SoCal grocery workers have set a June 21 deadline for contract negotiations. They can always use more support.

The California Supreme Court has ruled that cities and counties DO have the right to ban big-box stores such as Wal Mart superstores.  Yet another step towards San Diego getting the ban finalized.

Drought related disaster has been declared in 23 California counties by the Dept. of Agriculture and the Small Business Administration, making low-interest loans available to recoup damages.  It’s something.

Tonight I’m feeling indie and reflective, so let’s just run with it shall we?  Minus The Bear – Pachuca Sunrise

“Is it possible to put this night to tune, and move it to you?”

Just to keep things exciting, it’s local brew night at your friendly neighborhood Open Thread.  The Calitics Event Calendar has been stocked with all sorts of delicious June activities, including the roll out of multiple San Diego candidates for office.  CA-50 candidate Michael Wray will rock the Rancho North County Dem Club next week, and then be part of a candidate’s forum on the 21st with fellow candidates John Lee Evans and Nick Leibham.

Candidate for AD 78 Marty Block kicks off his campaign on the 18th.  $100 a pop unless you can sweet talk Francine Busby :).

San Diego’s 3rd city council district will be open next year.  Dem clubs will be gathering on the 28th for an endorsement forum.  The district already has a crackpot conservative running who’s running against “special interest gays and lesbians” in the district known for its large gay and lesbian population.  Why not right?

Anyways. We’ll ice the “All San Diego All the Time” open thread with some local tunes.  Because it’s an election special, and because I’m going to the Air Conditioned Lounge tonight and Wesley once had a regular DJ gig there (maybe still does?), San Diego superstars: Bloody Hollies – Satanic Satellite

“You better start running… running… running… RUNNING”

UPDATE: Yup, he’s still there.

Back from Vegas with lighter pockets and ready to rock.  Turns out though that the real action is in California Indian Casinos which pulled in $25 billion last year and are growing faster than Las Vegas.  Sure, but are their prostitutes health screened?

Meanwhile, San Diego’s City Council got it right today, affirming their previous vote to ban big-box stores within the city.  Mayor Sanders is whining that it’s anti-business to ban things that are bad for business, but if the current 5-3 vote stands up, his veto is irrelevant.  Story comments are predictably ill-informed for the most part, but probably several are legitimate candidates for the U-T editorial staff.

And continuing on the “reality is whatever I tell you” road, Mayor Sanders is defending his cuts of city services by saying that funding cuts don’t mean service cuts.  He decided that firefighters didn’t deserve a cost of living raise because not enough of them were leaving, then boasted that, while opening several new branches of the library, he wasn’t reducing net hours.  Currently, the city has two fire hazard compliance officers.  I sure hope that there isn’t a really dry fire season or anything.

But anyways. I got my ticket today to see The National at the end of the month and I’m really quite delighted.  On that note (ah ha!), The National – Mistaken For Strangers

“surprise, surprise they wouldn’t wannna watch
another uninnocent, elegant fall into the unmagnificent lives of adults”

It’s bizarro night.  Lucas gets a vacation (see everybody Monday). Bush is concerned about greenhouse gases.  Clinton and Carter join Bush Sr. and hundreds of others to honor Billy Graham.  Apparently it’s Russia who needs to drop the Cold War mentality.  One of 13 rare white rhinos died today at San Diego’s Wild Animal Park, and so did the first panda born in captivity to be released in the wild.  Conversely, we have a new species of limbless lizard in India and it turns out that upright walking may have begun in trees.  So on that note, we’re going to space.  Moonbabies – War on Sound

“But I tried to tell you last night
The planet’s grown
Turned to stone
See you on the safe side?”

p.s., if you’re trying to place it, the guy sounds like Peter Gabriel.  Even more so on other songs.

Hi, everyone! I hope you had a good time chatting today. Well, it’s that time again when the sun comes down and the open thread starts up. So what’s on your mind tonight? What are you thinking about right now?

Tonight, I’m thinking about this Total Buzz piece about even MORE Minutemen follies. Remember the Minutemen? Yes, that racist group that’s falling apart! Well, it turns out that not only the Minutemen Project headed by Aliso Viejo man Jim Gilchrist is undergoing internal turmoil, but so is the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps. Remember them? They’re the original Arizona group that split from the original Minutemen project. Who knew that all these crazed egos can take down such a committed group of crazy xenophobes?

