Time To Walk Away, Hillary

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Stop Me If You Think That You've Heard This One Before

Today's top news in Google had this headline: "Bush calls Iran one of two greatest threats to America" from the Times Online.

Do we really have to wait until January for this guy to be gone? For fucks sake. To quote The Smiths again, I am so sickened.

My brother is visiting for one day next week before he gets shipped off to Iraq. I think I have the right to my opinion.

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MoveOn.Org Video

This video came from MoveOn.org, an organization I've proudly volunteered with in the past. I have to say, while I know ANYONE in the White House has to be better than what we've got, the possibility of another Republican administration not only scares me, but makes me simultaneously furious and sick to my stomach.

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A Political Tangent

I got home from work today, pretty wiped out having believed we'd be able to leave a bit early but didn't, and I read a couple articles in the latest edition of The Week magazine. I love this magazine because it's like a Cliff's Notes of the weeks news and gives thorough coverage from hundreds of top papers and merges them into small, succinct passages that not only give the news, but how the news was covered by the media, in editorials, revealing the political bias of such sources.

One of the briefs this week is about how the democratic nomination is progressing, how many electoral votes each candidate still needs to get, the debate over Superdelegates, new endorsements, etc. The one page article merge gives the "what happened", "what the editorials said", "what the columnists said" and "what next?". One line stood out to me.

Clinton herself hasn't accepted that reality (of the math of Superdelegates), said David Brooks in The New York Times. Her own aids say she has a 10 percent chance of securing the nomination; it's probably more like 5 percent. So, "for the sake of that 5 percent," Democrats may be facing three months of "character assassination" and divisiveness.

I went off to take my evening nap and was awaken by a call from my mom.

"Hello?"
"Can you blog about ANYTHING?" she asked.
"Yeah, anything."
"Well, can you write something about Hillary? I'm watching the news and it's making me so mad. These white men are trying to get her to step down from the campaign and it makes me so angry. They just can't stand the thought of a woman being in charge."
"Well, mom, maybe she should step down. If she keeps attacking Obama and doesn't get the nomination, she could be pushing Democrats to vote for McCain."
"But you don't understand. If she steps down, what about all the women who've fought, all the hispanic voters on her side. It will just be more of them keeping women down for another 50 years. I'm just so frustrated by it all. They're such jerks."
"Um, ok, I'll blog about it."

So, Internet. My mom doesn't want Hillary to drop out of the race until a clear winner is chosen. And I still think she should quit, or if she doesn't, she needs to take off the gloves with Obama and bring out a fresh pair for McCain, who, I shudder to think, could beat the Dems in the fall if this slugfest continues.

So there. My two cents. And my mom's. And this guy wrote a pretty good blog about it, too. And either way, rich white male America, you're on notice. My momma don't like you.

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Obama For President!!!

For anyone who missed Barack Obama's most recent speech, the entire transcript is here. It is, at least in my mind, the greatest speech I've ever heard delivered, at least in my lifetime so far. I hope to find video, but even reading the words brought tears to my eyes, which hasn't happened as a response to politics since Maya Angelou recited "On The Pulse of Morning" at Clinton's first inauguration, embedded below.

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Heart Of Kensington Candidates Sweep Election!!

The Heart of Kensington candidates swept the election, filling the seven vacant seats on the Ken-Tal Planning Committee. The current chair, interviewed by Channel 8, suggested that nobody cared two years ago when the project was first proposed. To that, I call bullshit. As I've mentioned, I've lived here almost 9 years and the first notice I ever received, was the night before the final vote by the planning committee. Now, fingers crossed that the Superior Court stops this project.

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Ken-Tal Planning Committee Meeting

I went to the Ken-Tal Planning Committee meeting tonight. People from Heart of Kensington were outside giving out stickers for those of us who support a more moderate development project to maintain the integrity and village feel of this neighborhood. They also handed out a paper with a slate of candidates who share the values of Heart of Kensington.

There was a long line out the door, but it was mostly because people were confused about the process. I was informed that voting was reserved for planning committee members or for people who submitted membership applications at the door and had been to at least one planning meeting in the prior 12 months. I was assed out. No vote for me.

