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post #759 of Old 12-04-2012
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Re: Contest/Game - Identify this picture

Originally Posted by MarkofSeaLife View Post
Or that girl from the nightclub?
Ouch! That was suppose to be a secret.

OK, palm trees so southern, just not Cal....
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What is the coolest neatest place you've sailed or boated... - Page 8 - SailNet Community
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post #71 of 74 Old 04-15-2008
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St. George Sound & Apalachicola to Panama City

Just east of the entrance to St. George Sound from the Gulf is Shipping Cove. Anchor 20 yards from the beach, walk 50 more yards and you can swim in the Gulf or just walk along your private, secluded beach. Then sail and motor to Apalachicola, stop for Grouper, shrimp and oysters, then travel west to St. Andrews Bay through what I am told is one of the most beautiful sections of the ICW. Easy sailing and motoring, no rock bottoms, many places to anchor, and wonderful scenery.

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We sailed into the harbor at Kinsale, county Cork on a summer Saturday. Castle up on the hill, rolling green park and gardens filled with families enjoying the sun, and the town below with its half-timber buildings, cobblestone streets, and the docks all lined with fishing and pleasure boats. Needless to say, when we went to drop the main, the head stuck just above the spreaders and I had to shinny up to get it down before anyone in our audience noticed. Didn't have a camera with me.
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post #73 of 74 Old 04-25-2008
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Don't know how cool this was ... probably crazier than hell (I wasn't the skipper, just a grinder) ... 60 foot ketch fully rigged sailed through Woods Hole with no engine assist. Engine was running but out of gear.
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post #74 of 74 Old 04-28-2008
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For me it's Los Roques off the coast of Venezuela. This is a breathtaking archepelago, about 40 sq. miles of uninhabited reef islands too countless to count. The only occupied island is Gran Roque where the streets are dirt, no motorized vehicles other than the water and garbage trucks, and the people are friendly and attractive.
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Thread: CATALINA 350 need input Reply to Thread
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  Topic Review (Newest First)
11-27-2002 03:52 AM
CATALINA 350 need input

You are a man of few words.
11-26-2002 01:16 PM
CATALINA 350 need input

11-26-2002 11:07 AM
CATALINA 350 need input

yes they do
11-10-2002 07:17 PM
CATALINA 350 need input

larry levine , denr and windship. Well its nice that you are all the same people and speaking for each other in all your posts. Verbatim and word for word. Do you all get together and do these circle jerks often?
11-10-2002 02:39 PM
CATALINA 350 need input

You could take the one fifty K and buy a Sabre thirty-eight mark one in showroom condition and still have money left over for every conceivable electronic gadget out there.And build quality? THIS is build quality.

11-10-2002 02:31 PM
CATALINA 350 need input

Thank you.

11-10-2002 12:38 PM
CATALINA 350 need input

Just last week I had a chance to get up close and personal with the 350 but did not go into the cabin. I''ve finally figured out the appeal of this boat, it doesn''t need sails! It has so much freeboard; the whole boat is a sail! It truly looks like a Bayliner with a mast. Such a tiny little wheel, the skipper would need a crew member to sit near the rail to tell the helmsman when the head sail is in trim, the person at the wheel could never see the tell tales. This boat may have a lot of desirable features in the cabin but then again, so do many trawlers. She''s not easy on the eyes, a real marina queen.
11-10-2002 09:38 AM
CATALINA 350 need input

Here are more comments if you are still condidreing this boat
10-01-2002 05:20 AM
CATALINA 350 need input

from what we have seen it is a solid boat
09-29-2002 02:58 PM
CATALINA 350 need input

Not even a contest The 350 wins hands down
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Diplomats, Disputes & Deceit World War II's
First Exchange of Enemy Diplomats

Prepared By William H. "Bill" Stewart,
Military Historical Cartographe

On Saturday, December 6, 1941 the day before the Japanese attack the following day's newspaper headline was being set for Sunday Morning to read, "Emperor To Avert Clash. “It was not to be Sunday morning witnessed the attack on America's slumbering fleet at Pearl Harbor.

The Japanese strike force consisted of the aircraft carriers, Akagi, (Red Castle); Kaga, (Increased Joy); Hiryu, (Flying Dragon); Soryu, (Green Dragon); Shokaku, (Soaring Crane) and the Zuikaku.

The American carriers absent on the day of the attack were: USS Lexington (CV-2) which left Hawaii on December 5th for Midway Island. The Saratoga (CV-3) was in San Diego, the Enterprise (CV6) was returning to Pearl Harbor on December 7th and some of her aircraft flying to Hawaiian shore bases were caught in the attack.

The remaining four U. S. carriers were in the Atlantic and would soon be transferred to the Pacific. These were the USS Ranger (CV-4) returning to Norfolk, Virginia, the Yorktown (CV-5) and the Hornet (CV-8) already at Norfolk on December 7th and the Wasp (CV-7) in Bermuda.

At the end of the day much of the Navy's Pacific fleet previously at anchor now lay resting in Pearl Harbor mud.

Ten days later on December 17, an executive at the Greenbrier Hotel, deep in the Appalachian Mountains, at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia was having his morning coffee while reading the newspaper headlines. The manager had no way of knowing that what had occurred so far away in the Hawaiian Islands would so very quickly impact the hotel. He noted the front page headlines that morning which read:"Vast War Powers Granted the President", followed by "Government May Seize 7 Billion in Alien Property” and "Admiral Nimitz Replaces Admiral Kimmel as Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet. “The fact that the Japanese attack force did not destroy the U. S. Navy's aircraft carriers in the Pacific fleet because they happened to be at sea during the attack must have sent a chill up Admiral Yamamoto's back. If it didn't  they soon would.

The hotel manager also read where a U. S. censor had been appointed; weather forecasting had been eliminated as being an aid to the enemy. There were more photographs of the devastation at the naval base-a place that few Americans had ever heard of until that fateful Sunday morning.

Just after lunch the manager received a telephone call from a representative of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad (C&O), the owner of the hotel, who inquired if the Greenbrier would be interested in housing the Axis diplomats, their families and the nationals of various enemy countries. Later that evening a second call was taken by the hotel management from the State Department informing staff of an order issued by President Roosevelt that the foreign diplomats of the warring nations were to be removed from the nation's capitol within 48 hours and taken to the Greenbrier. The staff was then advised of the imminent arrival of the uninvited guests and were reminded they were "avowed agents of a hostile governments and to be aware some were undoubtedly the directing heads of fifth column activities in the United States. “(The term Fifth Column relates to infiltrators or collaborators with the enemy).

The Protocol Division of the State Department advised the hotel when such officials are caught in a country during war, the diplomats are entitled to living conditions according to their customary living standards which, in the United States, would be maintained as far as possible while awaiting their return to their homeland.

The United States Government official in charge of overseeing the detention of the internees at the Greenbrier Hotel and Virginia's Homestead Hotel, the locations for the internment, was Roy L. Morgan, special agent for the FBI. He was to monitor the activities of 1,200 European and Japanese diplomats confined to the two hotels from December 1941 until June 1942, while waiting repatriation to their home countries. During this period Agent Morgan filed many confidential memoranda to J. Edgar Hoover concerning the activities of the detainees. The reports to Hoover contained a wealth of information regarding the Japanese diplomatic mentality and efforts of espionage in the United States. They form the basis for much of this article.

Early on while confined at Hot Springs Virginia, before their transfer to the Greenbrier one Japanese was said to have stabbed a waiter for refusing to betray his country. Apparently the Japanese tried to bribe the waiter with $500 to mail a letter which was forbidden by the FBI. When the waiter refused and turned his back to walk away with the comment, "I'm going to report you", he was stabbed in the back with a table knife. He was taken to the C & O Railroad hospital across the State line at Clifton Forge Virginia, 15 miles away.

After a short stay at the Homestead Hotel the Japanese were transferred to the Greenbrier Hotel at White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The Germans were not very happy to have the Japanese at the historic and elegant Greenbrier. Some observers anticipated that there would be some class distinction between the Germans and the Japanese.

An embassy clerk confirmed to Agent Morgan "the Japanese did not mix well with the Germans because the Germans think they are better than the Japanese. For this reason the Japanese resent the Germans. “

First Secretary of the Japanese Embassy expressed his feelings very frankly stating he has "utter contempt for England and very little love for Germany. The German people are very authoritative and overbearing, his Government did not trust the German nation and worried for fear of Japan being double crossed. Germany is out to get all it can out of Japan. The Japanese are a very proud race and feel superior. “

The above being a somewhat surprising comment considering the two nations were allied in the war against the United States and England.

Once the diplomats and their entourage were ensconced in the hotel, the FBI was present on 24 hour duty to make certain that no communication emanating from the hotel of any kind was made by any of the enemy internees. All mail was censored.

The Immigration and Naturalization Department was charged with border security. Hotel personnel were investigated, then provided with identification and pass cards Guard houses were erected at all entrances. These were manned by a staff of 88 guards. All persons attempting to enter the property were investigated. Flood lights were erected about the grounds and illuminated throughout the night.


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Cost of Living Data for Ephrata, Washington

The cost of living graph below shows the amount needed to buy a basket of goods and services in Ephrata, Washington and 4 other locations in the United States. Assuming a $50,000 lifestyle in Ephrata, Washington, the cost of a similar lifestyle in each of the 4 comparison locations is shown in the graph. Cost-of-living data is derived from ERI's cost of living surveys and web digitization of public domain records. To generate detailed cost of living reports suitable for creating cost comparisons for relocating employees customized to spending patterns, please consult ERI's Relocation Assessor. The Relocation Assessor includes cost-of-living data for 10,000 areas worldwide and allows for customization based on salary, housing, family size, consumption, services and travel. Try a free demo of the cloud-based relocation assessor.

