Learning new math
As many of us read in the morning paper, parking fines are going up in San Francisco. Matier and Ross give comparisons with other California cities like San Jose, Los Angeles and Walnut Creek, none of which charge as much for S.F. does for overstaying time at a parking meter. The new $60 fine for parking too long without feeding the meter will annoy lots of people, but it may help us time our life's tasks better. Ever since the parking meters started charging by ten-minute intervals, drivers in neighborhoods have had to figure exactly how long it takes them to mail a package or return library books. "I can pick up my dry cleaning within ten minutes, but what if there's a line? Should I drop an extra quarter in the meter?" These are the kind of vexing questions San Franciscans are faced with. Perhaps some kind social scientist will do a study to advise us on how many meter bites it takes to navigate everyday life in the city. A little booklet of the average time required for a visit to the post office would be handy, or perhaps a website we could call up on our Blackberries. There is room for a new breed of time management consultants to handle this whole parking issue as life in the city gets ever more complex.
Finding a new sister
According to the New York Times, San Francisco--or the whole Bay Area--has a new sister city in Brooklyn, New York. Trendy creative types have taken to moving back and forth between the two areas because they can earn money on either coast. The natural affinity comes, according to this report, because both Brooklyn and the San Francisco area are regions where individuality and creativity are applauded. Several shops, such as the Mollusk Surf Shop in the Sunset district, that are successful in one area are opening a branch in the other, so the cross-fertilization between the two is growing. San Franciscans are used to thinking of themselves as the most forward-looking city in the country. It's nice to think we have a similar outpost on the East Coast. And who would ever have thought it would be Brooklyn? It's a long way from "dem bums" and Nathan's hot dogs.
Carrying the torch
The Olympics are often viewed as a way of bringing countries and people together to celebrate sports achievements. This year they are causing more anger than they have in any recent year. It is good to read that Mayor Newsom and the city government are trying to work out a solution to allow protesters to voice their concerns publicly in a peaceful way. America has a proud tradition of allowing people to voice their opinions about public issues and it is important that this freedom not be unduly restricted. It's never easy to satisfy everyone, but San Franciscans can be proud that this city is setting a tone that should make all of us proud--allowing diverse opinions to be expressed but showing respect for people on all sides of the issue.
Making streets safer
For anyone who is a frequent pedestrian on San Francisco's streets, the sight of an approaching driver clutching the wheel with one hand and a cell phone with the other can be a frightening sight. Will the driver see the stop sign? Will he or she notice the pedestrian trying to cross in a crosswalk and refrain from making a turn? Starting July 1, drivers will not be allowed to use cell phones unless they have a hands-free system, either a headset or speaker. This may inconvenience some drivers who have become far too accustomed to treating their cars as an extension of their homes, but it will mke the city safer for the rest of us. Three cheers for sensible government regulation!
Required Reading
The League prides itself on being knowledgeable about voting systems and voting problems. For many years League members have kept watch on local and national elections to be sure they are honest and well-managed. Now a new book has been published which offers background information on how campaign managers can manipulate voting systems to ensure their candidate wins an election. According to a N.Y. Times review William Poundstone's Gaming the Vote gives us far more background than was available previously. It is a book that will be well worth reading in this year of vigorous campaigning and important elections.
Providing legal services
Despite the television portrait of lawyers as wealthy corporate slaves mingling with business leaders and celebrities, many lawyers work in much more humble settings for nonprofits or for the government. Harvard Law School, which is about as elite as you can find, has come up with a new program to encourage more students to sign up for public service or government service rather than corporate work. They will do this by not charging tuition for the third year of law school to students who agree to work for five years in a public service area of law. Many new lawyers are facing thousands of dollars of student loans to pay off, so this break on tuition should relieve some of the pressure to make money fast to pay them off. The tuition at Harvard, of course, is far higher than at most other schools, but students at all colleges and universities are finding it difficult to pay off ever-growing student loans. Perhaps more schools could follow Harvard's leadership to help students use their education to serve the public rather than simply to earn more money. That would be good for all of us.
How much Sunshine is enough?
This week is Sunshine Week, a week during which citizens and their organizations encourage governments at every level to make information more open. According to a recent poll, almost three-quarters of Americans believe the federal government is too secretive. State and local governments rank higher on their openness to requests for information. The League of Women Voters is one of many organizations that strongly supports openness in government and publicizes Sunshine Week to remind the media of how important it is for them to inform the public about what the government is doing. Citizens can't make important public decisions if they don't have access to the facts. Let's all celebrate Sunshine Week this year!
