May 2008

City Fires Cannon Road Connection

by The Editors on May 30, 2008

Cannon280We’ve never wanted another direct connection between Oceanside/Vista and Carlsbadistan and now it looks like we’re safe for the foreseeable future as the City of Carlsbad has decided that finishing the Cannon Road connection would be too costly, according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

We’ve always had that (Cannon Road) on the drawing board and all the (environmental) agencies have known about it, but based on what I’ve seen with the agencies, it’d be difficult to do,” Carlsbad Mayor Bud Lewis said.

Though the connection was apparently approved in 2002 at a cost of $14.5 million, now thanks to environmental hurdles and inflation it would be more in the $30 million according to Carlsbad City Engineer Bob Johnson.

All we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you for keeping Cannon closed.

[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]

{ 0 comments }

Callaway Drags Its Balls To China

by The Editors on May 30, 2008

Carlsbad based Callaway Golf has announced that they are closing their 70,000-square-foot golfball manufacturing facility in Gloversville, NY on July 31 and laying off 120 workers as a way of taking “advantage of lower manufacturing and shipping costs in China,” according to a story in the Triangle Business Journal.

We have an obligation to our shareholders and employees to run as efficiently as possible,” said Michele Szynal, a Callaway spokeswoman. “This obviously makes financial sense for us.”

We think Michele meant a responsibility to Callaway’s remaining employees, as they don’t seem too bothered by cutting 120.

[Link: Triangle Business Journal]

{ 0 comments }

Koko Beach Lightens Up

by The Editors on May 29, 2008

Koko Beach

Koko Beach has been one of our long-time favorite late-night Carlsbadistan dining spots. There is nothing better than a Teriyaki Chicken (or Top Sirloin) dinner with a bowl of French Onion Soup, salad, and warm bread at 11:45 PM when you just don’t feel like anything else. And the lounge is a legendary secret spot for professional imbibers. That’s why we’re wondering what is up with the new windows. We can’t think of anything we do at Koko Beach that will be enhanced by more light, but then we’re sure it’s going to be better once we get used to it.

{ 0 comments }

Clifton’s Harley Ride For Breast Cancer

by The Editors on May 29, 2008

Dave2Carlsbad’s David Clifton, 62, left this morning from VG Donut & Bakery in Cardiff to ride his motorcycle for three months to raise money for the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation. We’ve never figured out how this stuff really works, but apparently, just saying you’re going to do something silly, like ride a motorcycle aimlessly around the county all summer, is enough to get people to donate money.

I’ve been thinking about making the trip for a zillion years,” David Clifton said. “And I’m hoping this is a unique enough deal that it will raise awareness for all women . . . If one lady goes to get an exam, that’s all I would need. I’d like to help find the cure sooner, quicker, faster.”

Clifton says that by showing up places he’s going to be doing great work for to find a cure. Guess it’s better than cruising the country for Satan. We wish David lots of luck. Click here to make a donation.

[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune and Cruising For The Cure]

{ 1 comment }

All Things Barged Day 2: The D6 Conference

by The Editors on May 29, 2008

303320688 6Lynh-SLast night while The Wall Street Journal’s Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher were interviewing their new boss News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch in Carlsbad’s Aviara Grand Ballroom, we were kicking back in the lobby bar listening to the cool jazz sounds of San Diego’s Keni Yarbro and waiting to see what kind trouble we could get into. Only moments before we arrived at The Four Seasons Valleywag.com’s Owen Thomas had been thrown out of the hotel entirely, so we realized anything was possible.

Each year, when the All Things D Conference comes to Carlsbadistan, we try to see how deep we can barge. This year, things went shockingly smoother. The first person we saw when walking into the lobby was Gizmodo.com editor Brian Lam hurrying into the conference center. Then, after running into Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and social media marketing pro Rodney Rumford we decided to try rolling into the “Nightcap Gathering.” No luck. Security stopped us at the entrance. Badges? Apparently, we needed stinking badges.

On returning to the bar and telling our story of woe, a kind PR wizard from an unnamed search giant leaned over. “You need a badge?” he said. “Here, use mine. Just bring it back in 10 minutes. . . . and don’t say anything to the press.”

Img 2072-1And just like that we were sipping free champagne in a room full of sweaty tech geeks who had been sitting in their dress slacks for 14 hours. Let just say there was a lot of “bad air” in that room. If not for the pouring talents of Aviara’s Julie and Cindy we don’t know what we would have done.

