Rheem Valley Space Wars; Spiking Temps; Hostage Desktop

POCA's -- those "Patchers of a Certain Age," will know that September is a traditionally hot month in Lamorinda and it looks like temperatures are set to spike upward yet again, along with local tempers, apparently.

We're going to get into the low 90s, which makes owners of ice cream shops and our tomatoes really happy, but may be like adding gasoline to a couple of guys flicking matches at each other down at the Rheem Valley Center.

We've written quite a bit about the , but it seems that -- in one area at least -- things are getting too crowded. In fact, Moraga police were summoned to 370 Park Street on Aug. 24 to referee a dispute between merchants and employees upset that the owner of one neighboring business was routinely parking in spaces reserved for customers of the adjoining store.

Police (anyone want to be a police officer? Anyone?) were able to quell the disturbance, which drew some puzzled looks from bystanders before it was quieted, and it turns out that the incident was the third of its kind to occur in recent weeks. Moraga's finest advised the parties involved to sort their parking problem out with the center owner.

Speaking of ice cream stores -- a spare-no-expense investigation by Patch reporters has determined that our local will not be offering peach ice cream during our waning summer months and, I'm sorry, but that's just not acceptable and don't think the folks at Loard's aren't going to get a sharply worded letter of protest. The kids behind the counter were lovely and apologetic, of course, and it has something to do with the peach crop and pricing (naturally) but the upshot is that one of the few joys I allow myself in life is off this menu this summer. Harumph.

Patcher Ed Parsons writes to ask why television news insists on setting some poor reporter on the breakwater as the latest hurricane to wreak havoc in the Gulf is set to land behind them and the answer, Ed, is that they think it makes for good television, I guess. "See, our reporter is out in the thick of things, risking life and limb and his $80 haircut to bring you the story..." Tape of the poor reporter clinging to their microphone and the nearest palm tree is almost a form of television self-parody but the networks stick to their weather stand-ups and it's not likely to go away soon.

And another Patcher writes to ask why our friends in television news are constantly exhorting us to "take a look at these pictures..." and give their description of what we're seeing with our very own eyes... sometimes with humorous results. I have no answer for that one, I'm afraid, unless the anchors are attempting to make sure blind folks aren't being left out. Don't know.

Last but not least is a cautionary tale brought to you by another Moragan who took a phone call from a smooth-talking salesman on Aug. 24 -- the peddler attempting to sell the resident a new computer program. During the course of the pitch the salesman convinced the resident to grant him remote access to his home computer (big mistake) and two hours later, after the homeowner finally managed to give the salesman the heave-ho, he found that his computer was completely locked up.

We've heard of this scam, and often the hijacked computer will start spewing out "demands" that its owner shell out a princely sum to a certain address in order to restore functionality. Law enforcement has made note of the con and labeled it the "Ransom Virus," and, yep, it's going to cost you to get it removed -- safely -- by a computer professional.

Something to ponder. Along with why they make reporters do their stand ups in Category 1 Hurricanes. And why we can't get peach ice cream...