ECM WORLD WATCH: GLOBAL AND NATIONAL NEWS
January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)–ECM World Watch helps you be an informed citizen about important issues globally and nationally. As part of our commitment to reflect all voices and views, we include links to a wide variety of news sources representing a broad spectrum of political, religious, and social views. Top world and U.S. headlines include: U.S. Congress less popular than cockroaches (Salon) High court to tackle Native American adoption dispute (CNN) Congress lets Violence Against Women Act wither away (MSNBC) New immigration policy aims to limit family separations (KPBS) Disappearing Mule Deer A New Reality Throughout Western U.S. (NPR) Gabrielle Giffords takes on the gun lobby (CNN) Texas school can force teenager to wear locator chip: judge (Reuters) Hillary Clinton released from hospital after treatment of blood clot (Los Angeles Times) Fiscal cliff deal sneaks in Wall Street gifts, NASCAR perks (Huffington Post) Al Jazeera buys Al Gore’s Current TV (CBS) Canadian oil sands pollute nearby lakes. Report is blow to Keystone pipeline.(Christian Science Monitor) State Department made “grievous mistake” over Benghazi: Senate report (Reuters) WORLD Indian proposes ban on child labor (Washington Post) UN says more than 60,000 dead in Syrian civil war (U-T San Diego) Malala’s father given diplomatic role in UK(U-T San Diego) Protecting Native rights: idle no more (LA Progressive) Biofuels cause pollution, not as green as thought – study (Reuters) Online comments hurt science understanding, study finds (Journal of Science) Read more for excerpts and links to full stories. U.S. Congress less popular than cockroaches (Salon) January 8, 2013–Public Policy Polling had a little bit of fun with its latest survey of how Americans view Congress, and found that Congress is less popular than a number of things that are terrible. “We decided to take a different approach and test Congress’ popularity against 26 different things. And what we found is that Congress is less popular than cockroaches, traffic jams, and even Nickelback,” Tom Jensen of PPP writes. The poll finds that Congress has a 9 percent favorability rating, with 85 percent of voters having a negative view of it. Among the things more popular than Congress: lice, Brussels sprouts, NFL replacement refs, colonoscopies, root canals, traffic jams, cockroaches, carnies and more: High court to tackle Native American adoption dispute (CNN) January 5, 2013–A custody battle involving the “best interests” of a 3-year-old Cherokee girl will be taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court, an issue spanning the rights of adoptive parents and the desire to preserve Native American families within tribes. The justices announced they will hear an appeal from Matt and Melanie Capobianco, who legally adopted little Veronica in 2009, shortly after the birth mother agreed to give up the child. Oral arguments in the case will likely be heard in April with a ruling by late June. Congress lets Violence Against Women Act wither away (MSNBC) January 2, 2013–House Majority Leader Eric Cantor voted against his own party’s leadership Tuesday night on the fiscal cliff Senate bill, and lost. According to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Cantor was working “as hard as he could” to get a vote on Hurricane Sandy relief–he lost that, too. But Cantor won something else Tuesday night: he managed to effectively kill the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and send advocates for its reauthorization back to the drawing board. New immigration policy aims to limit family separations (KPBS) January 2, 2013– Federal authorities announced a new policy Monday to help some families stay together during the immigration process. The change addresses the fact that some undocumented immigrants who marry U.S. citizens, or have parents or children who are U.S. citizens,face a dilemma when it comes to legalizing their own status. Disappearing Mule Deer A New Reality Throughout Western U.S. (NPR) January 2, 2013–And I’m Audie Cornish. Scientists throughout the west are investigating a mysterious disappearance. Mule deer are vanishing. In Colorado, Wyoming and Utah, populations are half what they were in the 1970s. From Aspen Public Radio, Luke Runyon reports on some possible reasons. LUKE RUNYON, BYLINE: When John Halandras was just a boy growing up on his family’s ranch in the northwest corner of Colorado, his father would take him deer hunting. Back then, it wasn’t even a challenge. Gabrielle Giffords takes on the gun lobby (CNN) January 8, 2013–Former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly have launched what they hope will mark a new era in the battle over gun rights in America. On the second anniversary of a mass shooting in Arizona that wounded Giffords and killed six others, the couple launched a political action committee, Americans for Responsible Solutions, along with a website calling for contributions to help “encourage elected officials to stand up for solutions to prevent gun violence and protect responsible gun ownership.” Texas school can force teenager to wear locator chip: judge (Reuters) January 8, 2013–A public school district in Texas can require students to wear locator chips when they are on school property, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday in a case raising technology-driven privacy concerns among liberal and conservative groups alike. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia said the San Antonio Northside School District had the right to expel sophomore Andrea Hernandez, 15, from a magnet school at Jay High School, because she refused to wear the device, which is required of all students. Hillary Clinton released from hospital after treatment of blood clot (Los Angeles Times) January 2, 2013–Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was released from a New York hospital Wednesday evening after doctors treated her for a blood clot that had formed behind her ear. “Her medical team advised her that she is making good progress on all fronts, and they are confident she will make a full recovery,” Philippe Reines, deputy assistant secretary of State, said in a statement. “She’s eager to get back to the office, and we will keep you updated on her schedule as it becomes clearer in the coming days.” Fiscal cliff deal sneaks in Wall Street gifts, NASCAR perks (Huffington Post) January 2, 2013–The 11th-hour deal to avert the so-called fiscal cliff preserved billions of dollars in corporate tax giveaways even as it slashed take-home pay for millions of American workers. Tucked
ALPINE REALTOR TO SERVE AS 2013 PRESIDENT OF REALTORS ASSOCIATION
January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Alpine resident Jeff Campbell, a realtor with Jeff Campbell & Associates, will be installed as 2013 president of the 1,900-member Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors at PSAR’s 2013 board of directors installation dinner and celebration on Friday, Jan. 18. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Bonita Golf Course, 5540 Sweetwater Road, in Bonita. Seats cost $45 per person, or $400 for a table of eight. Register online at www.psar.org or www.esdcar.org, or phone (619) 421-7811 or (619) 579-0333. Campbell will serve as the first president for a full calendar year of the realtors association following the 2012 merger of the El Cajon-based East San Diego County Association of Realtors, with roughly 800 members, and the Chula Vista-based Pacific Southwest Association of Realtors, with roughly 1,100 members. The California Secretary of State approved the merger between the two realtor associations in August, 2012, followed by approval by the National Association of Realtors in September 2012. Peg Tischer-Keeley of the East County association served as president of the combined association in 2012. A San Diego native and resident of Alpine since 1990, Campbell is a second generation real estate professional. He is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School and San Diego State University. He has worked in real estate since 1980, including in the homeowner’s insurance, title insurance and escrow fields. He has been affiliated with Century 21 and Prudential Realty before joining Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty in 2011. Jeff Campbell & Associates operates offices in Alpine, La Mesa and Point Loma.
WHY THE REAL ESTATE MARKET LOOKS BRIGHT FOR SAN DIEGO
By Ryan Zuckerman, Homehub.com After a few years of a down economy and real estate market, the sun is rising again, as things turn around for the housing market in San Diego. How you might ask? Here are HomeHub.com’s top three reasons why we believe the future is a bright for the real estate market in San Diego. Remember this, perception is reality. Right now, most articles, most news stories and buzz in the business is that the housing market has recovered and has been doing so for the past year. The more positive news people hear, the more it becomes their reality. These stories are coming out because statistics show the San Diego market has improved over the past year. Now that it has become a reality, people can live the American Dream again and feel comfortable to get back out there and start house hunting. What statistics are all of the local and national media outlets basing their information on? “Previously owned” home sales, which have increased the last 16 months straight, based on a year over year look back at each month. That means for the last 16 months the housing market has outpaced the previous year, clearly indicating that the market is trending upward. Also fueling the recovery is the current lack of inventory in the greater San Diego area, from east to west. Remember your college economics class and the lessons of supply and demand? This market is a great example. A normal level of “supply” is around six months, but San Diego currently has a supply of only 3.2 months. This cycle is not just happening in San Diego, but in many markets across the country inventory is currently at “normal” sustainable levels. This means there is not an oversupply of homes anymore. This is changing the climate from becoming a seller’s market to more of a neutral market. This change is an extremely positive sign because it is signaling a change in the supply and demand. The supply is decreasing while demand is increasing. Do you need financing? Great, because interest rates are at all time lows. Instead of interest rates moving up, they have remained at some of the lowest rates EVER. This allows more people to be able to qualify for a home, since their payments will be less. With rental rates continuing to increase, it has become more affordable to buy in many sub-markets in San Diego. Ask yourself, what are you paying for rent? Now see what kind of home you can buy paying the same rent. Bottom-line, it’s a sunny time to get into the market. You must move fast before the sun sets and the home you want is no longer there, or interest rates and prices go up. There is a strong possibility that you can afford your American Dream in 2013.
