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DeMaio Brings Rochambeau-Style Reforms to City Council
I'll add myself to the list of people who are rather encouraged that DeMaio is on the council. He could do an awful lot of good there precisely by not being popular with his colleagues. We've seen what consensus brings...and it's not good. I want there to be challenges to underlying assumptions, and I am hopeful DeMaio is willing to question how business is done in San Diego. Give DeMaio a chance. He may end up a lightning rod for the insiders, taking misdirected blame for their own misdeeds. So he deserves our support. The more the UT opposes him, the better he's doing...— December 12, 2008 2:23 p.m.
Hedge Fund in Which SDCERA Has Money Puts up Barriers to Redemptions
The news today that yet another hedge fund has collapsed is distinguished only by the truthfulness of its 70 year old founder who admitted it was all a scam. It seems to have evaporated $50 Billion dollars in what amounted to a Ponzi scheme. If my analysis of the derivatives and hedge funds is correct, they're ALL ponzi-like structures and NONE of them will pay off. Yet that is exactly where the big public employee retirement funds parked all their money. Another NPSM.— December 12, 2008 7:34 a.m.
Gardner Gets 8 Years for Peregrine Scam; His Lawyer Says Criminal Activity Going on Before Gardner Got There
John Moores doesn't dare appear in public anymore. If he did, he'd be mobbed by Peregrine shareholders, Padres fans, and tax paying San Diegans all lining up to take a turn kicking his greedy ass. What Moores has been doing all these years, flouting the law and thwarting justice, is leading to a collapse of confidence in our most important societal institutions. So long as he's not in jail, there can be no hope of San Diego ever recovering its dignity, and there's no reason to teach our kids right from wrong when they can point to John Moores living it up with stolen money and rightfully conclude that crime pays.— December 12, 2008 7:26 a.m.
San Diego prison bureaucracies deny basic medical care
Blue, in addition to what JacKim wrote, you should me mindful that this was a case that amounted to death through torture and neglect. How would you react to growing a tumorous mass on your genitals. Jabs of pain when you try to walk, going without liquids to avoid the razor blades ripping out your urethra when you pee. The daily horror of waking up to torn skin and blood soaking your underwear. It spreads to your rectum, you can feel the mass under your skin, growing larger and more painful as you sit in your cell, waiting and hoping they'll do something to help you. Even the guard-card prison staff feels pity for you, wincing in sympathy as they see you groaning in pain. All they can give you is a few ibuprofin. They write in the log, day after day, describing your horrible symptoms, and it just gets worse. Blue, do you think that is acceptable? Yes, many of us have no health insurance. But at least we can stumble to a hospital and expect that they'll at the minimum attempt to do something about a situation as dire as what this man endured, month after month. The prison choose to turn a blind eye to an unmistakable tragedy happening right before them. They allowed the torture to go on. And on. And on. In prison, where there is no escape. Then, when he was past any hope of recovery, they dumped him on the street. Blue, this does NOT happen every day to American families. People DO get sick, yes. But they do not have to DIE...especially when it's detected and treated early. Castaneda DID detect it early. He tried his hardest to get any kind of treatment, and it was denied to him. Why? Was it scorn? "Hee, hee. Dude's got something growing on his dick. How funny!" Was it prejudice? "Screw em. Wet backs in prison deserve what's coming to them." Sorry, Blue. There's no reasonable excuse, no equivication, and no argument to be made that this is somehow normal or acceptable. When you imprison someone, you take responsibility for their care in detention. Imprisoning someone and then allowing them to die is negligent homicide, manslaughter in the 2nd degree. Bringing this story to the attention of the public isn't propaganda, it's important journalism and one of our few safeguards against official abuse. Now let's hope the doctors and officials who allowed this man to die through neglect are held accountable.— December 12, 2008 7:14 a.m.
