Be Prepared

Re “Brown Wants to Rein in Redevelopment Scams” (“City Lights,” January 27).

Great read.

Many are unfamiliar with bankruptcy. In 1995, I lived with people who prepared for declaring bankruptcy by spending as much as they could and as fast as they could. Even went around town to all of the quickie loan joints and took out loans on their pension checks. Court voided every debt. Debt collectors couldn’t call.

So, why not a park-stadium, etc.?

Robert Kachur
via email

Tell All

“Brown Wants to Rein in Redevelopment Scams” (“City Lights,” January 27) was another brilliant article by Don Bauder. The scheme by Mayor Sanders and Assemblymember Fletcher to divert the redevelopment funds to the San Diego Chargers hinges on corruption. It was hard to believe that Sanders went to Sacramento to try to persuade Governor Brown to continue with questionable redevelopment distributions. I wonder who paid for that trip — taxpayers or the Chargers?

I guess the mayor didn’t have time to travel to Sacramento to request funding to avoid fire station brownouts or police layoffs or school closures. They obviously did not make his “A” list. I’m beginning to think of Sanders more as a lobbyist for the Chargers than the mayor of San Diego.

I also find it disappointing that none of the councilmembers has spoken out about the questionable use of redevelopment money in San Diego. They must be afraid of Sanders and the developers.

Don presented information in this article that all San Diegans should be aware of. The City has made concessions to keep Horton Plaza afloat, and the City is losing $20 million per year on the ballpark. The fact is that downtown San Diego is not in the center of the City; and it has limited access because it’s on San Diego Bay.

It is critical for this information to be disseminated to the public so people can make the right decisions when it comes time to vote. We can no longer afford to allow politicians to use our hard-earned tax dollars for their personal gain.

Ronald Harris
via email

Rake Muck!

There’s a letter to the editor entitled “Don’t Cross Me” submitted by Al Rodbell (January 27). I would like to respond to that and simply state that keeping the cross on Mount Soledad makes about as much sense as if we took somebody like this Loughner guy, who shot everybody up in Tucson, and sentenced him to be crucified on that cross as his ultimate penalty.

Re Don Bauder’s article “Brown Wants to Rein in Redevelopment Scams” (“City Lights”), I nominate Don Bauder as muckraker of the year! You’ve got to love those muckrakers. Keep it up, Don!

Ted Rodosovich
University City

Wake Up, Imperial

Thanks for the bad news (“Home on the Gun Range,” “City Lights,” January 27). Does it make any fiscal sense to close a nonprofit naval training center and open a for-profit monstrosity in the desert? We chased them all over the county, and they beat us by going over the county line. Imperial County, wake up and join the lawsuit to stop the Gestapo-ification of America!

Val Sanfilippo
via email

Girls Play Too

Great article about high school boys’ basketball (“Fast Break,” January 27), but have I missed the same coverage on girls’ basketball? We have some great players and teams in this city/county, and hopefully you will give them the same publicity

Everett Mauger
via email

Big Cat

A couple of notes about the “Of Note” about Lemmy that were not noted (January 27).

About the numerous TV appearances and potato chip commercial. Okay, so he’s been on TV and done a commercial, but you failed to mention the highlight of his career was last year on the big screen with the movie Lemmy (a bio about him that will be out on DVD soon, I’m sure).

But, also, as for his other (so-called) collaborations (Girlschool/Samantha Fox/Wendy O. Williams). You failed to mention his biggest and latest one (kind of ties in with you mentioning Johnny Kidd and his love for ’50s/rockabilly music). For the past several years, his main collaboration has been an ongoing one with two guys from a couple of my fav rockabilly bands from the ’80s. Slim Jim Phantom (the Stray Cats) and Danny B. Harvey (the Rockats). They go by the name of the Head Cat and play all rockabilly/’50s covers. They have put out three albums so far and a live DVD. In the past couple of years, they’ve played here in San Diego three times (twice at Brick by Brick, once at the House of Blues).

So all you Motörheads out there, enjoy Monday’s show, but keep an eye out (and ears, too, if you still have any after Monday) for the Head Cat, too, ’cause I’m sure they’ll be back real soon.

