Just a few random bits that have been swimming around in my head.
First up, the Alameda Library Foundation is hosting a benefit for the Library and is rather timely in light of the recent Slow Food event in San Francisco. Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food and the Omnivore’s Dilemma will have a conversation with West Coast Live’s Sedge Thomson. The event is on Sunday, October 19 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. and tickets can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets online or if you don’t want to pay the service charge you can buy tickets at Daisy’s on Park, Books Inc, Alameda Marketplace, Dewey’s Friends Cafe (in the Library), and Lanvie (on Webster for those that don’t venture to the West side). Tickets include a dinner reception hosted by C’era una volta and Slow Food Alameda. It should be a really great event.
Not specifically Alameda related, but did everyone watch the Vice Presidential debate last night? I have to confess I have been obsessed with coverage about Republican Vice Presidential pick Sarah Palin. And not just any coverage, the snarkiness and close observation that has been done about her and her background as provide by Salon.com. While all in all, these debates tend to be boring and depending on what position one holds going into the debate, you pretty much exit thinking your candidate of choice is the winner so I’m not even going to discuss who “won” since I realize my bias and am willing to own up to the fact that I thought Joe Biden swept the floor with Governor Palin. 
However, I will mention that for all her folksy-ness and her attempt (and I suppose ability) to connect with the common man, I found her lack of reaction to Joe Biden’s choking up near the end of the debate really frightening considering her persona or rather the persona she has revealed to the American public. I know I shed a tiny little tear when Joe Biden talked about his not knowing if his son would survive the tragic car accident that took the lives of his wife and daughter and I really expected Sarah Palin to say something after the ancedote and emotional response. But alas, nothing and it was disturbing and I felt as though I needed to share.
And speaking of robotic performances, unfortunately if you haven’t been reading the Alameda Daily News on a daily basis you will have missed the essay by Dennis Green, the susequent response by Lee Skirboll, the follow-up by Dennis Green, the retort by Lee Skirboll, and then the defense of Dennis Green by Paul Fossum. It has now “fallen off” of ADN and unfortunately whereas ADN used to be archived by the great Internet Archive, it has now been “blocked” from being archived. According to the FAQ on the Internet Archive a web site host can get his/her web site removed from being archived if they so choose. One would think that a newsman of the first water would want his work archived in perpetuity, but it appears not. For those that remember, a similar thing happened when Dan Wood attempted to provide a public mirror of ADN.
So for those that didn’t read the exchange here is the nutshell version.
Dennis Green: Alameda CLASS WAR! Working class people have more common sense than the educated middle class. Educated people shouldn’t let education ”go to their heads.” And apparently a “middle class” occupation whatever he imagines it to be is not an “honest trade.”
Lee Skirboll: Breaking down Alameda into two classes is “insulting and wrong.” Education is valued by everyone, not just the middle class.
Dennis Green: I’m rubber, you’re glue. I’m educated and I hung out with Charles Bukowski. Some of my best friends are teachers and some of my friends are Black therefore I understand the plight of educators and people of color.
Lee Skirboll: Stereotyping folks will get you nowhere.
Paul Fossum: Nothing about the content of the essays and responses just that Dennis Green is smarter than everyone and some stuff about Alameda Point.
There you go. There was a repeat of Dennis Green calling Bayport resident all Stepford wives, I imagine that either (a) it’s been a while since Dennis Green has read the book, (b) he hasn’t actually met anyone that lives in Bayport, or (c) a combination of the two. If (a) I will gladly lend Dennis Green my copy, if (b) I’ll gladly have coffee with Dennis Green so that he can meet one live and in person. In the meantime, I’ll just update my firmware.
It has always been the purview of stupid people to say that intelligence is overrated. It has always been the purview of the uneducated to say that education is overrated. It has always been the purview of democrats to sacrifice one successful person so that two losers can live for free. Such is the way of the world …
Comment by Jeff R. Thomason — October 3, 2008 @ 8:15 am
Class vs crass was on display at the VP debate, especially Sarah’s non-response to Biden’s personal story. But then, what do you expect from a machine that has been programmed to repeat the same set of answers, regardless of the question!
