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By Roz Rogoff

About this blog: In January 2002 I started writing my own online "newspaper" titled "The San Ramon Observer." I reported on City Council meetings and other happenings in San Ramon. I tried to be objective in my coverage of meetings and events, and... (More)

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Not a good week

Uploaded: Jul 10, 2015

One of my "fans" thought I was on vacation because I haven't posted a blog in a while. I had been posting two blogs a week, but I'm cutting down to one a week.

I started teaching a new class For University of Phoenix two weeks ago on The Arts, so I haven't been writing my blogs as much. This is an easy class for the students and instructor. It's a survey course on painting, sculpture, architecture, dance, theater, and movies. So far we have discussed Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night," Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa," Michelangelo's "Pieta," and a Mary Cassatt painting of her sister.

This week we are discussing the "Healing power of dance," which I didn't know anything about, so I'm learning as we go along too. The class is fun and helps take my mind away from all the not so good things happened last week.

I was shocked by the murder of Pat Perry in Danville. I didn't know Pat Perry very well. I met her a couple of times and saw her at some City Council meetings, but she had a strong personality and once you met her you didn't forget her. At least I didn't and I forget almost everyone.

Then there's that shooting of the young woman from Pleasanton, Kathryn Steinle, for no reason, by another crazy guy with a gun. This guy shouldn't have even been in this area. He should have been deported to Mexico or in prison in Texas. I thought Texans were supposed to be tough on criminals. Now of course Republicans are blaming San Francisco. He wouldn't have been here if the authorities in Texas had done their jobs.

The Tri-Valley used to be an island of calm in a sea of confusion, but now the confusion is catching up to us, surrounding us. That's what it feels like to me now.

On a lighter (or not) note, I traded my 2013 Ford Focus in a 2014 Nissan Frontier. Trucks always have macho names. This is bigger than my old Ranger, but it is very comfortable and handles well. It will not be as easy to park as my smaller Focus, but I like sitting up tall in the cab. It has a four door cab, which is almost like being inside a car with a truck bed in the back. I probably spent too much, but I'm not sorry (yet) that I bought it.

Comments

Posted by ????, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Jul 11, 2015 at 12:07 am

You must have missed most of the Kate shooting in San Francisco. He WAS deported, and 2nd time, a third time, a fourth time, a fifth time, etc. etc. DISGUSTING!!! San Fran sheriff Micarini sp?? only needed to 'notify' the FEDS, as he agreed he would, when that sentence was up. Texas had nothing to do with this San Fran sentence, or notifying FEDS at the end of that period. So I guess any city can ignore any FED laws on any subject. Screw federal laws as you wish.
As to the 2 am mishap in Speciality Autos....I cannot think of any good excuse for any body to be inside a business that is closed, in the middle of the night!! maybe 'collecting' for the American Cancer Society....

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Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 11, 2015 at 8:32 am

Should I spot you buzzing about on your new wheels, I'll politely step aside.

Enjoy the new class! HOORAY! VIVA! GIVE UM ALL A WELL DESERVED "C".

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Posted by Formerly Dan from BC, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Jul 11, 2015 at 10:06 am
Formerly Dan from BC is a registered user.

Roz,

I write this with all due respect, but the murder of Miss Steinle was the fault of the city of San Francisco, it's liberal Democrat politicians, AND the federal government and it's liberal democrat and republican politicians.

The liberal democrat, wife-beating SF county sheriff also has some blame too.

Not Texas.

And note, I blame republicans too...

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Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 11, 2015 at 2:02 pm
San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

Dan,

You can blame anyone you want. The guy came here because he thought he would get amnesty, so yeah there's some blame there, but he wouldn't have been able to come here if he had been locked up or deported from Texas as he should have been.

Roz

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Posted by ????, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Jul 11, 2015 at 3:32 pm

No matter the latest charge, the 5 or 7 previous DEPORTATIONS are visible to anyone seeing his file. There should be a different, severe punishment for such a major REPEAT offender....elevated with each and every deportation. Elementary!

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Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore,
on Jul 11, 2015 at 6:49 pm

Not the answer ????. I have the impression that you a angry and sadistic.
He has plead Not Guilty and now we will all have to wait and observe court proceeding until the matter is resolved. Patience please.

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Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 11, 2015 at 11:04 pm
San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

Cholo,

You are right. We don't even know if that guy is guilty. He had no reason to shoot anyone, especially someone he didn't even know. He was never charged with a violent crime in the past. There's more to this story than the news is telling us.

Roz

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Posted by mloliver, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 15, 2015 at 9:01 am

In my not so humble opinion, Miss Steinle should be alive today, and Mr Sanchez should not have had access to the United States. After spending two years in Mexico, and dealing with Mexican authorities on many occasions, i know bad things happen to non-Mexicans who are in the country illegally. Last year, over 250 mariner tourists had their boats impounded for many months because paperwork was deemed not complete, even if it was.

I think you probably made a good choice on the truck. The older we get, the more important good visibility is really is, and a little altitude over the crowd is safer too. For the first time in it's 24 1/2 years, the "Z" didn't pass a smog test. It would have passed the last test, but the NOX test got more stringent, so it's in the shop. I imagine you miss the Maverick, but not the bills.

MLO

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Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 16, 2015 at 3:01 am
San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

MLO,

I really enjoy driving the truck. It's comfortable and handles well and is more maneuverable than I expected it to be. It does take up most of my garage though.

It's not as pretty as I originally thought. I'm noticing scratches and faded spots I didn't see at first. The dealer must have polished it up to hide the imperfections.

I always loved the looks of the Datsun Z cars. Is yours a 280? That was my favorite. I know Datsun changed its name to Nissan because that's the correct name in Japan, but I still prefer Datsun.

I don't miss the Maverick. I owned it for 10 years and fixed it up, and now I'm ready to move on. I hope Diablo Motors can sell it, or I shall have to pay them a monthly fee for storing it. They get their money one way or another.

Roz

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Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 16, 2015 at 6:32 pm
San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

MLO,

There are still a lot of unanswered questions about this case. It seems so senseless. I always look for a motive, but this man didn't have a motive. So why did he shoot her?

Roz

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Posted by DGE, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 17, 2015 at 6:52 am

MLO and Roz Let me chime in about the Datsun Z line.

A long time ago I was an early adopter with the purchase of a 240Z. I always thought the progression to the 260Z and, especially the 280Z model, took away all the joy and fun of having a real sport car. I still remember the "joy" of balancing the twin carb's of the 240 model each weekend to get the engine back up to some semblance of respectability for another week of pure joy.

Eventually the bright red color and my lead foot lead to the DMV sending me a letter telling me that my traffic ticket record had made me a 'Dangerous Driver' and I should drive a lot more carefully. So - that fact and an accident where the rear deck was never repaired correctly creating an unhealty cabin environment lead me to get rid of it.

I still admire the rare restored 240Z.

DGE

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Posted by San Ramon Observer, a resident of San Ramon,
on Jul 17, 2015 at 2:00 pm
San Ramon Observer is a registered user.

DGE,

I did a Google search on the 280Z and a lot of 240Zs came up too. Datsun (or Nissan) has a new sports coupe, the 370Z, but it isn't as sporty as it's earlier ancestors.

Roz

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