Jennifer Olmsted on maternity leave “Since I’m nine months pregnant, my belly has been my kryptonite for the past four months.” Kevin Hunt clerk “Soda, because I can’t stop drinking it.” Randall Simpson II delivery driver “My son, Randall III.” Gary Shaw tax preparer “Work, when I’d rather ride my bike or play my harmonica.”
Opinion
Posted inOpinion
Coming to your census
As this decade’s undertaking wraps up, find out why the government thinks you count every 10 years
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled … .” Chapter 2, verses 1 through 5 of the Gospel according to Luke historically document one of the earliest known censuses. But it was not the first. There are ancient Egyptian population records […]
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What’s your least favorite thing about the British?
Brenda Rowe restaurant manager “Their soccer team.” Peter Ward massage therapist “Their gun control laws.” Taylor Palmer student “They can be really, really rude.” Ashley Jordan Ortega (left) caregiver “I’m not a fan of their soccer team.”
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We have to act to protect our health
Oceano
Property owners in Oceano Beach, especially near Pier Avenue where Oceano’s air quality was monitored, are at risk of losing our quality of life and property values. ODSVRA activities, particularly traffic dragging dust from the beach, are a growing concern in our neighborhood. These activities are an unabated nuisance that creates a health hazard and […]
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For those of you keeping track of such things
Arroyo Grande
Facts: 1. Our country has very, very low taxes. It is almost at the bottom of the list of top 30 developed nations, 26th in fact. 2. Millionaires default on home payments at more than twice the rate of us ordinary citizens. 3. The right wing agitators lie, lie, lie. Check it out for yourself […]
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Marijuana can’t cure a bad scene
Paso Robles
As an old ’60s counter-culturalist, I should rejoice at the prospect of my state finally legalizing marijuana. Certain things bother me, however, such as the 1,198 alcohol-related driving deaths in California in 2008. I have to assume that if we legalize marijuana, the number of DUIs and their attendant deaths will also increase. Legalization should […]
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Children born here of illegal immigrants receive social services
Arroyo Grande
With respect to the article “¿Cuánto cuesta?” (June 24), illegal immigrants do indeed benefit from our social service programs: According to a United States General Accounting Office Report to Congressional Committees (see gao.gov/archive/1998/he98030.pdf) in fiscal year 1995, about $1.1 billion in AFDC and Food Stamp benefits were provided to households with an illegal alien parent […]
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Do your civic duty: Vote by mail
Nipomo
Bill Denneen We had an expensive special election on June 22. It will be repeated Aug. 17 with the exact same candidates. Total cost? A million dollars. Like me, more than 60 percent of citizens will be voting by mail. Rather than hiring 650 people to cover polling places, voting should be by mail only. […]
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What do you think should be done about the Gulf oil spill?
Eric and Kristine Vogel boilermaker/administration “It should be cleaned up. We’ve got to cap it.” Diane Abbott Realtor “They should have input from the best scientists and the best of everyone who would like to help.” Pamela Alfaro owner, Pamela’s Embroidery Service “I wish that they would go there right now and dig another well […]
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Thanks, but still, what does illegal immigration cost?
Pacifica
Thank you for a somewhat balanced, lighthearted approach to what is a very difficult issue (“¿Cuanto cuesta?” June 24). Most articles I read take one side and ignore all the issues on the opposite side. The last six months or so I have been trying to become more informed regarding this issue. One thing I […]
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Cars don’t fit in the dune view
St. Petersburg, FL
During my first week here in California, I have been taken by its striking beauty. I had no doubt it would live up to its majestic reputation, but I had no idea that the mountains, always looming in sight, would provide such a spiritual, if you will, backdrop. We made our way up through southern […]
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Obama hates how great America is
Santa Maria
America’s economy is under siege by unemployment, housing, Afghanistan, illegal immigration, and a $13 trillion debt, and all Obama does is spend money, spew rhetoric, blame Bush, sue BP, and start a civil war in Arizona. His ratings are plunging, 62 percent of the people think the country’s going the wrong direction, and even his […]
