Week of the good, bad and ugly

San Diego Business Journal, July 21, 2008 by Tom York

This week's entry comes under the heading of the good, the bad, the ugly ... and the so-so. First the good ... Dr. William Roberts at Rady Children's Hospital is behind the scenes providing expertise in pediatric oncology to the General Hospital in Tijuana so that the cancer unit could get government funding. Thanks to Dr. Roberts, the hospital now qualifies for "Seguro Popular," a Mexican government program that provides funding to the cancer unit. Now for a bit of the bad ... The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp.'s fact-finding trip to Down Under--Brisbane, Australia--has been canceled due to a lack of interest. Given the slowdown in the local economy, it seems that few were willing to pony up $5,000 to pay for a trip, including airfare, or $17,000 for business class. The agency is still looking at a best-practices trip to central Florida in mid-October at a much lower cost of $1,500 ... And the ugly? Debt-rating firm Fitch reports sky-rocketing fuel costs and anemic cash flow could result in "multiple bankruptcies and liquidation" for big air carriers in 2009. Surprisingly, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways, two of the Insider's favs, were on the list. "Au contraire," responds SDSU Marketing Department Chair George Belch. "I really do not think Southwest is in trouble ... (it) is probably the most stable of all the airlines," he says. "Actually, Southwest makes it difficult for carriers to raise fares as it is still keeping them reasonable and not doing things such as charging for luggage and other basics" ... Occupancy rates are down 10 percent nationwide compared to last year for the week of July 6, according to Smith Travel Research. San Diego rates weren't much better at just over 8 percent. However, ConVis CEO David Peckinpaugh opines, "San Diego continues to hold it own as we head into our peak tourism season" ... Balboa Park's Museum of Man is presenting a lecture at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6, featuring UC San Diego Sino expert Susan Shirk to discuss what's ahead for China's leaders. Shirk, who's divined the tea leaves in Cathay for more than three decades, believes that "the more developed and prosperous China becomes, the more insecure and threatened leaders feel." The lecture presages opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics in Beijing on Aug. 8. Details at museumofman.org. What's this? A pro-SDG&E group? The Community Alliance for the Sunrise Powerlink scheduled a news conference July 16 to say the delay in getting the transmission line constructed is costing ratepayers $350,000 a day. Big names like Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox, Imperial County Supervisor Larry Grogan and Julie Meier Wright, president and CEO of the aforementioned EDC, want citizens to push the Utilities Commissioners to push for an end to the delays.

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