Sorry, but I just had to share that hilarious anecdote with you while I’m on my way to Drinking Liberally in Rancho Santa Margarita. Hey look, I can see my house all the way from here at the edge of the world on the 241 Toll Road! So what hilarious anecdote would you like to share with me? What good news clipping or wild viral video do you want to post tonight? What other blog story are you still reading?

Go ahead. Make my day. Fire away! : )

And we’re back with a hip hop revival.

In your news roundup, San Diego women’s prison Las Colinas will close by order of a grand jury which found the overcrowding to have reached “barely humane” levels, whatever that means. 

Pre-trial hearings began today for Lt. Col. Jeffrey Chessani, the commanding officer of the Marines involved in the Haditha killings.  On the menu: violation of an order and dereliction of duty.  Contrary to what I’m sure many on the Right wish was popular opinion, nobody wins in this.

And finally, our good friend Ruben Navarrette has a perplexing analysis of low-skill jobs and immigration.  He spends the first half of his op-ed establishing that Americans don’t want low wage jobs, and that they indeed look down on such jobs.  Then he dives right into the notion that maybe low-skilled workers would be better off if they got more skills.  Huh? Didn’t you just tell us that the problem was that America’s home-grown workforce was overskilled?  So your conclusion is, people need more skills?  He falls into the classic trap of “they’re stealing our jobs” blowhards while seemingly trying to refute it.  Nobody actually knows of large numbers of people who can’t get jobs because of immigrants, they just hear tell of them.  Yet they must be real, and I guess they need to call Lincoln Tech.

15 years after their last sighting, X-Clan is putting weak MCs on notice.  Now dance to the rhythm of the evolved drum.  X-Clan – Weapon X.
“You can be a strange fruit and be straight innocent.”

Hello again, and Happy Memorial Day! How’s the barbeque coming along? Have any of the kids jumped into the pool yet? Or wait, is that YOU in the pool with the white t-shirt? ; )

OK, and seriously, have you remembered the troops today? Are you grateful for their service to our country? Are you angry at Bush and the Republicans for dishonoring them by keeping them in the midst of all this chaos that all the experts knew would happen? Yes, I know it sucks. : (

Well, here’s some Arnold news for you. The Governator is in Anaheim today for the Stanley Cup (ice hockey) Championship Game today between the Anaheim Ducks and the Ottawa Senators. Now I may disagree with Arnold on a whole lot of things, but I can tell you that I agree with him on this:
GO DUCKS, GO DUCKS, WOO HOO, GO DUCKS!!!! : )

So what are you up to today? What would you like to chat with me about? What’s happening in your town today? Go ahead. Make my day. Fire away! : )

OK, I’m on my way back to Garden Grove for the Strawberry Festival. I can hardly get enough of that delectable strawberry shortcake! Oh yes, and I will also on duty tonight at the OC Democratic Party booth!

Last night, we registered SEVEN NEW DEMOCRATS! And yes, four of them switched from Republican. I’m sure that even more people have registered at our booth today. I think the lovely Loretta Sanchez sign and the beautifully colored “Proud to be a Democrat” donkey pictures (for the little ones to color) make our booth so inviting!

So what are you planning to do tonight? How do you plan to honor our brave soldiers tomorrow? Would you like some strawberry shortcake? What’s your Democratic club up to in your neighborhood? Oh yes, and would you like a strawberry milkshake to go with your shortcake?

Go ahead. Make my day. Fire away! : )

I’m at the Strawberry Festival today, and boy am I having a BERRY good time! I just finished my strawberry SUPREME sundae, so I think I’ll have enough of a sugar rush tonight to survive the night shift at the OC Democratic Party booth. This is one of the largest street fairs in the Western US, and we Orange County Democrats are here to show some blue pride in the County of Orange!

So what’s on your mind tonight? Do you want some of my sundae? Do you have plans for Memorial Day? Do you like street fairs? Do you think the Democratic Party is doing a good job in connecting with the community? Oh yeah, and do you want a bite of my sundae?

Go ahead. Make my day. Fire away! : )