Ward Elliott
via email

Antiques Vinegar

I read Jay Allen Sanford’s cover story about the Antiques Roadshow taping in San Diego this past summer (Cover Story, January 20). What a shock and disappointment, knowing the Reader’s illustrious reputation. For starters, where is the disclosure that Duane Dimock is not just some random collector but a writer for the Reader? In fact, there seems to be a lot Mr. Dimock chose not to disclose at the Antiques Roadshow event as well, including the fact that he had no interest in anything except getting on TV. What he apparently didn’t know is that Roadshow is not about making TV stars (or making money); it’s about giving everyone a chance to leave more informed about things they’re curious about, regardless of value. Each on-air appraisal is a conversation between a guest and an expert, with the audience hopefully learning along with the guest. Roadshow producers are very astute at identifying and dismissing people who are more interested in getting attention than in getting information. It is a shame someone else, with a legitimate interest in learning, was denied a free ticket because Mr. Dimock (inappropriately) bought one. In fact, we encourage members of the press to attend the events, and they are treated as VIPs.

Although we supplied Mr. Sanford with highlights of the appraisals featured on the San Diego Roadshow episodes, it’s clear he had no interest in fact-checking his story with us. He reported Mr. Dimock’s inaccuracies as fact, without consulting us. Mr. Dimock is perfectly entitled to share his personal experience of attending Roadshow, and we regret he didn’t have a better time. But he oversteps when he “explains” how it all works, including the implication that Antiques Roadshow appraisers are somehow on the take. And I would hardly call the experts who participate with Roadshow “volunteers.” Perhaps Mr. Dimock has confused our dedicated repertory company of appraisers with the 100-plus community volunteers who help at each event. Those good folks are critical to the production, but they don’t do any appraising.

I suppose Mr. Sanford thought you could win more readers with vinegar. Antiques Roadshow gets its share of criticism from our viewers too. But we have hosted more than 500,000 event guests, have an audience of more than 9 million viewers a week (not Mr. Dimock’s 11 million), and have a Facebook following of more than 130,000 fans. It might be interesting to know why Antiques Roadshow has been PBS’s most-watched series for 14 years rather than why a collectibles dealer who couldn’t make it onto national TV blames everyone else for his failure.

Judy Matthews
Senior Account Executive
Antiques Roadshow

Jay Allen Sanford replies: Duane Dimock is not a Reader employee. As mentioned in the article, the memorabilia dealer cowrote a book called The Monkees Scrapbook; this led to his cowriting a 2008 Monkees article for the Reader, and he was briefly quoted about John Lennon collectibles in a 2005 article. The Reader’s website template is set up so that all contributors are searchable under “staff,” though many like Mr. Dimock may have been only peripherally involved with the paper once or twice.

Shocking, Offensive

I wanted to comment on your story “I Live in Linda Vista” (Feature Story, January 20). Being the descendant of victims of the Holocaust, I don’t find it funny, and I’m shocked. This isn’t something that I would normally do, pick up the phone and call someone regarding an article. There’s a picture of Hitler with bunny ears. The author is referring to his landlord as Hitler, referencing the Third Reich. I find it so offensive. “Holocaust” means “death by fire.” The author having problems with his landlord and his pool has nothing to do with the Holocaust. It’s ignorant of him. And if I were the person that he’s calling Hitler, I would sue the Reader. So, you know, I think it’s really, really offensive, and I’m pretty much shocked that you printed it.

Name Withheld
via voice mail

Maybe You Should Move

Although I do not write in to publications, I felt it necessary to do so after reading “I Live in Linda Vista” by Kevin Six (Feature Story, January 20).

I find it to be insensitive and irresponsible for the Reader to not only publish but reward the author who made associations to Nazi Germany, Hitler, and the Third Reich.

Really?!?

Was Kevin taken forcefully against his will, separated from family and loved ones, beaten, maimed, tortured, used as a human experiment, and left to die?

Not even!

His comparisons are outrageous! If he has such an issue, he should do the Village Woods a favor by simply finding another place to live. Oh, and pay his dues like a responsible individual.

Just saying…

Name Withheld

Two Loves

I enjoyed the story “Our Ice Pops Will Melt Away” (“City Lights,” January 6), but Elizabeth Salaam is incorrect in calling the pushcarts paleteras. The correct name is paleteros. Paleteras are stores or locations where paletas are made. I, too, come from Mexico, but I do not agree with paleteros that there should be no accountability of product and services. I feel for them, but there must be respect for the law. I am both American and Mexican, two loves.

Pablo Aldaz
via email

Poem Clipper

I would like to express my appreciation for the poetry, which I look for every week. I’ve been cutting the poems out for years, and I decided it would be a good idea to thank you. Some of it is very, very impressive, and I enjoy it very much.

Barbara Schell
via voice mail