Guest View

Last week, the newspaper covered the Santa Clara County Department of Alcohol and Drugs Services (DADS) press conference announcing the lawsuit it filed against the state Board of Equalization (BOE). The BOE, responsible for taxing beverages, classifies "alcopops" as beer, though they are vodkas and whiskeys. The classification of the fruity, sweet-flavored distilled spirits significantly lowers their tax to 20 cents per gallon instead of $3.30 per gallon. This keeps their prices low to consumers makes them widely availability in convenience stores, which have licenses to sell only beer and wine. Recent studies show the low price and increased availability encourage consumption, particularly among young girls ages 13-15.

Recently, a newspaper article informed that the projected average life span for a person born this year is 76.2 years.

Every November I am struck anew by the same bewildering mystery: Where the heck did turkey stuffing come from anyway? And – even more perplexing – why? I mean, think about it, people! Yes, I know, it tastes good. But – and this is quite paradoxical – during the one season of the year when we strive to be mindful of all our blessings, to feel gratitude for family, friends and the "Do Not Call List," how do we commemorate this time-honored American holiday? I will tell you how: by thrusting our breadcrumb-filled fists up a hapless – and hopefully thoroughly deceased – turkey's backside!

Thanks. Giving.

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I have to comment yet again on underage drinking, mostly in response to a column printed earlier this week in a certain paper up north, in which the columnist asked how does one raise responsible drinkers if youth aren't supposed to drink alcohol before the age of 21?

Some 55 years ago, the Korean War raged and I was there as a Marine. I felt as most Korean War Marines did that the Navy medical Corpsmen who were by our side in battle performed admirably. In fact, one Corpsman, HM1 Billy Gene Cooper became my friend.

If you're looking for a weekend travel destination that is scenic in an un-Las Vegas sort of way and offers abundant opportunities to consume boatloads of calories but only in the most health-conscious manner, then have I got the place for you.

In substance abuse prevention partnerships, community groups sponsored by the South County Collaborative, South County residents have been involved for the last year in "environmental strategies" to increase the success of substance abuse prevention. Just what are environmental strategies?

Recently the Morgan Hill Times has printed several letters to the editor regarding the ongoing negotiations between the Service Employees International Union and the Morgan Hill Unified School District. The issue has been the topic of conversation locally and the subject of public comment at recent board meetings. To communicate the district's offer to date and to provide clarification, I offer the following:

This may sound a bit trite and un-American at election time, but where in the world is Dan Rather when we need him? Grand marshaling the culmination of campaign races across the country, Rather was the embodiment of election night returns. We voters did our thing, visiting polling places or mailing in absentee ballots because if "you don't vote, you don't get to whine," but – love him or loathe him – the real question was:" What time does Dan hit the airwaves?" For me, Dan Rather was the Dick Clark of Election Night.