Is Chuck Nevius…
…the new Ken Garcia?
It’s bad enough that the San Francisco Chronicle and its columnist Chuck Nevius have been demonizing the homeless for months in a highly sensation and misleading fashion. But in today’s paper, they have the gall to claim — with little substantiation — that San Franciscans are no longer tolerant of the poor and now support the homeless crackdown being pushed by the Chronicle and Mayor Gavin Newsom (and let’s not forget the Examiner’s Ken Garcia, whose old anti-homeless columns for the Chron Nevius has now revived).
And when I asked Nevius about why he’s chosen the homeless for his punching bag, he said his coverage has been driven by the “400-plus” blog comments they’ve gotten complaining about the homeless. You see, he’s just giving the people what they want. As he wrote to me, “I understand that not everyone agrees, but I’ve been at this for a while, over 20 years, and my experience is that newspapers can’t create issues — no matter how we try. We can only follow them.”
Well, Chuck, I’ve been at this for almost 20 years myself, long enough to recognize bullshit when I smell it — and to understand when a newspaper is trying to play on people’s prejudices in setting the public agenda.
- No categories
Politics Blog
Yes, Chuck, enough is enough
Should I resign? The $20K Question
For all the grief Kimo Crossman gets for making public records requests of city officials, you gotta love some of the stuff he comes up with.
After Mayor Gavin Newsom called for voluntary resignations from all department heads and appointed commissioners with little apparent foresight, Crossman made a records request of the City Attorney’s office for the accumulated amount of billable hours that office spent providing advice to their city clients on the legality of resigning.
The total: 112.75, according to a response emailed to Crossman from the city attorney’s deputy press secretary Alexis Thompson. That number is a “comprehensive summary of the number of hours this Office has spent from September 10, 2007 through the present date on its work and advice concerning ‘the Newsom mass resignation request,'” Thompson wrote.
Matt Dorsey, press secretary for city attorney Dennis Herrera confirmed to us that $200 is a good estimate of a billable hour of city attorney time. (Some bill higher, some lower, and there’s a range to the quantity and quality of advice given.)
That’s a total of $22,550 spent advising a swath of city officials, when Newsom could have just pointed a finger at the 10 or so he wants out.
The amazing library debate
Some of the folks who oppose Prop. D (the renewal of the Library Preservation Fund) are angry — really angry — that the Guardian supported the measure. How angry? Well, library activist and critic James Chaffee did a detailed point-by-point chart dissecting our endorsement. He had some harsh words for us, too. And we have some responses.
You can read the entire exchange here. Scroll down and read from the bottom up. It’s amazing.
Protecting TG people isn’t just for TG people
Some interesting analysis here of how gutting ENDA of protections for transgender people will in fact render the law pretty ineffective. This thing is really picking up steam.
Greens court McKinney
Cynthia McKinney, the former congressional representative from Georgia, became a sort of hero to progressives by opening calling for the impeachment of Bush and Cheney and for courageously calling for a real investigation of the 9/11 attacks when most of her Democratic colleagues were asking few hard questions and dutifully falling into line with the imperial ambitions of the neo-cons. And for that, McKinney was attacked by the GOP and abandoned by her own party, losing her seat.
So the California Green Party last month decided to nominate McKinney to run for president as a Green. Unfortunately, McKinney didn’t bite and has resisted the idea. But she has agreed to a Green-sponsored tour of Northern California that starts today, which Greens are hoping will be part of the process of wooing her into changing her mind. So if you want a courageous black radical on the same ballot with Giuliani and Clinton — or whichever Establishment candidates the two major parties are likely to offer us next year — stop by one of the following events to say “Run, Cynthia, run!”
Journalism 101: Jeez, prof, what’s a byline?
By G.W. Schulz
Here’s a small arrow indicating exactly what a byline is, if anyone’s struggling to grasp how it works. And we thought anonymous assaults were the exclusive domain of the barely pubescent teen girls that occasionally drop by our comments section. Mortar shells are natural in the biz, but put your name on it. Then again, one can hardly expect so much. And here I’ve spent so long in the bunker.
