San Diego Free Press

Grassroots News & Progressive Views

Congress’ Sequester Carries Dire Consequences for San Diego Innovation Economy

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Cuts to government funding for basic research–already at dangerously low levels–could have devastating long term economic effects nationally, locally

Basic research—the very foundation of the research cluster—depends heavily on federal dollars. Without it, research activity will slow to a crawl and could eventually wither away.

According to information distributed by Congressman Peters’ office, the sequestration (or amputation) threatens to cut $2.5 billion from the National Institute of Health’s budget (8.2%). To put that in local terms: In fiscal year 2012, San Diego research groups benefitted from 1,760 grants totaling more than $130 million from the National Science Foundation and $850 million from the NIH.

Nationally, cuts to research funding could mean that 2,300 fewer grants will be funded, costing 33,000 jobs. Locally, 4,500 research jobs could be lost, and according to Mark Cafferty, the president and CEO of the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, “the loss of a higher wage, high tech job in this region means the loss of another job.” That’s 9,000 jobs in just the research cluster alone.   [Read more…]

Can We All Get Along? (Thoughts on Civility)

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So, if we’re really going to do this “civility” thing we have to understand that we’re not “restoring” something

“Can we all get along?” Rodney King once asked as the streets of LA burned as a result of LA’s Finest literally stomping him into the ground in sight of the whole world only to be found “not guilty,” free to go. Such is life in an uncivil world.

It’s nice to know, though, that in such an in-your-face world as is ours there are people who want to bring some degree of order to it. Like the people with whom I sat at a conference at USD, put on by a movement of people called Restoring Respect, that was all about “Restoring Civility to Civic Dialogue.” Restoring Respect believes that we, as a society, can get beyond today’s politics of incivility and work together to “make sure that our public discourse is worthy of a great Republic.”

I can dig it. But we have to be honest with ourselves and not get all caught up in the notion, as one woman did, that “We need to get back to a time when we treated each other with respect.” I almost said out loud, “When we did what? When was that?” Hey, we can’t make changes if we’re going to hallucinate mythical days that never were.   [Read more…]

Bicycling Moves Forward in San Diego – CicloSDias Event Announced for August

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Streets to Be Closed to Cars in Grant Hill/Stockton, South Park, North Park and City Heights

On the beautiful sunny morning of February 25, bicycle enthusiasts, city residents, and local politicians gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at San Diego’s newest bike corral in Hillcrest.  If you’re unfamiliar, a bike corral is an onstreet parking facility for bicycles, typically taking up the space of one or two automobile parking spots and providing parking for ten to twenty bicycles.

This new installation is San Diego’s fourth bike corral, all of which are located in District 3.  For those of you scoring at home that leaves us only 87 bike corrals short of the 91 boasted by the bicycle mecca of Portland.

The new bike corral is located on the south-west corner of the intersection of Richmond Street and University Avenue in Hillcrest, next to Filter Coffee House at 1295 University Avenue. The Uptown Community Parking District paid for the corral and the Hillcrest Business Association will provide for upkeep and maintenance in the future.   [Read more…]

Massive Winter Snow Storms Hit New England and Midwest

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Winter storms now are almost always blizzards because they are accompanied by high winds. Take winter storm Nemo, for example, which hit the New England states on February 9, 2013. Over 700,000 people lost power. On Long Island, upwards of 40,000 people lost power, with downed wires from tree limbs and heavy snows being cited as the primary reason. Four states declared states of emergency – Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York.

Record snowfalls accompanied by high winds – blizzard conditions – these are some of the manifestations of global warming. In the summer record rainfall precipitation events are often accompanied by high winds and tornadoes. This is becoming the norm these days.
  [Read more…]

The Starting Line – Downtown Tourism Showdown: Today’s Council Hearing is the Start of the Dump Filner Campaign

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Nothing will be decided at today’s hearing before the San Diego City Council (2pm) about the Tourism Marketing District funding. And that’s somehow appropriate; given that the whole battle over Mayor Bob Filner’s refusal to sign off on authorization of a 39 year deal is really nothing more than a proxy battle for a much bigger conflict.

At the bottom of all this is the inability of the city’s ‘downtown crowd’ to live with last fall’s election of Filner, who’s proven true to his word thus far about not continuing to do business as usual in San Diego.

INSIDE: Today’s Battle at City Hall, Majority of Hoteliers Voted Against 2% Fee, Right Wing Heads Explode as Michelle Obama Appears on Oscars   [Read more…]

Why Mayor Filner is Right to Stand Up to the Real Bullies

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What Filner is doing here is important and historic: he is standing up to the entitled private interests who have run San Diego for its entire history.

As Doug Porter reported here at the San Diego Free Press last week, Mayor Bob Filner is now engaged in an intense struggle with City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, big hoteliers, and the UT-San Diego because he has refused to sign off on the sweetheart deal negotiated by his predecessor whose legacy is quickly evaporating as you read this.  Specifically, Filner wants legal protections for the city if the dubious deal goes to court, a shorter tourism marketing agreement, a cut of hotel fees for city services, and a living wage for hotel employees.

