Last week (September 29, 2010) Carlsbadistan’sDon O’Connor, a 47-year-old grocery store manager, won the 2010 Golf Channel Amateur Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. Yes, what many believe to be the toughest course on tour.
Although the 47-year-old Carlsbad, Calif., resident came up short in his par quest, his closing 73 at soggy Sawgrass was enough to lift O’Connor to the Championship Flight [handicap 0-3.9] crown. He finished at 7-over 295, one stroke clear of overnight leader Chad Bailey who closed with a 76. Terry Rice finished alone in third place, four strokes back after a closing 77. . . “I try to play to my strengths,” said O’Connor, who didn’t finish outside the top 10 in the nine Golf Channel Am Tour events he played in 2010. “I would be considered a grinder, for sure.”
Maybe that Crossing at Carlsbad course is good for something afterall. Congrats, Don. Thanks for bringing home the title.
Nearly 2,000 Carlsbad residences and business had no power this morning thanks to a broken San Deigo Gas & Electric switch, according to a story on Sign On San Diego.
About 1,800 customers were in the dark from the ocean east to Interstate 5 and from La Costa Avenue north to Avenida Encinas. . . Repair crews got the power back on for about 400 customers as of 11:30 a.m. and expect to restore electricity for the rest by noon, Zaragosa said.
Oddly, we’ve had power all morning. Maybe we don’t work where we thought we worked.
Supervisor Bill Horn’s second hit piece in two weeks landed in the mailbox the same day my absentee ballot arrived. The incumbent is using fear to keep his job for another eight years, when the new term limits law his scandal-plagued career inspired will prevent him from becoming supervisor for life. Horn’s desperate attack on his opponent, Steve Gronke, is a good example of why voters should disregard all negative campaigning in the weeks leading up to an election. It spurred me to cast my vote a month before the polls open.
In Carlsbad, North County’s Brigadoon, the campaign has been unusually civil up until now, with candidates touting their qualifications, rather than trumpeting the shortcomings of their opponents.
Mayoral candidate Matt Hall’s latest mailer refers to his opponent as “freshman councilman Keith Blackburn,” the “only council member to oppose (pension) reforms.” Well, that’s stretching the truth a bit. Blackburn is in his second year on the council, technically making him a sophomore, and he did not exactly oppose reforms.
The Village of Carlsbadistan already has Oceana Massage, but it looks like the City has another new massage location in the form of Massage Heights thanks to businessman Deon Goldschmidt and his business partner Mike Aron, according to a story in the North County Times.
“Looking at the other massage-type franchises operating at the moment, they’re operating at profitable levels, even in this economy,” Goldschmidt said. “This is because many people … are looking for places where they can find a spa but at prices they can afford.”
Goldschmidt, who is originally from South Africa, says they plan to open 18 locations in San Diego County. Stressful times apparently require stress relief. Massage Heights is located at 6965 El Camino Real #101.
Our favorite Carlsbadistan based life sciences company Life Technologies Corporation just purchased a Connecticut based DNA sequencing company for $375 million in cash and stock.
Ion Torrent has revolutionized DNA sequencing by enabling a direct connection between chemical and digital information through the use of proven semiconductor technology. The result is a sequencing system that is simpler, faster, less expensive and more scalable than other sequencing technologies. As previously announced, the first product using this technology will be the Personal Genome Machine (PGM) sequencer, which will launch in the fourth quarter of 2010.
The reports that the purchase will be two cents dilutive to the Life Tech stock in 2010, neutral in 2011, and will start brining in the cash in 2012. Guess we have to play a bit of a longer game on this one. Follow the jump for all the details. [click to continue…]
In a story for the San Deigo Reader writer Don Bauder does a very thorough round-up of all the “network marketing” companies founded in Carlsbadistan in recent years. Names like Who’s Your Daddy, Gia Wellness, and Cal Nutrisciences, are all covered, but the story hinges mostly on Actis Global Ventures‘ Roy Grimm and the slew of companies he has started, closed, and/or sold all based right here in Carlsbadistan.
Makes us wonder why Carlsbadistan is such a hot-bed of MLM? Is it the weather? The cheap office space? Or, do people love living her so much that they’ll do almost anything to get paid?
What other Carlsbadistan business can magically transform a $120 Spaulding basketball into a $899.99 limited edition sports collectible with a Sharpie (and LeBron James, of course)?
The first four newly signed LeBron James products from UDA are currently on sale at www.upperdeckstore.com. An autographed Spalding basketball, limited to 100 with a specially stamped Miami Heat logo on one of its panels, retails for $899.99, while an autographed 16″ X 20″ “Welcome to Miami” photo showing LeBron wearing his new No. 6 Heat home uniform sells for $699.99. In addition, a signed 36″ x 18″ “Witness Miami” photo of LeBron, limited to 100, sells for $749.99, while an open edition Spalding basketball signed by James retails for $799.99.
Carlsbadistan’sRaw Skin Surf N Sports surf shop owner Sandra DeLaRosa is repainting her shop, but she’s not going to get any help from the the City of Carlsbad’s Village beautification grant project because the paint she’s using is the wrong color, according to a story in the North County Times.
Debbie Fountain, the city’s housing and redevelopment director, sympathized with DeLaRosa. However, Fountain said the city is bound by the Carlsbad Village master plan, which dictates that colors must be pastel or other subdued shades. . . .”We’re not saying it’s unattractive; that’s just not the intent of the master plan,” Fountain said. . . While store owners are free to paint with unapproved colors, the city can’t help pay for it, Fountain said.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that free money is never really free. Even in the Village of Carlsbadistan.
Those “no vehicles over seven feet tall” restrictions would come in very handy on a day like today at the Carlsbadistan seawall. . And we thought that Vons shopping cart was an eyesore.
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Riehl World: I Voted Blackburn, Douglas, Wantz
by Richard J. Riehl on October 7, 2010
Supervisor Bill Horn’s second hit piece in two weeks landed in the mailbox the same day my absentee ballot arrived. The incumbent is using fear to keep his job for another eight years, when the new term limits law his scandal-plagued career inspired will prevent him from becoming supervisor for life. Horn’s desperate attack on his opponent, Steve Gronke, is a good example of why voters should disregard all negative campaigning in the weeks leading up to an election. It spurred me to cast my vote a month before the polls open.
In Carlsbad, North County’s Brigadoon, the campaign has been unusually civil up until now, with candidates touting their qualifications, rather than trumpeting the shortcomings of their opponents.
Mayoral candidate Matt Hall’s latest mailer refers to his opponent as “freshman councilman Keith Blackburn,” the “only council member to oppose (pension) reforms.” Well, that’s stretching the truth a bit. Blackburn is in his second year on the council, technically making him a sophomore, and he did not exactly oppose reforms.
Follow the jump for the rest of the story.
[click to continue…]
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