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Showing posts from 2007

YouTube's Chad Hurley & VC Tim Draper at BizWorld Lunch

I had the pleasure of attending a great lunch event. YouTube Co-Founder Chad Hurley was the featured guest at the BizWorld.org luncheon on December 4th, 2007. He was introduced by MySpace Co-Founder Brett Brewer and interviewed by Tim Draper, VC & Managing Director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson. In the talk, Draper asked Hurley questions surrounding YouTube after its acquisition by Google, and really focused on the changing landscape of the online advertising industry and how YouTube was responding to it. Hurley said that Youtube's success rests in the constantly growing inventory of video content that people want to see. As for the Google relationship, Hurley commented on their food and the large resource base that they have at their disposal for growth and for legal protection, although he didn't say that directly. Hurley also pointed to YouTube's new relationships with educational institutions like UC Berkeley and MIT, where students can view class lectures online.

Montera Elementary School - In Trouble? Times Have Changed!

This is news to me. In the 70s and 80s, Montera was a well-regarded school. Not any more. I think many of the school problems have to do with a lack of money and a too-easy society that let's kids go without any discipline or comment. New principal brings order to Montera Direct approach to difficult issues at Oakland school paying off, parents say By Katy Murphy, STAFF WRITER Article Last Updated: 12/23/2007 02:38:39 AM PST OAKLAND ON A COOL evening in early November, dozens of elementary school parents gathered at Montclair Elementary School to hear a sales pitch from the man who could soon be their children's middle school principal — if they liked what they saw. Russom Mesfun is the new principal of Montera Middle School, an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse school in the North Oakland hills. A native of Eritrea and a former assistant principal at Skyline High School, Mesfun returned to Oakland after a one-year stint as principal of Christa McAuliffe Middle Sch

Easy Lounge Owner Calls - Took Care Of Situation - Thanks From OaklandFocus

Last week, I had the pleasure of talking to the owner of Easy Lounge on Lakeshore and where I had the very unpleasant encounter which I openly attributed to racism. Without going into detail about the conversation, I can happily report that the matter was taken care of. But there's one thing I have to adress, as the owner asked me "Why did you assume racism?" My answer was long and heartfelt. I explained that first his employee's treatment of me was exclusive to me -- not anyone else -- and I'd just arrived. Second, we'd never met before. Third, it was dismissive. Fourth, racism is a form of rejection and given that I had no other personal reference point with him, and a lot of experience with racist episodes that were similar in profile, I felt justified in my conclusion. He understood. I think Kolin, who owns Easy, is a good person who's trying to have an estatablishment that's a positive part of the Lake Merritt and Oakland experience.

Hot Pink Feathers Christmas Video From Cafe Van Kleef

Hot Pink Feathers is the popular dance group that performs at Cafe Van Cleef (on 1621 Telegraph in Downtown Oakland) on the first Saturday of each month. This video -- their "Christmas Video" done by me -- is based on clips made at that event. Come see "The Feathers" at Cafe Van Kleef or whereever they appear. Visit their website at http://www.hotpinkfeathers.com

Oakland's Burckhalter Elementary School and Sankofa Academy Remain Open - Tribune

Two Oakland schools escape closure District postpones decision to close Burckhalter, Sankofa for another year By Katy Murphy, STAFF WRITER Article Last Updated: 12/20/2007 06:19:56 AM PST OAKLAND — Burckhalter Elementary School and Sankofa Academy will remain open through the 2008-09 school year. School district staff, who had originally recommended that they be closed, decided it would be best to postpone the decision for at least one year. After hearing some of the community input and the remarks from the board, they sat down and decided to re-evaluate, said Troy Flint, the school district's spokesman. Last week, during an emotional meeting at the district office, many speakers urged the district to keep the schools open. Many argued that the closures in recent years have disproportionately affected African-American families. Sixty-one percent of Burckhalter's students and 92 percent of Sankofa's students are African-American. A staff report on recent school closures supp

Another Senseless Oakland Killing - 16 Year Old "John Doe" - Tribune

This is totally terrible as no one knows who he is. Terrible. Police seek ID of Oakland slaying victim Article Last Updated: 12/18/2007 10:01:27 AM PST OAKLAND — Homicide detectives and the Alameda County Coroner are still trying to identify a young man, possibly between 16 and 18 years old, found shot to death early Saturday. He had no identification on him; no one in Oakland has reported him missing and he had injuries to his hands so fingerprints are difficult, Oakland homicide Detective Sgt. Jim Rullamas said Monday. "We've got nothing on him, no ID, no suspects, no motive for why he was shot," Rullamas said. "He looked young to me, between 16 and 18, he could be older," he said. He was about 5-feet-6, slender build, an African American with medium, light skin, Rullamas said. He was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, he said. The victim was found in the 2700 block of Harold Street, not far from the Fruitvale onramp to southbound I-580. A passer-by sa

