San Diego Free Press

Grassroots News & Progressive Views

Las Monthly Ondas September Edition: Spend a Weekend with Picasso

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Herbert Siguenza Returns as the Iconic Artist

By Brent E. Beltrán

Some may have thought that Pablo Picasso died at the gravely old age of 91 while entertaining friends at his home in France. That was not the case because the famous artist lives on here in San Diego.

This month you can see him live and in the flesh as Salvadoran actor Herbert Siguenza, of Culture Clash fame, captures the pure essence of the master himself in A Weekend with Picasso. From his mannerisms and speech to painting live Siguenza channels his inner Picasso and transforms into one of the most influential artists in modern history.   [Read more…]

AB 5: Human Rights for the Poor

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By Tom Hunter

The State of California has recognized that the homeless are human beings with rights like anyone else.  They have the right to sleep and crap and beg by the side of the road if they choose.

So, while DeMaio fiddles (with himself, actually) and while San Diego burns, some politicians in Sacramento were busy trying to pry the San Diego Police Department handcuffs off of our local roofless class.  This is detailed in a seven-page listing of rights (because you can’t leave things like this to a Bonnie Dumanis type of imagination). To take a look at the final report in all of its glory, click here.   [Read more…]

Paying for Poor Performance

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Over the past two decades, the myth of CEOs earning their runaway pay packages has grown into the ultimate scam.

By  / Other Words

On Wall Street, they’re giving Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer the bum’s rush.

Ballmer has just announced he’ll soon retire. After his announcement, Microsoft’s shares shot up 7 percent. The wise guys on Wall Street obviously can’t wait to see Ballmer go.

And neither can business pundits. Ballmer’s 13 years at Microsoft’s summit, they seem to agree, have been a huge disappointment.   [Read more…]

For S.D. Voters, the “DeMaio Dance” Is In Full Swing

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Lines Increasingly Shaky Between SuperPAC, Congressional Bid, Mayoral Efforts

By Gracchus / San Diego Politico

As a recent mayoral candidate, current congressional candidate, and likely future mayoral candidate, Carl DeMaio has been revealing an old habit: trying to have it both ways.

Just months after he decided to convert his fundraising network into a bid for Congress, he’s now tiptoeing around campaign laws to advance his second attempt in one year to be Mayor of San Diego. Call it the “DeMaio Dance.” He keeps on going … but San Diegans might ask: What does he really want?   [Read more…]

Tío Emilio and the Secrets of the Ancestors: Chapter 15 — Increasing Energy

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“Light energy is pouring down on us constantly…like rain, entering into the top of your head. Let this energy flow through your whole being. Take it in, knowing that your body and spirit are being revitalized with this infusion of light, this energy.” Don Emilio

By Richard Juarez

Tony was fidgeting so much it was obvious he was anxious to talk about what we had done during the month. We had arrived a few minutes early and were already seated as Don Emilio walked in. Once he was seated and ready to begin, he asked us how our practice exercises went.   [Read more…]

You Must Be a Speed Reader to go to Lindbergh Field

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When was the last time you had to take someone to the airport? Or the last time you picked someone up? Have you been to the new airport – Terminal 2 – since they remodeled it into a highfalutin, gourmet-eating restaurant? If so, you know you have to be a speed reader to decipher the signs along Harbor Drive, especially while driving along at 50 miles-per-hour. Oh, you can’t? Well, you, my friend, are in trouble.   [Read more…]

Looking for Answers About Fort Rosecrans Cemetery

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New Director Talks About Getting It Fixed Up, Finally

By Judi Curry

It has been three weeks since the new Director of Ft. Rosecrans Cemetery moved into his “lodge”.

When I asked him where I should meet him he told me “at the lodge.” It took me a minute to realize he meant the “private quarters.”

He is in a wonderful position because he had the caveat to not answer questions with a “I don’t know because I wasn’t here”.  But he always promised he’d find out.   [Read more…]

Filner’s Final Day: The End of an Administration Doesn’t Have to be the End of an Era

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By Doug Porter

The national media will no longer be covering San Diego’s local politics after today.

Bob Filner, the 70 year old ex-Congressman who’s been described in recent months as a masher, sexual predator and grabby bully will no longer be ‘terrorizing’ the city as of 5pm this afternoon.

Mostly the attitude expressed in the media is “Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out”.

So now we can get back to business as usual. If only it was that simple.   [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…]

The Soul of Our Nation: War

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by Bruce Gagnon /Common Dreams

This is how it works.

The US has been providing Egypt with nearly $2 billion a year in “aid” since 1979.  Most of this is military aid.  That “aid” is then used to buy weapons from American corporations.  So in reality most of US foreign aid becomes more welfare programs for the military industrial complex.

Because of current civil war conditions in Egypt the Obama team is having to hold off on providing more aid to that embattled nation.  A recent Pew Research Center poll found that 51% of respondents said it’s better to cut off military assistance to Egypt, while 26% backed continued aid.   [Read more…]

Killing Civilians to Protect Civilians in Syria

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by Marjorie Cohn and Jeanne Mirer / Common Dreams

The drums of war are beating again. The Obama administration will reportedly launch a military strike to punish Syria’s Assad government for its alleged use of chemical weapons. A military attack would invariably kill civilians for the ostensible purpose of showing the Syrian government that killing civilians is wrong. “What we are talking about here is a potential response . . . to this specific violation of international norms,” declared White House press secretary Jay Carney. But a military intervention by the United States in Syria to punish the government would violate international law.

For the United States to threaten to and/or launch a military strike as a reprisal is a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter. The Charter requires countries to settle their international disputes peacefully. Article 2(4) makes it illegal for any country to either use force or threaten to use force against another country. Article 2(7) prohibits intervention in an internal or domestic dispute in another country. The only time military force is lawful under the Charter is when the Security Council approves it, or under Article 51, which allows a country to defend itself if attacked. “The use of chemical weapons within Syria is not an armed attack on the United States,” according to Notre Dame law professor Mary Ellen O’Connell.   [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…]

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