Sheez, I go to read Mr. Bauder's (excellent) report on city employee pension funds, and find the comment thread has somehow devolved into storytelling time --
RE #77: As stated by WebAdmin, I'm a Reader contributor. I do not administer the website and have no administrative access to the commenting boards or to any personal information about users of SDReader.com. My only involvement with the website is limited to the music section, for which I do daily data entry RE the Local Music Database (band bios, "This Just In" breaking news, etc).
RE #76: I've never deleted a comment, and have no access to admin functions to do so. I've never had access to "personal and private info" via the website, and thus have never passed said info to anyone. Can't even think of a reason why I'd want to --
RE #82: I vaguely recall posting that Reader Admin can probably tell who has registered multiple screen names by looking at the ISP info, but that doesn't mean I'm privvy to that info. As for Russl supposedly "referring specifically to Jay Allen" when he posted about "antagonizing a Reader web admin," why would someone assume he was talking about me, of all people? That (wildly unfounded and incorrect) assumption by SurfPuppy is good evidence of how specious all the accusations are, not only regarding me but about the Reader staff, and the sacrosanct security of this website.
Someone simply saying "I know it for a fact" does not make true -- even/especially when they (conveniently) point to posts that have been deleted by way of "proof" ---
Now then, may we please resume the fascinating discussion RE Mr. Bauder's report on "Pension Woes: Not Just San Diego" ?
— October 19, 2010 5:35 p.m.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
Spoiler alert - they find Spock. Onward thru the cosmic fog to Trek IV --— October 21, 2010 11:41 a.m.
San Diego’s pension fund expects to earn 7.75 percent a year
SurfPuppy, I know nothing about "the private message from russl" you reference, but I CAN address my own posts. As I recall the comment thread you refer to, someone else said you had flagged a comment for removal, which you denied. I pointed out that such flagging isn't necessarily confidential, and I confirmed that I believe the commentator who was saying you flagged a comment. Judging from the way you still keep attacking and insulting that commentator, and now me, I still hold that belief --- I can see where I may have been unclear by referencing "we" and "us," by which I meant staffers at the Reader. I AM a Reader staffer. However, I do NOT and have never had access to website controls, nor access to commentators' personal info, and thus I've never been able (nor wanted) to pass any such info to someone else. When I said (speculating about users who may have multiple screen names) that every registered screen-name can be checked against the registrant's IP source, I wasn't saying that I had (or would have) done so - I was merely pointing out that it could be done. Hope that clears it up -- I shan't be drawn into further debate with one inexplicably contentious commentator over allegations that I (and Reader admin, and I'm guessing anyone/everyone else still reading this time-wasting nonsense) knows to be untrue. And now, back to the show...— October 19, 2010 9:08 p.m.
San Diego’s pension fund expects to earn 7.75 percent a year
Sheez, I go to read Mr. Bauder's (excellent) report on city employee pension funds, and find the comment thread has somehow devolved into storytelling time -- RE #77: As stated by WebAdmin, I'm a Reader contributor. I do not administer the website and have no administrative access to the commenting boards or to any personal information about users of SDReader.com. My only involvement with the website is limited to the music section, for which I do daily data entry RE the Local Music Database (band bios, "This Just In" breaking news, etc). RE #76: I've never deleted a comment, and have no access to admin functions to do so. I've never had access to "personal and private info" via the website, and thus have never passed said info to anyone. Can't even think of a reason why I'd want to -- RE #82: I vaguely recall posting that Reader Admin can probably tell who has registered multiple screen names by looking at the ISP info, but that doesn't mean I'm privvy to that info. As for Russl supposedly "referring specifically to Jay Allen" when he posted about "antagonizing a Reader web admin," why would someone assume he was talking about me, of all people? That (wildly unfounded and incorrect) assumption by SurfPuppy is good evidence of how specious all the accusations are, not only regarding me but about the Reader staff, and the sacrosanct security of this website. Someone simply saying "I know it for a fact" does not make true -- even/especially when they (conveniently) point to posts that have been deleted by way of "proof" --- Now then, may we please resume the fascinating discussion RE Mr. Bauder's report on "Pension Woes: Not Just San Diego" ?— October 19, 2010 5:35 p.m.
