Our housing market might suck a little but it doesn't suck a lot.

So Dean Calbreath over at The Union Tribune writes his article about how our housing market isn't the worst it could be:

In a study released last week by the U.S. Council of Mayors, San Diego did not even make the Top 50 list of communities that will be hurt by the decline in home prices next year. In fact, it ranked 88th in a roster of 362 metropolitan areas nationwide. Which still puts us at the bad end of the scale, but nowhere near the worst.

And people run with it.

How's the San Diego real estate market doing? Not bad at all, according to a commentary article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, which purports that America's finest city is feeling better with regard to the real estate market than the rest of the country.

This prompts the question, who is Dean Calbreath, and what else is he the authority on that we can run with? Will he tell me what kind of tree I should get for Christmas? Will he let me know where the best cup of Hot Chocolate in San Diego is? Will he please let me know WHY it thinks it can rain in San Diego? Did Dean Calbreath sign off on the rain?!

Recycling is so expensive, it's just expensive, sure it helps the earth and all but come on, it's so expensive.

"So what's the angle you're going to take on this story about The City Council votes to approve new fees because they still need money even though more trash will be recycled rather than hauled and dumped? How even though we have to pay more money, it's ultimately good for our environment which might just improve our daily living any way?"
"No, I think I'm going with it's gonna cost me so much money!"

San Diego's latest attempts to dramatically boost recycling could cost residents millions of dollars next year.

The challenges with waste management are highlighted by two measures projected to divert more than 350,000 tons of recyclables from Miramar Landfill each year. That would raise the citywide recycling rate by roughly 7 percent. It also would cost San Diego about $12 million a year in lost revenues and increased expenses.

Calbreath says: it's freaking expensive to live in SD.

Dean Calbreath from The Union Tribune says it's expensive to live in San Diego, not only that, but it's hard to find a "dream job" in the city as well. And to top it all off there has been a massive exodus out of San Diego because it's so hard to live here, what with no job and one of the highest median home prices in the country.

Over the past five years, far more people have moved out of San Diego than have moved in from other locales in the United States. (This doesn't include the continuing inflow of foreign immigrants, which is another story altogether.) According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there has been a net domestic outflow of more than 130,000 people leaving San Diego over the past six years.

Schweyer's poll found that when workers try to decide whether to relocate to another city, career and professional opportunities are usually the top concern – even higher than cost of living or housing. Which suggests that if we want to find buyers for those dream houses of ours, we might want to put more emphasis on creating the dream jobs that can afford them.

In case you were wondering how the Beach Booze Ban meeting really went.

Gerry Braun from The Union Tribune has a bit of a breakdown.

It looks like the City Council did have it's mind made up, alcohol causes violence and craziness and that has no place on the beach (for heavens sake, the beach is supposed to be a nice safe place for families, didn't you know?). Braun mentions that it seems like the lifeguards and police weren't really consulted in the outcome of the issue, but comes to realize that they are pretty good either way.

Throughout Monday's four-hour hearing, Police Chief William Lansdowne and Lifeguard Capt. Rick Wurts sat front and center, ready to respond to any question. For all they were consulted, the council might have been debating carpet swatches.

The voice of safe beaches though, won't be happy until their beaches are alcohol free (and therefore will be violence free and safe for families, because those things are completely related). They want a beach they can go to with their families. Those who are concerned with their right to Paaaaarty (that would be freepb.org) they want to be sure that many people aren't being punished for the dumb actions of the few.

But the best is "Beach Patrol", (which FYI is a Court TV show, not exactly known for their...um, non sensational point of view) a TV show I've never heard of but apparently has some pretty major sway over the City Council. They are so concerned with San Diego's image, when they were shown the program that focused on San Diego's "liberal beach policy", it may have sealed the deal. Look at all the drunky drunkersons taking over our beaches.

It seems MANY cities live without alcohol on their beaches and somehow manage to get by, I know San Diego will be okay. But I too must ask the question, what's the point?

It's like back in high school when my cousin got in trouble for sneaking out of the house and my parents bought an alarm system and decided to turn it on every night at 9pm. "But I've never snuck out of the house," I said.

"And now you won't be able to," they finished.

Sure, sure, but I did manage to learn to disarm said window alarm system when necessary...

*I don't drink on the beach, and I am a beach going Mom, but I do believe that personal freedom is the way to go, if you couldn't already tell. I also quite like the Mayor's compromise, which would be a nice idea (city council) a nice compromise.*

The Telegraph over there in the UK sends some guy named Charlie Scott to hang out and have fun in San Diego

From The Telegraph (UK):

From the sensational surf and surfers to skateboarding and boardwalk strutting, this is the city as beach beautiful: girls cruise by on Rollerblades or bicycles, mothers pull babies in go-karts, students play Frisbee and eccentric oldies do the lot. The weather is sensational all year and where Los Angeles sprawls in a hectic, hazy hubbub, San Diego cruises along the Pacific, from glorious beach communities to the harbour and downtown area. The Zoo is rightly world-renowned (its Wild Animal Park, Sea World and a wild sealion colony are also good). The museums and galleries are also top-notch.

Scott stayed at The W (W Hotel rooms range from "Wonderful" to 'Extreme Wow'. ), at The Diamond Head Inn (It encourages you to cook and make the most of the beach until the sun sinks into the Pacific.), and Tower 23 (There's no pool. The bar gets very noisy and the surfer dude service can irritate.).

It looks like if you're looking for a real party head downtown (rooftop bars unite!) and if you're looking for a deal with some surf attitude head to the beach (go beach!).

Seriously, how did this guy get his job and where can I apply. I'm going to walk into the Editors office over at The Union Tribune and say "I'd like you to pay me money to travel around having fun. Thank you." Heck, pay me to "travel" around San Diego and stay in San Diego hotels and I'll take it. Charlie Scott... you lucky, lucky bastard.