Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to Oakland, Alameda, Coliseum

Yesterday, this blogger filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the City of Oakland and to the following offices: The Oakland City Attorney, the City of Oakland Office of Economic Development, The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, The County of Alameda County Administrator's Office, and The City of Oakland's City Administrator's Office.

The email with letter attached stated:

Pursuant to the state open records act, I request access to and copies of all emails, written letters and correspondence, and studies of any kind regarding the budget and operation and management of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, and future development plans for baseball, football, and basketball stadiums in Oakland and over the time period from today back to 1/1/2008.
I ask that the agencies wave fees for copies of studies and emails (which can be printed out from a computer) and to avoid charging greater than the the cost to make a black and white copy of a document.
If my request is denied in whole or part, I ask that you justify all deletions by reference to specific exemptions of the act.
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Zenophon Abraham

I did this because with the slow death of traditional media and lack of money for investigative reporting (or in my case blogging) there was precious little information on what was going on with stadium efforts in Oakland. Moreover, there seemed to be a veil of secrecy that was first evident when Mayor's Ron Dellums Sports Task Force met.

As one may recall, I quit that Sports Task Force because I discovered there were actually four separate groups meeting on the matter of building a baseball stadium for the Oakland A's and none of them were talking to each other. Nothing against the people in the other groups, or Mayor Dellums, but I did not feel the person with the highest level of experience in these matters in Oakland was being called on.

That person is me.

When I was at The 2010 NFL Draft and for the sixth year in a row as media, I was reminded once again that, more than any other person in Oakland who's not a working sports executive, I was better able to understand and evaluate strategies and plans for building stadiums in Oakland. Working as the Oakland Mayor Elihu Harris' representative in this area and the process of working to bring the 2005 Super Bowl to Oakland, the National Football League's constant and enduring friendship, and the creation and success of my Oakland Baseball Simworld game, were the gantry upon which my expertise was built.

That's why I'm the best person to gather Oakland stadium development information and evaluate it. I want to get as much information as possible to paint a picture of where the City of Oakland and The County of Alameda are in their collective ability to establish a stadium development program in Oakland. I want to learn what budget has been set aside for related efforts. I also want to learn if the process is being done in a logical and fair way, and that women and minority firms are getting a fair shot at landing work.

I'll keep everyone posted on the FOIA progress.

Stay tuned.

Nightmare On Elm Street, Iron Man 2: critics v. fans

Nightmare On Elm Street, the remake of the classic horror movie, is out today. Just one week before Iron Man 2 is released in America. But Iron Man 2 is already out in Europe, and critics are panning it, but not fans. That there was this disconnect between fans and critics did not become obvious to this blogger until the CNN review of Nightmare On Elm Street today. 

The critic didn't like it. The critic said it wasn't scary. Then, in the middle of the critic's review was a link to another review by a CNN ireporter. this one:



He gave the movie an "A." And the difference revealed why movie fans don't pay attention to critics. Fans are hardwired to like movies; critics seem to think they have to find something wrong with movies. I prefer the former and not the latter.

There's a reason the Internet's causing movie critics to lose their jobs and it's not just that one can issue their own view. It's a way of striking back at the critic who has to bash a movie "just because." After a while you get tired of that. You want a fanboy or fangirl telling you about the flick they like. You can figure out if you like it after you've seen it.

Also, even when fanfolks don't like a movie it's for honest reasons. Some just plain say a movie was boring or in the case of the CNN ireporter, it was good.

You get a simple explanation, not the rewrite of War and Peace.

Critics take note: there's nothing wrong with being a fan.

