|
Publication Date: Friday, January 30, 2004 Letters
Letters
(January 30, 2004) Lunch is ready; now how about math?
Editor,
I was really surprised about how many questions I had after reading the article "Lunch is ready" by Teresa C. Brown in the Jan. 23 issue. I know some might be difficult to answer, like what our children will eat besides pizza, hamburgers and burritos; why some bids haven't been challenged; and how do some prices compare to retail ones?
However I have one question which our children should have no trouble answering. Specifically, how to compare prices for two pizzas that are different sizes. You see, in the table that accompanied the article, the prices were compared using cents-per-inch metrics. However when you buy food it's the weight that matters and the weight of the pizza is proportional to the SQUARE of its diameter (assuming that the thickness as well as the ingredients are the same). While this obvious math error doesn't affect the results of Domino's vs. Bruno's bidding for this school year, the results could be very different if an 18-inch pizza from Bruno's cost between $7.31 and $8.22.
I don't know who put together the table, but I really hope that our students (including those who tasted the food) do know how to use simple math facts to solve simple real life problems.
Vladimir GurevichCorte Monterey
@standalonetext:Disclaimer:
1. I don't have a stake in any pizza business.
2. I love pizza regardless of its size.
3. I have three kids that are going to attend an elementary school in Pleasanton.
Do we need more traffic?
Editor,
On Tuesday evening, Jan. 13, the City Council and the Planning Commission were to discuss the findings of the recent Pleasanton Traffic Study.
That 86-page report focuses on existing Pleasanton traffic and found that Pleasanton has a higher per-capita accident rate than most cities in Alameda County. It also states that "drivers are likely to experience very congested conditions at key intersections." Those of us that live and drive here didn't really need an 86-page report to tell us about our terrible traffic congestion. I sincerely hope that the City Council takes this data into consideration when they decide on the proposed expansion of the California Splash water park next month. By their own data, California Splash indicates that only 7 percent of those using the current Shadow Cliffs facilities are from Pleasanton ... 93 percent are from outside Pleasanton! The water park expansion proposal estimates that between 202,000 and 222,000 visits will take place during the four-month summer season if it is approved. Do we really need that much more traffic clogging up our streets when the vast majority of those cars are not even Pleasanton Residents?
I think NOT!
Edward JanasGrey Eagle Court
Woman of the year
Editor,
I just received the December issue (by way of my brother in Honduras!) in which Charlotte Severin was recognized as Woman of the Year. I'd like to share the following story, which confirms the wisdom of this recognition.
Back in the late '60s I was the family babysitter. Charlotte and Jerry warmly included me as though I were a family member. Charlotte was a role model for me both professionally and personally. She encouraged and inspired me to grow and did it with great kindness and grace. I still remember her parenting skills, and memories often came to mind as I raised my own son. An example of the kind of thoughtfulness the family demonstrated happened on New Year's Eve. My birthday is on New Year's Eve and even though Charlotte and Jerry were busy getting ready for their social event, Charlotte would take time to have a cake, with candle, and a gift for me. We'd have a birthday celebration before they left for the evening.
When I left for college Charlotte gave me one of her paintings as a remembrance of my times as part of the family. I have treasured my painting and held it close through many moves and one marriage. I now live on the Oregon coast on an ancient sand dune. My much-loved painting is here on display. Interestingly, this painting, which has been carried far and wide for 35 years, is a painting of an ancient sand dune.
Congratulations, Charlotte!! You have been Woman of the Year in my heart for a very, very long time.
Linda Ballard RN, MSNManzanita, Ore.
Opposes slides expansion
Editor,
The proposed water park at Shadow Cliffs would have a huge impact on Pleasanton. The Planning Commission voted against this development and the minutes from its Dec. 10 meeting sum up very well the impacts and reasons not to have a water park. The size of the project is designed to attract thousands of people from the region - it is NOT just for Pleasanton residents. I've read the documents and the impacts are numerous. Many can't be mitigated very well - like all the traffic through the town and the bottleneck at Stanley and Valley/Bernal. I live far away from the water park but oppose it because of the impact to the character of our town overall. Our community is so great because people of Pleasanton care about our town and quality of life and get involved when the big issues arise. So please take five minutes to write/e-mail your council members and let them know where you stand on this issue. This is especially significant if you don't live near Shadow Cliffs so the council members can see that it isn't just local residents who oppose this development.
