The west side of downtown and the midtown area actually need more grocery business. The midtown Safeway currently shoulders the traffic for both areas and it’s almost intolerable. I’m all for another store going in somewhere in the area.
The alcohol thing is probably a non-issue too. Larger stores, Safeway in particular, are very good at refusing the sale of alcohol when appropriate. Smaller stores often fail in this regard.
And I’m all for fair market competition if that’s what’s going on here. However if the city has provided monetary assistance to a business like Zanotto’s, they ought to consider that business somewhat a partner and, at a very minimum, not give incentives (in any form) to bring a direct competitor squarely within the nexus of that “partner” business. If that’s what is going on here, it’s a terrible waste of taxpayer money and it could put the “partner” business at risk beyond the one location.
#1,
Like yourself, I’m certainly (and personally) not sick and tired or fed up. But then again, I’m not a selfish, right-wing nut either! I abhor seeing the American people suffer: from job losses to home foreclosures to loosing a loved one in a senseless war for oil (and paying more for that oil!). I support paying higher taxes for the greater good and don’t view our nation through a “me, myself, and I” lens. I served this country proudly in the first Gulf War and life has been good for me and my family. Yet I strongly believe that happiness and prosperity should be the norm for ALL AMERICANS, not just a priviledged few. That’s the main difference between the right and the Left. This post comes to you from a proud veteran who, come this January, will have survived 8 years of George W. Bush (maybe I should have been picked for Vice President).
Anbody watching television or listening to the radio must have heard the annoying Frontier Ford ads. For the life of me, I can’t understand why they’d hire a carnival barker to read the script. I guess it’s a sign of desperation, given the state of the domestic auto business.
Beyond that, I know firsthand that one or more of their service writers is underwhelmingly honest about his work. He tried to sell me a set of new tires when the front wheel bearings were howling like a banshee. Commission overrides… probably.
He pointed out that the mildly agressive tread was making the noise. Turns out, Frontier had done a half-assed front brake job only six months earlier, causing the bearings to freeze. Surprise, surprise, I never returned and have recounted my story to hundreds of friends and acquaintances. Ahhh, consumerism at its very best!
I would like to see an influenza pandemic sweep across the globe and reduce the human population from 6.7 billion people to 1.0 billion people.
A pandemic would allow our oceans and forests the opportunity to revitalize themselves. The atmospheric ozone layer would be allowed to replenish itself.
Additionally, a pandemic, unlike a war, is a naturally occuring event. No nation or group of people could be blamed, there would be no animosity.
Also, unlike diabetes, heart disease or certain cancers, influenza does not display a racial or ethnic bias. Influenza would claim the lives of all races and ethnicities equally.
Finally, mankind would not have to engage in food wars in Africa or oil wars in the Middle East or religious wars around the world.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have fewer people with a higher quality of life, than the opposite?
Once again, atrocious planning from the VTA. As the northbound Alum Rock train was pulling into Convention Center this morning, the goshdarned Winchester train was pulling out. 3 cheers for wasting 30 minutes of my weekend at the Convention Center platform. For the love of god, couldn’t the driver have spent an extra 30 seconds waiting to see if there were any transfer passengers? Just what kind of specialised training and licensure do VTA light rail drivers need to make mistakes of that magnitude? Once again, the VTA alienates a hard core public transportation supporter through inept operations.
Yesterday a reporter from KTVU news was at the Cupertino farmer’s market with state senator Joe Simitian where he had a small booth. A resident walked up and asked senator Simitian why the senator wasn’t in Sacramento working on the long overdue budget. Good question, unfortunately the senator did not have much of an answer.
Steve #8, good one, thanks for that! ————————-
I’m making plans now to be out of the country for most of the year 2016, a time when it will not be safe to be an American male. (Hillary Clinton vs Sarah Palin Presidential race). What a fight that will be!
To all — Michael Seitzman from the Huffington Post. Com, had some poignant comments concerning the Republican’s choice for VP since McCain’s campaign has now stated publicly that they don’t feel Sarah Palin should have to answer any questions from the media. I guess they think that the people of the US don’t have a need to know anything about the person running for the No. 2 spot on their ticket. Perhaps they feel that all we need to know is what they are willing to tell us. Doesn’t this sound awfully familiar—just like what happened during Bush Administration—they decide what we need to know?
Michael raised some question which are compelling and need some answers in order to understand Palin’s character—here are some he raised that should be asked and answered:
“Did you really ban books from that library up there? Did you fire a librarian over it? Can you tell us your feelings about censorship in a democracy?”
