Thirty Years Ago
In the incessant border skirmishes between illegal Mexican immigrants and the Border Patrol, a new battle has developed in the last few months. It’s the “rock chuckers” versus the phlegm-green Border Patrol vehicles, and currently the chuckers seem to have the upper hand. Though Border Patrol officials can’t put an exact figure on it, they do admit that “several hundred dollars” worth of damage is wrought monthly to their cars and trucks.
— CITY LIGHTS: “STONING THE BORDER PATROL,” Neal Matthews, November 29, 1978

Twenty-Five Years Ago
The Sexual Freedom League is folding; an era has ended. By the dawn of the Eighties the San Diego chapter was the league’s last remaining enclave.

Jim D., the financial officer, who says the chapter sponsored only four or five swing parties in the last year, compared to 40 to 60 participants at parties held every Saturday night a half-dozen years ago.

The financial officer says he’s heard that in the last two years swinging in general has suffered a decline as fears of herpes and AIDS have multiplied.

“Over the years the more attractive people migrated to the private groups. We were finally left with people who didn’t look that good.”
— CITY LIGHTS: “AND TAKE YOUR MAZOLA WITH YOU,” Jeannette De Wyze, December 1, 1983

Twenty Years Ago
I work in downtown San Diego, and I am addicted to the cinnamon rolls from the Cinnamon Roll Fair on Broadway, near First Avenue. We’ve had an ongoing discussion about just how many calories these rolls have.

For the same caloric intake, your coffee break could consist of 9-1/2 pounds of lettuce, a quart of Tang, 29 pieces of bubblegum, or 75 stalks of celery. How about 30 cloves of garlic, 18 cups of clam juice, or 10 cups of sauerkraut? Or you might try 5 tablespoons of lard, 75 brussels sprouts, 13 onions, or 197 cups of coffee.
— STRAIGHT FROM THE HIP, Matthew Alice, December 1, 1988

Fifteen Years Ago
Whom is Ken Mayer trying to kid? (“Disciple of Flesh,” November 24.) All this hooey just to validate his personal obsession? If he wants to chase fat women, then let him run after them to his heart’s content (they surely can’t be difficult to catch!). But to spend this much print on the jerk is a complete waste. You could have used it to print something more interesting, like the treatment of foot fungus, or 101 fun things to do with lint. To call him a macho pig would be an insult to the pig.
— LETTERS: “THE POMPOUS, SELF-ADORING JERK,” L.A. Massey, San Diego, December 2, 1993

Ten Years Ago
I’d been unlucky in love. Ergo: time to try poker. I hadn’t played in many years and then I played badly, impatiently. But that didn’t matter. Only the adage alluded to above mattered. And one other thing I was counting on: beginner’s luck.

There used to be about 60 card rooms in San Diego. Last May only 3 remained, Ace’e Duce’e, the Lucky Lady, and the Palomar Card Club.
— “ROSES ARE RED, VIOLETS ARE BLUE, NEVER DRAW TO AN EIGHT, AND NEVER TWO,” Thomas Lux, December 3, 1998

Five Years Ago
But how sentient these days is Audrey Geisel? The La Jolla socialite divorced her first husband, packed her two young teenaged children off to boarding school, and married Ted “Dr. Seuss” Geisel in 1968. That was a year after the suicide of his first wife, Helen Palmer, who killed herself after becoming despondent over his affair with Audrey.... Two years ago Dr. Seuss [made it to] the humorously morbid list of “top-earning dead celebrities,” with an estimated yearly take of $19 million.
— CITY LIGHTS: “UNDEAD CELEBRITY,” Matt Potter, December 4, 2003