[ars]

That exactly what I read: the first sentence, than I closed it as regional news. (There are tons of startups in the San Francisco area, it's only interesting when it's not in that area, and that's what I thought this was at first.)

Is it really that much trouble to put the state in the title? Or do people living there forget there are other places in the world?

[tizzdogg]

Well I do think Oakland California is the most populous and well-known city of that name so it's a resonable assumption that's what the article is about. I dont disagree that it's a good idea to be as clear as possible in titles. But if I saw an article about Madrid, I'd probably assume it's the one in Spain even if I happened to live in Madrid, Iowa.

I guess the question is whether Oakland, CA has enough prominence to be known widely outside the region. And I do think it's a major city in its own right, not just in its relation to San Francisco.

[ars]

San Francisco and Madrid, yes. Oakland? No, it's not that widely known, to that level.