Club opens door to introspect, learning
As summer winds to a close, the changing season triggers nostalgia for the childhood summer when I joined the Star Trek Book Club at my local library in Salinas. The Club challenged us to read 50 books in three months. I felt such a sense of accomplishment after I successfully completed the goal that I kept adding to my book reading list, even after summer ended. My next goal became to read 1,000 books. It was such a thrill when I was finally able to add that one thousandth title to my book list.
Nothing ‘shifty’ about this bike business or a pancake breakfast
Seems like things are improving economically, but it’s a slow boil recovery. Have always felt like the psychological aspect to recovery – or slide – is critically important. It’s almost as if you can “feel” whether the economy is moving. The numbers don’t lie, but they don’t tell the whole truth either. So, as Miss Jenny and I struggle to get the two daughters through college and the nation sputters to leave the Great Recession behind, I’m chagrined at the plethora of state, county and local tax measures dripping ink all over the upcoming ballot. There have been some reforms for public agencies in pension, benefit and pay structures. But honestly, it’s not nearly enough – not nearly enough to justify supporting all the tax measures on the ballot. One of our Community Pulse members answered a question about supporting the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s tax proposal with this: “No. On principle, voting no on all tax measures until agencies, counties, Sacramento get their wasteful spending practices in order.” That’s on the money, and it seems to me that until the clear majority of voters adopt that principle – despite general support for schools, dam re-building, public safety or whatever the purpose – serious and sustainable reform will not happen.
