Reason for divorce

IN all of the fretting and huffing and puffing about whether San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom would endorse ex-San Mateo County Supervisor Mike Nevin for the Democrat nomination for the state's 8th District Senate seat, did it ever occur to anyone that, perhaps, such a nod from S.F.'s boss could wind up being a negative here on the Peninsula?

Where is there any proof that Newsom (or, for that matter, San Francisco itself) somehow has loads of appeal in these Peninsula parts?

This county, after all, specifically made certain it was not part of San Francisco when it effectively, and permanently, severed ties with Baghdad by the Bay 150 years ago. Call it secession, call it divorce, call it whatever you like.

But it's what our 2006 anniversary celebration here is all about. We aren't part of San Francisco at all. And we don't desire to be. Keep that wacky city and its weird politics and intractable problems as far away from this county as humanly possible.

Thanks very much.

Incidentally, after some initial confusion, Newsom did announce his backing for Nevin on Saturday. The Senate seat in question includes the northern portion of our county and a chunk of San Francisco.

BIG SPENDER -- For local followers of professional football, the possibility that the NFL players' salary cap -- which limits the total dollars each team can allocate for its athletes -- may be a thing of the past within the foreseeable future conjures fond memories of former 49ers' owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr.

Under his aggressive guidance, the Niners garnered five Super Bowl titles. Money was never an issue during his tenure. He spent whatever it took to be successful on the field. The bottom line, of course, was frequently sacrificed in the interest of winning.

Naturally, DeBartolo (and his wide open wallet) became an iconic figure around here. Other NFL owners, on the other hand, had a much different view of the profligate Eddie D.

In large measure, his spending habits were one of the main reasons a salary cap was instituted.

JIMBO, JUMBO -- Sometimes the computer keys just fail this correspondent. It happened last week. For some reason, the name of a local band appearing on a Pacifica cable-TV station, "Jimbo Trout and the Fish People," came out "Jumbo" rather than "Jimbo." Apologies all around, to Jimbo, Jumbo, the Fish People and all the ships at sea.

YOU LOOK FAT -- Comedian Elayne Boosler may have the right idea when it comes to sending women to fight in the front lines of armed combat: "They don't know if we can fight, if we can kill. I think we can. All the general has to do is walk over to the women and say, 'You see the enemy over there? They say you look fat in those uniforms.'"

Got a hot local tip or a Peninsula vignette you'd like to share? By all means, send it along to John Horgan by telephone at (650) 348- 4334, by fax at (650) 348-4446 or by traditional snail mail at P.O. Box 5400, San Mateo 94402.

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