Comment Archives: stories: Last 30 Days
Re: “Streetcars Might Make a Comeback in Oakland”
Why stop at 51st? Why not connect to Berkeley? BRING BACK THE KEY SYSTEM!1
Re: “Friday Must Reads: FEMA Moves to Chop Down 82,000 Trees in Berkeley and Oakland Hills; Lead Ammunition Ban Clears Assembly”
This plan is all about money -- for Monsanto, with the ten years plan of herbiciding our parks -- for UC -- for the cities -- for EBRP.
This project will INCREASE fire danger, not prevent it, by removing some of the tallest trees who bring inches of moisture out of the fog each year. The resulting grasslands and scrub are where fire starts and spreads, not the trees.
Eucalyptus have been documented to be no more flammable than native trees and were seen during the firestorm to deflect the path of fire from homes. They also create a windbreak which prevents the spread of grass fires.
Native raptors prefer the talk eucalyptus to nest in. The Monterey pines create an incredible diversity of habitat for animals and plants below them, but they are planned to be clear-cut also. Countless animals will die from this plan, from poisoning, habitat destruction, and the effect of bulldozers, chainsaws, etc.
It's not surprising that those who want FEMA money tried to sneak this in. Once done, there will be environmental devastation from the wasteland that will be where our beautiful forests once stood, from the resulting erosion and poisoning of the waterways, loss of animals, etc.
Re: “Protesting City Workers Turn to YouTube”
This is the impact of the bipartisan consensus on neo-liberal economics. The management class has mistaken the map - the economy - for the land - the people we are, the work that we do, the wealth we create. The economy is a useful fiction built on top of the reality that is our community. Certain sectors of our nation have gamed the system such that the vast majority of wealth flows to them and only to them while the rest of us are stuck with less income and credit in its place. Something's gotta give, and if it doesn't it's not going to be pretty.
Re: “Streetcars Might Make a Comeback in Oakland”
Yet another nail in the coffin of Robert Moses, whose vision for the urban future was to kill public transportation in favor of cars and build massive expressways to bring white suburbanites into cities to work 9-5 before fleeing home to Long Island or Bergen County, New Jersey. San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos killed his political career in the 1990's by demolishing the Embarcadero Freeway, but 20+ years later he looks like a visionary for being one of the first elected officials in the US to undo the damage caused by Robert Moses (Jane Jacobs did the same thing in Toronto by blocking the Spadina Expressway...)
Re: “Weekender: This Weekend's Top Five Events”
The East Bay Bicycle Coalition is leading a slow-paced, flat, 13-mile bike ride from their offices at Jack London Square down to the Session Fest at Drake's Brewery in San Leandro, starting at 10:30am on Saturday. Riders of all ages and abilities are welcome! If you don't want to go to the brewery still join us and then just take the San Leandro BART back home. If you do want to go to the brewery, though, this is a great way to work up a thirst! Full details online at: https://www.facebook.com/events/3490592152…
Re: “Streetcars Might Make a Comeback in Oakland”
Hope this works out! How about another line out International Blvd.? Would be great! Good luck on this, Zack!
Re: “Friday Must Reads: State Orders Oakland to Pay $32.5 Million; Bay Area Activist Medea Benjamin Heckles Obama Over Guantanamo and Drones”
Does that mean that Kaiser Oakland will no longer build the ugliest buildings that anyone could design like theones now blighting north Oakland?
Re: “Medical Marijuana Bill Passes California Senate”
Change of anything is slow but legal weed is on the fast track to 100% legality.
The opposition is evaporating and the hold outs are going down kicking and screaming but going down they ARE.
Re: “Weekender: This Weekend's Top Five Events”
@Jeffrey: Ooops, our bad. Fixed!
Ellen, web editor
Re: “Streetcars Might Make a Comeback in Oakland”
Why stop at MacArthur? What about MLK as an alternate route all the way to 51st?
Re: “Streetcars Might Make a Comeback in Oakland”
I would love this if it happened. Everytime I drive down one of these main streets in Oakland that now have trees in the medians I think of the tracks that used to be there. There are so many Bancroft, E.14th(I hate the name International0 40th st. Telegraph , San Pablo, The Key System was more user friendly then BART, and should have been retained.
Re: “Weekender: This Weekend's Top Five Events”
Hey there… At Session Fest, we'll actually have far more than 16 beers flowing. We have 25 breweries coming, all bringing at least one session beer, so there'll be well over two dozen beers available, all included in the ticket prce (and yes, it's unlimited tastings).
