Pacific Magazine - Promoter - San Diego, CA

PACIFIC San Diego celebrates the motion, people and places that comprise the good life and better living along the coast of Southern California.

DECEMBER 2008: LETTER FROM THE EDITOR - PACIFIC MAGAZINE SAN DIEGO
The economy is issue #1. That’s what my TV says. Global
markets are crashing, the Dow Jones is down about half
since last year, and we just lost Mervyn’s. I thought we
were in dire straits before, but now Mom doesn’t even
have a place to shop for elastic-waistband skirts. What’s
the world coming to?
My grandfather used to say that when he was a kid,
going to the movies cost a quarter. Seventy years later,
we’ve come full circle: After all the loans are paid off, my
house is worth about 27 cents. That’s not even enough
to buy one Prozac.
But wait, I’m not depressed. What the hell am I whining
about?
The talking heads on CNN drone about the American
auto industry’s pending extinction, but my car still
works. And I just paid $34 to fill the tank… with the
good stuff. Maybe it’s news only because it scares
people into watching, which boosts ratings, which helps
the networks sell advertising. Merrill Lynch has left the
building, and we’re speeding toward the poorhouse
in the last Ford Taurus ever made. What? I don’t buy it.
Maybe Merrill’s departure just means less bull.
My TV is full of crap.
Looking on the bright side makes me squint, which
deepens my crow’s feet. Instead I’m looking on the
outside. My New Year’s resolution is to put down the
remote, take a walk and escape the doomsday rhetoric.
Being active promotes health, and if enough of us start
moving in that direction, we might even be able to
reduce the tax burden of socialized medicine.
This 24th issue of PacificSD has nothing to do with
the economy. Promise. There’s enough of that going
around, and no one who works here really understands
it anyway. We just b.s. about it, which, incidentally, is the
one thing we have in common with the U.S. Treasury.
Thanks to your continued support, loyal reader, we’ve
managed to score a legit celeb—Alanis Morissette
—for the cover. The rock diva performs December 10
at Sophie@103.7’s Green Christmas at Anthology to
benefit the San Diego Ocean Foundation (page 39).
PacificSD was invited to participate because every rock
star loves this magazine, because Alanis needs help
carrying her guitars.
Inside, learn how Tiger Woods and other A-listers are
spending the holidays in Chainsaw’s Xmas Fables
(page 15). Then meet director Danny Boyle, who visits
San Diego to discuss his latest film, Slumdog Millionaire
(page 12). This month’s fashion pages sizzle with the
sultry imagery of photographer Patrick Costanilla, who
helps navigate the intersection of style and technology
in Fashion Bytes (page 23).
And you don’t want to miss the shocking conclusion to
another year of blind dates (page 46).
There’s lots more to enjoy in this, PacificSD’s two-year
anniversary issue. By the way, we’re throwing a huge
party early next year to celebrate that milestone. More
on that in January. In the meantime, buy reasonably
priced gifts, give someone a hug and be safe on New
Year’s Eve.
And if you sell your home for 27 cents, keep your chin
up. You might have enough money to buy controlling
interest in General Motors, and when demand resurges
for ugly cars that break a lot, you’ll be rich. A down
economy just means that there are good buys out there.
Weathering the storm is a snap. All you have to do is
innovate genius ways to raise quick cash. By the way, if
you’re one of the 20,000 wonderful people who receives
this magazine in the mail each month, or one of the tens
of thousands who picks up a free copy, please send $5.
Thank you, dear reader, for being with us each month.
We’ll work even harder to entertain you in 2009.
Much Love. Happy New Year!

DAVID PERLOFF