tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52410900961322912112023-09-09T09:01:01.378-07:00San Francisco media-politics-culture-localeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5975125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-89436088472637595392013-09-13T11:45:00.001-07:002013-09-13T11:45:16.044-07:00Let’s call it a hiatusDear readers, I’m taking a sabbatical from Bay Area Observer for awhile. Other projects are calling out and there simply isn’t enough time for everything. Those who know me know how I feel about goodbyes and I don’t intend to turn this into one. Still, it’s as good a time as any to thank you for coming here these past few years. To those of you who’ve shared encouragement, news tips and even Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-60407572515211848282013-09-13T11:25:00.001-07:002013-09-13T11:25:46.306-07:00Court rules Barry Bonds’ felony conviction from steroid scandal standsAnd it’s a swing and a miss. Barry Bonds’ appeal of his felony obstruction of justice conviction in perhaps baseball’s highest-profile steroid era trial was rejected by a federal panel this morning. In a 3-0 ruling by the Ninth U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the justices ruled there was sufficient evidence to convict the home run king (pictured during his 2011 trial) of obstructing justice for Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-58754016538701350602013-09-13T11:09:00.001-07:002013-09-13T11:09:45.676-07:00Raiders sell out Sunday’s home opener; here’s whyThe Raiders announced that Sunday’s home opener at the Coliseum is a sellout. Did the team get a big enthusiasm boost from their unexpectedly close 21-17 loss at Indianapolis over the weekend? Sure. But the sellout (which clears the blackout rule to make Sunday’s game with Jacksonville viewable on local TV) more likely relates to something else. It’s the first football game to be played at the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-39286399246024764332013-09-13T10:57:00.001-07:002013-09-13T10:57:38.919-07:00Report: $4 million settlement for Ralph Barbieri versus CumulusLongtime sports broadcaster Ralph Barbieri, the “Razor” in the former “The Razor and Mr. T” duo (with Tom Tolbert), who was let go by KNBR radio last year, has reportedly settled his wrongful termination lawsuit against the station. Blogger Rich Lieberman, citing sources close to Barbieri’s attorney, Angela Alioto, says that radio colossus Cumulus, which owns the sports talk station, offered $4 Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-92163580349702658482013-09-13T10:36:00.001-07:002013-09-13T10:36:48.932-07:00Ray Dolby, pioneering audio master was 80The sound pioneer and inventor whose name—Dolby—became  synonymous with his breakthrough engineering to enhance the quality of sound and dialogue recordings and whose Dolby Laboratories remains an industry force, died last night at his home in San Francisco. He was 80. Dolby suffered from Alzheimer’s disease that in recent months was complicated by a diagnosis of acute leukemia. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-73467788030447207602013-09-13T09:10:00.001-07:002013-09-13T09:10:23.700-07:00Morning Wrap: 9/13/13Oakland’s federal police overseer rejects City Council’s reform measure, target shooting blamed for Mount Diablo fire, Twitter quietly files for an IPO, more. Top of the news In a surprise move, Oakland federal police overseer Thomas Frazier has rejected a reform initiative passed by the City Council to have civilian clerks from outside the police department take citizen complaints Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-11476160372913339532013-09-12T14:24:00.001-07:002013-09-12T14:29:44.872-07:00Hello Willie Brown Bridge; hello lawsuitNo sooner than the state Senate gave its blessing—26 to 7—this morning to rename the historic west span of the Bay Bridge the “Willie L. Brown, Jr. Bridge,” two things happened in quick and predictable succession. a) Willie Brown, via the Matier & Ross blog at the Chronicle, issued a victory statement saying: “I didn’t push for it, and I can’t say I enjoyed the pounding it got, but I am Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-3248064920854206822013-09-12T12:23:00.001-07:002013-09-12T12:24:51.622-07:00Bay Bridge: Media sky suddenly darkens over Willie Brown caperNow that maybe any minute the state Senate will add its blessing to name the historic west span of the Bay Bridge for Willie Brown, alarm bell decibel levels are rising. Latest example: a Mercury News editorial that calls the idea “insulting” for the reasons that . . . well, you can read them here. The Merc intimates that Gov. Jerry Brown, who’s opposed to the name and who does, after