Articles Posted in the Opinion Category
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Nordic Mysteries: The Millenium Trilogy
The movie and the book introduce Lisbeth Salander, played by Swedish actress Noomi Rapace. She is a unique figure in fiction. She is Goth-like in appearance, autistic and bisexual with a distrust of authority, an amazing ability with a computer, a photographic memory and astonishing physical courage, and while not physically attractive, is sexually appealing to both men and women. And yes, she has a large tattoo of a dragon on her back. She is a rare example of a feminist heroine who doesn’t hate men, just men who hate women. Throughout the Trilogy, Larsson weaves in her background of childhood abuse and violence. My minor quibble with Ms. Rapace is that she is too pretty. But otherwise, Ms. Rapace and Michael Nyqvist, who plays Mikael Blomkvist, the other main character, are well cast.
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Kicking 17,474 San Francisco City Workers to the Curb
San Francisco is not exempt from the financial challenges affecting the entire nation. However, the new blame game directed at unionized city workers is unprecedented. San Francisco has a proud labor history and the current attacks are inconsistent with our past and detrimental to our future working relationship with the city.
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Constitutional Convention Needed
to Address California Budget CrisisCartoon courtesy Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com By Ralph E. Stone March 22, 2010 Fasten your safety belts. It’s budget time again in Sacramento. Prepare for a repeat of last year’s contentious budget battle. California is still…
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Israel’s Snub of US, Mid-East Peace
Heard Around the WorldVice President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Photo: Flash 90 By Ralph E. Stone March 14, 2010 In President Obama’s June 2009 Cairo Islam speech, he called for a Palestinian state and a freeze…
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Are you a Needer or a Haver?
On my chest I have a red sticker that reads, “William, $800, No Control Freaks.†(Yes, there is a story behind this, but I won’t go into that now.) Red because I am a Needer (this is all very well organized by Trish, who found a place two years ago but still organizes these meetups because she enjoys them). Gradually, a few more people turn up with blue stickers (Havers) that say things like “Jed, $850, Bernal Heights, no cats†and, “Julie, $1000, West Portalâ€. At last there is a more equal ratio, but there still aren’t many people in my price range.
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A Toast to Saint Patrick
San Francisco’s 159th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Festival will be held on Saturday, March 13th, 2010 at Civic Center Plaza, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Festival takes place at Civic Center Plaza and on Grove Street, from Polk to Larkin Streets. The Parade will be held on Saturday, March 13th at 11:30 a.m. The Parade begins at the corner of Second & Market Streets, and continues on to City Hall.
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Time for a Study of the Effects
of San Francisco Rent ControlAll San Francisco properties with a first Certificate of Occupancy that was issued prior to June 13th, 1979 are subject to rent control. If a rental unit was in regular use prior to June 13th, 1979, but does not have a Certificate of Occupancy — an illegal unit — the San Francisco Rent Board will still find the unit subject to rent control. This means rents can only be raised by certain amounts per year, which is tied to inflation. Landlords can also petition for other increases, e.g., for capital improvements for a maximum of 10 percent or for increased operating and maintenance costs for a maximum of 7 percent. In addition, tenants can petition the Rent Board to decrease their rent if the landlord is failing to provide agreed upon or legally required services. Tenants can only be evicted for one of fourteen “just causes.”
The Hunger Site
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