by
Stan Cohen
for Feb 14

Glad to see John Collins as Fountain Valley's new Mayor. He
will make a good compromise as well as a good Mayor since he has
had experience at both. However, John started his 10 months as
Mayor on the "wrong foot". Wasn't it Charles Dickens who wrote,
"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." in "Tale
of Two Cities"?...

My mentor died last month. Herb Caen, famous newspaper
"three-dot" writer of San Francisco will be sorely missed,
especially by me...

People find it easy and quick to criticize but find it
difficult and slow the to apologize. The 2 hardest words in the
English language to say are, "I'm sorry"...

I spoke with Jim Otterson, City Traffic Engineer in
Huntington Beach concerning the lack of hanging signs at the
Beach and Yorktown intersection. He explained that CALTRANS had
agreed to put up those signs along with others on Beach Blvd. in
March and/or April. Thanks to my readers for bringing that
problem to my attention. I am always available on my E-Mail at:
tvmm62b@prodigy.com...

Wayne Osborne, Director of Public Works for Fountain Valley
may propose to the City Council a water rate increase for all
homeowners in FV to make up for the low Water Capital Budget.
When asked about Proposition 218 and its possible affects on this
proposed increase, he felt that this proposal may not come under
218...

Tomorrow, February 14, is Valentines Day. Be nice to your
wife, like me. A man doesn't know the value of a woman's love
until he starts paying alimony...

The majority of Americans are either receiving and/or paying
into the Social Security system. Yet the fate of that system is
being decided by people who are not paying or receiving the
pension. Does that seem right to you?...

Overheard at the last Huntington Beach City Council meeting,
"...I don't know what all the fuss is about over the Brown Act.
Anything that Jerry Brown did for this state was bad." (It is
the Ralph M. Brown Act; no relation to Jerry.)...

On page 23 of the "Huntington Beach Sands" for Winter 1996/1997,
distributed by the Community Services Department, listing all
classes and workshops, etc. put on by HB, it says, "DRAWING:
Non-Instructed Life Drawing - A non-instructed workshop employing
the nude model in every session. Male and female models will be
scheduled for the serious, self-directed student. Age 16 and up."...

Before I retired in 1989, I was employed by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) for 25 years. While there, I picked up
little inside tidbits that may help all of us in these terrible
days of filing our tax returns. For the next few weeks, I will
write "Cohen's Kernels", little insights into the thinking of the
IRS and their employees. For example...

My "Cohen's Kernel" for this week is NEVER file your tax
returns (1040, etc.) in pencil. Employees of the IRS hate it and
usually the electronic machines can not read it. The chances are
your return will be hand audited and we don't want that. Always
write in pen and keep the pencil copies for yourself...

A good compromise was reached by the sub-committee looking
into the possibility of a Police Commission. A complete and non-
biased Audit and review, by an outside firm, of all actions,
programs and personnel of the Huntington Beach's Police
Department will turn up any and all improper activities...

The Huntington Beach bomb scare that emptied City Hall on
Friday, January 31 was serious and the perpetrator should be
punished to the full extent of the law. But doesn't it seem
strange these things usually happen on Fridays and paydays?...

For Lent this year, Pat has given up all candy, cakes and
cookies. I just love it! I eat her share. She loses 5 pounds
and I gain 10...