Watching City Hall #302 (7-13-04)“Mr. Rose! Welcome back to the Finance Committee.
You missed … well, I could say we had everything but nudity,
… but, I’d be lying to you.”
(Former Acting Mayor Chris Daly)
Of course there was nudity! These are harsh times and we need softness to counter them. … May God bless ‘Katrina’ for taking it upon herself to take it all off of herself. While HYPERLINK "mailto:pjcorkery@examiner.com" pjcorkery@examiner.com warns Board President Matt Gonzalez to beware of the lady as a potential stalker, I would disagree. I mean, clearly pj hasn’t seen Katrina. … Like, ‘Vive la difference!’. Most of the men (and women) in this town would be only too happy to be ‘stalked’ by this 19 year old nymphette. When I used to get particularly insulting to Willie Brown, a couple of huge black thugs from the labor union staked out my building and watched me clearn the sidewalk, but that’s as close as I’ve gotten. … It ain’t the same.
Kudos to Comcast’s Jon Bernstein
Speaking of welcoming people back, this week’s half pint of Ancient Age and a joint (‘h. brown award) are in the mail to Comcast’s Jon Bernstein who broke new media ground by including an online journalist on the panel of his riveting, ‘City Desk News Hour’ on cable #23, Thursday’s at 7pm. … Granted, it was a short reach to bring back The City’s best investigative reporter (Savannah Blackwell) to the panel she graced for several years before severing ties with the fast-fading Bay Guardian, but it nevertheless took balls. … I mean, what’s next? Perhaps a talk show of totally offline, outaline & offadahwall personalities. Watch your ass, Jon or people will be wanting to buy ads for these shows. … You could end up as TV’s version of ‘The Argonaut’.
Car bombs for cops?
On the other hand, this month’s ‘Burning bag of shit’ award, goes to new cop union boss, Gary Degenerate for suggesting beat cops pack assault weapons. My question is, why stop at machine guns? Why not get one step ahead of your enemies and bring in the weapon they use abroad? Why not car bombs, Gary? Shit, once the civilian version comes out there wouldn’t be many people trying to steal cars or anything in them if the unassuming sticker on the bumper said: ‘This car protected by an explosive device from Halliburton’. That’ll be an end to those pesky parking tickets too. Gary, you serious junkies will recall is the same cop busted some 20 years or so back for stealing hundreds of copies of a ‘Bay Times’ issue that headlined an article about police chief, Richard Hongisto entitled: ‘Dick’s new tool’. … We all have that one pressed with 4 leaf clovers, right? … Let’s explore this for a few moments. … Where’s Chris Cunnie when you need him? (Incidentally, I understand Cunnie is still a cop, just on some kind of leave.)
Rein in the cops
Anytime the police force in a town tells the D.A., the police commission, the judiciary and the citizenry to go fuck themselves, you got trouble. That’s the situation in San Francisco right now.
How are the cops doing? Well, there are more of them than there have ever been. They are higher paid then they’ve ever been. They are better armed and equipped than they’ve ever been. And, their performance is worse than it has ever been. … They don’t solve crimes and they don’t take chances. Pulling helicopters out of the air and removing kiosks from high crime areas certainly made their jobs safer but you can’t say the same for the streets or the citizenry who traverse the streets.
This police department would rather harass whores and pot heads than gangsters. It is an absolutely disgraceful state of affairs. They answer to no one but the mayor (who proudly announced he’s been the one who ‘appointed’ the last wave of chiefs and station honchos). How’s that feel? … “I got a bad feeling about his one, Vern.” … Yeah, kind of like that.
What’s next?
(6-16-04)
I got an e-mail from Parkside Station yesterday bragging about what a great job they’re doing. That really pissed me off. … For several reasons.
Everytime I jog by the closed bathrooms in the Panhandle and at Stanyan, I realize that they’re closed because the cops found it too difficult to keep them free of thugs.
What do the cops do next to the closed bathrooms? … They harass people walking their dogs off leash.
They line their cars up in the parking lot at Ocean Beach and chase all the lovers and party people off the beach at 10 pm nightly.