all, have Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-48388200010542911312013-09-12T11:06:00.001-07:002013-09-12T11:10:02.666-07:00Big shakeup in a little campaign—will anyone notice Abel Maldonado?It’s got to be pretty lonely out there on the 2014 gubernatorial campaign trail for the former Lite Guv under Arnold Schwarzenegger whom Gavin Newsom easily dispatched in the last election. Not only is Maldonado a Republican in a state controlled by Democrats, he’s a self-styled moderate Republican, which makes him unpalatable to the far right in his own party. And now comes news via the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-49484502836258986732013-09-12T10:35:00.001-07:002013-09-12T10:37:01.221-07:00New documents show how Caltrans also botched the Bay Bridge bike pathIt’s difficult to calculate the wastage associated with the Bay Bridge eastern span when you’re talking about a $6.4 billion price tag on a project years late and five times over budget. But let’s throw another bad shrimp on the barbie, courtesy of the Chronicle’s Jaxon Van Derbeken. He notes that the bicycle path, which won’t be completed (that is, connected to Yerba Buena Island) until 2016, Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-47478857514403896512013-09-12T07:48:00.001-07:002013-09-12T07:48:11.336-07:00Morning Wrap: 9/12/13Richmond approves first of its kind mortgage help using eminent domain, at last hoteliers say they’re seeing an uptick in America’s Cup bookings, Mark Zuckerberg says feds botched NSA explanation, more. Top of the news Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg lashed out at the Obama administration, saying the government had done a poor job of explaining NSA intelligence gathering efforts and Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-33173824446068278712013-09-11T12:05:00.001-07:002013-09-11T14:15:01.339-07:00Nob Hill: why the cachet has outlived realityThe Chronicle is retracing a series it ran back in 1958 called “Hills of San Francisco,” and today, alas, John King focuses on a self-evident truth about Nob Hill: it isn’t what it used to be. Although the view is spectacular and the cocktails at the Top of the Mark are $14, the locus of San Francisco wealth and power long since moved elsewhere. Elegant still, as King points out, but, hey, now Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-52221130948102478392013-09-11T11:22:00.001-07:002013-09-12T07:58:56.359-07:00Anthony Weiner: Most ignominious political exit ever?
The once up-and-coming New York congressman disgraced by tweeting photos of his genitals to random women is shown here flipping off a television crew last night after voters repudiated him in the New York mayoral primary. He got barely 5 percent of the vote. The photo is from New York 1 and, yes, video producer Kate Rose tweeted it out. New York Daily News
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-74137240561704860632013-09-11T11:00:00.001-07:002013-09-11T11:09:37.120-07:00Unusual twist in prosecuting Oakland Trib photographer’s killer(s)Back in April former Oakland Tribune freelance photographer Lionel Fluker, 38, (pictured) was killed after stopping for gas near Seminary Avenue and MacArthur Boulevard and being caught in the crossfire between two men shooting at each other. A 10-time felon, Anthony Lister, was charged with first-degree murder after police said it was the bullet from his gun that killed Fluker. Now, in an Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-46910426039454847012013-09-11T10:28:00.001-07:002013-09-11T10:39:07.884-07:00‘Pol pudding’ Sacramento style: a Willie Brown bridge updateSo now Gov. Jerry Brown says he’s opposed to naming the historic west span of the Bay Bridge for Willie Brown. But since the scheme cooked up by a few of Brown’s pals in the legislature (led, ostensibly, by Compton Assemblyman Isadore Hall) is in the form of a non-binding resolution, the governor has no authority to veto it. (That’s no typo, by the way, we did say Compton.) Approval in the SenateUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-14144418845285675602013-09-11T08:26:00.001-07:002013-09-11T08:26:16.908-07:00Morning Wrap: 9/11/13The standoff over STAR testing, state Assembly rejects giving Coastal Commission more enforcement powers, Apple’s new iPhone arrives with a thud, more. Top of the news The state Senate—with backing from Gov. Jerry Brown—approved a bill that would end STAR tests, the traditional standardized testing of students in reading, math and social science, even while U. S. Education secretary Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-63079854620402490482013-09-10T09:38:00.001-07:002013-09-10T09:38:57.765-07:00State, San Mateo County pass on criminal charges against PG&EOn the third anniversary (yesterday) of PG&E’s deadly San Bruno pipeline explosion and fire, the headline the