Comments on: It’s seen fire and it’s seen rain

By: ruth gutmann

ruth gutmann — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 20:52:59 +0000

David, such garbage on the ground gives the casual passersby permission to dump stuff — who is going to notice a bit more?
According to Thomas Frank of earlier fame for his book on Kansas, the less well government functions, the more “proof” the right claims to refuse paying taxes that would help run municipal, state, Federal government, in an ever worsening circle.

By: dc

dc — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 17:04:53 +0000

Ruth: That couch may evoke Port-au-Prince in miniature, but for me, the earthquake in Haiti has mostly offered a contrast instead—Oakland has its problems, and I sometimes complain about them on this blog and elsewhere, but it is still a functioning city with a functioning government, even if they have trouble promptly collecting dumped couches from the sidewalks.

By: ruth gutmann

ruth gutmann — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:57:42 +0000

I recall Mercedes-Benz cars from the 1930s as I saw them in their country of origin.

But more interesting to me is that not one of your commentators so far has mentioned that that devastated couch evokes, in miniature, some scene in Port au Prince. And to me such an evocation sadly speaks volumes — for Oakland.

By: jabel

jabel — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:02:57 +0000

Good Job.CSI for old plates.

By: dc

dc — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:43:21 +0000

A Fragmentary Evidence field agent happened to be patrolling in that area tonight, so I got a cell phone photo of the car. The license plate does indeed seem to be black. The car is an older model Mercedes: For good measure, here's a crop from a backup photo from earlier today: I'm frequently surprised by which aspects of my posts will end up piquing people's interest. (That's not a complaint.) Gene: The laptop seems to be back to normal again, after repeated exorcisms with a variety of anti-spyware programs. (Knock on silicon.)

By: jabel

jabel — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:28:51 +0000

You’re right it might indeed be blue and gold.I can’t get a focus on the letters though.But that bumper looks to be old.I can’t even tell if it’s a car or pickup now that I look at it.

By: Gene

Gene — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:35:09 +0000

Zooming in it looks sort of bluish, MJA 111 ? Were the blue and gold plates (my favorites) in that sequence, or does that go back to the black and gold?

By: jabel

jabel — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:17:12 +0000

It’s a convertible sofa now.Is that a black Calif plate on the car on the right?it looks like an old car from the bumper.

By: Gene

Gene — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 01:16:54 +0000

Lovely.

Welcome back to blogging status. The laptop is better now?