It must be that time of the year as the egregious personal attacks and conspiracy theories continue unabated around town and online. Perhaps it was only fitting that the setting for the most recent episode was the aptly titled “rants and raves” forum on Craigslist.
How about a meaningful debate on issues? No sirree bob, that would be so very old school (never mind the fact that some of the very folks indulging in this personal attacks profess a desire to retain Alameda’s old world charm).
Late breaking news from Don Roberts … a typo in a reader’s letter! What did you expect? A proclamation to stop the presses now that the relationship between the complexity classes P and NP has finally been established? C’mon, give the guy a break. As I said before, Woodward and Bernstein, alamedadailynews certainly ain’t! 
California has recently been in forefront in the battle against climate change with a landmark legislation to cut green house gas emissions by 25% over the next 15 years. This is also expected to decrease emissions to the 1990 level.
Proposition 87 is another step in the right direction. This would establish a $4bn program to reduce petroleum consumption by 25%, by providing research and production incentives for alternative energy technologies. Funding for this program would come from a tax of 1.5% to 6% (depending on oil price per barrel) on producers of oil extracted in California. The proposition explicitly prohibits producers from passing tax to consumers.
Naturally, this has gotten the oil companies into a tizzy and they are sparing no expense to discredit the proposition. After all, $10bn in quarterly profits only goes so far these days!
Alameda’s very own, the venerable Don Roberts has a list of endorsements for the upcoming election. Naturally, this being alamedadailynews.com, there are no explanations or rationale behind the choices. Simply put, this is akin to the voice of god commanding you to do his bidding. This might have worked in the 18th century, but not in today’s world. Voters are hoping for an informed debate on the merits of a candidate, his/her stance on various issues of relevant interest and perhaps a summary on why this person deserves to be elected. But no sirree bob, no such formalities for our resident pontiff Roberts.
It must be pointed out that Don also endorsed Tony Daysog for the State Assembly in the June 06 elections — as displayed prominently on Daysog’s web site. Unfortunately, the endorsement did squat for Daysog and he finished last with 9.7% of the votes (it is another matter that Daysog is now running for yet another position: AC Transit board of directors, but his website hasn’t been updated since the June elections). Hmmmm, a candidate whose website is outdated with only 6 weeks to go before the elections gets a ringing endorsement (again)?
The League of Women Voters of Alameda is sponsoring a panel discussion on the transportation challenges and opportunities posed by pending waterfront development projects in both Alameda and Oakland
When: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 28
Where: O Club, 641 West Redline Avenue, Alameda
The public is invited to this free event, and light refreshments will be provided. Waterfront developments such as the Oak to 9th project in Oakland, as well as Alameda Point and Alameda Landing in Alameda, will result in large increases in both residential population and commercial activity. How might thousands of additional housing units, new businesses, and related support services proposed for the two cities affect traffic congestion, especially access to and from local freeways and in the island city of Alameda?
THE PANELISTS:
Matthew Ridgway, AICP. A principal of Fehr and Peers in San Francisco, Matt headed the transportation planning for both the Oak to 9th Street Project and the Alameda Point Preliminary Development Concept process.H. E. Christian “Chris” Peeples. Chris has served as Director At Large on the AC Transit District Board since 1997.
MODERATOR:
Kate Quick, President, League of Women Voters of Alameda
It is that time of the year again, general elections are around the corner. Often times, work (and other annoying irritants) get in the way of us casting our vote on Election Day. As we’ve seen from the fiasco in Florida, every single vote counts. So, rather than not voting at all, a relatively painless option is to vote by absentee ballot. It is easy, stress free and you vote from the comfort of your living room. And unlike the electronic voting machines, you are guaranteed that your vote will be counted (as it should be, in a democracy!).
Lauren has extensive coverage on the election scene, so I will just redirect readers to the source.
A recent NYT article features a local Alameda company that manufactures clothing based on nanotechnology.
Contourwear, a women’s clothing maker in Alameda, Calif., uses a Schoeller fabric with a NanoSphere coating for its Anywear pants ($156). Neide Cooley, of Breckenridge, Colo., wore a pair of these pants, she said, for ”10 days straight all over Peru.” A serious adventure traveler, Ms. Cooley, who is retired, will soon take along her Anywear pants on a three-week horse-and-camel-riding trip to Mongolia with ”a group of cowgirl friends,” she said. (They plan to ride the camels in the Gobi desert.) The pants, which come in brown, black, green and charcoal, have coin pockets at the hip and passport pockets hidden at both ankles.
These pants look and feel like most others, but the ingenious finish on the fabric is different: it is made of tiny, nanosized particles that repel water, ketchup, honey, blood, vinaigrette and a thousand other potential indignities. With such a surface, if coffee is spilled on you, it just beads up or runs off. The pants can be wiped with a paper napkin — even the skimpy cocktail kind handed out on airplanes — leaving the material dry and unscathed.
Admittedly, the price is a bit steep. But being able to wear the same pants for 10 days without it showing any traces of grime and smell is a huge advantage and makes packing a breeze (adios to checked in baggage?) 
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