Fall Baking: Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe by Tina

This delicious cheesecake recipe can be used at gatherings, for Thanksgiving, Halloween or even as a dish to pass for a potluck.

Crust:
1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c sugar
1/3 c melted butter

Combine and press into bottom of a spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes.

Filling:
3 8 oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
1 1/3 c pumpkin
2 eggs
2/3 c evaporated milk
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Beat cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add pumpkin, eggs and milk. Stir well and add starch and spices. Pour into
crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until edge is set.

Topping:
2 c sour cream
1/3 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Combine and gently spread over cheesecake. Return to oven for 5 minutes.
Cool on wire rack. Remove sides gently and chill overnight before serving.

Fall Baking: Pumpkin Bread Recipe by Tina

Nothing beats the smell of pumpkin on a cool fall day. This pumpkin bread recipe will easily turn in to one of your favorites.

2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger

Mix ingredients and set aside.

In a large bowl, add:
2 eggs
1/3 c milk
1/3 c melted butter
1 tbsp molasses
1 tsp vanilla
1 c white sugar
1 c canned pumpkin
1/2 c chopped pecans

Mix well and add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Pour in to greased bread loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 18-24 minutes.

City Of Oakland's Dan Lindheim and Walter Cohen Named In Lawsuit By Oakland Taxpayer

Oakland City Hall

Gwillym Martin's an Oakland Resident and taxpayer who first found this blogger on Facebook and sent via email a copy of a complaint filed against the City of Oakland. Now people file lawsuits all the time, and at times for silly reasons; not in this case. But any media person who seeks to pick up on this story should make sure they understand it first. Read on.

Martin filed a lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court that specifically names City Administrator Dan Lindheim, CEDA (Community and Economic Development Agency) Director Walter Cohen, Building Services Director Ray Derania, and City Controller Osborne Solitei, and because "revenues generated from permit and code enforcement activities have been misappropriated for purposes other than those permitted by law and seeks an injunction to prevent further misuse of funds," as the email reads.

Looking beyond the email and at the documents, Gwillym Martin's simple and controverial point is that the City of Oakland's using revenue collected under California Heath and Safety Code Section 17951. Section 17951 is a long read; Martin's focus is what's called "subdivision (c)" which reads:

(c) The amount of the fees prescribed pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) shall not exceed the amount reasonably required to administer or process these permits, certificates, or other forms or documents, or to defray the costs of enforcement required by this part to be carried out by local enforcement agencies, and shall not be levied for general revenue purposes. The fees shall be imposed pursuant to Section 66016 of the Government Code.

Now, I took a cyber walk over to look at 66016 of the California Government Code, just in case, and came upon another long read - this one:

(a) Prior to levying a new fee or service charge, or prior to approving an increase in an existing fee or service charge, a local agency shall hold at least one open and public meeting, at which oral or written presentations can be made, as part of a regularly scheduled meeting.

So, Martin's in the clear so far; that only says the City of Oakland has to let you, the Oakland Taxpayer, know about these new fees. Marin's lawsuit does not call for an investigation of the City's compliance with that code, just 17951.

What Gwillym Martin found was the City of Oakland was allegedly using money from permits, like zoning permits, and putting it into the Oakland General Fund and giving some of it to The Oakland Unified School District.

There's the rub: part of it was used to help education in Oakland. A good cause. But Martin does not dispute the need for education money, he just doesn't want the City to violate state law in getting money for education or for general fund use.

He claims this video by Echa Schnider of A Better Oakland, has Economic Development Director Walter Cohen admitting such misuse of funds. Trouble is, the video's 25 minutes long and was not made for the purpose of "outing" Walter Cohen; Martin wants you to start at 20:00 then go to 25:00:


Oakland Budget: CEDA from V Smoothe on Vimeo.

A Complete Case

His case includes detailed spreadsheets to back his claim. My only question is if there's anything in the Oakland City Charter that may block this lawsuit. Article 1, Section 106 of the Oakland City Charter reads as follows:

Article 1, Section 106. General Powers. The City shall have the right and power to make and enforce all laws and regulations in respect to municipal affairs, subject only to the restrictions and limitations provided in this Charter; provided, that nothing herein shall be construed to prevent or restrict the City from exercising or consenting to, and the City is hereby authorized to exercise, any and all the rights, powers and privileges heretofore or hereafter granted or prescribed by the general laws of the State including those specifically applicable to general law cities; provided, also, that where the general laws of the State provide a procedure for the carrying out and the enforcement of any rights or powers belonging to the City, said procedure shall control and be followed unless a different procedure shall have been provided in the Charter or by ordinance.

It is the intention of the people in adopting this section to take advantage of the provisions of Section 6 of Article XI of the Constitution of the State of California giving cities Home Rule as to municipal affairs.

Note: "unless a different procedure shall have been provided in the Charter or by ordinance." The question is, does the City of Oakland have a provision in place that specifically allows money to be used from fees in a way that goes beyond the limits of Section 17951?

After looking at the Oakland City Charter, there's nothing that allows the City to, of Mr. Martin's findings are understood, do what it has been doing. In other words, the City's own Charter does not have language that allows the City to expressly go beyond Cal HS Code Section 17951.

What does Martin seek?  An injunction to stop the practice, and payment of lawyer's fees.  What the City has to do if it wants to maintain revenue flexibility, is alter the Charter to allow for it and take advantage of "home rule" status.  I know from having worked for the City of Oakland and in CEDA, that in the past such revenue transfers have been at least considered without consulting legal authority.

Stay tuned for more on this.

