Morning News Round-Up – 11.28.08: Planning for more failed start-ups?

The pre-dawn hours saw eager Silicon Valley shoppers filling the malls in hopes of getting a good deal.

Groucho Marx once said, “Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” Hicklebee’s, a San Jose landmark, is hoping this is true this year as they offer pre-holiday sales for the first time in 20 years. Britt Beemer, retail industry analyst for nearly 30 years says, “The guys who have done the best job building customer relations will win.”

In Morgan Hill, Tony Eulo recommends green gift giving. Suggestions include Watch Dog’s favorite, the newspaper, as gift wrap. They should start with the Morgan Hill Times…just kidding.

If you receive a Blackberry or iPhone this year, best double check it wasn’t stolen from the AT&T store in Gilroy – creative thieves broke down a few walls and took nearly $50,000 in phones.

While road rage seems to be all the rage as shoppers and revelers rush hither and yon the Merc’s Gary Richards celebrates the tales of those who help others.

Emerging fields such as green technology where profitable startups are, "on the ledge, ready to fly," is where to focus according to San Jose’s Mayor Chuck Reed. (Like this one, I guess…) Reed has asked for a re-write of the Redevelopment Agency’s five year plan, "The Mayor wants to focus on the two most certain years," said Harry Mavrogenes, Redevelopment's (highly paid) Executive Director. "The further out you go, the fuzzier things are." Yeah, because betting on start-ups haven’t burned San Jose in the past. Perhaps the Mayor and Harry should focus on keeping the businesses already here afloat…or at least make sure the companies they help out will be around in two years – and aren’t burning through CEOs…

The annual Turkey Trot saw more runners than last year including Army Sgt. Angela Hernandez who said, "I did this for myself, and my family." Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino said donations to food banks were down by 50%, "The irony is when economic times are tough, the need is higher. It's also when giving is lowest." Watch Dog isn’t sure if that is irony or Econ 101…

Time off did not affect Mission City Lantern’s James Rowen, as feisty as ever he suggests failed Santa Clara Council candidate Mary Emerson head south.