BIOINITIATIVE 2012 REPORT ISSUES NEW WARNINGS ON WIRELESS AND ELECTROMAGNETIC FREQUENCIES
Brain cancer, sperm damage among risks January 8, 2012 (New York)– A new report by the BioInitiative Working Group 2012 says that evidence for risks to health has substantially increased since 2007 from electromagnetic fields and wireless technologies (radiofrequency radiation). The Report reviews over 1800 new scientific studies. Cell phone users, parents-to-be, young children and pregnant women are at particular risk. The BioInitiative 2012 Report has been prepared by 29 authors from ten countries, ten holding medical degrees (MDs), 21 PhDs, and three MsC, MA or MPHs. Among the authors are three former presidents of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, and five full members of BEMS. “There is a consistent pattern of increased risk for glioma (a malignant brain tumor) and acoustic neuroma with use of mobile and cordless phones” says Lennart Hardell, MD at Orebro University, Sweden. “Epidemiological evidence shows that radiofrequency should be classified as a human carcinogen. The existing FCC/IEE and ICNIRP public safety limits and reference levels are not adequate to protect public health.” A dozen new studies link cell phone radiation to sperm damage. Even a cell phone in the pocket or on a belt may harm sperm DNA, result in misshapen sperm, and impair fertility in men. Laptop computers with wireless internet connections can damage DNA in sperm. Based on strong evidence for vulnerable biology in autism, EMF/RFR can plausibly increase autism risk and symptoms. While we aggressively investigate the links between autism disorders and wireless technologies, we should minimize wireless and EMF exposures for people with autism disorders, children of all ages, people planning a baby, and during pregnancy,” says Martha Herbert, MD, PhD. Wireless devices such as phones and laptops used by pregnant women may alter brain development of the fetus. This has been linked in both animal and human studies to hyperactivity, learning and behavior problems. According to David O. Carpenter, MD, and co-editor of the 2012 Report: “There is now much more evidence of risks to health affecting billions of people world-wide. The status quo is not acceptable in light of the evidence for harm.“ This study covers EMF from powerlines, electrical wiring, appliances and hand-held devices; and from wireless technologies (cell and cordless phones, cell towers, ‘smart meters’, WI-FI, wireless laptops, wireless routers, baby monitors, and other electronic devices). Health topics include damage to DNA and genes, effects on memory, learning, behavior, attention, sleep disruption, cancer and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. New safety standards are urgently needed for protection against EMF and wireless exposures that now appear everywhere in daily life. The BioInitiative 2012 Report is available at: www.bioinitiative.org.