The Village Pig
If we're gonna eat whatever is dumber and slower than us, better be careful - the population keeps growing, and there's a lot of dumb, slow people out there! McDummy burgers....— October 18, 2010 3:01 p.m.
150 More Free Band Names
Got another 100 names to upload next week, plus some links to bands who've taken names from previous lists --— October 17, 2010 9:29 p.m.
Two Poems by W.B. Yeats
Quoting Bob and Doug (and Geddy Lee) to reference Yeats, eh Nan?! Too cool! "Take offfffff to the great white north......"— October 16, 2010 6:03 p.m.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
"Less than timeless," Mr. Shepherd? And yet the series has unfolded over several books (both written and audio), multiple radio series, a TV show, several comic books, and now this full length motion picture. Few other literary efforts have ever spawned so much followup, in so many media, never mind the devotion of several generations, outside of, say, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, Dracula, and Frankenstein, all certifiably "timeless," no? This particular cinematic permutation of the Hitchhiker saga is a fun ride across the galaxy. Pity author Adams passed away before its completion, but several of his movie ideas made it into the final cut (he'd been working on a film adaptation for over a decade, only to have the project get stalled time after time). As a fan of the low budget - but infinitely charming - British Hitchhiker TV series, I enjoyed seeing that show's original Arthur Dent turn up in a cameo. Even the bits added by filmmakers and not found in other incarnations of the tale - like the planet programmed to punish any original thoughts with a terraformed swat to the face, or the gun that forces its target to engage in truthful self-reflection - fit well with Adams' generally spoofy and irreverent tone. While I'll always prefer the original books, the movie is at worst "mostly harmless." And, at its best (which is quite frequently) very funny. Even thought provoking. What more could anyone go into a Hitchhiker's Guide movie expecting?— October 16, 2010 4:41 p.m.
AILD Singer's Clothes Line, Halford Hearts Slayer, dum Dum Move, Community College Concerts, more
Thanks! I try to keep links activated to all recent stories that don't have an "expiration date," for as long as the post remains timely. Every few months, I clear out the cache completely, but a handful of Rock/Town posts keep getting page views, even years after their debut - hence the Rock/Town "back issue" list always maintaining links to perennials like "Pussycat Theaters: A Comprehensive History," "Before It Was the Gaslamp - Downtown's Grindhouse Theater Row," and "San Diego Drive-In Theater History," which actually landed me a two-book deal (see, people DO read the Reader blogs!). I wish I had time to draw more headers for blog stories, but I'm too slow an artist to keep up with all the Rock/Town news I upload --- perhaps if I ever figure out how to use the digital drawing tablet I've had for over a year, I can speed up my art output ---— October 15, 2010 1:50 a.m.
AILD Singer's Clothes Line, Halford Hearts Slayer, dum Dum Move, Community College Concerts, more
With the Sports Arena about to be renamed Valley View Casino Center, how long before tourists start showing up looking for slot machines and Keno tables? When the Arena was (briefly) renamed iPayOne Center awhile back, few probably noticed the Reader did NOT adopt the new name - we kept referencing it as the Sports Arena, other than occasional aka parentheticals. The reasoning was that nobody who lives in SD would likely use the new name, and it seemed evident that the naming deal looked short term anyway. The Valley View deal looks like a longer arrangement, and VV seems likely to keep up the payments (unlike iPayOne, who essentially defaulted), so I'm still awaiting editorial word on whether we'll ignore this name change as well. Coors/Cricket, Cox Arena, man, it's hard to keep up with venue names nowadays. If memory serves, it took about six months for the Reader to change how it once referred to Jack Murphy Stadium ---— October 14, 2010 2:33 a.m.
Gay & Lesbian Times Doesn't Make It to Print This Week
Always troubling when another newspaper bites the dust - perhaps some of the staffers and contribs at Gay & Lesbian Times can find a home at Gay & Lesbian News and Gay San Diego -- BTW, Gay San Diego launched in July rather than August - editor Pat Sherman was a Reader staffer and contributor for some time. The paper publishes every other week, alternating with their sister pub Uptown San Diego.— October 10, 2010 1:29 p.m.