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Social Butterfly Cont. on

Prepared for an Earthquake? Cont. from Page 7

time. After all, the beautiful transplant from Texas is no city-slicker and knows her way around the barn. Tornados? Hurricanes? Never scared the Lone Star gal.

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But, a North San Diego County earthquake?

Well now, that’s a whole different kettle of fish for McKaley, who had just moved to our Southern California region.

In her young lifetime, she was never more petrified than in North San Diego County.

The normally-fearless Texas native, said on Twitter: “I literally thought a ghost was pushing my bed, but thanks to Twitter, I now know it was just an earthquake. I’ve never been so scared!”

But the young actress was not the only celebrity to get rattled by the San Diego County shaker. The legendary film and television icon and legendary 12-time World Champion skateboarder, Tony Hawk (native of Carlsbad), felt the earth move under his immortal feet, also – and it was no out-of-control skateboard under him, either! The North County resident said on Twitter: “Earthquake?! It felt like a bus hit our house!!”

CONCLUSION: IS NORTH SAN

their end of the bargain by canceling the show, then you should expect some flexibility on the other end. You don't expect them to read you the rules and refuse to help you.

I contacted Ticketmaster on your behalf. The company reviewed your request and offered a courtesy refund from the event organizer "given the extenuating circumstances." I hope that your surgery is successful and that you make a quick recovery.

Problem Solved Cont. from Page 7

Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer for Elliott Advocacy. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help with any consumer problem by contacting him at http://www.elliott.org/help

© 2021 Christopher Elliott. DIEGO COUNTY PREPARED? According to various U.S. earthquake geologists: “Nearly 200 Southern California cities are unprepared for ‘the Big One.’”

One famed geoscientist gives this testimonial: “That the big earthquake is coming is so likely now that I think that we should start behaving as if we know for sure -so that serious precautions can be taken and emergency plans put into place to help save human lives in the face of natural disaster.

“Because, if we do not take these precautions and it happens . . . then, such non-action would prove to be unforgivable in the face of human history.”

Is North San Diego County prepared? I pray to the Almighty that we are.

This is the 180th cover story for The Paper by the Author, Friedrich Gomez.

Social Butterfly Cont. from Page 3

2021, at 1:00pm at St. Thomas More Church, located at 1450 South Melrose Drive in Oceanside. While there is no charge, a free will offering of $10.00 is suggested to help defray costs. For everyone’s safety, guidelines from the CDC, state and local regulatory agencies will be followed. For additional information, please contact Theresa Harris at theresah@stmoside.org or call (760) 758-4100.

Kids in the Garden Class - Each month the Kids in the Garden Class is held at Vista's own Alta Vista Botanical Gardens. The next class will be on September 11th, and the program will be "Recycled Art and Sculpture" encouraging creative reuse of materials instead of throwing them in the trash. A little tape and a little ingenuity make fun projects. Sessions will start at 10am and 11am. Pre-registration is required contact farmerjonesavbg@gmail.com or call 760.822.6824.

Family membership in Alta Vista Botanical Gardens is $60/year. The "Kids in the Garden" Class is now in its 13th year and is included free with AVBG family membership. The class is also open to the public for $5 per person. The Gardens are open every day with 13 acres and plenty of trails and hillsides for a great workout. Plants, sculptures,

The Pastor Says...

Pastor Sam Brumit Mission 316, San Marcos How to get through a storm

These are stormy times. Covid, lost jobs, political wrangling. Uncertainty with finances. It’s not easy. It’s not easy to keep HOPE.

Keeping our faith during the storm is difficult but necessary if we are to retain our hope in troublesome times.

One time Jesus set out with the disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was asleep in the boat. Suddenly with no warning, a storm arose and the boat took a beating. In the emergency, Jesus’ followers ran over to Jesus and asked Him “Don’t you care?”.

He immediately rebuked the waves and said “Peace, be still.” He had dealt with the crisis and then turned to the disciples and asked two questions:

Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?

Difficult times can lead us to a place where we lose faith and forget that the Lord is in the boat with us. We put our eyes on the waves and forget His power.

To get through a storm, remember the faithfulness of God in your life. Trust Him in the midst of circumstances. How is your faith in these stormy times?

Mission 316 Church exists to help people get to know God through people. If you have needs in your life and would like to find hope, feel free to join us on Sundays at 10:00 AM at the San Marcos Community Center (located at 3 Civic Center Drive in San Marcos CA – right across from the library).