It was a mostly uneventful meeting until the dozen or so candidates came up to give speeches. The majority of new candidates spoke about smart development, about maintaining the character of the neighborhood, about safety concerns and about greater transparency for the committee. The incumbents mostly spoke about their experience, how they love the neighborhood just like everyone else, and that there should be a variety of voices on the board, and that decisions shouldn't be based upon a single issue. At one point there was hissing when a candidate said he would help the project move forward. There were also a couple of comments and under the breath remarks from some of the incumbents about the election itself. One said that in over 10 years in the committee, voting never took place before the meeting. Less than half the room waited until after the speeches to cast their votes, and several people signed in, voted, and left. Someone in the audience also pointed out the bylaws of the committee prohibit "slates" of candidates, but it was argued that the slate was not supported nor endorsed by the committee council and there was no way for them to prevent the distribution of such materials outside the building.

Overall, I found the meeting to be quite boring, and I suppose since the Terrace has already been approved, the only thing that can stop it now is the lawsuit and injunction filed last week.

Unfortunately, I'm pretty fried and didn't make it to the Whistle Stop, and I plan on going to sleep soon, but since there are two news trucks parked across the street to shoot from the property to be developed, I'm curious to see how they cover it, so I just might have to stay up for News 8. I'm also curious to see how the election turned out but there was no mention of when or where results would be posted, which makes all that bullshit about transparency a bit ironic.

On a side note, a rep from Susan Davis' office gave an update and said those $600 gub'ment checks will be sent out starting at the end of May. They'll be spaced out and when your check arrives will depend on the last two numbers of your social security number and it will probably last at least a couple months for them to send all the checks.

Anyway, that's all the news I've got for now, so I'll post when something more interesting comes up.

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Stop Big Media From Further Consolidation

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Will.I.Am's Obama II: We Are The Ones

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Free Tax Filing

If your adjusted gross income was less than $54,000 in 2007, there is a list of companies who offer free online filing. Click here for the list. Just be sure to read the fine print. Some "free" companies, charge for rushed returns or advances on returns, or charge a separate fee for filing state taxes. If you're in this bracket, there are enough free services that you shouldn't have to pay a dime, just do your research.

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San Diego City Council Rejects Kensington Terrace Appeal

I am very, very disappointed in my City Council today, particularly my representative, Toni Atkins, who voted to reject the appeal of my neighbors against Kensington Terrace. I really wish I had been at that meeting. As I've mentioned before, I'm not 100% against the project, but I am certainly against living across the street from a project that is certain to bring noise, traffic, and a giant headache to my neighborhood. My non-selfish concerns are that the building is going to be too damn big, and I'm kinda tired of developers building new housing that is affordable to a small minority of the population. I'm hoping with the housing bust that all their greed is rewarded with units selling for half of asking price. Like a studio is worth half a million dollars. Give me a break.

Full article in the U-T here.

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Now's Not The Time For Me To Be Shy

oh, yeah...

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Super Tuesday + Fat Tuesday = Downtown Precinct Voting Disaster

I saw this story a few weeks ago and still think it's pretty hilarious...

From kfmb.com:

On Super Tuesday, Fifth Avenue will be closed from Broadway all the way south to
Harbor. Election officials hope by getting the word out early, they won't see a
thin turnout on Fat Tuesday.

For Deborah Seiler, San Diego County's new Registrar of Voters, Super Tuesday came with a super surprise.

"I was surprised I didn't know it was Mardi Gras," she said.

On Feb. 5 in downtown San Diego while thousands will start partying at 6 p.m., the polls won't close until 8 p.m. It's a problem for 3,000 voters who live in those six
precincts. Because on the same night when they're supposed to vote at four
polling places, 16 blocks of downtown San Diego will be fenced off and closed to
traffic.

I'm sure voting will go just as smoothly as it does every election, i.e., not smooth at all.

And, by the way, you know how you're not supposed to talk politics at work? That is a really good idea. You just might find out that someone you thought you were on the same page with is voting for someone who wears magic underpants.

