From the San Mateo County Times piece, we learn about
an undercover police sting operation at the Crystal Wave Spa at 1205 Capuchino Ave. that came in response to complaints about prostitution at that location, said Burlingame police Capt. Mike Matteucci.
We have no lack of hair and nail salons on near the Avenue or B'way, so I'm pleased to hear about BPD's vigilance. The "tipping point" on this kind of thing is pretty quick.
Having the airport as a direct neighbor has its good and bad points. On the plus side, if you are a frequent traveller like I am, being less than 15 minutes from the ticket counter is a convenience that many in the Bay Area envy. On the downside, the aircraft noise early in the morning and during storms can be very disruptive especially when flight operations go into what is known as "reverse operations" over B'game. And then there are the nagging fears of crashes. Not too many locals can recall the 1968 JAL crash at SFO, but today's accident was more serious (at least one reported casualty is being reported). All flights have been held and incoming was diverted to SJO, Oakland and Sacramento.
The news coverage was immediate and satellite trucks, cameramen and on-air reporters flocked to the bayside–mostly in the Marriott hotel-public lot that was the closest spot to where the fuselage ended up. Here are some shots from that spot
I have a couple of thoughts about independence on this fine Fourth of July Independence Day.
The first thankful thought is for the independence of the press in our country. Often referred to as the Fourth Estate, press freedom has definitely taken a turn for the worse in the last months at the national level, but I remain confident that every outlet from the Associated Press and Fox News to the lil 'ole Burlingame Voice will survive intact. Watching the Justice Department backtrack and dissemble over their phone record hacking has been instructive for the whole country and we should appreciate it on this Fourth.
In a completely different vein, nothing says "independence" to an American teenager like getting his or her driver's license. I recall first getting to San Mateo County in 1981 and marvelling over how nice the roads were for my little sportscar to cruise on. Dan Walters at the Sac Bee has done a nice job of explaining how the degradation has happened in the face of the highest gas taxes in the country . He notes
The 72 cents per gallon that California's motorists are paying represent about 20 percent of the cost of fuel and generate more than $10 billion a year. On paper, according to a recent state-by-state compilation, California is annually spending $679,000 per mile on its highways, the second-highest level in the nation. Seemingly, we are taxing motorists a lot and spending a lot, but we are not getting a lot in terms of system adequacy and condition.
State transportation officials plead for more money, but the data indicate that the many billions of dollars now provided to them by motorists aren't being spent very wisely. Even a cursory look into the labyrinth of interlocking transportation accounts reveals that many of those dollars are diverted into other purposes, while a huge transportation bureaucracy, about 20,000 bodies, consumes many more. Precious little – clearly too little – is being spent where the rubber meets the road.
So as you head out on the highway for parades, fireworks, or barbecues with friends think about being vigilant about how your hard-earned money is being spent by politicians (hint: there are better uses for $100 billion than high-cost rail) and be vigilant for your freedom of speech and right to a free press! Happy Fourth of July, Fourth Estate and Fourth gear!
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