Monday, August 16, 2010

Oakland Cleveland Heights neighbors consider private security

In the wake of Oakland police budget cuts and crime rate that's not adjusting for the city's dismal budget, the City of Oakland and neighbors in Cleveland Heights, also known as Haddon Hill, consider private security as a solution.

But first, what's Cleveland Heights / Haddon Hill?

It's a neighborhood bordered by Park Boulevard, E 18th Street, Lakeshore, and The Mac Arthur Freeway, and contains the now-closed Parkway Theater and The Merritt Bakery. It has an estimated population of over 7,400 people according to City-Data.com.

Oakland Coucilmember Pat Kernighan issued this email to the Cleveland Heights Yahoo Group:



Dear Cleveland Heights neighbors,

I am writing to ask for your input to help out the residents in a nearby area. The north part of Beat 17Y has been hit hard in the last month by very brazen robbers. The neighbors there are interested in hiring a private security patrol. I recall that during one of the earlier crime waves on Haddon Hill, some of you had investigated and hired one of the companies who have cars that drive around the neighborhood. Can you tell me if that worked out and what the company was? I will share that with the Bayview folks. Thanks.

Pat Kernighan
City Councilmember,District 2
1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, 2d Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
510-238-7002
pkernighan@...
www.patkernighan.com


The listed answer was for an alarm and patrol firm called Safety Dynamics listed at 4663 Harbord Dr in Oakland, but it's not know what experience anyone has had with them.

Other than Safety Dynamics, it's hard to find another Oakland-based private service. There's the Guardian Angels and San Francisco Security Guard, which isn't in Oakland.

Cleveland Heights neighbors must get to know each other

Even with National Night Out, there are not a lot of people in the Cleveland Heights / Haddon Hill area who really know each other on a first name basis and feel free to call out a problem as it unfolds. Knowing each other well is the best security there is.

Victor Cruz shocks NY Giants, NY Jets, and Monday Night Football

Exterior view of the new Meadowlands Stadium a...Image via Wikipedia
Victor Cruz, a little-known 6-1 200 pound free agent from Massachusetts reportedly said this before the Monday Night Football game against the New York Jets, to open the New Meadowlands Stadium:

"There's definitely a rivalry. You always want to beat them…actually you kind of always want to beat the crap out of them."

Then Victor Cruz went out and did it. Shocking the New York Jets, The New York Gisnts he plays for and the ESPN Monday Night Football broadcast crew, not to mention the crowd, Cruz six catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

Cruz first touchdown catch was a circus one-handed grab for a 64-yard score (from Giants.com):



Now, the New York Giants, who won the game 31 to 16, are rich at wide receiver and have to figure out who they're going to get rid of to make sure the free agent trash-talker who can back it up stays on the team.

Michael Douglas has Throat Cancer; Wall Street star optimistic

Michael Douglas 
Hollywood Legend Michael Douglas has been diagnosed with throat cancer. The 65-year old star actor, who won the 1988 Oscar Best Actor in A Leading Role for his performance as Wall Street Investment Banker Gordon Gekko in Wall Street 1987, and is set to star in the sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, is confident that eight weeks of treatment including radiation and chemotherapy will eliminate the tumor found in his throat.

Douglas told People Magazine "I am very optimistic," regarding the chances for complete recovery.

Douglas has busy fall

Michael Douglas has two movies he's got to finish work on in the fall. He's got to help market the upcoming Wall Street sequel, then he's in Steven Soderberg's action film Knockout

Douglas Wall Street performance was classic

Michael Douglas is one of this blogger's favorite actors for his no-holds-barred portrail of the hard-driving Wall Street investment banker of the 80s in the form of a character called Gordon Gekko. Here's part of the famous "Greed is Good" scene that won Michael the Oscar, a segment done with one speech, and no break. And for some reason this video starts where Douglas says "Greed is Good," when it point of fact, that starts about two-thirds of the way into his dramatic statement. It's hard to find a video of Douglas' full speech. But here is the most famous part of it:



That speech game to define the 80s, and even my relationship with my then girlfriend, such that our plan was, if we hit it big, for one of us to take the other to the 21 Club for dinner.

As readers of this space know, this blogger makes an annual trip to New York for The NFL Draft, which always includes dinner at 21.

What started all of that was Michael Douglas in Wall Street.

May he recover quickly.

Brian Westbrook to SF 49ers gets Twitter trash from Darnell Dockett

Brian WestbrookImage via Wikipedia
Brian Westbrook should look for #90 
After eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Running Back Brian Westbrook was released seven weeks ago. Westbrook, who's well-decorated career was marred by concussion problems last year, joined the San Francisco 49ers for a one year, $1.25 million deal.