“Did you really tell the secessionist group in Alaska that they were doing great work? This same group whose leader said in an interview that, “The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government” ”
“Exactly what is it about Alaska’s “proximity to Russia” that qualifies as “foreign policy experience” “
Michael summed it up nicely by saying—“Since a free press is the only way the People can ask the questions we have a right to know, maybe the media should stop granting access to McCain “spokesmen” until their candidate for Vice President of The United States answers some questions.”
First of all, thank you for your service to this country. Whatever our political philosophy, or even our personal feelings about the right or wrong of a particular foreign action, I think almost all of us agree that we owe a debt of gratitude to those who serve overseas in the armed services.
Beyond that, though all I did was quote some old Monty Python that amused me, you showed some uncanny insight in determining that I am indeed conservative, though you then used that label to make erroneous assumptions about my motives.
I thought we right wing nut jobs were the only ones that stereotype and profile people in this manner.
I’m shocked. Shocked!
#2: Zanottos was provided a huge subsidy by either the city or the RDA to come downtown when the only other market was the one on E. Santa Clara (I can’t remember if it was a Luckys or an Albertsons, but it was clearly the worst market in North America). Zanottos had a small base of potential clientele, due to the fact that they charged a huge premium for their stuff and very few people “of means” lived downtown. Little wonder it failed. Then the city bailed them out yet again.
I walk by Zanottos frequently at lunchtime on my way to restaurants. The general makeup of the clientele sitting outside eating lunch at their tables is not inviting. But, downtowns everywhere tend to have a lot of ragtag folks living there.
On the other hand, how many places are there in America where even the folks on welfare and the schizophrenics let loose each day by the board and care homes have a cell phone and get their coffee at Starbucks? A few days ago I was walking along The Mighty Guadalupe and an obvioulsy homeless guy came out of the treed area near the river walking a bicycle and talking on a cell phone. What a nation!
Normally, a Safeway would put Zanottos out of business in six months. But the space they will occupy is less than half their preferred size, so I don’t know what they’ll offer at what price.
The more time I spend wandering around downtown these days, the less inviting it becomes.
#4: Sadly, many Americans have not survived Dubya; and I’m not talking just about the kids killed in Iraq & Afghanistan for Dubya’s ill-conceived wars. This nation is in a complete shambles because of Dubya & Cheney and a Congress that did nothing about them.
But the Hobson’s Choice we are being offered this November between an empty suit who speaks very well but has no discernable record and his Washington blood sucking insider V.P. choice and the old guard more-of-the-same wrinkly old white guy with the pit bull V.P. choice is not inviting either. When will we get the “None of the above” choice on our ballots?
We are living in the decline and fall of the American Dream. Pity our younger kids, and all our grandkids, if there isn’t a drastic change in how this country is run. Career politicians of all parties are the enemy. It’s time for another Boston Tea Party.
The decline of accountability and personal responsibility are rotting this nation from within.
Having to move on now that the Palin extra-marital affair smear didn’t pan out eh Westside Concerned Cheri? Good luck with all that!
Meanwhile back on planet earth, it turns out Joe Biden is in the hip pocket of credit card giant MNBA. Not only that, Biden’s son is a lobbyist for MNBA. Now that’s family intrigue deserving of a little sunlight don’t you think?
I read yesterday that the SJ Planning Commission nixed the Safeway in The 88 due to the fact that it wants to sell liquor, and the Commisssioners dubbed Downtown SJ a high crime area.
WOW, that oughta convince people from the burbs to move into the new condos.
I wonder what Liccardo & Reed will have to say about that stunning statement by the Planning Comm.
3 more murders in just one night in San Jose?
I hope the mayor and city council are taking note and doing something to beef up the police department. Maybe the mayor and city council should put the fast food ban on the back burner and focus on the growing crime problem. http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10404741
So, Novice sees only evil in Democrats, and the Republicans are just victims. Look up Palin’s record—don’t take the word of people here even if they are correct. Think Biden has a problem, guess whose son just resigned from a Nevada bank’s Board (just before they went under) for “personal reasons”? Oh, right, it was McCain’s son so you probably have no problem with that. And who was one of the Keating 5 during the Savings and Loan scandal? Oops, it was John “Maverick” McCain.
As for Palin, you haven’t heard the last of her family problems. The divorce record of her husband’s business partner was quickly asked to be sealed but the judge denied that. Wait until that info is out. Could be a problem for Sarah.
