John Riley Project

The California state government has radically changed the rules of the gig economy.  Definitions of contractors and employees have changed, supposedly to offer benefits to the worker.  But really, who wins?  We follow the money and look at the entities that financially win with this legislation.  But more importantly, we explore the idea of entrepreneurism and discuss all of th...

We explore the history of San Diego housing development over the course of the last 40 years and how we ended up in this housing crisis.  It was interesting to retrace our memories of development in the 70s, 80s and 90s as communities in Mira Mesa, Rancho Penasquitos, Scripps Ranch and Carmel Valley were developed.  We then get into the idea of working from anywhere where you can use tec...

Chick-fil-A had their grand opening in Poway and the city is buzzing.  People love CFA’s chicken.  Powegians have a new restaurant to enjoy.  There are smiling faces and neighbors meeting neighbors at the big event in town.  City leaders are there to share the event and get a photo op, but are they unknowingly promoting CFA?  What exactly should be the role of local govern...

Interested in ordering that custom car of your dreams?  We learn the hidden secrets and what happens behind the curtain when you place a custom car order with a dealership. Corvette enthusiast, Pete Neild, and San Diego’s favorite car guy, Mike Polite, joined us in this fascinating conversation which covered so much detail of the process of how the dealerships work and how the manufacturer do...

David Leland joined me to break down the San Diego State Aztecs 2019 football season.  We take a close look at Rocky Long’s squad, go through the schedule and predict the outcome of each game.  We also highlight many of the Aztecs including Kyrie Woods, Matt Araiza, Mark Salazar, JR Justice, Darren Hall, Juwan Washington, Ryan Agnew, Carson Baker, TJ Sullivan. David also shares stories o...

A Half Billion Dollar Poway School Bond and Santee’s efforts to make Granny Flats easier and less expensive to build are the topics in episode #71 of the John Riley Project. What?  Another huge school bond in Poway?  We discuss the recent survey to Poway Unified parents testing their interest in a new school bond.  We also get into innovative strategies of financing schools to save...

In this podcast we look at three hot topics in San Diego County: San Diego Climate Change/Green Energy, Oceanside Housing and the San Diego County Republican Party. We start by examining the City of San Diego’s “Climate Change Demonstration Project” to put solar panels, temperature controls and lighting reduction monitors in 3 of their libraries as a showcase of using sustainable energy technology...

San Diego Sports Super Fan, David Leland, joined us for an amazing conversation about the teams and personalities in our local sports community.  Leland, a Poway resident with a strong social media presence, combined incredible recall of statistics with insightful sports commentary during our conversation. We had a great time talking about the problems facing the Padres, whether manager Andy...

Rancho Bernardo author, citizen and independent voter, Steve Dow, joined us to discuss his new book: 15 Reasons People Voted for Trump in 2016 and Why These Don’t Apply in 2020 . We traced his roots growing up in New Jersey, reliving the 1985 Villanova Wildcats NCAA victory over Georgetown, and his degree in civil engineering and minor in peace & justice. Then we got into his career, meeting h...

Reverend Doctors Stephen and Abigail Albert joined us to discuss Interfaith Awareness Week here in San Diego County August 11 thru the 18 th .  During our conversation we shared stories and experiences of people of different faiths coming together and learning from one another. We talk about Steve’s Interfaith Manual where he documents 40 different topics, such as violence and love, and then...

The Trump response in the aftermath of the El Paso and Dayton shootings was about condolences, condemnation of hate and offering proposals to prevent these incidents from occurring again.  But does the Trump response and his recommended policies actually make a difference?  Do Trump’s recommendations violate our civil liberties?  How does his condemnation of hate match up with his rhetoric a...

We take a long look at the tragedies in El Paso and Dayton where 29 people lost their life.  We explore how a flawed philosophy of collectivism and nihilism plays a huge role in these terrible events in El Paso and Dayton.  I spend a great deal of time showcasing how leadership matters, yet sadly we have a president that uses rhetoric that inspires these hate crimes.  Then we discus...