Lady Gaga's VMA winning streak By Nikky Raney

Lady Gaga VMA dress: real meat

Lady Gaga won the majority of the awards at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards last Sunday night. Twitter was filled with "little monsters" jubilant about every single win, and others who were getting a bit annoyed at the predictability of the outcome. It is debatable whether the right artists won - or if it just a popularity contest. The fans rule the votes, but it seems as though some of the Lady Gaga fans voted for her in every category regardless of whether or not another artist may have been more deserving. Lady Gaga is brilliant, and there is no doubt that she deserved to go home with awards; but was she really the BEST in each category that she did win. Did fans judge based on the videos or based on whose video it was?

The winner's list from the night includes:

Best Female Video: Lady Gaga - ‘Bad Romance’
Best Male Video: Eminem - ‘Not Afraid’
Best Hip Hop Video: Eminem - ‘Not Afraid’
Best New Artist: Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris - ‘Baby’
Best Collaboration: Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé - ‘Telephone’
Best Pop Video: Lady Gaga - ‘Bad Romance’
Best Rock Video: 30 Seconds to Mars - ‘Kings and Queens’
Best Dance Music Video: Lady Gaga - ‘Bad Romance’
Video Of The Year: Lady Gaga - ‘Bad Romance’
Best Art Direction: Florence + The Machine - ‘Dog Days Are Over’
Best Choreography: Lady Gaga - ‘Bad Romance’
Best Cinematography: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys - ‘Empire State of Mind’
Best Direction: Lady Gaga - ‘Bad Romance’
Best Editing: Lady Gaga - ‘Bad Romance’
Best Special Effects: Muse - ‘Uprising’

Click the links to watch the video that won.

Chelsea Lately did a wonderful job hosting the VMAs, a full review of the VMAs to be posted in an upcoming entry.



(All information was obtained through first hand account)

Deadspin's Racist: Attack On Blacks Is Insufferable

Deadspin's Black Row on 

There are times this blogger likes Deadspin, and others where the whole blog just sucks. Today, Deadspin sucks. Why? Because in short order, the September 13th edition of the sports blog managed to mar the image of black sports legends Joe Morgan, Tony Dungy, and John Salley, all right in a row on on blog issue.

And never mind that Salley's an invited contributor, Deadspin's asking him to basically make himself look like Tiger Woods before Thanksgiving 2009.

Even if he's willing, why take advantage of him?

Yeah. John Salley is married, big time. Moreover, Salley has a history of cheating on his wife. Have doubts? Look at this result for the Google Search for "John Salley Married."

What Deadspin editors did is very not funny, and shows how little regard they have for blacks in sports. The most fun this blogger would have would be either buying Deadspin and firing its staff or, just having my blog army bash it into the Internet ground.

What Deadspin did was institutionally racist. The editors might as well have showed the online version of Birth Of A Nation.

Will Deadspin apologize? No. Just do something stupid and snarky, if anything at all. That much is expected. I've lost all respect for Deadspin. And I don't care that they or their minions have none for me.

ESPN's Jay Mariotti Charged With 7 Misdemeanors, Stole Girlfriend's Purse?

Jay Mariotti and Girlfriend (?) (Deadspin.com)

ESPN Personality and former AOL Fanhouse Columnist Jay Mariotti, after being declared all but done at ESPN, panned on Twitter, and then canned from AOL Fanhouse, is not breathing a sign of relief, because after the LA County District Attorney announced it was dropping domestic abuse charges against him last Thursday, The LA City Attorney slapped 7 misdemeanors on him: 4 domestic violence charges, false imprisonment, vandalism and grand theft according to TMZ.com.

Yes, he's accused of taking his girlfriend's purse and keys!

If convicted of all of them, Mariotti faces a year in jail. According to Fox Sports, Jay's lawyer says the allegations are false.

What happened was that on August 22nd, Mariotti was arrested after he got into a heated argument with his girlfriend, or woman friend, and because she was flirting with another man at a Santa Monica night club. (Wonder if the guy was black?)

He was spotted allegedly tossing her around and pulling her hair, and throwing things around in her apartment on Venice Beach. A witness called 911, which led to Jay's arrest.

Ironically, Jay Mariotti's in the exact, same trouble of athlete's he's written about and harshly criticized for getting into.

Jay's due in court Friday.  Stay tuned.

Kansas City Chief's Mccluster, Arenas, Berry - Rookies Open New Arrowhead Stadium

The Kansas City Chief's Dexter Mccluster, Javiar Arenas, and Eric Berry are rookies that opened the New Arrowhead Stadium with a win against The San Diego Chargers. So much for the yearly "Chargers are the best in the AFC West" media mantra that this blogger's sick of. Not a fan of the Chiefs, but it was nice to see them beat the Chargers. They had to be, and are, a vastly different team.

According to ESPN's Trent Dilfer, Chief's Head Coach Todd Haley said they were essentially better, stronger, and faster compared to last season. Dilfer said he'd not "bought the Kool Aid" until he saw the team. This space agrees. The Kansas City Chiefs are certainly faster, and reports are the Chargers are still chasing Dexter Mccluster.



Dexter Mccluster, formerly of the Mississippi "Runnin Rebels," was one that, when the Chief's picked him #36 and in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft, Bill Chachkes of Zennie62.com remarked "He's going to be a good one for them."

Bill was right.

He's listed as wide receiver, but really it's best to think of him as something like a hybrid U-back that can play receiver or running back. He's fast and his 94-yard punt return was a record in Chief's history.

Dexter Mccluster, Javiar Arenas, and Eric Berry, their 1st round pick, together with new coaches Romeo Crennel on The Chief's Defense and Charlie Weis heading The Chief's Offense, give the Chief's new life and identity. It's a different team, with new player and schemes, that if it gets confident could go deep into the playoffs.