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Drought: Slaking the Thirst

I wish groups like ABAG would worry more about our long-term water needs before they force more housing down cities' throats.  Some elected officials seem to get it, but I don't see that kind of thinking on the Peninsula right now.  Instead of spending on high-cost rail in violation of the Proposition that supposedly funded it, I have often wondered whether desalination would be attractive to voters.  Today's Wall Street Journal article sheds some light on the issue.  Here are a couple of factoids about efforts in California:

Santa Barbara may spend up to $40 million to update and reactivate a desalination plant it mothballed after another drought ended about 24 years ago.  With its local reservoirs at less than 30% of capacity, the City Council voted in September to pursue reopening the facility, which can turn seawater into the equal of nearly three-fourths of Santa Barbara's normal demand for drinking water.

Poseidon Water, a Boston company that develops water systems, is using $1 billion in private financing to construct a desalination plant in Carlsbad, CA.  It aims to provide the San Diego County Water Authority with about 8% of its water, at a cost up to twice that of water that the agency imports from northern California.

As of 2013, there were 26 desalination plants in California–up from 18 in 2006, according to most recent data.  Some are operated by government agencies while others are privately funded.

So the cost per gallon is high and the article describes how some marine life can be at risk at the entry point (which can be moderated), but right now what choice do we have?  Shouldn't any and every major proposed development in California have to demonstrate where the water will come from?

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52 responses to “Drought: Slaking the Thirst”

  1. Joe

    Leave it to the Daily Journal to provide Exhibit A with the front page-above-the-fold piece—hey, ONLY 12,000 homes……
    Environmentalists and lawmakers fear a pending decision by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers could pave the way for future development at the Cargill Saltworks site in Redwood City.
    The upcoming decision has prompted Bay Area lawmakers to urge the corps to stick with its previous decision that the salt ponds are “indeed waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act.”
    Developer DMB Pacific Ventures withdrew its plans to construct 12,000 homes east of Highway 101 nearly three years ago and has been waiting for a response from both the corps and the Environmental Protection Agency as to whether the agencies have jurisdiction over the Saltworks site under the federal Clean Water Act.
    ————
    Which of our US representatives will sponsor the US No Water Act???
    http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2015-02-18/federal-decision-could-give-cargill-new-life-jurisdiction-over-saltworks-site-could-pave-way-for-development/1776425138606

  2. hollyrollerhotwire.com

    Will the new planted trees, plus the Elms on El Camino still be maintained-watered by the Park Dept?

  3. Joe

    While the various Planning Commissions are approving new multi-tenant housing projects maybe they can update the rules on mters and outdoor hose bibs:
    In response to water thefts from San Francisco Bay Area homes, the East Bay Municipal Utility District added locks to more than 1,100 water meters that were illegally pried open during the first 11 months of 2014 – an increase from 842 locked meters in all of 2013, district officials said.
    “If people know you can be hit with a substantial fine, people are going to be more reluctant to steal water,” East Bay Municipal Utility District Director Marguerite Young said.
    It wouldn’t be the first agency to increase fines. In December, the Contra Costa Water District boosted fines for stealing water from $25 to $250 for a first offense and $500 thereafter.

  4. Joe

    From today’s SacBee:
    Hundreds of farmers in the Central Valley were told Friday they can expect zero water deliveries this year from the federal government, the latest fallout from what is likely to be a fourth straight drought year in California. The announcement came from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which operates a system of reservoirs and canals that make up the Central Valley Project.
    Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/#storylink=cpy
    Meanwhile the pols all worry about how to build and subsidize even more housing!

  5. Peter Garrison

    I’m sure the new Office of Sustainability and Rain Dances can handle the exploding population and traffic.

  6. Dave Mac

    It is amazing how so many smart people are governed by so many stupid people.

