Old School Film Buffs Swarm Orinda "Mockingbird" Screening - New Show Added

Response to our mention of special "To Kill a Mockingbird" screenings at the Orinda Theater was met with such enthusiasm that we were not surprised when both screenings quickly sold out and a third was scheduled to accomodate demand.

California Independent Film Festival organizers say two planned screenings at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. this coming Saturday sold out so a third screening is being offered at 12:30 p.m. that day.

Oscar Nominee Mary Badham, who played Scout in the movie, will make three special appearances with Q&A following each screening time (12:30 PM, 4 PM, and 7:30 PM), according to the folks at CAIFF.

EastBayDaze regards "To Kill a Mockingbird" as a film classic, with a lyrical narrative and nary a car chase or explosion to be found. Treat yourself to any early appearance by Robert Duvall and more...

Tickets are available online at www.caiff.org or at the Orinda Theatre Box Office: $15- General Admission; $10- Seniors & Students

Why EastBayDaze Has A Problem With Modern Culture

EastBayDaze has been called "Old School" and, in the harshest tone our know-everything 14-year-old could muster, "Amish."

That should give you an idea of why we find the following story lede (newspaper usage, grammarians - not a typo) so objectionable:

"An aspiring rapper and one-time MTV reality show contestant broke down and wept Tuesday as a guilty verdict to a first-degree murder charge was read aloud in a San Francisco courtroom..."

Our heroes? They labor quietly in obscurity while the darlings of contemporary pop culture parade across the television throwing gang signs and rapping out drivel - while our children and the masses lap it up.

Okay, we're ranting. We're Amish and proud of it...

Rheem Boulevard - St. Mary's Road Triangle Dents More Moraga Car Metal

Residents living in the area of St. Mary's Road and Rheem Boulevard, otherwise known as the RheeMary's Triangle, are accustomed to hearing the sound of metal on metal.

In fact, the Moraga Town Council will consider reconfiguring the tricky intersection at their meeting this week, but that isn't going to help two locals who joined a long list of other folks who have collided there recently.

The latest reported collision at the St. Mary's/Rheem "T" occured Feb. 5 at 3:24 p.m. Turns out one driver was stopped on Rheem Boulevard waiting to enter northbound traffic and pulled out - in front of an oncoming car on St. Mary's Road. The scenario, neighbors say, is typical.

EastBayDaze "Sixties Fix" - Straight Outta '65!

Why? We don't know, sometimes "TwentyTen" just seems too much - and we need a little musical tune-up.

And maybe it's all this talk about The Who, Creedence, Santana, and The Dead. Here's something for the young at heart.

Sadie Hawkins Dance At Campo - Security And A Dress Code? What's Up With That?

EastBayDaze is getting calls from parents of Campolindo High School students surprised by an "enforced dress code" and "big, bouncer-type" security guards at the school's Sadie Hawkins Dance Saturday night.

Word is a parent was upset by a past transgression, or perceived transgression, and fired off a hot letter to the principal requesting the precautions. EastBayDaze will reach out to Principal Carol Kitchens to see what's happening over there these days.

The kids are telling us the school let it be known dress for the dance was "casual but appropriateness will be strictly enforced."

Orinda Task Force Says Development - Five Stories Of It - Essential To City Survival

We've been watching this trend grow and gain acceptance among our civic leaders but we have to say the "vibrant and vital" downtown models put forth by task forces formed to ensure the survival of our towns often leaves us shaking our heads.

And howling a little, maybe, but just a little. Scares the neighbors.

Anyhoo... we're going to hook you up with a Jonathan Morales story on the subject in the CCT. If you've lived in Lamorinda for awhile and like your towns small and friendly instead of cubist and institutional, you may not want to read it. The long and short of it is that task force members say we need five-story-plus-tall buildings downtown. Maybe more.

Jonathan says the task force is recommending that Orinda raise its building height to 55 feet, but any portion of the building above 27 feet would have to set back at least 10 feet further back from the street, and from the front of the ground floors. Oh, well, as long as it's further back from the street, five story buildings are perfectly fine.

Are they serious? Apparently, they are.

We'd insert our usual rant here, about how people must like traffic and noise, and how someone - maybe, the state? - has successfully pushed an agenda of high density housing that seems counter to Lamorinda's small-town lifestyle.

Jonathan quotes Planning Director Emmanuel Ursu as saying the height increase is "critical" to Orinda's future, because it "allows for two or three stories of housing above ground-floor retail — something developers want."

Oh, well, as long as we're in the "keeping developers happy" business, everything'll be cool. Right?

"We know what we have doesn't work, and so the big question is '... how high can we go?" Ursu told Morales. Well, why stop at 55 feet? Let's obliterate any hope of ever seeing the ridge lands ever again, put some billboards up there - the flashy electronic ones - and get rid of all that pesky wildlife.

In their report, the task force said its recommendations were aimed at infusing housing into the downtown, revitalizing the city's retail base and encouraging landowners and merchants to work together to market the properties. You can read about it in Jonathan's story.

We can't go on. Oh, let us know how you feel about this if you have an opinion. Maybe it's just us...

Dead Play Campolindo - In 1969 - Any Lamorinda Dead Heads Out There?

EastBayDaze prefers to look ahead at things but sometimes the yearbooks beckon and we take a little side trip down memory lane.

Found this in the '69 edition of Campo's stellar journalistic offering:

Recognize anyone? If you were there you probably don't remember much as '69 was a pretty heady time. Campolindo lined up the dead after a cancellation in their schedule, paid them the princely sum of $3,000 and had to shell out at least that much to repair the cigarette burns and damage done to the gym floor by discarded wine bottles.

Toyota Recalls The Prius In Japan; Company Tries To Repair Its Image

Japanese auto maker Toyota is attempting to shore up its global reputation as news of more recalls - this time including its figurehead Prius brand - continue to rock the automotive world.

Owners maintain their trust and affection for the line, though recent blows to the company's formerly spotless reputation have prompted questions and an ad campaign addressing the issue.

Here's a nice report from the Wall Street Journal.

Broad Sell-Off As Dow Jones Industrials Fall Below 10,000

Stocks fell broadly on Wall Street on Monday on concerns about government debt in Europe, and the Dow Jones industrial average closed below the 10,000 mark for the first time since Nov. 4.

The Dow industrials were down 103.69 points, or 1 percent, at 9,908.54 at the closing bell. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index and the Nasdaq were also lower for the day.


New York Times

Moraga Jack In The Box Closed Due To Health Code Violations

An EastBayDaze reader has alerted us to the closure of the Jack In The Box restaurant, 1440 Moraga Way, for serious and ongoing violations of the county health code.

County health officials ordered closure of the popular fast food restaurant a few days ago after its manager proved unable to correct a steady roll of violations - including inadequate sanitization and improper utensil sterilization methods.

The restaurant was also criticized for having inadequate janitorial facilities and improper food preparation methods.

Yikes.