Spotty.us

I have a very large and fuzzy spot in my heart for alternative media, particularly innovative on-line alternatives to the mainstream media.   For those tracking the recent comments and pingbacks, you probably would have noticed the trackback from a site called Spot.us.   The model is one of “Community Funded Reporting” as in you fund it, we’ll report it.   From all accounts it would seem to serve a very important purpose of paying a reporter to report on the stories you find important.   However, the two Alameda contributions from Spot.us has left me saying, “Really?!”

In fact I will have to agree with Jayne S. when she…um…emphatically criticized the quality of the journalism of this story. 

The first piece of Alameda based journalism Spot.us gave us was this listing billed as “Alameda’s Top News Sources“  which apparently had nothing to do with quality of the reporting or frequency of reporting.  The only requirements appears to be the addition of the word “Alameda” in the title of the website. 

Cow Tipping

Alternately titled: Alameda’s Silver Hammer

Figuratively speaking, Eve Pearlman has a big big pair of you-know-what and for that I salute her.   In her column last week Eve P. takes on what she aptly terms the “sacred cow”of Alameda politics.   Some call it the third rail (aka “touch it and you die”) but I think it has moved from being a political career killer to something that people talk about it hushed tones.   Like when someone is getting plastic surgery or botox.  

From her column:

…And trust me on this, too: Most people, minding their business, working their jobs, raising their children, caring for elderly parents, enjoying their retirement, shopping, eating, watching TV, talking, reading, making their way through their days, are simply looking for a pleasant place to live. A safe, friendly and peaceful place to make their home, which includes, for many, stores to shop, nice places to drive or to walk, pleasant surroundings. And if that pleasant place includes, say, condos over storefronts at a San Francisco-facing promenade down at a redeveloped Alameda Point or live-work spaces in abandoned industrial buildings on the estuary, I think most people don’t care about Measure A, an unsophisticated sledgehammer of a law, created in reaction to a crisis that has long since passed.

You can pull all the stops out

I was on vacation last week so I have been catching up with the comments section, some of the most interesting ones came in the Words Like Violence post in light of the revised curriculm for the Elementary School Caring School Curriculum which will be on the agenda at tonight’s  School Board meeting.  One of the main questions that popped into my head while reading some of the comments was: where is this Gay Agenda and where can I get a copy of it? 

Then my mind wanders off and I wonder what a Gay Agenda might look like and wonder if getting a mani-pedi comes before or after the “muzzling of the clergy and Christian media” and if — at some point — there might be time for a chorus of You Gotta Have a Gimmick. 

Greener? Trump Tower or Truffula Tree

In the wake of Earth Day (and Earth week) festivities, one more post for the files.  Edward Glaeser, Harvard economist, has been previously cited as a defender of sprawl and his papers have been proferred as “fact” as to why sprawl (which I believe should be read as single family housing) is superior to the alternative.   Mr. Glaeser is an occassional blog contributor on the New York Times Econmix blog and recently published this post about the phrase ”think globally, act locally” and dances around but never lands on the “N” word:

…The old mantra “think globally, act locally,” is pretty silly. Local environmentalism is often bad environmentalism, because keeping one’s backyard pristine can make the planet worse off…

In my own field of housing, a similar phenomenon occurs when some environmental groups put their own local interests ahead of global warming…

Homes in coastal California use much less energy than homes in most other places in the country. New building in California, as opposed to Texas, reduces America’s carbon emissions. Yet, instead of fighting to make it easier to build in California, environmentalists have played a significant role in stemming the growth of America’s greenest cities…

I want to ride my bicycle

I was just reading an article in the New York Times about how the latest “It” thing for fashionable New Yorkers is a Dutch bicycle.  The article had a cute discussion of an attorney that used to ride in his suit and tie before he crashed with another bicyclist — neither were on Dutch cycles — but clearly that doesn’t stop folks in Amsterdam from riding their bikes in all sorts of clothing and, apparently, helmetless.

I think those Dutch bicycles are rather neat, but I have always had an affinity for simple bikes.  My own ride is a pink (yes, pink) beach cruiser complete with child seat in the back and a horn in the shape of a turtle.   I love that bike.   The only thing I am missing is a good basket to schlep stuff in.   Usually I use the child seat if I am childless, but that’s sort of a drag since I always have to be mindful of the stuff potentially falling out. 

This is an interesting excerpt from the NYT article about bike culture:

…George Bliss, who teaches at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and is the owner of Hub Station, a vintage bike shop in the West Village, believes the best P.R. for everyday biking comes from people outside the biking world, not inside….

Tomorrow, is, of course the big Earth Day Festival at Washington Park, so if you are going to be heading out there, what better way than on your bike?   The weather is supposed to be beautiful and Bike Alameda will be offering Free Bike Valet parking so you don’t need to worry about finding a place to lock up your bike.