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Salary Survey Data - Police Lieutenant in El Paso, Texas

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Salary Survey Data - Bookkeeper Full Charge in Thatcher, Arizona

The below data is a sample of data available in ERI's Global Salary Calculator. The Global Salary Calculator provides compensation data for over 45,000 positions in 8,000+ cities in 69 countries. If you need to calculate competitive levels of salaries, incentives and total compensation by industry, organization size and salary planning date, please view a demonstration version of ERI's Salary Assessor, which is used by the majority of the Fortune 500 for salary survey data and compensation planning.

Bookkeeper Full Charge in Thatcher, Arizona

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• Atlético Mineiro
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Luis Fabiano hails impact of home support for Sao Paulo

Fabiano has 28 goals for Brazil in 45 appearances
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Luis Fabiano has stressed the importance of the fans to Sao Paulo's chances of winning the Paulista state championship and highlighted how well the team has performed when playing at home in 2014.

The Brazil forward, whom many believe still has an outside chance of making Luiz Felipe Scolari's World Cup squad, has scored nine goals en route to the quarter finals of the tournament and told goal.co.br: "The fans have been very important to us, they have already demonstrated their strength at the Morumbi and we have to keep it."

"Fans have sent us messages of encouragement and it gives us more confidence to pursue a postive outcome."

Sao Paulo play Penapolense in the first leg of the Paulista quarter final on Wednesday at 10p.m. local time.

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Joe Speedboat by Tommy Wieringa

by Sampsonia Way    /  April 19, 2010  / No comments

In Joe Speedboat the inhabitants of a sleepy rural town are shaken awake by the arrival of a kinetic young visionary—the eponymous Joe.

After a violent farming accident plunges him into a coma for six months, young Frankie Hermans wakes up to discover that he’s paralyzed and mute. Bound to a wheelchair, Frankie struggles to adjust to a life where he must rely on family and friends to complete even the simplest tasks. The only body part he can control is his right arm, which he uses obsessively to record all the details of daily life in his town.  But when he meets Joe Speedboat—a boy who blazed into town like a meteor while Frankie slept—everything changes. Joe is a centrifugal force with the touch of a magician and the spirit of a daredevil, and he alone sees the potential strength in Frankie’s handicaps. With Joe’s help, Frankie’s good arm will be used for more that just writing: as a champion arm-wrestler, Frankie will be powerful enough to win back his friends, and maybe even woo P. J., the corkscrew-haired girl who has them all in a tailspin.  Alive and exuberant with the profundities of adolescence, Tommy Wieringa’s Joe Speedboat is the supersonic story of an unlikely alliance and a lightning-quick dash to grow up.

JOE SPEEDBOAT ©2009 by Tommy Wieringa, English translation © 2009 by Sam Garrett, reprinted with the permission of the publisher, Grove Atlantic, Inc.

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Sampsonia Way is an online magazine sponsored by City of Asylum/Pittsburgh that seeks to protect and advocate for writers who may be endangered, to educate the public about threats to writers and literary expression, and to create a community in which endangered writers thrive and literary culture is a valued part of life.

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16' Beauty-Mark® Destin® Manual Awning - 10'-2" Proj.

by AWNTECH CORPORATION | Item  #: 337724 | Model #:  DM16-W |
16' Beauty-Mark® Destin® Manual Awning - 10'-2

  • $ 1,499 00
Non-members pay 10% surchargeJoin now!
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Delivery estimates, taxes, and fees are based on ZIP Code. Club Pickup orders are based on your club’s current price and item availability on the day of payment.

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The Beauty-Mark Destin retractable awning blocks harmful UV sun rays, with up to 35% energy savings.

This elegant Manual Retractable Awning with protective powder coated aluminum hood is easy to install. Beauty-Mark® awning fabrics feature coatings that guard against, moisture, mildew, fading and soil. The wave scallop valance features an off-white trim. Uses include: homes, apartments, lake houses, manufactured homes, porches, patios, decks, over gardens and play areas and more. Add another awning for added coverage with variable pitches. All awnings have an adjustable pitch mechanism. Use of retractable awnings over windows and doors decreases the amount of radiant energy entering your apartment or home and will save money in air conditioning costs. They also help protect furniture from sun-bleaching and color-fading, prolonging the life of your furniture. Wall mounting brackets are included. Roof mounting brackets by calling 1-800-203-7049

  • High quality
  • 5+ year life
  • Easy to install
  • Award winning customer support
  • Designer colors
  • Sahara Valance (wavy)
  • Awning accessories available
  • Powder coated white frames
  • Steel cable arms
  • Beauty-Mark designer outdoor fabrics
  • Stitched with Beauty-Mark super-strength threads
  • Treated to resist moisture, mildew, fading and soil
  • Manual retraction with crank
  • Fabric Weight: 300 grams/meter
  • Wind Speed Allowance: 30 mph
  • Rain Allowance: No
  • Snow Allowance: No
  • Adjustable pitch
  • Shipping Method: LTL (Light Truck/Curbside)
  • Installation Time: Within 2 hours
  • Required Installers: 2
  • Tools: Electric drill, level, wrenches, ladder

    For color selection and additional accessories, please call 1-800-203-7049 for more information or e-mail customers@awntech.com and include order number, name and color choice

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Jack Daniel's BBQ Pulled Beef - 16 oz. - 2 pk. - 32 oz. total

by Jack Daniel's | Item  #: 443540 | Model #:  JD-351C | (4) |
Jack Daniel's BBQ Pulled Beef - 16 oz. - 2 pk. - 32 oz. total

Non-members pay 10% surchargeJoin now!
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Slow cooked for hours to perfect tenderness.

Taste the rich heritage and tradition of southern cooking in every bite. Mr. Jack Daniel said "Everyday we make it, we'll make it the best we can." For Mr. Jack that meant using only the finest ingredients and devoting extra care and attention to the whiskey making process.

Smoked BBQ Meat Made with Authentic Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey Glaze

  • Fuly cooked, ready to eat
  • Delicious Pulled Beef is cooked to perfection with Jack Daniel's BBQ Sauce.

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Compensation Committee

A sharp increase in the number of Independent Directors made it difficult for the Company to convene Board meetings as often as is needed. Therefore, the Company set up committees under the Board in accordance with relevant laws and delegated some of the Board authority to the committees, each of which is filled with Directors who can bring their expertise and experience to the assigned committee.

Board committees, established and operating in accordance with Article 28-2 of Articles of Incorporation, are as set forth:

  • Management Committee
  • Audit Committee
  • Independent Director Recommendation Committee
  • Related Party Transactions Committee

Each agenda approved by board committees is instantly notified to all Directors, and each Director may call for the convocation of Board meetings within two days from the notice. The Board of Directors may put the resolutions approved by the committees for voting at the Board meeting.

(1) General Description

The Compensation Committee is a committee under the Board of Directors that was established to ensure the objectivity and transparency of decision making on Director compensations.

The Committee is responsible for assessing the appropriateness of Director compensation, and reviews and approves the ceiling on Director compensation to be submitted for resolution at a general meeting of shareholders.

(2) Composition

In accordance with relevant laws and regulations, the Compensation Committee shall comprise of three Independent Directors.

Currently, the committee consists of three Independent Directors.The head of the committee is Independent Director Dong-Min Yoon.

Compensation Committee Members
Kwang-Soo Song
(Head of the committee)
In-Ho Lee Byeong-Gi Lee
(3) Operation

The Compensation Committee is a Committee that is called upon only when there are agendas on Director compensation ceiling or compensation scheme for directors to be submitted at the general meeting of shareholders. The Committee shall hold regular meetings at least once a year.

Convening of Meetings :

The Committee Head shall call meetings and notify
the members of the meeting time and place at least 24 hours in advance.

Method of Resolution :

The presence of the majority of all Directors shall constitute a quorum for a meeting of the Compensation Committee and the resolutions shall be adopted by a majority of the votes of the directors attending the meeting. Board meetings may proceed using videos and wired or wireless telecommunications devices within the scope provided by relevant laws.

(4) Activities
11 February, 2015
Agenda Results Attendance
Preliminary review on remuneration limit for Directors Approved 3/3 present


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Inside USD

USD Says “Not on My Watch”

Friday, September 6, 2013

Academic institutions are banding together in support of the national “Not on My Watch” campaign to prevent deaths by suicide among college students. Suicide Prevention Week will take place from September 8 – 14, 2013 in San Diego County.

University of San Diego is joining the Suicide Prevention Council, convened by Community Health Improvement Partners (CHIP) and participants in its Higher Education Subcommittee to host a myriad of education, awareness and prevention activities at area colleges and universities in order to reduce suicide among student populations.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center specifies that there are an estimated 1,100 students affiliated with colleges and universities across the country that die by suicide each year, and participating colleges and universities locally like the University of California at San Diego, the University of San Diego, San Diego State University, San Diego City College, Mira Costa College, California State University at San Marcos and Grossmont College want to send this prevention-campaign message to their respective student populations so that they are aware that there are quality resources available to students experiencing mental health problems associated with suicide.

On September 6, County Supervisor Ron Roberts and Health and Human Services Agency Director Nick Macchione will kick-off Suicide Prevention Week at a “Not on My Watch” event at San Diego State University. While a variety of activities will take place over a one-week period, the San Diego County Suicide Prevention Council would like to highlight a series of events occurring Tuesday, September 10, 2013.  Activities occurring on Tuesday among participating college campuses and universities will range from noon-time table events/leaf-letting activities to special education workshops and community health resources fairs. At these activities they will be passing out “Not On My Watch” kits that consist of wristband with the slogan on one side and the Access and Crisis Line on the other and additional resources, these kits were first created and used by Community Research Foundation and this year we are joining them to say “Not On My Watch.”

