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According to Forbes , San Francisco and Oakland rank #4 as the best place for singles. Now, they ranked such amenities as nightlife and culture, and I'll say that it's certainly gotten better even over the last two years. It seems that -- from my perspective -- diversity is less of an issue now, even than two years ago. Plus, well, there are a lot of single people here. But what's cool is that Oakland's part of the index, and it's reflection of the growing number of places to go here. Personally, I've always thought of San Francisco and Oakland as one big city, anyway.

According to today's Oakland Tribune , the Wayans have dropped out of any futher development discussions with the City of Oakland regarding the path of West Oakland land that I've long considered really under Port ownership. They ceased talks because the Port's plans would get in their way. The land near it has been part of the redevelopment plans for the Port for decades, al the way back to when I was Economic Advisor to Mayor Harris. The Wayans proposal is really not well suited for that part of town, but for Third and Linden Street, near Jack London Square.

This is a shocking report delivered as a video by me and about a document and its findings called "Violent, Property, Crime & Arrest Rates" in Oakland. The video has the details and I'll lay them out in a text fashion in another blog post.

I just went over for a quick visit and yep, post after post on crime in Oakland. Vsmoothe will eventually be driven to deep depression over this -- best to stop before it's too late. That's what I did!

From the Oakland Tribune Oakland newsman Bailey to be laid to rest Wednesday By Kristin Bender, STAFF WRITER - OAKLAND TRIBUNE Article Last Updated: 08/07/2007 02:47:50 AM PDT It was in 1973 when Chauncey Bailey asked his journalism teacher at Merritt College for some career advice that would forever change the coverage of African-American issues in Oakland and make Mr. Bailey a noted and constant presence in print, radio and television here for the past 15 years. Back then, Mr. Bailey had recently earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from San Jose State University but, not unlike many young people, he wasn't quite sure what to do next. "He asked me, 'Should I join the Black Panther Party or go into the newspaper business?" said Bailey's former journalism instructor Charles Aikens, who worked as a sports writer for the Oakland Tribune in the late 1960s. "I said, 'It would be better to get that daily newspaper experience and bring the skills you

Oakland journalist shot dead in street Motive not known in slaying of Post editor By Harry Harris and Angela Hill, STAFF WRITERS Article Last Updated: 08/03/2007 07:33:11 AM PDT Unidentified mourners observe a moment of prayer at the spot where Oakland Post editor Chauncey... OAKLAND — In what police called a targeted killing, longtime Bay Area journalist Chauncey Bailey was ambushed and fatally shot Thursday morning at 14th and Alice streets in downtown as he walked to the Oakland Post, where he recently had been named editor. Investigators so far have only a vague description of the gunman and no motive in the shooting. "We have not ruled out anything, including whether it was work-related or a personal dispute," said Oakland homicide Sgt. Derwin Longmire. "But this was no random act. He was the target of a deliberate murder." About 7:25 a.m., Bailey, 57, a former Oakland Tribune reporter, was walking to work from an apartment where he had recently been living nea