A Punch, No Pipe

Q-Ball is full of sh** with his story about getting hit from behind by a steel pipe at the 4th&B show on August 8, 2009 (“Rack ’Em,” “Blurt,” August 20). I saw him get in the face of a girl who was fighting with one of their band girls. Next thing I see is a guy come up to the front of Q-Ball and punch him in the face with his fist, not a pipe. He got knocked down, which made him hit his head — no steel pipe. He should pick on girls his own size. Good luck finding one who is 300-plus pounds! That’s it.

J. Nast
via email

Disease And Fire And Rats

This letter is in response to Joe Deegan’s “An End to the Evil Euc” (“City Lights,” August 20). I live in Scripps Ranch, and I have no use for eucalyptus trees. Many of them in the area are diseased, nothing grows around them, they spring up like weeds, they are infested with rats, and their roots permeate sewer lines.

Contrary to your opinion, they are fire hazards. The seedlings that sprout around them burn like brush, and they are filled with flammable oil. They did have an impact on the 2003 Cedar Fire, and the fire department is correct when it identifies them as a fire hazard. I witnessed 75-foot flames during the 2003 fire, and that wasn’t from brush burning. Large forests of eucalyptus trees burned in the recent fires in Australia. I’ve talked to the horticulturist for the City of San Diego, who considers eucalyptus trees to be an unnatural, destructive vegetation.

My homeowners’ insurance has been canceled three times, and it cost me a fortune. I attempted to put up solar panels to help with the energy crisis; however, the 60-foot trees growing in my neighbors’ yards cast a shadow on my roof, which would have reduced the efficiency of the solar panels. As far as I’m concerned, Scripps Ranch is a victim of the “evil euc.”

Ron Harris
via email

Hooray For Us

Well, I really don’t know where to start here. You have published an article (“The Park After Dark,” “City Lights,” August 13) and two letters (August 20) that regard my business on the corner of Fifth and Elm Street in the Banker’s Hill area.

My family has owned City Liquor House for over 25 years, and the business has been here for over 60 years.

You wouldn’t believe the customer service that we give to our customers here; I can’t even believe what I am reading in this article and these letters. I can sit here and write you for days explaining the good things that we have done and continue to do for all our customers, including the homeless.

Yes, we are in the alcohol and tobacco retail industry, and that is what puts the food on our table in my household. My family has been in the business for over 75 years. As far as I know, it is not illegal to sell alcohol to anyone who is over the age of 21 and is not intoxicated.

My store also sells many other things that are not alcohol or tobacco related, such as frozen dinners, fresh deli sandwiches, soda, candy, canned foods, soups, coffee, eggs, milk, medicine, cheese, tortillas, health drinks, health bars, crackers, lottery, cereal, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, cat food, dog food, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and many, many other things that we carry in inventory to satisfy our 600 daily satisfied and happy returning customers.

Actually, just as I had expected when I read the article, first I laughed for about five minutes, but then I realized how many other people in this area would feel the same as I, which is to strongly disagree with it. Of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and with all respect, I am all for it!

However, there are many things to consider here as far as why the homeless are at the park. I have run this business myself for ten years now and always ask some of these individuals how they became homeless. Many stories are similar and involve divorce and other things like drug addiction and layoffs from work, etc., etc.

I find myself lying in bed at night just thinking of a way to help all these people find a new beginning; over the years I see most of them as my friends, and you would be amazed at how intelligent some of these guys are. They are just stuck in way too deep of a hole and, I guess, just have given up.

Almost all of them are at church every Sunday. I have watched over 400 of them turn their lives around at the new Rescue Mission on First and Elm since it opened about five years ago. It is amazing what most of these people have done with their lives with the help of the mission. They have moved on and still call to update me on their status and still come in if they are ever in the area.

I have done my best and still do to give the homeless positive feelings and keep them strongly encouraged to fight hard and change their lives for the better.

Now, as far as the “mystery” writers that are writing about this story, they should maybe go take a look in downtown, and they will find ten times the homeless sleeping on sidewalks and in front of apartments and condominiums camped out. Far worse than the ones that come all the way up to Banker’s Hill to hide under bridges and sleep in the park, just to get a good night’s sleep and stay away from the far worse trouble in the deeper hearts of downtown.

What would you do if you had no home, nobody to let you sleep at their house, no clothes, no food, except for the only places that give you a temporary home that is nothing like home and the places that give you clothes that don’t fit and the places that give you food that you don’t like but is the only choice on the menu?