The whole world will be watching the outcome of this election.
How about the graffiti/paint job on the north wall of the Pavilion(Abovenet) building on first and San Fernando? Does anyone have a clue as to what was written? Seriously now, these taggers have no pride whatsoever in their work. If they are going to take the time to vandalize a wall they could at least make the message legible
#13. johnmichael. I used to shop at the Lucky on 7th and it was just about the only place in San Jose where you could buy a sheep’s head. My Scottish grandfather would have loved it.
I must confess that cooking up a sheep’s head is a skill that I left to my grandfather, but I did enjoy doing goat meat in the crockpot.
Zanotto’s had a spell of doing tri-tip sandwiches at the farmers’ market, but unfortunately a complaint (supposedly from the samosa wallah) put an end to that.
I live closer to the Rose Garden Zanotto’s, and I don’t think they need to worry about Safeway. They sell quality products at a premium price. If you keep an eye on the sales you can get some deals. Otherwise you pay the price for better quality.
Britain’s Tesco supermarket chain is opening up one of their new American stores in Willow Glen relatively soon—I believe it’s called something like “Fresh and Easy”.
On the subject of alcohol sales, during the recent summer months I was walking downtown when I was accosted by a colorful character and his female companion who were looking for a vendor of relaxing beverages. I did my best to direct them to some of our local businesses, but it struck me that restricting the number of places selling alcohol is only going to concentrate business on the existing licensees. Is that our goal?
Since there are many other venues on which to debate the issues of national politics, I would prefer to keep this particular blog focussed on local issues.
I think all right-thinking people are sick and tired of being told that ordinary decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired.
I’m certainly not.
And I’m sick and tired of being told that I am!
Safeway in downtown?
The west side of downtown and the midtown area actually need more grocery business. The midtown Safeway currently shoulders the traffic for both areas and it’s almost intolerable. I’m all for another store going in somewhere in the area.
The alcohol thing is probably a non-issue too. Larger stores, Safeway in particular, are very good at refusing the sale of alcohol when appropriate. Smaller stores often fail in this regard.
And I’m all for fair market competition if that’s what’s going on here. However if the city has provided monetary assistance to a business like Zanotto’s, they ought to consider that business somewhat a partner and, at a very minimum, not give incentives (in any form) to bring a direct competitor squarely within the nexus of that “partner” business. If that’s what is going on here, it’s a terrible waste of taxpayer money and it could put the “partner” business at risk beyond the one location.
You came here for an argument, didn’t you? I’m sorry, but your five minutes are up.
#1,
Like yourself, I’m certainly (and personally) not sick and tired or fed up. But then again, I’m not a selfish, right-wing nut either! I abhor seeing the American people suffer: from job losses to home foreclosures to loosing a loved one in a senseless war for oil (and paying more for that oil!). I support paying higher taxes for the greater good and don’t view our nation through a “me, myself, and I” lens. I served this country proudly in the first Gulf War and life has been good for me and my family. Yet I strongly believe that happiness and prosperity should be the norm for ALL AMERICANS, not just a priviledged few. That’s the main difference between the right and the Left. This post comes to you from a proud veteran who, come this January, will have survived 8 years of George W. Bush (maybe I should have been picked for Vice President).
Anbody watching television or listening to the radio must have heard the annoying Frontier Ford ads. For the life of me, I can’t understand why they’d hire a carnival barker to read the script. I guess it’s a sign of desperation, given the state of the domestic auto business.
Beyond that, I know firsthand that one or more of their service writers is underwhelmingly honest about his work. He tried to sell me a set of new tires when the front wheel bearings were howling like a banshee. Commission overrides… probably.
He pointed out that the mildly agressive tread was making the noise. Turns out, Frontier had done a half-assed front brake job only six months earlier, causing the bearings to freeze. Surprise, surprise, I never returned and have recounted my story to hundreds of friends and acquaintances. Ahhh, consumerism at its very best!
I would like to see an influenza pandemic sweep across the globe and reduce the human population from 6.7 billion people to 1.0 billion people.
A pandemic would allow our oceans and forests the opportunity to revitalize themselves. The atmospheric ozone layer would be allowed to replenish itself.
Additionally, a pandemic, unlike a war, is a naturally occuring event. No nation or group of people could be blamed, there would be no animosity.
Also, unlike diabetes, heart disease or certain cancers, influenza does not display a racial or ethnic bias. Influenza would claim the lives of all races and ethnicities equally.