Beginning on September 10 and continuing throughout the academic year, USD will be offering opportunities for our community to come together and help those struggling with mental health concerns including anxiety, depression and suicidality.

USD will launch its campus wide efforts on Tuesday, September 10 at the Alcala Bazaar and continue with “USD Not on my Watch” week October 14-18, 2013. The week will conclude with USD students, faculty and staff by joining the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s “Out of Darkness Community Walk“ on October 19. In November, USD Student Wellness is co-sponsoring International Survivors of Suicide Day at on November 23. More details will become available as they events draw near.

For more information on suicide awareness and prevention as well as upcoming events, please visit

— Melissa Wagoner

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International Law Society (ILS)

The purpose of the International Law Society is to provide students insight into the practice of international law through panel discussions, networking events, and speaker series regarding various topics in international law. We hope to educate students, provide resources regarding career opportunities in international law, and work with USD to facilitate involvement with the San Diego community and the greater international society.

Back to Student Organizations

Organization Contact

Marian Massey and Alicia MIller


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Search City of San Diego

Fire Stations

Fire Station 20

Photo of Fire Station 20 Photo of Fire Station 20

Fire Station 20 was originally opened at 3575 Kettner in 1928. The current building opened in November 1962. Station 20 is responsible for repair, maintenance and testing of fire hose. There are 3,000 feet of hose on each of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department's 47 fire engines. The cost ranges from $70.00 for a small diameter hose to $400.00 for a large 4 inch hose.

Fire Station 20 serves Loma Portal/Sports Arena and its surrounding areas. Engine 20's district is 4.60 square miles.

Incident Runs (FY 14)

  Engine 20 Truck 20
Total 3,821 1,212
Fire 248 196
Medical/Rescue 3,295 856
Other 245 150


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If it’s meant to combat blight, why does no redevelopment money reach neighborhoods such as 32nd and Island?

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San Diego fat cats transformed the concept of redevelopment from help for the poor to welfare for the rich. They have a fear of Governor Jerry Brown, who wants to get rid of redevelopment agencies ...

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Vasgersian will be different, but will Padres fans bite?

Staff Writer

Different isn't necessarily bad. And there appears to be no question Matt Vasgersian, the new TV voice of the Padres on Channel 4, will be different from what fans were used to over the last five years with Mel Proctor.

"Matt might break into song in the middle of a game," said Tim Van Wagoner, director of broadcasting for the Brewers, Vasgersian's employer the last five years. "He tends to be a little different from the prototype play-by-play announcer. He has unique home run calls. But he also respects the game, knows it inside and out. And he's as good a play-by-play man as there is.

"He had a huge following here with the 12-to-24 crowd. I think people in San Diego will embrace him."

Vasgersian admits he's different. He likes to have a good time when he works.

"Milwaukee was a pretty conservative market," Vasgersian said. "Some people responded to my style. Some didn't. I won't give you a Ronnie Radio call every night. I won't be a walking, talking Sominex ad. If I'm not having a good time, how can I expect the viewer to be involved? I take my work seriously, but not myself."

Vasgersian honed his talents in the minor leagues working for six seasons, making $1,200 a month and living on $12 a day meal money.

"I paid my dues working at stations where, if you didn't have the tin foil wrapped right around the antenna, you couldn't hear me," Vasgersian said.

But paying his dues led to a job with the Brewers, as well as jobs as an actor and quiz-show host. It also led him to the XFL, where he was hired to work with Jesse Ventura as NBC's No. 1 announcing duo.

After refusing to bow to ridiculous demands by a league that was co-founded by World Wrestling Federation owner Vince McMahon, he was bumped off the No. 1 team.

"In my left ear I had Vince McMahon saying pump up the cheerleaders," Vasgersian said. "In my right ear I had Dick Ebersol (of NBC Sports) saying hold back. It was like a devil-and-angel thing. I was torn and in the end, it was too over the top."

Vasgersian realizes that early on, Padres fans might think he's a little too over the top.

"But hopefully, people will come to enjoy what I do," he said. "I handle a 2-1 game differently from an 11-0 blowout.

"But I work hard all the time. My biggest pet peeve is announcers who mail it in when there are talented guys in the minor leagues who would chop off their fingers to get a chance like this."

Padres analysts Mark Grant and Rick Sutcliffe are both signed for the next two years. It appears Grant again will work about 100 games and Sutcliffe about 40.

What about Mel?

After five years of solid work with the Padres, Proctor now finds himself on the outside.

He'll get more network games with Fox in 2002, but the three team jobs that were open -- Rangers, Tigers and Rockies -- have been filled.

Josh Lewin got the Rangers job, Darrin Sutton was hired by the Tigers and Drew Goodman will call games for the Rockies.

"Mel broke me in, and he's a true professional," Grant said. "He's very good at his craft. I'm sure he'll land on his feet."

Football fodder

+ After drawing CBS' "F" Team of Craig Bolerjack and Trevor Matich last week, Sunday's 1 p.m. Chiefs-Chargers game will be called by Kevin Harlan and Craig James. Harlan and James are the network's "C" Team.

+ Last week's Bills-Chargers game drew a 59 share of the TV audience in Buffalo and 52 in San Diego.

+ Channel 4 has Saturday's New Mexico-San Diego State game live at 6 p.m. Poway resident Eddie Doucette and Blaine Fowler are the announcers.

+ As a tribute to the United States Armed Forces, ESPN's College GameDay (Saturday at 7:30 a.m.) will originate from Air Force Academy, Colo., site of the Army-Air Force game.

+ ESPN Classic will devote Sunday evening to former Bears running back Brian Piccolo, starting at 4 p.m. and finishing with the best football film ever -- "Brian's Song" at 6 p.m.

Around the dial

+ NBC, which wasn't scheduled to show an NBA game until Christmas Day, will air Michael Jordan's home opener with the Washington Wizards at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

+ The NBA is holding TV talks with major networks, and while ESPN is interested, it appears incumbents NBC and Turner are the favorites.

+ Tuesday's ESPN "SportsCenter Flashback" at 4 p.m. will revisit Magic Johnson's shocking retirement announcement 10 years ago.

+ The postponed Evander Holyfield-John Ruiz heavyweight fight has been rescheduled for Dec. 15 in Connecticut and will be carried by HBO.

John Maffei's TV/Radio Column appears every Friday. He can be reached at (760) 740-3547 or by email at


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Farmers get charge out of cow manure

Methane is converted into electrical power

LAKESIDE – Tons of cow manure won't be going to waste at the Van Ommering dairy.

The family farm is the fifth in California – and the first in San Diego County – to make use of a technology that converts the gases produced by cow manure into electricity. Rob and Dave Van Ommering, two brothers who operate the dairy, began running the equipment in March and say their most recent electric bill was half the usual amount.

The $900,000 system, known as an anaerobic plug-flow digester, was financed in part by a $244,000 state grant and a $150,000 federal grant. Representatives from the state dairy industry and government agencies plan to attend an unveiling at the Van Ommering dairy tomorrow.

Spurred by economics and environmental concerns, California is at the forefront of building the devices that turn poop into power.

"If we can ever develop a market for this power, instead of having it go up in the atmosphere, we can have the farmer get paid for the energy he's producing," said Mark Marsh, who heads the nonprofit corporation administering the state grants. "This would electrify a lot of homes in California."

Fourteen dairies in California have received a total of $6 million in grants to build the methane digesters. Only nine dairy farms outside the state have them now, Marsh said.

With 500 cows at their Lakeside dairy, the Van Ommerings have plenty of raw material for their digester. Each cow produces about 80 pounds of waste each day, or almost 15 tons a year.

The manure is carted to a concrete-lined, 130-foot-long holding tank covered with a polyethylene tarp. It stews for about 30 days while bacteria creates a gas that is funneled to a generator producing more than 100 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power more than 100 homes.

Dave Van Ommering said a key to the operation is ensuring the manure is maintained at about 100 degrees, the optimum temperature for the bacteria. It puts a whole new spin on those California milk commercials featuring happy cows.

"Instead of happy cows, we have happy microbes," he said, quickly adding that his bovines are also contented.

The Van Ommerings are the second generation to run the Lakeside dairy; their parents started the farm after emigrating from Holland 45 years ago. It's one of seven dairies in San Diego County.

The process of getting the digester built took longer and cost more than the Van Ommerings anticipated when their grant from the California Energy Commission was accepted in December 2001.

Dave Van Ommering said he was interested in building a digester because he felt dairy farmers will be facing increased environmental regulations. Methane gas, created when manure decomposes, is a greenhouse gas that affects the Earth's temperature and climate system.

Van Ommering said he started thinking about methane emissions after hearing that scientists at the University of California Davis were studying the amount of the gas produced by cows through belching and flatulence – "the front end and the back end" of the animal.

The digester seemed to offer an answer to some of those environmental concerns. In addition to generating electricity, manure that goes through a digester is less smelly and has fewer weed seeds, making it a more desirable fertilizer.

"We knew that we had to change our operations," Van Ommering said.

The Van Ommerings had hoped to have the digester operating by September 2002 and had expected it to cost about $480,000. It took 2-½ years to obtain county approval of their application. By then, the costs of construction materials had risen, adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to their expenses.

