Safeway in Aptos, CA plans removal of movie theater, kitchen tools store, ice cream Safeway ruins California neighborhoods, writes Gloria Sams who witnessed the expansion of Safeway in Sebastopol, CA.
Now Safeway plans to expand in the Rancho del Mar shopping center in Aptos, CA. If their plans are approved, Safeway will remove many of the small businesses including Le Chef (cooking tools), the movie theater and a number of other small businesses. Safeway expansion will wipe out Le Chef in Aptos
Gloria Sams Letter is published below.
“I can attest to Safeway ruining neighborhoods all the way back to the ’70s in Sonoma County where they and Bank of America, under false names, bought up an entire block in Sebastopol.
“They [Safeway] took the art deco theater, a large, family-run nursery, numerous small businesses on that block, plus caused the demise of every business with a two-block radius. They touted “lower prices” because they bought in volume, and then their prices went up.
“The businesses they brought in were no asset to the community. They continued these practices throughout that county [Sebastopol, CA] and just kept going.
“Now, here they are in Santa Cruz. I hope our citizens will be very careful in any plans involving this conglomerate. Letter to Editor, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 4-17, 2012, written by Gloria Sams, Santa Cruz
Readers can Comment on the above post, subscribe to the RSS feed for Monterey Bay Forum or send email to DrCameronJackson@gmail.com and ask it be posted under the categories Anti-Safeway Expansion and Aptos, CA
In my view, Aptos does not need a bigger Safeway. There is currently plenty of parking and a variety of local businesses. It is my understanding that the Planning Commission must approve Safeway’s plans so it’s time that Santa Cruz residents speak up. Use YELP to publicize that we like what we have for small businesses.
Monterey Bay Forum is willing and happy to assist people to connect in opposition to Safeway expansion in Aptos, CA. DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
Send snail mail to: Monterey Bay Forum, P.O. Box 1972, Aptos, CA 95001-1972
Nude maid service watched closely by police in Texas:
Police in staunchly conservative West Texas city if Lubbock are keeping close tabs on a young entrepreneur’s recently opened cleaning service that offers nude maids.
Lubbock police Sgt. Jonathan Stewart said the owner of Fantasy Maid Service of Lubbock doesn’t have a permit to operate a sexually oriented business and officers are watching for any violation, which would bring a $2,000 fine.
But owner Melissa Borrett insists she’s not operating such a business. Customers pay $100 an hour for one maid or $150 an hour for two maids, and no touching is allowed, she said.
“I run a maid service,” the 26-year-old entrepreneur said. “We really just clean houses. These girls are not performers. They’re maids.
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Guess what goes on in the broom closet. JAJ48@aol.com
outdated govt regulations killed Titanic passengers Outdated govt regulations caused the Titanic tragedy & harm married working women today.
Those out dated government regulations must be updated for a world in which 60% of all women work outside the home.
And now is the time for women to raise a roar as Republicans control the House where all bills involving money must start.
“Flex time” is a good government regulation to fix in place. “Flex time” allows the worker to work the same number of hours packed into fewer days.
Senate Democrats blocked “flex time” back in the 1990’s. Now it’s time for Ann Romney and husband Mitt to make the case for “flex time”
The Titanic sank because the owner said follow the law as to how many life boats to equip it with. And the outdated Board of Trade law required only enough boats for half the number of people aboard. The accepted premise was that if a ship was in trouble it would always be possible to have 4-6 other boats near by who could provide additional life boat assistance.That was a wrong premise for the Titanic.
And it’s a wrong premise today that woman are the same as mem so treat them exactly the same. Women have babies and move in and out of the work force. Women need flexible hours, opportunity and choice.
Women working for the Obama White House make roughly 18% less than the men. Probably moving in and out of the work force and taking jobs with fewer hours are a big part of why women working for Obama are paid less.
Repeal the marriage penalty and add “flex time” to Romney’s reforms — that’s the message to send to Ann Romney and Republican candidate Mitt Romney.