Finally, mankind would not have to engage in food wars in Africa or oil wars in the Middle East or religious wars around the world.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have fewer people with a higher quality of life, than the opposite?
Once again, atrocious planning from the VTA. As the northbound Alum Rock train was pulling into Convention Center this morning, the goshdarned Winchester train was pulling out. 3 cheers for wasting 30 minutes of my weekend at the Convention Center platform. For the love of god, couldn’t the driver have spent an extra 30 seconds waiting to see if there were any transfer passengers? Just what kind of specialised training and licensure do VTA light rail drivers need to make mistakes of that magnitude? Once again, the VTA alienates a hard core public transportation supporter through inept operations.
Yesterday a reporter from KTVU news was at the Cupertino farmer’s market with state senator Joe Simitian where he had a small booth. A resident walked up and asked senator Simitian why the senator wasn’t in Sacramento working on the long overdue budget. Good question, unfortunately the senator did not have much of an answer.
Why wait for a pandemic?
Instead of just complaining and lamenting why not take one for the team and reduce your carbon footprint to zero?
Think globally. Act locally.
Steve #8, good one, thanks for that!
————————-
I’m making plans now to be out of the country for most of the year 2016, a time when it will not be safe to be an American male. (Hillary Clinton vs Sarah Palin Presidential race). What a fight that will be!
To all — Michael Seitzman from the Huffington Post. Com, had some poignant comments concerning the Republican’s choice for VP since McCain’s campaign has now stated publicly that they don’t feel Sarah Palin should have to answer any questions from the media. I guess they think that the people of the US don’t have a need to know anything about the person running for the No. 2 spot on their ticket. Perhaps they feel that all we need to know is what they are willing to tell us. Doesn’t this sound awfully familiar—just like what happened during Bush Administration—they decide what we need to know?
Michael raised some question which are compelling and need some answers in order to understand Palin’s character—here are some he raised that should be asked and answered:
“Did you really ban books from that library up there? Did you fire a librarian over it? Can you tell us your feelings about censorship in a democracy?”
“Did you really tell the secessionist group in Alaska that they were doing great work? This same group whose leader said in an interview that, “The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government” ”
“Exactly what is it about Alaska’s “proximity to Russia” that qualifies as “foreign policy experience” “
Michael summed it up nicely by saying—“Since a free press is the only way the People can ask the questions we have a right to know, maybe the media should stop granting access to McCain “spokesmen” until their candidate for Vice President of The United States answers some questions.”
Concerned Citizen
Tony D. #4,
First of all, thank you for your service to this country. Whatever our political philosophy, or even our personal feelings about the right or wrong of a particular foreign action, I think almost all of us agree that we owe a debt of gratitude to those who serve overseas in the armed services.
Beyond that, though all I did was quote some old Monty Python that amused me, you showed some uncanny insight in determining that I am indeed conservative, though you then used that label to make erroneous assumptions about my motives.
I thought we right wing nut jobs were the only ones that stereotype and profile people in this manner.
I’m shocked. Shocked!
#1: Huh?
#2: Zanottos was provided a huge subsidy by either the city or the RDA to come downtown when the only other market was the one on E. Santa Clara (I can’t remember if it was a Luckys or an Albertsons, but it was clearly the worst market in North America). Zanottos had a small base of potential clientele, due to the fact that they charged a huge premium for their stuff and very few people “of means” lived downtown. Little wonder it failed. Then the city bailed them out yet again.
I walk by Zanottos frequently at lunchtime on my way to restaurants. The general makeup of the clientele sitting outside eating lunch at their tables is not inviting. But, downtowns everywhere tend to have a lot of ragtag folks living there.
On the other hand, how many places are there in America where even the folks on welfare and the schizophrenics let loose each day by the board and care homes have a cell phone and get their coffee at Starbucks? A few days ago I was walking along The Mighty Guadalupe and an obvioulsy homeless guy came out of the treed area near the river walking a bicycle and talking on a cell phone. What a nation!
Normally, a Safeway would put Zanottos out of business in six months. But the space they will occupy is less than half their preferred size, so I don’t know what they’ll offer at what price.
The more time I spend wandering around downtown these days, the less inviting it becomes.
#4: Sadly, many Americans have not survived Dubya; and I’m not talking just about the kids killed in Iraq & Afghanistan for Dubya’s ill-conceived wars. This nation is in a complete shambles because of Dubya & Cheney and a Congress that did nothing about them.