On the way out we saw Techcrunch.com’s Michael Arrington talking in the corner, but he seemed too busy ruling the tech blog world, so we didn’t bother him.

For a look at all the media that All Things D brings Carlsbad, just click here. It is astounding.

Follow the jump for all our photos of the evening.

[click to continue…]

{ 1 comment }

Wal-Mart Dumps Carlsbad Uglification Plans

by The Editors on May 28, 2008

Walmart Logo2Break open the champagne, Wal-Mart, home of the world’s ugliest shoppers, has decided not to build a “supercenter” on land that it purchased in Carlsbad, according to a story in the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Company representatives told city officials yesterday that they would not file an application to build on their property at College Boulevard and El Camino Real in central Carlsbad. . .Instead, they would sell the 17.6 acres, which is zoned for a shopping center.

The company says it had nothing to do with “local opposition” but we’re glad they’re gone no matter who is responsible. Keep that stuff in Oside.

[Link: San Diego Union-Tribune]

{ 1 comment }

D6 Day Two: A Cattle Drive of CEOs

by The Editors on May 28, 2008

D1FacesWalt Mossberg and Kara Swisher don’t mess around each year when they bring their digital carnival to Carlsbadistan’s Four Seasons Aviara. They just round up the CEOs, walk them across the stage, ask them a few questions, and then shoo them off the other side leaving us feeling more like spectators at the National Western Stock Show. But people who attend All Things D are busy and apparently they want their days loaded with stampeding titans.

For example, today the following people were interviewed (and the day is far from over): Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision; Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO, Sony; Barry Diller, Chairman and CEO, IAC; Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO, Dell; Yahoo CEO Jerry Yang and President Sue Decker; Jeff Bewkes, President and CEO, Time Warner; and only moments ago former Microsoft Chief Strategist Nathan Myhrvold, Founder and CEO, Intellectual Ventures, took the stage.

It’s enough to make our heads spin. But tonight we’ll get it all straightened out.

[Link: D6: All Things D]

{ 0 comments }

The Geeks Are Back: D6 Kicks Off

by The Editors on May 27, 2008

allthings.jpg

Carlsbadistan’s annual brush with digiratti stardom kicked off today at the Four Season’s Aviara as Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher host the Wall Street Journal’s D6: All Things Digital.

302406128_DUF4n-M.jpg

Today was golf day, but over the next three days (May 27-29, 2008) D6 will play host to the the biggest names in business. And they’ll all be right here in Carlsbad. See if any of these names ring a bell: Bill (and Melinda) Gates, Steve Ballmer, Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Dell, Howard Stringer, Jeff Bezos, Barry Diller, Jeff Bewkes, Kevin Martin, Tom Glocer, Jerry Yang and Sue Decker.

Tonight Walt and Kara will interview Bill Gates and Steve Balmer, but we’re not really into Microsoft so we’re going to skip it. But please stay tuned over the next couple days as we bring you some “unofficial coverage” of everything that’s going on at D6. And if we can get any of them to come surfing, we’ll let you know.

[Link: D6 All Things Digital]

{ 0 comments }

All The Right Curves

by The Editors on May 23, 2008

Monitor

Carlsbad-based computer monitor company Ostendo Technologies has an ultra-wide curved display for those of us who need a little wider, undistorted view of the Internet.


The CRVD display has a 42.4″ diagonal and provides a 2880 x 900 pixel resolution (double WXGA+), greater than 300 nits of brightness, and a contrast ratio of greater than 10,000:1, and relies on the DLP image-creating MEMS (microelectromechanical-systems) engine developed by Texas Instruments (Dallas, TX).

Sign us up, we’ll test two of them for free, no problem.

[Link: Laser Focus World]

{ 0 comments }

Free Music At The Dove Library

by The Editors on May 22, 2008

QuetzalWhile we found a while ago that there is all kinds of free music to be found at Carlsbad’s Dove Library (in the form of CDs that can be checked out and ripped, not that we’re suggesting that) this summer there is going to be some free live music on Sunday, June 8 with Quetzal, a a Latin alternative band performing son, boleros, folk, blues and rock in English and Spanish.

The show begin at 2pm in the Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium on 1775 Dove Lane, in southern Carlsbad. Admission is free, with tickets given out at the door beginning at 1pm the day of the concert. For more information, call (760) 602-2012.

Follow the jump for more info.

[click to continue…]

{ 0 comments }