There must be a better way
Once again teachers in California are bearing the brunt of the state's inability to come up with a workable budget. Teachers are receiving layoff notices this week, although final decisions on how many actually have to leave will not be made at least until May 15. Well into the summer the legislature and the governor will be struggling to finalize a budget that will let schools, and other agencies, know how much money they will have next year. Anyone who is a parent knows that teaching young children is a stressful occupation. Our teachers spend years preparing to face the classroom and hours getting ready for each day's lessons, not to mention the hours spent talking with parents about a child's progress. Why can't we provide the job security teachers need to go through the year thinking about their students rather than worrying about their mortgage payments? There must be a better way to plan ahead and provide our teachers with the support they need to prepare our children for a better life.
Can't please everyone
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced new, slightly lower standards for the amount of ozone acceptable in our air. The EPA believes this will increase the quality of air we breathe across the country. As is often the case on environmental issues, critics say the changes will be too expensive for local communities to meet, while many environmentalists are crying for tougher standards to improve air quality even more. Even the EPAs own board of scientists asked that standards be made stricter than the new levels set, but the agency was unwilling to ask too much. Here is another issue that calls for constant monitoring so our children and grandchildren will be protected from the pollutants that can cause illness and even death. Being a watchdog is the price of living in a democracy.
Can they take my house?
Many California homeowners are concerned about the government's right of eminent domain--the right to take over private property in order to serve some public cause. On June 3, voters will be asked to weigh in on two ballot measures dealing with this issue. One of them, Prop 98, worries renters as well as some conservation groups because it not only restricts the use of eminent domain, but also eliminates rent controls imposed by cities throughout the state. The second one, Prop 99, is much more narrow--targeting only the right of government to seize privately owned property. Some of the sponsors of these measures are hoping to slip them through during a quiet election when voter turnout is expected to be low. That is why it's so important for the League, and other civic groups, to encourage voters to go to the polls. Most voters' eyes are on November, but if we don't vote in every election, we stand in danger of losing on some important issues that even a new president can't fix.
Did you know about the June election?
Every day on the news we hear about elections being held somewhere--Texas, Wyoming, Pennsylvania--but California's primary election in February seems long ago. It's easy to forget that we have another primary coming up on June 3, and this one is important too. The S.F. Chronicle points out how many contested seats there are in the Democratic primary and how the results will affect the legislature for the next several years. Besides the candidate choices, voters will also be asked to make decisions on a number of important ballot measures. Some of these measures will change the way Californians live for years after all the candidates have left office. It's very important for potential voters to find out more about their choices and decide which ones they support. That's why the League will make available for this election the same objective information they provide every year. Keep your eyes open and you'll see it on websites, TVs and in newspapers near you.
Who can we believe?
A little moth that many of us never heard of until recently has caused quite a flap in the Bay Area. Is the light brown apple moth a threat to agriculture that must be sprayed out of existence or is it a harmless insect that has lived in the area for many years? The S.F. Chronicle today has a well-balanced article explaining the opinions of scientists and citizen's groups on both sides of the argument. Many local residents are likely to feel unprepared to form an opinion as to which experts are closer to the truth, but the Chronicle not only presents the statements of scientists but also suggests some background reading and lists meetings at which the public can comment. It's good to know that environmental reporter Jane Kay is gathering this important information for us and that the Chronicle is making it available to everyone who reads the paper in print or online. Thank you!
Sad memorials
San Francisco may soon have sidewalk memorials to some of the homeless people who die on city streets each year. Matier and Ross in the S.F. Chronicle tell us about a plan to put bronze plaques as commemorative memorials. The plaques will give information about the person's name and the circumstances of his or her life. The Board of Supervisors voted to support the measure and costs will be met by private gifts. This isn't the kind of memorial any city could be proud of, but perhaps it is a good idea for people to remember those among us whose lives have somehow dwindled into poverty and rootlessness. Too often we look past them and do not see the person behind the stereotype. We have to be reminded that they have names and histories like everyone else.
Should girls and boys learn together?
A long and detailed article in the Sunday N.Y. Times Magazine tells of a rapidly growing movement to establish single sex public schools. Educational theorists point to the differences in the learning styles of boys and girls. The majority of boys tend to be active and focused on objects, while girls focus on people and relationships. Parents and teachers have noticed these differences for generations. However, the range is wide and many a girl has been discouraged from studying math or science on the outmoded theory that "girls aren't good at science" while boys are scorned for choosing art or drama rather than physics and computer science. We live in a world of men and women and children have to learn to get along with both groups. Schools are not just for teaching academic skills, they are also training grounds for adult life. Perhaps we ought to stop paying so much attention to differences between men and women and start celebrating the common interests and talents they share.