The energy produced by the methane digester is subtracted from the amount of power the dairy purchases from San Diego Gas & Electric Co. The dairy and the seven houses on the Van Ommerings' 200 acres consume about 80 kilowatt-hours of electricity, Rob Van Ommering said.

He estimated that the electricity savings will result in the digester paying for itself within 15 years.

SDG&E is not required to pay for any excess electricity produced by the digester beyond the needs of the dairy. That's a sore point for Marsh, who said California utilities fought legislative efforts to require that they pay retail rates for the power.

"The utility gets the additional power for nothing," he said.


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Bonsall board hears proposed $14M budget

BONSALL - Suggested cuts in school bus routes and bus driver positions prompted questions from Bonsall Union School District trustees Tuesday, when the assistant superintendent introduced a nearly $14 million proposed budget for the 2007-08 fiscal year.

The spending plan reflects anticipated expenses of $13,975,909 and expected revenue of $13,585,690. Final adoption of the budget by the board is scheduled for June 28. The proposed budget will be available for the public to view at the district's administrative office, 31505 Old River Road in Bonsall.

Without the transportation cuts - including the elimination of one route and three driver positions - plus a $125,000 donation from the Pala Band of Mission Indians tribe, the projected shortfall would be nearly 10 times as much, according to Assistant Superintendent Wayne Jones, who is also the district's business manager.

Jones has said previously that the deficit projection stems from the raises the district promised to teachers and classified staff, or district employees who are not teachers, including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, clerks, mechanics, custodians and instructional assistants.

Classified staffers will get a 12.37 percent raise this year, per an agreement reached last fall. Bonsall's teachers will get a 4 percent raise, per a deal reached a few months ago. Teachers' salaries are the largest expense the district has, followed by the cost of employee benefits.

Trustee Tim Coen questioned whether the district should make the transportation cuts, because the plan was to fund raises for classified staff in the third year of the contract by making the cuts then.

"If we make the cuts now, and spend the money now, we won't have the money to spend as we said we would in year three," Coen said at the meeting.

Trustee Richard Olson said the early cuts avoid spending the money committed for classified staff raises in the future.

"What we're doing is cutting two years early to let people ease into it," Olson said. "My understanding was that we were OK until year three, and we'd have to look at cuts then."

Gail Lindstrom, president of California School Employees Association Local 703, which represents bus drivers and other nonteaching staffers, told the trustees she did not think the suggested changes in the transportation department would work.

Also part of the budget is $698,795.45 the district set aside in a reserve fund for unforeseen situations. But Jones has said the district can use reserve fund money to address the shortfall. The amount that would be placed in the reserve fund equals about 5 percent of the district's total operating funds. A district the size of Bonsall Union is legally required to keep a reserve that represents at least 3 percent of the district's total operating funds.

- Contact staff writer Lorell Fleming at (760) 731-5798 or .


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Fishing/hunting report

 Barrett: 141 anglers checked caught 1,357 bass (all released), 66 bluegill and 5 crappie. Open to catch-and-release fishing and barbless hooks only every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Reservations for September available through Ticketmaster (619) 220-8497 or at 7 p.m. Aug. 11.

 Chollas: Open daily to youngsters 15 and under. San Diego Fly Fishers sponsors a Lend-A-Rod program on Sundays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and it includes free bait and tackle and fishing tips.

 Cuyamaca: Fish have gone deep in the heat. Fish in deeper water for better success. Joseph Reyes Smith, Morena Valley, 2½-pound trout, between the Jetty and the Dam. Andy and Cody Estrada and Tanner Holt, El Centro, 40 bluegill and 23 crappie. Chase Tilliel, 4, Valley Center, first fish, bluegill, wax worm, T-Dock. Cameron Walton, 10, Chula Vista, 3 trout and 5 bluegill, night crawlers, Lone Pine. Catfish and crappie fest going on right now. Free Fishing Class: Saturday at 10 a.m., Charlie Taylor, Launch Ramp. All boats entering the lake must be spray washed for quagga mussels. Charge is $10 per boat. Open daily.

 Diamond Valley Lake: Bass fishing continues to be very good here, with some of the better fish being found at 35 feet. Stephanie Reschke, 7-pound bass, drop-shotting a Margarita Mutilator Roboworm, Southwest Corner. Trout fishing is fair, with an occasional holdover rainbow biting. Bass anglers picking up some by-catch now and then. Rawson Cove, the Rock Quarry, best bets. Juan Miranda, Hemet, 12.55-pound striped bass, swimbait, East End. Open daily. Launch ramp closed until further notice.

 Dixon: Lake will get 500 pounds of channel catfish tomorrow, so that should improve the fishing here. Catfish still the best bet here, with most of the fish in the 1 to 3-pound range. But don't forget the lunker bass early in the day and late. Bluegill action has been good for the kids off the piers. The fish are on the small side but the kids don't mind. Night fishing every Thursday and Friday. Stocked regularly with channel catfish. Night fishing is permitted on Thursday and Friday nights only. Shoreline fishing is permitted until 11:45. Night boats may be rented starting at 5 p.m., but must be returned to the dock by 10:45 p.m. Boats are half price. There will be a limited amount of shoreline to fish after the park closes. Open daily.

 El Capitan: 50 anglers checked caught 55 bass (50 released), 15 blue gill and 3 channel catfish. Fishing and water activities permitted Thursdays through Saturdays, with Sundays reserved for water contact only. Fishing only on Mondays. Water contact activities include water-skiing, wake-boarding, Jet Skis, towing inflatables. All persons entering reservoir property must purchase a day use permit.

 Henshaw: Catfish action remains the top ticket here. Carlos Diaz, Chula Vista, 4-0 catfish. J.D Schweitzer caught and released twenty catfish, with his best estimated at 5 pounds. Michael Pruett and Faben Rodriguez, Escondido, 5 catfish, with a 7-pounder. Open daily, Friday and Saturday for night fishing.

 Hodges: 120 anglers checked caught 51 bass (all released), 3 bluegill, 1 crappie and 5 channel catfish (largest 5 pounds). All private boats must be inspected for quagga mussels prior to being launched. Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

 Jennings: Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Friday and Saturday until 11:30 p.m. for night fishing. Check for more information.

 Loveland: Open daily to hike-in fishing only on a limited area of shoreline. No permits required. Fishing license is required. New 140-foot fishing pier open on the west side of the fishing cove.

 Miramar: 59 anglers checked caught 24 bass (14 released, 27 bluegill and 1 channel catfish. Open daily to fishing and boating. Pay fees at iron ranger or electronic pay station near the concession building.

 Morena: Open daily.

 Murray: 63 anglers checked caught 40 bass (37 released) and 70 bluegill. Open daily to fishing and boating. Pay fees at iron rangers near the abandoned concession building or at key access points.

 Otay, Lower: 231 anglers checked caught 116 bass (104 released; largest 6 pounds); 336 bluegill (largest 1.8 pounds), 19 channel catfish (1.3 pounds), 2 blue catfish (24.80) and 2 carp (17.0). Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Pay fees at iron rangers near the boat launch and abandoned concession building. Boat rentals available.

 Otay, Upper: Nine anglers checked caugh 19 bass (all released; largest 2.95 pounds). Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday for fishing, sunrise to sunset. Upper Otay is a catch and release only fishery. Bait is not permitted, only artificial lures with barbless hooks. Boats are not permitted on Upper Otay, only shore fishing, waders and float tubes.

 Poway: Big catfish showing in various areas around the lake. The Log Boom, and shoreline in Boulder Bay the better spots. Another 1,500 pounds of channel catfish due this week. Marion Seitz, Poway, 8-0 channel catfish, mackerel, Log Boom. Alexendr Yermakuv, San Diego, 5.4-pound channel catfish, mackerel, Boulder Bay. Bass slowing down, but bluegill coming on. Lake is full and will stay that way all summer. Night fishing has been extended through Aug. 22. Night fishing is offered every Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. for boaters, 11:30 p.m. for shoreline anglers. The lake's popular Midnight Catfish Craze is set for July 31 from 4 p.m. to midnight. Tickets available at Lake Poway Grill and Tackle. Cost is $10 for adults (in addition to your daily permit) and $5 for youths 15 years old and younger (in addition to your daily permit). Motorboat sales will start at 3 p.m. Friday on a first-come, first-served basis. Fishing starts at 4 p.m. The Lake will be closed for boating and fishing July 31 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. to allow the lake staff to prepare for the event. Open Wednesday through Sunday. In order to prevent the introduction and infestation of quagga mussels, the following items are prohibited at Lake Poway: float tubes, private motors and anchors, live bait containers, fish finders, floating catch baskets, live bait from any source other than the Lake Poway concession, any items the staff considers to be potential contaminants.

 Santee Lakes: Check . Open daily.

 San Vicente: Closed. For construction schedules and information on the Emergency Storage Project, go to the San Diego County Water Authority's web site at and click on San Vicente Dam Raise.

 Sutherland: 49 anglers checked caught 94 bass (all released), 26 bluegill, 9 channel catfish and 1 blue catfish (24.10 pounds). Jake Keyser, 12, Ramona caught a 14.25 pound carp. Doug Vang of San Diego caught a 24.10 pound blue channel catfish on mackerel. Willy Head, 5, Ramona, caught a 5.60 pound blue channel catfish on bread. All boats must be inspected for quagga mussels prior to entering the lake. Open Saturday and Sunday for fishing and boating, Monday for shoreline fishing only.

 Sweetwater: Open Saturday, Sunday and Monday to limited shoreline fishing only.

 Wohlford: For more information, call the Ranger Station at (760) 839-4346 or visit . Rental boats available. Open daily.

 Catfish stocking schedule: Poway, 1,500 pounds.

