49-Mile Scenic Anything-but-Drive Route Leads to the Balboa Theater

Janet Fowler and I had a wonderful time at the SF Chronicle's event at the Balboa Theater last night, when we saw "Sister Act" as well as a lot of vintage photos of SF from the 1930's on, celebrating the new 49-mile Scenic Route, which includes the Balboa Theater. Columnists Heather Knight and Peter Hartlaub were there to introduce a stunning (shimmering dress under habit) nun, a bagpipe player, and cable car ringer. I'm so impressed by Heather Knight, who compassionately and intelligently covers some of the saddest aspects of the city. (She was the one who commented on how SF is like Rwanda in terms of the gap between the rich and the poor.) She also has a sense of fun and celebrates what's good about our city. Kudos to her and Peter Hartlaub for creating the 49-mile Scenic Anything But Drive Route. Please remember today's route is all about the Youth Climate March, when Mothers Out Front will be marching from 1st and Mission to the BlackRock, 400 Howard.

An OPen Letter to Rachel Shippee of the FFAC

Here's the note I just sent to Rachel Shippee regarding both the FFAC gala on Saturday and a vegan walk through San Francisco.

Dear Rachel,

A lot was going on the day I responded to your message about Saturday's gala dinner.  But now I want to thank you for noticing that my effort to reserve two dinners hadn't "taken."  You saved me a lot of last-minute embarrassment.

I'm sure you're really busy right now, but for future reference I also wanted to mention something about the 49-Mile Scenic Route Heather Knight and Peter Harlaub have been promoting in the SF Chronicle.  I love their idea of walking (biking, etc) rather than driving this route, and I like the changes in the choice of paths too.  But it made me cross my eyes when I saw where they were suggesting that we stop to eat--a burger place.  Beef, of course, is the very worst thing for the environment, and part of their avoiding driving was the emissions.

I would love to help create a vegan route through the city.  Have you all thought about that?

Tuesday I walked the first section of the Crosstown Trail, and I didn't notice any vegan places along the route.  

See you Saturday!

Tina

More Details than You Probably Want on Section 1 of the SF Crosstown Trail

Left for Section 1 of Crosstown Trails at 9:00 Took the #28 to 19^th and Holloway.  The bus driver mis-directed me, so I missed one #29 bus but got another about 15 minutes later.  Took it to Keith and Fitzgerald and then took the #29 bus in the direction of Baker Beach.  It was soon passing notable places like Persia (and Mission), London, Lisbon, Madrid, Naples, Vienna, Athens, Munich, Prague, and Dublin.  Thought about the names I was seeing like John. F. Shelley, Somerset, Olmstead.  Got off at Gilman Avenue and Bill Walsh Way and walked, a bit confused, towards the water.  When I asked on the road about Candlestick Park, one young black guy said, “It ain’t there no more,” and I explained that I was starting the Crosstown Trail from there.  He didn’t know anything about the Crosstown Trail, but he thought I was going in the right direction (towards water.)  Once I got to an obvious park area with picnic tables and even a sign saying Bay Trail, I spoke to the Asian attendant in an RV park, and he let me into the restroom.  He had a vague notion of what the Crosstown Trail was.  There was no info on the Crosstown Trail, but to my surprise there were SF postcards in his office—for the RV tourists? 

I wanted to know how to get to the trail to begin.   One man I approached just turned away from me—twice.  He clearly didn’t want any contact when I approached him for help.  A young Latino tried to help but just looked worried and frustrated.  A man who was jogging stopped and gave me specific directions I knew I wouldn’t remember.  

But I found the point with water on both sides. Started at the pier at Sunrise Point, Candlestick Point State Recreation Area.  Was happy to have already found  restrooms.)  I saw five of the huge illustrated signs that give maps and information.  The first said “On the Western Shoreline of San Francisco Bay.  Welcome to Candlestick Point California’s first urban state Park.”  It shows the “Rich history and culture” of the Ohlone. Another says “Make your won ‘feel good’ list.  Check.  Repeat.”  It goes on to explain what health experts say about the benefits of being outdoors in nature.  They list some things to enjoy.  (This was the perfect walk to take after reading about the book “How to Do Nothing:  Resisting the Attention Economy,” (an economy in which our attention is a commodity.)   “Do Nothing” book.    After I was truly on the walk and had left the path with water on both sides, I asked a young African-American woman about the trail, and she said she knew nothing about it but seemed interested in it and in my way of speaking, which she said sounded like something from the theater.  (Affected?)  She also wished me a good trail and said “God bless and happy holidays.” 