See this word cloud from the debate transcript:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/3/0223/35665/837/618518
Comment by alameda — October 3, 2008 @ 9:22 am
I anticipate that there will be a lot of surprised and angry Alamedans when McCain and Palin win in November. This board is bound to get quite heated …
Comment by Jeff R. Thomason — October 3, 2008 @ 9:29 am
It is too bad that certain people feel the need to distinguish themselves as being somehow special and set apart from everyone else.
Class distinctions (elitisms)and identity politics don’t tend to make for a better world, unless everyone is working together to making the just society, where the impoverished have the same opportunities as the elite.
The fact that childish name calling happens on ADN, and that Don Roberts apparently thinks this is news, is indeed a sad commentary on, if nothing else, the common sense of our local populace, or at least those who feel compelled to engage in name calling.
The “Stepford folk” are the type of people who engage in backstabbing. I think it is pretty clear who the backstabbers are–they seem to like having that sort of reputation, and so flaunt it in a public way.
Whatever Dennis Green was trying to imply (what, that a person can be classified in a negative merely by where the person lives? How ridiculous is that? One of the great ancient quotes of all time: “by their fruits [actions] you shall know them…”),we all know that Lauren is NOT a “Stepford person,” but an individual who clearly cares enough about the community in which she lives to create an open discussion forum, providing and asking for information, over the internet.
Thank you, Lauren, for having the courage to face the slings and arrows that sometimes get lobbed into the open forum, or in other arenas, the tantrums and other irritants that play out here–your blog is truly a public service.
RE: debate. I was also struck by the lack of anything from Ms. Palin at Biden’s anecdote. Now, there is real “Stepford” possibility there!
Comment by E T — October 3, 2008 @ 9:59 am
“No matter how smart I may seem, you just can’t get past the fact that I’m a jackass” – Biden
“All foreign affairs and economic mumbo-jumbo have one thing in common- it took a gallon of gas to get there.” – Palin
Comment by Matt Reid — October 3, 2008 @ 9:59 am
#4 ET – Nice hypocritical finish there … LOL
Comment by Jeff R. Thomason — October 3, 2008 @ 10:15 am
I call it a moment of irony. It was supposed to be amusing. And I am glad you WERE amused…
Comment by E T — October 3, 2008 @ 11:16 am
I liked it, but I think that you are aiming above the heads of most of the crowd. That’s ok … education is overrated
Comment by Jeff R. Thomason — October 3, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
Jeff #1,
Did you intend the small “d” democrat? Your statement would make more sense to me had you said “Democrats”. Otherwise I’m not sure what you meant.
Speaking about the current economic situation, I recently heard a libertarian “free market” economist state that the New Deal prolonged the negative effects of the Great Depression by years, and that if nothing had been done things would have self corrected much sooner. He did not offer any detail.
Some would argue that it’s only through regulation that one “success” can be bled to support multiple losers, but the lack of regulation of all the excessive “success” on Wall Street appears to be making losers out of every one of us.
RE: Palin, Keith Olberman played tapes of Palin in the debates for governor to prove that in another context the woman can hold her own and not look programmed and clueless. Amazingly though, at one point she was condemning the Supreme Court ruling which down sized the damages for the Exxon Valdez. Too bad for Palin she blanked on that one when Katie Couric had her caught like a moose in the headlights.
