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Politics Blog

Captain Greg Corrales saves the Haight from Demon Weed

04.26.13 - 9:22 am | Tim Redmond |
(60)

I'm glad to see the Ex now has the data to show what we all knew was happening: The old Drug Warrior at Park Precint, Captain Greg Corrales, is trying to save the Haight from pot smokers.

Hate to have to tell you, Cap, but you lost that battle a loooong time ago.Read more »

Cal president resists pressure to veto West Bank divestment bill

04.25.13 - 3:29 pm | Avi Asher-Schapiro |
(17)

Late Tuesday night, UC Berkeley Student President Connor Landgraf decided not to a veto SB 160, which called on the university to divest from companies that profit from the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. The bill labels the university “a complicit third party in illegal occupation and ensuing human rights abuses” by Israel.Read more »

Reports of grenade-type devices used in West Oakland raid

04.25.13 - 2:35 pm | Rebecca Bowe |
(29)

A high profile police raid occurred last night in multiple East Bay locations, with most activity centered at the Acorn public housing complex in West Oakland. According to recent news reports, some 150 FBI agents and support staff carried out the raid, along with 120 Oakland police officers and other law enforcement officers from San Leandro, Hayward and Antioch.Read more »

The hype, reality, and accountability of collaborative consumption

04.24.13 - 5:48 pm | Steven T. Jones |
(55)

Collaborative consumption, aka the shareable economy – the labels given to a new generation of Internet-based companies that facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges of goods and services – certainly has some positive attributes. But does it really live up to the overhyped claims of its biggest boosters, who evangelize it as a “revolution” that forever alters the economy in only positive ways? Read more »

The vultures of greed

04.24.13 - 3:19 pm | Tim Redmond |
(113)

A small but enthusiastic crowd marched through the Castro April 20 to bring some attention to the rash of Ellis Act evictions that are forcing seniors and disabled people out of the city. The activists stopped at the home of Jeremy Mykaels, whose plight is symbolic of the state of housing in San Francisco today. Mykaels insists he's not a public speaker, but his remarks were poignant; we've excerpted them here:Read more »

The credibility of Twitter

04.24.13 - 2:26 pm | Tim Redmond |
(1)

The stories on the latest Twitter hack -- which caused the stock market to plunge and wiped out $136 billion in investor value in an instant -- have focused on the vulnerability of the social network to malware and intruders. Twitter's apparently hiring some new people to improve its security. That's all just fine, but it's the wrong point.Read more »

City-owned electricity generation works

04.24.13 - 1:16 pm | Tim Redmond |
(7)

I remember years ago a loser of a supervisor named Bill Maher tried to make a lame joke in opposition to a public-power measure. "If the city tries to run an electric system," he said, "every time I throw a light switch my toilet would flush."

Ha. Ha. Ha.

But it's a common refrain: We can't even run the Muni on time -- how can we run an electricity system?Read more »

Ammiano's on a roll

04.24.13 - 12:14 pm | Tim Redmond |
(18)

Willie Brown, the former mayor and current unregistered lobbyist, has been trying to undermine Assemblymember Tom Ammiano for years. But take a look at two Ammiano bills this spring and you get a sense of how effective San Francisco's veteran representative can be.Read more »

On 8 Washington, it's No, No

04.24.13 - 10:53 am | Tim Redmond |
(51)

The November ballot may contain not one but two measures addressing super-luxury condos on the waterfront. And that could pose a serious problem for the developer of the 8 Washington condominium project.Read more »

Chiu and Herrera roll up their sleeves for spring cleaning in City Hall

04.24.13 - 10:11 am | Rebecca Bowe |
(3)

For some time now, oft-labeled “power brokers” with undue influence in San Francisco city government have taken heat for failing to register as lobbyists. At the same time, politically connected insiders are often criticized for manipulating the permitting process for major real estate developments far outside the public gaze.

It’s said that sunshine is the best disinfectant. Yesterday, City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Board of Supervisors President David Chiu introduced a package of reforms designed to shed more light on lobbyists’ practices.Read more »