A banner effort

Under 8 girls’ AYSO is a bit different. But I have complete confidence she will imbue the girls with a good amount of soccer knowledge. She is also organized, fair-minded, kind, dedicated and a hard worker, so it appears she has all the characteristics needed for a youth soccer coach.

What is getting us is making the banner. Apparently, all teams must have a banner for their team but there is limited information on what such a banner entails. I originally envisioned something plastic and printed on with the team name and maybe a logo but how to go about that I have no idea. My wife said something about felt and glue, which immediately confused me. Arts and crafts tend to have that effect on me. Then maybe it’s just marker on butcher paper, glued to wood poles — doable but prone to being temporary. I know the banner is for the parade, but not sure how long it is supposed to last.

I don’t recall having a banner when I was in AYSO. But then my basic recollection entails drinking a large can of 7UP after the game. I didn’t go far in soccer.

I’m sure my wife will figure something out and it will be amazing, but if anyone has any suggestions as to a quick and easy way to make that banner, please send it my way.

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A simple solution for the Ampex sign situation. Stanford should spend a little bit of money and put the letters up in a lobby somewhere on their new Redwood City campus with a sign outlining the history of the sign and the company’s history.

To those of you who may have not been privy to the situation, the planned removal has caused a bit of stir by those who believe the sign marks an important piece of the Peninsula’s history. There has been a wide effort to figure out some way to save he sign or honor its legacy, and I predict that something will be announced soon.

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The decision to shut down a county park shuttle service because of low ridership was bound to happen. Launched two years ago with the idea of bringing residents from East Palo Alto, east Menlo Park and North Fair Oaks over to Edgewood and Wunderlich parks, the idea was worthwhile but pie in the sky. Maybe some might try it a few times, but it wouldn’t be a regular thing. A better idea would be reduce or eliminate the entry fee to the county’s parks. While it is true that those without cars could use a shuttle, most people have access to a car for a trip to a county park like Flood Park, and would use such a car for items like coolers or chairs for an extended stay. Eliminating that $6 entry fee would be a way to invite people in, and get them used to the park, and want to return — with or without a car. The reduced or eliminated fee doesn’t have to be every weekend, but maybe certain ones, or during a certain month.

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In the argument over whether California should adopt universal health care, the basic underlying principle is often lost. The goal has been stated that everyone, regardless of income or immigration status, should have access to health care. They do now. Anyone can access health care through our county health systems regardless of their ability to pay or immigration status. If that is the goal, more should be done to bolster our county health care systems and affiliated health insurance systems like the Health Plan of San Mateo. If that means getting nonprofit medical systems to pony up, so be it.

That should be job one. Trying to remake the entire state’s health care system and eliminating private insurance is only getting in the way of that primary goal. Solve that, then let’s move forward on something else that still allows workers, particularly union ones, to keep their hard-earned health care benefits that includes private insurance options.

Jon Mays is the editor in chief of the Daily Journal. He can be reached at jon@smdailyjournal.com. Follow Jon on Twitter @jonmays.