Comment by Mark Irons — October 3, 2008 @ 12:30 pm
The “Stepford” myth may actually be a reality for Caribu Barbie. For being such a bubble head her ability to memorize all that “Arizona Camp” could shove into otherwise unused air-space was pretty good. The truth is how scarry the whole situation is. She really could be president and there is no way she could do the job without Carl Rove standing behind her calling all the shots. Both republican camps (the womb police and the wall street dollar watchers) rather take a chance on that than let in a democrat. Give me a break, there is no way someone could outspend what has happened during the last 8 years (but on the bright side, the village can throw a party on the return of their idiot). George Bush stole more of my money than Obama ever will. Are we better off helping the mechanic from good chevrolt keep his house or letting the wife of the CEO of GMC go on yet another shopping spree? I will fully well take the hit that Jimmy Carter and my cat have the same IQ and he shouldn’t have been president but Sarah Palin & the old man, come on!
Comment by Victoria — October 3, 2008 @ 12:43 pm
Joe Biden is a bloviating panjandrum. He lied in Law School, and he lied last night. That being said, he appears to be the most competent of the 4 of them, by a longshot.
I REALLY wanted one of the four to come out with the truth about the absurd bailout – and you’d think with 70% of Americans polling for “no bailout” it wouldn’t have seemed too risky. The truth is property values are too inflated relative to income, and this was exacerbated with cheap money for too long. My condolences to anyone buying a home (that they actually need as shelter) over the past 3 years, but having the US Government prop up these prices will cause massive inflation and yoke us with taxes for years to come. Note the irony that today AIG announces it wants to pay back Uncle Sam, and we have an actual almost-an-auction dispute between Citi and Wells over Wachovia’s corpse. I hear a faint whisper of “free market correcting itself”, but could be mistaken…
Comment by Matt Reid — October 3, 2008 @ 1:01 pm
“Did you intend the small “d” democrat?”
Absolutely … but I, too, tend to aim above the crowd. I am surprised anyone noticed
Comment by Jeff R. Thomason — October 3, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
I think the reason the Palin siezed up when Couric asked her about the bailout is that she thinks it’s a terrible idea, but she couldn’t say that. I think the bailout is the worst domestic policy I have seen in my lifetime. The fact that both major party candidates voted for that load of crap is beyond belief. I guess the change they’ve both been talking about has to do with the debt load for our children.
Comment by Michael Rich — October 3, 2008 @ 2:36 pm
I still can’t decide if Sarah kept getting her hair in her eyes, if she had a nervous twitch, of if she kept winking at the camera…
Also I don’t give her so much credit for “learning” or her ability “to memorize all that “Arizona Camp” could shove into otherwise unused air-space”
-What I think she demonstrated is that she can read a teleprompter and her handlers could hire a knowledgeable crew to support her. They did have teleprompters right – what else do you think they were for?
I have to admit a bit of disappointment – I expected to be more ‘entertained’ by her replies – her interviews with Katie are a gas, I can watch them again and again…
Anybody know when the SunCal HAB show will be in re-runs? I looked for a live broadcast at the end of the debate, but it was not on… Any reports form attendees?
Comment by David Kirwin — October 3, 2008 @ 3:37 pm
“Jimmy Carter and my cat have the same IQ and he shouldn’t have been president but Sarah Palin & the old man, come on!”
Grate peece! Trully scarry how yoo piant out tis ain’t no country fer caribus and old men. Speekin a unused air-space, yu keep yer hat on a baloon?
Comment by cormac — October 3, 2008 @ 4:30 pm
The real debate:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/37730/saturday-night-live-vp-debate-open-palin-biden
Comment by Jack Richard — October 5, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
Same weekend as the Michael Pollan event is the semi-annual Friends of the Library Book Sale at the O’ Club! Not often do you have two chances to support our library on one weekend…
Comment by nemo — October 6, 2008 @ 10:01 am
Lauren, thanks for letting people know about the Michael Pollan event. We are extremely lucky to have two Bay Area celebrities donating their time to this important cause. Also, an update on the reception, which is being organized by Slow Food Alameda — contributors include Acquacotta, Pappo, C’era Una Volta, Baron’s Meat and Poultry, The Beanery, Coco Delice Chocolates, Dan’s Produce, FeelGood Bakery, Julie’s Coffee & Tea, Marketplace, Mona’s Table, Alameda Natural Grocery, and Rosenblum.
