I couldn't help but laugh as I read Mr. Carrico's article ("One big family?" The Daily Transcript, Jan. 26) about how all we need is more government money to stimulate the economy. More telling is his reference to Michael Moore's movies about General Motors as evidence of how corporations got us into the mess we're in now by outsourcing jobs.
Tourism is a product of filming. When this temporary business impacts a community, visiting crews, talent and producers have to eat, sleep and relax somewhere -- and they do, when they finish filming every day. The Film Commission becomes the concierge to this business giving filmmakers brochures, lists of restaurants, hotels listed on our Web site and other information about entertainment.
When the Jawbone Bluetooth headset was introduced in 2007 it stood apart from the legions of mediocre products, working particularly well in noisy environments. It had a striking appearance created by Yves Behar, a noted San Francisco industrial designer. The shiny chrome trim and blinking blue lights of other units were replaced by a more tasteful curved shape in black with a subtle diamond pattern.
Recommendations are out from the Commission on the 21st Century Economy on how to fix California's broken system of revenue collection. Sadly, though not surprisingly, our elected leaders are lining up to declare the recommendations "dead on arrival."
San Diego County is home to more than 240,000 veterans and today on Veterans Day we remember each one of them is owed a debt of honor that can never be fully repaid. We should never forget that freedom isn't free.
There are troubling signs that while the economy is rebounding, we may be facing a jobless recovery. Last week, the presidents of the Federal Reserve Banks of San Francisco and Atlanta each suggested that unemployment will persist well into 2010. A recent public opinion poll by Hofsta University found that three out of four suburbanites had either themselves or knew someone who had lost their job during the recession. The Golden State is seeing unemployment higher than it has been in 26 years and almost every forecaster believes it will go higher. While some of the locally-tracked leading economic indicators are positive, help wanted ads and jobless claims continue to point downward.
Nothing like a good, old-fashioned stock market rally to boost the wealth of investors. The Spectrum Group says the number of U.S. households with a net worth of $1 million or more — not including primary residences — grew by 16 percent in 2009 to 7.8 million. That's up from 6.7 million millionaires in 2008, but still below the record high of 9.2 million millionaire households in 2007. There also are 12.7 million households that are considered affluent, worth more than $500,000. In addition, there are 980,000 Ultra High Net Worth households, those with more than $5 million in net wealth. Forbes magazine will release its annual report of the world's billionaires later today.
"WHEREAS, The (Pleasantville) Legislature invites the people of this state to take the No Cussing Challenge each year during the first week of March to improve our relationships, to set a tone of harmony and connectedness in our communities, and to inspire ourselves to higher endeavors; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Assembly of the State of (Pleasantville), the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature designate the first week of March of each year as Cuss Free Week." So says California's legislature. OK, "Pleasantville" was actually "California" in the official resolution.
The most recent government numbers indicate that job losses in San Diego have reached historic proportions. This past January, our unemployment rate spiked to 8.6 percent, reaching the highest point in our last severe recession during the early 1990s. With more regional workers expected to receive pink slips and severance packages in the foreseeable future, the business community and government leaders should take a sober look at the challenges ahead on the road to economic recovery.
Many family businesses have a firm foundation anchored on values that all multigenerational members embrace: diligence, stewardship, just rewards for a full day of work, competence, fairness and professionalism. However, one thing that can upset any succession planning process is an entitlement mentality. Amazingly, this damaging syndrome can be instilled in the successor generation unwittingly by the older generation.
So far, the most interesting thing about the formal entry of Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown into the run for governor has been the reaction of the two megabucks Republicans now vying so avidly and expensively to be his November rival. Or maybe to be his unwitting foil for the fall election season.
The Daily Transcript has once again given Ron Carrico space for his annual "why we shouldn't subsidize billionaire sports owners" column. Mr. Carrico doesn't say anything new this time around; his argument is both familiar and simplistic.
California has always been synonymous with the American Dream. "Go west, young man, go west," they said, and people did. From the Gold Rush until today, California has been the place people aspired to achieve their dreams. We have been the global center of innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
The continuing decline in Japanese industrial triumph might be a prophesy of future growth for the United States. After decades of global leadership in electronics and automotive innovation, cracks in the Japanese corporate facades began to show leading into two decades of stagflation.
