Back When People Had a Hard Time Avoiding Britney Spears

Author

Various Authors

Publish Date

San Diego Reader, October 25, 1976

Thirty-Five Years Ago
A moist night wind whipped the crowd that waited patiently at the Southwestern College gymnasium. Some had been waiting since 1:00 p.m. Some had come from as far way as San Francisco. They had driven all night, battled ticket lines, and finally fought their way into the final waiting line.
For what were they all waiting?
For Uri Geller, a name synonymous with mystery, the unknown, and strange powers of the mind. Uri Geller, a man either derided or exalted, but never ignored.
— “MIND OVER MATTER,” J.M. Stracyznski, October 25, 1976

Thirty Years Ago
Ruth Potter was saying that La Jolla itself has too many streets and byways that include its name: La Jolla Boulevard, La Jolla Farms Road, La Jolla Corona Drive, and so forth. “It gets a little boring,” complained Potter, who’s chairman of La Jollans Inc.
The planning group has joined with the La Jolla Town Council to ask the San Diego City Council to prohibit the christening of any new stores outside La Jolla with the La Jolla designation.
— CITY LIGHTS: “COULD YOU BE A DEAR AND JUST CALL IT KEARNY MESA COURT?” Jeannette De Wyze, October 29, 1981

Twenty-Five Years Ago
More than 50 small retailers who rent stalls at Monte Kobey’s popular Sports Arena swap meet have banded together, hired an attorney, and demanded significant changes in the way Kobey does business. While the retailers probably won’t win major concessions from Kobey, their decision to divulge details of the swap meet’s financial operation could embarrass both the San Diego city property department and the city attorney’s office.
— THE INSIDE STORY, Paul Krueger, October 30, 1986

Twenty Years Ago
Nearly half of the 146 bank robberies that occurred in San Diego between September 1, 1990, and September 1, 1991, took place at 26 of the city’s nearly 300 banks. The unlucky:
Wells Fargo, 1701 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach, November 7, 1990: $5000. Suspect, wearing a flesh-colored ski mask and waving a revolver, walked up to a teller and gave her a demand note. She filled a bag with $10,000 and he ran off. Half of that money was recovered later when a dye pack she had placed in the bag exploded. Two women overheard the robber yell “Yikes” as he dropped the stained loot.
Security Pacific, 3470 College Grove, College Area, February 22, 1991: $1000. Suspect handed teller a demand note, grabbed the money, and ran out to an awaiting car. The bank manager followed him and wrote down the license plate number. The car was later spotted...both the robber and his driver were arrested.
— CITY LIGHTS: “JINXED FOR FALL: SKI MASKS AT BANK HEISTS,” Jeannette De Wyze, October 31, 1991

Fifteen Years Ago
Dr. Dan Hallin, chair of the communications department at UCSD, traces the roots of his department’s attempt to analyze and criticize the media back to ancient Greece. “Plato is very fundamental. He has his critique of the poets in The Republic, and that is the first critique of the dominant communication system of the country.” (Plato concluded that they ought to be run out of the city.) Several years later, Halin and Co. are still at it, and one of their primary targets is television.
— AS SEEN ON TV: “EVERYTHING’S AN ILLUSION,” Matthew Lickona, October 31, 1996

Ten Years Ago
Rebecca hopped into our minivan after school. “Mommy, who’s Britney Spears?” she asked.
“She’s a singer,” I answered. “Where’d you hear about her?”
“Theresa was talking about her today. She said she liked her. But Hailey said Britney Spears was bad. She said God gave her a beautiful voice but that she was misusing it.”
“I think I’d have to agree with Hailey,” I said.
Hailey said Britney Spears doesn’t dress very modestly.
“Hailey’s right again.”
As the months went by, we had a hard time avoiding Britney Spears.
— KID STUFF: “LITTLE GIRLS AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE SEXY,” Anne Albright, October 25, 2001

Five Years Ago
“You know,” I say, “I’ve never quite nailed down what da heck carnitas is.”
“Come on, man,” says Hank. “Carnitas is pork; but, like, they slow-cook it in lard. Its own juices give it flavor, so you don’t need to add anything except maybe cilantro and a bit of onion.”
“It’s dee-licious,” I say. “A baby in gums could chew this pork. And the frijoles — flavor city! But deep-fried for three hours...that can’t be good for, like, the arteries.”
Hector’s mom Margaret pricks her ears up. She’s sitting at a table nearby with some friends. “But if it’s so bad for you, how come every single Mexican hasn’t died of a heart attack?”
— TIN FORK: “EATING DANGEROUSLY,” Ed Bedford, October 26, 2006

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