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Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
# Response to post #166: Yes it is fun to reminisce with Don about Elvis. There are serious issue that people in all walks of life have to deal with, on a daily basis, but stumbling your way through life with a "woe is me no body cares what's happening" mindset will not make things any better in and of it's self and I highly doubt that taking a few moments out of the day for some fun correspondence with a respected journalist is going to worsen the problem. So how about sharing with us, in all your wisdom, exactly how you think we should all fight back against Sempra and their track record of failure to protect the ratepayers and taxpayers of San Diego. What specifically would you have us all do?? What is your plan?? I keep reading your rhetoric about how evil they are but I have yet to read what you say what you think we should do about them And more directly what actions have you yourself taken in this issue, other than simply complaining that no one is doing anything and no one cares? By the way, I seriously doubt that anyone hear is outraged by you. In fact, I would say few even take you seriously.— August 15, 2008 11:27 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Don, I certainly hope your sons know Elvis. I'm not much older than they are (51) and my daughter, who will be 22 shortly, has long been an Elvis fan. Although she readily admits she likes the "cool looking" Elvis of the 60's and not the "fat old drug guy" that Elvis was towards the end.— August 15, 2008 3:25 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
Don, It's the opening two lines of the Elvis song A Little Less Conversation. It's from the 1968 Elvis movie "Live a Little, Love a Little". It was written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange, was on the album Almost In Love and was released as a single. It was also a features song in the movie Ocean's Eleven and is heard in the intro of the tv show Las Vegas.— August 15, 2008 3:19 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
#152 is correct about Anon92107. Thru all of his/her posts I have never seen a sane logical solution to any of the issues being discussed. In all of the whining, complaining moaning and groaning about all that is wrong, how corrupt the politicians are, etc, ect, ect I have have yet to hear from Anon92107 what he/she is doing to help his/herself. Only complaining that no one really cares and asking who's going to come in and change things. That's all well and good, and easy to ignore. But now Anon92107 has crossed the line. Attacking the venerable Don Bauder is not to be tolerated. Just because you don't want to come out of retirement, lead the new revolution to restore the powers of the US Constution and vanquish all of the Goths, Visigoths Vandals, judges, politicians, CEOs, the U-T and all of the other corrupt bloodsuckers. Only you can correct all that is wrong with the world, Don. There are so many things that we as individuals can do to improve our lives, but apparently Anon92107 would rather have someone else do it for him/her. What was it that Elvis said, "A little less conversation, a little more action". Works for me.— August 15, 2008 11:57 a.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
MarkScha Didn't forget them, more like ignored. Seriously though, I was using Phoenix as an example of another desert community that takes a large potion of it's water from a source that SoCal also relies upon. And one that, to the best of my knowledge, is making few if any strides to mitigate their water usage. As I'm sure you're aware, a significant amount of LADWP water comes from the Sierra Nevada and I believe there are fewer intrusions into that supply before it reaches L.A. and then to San Diego. And there is no question tha L.A. does a better job in promoting conservation and more efficient use of water than Phoenix does. Maybe better than San Diego also, I'm not sure. The point is, San Diego doesn't have enough water. It will always be dependant on outside resources for water. The more San Diego can mitigate it's water usage, the less it will be dependant on some of those outside resources, whether that be a water-usage conscious city like L.A. suppling us water they import from the Sierras or the Colorado river, hoping water-gluttonous cities like Phoenix take only their "fair share"— August 6, 2008 3:19 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
response to 93 Don, when considering alternative sources of energy, such as solar or wind which I guess could be considered renewable and non depleting, isn't that in and of itself conservation? I mean if we are not depleting a natural resource such as coal, oil, nat gas etc, then we are practicing conservation. As far as water, I agree with Fred. It's location and quality. SoCal is a desert and we must mitigate our usage of water. Unfortunately some people just don't get it. If you've ever been to Phoenix, you know they could be the model of gluttony when it comes to water usage. Drive thru some of the wealtheir areas, such as Scottsdale, and it's so green you would swear you were in the Pacific Northwest. And a great deal of the water used on that greenery is coming from the Colorado, dercreasing avaiable water to So Cal.— August 6, 2008 2:28 p.m.
