San Diego Johnny

Smoking Ban In Effect at San Diego Beaches and Parks

A No Smoking in San Diego's Mission Beach

No Smoking signs had been showing up in the City of San Diego's Beaches and Parks not too long after the San Diego City Council voted to ban smoking in these public spaces in June.  The ban had not been enforced but enforcement began last Thursday.  Lifeguards and City Park Rangers who are tasked with the enforcement of the ban can issue from $250 to $1,000 fines.  The City Council is looking to change the law sometime later this year as smoking is being allowed on beach "boardwalks" in between parks and beaches.      

San Diego County Commissioners: No Marijuana for You!

Apparently the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has alot of time on their hands.  Remediation of traffic problems and addressing the lack of affordable housing, can take a back seat to going after ill people who rely on marijuana to ease their pain.   The Board of Supervisors have decided to sue the state to uphold a federal law that outlaws the possession and use of marijuana and runs counter to a state referendum and statute that allow's the possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes.  San Bernardino County has joined in suing California, ostensibly to resolve a federalism conflict between statutes.  One wonders if these actions have less to do with a conflict of laws and more to do with carrying on the "War on Drugs" even when it means causing more suffering amongst the ill.   

Automated Postal Center, Godsend!

My favorite thing about going to the Post Office nowadays is not having to deal with a human being. LIke the self-checkout at Home Depot and some grocery chains, the Automated Postal Center lets you zip (no pun intended) in and out of the Post Office, recently it took me less than 30 seconds to buy the postage for a package and complete the transaction. The machines accept a debit or credit card and the funny thing is that so many people walk by this machine not knowing what it is. Unfortunately there seems to be only one to a post office, I would hope that the USPS will add more in the future but I suspect that the Postal Workers Union are none too happy about the machines and may see this automation as a source of job losses in the near future.