I know, why don’t you take out all these spaces and replace them with a separated bike lane or something, SFMTA?
After all, Transit First, right?
Oh, what’s that? These are the spaces that the Board of Supervisors and their aides park in for free every day so that’s where you just happened to end your campaign of completion?
But don’t you care about safety, SFMTA?
Mmmmm….
“This project seeks to implement aesthetic and safety improvements for all users of Polk Street between McAllister and Union Streets. In accordance with the City’s Transit First policy, improvements will primarily be focused on people who walk, use transit and ride a bicycle along Polk Street. The project is funded by Proposition B General Obligation Bonds and is part of an overall citywide effort to curb pedestrian and bicycle collisions and to provide a safe north-south connection for people on bicycles. Pedestrian and bicyclist collision and injury data on Polk Street point to a corridor in need of safety improvements for all those who share the road. In fact, the southern portion from Sacramento to McAllister Streets is part of the 5% of San Francisco streets that have more than half of the City’s most severe pedestrian collisions.”
Yes, everything that ever happens in your life has to do with your ethnic heritage, apparently.
That’s the conclusion you might come to after reading this tale from area attorney Rodel Rodis. It started up ten years ago and ended up involving a former Assistant City Attorney by the name of Scott Wiener.
All right, Rodel, the SFPD took you into a station after thinking you were trying to pass a fake $100 bill, but actually it was real, so look sad, come on, sadder, sadder, cleek:
And I’ll tell you, if you ever find me with a $100 bill, I’ll know exactly where I got it from.
And you’d think somebody could have entered the phrase “1985 $100 bill” into the Google earlier in this process, back in the day, but oh well. (And IRL, a teller supervisor at a bank in the pre-Internet era could examine a bill and then contact the feds in a New York minute, you know, to check the serial number.)
And if Walgreens ever sends me a giant bouquet to turn my frown upside-down, I’d tell them they should have simply handed over the bouquet money directly to me.
But, In mitigation, you went to the former New College of Law and then, unlike most of its graduates*, you passed the CA bar exam. So good on you. Srsly.
And you escaped the college board before City College came crashing down, so that was a good move as well.
All right, let’s look forward to this incident’s 20th anniversary in 2023, when we’ll surely hear this tale again…
*Such as your fellow area minor celebrity, the ivory-white “Ivory Madison.”
Now, just as the word “hamburger” came from Hamburg, Germany (I guess, I don’t know, but work with me here, people), and the word “frankfurter” came from Frankfurt, Germany, the word “wiener” came from Vienna, Austria.
So, Chuckles, when you think of Scott Wiener, just imagine him in a Mozart wig or something. That way you’ll think of Vienna and then you’ll never misspell Wiener’s name again.
(Please note that this critique completely ignores the oppressively maudlin tone of Neviusese’s entire end-of-the-year holiday bit. For some reason, Neve’s writings are 80% Republican and 20% maudlin.)
This concludes yet another public spanking of CW Nevius.
“FIRST RESORT MISLEADS IN ITS ADVERTISING, BACORR FINDS.
First Resort is well-known as Anti-Abortion in the Pro-Life Community; Misrepresents Itself & Advertises Under Abortion Services to the Non-Activist General Public.
First Resort, currently being investigated by the City Attorney’s office, misrepresents services it offers via Google advertising, in a recent Chronicle Op-Ed, and over the telephone. Over a 6 month investigation, the Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights (BACORR) has researched First Resort’s mission, ties in the Pro-Life community, and misrepresentation of itself to the general public.
This is first and foremost a consumer protection issue, not a political or religious debate.
First Resort is a Christian organization whose mission is to make an “abortion free world, “ as stated in paperwork filed with the state. However, under Google searches, “Abortion San Francisco,” “Abortion Services San Francisco,” and “,” First Resort is the second paid listing on the results page. Google is the most popular internet search engine.
After Golden Gate Planned Parenthood in San Francisco lost its charter, First Resort CEO Shari Plunkett states, “Our call volume has never been higher.” (Email to supporters, dated 4/14/2011) Though First Resort usually tells callers they do not offer abortions, recently they said yes, they do offer abortions.”
Proposed ordinance, City Attorney demand letter target misleading advertising by centers that push hidden agenda for ‘abortion free world’
SAN FRANCISCO (Aug. 2, 2011) — Supervisor Malia Cohen and City Attorney Dennis Herrera today announced joint legal and legislative steps to halt deceptive marketing by so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” in San Francisco, which purport to offer non-judgmental abortion services and counseling to women with unwanted pregnancies, but that instead push an anti-abortion agenda on those seeking constitutionally protected medical services. Cohen and Herrera announced their initiatives at a City Hall press conference this morning.
