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If Filner falls, so rise the Kochs?
Amazing how Filner has turned so many Democrats into sexist pigs who can casually compare sexual harassment by powerful figures to high school hijinks. Sad, truly sad. By the way, the mayor today announced that he is genetically predisposed to sexual harassment as his family name in the old country was Feelher before being changed to Filner.— August 19, 2013 6:29 p.m.
Escondido Country Club petition passes unanimously
This will end up costing Escondido taxpayers a lot of money for what will ultimately be a loss, but elected officials get the short term benefit of saying they voted against the developer and won't be accountable later on for the tax money they'll waste in litigation. Heck, if half the people who attended the council meeting had actually joined the country club, it might have stayed in business, but even the biddies who live alongside the course did not support it as a local business.— August 19, 2013 6:22 p.m.
If Filner falls, so rise the Kochs?
Newspapers have always been used to promote the owners political agendas, but no longer: newspaper circulations are down so much that papers have very little political clout. Television? The traditional over-the-air stations (think channels 6, 8, 10, 39, etc) have had zero political influence over the years, and because of competition from cable, the internet, etc. they too have diminished audiences. Radio? Except for talk shows (which are a small part of the total radio programming) radio has also had zero political influence. As with TV, radio has not editorialized or otherwise taken stands on issues or candidates. San Diego has no TV or radio stations owned by newspapers, now do most other major markets, but San Diego does have several radio stations owned by one company, Clear Channel. Except for talk shows on their KOGO (whose ratings have gone way down in recent years) there is no politics on Clear Channel stations other than the liberal sentiment that pops up once in comment by their deejays (as with most "entertainers," a decidedly liberal group). The real truth is that this is the era when even billionaires cannot buy media power. "Broadcasting" has become "narrowcasting" and audiences are so fragmented that no matter how much money you have you can only afford to reach a small percentage of the public. And, more often than not, you are preaching to the choir. The right has the Kochs and some other corporate donors trying to spread influence, but the left has just as much money being spent on that goal by the labor unions, George Soros and others. All of your concern about big brother and regulating free speech is off-target: it's not the media owners doing that, not FOX or MSNBC, it's the USA, your government. But sadly, when you are so afraid of different voices and agendas that you wish for regulation to control them, then the voices you agree with will also be quashed.— August 19, 2013 1:40 p.m.
Goodwill hunting for donations at new Hillcrest store
"Goodwill Industries has come under fire recently, with national news reports about underpaying its store and warehouse employees." When it comes to Goodwill, there is no "its," no single entity running things - there are 165 independent Goodwill organizations in the US and what happens in one is not necessarily what happens at another region's Goodwill stores. That extends to not only pay, but also to the types of merchandise offered. San Diego County's Goodwill has become mostly a women's and kid's clothing store with a small amount of used housewares, electronics and other consumer goods. A Reader columnist who managed a Goodwill store for several years, summed it up as, "Their goal is to become like TJ Maxx." It is not the kind of place where you will find funky old stuff or fixer-uppers. That kind of stuff goes to their online auctions or to their giant warehouse east of San Ysidro, where twice-daily auctions help clear out the junk they don't want in the retail stores. You go to Goodwill stores to buy contemporary clothing, not to buy stuff to sell on Ebay. While some Goodwills have received valid criticism for excessive executive compensation, overall they seem to be among the more honest thrift store operators. There are competitors who are for-profit organizations who give the appearance of being non-profits, there are competitors with a long tradition of employees selling donated stuff out the back door to line their own pockets. Goodwill San Diego in recent years has invested a lot in making its stores clean and attractive and they really do seem to put a lot of emphasis on their mission of training people who might otherwise never get a job or a chance to learn basic job skills. Unlike expensive government programs, they fund the training by recycling things that might otherwise get tossed into the landfills.— August 17, 2013 5:31 p.m.
North Park residents propose alternate design for contested Jack in the Box remodel
So me and my hipster-than-thou peers were engaged in seriously deep discussion one night following several rounds of Stoli and Red Bull (mind you this was before the homophobic Russians gave us good cause to boycott their tasty grain juice). We flashed on the idea that everyone, just everyone loves a poetry slam and that naturally led us down the patch to fast food emporium design, as I'm sure you can all understood (who among you hasn't thought "fast food design!" after getting drunk at Urban Solace?). For those who understand that "prandial" means "a meal" you know that I seek out post-meal meals since I cannot be expected to be satiated with just one prandial. Yes, I am a multi-prandial hipster and proud of it! Now I do take seriously Jack in the Box's intent in North Park, and while my inner whore will continue to treat me to those post-prandial burgers (don't you love it when the whore treats!), I vow to not listen to Jack FM until the new design includes a subterranean tunnel and only one above ground sign, "No Burgers Here."— August 16, 2013 5:03 p.m.
2600 Miles Away
I think your father meant "thespian" as in drama queen.— August 7, 2013 10:53 a.m.
RIP Escondido bluesman JJ Cale
Just one point: Valley Center is in "Valley Center." It is near Escondido, maybe even next to it, but not in it, which is why Valley Center has a road TO Escondido. You have to wonder if they took Clapton to Valley Center by the back way so he wouldn't have to see East Valley Parkway and wonder "Where the hell are they taking me?"— July 27, 2013 9:11 p.m.
Filner may be the winner in last two accusations
Don: Your age is showing on this one. You are starting to sound like one of those people who blames rape victims because of the way they were dressed. You have done a lot of good for San Diego and those of us who have worked with you appreciate it, but on this one it is time to keep your mouth shut before you start looking like an old fool. I am sorry Don, but you just don't get it and maybe if enough people give you some very direct guidance, you will step back and realize what you have gotten yourself into. Please, don't blow a lifetime of good work by trying to put lipstick on this pig (or should we say "sexist pig"?) with these conspiracy theories ("Will the parade have been pre-planned") and other such drivel.— July 25, 2013 9:52 p.m.
Questions about McCormack Jackson suit
Wow! I guess that if a politician has a "progressive" agenda then his alleged sexual harassment victims are fair game. It is not the Chamber of Commerce or Republican party members making these allegations of harassment and disrespect for women: so far it's his own fiancee and a woman who gave up a better-paying job to proudly go to work for this "progressive." Here on this Reader page that woman is now portrayed as being some sort of pension whore who apparently is a political tool to get Filner. I guess the next Reader article will tell us how the Mayor's fiancee was a sleeper planted by the GOP four years ago with the intent of one day emerging to damage his reputation. Don, you damage your reputation when you write those lame questions wondering why this woman didn't until now just hold in her hand in the air and proclaim, "Uh, pardon me, my boss, the well-known arrogant bully, is sexually harassing me." Don, has your hatred of the downtown "establishment" so clouded your judgement that you are willing to blame the victims because they are, rightfully, afraid to come forward in this case and in so many other workplaces? Don, your liberal economics may be hip for some, but when it comes to understanding women in the workplace, you are as much a dinosaur as is Filner and on this subject your are not a reporter, but merely an ill-informed commentator.— July 23, 2013 3:51 a.m.
Saldana says Filner's actions not illegal
So, only criminal actions are grounds for being unfit to lead a city (or, apparently to serve in the legislature)? By the way is "Assembly's ethics" an oxymoron?— July 17, 2013 8:19 p.m.