Post: #1

Starts with this protest at a commuter bus stop for Google employees.

Quote:A group of protesters surrounded and blocked a Google employee commuter bus for more than a half hour Monday morning at a Muni bus stop at 24th and Valencia streets in San Francisco’s Mission District. The buses have, for some, become a symbol of tech-fueled gentrification, economic inequality and soaring housing prices in the city. The bus, which was headed to Google’s Mountain View campus, had riders on board. A dozen protesters stood around the bus with signs saying “Public $$$$, Private Gains,” “Stop Displacement Now,” “Fine $271, Total Fine $1 Billion,” and “Warning: Two-Tier System.”

At the protest, a union organizer pretending to be a Google employee argues with the protesters.





Then an SF startup CEO, Greg Gopman, unleashes this post on his Facebook account:

Quote:Just got back to SF. I've traveled around the world and I gotta say there is nothing more grotesque than walking down market st in San Francisco. Why the heart of our city has to be overrun by crazy, homeless, drug dealers, dropouts, and trash I have no clue. Each time I pass it my love affair with SF dies a little.


The difference is in other cosmopolitan cities, the lower part of society keep to themselves. They sell small trinkets, beg coyly, stay quiet, and generally stay out of your way. They realize it's a privilege to be in the civilized part of town and view themselves as guests. And that's okay.

In downtown SF the degenerates gather like hyenas, spit, urinate, taunt you, sell drugs, get rowdy, they act like they own the center of the city. Like it's their place of leisure... In actuality it's the business district for one of the wealthiest cities in the USA. It a disgrace. I don't even feel safe walking down the sidewalk without planning out my walking path.

You can preach compassion, equality, and be the biggest lover in the world, but there is an area of town for degenerates and an area of town for the working class. There is nothing positive gained from having them so close to us. It's a burden and a liability having them so close to us. Believe me, if they added the smallest iota of value I'd consider thinking different, but the crazy toothless lady who kicks everyone that gets too close to her cardboard box hasn't made anyone's life better in a while.

Only to issue an apology a la the "49'ers" techie.

Post: #2

I like how the comments under his apology are "what, no, quit apologizing - it's true!" lol

Post: #3

The homeless go where they get the best garbage.

If I was homeless I'd spend summers in Manhattan and winters in Florida. Possibly Miami or Key West. You can take the subway to the airport in NY and plane tickets aren't that much to Florida.

Post: #4

The homeless in S.F. are a problem. A lot of them are just "street kids." They get pit bulls and flock in large groups and just destroy local businesses.

They could work but don't want to. They have horrible attitudes and cause all sorts of problems.

Post: #5

Sounds like a bunch of entitled losers. Private company pays for a coach to roll around town and transport its employees. People that don't work at said company get their panties in a bunch. WTF?

Post: #6

You get the worst of both worlds there. People who don't want to do anything but munch off others, and the most arrogant subculture of people the world has ever seen.

Post: #7

(12-21-2013 10:25 PM)MSW2007 Wrote:  Sounds like a bunch of entitled losers. Private company pays for a coach to roll around town and transport its employees. People that don't work at said company get their panties in a bunch. WTF?

I think the bus was public which was what caused the outcry. MUNI is the SF local bus and it's going out into the burbs for Google.

The biggest recipients of welfare and handouts in America are corporations. I'm sure Google gotta good transport deal at the expense of the City to shuttle it's employees out there.

Post: #8

I used to like google until they kept trying to force me to join google+ at every turn. I'm over it. We need something new.

Post: #9

Google is starting to look like a clasical cyberpunk corporation. When will see Google "Sararīman"?

Post: #10

I remember seeing a comment made by someone on here months ago that went along the lines of: People use their education,degree, position in life as a means to cast down judgement about everybody around them. Seems to be a nature thing. Animals do it in their own pecking orders and well this guy makes it clear that we still haven't evolved much from those said animals basic modus operandi.

Post: #11

(12-21-2013 10:25 PM)MSW2007 Wrote:  Sounds like a bunch of entitled losers. Private company pays for a coach to roll around town and transport its employees. People that don't work at said company get their panties in a bunch. WTF?

The issue is that all these tech guys with shit tons of money are moving into San Francisco in huge numbers, they are driving up the price of rents in the city, and typical average people can no longer live there, that's why there is a huge backlash against them. Do you have any idea what the average cost of a 1 bedroom in S.F. is?

