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Steven T. Jones

A shameful Halloween

11.01.06 - 9:21 am | Steven T. Jones |
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By Steven T. Jones
First of all, let me state my biases: my sweetie is Alix Rosenthal, who is running against Sup. Bevan Dufty, the architect of the city’s approach to Halloween in the Castro last night. But given what I saw and experienced last night, I feel an obligation to share a few observations with Guardian readers. Read more »

Governor Hummer

Schwarzenegger claims to be an environmentalist, but his choice of vehicles and his endorsements out him as a hypocrite
10.31.06 - 7:43 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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› steve@sfbg.com
If there is a single symbol of American wastefulness, military fetishism, and willful ignorance about what it means to be heating up the planet at the end of the age of oil, it is the Hummer. And if there is one American who is most closely associated with the Hummer, it is Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
So why, in a state whose voters consistently rank environmentalism as one of their most important concerns, is Governor Hummer considered such a lock for reelection? Read more »

Bayview's perspective

Residents and activists see flaws in Proposition 90 — but desperation is causing them to support it anyway
10.31.06 - 7:26 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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› steve@sfbg.com
Consider the perspective of Marie Harrison and her political allies in Bayview — including the owners and writers at the San Francisco Bay View newspaper — whose support for Proposition 90 has put them at odds with the progressive political community.
Harrison, who is running for supervisor against incumbent Sophie Maxwell, lives on Quesada Avenue just off Third Street, in a diverse neighborhood bustling with vitality. Residents have transformed the wide median on her street into a gorgeous community garden. Read more »

PG&E’s extreme makeover

Utility promises cooperation and green power — while delivering the same old deception and big money attacks
10.24.06 - 7:43 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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› steve@sfbg.com
Mayor Gavin Newsom called a meeting with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. president Thomas King in July to let the utility chief know that the city intended to pursue public power projects on Treasure Island and Hunters Point.
“It was just to tell him that we’re going to do it,” Newsom spokesperson Peter Ragone said of the meeting. “The mayor thought it was a gentlemanly thing to do.”
King used the occasion to start an aggressive new offensive — and to preview PG&E’s latest political strategy.
In an Aug. Read more »

D6 Links

10.24.06 - 12:36 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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By Steven T. Jones
For some good background links on Jim Sutton, SFSOS, Rob Black, and their attacks on Chris Daly, click here, here, here, here, here, and here.

A tissue for Newsom

10.24.06 - 10:18 am | Steven T. Jones |
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By Steven T. Jones
Kudos for the Chron's Cecelia Vega for debunking Mayor Gavin Newsom's pity-party television interview, in which he said he may not run for reelection. Vega punches her story home with some great phrases like "20-year-old Republican girlfriend" and "Washington-size dose of political posturing," but the real gems come from Bruce Cain and Gerardo Sandoval. Check 'em out. Read more »

Reforming democracy

10.20.06 - 9:49 am | Steven T. Jones |
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By Steven T. Jones
Wtih ranked choice voting up and working well in San Francisco, four other communities around the country are poised to approve it in the upcoming election. In addition to Prop. O in Oakland, ranked choice is on the ballot in Davis, Minneapolis, and Pierce County, Washington.
"I see these four elections as key. If we can sweep them, that's a tipping point," activist and former Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic said last night at a Prop. Read more »

Arnold lovers

10.19.06 - 7:03 am | Steven T. Jones |
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By Steven T. Jones
It was disappointing -- but not entirely unexpected -- to see the Chronicle endorse Arnold Schwarzenegger today. After all, both the Chron and Arnold are, as they describe him "economically conservative, socially moderate" (and I'll leave off their next label, "environmentally progressive," which is complete bullshit in describing a guy who owns four Hummers and watered down every environmental bill he's signed, including the much ballyhooed global warming measure). Read more »

Speaking it

10.18.06 - 3:08 pm | Steven T. Jones |
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By Steven T. Jones
Service Employees International Union president Andy Stern was in San Francisco today to help christen SEIU Local 790's new digs on Potrero Hill -- and to give fiery voice to the prescription for national political reform that he outlines in his new book "A Country That Works: Getting America Back on Track" (all proceeds from which go to SEIU's political struggles, so go buy one). Read more »

Gavin's girlfriend

10.13.06 - 8:14 am | Steven T. Jones |
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By Steven T. Jones
Mayor Gavin Newsom is now dating someone almost half his age: Brittanie Mountz, a model and restaurant hostess who recently turned 20 years old. And you can catch her in action thanks to some video that the Chronicle shot are last month's opening of the San Francisco Symphony. Read more »