Unemployed…in Greenland?

Okay, quick quiz, which organizational body do you find to be the most authoritative?

1. United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
2. Pacific Institute
3. International Scientific Congress on Climate Change
4. San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission

And just so you aren’t basing this on length of the name alone, let me give you a brief summary of the mission of each group:

United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

…The IPCC is a scientific body: the information it provides with its reports is based on scientific evidence and reflects existing viewpoints within the scientific community. The comprehensiveness of the scientific content is achieved through contributions from experts in all regions of the world and all relevant disciplines including, where appropriately documented, industry literature and traditional practices, and a two stage review process by experts and governments. 

Because of its intergovernmental nature, the IPCC is able to provide scientific technical and socio-economic information in a policy-relevant but policy neutral way to decision makers. When governments accept the IPCC reports and approve their Summary for Policymakers, they acknowledge the legitimacy of their scientific content…

Pacific Institute

The Pacific Institute is a nonpartisan research institute that works to advance environmental protection, economic development, and social equity.

…works to create a healthier planet and sustainable communities. We conduct interdisciplinary research and partner with stakeholders to produce solutions that advance environmental protection, economic development, and social equity—in California, nationally, and internationally.

International Scientific Congress on Climate Change

The main aim of the congress was to provide a synthesis of existing and emerging scientific knowledge necessary in order to make intelligent societal decisions concerning application of mitigation and adaptation strategies in response to climate change.

The congress aimed to identify and synthesise the science, technology and policy advances required in order to ensure sustainability of global communities in the current and coming decades.

San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission

The Bay Conservation and Development Commission is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of San Francisco Bay and to the encouragement of the Bay’s responsible use.

…

The Commission’s large and diverse membership–which includes representatives of virtually everyone who has an interest in the Bay–allows BCDC to serve as a forum where affected agencies and interests can gather to coordinate their perspectives. As a result, BCDC’s decisions often represent a political consensus of what is in the best interest of the Bay…

Don’t click through until you’ve made your decision.  Honor system folks!

Things ain’t what they used to be

Which is why you should get out to Alameda’s Earth Day Festival  and Sustainable Living Symposium.  It’s what Marvin Gaye would have wanted you to do.   The festivities are this Saturday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at Washington Park.   The Sustainable Living Symposium is all a part of the City’s efforts to cut our greehouse gas  emmissions collectively.   What is great about a lot of the programmed activities is that it shows you, regular old citizen you, a few ways to make positive change even if you can’t make the big committments like going all vegetarian or giving up your car.  When Michael Ruhlman waxes poetic about the wonders of duck confit, vegtarianism is not an option, but I digress.

So here is a listing of the events with brief descriptions of what’s going on:

A sporting chance

Tonight, SunCal is hosting an event at Otaez at 6:00 p.m. to discuss the sports complex and other recreational facilities included in the SunCal plan.   I imagine that if you are intending to go that you have already RSVPed.   And if you have not gone to the Alameda Point site lately it’s all upgrade-y with maps and things which under the heading of  “Tour“

Here’s how I envision the meeting going down.  

There will be some folks legitimately there to listen to the presentation about the sports facilities, but the meeting will largely be hijacked by folks who want to scream and yell at SunCal for the petition gathering process.   There might be some accusations of lying.   There might be some fist shaking.  Probably will be some signs.   If ActiontoSaveourCityforaBetterAlameda can get their act together maybe they will have enough time to cobble together yet another protest and a media push to advertise the protest.

Do as I say, not as I do

Apparently in the midst of all the allegations of “misrepresentation” and “lies” that have been told by the Alameda Point initative signature gatherers, conveniently summed up as just SunCal in general, there have been a few complaints to the offices of the City Clerk and the City Attorney. At one City Council meeting, Councilmember Doug deHaan decided to weigh in as well.

Words like violence

Today is the National Day of Silence, the purpose of which is to bring attention to the bullying and harassment that occurs at schools across the nation everyday.  Unfortunately, some children — despite support at home — are unable to cope with the daily taunting and the results are tragic.    Earlier this month, an 11 year old in Massachusetts hung himself because he was unable to psychologically handle the bullying.   From Essence.com:

Sirdeaner Walker, 44, is ferociously protective of her four children. So when her 11-year-old son Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover complained to her last September of being bullied by students at the New Leadership Charter School in Springfield, Massachusetts, for “acting gay,” she did something about it. She spoke to his principal, teachers and guidance counselor and became more active in the Parent Teachers Organization. But the teasing and threats continued and Carl started acting out in school, becoming increasingly fearful and felt even more alienated.