"Oakland Speaks" - Video Interviews On Cost Of Living In Oakland

I discovered this video on YouTube.com called "Oakland Speaks" and not to give too much away, but it's a well-done, heartfelt look at Oakland's culture and housing costs. One woman says there's a connection between jobs and violence -- in other words, we need more jobs. She also says that we're losing people at a rapid pace, every day. Here's the video:

Bloggers Moan Lack of Retail In Oakland During Christmas

Bloggers like Refin and Nancy Friedman have openly pointed to Oakland's chronic lack of retail venues during the holidays. Friedman writes... It's prime shopping season, and my fair city is in a world of hurt. The weekend before last I attended a town meeting convened by my city councilwoman at which a consultant delivered the depressing news that Oakland is losing $1 billion a year in potential retail sales to neighboring cities. (In the trade, that's known as "leakage.") Once upon a time, downtown Oakland was home to four major department stores, a big furniture store, and several swanky boutiques. The tide began turning in the 1980s, thanks to lackluster leadership, rising crime, and general cluelessness. The Loma Prieta earthquake, in 1989, delivered the coup de grâce. Some downtown structures were never repaired and remain vacant. Today Oakland, a city of about 400,000, has only one department store: Sears. To shop at Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Home D

After A Year, "Easy" Lounge Still Has A Race Problem; Or At Least Brian The Bartender Does

I just returned from a brief trip to Easy Bar on Lakeshore Avenue. I don't frequent the establishment, but time-removed from the opening-day episode where it seemed that the White male bartender employees were being way too macho with their patrons of color, including yours truly, I gradually went back to the place. Easy's got a nice decor and I have personally felt that it's good to support Oakland business, rather than jaunt over to San Francisco. Plus, I had a programming assignment, finished it early, went shopping late, and figured, what the heck, I'll give Easy a try and go home and get some sleep. Well, I walked in sat down, and waited. And then I waited. And then I elected to give a glance and one of the two White make bartenders finally came over and took my order and made the cocktail. Fine. After about 10 minutes of looking at a high movie screen, I had an idea for a political fundraiser that I could do there. So, even though I know the owner's on

A Plea For More Detailed Descriptions Of People By Oakland Neighbors

This Yahoo! Message Board post really bothered me: Around 4pm today there was a young African-American (teenager 15-18yo) on a bike wearing a black jacket and black knit cap. I watched him ride his bike up and down Vernon a few times checking out cars and apartments. I called the OPD non-emergency number just in case for peace of mind. It seemed like he was checking out the neighborhood. Just thought I would give everyone a heads up. That caused me to answer back with a plea for all to first, ask questions. That teenager could very well be someone who lives in the neighborhood who's just riding close to home. I talk to people; so should you. If you're reading this and have some weird racial boundary issues, do us all a favor and get rid of them. Please. Thanks!

Amanda Stokes Missing In Oakland - Worked at Cafe De Bartolo on Grand Av

Amanda Stokes, a 33-year-old blonde white female at 5 foot 4 inches is missing and has been since Sunday, November 25th. According to a flyer that's posted at Oakland's Cafe De Bartolo on Grand Avenue, her car was found at 5000 Park Blvd -- a Black 2001 Honda Accord -- across from the Lutheran Church. If you recognize the photo and live in the Adams Point / China Hill area, it's because she worked at Cafe De Bartolo. If you have any information, please call 404-931-7044. Here are other photos of Amanda with friends.

Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland Sold For Use By Vital Life Services - Tribune

And so ends an era of politics, fear, violence, and murder. Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland officially sold By Josh Richman, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE Article Last Updated: 11/30/2007 08:46:41 AM PST OAKLAND - A - U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge has approved the sale of the defunct Your Black Muslim Bakery's North Oakland headquarters for use as a nonprofit center serving people with AIDS and other critical illnesses. In a hearing Thursday afternoon, Judge Edward Jellen authorized court-appointed trustee Tevis Thompson to sell the property at 5832 San Pablo Ave. for $1,052,000 cash to NCK LLC, a partnership buying the property for Vital Life Services. The money will go toward satisfying the bankrupt bakery's creditors, including an investment fund holding the mortgage on the building, the Internal Revenue Service, and the state Franchise Tax Board, among others. Jellen also approved a back-up offer of $1,051,000 tendered by Paulette Arbuckle, a North Oakland woman whose real

Uptown, Cafe VanKleef, Air Lounge, Luka's - Find Them All Here!

