The SFPD has razed a bunch of hackles and a din of howls with its plan to fight crime by enlisting remote-controlled robots to lob bombs at members of the civilian population. The Chronicle was quick to reassure its readers that the SFPD "has no plans to outfit robots with a gun." No way! Instead, these cop-bots would only be "equipped with explosive charges… to incapacitate violent suspects" by tossing hand-grenades in their general direction. -more-

I watched a nearly empty San Francisco bound train go by before boarding Lake Merritt BART at 8:01 Monday to report for jury duty. According to BART reports ridership has increased (incrementally), but comparing the present to pre-pandemic ridership, it has basically fallen off a cliff. Even on the best day of the week, Tuesday, ridership reaches a high of 40% of pre-pandemic. Monday is the lowest at 35%.

This was only my second time on BART since COVID hit our shores and the first ride during commute hours.

The Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) board meets this week, and as with every monthly meeting there are charts comparing WETA ridership with CalTrain and BART, showing where each is in recovering to pre-pandemic levels. WETA is doing the best at near 80%, but looking deeper into utilization, systemwide at the very best hour of the morning, at 80% recovery the highest ridership is 31% of capacity. In the evening it is 36%. All of this means that most of the time the 307,603 gallons of fuel (October 2022 usage) is used to take near-empty ferries back and forth across the bay. (ridership reports are on pages 17 – 20 https://weta.sanfranciscobayferry.com/sites/default/files/weta-public/currentmeeting/b120822aFULL.pdf )

You may ask why does this matter? It is because the City of Berkeley contracted with consultants for $1,100,000 for a plan for the Berkeley Marina to make the Marina a booming income generating enterprise zone with a new pier and ferry. And all this is based on a thriving utilization of ferries to and from San Francisco, bolstered by morning and evening commuters.

When the pandemic hit and everyone who could work from home was sent home, the initial reaction was something like “What? you expect me to work from home? I can’t possibly work from home!” And then once adjustment set in, it is, “What, you want me to return to the office? I can’t possibly go back to the office, at least not every day.” Commuter car traffic still seems to be pretty heavy, but on the few days, I’ve actually had to drive in it, it is not as bad as it used to be.

I think it is time to rearrange our thinking on expecting offices full of workers. Scanning business articles, a 50% return to the office seems to be the national average. This has wide ranging implications. -more-

As I get older, I am increasingly shocked by how much everything and everyone are changing, and this is a very uncomfortable feeling. I feel that other people's progress is far outstripping mine, and I'm being left behind like I'm on a lifeboat, floundering in the wake of a passing giant vessel. It seems as though I'm not keeping up with the world. Could this be normal?

If you feel the same way, you are not alone. A severe psychiatric disability and medication to treat it should not be shrugged off; it means you have a substantial roadblock. Give yourself some credit, let yourself off the hook, and give yourself some reassurance. There could be millions of people in the U.S. who feel exactly the same as we do, yet who don't have a psychiatric diagnosis.

Everything is a challenge. Getting clean clothes is a challenge. Maintaining oral hygiene, maintaining proper nutrition, keeping the bills paid, keeping the trash taken out, and so on... How does a person have the time and energy to keep up with the glam lives of others? Not to mention remaining medicated and stabilized, keeping prescriptions filled, keeping appointments with treatment practitioners, taking medications and not missing doses... -more-

The more than two-months of mass protests over the death of 22 year-old Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iran’s so-called Morality Police for allegedly allowing wisps of hair to show beneath her hijab or head scarf has precipitated a nationwide movement that calls for the overthrow of Iran’s theocratic regime. This is something quite new in Iran. Back in 2009, Iranians protested by the hundreds of thousands in support of reformist presidential candidates Mpussavi and Karroubi, and they were outraged when Ahmadinejad was declared the winner and assumed Iran’s presidency. Today, however, the current rebellion, a leaderless movement coming mainly from women and the young generation, who make up over 60% of Iran’s population, no longer wants reform. Instead, they want revolution and an overthrow of the theocracy of the mullahs. -more-

It just never ends, does it?

While making my way through the newspaper (SFC) one day (Nov. 27, 2022), I came across a familiar story. Two cops in the Denver area had just been indicted for having killed a man who was sitting in his car. On June 10, the car had somehow started to slip down an embankment. The man had obviously gotten scared (it was the middle of the night), and called for help. When two cops showed up, they told him to get out of the car. He refused. He said something about being afraid. The media reports that they talked to him for about an hour. But he kept the window closed. Finally, they ordered him out of the car. Again, he refused. So they smash in the window of the car. He throws things at them. And they shoot him to death. [Equal opportunity assassins; the guy was white.] -more-

Worth Noting:

A full week ahead, check https://berkeleyca.gov/ for meetings posted on short notice.

Monday the go to meeting is the in-person North Berkeley BART Station Housing Project open-house meeting at 6 pm at the Library on University. Monday morning at 10:30 am the Public Safety Committee will review the policy for police officer extra duty, i.e. Apple Store on Fourth Street. PAB meets in closed session at 11:30 and the Personnel Board meets at 7 pm.

Tuesday at 6 pm Council meets with item 10 Citywide Affordable Housing Requirements. The proposed changes calculate the fee for avoiding including affordable housing in a project (in lieu fee) by gross residential square feet instead of number of units or providing land at an alternative site with the same or greater value as the in lieu fee. At 6:30 OES (fire department) sponsors a discussion on Emergency Preparedness.

Wednesday the go to meetings are the Civic Arts Commission at 6 pm receives a presentation of the Turtle Island Monument Project and the Planning Commission hearing on the Housing Element at 7 pm. The Disaster and Fire Safety Commission and Police Accountability Board also meet at 7 pm.

Thursday morning at 10 am the Budget and Finance Committee will review and recommend which projects/items will be funded through the AAO (Annual Appropriations Ordinance – mid-year budget adjustment) (another important meeting) The Zoning Adjustment Board meets at 7 pm. Two projects on consent are similar – they both tear down existing single family housing and build two 2-story single family houses in place of one house.

Saturday the Berkeley Neighborhoods Council meets at 10 am (always worth attending). -more-