 Pt. Loma Sportfishing, H&M Landing, Fisherman's Landing: 176 anglers, eight overnight boats: 2 albacore, 325 yellowtail, 2 bluefin tuna, 1 yellowfin tuna, 92 dorado. 128 anglers, four half-day boats: 315 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 5 barracuda, 8 rockfish. 74 anlgers, two three-quarter-day boats: 300 sand bass, 40 barracuda, 2 sheepshead, 18 rockfish, 121 sculpin.

 Seaforth: 38 anglers, one 1½ -day boat: 2 bluefin tuna, 41 dorado, 162 yellowtail. 22 anglers, one one-day boat: 1 dorado, 24 yellowtail. 41 anglers, two three-quarter-day boats: 1 dorado, 3 yellowtail, 11 barracuda, 3 calico bass, 185 sand bass. 120 anglers, four half-day boats: 1 bonito, 11 barracuda, 245 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 25 rockfish, 1 sheepshead. 42 anglers, one twilight boat: 12 barracuda, 24 calico bass, 16 rockfish, 7 mackerel.

 Oceanside: 13 anglers, one three-quarter-day boat: 130 sand bass, 50 barracuda. 46 anglers, two half-day boats: 238 sand bass, 65 barracuda. Seven anglers, one twilight boat: 60 sand bass, 7 barracuda.

 Red Rooster III: Captain Andy Cates reports a three-day trip, 180 miles out, caught 74 albacore, 45 yellowtail, 10 bluefin tuna, 6 yellowfin tuna and 4 dorado. Ralph Hughes, San Diego, caught a 29.3 pound bluefin tuna; Jeff Bracy, Newport Beach, caught a 27.7 albacore; Tommy Escalante, Camarillo, caught a 24.6 pound albacore.

 East Cape: Blue marlin showing just in time for the East Cape Bisbee Tournament, set to begin tomorrow. John Ireland, owner of East Cape's Rancho Leonero Resort, said he's never seen so many blue marlin in the area. He released three last week, with the fish ranging in the 100-to 400-pound range. Sailfish also showing and dorado to 60 pounds being caught. Smaller yellowfin and schooling dorado also showing and plentiful north of Punta Pescadero. Inshore action on roosterfish, pompano and pargo remains outstanding.

 La Paz: Fishing slowed here after a month of incredible action on tuna, wahoo, dorado and billfish. Dorado action stayed fair, but fewer bulls joined the party, according to Jonathan Roldan of Tailhunter International.

 Cabo San Lucas: One in two boats getting a billfish in what has been a very strange summer, according to veteran captains and Larry Edwards of Cortez Yacht Charters in Lemon Grove. Fishing is lagging for this time of year. The Gaviota VIII, skippered by Captain Juan Dominguez, was high boat for the week with three billfish for three days fished.

 Noteworthy: Special Deer Hunt: For the sixth straight year the California Deer Association (CDA) is sponsoring its “Sharing the Tradition Junior Deer Hunt.” It's open to 25 junior deer hunters who will get a free, fully-guided antlerless deer hunt on the famous Tejon Ranch. Junior hunters will be selected in a free, random drawing open to any junior hunter with a 2009 California junior hunting license and an unfilled deer tag. In addition, the following sponsors will supply the 25 lucky juniors with ammunition from Federal Premium Ammunition and Barnes Bullets, binoculars from Alpen Optics, and hunting gear from Hunter's Specialties and Birchwood Casey. A total of 90 juniors have already participated in the prior year hunts, and over 90 percent of them had never taken a deer before. Yet, the success rate on these hunts has been an incredible 98.8 percent. Entry applications must be received by October 14, 2009. Hunts will take place in the second half of December. The applications and rules may be found at the California Deer Association: or the California Department of Fish and Game: /docs/SharingtheTradition.pdf.

 Marine Life Protection Act: The California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative South Coast Regional Stakeholder Group meets Monday, Aug. 3 at 9 a.m. at the Holiday Inn, 850 Palomar Airport Road, Carlsbad, Calif., 92008. The public is invited to attend and participate by providing public comment at approximately 3:30 pm. Speaker cards are requested and may be found at the entrance to the room. Time allotted for public comment is determined by the number of requests and can range from one to three minutes per comment; submitting written comments that can be easily summarized in one to two minutes is encouraged. Note that the public comment period is for comments specific to the SCRSG; comments related to the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force, science advisory team, or other MLPA Initiative activities should be directed to those bodies or MLPA staff. Meeting materials will not be provided at the meeting but will be posted to the MLPA website as soon as they are available. This agenda may be found on the MLPA website at /meetings_sc.asp.

ED ZIERALSKI (619) 293-1225;


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CVS Caremark, Costco, Dynegy are big movers

— The following stocks were among those that moved substantially or traded heavily Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange:

Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc., down $1.30 at $26.52

Quarterly sales for the maker of 7UP, Canada Dry, A&W and other drinks fell, though profit rose on lower costs.

IMS Health Inc., up $3.92 at $20.73

Investment funds TPG Capital and CPP Investment Board will pay $4 billion, or $22 per share, for the health care data company.

CVS Caremark Corp., down $7.28 at $28.87

Its struggling Caremark pharmacy benefits management unit lost $2 billion in business over the last few months, the company said.

Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc., up 15 cents at $4.31

The fast-food company earned $14.7 million in the quarter and says a focus on low-cost meals at Arby's will boost sales.

Dynegy Inc., up 18 cents at $2.05

Adjusted quarterly earnings rose to $388 million, and the company continues to sell plants to bolster its financial position.

CF Industries Holdings Inc., down $6.49 at $79.90

In a final attempt to acquire the rival fertilizer maker, Agrium Inc. raised its bid to $92.99 in cash and stock, or $4.52 billion.

Cisco Systems Inc., up 64 cents at $23.93

The world's No. 1 maker of computer-networking equipment said orders are improving, though it warned the recovery is fragile.

Costco Wholesale Corp., up 60 cents at $59.41

October sales in stores open at least a year rose 5 percent, helped by stronger foreign currencies, the wholesale club operator said.

The Associated Press


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Tile in new places

Beyond conventional backsplashes, there are many more interiors candidates for the decorative use of tile.

“Kitchens are often chopped up spatially,” says tile-book author Jen Renzi. “You can continue tile up the wall to create spatial continuity. Or clad a full wall adjacent to the kitchen, perhaps, anchoring a breakfast area.”

Beyond the backsplash, consider some other places for tile:

Line a bookshelf.

Pave a windowsill.

Run tile around a door frame or inside of an arch between two rooms.

Create a “headboard” or a mirror frame out of tile.

Design a tile “rug” for a bath, entry or even to ground an outdoor seating area.

Consider one of the bold florals or a geometric op-art pattern as a feature wall.

Clad a tabletop. (Industrial designer Karim Rashid presented one of his new bold geometric tile patterns in fuschia, blue, rose and white, on a long table that extends from a sectional sofa, continues up the wall and is crossed by another long table in matching tile.)

Choose tiling a bathroom vanity in a simple waterfall shape.

Opt for tile as wainscoting material.

Complement a fireplace mantel with a decorative surround, or make a tiled mantel the showpiece.

suggested art hed and deck Beyond the boundaries of earthenware

Ceramic merely scratches the surface of possibilities for tile decor

For decades, ceramic tile has been the go-to choice for baths and kitchens, for reasons mostly pragmatic. The durable medium holds up to water, inhibits the growth of mold and mildew, and repels allergens. It also will not absorb odors such as smoke.

But classic ceramic is just one category of tile.

“People think of tile as a material,” says Jen Renzi, author of “The Art of Tile” (Clarkson Potter, $40). “It's actually a format that the material comes in.”

Today those “modules” include stone, cement, cork, leather and metal — as well as porcelain, which in spite of its delicate appellation, is tough as nails because of its firing at very high temperatures. Porcelain is less porous than ceramic tile, and it's even frost-proof, extending use to outdoor rooms with short seasons.

Porcelain also offers a formidable canvas for mimicry. With digital and inkjet printing techniques, etching, stamping and other surface treatments, there is practically no surface or finish that cannot be replicated, often with stunning verisimilitude. That includes fabrics (linen, lace, satin, velvet, burlap), leather (hides like zebra) and a variety of skins (such as lizard, snake and crocodile), metal (including gold and silver leaf facsimiles), wood (teak, walnut, oak — even centuries-old antiques), wall coverings (such as grass cloth, sisal and other tufted rugs) and paint (including fresco, faux finishes and hand painting).

With toiles, paislies and supersized florals that rival the best in wall coverings, tile is catching the eye of more consumers intrigued with its decorative capabilities. That expands the base of art tile aficionados. Companies such as Pratt and Larson and Motawi Tileworks are known for their beautifully glazed embossed tiles, the latter especially for their Arts and Crafts inspirations that include some from Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan.

There is, of course, a formidable historic precedent for the decorative use of tile, dating to at least the fourth century B.C. Imagine the magnificent mosaics of ancient Pompeii, flamboyant Gaudi stonework in Barcelona or the precious stone inlays at the Taj Mahal.

Renzi's book features a rich tapestry of residential examples, including a residence in Morocco whose interior and exterior spaces are clad in a consistent black-and-white scheme with complementary organic and geometric patterned cement tiles that have a surprisingly modern vibe.

One of Renzi's goals is to “decode” tile, with its myriad choices, and the confusion about what to use where and how to apply it. The former senior writer at House and the trade publication Interior Design includes nuts-and-bolts pros and “considerations” (more caveats than negatives), as well as more than 1,500 photos of tile samples.

