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North Dakota Relocation? Amylin, Biogen Idec Shivering at Prospect
Besides the complex dealings you mentioned there...does the company actually gain anything from the move?— February 22, 2009 5:07 a.m.
Co-Counsel in District Attorney's Pension Conflict of Interest Case Takes Job with Superior Court
Don, I've said before I'm a big fan, but as a City employee sometimes I think you are way off. You write that: "Surreptitiously, some City employees will admit that the lavish benefits they receive are essentially illegal" Where do you get this? I've never met a City employee that thinks this way. I've seen before you characterize your blogs as opinion so you don't need to justify these types of statements, but that is very disingenuous. I've recently commented on some issues with the old Shames sewer billing rate case where I think you were stretching reality...but I consider your statement here untruthful. On the other hand, I have been watching Bill Moyers Journal...where Bill was interviewing Andrew Bacevich. I look forward to the Journal each week...and I was wondering what you thought about his show... if at all?— August 16, 2008 6 a.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Another possibility could be that when all was said and done, Shames could not substantiate the full amount originally proposed and then had to settle for less. We'll probably never know.— August 11, 2008 4:59 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Well it is post #120 and I haven't seen the Shames post you trusted in on #56. Not that it changes the point of the excellent article, but I can't help thinking there is a reason the post never materialized. Then again, it looks like things have moved on to the Chargers.— August 9, 2008 2:16 a.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Yes, I agree it is a bit off point of a comparison from desal. I never meant to compare the two...way over my head. But considering how much many people pay for bottled water (hundreds to thousands of dollars more expensive than tap) I doubt people in general will protest much. Of course thats a small % of overall water usage...so...well...like I said...over my head. And, yes, OC pumps their wastewater underground. I believe this is mainly to prevent saltwater intrusion. But I've never heard anyone in San Diego making the same suggestion here, I imagine for geological reasons that are also probably way over my head. But in January, OC began a different indirect potable resuse (I thought that is what you were talking about since it is similar to the proposals I have heard in San Diego). And thus I believe it is too soon to say it is safe because no one has gotten sick yet. Upstream sources of pollution are probably several times as far away as local lakes that would be receiving treated wastewater. And again San Diego has many Biotech R&D companies in close proximity to the recycling plant...all contributing solvents, new nanoparticle pollutants, experimental hormone chemicals...none of which will spend as much time going through natural purification that we see upstream on the Colorado. And I'll just repeat...just because you already consume pollutants in your drinking water doesn't mean it is ok to consume even more.— August 5, 2008 11:17 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Well Paul, by that logic I would think smoking cigarettes is safe provided I just started smoking in January and had not yet gotten sick. Ingesting toxic chemicals in low doses can take a long time to manifest problems. All of those pollutants I mentioned are in the wastewater, and treatment will not remove them all. And I'm not sure how OC is structured, but there is a huge concentration of biotechs around the City's recycling plant...I wonder how concentrated they are in OC (I really have no idea). As far as pollutants in our water already from upstream discharges...well I guess if they are already there, then there is no harm adding more right? Also, as far as I know, no one is proposing pumping treated sewage all the way out of State to take advantage of natural purification before it gets back to San Diego so the upstream argument is fairly misleading. And mine tailings I can take...most of those chemicals (heavy metals?) are probably settled out if they make it to the water treatment plant. But I suppose they could have started using experimental chemicals that mimic hormones in mines as they do in San Diego labs...but I doubt it. That link by the way was an interesting. Here is my favorite excerpt: "They suggest future research should focus on determining the toxicological significance of trace occurrence of various contaminants to establish sensible analytical detection limits and treatment goals." As a regular tap water consumer...I'd rather wait for research on toxicological significance to be finished first before I'll believe it is "highly unlikely" to be dangerous. Finally...San Diego will have enough trouble making current recycled water usable as salt levels in water continue to rise...indirect potable reuse is getting a bit ahead of the game. Thanks for the link again though...good stuff.— August 5, 2008 7:16 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Well I can't wait for the day that sewage from all of those famous San Diego biotechs gets recycled into drinking water. I've been meaning to boost my intake of chlorinated solvents, nanoparticles, waste pharmaceuticals, and artificial hormones. As far as Donna Frye goes...I seem to recall prior to the sewer charge restructure, when ISP trotted all their employees before the council...that her reason for voting for change was something to the effect that financially they didn't have a choice. I don't remember hearing any heroics on her part. But it seems that was years and years ago...and I certainly apologize if I am remembering this incorrectly. And I don't know who Erik Benink is, the City's website lists Shames as the attorney I think...but I must admit I don't know a lot about how that all works. But you did mention Shames (or UCAN or Benink now maybe) may make a post explaining what went down...anyone want to take bets it won't have anything justifying their %?— August 5, 2008 5:54 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Oh well if you got a "bunch of documents" then obviously they did a lot of work....— August 4, 2008 11:34 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Thanks for that info paul...but I don't think that is entirely correct. No one got a lump sum payment (except perhaps Shames) so it isn't really accurate to say 40 million was returned to ratepayers (in this case ratepayers being single family residences). But any liability on the sewer system is probably spread across to all ratepayers. So as single family residential customers get a credit each month or so, the cost burden is being shifted to businesses (and probably multi family residences...and probably, a bit back to single family residences). As far as the 12.5% being a modest sum...again I go back to wondering what they actually did besides file a lawsuit. The case could be made that they filed the lawsuit so they should get whatever % a lawyer usually gets...but don't you think a better measure of a "windfall" is $/hour worked?— August 4, 2008 4:18 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
I seem to recall the original claim was about 200 million...the settlement around 35 million, and Shames (or his organization) got about 5 million. But I guess the only way to know if it was a "windfall" would be to find out how much work they put into the lawsuit. Although I'm not sure how you know it WASN'T a "windfall" without the same information. As for the City being broke...I believe the settlement just changed how fees were collected between rate payers...so I'm not sure how that applies. BUT, this all is a bit off topic I guess. Thanks for the great article on the Sunrise Powerlink.— August 3, 2008 7:54 p.m.