Put the blame for urbanization where it belongs.

So many people are concerned about what they are calling "Agenda 21" and scare others by saying that "they" (the government) will be taking us out of our houses and forcing us into pack and stack - and taking our cars away and forcing us onto bicycles.

Let's look at this issue more realistically.

Some years ago, the environmentalists convinced the voters to create and maintain open space areas.  That meant no new development in the hills.  Property owners - like my friend Lowell Gratin - were not allowed to develop their own properties.

Since they "land-locked" us and we had a huge need for housing - and in particular for housing reasonably priced enough to allow our workers (police, fire, teachers, etc.) to be able to live close to work.

So, city planners changed their restrictive building plans (single story houses & one story strip shopping centers) to allow builders to build two, three and sometimes as many as five stories.

Transit - public transportation - became more important in their eyes (government officials) than more roads and highways.

Putting the two together - developing more density in transit corridors.

Since, like most other professions, people in the same profession read the same books and articles, take the same courses in college and attend the same conferences - most cities adopted a plan allowing for urbanization, mixed use development - increased public transit and moving it all conveniently together.

Now, if - and only if - all of this was done by free choice it would have been fine.

Where is becomes dangerous is when government mandates - force - becomes the determinant.  If eminent domain is used to take people out of their homes and/or remove businesses from the strips - without taking their needs and wants into consideration + fair compensation - then we should be fighting it.

Fight the use of force.  Fight the faulty regulations.  But, please stay practical and realistic

Simplifying Services

I recently took on a project to compile a list of transportation services for seniors in Santa Clara County.  What a nightmare. 

It reminded me of the nightmare a client of mine received years ago when he was seeking help with medications.  He was mildly schizophrenic and didn't drive.  He had to take busses everywhere - and the process of getting a prescription filled took traveling to three different places, and he spent all day doing it.  It was so unbelievable to me that one day I accompanied him (but by car).  He had to go to one place miles away to get permission to get his prescription and then travel across town to another place altogether to get the prescription - and finally to a third place to get the medication.

Transportation - I, who am computer and internet literate, had to hit link after link and inside links until I finally found a list - but in many cases the service required proof of eligibility - and made it almost impossible for seniors who are not normall computer and internet savvy to get what they needed comfortably.

I don't believe in giving handouts - but I do believe in our helping people who really need help.  Because we spread ourselves so thin, we fail to adequatly take care of those who really need our care.

Stop the foolishness.  Stop the waste.   Stop letting free-loaders get in the way of our being able to effectively help those really needing our help.