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NFL supposedly upset with Chargers' move
I, like Ponzi, thought we might hear more about keeping the team. But it looks to me as if dimwit Deano now has no leverage at all. If they return, there will be no blackmail possible. The Chargers would have to play at Qualcomm, for which they pay no rent, and just settle for being very profitable. That's exactly what they could have decided to do several years ago. Make no mistake, the die-hard fans will still support them, and live and die by the W-L record each season. But the others who used to pony up for season tickets that they really didn't want or use are likely gone, and for good. Not too long ago, in years that is, we had some discussions in these comments about the cost to refurbish Qualcomm. The whole wish-list of items that the place needed, plus some not-so-necessary things, ran to $140 million. If part of that had to be tax money, and if the Chargers still had a sweetheart deal, it would be preferable by far to some grandiose redevelopment scheme, or to a totally new downtown stadium. Of course, I'd prefer that no tax money go to stadium remodels that garner no additional income. So, the next step would be to get the Chargers to actually pay for using the facility. What a concept!— January 21, 2017 11:23 a.m.
Sunset Cliff edge road repair
Sounds like typical SD city fumbling; two departments are involved, and they cannot cooperate and take action. This is the sort of thing that needs to be fixed in the city. But it's so much more fun for the council and mayor to fret about the Chargers, the stadium, the convention center and who gets credit for a flashy project. Repairing this erosion is just a temporary measure. The bluff is eroding away steadily as a result of natural processes. Nature can't be cheated. So, what's the permanent solution? Probably a bridge or bypass.— January 20, 2017 9:20 a.m.
San Vicente Reservoir considers hydroelectric project
Based on Don Wood's comment, I stand corrected. This sort of storage is in use now, if his comment is accurate. All I recall about that Olivenhain reservoir was that it didn't want any of the Lake Hodges water in it, due to contamination. Seems Lake Hodges was full of decaying vegetation at the time, and the water would make a mess of the expensive imported water stored in Olivenhain Dam. Something must have changed while I wasn't looking.— January 17, 2017 10:03 p.m.
Case of the secretly freed mink
And somehow, with a felony conviction on her record, she'll be able to pay a nearly half-million dollar restitution? Well, maybe if we have hyper-inflation and she lives to be 150, it might happen. But who will pursue collection? My take is that this sentence insures her life is ruined, and that she'll never prosper or even have a decent living. Argue all the humanitarian considerations you want, but is it worth it to put yourself in jail to keep some minks from slaughter? Regardless of your attitude toward furs, it might be worth noting that one of the major considerations of Thomas Jefferson, when he dispatched his Corps of Discovery (Lewis and Clark Expedition) into the Louisiana Territory was to assess the fur trade. Actually that trade had little to do with the development of the huge land mass, but as recently as about 200 years ago, smart and thoughtful people saw furs as a really big deal. Education and (lack of) real necessity can wean the public from wearing furs, mink in particular.— January 17, 2017 9:43 p.m.
Will an early Alvarez get the political cash?
Now that all of the four long-serving "supes" are termed out, there will be a massive free-for-all to determine their replacements. Much of what happens in the county in the coming half-century will be determined by these new officials. They may develop an enlightened attitude toward growth, or they may stay as sponsors for further sprawl. We've had one of the most growth-in-the-country supervisors in No County, and if he had his way, low-density, sprawling tracts of mini-mansions would characterize all the growth in this part of the county. But will a mass of Jacobs/Qualcomm money buy better governance, or just more of the same thing we've had for a long time? No, this Jacobs money isn't a force for good; rather, it perpetuates old-style local corruption, enabling ol' Irw to indulge his fantasies and desire for a monument to himself.— January 17, 2017 9:29 p.m.
San Vicente Reservoir considers hydroelectric project
This concept is a very old one, and isn't particularly efficient. It just hasn't been done locally before. If the energy stored is from renewable sources and would otherwise be wasted or consumed for low value purposes, then storing it during one time of day and using it another time of day for uses that would otherwise require a peaker plant, it would make sense. Actually, it doesn't sound like a bad idea at all. But technology is advancing, with battery storage technology making great strides. There is also talk of using giant capacitors as storage devices for electrical energy, although not much has been heard about that recently. So, using this 19th century means of storing energy may not be the best idea.— January 16, 2017 5:09 p.m.
Downtown L.A.: trashy to trendy
Drat! I've heard about that building and seen pictures of it for the longest time. In fact, residing in LA in the mid-60's, we subscribed to the Herald-Examiner. But on trips to downtown LA, I've never managed to actually see it. (Maybe it's time for another day trip.) But I'm confused. Wasn't the evening paper called the Herald-Express? Hearst tried a morning paper called the Examiner while Chandler came up with an afternoon paper, The Mirror, as I heard the story. In the late 50's they both gave up on invading each other's turf, and the Mirror want away while Hearst renamed the evening paper the Herald-Examiner, or so I recall. Anyone care to fill in the blank?— January 15, 2017 8:07 p.m.
Downtown L.A.: trashy to trendy
While the bathrooms on Metrolink have always been clean, I can't vouch for AC plugs at every seat, maybe they have 'em and maybe not. Much of the Metrolink equipment is new, and the Surfliner's coaches all date from 1999 or earlier. As to the other amenities, no, they don't provide them. My intent was to point out that there was a lower-cost way to get there by train. I don't disagree that business class on Amtrak is more comfortable and has amenities. On occasion I ride it myself to LA or beyond. One thing I enjoy on a day trip to LA is walking around and looking at the historic buildings, including that Times-Mirror complex, and Pershing Square. Plenty to remind us of how it used to be in LA, and how things there have changed.— January 15, 2017 5:34 p.m.
Downtown L.A.: trashy to trendy
Or, if you want to save some bucks and are not too far from Oceanside, catch the Metrolink train there and ride to LA for far less than Amtrak would charge. (There are some other ways--which I won't get into here--to use the Coaster to Oceanside and then Metrolink to LA, again for much less than Amtrak charges.) Little Tokyo and Olvera Street are just a short walk from LA Union Station. I do a day trip there occasionally, and enjoy the change of pace and change of food.— January 15, 2017 12:46 p.m.
Chargers get an extra 48 hours
I expect nothing much from Kev. And I did heavily emphasize "might" in my comment. It would be such a pleasant surprise to have him and the council decide at long last to go to work on the rotten infrastructure. But now that he's moving on, his newest folly is convention center expansion. Is that any less foolish that all this crap about a new stadium and keeping the Chargers?— January 14, 2017 3:44 p.m.