Shrill

Alameda's Progressives have a history here in Alameda. In the 50's, "progress" meant surrounding The Island City w/ landfill, ranch homes, and a giant shopping plaza. These days, density is all the rage and Alameda progressives are blogging overtime for ways to "improve" Alameda and its inhabitants. After all, that 50's mentality has got to go!

Many old guard Alamedans fret w/ the threat of unrelenting, true-believing world improvers right here in A-town. Hell, it's True Believers that are the most dangerous (more-so than the bought-and-paid for shakers)... because it's conviction that drives them! Che and Mao and Bush all know they were right, and look at how they improved things for so many!

But back to Alameda's True Believers for Density, or shall we call them the Tool Believers (for Big Development?) There is no need to worry about them much anymore... at least for now. Sorry to be The Bearer, all of you well-meaning Tool Believers and your dreamy improvements for us all, but you have a major obstacle in front of you. And I offer you a solution where you can even make a BETTER difference and help more people than you ever imagined!!  read more »  

The corporate media seems gets less creative all the time. I've always liked SFGate.com (the San Francisco Chronicle) but I despise their new design, which closely resembles CNN's new garish format.   read more »  

I usually kick off the week reading James Howard Kunstler, my favorite peak oil curmudgeon. This week, he laid off perverse driving habits and lightens up (for him) w/ a discussion on how modern Americans present themselves. I think it's funny -- you might think it's a twisted rant.

" The fashion and body language of male youth in 2007 comes from three sources: prison, the nursery, and the pimpmobile. "  read more »  

Folks... real simple... waterproof sunscreen is not instantly waterproof when you apply it. Please give it several minutes to soak into your skin and activate. You aren't protecting yourself or your kids... you are causing an oil slick in the pool. ESPECIALLY you folks who spray it on.

And while I'm bitchin'.... am I asking too much for you to eat your lunch AWAY from the pool? I thought no food on the pool deck was a universal rule, and a good one. I don't want to step on your sundried sandwich droppings. Meanwhile, I won't splash your dining room. Have a great summer!   read more »  

Alameda's a fine place, but I just wish it was more of a music town. Jim Morrison went to high school here, we have a gem of a music shop on Webster, and there are a couple places to hear live music on a random night, but *music* isn't part of this town's fabric.

Judging by the nasty tones emanating from current civic discourse, some folks could simply benefit with more music in their lives. They just don't know it yet! Now it's my turn to be an idiotic world improver, and so I dub this project: Sonic Discourse.  read more »  

Somebody took Robert Schiller's history of home values and plotted it to a roller coaster ride from 1890 to the present.... LOOK OUT BELOW!!!

Do you have questions about Intelligent Design theory? Do you suspect that global warming may be caused by a lack of pirates? Need to connect w/ like-minded Pastafarians?

Lum Crossing

A couple of weeks ago, I discovered a plot to install new AC Transit bus stops IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT to our elementary school crosswalk. We use this crosswalk every day along w/ scores of other Alameda parents. Anyone with eyeballs and a shred of common sense would recognize this a a VERY BAD PLACE to put new bus stops.  read more »