Community Corner: Walt Meyer interviews Mike Copass on GLBT issues

What will happen in the next decade? Will San Diego continue to become ever more progressive? A lot depends upon the quality of our leadership, and your willingness to take risks. Liberty One Radio hopes that we can help provide the progressive voice for the next three decades. Here is a sample of what it could sound like.
Listen to Community Corner, with Walt Meyer.

Copass Report: Interview with Walter Meyer, audio.

Walt Meyer Interview, Segment 1

Walt Meyer Interview, Segment 2

Walt Meyer Interview, Segment 3

Walt Meyer Interview, Segment 4


Liberty One Radio's host Mike Copass interviewed San Diego-based author Walt Meyer about his new work, "Rounding Third"


The book touches on familiar themes surrounding high school identity issues -- sports, school, bullies, and family life. But "Rounding Third" isn't your typical high-school baseball novel. Meyer's literary accomplishment is realized in the way he draws the reader in to the relationship between the two protagonists -- a story that will leave you both cheered, heartbroken, and changed.

Listen to author Walt Meyer reading an excerpt from his new novel in the link above.

Read the Copass Report blog about "Rounding Third."

Copass Report: Interview with Maurice Martin, Homeless Vet

Liberty One Radio contacted US Army veteran Maurice Martin by phone on Monday December 21st, to talk about his advocacy work regarding San Diego's homeless veterans.

Mr. Martin works with some of the directors of Veterans Village of San Diego, which operates a winter survival shelter for vets.

Additionally, Martin is doing outreach with San Diego's Bethel AME Church, which is part of a church network offering holiday sanctuary to San Diegans without homes, and is working to bring over 600 Christmas meals.

Martin is a member of the Hugh Thompson chapter of Veterans for Peace, lobbying US military veterans through legislation, as well as active outreach with homeless veterans.

According to Maurice, "We can't leave a fellow veteran out there on the street."

Mr. Martin is not only an staunch advocate for improved mental and physical health services for veterans, and for the growing San Diego population without permanent housing -- he is also currently a homeless vet himself.

(Martin notes that his own journey to eventual homelessness did not occur immediately after his discharge; it began ten years later.)

Also See VETERANS FOR PEACE

- Mike Copass

U.S. Veterans & Volunteers Share Holiday Gratitude, by Mike Copass

"This made my day," said one participant.

December 16th afforded an opporunity to see some of the best in San Diegans, as members of local volunteer groups reached out to some of the many homeless military veterans in San Diego on a chilly eve. The Girls Think Tank and the San Diego Young Democrats joined together at a Midway-area temporary winter shelter for homeless veterans operated by Veterans Village of San Diego. Participants helped distribute150 winter survival backpacks filled with hats, gloves, toiletries, blankets, and food, along with donated clothes, books, and home-baked treats.

Equally warming was the conviviality of the event, a chance to meet and share greetings in the spirit of the holiday. Veterans shared personal stories and a few laughs with the volunteers, at tables between rows of neatly-kept bunk beds with Army Green blankets.


Women & Democratic Activists Connect with Area Vets
For the fourth year running, the non-profit activism group Girls Think Tank (GTT) put together the event. The Girls Think Tank is an all-volunteer group drawing many of its members from San Diego's law firms, including Coughlin Stoia and Zeldes & Haeggquist.

San Diego Young Democrats joined enthusiastically in the service project, bringing several dozen members, including President Bryan Crane, VP Stephanie Tesch, noted California political columnist Lucas O'Connor, and Jason Everitt, a candidate for Escondido City Council.

Event organizer and GTT member Amlyu Weas commented, “with the Winter Survival Backpack project, Girls Think Tank and its supporters are able to show thanks to military veterans who have served our nation and given of themselves. As President John Fitzgerald Kennedy said, ‘as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.’ ”

Jenny Kressel, the Community Service Chair for the Young Democrats Club, expressed her enthusiasm for the outreach. "Hearing the moving testimony from area homeless, I decided to help coordinate this service project with the Girls Think Tank. The San Diego Young Democrats are grateful to our military veterans, and this outreach is one way for us to give back to our military community, and show our support through service." Seemingly everywhere, the SD Young Democrats shared homemade baked goods, warm clothes, and good cheer with the veterans at the shelter.

San Diegan Barbara Cattedra of the Gothic Volunteer Alliance of San Diego was all smiles, "This is a great project -- we're happy to help."

Congressional Support
U.S. Representative Bob Filner of San Diego released a statement...