Pet Parade

Meet Hermione! Pigs make wonderful pets, and they require a lot of consideration. Before adopting it is important to confirm with your city that your property is properly zoned for housing a pig. Pigs also require a large outdoor space, appropriately fenced with pig-proof paneling and containing access to a predator proofed indoor shelter area. Pigs are incredibly social and thrive with other piggy friends. They can bond to other animals and they form very close relationships with humans. However, no one can provide the comfort of having a member of your same species. Most pigs are food motivated and enjoy the mental stimulation of positive reinforcement training, just like dogs! Hermione specifically has shown us her gentle and friendly nature. She’s very food motivated and especially loves her peanut butter and veggies! Hermione is available for adoption at San Diego Humane Society’s Escondido Campus at 3500 Burnet Drive. To learn more about making her part of your family, please visit sdhumane.org/adopt or call 619-2997012.

Pet Parade

Bellwether is pet of the week at your Rancho Coastal Humane Society. She’s a 3-1/2-year-old, 70-pound, female, Shepherd mix.

She was a stray in Riverside County before being caught, then transferred to Rancho Coastal Humane Society through the FOCAS program. Bellwether has been living in shelters for more than one year. She’s an active dog who really loves people. She can be selective about her dog friends.

The $145 adoption fee for Bellwether includes medical exam, spay, up to date vaccinations, registered microchip, and a one-year license if her new home is in the jurisdiction of San Diego Humane Society’s Department of Animal Services. For information about Adoption or to become a Virtual Foster log on to www.SDpets.org.

For Advertising Information or to subscribe, Call (760) 747-7119

A Weekly Message from the Mayor of Your Community published in the belief that it is important for elected leaders to communicate with their constituents and that constituents have a means of hearing from their elected leaders.

San Marcos • Mayor Rebecca Jones

End of Summer Trash Bash

Did you do a home improvement project this summer? Do you have items to dispose but are unsure of where to properly do so? The City of San Marcos has you covered. Check out our website for a comprehensive list of trash and recycling resources in our area. Do you have leftover paint from a painting project? In partnership with the City, many local paint stores participate in the PaintCare program. PaintCare is an industry-sponsored program established to manage the reuse, recycling and proper disposal of unused paint. Did you get a new electronic device? Televisions, computers, cell phones and other electronic waste can be dropped off for free at EDCO’s Buyback Center, 224 S. Las Posas Road. Have a large appliance or furniture that you want to be cleared out of your space? EDCO residential customers in San Marcos receive two coupons each year for free disposal of one load of bulky items at the Escondido Transfer Station.

Learn more about how to safely dispose of hazardous substances and items at www.san-marcos.net.

Vista • Mayor Judy Ritter

Get Involved in Vista

There are many opportunities for residents to be involved in our community. One way is by serving on a city commission. The City Council appoints residents to these advisory groups to help create programs, generate solutions to problems, and to foster positive relationships in the community. The City has 12 commissions, including: Community Safety; Parks & Recreation; Public Art; Planning; and Senior Citizens Affairs. We also recruit high school students for our city Youth Commission.

To volunteer for a city commission, check the City website for commission openings. Qualifications for each commission, eligibility requirements, and application instructions are available online at CityofVista.com, by phone at 760.639.6125 or in person at the Vista Civic Center.

Social Butterfly Cont. from Page 10

water features, and quiet retreats await discovery. The Kids in the Garden Class Schedule is posted at altavistabotanicalgardens.org.

The August class was "Bubbles and Boats: Using and Saving Water." Children and parents delved into a variety of activities to encourage water conservation and enjoyed using water in many different forms. Blowing bubbles with strawberry baskets. Testing what will float and sink, and constructing boats. Meeting cups of ice with frogs frozen on top and discovering evaporation. Painting with water ad watercolors. Working with worms. Digging in the mud. Farmer Jones provided directions and materials for the class, with plenty of help from volunteers Donna Weber, Kim Kaur, Lily Rodriguez, and Nina Kokami.

2021 "Art of Fashion" Presented

by The Country Friends - On Thursday, September 16th, The Country Friends presents "Art of Fashion" starting at 10am with Nani Pua Skin Care Champagne Reception, Stop and Pose at the Photo Lounge, sip Champagne and sample tidbits from The French Gourmet. Then seating is at 11am for the Fashion Show, presented by South Coast Plaza Retailers. Lunch on the Lawn seating is at 12:30pm, with live auction and opportunity drawing. Then Shop, Sip, and Support the South Coast Plaza Boutiques from 2pm to 4pm. A full day of shopping at South Coast Plaza Boutiques is from 10am to 4pm.