Comment by Steph L — October 7, 2008 @ 7:33 pm
Would anyone mind if I post some questions about Alameda? I guess Brain Dump is the appropriate subject, in general terms. I have questions that wouldn’t normally be covered in any sort of “historic Alameda” articles — I’ll try to pick a few here, nothing special really.
1. What’s the story on that ancient gas station opposite City Hall? I’ve always assumed that it must be a contaminated site with no one to pay for the clean up, but it looks like it came and went long before any environmental regulations were enacted. Maybe it’s not a gas station?
2. How did the 25 mph speed limit come about?
3. What’s the worst storm or high tide that anyone can either remember personally or has heard of?
4. Which neighborhoods are most likely to have sump pumps? Does the ground water level vary w/ the seasons? Just wondering as a former sump-pumper.
And just for conjecture:
5. Who are all those people tailgating me? I got my first-ever moving violation in Alameda (for failure to yield) and after that I wised up. I became a member of the 25 mph club, which I thought united us all — so where are all the “speeders” coming from?
Thanks for any responses.
Comment by DL Morrison — October 10, 2008 @ 10:54 pm
DL-
1.) Olde Gas station – Don’t know the history, but a friend thinks it would be ideal as an island “glass shop” for a small residential and commercial glass operation, window upgrades, heavy showers, and the like. Is it leasable? Anybody know the price? I have talked to county inspectors who still monitor the surrounding underground for pollution from the old tanks. As I recall samples are still taken quarterly.
2.) 25mph. – This is actually a very popular speed limit for most residential streets – in Berkeley and Oakland as Alameda, and not just in Ca. Alameda used to have a stronger reputation for enforcing it, but I guess we have fewer cops on the street these days -ya know -no budget? Still it is enforcement or the fear of enforcement that Alameda is better recognized for the speed limit.
3.) Storm tides – If you are familiar with the sea wall on the caul-de-sac behind the Veteran’s flag just on the Bay Farm Island side of the Otis/Doolittle Bridge – a few times each year the water level starts to splash over it. It’s pretty eerie to be on that road, well below the water level because the wall has some leaks and really holds back a lot of hydrostatic pressure.
4.) Island sump pumps – There are lots of pumps running in the wintertime on Bay Farm. Some are fixtures with underground piping to the street, but many just run hoses from crawl space pumps, and the hoses will lay out all winter. I see them on BFI, but I imagine they are all over the big island too – just go out after a hard rain to spot them, but realize too many people have their downspouts underground thru the curb too.
5.) – DL, Most of those tailgaters are your Alameda neighbors. As our roads become more congested, a weird human phenomena seems to occur; when traffic doesn’t freely flow, drivers feel more ‘rushed’, like they are raged or panicked and they have to race to make up time, like the longer waiting longer at the next stop sign is worth the added acceleration of getting there faster. But that is how road rage builds. This is way more noticeable these days. When we moved here in ‘97, the most common remark from visiting friends was the peaceful pace and complete lack of road rage on this side of the bridges.
Comment by David Kirwin — October 11, 2008 @ 12:45 am
1 I know nothing
2 DK is right, 25 is a common limit, but it is more strongly enforced in Alameda, as for enforcement diminishing, it wasn’t diminished last week when I got a ticket!
3 (see 1)
4 I can’t remember how many years ago it was that we had a very heavy winter, but there were lots of sump pumps going on the west end of Alameda – my hunch would be any parts of the island that are fill will have greater need for sump pumps.
5 (see 2)
Comment by notadave — October 11, 2008 @ 9:40 am
Thanks a lot!
1. I’ve been curious about ye olde gas station because it’s so ancient, and because it’s such an eyesore, sitting right next to City Hall. It appears to have been sitting there in limbo for decades, tho, so I suspect it will always be with us. Too bad.