EAST COUNTY ROUNDUP: TOP LOCAL AND STATE NEWS
January 10, 2013–(San Diego’s East County)–East County Roundup highlights top stories of interest to East County and San Diego’s inland regions, published in other media. This week’s top “Roundup” headlines include: STATE California’s Child Population Projected To Drop Significantly (KPBS) Jerry Brown defiant in fight over prison overcrowding (Sacramento Bee) California man says he can drive in carpool lane with corporation papers (U.S. News) California Conditionally Approved to Run Its Own Health Insurance Market (KPBS) Parks Department Investigation Shows Intentional Hiding of Funds ( KPBS) Sierra snowpack has water managers happy so far (KPBS) Yosemite plan would ease traffic, shut ice rink (Sacramento Bee) LOCAL/REGIONAL Great-granny student body president at Grossmont: If I can do it, so can you (U-T San Diego) Bald eagles nesting in Ramona (10 News) Unmanned aerial vehicles and drone surveillance issues (IVN San Diego) La Mesa 2012: 100 years in the making (La Mesa Today) GOP picks Latina to lead local party (U-T San Diego) Day of service, Filner speech on tap for MLK Day (San Diego Free Press) Does new UCAN board want reform? (SD Reader) 3 more indicted in South Bay corruption probe (U-T San Diego) Indictments rain down across South Bay (NBC San Diego) Is Bob Filner canceling San Diego’s Earth Day? U-T San Diego) Read more for excerpts and links to full stories. STATE California’s Child Population Projected To Drop Significantly (KPBS) January 8, 2013–An unprecedented drop in California’s child population coupled with a growing wave of Baby Boomer retirements has major implications for the state and should drive lawmakers to adopt policies that will nurture young people with improved educational opportunities and health care, according to a report released today. An analysis of census data shows that children will make up 21 percent of the state’s population by 2030, down sharply from 33 percent in 1970, according to the report by USC’s Price School of Public Policy and the Lucille Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. Jerry Brown defiant in fight over prison overcrowding (Sacramento Bee) January 8, 2013–Gov. Jerry Brown railed this morning against federal oversight of California’s troubled prison system, calling it “intrusive” and “nit-picky” and vowing to fight in court to get the state out from under federal control. A defiant Brown also lifted a state of emergency declared in 2006 by his predecessor, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, due to prison overcrowding. “The prison emergency is over in California,” Brown said. California man says he can drive in carpool lane with corporation papers (U.S. News) January 5, 2013–When Jonathan Frieman of San Rafael, Calif., was pulled over for driving alone in the carpool lane, he argued to the officer that, actually, he did have a passenger. He waved his corporation papers at the officer, he told NBCBayArea.com, saying that corporations are people under California law. Frieman doesn’t actually support this notion. For more than 10 years, Frieman says he had been trying to get pulled over to get ticketed and to take his argument to court — to challenge a judge to determine that corporations and people are not the same. Mission accomplished in October, when he was slapped with a fine — a minimum of $481. California Conditionally Approved to Run Its Own Health Insurance Market (KPBS) January 5, 2013–California is part of a group of new states that has been approved by the federal government to run its own health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. Thursday’s approvals are conditional, based mostly on the states’ ability to meet federal guidelines and satisfy conditions of their own plans for the new marketplaces. Parks Department Investigation Shows Intentional Hiding of Funds (KPBS) January 4, 2013–The California Attorney General’s office has released its investigation into the funding surplus at the state Parks Department. As Amy Quinton reports from Sacramento, it shows that only part of the $54 million dollars found in two funds were intentionally hidden from the Department of Finance. Sierra snowpack has water managers happy so far (KPBS) January 2, 2013–California’s water managers said the state has a good supply of water so far thanks to a snowy December. The