Look at Ann Romney’s page on Pinterests.com and tell Ann what women working outside the home need. Ann is approachable. And Ann Romney in my view will become as popular as Jackie Kennedy was in the 1960’s. And someday Mitt Romney will introduce his wife to the French people as ‘this is the person you came to see…”
Here’s an outdated regulation that must be changed: A married woman working of an assembly line keeps less of her pay check than the unwed man who does the same job.
Today, 60%o of all women work outside the home and are penalized by outdated laws.
Start with the premise that many women, because they have babies, are different from men.
CA backyards not balconies
Tell CA planners to take a hike! Stop squishing families together in smaller and smaller spaces.
Not 3 feet wide condo balconies, kids need backyards and space to run around and kick balls. Because of new regulations in California, if planners have their way all new metropolitan housing will be 20 to an acre rather than the traditional 5 to an acre.
It’s time that CA voters wake up and repeal the 2006 Global Warming Solutions Act and the 2008 Sustainable Communities and Climate protection Act.
Over the last 40 years, median house prices have doubled relative to household incomes in California.
Look around your community. In our area of Aptos, CA for example, all new “affordable” [taxpayer paid for] housing is 20 or more to an acre. And those condos have no back yards.
Planners must think kids can get all the exercise they need at school during recess and lunch. Not so.
The high cost of housing in CA is a major reason why 1.6 million have left California since 2000.
For more info, see The Wall Street Journal, April 7, 2012, California Declares War on Suburbia
Safeway in Aptos, CA plans to double in size why Safeway to double? Big box Safeway plans to double in size from 30,000 to 60,000 square feet at their Aptos, CA store located in Rancho del Mar shopping center just off #1 at State Park Drive.
Why? Bigger is not better for the existing Aptos, CA community.
Safeway recently bought the entire Rancho del Mar shopping center.
There’s plenty of parking now and no need for a double decker parking garage. The Rancho del Mar center has the only movie theater and the only ACE hardware store between Watsonville [9 miles south] and 41st Avenue in Capitola [3 miles north] Both the theater and ACE hardware will be eliminated if Safeway expands as planned. As local Aptos users know, ACE is the place for excellent services from the time you enter the door.
It’s likely that many small businesses [a movie theater, a jewelery store, a pharmacy, several restaurants, Ace hardware] will be eliminated if and when Safeway expands from 30,000 to 60,000 square feet.
Susan Houghton is a contact person for Safeway. Per Houghton, it will take about 2 years to get permits and 2 years to build. Several letters to the editor of the Santa Cruz Sentinel express concern about the pending changes.
Where and how to speak up: Aptos, CA has a supervisor on the County of Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors. And there’s of course the Planning Department. Is there a disgruntled citizens department? You can subscribe to the RSS feed to get updates to this post.
written by DrCameronJackson@gmail.com
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bacon force pork?
Conservatives can do things that support getting rid of ObamaCare, Obama’s regulations and Obama’s policies. One way: Read the opposition’s arguments and comment back via blogs and email. This is a comment back on ‘Broccoli and bad faith’ written by Paul Krugman, with New York Times.
Replace broccoli with pork and see what happens to Krugman’s weak argument.
Dear Mr. Krugman: Do you know that …..
1) Americans overwhelmingly dislike 2 to 1 ObamaCare. It was not popular before and overall it is still unpopular.
2) If the Supreme Court throws ObamaCare out entirely, then Congress gets a fresh slate to make health care reform with bipartisan support. Not one Republican voted for ObamaCare. Any change of such massive proportions requires bipartisan support and public input through hearings. Thus, a fresh start is the best way to go.
3) Americans want health care reform that respects individual freedom of religion per the Bill of Rights. Obama recently Jan 20, 2012 told the Catholic bishops there was no waiver for any church organizations. Under Obama-Care, all organizations must provide for free a wide variety of contraceptive choices including abortion, sterilization and birth control pills. Many organizations are affronted at this lack of respect for individual conscience and by the one size fits all approach taken by Obama and his Health Secretary Sebelius.
