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Canvas bags, Alma Heights, and Dick Cheney
When I was studying weekly newspapers in my college classes back in the
fifties, they were many and vibrant.
The decades since have seen a steady erosion of local newspapers, not
because their services are less important, but because their support
dollars have gone to other media that render far fewer public services.
Pacifica, thank goodness, is still somewhat of an exception. Bill Drake in
his years as publisher stayed afloat by publishing a well-read, and highly
readable newspaper, while most of his fellow publishers in this county were
going under or merging. The Tribune's not immune to the pressures, but it's
persevered, thanks to Bill, and to Chris Hunter. Most other newspapers
currently published in this county are not nearly as interesting as this
one. Take a good objective look at last week's editorial page. Not my
column. That would be narcissistic. Check out both the letters to the
editor and John Maybury's column. There are times when I even agree with
John. And there are times when he provokes me, as he did Robert Hutchinson
with his comments on Iraq. Fact is, both Hutchinson and Maybury are
partially right about Iraq. Because the Iraqi people are better off now
than they were. And of course, so is Dick Cheney's Halliburton Company,
with its lucrative contracts. Americans must decide whether all those
American lives, and all those billions of dollars, are a legitimate price
to pay for the benefits to one particular group. By now it's obvious
"Weapons of Mass Destruction" were a pretext, perhaps a tool of mass
distraction to get the minds of Americans off the miserable economy. If
Herbert Hoover had had the good sense to invade Colombia or Canada it might
have saved his presidency.
Those of us who strongly dislike the current president (the leader of the
ruling minority junta) have good reason. We're not anti-American. We're
just anti-Bush.
In the same Trib, the letter from Joseph Gross was positive and enjoyable,
as Alma Heights Academy celebrates the groundbreaking for its new building.
It's unlikely there's another organization in town whose ideas I agree with
less or whose people I admire more. Come by the Alma Heights flea market
this Saturday. Have coffee and a donut. Enjoy the variety of booths. Help
the school celebrate its success. Joe Gross and his family are a major, if
under-appreciated, asset to this city, and have been for decades. They're
the finest kind of neighbors. And the flea market's a lot of fun too.
Maybury had an irritating note about the petition to bring a Trader's Joe's
to Pacifica. He quoted Max Carmichael, who raps Trader Joe's so-called
wasteful packaging, contrasting it with an unnamed local store that
presumably wraps less. Mr. Carmichael has every right to recommend any
store in town, for any reason (as long as he's politically correct). For
myself, my only question is: do I shop Trader Joe's out of town, or in? And
which store in town under-packages? I know of none. If you shop Trader
Joe's, you're free to buy only unpackaged goods. Customer decisions
determine packaging. If I bring my own canvas bags, Trader Joe's will
gladly fill them. But if I choose to accept multiple paper sacks furnished
by Trader Joe's or Central Foods or Food Town, it's not Mr. Carmichael's
business.
V. Perez of Terra Nova Blvd wants to ban the writings of Bruce Hotchkiss.
I'm not sure just what V. disagrees with, but I hope Bruce keeps writing.
If I choose not to read, that's my decision, and I don't want editors to
make it for me by censorship.
Paul@thereactor.netis one way to share your opinions with
Paul Azevedo.
Check The Reactor's website at www.thereactor.net.
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