Last week I was jogging down Hayes in the Valley when I saw a tall police captain getting out of his chauffeured black n’ white (what’s up with this chauffeur shit?) … He had a stack of printed copies of something. I smelled news. I stopped him going into the building (a private residence). I flashed my press pass and asked what he was doing. … He refused to tell me!! I asked for a copy of whatever it was he was handing out in a ‘private’ meeting. … He again refused!!
I answered their e-mail and asked about the captain’s activities. Told em I had to assume he was leading a D5 Nazi cell. … They didn’t reply.
Odds and ends … and, just odd ends
Heather ‘Sieg!’ Hiles - hypocrite
Heather Hiles opposes the people paying members of the School Board $20k a year to serve. Now, I’m not saying Heather is a hypocrite, but she got $20k (illegally, some say) for just a couple of months being Gavin Newsom’s token ‘high level’ black staffer during his campaign for mayor.
Now, if you think that Gavin paid her, you’re dumber than you look. Oh noooo, you can bet your old odd end that the money funneled to Heather through the Newsom campaign came from the same cabal of people who paid her salary then and pay it now through some philanthropic shell. Can you say Fisher? Can you say Hellman? Can you say Shorenstein. Wanna bring her down to earth? Vote against Hiles, Wynns & Wiener. We have enough weenies, facists and brown-nosers at SFUSD already.
Gross Fortunes Tax is the Answer
No one should have over 100 million bucks in assets. It’s bad for the City’s Feng Shui. I suggest that we follow the example of the Eskimo communities that live along the Artic Circle. James Michener talks about them in ‘Alaska’. Says they have a practice called ‘potlach’. The people of the north came to the conclusion long ago that if one person has a lot more than everyone else, it is sure to cause a problem.
Their solution? The ‘wealthy’ villager has a big open house and gives away all of their excess wealth. … Uh huh, people just stroll into their house and carry away whatever they want until there is an equilibrium of possessions in the village. … Now, it is possible that as much as Dick Blum likes third world people, he and Diannne might not like the idea of giving up, say 3.9 billion dollars. But, they’ll get used to the idea. … You just have to ‘make them an offer they can’t refuse’. They can live on a hundred million. … Couldn’t you?
Planning Department worse than ever
Willie Brown played the Planning Department and developers like they were broken slot machines. Nothing has changed. … And, nothing will.
I’ve been hanging with Savannah Blackwell’s cat, Madeline for the past couple of weeks and ‘Mads’ likes to watch the meetings of the Planning Commission. (I think she has a thing for Gerald Green) … I watch the Board and its committees and Madeline watches commissions. Together we get to watch lots of brass from the Department of Planning.
Planning staff generally treat not only the Board of Supes, but also the members of the Planning Commission … like shit. Hell man, they don’t even try to hide it. Sarcasm. Dirty looks. Evasion. … It’s like one of my marriages or something.
Gerald and top henchmen, Emit Gross and Larry Flatliner set the tone for the new administration by continuing business as usual. … I guess you can’t blame Gavin. I mean, if you find a bunch of broken slot machines, would you fix them?
Nope, Planning continues to be project by project (maximum bakish possible) … project by project as they ignore and insult the neighborhoods and their representatives. This can only mean one thing.
Only the mayor can make departments and their heads obey. When bureaucrats feel insecure they can do some of the most intricate soft-shoe and aw-shucks you ever saw in your life. These guys don’t feel insecure. That’s bad news for San Francisco. Any change in hierarchy at Planning will simply be bringing in retreads like Hillary Gittleman to confuse the little people.
More SFSOS hacks
Look for baskets of SFSOS money to the aforementioned Hiles & Scott Wiener. A friend heard from his dog that Miguel Bustos is the group’s candidate in 9. … You know, I think that will backfire. I’m thinking he’s going to suck votes off of Ammiano who is certainly no danger to them. You go Renee in 9! … Another hack nursing at the SFSOS teat is Myrna Lim from District 11.