  7. Bruce Dickinson

    Dave Mac the Knife, cutting through the issues like a steak knife through soft butter, just hit the nail on the head. Bruce Dickinson recalls a saying we had at Columbia, which was “people around here get promoted to their level of incompetence”. That is, in an entity, you do a good job and keep getting promoted until the point where you are above your head in abilities do the job effectively.
    The problem with a lot of these County and City government folks is that, the bar is lower for them to begin with and as they get into these positions, they get promoted or elected to their level of incompetence. So basically you have thankless jobs that many don’t want to do, with low hurdles to hire and promote..and many of these people may have not be that competent to begin with and can survive in a system where you have to be REALLY incompetent to be fired or if you do a mediocre job, you can exist for a very long time. Compare this to companies where “good enough” ain’t gonna cut it for business owners or shareholders. You gotta be good, yes, dynamite at what you do, if you want to succeed.
    Yes, one does not stumble upon owning properties in Burlingame, Mendocino County, Topanga Canyon, NYC or having a Ferrari collection. That takes top talent my friends, and I would be remiss if I didn’t say, governance as a whole, at all levels, leaves a lot to be desired. There is a reason why people get frustrated with so many government officials and things really have to get bad to overcome the inertia of the electorate to take action.
    Take heed, residents of Burlingame…are you satisfied with the outcomes you’ve been seeing lately? If not, it’s time to overcome your inertia and start voting for the right people!
    My name is Bruce Dickinson, and I approve this message.

  8. Dave Mac

    Regarding new housing -it’s gonna happen as much as I hate it. There are too many people working on the peninsula that need a place to live that isn’t 2 hours away.
    The real problem is office space. More office space brings more people, and those people new housing. Stop the office space and your stop the influx.
    There needs to be a moratorium on the building of new office space.

  9. Rubber Stamps from Jerry Brown & Co.

    Dave, ultimately, the answer is the middle path and balance.
    Cities, and counties and states love new office that can be leased up, because it means new jobs, which drives everything.
    The construction creates new construction jobs and contracts. (Good if it’s done honestly, bad if its given to the mayor’s husband).
    The new office houses new long term jobs which generates taxes and demand on the retail businesses, and it creates jobs even for locals.
    This is why having commercial real estate experts involved with politics in a transparent and honest manner is important, because someone needs to understand urban planning and the whole ecosystem.
    The chunks of dog crap that are the TODs at 888 San Mateo Dr are simply poor city planning and city council design review in San Mateo.
    Even the office space developers want to be by Caltrain, as the workers want to be by Caltrain and the city wants the traffic around Caltrain, so you see the Hunter Storm / Kilroy Class A Office project (which I hear is already 100% leased up) in downtown Redwood City.
    The government agencies need real estate experts involved with them, but the people need more transparency, more turn over of elected officials (unlike Jerry Brown) and more diversity of perspective to encourage honest debate of issues, instead of Rubber Stamps from Jerry Brown & Co.

  10. hillsider

    If only a “real” real estate expert would run for council

  11. Dave Mac

    Rubber – I don’t disagree with the principles you’ve described at all. I am no expert in any of this. But it doesn’t take an expert to know when something is headed in the wrong direction. When quality of life goes down, it’s time to rethink things.
    My fundamental issue is that the Peninsula (and Burlingame in particular) is such a unique gift in all that it offers that basic principles of planning and growth simply don’t apply here. To do so means that the peninsula is just like any other part of the country and should simply be governed and developed in the same way. And that’s tragic, and that is exactly what is happening, and that is why the peninsula is turning into DC and LA. Experts are useful, but not sufficient to solve problems when typical solutions don’t apply. Visionaries are more important than experts.
    I don’t really care about creating new construction jobs for the sake of creating new construction jobs. Creating new construction jobs for the sake of creating new construction jobs means that it’s OK to destroy the peninsula so that people have new construction jobs. Incredibly myopic and irresponsible. Jobs are temporary. The destruction of the peninsula lasts forever.
    The Peninsula doesn’t need to worry about new jobs to drive it anywhere, because it doesn’t need to be driven anywhere. It is already where and what it should be. It (along with the rest of Northern California) is the single most desirable place to live in the continental U.S. Nobody needs to try and “sell” the peninsula (even in a recession). What caused the congestion in the first place were too many people working in such a small area. All the office space development occurs under the ruse of plan bay area, which is inexplicably trying to reduce congestion. Not sure who masterminded that one.
    Things are clearly headed in the wrong direction. Nobody is happy with the congestion and where we are headed. Stop the bleeding. Stop bringing in more people. Stop new office development. Make it temporary, I don’t care. Just make it happen.

