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Letters to the Editor
The Right-Wing Oscars; More on Party of Reason ...
Mar. 11‚ 2010
To the Editor:
Thank You, Randy Shaw. The whole family was watching the Oscars, when I was at first pleased to hear that the "Hurt Locker" was winning BIG. And then, Mrs. Bigelow took the stage, and what I heard disgust me. I screamed loud and vociferated my hate - and sense of betrayal - at the Hollywood Academy. How can they do THAT? And they repeated it TWICE! For the whole world to see. Talk about winning the "hearts and minds" of Muslims! Have people in this country lost their sanity? I am afraid so ...
Pierre Frayse
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Does anyone remember Jacques Barzun's great The House of Intellect? This article reminds me that we are almost back in the late McCarthy times, but the enemy is to left as well as the right. As long as deconstructionist, feminist, ethnicist anti‑scientific intellectual dada‑caca is permitted and funded, nothing is going to improve. A story: Instead of the Theory of Relativity, which was Max Planck's line, Einstein would have preferred (and Planck concurred) to have called it the Theory of Invariance (speed of light and charge). Think how much metaphoric insanity we would have been spared in the last 90 years from driveling philosophers and "Social Scientists."
Luca Marenzio
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Bigelow and the Oscars; More on Parking Permit Fees; More on Education Marches; Saving the American Dream ...
Mar. 10‚ 2010
To the Editor:
You claim that Hollywood has a detachment from larger social problems despite the fact that Crash, Milk, and Slumdog Millionaire were three out of the last five Best Picture winners. I guess racism, gay civil rights and international poverty aren't large enough social issues for you.
Alter The Path
San Francisco
Ed. Note: Although Sean Penn was awarded Best Actor for his role as Harvey Milk, "Milk" did not win Best Picture.
To the Editor:
I saw and highly recommend the "Hurt Locker." Maybe I misheard what Ms. Bigelow said in her Oscar acceptance speech. Here's what I heard: "I'd just like to dedicate this to the women and men in the military who risk their lives on a daily basis in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world. And may they come home safe." To me, one of the strength's of the film was that it doesn't pander or preach. While the film is set in Iraq, it is not about the causes and consequences of the Iraq War. Rather, it is about the notion of war as an addiction. Will James, the lead character, is a hopeless war addict, a danger junkie sacrificing good sense and other peoples' safety to his habit. The "Hurt Locker" deserved the Oscar for Best Picture.
Ralph E. Stone
San Francisco
To the Editor:
The other issue, as reported by Jeremy Scahill, is that Bigelow hired Blackwater mercs as technical advisors. Screenwriter Mark Boal contacted The Nation in response to Jeremy Scahill's article, "Blackwater and The Hurt Locker". Boal argued that Blackwater was never hired AS A FIRM, but acknowledged that individual "contractors or mercenaries" were plentiful on the set. Boal went on to say that, "It's possible that at some point somebody on set worked for Blackwater, but we never hired Blackwater."
Thomas Good
Staten Island, NY
To the Editor:
Thank You for mentioning the residential parking permit fee. It is probably the best deal in the city. $96 per year is far less than a garage space costs per month. A parking space in a residential multi-unit building that is rented or owned is valued at aproximately $130 per month ($1560 per year.) A space in an open parking lot is $8 per day ... if you are lucky and very early. ($2080 per year based on a 5 day work week.) An enclosed garage space $10, $12, $15, $25 or more per day. A parking meter $2 per hour. The residential parking permit ... LESS THAN 27 cents per day. ***WHAT A DEAL***
Ann DuFrane
San Francisco
To the Editor:
SPUR's proposal is clearly off the wall - its based on a spurious claim made some years ago that the fall off in meter revenue in SF is because of -- disabled people parking for free all day. It's certainly NOT the fact you can walk up and down any downtown street and see one in four or five cars sitting at an expired meter (with no ticket) because, well then MTA would have to take the blame for failing to collect the cash (just like it fails to get something like $18 million in bus fare). It's also likely that most of the downtown placards are used by commuters -- who would never have to pay the $300 and ... let's just say SPUR is once again off the wall with this idea and should be ashamed of it.