Mick HanouSandpiper Way
Ruby Hill 'ghetto' duped
Editor,
I write to express my growing frustration with the PUSD and its strategy to indefinitely delay the Neal School. In Pleasanton Weekly's Jan. 23 issue, the new School Board accusations of fraud on the part of Signature Properties and its executives are detailed. In my opinion, as a resident of Ruby Hill who has lived here five years, the actual fraud is on the part of the School Board. PUSD solicited the cash payments Ruby Hill homebuyers all made. These were huge amounts paid for the purpose of having a neighborhood school like other Pleasanton children have. PUSD created and nurtured for years the ruse that the Neal School would be built imminently. PUSD falsified demographic projections to create the smokescreen that there was insufficient demand for Neal while ignoring evidence that hundreds of Ruby Hill children attend other schools out of dissatisfaction with the commuter options from PUSD. PUSD placed the Hearst school ahead of Neal in priority, signaling its "never build Neal" strategy. New homebuyers near Hearst hear wonderful walk-to-school scenarios without ever having to hear about broken PUSD promises across town in the Ruby Hill ghetto.
Promises about Neal aren't the only broken PUSD promises. Whatever happened to the 600-child school? Watergate-era politicians would say, "That is no longer operative." Pleasanton has great schools because of hardworking teachers and students. Just imagine how good they'd be if they were backed up by honest, competent administrators! To suggest that James Ghielmetti and Signature Properties would agree to an open ended "build-Neal-someday-maybe-for-whatever-price-PUSD-decides-to-charge" contract is absurd on its face and should be thrown out as frivolous. The court should order PUSD to build Neal now or else refund our money!
James AndersonValenza Way
City must continue bypass road efforts
Editor,
In its first steps toward reconciliation with the Happy Valley community, the Pleasanton City Council has purposely sidestepped any responsibility to its citizenry by siphoning $2.8 million dollars from it "in-lieu park fees" fund. Instead of purchasing future "park lands," the council decided to use this money to repay $2.3 million of the $10 million it lent the Golf Course project from the city's general fund and allocated half a million dollars toward its share of the Bypass Road.
Pleasanton (intentionally?) stumbled through its less than diligent, yearlong effort to identify a bypass road route through Spotorno's property and study a proposed interim route. The feeble effort to bring conditions of Resolution No. 03:008 forward demonstrated Pleasanton's lack of commitment to mitigate traffic from its commercial project, the ease with which it misrepresented its efforts to Judge Sabraw, and its willingness to continue to mislead Happy Valley community members.
Although the courts denied the Alisal Improvement Club-Wagner petition, Judge Sabraw found the Bypass Road is a mitigation meant to protect and preserve the semi-rural Happy Valley community from impacts generated by Pleasanton's Golf Course/Open Space/Development Project. So Council's tenuous footing remains, and the reconciliation success is contingent upon Pleasanton's effort to:
¥ Not accommodate any request to amend the Happy Valley Specific Plan (HVSP) that allows for the perpetual use of loop roads;
¥ Identify a Bypass Road route, similar to that in the HVSP; and
¥ Fund its share of the Spotorno Bypass Road construction.
Vanessa KawaihauSycamore Road
Why hold design contest?
Editor,
I just read the guest editorial by Jerry Thorne about the Sports Task Force. Why would three members of the City Council vote against the task force's recommendation on the Bernal property so a contest can now be held? It is just plain silly. The three council members seem intent on not only wasting our money, but also the time and talent that this group has spent. WHY?