Cohen’s legislation, which she will introduce at today’s Board of Supervisors meeting, is entitled the “Pregnancy Information Disclosure and Protection Ordinance.” If enacted, Cohen’s measure would explicitly prohibit limited services pregnancy centers in San Francisco from making false or misleading statements to the public about pregnancy-related services that the centers offer. While some crisis pregnancy centers openly acknowledge their pro-life advocacy, many misleadingly target women in search of abortion services though false advertising — and then employ manipulative and fear mongering tactics on their visitors to dissuade them from obtaining abortions. Crisis pregnancy centers commonly offer few services other than anti-abortion rhetoric, but the proliferation of Internet search engines has given anti-abortion centers an effective way to misrepresent themselves as bona fide clinics, offering prominent paid links in response to search queries for “abortion” and related terms within their region.
“One of the most serious threats to reproductive rights today comes from so-called ‘crisis pregnancy centers,’ which misrepresent themselves as non-political medical providers, but that push anti-abortion propaganda and mistruths on unsuspecting women,” said Cohen. “The legislation that will be introduced today would prohibit these limited services pregnancy centers in San Francisco from misleading the public about the services they perform. It’s a measured, thoughtful approach that balances the free speech rights of anti-abortion activists with constitutionally protected reproductive rights for women. I appreciate City Attorney Dennis Herrera’s office working with me to craft a policy to protect women in San Francisco, while minimizing possible legal risks.”
In tandem with Cohen’s legislation, Herrera took a first step today toward a possible legal action under California law against San Francisco’s most egregiously misleading crisis pregnancy center, First Resort, Inc. Herrera’s demand letter to the anti-abortion crisis pregnancy center in the medical building at 450 Sutter Street expressed serious concerns about the veracity of the center’s print advertising and Internet marketing, which imply to prospective clients that First Resort offers abortion services or referrals to abortion providers — when it in fact does neither.
Herrera’s letter notes that First Resort has purchased paid Google advertisements to secure top placement in search results for abortion providers in San Francisco. Moreover, the letter details several of First Resort’s public representations to prospective clients that are false and misleading, and which contrast starkly with the organization’s stated purpose — as revealed in its state licensing documents — to achieve “an abortion-free world.”
“First Resort is certainly entitled to advocate for ‘an abortion-free world’ to anyone who wants to hear it, but the center is breaking the law by misrepresenting itself as an abortion provider for the purpose of luring women with unwanted pregnancies to its office,” Herrera said. “This is an insidious practice that victimizes women who are, in some instances, already victims. It’s especially problematic because the delays these centers can cause interfere with women’s time-sensitive, constitutionally protected right to reproductive choice. I’ve taken this step to demand that First Resort clarify its purpose in accordance with state law. Moreover, I applaud Supervisor Malia Cohen for her leadership to further tighten restrictions on this unethical practice here in San Francisco.”
Oh, wait, they’re hiring so you can become a hack today. But, so is MUNI, generally, and that’s a much better gig, even if you’d generally rather work for yourself instead of The Man.
Just saying.
Remember how jarring this scene was, back in the day? Look, it’s the Taxi of Yesterday:
Click to expand
Oh, wait, here’s the Minority Report, below, sort of. (Oh, and here’s another one, one about increasing the price of fares….)
Anyway, this is fresh from this morning. (500 more paratransit cabs? Sounds like a lot…)
“I wanted to alert you to a rather ominous development. At today’s meeting of the Paratransit Coordinating Council (which advises Muni and the city on the paratransit program), representatives from Yellow, Luxor and DeSoto proposed and got passed a recommendation for 500 more cabs, with the medallions going not to drivers, but to . . . guess who . ? . the very companies making the proposal! (And maybe a few others as well).
It’s not a typo: five hundred. And it’s not coming from some sector of the public that feels underserved. That might be understandable, even though the number is preposterously high, because the public doesn’t have a grasp on the economics of our job or the variety of factors that influence the level of service we provide. This is coming from our own industry, people who understand (though they obviously don’t give a shit) how hard drivers work, how little they make, and how devastating this would be to them. This is about the most callous, cynical, self-serving proposal I’ve seen in my 25-plus years in the industry.
We don’t know where, if anywhere, this idea will go from here. The MTA, which has decision-making power, is currently considering a modest proposal for a pilot program of perhaps 25 peak-time cabs. I believe peak-time medallions are a sensible alternative to full-time cabs, and I could support a limited experiment with the idea, provided the medallions go to drivers, not companies; that a thorough evaluation is made of their performance before any additional medallions are approved; and lastly — and most importantly — that the MTA commit to and fund a serious study of a centralized or integrated dispatch system. Such a system could provide substantial service improvements and put more money in drivers’ pockets by greatly increasing the efficiency of the existing fleet.
The city has always fallen back on more cabs as the glib and easy answer to service problems. The fact is that you can never put enough cabs on the street to address the complexities of the service equation. If that number were ever reached, the job of cab driving would simply not be worth having, not even to people starving for work. Greater efficiency is the solution. Systems like Cabulous and the proposed Open Taxi Access can go a long ways toward that goal, and so can an integrated dispatch system. We must insist that the city adopt these approaches before approving any significant increase in the number of cabs.