David Grant
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I agree that most of the actions for education seem cathartic for the protestors, but will not change one vote against budget cuts at the Capitol. What is needed is a strategy to make legislators accountable for their votes. That is why the march from Bakersfield to Sacramento sponsored by the California Federation of Teachers and a broad coalition of labor groups is different. During the rallies in the Central Valley, we will recruit people to volunteer on our election campaigns in June.
Dean Murakami
Sacramento, CA
To the Editor:
The American Dream that was lived in Post WW-2 America is tainted. I am a Service Connected Veteran Baby Boomer who was born in the 50s when patriotism was BIG. Why not after all the wealth was more evenly distributed than any other time in History. Americans were cruising proudly in their American made cars,and the citizens trusted their government. The economy had been stimulated just before THE WAR, and Middle Class America grew. The American Pie was BIG enough for everyone to have a slice. Americans were trusting that the Government would regulate and keep Big Business in check. The Stock market grew bigger and more easy to manipulate and then the Shysters went to town.
Trading became a split second business. The REAL investors in for the long term were powerless at times. Then the quest for greed got so great that FUZZY MATH was introduced in the form of derivatives. Warren Buffet said "derivative are the financial weapons of mass destruction." Warren plays by ethical rules and is in for the LONG TERM. This man also creates JOBS. Then we have the GREEDY Bankers who think absurd bonuses are ethical after taking BAILOUT money. Then we have the Shysters who short sell to the same client they used for leverage. Where do these idiots think the money comes from? There has to be a loser when these tactics are used.
The need for a separate market for long term and Retirement accounts is over due. The greedy idiots taking too large a slice of that American Pie make it hard for all. That pie is so TASTY after all. GOD BLESS AMERICA
Tim Giangiobbe
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
SPUR Study on Disabled Parking Placards ...
Mar. 09‚ 2010
To the Editor:
This is a great article. I am the parent of a 21-year-old daughter with a disability. She does not drive, and is not employed. However I do drive her anywhere she needs to go. Neither she nor I could afford $300/year for the placard. I agree with you that those who need the card should not be punished for those who misuse it. It completely misses the point of what it is for. Personally, it's not so much the savings on parking as it is the ability to find a convenient parking space for someone who has mobility issues. The idea of the city using the cost of placards to fill in the gaps in the MUNI budget is alarming and wrong-headed.
Linda Tung
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Just because I mentioned this proposal in my story doesn't mean the Bay Guardian endorsed it, or are somehow now aligned with SPUR and the Chron. If that logic were true, then BeyondChron is now part of the cabal as well because of this story. I simply cited the top items on SPUR's list after SFMTA officials said publicly that they would consider it.
Steven T. Jones
City Editor
San Francisco Bay Guardian
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
ACORN and James O'Keefe; Muni Summit; D.C. Gay Marriages; Mahalia Jackson Tribute ...
Mar. 08‚ 2010
To the Editor:
Why don't you just sue James O'Keefe for slander, and damages in the amount of funding ACORN lost? It seems a simple case to prove culpability. After you win that case, tell the New York Times they are next if they don't retract. Personally, I'd go after Fox before The Times just to try to get them to report the news instead of their opinion for once.
Wayne Workman
Matthews, NC
To the Editor:
How about addressing the problem of Muni Drivers letting certain people ride for free, especially if they share the same skin color? ANYONE who rides Muni will have witnessed this if they took the time to observe it. More relavent may be the simple lament that in one of the largest wealth concentation in the history of the planet (San Francisco), that fact that Muni is experiencing these woes tells everything about the misplaced priorities in our culture at large. Hit up just a few of the wealthiest families in this City, and every social ill could have enough money to be properly addressed. How about it Gettys and cohorts? If you really love this City, then cough up some of your copious lucre to save it!