In today's wireless environment, BlackBerrys, iPhones and other handheld devices increasingly provide employees with round-the-clock access to e-mail from remote locations. While wireless gadgets allow us to maximize productivity in competitive economic times, they may also give rise to overtime, minimum wage and other wage payment claims.
The traditional way in which people look at their role in the organization creates problems. The most serious of which is that labor and management won't face up to the reality that Corporate America is not about taking care of people -- it's about taking care of business.
San Diego's gift of perpetual sunshine is ideal for generating solar electricity. Three solar power systems recently completed in San Diego demonstrate the technical and financial viability of solar power as a source of clean energy. They also illustrate the use of power purchase agreements, or PPAs, to finance and develop solar power systems without upfront capital costs to the customer.
When I moved to California in 1978, I was stunned by the beauty and breadth of opportunity here, the same allure that has drawn millions of Americans and immigrants over the decades to start life anew in the Golden State.
A great trial lawyer I admire, Steve Swinton, told me about the "bartender test." The test measures the common sense of a lawyer's argument in a given case. The test requires you to explain your case to a disinterested bartender in five minutes or less. If the bartender understands and accepts it, your case has common sense and even justice. If the bartender says, "That's bullshit," then your argument lacks common sense and justice.
Veterans Day is important to me. It causes me to think about all those men and women who have put on the uniform and served on behalf of one of the branches of the U.S. military.
Everything you need to know about President Obama's commitment to fiscal responsibility and cost containment can be summed up in two words: Andy Stern. The profligate, corruption-coddling head of the powerful Service Employees International Union was named to the White House debt commission last week. If Obama thinks Stern holds the cure for our government spending woes, you can be certain his latest health care prescription will be fiscal hemlock.
Alan Simpson tells a story. He's walking through an airport when a man comes up and says, "Has anyone ever told you, you look like Alan Simpson?" "Yes," Simpson replies. The man says, "Doesn't that make you mad?"
It's easy to sense the excitement building around the video game industry this week, as rumors and anticipation welcome Monday's opening of the annual Game Developers Conference (GDC) in San Francisco.
The civilian unemployment rate in San Diego County has doubled in the past three years. In December 2007 the rate was a crowd-pleasing 4.9 percent. By the next December it was up to 7.5 percent and this past December was an uncomfortable 10.1 percent. Now that's a lot better than California's 12.4 percent, but it is still a lot higher than the norm.
San Diegans have a lot to be thankful for at this time of year. Today, I am pleased to give credit to our governor and state legislators for accomplishing a long-awaited and vital task -- passing a comprehensive water package to reform and rebuild California's water system. I believe this will be an instrumental component of California's economic revival.
Regardless of one's viewpoint, the initiative process is a two-edged sword. But at least it gives the voters a way to both bypass and control politicians.
There is a great deal of anger and concern with the situation in Sacramento. With our current governor leaving in 11 months the next governor will take over and be faced with terrible problems even if some are corrected this year. This writer served as Gov. Reagan's appointee to three positions in state government. I saw an inherited big budget deficit reversed. Reagan's successor was provided with a big budget surplus.
You hear rumblings all across this land from California to the New York Island. This land that's made for you and me. The rumblings emanate from the tea parties, the anti-establishment Democrats, anti-government Republicans, Ron Paul Libertarians and most pro-conservative organizations.
There's a stereotypical term applied to people who believe in preparing for the absolute worst-case sociological scenario: a "survivalist," or more folksy, a "prepper." Without judgment as to the odds of a massive calamity of some sort occurring, I find nothing inherently wrong with putting together plans, supplies and procedures to follow in case the SHTF, as the "preppers" would say. Why, our fire, police and military professionals do exactly that every day.
As the nation's dreary economic climate hovers above San Diego for yet another year, job creation and regulatory relief must continue to be on the forefront of our local policy agenda. Paying closer attention today to a silent segment of entrepreneurs can help local lawmakers craft a more representative and balanced pro-business agenda that is desperately needed.
There's been a lot of talk recently about Ford and what a great job it has done. Add to that all the bad talk about Toyota, and people are asking, is Ford a good investment now or not?
