Thursday Notes

THERE APPEARS to be a link between day-dreaming and Alzheimer's disease. Link

COSTCO IS TEST MARKETING health insurance coverage in Southern California. Link

THE FUTURE of American agriculture isn't in food but in fuel -- or so they say. Link

BRAD KINDALL -- friend, and brother to my sister-in-law DeeAnn, has been blogging. And I just discovered it by reading an article on the Covenant website.

ALTA CALIFORNIA -- Kent has a post about a conversation with a customer who was taking note of the fact that he was the only white guy working with a bunch of Mexicans (Kent has blonde hair and stands out). The customer obviously thought that it was a tragedy that THOSE PEOPLE were all invading OUR land, taking all OUR jobs (especially those in the Mexican fast-food business).

Kent, who is muy fluent in Spanish, should have just responded to him in Spanish. But he has more smarts and self-control than his father.

His account reminds me of a conversation I had two weeks ago with a woman -- a senior citizen -- who somehow got off on a rant about Mexicans -- saying that they should all learn English because THIS IS AMERICA.

I calmly (and politely -- and in English) pointed out to her that the original constitution of California was written in Spanish and English and that it guaranteed that the state would be bilingual.

"Oh," she said in an exasperated tone, "I've NEVER heard that..."

I'm sure she was bothered that a minister not only challenged her reality but also that he would make up such a thing. (I don't expect that she'll visit Cornerstone anytime soon.) Obviously, she had slept through a part of California history -- so she assumed I was snowing her.

At least it threw her such a curve that she didn't know what to say next and that ended that portion of the conversation.

There is no shortage of racism (and historical ignorance) in this place.

WWJA? -- Who would Jesus assassinate? Wristbands soon available at your local Christian supply and munitions store.

BRUCE & KATY DOCKTER, on sabbatical in Mexico this year, have found a great looking apartment. Muy suave.

SPEAKING OF DOCKTERS, Jake is moving back to Portland.

COUNTY BANK rehabbed a dumpy old building on Geer Road in Turlock. The city assessed them $130,000 in impact fees. The bank sued the city, claiming it was excessive. The bank lost -- at least up to this point.

I'm still trying to figure out what new "impact" the bank is being dinged for (these are fees in addition to building permits). They aren't really drawing a lot more traffic to the area -- so there aren't any new signals. And there are fewer people working in the bank than when it was a Foster Farms office building -- so the impact on the sewage and water infrastructure is less than before. The building is more energy efficient and is now an asset to the landscape. I can't imagine that they are using more emergency services. With the improvements the property taxes have got to be higher than before -- so they aren't impacting the tax base negatively. Where's the impact?

In spite of the cash-strapped city's apparent right to collect the fees, it appears to me that the bank got robbed in a way that the FDIC doesn't cover. And I'm sure they (and other businesses) will remember that the next time they even think about expanding in OUR city.

ROBBERS CAPTURED -- Dumb robbers, alert citizens, smart cops -- and it had nothing to do with the fact that the credit union sits almost next to the best donut shop in north Turlock. Link

WINTER CANCELED -- Apparently citizen concern over the plan to import 200 tons of snow to turn San Francisco's Fillmore Street into a ski slope this Saturday has led to the cancellation of the promotional event. Adjust your plans accordingly. Link