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UCSD literature majors — why they exist
It is useful to be reminded of the science-military-industrial foundation of UCSD. But in the 1970's I learned Spanish there in a brilliantly designed immersion-model program with native-speaker grad-student teaching assistants from different Spanish-speaking countries (with distinctive accents) rotating every quarter through small sections of students, with a single separate weekly grammar section led in English and segregated from the heart of the matter, which was speaking, reading (literature) and writing in Spanish. I also knew UCSD graduates who majored in literature, history, music, theater and fine art and some of the excellent professors who taught them. These days the importance of the humanities in a UCSD education may be drowned out by noise about the lucrative business of science, technology engineering and math.— May 13, 2017 12:56 p.m.
A $13 street-side massage in Tijuana
OMG, the Reader is returning to shock-lit stories like Captain Sticky from days of yore. This is disgusting. Is writer Matthew Suarez still alive and well? The gullible should listen to Tio Dwbat and follow his advice above.— May 11, 2017 8:38 p.m.
UCSD literature majors — why they exist
UCSD is a different place from the one which graduated MilesJWatson. What a great description of that liberal arts campus at that time. But the "business model" has infected every aspect of western life, and most notably education which is rapidly sidelining the arts and humanities and their essential exploration of human values. Globalization and world trade, production and profit, industry and mechanization, economic bottom lines, metrics and prediction, technology and communication shorthands, wealth and celebrity -- these are what count in 2017. You see it personified in our deeply ignorant President and his "beautiful" family, in members of Congress from both political parties who are mirror images of each others' limitations. Even Mayor Sunny wants to cut the city's arts budget by 30% -- although the arts here are as important as beaches and climate as economic engines creating a desirable community. Unlike the poet, we live blinkered and unreflective, under the illusion that we will prosper "being" in this new way.— May 10, 2017 11:50 p.m.
Susan Luzzaro
I have just read the list of Reader pieces by Susan Luzzaro, from bottom to top, beginning with the story of her parents' murders and ending with her dialogue with death, "I Think I'm Losing." I was familiar with her intrepid work on Sweetwater school improvement, but this last essay was the work of a wonderful observer and superb writer -- no "backyard journalist" she. With her death, we have lost a low clear voice.— May 10, 2017 9:34 p.m.
Not so forest-friendly
The conflicts of interest between elected public official Toni Atkins and her private enterprise spouse Jennifer LeSar are as numerous as they are shockingly tolerated. But it was a surprise to read that logging lobbyists who make gifts to Atkins also pay Texas professors for "favorable testimony" before our State Legislature. There is no end to the payola.Too bad Marty Bloc got shut out of the circle jerk.— May 10, 2017 3:33 p.m.
University City massacre done by developer family donor
At first read, I also thought this story was a stretch. But the truth is that Matt Potter thought to investigate fully, no matter where the facts led. No one else did that. Other "stories" were accurate enough, but they were obvious, simplistic and incomplete. What happened? A tragic story of innocent party-going victims on a sunny Sunday? A sad story of an impecunious jilted-lover shooter? A story of people with political and financial connections connected to a despondent loser-shooter? A story of an armed white guy targeting only people of color for no reason? A story of an odd rush to judgment (and press conference) with the white Mayor and our white San Diego Police Chief who said there was "zero evidence" of intentional racism after only 24 hours had passed? Surely that story is disbelieved by every black or brown person in this city -- that a white shooter targeted many people of color by happenstance. (Contrary eyewitness reports and quotes about that factoid appeared in the La Jolla Village News today.) There are still many unanswered questions.Let's wait along with Matt Potter to see where the facts take us.— May 5, 2017 10:22 p.m.
San Diego city attorney weighs in on limiting public comment at council meetings
It is a classic right-wing gambit to try to eliminate, limit or publicly question the value of public comment at public meetings. I'm sure Scott Sherman would love to shut down the already-truncated time people are permitted to speak before his City Council peers. I have long felt the actual physical setting of City Council meetings could not be more undemocratic in design or less welcoming to the public. Mic'd Councilmembers are inaccessibly seated high above the assemblage in a great semi-circle which is buttressed by a tall facade of wood, keeping the public down and outside the charmed circle. Public speakers approach a mic'd podium and have to look up and around to locate their Councilmembers. The arrangement is not collegial: it does not express openness. It is designed to intimidate. The people have precious little exposure to this elected body as it is, and the Mayor never appears in public at all anymore -- except for staged events -- since we shifted to a strong mayor system. What little give and take remaining is now threatened by Scott Sherman. His proposal to limit public speech and turn off televising proceedings should be rejected.— May 2, 2017 11:33 p.m.
UCSD refuses to reveal Padres medical discounts
It's a cool deal, no doubt. But I'm curious to know what the numbers were under the old Scripps Clinic arrangements -- the UCSD Gold Package of $2500 mas o menos per player is a lot less than what Scripps Clinic charges one person for concierge coverage through its private internal medicine center.— April 27, 2017 8:27 p.m.
La Jolla office building goes condo
There used to be a distinguished consortium of clinical psychiatrists on the fourth floor of this building. If walls do have ears, new residents may overhear fragments of old secrets, tragic sad stories and wellsprings of human hope, all curated by the kind attentiveness of those physicians. They did no harm: for years, they helped people recover their lives.— April 27, 2017 7:58 p.m.
No comments, please, we’re SDSU
It's true that KPBS got little feedback on its website, though entirely eliminating direct online comment seems craven for an alleged news organization. Twitter and facebook work as public comment filters, and it is hilarious that the station offers "Become a Source" as an alternative to actual critical input from listeners and viewers. (Maybe the recent interminable spring fund drove the switchover.)— April 26, 2017 5:14 p.m.