Events

Announcements:

Student loan interest to double this summer
05/24/2013
Sen. Elizabeth Warren wants student loans to get Fed discount rate -- Students taking out government loans to help pay for college should pay the same rock-bottom interest rate that the Federal Reserve charges big banks, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) proposed Wednesday. -- With the interest rate on federal student loans set to double to 6.8% this summer, Warren said it's unfair that big banks can borrow money at 0.75% from the central bank's discount window.Los Angeles Times

CPUC Restricts Public Access at SONGS Hearing
Announcement:
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will conduct formal evidentiary hearings next week (May 13-17, 2013) in the investigation into the events surrounding the January 31, 2012 emergency shutdown, subsequent outage, and possible permanent decommissioning of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. -- The law judge has excluded open media coverage of these hearings, contrary to customary procedure. "One can only imagine how threatening a camera can be if you are used to working behind closed doors and in smoke filled rooms."

We have already passed critical thresholds
Announcement:
The rapidly acidifying Arctic Ocean caused by absorbing the world's CO2 emissions have pushed us beyond "critical thresholds," with widespread impacts to be felt for "tens of thousands of years" even if we stopped emissions, say scientists. The three-year assessment from a team of international scientists is being released at the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme's (AMAP) International Conference on Arctic Ocean Acidification.

Protest against Ag monster Monsanto Corp
05/25/2013
Activists Around the World to Protest Monsanto May 25th. All over the world, people who want changes to the way genetically modified foods are grown and used will rally and march to protect our food supply. A full afternoon of activity in Balboa Park beings with meetup at 11:00 AM at the fountain by the Ruben H. Fleet Museum.

Memorial Day: Remember who and why we killed
05/27/2013
On Memorial Day we do well to remember American troops killed in battle, but also those we killed, who they were, and why we killed them. A profound message from Lea Bolger, leader in Veterans for Peace.

'Wet areas will get wetter, dry areas get drier'
Announcement:
Climate change may bring drought to temperate areas, study says -- 'Wet areas will get wetter and dry areas will get drier,' says a scientist, describing the findings of a NASA-led study on rainfall trends. Drought-prone places include the Southwestern United States. Climatologist: "These results in many ways are the worst of all possible worlds."

Quarry Creek Project Draws Legal Challenges
Announcement:
Preserve Calavera's first legal challenge to building 656 units at Quarry Creek was submitted the first week in May, with more to come. Unfortunately money drove the decision to approve this project, and more money will be needed to challenge that decision and achieve a compromise that works. Your tax deductible donations will keep the fight going, for as long as it takes! To donate online: http://preservecalavera.org -by Diane Nygaard

Cartoons of the Week
Announcement:

Issa's Benghazi Bunny Band

NCFC Screens: The Sessions
06/02/2013
The North County Film Club Screens: The Sessions, on Sunday, June 2, beginning at 3 pm. A man who uses an iron lung hires a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt) to help him lose his virginity. He confesses the sordid details to his priest, who lives vicariously through the confessions.

Military hero, Bradley Manning finally gets trial
06/03/2013
After more than three years of imprisonment, including nine months of torture, Nobel Peace Prize nominee Bradley Manning’s trial is finally scheduled to begin June 3, 2013, at Fort Meade, Maryland. The outcome of this trial will determine whether a conscience-driven 25-year-old WikiLeaks whistle-blower spends the rest of his life in prison. Bradley believed that the American people have a right to know the truth about what our government does around the world in our name. We the People must send a message to the military prosecuting authority, and President Obama, that Bradley Manning is a patriot and heroic truth-teller.

Lake San Marcos Dem Club Meets
06/08/2013
Lake San Marcos Dem Club speaker will be Democratic Congressman Scott Peters, who serves California's 52nd Congressional District. As you may recall, he defeated Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray in the 2012 election. His career in public service includes serving as San Diego’s first City Council President. Scott also served as a San Diego Port Commissioner.