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COVID-19 screening lapses plagued San Diego veterans' care
If this isn't a perfect example of your government at work, I cannot think of a better one. The VA clinics and facilities should be at the cutting edge of getting it right in this health crisis. But some of them aren't there at all, and are seemingly unaware of the simplest steps to take. So the VA inspectors show up at some such healthcare operations and find them deficient or utterly deficient in keeping visitors away from residents or patients. And what does management say? They say the inspectors could have spread infection, and in conducting those unannounced inspections actually did endanger the inspected facilities and their clients. And they go on to explain that everything is okay now and always really was. Who do you care to believe? The VA healthcare system or the VA inspectors? That's your call, but this conflict within the Department of Veterans Affairs doesn't speak well for the VA at all. One side is calling out the system's other side, and vice-versa. I get certain services from VA in Oceanside for a number of things not covered by Medicare. I've had some treatments and diagnostic tools provided by VA. But I also use Medicare Part B for many other services. And what's my take? Locally the operation is good. But it can lapse badly here and there and from time to time. I sure don't want to depend on VA for all my needs. I have Medicare coverage that gets me into plenty of good outcomes. If you want to take something out of this controversy, it is that VA healthcare is as close to full-on socialized medicine in the US. And what do we get? Usually the job is done, but when it isn't done, the result is really bad. Control and accountability? Has anyone gone to prison for some of the most egregious lapses? Uh, I don' think so. Since this system is the closest to Medicare-for-all, it can give a picture of what the new Medicare will bring. Is this what we want to deal with in many, many ways? I'd guess not. Asking the federal government to take on a whole new system would bring it to a near-standstill. No, Americans will not settle for Euro-style sluggishness, or anything else. As screwy as it is, the current system is probably bringing better healthcare than any other. For profit/non-profit/governmental considerations need to be listened to and used without socialistic meddling. Who really knows?— April 4, 2020 9:30 p.m.
Darrell Issa foundation tips hand to North County Farms
That sub-headline means nothing to me. There might be some implication that Issa and his foundation favored the development being pushed by Integral Communities, or that he was behind that invasion of the city council. Solutions for Change has done plenty of good things here in No County, but letting cheap politics sully their name was foolish. Nothing Matt wrote in the story makes that accusation. The Issa foundation has been most generous with grants to various groups and agencies over the years, and I've never seen evidence that its grants are affected by political considerations. Darryl and his wife may want to reconsider Solutions for Change as a recipient of grants in light of that stunt.— April 2, 2020 8:40 a.m.
Santee man rescued from Mojave Desert mine
The fact that he was discharged from the hospital in Las Vegas may mean that he's on the mend; but it might mean he was transferred closer to home (Kaiser, perhaps) for ongoing care. Amazing how some sort of bizarre event can reach out when totally unexpected, isn't it? As to leaving mine shafts open after the mining activity--if there ever was any--is outrageous. Whether on unmarked private property or on public lands, they should be permanently covered or collapsed or blocked. Many are on public lands where they operated as mining claims. Those claims are lost unless the properties are getting some kind of use or attention from the claimants. Once abandoned they are federal property, and the BLM (the usual custodian) ought to be required to make them safe. There "oughta be a law."— March 31, 2020 9:34 a.m.
Susan Davis dumps Alaska Airlines, Royal Caribbean, loads up on Chinese surveillance giant Baidu
Had to be Matt Potter, or some new clone of his. So, monaghan, what's your take on all this? I'm dying to see.— March 24, 2020 7:41 p.m.
Susan Davis dumps Alaska Airlines, Royal Caribbean, loads up on Chinese surveillance giant Baidu
It's called "insider trading", using information that is not public, to make securities trades. Oh, it's illegal to do that. The usual remedy levied by the SEC is to give up the ill-gotten gains and pay a fine. But there are criminal penalties available; Martha Stewart did some months of home confinement after she lied about using insider info from a friend to make a small killing on a stock. (That wasn't her company.) If either of these two could claim that the trades were done by their financial managers and not disclosed to them, they would be home free. But since they "came clean" about it, they know it is highly questionable. And it should be seen just that way by the voters. They're not the only two to make such moves and are rather small fry compared to the two mentioned by Bob Ryan. There's a major scandal there. Duncan Hunter is being packed off to the pokey for almost a year for doing things that were no more egregious than insider trading by political insiders using classified information. One way these politicians can avoid impropriety is to put their holdings in blind trusts, managed by professional managers, and have no contact with the managers at all. Many cabinet secretaries set up such trusts to avoid any apparent conflicts (and to secure Senate confirmation.) Both the senate and house ethics committees should be hot on these matters--but don't count on that. One thing that local voters could do is reject Peters reelection bid and vote for his opponent. That's how you REALLY punish a politician. Susan Davis has been (figuratively) getting away with murder for about as long as she has been in the house. Her junketeering was a scandal, yet she was reelected, usually without a fight, by the usual brain-dead voters in SD. I know their Dem supporters will minimize these transgressions, but will the public and "system" be so forgiving? Let's hope not.— March 24, 2020 9:19 a.m.
Patrick Soon-Shiong thins editors, reporters
When he shelled out that half billion bucks for the Times properties I shook my head. A business that was losing money--and it seemed fairly obvious that it was, or very close--was worth nothing. What I see now is buyer's remorse, wherein he now knows that it can't be "turned around" and made profitable. The on-line newspaper business just isn't going to bring in the subscription revenue necessary to be viable. All that ad revenue that was actually the mainstay of the papers for centuries cannot be replaced. The whole model is changed forever. The U-T has suffered catastrophic declines in circulation in the past decade. A very long time ago, let's pick 40 years ago, it was the ad medium that delivered San Diego County for retailers AND for classified advertisers. (In those days if you had a job you wanted to fill, a brief ad in the U-T on Sunday got floods of responses.) Now it is an afterthought.— March 24, 2020 8:03 a.m.
Escondido and Oceanside lead race for cheaper gas
Yesterday I paid $2.379 a gallon (after a 40 cent Von's Club discount/gallon) at the Vons' Gas in Escondido for 87 octane. That was a credit card price and my Chase Visa is paying a 5% rebate on fuel purchases through month end. Sounds absolutely cheap, doesn't it? Back in the day I lived a few years in Seattle. That area had a glut of refined product and a string a cheapie stations--the largest operated under the Gull brand name--that usually sold regular for $.229 or $.239. Went to one of them that allowed you, after accumulating ten fill-up chits, to use their hydraulic lift and grease gun to do an oil change/lube free. (It was necessary to bring your own oil.) A huge gas fill-up cost under $4. But back then I was earning $1.50 an hour for hard work. You will never see anything like that now or in the future.— March 23, 2020 8:59 p.m.
Shootout in Pauma Valley
We might wonder just how much was "disclosed" by the sellers to the buyers. A history like that might, just might, turn me off, even if the place were just perfect for what I wanted. Heh, heh!— March 22, 2020 5:52 p.m.
Shootout in Pauma Valley
Good to see you back and reporting on these nasty criminal cases. There was no mention of this trial in any other publication or website that I noticed. Heaven forbid that the You-Tee would cover a trial such as this one. Keep reporting.— March 20, 2020 9:11 a.m.
UPDATE: The dirty tricks of North River Farms
If the council, including Rodriguez, is smart it will fold on this one. (But then that council is seldom smart, having approved many projects and uses that had widespread opposition.) There is already a recall of Rodriguez, directly related to this project, that is underway.— March 20, 2020 9:04 a.m.