Dems and GOP fail to be frugal
MsGrant advised: "Stop trying to be something you are not. Once people get this, it's as if the weight of the world has been lifted from their shoulders. If you have shelter, clothes, a job and food, your needs are met. It is all the other crap that is killing us." It applies on the civic as well as the personal level. Remember the hue and cry of the corrupt ballpark backers? "Major League City". We are not, and never will be, a place where baseball is a central or defining aspect of our lives. We've tried to be something we are not...a sports town. Someplace in Wisconsin doesn't have much else going for it, and so it make sense for them to be fanatical about football. But for San Diego, blessed with the world's best climate, beaches, sun, mountains, canyons, Mission Bay, Balboa Park...football will never be important. Yet we've seen our money squandered on professional sports. It was sold to us by politicians, "businessmen", and media talking heads who have all made careers pretending to be something they are not. We fell for it, and now are suffering the consequences. It isn't just that the money was wasted on sports palaces...it's that the same money COULD have been spent on what MsGrant recommends. The civic equivalent of food, shelter, clothes, and a job is infrastructure and social services for the less fortunate. What is San Diego missing today? Infrastructure and social services for the less fortunate. Savings for a rainy day. Good jobs, transportation, and affordable housing. All the basics. Because we allowed our civic "leaders" to consort with wheeler-dealers like John Moores and Alex Spanos, with the full backing of labor unions and city staff, we've become a laughing stock for the nation. We don't have to continue down this path. Don points out that the sports mogul contracts are airtight, written by the best lawyers money can buy and signed off by the likes of McGrory, Gwinn, Golding, and Murphy. So, MsGrant and Don, and all the rest of you who agree that this is an injustice and civic disaster...what can we reasonably do? I just worked my butt off to elect a new City Council, and yet I don't see any movement from that quarter. Even the new majority is terrified to take on the moguls. They all know it's a minefield and an almost guaranteed end to their political aspirations...even though they'll privately agree the city got a raw deal. So what's next? How do we change this situation. Certainly we cannot let it stand when we're in such dire straits. So I'm looking for the next step. Best, Fred Williams— December 12, 2008 6:48 a.m.
Hedge Fund in Which SDCERA Has Money Puts up Barriers to Redemptions
I think this article by Nick Gillespie sums up the national situation nicely: http://reason.com/news/show/130522.html The author's neologism, National Pants-S***ing Moment, NPSM, should enter our political lexicon. Heed Gillespie's introductory warning...it's all true! "Author's note: This column is about politics and hence is filled with profanity and heaping helpings of excretory imagery. The faint of heart should evacuate this page immediately, like patrons at a Golden Corral buffet once the cheese sauce runs out."— December 12, 2008 5:25 a.m.
Hang in There, Baby
JohnnyVegas, you are wrong, wrong, wrong! Reindeer tastes NOTHING like chicken. Rather, it's like cross between venison and beef. Almost no fat, with a very rich texture. Not at all stringy...melts in your mouth. Mmmmmmm. Reindeer meat.— December 11, 2008 4:40 a.m.
Letters
Bless you, my child, for you have sinned...and I hope we'll be doing it again real soon. Yours in faith, Rev. Dr. Fred "Holy Roller" Williams Pastor/Rector Christian Alliance for Spiritual Hope— December 11, 2008 4:36 a.m.
Letters
If you dislike Josh, you must agree to support a worthy San Diegan. That's the reason all you disgruntled readers must immediately send generous donations to my newest philanthropic organization. The Fine Food For Fred Fund (FFFFF) is a charity set-up to provide much needed fine dining to a deserving and worthy recipient. Every day, the FFFFF raises money so that this wonderful man can be treated to sumptuous buffets, scrumptious brunches, and candlelight dining at San Diego's best eateries. When you donate your cash, checks, money orders, or credit card payments to the FFFFF, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you've helped Fred make it through another difficult day by filling his belly with the tastiest delicacies this town has to offer. So, if you have a beef with Josh Board and his Crasher column, all you have to do is send your money directly to me. Fine Food For Fred Fund c/o Fred Williams 55555 Homeless Street San Diego, CA 90210 BTW: If you find that writing your check or money order to the Fine Food For Fred Fund takes up too much space, then feel free to make them out to our sister organization, the Christian Alliance for Spiritual Hope (CASH).— December 10, 2008 3:43 p.m.
Hang in There, Baby
Smoked reindeer meat is common in Sweden. Very tasty.— December 10, 2008 3:16 p.m.