Both Sides of the Fence
A Tosa resident since 1991, Christine walks the dog, raises kids, cooks but avoids housework, writes and reads, and works too much. A Quaker and
The Aging Maven, she has been known to stand on both sides of the political and philosophic fence at the same time, which is very uncomfortable when you think about it. She writes about pretty much whatever stops in to visit her busy mind at the moment. One reader described her as "incredibly opinionated but not judgmental." That sounds like a good thing to strive for!
Government and mall watching
By Christine McLaughlin
Monday, Aug 27 2007, 09:54 AM
The August 23 WauwatosaNow reports that the Common Council check-cashing store amendment only pertains to “neighborhood and village trade districts. . .A store coud be located on Capitol Drive near Home Depot, and some could also pop up on Highway 100 from Potter Road north to across from Mayfair Mall.”
Some???
Pop up???
We aren't talking about mushrooms after a wet spell.
Or are we?
Apparently, it hasn’t occurred to the Council that right behind those stores on Hwy 100 are. . . neighborhoods. Just as there are on North Avenue.
I’m a total NIMBY (not in my back yarder) when it comes to check cashing stores. Come to think of it, I'm a NIABY (not in ANYBODY'S back yarder) when it comes to check cashing stores. The state needs to put some strong interest-charging limitations in place as other states have done to keep these stores from leeching off of the vulnerable--and to help communities like ours keep the predators out.
Meanwhile, I'm wondering why the Council feels that what’s good for eastern Tosa doesn’t matter out here in the wild west.
I thought we were getting over that. Apparently not.
* * *
This weekend, the hunt for pants that fit a guy whose vertical measures are greater than his horizontal ones led us to Brookfield Square.
That’s partly because my 17-year-old son, who’s been working 40 hour weeks this summer, can’t buy his business casual pants at Mayfair during the hours he can go there.
Even though I was along as a suitable escort, we felt disinclined to go to Mayfair. I’m betting we aren't the only ones who've lost our affiliation with Mayfair. And that’s too bad for the mall.
In Brookfield, we found the two pairs of pants in the western suburbs that fit, one at JC Penney and one at the Gap. Kudos to Penney’s staff, who actually help you and do it graciously. Why, you’d think they were paid to do that. . .
Meanwhile, if you’re a men’s clothing buyer for a bricks-and-mortar store, you’re missing a bet. Lots of 30-34s—even 28-34s --out there. At least offer to order the needed size for us if you don’t want us to do all our shopping online and lose the store-shopping habit altogether.