Not surprisingly, many trend-setting designs are Italian and Spanish imports, recalling those countries' rich traditions as well as their capabilities for pushing the technological envelope with such features as light reactivity, self cleaning, pollution absorbance, even tiles embedded with LED lights.

At a Coverings trade show in April in Chicago, where cutting-edge tiles and natural stone from more than 50 countries were exhibited, buzz about exuberant color was shared with trend stories addressing scale (big and bold), texture (lots of it), dimension (curious 3-D sculptural effects) and glitter (from soft and nuanced to strident metallic hues).

The introduction of ultra-thin porcelain, some available in 48-inch to 52-inch slabs, offers substantial cost-cutting for installation, as it can be applied over existing surfaces. The tile is like a laminate or wood veneer but with the substantial look of slate. It's a quick fix for sprucing up counters, floors or cheap wood paneling.

Honed finishes are especially in vogue today. That's one reason for the appeal of cement tiles. No boring gray here; these come in chic patinated solids or in charming patterns inspired by 19th-century designs from Europe and Cuba. Some tiles team matte and glossy, for example, in a tone-on-tone damask with a shimmery effect.

Some textural tiles sport flakes of gold or silver. But even flat surfaces treated with a luster take on an elegant glow not unlike the paintings of Gustav Klimt. Choose from precious metals like gold, silver, copper and platinum or industrial metals like iron, steel, copper, aluminum and titanium.

Besides facsimiles, Bear Creek Bronze features real cast metal tiles including bronze, copper, white bronze, yellow brass and aluminum.

Metal also has been back-painted on glass, which increases its reflectivity. Glass mosaics have been huge, and now there's an even broader range of translucent and opaque glass in a palette of colors from lemon and lime to butterscotch hues that resemble rock candy. Eco-friendly concerns make recycled glass a welcome option. Besides conventional square shapes, there also are stacked brick shapes, irregular, jagged geometrics and circular bubbles that give mosaics a whimsical dimension.

Newest are micromosaics with “tesserae” (individual cubes) that number a couple thousand in a 12-inch-square tile. Popular stone pebble designs also are backed this way. Installation is a breeze because the tiles are pre-spaced and backed with mesh, usually available in 12-by-12 sheets, which is handy for the do-it-yourselfer.

The price range for tile is considerable, from about $5 per square foot to $400 a tile. But whether you prefer a polished, tumbled or rugged ambience, expanses of solid, mottled or patterned walls, flat or dimensional surfaces, you'll likely find your heart's desire.


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YouTube's 'Life in a Day' project nets 80K entries

— YouTube's "Life in a Day" project has logged 80,000 video submissions as it moves closer to the finished product: a documentary film.

Director Kevin Macdonald said Thursday the 4,600 hours of footage will soon be distilled to 100 hours. A final, feature-length film will premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival and on the YouTube website.

By last weekend's deadline, user contributions had been received from 197 countries in 45 languages.

The submissions will be available for viewing when the gallery goes live next month on YouTube's "Life in a Day" channel.

"Life in a Day" is an experiment aimed at capturing life globally on a single day, July 24.

Macdonald has directed features including "Last King of Scotland."

YouTube is owned by Google Inc.

The Associated Press


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Defense: Dr. in cyanide case incapable of murder

— A defense attorney says a doctor on trial in Cleveland in the cyanide-poisoning death of his wife is a loving family man who is incapable of murder.

Defense attorney Steven Bradley displayed photos of a smiling family and told jurors during opening statements Monday that Dr. Yazeed Essa (EE'-suh) had no reason to destroy his happy life.

Assistant Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County Prosecutor Steve Dever says the alleged 2005 plot was "evil at work" and intended to allow Essa to marry his mistress.

Authorities say 38-year-old Rosemarie Essa crashed her vehicle into oncoming traffic after taking a cyanide-laced calcium capsule provided by her husband.

Essa gave up a long extradition fight and was returned from Cyprus to Ohio last year.

The Associated Press


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Olivenhain water district to end water restrictions July 1

— Restrictions on water use for customers of the Olivenhain Municipal Water District are lifted effective July 1 now that the district has ended its Level 2 drought alert.

The water district board voted unanimously at its June 23 meeting to end a yearlong ban on hosing down paved surfaces such as driveways and irrigating a maximum of three days a week, among other restrictions.

Gerald Varty, the district director, said the agency projects an adequate water supply for the next year, citing “extraordinary conservation efforts” by customers and the district’s development of recycled water supplies.

The district implemented its drought alert July 1, 2009.

The district is a public agency serving 68,000 residents.


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Schwarzenegger seeks to take water bond off ballot

— Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday urged lawmakers to pull an $11.1 billion water bond off the November ballot after spending much of the last year fighting to get it there.

The Republican governor had said improving the state's water storage and delivery system was one of his top priorities. He now says the timing is poor and wants to delay the measure until 2012.

Schwarzenegger said the prospects for approval would be hurt by putting the measure on the ballot now, while the state faces a $19 billion budget deficit and record unemployment.

Instead, he said the focus in the Capitol should be on fixing the deficit, reforming government pensions and creating long-term budget reforms.

"It's critical that the water bond pass, as it will improve California's economic growth, environmental sustainability and water supply for future generations," the governor said in a statement. "For that reason, I will work with the Legislature to postpone the bond to 2012 and avoid jeopardizing its passage."

The Legislature would need to agree for the measure to come off the ballot.

Schwarzenegger's call for delaying the bond measure had support from both lead negotiators in last year's water legislation.

"While I believe we must immediately invest in our water future, timing is everything and I'm willing to wait to bolster voter understanding of this critical measure," Republican state Sen. Dave Cogdill of Modesto said in a statement.

Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento said he supports the delay because the state's current financial problems might jeopardize the measure.

The governor's office will begin working with lawmakers to remove the Safe, Clean and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act from the ballot, Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said.

"It's crucial that we do everything we can to protect the water bond by giving it the best opportunity to succeed," he said.

Jim Earp, executive director of the California Alliance for Jobs and co-chairman of the coalition to pass the water bond, agreed the measure will have a better chance in 2012.

The bond is intended to upgrade California's vast water system, which was built decades ago for a population about half the size of today's 38.5 million people. It would provide money to clean up contaminated groundwater, boost conservation efforts, update sewage systems and research the possibility of building at least two dams sought by farming interests to boost their water supply.

It was criticized in part because lawmakers added at least $1.7 billion in pork barrel projects that had little if anything to do with improving the water supply. For example, $20 million was earmarked for a conservancy that manages park land in the Los Angeles district represented by then-Assembly Speaker Karen Bass.

The earmarks would have become a prime campaign target of the bond's opponents. A spokesman for the Sierra Club, which opposes the measure, called the bond bloated and said it was too costly for voters to swallow.

"I think the governor has come to a realization that this bond is a turkey hanging from his neck," said Jim Metropulos, a senior advocate with the Sierra Club in California. "It just has a lot of bad things in it. There's numerous pork within the bond, and the projects they would fund really have nothing to do with taking care of our urgent water supply needs."

To reduce the effects on California's general fund, lawmakers required that only half the water bond could be sold in the first five years if voters approved it. The Legislature's nonpartisan analyst's office estimated it would cost the state $725 million to $810 million a year in interest after the entire bond was sold.

The postponement is a setback for the legacy Schwarzenegger had hoped to leave from his time as governor. He had hailed its passage last November as a landmark accomplishment for his administration.

"I'm so excited that finally my vision is one step closer to becoming a reality," Schwarzenegger told a news conference at the time, flanked by lawmakers from both major political parties. He said he had first proposed the water package in his infrastructure and strategic growth plans in 2006.

The $11.1 billion bond was part of a larger package of water bills passed by the Legislature. The others already are being implemented, including one that created a stewardship council to oversee water management in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. That council will have the final say over whether to build a canal or tunnel to route river water around the delta to Central Valley farms and Southern California cities.

Legislators hope to remove the water bond before Aug. 9, when the secretary of state is scheduled to start printing general election ballots, said Steinberg spokeswoman Alicia Trost.

The Associated Press


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Couple face court date in Vegas bloody saw slaying

— Two 20-year-olds are back in Las Vegas to face charges in the slaying of a 58-year-old man whose body was found stuffed in a box outside a downtown apartment.

Jail records show Anthony Stiger and Melanie Costantini were returned in custody Nov. 23 from Southern California. They were arrested there Nov. 14 in the death of Harold Myles Shilberg.

The Las Vegas Sun reports ( ) they're due in court Wednesday on felony murder and conspiracy charges.

The coroner says Shilberg's body had multiple cuts when it was found Nov. 9 outside the Newport Apartments on East Fremont Street.

Investigators reported finding a bloody saw, shoes and clothing in an apartment where Stiger and Costantini lived, and a videotape of them buying a box like one in which Shilberg was found.

Information from: Las Vegas Sun,

The Associated Press


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The Padres have an opening in their rotation Wednesday.

Ross Ohlendorf was optioned to Triple-A Tucson on Saturday, a day after giving up eight runs on six hits and two walks in just 2 1/3 innings against the Giants.

The 30-year-old right-hander was 1-3 in his last four starts with a 14.54 ERA (21 runs in just 13 innings). Ohlendorf lasted just 1 2/3, three and 2 1/3 innings in the three losses, taxing the Padres bullpen.

Ohlendorf’s spot comes up Wednesday and again on Aug. 28.

Padres manager Bud Black said he has a good idea who is going to fill the slot, although he wasn’t naming names Saturday.

In terms of disabled pitchers getting healthy, 22-year-old right-hander Casey Kelly has worked 10 innings in two rehab starts at Double-A San Antonio after missing most of the season on the disabled list with an elbow strain. But would the Padres ask Kelly to make his major league debut given his recent history?