Comcast Political coverage
When you watch CNN, you get these little 5 minute spots where they have 2 chairs, 2 potted plants, 2 bad paintings and a gray haired male sycophant who interviews local political right-wingers (80%). So far, I’ve seen them kiss ass on the likes of Nate Nayman, Heather Hiles, Miguel Bustos … you get the idea. Free 5 minute ads for the SFSOS folks.
The bad thing here is that the assholes write it off their taxes as required public service time. Willie Brown made one of the worst cable deals in the country with Comcast. … Bad for you, that is.
And, it’s going to get worse. Newsom is closing down the Telecommunications Commission which was one of the few commissions in City government that actually acts independently and comes up with new ideas and directions. I’ve watched transfixed for hours as the retired Major General who chairs the group absorbed every feature of the local communications landscape and assessed needs and liabilities. He was aided by a young Indian engineer who was just as sharp.
Newsom is folding the commission into the Department of Telecommunications and Information Services which is directly under his control. When the public and their advocates (people like Jeff Perlstein of Media Alliance) … when questions were raised as to when Comcast would open the required new cable channel, they got the bum’s rush from City Services Chair Bevan Dufty and Vice Chair Fiona Ma.
Get out of town!
You need a few days off. You should get your butt out of town from July 20th til the 28th and ask me to watch your house while you’re gone. … From the inside. Mostly on your couch watching the Board.
I do have great friends. Other than those 8 days and another short span in late August, I’m booked with housesitting gigs til October 1st. It is so peaceful to vacation in a friend’s place while they’re out on the road arguing or getting soaked or losing their money in casinos or lying on a beach in St. John’s (way to go, Savannah).
Gonzalez endorses Harold Stassen!
Did I ever tell you that Matt Gonzalez once endorsed me for supervisor? Yeah, honest. Two years ago in District 2 when I ran against Newsom. Tony Hall endorsed me too. … I gots it on film. Yeah, it’s all in the work-in-progress documentary with the working title: ‘h. brown for supervisor’. … I’m not kidding. The artists responsible for the work are Courtney Haslett and Rich Hillis. They got Gavin Newsom saying that if he went on to be elected mayor, he’d make me his press secretary. … Really.
Well, not that I really expected to get a job from Newsom. … Or, anyone else for that matter. Naw, it seems that old age and the dole were made for me. … I’ve seen a couple of early cuts of the film and I laughed and I cried and it became a part of me. … Hmmm, that’s plagiarism, I think.
The film also has lots of footage of my buddy Jens Nielsen who works security at a pot club and knows more about rock n’ roll than anyone in town and of Diamond Dave Whitaker from KPOO. It will be out in the fall. … Or, then again, maybe later. … I don’t know what you’ll think of the film but you’ll love the music track.
Anyway, Matt is presenting Ralph Nader to the lefty community tonite at Mission High. Ralph’s running for president again, you know. Trying to break Stassen’s record as best I can figure. I understand Matt will be presenting Ralph with a check for ten grand. … From the local Republican party. … Sorry Matt but I just can’t get my mind around Nader anymore. He reminds me too much of Ammiano.
Progressives against Renters
That would be Gerardo Sandoval, Aaron Peskin and Jake McGoldrick. … When Chris Daly presented an initiative for the voters which would reform the Rent Board, the above supes said ‘No’. Sandoval went a step further. When the vote went down, Daly slid on over to the chamber’s gorgeous antique oak rail (I wondered how many deals had been made at that spot.) … Daly went over and talked to Tenants Union chief, Ted Gullickson, then came back and asked to rescind the vote so’s he could add an amendment later in the session and try again.
Now, that kind of move is usually automatic with this Board. Gonzo promised that if his colleagues elected him Board President that he wouldn’t use parliamentary procedures to block legislation. Generally, the rest of the Board has followed his lead. Except Sandoval. … Yeah, this time anyway. Gerardo, he didn’t want to give the legislation any chance at all.
