After The Convulsion: Monday Dawns In The 24/680 After A Night Of Sporadic Looting, Crime
Things we’ve learned since Sunday: That yesterday’s lesson in Hit-and-Run tactics and looting was at least loosely organized, with criminal gangs taking advantage of the chaos in order to strike; that there is an unusual amount of “gaslighting” – deliberate spreading of false and confusing messaging in order to further a specific agenda – in…
Police Shift Resources In Anticipation Of More Demonstrations Saturday
Police in the Bay Area moved to head off a repeat of yesterday’s protests and resultant rioting in Oakland and San Jose, mobilizing off-duty officers and sending them to areas likely to be the scene of any new demonstration. Reader Kim Miller was on Highway 24 in Orinda Saturday when her car was passed by…
Parking Garage Adagio In Walnut Creek Thursday
Folks appear to be back on the roads lately, and with the increased traffic you might expect to come across a horn of a different type when walking through the Lesher Center parking garage in Walnut Creek. Ryan Thompson and his “bff” were walking through the structure today when they came across this solitary trumpeter…
Cruising Coyote Family Watches Sheltering Humans Watching Them
Last we checked in with the Chew Family of Orinda they were being entertained by a pair of playful turkeys “dancing” outside their living room window while their youngest child provided an entertaining play-by-play. Well, they’re back – the Chews, that is – only this time their personal Wild Kingdom consisted of a mama Coyote…
Death – Even Deaths By Suicide – Politicized In The Age Of Pandemic
We’ve noted and mentioned an anecdotal increase in the number of people pushed beyond their ability to cope during the Age of Pandemic, with many people seemingly choosing to opt out of their lives for reasons which may – in many cases – be forever known only to them. Pressure from internal family dynamics, job…
Day 60 – Mother Nature Rumbles; SIPpers Grumble; Some Begin To Stumble
Paine had Revolutionary War-era ‘Merica in mind when he penned his famed “These are the times that try men’s souls” line in reference to a crisis of another kind – but this one feels no less critical. Forgiving the 18th Century gender exclusion, Paine pretty much nailed the prevailing national sentiment during an age bereft of…
Some Tough Unemployment Numbers…
… out this morning, with people mentioning the “D”-word in the same breath as 20 million of our countrymen deal with the impact of widespread job loss. As Children of Children of the Depression we always wondered if we would ever get back to the Bad Old Days we heard so much about at family…
COVID Cowboys – Haircut Parties; Catalytic Converter Hunts; And Unsportsmanlike Roadkill
Americans – even 24/680 residents – appear to have hit the limits of their patience with health department edicts to remain sheltered in place. Tales of a return to morning commute patterns and nocturnal crime waves by people with no fear of being punished have become regular fare for us these days. A Commando Reconnaissance…
You Meet Some Of The Nicest People Under Quarantine
Blessed by our less-than-traditional business model and cache of survival food we’ve been getting along just fine during these unusual times, thanks for asking, enjoying our daily contact with friends and readers new and old. We know we’re supposed to focus on the 24/680 and have been sternly lectured for taking an interest in developments…
Burglars Switching From Homes To Businesses As Residents Shelter In Place
Thieves have long made it known they will go where loot is – and where they are likely to encounter the least resistance – in their pursuit of ill-gotten gains. And while the 24/680 may have seen flurries of brazen, daylight “door kick” robbery/burglaries back in the days when people were more likely to be…