Read More at the Copass Report.

CCSE - California Center for Sustainable Energy

The California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) is a non-profit educational resource that was originally formed in the 1990's by San Diego Association of Governments (SanDAG), San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E), and San Diego State University (SDSU) to fill a policy gap in energy deregulation.

Andrew McAllister - Director of Programs CCSE, EnergyCenter.org, was interviewed by Michael Russell, during the 2009 San Diego Solar Conference.

Ben Arith - The Residential Solar Program Manager for the California Solar Inishitive at the CCSE, spoke with Sustainable Future about how homeowners should go about getting state incentives for their renewable energy, both Photovoltaic (PV) and Solar Thermal Hot Water.


The California Center for Sustainable Energy
8690 Balboa Ave.
San Diego, CA 92129
Ben.Arith@EnergyCenter.org
(858) 244-1194

Bonus: Sue Kateley - Director of the California Solar Energy Industry Association (CalSEIA) spoke with Sustainable Future about Assembly Bill 920 and Senate Bill 32, which make it pay to install solar renewable energy.

Learn more about 1-million solar homes and California's Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS), as our utilities strive to reach ambitious goals where one-third of our energy must come from renewable sources by 2020.

Urgent: Toys and Donations Needed for Military Families and Veterans

Urgent: Donations and toys are needed this holiday season to support vital services for military families and veterans


Mike Copass talks by phone with Carla Mays (pictured) of Organizing for America about service programs, including a survival pack assembly for homeless veterans, gifts for military families in Camp Pendleton, and donations to Interfaith Community Servies "Safety Net" for military families & vets.

Outreach to Homeless US veterans
Wednesday, 16 December, 6:15pm - 7:15pm
Point Loma -- VA Tent behind Goodwill
3663 Rosecrans St, San Diego, CA
See Facebook site
http://www.facebook.com/#/event.php?eid=208120370515&ref=mf

Interfaith Community Services

For donation to Military and Veterans Safety Net Program: contact
Greg Anglea, aka "Angel" Director of Development
(760) 489-6380 x220 ganglea@interfaithservices.org


Armed Services YMCA at Camp Pendleton: how to donate (drop off toys at Camp Pendleton in North County, or at the San Diego County Democratic Party HQ at 8340 Clairemont Mesa Blvd, Suite 105, between 9am-5pm)

Global Energy Network Institute, on Sustainable Future

GENI (Global Energy Network Institute) is a 501(c)3 founded in 1986 by Peter Meisen to investigate the idea of Dr. R. Buckminster Fuller, proposing a global electric energy grid as the number one priority to solve many of the world's most pressing problems.

Folklore tells the story of lemmings committing mass suicide by jumping off a Norwegian cliff – a metaphor for people who unquestioningly follow the leader to dangerous or fatal consequence. Could the enclosed headline scream any louder?: “Climate Change Speeds Up since 1997 Kyoto Accord.” All indicators have worsened and accelerated beyond some of the grimmest warnings of 12 years ago.

Are we just smarter lemmings headed for the cliff? Or can humanity actually change course before we reach the edge? No one really wants the planetary systems to overshoot thresholds of sustainability and then collapse. The greatest opportunity for global action is the Copenhagen Summit on Climate Change this month. All world leaders are meeting to set carbon reduction targets and energy policies that will affect every person on our planet.


Last month, GENI sent our recommendations to the leadership of every nation. Entitled “Clean Electricity is Essential for Sustainable Development,” we urge all leaders to stop building new fossil fuel plants and instead develop large renewable energy resources and link transmission grids to deliver that clean energy to our cities and industry. This is still the highest priority objective of the World GameTM simulation, and we have squandered any luxury of time to spare.


Michael, please contact your President or Prime Minister and ask them to be bold in their Copenhagen commitment. Now is not the time for timid solutions. Ask your media to reprint the enclosed letter to President Obama, which we sent around the world. Now is the time. The cliff is just ahead, and we know what to do. Future generations are counting on us.


In partnership for the planet,

Peter Meisen
President GENI


World Resources Simulation Center (WRSC) - A large format, immersive visualization and simulation facility, the WRSC will compile an inventory of world resources, analyze and assess historical and projected trends, and study best practices and solutions to current and anticipated problems.



P.S. GENI does this work out of your generous support. Your financial pledge enables us to reach decision-makers, business leaders and students around the world. Your monthly contribution makes a huge difference, and I invite you to pledge at the level equal to your vision for this work.

These Segments Supported by The Green News Report at Bradblog.com