I thought I would run a list of things I am thankful for before Thanksgiving. Beside the obvious—family, friends, etc.—here are some San Jose items.
I am thankful for:
• The reform-minded voters who elected Chuck Reed in a landslide.
• Driving by Cindy Chavez’s headquarters (which still has a large “Chavez for Mayor” sign up) knowing that whatever went on inside that building did not work.
• The drawer that houses Chuck Reed’s American flag tie and now, hopefully, Cindy’s “power suits.”
• Manny Diaz being as transparent and inept as I thought he was.
• The fact that no one took Bill Clinton’s phone calls.
• Our San Jose policeman that try (futilely) to stop cruising and crime downtown.
• Downtown business owners who, despite adversity and huge city subsidies, still plug away trying to make a living and run a business in this town.
• Ron Gonzales’s 9-iron because I would rather he had a club in his hands instead of the city!
• The Metro because they ran a picture of Sam Liccardo side-by-side with the 40-Year-Old Virgin. (Haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.)
• The HP Pavilion and the San Jose Sharks because what would downtown look like without them?
• Housing developers who build and build in San Jose and keep making our city grow up, not out.
• O’Flaherty’s Pub, The Hedley Club at the De Anza, and The Paragon not “selling out” and turning their establishments into clubs or nightspots that make a quick buck.
• For those who have vision and will not quit until San Jose becomes what we all want it to be.
For of all this, I am thankful!
What I’m thankful for:
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things
Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things
Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things
When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad
I am thankful for the South Bay Labor Council – and their recent loses!
Go PETE
Go SAM
Go CHUCK
Go Pierluigui/Steve
I am thankful for:
Our new city hall – – – – NOT!
The drawer that houses Chuck Reed’s American flag tie and now, hopefully, Cindy’s “power suits.”
You mean they are sharing the same drawer? I smell a scandal in the offing.
Thanks for the entertainment. Happy TG, everyone!
Single Gal, all good stuff. Have you heard anything on the move to give termed out council members lifetime medical benefits? By my calculation, such a gift would cost roughly $200,000 per individual. That takes into account discounting for the time value of money and the offsetting and extraordinary inflationary pressure on medical costs. When will this kind of wasteful spending of our tax dollars cease?!?!
SG—Great piece! But you forgot Cindy’s pasty pearls, and that the power suits are too big to fit in a drawer. I’m still breathless at her hutzpah to run for an office for which she had no qualifications whatever, except for one or two poli sci classes from Prof Terry, lots of propping up from a normally recumbent position by Labor, Gonzo and Zoe Lofgren. If you’re in office long enough to be City Council member from District 3, people will believe that you’re actually real, not an intellectually challenged petty tyrant. That Chuck, so very qualified to be Mayor, should have to run against such a trivial opponent,
shows amazing character. To think she got down on him in a “debate” about being “dis-respectful” of her (in telling the truth about her lying and cheating)—while her huge billboard on 101 characterizes Chuck as a thief for doing what she and her cronies have done for years—expense their expenses. Finally, Chuck’s interview in the Metro affirms yet again that Chuck really is the guy for the job of making San Jose into a real city, not just a wandering suburb, whose local govt.‘s main purpose is providing jobs for cronies. George Green, Downtown Property Owner, 8 year victim of harassment by District 3 Council Member
#1
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
That settles it. If the council votes to give itself lifetime medical benefits, I’m moving to District 3, where I can get elected by a mere 7,000 people and then get my lifetime medical paid for by the taxpayers
Kinda like lifetime memberships to organizations paid for by the taxpayers, but on a much larger scale.
I may have to give up the phrase “stupid politician”. They sure know how to butter their bread..
I am thankful for all of Leonard’s stories and all that he leaves behind. It was nice to see that PAC SJ honored Mr. McKay at their City Hall event, Friday night.
It was also nice to see the article in the Merc about Chuck Reed and Tom Mc Enery working together as a team. Perhaps if Chuck blends his understanding of land use with Tom’s appreciation and respect for historic preservation, they will create a downtown where people will want to live, work,do business and vacation.
Dear Single Gal:
I too, am thankful for the landslide, but am mindful that the fight to reform our city has only just begun. If the people of San Jose really want their city back, they will have to get involved, because there’s a lot of work to do. There are still too many council reps who subscribe to central planning and collective thinking. None of them should be re-elected.