In this Self Improvement episode, we break down 8 strategies you can put forth to improve your health.  Many of the themes discussed include valuing your own life, setting boundaries, letting go, and acceptance.  We talk plenty about taking care of yourself first, so you can then take care of other people.  I share my own struggles on each issue and offer up a variety of success stories and person...

We break down the “Send Her Back” chant, Trump’s tweets that stoke division and fear and explore this topic more broadly within the context of our inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  We also get in to the political style of The Squad, a delicatessen that is trying to capitalize on the Send Her Back rhetoric and the “Move to Somalia!” retort by many progre...

In this episode we discuss issues of Property Rights and Equality Under the Law within the context of recent policy proposals from the Poway City Council.  In the aftermath of the Poway Chabad Shooting, Mayor Steve Vaus has proposed a revision to the city code to give Places of Worship a waiver so they do not have to come before the City Council to ask for a variance to build a wall or a fenc...

In this episode we cover The Declaration of Independence, Justin Amash’s own declaration of independence from the Republican Party and News & Notes in DC and here in Poway. We start off with Congressman Justin Amash (I-MI) and his statement of leaving the GOP.  Or, did the GOP actually leave Amash?  We get into Amash’s record as a bold, principled and transparent congressman and a st...

We break down the first round of Democratic Debate including the candidates, the issues and the debate format.  Who has the presidential gravitas?  Who is likable?  Who delivered on their brand image?  Who had a necessary grasp of the policies? I give each candidate a grade based on how well they performed on stage in the Democratic Debate.  My grades address their energy,...

I love debate night!  We break down all 20 Presidential Candidates in the Democratic Debates the next 2 nights this week.  I share my top of mind thoughts on each candidate, their policies and profile.  I discuss what I am looking for in the Democratic Debates each night: likeability, brand identity, positioning, leadership qualities and calmness under pressure.  We talk about...

Jessica Johnson joined us to talk about her new book, Abandoned San Diego, that documents hidden treasures found in secret locations around San Diego that walk us through history, culture and nature. It was wonderful to discuss so many of the special locations and landmarks in Jessica’s book and her website: www.hiddensandiego.net .  We talked about gold mines, haunted houses, secret caves, hidden...

Before we get into the topic of entrepreneurism, we start off our podcast talking about Poway News including Anna Vaus making her debut at the Grand Ole Opry, the City of Poway’s tight budget, Poway Unified School District’s continued financial irresponsibility and unwillingness to heed good advice.  We explore the Democratic Presidential race and the upcoming debates.  We talk about the...

Imagine if everyone got a check each month from the government for $1,000.  We break down the topic of Universal Basic Income (UBI).  We look at the history, the morality, the rationale, the assumptions, the funding sources, the politics and the objectives of the initiative.  How does Universal Basic Income play a role in the discussions of minimum wage, living wage, poverty and inc...

Pete Neild shared his incredible adventure traveling cross country fulfilling a promise to his deceased mother.  It’s a story of family, childhood memories, Corvettes, America the Beautiful and the special people you meet along the way. Pete’s journey across America touched the cities and places of Poway, San Diego, Phoenix, Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Fort Smith, Bowling Green, Richmond, North C...

Rory Herrman joined us to talk about his hockey story coming up through the ranks in youth hockey, competing in the highest-level amateur hockey league in the United States and preparing for NCAA Division 1 Hockey. Rory Herrman got the bug to play hockey from experiencing the amazing energy and excitement attending San Diego Gulls games with this family at the San Diego Sports Arena.  We trac...

Mathew Mitchell joined us for an open conversation on the difficult issues of race, diversity, inclusion and equity.  Mathew brings a unique perspective having grown up in the conservative community of Lompoc CA.  His father is a black man from Memphis TN, his mother an Irish immigrant to America, his sister is married to a woman and Mathew is a happy husband and father in a mixed-race f...