Albertson's closing a big blow

In about a week or so, the Mercer Island Albertson's will be closing for good. This is a big blow for the Jewish community for the following reasons.

1) Albertson's was one of the only places to have a kosher deli and bakery on the same premises. Replacing this at another store is possible, but it will take time for the other store to earn the trust and respect of the long-time Albertson's customers.

2) Because of the geographic nature of the Seattle Jewish Community it is impossible for a Jewish proprietor to set up his or her own deli and have it be profitable. Unlike other communities the Jewish people in Seattle (whether the South End, North End or Eastside) aren't centrally located enough to have a deli be profitable. The South End doesn't have a place where the rent would be cheap enough and the volume of traffic sufficient to make a 6 day a week deli doable.

3) While someone else in the community had tried catering and decided that online retail of Kosher food was more profitable and enjoyable, there are people who enjoy the shopping experience at a deli. Losing Albertson's takes that away.

Postscript: I understand that one of the other supermarkets is "stepping up its game" to expand the kosher deli section as well as the bakery. While this is good news, it will take some time for this supermarket to win over the Albertson's customers.

Brouhaha over Confederate flag- what's the point

I don't get what the whole point of this hubbub over the Confederate Flag is. Just because a lunatic was pictured "worshipping the Stars and Bars" doesn't mean that the Confederate flag is the cause of the mass murder in South Carolina. Yes it was a horrible shooting. But how will our lives be improved by tearing down this flag? Will hate and jealousy be removed from all of our hearts? Will more African-American kids do better in school and be in the National Spelling Bee or the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)?