Giuseppi Logan YouTube miracle by Suzannah B. Troy

Miracles do happen and when I  filmed Giuseppi Logan on December 14, 2008 playing Begin the Beguine  I became part of that miracle. I knew I had filmed something powerful. Giuseppi told me to look up his name on the internet. I found out people thought he was dead and that he was a very loved jazz composer and musician that made me two important records in the 1960's. I also immediately found another YouTube of Giuseppi with a little boy in the very same park from 1966. Two years later I would meet that little boy who is now my age and help reunite him with his father after all these years. A jazz writer Tim Madison had contacted me and told me how deeply moving my YouTube was. He told me he watched it over and over. I said I do to. He urged me to continue filming but I said I was very tired and traumatized. I had just had to sell my home of 2o years which is traumatic but it was even more so because I am an outspoken activist. I did not know if I could find the strength but I did. Peter Gershon, publisher of Signal to Noise, wrote a powerful piece on Giuseppi Logan entitled "Out From the Shadow" and Peter Gershon is one of the only people to fully acknowledge my work and contribution because usually people just help themselves and erase me. Pete's powerful piece and my YouTubes I believe helped Giuseppi and one way was generating enough interest that he was able to get back in to the studio and make his first new record from the 1960's that has been received to very positive reviews. Matt Lavelle, a musician recognized Giuseppi Logan when he came in to a store where Matt was working and ever since he plays music with Giuseppi and gets him and the group he formed gigs.  This is huge for Giuseppi because it helps him earn money which he needs and of course it allows him to connect with people who still remember him and love his work. I had suggested to Giuseppi's son Jaee, also a musical genius he should make a documentary and he took my advice.  He filmed the reunion and when we in the park with the camera rolling a guy came up and shook Giuseppi's hand.  He said your records got me through college. Very moving in so many ways and Giuseppi Logan wants to get back in to the studio.  He has new compositions including a piece he named after me, "Suzannah".

Tiger Woods Jesse James Sex Addicts? Is Sex Addiction like Big Foot? post by Suzannah B. Troy

Dr. Oz, Oprah's TV star doctor does believes that sex addiction exists although he concedes some people use it as an excuse for sexually pigging out (my term not his).  In the case of Jesse James and Tiger Woods, Dr. Oz does believes it is sex addiction because these guys had so much and they threw it away which sure sounds like addictive behavior -- maybe more than one addiction in play causing a lot of destruction along the way.

I have seen many men interviewed that treat the term "sex addiction" like Big Foot or The Loch Ness Monster meaning it doesn't exist but simply said "it is a guy just being a guy".  Of course it is mainly bad boys or bad boy wannabes stating sex addiction doesn't exist.

Guys have their locker room talk and so do women.  The women I speak to are deeply repulsed and would have no interest in spending any time with these guys.  They are also repulsed by Rachel what's her name that Tiger Woods paid 10 million dollars not to talk to the media about him.   What could she share that so many of his mistresses have not already shared and some how the Derek Jeter bad dream Tiger had was already leaked, so who cares and why dole out  10 million dollars to a mistress?  I think Tiger Woods took perverse pleasure in paying such a huge amount of money for silence which seems like more of the addiction in play.

Great sex is like a really good conversation you don't want to end.  When you are thinking only of yourself or how much money the person has, it doesn't seem like it is about sex at all but about power....power tripping and addiction.

As much as most people may tune in to hear a sound byte on celebrity sex addicts, most people really don't care because they don't marry sex addicts.  Most of us sigh with relief and say, thank goodness we aren't married to them.   Despite all their sexual conquest and sex texting, they sound like some of the loneliness guys in the world.

Caleb Campbell, 2008 NFL Draft hit, returns to Detroit Lions

Viewers of this bloggers videos from the NFL Draft will remember the All-American hit Caleb Campbell, from the 2008 NFL Draft.

Campbell's an Army 1st Lt. a 7th round pick of the Detroit Lions who the U.S. Army originally allowed to delay his entry in the Army to play in the NFL, much to the delight of NFL fans at Radio City Music Hall in 2008 as the video shows.

But in July 2008 The Army reversed field and said Caleb Campbell could not as a soldier play in the NFL.

