Food for Thought

The arrest of a 57-year-old male San Francisco high school assistant principal and a 41-year-old Milpitas woman for running a brothel in an upscale North San Jose apartment complex has shocked the residents of the building and others around the city. It was one of two similar brothels shut down by San Jose police last week and the tenth one of the year brought to police attention by complaints from neighbors. But why should the fact that brothels exist in such places surprise anyone?

The past is prologue. Here was the center of our valley’s commercial life and tax base—the heart of San Jose. The majority of hotels and department stores, movie theatres and fine restaurants were concentrated here. If you wanted a car, you had only to come to this area. Elite jewelry stores were located here as well as retail outlets for sporting goods, uniforms, ladies’ fine wear, toys, televisions, and just about anything under the sun that the consumer could want. You could even buy a tractor. This was downtown San Jose, circa 1955

At a time of utter failure with California’s overcrowded prison system, a legislative initiative called the “Runner Initiative” is gaining momentum to get on the November ballot. Dubbed as a tough-on-crime law that will be presented to voters as the “The Safe Neighborhoods Act: Protect Crime Victims, Stop Gangs and Thugs” (Proposition 6), the initiative is a sledgehammer that plays upon the public’s fears, and will ultimately punish the state. Think Proposition 21—the law passed in 2000 that dramatically increased incarceration rates and sentences on juveniles—on steroids.

It’s no secret that I am single and young (in my mind), and with that comes a fervent passion for all things shopping. I wouldn’t call myself materialistic, but when it comes to new clothes, department stores and boutiques, I find myself one of America’s great consumers—always on the lookout for something new and better to wear.

The Council Knows What’s Best For You

In an effort to save society and better the community, Councilmembers Campos, Williams, and Chu have taken it upon themselves to try and impose a one-year moratorium on the construction of fast food restaurants in San Jose.  “Obesity is a huge problem within our society and among children,” Campos was quoted as saying.

City Hall Diary

Rebuttals? No, not at the 2-minute public forum at council meetings but, rather, for ballot statements.

This is the weekly open forum for anyone who has something to say about anything.

Thousands of Milpitans Flee to Alviso

The Milpitas Post reported late Thursday that San Jose’s Honor Guard, backed by thousands of City Team peacekeepers and a bevy of Taiko drummers, invaded the small hamlet of Milpitas, resulting in several dangerous clashes with their loyal and brutal band of Minutemen left over from the city’s War of Independence in 1954.

Silicon Alleys

FREMONT resident Xavier Nuez specializes in urban blight photography. For 17 years now, he’s slithered into desolated wastelands across America and documented rundown shipyards, busted fire escapes, defunct ballparks and deserted alleyways. He makes photographic monuments out of ruins. “Long after dark, I venture into bleak urban settings, seeking out dramatic stories and elusive splendor,” he asserts on his website (http://www.nuez.com). Since Nuez shoots only in film and only at nighttime, the photos have a surreal, almost sinister look about them. When seen in large format, the details are staggering.

Food for Thought

Let me start off by saying that I am against violence of any kind except in extraordinary circumstances where it is imminently necessary in order to protect life or prevent serious injury. I am also against the torture and harmful abuse of animals for medical and scientific experiments and for the development of products to feed our out-of-control consumer society. That being said, the recent firebombings of the homes of two UC Santa Cruz professors, in one case endangering the target’s children, were appalling acts, whether you are against animal testing or not, and it is my hope that those responsible are caught and punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Lest anyone think the title of this guest column is intended as a general admonition, be assured it’s not. It was, in fact, what I said to myself the other day as I clapped my forehead and realized a personal “ah ha” moment.

Last week was a big one in the history of card clubs and gambling in San Jose. Historically, in restaurants and small entertainment venues, such clubs thrived. In the old Garden City Hofbrau on Market Street, the card tables were an interesting sideline in a very small room, just like the old liquor store on the corner. Food and music were the main items. That changed as the potential for additional revenues grew, and the appetite for more and better venues became paramount at Garden City, whose building was condemned in a strange city building fervor. 

If all goes well, San Jose could be the headquarters of the world’s coolest car company. The maker of high performance electric cars is interested in a piece of land near San Jose’s Water Pollution Control Plant for its central manufacturing and R&D facility. On Aug. 19, the city council is slated to vote to direct the city manager to pursue a deal with Tesla Motors.  The facility, according to insiders, would directly employ more than 1,000 workers and create an ecosystem of more than 10,000 jobs.

My friend Gem has bruises on her arm and cuts on her ankles. She’s beaten up, and lovin’ it. She is in training to join a new ground-breaking team and sport in San Jose—the Silicon Valley Roller Girls (SVRG), the only all-female, flat track, contact sport played on quad roller skates. And for those of you who think this is just a hip, retro fad, please believe this sport is for real. The team is launching their first San Jose home game at the San Jose Skate, formerly known as the Aloha Skate, on August 30, 2008, called “Hot August Fights.” And from the way they train, looks like it’s going to be a high-speed, high-impact battle.

I love the Olympics. Every two years, whether it’s winter or summer, I am glued to my TV. I love the beauty, drama and competitive spirit on display each day. Here are just some initial observations about the games so far:

How do San Jose city services compare to other South Bay cities?