Left-hander Robbie Erlin, 21, returned to the San Antonio rotation Saturday night after also missing most of the season.

Black said right-handed starters Andrew Cashner (latissimus dorsi strain) and Anthony Bass (shoulder inflammation) both came out of Friday’s simulated games at the Padres’ year-round base in Peoria, Ariz., in great shape. But both will be making their first rehab starts with the Triple-A Tucson Padres around the time the Padres need a fifth starter next Wednesday.

Another possibility could be right-hander Kip Wells, who was 2-4 with a 4.58 ERA in seven starts for the Padres before being designated for assignment on Aug. 3. Wells, 35, is also starting for Tucson.

Adding Kelly or Wells would require the Padres to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Surgery for Stauffer?

Tim Stauffer admitted Saturday that not only is his 2012 season over, he is contemplating surgery to repair the flexor tendon injury in his right elbow.

“I’m weighing some options,” said Stauffer. “The next step is to open up the elbow and see what is going on.”

The flexor tendon attaches the flexor muscle to the bone. The repair is not the “Tommy John” elbow reconstruction surgery needed to replace a damaged ulnar collateral ligament. The rehab period after flexor tendon surgery is four to six months.

Stauffer, 30, originally injured the flexor tendon at the end of spring training. After a lengthy rehab period, he made his first and only start of the season on May 14. Three days later he returned to the disabled list with the same injury.

“The more I threw, the worse I felt,” said Stauffer, who had an MRI on the elbow Friday.

Recently, Stauffer’s shoulder was also bothering him. “I think that was just from things I was doing to compensate for the elbow,” he said. “The shoulder is fine.”

“Tim has exhausted every avenue to pitch this season,” Black said Saturday. “He worked so hard. The elbow just wasn’t going to allow him to pitch again this season.”

Vincent promoted

Ramona High product Nick Vincent was promoted from Tucson to replace Ohlendorf on the 25-man roster — temporarily giving the Padres an eight-man bullpen with four starters.

Vincent, 26, is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA over seven games and eight innings in three previous stints with the Padres this season. He was 1-1 with a 5.82 ERA in 23 appearances with Tucson.

Over the past four games through Friday night, the Padres bullpen worked more innings (17) than the starters (16).

The Giants’ eight-run third inning Friday night marked the most runs ever scored by an opponent in an inning at Petco Park. The Padres hadn’t allowed eight runs in an inning of a home game since May 15, 2003, against the Braves at Qualcomm Stadium. Opponents have scored seven runs in an inning seven times at Petco Park since the ballpark opened in 2004.

• The 10 runs the Giants scored in the game marked the first time they had ever scored more than eight runs in a game at Petco Park.

• RHP Luke Gregerson extended his scoreless streak to 17 2/3 innings with a scoreless inning Friday night. Since the 18-game streak started on July 4, Gregerson has allowed nine hits and two walks while striking out 19.


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— The Southwestern College Governing Board has unanimously approved the appointment of two new members to the Proposition R Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee.

At its meeting last week, the board named Israel Garza as the at-large community member and Adela Garcia as the business representative. A student representative to fill the third committee vacancy will be named next month.

Garza, a certified public accountant who is the controller for Associated Students of San Diego State University, serves on the boards of several local organizations including the South Bay Family YMCA and the County of San Diego Citizen’s Law Enforcement Review Board. Garza has lived in Chula Vista for more than 25 years.

Garcia is a subcontractor for IBM Corp. She has served on Southwestern College’s Proposition AA Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee and is a member of the Southwestern College Foundation.

“We look forward to their service,” said Superintendent/President Melinda Nish. “Both have extensive knowledge in working with budgets and both have a passion for serving the college.”

The new members will be seated at the Sept. 19 Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee meeting. They will serve two-year terms.

The seven-person panel monitors the spending of a $389 million bond measure approved by South County voters in 2009. The money is to go toward new construction and facilities improvements at the community college.

Members of the committee are responsible for informing the public and Southwestern’s governing board about the expenditure of bond proceeds, reviewing expenditures to ensure they are in alignment with voter-approved projects and providing an annual report summarizing the committee’s proceedings and activities.


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Fate of Mount Soledad landmark is likely to be decided in federal court

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will not hear an appeal of a court ruling that the Mount Soledad cross in La Jolla is unconstitutional.

The high court’s announcement likely means the fate of the cross will be determined in federal court in San Diego.

In January 2011, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the cross sent a message of government endorsement of religion and therefore violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution.

But the court left open the possibility of finding other legal alternatives that would not necessarily mean the cross, which is on federal land, would have to be removed.

Among the remedies that legal experts suggested Monday were transferring the land underneath the cross to a private entity or modifying it and the surrounding war memorial to pass constitutional muster.

Exactly how that would be done is unclear.

“These cases are extraordinarily fact-specific, and there aren’t any clear guidelines at all,” said David Steinberg, a professor at San Diego’s Thomas Jefferson School of Law.

Steinberg said, however, that the high court’s decision not to take the Mount Soledad case suggests a “greater likelihood” that the cross will ultimately be removed.

But Justice Samuel Alito said in a consenting opinion Monday that declining to hear the cross case makes sense because at this time “no final judgment has been rendered and it remains unclear precisely what action the Federal Government will be required to take.”

The case also could return to the high court, Alito said.

“Our denial, of course, does not amount to a ruling on the merits, and the Federal Government is free to raise the same issue in a later petition following entry of a final judgment,” he wrote.

David Loy, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of San Diego and Imperial Counties, praised the court’s decision and said the ACLU looks forward to talking with the government and with the court “about how to solve this problem.”

“The 9th Circuit said in the current circumstances the government ownership and display of the cross creates an improper endorsement of Christianity, regardless of intent,” Loy said. “We think the 9th Circuit was absolutely correct.”

Allyson Ho, lead counsel for the Mount Soledad Memorial Association, which has maintained the cross as a war memorial since 1954, said she was disappointed with Monday’s court action.

“We are hopeful we can find a solution that will allow this veterans memorial to remain where it has stood for over half a century,” Ho said.

Bill Kellogg, chairman of the memorial association, said he isn’t sure where things are headed.

“We’ve tried all sorts of things. I don’t know what the answer is,” he said. “We’ve purchased the property, and they didn’t like that. We’ve tried to move it, and they didn’t like that. I don’t know what ultimately will be the solution.”

Jeff Mateer, general counsel of Liberty Institute, which also represents the memorial association, said it could be many months, perhaps even years, before the local federal court works out remedies. Meanwhile, he said, the war memorial continues to evolve.

“It’s ever-changing because they keep adding plaques,” Mateer said. “There are more religious and nonreligious symbols.”

San Diego resident Steve Trunk, who sued the federal government and the memorial association over the constitutionality of the cross, was pleased with Monday’s action.

“It means at least this part of it is over,” said Trunk, a Navy veteran who let his name be attached to the case being litigated by the ACLU and attorney James McElroy.

Trunk said he is not against religion or Christianity but objects to how veterans are being used by the government to justify a religious symbol on public land.

The legal battle over the cross began in 1989 and has become the nation’s longest-running case over the meaning of the establishment clause.

Supporters had argued the 29-foot tall cross that sits atop a 14-foot base was one element in the larger war memorial at the site. Encircling the cross are some 3,000 plaques honoring military veterans, and the site is an official war memorial.

Opponents had contended that a Latin cross is the pre-eminent symbol of Christianity and amounts to an impermissible religious symbol on public property.

The Supreme Court made two major rulings in 2005 dealing with religious symbols on public land. In one case, the court allowed a Ten Commandments display to remain in the Texas Capitol, saying it was part of a larger display that had a primarily secular purpose.

In a second case, the court said a Ten Commandments display in a Kentucky courthouse had to go because its purpose was to send a religious message.

Since then, two other cross cases have come before the court. In 2010, the court ruled 5-4 that a cross atop a hill in the Mojave National Preserve in the California desert could remain.

In 2011, the court declined to take a case dealing with memorial crosses placed along a Utah highway to honor law enforcement officers who had died in the line of duty. A lower court had said the crosses were unconstitutional.

Steinberg, the law school professor, said if the Mount Soledad cross site is modified, it’s hard to know what changes would make it constitutional.

He said a cross that’s been allowed to remain on government land involves a memorial at the Army’s U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. It also features an eagle perched on a shield and a large statue of Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick, who led Union Army troops in the Civil War.

“A reasonable person could assume that you could make a copy of the monument to Sedgwick and put it on Mount Soledad, then it would be constitutional,” Steinberg said. “But that might not be the case.”

A more prudent option, he said, would be to transfer the land where the cross sits to a private owner.

Glenn Smith, a professor at California Western School of Law in San Diego, said whether the land can be transferred directly to the memorial association — instead of putting it out for competitive bidding — has not been fully resolved.

“It is an open option, but it certainly isn’t what the 9th Circuit envisioned,” he said.


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Canyon Sin Nombre

Before you go: Go to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Parks page to download a map from the state park brochure;

Trailhead: From Interstate 8 east, exit at Ocotillo and head north on S2, Imperial Highway. About 13.5 miles from that freeway intersection, just past mile marker 51 and the Carrizo Badlands Overlook, look for the sign posted for Canyon Sin Nombre on the right. Turn right and park on the ridge to the right, just off the main sandy road that enters the canyon.

Distance: About 5 miles total

Difficulty: Easy to moderate.