Bad news for Ed Jew
Ed Jew’s lawyer is bailing out. This can’t be good news for the suspended supervisor. Lawyer Bill Fazio cites “irreconcilable differences,” which in legalese generally means “my client wants me to do something that’s moronic or unethical and I’m not going to get caught in that swamp.” It could also mean “my client doesn’t want to pay my hourly rate anymore,” which, given the complexity and extent of Jew’s problems, isn’t a good sign either. But generally, when it’s about money the client just fires the lawyer. For Fazio to petition the court for the right to quit means things are probably going very badly.
The guy is not helping himself. I’m still convinced that if Ed Jew had resigned when all the trouble started, the San Francisco DA would have dropped the charges against him, and the feds might have just let it go. Now he’s facing serious federal charges, he’s out of office and almost certainly not coming back and he’s facing the real prospect of prison time. What, exactly, is he thinking?
Obama’s “Turn the Page in Iraq” plan
Five years ago, Barack Obama stood up in Chicago and spoke out against invading Iraq.
“What I am opposed to is a dumb war,” said Obama on October 2, 2002. “ What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other armchair, weekend warriors in this administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne.”
“What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Rove to distract us from a rise in the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income – to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone through the worst month since the Great Depression. That’s what I’m opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics.”
Today, Obama supporters gathered in 18 cities across the United States to rally against the “conventional thinking in Washington, D.C” that led us into that war.
Meet the Candidates: Chicken John Rinaldi
The Bay Guardian is interviewing the candidates for the 2007 elections. Unfortunately, our tape recorder crapped out during our hilarious interview with Chicken John, so we can only offer his info below. We’ll be updating this entry as more information comes in. Post your thoughts or comments below.
Chicken John Rinaldi
Chicken John asked us to endorse him for second place. When asked if his campaign was akin to a hamster running on a wheel, Rinaldi elaborated on the twin issues that he holds dear to his heart — art and innovation — by talking about innovative ways to streamline the current complexities that artists, performers, and others must face when trying to get a permit to put on an event in San Francisco.
“I’m running for the idea of San Francisco,” Rinaldi told us, and claims to be painting a campaign logo in the style of a mural on the side of his warehouse in the Mission district. “It’s going to say, ‘Chicken, it’s what’s for Mayor,’ or ‘Chicken, the other white Mayor,” Rinaldi said.
Click here for Chicken John’s video blog
Visit the Guardian 2007 Election Center for updates, more interviews, and 2007 election news.
Meet the Candidates: Gavin Newsom
The Bay Guardian is interviewing the candidates for the 2007 elections. We’ll be updating this entry as more information comes in. Post your thoughts or comments below.
Mayor Gavin Newsom
“I’m not satisfied.”
Gavin Newsom interview
Visit the Guardian 2007 Election Center for updates, more interviews, and 2007 election news.
Newsom loves the Navy
I realize that the mayor of San Francisco has all sorts of reasons why he doesn’t want to offend the United States Armed Services (might embarass Nancy Pelosi or Dianne Feinstein). And I realize that past mayors have been friendly to the Blue Angels and supportive of Fleet Week as a revenue-generator for the city.
But this letter , which the folks at PRO-SF got through a sunshine request, is over the top.
Gavin Newsom, Mr. same-sex marriage, saying that “My office and the community could not be more supportive of the Navy?” You gotta be kidding.
Why North Beach works
It’s time to piss some more people off, esp. the folks who think that highrise housing=urban density=good.
The Chronicle just announced that the American Planning Association has designated North Beach in SF as one of the best neighborhoods in American Why?
The 41,000-member organization took note of the atmospheric collage of low buildings around such historic gathering places as Grant Avenue and Washington Square. They also acknowledged the tenacious way that residents have fought to keep out chain stores and development projects that might water down “its eclectic mix of mom-and-pop shops, nightclubs and polyglot character (that) make it one of the city’s most unique and authentic communities,” according to the announcement.