I was sort of confused about whether to walk on an expressway or not.  I started walking to the left of the white partition on the expressway, but it soon ran out, so I climbed over the partition and carefully walked along the expressway.  There wasn’t, fortunately, much traffic.  I saw some really pretty foliage.  I have to admit that I got out my iPhone from time to time and put in the next point—Harney Way, for example.  I was reassured when the minutes to go diminished instead of increasing in number.  At least I was going in the right direction!  I got onto Harney Way to Executive Park Blvd, where I saw a building and Executive Park Café.  I asked several people in the café about the big office buildings and finally was directed to someone who might know.  He told me Recology was among the offices.  Went through tunnel to Blanken in Little Hollywood neighborhood.  Then on to Bayshore Blvd. across from the MUNI Metro T-Third stop at Arleta.  Onto Leeland and then onto Hans Schiller Plaza and A series of Greenways going up and up and up to other streets (Raymond, Teddy, Campbell).  Onto Rutland and Tucker and another Greenway.

 As I said, I was usually walking alone, and no one was even nearby, but in one of the last Greenways, someone said, “Tina?”  I looked up and immediately thought of the actor Bill and I met on the Camino, who also walked from Florence to Rome and said he was planning to come to SF.  “John?” I asked.  But it was Joel, someone I met through our Chew and View Francophone/Francophile group.  He hasn’t participated for over a year, but we all love him and call him “Joel de vivre.”  We talked a short time, and I told him about Bob Siegel’s leadership in the Crosstown Trail project, which Joel and his friend Arnie were also doing.  I walked ahead of them so as not to detain them and not to interfere with their privacy.  

The very pretty Greenways finally ended on Tioga.  Went to Delta and onto Wilde, where I saw the entrance where Bill and I entered McLaren Park.  Walked up paved trail and stairway and went along Philosopher’s Way without lingering much because Bill and I had already walked it and what was a beautiful morning looked like a gray and rainy afternoon.

 I left McLaren Park at Bacon and Oxford and went along Cambridge to HW. 280.  As I was contemplating an overpass and fearing that I’d have vertigo, Joel and his friend Arnie caught up with me, and Joel let me take his arm as we walked together across St. Mary’s Park Footbridge.    But I wasn’t at all aware of passing the trail to Alemany Farm.  I wasn’t even aware of St. Mary’s Recreation Center.  

Joel, Arnie, and I talked about Joel’s interest in going to Japan, and I told him about Bill and Tom’s trip there this past month.   We also discussed Pachinko and Parasites  We finally crossed Mission and walked on Bosworth to the Glen Park BART station at Bosworth and Diamond.  That’s where we all touched a big post at the crossing because that’s going to be the point at which we begin Section 2 of the SF Crosstown Trail. which my son Jonathan and I plan to take on Christmas Eve Day.  

We’d started to feel a few drops of rain.  I caught the #43 bus to Sloat and 19^th, where the #28 happened to be stopped, so I hopped on it. A young woman immediately offered me her seat.  I thanked her  but said I thought I could stand for the remaining two blocks I had to go.  

Walking Part ! of the SF Crosstown Trail on the Only Sunny Day This Week

Yesterday I was determined to do the first part of the SF Crosstown Trail, but my walking partners were not available, so I went alone to Candlestick Park to take the route from there to Glen Park (through the Excelsior and Visitation Valley). I saw almost no one along the trail, but by chance I met a friend Joel I hadn't seen for a long time, and it was such a beautiful day until around 1:00, when we made it to Glen Park. Bus service coming back was seamless. I caught the #43 across from the Glen Park Bart Station, and when we got to 19th and Sloat, the #28 was there, so I took that for two blocks! A young woman offered me her seat. I thanked her but told her I thought I could stand for a couple of blocks.

Notes on "Tax the Rich" Forum Inspired by Patriotic Millionaires

Here are the notes I took yesterday at Manny's:

Erica Payne was the first to speak and introduce the other speakers.  She's the founder and president of Patriotic Millionaires and the mother of a 4 1/2 year old childd.

The economic inequality is the greatest in 50 years.  Why was it greater in 1968?

For the first time ever, life expectancy is starting to go down in the US..

Erica Payne said that not all of the world's problems can be solved with money, but a heck of a lot of them can be.

