Off With Their Heads


A common fallacy made by those who do not understand money is an argument based on equality. Money is not inherently equitable nor does it convey uniformity in quantity or status. Money is an artificial construct with an appropriately austere definition: assets or compensation in the form of or readily converted to cash. The Occupy protesters fail to recognize what should be obvious – wealth is generated and kept by those who know how money works (“Occupy Monterey looks forward to an uncertain future,” Jan. 5-11). This country is in a financial crisis because too many had access to money who had no business handling it.


The real issue of contention should be the inequality of good food and safe, clean housing. Every person living in the U.S., legally or not, is entitled to nutritious food, fresh water and adequate housing. We spend far too much time assigning blame to the rich for our problems. Let the rich remain seated, and let the rest of us do what is right by lifting shovels and hammers rather than tongues and fingers. - Jordan Garrick | San Juan Bautista


In a letter to the editor dated Jan. 6, 2012, “Occupy should go to source of problems,” Willard P. McCrone wrote, “What a stark contrast to the civil rights movement of the ’60s, when civic patriots went to where the problem was… got beaten up and even murdered and in the process actually changed the world.” 


In “Your Town,” Jan. 16, 2012, the Herald wrote, “Occupy group asks City of Monterey for more time.” Occupy Monterey does not simply desire time, but reasonable effort toward a solution. Unfortunately, the Weekly has recently chosen to conduct phone and in-person interviews of local Occupy participants almost exclusively about issues related only to any disturbances at Camp, which have always been addressed by either Camp Assembly or in rare instances by a police service call. 


This form of “if it bleeds, it leads” reporting is unethical in light of the fact that Occupy Monterey has managed to get issues of concern to the community on the agenda of the City Council. 


The larger issues which face Occupy Monterey, and the City of Monterey community – and what the City Council will end up addressing – are what the solution(s) may be with respect to how to address the community’s needs. - pvcolin | via Web


(Editor’s note: Weekly reporter/photographer Nic Coury went to the encampment after the paper received reports of police harassing camp members. So while we may not agree with what Colin says, we’ll still fight to the death for his right to say it.)


Sex and the City


I am happy to see the Peninsula’s stuffiest community loosen up a bit (“P.G. Council lets sex shop slip in,” posted Jan. 19). Larry Flynt gets away with saying anything he can because people are entitled to free speech. Shouldn’t the businesses they want to open be given the same freedoms?


In fact, it should be mandatory that every city have at least ONE store that sells vibrators… “In America, sex is an obsession, in other parts of the world it’s a fact.” -Marlene Dietrich - Malzaden | via Web


Guess they’re not so P.G. after all. - Stephanie Files | via Facebook 


It’s a sex shop, not a whore house. Owner sounds like a legit business owner, too. Kudos to her. - Melissa Woodrow | via Facebook


It’s underwear. Guess I didn’t get the memo that we in P.G. don’t need to buy that stuff. - Jennie Meeker Baumback | via Facebook


How about making the town something other than a place to sleep when nothing is open past 9pm and you have to go to Coco’s? C’mon, what about music or a bar? No wonder people don’t come to P.G. Give me a break. Years back at least Juice and Java had open mic late on Fridays until they shut it down. What a drag. No wonder everyone heads to Santa Cruz for something to do. - Sherry Lessen | via Facebook


Desal Done Died


Hasn’t the water madness gone on long enough? (“Cal Am scraps regional desal project,” posted Jan. 16.) 


If you live in a Monterey Peninsula city, please call or write your city council immediately to point out that, given that one-third of Cal Am ratepayers live in unincorporated Monterey County and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) is the local government agency charged with managing our water, there’s absolutely no possibility that a Joint Powers Authority which excludes them can survive challenge by ratepayers and the PUC. Proceeding on this course will simply waste even more time and money. The only way forward is to put the interests of ratepayers first. - Andrew Allison | via Web


Kiki Wows ’Em


It’s all commercial around Plaza Linda, and the music Kiki Wow books is definitely not loud or intrusive! (“Great restaurant for live music gets chomped by county – then given another chance,” posted Jan. 13.) Go Kiki! - Kira Godbe | via Facebook


Great news!!! Keep on rockin’, Kiki. - Arden Eaton | via Facebook


Silence of the Oaks


Whispering Oaks needs to be kept “as is,” meaning NO DEVELOPMENT on this parcel of land (“Activist group fights to push development off the remaining oak groves on the former Fort Ord,” coverage ongoing). MST needs to build its facility someplace else. I was up at the proposed site again yesterday. I can’t believe they want to take the time and expense to clear thousands of oak trees for no reason other than hubris. There are numerous cleared areas at Fort Ord that are available for their project. I am afraid if the project is approved it will be the beginning of a long slide down a slippery slope. The Fort Ord lands are a precious resource and need to be protected from big money interests who care little about anything but their immediate financial gain. It is hard to think of a good reason to build along Inter-Garrison instead of near the airport. That is, unless you “follow the money.” - Rob DeWitt | Sand City


Food finds


It is heartening to see more restaurants in the area are providing options for the gluten free diner (“A handful of heady restaurants give hope – and flavor – without wheat, Jan. 12-18). Did you know that the Monterey Bay Gluten Free Living Support Group (Facebook) has 75 members and is growing? As locals, we can create the demand for gluten-free options - GFFS | via Facebook