  12. The Tip of The Icepick.

    Dave, notice I’m offering an explanation of how real estate works here, not how I work.
    You might have noticed the consistency of my tone that I don’t like regional power grabs and the usurping of local citizen input and control via The ABAG, Bay Area Plan and GBI – all cousins of HSR.
    I learned about these programs through places like My Liberty San Mateo and The Conservative Council and then was one of the first people to critique them and generate awareness of them here.
    The diversity of perspective, open debate of issues, fiscal conservatism, historical protection when legitimate and not just at the whim of the ruling party (see the closure of the very historic Pacific Rod & Fun Club this month), along with visionary thinking – it’s all important, right?
    Burlingame is a wonderful place. And, I believe that the biggest threat to a wonderful life in Burlingame and in the United States is the connection of organized crime to labor unions and thus to politicians. Sound outrageous? Leland Yee is the tip of the iceberg, or should I say, Icepick?
    Why are so few others making this problem a priority?
    Perhaps they want you to focus on “The Environment is Failing!” instead.
    Visionary thinking…the driverless, electric car will become essential to relieving traffic congestion. Go GOOG!

  13. Dave Mac

    Today in the Daily Journal I read an “Opinion” (page 9 – Getting away from a car-centric culture) from a guy who wants to turn the Bay Area (not just SF) into Toyko. A better idea is for this guy to go back to Tokyo, or NYC, or DC, or any of the places he thinks are better than the Bay Area. I don’t know too many people (any, actually) who live on the Peninsula and wish they lived in Tokyo, or DC, or NYC.
    I agree completely with his suggestion that we should have more public transportation. There are too many people on the road (congestion) and that needs to change asap. But I disagree completely with the idea that high density housing and more public transportation go hand in hand (yes, keep in mind water concerns with new high density housing – which never seems to be addressed by those promoting high density housing).
    All cars will be zero emission in the near future. Fact. Not tomorrow, not next year, but they will. Change takes time but it does happen, and this will happen. How many people in their 20s and 30s don’t agree with green living and sustainability, especially out here? Very few. They are the future and that is the future. Planning the future of the Bay Area as if cars will be polluting the skies forever is erroneous planning. Congestion on the roads and emissions are two totally separate issues. You don’t need to eliminate cars from the roads to eliminate emissions, you just need to change the car, and that is underway.
    Most importantly, do you have any idea what would happen if the area from SF to San Jose was turned into one large city with high density housing in between? Every single weekend people in the Bay Area drive to Marin, Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Tahoe (year round), etc., to get out and enjoy nature. Do you honestly think people in the Bay Area are going give up their cars and their ability to travel with ease, and say, “OK, I’ll just limit my activities to those I can do with public transportation”?? What would be the point of living in the Bay Area?? Building high density housing along the corridor will absolutely destroy the Peninsula, making it uninhabitable.
    Congestion is and will be a clear problem, even with driverless cars and even with zero emission cars. How do we alleviate congestion – 1) stop bringing in new people (stop the bleeding); and 2) increase the ease and availability of mass transit, to shift some drivers off the road and onto mass transit. These two elements are essential.
    By the way, go talk to people who live in DC (and the surrounding metro area), and ask them about traffic and quality of life. The answer will be something along the lines of “it sucks.” The Bay Area is not like NYC, DC, Boston, Tokyo (thank goodness), and that is what attracts many to this place. If you like the lifestyle in Tokyo, go live in Tokyo.

  14. Joe

    From today’s SacBee:
    Folsom will begin its long-planned march across Highway 50 this summer, a move that eventually could bring 10,000 new homes to an expanse of rolling hills now dotted mainly with oak trees. The move sends a strong signal that the market for new suburban housing in Sacramento is recovering from the near-knockout blow dealt by the recession.
    That, my friends, sounds like a LOT OF WATER.

