Your View | August 27 – September 2, 2008

Is it time for Carefree to consider allowing an upscale topless dance club ("Wayne's"?) to open in the town center? It could have hours (say, 7 p.m. - 2 a.m.) when the town center is otherwise almost deserted, provide a nucleus to attract customers for other businesses, and generate a huge amount of sales tax revenue. There would be no competition within 15 miles. Electrified gaslights are not going to save that dying area.

Following Councilman Bob Coady's highly successful collection of pet food for Foothills Animal Rescue at his monthly recycling event, if dogs and cats could vote he would be the next mayor of Carefree.

Senator McCain, let me put this in military jargon: You have been MIA as our elected representative since you were elected. You talk the talk, but you can't walk the walk. You have consistently voted against benefits for our troops (when you bothered to show up). Why do you think that those same troops are now supporting Obama and not you? Just who has flip flopped?

I saw a realtor's sign including "short sale" in front of an area house recently. It turns out that a speculator built the house and has not been able to find a buyer. Not only did he lose all his equity but the mortgage holder is willing to take less than the full mortgage value to move the property. If you really want to see property values drop, allow Wal-Mart to come in!

Part of an internal Arizona Repulsive email reads, "Today, we are part way through a second phase of voluntary early retirement options in certain positions in several departments. Unfortunately, when we have assessed our situation at the end of August we still anticipate the need for some involuntary reductions across the company." Too bad Gannett newspapers didn't elect to just shut it down.

Thank goodness the residents of Cave Creek will have an opportunity to vote on the needed General Plan and zoning changes on the southeast corner of Cave Creek Road and Carefree Highway. In my view Wal-Mart would not be knocking on the door without the approval of town officials. Do they really want to trade lower area property values and a dramatically different Cave Creek character in exchange for sales tax dollars?

I wonder why the AZ Republic has a ‘Mexico City Bureau’? The headline on today's front page is "Mexicans are wary of both U.S. candidates." How about who gives two craps? Why is this on the front page of an Arizona newspaper, and what kind of agenda does Gannett have?

To those who missed Mr. Miller’s letter to the editor as published last week: J.J. Miller decided to send a very nasty and vulgar e-mail which was published last week by Sonoran News. It was and is apparent that Mr. Miller has some very serious anger issues and an absolute need to enroll in a Junior College basic writing course.

During one of the recent Olympic segments, N.B.C. highlighted some Chinese Middle School kids taking their mandatory Physics, Algebra, Chemistry and English courses in preparation for their upcoming high school education. You may ask, what does this have to do with Mr. Miller? Well, here is a grown man who has not the slightest idea how to communicate via the written word, yet attempts to criticize a very well written and informative newspaper concerning the paper’s editorial position. You see Mr. Miller, few people, if any, will take you seriously until you complete that basic writing class.

I propose a fourth choice in Sonoran News poll about Barack Obama: "empty suit.”

Linda Bentley attributed “The opera ain't over until the fat lady sings” to sportswriter Dan Cook in 1976. Others would contend Texas Tech sports information director Ralph Carpenter was first to use it in 1976. I say this argument won’t be over until it’s over.

Just read the paper online. I enjoyed one letter to the editor especially. It was the one e-mailed titled "Dears Sonoran News". I did enjoy the points raised by the particular letter, but you were right to point how it was obviously not written by the most gifted writer. However, if you are going to choose to not correct the editorials you receive, and then state "normally we edit for grammer and spelling"... well at least, as a newspaper you could have the brains to spell grammar correctly. Not everybody has the education to spell and write as such. Apparently neither does the staff at Sonoran News.
Ed. Note: whoops, you are right, mea culpa.

So I see that you have stooped to the level of Fox News and the like. Really, give me a break with your insinuation about Senator Obama. I don't know how that rag which you print ends up in my mailbox, but I would very much appreciate you discontinuing sending it to me. If I have somehow misinterpreted your new survey question, I would be happy to hear your viewpoint.