It's about $2,500 and that's largely due to fuckers from twitter, google, facebook, etc., that can pay any price for housing, so shit tons of people literally are getting priced out and having to move to shitty spots in the east bay. I'm sure if a bunch of rich techies moved into your neighborhood and rents skyrocketed by $500+ you'd feel the same way too.

Post: #12

SF is rapidly losing its character, especially the Mission neighborhood, because of the techie transplants who are diluting the culture.

But on the other hand, I totally agree that the homeless population is out of control. Has anyone walked around the Tenderloin? Some streets around there look like a post-apocalyptic nightmare. Human feces on the ground, a nasty urine stench everywhere and crackheads running around. It's complete shit and no one seems to give a fuck about it. It would be one thing if it was far away from the center (i.e. Bayview/Hunters Point), but that shit is downtown next to important areas like Union Square and Polk St. Someone needs the balls to relocate the homeless to other parts of the city. But we know that's not happening.

Post: #13

It's not a crime to be poor. And you can relocate them all you want. It won't matter. They're free to walk the streets. They'll find their way back. The most you can do is bust them for loitering. If I was homeless I wouldn't care. It means a free meal, shower and bed for the night.

Post: #14

(12-22-2013 01:02 PM)estraudi Wrote:  I remember seeing a comment made by someone on here months ago that went along the lines of: People use their education,degree, position in life as a means to cast down judgement about everybody around them. Seems to be a nature thing. Animals do it in their own pecking orders and well this guy makes it clear that we still haven't evolved much from those said animals basic modus operandi.

Great song line from Morcheeba's Big Calm album:

"We all love looking down."

Post: #15

It's on a different level in SF. The homeless issue there is in a league of its own. Really detracts from the city's charm. The Tenderloin has been hijacked by homeless people to where many avoid the city and it's difficult to attract businesses there. The city needs to crack down or come up with a plan to bring in business there.

Utah, a red state, is on track to end homelessness altogether in a few years.
http://www.nationswell.com/one-state-tra...ness-2015/

Post: #16

(12-22-2013 09:53 AM)kosko Wrote:  

(12-21-2013 10:25 PM)MSW2007 Wrote:  Sounds like a bunch of entitled losers. Private company pays for a coach to roll around town and transport its employees. People that don't work at said company get their panties in a bunch. WTF?

I think the bus was public which was what caused the outcry. MUNI is the SF local bus and it's going out into the burbs for Google.

The biggest recipients of welfare and handouts in America are corporations. I'm sure Google gotta good transport deal at the expense of the City to shuttle it's employees out there.

It's a commuter bus. My city has them as well. There is one stop in a smaller city outside of downtown, then the bus jumps right on the interstate and goes directly into the city. It take 20 minutes, as opposed to the regular bus which stops 100 times on the way downtown and takes an hour and a half.

Most of it's passengers work at the hospital but you'll see plenty of college students/faculty and blue collar workers as well. It's a public bus, anyone can ride it but it only has a few stops and runs at certain times; early morning and late afternoon/early evening when people are going to and from work.

I don't really see the problem with encouraging people to take public transportation by giving them a liable means to do so.

Post: #17

Before it gets political, it needs to be better understood that a lot of those derelicts are simply not accountable. There's this argument from conservatives they could work and easily hold a job - if they wanted to.

The majority of them probably need to be institutionalized or put in a halfway home. They might as well start funding this better, of course they won't. Americans for whatever reason (more than other cultures) enjoy using them to make an example out of.

Europeans don't seem to have this attitude nearly as strongly as Americans.

Post: #18

(12-22-2013 03:21 PM)la_mode Wrote:  
The majority of them probably need to be institutionalized or put in a halfway home. They might as well start funding this better, of course they won't. Americans for whatever reason (more than other cultures) enjoy using them to make an example out of.

Europeans don't seem to have this attitude nearly as strongly as Americans.

This is true. SF is "the Mecca" of America's homeless population. I've actually talked to some of the homeless people there. Many came from other states/cities to SF. SF has some of the most progressive social services that cater to homeless people. This is well known. St. Luke's Church is the only church in the US I think that provides three meals a day to the homeless. Always a line in front of there on Van Ness Ave.

Post: #19

(12-22-2013 03:21 PM)la_mode Wrote:  Before it gets political, it needs to be better understood that a lot of those derelicts are simply are not accountable. There's this argument from conservatives they could work and easily hold a job - if they wanted to.

