Conversations I wish I’d heard this year. John Kern, political reporter. Evening Tribune:

1. The Grand Jury when they decided not to bring an accusation against City Attorney John Witt for taking his $100 campaign contribution
2. The District Attorney’s office when they decided they would bring charges against Dorothy “Sam” Kolis for election code violations
3. The conversation between Mayor Wilson and District Attorney Ed Miller on Election night when they decided on amnesty for candidates who broke the election code
4. The conversation between City Manager Kimball Moore and Mayor Pete Wilson after Proposition B failed
5. The conversation between Dr. Gaylord Parkinson and George Millay of Sea World when they decided on arrangements for the $30,000 fund-raiser for Ray Lussa and Jim Ellis.

Best albums of the year. Mike Harrison. KPRI Program Director:

1. 10 cc, 10 cc
2. Quadraphenia, The Who
3. Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd
4. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lynyrd Skynyrd
5. Brothers and Sisters, Allman Brothers Band
6. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Elton John
7. Passion Play, Jethro Tull

New Year baby

Best bargains of the year. CALPIRG, consumer survey study group:

1. large eggs. 55¢ a dozen, February at Big Bear
2. Farmer John bacon. 93¢ a pound, February at Bradshaw's
3. lean ground beef, 87¢ a pound, February at FedMart
4. white onions, 22¢ a pound, February at Safeway
5. milk, homogenized, 56¢ a half gallon. February, almost everywhere

Worst bargains of the year, CALPIRG:

1. large eggs, $1.02 a dozen. September at Mayfair
2. Farmer John bacon, $1.52 a pound, September at Alpha Beta
3. lean ground beef, $1.22 a pound, September at Mayfair
4. white onions, 29¢ a pound, September at Bradshaw's
5. milk, homogenized, bit a half gallon, November at Bradshaw’s

Luckiest people of the year, Gerry Gross, Channel 8 Sports:

1. Harlan Svare, because his friend Gene Klein made him Charger general manager and pays him $50,000 for just sitting in his office
2. Ron Waller, who as of yesterday (December 16) at 5 P.M. said goodbye to the pitiful mess called the Chargers
3. Johnny Unitas, because he gets paid $400,000 a year without playing
4. Wilt Chamberlain, because he gets $600,000 a year without playing

Best concerts in San Diego this year, Cameron Crowe, local free-lance writer for Rolling Stone:

1. Joe Walsh at the Civic Theatre
2. Allman Brothers Band at the Sports Arena
3. Yes at the Sports Arena
4. Led Zepplin at the Sports Arena
5. Jesse Colin Young and the Eagles at the Community Concourse (upcoming)

The most significant deals that took place in San Diego this year, Richard Spaulding of the Daily Transcript:

1. The buying of U.S. National by Crocker Bank
2. The sale of the Padres (if it goes through)
3. The sale of the 502-unit Plaza Apartment complex in Pacific Beach for over $10 million. (The largest sale of its kind in local history)
4. The sale of USIU campus to Pasadena College and the City of San Diego for $11.4 million (when it becomes final)
5. The Penasquitos, Inc. land “sold’’ by Irvin Kahn to the Teamsters Pension Fund for $22.5 million.
6. The sale of Kearny Industrial Park to a Canadian insurance company for $3.95 million. (11 buildings. 14 acres). The largest sale of its kind in southern California

Where I’ve eaten the best meals of 1973, Neil Morgan:

1. At home
2. La Favorite
3. Bamboo House
4. Nino's
5. The Wine and Food Society Dinner at the Westgate

Films I never expected to come to San Diego. Duncan Shepherd, local film critic:

1. Letter to Jane, by Godard
2. Blaise Pascal, by Rossellini
3. Even Dwarfs Started Small, by Herzog
4. Herostratus, by Don Levy
5. I Am a Nymphomaniac (under the title The Sensuous Teenager), by Max Pecas ("le grande Max”)

Favorite albums. Gabriel Wisdom. KGB disc jockey:

1. Birds of Fire. Mahavishnu Orchestra
2. Mystery to Me, Fleetwood Mac
3. Quadraphenia, The Who
4. Innervisions, Stevie Wonder
5. Last Train to Hicksville, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks

Best books. Chuck Mulverdy. Wahrenbrock's book store, downtown:

Fiction

1. Do with Me What You Will, Oates
2. Burr, Vidal
3. Gravity’s Rainbow, Pynchon
4. Breakfast of Champions, Vonnegul
5. Time Enough for Love, Heinlein
6. Come Nineveh, Come Tyre. Drury

Non fiction

1. Asian Journal, Thomas Merlon
2. How To Do Your Own Divorce, Sherman
3. Wittgenstein's Vienna, Toulmin
4. Journey to Ixtlan, Casteneda

Best surf of the year. Bill Andrews. P.B. Surf Shop:

1. August 17. Windansea. Good, clean, soft, south swell
2. Last of October (27-31). Variety was good at all beaches and reefs.
3. December 14. Good northwest everywhere. Biggest surf of vear.

Best concerts. Ted Burke, local rock writer.

1. Ellon John at Balboa Stadium
2. Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention at the Sports Arena
3. Yes at the Community Concourse
4. Mahavishnu Orchestra at UCSD Gym
5. Edgar Winter at Balboa Stadium

Worst concerts. Ted Burke:

1. T. Rex at the Community Concourse
2. John Mayall at the Community Concourse
3. Yoko Ono at San Diego Stadium
4. Chicago at San Diego Stadium

Best entertainment values in San Diego politics. Staff of San Diego Edition:

1. Financier and Padre owner C.A. Smith traded to a minor league by the Washington Revenuers
2. “The Group." a coalition of right-wing Republicans, making a successful entry into local politics
3. Rav Lussa's unsuccessful $40,000 bid for a $5000 City Council seat.
4. In its first year the S.D. Regional Coastal Commission's approval of 1005 out of 1100 applications
5. Builders' candidate Lee Taylor appointed to the County Board of Supervisors, giving developers a majority interest on the Board