Other than their questionable notion that the 2% tourist surcharge is not a tax, the real agenda behind the attack on Filner is San Diego’s elites’ desire to maintain their privilege and the advantages that have come to them from decades of shadow government.   [Read more…]

No, Obamacare is Not Making Your Premiums Go Through the Roof

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by Joan McCarter / Daily Kos

It’s the heart of right-wing conventional wisdom: Obamacare is going make insurance premiums for everybody skyrocket. The Wall Street Journal calls it “ObamaCare health-insurance sticker shock.” The CEO of Aetna said “somebody has to pay for” insuring all Americans. Fox Newstrumpeted rising premiums for everyone.

As usual lately, conventional wisdom is having a big fail. Actually, according to a new reportfrom the Obama administration, double-digit premium rate increases are falling. Dramatically. The researchers looked at 15 states that make requests for rate increases by insurers public, and saw rate increases plummet, at least in the individual plan market.   [Read more…]

The Dove and the Cockerel: Chapter 24

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“This way,” Sheila said, entering the corridor. They made the end in seconds. Sheila jumped up on a dumpster against the fence. She had started to climb the fence when a voice stopped her.

“Goddammit, I’m not going to say it again!” shouted Joe, his breath labored. “Police Department. Stop and put your hands where I can see them. Now, Assholes!”

Joe had stepped far enough into the passageway that he was now under one of the lights. Sheila could see his face clearly. She looked down at Tyrone, who was still on the ground. He looked to her for guidance. She motioned toward Joe with her head and raised her hands. She could take this guy if she could just get close enough. Tyrone raised his hands. No one saw the figure appear behind Joe.   [Read more…]

In The Year 3013

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By Leo Lobbestael

To the people who come next,

This place is not what it seems like. I do not even know where to start … it’s all too confusing. But just understand that this place you have entered is not what it seems to be. I have been here a long time. I ate and dined here. I even had a family behind these walls.

I’m not sure how it consumed us like it did. Please do not let it do the same to you, traveler. please do not let it do the same to you! I am certain it could do it to anyone!

  [Read more…]

Walmart’s Off to a Terrible 2013: Is Ravage-Capitalism Reaching a Point of Diminishing Returns?

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By Joshua Holland / Alternet

In a consumer-driven economy, you can only squeeze ordinary working people so far before they’re no longer able to buy the goods and services required to keep the ship afloat.

Walmart may be learning that simple truth the hard way. On Friday, Bloomberg reported a series of emails between company executives freaking out over the super-store’s dismal start to the new year. “Well, we just had one of those weeks here at Walmart U.S.,” wrote Cameron Geiger, senior vice president of Walmart U.S. Replenishment. “Where are all the customers? And where’s their money?” Another exec, Jerry Murray, Walmart’s vice president of finance and logistics, described the latest sales figures as, “the worst start to a month I have seen in my ~7 years with the company.”   [Read more…]

Monsanto Likely to Score Supreme Court Win with Far-Reaching Benefits for Corporate Farming

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Jill Richardson / Alternet

On Feb. 19, 2013, the Supreme Court heard yet another Monsanto case. (And yet again, Justice Clarence Thomas, former lawyer for Monsanto, did not recuse himself.) This time around, it was Monsanto vs. Vernon Hugh Bowman, an Indiana soybean and wheat farmer.

The issue in question is a familiar one for those who follow the issue of genetically engineered seeds. Each buyer of Monsanto’s patented seeds must sign a “Technology Agreement” and pay a technology fee. In the case of soybeans, soybeans themselves are seeds. A farmer who plants Monsanto’s patented soybean seeds will grow a crop of soybeans, which are themselves also seeds. The Technology Agreement prohibits the farmer from saving and replanting those seeds. It also forbids the buyer from doing research on Monsanto’s patented seeds.

In some cases, Monsanto licenses its genetically engineered seeds to other seed companies, like Pioneer (owned by DuPont). When a farmer buys Pioneer seeds with Monsanto patented genes in them, he pays one price for the seeds themselves – and that money goes to Pioneer – and a second fee, the Technology Fee, to Monsanto. The technology fee pays for Monsanto’s patented genes.   [Read more…]

Hypocrites! Taxpayer Association Rallies Supporters to Support Corporate Welfare (UPDATED)

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Showdown Set for 2pm Monday City Council Meeting

The San Diego County Taxpayers Association has found a tax they like.

They have issued a “Call to Action” for their supporters to show up at City Hall on Monday for a scheduled hearing of the City Council where the 2% tax-that’s-not-a-tax being collected by local hotels is going to be discussed. The Center for Policy Initiatives (CPI) is rallying their people to support the Mayor’s decision not to sign off on the tax.

Reading their flyer, you’d almost think the Taxpayers Association had somehow morphed into a Union. Now this tax is all about jobs, jobs, and jobs.   [Read more…]

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