Wading In

Will The Rebate Check Trick Work? By Kelvin Wade Published 1-31-08 This week the House of Representatives passed a $146 billion economic stimulus package that would give individuals rebate checks of $600 and couples $1200. Each kid will earn you another $300. Now the bill moves on to the Senate. Lawmakers are hoping the money will go from the mailbox through our hands directly to retailers to jumpstart the economy. The government is saying, “Here’s some money. Go blow it.” I’m not an economist. But I have to tell you, I don’t know how much stimulating these rebate checks are going to do. With times as tight as they are and consumer confidence falling this month, who wants to blow a wad of cash? For instance, a rebate check would be wasted on my friend Joyce. I’ve seen her have to wrestle money out of her own hand just to pay a cashier in a supermarket. If you give her $600, it will only stimulate her to take it to BofA and toss it in her bank account. ...

Fight the important battles By Kelvin Wade | | January 23, 2008 22:16 My buddy Dan Gray and I go back 32 years to when we both moved to Fairfield as grade-school kids. On the surface, the white, red-haired, pickup-driving, Republican Dan is as different from me as can be. But actually we have a lot in common. One of the things we share is a politically incorrect sense of humor. So it wouldn't surprise me if someone misconstrued something Dan says and was offended by it. I thought of him when I read Tiger Woods' recent comments about his friend Kelly Tilghman. Recently, Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman said on the air that the only way to stop Tiger Woods from winning every tournament was if today's young players 'lynch him in a back alley.' Tilghman apologized to Tiger Woods, to fans and was suspended for two weeks for her offensive remarks. Tiger Woods, who has known her for 12 years, accepted her apology and wants to move on. It is distur...

One Big Box Is Enough By Kelvin Wade January 17, 2008 Suisun residents, it’s not too late to stop the invasion! Yes, I’m talking about a proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter. Like something out of the movie “Cloverfield” this international giant will come stomping into your fair city and leave the Statue of Liberty’s smoldering head on Main St. Okay, I may be overdoing it with the smoldering head part but it’s not too late. Look at how much trouble acquiring a Supercenter is. It brings out the Battle-for-Seattle, anarchistic, the Chinese-worker-is-the-new-baby-harp-seal crowd who are convinced after sitting in their mom’s basement googling anti-Wal-Mart websites and repeated viewings of Robert Greenwald’s polemic that the Arkansas based retailer is Armageddon served up through low prices. If you make it past that initial wave, then you have to get past the review boards and committees. Caltrans' Division of Aeronautics and the Solano County Airport Land Use Commis...

Tightening the money belt for all By Kelvin Wade | | January 09, 2008 23:20 The Other Side column For a long while my girlfriend and her daughter would go out for sushi every Friday night and I'd take the kids out to eat. When time came to trim our budget, the Friday dinners were cut to every other Friday. That was just the beginning. Certain home improvements had to be shelved, purchases put off and trips limited because of gas prices. That's what you do with a household budget. In this week's state of the state address, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told us we're in a big financial hole that is systemic because of mandatory spending increases. But the governor made the job of balancing the budget that much harder when he assumed office by reversing the hefty car tax. It satisfied campaign promises, made us all breathe a sigh of relief but added billions to the budget deficit. Likewise in Fairfield, newly sworn in City Manager Sean Quinn acknowledges tha...

Those with sense don't need wet rope Kelvin Wade | | January 02, 2008 15:50 When my mother would read about someone doing something foolish, she used to always say, 'What that person needs is a good beating with a wet rope.' I chuckle when I think about it because when I look at the new laws in 2008, the majority just seems like common sense that could've been dealt with via the wet rope. You almost hate to trouble any type of law enforcement agency with the task of enforcing these things. Now Highway 12 is a Safety Enhancement Double Fine Zone for all of your reckless, unsafe drivers. There have been too many tragedies on that stretch of road. Perhaps the idea of doubled penalties will deter dangerous drivers. I would've preferred public flogging but if this does the trick, so be it. Clueless folks who leave their pets in hot vehicles unattended will face stiffer penalties and animal control officers will be allowed to break into the cars. Anot...