Get free daily email updates

Syndicate this site - RSS

Recent Posts

Blogger Menu

Click here to blog

Pride of ownership

[Today’s guest commentary is written by Adam Probolsky]

Give me a home
There is a lot of talk about affordable housing.  There is also some legislation and local governments trying to solve the problem: fewer and fewer lower and middle income workers and retirees can afford to live in the established urban and suburban neighborhoods they want and need to live.  Today’s OC Register touches on the issue and basically suggests lessening the burden on developers to speed the process and reduce the cost of building.  That is a fine idea, but in a market where the million-dollar home is about all you can find, more needs to be done.

By more, I mean, more non-profits engaging in the process and more sane minded residents supporting projects that allow grandma and grandpa to live close to their grand-kids.  I am a planning commissioner in Irvine.  Much to my dismay we have a new Housing Trust that will be in the business of doling out affordable housing at some anemic rate.  In meeting with charitable organizations like Habitat for Humanity, I’ve seen how their model is already in place and works.

Local governments should lessen the burned–cut some bureaucracy in the development process.  But in order to truly accommodate the needs of citizens from all economic strata’s, government might need to take a step backwards and allow the compassionate and organized and well established non-profit world to step in, support them, and let them do what they do best–help those who need help through proven methods.

Just vote no, or else

According to one of my favorite web sites about mobile technology (www.phonescoop.com) Motorola has filed for a patent on a new type of silent alert for mobile devices.  Noting that vibrating alert is not truly silent, Motorola has proposed a system that uses mild electrical stimulation instead of a vibrating motor.  The user wears a device that can deliver a mild electric charge next to the skin.  The phone will wirelessly activate this device to alert you to new calls, messages and more.

I want to buy one of these for every member of the legislature—electric shock therapy would do them good, even better—a shock every time any legislator tries to vote YES on anything.

Care to read comments, or make your own about today’s Daily Commentary?

Just click here to go to the FR Weblog, where this Commentary has its own blog post, and where you can read and make comments.