Stop, Drop and Roll

12 February 2008 | Alameda Community, Alameda Truthiness | John Knox White

Writing last week about the Edison Enrollment (this isn’t specifically about ESSN), I found myself thinking once again about advocacy and how once one has taken a position (say no bus stop in front of my house…and no Jack, this isn’t specifically about that either J), it easy to then start looking for any and all possible reasons for why one’s position is correct. Often, one hears about safety, “the children,” the environment, housing prices, etc. (I could go on).

We’ve all done it at one time or another. It’s human nature. And often, the dire predictions don’t come true. Because it’s easy to picture the worst, but just because its easy doesn’t mean it’s likely.

But then there’s a level of accusation/prediction, that tends to blow the roof off of things. And yet, the predictors never seem to go back and fact-check their statements (more often than not, they just come up with new ones). Alameda is both lucky and cursed to have developed a bog to collect just such information. They call themselves Alameda Daily News. I thought it would be amusing to step into the way back machine and revisit a couple of personal favorites.

On Oct. 17, 2006…the Alameda Daily News ran an actual opinion piece not a press release, not a movie schedule for Central Cinema and not a letter from one of 7 letter writers that write to the site AND the issue was so important that the indomitable Don Roberts wrote in to add his own editorial to the ADN editorial.

This Sunday will See Alameda’s Traffic Version of Looney Tunes

One of the worst, and most ludicrous traffic decision by the City of Alameda, will bear bitter fruit this Sunday when work will begin to permanently eliminate two traffic lanes on very busy Lincoln Avenue for almost two blocks west of Park Street. The reason for the change - to eliminate parallel parking spaces and create 41 new angled parking spaces, even though only 22 of those new spaces will be for parking for the New Library.

Editor’s comments: It’s doubtful that candidates Mayor Beverly Johnson and Councilmember Frank Matarrese will include this project in their list of supposed accomplishments.

Don Roberts

Nevermind that this this prediction never came even close to true. No traffic nightmare, no back up, not even Porky Pig seems to have had an issue with this restriping. Who knew? Well, actually, clearly the people who planned it. And somehow, I highly doubt that Beverly Johnson and Frank Matarrese are embarrassed by this plan that allowed the library to be built.

Strangely, Don, who apparently think it’s interesting to post that Lee Grosscup was incorrect in his predictions of whether Cal Football would win or lose, doesn’t feel the need to correct himself. Ever. He just bounces from incorrect assertion to incorrect assertion.

Which brings me to my follow-up thought on the other blogs in town. Just about every other blog in town (Action Alameda being the other notable exception) allows for comments to be added to a discussion. Think I’m wrong about the ESSN survey? Write in and let fly (and you do, bless you). Lauren Do’s site has long, ongoing discussions. It’s the changing face of community discussion. And it’s a good one.