But now, Caleb's getting his chance to play in the NFL according to The Detroit Free Press. Awesome. And because Caleb's a nice very respectful person this blogger had the pleasure of meeting at the NFL Draft in 2008. The whole room at Radio City gave Caleb a standing ovation, making one of the most moving moments I've ever witnessed at The NFL Draft.

Caleb's attending the Lions Minicamp, and signed a contract with the team this week according to Pro Football Talk.com.

Best of luck to him.

Annette Edwards as Jessica Rabbit? Edwards has a long way to go

Annette Edwards is a British 57-year old great-grandmother who wants to look just like Jessica Rabbit. Who's Jessica Rabbit? She's the animated character from the 1988 hit movie Who Framed Roger Rabbit:



For some reason, Ms. Edwards wants to look like her favorite cartoon character Jessica Rabbit. So much so that she spent $16,000 on an effort to look just like her, including "curves in the right places" as she explained in the video above.

This corner says "Right on! Go for it." It's just that Annette Edwards is not quite there in her path to be the real-life Jessica Rabbit. Plus, she thinks she's got to eat like a rabbit to look like Jessica Rabbit, who's a cartoon of a human, not a rabbit.

That's the head twister.

But rather than just diet, Annette Edwards should work out to reduce the flab along her arms and get toned in that area. She should also bench press so she can have more uplifted breasts. That would go a long way toward her overall objective of looking like Jessica Rabbit.

Rock the Casbah!

Sandra Bullock Angelina Jolie adoption than divorce by Suzannah B. Troy

I had written an earlier piece questioning is Sandra Bullock becoming Angelina Jolie or something like that and now  TMZ points out that both women were married to their  (I injected the bad) bad boys spouses and both where  in the midst of adopting when their marriages broke up and they took the single parent adoption route.  I am guessing that Sandra will adopt another child ...just a guess.

Harry Levin of TMZ also pointed out,  The People magazine scoop on Sandra Bullock and baby Louis shows the power of the publicist is back.

In "old" Hollywood, the studio heads controlled the stars, how they were perceived and just about everything else.  There were strong actresses that were able to wrestle some control from the powerful men that ran Hollywood but now many actresses run the show,  These actresses also run their own studios and do their best to control how the public perceives them.   Behind Sandra's publicist is Sandra Bullock very smartly engineering her way back from a Hollywood marriage disaster where if they were giving out the Razzie Award for worst Hollywood marriage, Sandra would have won that trophy.  Sandra's nightmare, other than the one she was unknowingly living with Jesse James (and I have no doubt that he was also "the Jesse Sandra knew")  would be a montage of clips of Sandra praising him and images of his mistresses and unflattering photos of James in Nazi garb playing at the same time. It is shocking the disconnect between Sandra's  "movie script" of  her marriage to James and the truth like a special category for  bad reality flicks for the AVN adult award show (and Tiger Woods would give stiff competition) ....but that is now washed away.


The public awaits the People magazine exclusive and Sandra Bullock's up coming interview later this year with her friend George Lopez.

Like the film Sandra Bullock starred in with Ben Affleck, clearly she is a "Force of Nature" and indestructible.  She remains "the girl next door" and is protected writes Joanna Molloy.  I do want to say "the girl next door image" always evokes  Doris Day who got involved with one bad boy after another and it really took a toll on her life.  No woman can live up to that "girl next door" fantasy or maybe with it comes the fantasy and reality  of the "girl" being all to human.  My dear friend writer and theatre critic David Kaufman, wrote the new biography on Doris Day: The Untold Story of the Girl Next Door and  no other  book could be written more lovingly put proves in my mind "the girl next door" is a Hollywood fantasy conjured up by movie moguls.

