Guest View

At a recent council meeting, a council subcommittee submitted a report that determined that it was not economically feasible or justifiable to contract for police dispatch services. The analysis was a simple comparison of the salary of one Morgan Hill dispatcher compared with the salary of a County of Santa Clara's dispatcher. They are almost the same. However, the study did not consider other costs, and efficiencies and is significantly flawed for the purpose of determining if a cost savings could be achieved should the city decide to contract for dispatch services.

Today, the Internet dominates how we conduct business, communicate, and share information. I don't believe that 10 years ago anyone could have foreseen its impact. We access it with desk tops, laptops and wireless hand held devices. Crucial to this access is the Internet provider (IP). Two of the main providers in Morgan Hill are Verizon and Charter. One provides access via your phone lines (DSL) the other through television co-axel cable. Both advertise options and programs which center on bandwidth. Bandwidth is often described as megabits per second (MB/sec). Verizon has plans up to 3.0 MB/sec., locally, and Charter has up to 10 MB/sec. Bandwidth is important to the user as the higher bandwidth gives you faster access to Web sites, downloads and uploads. Residents have the option of installing a modem and a router so that family members can access the Internet from their own personal computer or device. Some of these connections are hardwired or connected via a wireless home network. Wireless at the moment is slower.

As a nasty virus made its presence unpleasantly and unmistakably known late last Monday night, I tossed and turned in bed, too miserable to sleep and irritated by a high-pitched, wobbly electrical whine. Although I had noticed it the last few nights, I'd successfully ignored the sound. This night, the whine grated my very last nerve. However, also on this night, on one of my many trips to the bathroom, I discovered the source of the bothersome noise – the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner on its charger – and silenced it.

Sometimes, a problem can be crystallized in a single, disturbing

As a columnist I feel I have done a reasonable job when I receive praise and angry responses to the same piece. My column on the Israeli/Palestinian issue was light on facts, but the facts were definitely accurate.

Every year about this time, I write a list of New Year’s resolutions. It’s the usual stuff: Work out three times a week, cut back on coffee and alcohol, floss daily, relearn Spanish, watch less television, etc. I then put the list in the drawer of my bedside table, where it remains until I take it out a year later and laugh at my lack of progress.

Lately there seems to be a lot of confusion regarding the future

By Lorin Acker Watch out Morgan Hill - Live Oak High School in

The Gilroy City Council's decision to rejoin the Habitat