TownSquare on PaloAltoOnline.com

'Historic bike ride'? How about 'Historic Lack of Planning'?

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:04:38 PDT

I don't get it. I've seen this cyclist around town on his hiwheel bike. He tried to cycle across the country but gave it up in Utah: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12752007?source=most_viewed&nclick_check=1 He seems like a nice enough guy. But, wow, what a HUGE lack of planning. I don't think the profile of him/his ride by the SJ Murky News did him any favors. I'm wondering why he bothered with less than 20% of the funding needed in hand. Expecting others along the way of any journey to help you out is not a viable plan. It's actually kind of presumptuous. Now he's homeless in Palo Alto but already talking about doing it again in 2010? I mean.... jeez.... I certainly wouldn't donate to his rides, he doesn't come off as someone who plans real well. I'd donate to a fund to find him a place to live, maybe. But not for another ride cross-country. I can't imagine there aren't other cycling advocates who would use such a donation in a more efficient or better manner.

In celebration of the 4th

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:30:33 PDT

A musical treat performed by school choirs (not known where) http://www.greatdanepromilitary.com/Battle%20Hymn/index.htm

City, union battle over wage cuts

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 22:34:44 PDT

Facing salary reductions and uncertainty over future benefits, dozens of workers from Palo Alto's largest labor union sang protest songs, carried picket signs and chanted "No takeaways!" and "We'll be back!" in front of the City Hall Monday evening. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11259 posted Friday, July 3, 2009, 12:00 AM

'Baa baa' blood test to save lives in Third World

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:12:51 PDT

The newest revolution in microbiology testing walks on four legs and says "baa," according to Stanford University School of Medicine researchers. Hair sheep, a less-hirsute version of the familiar woolly barnyard resident, are perfect blood donors for the microbiology tests necessary to diagnose infectious disease in the developing world Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12950 posted Friday, July 3, 2009, 8:33 PM

GOP Looking for a Voice

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:31:44 PDT

Full disclosure: I am a registered Democat. And I think it is important that there are two healthy political parties that guide what goes on in State Houses and in DC. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's announced stepping down today gives rise to my question about just what the voice of the Republican Party is, could be and should be. It is more about principals than personalities. But the principals need to attract enough people/voters that can move things forward. I found candidate Palin's rhetoric in the Presidential election last year to be of limited quality, but that was a campaign, not something that addresses the fate of a political party. Are we as a country at a point as we were in the mid 1800's when it is time for political parties to change? Is the GOP today the Whigs of those days? If so, what are they to be going forward? I really hate getting constant fundraising e-mails and snail mails from the Democratic Party that generally paint things to be a contest against the Republicans as opposed to asking for support on matters of policy. As far as I am concerned, it is poison from either side of the aisle. And I would dearly love to see some true leadership in thought and personality from the Republican Party right now. I am not seeing it. What is it going to take?

Fireworks (?) Bust in Hoover Park

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:17:48 PDT

Has anyone been concerned about the rising use of fireworks in Hoover Park? I live across the street and last night I witnessed a big bust-up with three or four police cars, searchlights, etc. Does anyone know anything about this? Seems with the restrooms, more and more people hang out there after hours. Also witnessed some young people having sex in the kiddie playground one night on my walk-- the noises this couple was making made it seem like they wanted to be caught. I don't mind the hippie-type smokers/guitar players that much, though. At least they're quiet. Seems like these busts are happening more frequently, though, and I think it's good. My kids (both A+ science students at Paly) aren't allowed to build/launch fireworks, so why should anyone else??

Deaths

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:58:12 PDT

Richard O. Schulte Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11201 posted Friday, June 19, 2009, 12:00 AM

A new kind of Independence Day : Recent research on alcohol dependence and the brain

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:52:52 PDT
As we approach our national birthday, Independence Day, it occurred to me that there is a connection to some of my work of the past six years and to a presentation I made recently. Both relate to dependence on alcohol and how to turn it into personal independence. Read the guest opinion here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11263 posted Friday, July 3, 2009, 12:00 AM

Sarah Palin resigns as Governor of Alaska

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:37:34 PDT
Story on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/03/palin/index.html

Tweeting the night away

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:34:09 PDT
A group of 160, many clad in dark blue T-shirts declaring "If you tweet it they will come," gathered around the rooftop pool at the East Palo Alto Four Seasons Hotel last week to sip "Twitter-tinis," make professional connections and bounce ideas around at what event-organizer David Peck called a "Tweet Up." Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12942 posted Friday, July 3, 2009, 10:45 AM

Editorial: Valuing the neighborhood grocery store

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:30:08 PDT
The latest large development project to come under the microscope of the "Palo Alto Process" is the imaginative, seemingly well-designed "College Terrace Centre" on El Camino Real — commonly known as "the JJ&F block." Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11264 posted Friday, July 3, 2009, 12:00 AM

Palo Alto tests new energy-efficient streetlights

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:16:12 PDT
Palo Altans may soon notice a whiter glow beaming out of local streetlights and dimmer greens and reds directing cars and pedestrians late at night. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12937 posted Thursday, July 2, 2009, 12:32 PM

Santa Clara County property values stay flat

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:57:56 PDT
The net assessed value of all property in Santa Clara County grew a mere 0.18 percent from last year, marking the smallest increase in 31 years, the county finance agency reported this week. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12941 posted Thursday, July 2, 2009, 2:16 PM

