| Spectrum - Friday, December 17, 2010
Letters
JJ&F memories
Editor,
When I moved to Palo Alto in 1972 from Washington, D.C., I lived on College Avenue and JJ&F was my store.
It has been my store ever since. Though I met Nobel laureates, future and past secretaries of state, Pulitzer Prize winners, lawyers, professors, football players and yoga teachers there, my favorite encounter was with Tennessee Ernie Ford, who gave me his recipe for catfish while we waited at the fish counter.
Great produce, the best meats from patient and accommodating butchers (who would for instance cut large turkeys into component parts when that was the rage), Peg and Liz at the check out counter, everyone pleasant and easy and real — that was the JJ&F market.
Farewell, old friends, and thank you.
Barbara Babcock
Professor Emerita, Stanford Law School
Scott Meadow
Editor,
We would like to thank the City of Palo Alto and the Midtown Residents Association for their support and effort in creating and dedicating Scott Meadow in Greer Park Dec. 11.
The Midtown Residents Association, in particular Sheri Furman and Annette Ashton, deserve accolades. MRA made the completion of Greer Park a priority and spearheaded the idea to honor Jean and Charles Scott, our parents, with Scott Meadow, a peaceful picnic area.
Jean and Charles dreamed of a regional park in their neighborhood, and worked tirelessly to create and develop Greer Park from the cracked asphalt of an old drive-in theater near Oregon Expressway.
Over the years, much of the park was completed in phases; the final phase was finished just a few days ago. After 35 years, our neighbors and friends celebrated the completion of the park and gathered to listen to Mayor Pat Burt, City Manager James Keene, Public Art Commission Chair Terry Acebo-Davis and Director of Community Services Greg Betts dedicate Scott Meadow and honor our parents and other members of the MRA for their perseverance in "keeping the dream alive."
It was joyous celebration of what can happen when residents and city officials work together for the good of the community.
We are grateful for the participation of so many city officials, council members, friends, family and neighbors who made it such a special day. Scott Meadow is a lovely tribute to our parents. We appreciate this legacy and the support of the Palo Alto community in completing Greer Park as a vibrant recreational area.
Judy Scott, Donna Scott and Charles Scott, Jr.
Paget Avenue
Santa Cruz
Green energy
Editor,
Following are the top 10 reasons to support an anaerobic digestion composting facility in Palo Alto:
1) Keeps Palo Alto's composting operation and distribution local.
2) Enables Palo Alto to compost food waste as well as yard waste.
3) Allows Palo Alto to retire its sewage sludge incinerator.
4) Generates enough green energy to power 1,400 homes.
5) Energy will be available during emergency blackouts.
6) Reduces citywide greenhouse gas emissions by 20,000 tons per year.
7) Saves the city $1 million per year.
8) Revenues could be used to complete 92 percent of Byxbee Park (no funds currently exist).
9) Provides an excellent educational opportunity in local sustainability for school groups and others.
10) Serves as a model for other communities, reinforcing Palo Alto's status as an environmental leader.
I encourage everyone to learn more about the Palo Alto Green Energy and Compost Initiative by visiting www.pagreenenergy.org.
Peter Drekmeier
Fulton Street
Palo Alto
Israel settlements
Editor,
There is absolutely no justification for Israel's continuing settlements, either in the West Bank or East Jerusalem.
They are clearly a deliberate effort by right-wing Israelis to take so much land as to eliminate the possibility of a Palestinian state. They are also succeeding, believing — with good reason based on most past experience — that the U.S. government, while making the usual protests, is so cowed by the Israeli lobby that it will never use its power to force an end to settlements.
Our current reaction is even more abject, promising ever more arms to Israel in exchange for freezing settlements temporarily in the West Bank but allowing them to continue in Jerusalem.
The only exception to our futile protests was when President George H.W. Bush, advised by Secretary of State James Baker, cut off loan guarantees to Israel.
That brought down the settlement-promoting regime of Yitzhak Shamir and brought to power Yitzhak Rabin, who would have achieved a lasting peace with the Palestinians had he not been assassinated by an extremist Israeli.
Similar action by the Obama administration would most probably have the same impact on the Netanyahu coalition.
Without such forceful action, the settlers will "succeed," leading not only to endless conflict in the Middle East but also — as noted by none less than General David Patraeus — ever-deepening Muslim hate of the U.S. as Israel's "enabler."
It's time to move beyond protesting and take action.
Walter Hays
Parkside Drive
Palo Alto
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