  15. Joe

    One had to know this was coming at some point:
    Three of the region’s largest water agencies have either newly approved or will soon consider rate hikes of nearly one-third, the San Jose Mercury News reported Sunday.
    Beau Goldie of the Santa Clara Valley Water District told the newspaper that conservation efforts by San Francisco-area residents amid the drought already are costing local water agencies tens of millions of dollars in revenue from water sales.
    Water agencies say the drought also is driving up their costs, in part by forcing districts to pay more to buy water from an underground water bank in Kern County. Conservation programs to encourage Bay Area residents to reduce lawn-watering and otherwise save water also are costing the agencies additional money.
    “We don’t want to raise water rates,” Goldie, the Santa Clara Valley district’s chief executive, said. “We can’t control the drought.”
    The East Bay Municipal Utility District and the San Francisco Public Utilities District also face rate hikes.
    The agencies serve 5.8 million people. That’s 80 percent of the Bay Area’s population.
    http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2015-03-09/drought-forcing-up-bay-area-water-rates/1776425139625

  16. “Don’t Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste!”

    Like the Jesus of the Democrats (Saul David Alinsky) first taught his disciples like Barack Hussein Obama II and Rahm Israel Emanuel, “Don’t Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste!”
    In other words, one can manipulate and cease power as a government leader by exploiting a crisis – whether that crisis is real, exaggerated, or completely made-up.
    Yes, fluctuation in weather patterns are inevitable, and California has seen periods of drought in the past for as long as 200 years. So, should we radically change the United States and our spirit of individual rights and rule of law towards Socialism and One World Government via the U.N. due to various real and made-up crisis?



    Also see the United Nation’s Agenda 21, which is the basis for ABAG’s TOD, GBI, HSR, etc.

  17. Bruce Dickinson

    Form of typical tea-party rant on the BV (or any blog)
    1. Drop names of key Democratic leaders
    2. Describe how robbing your freedom through bigger government
    3. Tie bigger government to communism/socialism
    4. Insert semi-racist or xenophobic overtones to appeal to WASP caucasians
    5. Bigger government = socialism and communism designed to rob caucasians of rights
    6. As a caucasian, you are dumb not to recognize the obvious affront to your race/money/power
    There you have it folks, pretty much sums up the poop of the post above and the dozens of other similar defecations throughout this site. Listen little fella(s), if Burlingame is too diverse or tolerant for you, move somewhere else and don’t let the door hit the back of your pooping derrière, which by the way needs a big diaper.
    Bruce Dickinson has pretty much had it with the nincomPOOPery! Grow up folks!

  18. hillsider

    It’s just one folk and y’all know who Alex Kent is.

  19. Birds of a feather…

    Spoken like a true Dictocrat on a public opinion website…if YOU don’t agree with another person’s opinion then bring out the potty words.
    When will FAKE Bruce reveal his true identity?
    I hear Burlingame’s suspended fire chief is good at making fake IDs and credit cards. Look him up to complete your daily farce.
    Who appointed that fire chief?
    Birds of a feather…

  20. The FAKE Bruce Dickinson on The Burlingame Voice

    Ladies and Gentlemen,
    Here’s a LinkedIn response from the real Bruce Dickinson, who’s based out of NYC.
    Having Burlingame’s FAKE Bruce Dickinson drone on and on about his supposed success in the music industry, all his supposed money gives us FALSE implied credibility to his statements about the Burlingame community and about public policy here.
    It’s time to stop the charade.
    —-
    “Bruce Dickinson has accepted your request.
    Title: RE: a guy that’s impersonating you
    Hi Alex,
    Interesting. First, let me ask- how far is Burlingame from Carmichael and is Carmichael within the area that the Burlingame Voice would logically reach? The style of the writing is very recognizable to me. More later.
    Thanks,
    Bruce”