In keeping with tradition, The Country Friends (TCF) Art of Fashion (AOF) recognizes those who have given their time and talents to help further the organization's mission of supporting human care agencies. This year's honorees are Les & Deborah Cross, affectionately known as "Mr. & Mrs. Country Friends" because of their longtime commitment to the organization. They first became involved in 2007 and followed through the years in various capacities, and are also on TCF's finance committee. The couple co-chairs The Country Friends Legacy Campaign, and headed up the inaugural "Giving Hearts Gala" in 2018 to benefit that capital campaign. contact The Country Friends, 6030 El Tordo, P.O. Box 142, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067.

Escondido • Mayor Paul “Mac” McNamara

Greetings Escondido,

I know I mentioned this last week, but I think it merits a second discussion, and that is COVID. It is on the rise, the numbers show that. And the numbers also show that most of the folks who need to be hospitalized are unvaccinated.

Those who are vaccinated and get sick are not needing to be hospitalized and show only mild symptoms.

So, I guess my question is - why aren’t people getting vaccinated? Vaccinations have been part of our lives all of our lives. Why is this different? I’ve received emails about this being a civil rights issue, among other pseudo-science claims, and I respectfully disagree. This is a virus. It spreads, and we all know how a virus can spread. Remember the Flu. Let’s use common sense and get vaccinated and take the reasonable precautions we’ve been asked to take before we have another blow to our economy, especially our small businesses. Thank you!

Stay informed, Be Kind, Remember your neighbor, and Stay safe!

Semper Fi,

Mac Paul P. McNamara Mayor of Escondido pmcnamara@escondido.org

News from Pala Casino

Pala Casino just continues to add to its reputation as a top venue for great entertainment!

Just look at some of the great Tribute Artists that they offer:

THE STYLISTICS Friday, August 27 8:00 PM Starlight Theater $20 / $40 Journeymen – Journey Tribute 21 & OLDER ONLY OUTDOORS – RAIN OR SHINE NO Refunds or Exchanges Privileges Club members receive $10 back in Added Play. (Redeem Day of Show only)

All events will be held at the Events Center, with reduced capacity, increased cleaning, and additional safety measures.

Tickets are on sale now, with no service charge, at the Pala Box Office, www.palacasino.com and 1-877-WIN-PALA

Restaurant Guide Pick up Delivery In Room Dining

Dominic’s Gourmet Restaurant 113 E. Grand Ave Escondido, Ca.

760.480.1704

dominicsgourmetrestaurant.com Open 7 days a week. In room dining! Check our menu, call us. We’ll give great food and service!

Mike’s BBQ

760.746.4444 1356 W Valley Pkwy Escondido, CA mikesbbq.us Check our menu at our website, or just call. In-room dining! Open T-Thu 11am-7pm, Fri/Sat from 11am to 8pm

Paul & Nome Van Middlesworth, The Computer Factory

www. thecomputerfactory.net The Internet and social media impact on American culture. Part V conclusion

“As the twig is bent, so grows the tree”

That’s an 18th century proverb that expresses the idea that early influences determine our later direction. Call them biases, prejudices but these are belief systems that color the way we process and react to information. Deep seated, emotionally attached biases are characterized as being in “logic tight boxes”. These biases are fiercely resistant to information that might challenge their validity. Biases can be regarded as positive (love of cats) or negative (distrust of Asians). Some biases (fear of the dark) are routinely lost through exposure as we experience life. If our parents had strong feelings or prejudices against Japanese,

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER BY CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT

Q: Almost two years ago, I booked an Africa trip through Vantage Travel, which was supposed to depart in June 2020. Vantage canceled the trip because of COVID19. The company re-registered me with the same group, scheduled to leave in September. When I asked why Vantage didn't give me any other options or offer a refund, a representative told me she assumed I would just go along with the group.

I requested a refund, but Vantage said it wasn't giving refunds. I found out later that some customers did, in fact, receive refunds. Vantage also canceled the September trip. In November, I had cervical spine surgery and quite possibly will have to have additional surgery down the road. In March, I was involved in a horrendous automobile accident caused by what the doctors believe was a heart attack. With this accident, I can't leave North America, so a trip to Africa would be impossible.

