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U-T Continues To Overstate Its Circulation Publicly, but a Potential Buyer Won't Be Fooled
As incomes fail to keep up with inflation, families are forced to cut non-essentials. Internet access is seen as an essential nowadays. The newspaper subscription is not. Especially in light of the fact that you're already getting the same or better information online if you choose. Other than the tactile tradition of holding the paper in your hands, what is the point of having the costly inconvenient non-searchable printed version that you'll eventually have to haul to the recycling bin? Okay, sure, when I sprawl on the floor with the Sunday newspaper, the cat just loves to help me by sitting right on the article I'm reading. I admit that's a lot of fun and awfully darn cute. But I can think of other ways to entertain the cat at less expense than a newspaper subscription. Circulation decline will accellerate with the declining economy and loss of purchasing power by our population. Again, they know they're paying for something they can otherwise have free. Unless the reason is compelling, or tradition unbreakable, this cannot endure. As another poster has commented here, the way to make a small fortune in the newspaper business today is to start with a large fortune...— August 9, 2008 8:40 a.m.
Recession Hitting San Diego's Superrich; Some Socialites Wearing the Same Gown Twice; Jewel Ball Doesn't Sell Out
Don, read about Soylent Green here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green— August 9, 2008 8:08 a.m.
San Diego Is Chargers' Problem
Back to the topic at hand... It's well documented how the Spanos family took San Diego for a ride, bilking us all out of tens of millions of dollars. We all continue to pay for this fiasco. For Fabiani to feel otherwise is fabulism. Have we learned our lesson? To Sanders' credit, he refuses to entertain the idea of giving away any more money to the Chargers. Aguirre is Fabiani's target of ire, often named by the team as the sole obstacle to the Chargers getting more city money. This is simply not true, yet another of Fabiani's many, many lies. The obstacle is the voters of San Diego. To be fair, Padres owner John Moores ripped us off for far more than the Spanos family. But it was the Spanos directed conversion of the multi-use Murph into a football only stadium that started the ball rolling. Former city manager Jack McGrory's involvement in this egregious set of deals has never been properly investigated, much less prosecuted. But this one man's penchant for secrecy and creative book keeping is the root cause of San Diego's financial disaster today. Soon after negotiating the Charger's notorious ticket guarantee and other bad for the city deals, McGrory jumped ship and negotiated on behalf of the Padres for their even more lopsided gift from the taxpayers of San Diego. Now we're all stuck with paying off stadium and ballpark debt for the foreseeable future. None of the promised benefits ever materialized. Only a fool thinks San Diego hasn't figured out their game by now. We don't want to play anymore. It's too expensive. This is the cause of Charger consternation. We know they aren't good citizens of San Diego, sucking out far more than they ever put in. The football players seem to appear on the police blotter more frequently than in highlight reels. Now that we are coming to grips with a harsh international economic reality, we have no more time for games like Fabiani plays. He's no more believable today than when he was claiming Clinton didn't ever misbehave in the White House. Why does he expect anyone to take him seriously (except the dunderheads at the UT)? Don, when you talk to Fabiani does he seem delusional? If Fabiani or McGrory have any morals they'd go find another job far away from fraudsters and charlatans, or maybe repent their shameful pasts and go off to a monastery somewhere and reflect on the many mistakes and betrayals they committed over the years.— August 9, 2008 8:06 a.m.
Worst Songs of All Time
Europe's song "The Final Countdown" is so annoying it makes my teeth hurt. And now you put it into my head, Josh, and it won't come out. I hate you. Also missing from all these types of lists are any songs in languages other than English. A lot of music around the world can be compared only to the savage wailing of twenty cats in heat mutually fighting for mating rights. Conversely, some of my favorite music today is not in English. Wanna see something kick-ass that you certainly won't understand, but will hopefully admire? Take 3:10 to watch and listen to this: "Zubata" by Michal Pavlicek http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdy_SpRUMts Whataya think?— August 9, 2008 7:23 a.m.
Lawn Mower Man
"Your Honor, the defendant was stocking the store before the robbery."— August 9, 2008 7:09 a.m.
Jake and the Fat Man's Execution
I have to debate you on this one, Josh...just kidding. In Europe I've seen replicas of the various ingenious devices they contrived through the ages to make death not only slow and painful, but a very entertaining spectator sport. I'm puzzled by the lack of innovation in execution equipment lately. For ages the researchers and technicians had to strive for prolonging and intensifying pain. Nowadays, the quest is to make it quick and painless. In the old days, they figured out how to make it quick and painless first thing, and reserved it for only the nobles. The rich got the beheadings, and paid the executioner in advance to make it a clean sweep. Remember that the guillotin was originally presented as the most humane and sure way of achieving this end, no additional bribe or operator training required. Why we cannot today figure out something that works as well is beyond me. Edison pushed the electric chair only to brand Tesla's AC power as dangerous. It's not efficient or effective. Firing squads can be fast acting, but it's needlessly traumatic for the soldiers involved. Hanging has a long and proud tradition, but it takes skill and experience to operate the noose properly. The drop distance has to be scaled to the body weight to achieve near instant death without a messy beheading. Too little drop, and the condemned strangles to death slowly, kicking, jerking and squirming until finally asphixiated. Hanging is not for amateurs. Lethal injection seems flawed too. It causes burning sensations. Can't they get anything right? Maybe they're spending too much time on last meals? Fine. I propose that research be conducted into inserting strong narcotics into the food. It should be odorless and tasteless, and able to knock you right out. Maybe rohypnol would work? Scientists and night clubbers can tell us. Then, when our subject of interest is slumpped over, oblivious to the world, just slip a plastic bag over his head, wrap duct tape tightly round his neck to create an airtight seal, wait fifteen minutes, and dispose of the corpse. Problem solved. No mess, no fuss. Sure, an inmate like Antigeekess might make some unpleasant odors, but any expiring body does that anyway. So her last meal of beans, beer, and bratwurst presents no problem. Best, Fred "The Impaler" Williams— August 9, 2008 7:05 a.m.
