Mailbag: Some Laguna community thoughts as we head into fall

El Niño is coming, as you should all know by now. We are expecting heavy storms and likely flooding. I hope everyone takes a few simple steps to be prepared. Here are three:

1) Sign up for AlertOC by visiting https://cityoflagunabeach.bbcportal.com. This will keep you informed of emergencies and other community events

2) Join your community on the Nextdoor.com social network. If you really want to know what’s going on in Laguna Beach, there are few places with more up-to-date, real-time info. Plus, the city staff uses the site to share emergency readiness and community safety information that may save your life.

3) Register to receive traffic alerts and red flag warnings by email or text by visiting lagunabeachcity.net/portal/default.asp.

On another note, I’m excited that Laguna Beach continues to see great new places to eat, including Centrale Coastal Cuisine, Gu Ramen, Urth Caffe and now Skyloft. What do all four have in common? They are all pet friendly. Porter thanks you.

Also, has there ever been a traffic solution that was implemented faster and more effectively than the roundabout at the five point intersection at Los Robles and Catalina Street? No more worries about getting broadsided.

Effective and fair city policies depend on us sharing our thoughts with our elected representatives. This applies to a wide range of divisive issues — nightlife entertainment options, rooftop dining, coyote control, blocked views, short term rentals, homeless housing, cellular reception and beach access for dogs during the summer, to name a few.

Don’t stew in silence — you may be in the majority.

Enjoy the peace of our fall season and be safe.

Tim Templeton

Laguna Beach

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Gotcha questions for presidential candidates

Last weekend near Washington D.C., representatives of nearly all the GOP presidential campaigns met to air their candidates’ misgivings about future debates. The unprecedented meeting was a reaction to just how badly CNBC’s moderators botched their responsibilities last Wednesday evening in Colorado.

“A circus,” is how Reince Priebus, chair of the Republican National Committee, characterized the handling of last week’s third debate. He then went on to add that the committee has suspended talks with CNBC’s parent company, NBC Universal and its broadcasting partner, Telemundo, about next February’s scheduled debate because, “we were betrayed.”

Considering how many friends of mine in Laguna feel about politicians these days, I’d say “betrayed” is an interesting choice of words.

Appearing on the “Ellen” show several weeks ago, which airs locally on NBC, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was asked the now-familiar campaign question, “Boxers or briefs?” I wonder how the current Republican front runners, Donald Trump or Ben Carson, would have reacted had they been asked the same question in Boulder?

Gotcha questions are nothing new to presidential candidates. To tell the truth, I keep waiting for some gutsy reporter to ask Hillary Clinton or Carly Fiorina, “Thongs, bikinis or boy shorts?” Hey, if men have to answer the underwear question, shouldn’t women have to as well?

You expect candidates running for the highest office in the land to be asked about Russia, Syria, the national debt or equal pay for equal work. Peace and prosperity typically rank first or second as the most important issues voters care about; but, this election season is shaping up to be anything but usual.

On the one hand, you have Trump, admitting he gets most of his military advice from watching generals on TV. On the other, you have Clinton wondering if she ever will write another email.

Political pundits don’t have crystal balls, so there is no way any of them can predict who the Republicans or Democrats will nominate as their party standard bearers. If you believe they can, then think back to the summer of 2007. That’s when John McCain, whose staff was quitting because the campaign coffers were dry, was considered road kill before his steady climb back to the top of the heap.

Despite the fact that, as an 11-year-old, I shook hands with Jack Kennedy in 1960, and have had my picture taken with White House hopefuls over the years, I don’t envy any candidate running for president. Let’s face it, some days are exhilarating but some are simply dreadful.

Most days are a slow, tedious slog. On the Democratic side, people wonder if they’re watching a coronation. On the Republican side, the media keeps asking, “How long will the hare (or hair) be No. 1?”

Either way you slice it, each is more interesting than the next gotcha question voters can expect to hear. You know the one: “Blue or pink Viagra?” Given the world of social media we all live in now, I wonder if any of the campaign reps who met near Washington last weekend ever considered this as a possible debate question?

Heaven help us. You know someone is going to ask it. The question is, will any of the presidential candidates respond?

Denny Freidenrich

Laguna Beach