity campaign shifted all the blame for those extra pounds to lack of exercise and chairs (yes, chairs).

But now, the company that donated $1.7 million to defeat last year’s GMO labeling initiative in California has gone from laughable to dangerous. In the wake of declining sales of its Diet Coke brand, Coke has rolled out an ad campaign carefully and deceptively crafted to convince consumers that aspartame, the artificial sweetener (whose patent was at one time owned by Monsanto) in Diet Coke, is a “healthy alternative” to sugar.   [Read more…]

August 29th – National Chicano Moratorium: 43 Years Later

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Every year for the past 43 years, August 29th has been commemorated and emulated by the National Chicano Moratorium Committee. On August 29, 1970, thousands of Chicanos and Mexican-Americans took to the streets in East LA to protest discrimination and lack of civil rights, and in particular, the high rates of the government draft of Chicanos for the Vietnam war. In a mixed setting of militancy and festiveness, the march was more a parade with children and families.

At some point along Whittier Boulevard, the LA Police Department, as the LA Free Press reported then – taking from the report below- :

“made an unprovoked attack on the thousands of peaceful demonstrators, men, women and children; old and young; civilians and anti-war veterans. Some fought back. People grabbed children, knocked on doors of people living near the melee begging them to take in the youngsters for safety’s sake. Others ran for their lives.

  [Read more…]

Our Continuing Excursion in City Heights, Part Two: Komad Market

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Komad Market
4348  54th Street
San Diego, CA 92115
619-229-9607

By Judi Curry

My former student  Corinne and I had just finished exploring the Safari Market (Part One of this series)  and, as we were walking out the door, we spotted another market across the parking lot called Komad Market.  For some reason it drew both of our attention so decided to take a stroll and see what it had to offer.

(When I went to Google to check the address for this article I could not find it listed; what I did find, at the same address was “Komad Fashion Spirit.”  Somewhere in the time they opened to now the name has changed and I suspect so has the concept.)

I think what caught our eye as we headed toward the car, was the array of long skirts that beckoned to the potential buyers of this area.  It was a very hot day, the muggiest so far this year, and everything looked so fresh and cool.  Upon entering the small store, albeit messy like the Safari Market but smaller and some semblance of order, we were greeted by two of the loveliest young women we had met in a long time.

  [Read more…]

Fast Food Workers Organizing in San Diego; First Action Set for Thursday

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By Doug Porter

Standing up for better wages in the fast food restaurant industry; it’s been like the little engine that could.  Last November it was just a couple hundred fast food restaurant employees in New York City.  By July the movement grew to include thousands of workers across seven other cities, including Chicago, Detroit, and Seattle.

On Thursday, August 29th, one day after nationwide commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the march for “Jobs and Freedom”, fast food and retail workers in 35 58 cities nationwide will stage one day strikes, job actions and demonstrations.

Here in San Diego the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, led by Rabbi Coskey will be answering the nationwide call for higher wages and better working conditions.  They’re urging people join them at 1st and Broadway on Thursday at 10am to stand in solidarity with fast food workers around the country. (More info here)   [Read more…]

An Excursion into City Heights, Part One: Safari Market Bazaar

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Safari Market Bazaar
4348  54th Street
San Diego, CA 92115

In continuing with San Diego Free Press “neighborhood watch”, it was time to venture into areas that I had never been before.  I recently met a man that I thought might be the companion I was looking for and asked him if he would like to go with me to review the Safari Market.  He said to me, and I believe this is a direct quote, “You couldn’t get me to go into that crime zone.”

Needless to say I am not seeing him anymore and was even more curious about what he considered a “crime zone.”

I asked a former Swiss student, a world traveler, if she would like to join me on this voyage, and she was all for it.  Since the market doesn’t open until 2:00pm – closes at 8:00 pm – it was perfect timing for her. She could surf in the morning; continue writing her dissertation before we left, and take a well deserved break to join me before continuing on her dissertation.
  [Read more…]

Obamacare Employer Mandate: Boon or Boondoggle?

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By Andy Cohen

The American healthcare system since World War II is based on employer supplied health insurance. It happened almost by accident, as tight wage controls prevented employers from offering prospective workers higher wages, so they got creative and offered benefits such as health insurance instead. It has since become the bedrock of our system, and remains that way today. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 55.1 percent of Americans received health coverage through an employer; among those aged 18-64 who were employed, 68 percent received health insurance from an employer.

Employer provided insurance is the cornerstone of our healthcare system, but now many employers are not happy about it. The cost is too prohibitive, they say. Having to provide health insurance to their employees hurts their ability to be competitive in the global marketplace. Manufacturing jobs have been off shored, in part, because of the rising cost of health care.   [Read more…]

The DeMaio Dilemma: Congress or City Council?

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By Doug Porter

Will he or won’t he? Run for mayor, that is.

It’s my contention (I’ve been wrong at least once before) that former City Councilman Carl DeMaio will not be entering the upcoming mayoral contest.

First, there’s my transactional analysis of what he’s doing on Twitter.

Yesterday his followers were invited to two fundraising events, “Young Professionals for Carl DeMaio” (tonight at the Hard Rock) and (for those who are young at heart and brain addled) a birthday celebration for the former city councilman on September 12th that specifically mentioned his candidacy for Congress.   [Read more…]

If You Liked Trickle Down Economics, You’ll Love ‘The Plan’ for San Diego’s Next Mayor.

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By Doug Porter

In case you missed the news, Bob Filner’s days as Mayor will be coming to a close this week.  The City Council went into closed session, voted to accept a deal worked out in mediation, played cards for 75 minutes, and came back to announce the results.

The soon-to-be ex-Mayor came to the front of the room and gave a rambling speech on Friday.

The announced date for the resignation to take effect is Friday, August 30th. By postponing the inevitable a week into the future, the schedule for future special election(s) was moved up in a manner more favorable to a higher voter turnout.  This could turn out to be one small last gift to the people of San Diego from hizzoner.

Today’s UT-San Diego hails City Attorney Jan Goldsmith as one of the four citizens who ‘saved’ the city.  While making his victory laps around town this morning, Goldsmith appeared on NBC7/39, telling us about how it’d been 8 months of tough work…

Wait? Does that mean his “investigation” started before the scandal?  I’m sure it was just a mental slip up. Right?   [Read more…]

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