Bill Murphy
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Bring back the Muni Conductors ‑ a San Francisco tradition and a money maker! As a senior who relies only on public transportation, I am concerned about Muni cutbacks. One thing about riding Muni, is that you have the opportunity to talk with many people not in your immediate circle(s). Muni riders often come up with solutions not accepted or even thought of by City officials.
Many of us think that bringing back the "conductors" would help to bring in much needed revenue ‑ a lot of it. Old timers remember how all of the major lines had a conducter who collected fares and was on board on each car continually. If you ride Muni, you know that a huge percentage of our population rides for free daily and those intermediate squads of uniformed checkers are much too sporadic to do much good. Conductors could also keep Muni riders safe ‑ if only by their presence and by having a phone with a direct line to 911
Kay Walker
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Would the writer PLEASE not refer to gay men and lesbians as "queers"? Yes, I know that there are a handful of misguided individuals who believe that they can "reclaim" that word (although I fail to understand how it is possible to "reclaim" something that we never possessed in the first place), but the overwhelming majority of gay persons consider the word "queer" to be a filthy insult from a bygone era, and it causes a great many of us to cringe (not to mention causing some of us to suffer PTSD‑related flashbacks). I for one have not been duped into using that word to describe myself ‑‑ and I will treat any person who uses that word to describe me with great hostility, regardless of that person's sexual orientation ...
Thanks, however, for the article ‑‑ which exposes the sheer hatred which animates the Catholic Church's attitude towards gay men and lesbians. It is in violation of Catholic teaching to divorce and / or remarry, yet Catholic Charities never imposed a ban on spousal benefits for remarried employees (before robbing all new employees of spousal benefits, regardless of the sex of their spouses). Only when gay marriage became legal did Catholic Charities decide to shut down the spousal benefits program ‑‑ prior to that, Catholic Charities routinely granted such benefits to the spouses of divorced and remarried employees.
This exposes the sheer hatred, vindictiveness, and cruelty of this church with respect to gay persons ‑‑ the Church did not rob remarried spouses of spousal benefits; only when gay couples could wed did this issue assume significance to the Church ... In addition to exposing the naked cruelty of this church, this issue also exposes the hypocrisy and Pharisee‑like fake grace which has become so popular in Catholic circles now that gay couples are winning the right to marry, in jurisdiction after jurisdiction.
Quite simply put ‑‑ these men and women are stinking hypocrites; their idea of love and compassion includes the abandonment of the District's poorest and most vulnerable members in an effort to harm the gay community. Fortunately, the majority of residents of the District place the blame firmly and unequivocally where it belongs ‑‑ which is within the hearts and minds of those upright, pious men and women who decided to rob all newly‑married couples of healthcare benefits rather than extend such benefits to gay couples. May this evil church and its acolytes one day relive this moment, and may they hang their heads in shame!
Philip Chandler
Clevedon, United Kingdom
To the Editor:
I had the opportunity to attend the Mahalia production two times during its run. The first time on its premiere night, which caused me to leave the theater worried for the artist. I felt they were badly miss handled. The timing was off and the production was so loose. I was one of the James Cleveland gospel singers of the sixties and knew Mahalia and was a fan of hers from childhood. Yesterday, decided to go to the production again and I must say. I was filled to the brim ... It was electric. All the things which orginally I felt where wrong about the play where now corrected. Jeanie and her fellow cast members performed beautifully. What an afternoon I had ... remembering, enjoying and being blessed by Mahalia's story and music. What a triumph..
Minister Gene Viale
Citrus Heights, CA
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Barbara Boxer's Chances ...
Mar. 05‚ 2010
To the Editor:
I'll take that bet! Americans are tired of the cesspool "swamp" and Senator Barbara Boxer should be afraid, very afraid. The Progressive manifesto will have trouble holding on even here in California. If it can happen for Ted Kennedy's seat ... it can happen here!
