E-READER WORKSHOPS AT COUNTY LIBRARIES
December 26, 2014 (San Diego)–If you were lucky enough to have a tablet or e-book reader waiting for you in a gift box this season, the San Diego County Library is ready to help you use your new gift. From a large catalog of titles available for download to tutorials on how to use your e-reader to hands-on workshops to help you get started, there’s something for everyone. Everything you need to get reading e-books is on one convenient page on the library’s website. It’s easy to browse the collection and select the e-book you want. Thousands of e-books are available for download, from Gillian Flynn’s “Gone Girl” and George R.R. Martin’s “A Game of Thrones” to The Hunger Games trilogy. There are guides to photography and plumbing, cookbooks, how-to guides and even Twitter for Dummies. Just like any library book, they’re all free of charge and accessible to anyone with a County Library card. An added bonus – e-books are automatically “returned” to the library, so there are no late fees. The library provides online instructions for Apple devices, Kindle and Kindle Fire, Nook, Sony Reader, Android, Windows 8 devices and MP3 players, including video tutorials for many of them. If you’re looking for more personal instruction, the Library regularly holds e-book workshops at eight of its branches.
FROST ADVISORY
December 26, 2014 (San Diego)—The National Weather Service is forecasting frost for the next two nights, through early Sunday morning. Saturday is expected to be the coldest nights. There will be areas of frost and freezing temperatures in San Diego County’s valleys and deserts. In addition, frost is also forecast for the north coast, particularly Oceanside.
CATCHY BILLBOARDS ARE EFFECTIVE PR TOOL FOR SD HUMANE SOCIETY
By Mimi Pollack December 26, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Have you seen them? I saw my first one last week in La Mesa. They really do catch your eye. They are the billboards the San Diego Humane Society has put up all around town, and they are also an effective public relations tool. According to Kelli Schry, the public relations program manager, the SDHS decided to put up five signs around town. They rotate them every few weeks. Schry states, “The purpose of the billboards is to help increase awareness of pet adoption. Our hope is that more people will consider pet adoption and think of shelter animals when they’re looking to add a pet to their family. There are 45,000 homeless pets entering San Diego shelters each year, and we’re committed to saving all of them. Every animal adopted makes space for another homeless animal that is in urgent need of help. So we’ve been putting a big emphasis on increasing adoptions through these billboards and monthly adoption promotions to keep pet adoption top of mind in our community!” The signs are another effective way to remind the public that if they are thinking of getting a pet, they should go to a shelter first to find the perfect fuzzy companion to take home. There are three main campuses, plus numerous off-site locations, including one at the Petco in El Cajon located at 540 N.2nd St. www.sdhumane.org Mimi Pollack is an ESL teacher at Grossmont College and a free-lance writer.
PHOTOS OF THE WEEK: POINSETTIAS IN EL CAJON
December 25, 2014 (El Cajon )—Robert Gehr sent in this colorful photo of poinsettias growing in a planter on Main St. in downtown El Cajon. “Every year, city employees of El Cajon put poinsettias in the planters downtown to brighten up the area for the Christmas holidays,” he writes. “They sure make a beautiful statement – don’t they?”
JAMES EARP, FINGER-STYLE GUITARIST, IN CONCERT JAN. 4 AT MISSION TRAILS
December 5, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) – Jim Earp, local fingerstyle guitarist with a national reputation, returns to Mission Trails Regional Park Visitors Center Auditorium on Sunday, January 4 Sunday from 3 – 4 p.m.for a free concert. Guitar Player Magazine writes that Earp “delivers an appealing mixture of British folk (Jansch, Renbourn, Legg) and California freestyle (Hedges, de Grassi, Ackerman). He mixes an uncanny ear for melody with an edgy percussive attack.” The review adds, “throw in driving rhythms, beautiful crystalline tone, and deft … technique … and you’ve got one fine player.” For directions visit www.MTRP.org.
CHARGERS BOOST PLAY-OFF PROSPECTS IN WIN OVER SAN FRANCISCO
By Leon Thompson December 24, 2014 (San Diego)–The San Diego Chargers’ scored a come-from-behind dramatic win over the vaunted San Francisco 49ers in the stadium Levi Straus built in Santa Clara on Saturday night. Charger quarterback Phillip Rivers was able to mount a legendary comeback for the Charger history books, and garnered much respect from fans and peers. Few teams in history have come back from a 28 to 7 deficit at the end of the first half. Prospects were bleak as the Chargers lost the coin-flip to begin the second half with an obviously injured Phillip Rivers in command. Rivers led his troops with grit and determination, amassed 356 yards total and three touchdowns in the second half, even though it was reported by ESPN that Rivers may be dealing with a bulging disk in his back. Linebacker Manti Teo posted to Chargers.com, “He’s the best, he’s one of the best to play the game and we’re so grateful and thankful that we have him on our team to lead us and to do the things he does.” As a result the Chargers are very much alive in the playoff sweepstakes and well positioned for their last game of the regular season against rival Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday. In the first half though it looked as if the League Champion San Francisco 49ers would have their way with the Chargers. It didn’t help that Rivers threw two interceptions and one was returned for a touchdown. The Charger defense forgot to show up for the first half of the game as it allowed 255 yards rushing. When they showed up to play they held the 49ers to just one touchdown in the second half. Halfway into the third quarter the Chargers came alive. The offense rallied around Rivers after the crippled quarterback connected with good friend Antonio Gates. On the very next possession the Chargers got a gift when defensive end Corey Liuget recovered a fumble in the end-zone for a touchdown that was forced by defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Ricardo Mathews. And just like that, the momentum switched and it was the Chargers in charge. The Stadium that Levi built was mostly silent as Rivers and pals fought the niners to a tie. San Francisco got the ball first in overtime, but safety Eric Weddle forced a fumble on its second play, and it was recovered by Chargers defensive lineman Sean Lissemore. Rivers and running back Ronnie Brown then got kicker Nick Novak in range for a game-winning 40-yard field goal. All around San Diego – Christmas Parties were interrupted by the strange sound of cheering all through the neighborhoods as the unlikely victory rang out. This could be the most legendary comeback in Chargers history – a Christmas gift from the Chargers.