first official measurement of the Sierra Nevada snowpack showed four feet of accumulation. Manual and electronic readings showed the water content of the snow at 134 percent of average for this time of year. Yosemite plan would ease traffic, shut ice rink (Sacramento Bee) January 8, 2013–Visitors might miss the 1920s-era ice skating rink in the winter or the summer bike and raft rentals, but they’ll likely be glad to hear that a plan released Tuesday to protect the river that runs through Yosemite National Parkwon’t reduce the number of daily visitors. For years, the possibility has existed that access to the third-most visited national park would be decreased under the court-ordered effort to protect the Merced River, which received congressional “wild and scenic” designation in 1987. LOCAL/REGIONAL Great-granny student body president at Grossmont: If I can do it, so can you (U-T San Diego) January 3, 2012–For much of her life, Peg Marcus lived by two sacrosanct syllables: You can’t. You can’t finish high school because we need you for babysitting, her father told her in 10th grade. So she dropped out to care for her six younger siblings. They lived in the Rust Belt, where the men worked in factories and women cared for the little ones. You can’t change the way things have been done for generations. You just can’t. Bald eagles nesting in Ramona (10 News) January 3, 2013–Two bald eagles have built a nest in a eucalyptus tree in Ramona. It is the first time in San Diego County’s known history that a pair has built a nest this close to San Diego. “They’re totally wild birds,” said Dave Bittner, the executive director for the Wildlife Research Institute in Ramona. “Nobody brought them in here.” Bittner said the eagles started building the nest two months ago in the middle of the Ramona Grasslands, a wildlife reserve. He said bald eagles migrate through San Diego every winter but never stay to start a family. Unmanned aerial vehicles and drone surveillance issues (IVN San Diego) December 20, 2013–The recent spike in domestic surveillance could represent an increase of police force
LA MESA TO HOST TOWN HALL MEETINGS
January 10, 2013 (La Mesa) – In an on-going commitment to communicate with residents, all five members of the La Mesa City Council will host two Town Hall Meetings. The open-forum sessions are scheduled at the following locations: Tuesday, January 15, 2013, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm Lemon Avenue Elementary 8787 Lemon Avenue, La Mesa Thursday, January 17, 2013, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm La Mesa Middle School 4200 Parks Avenue, La Mesa All La Mesa residents are encouraged to attend and participate in a discussion about community issues with the City Council. The Town Hall Meetings are intended as a means for citizens to learn about City services, state what they like about La Mesa, how they envision the future of their city, and to express concerns. Each attendee will be able to publicly address Councilmembers or simply to listen. Councilmembers may then respond to questions or refer the matter to City staff or suggest resources for further study or action. Also, several informational tables will highlight various City services. Further information about this meeting is available by calling the City Manager’s Office at 619-667-1105.
RENO DISPATCH: BREAKING NEWS: SUPREME COURT REJECTS HISTORIC LAWSUIT AGAINST GOVERNMENT
By Jamie Reno, The Reno Dispatch January 10, 2013 (Washington, D.C.) – The U.S. Supreme Court has announced that it will not hear arguments in an historic lawsuit filed by two veterans groups in 2007 against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The lawsuit, Veterans for Common Sense v. Shinseki, demanded that the VA fix its broken mental health care system. Last May, a federal appeals court in California voted 10–1 to dismiss the case, ruling that only Congress or the president has the authority to direct changes on how veterans are treated. The decision overturned a 2–1 ruling in 2011 by the same court, which said that the department’s “unchecked incompetence has gone on long enough,” and permitted the plaintiffs to ask a federal judge to order changes in the VA. http://therenodispatch.blogspot.com/2013/01/breaking-news-supreme-court-rejects.html
FROM THE CHIEF’S CORNER: RODENTS AND COLD WEATHER – A PESKY FIRE HAZARD!