Mark Simons
Martinez, CA
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Jerry Brown Runs for Governor; Manchester Grand Hyatt Boycott ...
Mar. 04‚ 2010
To the Editor:
God help us if this hypocrite ever gets back to Sacramento. As a former Oakland resident, and having lived through the mess the man left of Oakland when he was Mayor, I would rather have another four more years of Arnold. To paraphrase a line from Citizen Kane ‑ I never knew anyone who had so many opinions, except he never believed any of them, because he doesn't believe in anything. Except Edmund Gerald Brown Junior, and oh, does he believe in that!
John Davies
Berkeley, CA
To the Editor:
Well done, Lainey! Not only have you stood in solidarity with those individuals and groups who are frequently the object of discrimination, you have raised the consciousness of the leaders and members of CSUN ... and indeed, the broader community. Rarely if ever does any social change come about without the consciousness of the community having been raised.
Sister Bernie Galvin, cdp
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
THC's 30th Anniversary; Amway's Scam; MTA Budget Mess; SF Chronicle and the Symphony ...
Mar. 03‚ 2010
To the Editor:
I hope you will speak more about THC's History at our Staff Appreciation Day. I really don't think everyone is aware of the beginnings to now. Very impressive. And when people ask "so where do you work" and I proudly state THC, they know I'm speaking of Tenderloin Housing Clinic. I have met so many people who either worked for or lived in one of THC's buildings, and now they have there own apartment. It's a great feeling for them to tell their story.
Elise Westbrook Williams
San Francisco
To the Editor:
If you think Bernie Madoff ran a large scam, here's another example that has ripped off millions of people for several decades, to the tune of 10s of billions of dollars: Amway is a scam, and here's why: Amway pays out as little money as they can get away with, so they support the higher level IBOs ripping off their downline via the tool scam. As a result, about 99% of IBOs operate at a net loss, while the top 1% make several TIMES more from their Amway tool scam than from the Amway products. This was made illegal in the UK in 2008, but our FTC is unable to pull their heads out of their butts to stop it here. Read about it on my blog, I suggest you start here: http://tiny.cc/D5oJh and forward the information to everyone you know, so they don't get scammed.
Scott Johnson
Plano, TX
To the Editor:
What other place but Beyond Chron you can find such a true article. Marc Norton hit the mark. He is truly a MUNI rider. He knows the miserable job MTA is doing. I should add that MTA is using the free newspaper the San Francisco Examiner to propagate its venom. You can see distributors at almost every station handing out their pernicious paper. Each time the Examiner comes up with a story about MUNI it is on the front page and it is a divide-and-conquer ploy at the behest of MTA and their cronies in City Hall.
I couldn't agree more with Mr. Norton. I would say though that the "green" folks aren't against cars, rather they are for cars. I am a member of the Sierra Club, I receive the magazines every month. They hardly mention public transit. They keep talking about green cars. They got that one wrong, alas. For parking fees I see so many Blue and Red Handicap signs which means the City is not getting that much money for parking. Finally if I am not mistaken, Newsom in his first year in office was talking (not walking) about having a free transit! Only to be true to his nature, the fares have doubled. I would also add that we never had a good public transit in San Francisco, nor should we evoke that, for the time to change the discourse on the state of affairs of our city has arrived.
Nafiss Griffis
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I thought that Beyond Chron readers might want to see these photos of the MUNI Riders and Workers march and rally on Monday, March 1, 2010:
Indybay photos #1
Indybay photos #2
Indybay photos #3
Marc Norton
San Francisco
Dear Editor,
The SF Chronicle's review of a San Francisco Symphony Orchestra concert, published on February 26, showed that the publication is not on the same page as Symphony concertgoers. The music review by Joshua Kosman was critical of the performance of the Symphony's conductor laureate, Herbert Blomsted. Instead of focusing on the concert, Kosman's writing was not only sophomoric but also seemed to convey a personal attack on Blomsted. To wit, Kosman wrote, "listening to this concert felt like a get-together for coffee with an ex-flame - and not the kind that reminds you why you were together in the first place."