Looking for Uptown, Cafe VanKleef, Air Lounge, Luka's and other Oakland nightspots and eateries? You can find them all here! Now, Oakland Focus has a new widget on the right where you can see the location of restaurants and nightspots in downtown Oakland and around Lake Merritt. Give it a spin and tell your friends! And stay tuned for more Oakland-specific tools here!

City Council Considers "8-Foot Bubble" Around Abortion Clinic Visitors

This is from Wiretap Blog Save The Bubble The idea is pretty straight forward: An 8-foot bubble of private space should be required around anyone entering a reproductive health facility, including those that provide abortion care. Seems simple enough, right? Too bad nothing involving the word "abortion" is ever that simple. In fact, at a recent City Council meeting in Oakland, CA where this notion was proposed as an ordinance, the pro-life/anti-choice community showed up en mass to articulate why they were adamantly opposed to the city adopting this law. It went like this, people in favor of the "bubble ordinance" took turns at the podium recounting instances when demonstrators had pushed and assaulted clinic staff, blocked entrances to facilities, prohibited cars from entering clinic parking lots, and even videotaped and photographed patients as they entered clinic property. They turned the spotlight off of the abortion issue and onto public safety, explaining

Chauncey Bailey Interviews Phil Tagami On Fox Theater

Click To Play This interview was conducted in 2003, just as the effort to restore the Oakland Fox Theater had embarked anew. Here, Phil talks about the importance of the involvement of minority contractors in the restoration of the Fox Theater. He also talks about how he and others have worked to draw more retail, and how now-former Mayor Jerry Brown helped in drawing institutional dollars to Oakand. Chauncey Bailey was murdered earlier this year.

64 Percent Back A's Fremont Ballpark Proposal - Will They Pay For It?

This article below is from KNTV San Francisco -- somehow the Oakland Tribune missed this. But at any rate, I wonder if the residents would feel that way if they had to pay for it? I think the survey may have been rigged to get a positive outcome. 64% Back A's Fremont Ballpark Proposal Researchers: Fremont 'Strongly Supports' A's Ballpark Village POSTED: 2:12 pm PST November 14, 2007 UPDATED: 3:53 pm PST November 14, 2007 FREMONT, Calif. -- Residents of Fremont strongly back a proposal for a new Oakland A's "ballpark village" project, according to results released by a research firm hired by the team. A's organization officials said they hired EMC Research to determine the public's reaction to the plan, released the results Wednesday. According to the telephone survey of Fremont residents, a strong majority supports a new ballbark village complex in the city. Sixty-two percent said they supported the project. Thirty-two percent said they were opp

Oakland Tribune Focuses On Lake Merritt Cathedral

Cathedral near Lake Merritt could stimulate urban uplift By Rebecca Rosen Lum, Staff Writer - OAKLAND TRIBUNE OAKLAND - Light is the pivotal feature of the 110-foot high Cathedral of Christ the Light sanctuary. As the lakefront cathedral complex has taken shape, it has also generated plenty of heat. The cathedral itself has been compared to a nuclear reactor, a basket wrapped in glass, an architectural symphony and, in the words of Bishop Allen Vigneron, "A great soaring vault." Architectural merits aside, Oakland's business community says it is also helping to generate something the district needs: economic development. "I think it's an absolutely phenomenal project," said Joe Haraburda, director of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. "It will become another landmark that people will visit and (will help them) come to appreciate Oakland for the diverse place it is. It will stimulate more interest in Oakland — yes, in development, too." W

Oakland Boards and Commissions - List

This is great advice and direction if you wish to serve on Boards and Commissions in Oakland. (Scroll down for the list.) The City of Oakland has over forty Boards and Commissions on which more than four hundred citizens serve as members. The system of boards and commissions provides an opportunity for residents who have special experience, expertise, and interests to participate in the City's decision-making processes by advising the City Council on numerous issues. These groups provide a forum for greater community participation and input into local government to facilitate quality decisions. Although each City Board or Commission has a different purpose and function, all serve in an advisory capacity to the City Council by addressing community needs. Board members and commissioners perform an invaluable service in assisting the Council to fulfill its obligations to the citizens of Oakland. If you wish to serve on a Board or Commission, read more and download an application a

