Identity Theft in Santa Clarita

Identity theft is on the rise in Santa Clarita. According to recent news reports the affluency of our not so small bedroom community has attracted criminals from all over.

Some of the ways these thieves are stealing our information is pretty advanced. They are using a “skimmer” which is an electronic device that has a magnetic reader. So let’s say for example, if you use your credit card at a local merchant and say the cashier is planning on stealing your credit card number. You wouldn’t even know it. They could just quickly pass your card through this device and you probably wouldn’t even see it.

Beware of where and how you are using your credit cards. Look out for strange looking objects on your ATM machines, etc. Personally, I would suggest you keep only one or two credit cards in your wallet, and check the balances often. Even better if they have low limits. In addition, check your credit report regularly. Stay on top of this or it could be detrimental to your credit.

Magic Mountain 2007 Season Pass

Support your local theme park.

Get your Magic Mountain season pass by Feb 25, 2007 and you will receive a front of the line Tatsu flight pass that you can use in March 2007. If you haven’t been on Tatsu, you are really missing out. This is a fantastic ride for the roller coaster enthusiast. Getting a front of the line pass could save you hours that you could spend waiting for another ride.

Anyway, you can log in online and do this. Here’s the link.

I don’t think any of our residents want to see Magic Mountain go out of business or be sold, so support the park that brings tourism to the community. By a pass!

Valencia HS Casino Night Raises Big Bucks

I attended the Valencia High School Softball Casino night last Saturday. This event was located at HOPS. It was really quite fun. There were about 200 people in attendance all to support a good cause. They had Stonefire there catering and there were some great freshly baked pastries for dessert. It looked like there were about 100 or so nice gift baskets on display for the silent auction and raffle. All of the items in the gift baskets were donated by our community. It was really very nice to see the kind of support that the community shows for its local youth. I know this event took a lot of work to coordinate so the organizers deserve a pat on the back. It was really a well run evening and all the effort is very much appreciated.
Go Vikings!!

carts

I don’t enjoy going to Walmart.

When I was a teenager I used to work at Ralphs. We had this duty there. It was usually the folks at the bottom of the totem pole, but somebody had to do it. It was called…”cart duty”. In case anyone from Walmart is reading, that means you have to bring the carts in from the parking lot back into the store.

There are worse things, but it is a pain when you pull into a parking spot, then realize you can’t park there because there are carts parked there. So, back up, pull out and into another spot. Argh!! More carts.

Bouquet Cyn and Soledad Intersection

According to the Signal the city is adding a left turn lane at Valencia Blvd. right where it turns to Soledad Cyn and at Bouquet Cyn right where it meets that same intersection. Now bear in mind that there are already 2 left turn lanes there at each street. So that means they will add a third.

Now in all my years of driving, I have never seen 3 left turn lanes. Maybe I need to get out more, but I just haven’t seen it. It’ll probably take a year for this to be complete, but I’m looking forward to the nice change, as are all those folks that wait at the lights, I’m sure. Apparently over 100,000 cars cross that intersection daily.

Ignoramus

There was a letter to the editor in the Signal this morning that really ticked me off. Some guy was complaining because the Saugus Union School District was looking to hire a translator. This man continued on in his letter with the old debate of …if people move to America, they should speak English. Well, I suppose in a perfect world that would be great. The tone in the letter was so agro and it upset me that perhaps the kids do speak English and maybe one of them was reading his letter. Maybe it’s the parents that don’t speak English and they are the ones that need the translator. I mean you don’t know what people’s individual situations are, so how can one be so judgmental? The guy went on about how in Mexico, they don’t provide English translators. Well duh! People aren’t climbing walls to live in Mexico. It’s not the land of opportunity, the melting pot of the world. Normally, I don’t let jerks like this get to me, but the insensitivity and ignorance in the letter really set me off.

If you agree with his view, may I suggest renting A Day Without Mexicans? This was a movie released in 2004 that satires what life in Los Angeles would be like if we lost a third of the population. Insensitive A-Holes would have to actually mow their own lawns and clean their own homes. Hmmm, who’d be out looking for a translator then?

Fire in Fillmore

A fire broke out this morning in Fillmore. Apparently it has burned over 5 acres of dried up terrain. No injuries or structural damage has been reported. Luckily, it’s not too windy out there. I was out driving today and thought I’d see the smoke, but I couldn’t see anything other than a clear sky. Hopefully, they’ll get this one out quick.