Orange County Speaks Its Mind

A quick (until 6:00 o’clock tonight) survey on people’s feelings on the Republican candidates in today’s Iowa Caucuses. There are 6 questions on electability, personal preference, integrity and scariness. Get over there quick and let us know how you feel.

The OC Connect Survey – The Republican Candidates

[discuss here]

It’s time for year-end recaps. Here are some memorable images from 2011.

And two of the most Photoshopped pictures of the year:

[Add your own here]

Walmart sent this document to some of its “strategic partners” in late October, asking for input on a plan to “build a national, integrated, low-cost primary care healthcare platform that will provide preventative and chronic care services that are currently out of reach for millions of Americans.” They’ve backpedaled some since the document was leaked but apparently they’re looking to expand their current, limited health care services and open actual clinics.

It’s been my opinion that the health care industry needed a player with the clout and business model of a Walmart to control costs but I never expected it to actually be Walmart. It sounds like a good idea in some ways but not such a good idea in others. Either way, it’s an interesting development.

Their pharmacies and optical departments do good business, but is the world ready for Rollbacks on pap smears and colonoscopies?

[read more here]  [discuss here]

In response to some in the “media” representing an individual’s message board post of proposed demands as the official position of the Occupy Wall Street movement, we decided to make our own list. Take them as the Official Position of the people of Orange County or take them as meaningless forum posts. Your choice.

They are, in no special order:

1. Free Beer!
2. Free Gyros!
3. No big rigs or stupid drivers on the 5 fwy between 5:00am-5:30am (southbound) & 2:00pm-2:30pm (northbound) Monday thru Friday!
4. No big rigs or stupid drivers on the 15/91/241/133/405 fwy between 4:45am-6:30am (westbound) & 3:00pm-4:45pm (eastbound) Monday thru Friday!
5. Require that the business writers at the Orange County Register write at least an occasional positive story about Orange County. That or move the paper to Texas!
6. Ban the ‘T’ word from Orange County altogether!
7. Only cute well proportioned women are allowed to wear bikinis or short shorts in public. No beer bellies hanging out of T shirts!
8. Free tacos every Tuesday!
9. Let you renew your books at the library even if someone has a “hold” on them!
10. Prohibit non-surfers from owning beachfront property!
11. Other parts of the country get days off for ice and snow storms – we demand high surf days!

[read more or add your own here]

The Orange County Register reports:

“In a stunning turn of events tied to the eight-month long Southern California grocery negotiations, representatives for the two major supermarket chains said they will close roughly 350 grocery stores if union workers make good on a threat to walk off the job as early as 7 p.m. Sunday.”

Ralphs is saying that they will close their 250 Southern California locations and Albertsons is considering closing 100 locations. Vons stores will remain open and operating “in as much a business as usual fashion as possible.” Stater Bros has already settled with the union and won’t be affected.