What’s the message here? North Beach is dense — one of the densest parts of San Francisco. But it’s a real neighborhood, with local stores, locally owned businesses and local character.
And there are strict rules against chain stores.
Now check out the new highrises south of Market. The stores are all chains. There’s no neighborhood feel. It’s like someone dropped in a bunch of luxury hotels in a faux San Francisco setting.
If the city wants to build density, fine: But build real neighborhoods, with a mix of people, with local businesses, parks, street lfe. The highrises we’re building don’t do that.
Okay, commenters: let the attacks begin.
“Public Financing is like Teenage Sex”
“Public Financing is like teenage sex.”
So says Chicken John Rinaldi, who has just spent the last month running around like the proverbial headless chicken, as he tries to reconcile reality, which is messy and imperfect, with public financing law, which is rigorous and well-ordered.
Chicken John Rinaldi back in the pre-public financing day when he and his fake moustache had time to chill out at the Temple Bar and educate people, including Fog City’s Luke Thomas, on the correct way to pronounce Ri-NAL-di
“When I was 15 years old, I was very aware of what all those girls had, but there was no chance of my getting it,” said Rinaldi, on learning that his application for public financing in the Mayor’s race has been rejected. For now.
Because, and here’s the tease, the Ethics Commission has given Rinaldi another five days to try and satisfy public financing requirements and then, maybe, just maybe, he can get a piece of it.
“I’m reminded of teenage sex, because I am experiencing the same level of frustration,” said Rinaldi, who has spent the last few weeks knocking on contributors’ doors, trying to get photocopies of their driver’s license, so he can prove that those who each gave up to $100 to his campaign actually live in San Francisco.
And then there are his pesky problems with Paypal, since some efilings took over 48 hours to post, thereby blowing public financing deadlines along the way.
“It’s not the Ethics Commission’s fault, but the way the rules are written,” added Rinaldi, who, much like a horny teenage boy, isn’t about to give up on his quest. “Of course, I’m going to refile!”
2007 Issues Interviews: Jake McGoldrick
The Bay Guardian is interviewing community leaders about the issues at stake in the upcoming 2007 elections. We’ll be updating this entry as more information comes in. Post your thoughts or comments below.
Supervisor Jake McGoldrick on Props G, J, and K
“Do we have to submit to advertisers to get things done?”
Jake McGoldrick interview
Visit the Guardian 2007 Election Center for updates, more interviews, and 2007 election news.
Trans discrimination sparks fight
By Amber Peckham
One of the first waves of protest over the move in Congress to remove transgender people from an anti-discrimination bill came from the labor movement. Members of Pride at Work, an LGBT-focused labor coalition and the newest member of the AFL-CIO, held a press conference Sept 28 to announce they are withdrawing their support from the ENDA bill, and encouraging other LGBT advocacy groups to do the same.
The advocacy is having an impact – already, more than 20 LGBT organizations have come out against the move, and it’s entirely possible that the one-time landmark workplace-discrimination bill will lose almost all of queer community support.
“The need for gender provisions in this bill doesn’t apply only to those who are transgender, but also to, say, effeminate gay men, or lesbians who are ‘too butch’” said Robert Haaland, a representative of Pride at Work. “By picking and choosing who to include in their non-discrimination bill, these legislators are discriminating. It’s self-contradicting.”
“With the transgender community as arguably the most marginalized part of the LGBT community, they are really the ones who need the support of this bill the most,” added Masen Davis, a board member of the Transgender Law Center board. “Over 60% of transgenders in San Francisco are unemployed.”
Davis also expressed gratitude for the support of the labor community.
“If anyone is familiar with the ‘divide and conquer’ tactics being used on the LGBT community right now, it’s the labor movement.” he said. “It really heartens me to hear this voice of support from the labor community, because it means that maybe the bill won’t have to be divided, it can stay one, unified proposition.”