Judge Orders Oak To Ninth EIR To Be Rewritten - Tribune

Some who are against the Oak to Ninth project will claim this as a victory, but that's wrong. This doens't throw out the Oakland City Council's approval of the project, as reported elsewhere. Judge tosses Oak-to-Ninth impact report New development project write-up in works taking into account court's concerns By Kelly Rayburn, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE Article Last Updated: 11/21/2007 02:42:49 AM PST OAKLAND — Two sides are claiming victory this week after a Superior Court judge issued a ruling on two lawsuits that challenged Oakland's massive Oak-to-Ninth development project. The legal battle pitted the city and project developer Oakland Harbor Partners against the Coalition of Advocates for Lake Merritt and the Oakland Heritage Alliance over questions of whether the city adequately considered the impact the project will have on the surrounding environment. The two groups filed separate lawsuits. Judge Jo-Lynne Q. Lee ruled on them simultaneously Friday. I

City of Berkeley Responsible For Hole In Fence That Man Passed Through, Leading To His Death

As it seems, more and more, cities and counties and states must take care of their roads, freeways, and right-of-ways, else they could be massively sued. City of Berkeley Responsible For Hole In Fence That Man Passed Through, Leading To His Death - Daily Californian After a man was killed by a train while trying to take a shortcut across the tracks Thursday, railroad investigators say the city of Berkeley was responsible for fixing a hole in the fence he intended to pass through. While walking and talking on his cell phone, Berkeley resident Scott Slaughter, 31, was fatally struck at 8:15 a.m. by a Chicago-bound Amtrak train just east of the Berkeley station under the University Avenue overpass. Instead of walking farther to a pedestrian crossing at Hearst Avenue, Slaughter attempted to cross two sets of tracks to pass through a hole cut in the fence on the other side, said officials at the Alameda County Coroner’s Office. “He was on his way to Truitt & White lumberyard, where

Flawed Oak To Ninth Referendum Killed By City Attorney, But Lawsuit Challenge To Action Dropped

Flawed Oak To Ninth Referendum Killed By City Attorney, But Lawsuit Challenge To Action Dropped In October of 2006, and pointing to a major flaw in a referendum to delay the controversial Oak to Ninth Development Project, Oakland City Attorney John Russo killed the petition drive. The reasons he gave at the time were: Here are the facts: • The City of Oakland is required, upon request, to provide a date-stamped, certified, hard-copy of any ordinance; • The Referendum Committee finally requested a certified, hard-copy of the ordinance on September 8 th –several weeks AFTER the signatures had been turned in; • The Referendum Committee claims they were told by the City Clerk’s office they could download the ordinance from the website, but cannot tell us who specifically gave them this direction; • The copy of the ordinance that the Referendum Committee used read “NOT ACCURATE –TO BE UPDATED” on the Table of Contents; • Even though one of the primary concerns for the Committee was a pote

Franklin Square Wine Bar's Open Accross From Luka's

Well, I've not checked it out, yet, but OaklandGoods has . I'm writing about the report that the new Franklin Square Wine Bar's open for business. It was started by the founders of Luka's next door -- well accross the street (Broadway) -- and from what my friends tell me, it's quite nice. Franklin Square Wine Bar, 2212 broadway, 510.251.0100

Fox Theater Opened..Website That Is - www.OaklandFox.com

Although it's one year -- actually less than that -- away, the website for the Fox Theater is now live and operational. It's an informative publication at http://www.oaklandfox.com and shows how the "Fox Theater Restoration Project", under the direction of California Commercial Group and Phil Tagami, is coming along toward its October 2008 completion. Visit the site, and donate to the construction effort . When you do, this is what you get... $250 Friend of the Oakland Fox: 2 Grand Opening Gala Tickets $500 First Nighter: 4 Grand Opening Gala Tickets $1,000 Key Grip: 8 Grand Opening Gala Tickets, Lobby Recognition Plaque and more! $2,500 Best Boy: 8 Grand Opening Gala Tickets, Tile on the Fox Walkway of Stars and more! $5,000 Stage Manager: Reserved Table at Opening Night Gala, VIP Access for 4 guests and more! $10,000 Promoter: Your Name or Logo on the Promoter Banner, 2 Tickets to exclusive Green Room Reception and more! $25,000 Headliner: Your

Hate Crimes Down In East Bay; San Francisco Highest In California

While this Oakland Tribune report explains how the East Bay -- which includes Oakland -- has a declining hate crimes rate, this article in the San Francisco Examiner points to a finding that San Francisco, while seeing a declining rate as well, as a statistic higher than that for any city in California. Drop in East Bay hate crimes defies trend By Matthias Gafni, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE Article Last Updated: 11/20/2007 08:26:24 AM PST Despite a jump of nearly 8 percent in hate crime incidents nationwide last year, the East Bay continued to see a downward trend, according to the FBI's hate crime report released Monday. Contra Costa and Alameda counties have seen their combined hate crime numbers drop 36 percent since 2002, according to the statistics. Hate crimes have dropped each of those years, with a five-year low of 53 last year. The release of the 2006 hate crime statistics comes as two East Contra Costa agencies continue to investigate two high-profile alleged hate

