Art has more fans than professional sports, yes really !

This is why it is so nefarious that the proposed ballpark will cannibalize all the available parking etc. infrastructure in San Jose's downtown:

"Americans, in particular, are said to be uncultured when it comes to high art, more likely to go to a ballpark than a museum. But, as I tell my foreign colleagues, the statistics belie that stereotype. Americans visit museum on a scale eclipsing sports.

In 2007, more people visited the Smithonian Institution museums in Washington (24.2 million) than attended a game played by the NBA (21.8m), the NHL (21.2m), or the NFL (17m).

In Chicago, eight million people visit the city's museums every year. That is more than one season's attendance for the Bears, Cubs, White Sox, and Bulls combined."

Priceless, how I went undercover to rescue the world's stolen treasures, by Robert K. Whittman (founder, FBI Art Crime Team) -- 2010 Crown Publishers

Millbrae to invest in development around High Speed Rail station

there was a story about HSR on KQED radio tonight:
http://www.kqed.org/a/kqednews/R201008061730

Fri, Aug 6, 2010 -- 5:30 PM
Bay Area Cities Unhappy with Above-Ground Bullet Train
The California High-Speed Rail Authority will choose among three above-ground options for its planned line from San Francisco to San Jose. We discuss (...) with Mike Rosenberg, a reporter with the Bay Area News Group.

Listening to it what struck me most is that of the only four Bay Area cities that will be blessed with a HSR station, Millbrae's reaction of milking HSR for what it is worth by organizing a 300 million dollar development around their station to get as much sales tax / general fund revenue as they can.

Now contrast this with San Jose that is ignoring most of HSR's benefits by wasting the land near the station on a 500 million dollar ballpark that will generate a paltry 1 million general fund benefit according to their own hyped economic report.

Welcome !

Dear Neighbors: as concerned citizens of San Jose we formed Better Sense San Jose, a grass roots PAC to oppose the plans for a baseball stadium at Diridon Station. Read more at www.bettersensesanjose.org and join our facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=115870458460174