Great article in the times about Weird Al Yankovic; it reminded me that I stole a line of his for a political parody I posted online about power and the proposal to rename Lytton Plaza for a leader of a large extended Palo Alto clan.
The family later told their advocates to drop the issue. They also later built a brand new building in the 500 block downtown which includes a plaque explaining some of the family history.
To wit:

14, 2010 at 5:26 pm

There they are now. Let’s detain them.
They look stupid. And contagious.

Hello, hello, hello, hello.
Now go. Now, go. Now, go. NOW, GO!
They wear doo-rags, they speak Ingles
They have skateboards. And gold braces.

First Amendment? Don’t recall it.
We have billions. And the Council.
Our new plaza, looks so sterile.
But our pizza, makes us virile.

A “Due process”?
It’s like sausage!

Hello, hello, hello, hello.
Now, go. Now, go. Now, go. NOW, GO!

“Sketchy people” “Undesirables”.
Huddled masses. Civil rights groups.
We hate workers. We hate loudmouths. (and song parodies)
It’s hard to bargle nawdle zouss.
People’s Plaza – is just for Berkeley.
We like crushed rock, not rosy parks stuff.

How low? How low— how high? (match our $400,000, guys!)

Our “doo” process?
It’s just sausage!

Smells Like Thoits Plaza
with apologies to K. Cobain and L. Levy
Wouldn’t THAT be loverly?
I’m sorry for the deceased and family but their so-called friends are doing them a disservice. And it’s only about the naming because of the context, how they do things here, with our money, and name.

Recently a friend from Berkeley said my People’s Park reference is problematic because the place is overrun by people with diseases. Kinda ironic coming from a musician; but he has kids.

The Thoits also own the former Palo Alto Sport and Toy building and saved the Greg Brown mural there : Greg’s ain’t with a garden hose, a bird alighted, learning to pray.