I attended the concert with a friend on February 26. Maestro Blomsted led the Orchestra in majestic and wonderful performances of Mozart's "Linz" 38th Symphony and Bruckner's Sixth Symphony.
Maestro Blomsted and the Orchestra were dancing in tempo with Mozart, delightfully building to an exuberant climax in the "Presto" finale. Maestro Blomsted and the Orchestra once again poured their all in their performance of Bruckner's massive and awesome work, a complex symphony filled with classical form, mystical allegories, and light-hearted dreamy waltz-like dances. Blomsted and the musicians squeezed every nuance of each note in the almost hour-long symphony. During both the Mozart and Bruckner symphonies, Blomsted conducted the Orchestra without any music score, while the Orchestra members beamed with joyful smiles as they made wonderful music together. The San Francisco Symphony concertgoers at the packed Davies Symphony Hall showed their delight and gratitude to Maestro Blomsted and the Orchestra with resounding standing ovations.
Sincerely,
Anh Le
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Reformers Win at SEIU 1021; Moving the "Middle" on Gay Marriage; Sit/Lie Law; Millionaire Senate Candidates; Canadian Hockey ...
Mar. 02‚ 2010
To the Editor:
Congratulations to the "Change 1021" slate for its stunning victory over Damita Davis-Howard's and the rest of the Stern appointed SEIU thugs. The direction in which Damita has taken 1021 has been disastrous and Sanchez and Poon will make, I believe, the required changes needed to transform 1021 from a top down undemocratic union to a bottom up member driven union that will work for the betterment of the workers' welfare.
Francisco Martinez
Oakland, CA
To the Editor:
I think this is the greatest thing that could happen to 1021! The past three years have been devastating to members who really knew what it was before the merger, and the results after the merge. After spending 34 years as a member of SEIU and now retired, I am very happy to see our union head back to the days when it really did represent the members!!!
Suzanne Angeli
Pleasant Hill, CA
To the Editor:
Looks like the carefully built image of Andy Stern as the future of American labor may be a bit tarnished these days. The advantages of incumbency make this an especially inspiring result.
David Welch
Chico, CA
To the Editor:
This is a good discussion on gay marriage, and I agree with most of it. But it leaves out a critical issue: the failure of the pro-equality side to make arguments based on voter self-interest. Frank Schubert has said publicly that the key to his victory in California was his understanding that voters primarily vote on what hurts or helps them. It is a selfish mindset and one may not like it, but it is reality. So Schubert set about coming up with scenarios by which a voter would feel personally threatened by marriage equality (e.g., loss of control over one's child's education).
We, on the other hand, make no argument based on voter self-interest. It is all about doing right by us. But the voter comes away with the understanding that there is no upside to voting for same-sex marriage, and there is at least a possible downside to voting for it. At the same time, he understands that there is no downside to voting against same-sex marraige. Accordingly, a number of swing voters vote against us. Equality-based arguments get you to 47 percent or so. To get over 50, we have to argue that same-sex marriage provides economic and social benefits to the voters generally, not just to gay people.
Tim Sannon
Washington, DC
To the Editor:
This article is helpful in understanding the meaning of different terms to "swing voters." I believe that having the courage of our convictions and the determination and patience to discuss the desire of gay people to enter into lifetime commitments can, one person at a time, do a lot to advance the cause. It is key also to get the point across that sexual orientation is not a choice about life style.
Ingrid DeCicco
Nanuet, NY
To the Editor:
The sit lie law proposal is the end result of the actions of a group of people who aggressively attacked and threatened residents and visitors in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. You can ask the police at Park Station for the details. Two incidents that highlighted the problem were the physical assault on a neighborhood resident after he complained about these people and the child who was spit on, just because. There have been many other incidents.