And upon news of the transaction, Arizona Cardinals Defensive Lineman Darnell Dockett, number 90, who will play Westbrook and the 49ers twice this year, took to Twitter to welcome Westbrook with some trash talking:

Ahhhhh hell naw Brian westbrook one of my best friends !! This is BS! Oh well I hope he know its not personal! but fuck it! #MNF #HITSTICK
about 3 hours ago via ÜberTwitter

And Darnell Dockett wasn't done with his trash tweets of the 49ers. His next target was linebacker Takeo Spikes:


@TakeoSpikes51 *cough * *cough* hmmmmm!
about 3 hours ago via ÜberTwitter in reply to TakeoSpikes51


It wasn't the first time Darnell Dockett took off after the San Francisco 49ers on Twitter. He saved from choice tweets for Glen Coffee when the Niners running back announced his retirement:


Dear: Glen Coffee, don't retire just yet! just wait till after the MNF game then you will have a legit reason to retire!! #EVL
4:14 PM Aug 15th via ÜberTwitter


In all, Darnell Dockett uses Twitter as an extension of his mouth, sparing no one from NFL players on enemy teams to friends. But some of his tweets are cool. Like the one about the Houston Texans Antonio Smith:

It was good playing against my brother from another mother @antoniosmith94 yesterday, I wish him success and a healthy winning season!
10:06 AM Aug 15th via ÜberTwitter


The San Francisco 49ers play the Arizona Cardinals Monday Night November 29th in San Francisco. It's a sure bet Darnell Dockett will have sent out more trash tweets by then.

Rooney Mara Lisbeth Sanders"The Girl with Dragon Tattoo" by Suzannah B. Troy





Rooney Mara is to play Lisbeth Sanders in the Americanized, "The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo".


Why do I care?  BECAUSE I LOVE THE BOOKS!!!!!!!!!  The Swedish actors are superb and I do not think the Americanization of it will be as good....it was as if the Swedes were born to play the role and I keep dreaming they will take on the role and do a TV series -- a long extended one with all the details.  I tell you why in YouTubeland I love Lisbeth Sanders so much!!!!!

That being said, I will run not walk to see David Fincher's film version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.  Original title:  The Men Who Hate Women" which is a powerful true theme as are all of messages Stieg Larsson was sharing with his audience.  Sad and shocking he died not knowing what a success his books are and that his live-in love who has book 4 on her computer has been cut out of the royalties by his father and brother who treat her like some of the bad asses in the book treat Lisbeth!

I have a YouTube series on the book and movie but here is just one!  The rest you can look up in YouTubeland.  Thanks for tuning in.

Mel Gibson hits Malibu w/ Maserati does not blame Jews! by Suzannah B. Troy



Mel Gibson hit Malibu (actually some big rocks) in Malibu with his Maserati but it least he did not hit a woman so again Mel is making progress.


TMZ my favorite celebrity tv show  (and that is because of Harvey Levin- the old guy on the show) has an exclusive on Mel Gibson driving his Maserati into some major rock....why?  No real answer but here is Suzannah B. Troy's exclusive live from New York.  He did not blame the Jews, African Americans, Hispanics, Gays or Women for his mistakes and inadequacies so he is making some progress!

Was he drug tested or given a breathalyzer ?  I have no idea.

I could see his ex-girlfriend, what's her name...oh, Osanka running to the  judge and demanding their child not be allowed in a car Mel Gibson is driving!

Do you think Mel Gibson told LAPD it was Malibu's fault.

Well Mel Gibson hit some rocks but when is he going to hit bottom?   He needs a strait jacket not a Maserati!

Tune in to TMZ later to learn more!

Video of Oakland-based psychologist Dr. Christina Villarreal discusses trends in mental health


Part 1 of a 3 part series featuring Dr. Christina Villarreal, a Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Oakland, California. In this segment, Dr. Villarreal reflects upon current trends in mental health care, American responses following the election of President Barack Obama, her path of higher education and clinical training, her association with the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. and utilizing mentors and professional networking in her community.

The show host is Bay Area native Kymm Wilson of Ground Level Perspective, which he began as an online radio show based out of Oakland, CA, which he expanded into a television series broadcast on U-Verse channel 99, Comcast East Bay channel 7/28 featuring Peralta TV. The producer/director is James Calhoun, a former producer of R&B/Hip-Hop music. James is a prominent producer in the video/film industry earning local Emmy nominations in 2009.