Sempra spins Sunrise Powerlink in the Union-Tribune
response to 94 Don, While I agree with you completely, let me play devils advocate for a moment. Isn't Sempra's sole reason for existense to produce revenue for it's share holders, which they did to the tune of about 11 billion last year. In those terms, Don Felsinger can hardly be considered an "incompetent utility CEO". That said, it's also not Don Felsinger's job to "serve the interests of the ratepayers and San Diego families". It's also not his job to "provide for reliable long-term electric service at lowest possible cost". His "job" is to make the share holders money. Speaking from your business backround Don, wouldn't you consider electricity a commodity, like say oil? One that is governed by supply and demand. If we didn't crave electricity like a hungry baby craves milk, wouldn't it be a whole different scenario? It doesn't matter how it's generated, solar, wind, coal fired generator, the utility will charge as much as it possibly can. And do you really think Sempra/SDG&E wants to see a county full of residential rooftops filled with PV panels? How much money do people think they will make in that scenario. Right now I have about 60% of my electricity coming from PV panel. By June of next year I should be generating at 100% , with more panels and enough battery storage to handle nitetime usage. Unfortunately though I can't actually disconnect from the grid because of those pesky cloud filled stormy days we have once in awhile. But because my "excess" electricity flows back out onto the grid, when I need it, it doesn't cost me anything. So how does SDG&E reward me? They take that excess electricity I generate and sell it themselves. And if I provide them with more than I need to take back during the course of the year, of coure they don't give me anything for it, they just keep it for free. Ah free enterprise at work. So the only money they will be getting from me is a monthly metering charge and whatever excess power I give them over the course of time. I can't see SDG&E supporting a county full of houses like mine. I just don't see that as a viable business model for them to survive on. I can only see that working on a truly public owned, not for profit utility company such as one I read about recently in Iceland. Definately NOT a scenario capable of survivng here. As for the "corrupt courts and totally incompetent and corrupt politicians in Sacramento" post 92 refers to, how do we fix that? I don't know since we are the ones that put them there. So maybe we should start shouldering some of the responsibility ourselves instead of just throwing it onto someone else.— August 6, 2008 2:10 p.m.
Equal Rights For Women? Thumbs Down!
I could care less about the poor gramatical structure of your blogs, except it would be nice if once in a while you spelled names correctly, especially the names of children. To me "good" writing in this instance is the quality of the content and the accuracy of facts given. When your giving an opinion in one of your little blogs such as your thoughts on a band or the cross on Mount Soledad it's just your opinion. And everyone knows opinions are like ex-wives: if you have one you would like someone else to have it. But when you write about actual events or people, using what actually occurred or was said would seem to be warranted instead of taking a short cut and just throwing out some general version of whatever you "think" the facts are. I understand that you don't take your blogs very seriously,that's obvious to anyone who reads them, even though you seem to take yourself VERY seriously. Iguess it's nice someone does. Sometimes you are so far out to lunch that I just can't resist the urge to respond. So anyway how about an answer my question, joshua. What about those people who go thru spurilous prosecution and the ordeal of a trial and are found innocent? In that case, shouldn't those who brought prosecution be subject to exactly the same penalties you proposed for people who wrongfully sue law enforcement? Or do you feel they should not be held accountable because "usually they (the accused parties)are wrongly accused, because they acted guilty, lawyered up, and did other weird things instead of just answering questions honestly".— August 4, 2008 2:32 p.m.
Equal Rights For Women? Thumbs Down!
Josh PS Roger Ebert hasn't appeared on the show since July 2006 but he was indeed still with the show, being very active behind the scenes. And he didn't quit. the studio, Disney, decided to take the program "in a new direction" and he will no longer be associated with it. In other words he was let go.— August 4, 2008 11:15 a.m.
Equal Rights For Women? Thumbs Down!
Josh, It's obvious from your rather amatuerish comments that you seldom, if ever, do any research on what you right about, i.e. the following: "Well, I don't have facts to back all this up, Fred. I just think the numbers are on my side.". But as you have said, it's only a blog and you don't care. You said "My point is this. If we pay regular citizens millions, just because the police questioned them and thought they were suspects (like the anthrax scientist, who got $5 million). To expand slightly on what Fred said, Hatfill wasn't simply wrongly accused to the media. His lawsuit claimed the FBI wiretapped his phones, made it impossible for him to work and leaked information about him to the news media "in a highly public campaign to accuse Dr. Hatfill without formally naming him a suspect or charging him with any wrongdoing." The judge hearing the case ordered both sides to try and settle the case after reading the FBI's secret memos and finding "There is not a scintilla of evidence that would indicate that Dr. Hatfill had anything to do with this". I would say that's just a little bit more than "the police questioned them and thought they were suspects" and have no problem with his settlement. I have no problem with law enforcement questioning, charging etc, if they have valid proof or evidence, but as Fred said "When the system malfunctions, reasonable compensation is due". When the system is hacked to predetermine biased outcomes, I have a big problem with that. And it happens, alot. If you are truly proposing that any one who does get through all the hurdles of trying to prove a case of misconduct yet ultimately fails deserves to additionally go to prison for ten years, then what about those people who go thru the ordeal of a trial and are found innocent? In that case, shouldn't those who brought prosecution be subject to exactly the same penalties? Or would you propose the not be held accountable because "usually they are wrongly accused, because they acted guilty, lawyered up, and did other weird things instead of just answering questions honestly". And as for the female prison guard while on the job. For some reason you forgot to mention the fact that she qualified for 100% disability, it was offered to her and she made the choice to return to work. I don't know you Josh and I don't know whether or not you actually believe these things these things that write nor do I care. As you said "It was almost 3 a.m. and as I've said, I don't use spell check or care, when it comes to blogs. I'm typing fast, off the top of my head." At least you qualify yourself accurately in your little mini bio: I've now become a writer full-time (which doesn't explain why I'm still so poor at it).— August 4, 2008 11:15 a.m.