Doris Day is one of the most under rated superstars of the Hollywood machine with a stunning contribution that still entertains audiences around the world now and greatly influences the most famous celebrities in their acting and singing careers including such stars as Reese Witherspoon, Madonna, Britney Spears and perhaps Sandra Bullock who is often described with the very same phrase as Doris Day, "the girl next door".   Also note that although Doris Day did not turn to adopting babies as so many celebrities.  Doris did want to adopt a little boy who played a cub scout in the film, "It Happened to Jane" with co-star Jack Lemon but her husband Marty Melcher said no to the adoption.   Doris  turned her energies to rescuing animals.   She was and remains an outstanding animal activist with her own organization to help animals to this very day!


The New York Daily News has a visual montage of celebrities adopting babies  that you can flip through starting with Sandra Bullock.

Sandra Bullock made a very smart move giving People Magazine the world wide scoop with a cover that will be unforgettable with Sandra's own best kept secret and this means big sales for People.  Is it any coincidence that in the top right hand corner is a small picture of Julia Roberts, the actress that turned down the role "In the Blind Side",  a role that Sandra took and it won her an Oscar?  Sandra Bullock has come out on top and this cover was a winner for Bullock.

Sandra's career remains intact and will be even bigger.  I do not believe Jesse James career will be hurt in anyway because it falls under the mystic of his bad boy brand.  I do see him married in a few years with a wife and an understanding.  I see Sandra single and an adopting another child so Louis has a younger sibling.   Sandra Bullock has landed on her feet and she couldn't have a more positive loving  focus with Louis named for New Orleans very own, Louis Armstrong and his song, "What a wonderful world".



Harry, I don't think it was a publicist calling the shots.

Donald Trump on CNN backs Arizona's racist illegal immigration law

As a business man the legendary Donald Trump is very well-respected in this space, but his appearance on CNN's Larry King Live Wednesday night was most disappointing.

Trump basically went for the racist route in backing Arizona's illegal immigration law, saying that what people aren't saying is there "aren't a lot of blondes in Mexico" so it's OK to stop someone who's in Arizona who might look like they're Mexican.

This is directed to Donald Trump:

Mr. Trump. Think. Arizona's population's 30 percent Latino. What the heck is going on in your head that you think it's OK to essentially embargo one-third of a state's population? Moreover you just gave license to anyone who's blonde yet working illegally in Arizona because, well, they're blonde.

That's racist.

You say 'What to do?' Easy. If a person breaks the laws of the state, the basic ones, you take action. But let the person alone. If people want to come here, make fast track citizenship systems that take advantage of Internet technology. But this business of racial profiling must stop. Moreover, Donald, you should be smarter in your consideration of the problem.

This blogger is very disappointed in Donald Trump and sad that Trump did not exhibit more enlightened thinking.

Stay tuned.

Chevron and Richmond need to kiss, make up, and think

Chevron's part of Richmond in that it's the city's largest employer. Richmond needs Chevron to provide not just jobs but help for the many non-profit community service programs that Chevron's in position to help with. Chevron lost a court battle regarding its environmental impact report. What Chevron must do and reportedly will do is comply with the courts request to the letter.

Chevron should also stop making noises that it will leave Richmond in the city's time of need.

What certain Richmond elected officials and so-called activists need to do is stop with the emotional saber-rattling that reads like a Fox News Cable program but from the left, and start with smart deal-making that gets to a win-win for both the City of Richmond and Chevron.

That has not happened under the current political leadership in Richmond. Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, while being a very nice person, is more of an activist than a deal-maker. The good Mayor does not seem interested in "getting to yes" with Richmond business.

While that's the case, Chevron has not worked to win the hearts and minds of the people Richmond at a time when such can be done. Doing so requires that Chevron continue to get personally involved in Richmond, but going a step further and working to prevent black-on-black crime, and providing business leadership for Richmond's youth.

Where Chevron does do this, it explains it on its website, but given Richmond's enormous problems, Chevron needs to talk as if it's the real Mayor of Richmond. Chevron needs to fill Richmond's leadership void and not wait to be called on. Chevron, in effect, needs to pound its giant fist and say "Enough! We're going to make this city better, and this is what we're going to do," then present and enact a business plan for Richmond.