Pride at Work is calling on Pelosi to withdraw her support for the bill if transgender provisions are removed before ENDA is voted on, and is holding a vigil outside her office. If she were to do so, it is likely the bill would not pack the punch required to make it through a Congressional vote, and none of the LGBT community would benefit.
“That’s how the labor movement works; if you injure one, you injure all.” said Haaland. “And it looks like that’s how this bill is going to end up working as well.”
Pelosi sells out the trans community
Barney Frank
Why are Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank throwing the transgender community under a train? Frank says it’s because America isn’t ready to have an employment-rights bill include trannies: “there is more resistance to protection for people who are transgender than for people who are gay, lesbian and bisexual.”
This leaves mainstream gay organizations with the prospect of either supporting a bill that actively allows discrimination against trans people — or pulling their support for a bill that protects (some) queer people. There’s a press conference this afternoon on the issue; more to come.
How wifi might work in SF
Slate has a great piece by Tim Wu, author of “Who Owns the Internet,” that points out why Mayor Newsom’s public-private partnership idea for municipal wifi will never work.
Wu’s point (also bloggednicely in leftinsf)
“The basic idea of offering Internet access as a public service is sound. The problem is that cities haven’t thought of the Internet as a form of public infrastructure that—like subway lines, sewers, or roads—must be paid for. Instead, cities have labored under the illusion that, somehow, everything could be built easily and for free by private parties. That illusion has run straight into the ancient economics of infrastructure and natural monopoly. The bottom line: City dwellers won’t be able to get high-quality wireless Internet access for free. If they want it, collectively, they’ll have to pay for it.”
And yet, Newsom’s crew are out raising money for a ballot measure, Prop. J, that would lock the city in to a “public-private” free-lunch partnership. I’ve just looked at the Ethics Commission filings on it, and in many ways it’s the usual Newsom bunch: Eric Jaye of Storefront Media, Newsom’s chief consultant, is running the campaign. Jim Sutton is doing the legal work. The money’s come from downtown types (the Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe law firm gave $500), Newsom’s father (who gave $1,000) Newsom’s political allies (Assessor Phil TIng gave $250) and labor groups that want to stay on the mayor’s good side or owe him favors (Sign painters, transport workers, and firefighters). What a waste of time and money — unless this whole thing is about providing a back-channel way to give cash to the mayor.
What’s up with the Weekly?
What’s up with this week’s issue of the SF Weekly? A rambling, non-funny and oddly pointless spoof on steroids and Barry Bonds (who’s gone from SF now anyway) and an advertising supplement on restaurants that’s the most blatant, embarrassing sell-out advertorial I’ve seen in any publication anywhere. Ick.
2007 Issues Interviews: Friends of the Library
The Bay Guardian is interviewing community leaders about the issues at stake in the upcoming 2007 elections. We’ll be updating this entry as more information comes in. Post your thoughts or comments below.
Friends of the San Francisco Public Library on Prop D and other election issues
Friends of the Public Library interview
Sooooo NOT Green
courtesy of www.letsgreenwashthiscity.org
I’ve mentioned here and elsewhere the PG&E “Let’s green this city” broadsides that have been dousing San Francisco’s public spaces with a sickly lime green unfit for a Gap t-shirt. We’ve also provided proof of how bogus they are, which today’s Chronicle business page finally noticed.
To further substantiate that PG&E’s commitment is more greenwashing than green, check out their opposition to Senate Bill 411, which would have advanced the Renewable Portfolio Standard for investor-owned utilities in California from 20 percent to 33 percent by 2020.
Southern California Edison supports the bill. So why not PG&E, which says it’s seeking to become the “greenest utility in America?”
“Then why do they have all these advertisings?” Jim Metropulos, the Sierra Club’s legislative representative in Sacramento, asked us, citing their front page ads in the Chronicle. This Sunday, strolling around my Mission neighborhood, I also noticed them on the front page of El Mensajero, which must be part of PG&E’s new Latin flair.