  21. Peter Garrison

    I’m poor at understanding irony, sarcasm, and passive-aggression- so I’ve lost who is who and what they are trying to say about what subject- or is it just self-referencing promotion?
    Is Bruce real or not? Is the real Bruce really responding or not?
    Is Alex Kent submitting under a false name?
    Could the editor supply a flow-chart and time line to straighten this out?
    PS- Everybody get some spine and use your real name…

  22. Is Elliot Mazer the FAKE Bruce Dickinson on The Burlingame Voice?

    Ladies and Gentlemen,
    I’d like to introduce to you Elliot Mazer.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elliot_Mazer
    http://www.linkedin.com/pub/elliot-mazer/0/215/b87/en
    This is what his real house looks like, and he does not own any property under his name in Burlingame, but rather 115 miles away at 5208 Tamsen Ct, Carmichael, CA.
    https://www.google.com/maps/@38.589287,-121.343897,3a,75y,237.7h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sauD8CeYEbw2r8DC8dG6rgQ!2e0
    And, hey I love Elliot Mazer’s work too. Good stuff, Elliot.
    Finally back to reality.

  23. Is Elliot Mazer the FAKE Bruce Dickinson on The Burlingame Voice?

    Peter,
    99% of my posts use the title of the essay as the name like a headline.
    With most people using “handles”, putting a title that space as the handle seems to be more useful for the readers.
    And no, as I just researched (I’m a primary resource guy) with the real Bruce Dickinson via LinkedIn, the guy that’s been providing elaborate stories of his life as BD, was really an Elliot Mazer, who BD only met briefly 30 years ago.
    Elliot clearly has his own track record of music production and music device inventions, but he is Elliot Mazer from Carmichael, CA (according to the real BD).

  24. Message from The Real Bruce Dickinson (via AK)

    To the fake Bruce Dickinson:
    Rather than use someone else’s name when you post, why not just make up something.
    You could even call yourself “Elliot From Carmichael”, for all I care, whatever. It’s just not cool to use someone else’s name as your own, especially when posting opinions that that person may or may not agree with.

  25. Jennifer

    I’ve lost track, too, but what I cannot figure out is how anyone sitting in Carmichael would know so much about Burlingame issues. Answer me that….

  26. Fake Bruce, correct me if I’m wrong.

    Jennifer, I’d suggest that you call — — —-, ask for Elliot and say, “Bruce, baby! Is that you?”
    Hey, maybe the real Bruce Dickinson was incorrect in his guess, but what we all know for sure (if the LinkedIn guy is the real guy, which he probably is because he’s connected to a ton of legitimate record industry people) is that the guy that’s been gushing about himself for a few years is actually just a made-up impersonator.
    Fake Bruce, correct me if I’m wrong.

  27. J Sarno

    Think its obvious to me that the Voice “Bruce Dickinson” is impersonating the Christopher Walken SNL skit talking about “famed” producer Bruce Dickinson. A hilarious skit in and of itself. A simple wikipedia search will reveal that Bruce Dickinson didn’t really produce Blue Oyster Cults albums and it looks like most on here including the editors realize this and oblige to play along. I love reading the Voice Bruce Dickinson’s posts and responses as they are very funny, caustic and pretty insightful humour and some public figures who post on there think so too and play along.
    Its a little pathetic that BD’s humor grates on AK so much as to create a goose chase trolling other people…I remember he did the same thing on some young asian kid with a Facebook post who posted here a while back, also a funny guy and now he doesn’t post here…that stalking is creepy. Its really no different than using anonymous handles on here with stuff that is obviously not in jest and mean spirited like saying democrats are idiots. That’s hypocritical and mean. That to me is showing no respect and causing friction to as to ruin the fun of the site is not cool, and if that’s an attempt at humour, you need to stoop. So Burlingame Voice Bruce Dickinson/Chris Walken or whomever you are, please keep posting..I’m much rather hear your stuff than AKs, who sounds like a spoit brat that nooone seems to like anyways.

  28. Dave Mac

    All of this just confirms that 90% of internet commentors are sociopaths.

