By Joanna Lin and Mandy Hofmockel

In May 2009, the California attorney general’s office ordered a national retailer with nearly three dozen stores throughout the state to stop selling jewelry with illegal levels of lead. Five months later, the state followed up with another warning directed at Rainbow Apparel after finding more lead-tainted jewelry.

More than 100 parents, teachers and students joined with local residents Friday outside the North Oakland Community Charter School (NOCCS) to protest nine Verizon cell phone antennas planned for a site, owned by McGrath Properties, across from two elementary schools, homes and a city park.

Mention ‘Arizmendi’ to most Bay Area bread lovers and watch their eyes glaze over as they recall the intoxicating aromas and scrumptious flavors of artisan breads, pastries, cookies and pizzas. Yet as heavenly as these lovingly hand-crafted baked goods are, there’s more that sets Arizmendi bakeries apart from the rest.

In case you don't know: the steampunk movement is about glorifying all things entwined with Victorian/Edwardian science fiction. Playing on the ideals of such writers as H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, steampunk enthusiasts like to marvel in wonderment of what it would be like if 19th century technology were created with the insight of 2010. Steampunks also tend to geek out over Ren-Faire-esque role-playing of old-timey characters, while they gather amongst their own and spout shaky Victorian accents.