You can complain that C.W. Nevius doesn't live in the city. He is talking to residents of the Haight who have had it with these problems. There are a lot of them. The new Haight neighborhood association is pretty much made up of these people. You can't belittle their concern. It is real and valid. They have a right to feel secure and safe in their neighborhood. The increased police presence has scattered the street thugs who were causing the immediate problem. The police will not be able to maintain that presence going forward. When the police reduce their presence, the thugs will eventually return.
Yes, there are currently laws that can be enforced to stop these thugs. The problem seems to be that it requires a citizen to make a formal complaint to the Police. This sounds great. Except that it makes a target out of that individual. That happened earlier this year. You shouldn't have to be afraid for yourself or your family just because you complained about some street thug causing problems. The sit/lie law probably is a sledgehammer to solving the problem. Doesn't matter. If the Board of Supervisors says no, it must have an immediate alternate solution.
Walter Bell
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Since when is the purchase of a Senate or House seat something new? Try considering Mayor Bloomberg, Ted Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Hillary Clinton John Edwards and the gobs of other rich politicians. You act as if this is news - get a life. Politics as usual.
Zig Wamus
Richmond, VA
To the Editor:
It seems fitting that Canada, host country of the Winter Olympics, experienced not just one but two miracles on ice - by winning the gold medals in both men's and women's hockey. After all, hockey is Canada's national sport where hockey was invented or at least perfected. The U.S. men's team can proudly claim a split in their two games with Canada, and both U.S. teams can be proud of their silver medals.
Ralph E. Stone
San Francisco
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
Thoughts on Public Education TownHall; Peeping Tom School Administrators; FDR Legacy ...
Mar. 01‚ 2010
To the Editor:
On Thursday at the massively crowded amphitheater of Marina Middle School, politicians -- some of whom came late to the event -- were talking politics as usual. Except for the progressive Jane Kim, who cogently debated solutions to this horrible sword of Damocles hanging permanently over teachers.
Chief amongst them was Carlos Garcia, the Superintendent, who accepted defeat in his ornate and hypocritical language. He is an Obamaesque, who wants to work together, with whom? This refrain of "working together" is a rotten old chestnut that kept coming during the sterile debate. I was so happy when one of the teachers, a 13 year teacher with the school district, challenged Garcia, vehemently for bowing to the establishment and sending those notices to teachers. Garcia who during the debate kept saying with should "get together," teachers, administrators, parents, children to challenge this ignominious cuts to our schools, didn't he say before that children shouldn't be part of the march on March 4?
Another politician who did speak well about the ills and causes of our poor education was Mark Leno. Not only did he mention Education, but Public Transit. Leno expounded on the trickery of taxation in California and the classic hoax of Prob 13, and the 2/3rd majority to tax. Ironically, the moderator Michael Krasny was referring to countering Tea Party guys. Strange that Tea Party was against taxation in the past, now the real "tea partiers" must rise FOR TAXATION.
Leno and Jane Kim explained how the real profiteers from Prop 13 are the corporations, which reverberates negatively on the old people who were meant to benefit from it. Alas, Michael Krasny and Carlos Garcia kept mentioning the overwhelming presence of parents in the audience, but especially Garcia -- they didn't mention the true overwhelming presence of teachers with their red T-shirts saying No To Cuts, Save our Schools.
I was disappointed at the way Newsom and the rest of the panel debated the terrible horror facing California's schools, not one of them mentioned the 100 billion dollars that was signed into law recently by Obama for Education. Truly, teachers were bred to be docile and nice people, that is sterile and dangerous. They must challenge the preconceived ideas the people have of them. Not to mention at the end the discomfiture that Dennis Kelly, President of the Teachers Union, made the teachers feel. He looked to be conniving with the rest of the decision makers.