  29. Info and Fun.

    Boys, boys, relax.
    The reality is that across the readership here, I’d suggest that many people actually believe that the fake Bruce is real.
    I’m not trying to ruin anyone’s fun, I’m just trying to stand up to the local bullies while staying alive. They are the real ‘sociopaths’ (Dave). I guess you’re cool with alleged Felons being employed by the city of Burlingame (the fire chief) and the rest of the felonious crew that litters local and state government? You prefer fake Bruce’s reference to poo, etc.
    Ahh, J. Sarno, I’ve delivered more primary resource information about Burlingame than most. This website is about primary resource information AND fun. J. Sarno, I don’t think that you realize what posts have been mine or not. If the name is a headline, it’s probably me, i.e. 25% of all posts. And, yes, plenty of people like me silly boy. I just got invited to yet another top private club just last week. Just picked up another 3 clients this week. That wouldn’t be happening if people didn’t like me.

  30. locavore

    + 1 on Sarno’s comments above. Bruce Dickinson has me in stitches sometimes with his posts. His knowledge of Burlingame isn’t too shabby & makes a lot of sense. Please, keep up the laughs BD…it’s the perfect combination!

  31. Dave Mac

    It is well known that many elected officials (including many federal politicians) are sociopaths. It is the allure of power, control, and manipulation that lead many sociopaths to seek, and attain, positions of power.
    I don’t really care who BD is or is not. This place should be about respectfully sharing ideas. You take from it what you want, you leave behind what you don’t (like everything else in life).
    And to the dude who quoted high school gpa and ap scores to prove you are not a zero – you are a zero. Why? Because you pulled out high school grades and apa scores as an adult. I hope you get over your insecurities soon. Once you do, you will be free.
    Now, let’s get back to trying to make Burlingame a better place.

  32. locavore

    +1 to Dave Mac. Whether you’re measuring Dickinsons, GPAs, IQs its still a you know what measuring contest done by 12 year olds. Thx by the way on some of your articles that you’ve shared. Those are opinions that are value-add and I enjoy reading them.

  33. big opinions, no primary information, no original thoughts.

    Dave, feel free to give me a call, if you want to insult me 650-793-0541. Otherwise f off.
    You are typical, big opinions, no primary information, no original thoughts.

  34. j Sarno

    No original thought? Here we go again. Ruining all the fun for everyone, hurling personal insults and then accusing others of doing the same, just like you keep doing, over and over and over. I just reread some of your crap about “credibility” you talk about with Bruce and even your 3.6 GPA doesn’t get it. “Bruce” has talked about that he is about ideas, ideas cannot die and that they are “bulletproof”. I spotted these immediately as references to the comic book and movie “V for Vendetta” where the revolutionary “V” is shot up by the totalitarian thugs of the regime he has overthrown. Despite V being killed, it was his ideas that survived and who he was or wasn’t was not important, it was the ideas that were important for the public to act upon.
    Demonstrates where the intelligence around here really is! Zero is right.

  35. Scott J. Sarno

    Scott J. Sarno. Wells Fargo Mortgage Banker. Doesn’t live in Burlingame. Never has. Tries to follow Burlingame to sell mortgages.
    Call him for a mortgage, if you like the movie V.
    (Editor: this is very close to be deleted. Do not push it)

  36. Dave Mac

    Just a thought, is there anyway the website could create a polling system? For example asking questions from people and compiling the results? I just thought it might be an interesting exercise.

  37. Dave Mac

    Ignore people like that. Not worth the time.
    AK, just emailed a link to Morton Schapiro and the trustees with your comment telling me to f off. Good luck with all your endeavors.

  38. Birds of a feather…

    Dave, you call me a zero, I’m going to retort. Don’t you understand?
    I already know Morty and I’ve been friends with some of the trustees for 25 years. So again, F off.

  39. Dave Mac

    Thanks for letting me take screen shots of all of your comments. This is great stuff. Every president wants to be associated with a guy who says f off. well done.

  40. Birds of a feather…

    Dave to are a moron. Do you really think he’s going to pay attention to you? If you can’t pick up the phone to talk to me instead of insult me online…whatever.

  41. Dave Mac

    Yes, I do. Unfortunately, for you, you don’t know who I am. Cheers.