That's what businesses do when they're sick and tired of a lack of civic direction. That's what Chicago's business leaders did in the 70s with the Chicago 21 Plan. They created the downtown Chicago of today. I know because as a small boy I wanted to be part of it. Chicago 21 was one reason why I became interested in City Planning.

Richmond activists needs to stop playing emotional games. You can't on the one hand want to support an increase in or maintenance of high utility tax rates proposed by Chevron, but then want to oppose an increase in charges for the sewer rates. It looks like emotionalism. Charge Chevron and other businesses, well, because they're business, but don't charge if it's not an obvious Chevron issue.

What good does that do?

Chevron and Richmond need to kiss, make-up, and think. Then Chevron need to take charge in Richmond.

Arizona Immigration Law called "racist", "stupid" by Arizona Sheriff

The Arizona Immigration Law has been called "racist" and "stupid" by Pima County Arizona Sheriff Clarence Dupnik, who's served as a police officer for 52 years. He made this statement on video on the appropriately named KGUN9 TV news in Tuscon, Arizona and at KGUN9.com.

Sheriff Clarence Dupnik says that he can't enforce the Arizona Illegal Immigration law without racial profiling. In the video below, the Sheriff also said that the law is "disgusting" and "unnecessary" and "one of the worst pieces of legislation" he's ever seen in 50 years. He's expected to get sued if he doesn't enforce the law and get sued if he does enforce the law. Dupnik says Federal law supersedes state law, so he will follow federal law.



The Sheriff held a news conference to expand on his comments today. He continued to call SB 1070 racist, but added other adjectives; he said it was "unwise, stupid and it's racist."

He's right. proponents of SB 1070 make the ass-stupid claim that it will not cause racial profiling, then almost in the next breath talk about "them" coming over "the border" leading to the next logical question: who are they who come over the border? Then the proponent trips all over themselves not to use the word "Mexico" because then they have to admit they are referring to people they think are Mexican. So you have to inevitably ask what does a Mexican look like.

Crazy stuff. Arizona's 30 percent Latino, so the law would basically place one-third of the state's population under siege.

The Sheriff also used the term "we" which means he's not acting alone and is not a rogue police officer. Sheriff Clarence Dupnik is a seasoned law enforcement official who knows a psychotic piece of legislation when he sees one. Dupnik says the law is fueled by "an incredible amount of hostility, anger and cynicism."

He's right. It gives license to psychotic behavior. In the last blog on this subject in this space we saw a shocking comparison between the words of an Arizona Nazi and of all people Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. It was difficult to tell them apart, and both exhibited psychotic behavior.

If Sheriff Clarence Dupnik calls the law racist and stupid, what does that say about Governor Brewer?

Stay tuned.

Sandra Bullock divorces Jesse James; papers site personality conflict

Sandra Bullock divorces Jesse James. The divorce papers site personality conflict and "discord." Interestingly, the divorce papers were filed in Texas, not in California.

Yes, Sandra Bullock lives in Austin, Texas, but she also lives in California and perhaps even New York City, so another reason for the venue selection could be that Texas divorce laws will not leave Jesse James with a good part of what Sandra Bullock owns.

(This part of the Sandra Bullock and Jesse James divorce and cheating scandal was brought to this blogger's attention by Suzannah B. Troy of New York Focus Blog.)

The papers called In The Matter of B.A.S and J.J.G were filed in the Travis County Courthouse on April 23, 2010. The document is simple. Children aren't mentioned in it, so sections that govern kids in Texas don't apply. Overall, it's remarkably simple.

It frees Sandra Bullock to start the new phase of her life with her bouncing baby boy Louis Brado Bullock and as a single parent. The divorce papers are here, below:

042910_bullock

Stay tuned.

Sandra Bullock's baby "Louis" family matters -- Suzannah B. Troy

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