Violence up in Baja – especially for journalists
Crossborder Ken, I would like to read that proposed article you described in your comments. The Reader takes freelance submissions. From your comments, it's clear you know how to write and have the contacts to put your story together. I don't know how much the Reader pays, but if they publish your article you'll cash a check, just like any other writer who takes the time and effort to submit an acceptable story. If the Reader passes on it, you can submit to a long list of other publications that might be interested. I look forward to seeing your work soon, and when it's published you will be able to interact with your audience online just as Michael Hemmingson (MikeH) does. Interacting with informed readers is a healthy development in journalism. I'm glad when writers respond to our comments. Now get to writing, Ken. I'm waiting. Best, Fred— August 9, 2008 6:44 a.m.
Wealthy Local Citizens Discuss Buying U-T, Combining It with KUSI-TV, Possibly Having 24-Hour News Program
Don, I've never in my life owned a share of stock, and don't intend to start now. I've been reading about finance and economics since I was in my early twenties, and never felt that the information available was good justification for buying. Instead, in my lifetime at least, the markets have seemed more like a confidence game. At any rate, I'm sure you know I'm not endorsing Burwell's theory, but questioning it. I still wouldn't buy telecoms stock because their corporate structures and various partnerships under multiple jurisdictions makes their operations opaque. What ought to be more interesting to investors is the intrepid businessmen who go to hostile 3rd world countries and set up communications infrastructure that is finally affordable to the masses, transforming their lives. Imagine the difference between walking five miles to get market information, versus just making a call to find today's prices. The productivity gains that could be set loose in the developing world are huge. Whole economies can resettle on a better informational foundation. That's value investing, in my mind. Again, the key point you and I agree on is that newspapers and other physically distributed methods of information delivery, like other technologies before them (read any stone runes lately?) are being replaced with cheap ubiquitous bandwidth. Some printed media have thrived...see www.reason.com and Reason Magazine. How broadcasting KUSI, online signonsandiego, and the folded newsprint of the UT could collaborate effectively remains to be seen. We'll all be watching, but I'm sure not putting any of my money on anything. I'm too prone to mistakes...— August 8, 2008 11:05 a.m.
Recession Hitting San Diego's Superrich; Some Socialites Wearing the Same Gown Twice; Jewel Ball Doesn't Sell Out
This new research is fascinating: http://knowledge.wpcarey.asu.edu/article.cfm?arti… If the zeitgeist has changed from existential fears, and shifted towards worrying over what remediation must be taken to cure what ails us, it bodes ill for luxury goods makers profits. Also, it seems that those who feel compelled to consume have poor self-esteem: From W. P. Carey marketing Professor Naomi Mandel: "People who are high in self-esteem have previously been shown to be less susceptible to mortality salience," Mandel says. "When you start to think about mortality, you start to also think about whether or not you've lived up to cultural standards. You wonder if you've made your mark. Well, those people with high self-esteem think they have." It's quite the opposite for those with low self-esteem, she notes. "Those people are trying to put all of these thoughts out of their minds," Mandel says. "They want to escape from self-awareness. They don't want to confront the fact that they don't live up to cultural standards, and one way to do that is through overeating or over-consumption.” (hat tip to the excellent Hit and Run blog at www.reason.com)— August 8, 2008 10:07 a.m.
Wealthy Local Citizens Discuss Buying U-T, Combining It with KUSI-TV, Possibly Having 24-Hour News Program
Burwell, In 2004 Ebay bought a former Craigslist employee's 25% share. It was explained they would share technolgies. http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3394631 Apparently, that didn't work out. In 2007, Ebay launched a competitor to Craigslist: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/ju… So I don't think Ebay controls Craigslist. I also must respectfully disagree with you about the future costs of online activities. I work in both telecoms and IT. If anything, I believe the trend is going the opposite direction, with bandwidth commoditized and dropping in price just about everywhere. This includes not just your standard connections, but also 3G mobile networks using IP routing to provide rich data. Entities like VPNs even buy up discounted exess bandwidth on existing infrastructure, re-brand and resell it to consumers. I believe Virgin Mobile does this. I was in SE Asia doing volunteer work five years ago, installing wifi antennas to connect a remote village to the internet as a proof of concept for low-cost access. It's amazing how much you can do with how little if you're motivated. If the owners of the pipes were to somehow get together in a cartel and attempt what you describe, you'd be amazed how cheap and simple it could be for clever techies to route around them. I don't mean to be disagreeable, my friend. I just want to know where you are seeing this prediction about soaring prices. If you could provide some links, I would be very interested to learn how it could be possible.— August 8, 2008 9 a.m.