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Kensington Terrace: Mixed Feelings

I am so sick. The kind of sick where you suppress the cough because you know how much it's going to hurt, where you become aware of just how many cells make up your skin because each of them aches. I came home from work at noon today and after eating some pozole, I fell asleep and stayed that way for 8 hours. Being home during the day has got me thinking about this whole Kensington Terrace project that is almost certainly going to be constructed directly across the street from my house.

I got some new literature about the project this past weekend. What is startling about that is that I have lived in my apartment eight and a half years. Eight and a half! And these pricks have the freaking nerve to send a "show your support for Kensington Terrace" letter addressed to a person who doesn't exist...My college boyfriend's first name and my last name...a name he used on a magazine subscription when he lived with me the first 6 months back in 1999. I vote every election; I receive newletters from my Councilmember and my Congresswoman, and Kensington Terrace can't find me. No wonder the ONLY notification I've ever received from the project was the day before the Ken-Tal Planning Committee voted (despite the claim that residents within 300 feet were notified as far back as 2006.)

The thing about it is that while obviously personally I dread two years of construction and trucks and hammering and a rerouted path home, I'm not totally against the idea of having more businesses in my vicinity. The literature promises to bring in locally owned businesses, like a bakery, a pharmacy, a gourmet mini store like Whole Foods on a smaller scale (supposedly), and some sort of yogurt, ice cream, or smoothie type business. Today, feeling so terribly sick, on the one hand how cool would it be to go across the street to a pharmacy to get some NyQuil, then head next door for perhaps a Jamba Juice or something. Then I have to remember that it's going to take two years for that to happen and I get all bent out of shape all over again.

When the apartments next to me underwent a condo conversion, trucks parked in my lot, contruction would start sometimes at 5 or 6 in the morning (which is illegal, by the way) and when I'd get home, I'd find some new form of disaster in my yard, like the time they sand blasted the wall, leaving a thin white dust on my patio furniture and lightly dusted around my entire kitchen because they didn't have the courtesy to warn me that I should close my windows. I had to complain to the developers and realtors repeatedly for damage to my personal property.

So here I am again, faced with developers who don't give a shit what I think. Is that because I'm only a renter and not an owner? Is it because they'll find a way to get rid of my block after they're done across the street? I don't know. But I'm a little pissed.

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PB Residents to the Rest of San Diego: Stay the hell out

First, there's the booze ban.

Second, there's the buyout of several lots in the Mission Beach/Pacific Beach area by developers, including the building that housed the Liar's Club.

Now, a "private company" is evaluating the parking situation in Pacific Beach and will likely recommend installing meters where none currently exist.

Just wait, next come the building height exemptions. And development. And less beach access. Apparently, if you have enough dough, you're more entitled to the beach than the rest of us losers.

I'm just saying that all the pieces appear to be separate issues, but add em up.

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Rudy Giuliani is a big dumb idiot

Benazir Bhutto, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, was assasssinated today. What genius does Rudy Guiliani offer? "We ought to double up our military efforts there." Hey Rudy, why don't you sign those kids of yours up for the military, you prick.

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Bush To Sign Fuel Efficiency Bill: BFD

Bush is finally going to sign a bill that requires automakers to achieve higher fuel efficiency standards as well as to increase use (and thereby production) of corn ethanol.

You have to read through almost half of this article before you get to this part:

The centerpiece of the bill remained the requirement for automakers to increase their industrywide vehicle fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average of 35 mpg by 2020, compared with today's 25 mpg when including passenger cars, SUVs and small trucks.

My 1994 Mazda still gets somewhere near 29 mpg even with a shit ton of wear and tear. 13 years later and we can't do better? And we have to wait until 2020?

While on my recent trip to SF, I forgot to take reading material with me to the airport, so I picked up a copy of Fast Company in the airport shop because the cover featured Tim Westergren of Pandora, who I met earlier this year. I loved the magazine, I ended up subscribing, and have been nothing short of impressed. Especially when I got my first copy in the mail and read this article about Jonathan Goodwin and his company that transforms cars into efficient vehicles beyond anything most people imagine...like a 100 mpg Lincoln Continental. Do yourself a favor and read the article. Then ask why we aren't demanding more from our government, from automakers, and from ourselves.