January 10, 2013 (San Diego) – People aren’t the only ones who value a dry, cozy home in cold weather according to Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna. Rodents do, too. “As it gets colder, everything that was out tends to want to find some sort of harbor inside,” says Chief DiGiovanna. They scurry in our walls and above our heads during the night, they raid our food and ruin it with their feces, and they reproduce wildly, creating more and more inhabitants for us to worry about. Rats, mice and squirrels also do a lot of damage to your home’s structure, insulation, pipes and even electrical wiring. While you can repair obvious damage, it’s all too easy to miss a gnawed piece of wire when confronted with larger scale issues like insulation used as nesting, excrement contaminated floorboards and gnawed on support beams. However, a missed frayed wire can cause more damage than all of the other problems: it can cause an electrical fire in your home! Why Do They Chew Wires? Considering that at least one rodent has to have gone to its death gnawing on an electrical wire, it doesn’t make much sense that they’ve taken to it. So why on earth do rodents chew on wires? The answer is simple: rodents chew on everything. Rodents’ teeth are constantly growing, which forces them to have to gnaw on anything they can get their paws on to file their teeth down. If they don’t gnaw frequently, their teeth can grow so long that they can no longer feed themselves and will starve to death. So electrical wires suffer from the tragedy of being chewed on simply because they are there. Rats, squirrels and mice will chew on anything, even metal pipes, so the squishy insulating exterior of electrical wires is an appetizing treat in comparison. How the Fires Start Plastic insulation surrounding electrical wiring exists because electricity is quite hot when it goes through wires. The insulation protects nearby objects from getting overheated. However, when a rat or other rodent has been going after your wires, they leave nothing left but the hot, exposed metal. From there, it’s only a matter of time before the wire either short circuits, causing a spark, or heats up and causes something nearby to ignite. Usually household insulation or other debris that are stirred up by the rodents are what sets fire, but sometimes it can just be that the wire is resting against a wooden support. Prevent Rodent-Related House Fires It’s estimated that nearly one quarter of fires with unknown causes are believed by experts to be caused by rodent damage. The easiest way to prevent rodent-related house fires is to prevent rodents from entering your home in the first place. Because mice can enter holes of even 1/4 inch, you need seal any exposed openings to ensure that rodents cannot enter your home. Your home should be free of exposed elements where rodents can gain entry. Avoid storing firewood, supplies, equipment etc next to your house. Rodents find refuge in these first and then can move into the home. Keep tree branches away from rooflines as Norway roof rats can gain access through these and heavy vegetation next to the home. If you already have rodents, you should call a professional pest control expert immediately. You may already have significant damage to your home from your rodent squatters, so once you’ve eliminated them from your home, ask your pest control expert about ways to check for and repair rodent-created damages. As always, install and frequently test a smoke detector in your house whether you have rodents or not. If a fire does occur, a smoke detector can save your life and the lives of your family.
BORDER PATROL HOSTS EAST COUNTY COMMUNITY FORUM JANUARY 16
January 10, 2013 (Alpine) – The public is invited to the U.S. Border Patrol’s East County Community Forum on January 16 at 6 p.m. The forum will be held in the Alpine Elementary School auditorium, 1850 Alpine Boulevard in Alpine. The forum will include discussion of community concerns, East County security threats, and the 2012-2016 Strategic Plan. RSVPs are requested to Michael Scappechio, Border Community Liaison Coordinator, at (619)216 4259 or michael.j.scappechio@cbp.dhs.gov.
WINTER STORM WARNING: COLD STORM TO BATTER AREA, SNOW COULD DROP TO 2,000 FEET
By Miriam Raftery January 10, 2013 (San Diego’s East County)—Expect chilly temperatures through the weekend as a cold front sweeps into the region. A winter storm warning has been issued for mountains and deserts today, with snow levels dropping to as low as 2000 feet tonight. That’s low enough to bring snow to Interstate 8 in East County east of Alpine. Rain is forecast for areas west of the mountains. Snow is expected to impact the following areas today, dropping even lower tonight: Cuyamaca, Descanso, Julian, Mount Laguna, Pine Valley, Ranchitta, Santa Ysabel, and Warner Springs. Visibility could be reduced to zero from blowing and drifting snow. This weather could be deadly for hikers and campers caught unprepared, the National Weather Service warns. A high wind warning has also been issued for mountain and desert areas, with gusts up to 65 mp and sustained winds of 25-30 mph. forecast. In coastal areas, flooding and rip currents are expected to produce hazardous conditions. If you must drive in snow-impacted areas, carry chains, warm clothing, water and a flashlight. The cold spell could be the worst since January 2007, when three days of below-freezing weather caused over $114 million in crop damage. Cover cold-sensitive plants or bring indoors if possible. A coastal flood advisory is also in effect, with flooding of low-lying areas possible. High waves may wash over sea walls and jetties as well as the Ocean Beach Pier as well Pacific Coast Highway from Sunset Beach north, as well as on Coast Highway 101 from Cardiff to Del Mar. Strong rip currents will make entering the water extremely dangerous, the National Weather Service advises.