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Spike three: Tanya and Charles Brandes divorcing
Buffet had an unusual situation there, and most folks never learned about it because he was discreet. Some commentators analyzed his situation and concluded that his wife was just happy to live on her own and enjoy the benefits that wealth brought to her. And she was supposedly perfectly OK with him living with another woman in "beautiful" Omaha.— February 21, 2018 4:47 p.m.
Good weather, high cost of living make San Diego bad for pro sports
While I'm not all that fired up about either proposal, If the SDSU proposal wins out and the state pays something like a fair price for the site, then we can be assured that it will be developed and used approximately like they promise. Yes, SDSU is now landlocked and cannot grow without more land area. As to whether SDSU should grow is another story--and I'd rather see it stay about its present size indefinitely. But I also don't see tearing down the existing stadium ASAP, not until the need for such a venue is better known. It can just stay there and be used much as it has been used in recent years--minus the Chargers, of course. In good time it could be demolished or perhaps remodeled into something more appropriate to the site and the need for a stadium.— February 21, 2018 4:38 p.m.
Radio and newspaper man and vultures
This sounds like a classic situation of living beyond his means for many years, probably hoping for a turnaround in his fortunes. That leaves many folks asset rich and cash poor. The astute thing to do, from a pure financial standpoint, would be sell the house, get out from under the crushing mortgage and burdensome taxes, and downsize. But he is likely a guy who thinks downsizing is a disgrace and that to pull in his horns would signal a loss of his masculinity.— February 20, 2018 8:56 p.m.
Doshay family agreed to pay $500,000
Well, sort of. You cannot sue for reforms, only for money. If the district wanted to settle, it could, as part of the settlement, pledge some reforms of its campus security. There's no way anyone should be able to enter any school's campus without checking in at the office and showing a reason to be there. For a long time, there have been some schools with a single entrance that is closely scrutinized. Others, such as the high school in a No County city that has its name start with a "C", for years had multiple entrances (and exits) that had exactly zero control. Ah, but that school was in a good neighborhood where bad things never (or hardly ever) happened. In "bad" areas the schools all had tight control. So, since that school in Solana Beach was in a neighborhood about as good as they get, there was no need for security, right? If this couple manages to collect some award, it will have the effect of getting the district's insurance carrier to insist that it get some real campus security, lest they get whacked with another such claim, and then another, and . . . Often the only way to wake up the management of companies and governmental entities is to hit them (meaning hitting the taxpayers in most instances) in the pocket book. The embarrassment and pressure from the insurance company can make a difference.— February 20, 2018 8:17 p.m.
College Area mini-dorm litigants win
Correction: The city has people who "should" be the best, but who are often wanting in skill, or motivation. And so they collect fat salaries and fatter benefits while failing to do the jobs that need to be done.— February 19, 2018 4:58 p.m.
U-T's Washington Post whitewash
In a way, all of the islands of the Caribbean (save for Cuba, of course) are under protection of the US. It has strategic interests there, and if some island there was going badly off the rails or was threatened with invasion, the US would have much to say about the situation and its resolution. So, in a manner of speaking, it is a protectorate of the US, albeit unofficially. But he should have known better than to utter such sentiments. Diplomats or diplomat wannabees have to be diplomatic to a fault. He wasn't.— February 19, 2018 4:47 p.m.
Doshay family agreed to pay $500,000
Another excellent report, Eva. For some reason I assumed that once the prison sentence was imposed, we had heard the last of this. Silly me! The Doshay clan is getting off easy here. Given the gravity of the offense, and with all the evidence that existed, I would have estimated a settlement would go into the multi-millions. We can only speculate how much they paid Paulie Pfingst to limit the settlement. I'll bet it was plenty. As far as the suit against the school district goes, the family has an option, and that is to dismiss the suit. Was the district really negligent in this case? You can make a case that it was, while the district can make a case that it was not. Under the circumstances, I'd have expected a settlement. These despicable actions by the district's attorney may have little to do with the district and its board, and everything to do with their insurance company. In these high-profile cases, it is often the insurers who fold and settle, even when the insured thinks there are no grounds. I think we will soon find out just how eager the parents are to pursue the suit and get damages. Thanks for your continued scrutiny of this wretched case. We can truly see the justice system in action, with all its warts and flaws.— February 19, 2018 11:11 a.m.
Stone Brewing goes after MillerCoors
Is anybody who knows a thing about beer going to confuse that pale yellow fizzy stuff with anything that comes out of Stone Brewing? I have yet to find a Stone product that I like--most of what they turn out is 'way to hopped up for my taste--their output is popular with many hard-core beer drinkers. Keystone? Meh.— February 19, 2018 7:54 a.m.
Spike three: Tanya and Charles Brandes divorcing
Don, Did you really expect him to talk to you and answer your questions? He had enough problems already without having to explain his dismal financial performance. As to the wife having had CIA training, we can wonder. If she had served in the CIA, she would not talk about it. I've known a couple guys who had careers that seemed like the sort of thing the CIA would have provided. They would sometimes talk of their experiences to a limited degree, but there was no pursuing the comments with them. And they both kept an aura of mystery that was consistent with CIA service. So, if she was peripherally involved with CIA activities and received some training, it's possible that she could be the sort of threat he described. But I'm skeptical.— February 19, 2018 7:49 a.m.
U-T's Washington Post whitewash
I'm sure that, over the years, regardless of party affiliation, many ambassadorships were "sold" for far less than a million. That would be true especially if they were to places like the Bahamas, or some other tiny and insignificant spot in the world. Amazing what some guys (and a few girls) will do to land a fancy title that has about no real clout. But if he has a home in the Bahamas, which is a pleasant and laid-back sort of tropical paradise, it fits. That is unless Dougo has some plans for a development in the Bahamas, and thinks being the US ambassador will grease the skids.— February 18, 2018 5:25 p.m.