Entries
A Family (Genovese) Affair?
This morning (Oct. 15), Superior Court Judge John S. Meyer will give his final judgment on the City of San Diego's attempt to have the Kessler vs. City of San Diego case thrown out. Yesterday in a tentative ruling, the …
Tentative Ruling: Judge Won't Throw Out Kessler Suit
In a tentative ruling this afternoon (Oct. 14), Superior Court Judge John S. Meyer turned down the City of San Diego's attempt to have the Kessler vs. San Diego suit thrown out, or at least parts of it thrown out. …
State Universities Getting Fat on Potentially Biased Oil Research Contracts
The Center for American Progress, a Washington, D.C.-based progressive think tank, released today (Oct. 14) a study concluding that major California universities are raking in money doing less-than-objective research for big oil companies. In ten years, major California universities have …
For-Profit College Stocks, Including Bridgepoint, Walloped
Stock of San Diego's Bridgepoint Education, San Diego's highly controversial for-profit, online university, is down 13.24% this morning (Oct. 14) as a negative forecast from the industry's Mr. Big, Apollo Group, reverberated around the whole sector. Apollo, which runs the …
City Wants Kessler Suit Thrown Out
At 10 a.m. Friday, Superior Court Judge John S. Meyer will hear a request by the City of San Diego to have the Kessler vs. San Diego suit thrown out. Scott Kessler was fired by the City after giving information …
Joan Sutherland, Who Helped Build San Diego Opera, Dead at 83
Soprano Joan Sutherland, known as the best opera singer of her time, and perhaps the greatest soprano of the 20th century, died yesterday (Oct. 10) at age 83 at her home in Geneva. She and her husband, conductor Richard Bonynge, …
Gay & Lesbian Times Doesn't Make It to Print This Week
Gay & Lesbian Times, which is under investigation by the district attorney's office, did not make it into print this week (Oct. 7 edition). The online edition did not come out, either. Owner Mike Portantino is ailing. According to one …
Last -Minute Legislature Deal Boosts Chances of Massive Chargers Subsidy
The Union-Tribune reports this morning (Oct. 9) that the state's budget agreement yesterday may clear the way for the Chargers getting a massive subsidy for a downtown stadium from the insolvent City of San Diego. Previously, the deal would have …
Vassallo, Back in San Diego, Shows Up in Court
Alfred Louis "Bobby" Vassallo showed up yesterday (Oct. 7) for a hearing on whether he should be held in contempt of court. He had no lawyer. Vassallo claimed he didn't understand why the Securities and Exchange Commission is pursuing him. …
Lend a Hand to Wall Street. Get Laid Off
The unemployment data released this morning (Oct. 8) are dismal, but the stock market is up, as many expected. That's because the Federal Reserve has said it will keep money flowing and interest rates declining as long as unemployment remains …
San Diegans Sparse in Forbes 400 List
The list of the 400 richest Americans, recently published by Forbes Magazine, is light on San Diegans this year. Money manager Charles Brandes at $1.5 billion is number 269. Irwin Jacobs, co-founder of Qualcomm, is number 365 at $1.1 billion. …
Pssst! Howd'ya Like to Retire with $300,000 a Year of Taxpayer Moolah
The retirement packages of City of San Diego employees are even more outrageous than earlier reported. When you add in the quintessential double-dipping caper called Deferred Option Plan (DROP), plus other emoluments, Eugene Gordon, a former assistant city attorney, is …
Price Slashes, Improved Team Haven't Helped Padres
The San Diego Padres play their last two 2010 games at home today and tomorrow with an average attendance of 26,251. The team has a record of 87-70 and all season has been in the running for the playoffs. Last …
Even After the Bloodbath, SD Home Values High
Census Bureau figures released today (Sept. 28) still show San Diego with high home values, even though they are down 35% from the late 2005 peak. Median property values in the county (San Diego, Carlsbad, San Marcos metro area) are …
Richest 20% Get 49% of County Income; Poorest 20% Get 4%
More than 100,000 San Diego County residents fell from the middle class into poverty or severe economic hardship in the past two years, according to the Center on Policy Initiatives, which interpreted U.S. Census data released today (Sept. 28). The …
San Diego Home Prices Keep Rising. But...
Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller home price indices published this morning (Sept. 28) show San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles home values continuing to rise stoutly on a year-over-year basis, but S&P's David Blitzer says those expecting a return to …
Government Manipulate Stocks? Greenspan's Faulty Memory
USA Today says that former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan thinks a stock market rally will do more to boost the economy than various direct stimuli. Huh? He must be slipping severely. The federal government and Federal Reserve have been …
Tourism Up Moderately
Americans are traveling again, although the rebound is mild. According to Smith Travel Research, U.S. hotel occupancy is up 5% thus far this year while the average daily room rate is down 1%. In San Diego, occupancy is up 5.9% …
Volcker Says Financial System "Broken"
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker yesterday (Sept. 23) ripped up the speech he was to deliver to the Chicago Fed, and blasted the financial system, as reported by the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. He said the financial system …
Lawyer Assisted Currency Trading Scam, Says SEC
In San Diego federal court yesterday (Sept. 21), the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Escondido lawyer George Gustav Bujkovsky with assisting a foreign currency trading scam run by Sharanjit and Mohit Khanna. Investors in the $35 million MAK 1 scam …