Give a copy to the pig feds>so they can have a good laugh.
Can you please do some research on what worldwide what bridges cost in other country's and post a list. Already this seems incredibly long in terms of time, high in expense, poor in quality but I really would like to know where we fall in the continuum. Then maybe we should decide other massive projects like high speed rail.
Thanks for publishing this! I had been confused about this issue. But I still wonder how any non-profit that engages in political action, right or left, including churches that push for a particular party or candidate can have a tax exempt status. My father was a minister and when I was growing up, it was a no-no for him to opine on any party or candidate.
Check these out if you want to save money at Outside Lands http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/211369…
Plenty of blame to go around, apparently. This shameless pandering to the native plant religionists who don't care how much mayhem, toxicity, or destruction of thriving ecosystems they cause in their crusade to stamp out everything that wasn't here before the first Caucasian set foot here has got to stop. It's bogus nativist bigotry, and it's no more acceptably directed at plants than people.
Tim,
More than 80,000 trees will be chopped down if this proposal goes through as is. Currently, FEMA is leading this process, and is on its way to funding the clear-cutting. Without FEMA's cash, the trees will not be cut down. So, yes, FEMA is moving forward on a plan for chopping -- a lot of chopping.
Mary,
I agree that FEMA has done a miserable job at publicizing these plans -- but some of the blame also falls on UC Berkeley, East Bay Regional Park District, and the City of Oakland, who are partners in the project and have failed to properly inform folks as well.
This FEMA vandalism is obscene and must be stopped. And the stealthy manner in which this has been conducted to date is reprehensible, if not actually illegal.
FEMA is not chopping anything. They are required by law to take public comments, and they are, on their draft EIS, triggered by the grant applications submitted by UC Berkeley, EBRPD, and City of Oakland to reduce fire risk (which, yes, means removing fuel loads, ie trees). By all means, weigh in via the public process, but read the EIS, not Randy Shaw's alarmist op ed in California Progress Report (which implies that FEMA is trying to sneak something by).
This comment was removed because it violates our policy against anonymous comments. It will be reposted if the commenter chooses to use his or her real name.
Prohibitionism is intensely, rabidly, frantically, frenetically, hysterically anti-freedom, anti-public-health, and anti-economical.
An important feature of prohibitionism (which it closely shares with fascism) is totalitarianism. That means:
A police state apparatus; widespread surveillance, arbitrary imprisonment or even murder of political opponents, mass-incarceration, torture, etc.
Like despicable, playground bullies, prohibitionists are vicious one moment, then full of self-pity the next. They whine and whinge like lying, spoilt brats, claiming they just want to "save the little children", but the moment they feel it safe to do so, they use brute force and savage brutality against those they claim to be defending.
Prohibitionists actually believe that they can transcend human nature and produce a better world. They allow only one doctrine, an impossible-to-obtain drug-free world. All forms of dissent, be they common-sense, scientific, constitutional, or democratic, are simply ignored, and their proponents vehemently persecuted.
During alcohol prohibition (1919-1933), all profits went to enrich thugs and criminals. While battling over turf, young men died, every day, on inner-city streets. Corruption in Law Enforcement and the Judiciary went clean off the scale. A fortune was wasted on enforcement that could have been far more wisely allocated. On top of the budget-busting prosecution and incarceration costs, billions in taxes were lost. Finally, in 1929, the economy collapsed. Does that sound familiar?
Shame on you California.
I probably like Sean Whent more than most people with an OPD background. I have had a lot of conversations with him over the years and I believe that he is a fundamentally good person with good intentions. I think he is better than people realize and I hope that he will surprise some people. He is certainly an upgrade over Tucker, Batts, Jordan & Toribio.
The Police involved in this activity should be brought up on charges of murder. They are directly responsible for the deaths of these children and adults whom they put in extreme danger. And I know they don't care about the people they put in danger. They only care about their career advancement.
OpD now run by "went outlaw"?
We need a chief with years of successful experience managing a high crime city police department AND the willingness to cross the thin blue line.
Sean Whent only satisfies the second criteria with his mere 17 years experience, mostly at OPD, 4 of which consisted of working in Internal Affairs investigating cops.
Make Whent the head of IA but don't put him in charge of the entire department.
There is absolutely no hope for OPD and the City of Oakland. The OPD's hands are tied. The whole system is so screwed up. Officers are unable to respond to serious calls in a timely manner. The only hope for Oakland is Judge Henderson's retirement and the falsely appointed mayor Quan's resignation. Sean Whent is no good as well. He's merely a political charlatan looking out for his own good (aka: an ass kisser), and willing to do / say whatever it takes to get into a high ranking position. Good luck, Oakland. You're in for a long and arduous ride.
@Krista: I live in Oakland. My house was robbed twice. I was told by OPD to fill out a police report online, despite my wifi-enabled devices being lost in the heist, and was informed no one would be coming out to take the fingerprints or footprints I could see on my windows. While I understand your point, clearly from my experience, Oakland does not promise an officer for every call, unless you are bleeding.
We need a resolution from CA democrat party to remove haag, no doubt this is a coordinate effort of many us attny but removing haag a good start point.
Re: “Medical Marijuana Bill Passes California Senate”
California should watch for doctor shopping and the doctors that push pills, but should realize that pain patients have few choices. The Feds keep pushing opiate pills, but stop people from using safe medical marijuana for pain. Marijuana works very well for pain management. Unless someone has tried cannabis for pain, they should not venture the opinion that it doesn't work for medical purposes. Pain management with cannabis requires the right dosage. Using marijuana edibles is the right way to maintain pain reduction. This book has great recipes for edible marijuana that are easy, small and cheap to make: MARIJUANA - Guide to Buying, Growing, Harvesting, and Making Medical Marijuana Oil and Delicious Candies to Treat Pain and Ailments by Mary Bendis, Second Edition. Only 2.99. Learn to make marijuana oil, delicious Cannabis Chocolates, and tasty Dragon Teeth Mints. goo.gl/iYjPn goo.gl/Jfs61