But the Hobson’s Choice we are being offered this November between an empty suit who speaks very well but has no discernable record and his Washington blood sucking insider V.P. choice and the old guard more-of-the-same wrinkly old white guy with the pit bull V.P. choice is not inviting either. When will we get the “None of the above” choice on our ballots?
We are living in the decline and fall of the American Dream. Pity our younger kids, and all our grandkids, if there isn’t a drastic change in how this country is run. Career politicians of all parties are the enemy. It’s time for another Boston Tea Party.
The decline of accountability and personal responsibility are rotting this nation from within.
George #6: may we presume that you’ve been getting your flu shots regularly for years?
Am I the only one who got the MP reference in the OP? (Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more…)
Did ya’ll know that TJ Homes from Channel 11 fame is now the weekend anchor on CNN… Brotha came up.
#6
The reality is that the pandemic you have outlined would leave remaining 1 billion in total chaos. Think about it….
Having to move on now that the Palin extra-marital affair smear didn’t pan out eh Westside Concerned Cheri? Good luck with all that!
Meanwhile back on planet earth, it turns out Joe Biden is in the hip pocket of credit card giant MNBA. Not only that, Biden’s son is a lobbyist for MNBA. Now that’s family intrigue deserving of a little sunlight don’t you think?
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/08/biden_and_son_friends_of_the_c.html
Came across this one the other day…
Smears, lies, and distortions against a Republican candidate? That’s called vetting.
Telling the truth about the Democratic candidate? That’s called swiftboating!
-dc- 15,
SAY. NO. MORE!
Thanks -dc-. It’s good to know that somebody in this town is paying attention.
To something!
I read yesterday that the SJ Planning Commission nixed the Safeway in The 88 due to the fact that it wants to sell liquor, and the Commisssioners dubbed Downtown SJ a high crime area.
WOW, that oughta convince people from the burbs to move into the new condos.
I wonder what Liccardo & Reed will have to say about that stunning statement by the Planning Comm.
IS EVERYONE AWARE SINCE PALIN CALLS HERSELF A “MAVERICK” THAT ALASKA DOES NOT HAVE ANY STATE INCOME TAX OR STATE SALES TAX???
“High crime” is an hugely relative term in the South Bay.
3 more murders in just one night in San Jose?
I hope the mayor and city council are taking note and doing something to beef up the police department. Maybe the mayor and city council should put the fast food ban on the back burner and focus on the growing crime problem. http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10404741
So, Novice sees only evil in Democrats, and the Republicans are just victims. Look up Palin’s record—don’t take the word of people here even if they are correct. Think Biden has a problem, guess whose son just resigned from a Nevada bank’s Board (just before they went under) for “personal reasons”? Oh, right, it was McCain’s son so you probably have no problem with that. And who was one of the Keating 5 during the Savings and Loan scandal? Oops, it was John “Maverick” McCain.
As for Palin, you haven’t heard the last of her family problems. The divorce record of her husband’s business partner was quickly asked to be sealed but the judge denied that. Wait until that info is out. Could be a problem for Sarah.
The whole world will be watching the outcome of this election.
How about the graffiti/paint job on the north wall of the Pavilion(Abovenet) building on first and San Fernando? Does anyone have a clue as to what was written? Seriously now, these taggers have no pride whatsoever in their work. If they are going to take the time to vandalize a wall they could at least make the message legible
#13. johnmichael. I used to shop at the Lucky on 7th and it was just about the only place in San Jose where you could buy a sheep’s head. My Scottish grandfather would have loved it.
I must confess that cooking up a sheep’s head is a skill that I left to my grandfather, but I did enjoy doing goat meat in the crockpot.
Zanotto’s had a spell of doing tri-tip sandwiches at the farmers’ market, but unfortunately a complaint (supposedly from the samosa wallah) put an end to that.
I live closer to the Rose Garden Zanotto’s, and I don’t think they need to worry about Safeway. They sell quality products at a premium price. If you keep an eye on the sales you can get some deals. Otherwise you pay the price for better quality.
Britain’s Tesco supermarket chain is opening up one of their new American stores in Willow Glen relatively soon—I believe it’s called something like “Fresh and Easy”.
On the subject of alcohol sales, during the recent summer months I was walking downtown when I was accosted by a colorful character and his female companion who were looking for a vendor of relaxing beverages. I did my best to direct them to some of our local businesses, but it struck me that restricting the number of places selling alcohol is only going to concentrate business on the existing licensees. Is that our goal?
Since there are many other venues on which to debate the issues of national politics, I would prefer to keep this particular blog focussed on local issues.