Nafiss Griffis
San Francisco
To the Editor:
If this administrator was presented with these photos, as she has tried to maintain, why wasn't her first concern about the person who DID this and WHY he/she was prying into students homes and what this person's intentions and justifications were? Why didn't she call the police, or at minimum bring it to the attention of upper administration that "someone" was peeping into students' bedrooms?
Also, are the students computers the only ones that have been "monitored" through their webcams at home? What about the computers taken home by teachers, principal, superintendent, school board members, and other school personnel? Imagine the voyeurism enjoyed upon what the webcam can show what grown adults (could be) up to ... unknowing adults. This could turn into a virtual (no pun intended) Peyton Place!
Beyond the whiff of pedophilia going on, think of the other repercussions of someone following administration and other teachers into their homes, the advantages the "discoverer" could have with that type of dirt. It is going to be interesting to see what the FBI IT guys come up with after searching through all the deleted files in computers belonging to the district. Because I am SURE that the minute that this mess hit the fan, SOMEBODY starting hitting the delete button on her/his computer very fast. Too bad for them that there is little beyond destroying the computer that this person can do to hide what they have been up to from the FBI. I am sure that this person/people thought they could operate in anonymity, cultivating all kinds of stolen webcam information.
Yes Virginia, there is an Internet police ...
Carol Brown
Columbia, SC
To the Editor:
FDR was not a racist. He looked the other way when blacks did not have any or very little rights, because the Senate was mostly controlled by Southerners. He could not pay attention to them, or the Senate would reject anything he proposed and then more legislature for the New Deal. He did it for the better of the people. He handled the Depression the best way he could. He still did care about the blacks, but he had to think about the majority of people. That is the job of the president.
Benjamin Dover
Athens, Greece
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link: feedback@beyondchron.org or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
North Beach Garage Legislation; John Pollard Responds; School Funding Fiasco; Muni Fiscal Mess; Curling as an Olympic Sport ...
Feb. 26‚ 2010
To the Editor:
This article is completely inaccurate and bullshit!!! if you are going to write a slandering article about people, you should try getting your fax straight!!! This 'proposed' legislation effects everyone negatively! People need to seriously look at what this legislation is doing to the city and not try to make this about one person!!!
Concerned San Franciscan
To the Editor:
There is nothing illegal or immoral about a landlord offering tenants a chunk of change to move out. If a tenant refuses, the landlord can try to invoke an Ellis Act eviction and if successful, pay the tenants usually something less to move out. The problem with the author's argument is that he wants to preserve below market rental housing by micro-managing individuals' financial choices.
David Chiu is just the latest protagonist in this decades-long SF policy of placing the burden of housing subsidies on private owners. Instead of demanding that private owners subsidize housing, we should demand that our government do so. If we are unwilling to build substantial numbers of below market units, then our government should be sending checks to the private owners for the difference between market rate the rent control rate. The private landlord is one of the most demonized characters in an otherwise market-driven economy. Such views have a long historical pedigree -- from at least feudal times when lords exploited their tenants. But the caricature is outworn here. Let's get busy and do something real about affordable housing for all.
Dana B.
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I am not sure why you would not feel free to check with me before writing a story with so many untruths. I have been a reader and supporter of yours on a daily basis for the past 6 plus years.
This new years day myself and 3 other plumbers worked for free at 1693 Market Street for 10 plus hours to get the hot water going in a 50 room plus SRO. The second week of this year I went to bat for a elderly women who was being unlawfully evicted from her place on 24th street. I explained to the attorney and the Landlord that I would do everything in my power to fight the eviction. They responded that they had a great case but would withdraw the notice to terminate. Not to mention the 200 plus hours that we spent moving her fire damaged belongings to a storage unit as well as dealing with three different attorneys, the landlord and the contractor of the building. This is the first time I have been accused of being a landlord and of attempting to evict tenants.
To date I am not a landlord in SF or any other area of the US, nor have I been -- just a contractor.