4) People want & should be able to get individually tailored plans. A gay man does not need or want pregnancy care whereas a gay woman who plans to give birth may. Health care reform must include tort reform to reduce malpractice costs and allow and encourage competition across state lines.
5) If you Mr. Krrugman don’t like Justice Scalia’s comparison of health care with broccoli then how about comparing health care with the purchase of pork? Say there is just one store and it’s located in the middle of a Jewish neighborhood. And Jews don’t eat pork or bacon or products with pork. How long will the store owner offer pork for sale? As the demand is zero he will stop offering it for sale. So when Jews choose not to buy pork in fact their actions make pork unavailable to the few who do want to buy pork.
6) But what if the government requires all stores to offer pork for sale and requires all shoppers to purchase pork no matter what the individual’s religious or culinary habits? When the government can require all to purchase X then the government can require all to also purchase Y and Z.
6) The essence of a legal contract [based on Western laws] is that both parties enter into it voluntarily. But if one side is forced then there is no lawful contract.
7) You Mr. Krugman have got it flat wrong when you say, “people don’t buy health insurance until they get sick…” Wrong. Most people get health insurance as part of their benefits from their employer. Some individuals that work by the hour and have several children will get health care for their children via Healthy Families and other government paid for programs. And, if in CA, via Medical.
Insurance is based on risk. What is the risk of a 20 year old dying from a heart attack compared to a 70 year old? The risk is far less for the younger person and hence the insurance cost is less.
Yes Mr. Krugman, Americans want health care reform. But they do not want ObamaCare. Americans do not want to be told that they must purchase health care insurance or pork or anything for that matter.
In January, 2008, instead of focusing on the weak economy, creating actual ‘shovel ready’ jobs, the huge homes ‘under water’ Obama and Pelosi and the Democrats focused on creating a one size fits all government health care program for all. The priorities of the working American are — and remain — far different from Obama’s priorities.
And what are Obama’s priorities? Giving Russia what it wants concerning missile defense? Protecting ‘green’ energy and choosing supposed winners and losers? Stopping the Canadian- Gulf oil pipeline? Adding 1 TRILLION to the national debt to be paid by our children and grand-children? Stopping all oil drilling in the Gulf even though his commission said re-open bids?
Americans are far smarter than Obama and apologist Paul Krugman think. And yes, health insurance can be compared to the purchase of broccoli or any product. If the government can force you as an individual to buy health insufance, it can force you to buy all sorts of of things.
Way back in 1775, the individual states agreed to create and give limited powers to the federal government. All powers not given remained with the individual states. All powers over the individual citizen [pay a property tax, get a drivers license, pay sales tax] come from the power of the state where you live.
Up until now — except for conscription into the army and serving on a federal jury — the federal government has only limited, specific powers. It has no police powers over any individual. If the individual mandate of ObamaCare is found by the Supreme Court to be constitutional and legal, then the basic relationship between you and your government changes drastically.
So the answer is yes, if the individual mandate is legal then Obama can force Jewish grocery stores to sell bacon and pork and Obama can force all shoppers to purchase bacon and pork.
Paul Ryan calls Obama’s bluff on cuts to the military.
Compare the blue military portion of federal budget with the green and red portions for entitlement costs.
The world is not a safer place. Yet, as though it were a safer place, Obama lowers the standards the military must meet. Akin to asking a marathon runner if he can run a 5 kilometer race the military dutifully yes they are prepared to run the race per Obama’s lower standards. They have no choice except to accept the standards of their Commander in Chief.
Obama claims fiscal responsibility as reason to slash military budget — which makes up only 1/5 of the budget. Entitlements – social security, medicare & medical – make up over 50% of the budget.
So, if you were looking at your family budget and want to rein in costs would you go for the ‘small fry’ or focus on the Big Expenses?