Another all-Williams final at Wimbledon

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:01:13 PDT
==I Klahn in quarterfinals of ITF event == It will be the all-Williams show at the all-England Club when Venus and Serena step on center court for the women's singles' final at Wimbledon on Saturday. The Williams' sisters, who are scheduled to appear at the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford University's Taube Tennis Center beginning July 27, returned to the top of the women's game in dramatic fashion Thursday. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12953 posted Thursday, July 2, 2009, 10:52 PM

Cubberley High, 30 years later

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 01:29:56 PDT
Thirty years after it closed as a high school, Cubberley Community Center lives on as a campus of another sort, a place whose dozens of programs reflect the global nature of the city's present and future. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/weekly/story.php?story_id=11254 posted Friday, July 3, 2009, 12:00 AM

arsonist on the loose in Palo Alto?

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:04:41 PDT
Mercury-News says there have been 9 arson fires in Barron Park so far this year. More in the Mitchell Park area. The PA Police Dept. is asking for the public's help in finding the perps. http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12746535

Construction starts on VA Mental Health Center

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:58:31 PDT
Work began this week on the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System's new $26 million mental health center, following a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday at the Palo Alto VA campus. The center is the first of several projects outlined in a $750 million, five-year reconstruction of the Palo Alto VA. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12934 posted Thursday, July 2, 2009, 9:40 AM

Football class of 2010 swells to 21

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:13:08 PDT
It was another big weekend for Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh and the football program, as four additional recruits gave their verbal commitment over the weekend. Safety Devon Carrington of Chandler, AZ is a four-star recruit, while wide receiver Jarrod West of Bethlehem, PA, tight end Blake Barker of Cambridge, MA and defensive end Eddie Plantaric out of Del Campo High, are all three-star prospects. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12899 posted Monday, June 29, 2009, 1:44 PM

Palo Alto police reduce front-desk hours

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:38:16 PDT
Visitors to the Palo Alto Police Department could have a tougher time making face-to-face contact with department personnel starting July 6. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12938 posted Thursday, July 2, 2009, 2:22 PM

Caltrain to increase parking fees, reduce service

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:11:11 PDT
The board of directors for Caltrain Thursday unanimously approved several changes, including service reductions and parking fee increases, intended to eliminate the agency's $2.6 million deficit. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12949 posted Thursday, July 2, 2009, 4:28 PM

Stats on people who post topics - informal survey

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:32:24 PDT
With the complaining about censoring topics, I thought I�d conduct an informal survey of the people who have poasted topics. I chose to start with the beginning of the year and end at the end of June. The dates were chosen not by the date of the positing of the original topic, but by the date of the latest comment. I excluded topics from the prolific Editor. Lest anyone get nervous, I just tallied the entries from the PAOnline site. My totals may not be entirely accurate but are close enough; not highly scientific but revealing. Here are the results: Eighty-seven posters put up a total of about 248 topics (Perspective tends to post additions to her/his original topics in rapid succession, which skews the total slightly). The most frequest poster was Perspective (68 � 27%); followed by Sharon (31 � 13%); Gary (28 � 11%); Jarred (8) and resident (8); and Walter E. Wallis (7) � they account for 150 of the topics. Only 11 posters put up more than one topic, and they accounted for 33 topics. Note that I did not attempt to tally the total number of posts to topics over the period. That way lies madness.

Things I remember going back to 1962.

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:03:44 PDT
Garland Elementary School, Mr. Center, The Indian Bowl, The Variety Store, Bergman's counter, The Peninsula Creamery, Jean's Smoke House (burned down) Ming's when it was on El Camino, The Indian Drive-in, The Stanford Barn Food Court, Stanford Basketball games at the old gym, sneaking in to Stanford Football games on the Family Plan (Jim Plunkett, Gene Washington, John Elway . . .), The Palo Alto Times, Riots at Stanford, ice block sliding at midnight on the Palo Alto Hills Golf Course, pre-Oregon Expressway, fruit tress in Los Altos, Hippo Burger in Menlo Park, Kirk's . . . and lots of great friends from Garland, Jordan and Paly!

Federal stimulus funds create new jobs at SLAC

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:35:55 PDT
With 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds flowing into science-research firms in Silicon Valley, officials at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park have put out the "Help Wanted" sign. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12925 posted Wednesday, July 1, 2009, 3:49 PM

SUV crashes on Highway 101, driver trapped

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:23:23 PDT
Firefighters from Palo Alto and Mountain View used the "jaws of life" to rescue a 30-year-old man Wednesday after his SUV rolled over twice on Highway 101 and landed upside down on East Bayshore Road. Read the full story here http://www.PaloAltoOnline.com/news/show_story.php?id=12935 posted Thursday, July 2, 2009, 9:49 AM

Goldman Sachs is the Winner that Takes All

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:09:54 PDT
If there ever was a company that has profited from today's financial crisis its Goldman Sachs. Hail Goldman! I'm being facetious of course. If America is now circling the money drain Goldman Sachs has found a way to be that drain. This article is a must read on Goldman Sachs for anyone interested in today's economy. http://www.scribd.com/doc/16763183/TaibbiGoldmanSachs And you have to wonder why that it's only Madoff that gets 150 years.