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Political Stuff: Kensington Terrace & Recalling Kevin Faulconer

A couple political things today.

First, there's this article about Kensington Terrace, the giant development that has been approved across the street from my house. The whole thing bums me out. Not so much because I'm opposed to development, but because I know one day these same developers will strong arm my landlord and she'll be left with no choice but to sell- especially with the burned out house next door just sitting there untouched. They're just waiting like pirranhas waiting to kick my ass out of the neighborhood, and that makes me sad.

In a city like San Diego that is already too expensive for middle and low income people like me, it just sucks. Renters don't have a voice and nobody really gives a shit about us- like my poor neighbors who got the boot a couple years ago when their building underwent a condo conversion. The two bedroom apartments rented for about $900. The converted two bedroom "condos" sold for $476,000. Obviously those neighbors relocated to another community.

For obvious reasons, I'll be paying close attention to this development. Some neighbors have put together a blog if anyone else is interested in following along. There is a planned appeal to oppose this project. There is a site created in support of the development by the developer here:Kensington Voice Blog And there's also one in opposition to the project here: For Kensington Here's another site with some great EIR info: Kensington Terrace Info

The other issue chapping my hide today is councilmember Kevin Falconer. There is now a site attempting to recall the councilmember, and while I may not be well versed in beach politics, the arguments are at least compelling enough for me to see it as worthy posting here. As many know, Kevin is behind the alcohol beach ban. Those idiots in the 4th of July mob in Mission Beach had no idea what a blessing their stupidity was to Mr Faulconer.

I'm not fact checking here- but basically my brother in law is involved in many community orgs in PB and told me that Kevin has received a couple fat donations from developers who plan to develop the waterfront...starting in OB and going as far north as they can. They intend to develop heritage land that isn't supposed to be developed and they're also fighting for a higher height limit on beach front properties. The info on the developments can be found here. It appears this will also be a goal in the downtown port area. Because nobody should be able to see the ocean unless you're rich enough to buy a house right in front of it. Like I said, I don't know all the ins and outs on this issue, but since I've always thought of Faulconer as a dirtball sleazebag, I'd support a recall even if what I've been told is only partially true. Recall Kevin Faulconer website.

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San Diego Fires: A Good Reason To Stop Blackwater

If you have been following the efforts of Blackwater to create a facility in Potrero, you will know that many San Diegans have been blindsided by the plans for the mercenary corporation to build here. These fires are just another reason why the facility is just a bad idea. To join the Courage Campaign and sign petitions to Senators Feinstein and Boxer to tell them we do not want Blackwater here, CLICK HERE.

From The Courage Campaign:

...I keep thinking about the good people of Potrero -- a serene small community
in East San Diego County -- that I met just a few weeks ago as we rallied
together to block Blackwater from building a base in their tiny, beautiful town.

These concerned community members have been working for months to stop
Blackwater from building a mercenary training facility on 824 acres, consisting
of 11 firing ranges, a helipad, and an emergency vehicle operator's course
covering the equivalent of 10 football fields. As we watch the fire burn across
the area today, one can only imagine what might have happened if an armory full
of ammunition and explosives were located inside this box canyon.

...Beyond the damage and destruction to life and property, the timing of
this wildfire could not be much worse. This fire exploded just as the people of
Potrero were preparing for a recall election on December 11 to kick out the
planning group members who approved Blackwater's base. With ballots scheduled to be mailed in early November to less than 600 registered voters in this historic
vote-by-mail recall, Potrero residents were preparing for an intense campaign
over the next six weeks.

Help Stop Blackwater Today.

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Cheers to my neighbor, Mr. Jerry Sanders

So at my pre-bday celebration with friends, we got on the topic of local politics, and it occurred to me that not enough people saw this video of Mr. Jerry Sanders, my Kensington neighbor, breaking down as he approved a resolution that was sent to the state supreme court in support of gay marriage. I tend to find myself in opposition to my neighbor many a time, but in this case, he made me proud to be a San Diegan.

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