Tessie Wagner-PeaseRaven Road
Stop California Splash
Editor,
The Pleasanton City Council should always put the interests of the residents of Pleasanton first. They should vote No on the California Splash project. Let's ask a simple question: How many of those projected 200,000 annual visitors to the California Splash will be from Pleasanton? Even if we assume that every school-aged kid in Pleasanton will visit the theme park once a year with a family member, that only accounts for 26,000 visits. The vast majority of the visitors (close to 90 percent) will be out-of-towners. And now guess who will bear most of the burdens of increased traffic, noise, crimes and pollution? It is us.
Stop California Splash. Now.
Sheldon ShiPleasanton
Superstore Satan?
Editor,
Is Wal-Mart the great superstore Satan? According to reports, it is too big, underpays its non-union employees, bullies its vendors, wants more space, but obviously has a successful business plan that provides profit for growth and increased equity for its shareholders. All true. It is a tough competitor. What is wrong with the above? Not much, except they could and should voluntarily do a better deal for their workers. It won't break them.
Recently, as outlined in the Pleasanton Weekly Jan. 2 editorial, our local store asked the city for a routine permit to add new refrigerators for items it currently sells. Fearing any expansion in town by Wal-Mart toward selling more groceries, our Councilwoman Jennifer Hosterman, who now aspires to be mayor, appealed the request to the Planning Commission, where she has allies. This in hope that the permit would be denied, as Wal-Mart is a danger to our city. Subsequently, maybe to cool off a situation, Wal-Mart withdrew its request. Hope the milk doesn't spoil.
If Wal-Mart stores, which sells groceries, is a huge issue, the above editorial elicited a rather ho hum response by Jan. 16, with only one letter from Peter MacDonald, which I believe was right on the mark. Competition promotes lower prices for all goods and services. Like Peter, I prefer my favorite smaller, close-to-home stores, where I might pay more but don't have to walk miles of aisles to find my items.
I might also add a comment to Peter's letter, that union or not, Wal-Mart employees and others couldn't live in Pleasanton as there is not enough affordable housing, thanks to a historic bias against it by past and present leaders. Too many big box stores? How about too many big box houses.
With a recent market cap of $233 billion and 2002 revenues of $245 billion, with a "B," Wal-Mart is huge. But this is worldwide. Albertson's, Safeway and Kroger have a combined cap of $33 billion. These are not mid-sized concerns.
If some economic guru wants to provide gross margin numbers on floor space of the big three and Wal-Mart superstores space devoted to groceries in our region, then you have a better comparison. Otherwise we're talking apples and kumquats as most grocery items are non-taxable and most of what Wal-Mart sells is taxable. Hey, maybe we should encourage Wal-Mart to move across the freeway as if we don't need the sales tax revenue?
In any case, I don't think that any city or county should promote as adversaries one business against another, or area, neighborhood, or citizen group.
Gerry BrunkenPaseo Del Cajon
Open your heart
Editor,
Valentine's Day is approaching and with it, the purchase of valentines for children to exchange and the search for that beautiful bouquet of roses. However, there are children who receive few valentines when the day arrives and whose beauty is rarely recognized or appreciated. These are our children with special needs.
A new organization is opening eyes and hearts to a need which is familiar, but out of focus. It is called the Bubel/Aiken Foundation (TBAF). It was founded by new recording artist Clay Aiken. Before American Idol, Clay was getting his degree in Special Education. The mother of one of his students convinced him to audition for the show. His goal was to make a difference in our world. This summer he set up TBAF, named after the family who had encouraged him to audition.
TBAF's mission is to increase awareness and inclusion, and help make it possible for children with special needs to participate alongside their typical peers in all the fun things that life has to offer. It envisions a world where the beauty and talents of all of our children are recognized and appreciated - just like that beautiful bouquet of roses.
So this Valentine's Day, open your heart in the true spirit of friendship through acts of inclusion. For more information and volunteer ideas, check out TBAF's Web site at www.thebubelaikenfoundation.org. Let the hearts you exchange this Valentine's Day be ones that change lives.
Vicki Thomas, teacherPaseo Granada
E-mail a friend a link to this story. | 
