Desley Brooks 50 to 1, the same as Larry Reid. Give me a break. She doesn't have a chance at all. 1,000,000 to 1. She is soooo unpopular, unfriendly, and plain rude. Everyone on the City Council hates her with the possible exception of Nancy Nadel.

Larry is at least civil.

I put my money on Russo. Eddie Haskell II is my lock of the week. That's a big lock. But The Don would be my shoo-in of the week.

I told my betting advisor that the Russo odds were insane BECAUSE RUSSO WILL NOT RUN FOR MAYOR,
according to Russo, but why pay attention to Russo? Who has told me this a gazillion times, always sober.

Question for readers: What makes Don Perata more
palatable than Ignacio to you?

Wow, that is a big shoe

FADE IN

EXTERIOR SLUM STREET BROOKFIELD VILLAGE –– DAY –– TWO YEARS LATER

MEDIUM CLOSE SHOT –– In front of one of the miserable shacks that line the street are two vehicles. One of them is Ed De Silva's rickety car, and the other is an even more rickety truck piled high with household goods. The Martini family is moving. The family consists of Martini, his wife and four kids of various ages, from two to ten. Ed and Jean Quan are helping the Martinis move. About a dozen neighbors crowd around. Martini and Ed, assisted by three of the Martini children, are carrying out the last of the furniture. As they emerge from the house, one of the neighbors, Schultz, calls out:

SCHULTZ: Martini, you rented a new house?

MARTINI: Rent?
(to Ed)
You hear what he say, Mr. De Silva?

ED: What's that?

MARTINI: I own the house. Me, Giuseppe Martini. I own my own house. No more we live like pigs in thisa Potter's Field. Hurry, Maria.

MARIA: Yes . . .

Ed: Come on . . .
(to Jean Quan)
Bring the baby.
(to Martini)
I'll bring the kids in the car.

MARTINI: Oh, thank you, Mr. Bailey.

Mary gets in the front seat of the car, with the baby in her arms.

ED: All right, kids –– here –– get in here. Now get right up on the seat there. Get the . . . get the goat!

The family goat gets in the back seat with the three kids.

MARTINI: Goodbye, everybody!

ED: All in . . .

The rickety caravan starts off down the street, to the cheers of the neighbors.

WIPE TO:

EXTERIOR DE SILVA PARK –– DAY

Mr. Fine,
We have indulged you by responding to what you imagine are pithy rejoinders, but in equating the Leona Quarry development and Ed De Silva with "Bailey Park" in the film "It's a Wonderful Life" and James Stewart is going too far. What next? Chiding those opposed to liquor stores with the salutation of "Look at me, I'm giving out wings!"
We are trying to have a serious airing of issues. Your childish antics on this board are becoming less appreciated.

It's somewhat stunning how much time Larry has to post comments on this blog. Don't we have better things to do?

Actually, I find Larry's take quite amusing and reasonably apt. His is easily one of the very most engaging voices around this joint. I'll choose chortling with a Stooge over yawning at a Simpson's straight man (Grimey) any day.

Ed., are you actually booking action on those odds? Some sharp's gonna break your bank!

Anyone see the Tribune story on the parcel taxes?
"The council's decision Tuesday to put the $90 (45 cops and "violence prevention programs") parcel tax to Oakland voters in March, along with a measure increasing the library tax to $75 (from $36), means the ballot will be loaded with taxes. School officials also decided this week to go for a $207 parcel tax.
All told, the three measures would increase tax bills by $213, or about 50 percent of the $430 in special charges already collected from single-family homeowners. Combined with a half-cent sales tax increase to help bail out the Alameda County Medical Center and the possibility of a state bond measure..."

This is an absolute disgrace!! Why can't those City Hall Bozos put put all the money they give to Al Davis into an up or down parcel tax vote? Next thing you know, they'll tack another parcel tax on the ballot to "save soul beat"

Fortunately Larry's idea for a Save Soul Beat Measure came up too late for those who are running this year, aka pandering to voters, to put on the
ballot.

And no, I'm just messing with a friend who is helping me understand the realities of the betting world.

Soul Beat is the voice of Oakland -- or at least the voice of Oakland liquor stores.

I'm with George,
Yes, let's start a campaign to protect the only True Voice of Oakland, Soul Beat TV. Let's start a petition for a 25 cents per square foot of improved property within the city of Oakland to pay back TCI/AT&T Cable/Comcast/(insert current name here) and preserve this valuable voice for the community.
Chauncey Bailey for mayor

Larry Fine is to Oakland News what...
Debrah J Saunders is to SF Chronicle

a) space filler
b) column filler
c) bantha fodder
d) all of the above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stop hijacking this thread, byron, and learn to spell Debra. Are you actually from Oakland?

OAKLAND -- Sponsorship deals are the name of the game and newly elected Mayor John Russo announced several that will alleviate the budget shortfall if approved.
Pepsi Cola Co., already frustrated in attempts to promote its beverages through the city's parks department, has agreed to a naming-rights deal with the Oakland Coliseum. The outdoor stadium will henceforth be known as the Oakland Pepsi Colaseum.
An agreement has similarly been reached with the Rice-A-Roni division of the Quaker Oats Company for the New Arena, which will now be known as the "Rice-A-Rena."
And PepsiCo also reached agreement with the owners of Mountain View Cemetery, which will be renamed Mountain Dew Cemetery, with plans to include vending machines in the mausoleums and a large inflated soft drink can overlooking Piedmont Avenue.
Plans for the cemetery will be submitted to the planning commission next month.

OAKLAND -- Corporate envy, carbonation and a high stakes cola war have solved the city’s budget shortfall but relegated the city’s name to the recycling bin.
“Beginning Jan. 1 Oakland will officially change its name to Coca-Cola Presents Oakland,” said newly elected Mayor John Russo, announcing a $1 billion deal Friday. The name change comes just days after a lucrative deal renaming the stadium hosting the A’s and Raiders the Oakland Pepsi Colaseum.
“This fund-raising deal will solve much of the city’s problems,” Russo said.
Under terms of the agreement, $500 million will go to Raiders owner Al Davis and his attorneys. Another $100 million will be reserved for new school and library construction, while a further $50 million will be needed to close the schools and libraries once they are built. A total of $10 million fund street and sidewalk cleaning in Frank Ogawa Plaza, with another $5,000 going to similar efforts citywide.
State Senator Don Perata has been charged with safeguarding the remainder of the funds for pending needs.
It is unclear what the impact the city’s name change will have on the Pepsi deal.

Since the We-don't-want-anyone-to-know-we're-from-Oakland Warriors got permission to sell the naming rights to the Arena, maybe they could sell them to Apple Computer, and from then on it will be known as the Mac-Arena...