Tues Nov 24 Did my little hometown of Downey really wrestle away the Tesla Motors manufacturing plant from big ol’ Long Beach? Uh, yeah. So Downey gets itself a manufacturing plant that promises about 1,200 jobs and somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 to $25 million in city revenue, while Long Beach is allowed to pursue its own economic dreams, which appear to be more Zeppelin-based. It’s unclear whether Downey won the day or if Long Beach simply chose not to play. Some people believe the city was more interested in attracting a rock-solid industry such as movie production, rather than the passing fad that are automobiles. All I know is that Long Beach has a 13.9 percent unemployment rate and heaven knows how many people who are underemployed. Numbers like that don’t allow you to be picky. And, anyway, having a car manufacturing plant does not exclude a city from also having a movie studio. In fact, I know of a city that has both: Downey.

Wed Nov 25 It’s the holiday season, and you know what that means: the temperature dips into the mid-70s and there’s the Yule-time cavalcade of gun-exchange programs. First up is the city of Compton, which announced it will conduct exchanges on Dec. 5 and 6 where $100 gift cards will be given for guns turned in, so stock up! The gift cards are to Best Buy, Ralph’s and—wait for it—Target. The only thing better would have been gift cards to Walmart so gun owners could then purchase more guns. You know, like that O. Henry Christmas story where the woman sells her hair to buy a chain for her husband’s watch but he sells the watch to buy her hair a comb. And then some guy breaks in and shoots both of them. The holidays, right?

Thurs Nov 26 Thanks.

Fri Nov 27 A lot of people are talking about Craig Beck, head of the city’s Redevelopment Agency and Development Services, getting a significant discount on a hotel room while he was vacationing with a lobbyist who has business before Beck’s office. Some people are demanding a full investigation, and some say this points out the need for lobbyist reform in the city. Beck claims he wasn’t even aware he got the discount, which I believe points out exactly what should be done: promote Craig Beck. Dude gets discounts he doesn’t even know about? Do you know how valuable he could be when negotiating city contracts? He probably could unwittingly get the police to button their uniforms at 30 percent off.

Sat Nov 28 Well, let’s face it, driving always has been Tiger Woods’ weakness.

Sun Nov 29 Cal State Long Beach beats UCLA, 79-68, in men’s basketball. And somewhere Ed Ratleff is smiling.

Mon Nov 30 I got a call on Saturday telling me my friend Mike Penner had passed away. Mike was a writer of some heft, so you may have been familiar with him and you may have already read about his death. Mike was one of my best friends, and I loved him very much. I knew him for 25 years, he was a groomsman in my wedding and I was with him in New York when he met his wife. I don’t know why I feel the need to display my “Mike was my friend” credentials—I guess just so that you know that when I tell you he was the kindest, most generous person I ever met, you know I’m doing so from experience. We met when we were young sportswriters; we loved writing, worshipped the Clash and dressed horribly (oh, our excitement upon finding a pair of funky ass shoes made out of some gray, spongy space-age polymer that looked like something you’d be forced to wear if you worked the Autopia ride at Disneyland. Our wives forbade our wearing them). Though we were roughly the same age, he was always my mentor. He taught me not only how to write, but how writers conducted themselves. He introduced me to Gang of Four, Midnight Oil and sushi. I don’t know what else to tell you, or why I should tell it to you. I could tell you that he was loved and revered, could tell you that people literally hung on every word he wrote and said—and he meted out both judiciously, because he believed in thinking before expressing oneself and hated that much of journalism had turned into the affect-driven, talk-radio drivel of today. I could tell that even when he disagreed with you, he did so gently, smiling slightly and dipping his head forward. And I could tell you that right now I am back with Mike in the ’80s and we are driving in his Honda Prelude, headed to Naugles for some late night eats, and the stereo is blasting the Clash playing “Stay Free”:

’Cause years have passed and things have changed
And I move anyway I wanna go
I’ll never forget the feeling I got
When I heard that you were home
And I’ll never forget the smile on my face
’Cause I knew where you would be
And if you’re in the Crown tonight,
Have a drink on me,
But go easy . . .
Step lightly . . .
Stay free . . .

I love you, Michael. I love you so much.

Tags: Craig Beck, csulb, downey, Long Beach, mike penner, Tesla, Tiger Woods, UCLA