Maybe Obama figures he will be long gone and so what if the middle classes grandchildren are burdened with the BILLIONS that he has added to the deficit.
More info from the Heritage Foundation below:
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James Carafano
March 30, 2012
Representative Paul Ryan (R–WI) generated a few headlines defending his defense budget.
When pressed about why he wanted to invest more in the military than the Pentagon brass asked for, Ryan had an answer that raised eyebrows: “We don’t think the generals are giving us their true advice,†Ryan said at the National Journal Live Budget Policy summit, adding, “I think there’s a lot of budget smoke and mirrors in the Pentagon’s budget.â€
Ryan has good reason to be skeptical—not of the integrity of senior military leaders but of the budget that they are duty-bound to defend.
Just two years ago, the Obama Administration signed off on a Quadrennial Defense Review that required a substantially larger and more capable military. Now they are producing anemic budgets where 75 percent of the cuts, by the Secretary of Defense’s own admission, are reductions in military capability.
Has the world become dramatically safer in two years? Of course not. Obama’s defense cuts are driven by his strategy of slashing support for the military to pretend he is being fiscally responsible. The reality is that defense is less than one-fifth the federal budget, but the President slapped it with one-half of his proposed cuts.
Why is the brass signing off on this? Well, that’s their job. I know well how this works. I saw it first hand serving in the Pentagon. The Constitution establishes civilian supremacy over the military. The President is commander in chief. He defines strategic requirements, so the way he gets the military leaders to agree is simple: He just lowers the bar of expectations. He dumbs down the requirements.
So when Congress asks the brass, “Do you have enough?†They have no choice but to answer “yes.†It is like telling marathoner who has not had time to train that he only has to run a 5-K race. Sure, he’s ready—unless he actually has to run a marathon.
So we shouldn’t be surprised when the military rubber-stamps the President’s budget. Nor should we be surprised when Congress questions them. That is the job of the Congress. The Constitution charges Congress with raising and maintaining the Armed Forces.
Ryan has just called the President’s bluff. The generals and admirals are stuck in the middle.
If you don’t like what is going on in the Pentagon, blame the commander in chief, not the generals—after all, that is who they work for.
Posted in Protect America
hugging ban Win a sports game and cannot hug? Ban on hugging at middle school in New Jersey has many parents opposed to this school policy.
Last week, what was called excessive hugging and physical contact by sixth and eighth graders prompted the principal to come on the loud speaker. He declared a ban on hugging, according to published reports. The Superintendent for schools later supported the principal’s actions.
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What happened to breaking up rocks and push-ups for POWs? Instead, taxpayers pay for another — the third — recreation field for Gitmo prisoners.
This is the third recreation facility at Camp 6, which houses “highly compliant” detainees who live in a communal setting, the report stated. Other facilities include an indoor recreation field and an outdoor recreation field.
The new field will afford the detainees “maximum access” — about 20 hours a day, via special passageways to allow passage into the new recreation yard without military escort.
A military police representative who asked not to be identified by name told the reporters that allowing high levels of activity outdoors helped reduce behavioral problems at the camps, and limited the amount of interaction between detainees and the guards, Fox reported.
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Why not just give them ball room dancing? It would certainly be cheaper.
expensive dog collar
Obama’s recession hits all areas including the pet-product market.
Liz Harper’s dog once dined on bowls of Mars Inc.’s Royal Canin tailored to the Boxer breed and packed with the heart-healthy amino acid L-carnitine. She’d wash it down with Bowser Beer, a dog drink brewed from malt barley and salt-free chicken stock. Today, Billie Holiday has to settle for kibble from the local Target Corp. store.
Harper is among a growing proportion of pet owners who are seeking bargains and shunning more opulent items such as $600 Swarovski crystal dog collars, according to researchers Packaged Facts and Mintel. The $87 billion pet-product market, once deemed recession-proof, is starting to show cracks as owners struggle to make ends meet.
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Do they house the dog in a safe deposit box?
jaj48@aol.com
