At 6 a.m., Ramon Salazar is readying to leave the vehicle yard of Spanky's Portable Services in Escondido. It's Monday, and Mondays are rough. "Man, I needed an hour more sleep." He yawns. He climbs …
April 27, 2006
News & Stories
San Diego’s toilet, sewer cleaners, debt collectors, and those who fire employees
Pinot Noir is now outselling Zinfandel in California
'We want you to walk away with the notion that it's worthy of careful consideration.'
Wild Blue Yonder
'The condor release sites are chosen for a variety of reasons," says the Wild Animal Park's curator of birds Michael Mace. "[We must get the birds] in a location that is very remote so they …
April 27, 2006
Passion Play
I was flipping through the channels at 3 a.m. one sleepless night and caught a Montel Williams episode in which ladies were throwing a Passion Party. I flipped through Girls Gone Wild commercials to midgets …
April 27, 2006
“You want me to hire a girl? Then will I be all right?”
The line at the border is once again a matter of at least three hours on foot to approach customs. I have Protonix or some Mexican version of the antacid, some Levoxyl for my thyroid, …
April 27, 2006
Hike or bike the Bulldog-Backbone loop for a complete look at Malibu Creek State Park.
The classic grand tour of Malibu Creek State Park's backcountry includes upper Malibu Canyon and circles high above on the crest of the beautiful Santa Monicas -- L.A.'s coastal mountain range. Mountain bikers can look …
April 27, 2006
The Chargers Are Coming Home
Yes, I understand that $500 million is a lot of money to steal in seven months. Or is it expropriate? Or legislate? Perambulate? Something like that. No matter, $500 million is the going rate for …
April 27, 2006
Kill with Kindness
Growing up as the daughter of an environmental health specialist, I have a deep respect for all things recyclable. It hurts me to watch people litter, and I've been known to chase down offenders and …
April 27, 2006
How Pedestrian
Matt: The other day I was crossing the street when some guy in his flashy car practically kneecapped me. As he went by I gave him my best glare, and he yelled back, No crosswalk. …
April 27, 2006
Rubber Baby Bumpy Beer Bottles
Dear Almighty Matt: Okay, here's the deal. I, along with many of my fellow Americans, have a strange fascination with beer. I mean, what's better than beer? Not much. Well, the other night I was …
April 27, 2006
Poop Poundage
Hey Matt: Something I've been always wondering. Is there an average percent of human feces every time a person goes to the bathroom (in lbs., oz., etc.)? And if there is, can you notice the …
April 27, 2006
Back When
Thirty Years Ago Helen Copley, lauded by Newsweek and New West for improving employee relations, has pulled in the reins a bit. Union-Tribune staffers, all 1200 of them, will be paying a dime a day …
April 27, 2006
Cutie Pie
“There are three types of people in this world: sharks, guppies, and shark bait.”
April 27, 2006
The Reader's Eye on Television
Last Thursday I gave a little cough and rubbed my chest. I'd felt dizzy since I'd woken up and I said, "Man, I think I'm getting a little cold." Ron said, "Oh, no. This is …
April 27, 2006
La Perdida
La Perdida by Jessica Abel. Pantheon, 2006; $19.95; 288 pages. FROM THE DUST JACKET: From the Harvey and Lulu award-winning creator of ArtBabe ( comes this riveting story of a young woman's misadventures in Mexico …
April 27, 2006
Diving for Pearls
Red Pearl Kitchen made a splash in Huntington Beach. Now it's testing the waters of San Diego, and if the nearly full houses are any indication, it's getting on swimmingly. Enter the restaurant from the …
April 27, 2006
See You at the Office
Twenty-five years after he opened it, George Scolari is selling his "office" on 30th Street. The new owner, Daniel Sobarnia, will shorten the Scolari's Office name to the Office. Sobarnia did not comment about his …
April 27, 2006
Too Rude
Some Girls -- comprising members of the Locust, the Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower, and Unbroken -- have left lasting impressions in Europe. "One young lady [in Vienna] who had been acting like …
April 27, 2006
No Doctors in the House
Jeff Moore and the Witchdoctors recently ended their seven-year-long Thursday-night residency at Cardiff's Kraken. On April 13, Moore and club owner Doug Aldred had a disagreement. According to one attendee, "[Aldred] approached the stage and …
April 27, 2006
When Dolls Don't Charm
The Dresden Dolls opened for Nine Inch Nails at Soma last May. Two years ago, the Dresden Dolls co-headlined a New Year's Eve show at 4th & B. Some people say the band shouldn't have …
April 27, 2006
Pack Up the Blue Suede Shoes
A couple years ago, New York billionaire Bob Sillerman paid $114 million for an 85 percent stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises. Recently, in advance of a planned Elvis Presley Las Vegas cabaret act, Sillerman is …
April 27, 2006
Muscle to Back the Rap
Muay Thai boxer Charles Williams isn't the only pro athlete to try to make it in hip-hop. "Roy Jones Jr. was a great boxer who came out with an album," says Williams. "It wasn't that …
April 27, 2006
Annual Good Friday Stations of the Cross/Walk with the Suffering
"Welcome to the 15th Annual Good Friday 'Walk with the Suffering,'" said Rosemary Johnston from the flatbed of the truck parked in front of the County Health Building on Pacific Highway. "We're going to be …
April 27, 2006
Man Down
After a year booking events at the Boulevard in San Marcos, Mike Beard of Man Down Productions says, "I am moving my shows to a new place in San Marcos, the Longshots Saloon." In an …
April 27, 2006
The Fantasyland Budget
Jerry Sanders, the ex-police chief who became mayor, is already playing good cop/bad cop. He's the good cop, presenting a "feel good" budget that doesn't hurt anybody or anybody's pocketbook but is based on a …
April 27, 2006
American Dreamers
Vicky Lin Yu-tzu gently removes her son's fingers from the laptop. Youxuan is 22 months old, but his tiny grasping hand is the only distraction he has caused us. His mother and I are inspecting …
April 27, 2006
Impure coincidence
The timing couldn't be better, at least from the standpoint of termed-out San Diego assemblyman Juan Vargas, who's trying to unseat congressional incumbent Bob Filner in June's 51st District primary election. At the same moment …
April 27, 2006
Goes both ways
The National Republican Congressional Committee has launched a barrage of negative TV spots against 50th Congressional District Democratic candidate Francine Busby in order to soften her up for June's runoff against ex-GOP congressman Brian Bilbray. …
April 27, 2006
Hit the road
By far the best-traveled member of San Diego County's congressional delegation is Darrell Issa, who ranks 24th among all House members on a list of taxpayer-paid travel compiled on Washington's PoliticalMoneyLine website. Since 2001, multimillionaire …
April 27, 2006
Speaking in Tongues
To have another language is to possess a second soul. -- Charlemagne It began as a routine trip to Borders. Once we had arrived at the mega bookstore (or as I sometimes refer to it, …
April 27, 2006
Rosa Jurjevics in Boston
Swing Low Tonight is melancholy, but I can't imagine why. I am coming home from a party and I smell like second-hand smoke and, in the cool air, it's not so bad, an almost comforting …
April 27, 2006
Advice For Parents Whose Kids Use Foul Language
"It's no use," said my friend Connie on Easter Monday. "When it comes to the in-laws, there are certain things that brand you a Bad Mom, and this is one of them." The day before, …
April 27, 2006