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Sanders's Flack Bombarded Friendly Media with Anti-Aguirre Hit Pieces
I want a mayor who can use invective effectively...someone with a bit of arduous sea duty under his belt who knows how to really curse. I suggest at the next debate we see who can drop F-Bombs in the most creative manner. They could take turns, in the manner of the venerable hip-hop dissing contest. * Francis: Sanders, you be whack. You ain't nuthin but a hack! * Sanders: Francis, you named like a girl, you really make me hurl! * Francis: Yo, yo, yo, Sanders you be chicken, like a Colonel finger lickin' * Sanders: Hey, Steve, F--- You, ya'll smell like fresh poo! (and so on)— April 24, 2008 7:18 a.m.
San Diego redevelopers want Seventh and Market
San Diego's downtown has been developed into the ground. There are so many condos now, and so many identically ugly buildings, that whatever distinction there used to be is lost. Most of those new buildings are half vacant. The bubble has barely begun to burst. It will be years before they're actually occupied. In the meantime, what happens to the vacant and near vacant buildings? Will they be turned over to squaters? Will the few remaining residents have to pay outrageous HOA fees just to keep the elevators running? When residents eventually move in, where are the amenities? Grocery stores are few and far between, and there aren't enough schools or open spaces. Let's not forget the lack of jobs downtown. Not everyone can have a government white collar job, but that's what the office buildings seem best suited for. We've driven our former east village manufacturing over to China. Have we become a city of waitresses and waiters, chambermaids and butlers? Other professions seem to be on the decline. Certainly, other than government jobs, there are few good prospects for downtown employment. The CCDC has led the way off this cliff. We are fortunate to have a few dedicated citizens like Ian Trowbridge who take the time to monitor these agencies, since the local media does no more than reprint their press releases. Unfortunately, those in power pointedly ignore people like Mr. Trowbridge, and the writers at the Reader. Anyone who thinks San Diego has a bright future is just not paying attention. Best, Fred Williams— April 23, 2008 1:38 p.m.
Sanders Official Who Was Fired for Challenging Unethical Practices Files Wrongful Termination Suit
Oops, should have refreshed before defining TOS. Don, with standard blog monitoring software, you can see the IP of each poster. This is useful for posters who assume multiple identities. What the UT was trying to do was prove that city attorney employees were posting during working hours using city computers. Please, Don, ask your site administrator to do the same. Let's see how many Scott Peters/Jim Madaffer employees are using their city computers to vilify Aguirre on Reader blogs. What's good for the goose is good for the gander, heh? All that's missing is Fred Sainz giving you a list of city IP addresses...but I bet they won't do that for the Reader, only their friends in the media. Interesting stuff. Wonder how difficult it would be to just figure out those IP's without the city providing the list. I'd think this would be fairly easy...will find out. Best, Fred— April 23, 2008 7:17 a.m.
Sanders Official Who Was Fired for Challenging Unethical Practices Files Wrongful Termination Suit
TOS = Terms Of Service— April 23, 2008 7:12 a.m.
Mercenary Firm Blackwater, Which Gave Up On Attempt to Get Potrero Training Camp in March, Now Has Shooting Range Near Border
I've read elsewhere, (but don't recall where), that Blackwater was awarded a border security contract. So I guess they're training their mercenaries to shoot border crossers now. It's a sad state of affairs when our military gets turned into police, our police get turned into military, and mercenaries are in charge of our borders. Blackwater is evil. We should be ashamed to have their stink in our county.— April 23, 2008 6:15 a.m.
Ghost of Nixon’s past
Have a look at the UT's report of the party: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/bell/200…— April 23, 2008 6:12 a.m.
Amylin Shares Plunge 10.28 Percent; Diabetes Drug Byetta Comes Up Short
Don, Did you see 60 Minutes Sunday? They reported on a surgery (similar to gastric bypass) that they say cures diabetes. Very interesting, and perhaps also relevant to the drop of Amylin...— April 22, 2008 6:29 a.m.
Unnecessary roughness
Voice of San Diego has referenced this story: http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2008/04/1… Of course, VOSD's Seth Hettena has also claimed that the Reader has little to offer: http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2008/04/1… It's very interesting to read VOSD's sponsors list: http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/support_us/site_sp… The "convenient" judicial appointments for Goldsmith's associates ought to be investigated further...but it won't be done by VOSD, which clearly needs the Reader to lead the way to real stories.— April 20, 2008 7:16 a.m.
SEC Charges Five Former City Officials with Fraud for Roles in False Municipal Bond Filings
Anon, I agree with most of what you write, but must differ when you say the first person to jail for their crimes against San Diego is Murphy. Sorry, but you are just wrong. The first should be former city manager Jack McGrory. He was the architect of the Chargers fraud, and personally negotiated the notorious ticket guarantee. Then he left the city, and went right to work using his insider contacts on behalf of John Moores' Padres. He wrote the MOU, and then re-wrote it to let Moores break his agreements and rape the city. Jack McGrory is the one who got the union bosses to keep it all hushed up in exchange for inflated pensions. Ron Saathof, for example, got the illegal benefit of a double-dip being paid as union president AND receiving a city pension too. This was Jack's work. McGrory is now prominent on the list (along with Casey Gwinn) of "retirees" who get more than $100k annually from us. The main thing that distinguishes McGrory is that while many of the other perpetrators of these frauds are dumb, he's quite clever. At one time, it was said that the ONLY person in the city who understood the budget was McGrory. As Don Bauder frequently points out, complexity is often a cover for fraud. Well, who made the budget so complex? McGrory. Who used his unique knowledge of where the money was stashed to rip off the city? McGrory. Who should be in jail first? McGrory.— April 13, 2008 6:58 a.m.
Medicare broken, Social Security broken, SEC broken
The real estate bubble has only begun to deflate, and has a long way to go yet. And it's not only here...Spain, the U.K., and many other places (formerly our creditors) have grown 1990's Japan style bubbles of their own. They all seem to be collapsing simultaneously. Add the financial system's structural weaknesses, commodity and asset price inflation, and China's holding our debt...it's looking very bad. Listening to people here in San Diego, most seem completely indifferent to our situation, misled by a myopic media. The phrase "fat, dumb, and happy" repeatedly comes to mind. In fact, we're more interested in watching American Idol, or cheering rapacious sports teams than in addressing our pending economic meltdown. You make some good suggestions, but we all know they won't be implemented. The John Moores of the world rarely face justice for their financial crimes...they're tucked away safe and cozy in Rancho Santa Fe. Even if we elect a whole new slate of reformers, there is so very little they are capable of doing now. Don, you're lucky to be in your seventies. But your kids, like me, have to somehow deal with this mess...and historically, this kind of mess leads to bloody social collapse. So what can we realistically do? Economically and environmentally, it looks like we're royally f*cked.— April 11, 2008 6:57 a.m.