As young teenagers continue to be peddled for sex on Oakland's International Boulevard, a neighborhood idea of sending warning letters to the "johns" who prey on kids and buy sex with them is being scuttled for legal reasons.

Bias is built in to the human psyche - and it has an inevitable influence on law enforcement.

Since it's impossible to prevent police (or anyone) from having biases, the challenge is how can Oakland police and communities work together to shed light on existing biases and minimize their impact on how policing gets done around here?

This was focus of discussion at a public forum hosted last Thursday by Oakland's Citizens' Police Review Board.

Mattresses ... clothes ... wood. 

What do these things have in common?

No, they are not props used in any horror flick. They do, however, happen to be some of the objects and items that are consuming the sidewalks and streets throughout the city of Oakland.

City Hall was packed once again Thursday evening as the Oakland City Council held its second meeting on the 2011-2013 budget.

Last week, Council members mostly sat and listened as Mayor Jean Quan presented her budget proposal. Last night, however, the members took turns asking questions and making their thoughts known about the mayor's proposals.