  42. Dave’s going beserk…

    Seeing that I’m fraternity brothers with most of the trustees and their families, tell them I said “Hi”.

  43. Bruce Dickinson

    Whoa whoa WHHHoAAAA nelly!
    Bruce Dickinson takes some days off, trying to enjoy some quality time at my winery in the Anderson Valley, I come back to Burlingame and step right into the porta potty with feces splattered everywhere!
    What a brouhaha of Bruces, hell I’m not sure if I can even keep up! Wait, is that me? or not me? or a caricature of me, who is me? and no I’m not Iron Maiden Bruce Dickinson, NY Bruce Dickinson (although I did grow up in the Bronx and worked there for a while), Carmichael Bruce Dickinson, etc etc. nor any of the probably other dozens of famous or not so famous Bruce Dickinsons that probably live in a lot of different places. We can go on and on, as someone said above it doesn’t matter. It’s not about me, it’s about you and Burlingame. Bruce Dickinson (1), aka *the Cock of the Walk* lives on, as I have for seven decades, telling stories that illustrate my points and inject humor and plain old smarts/genius. Yes, I can go and hibernate in my hole, not post comments, or share my insights, perspectives, and allegories, but I would be remiss if I didn’t say, I’ve developed quite a local following on here and Joe and Russ can probably share some web page view stats, and I’d be willing to wager that they skyrocket when yours truly posts! So thank you to my fans!
    As you all know, there is only one *the* Bruce Dickinson (1), who lives, eats, breathes, and drives fine Italian cars, for the most part, in Burlingame ,California. Well it looks like the little fella, namely AK, is trying to make himself look important with supposed nonsensical exposes, the who’s who of who? what? when where? what dimension? whatever! I would be remiss if I didn’t say that Bruce Dickinson has struck a nerve in our local gadfly, and it was probably the tea party comments that set him off. Here’s my advice to AK: go start your own tabloid, namely the Burlingame Enquirer, but this time, actually be in the content business and be a little more discreet with the paparazzi tactics. The only thing “exposed” is the carnivale in his mind, which to be frank, is a little cooky, but I’m not too worried as he tries any of his stalking with me in real life, I’ll have some of my security detail on him like a diaper rash. Trust me, when you get into it with Bruce Dickinson, my opponents are unwittingly thrown into a one-legged &ss kicking contest!
    Anyway, carry on Burlingame and editors, namely Russ and Joe, please clean up this mess with the baby wipes and allow people to *explore the space*. Those poor fellas, Bruce Dickinson from NY, Christopher Walken, Iron Maiden Bruce Dickinson, Ricky Carmichael, Elliott Razer, Scott J Sarno, the phone numbers posted, whomever is being stalked, called up, emailed or looked up online is probably wondering WTF is happening and who is this contacting me. Well sorry guys, the Burlingame hyena ate some ex-lax, got out of his cage went on a Fecal Frenzy. This is California, and you find all kinds ‘round these parts, so rest assured, these cannot be controlled, but can be contained, we see it all the time and they are harmless. Back into the cage little fella and let the zoo-keepers do their jobs. Apologies to the fellas that AK has contacted and disrupted, believe me when I tell you there is nothing there, literally ZERO, so please carry on with your lives and significantly more important things to do.
    *the* Bruce Dickinson(1) bids all my fans a good night and thanks for your support! AK seems to be on an attention gathering frenzy and there’s only one way to deal with it: IGNORE it. Works with tantruming toddlers. This is the last time I will even waste a breath dictating to my secretary Julie, who transcribes everything for the Voice (thanks Jules, you’re the best) on this or any related matters.
    (1) *the* Bruce Dickinson, aka *the Cock of the Walk* resides in Burlingame California; all comments made by him that bear any resemblance to other actual events or locales, or persons (including others also named Bruce Dickinson), living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  44. Need someone to talk to?