And, he was the only one. Yep. 10-1 in favor of rescinding the vote with Sandoval dissenting. The renters need this too. The Rental Board as it stands is completely appointed by the mayor and is thus, heavily slanted toward property owners. People keep e-mailing me to say that the Rent Board generally chooses to spend around 90% of their time hearing complaints from property owners. Not that tenants don’t complain. Nope, it’s just that the Rent Board can choose whom they hear and they prefer to hear landlords. You want my guess?
My guess
My guess is that Sandoval was trying desperately to please Newsom. Desperate enough to surpass even Bevan Dufty, Fiona Ma and Michela Pier in a slap at Daly. … He wants the Treasurer’s job bad. He does everything for Newsom but fan him and hold an umbrella over him. It’s kind of pitiful. Last night (6-15) Comcast had Gerardo interviewed by Scott Schafer. Sandoval danced and sang Gavin’s praises like a monkey on a string. Scott, mercifully, did not mention the post of Treasurer.
More odd shit
The Board voted 10 to 1 to pay out a reward to a woman who had the nerve and courage to put away a killer. Guess who voted against paying her? … Would you believe, Tony Hall?
60 million!?
Before closing the mint completely, the feds spent millions rehabbing the building. Basically, all the place needs is a good cleaning. Unless you’re gonna build condos there or some such nonsense (as proposed).
An item came before the Board a couple of months ago requesting that a couple of million dollars of bond money be released to Park & Rec to use in rehabbing McLaren Lodge. It passed.
Now, here comes Aaron Peskin wanting to put a 60 million dollar item before the voters to pay for rehabbing things like: “The Old Mint and McClaren Lodge.” … Oh, he mentioned the Geneva Car Barn, but he led with the other items.
Now, that’s not the oddest part. … You expect someone running for reelection to put signature items before the voters on the same ballot. I’m sure there are lots of places that need Peskin’s ‘Neighborhood Historical Resources Preservation Bonds’. Like Ammiano’s 60 million dollar giveaway to the SFUSD that he rode into a 4th place finish in last year’s mayoral race, it’s tough to vote against. In fact, only one supe did vote against it. … That would be Fiona Ma.
Ben Rosenfield carries bad news
Gavin’s Budget Director, Ben Rosenfield is a total professional. I mean, you can disagree with the guy but if you actually got into an argument with him, it would be your fault. … That’s why it was surprising when he announced in the early afternoon that he’d convened a meeting of some Room 200 study group that very morning to consider Peskin’s Bonds and considered them unnecessary. … This, mind you from the Mayor who recently promised to keep the Swells’ new City Golf Course (way too expensive for average golfer now – try $70 for a round that was $18 two years ago) … Gavin promised the PGA that he’d make sure the course was kept up to PGA standards. … Yeah, he can’t find money to keep wards for the insane open at SF General, but Tiger won’t bitch about our greens.
Everyone just kind of looked around at each other as if to say: “Where the fuck did that come from?” When queried, Rosenfield said that ‘his’ group just thought there were better things to use the money for. … What you want to bet it has something to do with a new multi-million dollar clubhouse for Harding Golf Course?
Bottom line guess here is that Newsom has decided to put up some credible opposition to Peskin in District 3 in November. They don’t want Aaron running arm-in-arm with a popular bond measure.
Still, only Fiona Ma voted against Peskin’s bond measure. And, it is Ma who is closest to room 200. 10 to 1 against Peskin. … Get out your limb-tearing machine, Jim Stearns.
Happy Birthday Adriel
Adriel Hampton turned 26 on, I think, Bastille Day. I watched the kid on Comcast’s City Desk News Hour (OK, Comcast is only 90% evil) … watching and being amazed that none of the other tv channels have offered him a seat at the table. Now, I’m not gay (giddy sometimes) but the braces are off his teeth, pumping iron has toned him, he’s over 6 feet, blonde, model-handsome and knows more about City Hall than anyone in town. If Phil Matier deserves a show, Adriel Hampton does.
Sorry this was so long. I’m gonna go see Ralph Nader. … I wonder if he has Secret Service agents? … Naw, they’ll probably just have Jim Dorenkott follow him around.
I am factually innocent:
