My late uncle, Fred Karmel, once dared to argue the merits of letterboxing with me. “I paid a lot of money for that 25-inch Zenith, Scotty,” Freddy grumbled, “and I’ll be goddamned if I’m not …
June 17, 2014
News & Stories
ow playing at AMC Theat
Southeast Asia: it's a hostel world
“What do you want to do when you come visit?” “I don’t know! You plan it.” Well, let’s just see how this goes: I'm traveling on a shoestring budget through Southeast Asia with my mom. …
June 17, 2014
Because 1 billion is not enough
Qualcomm chairman Paul Jacobs and his wife, Stacy, employ a legal but controversial tax strategy that can greatly lessen or eliminate estate and gift taxes, according to Qualcomm and Securities and Exchange Commission filings. It's …
June 17, 2014
Fishers vs. surfers at I.B. Pier
Pier-fishers in Imperial Beach are complaining about the city's signs that create a protected “surf zone” that limits the area where they can fish. The signs are located on the pier, marking the point past …
June 17, 2014
Gang tats don’t help dead man
In opening statements to a jury on June 16, a defense attorney appeared to impugn the alleged murder victim, saying “everybody knew” the deceased was a drug dealer in the neighborhood and a “multi-convicted felon.” …
June 17, 2014
Armed with papers
Yesterday (June 16), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) held an open meeting in Costa Mesa at which proponents and opponents of the San Onofre payment settlement could express their opinions. At 4 p.m., San …
June 17, 2014
Obama’s Del Martian loophole lobbyist
How transparent is Organizing for Action, the big-money "issue advocacy" committee closely associated with Barack Obama's White House? Not enough, suggests the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonprofit based in Washington DC that runs OpenSecrets.org, …
June 17, 2014
"The plumber touched me" defense
On June 16, a San Diego judge ordered six years in prison for a young man convicted of robbing his employer at an ATM machine, after a dispute over pay more than a year ago. …
June 17, 2014
Last Call: The Motherfer With the Hat at Cygnet
Cygnet’s excellent production of the Show We Cannot Fully Name, The Motherf--er With the Hat, must close this Sunday, June 22. The title’s both a warning (there will be untoward language) and an assertion: like …
June 17, 2014
Fallen heroes
The sad and untimely death of San Diego Padre great Tony Gwynn on June 16 from salivary gland cancer caused by a lifetime of dipping tobacco while playing baseball should in no way bring to …
June 17, 2014
Dollar belly filler
Can a feller fill a belly for a dollar in this town? Just ask Carlos. That’s what I did, because that’s all I had. Exactly one Washington in the pocket, eaten nothing all day, had …
June 17, 2014
Yes, nightmare
Top directors of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with secretary of state John Kerry, face a federal lawsuit from an American citizen who claims he's been trapped in Mexico by the border patrol since …
June 17, 2014
Letters: Punks, Diamondbacks, (un)happy hours, and the continuing Lindbergh discussion
What Was with the Tiny Plane? Just a word about the Lindbergh mural article in SD on the QT — “Clean Air(ports)”. Lindbergh was far from being pro-Nazi. He, in fact, flew 50 missions in …
June 17, 2014