Lies and then some in your story:
1. Landlord who owns a 3 unit in North Beach. It’s a four unit, owned by my father John N Pollard.
2. Storage has a Chinese family living in it. Storage room is empty, no Chinese family living in it. Never offered any Chinese families to leave for money, I don’t even know their names.
3. Chiu proposed the legislation 1 year ago. Chiu did not propose this a year ago, came out a couple of months ago, and Chiu asked my directly would I support legislation for having to get CU permits for Ellis Act buildings in his district, which I told him and his assistant David that I would be 100% supportive that legislation. This legislation does not mention Ellis Act, say 97% of garages in Chiu district without Ellis Act evictions would need a CU permit, that is the only thing I disagree with.
4. Chiu’s office said that Bevan said to meet with John Pollard of SF GARAGE CO and three other groups. Bevan asked me if I could meet with Chiu because I understood the garage legislation and he did not, nothing to do with Plan C and whomever else. For technical input only.
5. Says owner of SF Garage owns property in North Beach. I do not own property in North Beach.
6. Says owner has intention of condo converting. My father has no intention of Condo converting, has owned the property for 5 years with the same tenants.
7. Store room in question is occupied by tenants. Zero tenants, never had tenants in 5 years.
8. Offered to Buy-out My father nor myself has never offered to buy out the tenants on Union Street.
9. Other tenants where offered buys outs in the building. One tenant approach my father about moving out because of having to live with the existing disgusting Chinese people in the building and requested monies for them moving out. This is a direct quote from their email to my father. Period.
10. Pollard hopes to vacate the building and create TIC’s. I don’t own the building and my father has no plans to keep the property as a rental only.
It’s amazing what happens when you don’t ask any questions or do due diligence.
John Pollard
SF Garage Co.
PAUL HOGARTH RESPONDS: David Ho, a community organizer from CCDC (Chinatown Community Development Center), went to 531 Union Street and met a Chinese family living in the basement unit. They told him that 2 years ago when the new owner bought the building -- a grant deed from the Assessor's Office shows that a John Pollard [evidently the father, according to the letter] became the owner in April 2007 -- they were offered money to move out, but refused. A permit was filed and granted for a garage space on the property. Looking at both the Assessor's parcel map online, as well as the Streetview photos on Google Maps, it does not appear possible to build a garage anywhere on the parcel but in the basement unit -- because the back of the parcel is not adjacent to any other street or alleyway. (A similar looking adjacent building does touch Bannam Place where a garage could be built on the ground floor, but it is a separate property -- not the same block/lot number where the garage permit was issued.
To the Editor:
It is insane this educational imbroglio facing the Nation. On the one hand, Obama designated 100 billion dollars for education, on the other there is no money!!! Or the money is really there but will be spent on non-unionized charter schools, books, computers, and heaven knows what else, except on good brains formed by good teachers. Montaigne said that it is not important to have a full brain, what important is to have a brain well made.
Nafiss Griffis
San Francisco
To the Editor:
Regarding the Muni fiscal mess, whatever happened to the idea of expanding and adding more districts required to have street parking permits? The annual fee could (should) be raised from the current proposed 25 cents per day to maybe as much as $1.00 per day. $365.00 per year to park in the neighborhood of your home is pretty reasonable in my opinion. It costs $1.00 to park at a meter for 30 minutes.
Ann DuFrane
San Francisco
To the Editor:
I could not agree more - not only is curling unworthy of being an Olympic sport, but curlers are not even worthy of handing towels to the hockey team when they skate to the bench. I'd like to see the US hockey team play the Canadian curling team - head to head, each playing their respective sports against each other on the ice at the same time!
Dave Chelsea-Seifert
San Francisco
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Mar. 05, 2010 -- Barbara Boxer's Chances ...
Mar. 04, 2010 -- Bet on Barbara Boxer in November
Mar. 04, 2010 -- SAVE MUNI Summit on Saturday
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