Hikers on the ridge above Canyon Sin Nombre hiked through the slot canyon to reach a narrow trail. Priscilla Lister
+Read Caption

— Canyon Sin Nombre in Anza-Borrego stands out for its colorful metamorphic and granitic rock walls, but it also leads to a cool slot canyon that’s a desert wonder to explore.

Taking the main signed canyon dirt road, it’s one of the easier routes to follow in Anza-Borrego. From the parking area just off S-2, the old sandy jeep road dips down at the beginning and then begins a very gradual descent into the canyon itself. The road is very soft sand and not recommended for anything but four-wheel-drive vehicles. Don’t take any risks, park your car just off the highway, and hike the entire route on foot. You’ll appreciate more details that way, especially if it’s during spring wildflower season.

The first 0.7 mile or so is a wide-open approach to the canyon itself. In this section, there are many ocotillo, a native shrub that’s unlike anything else — in fact, according to James Lightner’s “San Diego County Native Plants,” it is the sole genus in its botanical family.

In this first section, there are also some cholla and lots of barrel cactus, whose spring blooms are amazingly pretty for such a formidable plant. Both the ocotillo and barrel cactus were blooming when I was there in very late February.

Then you reach the canyon’s entry, which you’ll recognize when the road turns sharply left and the walls close in closer. The colors in those cliffs also really pop, in shades of brown, gray, rusty red and white. The bands of white rock that virtually stripe the brown or red rock in which they’re embedded are called dikes or sills in geology. According to, both are essentially intrusions of magma between layers of another kind of rock; a dike tends to be vertical while a sill is usually more horizontal.

The narrow canyon winds around through these hard-rock cliffs that soon change into mudstone and sandstone cliffs.

The vegetation changes too. Instead of the ocotillo and cactus, there are lots of blue-green smoke trees, white-blooming wishbone bushes, yellow-blooming brittlebush and an unusual sight of red-berried mistletoes in mesquite shrubs.

After about 2 miles from the trailhead, where the canyon walls begins to widen, you’ll notice on the left four metal posts (to keep out vehicles) with a sign that reads, “fire in metal container only.” Here is the opening to that slot canyon.

You’ll pass by a couple of rock-circled fire pits (some obviously ignored that sign) and then you’ll enter a slot canyon that’s one of those desert highlights.

As you wind through the slot canyon, the walls get narrower and the going gets tougher. I went in only about a quarter-mile or so and then turned around and retraced my way back.

I began to continue on the main canyon road but as it opened up considerably with less exciting scenery, I turned around after going a little more than 2.5 miles one way total and retraced my way back the way I’d come. Canyon Sin Nombre runs north for about 4 miles total, eventually connecting at its northern end with the Carrizo Canyon Wash.

When I returned to the parking area, a group of hikers came out of the canyon at the same time. I had seen them on a ridge above the canyon right before I reached the slot canyon, and wondered if they’d come out from that narrow tributary.

They had, they said. They told me they’d wandered through that slot canyon, very narrow at the end, where your arms touch both sides as you climb up boulders to reach the top.

Once out of the slot canyon, they were on top of a ridge overlooking Canyon Sin Nombre. An old narrow trail follows that ridge top, they said, until you can walk down a wash to join the main Canyon Sin Nombre dirt road about 0.5 mile from the trailhead. Their round-trip mileage was 5.25 miles, just a bit longer than going in and back the way I had done. For a map and photos of their hike through Canyon Sin Nombre, go to Bill Bamberger’s website,


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Miramar Air Show still on as of now, officials say

The Navy said Tuesday it will cancel all Blue Angels performances for the rest of 2013, saving $15 million to $20 million as the Pentagon looks for ways to tighten its belt.

The move, expected for weeks, means the flashy blue-and-gold F/A-18 jets won’t appear as scheduled at the Miramar Air Show in October, but show officials said the three-day event is still on the calendar.

The Blue Angels will stay at their home base in Pensacola, Fla., and fly only enough to maintain pilot safety qualifications.

The Air Force’s Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team also canceled all performances for the rest of the year.

Military officials had warned that this step was coming if sweeping federal budget cuts were triggered March 1. The Pentagon’s $530 billion budget for 2013 was cut $43 billion by reductions known as sequestration.

“Recognizing budget realities, current Defense policy states that outreach events can only be supported with local assets at no cost to the government,” the Navy said in a statement Tuesday.

“This is one of many steps the Navy is taking to ensure resources are in place to support forces operating forward now and those training to relieve them.”

Some fans mourned the loss. The swooping, screaming jets that showcase American technology and military prowess are a staple of the Miramar show.

“I know they need to cut the budget, but not here,” said Pat Bassett, who wrote to U-T San Diego. “So many people like this display. Plus, it is a great recruiting tool — even if it is a little boy or girl who will later become a Navy pilot or even a Blue Angel.”

Others blamed the political battle in Washington.

“I believe the cancellation of the 2013 Blue Angel Air Shows is just another example of the complete dishonesty of the president and his administration in trying to present the effects of the sequestration in as bad a light as possible,” said Bill Broadwell, a retired Navy captain.

The savings on travel, fuel and aircraft maintenance will cut the Navy performance team’s usual $35 million budget roughly in half, said Lt. Aaron Kakiel, a spokesman at Naval Air Forces command in Coronado.

Air shows typically pick up some of the Navy’s cost, but not all.

The Blue Angels were scheduled to perform at 35 events this year. Of those, two already took place, which makes the Key West, Fla., air show on March 24 the team’s last appearance of 2013. Ten of those air shows were canceled by organizers in anticipation of the loss of the Blue Angels, which probably means a hit for the air show industry.

The Miramar Air Show usually attracts 500,000 visitors over three days. The free event at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station is known as the nation’s largest air show. The Blue Angels often perform, but not always.

Spokesman Maj. Carl Redding said Tuesday the show will go on.

“The Blue Angels performance schedule doesn’t drive the Miramar Air Show. As of now, we are still planning the 2013 air show,” he said in an email.

The focus of the Oct. 4-6 event will be a demonstration of the Marine Corps’ air-ground task force maneuvers, which usually include Marine Harrier jump jets and MV-22 Osprey aircraft.

Also continuing is San Diego Fleet Week, the nearly monthlong celebration of the military that culminates with the air show.

Alexandra Squires, executive director of the San Diego Fleet Week Foundation, said the San Diego event is a different creature than many other fleet weeks around the nation. It is orchestrated by a nonprofit foundation funded by corporate and individual sponsors, not the Defense Department.

“Our plans for 2013 are more limited in scope due to the financial constraints we have as a nonprofit in a year of fiscal uncertainty,” Squires said in a written statement. “But America’s Finest City consistently supports our young men and women in uniform, and 2013 will be no different.”

Next year may bring a different fate for the Blue Angels. The elite team is still inducting new members.

The Navy stressed the value of the Blue Angels for recruiting — though all military services enjoyed high retention during the recent recession.

The Navy intends to continue aerial demonstrations in the future as the budget situation permits, officials said Tuesday.


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Detectives had passed out fliers at La Jolla-area hotels to look out for a man and a woman suspected of using stolen credit cards, police Sgt. Paul Salas said.

An employee at Estancia La Jolla on North Torrey Pines Road called police about 7:40 a.m. and said the two were was trying to check in, then left with two other people in a dark SUV. A detective saw the SUV about 10 minutes later and started following it, then a pursuit began.

Police said the SUV driver ran a red light and was weaving in and out of traffic. The driver headed south on Interstate 5, and east on state Route 52, where the officer in pursuit lost him, Salas said.

Minutes later, residents on Luna and Hidalgo avenues in Clairemont called police to report an SUV being driven erratically through the neighborhood, then stop. Two people got out and ran.

A police helicopter and dogs helped officers search yards and around vehicles. They took a 27-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman into custody by 9 a.m.

Officers did not find the man and woman they were originally looking for, Salas said. He said they may have gotten out of the SUV in the period of time officers lost sight of it.

The SUV had stolen purses, computers, electronics and IDs inside, Salas said.


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Glassdoor.com ranks city 7th out of 50 metro areas, based on reviews

A website that is essentially a “Yelp.com” for job-seekers has ranked San Diego seventh out of 50 metropolitan areas in employment satisfaction.

Glassdoor.com on Friday released its top 50 rankings of metropolitan areas that have at least 500 company reviews on the site. The data showed San Diego County scored a 3.3 rating out of a possible 5, when weighing factors like pay, satisfaction with management and future outlook.

San Jose, San Francisco and Seattle tied for the top with a 3.4 score, while Las Vegas, Denver and Milwaukee were tied for the worst with a 3.0 overall score.

Scott Dobroski, a spokesman for Glassdoor, said the first-of-its-kind study came from analyzing the roughly 80 percent of reviews that were appropriate and therefore published online.

“This targets people who are thinking about relocating,” he said. “So this lets job seekers know where generally employees are most satisfied by geography.”

The most in-demand jobs in San Diego based on ads were for software engineers, registered nurses and personal trainers. The top-rated employer in the region was Qualcomm, whose employees gave it a 4.0 out of 5 in the study. The University of California San Diego got a 3.9, and the U.S. Navy received a 3.8.

Broken down, San Diego ranked fifth in pay, with a 3.3 score, and eighth in management satisfaction, with a 2.9 rating. In terms of future outlook, 40 percent of the employees expect business to improve in the next six months, 34 percent think it will stay the same, and 26 percent think it will get worse. The report says 3,146 San Diego companies are hiring.

Glassdoor, based in Sausalito, is a 5-year-old company with 160 employees. It has 20 million registered users, who gain full access to the free site by sharing a piece of data — such as anonymously reviewing a company or submitting their salary. Dobroski said the website has pages for more than 250,000 companies in 190 countries.