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This is the latest crime committed in the Adams Point area of Oakland near Lake Merritt. A stolen car. The car that was stolen was a 1996 Grey Saturn (don't know of the model). License plate 3RJJ827. Nothing to distinguish though. It was a Boys & Girls Clubs of SF vehicle so if you see any marketing materials around (the trunk was full of promotion materials), then let me know via this blog.

Ignacio De La Fuente and Nancy Nadel, both Oakland Councilmembers and candidates for Mayor, are suffering from terrible poll numbers which spell victory for their competitor, former-Congressman Ron Dellums. Not willing to try a more effective strategy, both Nadel and De La Fuente, both comfortable with political backstabbing techniques, dropped a news story that Dellums served as consultant to the U.S. Military. BIG DEAL. Anyone who knows and has followed Dellums is aware of his incredible knoweldge of the US Armed Forces and his constant calls for a more efficient military. Some -- including the two candidates -- have made the mistake of painting Dellums into a position of one who wants to dismantle the US defense. Not even close. Dellums is a military policy wonk and thus somewhat confusing to those who don't look at the details of life. All of this crying about his lobbying contract has the tinge of desparate campaigns on the wane.

Recent Earthquakes in California and Nevada - Website == PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT == California Integrated Seismic Net USGS/ Caltech/ CGS/ UCB/ UCSD/ UNR Version #2: This report supersedes any earlier reports of this event. This is a computer-generated message. This event has not yet been reviewed by a seismologist. A minor earthquake occurred at 1:41:42 PM (PST) on Tuesday, March 21, 2006. The magnitude 3.8 event occurred 6 km (4 miles) SE of Moraga, CA. The hypocentral depth is 13 km ( 8 miles). Magnitude 3.8 - local magnitude (ML) Time Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 1:41:42 PM (PST) Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at 21:41:42 (UTC) Distance from Moraga, CA - 6 km (4 miles) SE (129 degrees) Alamo, CA - 6 km (4 miles) SW (215 degrees) Danville, CA - 9 km (5 miles) W (270 degrees) Oakland, CA - 14 km (8 miles) E (82 degrees) San Francisco City Hall, CA - 31 km (19 miles) E (82 degrees) Coordinates 37 deg. 48.7 min. N (37.812N), 122 deg. 4.4 min. W (122.074W) Depth 13.2 km (8.2 miles) Location...

Well, no sparks here. But just wait Mayoral candidates look to city's future De La Fuente, Dellums, Nadel discuss schools, policing and revitalization By William Brand, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE OAKLAND — The three candidates for mayor offered differing visions of the future of the city Saturday at a well-attended town hall meeting at St. Lawrence O'Toole Catholic Church. Candidates Ignacio De La Fuente and Nancy Nadel emphasized their years of experience on the City Council to combat the star power of retired congressman Ron Dellums. Dellums, who retired from Congress in 1998 after serving the East Bay since 1971, said he would greatly augment Mayor Jerry Brown's plan to bring 10,000 new residents to downtown Oakland to revitalize the area. "Ten-thousand people doesn't get you there," Dellums said. "You've got to think big; there should be 100,000 people downtown; there should be new office buildings, with mixed-use commercial. With 100,000 peo...

This is shocking as it's too close to home. But the guys who did this are still around, so be alert. Also, look around and get to know your neighbors. Some think that by keeping their head down it keeps others away. Nope. Best to keep your head up and observe! Here's the Oakland Tribune article below: Killing sends chill through Grand Lake Insurance agent gunned down inside office in area generally thought safe By Kristin Bender and Harry Harris, STAFF WRITERS OAKLAND — The fatal shooting Friday morning of an insurance salesman in his Grand Lake district office has residents and merchants wondering whether the bloodshed usually seen in East and West Oakland is seeping into typically safe areas. Police said Mark Kharmats, 46, of Oakland was shot about 11 a.m. inside his Cal West Insurance office at 3661 Grand Ave. He was rushed to Highland Hospital Oakland, where he died a few hours later. Witnesses said they saw two men running from the two-story office building where th...

I just talked to a long time friend who's a well-known figure in Oakland Politics. When I asked him who he was backing for Mayor, he said "Ignacio's my friend, but he can't beat Ron Dellums (pictured to the left). In polling he's way ahead (of Ignacio) by factor of three-to-one. Dellums has 51 percent, but Ignacio can't get pass 17 percent." When I asked why Ignacio (who's at the left) didn't just drop out of the race considering the terrible poll numbers, my friend says "Ignacio knows this, but is going forward anyway. Ron (Dellums) may have a harder time with (Oakland mayoral candidate Nancy) Nadel." Nancy Nadel's (pictured at right) the true dark horse in this campaign. The District Three Councilmember appeals to the same progressive base as Dellums, doesn't have anywhere near the number of naysayers as De La Fuente, and is female -- an advantage in a city well-known for electing women elected officials. Nancy's one ve...

I understand that Congresswoman Barbara Lee is holding an anti-war meeting at the Grand Lake Theater this Saturday at 9 AM.