Also, the Sunshine Reform Task Force has to come through for all of us. Rules must be put in place that would eliminate the possibility of a councilmember petitioning the rest of the council for a pension after 8 years of service. A law must be in place that prohibits the use of pubilc funds to underwrite private risk. Delaying scheduled city street and park maintenance so that a Grand Prix race might be held should be against the law. We have only the law to protect the citizenry from corrupt actions and inept decisions on the part of the mayor and city council.
pete campbell
Also thankful for:
* The San Jose Giants
* Watching incoming planes from “The Mound” in Guadalupe Gardens
* Cinnamon Bread from Greenlee’s
* The 522 Rapid VTA bus
* Our City Forest and thousands of sycamores
* Pickup hoops games at the Central YMCA
* The Sabercats and the Stealth
* The Park Avenue bikelane
* Neighbors who take care of neighbors
I wish I COULD be thankful for the following:
* Lew Wolff bringing the A’s to Downtown San Jose
* Palladium Development co. transforming Downtown into a vibrant destination place
* Nvidia bringing 1,500 workers to Downtown San Jose
* Ron Gonzales being a man of high ethical standards
* American Airlines providing a true overseas route from SJC to Asia (Japan)
* Santana Row
As a third-generation San Josean, I am thankful that my beloved city has provided a great place to live and have a family…but San Jose could still be so much more!
Pete #10, you lost me when you bashed “central planning”. What would you rather have, planning council district by council district, block by block? Please elucidate.
#7
She climbs a tree and scrapes her knee
Her dress has got a tear
She waltzes on her way to Mass
And whistles on the stair
And underneath her wimple
She has curlers in her hair
I even heard her singing in the abbey
She’s always late for chapel
But her penitence is real
She’s always late for everything
Except for every meal
I hate to have to say it
But I very firmly feel
Maria’s not an asset to the abbey
I’d like to say a word in her behalf
Maria makes me laugh
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Maria?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o’-the wisp! A clown!
Many a thing you know you’d like to tell her
Many a thing she ought to understand
But how do you make her stay
And listen to all you say
How do you keep a wave upon the sand
Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?
When I’m with her I’m confused
Out of focus and bemused
And I never know exactly where I am
Unpredictable as weather
She’s as flighty as a feather
She’s a darling! She’s a demon! She’s a lamb!
She’d outpester any pest
Drive a hornet from its nest
She could throw a whirling dervish out of whirl
She is gentle! She is wild!
She’s a riddle! She’s a child!
She’s a headache! She’s an angel!
She’s a girl!
How do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?
How do you find a word that means Maria?
A flibbertijibbet! A will-o’-the wisp! A clown!
Many a thing you know you’d like to tell her
Many a thing she ought to understand
But how do you make her stay
And listen to all you say
How do you keep a wave upon the sand
Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria?
How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?
Thankful we don’t routinely get hit with show tunes on this blog.
Well Single Gal / Folks,
I’m thankful for a lot of things, among them:
-Being a SJ native.
-The SJ Sharks (GO SHARKS!!).
-Knowing that Sam Liccardo won his council race. (Yea Sam! I actually did a wee bit o’ volunteering for the guy, so it was good to see him win)
-Not having to decide between Chavez and Reed, ‘cause frankly, I’m not sure who I would have voted for. (Did I mention I currently reside in Campbell? Please don’t hurt me!)
-That the election is finally over and done with – along with all the mailers and phone calls.
-Monday Night Football (ok, totally unrelated to SJI)
-The many things to do here in the South Bay.
-The many people who actually give a d*mn about SJ.
-The great weather this area has to offer. I went to the beach this weekend and the weather was great – had to be in the upper 60’s at least. This is November for crying out loud!
-Sweet Retreat Ice Cream. If you enjoy ice cream, you gotta check out Sweet Retreat. They’ve got the best ice cream I’ve ever had and they are locally owned.
-And of course I’m thankful for my health, my family/wife/friends, the fact that I have a good paying job that keeps a roof over our heads and food on the table.
I’d also like to echo the sentiment of Anthony Dominguez (post #12) in saying that SJ has indeed provided a wonderful place to live. Want to make it better? Take Pete Campbell’s advice and Get Involved!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I’m reading and writing this from Central Utah where we are celebrating T-day with extended family. I am truly sorry that our city has gotten into such a political mess that we have to elect someone to get it all straightened. Sometimes “old” families know best on how to get the job done.I think the police will have cruising and weekend crowds to deal with for years to come. Cruising on the weekend has been around forever. I can remember during my high school years when First and Second Streets were jam-packed with cruisers on weekend evenings. It was to see and be seen and it still is.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
I’m thankful RC is moving back to FL and will not be walking the city halls.
#5: You greatly overestimate our benefits. The cost to the City would be far less than $200k. That’s not to say I advocate this expense, but you’re wayyyy overestimating it.