-Jeff McClure, Community Manager for Drake's Brewing
Re: “The Absence of Cyrus Tilton”
PHOTO Courtesy of Lonnie Lee, Vessel Gallery
Re: “A People-Focused Solution”
I am happy to see the EBX give some love to the OUSD RJ program and the student leaders and adults who make it happen. Jean Tepperman did a great job capturing the essence of what we are trying to do, and I am so glad she could highlight some of the amazing individuals doing this work in our schools.
It is important to note that at Montera Middle School, local non-profit SEEDS Community Resolution Center has been an integral partner in this work. Principal Tranzor and indefatigable Montera parent Nina Senn, who is a Montera PTO member and the SEEDS Board President, coordinated efforts to make sure that Ms. Yari's hours were increased beyond what the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth had so generously given her via the Peer RJ Grant. This increase in hours allowed Yari to include parent volunteers and increase the scope of her RJ work and really make a substantive difference at the school site. There are many unsung heroes and it is impossible to name them all. In this case, we would be remiss not to mention Nina Senn and SEEDS.
Thank you EBX for highlighting this very important work as we shift the culture and climate at our schools.
David Yusem
Program Manager, Restorative Justice
Oakland Unified School District
Re: “Thursday Must Reads: Oakland Council Adopts Transparency Rules for Budget; Berkeley Picks Hayward Supe to be Its New Schools Chief”
"Under the new regulations, proposals must be made at least three days before the meeting in which the budget must be adopted."
Maybe that sounds like "transparency" to some people in City Hall in Oakland. Not to me. A couple of weeks would allow a reasonable time for review and reflection by the public; that might in fact be improved transparency.
Nope, it's the same old slimy game, played in the dark.
Re: “How to Have Anal Sex”
I have another great tip I want to share....... If it's your first time trying anal LAY ON YOUR BACK! You will feel more relaxed and have a greater chance at success =) If that doesn't work try some of this http://www.blissfulgoodies.com/Anal-Eze-Ge…
Re: “Work Your Way Up to the Fucksaw”
Anyone who has been in a relationship for a significant amount of time (think 6 months +) knows that after a while, it's time to start exploring ways to spice things up in the bedroom.
One simple sex toy, the vibrating clit flicker, is an extremely simple, straightforward toy that can totally revolutionize your old faithfuls. The best part? This toy will add pleasure for BOTH partners at the same time; a rarity in many cases.
Reverse Cowgirl: We know how this one works: the man lays on his back on the bed, and the female straddles her man facing his feet.
enhance it:
Reverse Cowgirl +: Slip the vibrating clit flicker on over the man's penis and testicles. Assume the position, and begin rocking. The vibrations will not only drive the man wild, but will also move through the woman's vagina, sending new sensations throughout her insides. As though this isn't enough, the flicking will add increased levels of stimulation to the woman's clitoris and to the man's testicles simultaneously. The added levels of pleasure throughout both partners' bodies will send both people through the roof
http://www.blissfulgoodies.com/Mens-Sex-To…
Re: “Mid-Week Menu: American Oak Reopens, Chez Panisse Soon to Follow; Guest Chef and Sumo Grub Close”
We went to the soft re-opening of American Oak and are so thrilled to have them (and their whiskey) back!
That said, they should get their money back from their "consultant." We certainly enjoyed the food we had, but the menu was not that appealing on first read. Small, few real vegetarian options, nothing particularly jumping out as a "must-try." We were pleased to find that the food we got was actually much more enjoyable than the menu hinted at, but we hope that as they get their rhythm back, we'll see an improvement. Even the cocktail list seemed "dumbed down" with only one or two particularly eye-catching drinks.
American Oak deserves to have a chef with a point of view, not a "consultant."
Re: “Costly Tax Loophole Remains Open”
Prop 13 should only have been for real persons not corporations but leave it to our legislature to mess it up. It's time to revamp it keeping the rates for the people not corporations who are always finding loopholes to dodge their responsibilities.
As for the Chamber of Commerce with their scare tactics how about Californians boycotting any company that avoids paying its fair share of taxes. We are the 6th biggest economy in the world and the people have a lot of clout. It's time to use it wisely. Governor Brown needs to stop coddling the big money boys and get them to cough up their fair share of taxes.
Re: “Streetcars Might Make a Comeback in Oakland”
This sort of project could, along with other things, be part of a much-better urban environment in Oakland. It needs, however, to be part of an overall transportation and economic development plan for Oakland. Of which there isn't one because Oakland's government has no vision and cannot usefully think ahead. As it is, it's typical small-scale, narrow-minded Oakland politics and likely to fail at every level. It's something for Quan et al to sell so they can continue their careers.