Lastly — need I say it? — in my mind, the principle that medallions must go to those who are out on the streets, putting in the long, grueling hours, serving the public, rather than to companies that have relegated themselves to the role of rental agencies, whose every interaction with their drivers, from the assignment of cabs and shifts, to the providing of dispatch, to the collection of gates, is performed with a corrupt hand reaching into the driver’s pocket; that principle is sacrosanct, and worth whatever fight it takes to keep it intact. I trust you agree.
Mark Gruberg United Taxicab Workers”
Oh, wait, 25 peak-time cabs? That doesn’t sound like much at all.
Or maybe the invite is just for area NIMBY’s, don’t know for sure.
(Scott Wiener is Kryptonian of course – that’s why he’s so tall and that’s why he only sleeps three hours a night. He’s an Übermensch or something. An Overman, Overhuman, Above-Human, something in that territory.)
So bring your hankies for a good cry tonight, but please remember:
All Neighbors are Equal, but some Neighbors (the millionaire propertah owners, the small-time bidness owners, especially) are More Equal Than Others.
“Yes, we know you may have a dinner date on February 14, so why don’t you join us first for chocolates and wine as we talk about Trader Joe’s?
“Trader Joe’s proposes to establish a store at the Market and Noe Center, where Tower Records and Video used to be. Their representatives will publicly present TJ’s plans during our General Meeting, and our neighborhood association will discuss the impacts of this development according to the data we have and how we understand the issue. This proposed business is going to impact not only the residents, but also those who work and own a piece of property in the neighborhood.
“Come early at 7 p.m. to meet and greet neighbors and to enjoy refreshments. The meeting agenda will be discussed at 7:30. The Board and President of Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association are going to be there, so if you have other concerns you may want to take up with them, this is the most opportune time to come. The meeting will be held at CPMC Davies Hospital, at the Castro St. & Duboce Avenue, in the Auditorium, which is on Level “B.” Meeting is expected to last until 9 p.m. Plenty of time for your own Valentine engagements afterwards.”
This is it, it’s time for you decide your pick for the next Supervisor for District 8, right? So the San Francisco LGBT Community Center at 1800 Market Street is hosting a candidate forum tonight at 7:00 PM.
Location San Francisco LGBT Community Center1800 Market St.
Co-sponsored by the Golden Gate Business Association (GGBA) and Bay Area Lawyers for Individual Freedom (BALIF)!
Are you still cruising for the right District 8 Candidate to succeed Supervisor Bevan Dufty? Elections are only weeks away on Nov. 2nd!
The San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center is taking action to help community members be informed voters by hosting a District 8 Candidates’ Forum. This forum will be one of the few remaining chances to be informed!
Residents, business owners, and visitors of District 8 should take advantage of this opportunity to weigh in on issues that are most important to them and decide who best represents our beloved, historic district to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
The District 8 Candidates’ Forum Moderated by Scott Shafer, Host of The California Report on KQED FM Thursday, October 21, 2010, 7 pm
The SF LGBT Community Center, 1800 Market St. @ Octavia
Confirmed participation in the forum of Bill Hemenger, Rafael Mandelman, Rebecca Prozan, and Scott Wiener.
The Center is also seeking the community’s input and questions for this candidates’ forum through a short Survey Monkey questionnaire (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/d8forum ) which a committee will use to shape the forum.
The public is invited to this free event. Free childcare is provided during the event!”
And second up – District 8 Supervisor Bevan Dufty will campaign against B this afternoon in the Castro.
A wolf showed up at the last No on B event, but there’s no word on the chances of another appearance:
All the deets:
SUPERVISOR BEVAN DUFTY, PROP B OPPONENTS TO CAMPAIGN AGAINST PROP B
Prop B: Bad Medicine
“San Francisco has been a leader in providing universal health care for all of its citizens, but Proposition B will take health care away from many hardworking families. Prop B will also cost the city millions of dollars in federal funding for health care. Prop B is a step backwards and is wrong for San Francisco.”
—Supervisor Bevan Dufty
Who: Opponents of Proposition B including Supervisor Bevan Dufty, San Francisco firefighters, nurses, teachers, and LGBT community leaders
What: Supervisor Bevan Dufty and Prop B opponents campaign against Prop B
Where: CASTRO AND MARKET, San Francisco
When: Wednesday, September 29, 1:00 PM
Why: To campaign against Prop B, distribute No on B signs and literature to neighborhood merchants, and talk to voters about the health care impacts of Prop B
Where:Influsion Lounge, 124 Ellis Street, San Francisco
What: BOMA is co-hosting fundraiser reception for Scott Wiener, 2010 candidate for San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee and District 8 Supervisor.
What:Happy hour with Rafael Mandelman – candidate for Supervisor in District 8
Information: rafael4supe at gmail.com
So much for this week. Are the other candidates having some of their own partays soon? Maybe, but how would we know if they’re not listed on the indispensabile SF FYI Net? Mmmm…
*It’s remarkable how supersmart the major candidates in this race are. It’s unprecedented, actually. Each of them is smarter than you, anyway.
