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UCAN to Fight Another SDGE Program to Fleece Customers
As a kid growing up poor, we had our electricity turned off more than once. It's not just the lights going out, meaning you cannot read your books for school tomorrow, (forget about today's student's computing and communication needs). As Don says, it's also the food in the fridge (a large percentage of a meager income) that will be wasted. It's taking a cold shower, in the dark. It's not having an alarm clock, or any practical way to cook food, so just eating becomes quadruply expensive. Soon after, the landlord evicts your family (you cannot vacuum the carpet or ventilate the toilet without electricity...things fall apart, every one is very sorry). Some of your siblings sleep on friends' and relatives' couches, others in the car...stuff happens, most of it very bad. It's the little missteps, like not making your electricity bill, that triggers the avalanche. Tonight, even on the eminently worthly PBS, you'll see a Sempra commercial, bragging how much they care for kids and the next generation....— June 13, 2012 12:06 p.m.
A Political Scientist’s View on Sweetwater School District’s Turmoil
John McCann is the UT's favorite because he worked with the Chargers to try to build them a taxpayer funded stadium in the south bay. The UT will do anything, including bankrupting the city, to coddle the billionaire team owners. Since McCann is a public official who has shown his eagerness to do the same, he can do no wrong according to the UT. The "handshake" was obviously staged, deliberately, by McCann, in an attempt to gain sympathy and distract the voters from what's going on. The UT is a knowing accomplice in this fraud. Kudos to Mr. Payne for not backing down, and kudos to the judge for seeing through McCann's charade.— May 16, 2012 6:43 a.m.
Build a stadium and Chargers will stay? Nope.
Since the city has decided to invest in entertainment, couldn't we at least do it sensibly? For a fraction of the public money spent on football and baseball subsidies (currently estimated at more than $25 million annually) the city could partner with local entrepreneurs to create a new district next to the convention center. Adjacent to the Gas Lamp, this will be known as The Red Lamp District, and will honor the historic values of San Diego by providing the finest adult entertainment. Instead of a super bowl blowing through once a decade, San Diego could have a performing source of revenue (think of the HOURLY TOT!!!) year-round. New talent is always ready to come into the business, and it's a great way to learn teamwork and discipline. Plus, as an example for our kids it's the best. Instead of putting our money into a blood sport that produces hulking 45 year old zombies, we could be celebrating life and beauty. Forget building another stadium. Let's build the biggest collection of brothels in the USA, and truly become America's Finest City. The Red Lamp District is coming, whether we like it or not, because the next generation is going to have to pay off the overdue bills run up by the profligates of today. Cursed with poor schools, and a culture that celebrated the body over the brain, they'll have to use their bodies to pay off the debts...on their backs. Thanks, sports boosters. Your daughters will be swinging around poles for tourists...— May 6, 2012 9:38 p.m.
San Diego's redevelopment pigs want back at the trough
The majority of the San Diego City Council has received the majority of their campaign funds from developers. These same developers controlled downtown redevelopment, milking the rest of the city to fatten themselves and enhance their power. They're so entrenched, and have so many politicians in their pockets, that they will never give up their grip on other people's money. The redevelopment zombies will always want more, more, more... I sincerely hope the State's financial gnomes reject all these alleged obligations together. The few worthy projects will find funding, and the rest deserve to be abandoned sooner rather than later.— March 29, 2012 9:55 p.m.
San Diego's redevelopment pigs want back at the trough
Ah...the classic "affordable housing" dodge. They claimed they had to evict the poor folks so they could build public housing, but the property became a ballpark instead. Sound familiar San Diego?— March 29, 2012 9:49 p.m.
A Great Escape, Part Four
Another great story, well told. Jeff, what happened to the prisoners left behind who provided the diversion?— March 29, 2012 9:43 p.m.
A Great Escape, Part Three
Eagerly awaiting the next instalment...— March 23, 2012 12:24 p.m.
Tony Gwynn got salivary gland cancer but won't denounce chewing tobacco
As Oscar Wilde said, "We are all of us in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." I suppose that laying in a latrine wouldn't allow you such a view, but a ravine sure would. Regardless, as the Command Master Chief of Fighter Squadron 211 would say, "Well, if I'm laying in the stinking gutter, you can bet next month's pay check and your wife's fidelity that I'm either puking up whisky or looking up at the miniskirts walking by. Either way, be a good shipmate and make sure I get back on the damn boat." For Twister: If nine-tenths of the hell being raised in the world is well intentioned, does that mean that at least ten percent of the good done in the world is the result of evil intentions? :-)— March 23, 2012 12:11 p.m.
Tony Gwynn got salivary gland cancer but won't denounce chewing tobacco
That's an apt comparison, but your conclusion falls flat. Sure, ideally we should all avoid everything that could possibly be bad for us. Period. Simple. End of discussion. In the real world, however, we make trade-offs. We decide that it's preferable to have addicts on methadone than heroin. Smokers decide that it's better to use snus than to smoke tobacco. Only hard-headed moralistic bullies insist on the "quit or die" paradigm promoted in these comments. I'm sure these same people would tell an obese person that they have only two choices: die from diabetes or begin running a marathon RIGHT THIS MINUTE. I guess they'd potty train their children with similar ultimatums, condemning the child to death if they don't instantly begin using the toilet like an adult. So when I read the ignorant comments here, completely missing the point, nattering on and on about how ANY tobacco use of ANY kind is ALWAYS evil and if you smoke you must quit or DIE. No other choice is ever offered. Snus is not the same as chawin'backy, yet no one here seems to be willing to admit this simple (and obvious) fact. The way it's produced, used, and taken into the body is different, and the health effects are different. Yet the ignorant and sanctimonious insist on conflating the two and then getting up on a high horse to condemn all uses regardless of the facts. I'm quite disappointed that Don is engaging in this, as well as the strictly ad hominem attack on Dr. Ross. There's NO evidence cited that contradicts what he has to say. Only the unqualified OPINIONS of people who are committed anti-tobacco activists are quoted. I've cited real evidence, reviewed by independent scientists working in a country with a much better reputation for honesty than the USA. Ideally this should never happen. But I'll still read Don Bauder's articles because on balance I really appreciate the information, and he's far better than other writers on these topics. Ideally I shouldn't use snus or any other tobacco ever. But I'll still use snus because it's far better than smoking. If I were as moralistic and narrow minded as this article, I would never read Don Bauder's articles again. But in the real world, we understand the failings of our fellow humans and keep focused on what's important...not what's morally "ideal".— March 20, 2012 8:49 a.m.
Tony Gwynn got salivary gland cancer but won't denounce chewing tobacco
Hi Twist...don't let them get to you. They probably mean well.— March 20, 2012 8:34 a.m.