Was it Robert Reich who said that too many people nod their heads in agreement so we need to get people who aren't in agreement to agree.  He introduced Jake Kornbluth, who I guess is the brother of Josh Kornbluth, who did "Love and Taxes."

 They all believe that all people, including the richest, will be better off in a more equitable society. 

Consumer debt is now higher than in 2008.

When Robert Reich went around the nation with Jake Kornbluth in 2015 to see who the most desperate supported for president, the likeliest candidates appeared to be Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton.  But the people they talked to said they liked Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump because they'd really shake things up.  Robert Reich also said he didn't think Trump was the cause of our present problems but the culmination of it.

Reich mentioned the positive election results in Virginia, Kentucky, and other places.

He said something like "Thank God for Donald Trump because he woke us up.

Eric Schaumburg talked on video about his wife and his income tax and how unfair it was--to their benefit.  We tax investment less than labor.


 We can find more info on https://taxjusticenow.org/ 

They say "America's ruanaway inequality has an engine:  our unjust tax system.

Even as they became fabulously wealthy, the ultra-rich have seen theri taxes collapse to levels last seen in the 1920s.  Meanwhile, working-class Americans have been asked to pay more. 


The US Flat Tax--what Romney said about 47% not paying their taxes.  They don't pay federal taxes, but they do pay payroll taxes and consumption taxes.

The Progressive Fiscal Tradition in America from 1913 on?  This was when FDR's asking congress to tax the rich 10% on anything over $25,000 after taxes.  Congress agreed not to 100% but to 93%, and this went on until several decades afterwards.

Help the American public re-connect.  Rise and Fall of Progressivity.  Corporate Tax for the wealthy .  In the 1950's revenue came form corporate tax. 

European countries abandoned their wealth taxes because they made the wrong choices.

Looney Tunes cartoon Tax the Rich.

Leslie Marshall.
Barbara Pearl

If you die before you sell your stocks, the person who gets them won't be taxed the same?

If you donate appreciated stock, you can deduct the gain?

Bob Friedman

Are we investing in inequality?

The GI bill could be for women and people of color.
Bring back death taxes.
Richard??  serial entrepreneur

Carried interest loophole
Venture capitalists said it would drie companies out of California.

New Yorker article on David Rubenstein, who wants to keep the loophole open donated to the Washington Monument.


The most interesting presentation in my opinion was that of Paul O'Brien for Oxfam.  He showed a picture of a golf course within a square mile of Kibera in Nairobi.

The word "Neoliberal" came up, defined as apolicies that place profits over people.  O'Brien spoke of disconnection and despair, cigarettes, alcohol, junk food.    "Trump performed best in places of the most despair.   

Someone spoke of a Marshall Plan for the 21st Century.

The next speaker was Bill Lazonick, who spoke on "sustainable prosperity" and the Geni Ratio.

PVE stands for Predatory Value Extraction.  We need a value-creating economy. 

Manny's Hosts "Tax the Rich"--What a Good Idea!

This morning's SF Chronicle was particularly interesting.  One of the most interesting articles was on millionaires begging to be taxed.  I attended the first two hours--a limitation due to the fact that I drove and had only two hours permitted in the meter I chose.  (Another argument for public transportation, but I was under a time constraint today.)

It was fascinating and convincing. 

Here's what I posted on Facebook (getting next to no interest--but still more than I get for this blog).

Well, that was fascinating--and inspiring!

Millionaires urging higher taxes on themselves! "Inequality isn't just morally wrong--it's unsustainable." "Patriotic Millionaires say that Income inequality is un-American. It's time to tax the rich."

I went to Manny's this afternoon to hear a forum of "Patriotic Millionaires" advocating for their paying more of their fair share.

Among the people I heard speak were Robert Reich (not a millionaire but on to their gaming the system), Emmanuel Saez, Gabriel Zucman, Bill Lazonick, Leslie Marshall, Shannon Monnat, and Paul O'Brien. I could stay only two of the three and one-half hours, but I learned a lot and got a lot of swag including red, white, and blue M & M's saying "Tax the Rich." Let's do it!.

A True-False Component to the Glass Room Experience

I forgot to mention this, but there's a true-false component to the Glass Room.

True or false?

You can preserve your brain and upload it to Cloud before you die.
There's a smart fork that will vibrate when you're eating too fast and show a green light when it's okay for you to start eating again.
There's an app for birth control.
There's an app for undocumented people trying to cross the border.