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Hey, Bernie: Hillary has diddled with Wall Street
Don, I know you can do better than this. Of course Clinton is not "innocent regarding the financial system." Are you saying that in a pejorative sense, suggesting that she should be innocent of how things can be manipulated? Seriously?? No American President can afford to be hazy on Wall Street and its machinations. Clinton is definitely financially savvy (and so are her allies), and very intelligent about finance and markets, which is requisite when it comes to Wall Street. Have you read "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis? If so, you'll know that not even many people at the big institutions fully understood how to make the various moves that led to the series of crashes from 1997 to 2008. Having someone who knows the players and understands the games - Clinton - is hugely important going forward. And for once, I agree with Beran: your choice of photo (one of the worst) of a normally very nice looking Hillary Clinton speaks volumes. And Clinton vs. Aguirre? And Paulson? Seriously? Hillary Clinton is miles out of their league.— April 22, 2016 6:34 p.m.
A matter bigger than the city attorney
"Attorneys are now allowed to cite the case in legal documents as well as challenge the scope of what classifies as a public record." That's very important. Bah to the League. And Goldsmith. Hooray for Judge Wohlfeil.— February 16, 2016 8:14 p.m.
Truax House repair costs a wild guess?
Thank you for your research and report, Dorian. I knew that the $1.47 million estimate was a ridiculous figure, but you have proved that it's based on nothing. I have had enough business with the city to know that lies and distortions are simply what the city does. It's so easy! Just throw it out there and dig in. It's so infuriating. San Diego Republican government got the method down long before the rise of Fox, Trump, and and all of the other freak show actors. It's just what they do.— February 16, 2016 8:02 p.m.
Is the farm-to-table movement over?
Good info, Visduh. I don't go to Farmers' Markets either, after learning many years ago that these events had little variety and ridiculously high prices. I did try one just recently, in search of two vegetables that my regular stores were lacking or overpricing. i found neither at the FM, but more importantly, I found ignorance (one grower) and indifference (all of them). I was shocked that a person who grows produce would know so little about the products I was scouting. Oh well. As for "organic," if something contains carbon, it's organic. That is a silly descriptor if what is meant is "pesticide free," etc. (most pesticides and fertilizers DO contain carbon atoms, so are also "organic").— February 8, 2016 10:09 a.m.
You’ve got ramen options, San Diego
Try the bowls of ramen soup at The Garlic Shack at 25th and Market. Really good and loaded with veggies (corn, spinach leaves, bean sprouts, diced crispy green peppers, and more), two halves of perfect hard-boiled egg, meat pieces, and tasty broth. Huge bowl of steaming goodness! I had the MakeMeWarm. I think this photo is of MakeMeHot: http://instagify.com/media/1168578103380172353_23… The huge garlicky sandwiches are to die for, too.— January 28, 2016 8:30 a.m.
Historical or perfect for a park?
Thank you, jelula. Walter G. Meyer at Gay San Diego took some of this info and reported it as his own in a Jan 22 online article, without crediting me for the info I reported here and without linking to The Reader article. Really not a very good thing to do. I put an enormous amount of time into tracking down the history of this house.— January 24, 2016 12:42 p.m.
San Diego’s cauliflower luck
Thanks, but you are talking about anise. It grows like a weed everywhere in San Diego. Fennel is in the same family (Apiaceae) but is a different genus and has an edible bulb-shaped lower stalk. Fennel is Foeniculum vulgare. Anise is Pimpinella anisum. The two plants look somewhat alike. Their finely leafed above-ground stalks have leaves that look alike (sort of like dill), and they smell alike (like licorice). But only fennel has the edible bulbous enlarged stalk, right at ground level. Both plants' seeds are used in for cooking and teas, with fennel seeds being the best for cookies. In some grocery stores, some Hispanic workers incorrectly call the fennel bulb "anise." Wrong! That happened last night at the Pancho Villa store on El Cajon Blvd. The label in the produce section said "fennel- $1.99/lb" but the cashier rang it up as "anise." By the way, there was only one fennel bulb for sale there! I found it at Pancho's after checking the North Park Farmer's Market, where none of the growers had fennel, knew nothing about it, and one man representing one farm didn't even know what it was. Go figure! The plant has been around and used for food since biblical days and later (Pliny the Elder wrote about it extensively). The Italian word for fennel is "finocchio." Buona Forcetta has a delicious salad with sauteed finocchio. Here's an article describing the intro of fennel, in 1993, to US produce markets: https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/NewCropsNews/93-3… The NP Farmers' Mkt had tons of cauliflower, ridiculously priced.— January 15, 2016 8:35 a.m.
San Diego’s cauliflower luck
Cauliflower is the only vegetable that I can live without. It's good, but so is a lot other stuff. Who can tell me why fennel (bulbs) and snow/snap peas are hard to find and expensive? I need those in my life, affordably and consistently! Who knows where to find them, and at what price? One little fennel plant sold at Von's for $3.50, and snow/snap peas were $6/lb. Too much! Any better prices anywhere?— January 14, 2016 11:56 a.m.
Historical or perfect for a park?
The big house on the hilly spur of Union Street overlooking Maple Canyon is now called the Truax House, but it should be called the **Edward A. Kavanagh** (also spelled Kavanaugh) **House**. It's original address, in 1912/1913, was 2511 Union; by 1914, the new owner, Kavanagh, used the address 2515 Union ([Historic City Directories][1]). Today you can see on the house's right front pillar the last three house numbers, "513," that were used for the address, "2513 Union," in the last years that anyone lived there. The house was built on a lot that was originally platted out in Pueblo Lot 1135, part of the subsequent Horton's Addition in the 1800s. [Kavanagh petitioned][2] to build the house in in mid-1912; in these same historical minutes the San Diego City Council also approved grading, sidewalks, and curbs for Union Street between Ivy and Laurel. Kavanagh was a wealthy entrepreneur who was one of four men who filed for incorporation of the [Whiting-Mead Commercial Company][3], which became the San Diego branch of a Los Angeles giant in the building industry. Kavanagh sold the house between 1919 and 1920, to an older, wealthy Calexico stock breeder/rancher, Thomas B. Owen. In 1922, the house was the residence of the newly married son of former San Diego Democratic Mayor, James E. Wadham, James E. Wadham, Jr. Mayor Wadham was quite an interesting character but not a particularly brave one, when it came to [standing up to local vigilantes][4]. Mayor Wadham advised activists Emma Goldman and Ben Reitman to leave town, as he couldn't protect them from the vigilantes or the police during protests against San Diego's rather amazing ordinance against any kind of public demonstration. The house still stands, with it's ghosts, and looks in pretty good shape. The inside would be interesting to examine, given that Kavanagh had access to all of the best building materials and modern home conveniences, through his Whiting-Mead company. What a shame to tear it down. [1]: http://www.sandiegoyesterday.com/?tag=city-direct… [2]: http://www.sandiego.gov/digitalarchives/pdf/histo… [3]: https://books.google.com/books?id=Vm4UAAAAYAAJ&pg… [4]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_E._Wadham— January 13, 2016 1:08 p.m.
Where to buy really fresh fish
I love fresh, shucked oysters to fry at home for platters or po'boys. I like to buy them by the pint (or more; or less, if that's my only choice). Found plastic-container pints at Costco just prior to New year's Eve, and used to find them in 8-ounce bottles at Albertson's or other grocery stores, but I just can't find them anymore. Does anyone know where I can regularly buy containers of fresh, shucked, raw oysters?— January 7, 2016 12:40 p.m.