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Is Bell Retiring from U-T? Rumor Makes Sense
I'm not convinced that the print medium is so much a problem as the U-T's lack of content, dismissal of its best writers, and compromised editorial stance, particularly the smarmy ultra-conservatism of Bob Kittle. The paper and its declining readership are uncreasingly out-of-touch with a more cosmopolitan and reform-minded San Diego. I subscribe to the NYT and Washington Post Magazine, read other papers like the Boston Globe on-line, also the Reader, City Beat and Voice of San Diego. The U-T suffers by comparison with each and all. Replacing Mr. Kittle with a more contemporary and progressive editor might work wonders. Things could hardly get much worse.— December 19, 2007 3:12 p.m.
New Study Shows Topside Inequities in City Bureaucrat Retirements
I wish someone would just "show" us the some undisputed acts rather that all this subjective dialog. As far as I know neither side has posted an actual example showing us where it cost or makes money. I find that very telling.— December 19, 2007 2 p.m.
Attorney General Says No Criminal Charges Should Be Filed in Long-Running Billing Practices
I'd love to read your response after you not only read the piece, but watched Mr. Aguirre's response on KUSI: here is the link: http://www.kusi.com/news/goodmorning/12629166.html— December 19, 2007 1:48 p.m.
New Study Shows Topside Inequities in City Bureaucrat Retirements
I'm curious. Why are the DROP monies reflected as a liability? If an employee retires and leaves city employment, SDCERS issues a monthly pension check and sends and the money out of the fund. But if that same employee “retires” and enters into a DROP contract (5 yr Max) SDCERS transfers the retirement money into SDCERS DROP FUND account that it controls. It re-invests the funds as it sees fit, make money on the investment (recently as much as 12% annually) and pays 8% to DROP FUND account, not to the retiree, while keeping the 4% spread for itself. It also gets more from the contractual employee contributing into the fund and roughly 3% match from the city. So until the time the employee leaves (5 yr max) SDCERS controls the money, makes investment decisions, and earns the investment returns for 5 additional years. How is the DROP a liability versus making a pension payment up to 5 years earlier?— December 19, 2007 1:29 p.m.
Is Bell Retiring from U-T? Rumor Makes Sense
I heard an interesting radio commercial yesterday on Roger Hedgecock's show, of all places. The ad was purchased by the folks representing the U/T Pressroom workers. They claim 13 workers who print the paper are being laid off and, for reasons I cannot fathom, they boldly encourage subscribers to cancel their subscriptions. In addition, advertisers are encouraged to spend their money elsewhere. Seems to me this only hastens the demise of the paper and permanent loss of their jobs. Is that dumb or what? There is no doubt in my mind the U/T has already started to circle the drain. It's only a matter of time until the printed version of the U/T disappears completely from our daily lives. It's replacement, the electronic versions, on the internet, radio and eventually some sort of podcast/tv. Oh, by the way, airing their radio ad on Roger's show, nice touch, considering his "amiable" relationship with U/T over the years.— December 19, 2007 1:09 p.m.
Attorney General Says No Criminal Charges Should Be Filed in Long-Running Billing Practices
Hmmm, billing practices? The latest salvo fired from the U/T with regards to Mr. Aguirre's so-called pension expert is very troubling. If this story proves to be accurate (and yes, that's always suspect when talking about the U/T and Mr. Aguirre) then it might become his political epitaph. No, if the facts are correct, then it really touches on dishonesty, ethics and political paybacks. Ironically, the very behavior he has repeatedly accused others perpetrating while holding positions of authority. While $127K in the totality of the City’s problems is not a huge amount of money, the realization that Mr. Aguirre plays loose by the rules dramatically reduces his creditability while undermining those who support honesty and transparency in government.— December 19, 2007 10:41 a.m.
Lies -- and the fat man in the red suit that tells them.
I was that mean kid in first grade who lotified all of the other kids that there was indeed no Santa. Innevitably I made them all cry. My older sister was the one who gave me the news and was very sarcastic with me, told me I was dumb because really how could there be a santa. I used the same sarcastic attitude telling all of the kids... I mean how dumb could they be? this made me look like I knew what I was talking about right? Any way there may not be anyone in therapy for what thier parents told them about santa but there may be some in therapy for the bully that questioned thier intelligence for believing in foolishness. Sorry to any of those I may have hurt.— December 18, 2007 2:10 p.m.
New Study Shows Topside Inequities in City Bureaucrat Retirements
Don, I won't argue the numbers but you did make one little mistake. You should have written "up to 90% of their salary" not "90% of their salary". I have no idea who retires at what percentage, but not everyone retires at 90%.— December 17, 2007 7:49 p.m.
Attorney General Says No Criminal Charges Should Be Filed in Long-Running Billing Practices
Sloppiness, Oh is that how we describe the Attorneys who work in the City Attorney's Office. I'd add a few more adjectives like corrupt, incompetent and lazy. No not necessarily our current crew and CA, the some of his predecessors.— December 17, 2007 7:20 p.m.
Bathroom Attendants
I hate bathroom attendants. They can hear me snorting lines of coke in the stalls.— December 17, 2007 6:03 p.m.