I've asked Vantage for a refund or a change to a North American trip, but I can't get through to anyone. Can you help me? -- Rick Knee, Davie, Fla.

A: I'm sorry to hear about your health problems. I think Vantage should have offered you a full refund after canceling your first trip blacks, Democrats, Italians, gays, Republicans, whites, or the NY Yankees we probably start out sharing their bias. As we grow older and experience our own interactions we substitute our own biases for theirs.

Political party affiliation is often one of those visceral biases held safely in a “logic tight box” and deeply rooted in emotion. While an individual’s beliefs may be very different or even opposite from the positions held by the political party they support, their loyalty to the party and to its leaders remains unshaken. With emotion, not logic, determining our voting preferences, the best way to defend your position is to simply ridicule the opposition. Liberal and conservative politicians alike find it much easier to simply demonize the opposition than to actually establish and defend a position.

In the last century American K-12 school systems experienced dramatic growth as a result of urbanization and consolidation. For the sake of their careers and advancement, today’s teachers must endure intense pressure to conform to the standards enforced by peer review and public service union leadership. As a result, teachers have become an ultra-homogenous group of 90% democrat voters dedicated to institutional mediocrity and adhering robotically to the logic tight rhetoric that define their simplistic, politically correct viewpoint. Students graduating from the K-12 environment move seamlessly into even more tightly monolithic university systems.

to Africa. Most reputable tour operators offered full refunds when they had to cancel their trips. But you would have had a limited time to either accept the tour or get rebooked on a future tour. So when the representative told you that Vantage "assumed" you wanted to go on the September tour, that's probably what happened.

It's difficult to determine the sequence of events because your paper trail of correspondence with the company is incomplete. It looks as if a lot of your communication happened by phone. Companies keep recordings of these calls, but they aren't accessible to you without a court order.

After you accept the credit -- either directly or indirectly by not responding to an offer -- you're stuck with it. But even then, there are ways out. Under Massachusetts state law, a tour operator must offer a refund when it cancels a trip. You could have tried to invoke that law after Vantage repeatedly canceled your trip, since Vantage is a Massachusetts company.

I list the names, numbers and email addresses of all the <a href="https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/vantage-deluxeworld-travel/">Vantage executives</a> on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. I see you tried to send an email to the CEO, but you might have first tried to contact someone at a lower level with a specific request for either a Teacher and politicians have simply taken the road paved for them by innumerable past totalitarian regimes and despots. Stake out your own position and defend it by demeaning, shouting down, ignoring or banning any challenge. Never tolerate debate on the validity of your own position.

The Internet historically was a compendium of information and viewpoints. While it has always been possible for any users to isolate themselves from all but the rhetoric that supports their agenda, today there are dangerous clouds on the Internet horizon. Profits are what motivate the Internet’s social media platforms and government interference in the form of anti-trust action or regulation could threaten profitability. The present Democrat administration offers tacit “hands off” protection to these massive internet platforms in exchange for favorable treatment of its own views and censorship of opposition. Are democrat politicians more evil and corrupt than republicans? Probably not, they’re just a lot better at it. Democrats are simply a more adept at using the political power available to them to stay in power than are their republican counterparts. Democrat politicians tend to have graduated from “big city” political machines where decades of control have been maintained through judicious use of political power. Republicans simply have not had the benefit of the “big city” experience.Next week its back to computers.

refund or an itinerary change. It was difficult to determine what you wanted, based on the letter you sent to Vantage. I suggested that you send a more focused email to Vantage. Separately, I contacted Vantage on your behalf.

It turns out Vantage has a standard policy that guests can move their trip to either a different departure date of the same trip or a different trip altogether up to 121 days before their scheduled departure date without penalty. No special approval is needed.

Vantage changed your tour as you requested, and you agreed to accept its offer.

Christopher Elliott's latest book is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler” (National Geographic). Get help by contacting him at http://www.elliott.org/help

© 2021 Christopher Elliott.

Chuckles Cont. from Page 2

SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD.

Outside a second-hand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

Notice in health food shop window: CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS...

Spotted in a safari park (I sure hope so.): ELEPHANTS- PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR.

Seen during a conference: FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR.

Notice in a farmer's field: THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

Message on a leaflet: IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS

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