utility would probably rather you see is that it has cleared settlements for almost all the remaining victims’ lawsuits. But by far the more meaningful story is this: the date marks the statute of limitations for seeking criminal charges against the utility—and state Attorney General Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-437758481163398322013-09-10T09:19:00.001-07:002013-09-10T09:19:27.938-07:00Willie Brown bridge: his cronies’ name fix is almost inWord from Sacramento is that the rushed-up, little-noticed move to name the historic west span of the Bay Bridge for Willie Brown may get approval from the state Senate as early as tomorrow. Already, the Chronicle is treating it as if it’s a done deal with a piece that ponders whether people will actually refer to the bridge using the Brown name. (Not likely.) All in all, it looks like another Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-29298061373551315322013-09-10T08:56:00.001-07:002013-09-10T08:56:17.778-07:00Weather cooperates, Mount Diablo fire 45 percent containedThat cool air mass that swept over the inland Bay Area came at the best possible time for firefighters battling the blaze on the eastern slopes of Mount Diablo. It was 45 percent contained early this morning and fire officials were hopeful of making sizable headway today. So far, an estimated 3,273 acres have burned, but no homes destroyed. Contra Costa Times; Chronicle Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-51955948754616778642013-09-10T07:29:00.001-07:002013-09-10T07:29:55.779-07:00Morning Wrap: 9/10/13PG&E almost closes out its San Bruno lawsuits, former track star identified as Oakland bank robber, ex-technician accused of sexual battery of patient at Stanford Hospital, more. Top of the news On the third anniversary of the deadly San Bruno pipeline explosion and fire, PG&E announced it had settled nearly all the remaining victims’ lawsuits for $565 million. Mercury NewsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-26806641321523695562013-09-09T06:47:00.001-07:002013-09-09T06:47:12.985-07:00Morning Wrap: 9/9/13Mount Diablo fire spreads, the poor track record among Bay Area for-profit colleges, heat wave to break by tomorrow, more. Top of the news A fire on the east side of Mount Diablo doubled in size to more than 1,500 acres, forcing the evacuation of at least 75 homes and was only 10 percent contained late last night as firefighters struggled against hot, dry conditions and rugged terrainUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-4818362144584286822013-09-06T10:13:00.001-07:002013-09-06T10:14:34.597-07:00Did Larry Ellison just duck out on his own puff piece?Given the scandal enveloping his Oracle Team USA it isn’t surprising that Larry Ellison won’t be part of the crew, as he was in 2010, to defend the America’s Cup title against Emirates Team New Zealand. Just how low is he ducking? Low enough that the Mercury News apparently couldn’t get a word from him for a cheery piece in today’s newspaper. (Headline: “America’s Cup: Larry Ellison’s epic Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-3939823799382349722013-09-06T09:48:00.001-07:002013-09-06T09:48:29.831-07:00San Jose State to Stanford—’We’re tired of being your cheap cupcake’Stanford coach David Shaw is taking issue with San Jose State coach Ron Caragher’s remarks earlier in the week that the football series between the schools is ending Saturday because Stanford wants it that way. Not true, says Shaw. Stanford really wants to beat up on play SJSU every year. The rub—and this speaks to what college football has become—is money. Stanford pays SJSU a paltry $250,000 Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-80921973545478844082013-09-06T09:26:00.001-07:002013-09-06T09:28:43.290-07:00Daily Cal loses its chief benefactor; seeks alumni, corporate helpThe financial straights at the The Daily Californian, the student-run newspaper at UC Berkeley, just got tougher to navigate. Publisher Michael Wagner tells San Francisco Business Times the newspaper in June lost the major benefactor who’s been keeping it afloat as ad sales have spiraled downward (as they have at newspapers everywhere) and that it’s turned to alumni and companies in an effort to Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5241090096132291211.post-58696169142765232972013-09-06T08:38:00.001-07:002013-09-06T08:38:35.811-07:00Morning Wrap: 9/6/13PG&E tries to turn the page on San Bruno disaster, Nancy Pelosi’s colleagues hesitate to follow on Syria, Michael Mina’s latest culinary outpost, more. Top of the news Oakland’s federally appointed top cop, Thomas Frazier, outlined new plans to stem attrition and bolster the ranks of Oakland police as the city struggles to get a grip on violent crime. Oakland Tribune PG&E Unknownnoreply@blogger.com