    Editors,
    At some point you have to restrict some of this crazy talk. This man is ruining your site with his rants. He is completely off topic, threatening regular posters and insulting everyone with half a brain. His accusations should not be allowed unless he can substantiate them. The freak show was entertaining for a while but seriously, is this want the Voice to become?. I am hereby starting the ban AK petition. Am I off base or do you agree?
    AK-you are really creating a reputation that is a detriment to your ability to support your family. Please take a minute to read your posts and ask yourself, would I want this man representing my school? Sailing in my boat? Running my city? Representing my Rotary Club/fraternity/alumni association? You’ve crossed the line and you need to stand down for your family’s sake!

  45. Keep the government corruption going? No thanks.

    I’m doing quite well thanks.
    Community, don’t let a few people distract you from the truth that I have shared on this community blog.
    The extensive corruption in our local and state government is very real. All you need to do is read the newspaper or watch a network news show…I’m sure you’ve seen the stories that I’ve referred to and like I said these are the tip of the iceberg.
    Perhaps some of the other bloggers here have a reason to keep the corruption going…

  46. Joe

    Wow! I normally work at home but yesterday and today I had to go into the office (Santa Clara) for full day meetings and business dinners. Amid all that, the Drought thread springs a leak and floods! It looks like we need another rule addition. No posting phone numbers on the Voice unless you can prove it is *your* phone number to me or Russ. I will delete the other one on this thread.
    I spend very, very little time worrying about who someone is (or isn’t). What they say and how illuminating it is to the B’game, San Mateo County and (occasionally) the California-wide issues is important.
    Can we get back on topic: Drought and over-development??? *please*

  47. Joe

    By the way, page views today were pretty good: about 600 by early evening. It’s probably a lot of people going backwards to try to figure out what the heck everyone is talking about! 🙂

  48. 3.6549 GPA

    Ladies and gentlemen,
    after reading all this, we may all have been fooled by a classic case of grade inflation.
    I for one am glad that Mr. 3.7 GPA has effectively been neutered by others on here as well as old man Dickinson. I would posit that perhaps Mr. 3.7 GPA actually may have rounded up from a 3.654 GPA….this shouldn’t be rounded up to 3.7. Because those who are intelligent enough to have non rounded to 3.700 GPA don’t stalk others or put people’s phone numbers on the web.
    But maybe he is all book smarts and not street smarts. Or Mr. 3.7 GPA gets in a tizzy when Dickinson called out his tea party ranting. A 3.7 GPA would have left it at that, but a lesser GPA in common sense gave credence to what Dickinson was saying by going into a frenzy, because its the truth that hurts and makes people the most angry.
    The evidence is clear, ladies and gentlemen. I think we may have all been fooled in that Mr. 3.7 GPA may have rounded up to the nearest tenth by not rounding down as he should have. Or dare one say the next whole number up? After all, a lesser GPA may have easily made this mistake or maybe it was intentional and the 3.7 GPA was just plain made up. 4.0 is too high and 3.5 isn’t that impressive, so somtthing in between sounds good…yeah. Maybe it included “AP” courses which get a higher GPA than regular classes. GPAs have a lot of fudge factor when applying for colleges.
    So when is a 3.7 not a 3.7? Even if it is a 3.7, it’s a 3.7 in what? common sense? Ladies and gentlemen thhe answer is probably no to this question.

  49. j Sarno

    I wonder what is more inflated? His G.P.A. or his E.G.O.

  50. meat heads

    Nothing like a meat head to entertain an intellectual discussion.
    If you hadn’t noticed, a few dozen posts ago, I was being called a zero by Dave Mac, and so I replied to stand up for myself against Dave’s negative comment. Actually, it was a 3.7 in high school at McCallie School with heavy AP and Honors classes at one of the top ranked high schools in the country, followed by Northwestern (GPA not mentioned), followed by Northwestern – Kellogg School of Management at which I earned a 3.6 with majors in finance, marketing and entrepreneurship in competitive classes.
    And for someone like J. Sarno, Wells Fargo Mortgage Broker who doesn’t live or work in Burlingame and has nothing to do with it and who’s never met me, I do not have an inflated ego at all, but rather I believe in standing up for myself, standing up for our community, and standing up to restore balance and ethics to it.

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