Americans should unite at time of war
Frank Zampino
It is interesting that Los Altos’ leading “activist/protester,” Myra Orta, wonders about the American flag in her letter to the editor (Town Crier, March 23) coinciding with a Raging Grannies peacenik rally.
I don’t remember in the last 70 years, any conservative Republicans ever participating in burning our flag. Can the same be said about all of the “lefty liberals”?
The U.S. Supreme Court did not appoint the president. That is the big lie of the liberal left. The court courageously upheld the Constitution when it realized that equal standards were not being used in counting marginal ballots while the Florida Supreme Court (all Democrats) was willing to let the election be stolen by the expert Daley tacticians from Chicago. It might also be of interest to remember that like President George W. Bush in 2000, our former President Clinton in 1992 did not receive a majority of the popular vote. However, if it weren’t for more than 1 million uncounted absentee ballots in California, Bush might have garnered a small majority, because outside of California he won the popular vote by half a million votes.
I would remind the Raging Grannies that all five of the wars involving our country during the last century were initiated during presidencies of Democrats against countries that didn’t attack us: Wilson, World War I; Roosevelt, World War II (Japan attacked us, but Germany and Italy didn’t); Truman, Korea; Kennedy, Vietnam; Clinton, Bosnia. Republican Richard M. Nixon didn’t get us into Vietnam, he actually got us out of it.
Even the Cold War was carried out for the most part under Democrat administrations until a conservative Republican got us out of it. I won’t bother to compare the casualties of all those wars with casualties from Iraq.
The war in Iraq would have been over long ago were it not for the suicidal fanatics, many of them not even Iraqis, who are still killing the Iraqi people and our American soldiers. Protests like the Raging Grannies’ do nothing to lessen the resolve of these animals, but rather aid and abet them.
We should all start being Americans again! It’s still our flag and our country, and at this time of war and terrorism we should all stand together and support our troops.
Relief agency thanks Town Crier readers
Michael J. Nyenhuis
Thank you to the readers of the Los Altos Town Crier for their generous support of MAP International’s tsunami relief effort through your holiday fund. Since Dec. 26, 2004, MAP International has airlifted more than $17 million worth of essential medicines and medical supplies to the tsunami-affected region. With these supplies MAP has supported more than 500,000 people whose health has been affected by the tsunami.
Recently, I traveled in the tsunami-affected region to assess how MAP’s initial relief supplies made a difference and to develop plans for future MAP activity in the region. Partners in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India all reported that because of MAP’s reputation for delivering the best and most needed medical products, essential medicines donated by MAP made it through bureaucratic red tape and into the hands of emergency medical workers quickly.
Following meetings with government officials and with in-country partners, MAP’s role in the region will involve the rebuilding of a health-care infrastructure in the affected areas.
With strong field partners in the region, MAP’s long-term presence in the recovery phase following the disaster will include development of a state-of-the-art disaster response plan in India, providing supplies of long-dated medicines and essential supplies along with funding for trauma counseling teams in Sri Lanka, and assisting the recovery efforts of health-care facilities and development of community-based health programs in Indonesia.
MAP International is committed to meeting the long-term needs of the communities devastated by the tsunami. Thanks to your readers, MAP International has the resources to provide essential medicines, prevent and eradicate disease and promote community health.
Trader Joe’s denies liability for runaway cart
Chris Grant
On March 18, a runaway Trader Joe’s shopping cart rolled down a small slope outside the Los Altos Trader Joe’s store and hit my E-Class Mercedes-Benz, causing a dent. I take extra care to protect my car. The rolling cart could not be avoided.
An employee who could have seen the accident, prevented it or caused it wrote a report and sent it to the headquarters.
Trader Joe’s denies all liability unless I can prove that their staff caused the accident. They claim that carts hit cars all the time. I have never before been hit by a cart at any store.
I spoke with an employee in an adjacent store. He said it’s a very dangerous situation, and that shopping carts frequently cause accidents at that particular corner due to the steep, barely visible curb, staff negligence, and the difficulty in controlling carts.
Trader Joe’s is owned by German billionaires Karl and Theo Albrecht, who own Aldi, one of the world’s biggest grocery chains. They are aware of the situation. They can afford to correct it, but they haven’t.
They haven’t equipped their carts with bumpers, brakes or protective measures. Carts are often left in front of the store, which adds to the risk of being hit.
I have alerted Trader Joe’s of the problem. They should admit their liability and warn customers. They should pay for the damages and find a solution to prevent accidents to BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar cars, where small dents can cost $1,500 to repair.
Please contact me about comments (tcpgv@yahoo.com) related to the Trader Joe’s Los Altos store, and drive carefully.
Did Domanico’s reported earnings include perks?
William L. Teglia Jr.
It was good to see in the Town Crier (March 9) that El Camino Hospital CEO Lee Domanico revealed his salary. However, did he mention his Los Altos Golf and Country Club membership and dues, his no-interest, unsecured loan, his retirement plan contribution, any deferred compensation agreement, how his bonus is calculated, his expense account and his travel expenses? I also doubt that the hospital board of directors mentioned their own travel expenses and other reimbursements.
Every dollar spent on these items is one less dollar spent on patient services.
