Books

Blogs, Books, Dean Weissmann presents, Featured May 1, 2026

Surveillance Pelicana Chapter 11: ‘Smash-up at Stinko’s’

SURVEILLANCE PELICANA BY DAN WEISMAN The entire book appears at this link with chapters added after appearing online: Chapters 1-10: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-full-book-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/.) Chapters 11-20: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-ii-chapters-11-to-20-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/) Chapters 21-30: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-iii-chapters-21-to-30-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/     CHAPTER ELEVEN More fun at MacLand. Mr. Milty creates a large scowling face in the Stinko’s Copy Shop  window down Oak Street. Te face stops traffic and causes an uroar. Later, Tyger, Mac Armor’s, Nick Bowers,…

Blogs, Books, Dean Weissmann presents, Featured November 29, 2025

Surveillance Pelicana Chapter 19: ‘Day at the Races’

SURVEILLANCE PELICANA BY DAN WEISMAN (The entire book appears at this link with chapters added after appearing online: Chapters 1-10: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-full-book-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/.) Chapters 11-20: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-ii-chapters-11-to-20-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/) Chapters 21-30: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-iii-chapters-21-to-30-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/   CHAPTER NINETEEN Tyger, Sandy, Milty, and Armor’s spend the day at the New Orleans Fairgrounds, the third oldest horse racing track in America. Many insightful observations are made about the racing environment and the day ends with…

Books, Education, History, San Marcos January 18, 2025

CSUSM History: Little-known FDR ‘Black Cabinet’

As a Cal State San Marcos professor of history, of course, Jill Watts is also a student of history. Watts knew that many U.S. history textbooks, in the all-important pages about the hugely consequential Franklin Delano Roosevelt presidency, make passing references to what the black press of the day coined the “Black Cabinet,” an unofficial group of African-American advisers to FDR as he navigated the politics of the Great Depression and the New…

Baseball, Books, Entertainment/Arts, Sports, The Grapevine March 21, 2024

Bruce Kauffman’s ‘Tale of the Toppled Hurler’

(Editor’s Note: Author Bruce Kauffman died in December 2018 at his home in National City. A longtime journalist with the North County Times at Escondido and San Marcos, and before that CNN, Bruce was born in Massachusetts and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison while taking a BA at Case Western Reserve University and MA at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.  Locally, he specialized…

Books, Community, Education, Health, Health & Fitness February 21, 2023

Six local libraries join to fight health misinformation

Six local libraries work collaboratively to create a toolkit that addresses the public health crises caused during the pandemic – and in general – by health misinformation A new effort to counteract the spread of health misinformation has taken flight. The San Diego Circuit libraries (Circuit), a consortium of six prominent academic and public libraries, has announced the availability of a campaign website designed to…

Blogs, Books, Dean Weissmann presents, Featured February 20, 2023

Surveillance Pelicana Chapter 13: ‘Mardi Gras Mambo’

SURVEILLANCE PELICANA BY DAN WEISMAN The entire book appears at this link with chapters added after appearing online: Chapters 1-10: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-full-book-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/.) Chapters 11-20: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-ii-chapters-11-to-20-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/) Chapters 21-30: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-iii-chapters-21-to-30-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/   CHAPTER THIRTEEN  Carnival begins as New Orleans descends into the grips of Mardi Gras madness. Numerous observations are made about the festival. Tyger returns to the familiar spot at the Polish Dog stand showing tourists how to…

Blogs, Books, Dean Weissmann presents, Featured February 16, 2023

Surveillance Pelicana Chapter 29: ‘Pie in the Sky at Peace Camp’

SURVEILLANCE PELICANA BY DAN WEISMAN The entire book appears at this link with chapters added after appearing online: Chapters 1-10: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-full-book-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/.) Chapters 11-20: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-ii-chapters-11-to-20-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/) Chapters 21-30: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-iii-chapters-21-to-30-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/ CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE The convention hits full stride as Tyger embarks on guerilla protest. He spends a lot of time with convention protesters and reveals all the counter-culture events pertaining to the gathering. Much time is spent at the…

Blogs, Books, Dean Weissmann presents, Featured January 14, 2022

Surveillance Pelicana Chapter 12: ‘The Fabulous Little Baker Girl, Bingo LeBoeuf and Dill Pickle’

SURVEILLANCE PELICANA BY DAN WEISMAN The entire book appears at this link with chapters added after appearing online: Chapters 1-10: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-full-book-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/.) Chapters 11-20: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-ii-chapters-11-to-20-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/) Chapters 21-30: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-iii-chapters-21-to-30-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/   CHAPTER TWELVE  Joe organizes the team effort for the first encounter with Mildred Baker who has a doctor’s appointment near Touro Infirmary on Prytania Street. Tyger records Baker’s bizarre activity from a parking garage across the street….

Blogs, Books, Dean Weissmann presents, Featured January 14, 2022

Surveillance Pelicana Chapter 14: ‘In a House, In a Square, In a Quadrant’

SURVEILLANCE PELICANA BY DAN WEISMAN The entire book appears at this link with chapters added after appearing online: Chapters 1-10: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-full-book-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/.) Chapters 11-20: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-ii-chapters-11-to-20-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/ Chapters 21-30: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-iii-chapters-21-to-30-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/ CHAPTER FOURTEEN Mardi Gras heats up considerably. Mac, Armor’s, Tyger and Sandy prepare for the Tucks Parade at Mr. Milty’s House of Horrors and Pain. Milty’s girlfriend Victoria and cat Blubber are confronted. Larry Bud Melman’s appearance at the Tucks Parade is…

Blogs, Books, Dean Weissmann presents, Escondido, Featured January 14, 2022

Surveillance Pelicana Chapter 15: ‘If Ever I Cease to Love’

SURVEILLANCE PELICANA BY DAN WEISMAN The entire book appears at this link with chapters added after appearing online: Chapters 1-10: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-full-book-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/.) Chapters 11-20: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-ii-chapters-11-to-20-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/) Chapters 21-30: https://www.escondidograpevine.com/surveillance-pelicana-part-iii-chapters-21-to-30-chapters-added-as-they-appear-online/   CHAPTER FIFTEEN Mardi Gras heats up considerably. All heaven and hell break out on Fat Tuesday. Everyone parties their butts off at the Polish Dog stand. All aspects of Carnival from the walking clubs through Zulu, Rex,…