I know, that’s not how it is, right? You’re right! Also, for you letter writers out there, what do you expect to get when you’re renting a spot that only runs you $700 a month next to Balboa Park? Do you expect to have a PGA executive golf course to be your outside window view? Oh yes, and maybe keep your window open hoping Tiger has a bad tee off and hits one of his balls in your window — maybe you can sell the ball and have rent paid for a few months. That would really help! Then you woke up! So sad.

We are really good friends with the San Diego Police Department here, and they stop by at least once a day to make sure everything is okay, and we work with them to always ensure safety for the whole area around the business. We try our best to make sure that nobody hangs out with any open containers anywhere near the business or any residences around the business and go the extra mile to make sure the law is being followed. We take extra time to walk customers home and deliver products to our neighbors who are handicapped or can’t walk to the store. Just too many things to list.

I have been working seven days a week for ten years. I pay 50 percent of my personal and business income to taxes. My business is always up to date on all licensing, and it’s a great thing. It’s always good to be friends with Uncle Sam!

Also, to the writers who think more people should have been interviewed, I couldn’t agree with you more. Then you would probably see how many people know us really well and would stand behind the business.

I would probably say on a scale of 0–100 percent that 5 percent of the people that know this business do not like it, and again, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

I am really disappointed with these publications, and so are many of our customers that live in the higher-end part of downtown/Banker’s Hill/Little Italy/Cortez Hill/ Hillcrest. Therefore, we will be submitting many letters written by all of our supporters, and I assure that they will easily deliver a knockout punch to the small number of these nonsupporters.

Chris K.
via email

Unhip

In order for the Reader to remain relevant, it has to keep on top of the local music scene. Judging from your recent mistakes, it seems like you guys might as well hang it up.

First you have an article on the Howls and you run a photo of the Howlers (“Blurt,” July 23). Give me a goddamn break. Can you not tell the difference between these two completely different-sounding bands? Is it that their names are similar and they are both from North County means it’s close enough to confuse the two?

And then you have the breakup of the Hostile Comb-Over (“Blurt,” August 6). That’s not much of a story to begin with, but the writer doesn’t even bother to report that the real reason for the breakup is because Ben Johnson is in another touring band — the Long and the Short of It — and can’t be in both.

This is weak, guys.

Phil Chatfeild
Ocean Beach

Quiz Popped

What happened to the “Reader Pop Quiz”? I opened up this week’s Reader after missing the past two, and there isn’t even mention of the “Pop Quiz”! What happened? That was one of my favorite parts of the Reader! I hope you bring it back. At least explain why you cut it from the lineup.

Charlie
via email

Secret Winners

I was curious as to why the “Pop Quiz” was canceled. I am more puzzled by the fact that the winners of that last “Pop Quiz” were never revealed! (I’m assuming they were never paid, either.) In any event, is there a possibility that we may get a chance to see who actually won?

Theda Collins
via email

The final “Pop Quiz” ran July 30. Winners are listed in this week’s paper. We eliminated “Pop Quiz” to make room for the introduction of new features. — Editor

Special Needs Nation

I was shocked to see you allowed a comment on your website from someone named PistolPete who wrote that he doesn’t want to see America become like the retarded kid down the block.

As the mom of a child with special needs, I was shocked not only by this comment but by the fact that you allowed it. Why is it that comments like this go undetected? Is it because you think that people living with special needs wouldn’t get it or be able to read it anyway? Shouldn’t their feelings come into account?

I wrote a response and asked PistolPete if he classifies each neighbor or only the “retarded ones,” and I used words like “kike,” “spic,” and the N-word. Funny that your auto censor told me to watch my language regarding the N-word. I can only hope that you teach the auto censor that demeaning language like the word “retard” should go the same way as the N-word and not be permitted.

H. Jacobs
via email

Missed The Target

I’ve been reading your movie reviews for years. I strongly suggest you find another reviewer. Duncan Shepherd misses the mark always. He doesn’t understand the movies’ target audience. This time it’s The Hangover, which is the best movie I’ve seen in years. He gave it a dog. The other one was Funny People, almost a perfect movie he gave one star to. He reviews for what he likes. Nobody cares what he likes. You need to review for the target audience.

Jim Hall
via voicemail

Local Eats Revealed

Wow!

Thanks for breaking down the restaurant listings by neighborhood rather than by general area! Now it’s easier to find places close to home or work.

S. Stockton
University City

Give Puzzlers A Chance

I agree with the comments I’ve seen that the new policy of publishing only the first 100 correct puzzlers is totally unfair. Many of us do not get our Readers until the afternoon. Others have real jobs and cannot waste time during the day doing crosswords.

Maybe you could take the first 50 Thursday and then the first 50 in the fax machine Friday morning. (Those sent after close of business Thursday.)

At least that would give some of us a chance.

Dean Petty
via email