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Boondoggle blues ... With Sacramento's budget nightmare rocketing beyond epic proportions, many critics now doubt that the proposed high-speed rail line between San Francisco and Southern California will ever get built. Voters approved $10 billion in bonds in 2009 to fund the project, but now backers say construction costs could rise to $42 billion and more, with ticket pricing exceeding $100 one way. As one wag recently notes, we already have "high-speed" passenger service between the north and the south. It's called Southwest Airlines Co., and a one-way seat will probably remain half the price of a speeding locomotive in 2030! ... Let's drink to this! Escondido's Stone Brewing Co. is among 10 big name breweries participating in the 35th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco from Jan. 17-19, a gathering touted as North America's largest specialty food and beverage marketplace. Stone Brewing is hoping to bring its craft beer to the attention of foreign attendees, to better peddle beer in overseas markets .. The six-month-old Ronald McDonald House of San Diego is now seeking donations to fund installation of a photovoltaic solar array to generate electric power for its new digs. Charity officials say they can save 30 percent on their monthly utility bill. Ronald's new 65,000-square-foot, 47-bedroom home away from home sits atop a six-story parking lot next to Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego. It replaces an outdated 12-bedroom structure ... Road trip? Biocom's top guy, Joe Panetta, is leading a delegation of biotech folks to the nation's capital to do a bit of lobbying for three days starting Jan. 20. Panetta and his delegates will be knocking on doors on Capitol Hill to advocate projects and legislation favorable to members here in San Diego ... Don't know much about history? Well, here's all you need to know these days. It is the best of times and worst of times as members of the American Historical Association gathered here for its annual meeting, set for Jan. 7-10. And apparently historians are suffering hard times, too. Job postings for historians with Ph.D.s dropped 24 percent in 2009, the smallest number in a decade, according to the association's newsletter. Anyway. the gathering gave the San Diego Women's History Museum & Educational Center a showcase for its efforts ... Another sign of hard times, and fears about terrorists. Come Jan. 15, the San Diego - Coronado Ferry won't be stopping at the Naval Air Station North Island ferry landing. The Navy says it's ending service for security and funding reasons. Ferry on over to icommutesd.com for alternative transportation services ... And this final calendar item worthy of note: The Centre City Development Corp. sponsors its 12th annual San Diego Multicultural Festival on Jan. 16. Details at ccdc.com.