Then detain them, convert them into unwilling serfs, and send them to labor camps in rural areas, where they will do work... or else not get fed (and starve to death). A man who is not able to support himself, and who is not supported by someone else willingly, should not be given freedom.

Some say that the welfare state should support these people. Others say that these people cannot be given food and shelter if they produce nothing. Both are right. Give them food and shelter in exchange for work, in rural areas (so that urbanites don't have to see them).

A homeless person is a waste of human capital. A country prospers when it focuses on maximizing the utilization of its human capital, rather than engaging in childish discussions on what "rights" the citizenry should and should not have.

Post: #20

(12-22-2013 02:34 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  Has anyone walked around the Tenderloin? Some streets around there look like a post-apocalyptic nightmare.

Was walking through the Tenderloin at night with a girl last year and there were all kinds of shady ass people on the corner just lingering around and staring. I just knew I was going to end up getting in a fight or something. I told her to walk very close to me as we went through there. Avoid like the plague.

(12-22-2013 03:21 PM)la_mode Wrote:  Before it gets political, it needs to be better understood that a lot of those derelicts are simply are not accountable. There's this argument from conservatives they could work and easily hold a job - if they wanted to.

The majority of them probably need to be institutionalized or put in a halfway home. They might as well start funding this better, of course they won't. Americans for whatever reason (more than other cultures) enjoy using them to make an example out of.

Europeans don't seem to have this attitude nearly as strongly as Americans.

I knew someone in who worked with the homeless in downtown L.A.(another place with a massive homeless problem). She said that many of the homeless simply don't want to be helped. They refuse to stay in the shelters and get into programs that might lead them back to responsible working life. They don't even like the fact that lights have to be out at a certain time at night in the shelter. So just because you have shelters for them doesn't mean they will want to stay there.

Post: #21

(12-22-2013 03:31 PM)Hencredible Casanova Wrote:  

(12-22-2013 03:21 PM)la_mode Wrote:  
The majority of them probably need to be institutionalized or put in a halfway home. They might as well start funding this better, of course they won't. Americans for whatever reason (more than other cultures) enjoy using them to make an example out of.

Europeans don't seem to have this attitude nearly as strongly as Americans.

This is true. SF is "the Mecca" of America's homeless population. I've actually talked to some of the homeless people there. Many came from other states/cities to SF. SF has some of the most progressive social services that cater to homeless people. This is well known. St. Luke's Church is the only church in the US I think that provides three meals a day to the homeless. Always a line in front of there on Van Ness Ave.

Yep, San Franciscans have themselves to blame for the problem.

No surprise to me that the most "progressive" city in the land has an epic homeless problem.

Also not a surprise that those that voted in the policies are now bitching about the aftermath.

Post: #22

Iknowexactly. Checked out their music and the Big Calm album is available to listen to on YouTube. Sounds like a mix of Danger Mouse and Zero 7 music. I Digs it. Knew this thread would have a gem in it.


Also, when I stayed with some friends in North Beach they all agreed the yuppies, bringing what amounts to nothing more than a snobby entitled consumerist culture, V's the established culture of San fran, would and should all continue to buy overpriced condos/houses in the Marina district, SoMa and any other neighborhood with a huge risk for liquefaction during earthquakes for trying to "take over" their city. And this was from friends and families that were very monied but yet knew to coexist amongst the poor or unfortunate in the city. They just did what they did and didn't choose to bitch about EVERyTHING as most people do now. People making themselves out to be victims because poor nobodies have to be in their vicinity. I thought Red Pill had nothing to do with being part of the "I'm a Victim" herd mentality?

Post: #23

[/quote]

This is true. SF is "the Mecca" of America's homeless population. I've actually talked to some of the homeless people there. Many came from other states/cities to SF. SF has some of the most progressive social services that cater to homeless people. This is well known. St. Luke's Church is the only church in the US I think that provides three meals a day to the homeless. Always a line in front of there on Van Ness Ave.
[/quote]

This is also true of Quebec, and Montreal specifically. Lots of homeless that you'll see here, especially in the summer, are Anglophones, most likely from Ontario. Real young, too, we're talking 18-24 yrs old. They come here cuz they know Quebec has the some of the best social services in all of CA.

Post: #24

Anyone watch that video and notice nearly all the protesters are women?

Post: #25

Tenderloin is a tough area and always has been.