Why don’t they put all that advertising money toward purchasing green power instead?
2007 Issues Interviews: SFPD’s John Scully
The Bay Guardian is interviewing community leaders about the issues at stake in the upcoming 2007 elections. We’ll be updating this entry as more information comes in. Post your thoughts or comments below.
San Francisco Police Department Representative John Scully on Prop F
John Scully interview
Visit the Guardian 2007 Election Center for updates, more interviews, and 2007 election news.
2007 Issues Interviews: Chris Daly
The Bay Guardian is interviewing community leaders about the issues at stake in the upcoming 2007 elections. We’ll be updating this entry as more information comes in. Post your thoughts or comments below.
Supervisor Chris Daly on Prop E and other election issues
“Proposition E is the one item on the ballot that provides some checks and balances”
Chris Daly interview
Visit the Guardian 2007 Election Center for updates, more interviews, and 2007 election news.
2007 Issues Interviews: Aaron Peskin
The Bay Guardian is interviewing community leaders about the issues at stake in the upcoming 2007 elections. We’ll be updating this entry as more information comes in. Post your thoughts or comments below.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin on Prop A and other election issues
Aaron Peskin interview
Visit the Guardian 2007 Election Center for updates, more interviews, and 2007 election news.
Lennar’s troubles continue
A busload of 49er fans based in Bayview Hunters Point traveled to the 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara today to ask the team owners not to build a new stadium with developer Lennar. The group also requested a meeting with the York family regarding health problems they say are a result of Lennar’s activities.
In November 2006, the York family announced that the team was planning to leave San Francisco and relocate to Santa Clara. The announcement set off an intense competition to win the 49ers’ affections. As part of that battle, Mayor Gavin Newsom offered to build a new stadium at Hunters Point Shipyard—a move mayoral candidate Dr. Ahimsa Porter Sumchai decried as “a dirty transfer of the shipyard.”
Jaron Browne of People Organized to Win Employment Rights, which participated in today’s bus ride, told the Guardian that the Yorks “weren’t able to come out and give a statement”.
“But we delivered an informational packet, including medical records and the personal accounts of people living in the surrounding neighborhood. Our message was, ‘Lennar is not a builder in good faith’,” Browne said.
The bus ride came the day after the San Francisco Board of Education voted unanimously, on the basis of their belief that the City’s precautionary principle requires them to take “anticipatory action” to prevent harm, to call on the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors, the Redevelopment Agency the Department of Public Health and other relevant City agencies to “require an immediate halt of Lennar’s development of Parcel A of the Hunters Point Shipyard until an immediate and independent health and safety assessment can be conducted in cooperation with the SFUSD Superintendent and the School District’s School Health Programs Office and other relevant community organizations and City task forces like the SF Asthma Task Force.”
Their vote makes the School Board the first elected body in San Francisco to insist on a halt and comes ten months after a group of Bayview Hunters Point residents first started to ask for a temporary work stoppage until community health concerns could be addressed.
The School Board’s decision comes shortly after the California Department of Public Health’s, which is funded Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, released a report in response to concerns about Lennar’s grading operations at Parcel A.
The report finds, amongst many other concerns, that there are validity problems with the monitoring equipment that Lennar is currently using at the site, which is designed for indoor, not outdoor, conditions.
“Due to the novel application of the equipment for fence line monitoring,” notes the report, “CDPH is not able to interpret whether dust exposures in the community occurred that would explain some of the community health complaints such as headaches, bloody noses, adult onset asthma, respiratory symptoms, nausea and vomiting.”
The report also suggests beefing up monitoring and mitigation measures, and giving more power to City officials overseeing the site. It does not recommend any health screenings.
Lennar officials immediately issued a press release claiming that the report “supports recent findings by state and local public health professionals that grading operations at a construction site pose no significant long-term health threats to residents in San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood.”
But a thorough reading of the CDPH’s report raises numerous concerns with Lennar’s monitoring operations and makes major recommendations for the site.