US v. SDG&E defendant loses new trial appeal?
At least one federal crime victim confirms receiving email information from the US Department of Justice regarding United States v. San Diego Gas and Electric defendant David Joseph "Willy" Williamson, where an appeal was decided "favorable to U.S." US v. …
Two Beatles Women -- Two Different Reactions
I logged onto the computer this morning, and they have these news stories pop up. One said that Heather Mills, the 5-year-exwife of Sir Paul McCartney, tried to sell a video of Paul that showed how abusive he was. The …
Music You Love to Hate
I love talking about bands with a music friend of mine that loves debating and discussing these things. Often times, we end up throwing trivia at each other, as our girlfriends look at us like we're insane. And they wonder …
Whitburn Stands up for San Diego
Yesterday I attended a press conference regarding the proposed monster towers at 301 University. City Council Candidate Stephen Whitburn announced that he was opposing this project. Just a few months ago, residents thought they had prevailed in court when the …
Slippery SEDC bonus requests underneath City Council radar
In our distinguished daily paper today (Sept. 6), a letter by Mel Shapiro points out several facts regarding the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) self-dealing bonus approvals by outgoing president Carolyn Smith for herself and other staffers. From Shapiro's letter: …
Don't Try Suicide (You're Just Gonna Hate it)
So, a 20-year-old guy killed himself in Oceanside. And what happens? The parents go and do all this media, about how the police suicide negotiator, didn't do his job properly. Come on! Enough with all this crap. First, lots and …
Naysayer
When boosters want to foist a project on the public, they sometimes encounter opposition. Rather than address the objections raised, they'll frequently dismiss any concerns as being the invention of "naysayers". This convenient label allows them to ignore inconvenient truths, …
Try-Outs and Playing Basketball With the Pros
A childhood friend of mine is now a professor. If you're at his house when Jeopardy! is on, you wonder how a person can know so much about such a variety of topics. He auditioned for the show, and ended …
Finding Our Voice
San Diego has been plagued for decades with media that more often acted as cheerleaders than investigators. Then came Voice of San Diego. www.voiceofsandiego.org has broken many important stories in the last year, and the most recent revelations regarding CCDC …
Palin the Pain
It's so weird. I would've never guessed that, if you compared VP hopeful Palin and her kids names, with a guy named "Obama" and his kids names, that he'd win. He went with Malia and Sasha. She goes with: Track, …
Juror confirms SDG&E liability to Marines' families for millions
On a chance meeting with an English professor for whom I once worked as a classroom instructional aide, I was informed that she had just left jury service where she and fellow jurors had just awarded "millions" to the families …
The History of Normal Heights
Normal Heights is unpretentious and walkable, affordable for families with kids, and centrally located. It is one of the best neighborhoods in San Diego, but has tended to be over looked by the downtown establishment and the rest of the …
Top 10 Overrated Movies
The other day on KGBs morning show, they did a list of the Top 10 most overrated movies of all-time. They got it from something called The List Universe. I searched it out and found their choices. I'll put them …
Fantasy Football - Rockport Running Rebels Rule!
So, I've been doing fantasy football for 20 years now. Each year, we have to try and get a few new teams into the league for people that dropped their teams the previous year. It's not necessary, because we don't …
SEDC to be sued if not paying for outgoing prez' legal fees?
With the City of San Diego now suing outgoing Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) president Carolyn Smith to recover off-budget bonuses, there is now the possibility being bandied about that Ms. Smith will sue SEDC if that redevelopment agency withdraws …
A day in the life of an East Village resident.
Upon first glance of this neighborhood, anyone in their right mind would wonder who sane would choose to live in a place like this. East Village, once home to mostly addicts and homeless people, now dwells with students, the middle …
THE BAD ONES DIE
Analysis: SEDC president's desire for lack of accountability
The recent interview of Carolyn Smith, outgoing president of the Southeastern Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) as a city redevelopment agency, is incredibly revealing as to the nature and quality of leadership during the last decade and a half that she …
The Hill is Alive with the Sounds of...
Traffic. Sirens. Police. Firetrucks. Ambulances. Jet Planes. These are the noises of my neighborhood. It is no wonder the wealthy families who first settled in Golden Hill during the late 1880's eventually got tired of the racket and headed east, …
Barbie vs. Bratz
It seems to happen so infrequently, that I enjoy when I read about a court case that I agree with. There was a recent one that awarded Mattel $100 million, because of copyright infringement type of things. I don't have …