Lenore Anderson Is Mayor Dellums New Public Safety Director - East Bay Express' Anneli Rufus Hates Her For Some Reason

According to the Newsletter of Ron Dellums, Lenore Anderson's the Mayor's newest public safety diretor. This is what the Mayor's Office reported on November 16th 2007: Per the recommendations of the Public Safety Task Force, Mayor Dellums appointed Lenore Anderson as public safety director. Lenore job will be to implement the mayor's public safety vision - a vision that incorporates Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement and Sustainability strategies to bring peace to Oakland communities. Since joining the mayor's office, she has been working to expand the number of officers on the street to the current city-mandated ceiling, while partnering with community organizations to provide intensive intervention and prevention options for Oakland. "Public safety is my Administration's top priority," said Mayor Dellums. "Lenore Anderson is an Oakland resident who understands what our city is facing and knows how to get things done." Anderson lives

Mayor Dellums Appoints Margaret Gordon and Victor Uno As Port Commissioners

This news comes from the same Newsletter by Mayor Ron Dellums as the other post below. I don't know anything of value about either appointee. Margaret Gordon' a long time player in West Oakland, so I guess that's some information of value, eh? Mayor Dellums' two Port Commission appointments were overwhelmingly approved by the Oakland City Council this month. "Both Margaret Gordon and Victor Uno embody my sincere interest in addressing the critical and wide-ranging issues facing our City's port," said Mayor Dellums. Over the last decade, Gordon, a West Oakland resident, has become a strong public health and environmental advocate for her community, meanwhile gaining regional and statewide respect for her knowledge of the issues. Victor Uno, brings to the Port Commission an extensive labor background, as he is currently a National Board Member for the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO, and the Business Manager for the International Brothe

Mayor Dellums Saves Affordable Housing Units In Chinatown

I got this note from the Newsletter of Ron Dellums via email. This is part of the Mayor's Office' push to get it's message and work properly communicated to Oaklanders. OAKLAND - Mayor Dellums joined city leadership, community groups, and tenant families to announce a major victory when a settlement was reached to preserve 50 affordable housing units at the Pacific Renaissance development in Chinatown, as well as facilitating the development of at least 50 new low-income housing units in the same community. "The affordable housing need of the Chinatown community greatly outstrips the current housing stock. With the growing numbers of families and seniors overburdened by rent, it was imperative for me to resolve the Pacific Renaissance litigation in a way that would optimize the number of new affordable housing units in Chinatown to provide stable, quality, and affordable housing," he stated.

Cal v. USC 2007 - Video Sights and Sounds In The Rain

Well, this was one Cal - USC game I expected us, Cal, to win. We came up on the back-end of a 24-17 score to a team we should have beat. But as much as people will talk about the game, they'll talk about the rain more. That was perhaps a one-in-a-lifetime experience to be at a Cal-USC game where the rain not only played a role on the field, but off. It was everywhere. Fortunately, I had my umbrella and stood and walked the entire time. That's more than I could say for a lot of people, who undoubtedly have colds by now. Watch "the rain come down."

A Mike Gravel Supporter In Oakland On Gravel and MSNB

I got into a conversation with this person (who didn't want to be named) on Oakland and politics, when she started talking about why she supports Senator Mike Gravel for President. This was so frankly unusual -- because so many people mention Obama or Clinton or Giuliani or Ron Paul -- that I asked her if I could get her to talk on camera. She agreed and this was the result.

Massive Bay Oil Spill Damages Bay Area Life - Oakland Tribune

Governor declares state of emergency Coast Guard scrutinized for response time, investigation continues By Kristin Bender and William Brand STAFF WRITERS - Oakland Tribune Article Last Updated: 11/10/2007 02:37:05 AM PST IMPACT TO BE FELT FOR YEARS Oil spoils plans for weekend As the governor declared a state of emergency Friday that will bring state money to oil spill cleanup efforts, hundreds of crews and a hefty amount of oil-skimming equipment had soaked up about 30 percent of the oil that gushed into the San Francisco Bay on Wednesday. As cleanup of the 58,000-gallon oil spill in the Bay continued full-bore, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger came to Fort Mason and signeda proclamation of a state of emergency. This allows the state to deploy emergency personnel and equipment and gives officials the right to tap into a state trust fund to ensure that resources are being used to expedite the cleanup, Schwarzenegger said. Officials estimated that roughly 17,500 gallons of bunker fuel oil had