2 has a bearing on 5, as NAD indicates — other cities may have 25 mph speedlimits, but the thing is, they’re not enforced. In fact, in all the time I lived in Berkeley I hardly even noticed the speed limit — I routinely drove maybe 35 or 40 mph and not a damn thing happened. Then I moved here, promptly got a ticket, and quickly trained myself to drive a stately 25 mph (well, 30). So I’m not assuming good citizenship on the part of others here, so much as wariness — I figured the locals would know better. I guess there are still stragglers out there who haven’t met up w/ Alameda’s Finest as yet.
3. Being on the bay, I know we don’t get much of any real weather, but I thought “maybe something?”.
4. On the sump pumps, I’m really wondering how elevation, water table and sea level interact — plus identifying areas of fill which are perhaps not so obvious. I read about a street in Central Alameda that has sump pumps — now I don’t remember which tho. Also met a man who’d grown up on the 400 block of Santa Clara, who said the 400 block of Taylor was once a pond, so he’d been told many years ago. That area is low-lying anyway, I realize.
Comment by DL Morrison — October 11, 2008 @ 11:32 am
dlm, re: #1
My understanding is that the current owner wants to sell the property, but is also insisting that any new owner release them from possible future environmental mitigations and liability due to the storage tanks in the ground. Since these are likely high, there’s no one who is willing to jump in. In order to redevelop the property, the environmental issues will have to be dealt with, but the costs are huge so it sits fallow.
Comment by John Knox White — October 11, 2008 @ 11:48 am
#23: Thanks very much, so I assumed it must be — evidently there’s no real end to a standoff like this, too bad. The site is so small, but of course the contamination (”plume”) could be very extensive. Too bad it can’t be reused for a pocket park, for example.
Comment by DL Morrison — October 11, 2008 @ 12:42 pm
On the speed limit: To be honest, I always took the speed limit to be a form of “broken windows” policing, in that it provides probable cause to identify and then stop off-islanders who don’t know the rules. I’m not judging, I’m just observing the process — and I’d agree, the police are pretty democratic about enforcement, much of the time.
Comment by DL Morrison — October 11, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
4.) 300 block of Haight – sump pump will kick in after about 8 inches of rain during the rainy season. Usually sometime in January and will run depending on rain fall through March.
Comment by Mike McMahon — October 11, 2008 @ 1:11 pm
#26: That’s interesting. I used to live in West Berkeley, downhill from practically everywhere, and we’d really get hit with the runoff in the winter — a post hole, for example, would fill with water and never drain. Here it’s the water table rising, not water flowing in.
Comment by DL Morrison — October 11, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
#26
What is the elevation on the 300 block of Haight? What percentage of Alameda is under 15 feet elevation?
Comment by AlamedaNayTiff — October 11, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Check to see at what point your home goes under water:
http://geology.com/sea-level-rise/san-francisco.shtml
Comment by AlamedaNayTiff — October 11, 2008 @ 5:14 pm
DL, re your comment: “I read about a street in Central Alameda that has sump pumps…” I live pretty much in the exact center of the main island, and we have a sump pump in the basement. Before we had it installed, our basement would regularly flood.
Comment by Susan — October 11, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
Susan — is that “the ridge”? Perhaps not — but it should be at a higher elevation, that is, when the mean elevation is around 15 feet. I wonder why you’d need a sump pump there? Do you know where the water table is?
Comment by DL Morrison — October 11, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
Many of the homes built in the 20’s and 30’s on the East side, below San Jose, have sump pumps.
Comment by E T — October 11, 2008 @ 8:55 pm
Hi DL, don’t know where the water table is or our exact elevation. However, when we were restoring our house, the architect who guided us through the permit process told us that we live in one of the “highest” parts of Alameda.
Comment by Susan — October 12, 2008 @ 7:50 am
thanks!
Comment by DL Morrison — October 12, 2008 @ 9:58 am