Golden Gate Bridge 50th Anniversary Radio Broadcasts

[Mark Roberts]

Even though the headline to the article linked below doesn't quite match the actual content of the article - and even though the article itself takes a ridiculously long time to get to its freakin' point (is this a search-optimization thing? If so, I wish it would stop because I see it everywhere now) - it does point out that Bay Area residents may be among those who have been the hardest on the area.

SF's rotten reputation is killing tourism across the Bay Area

San Francisco's rotten reputation is killing tourism across the Bay Area as travelers are deterred from the beloved California city even as it makes progress.

www.sfgate.com

 

[rustyhodge]

Years ago I worked with the talented and super creative Ziggy Stone, who was the (or one of the) producers of the GG Bridge event. At the meeting where we were all making introductions, we were asked to talk about some notable things we had done. His intro was "I once almost killed 300,000 people" and then told the story about the GGB event, and how they were all freaked out when the bridge flattened out because of so many people being on it.

 

[Mark Roberts]

All good intel from someone who knows.

I love San Francisco. It's fallen to 2nd place now that I've seen Paris, and my upcoming Italy trip might knock it a few rungs further down, but I love it.

Purely from the top of my head, because I've never actually lived in the Bay Area:

If I had tons of money---independent wealth---I'd live there, though probably not in the city. We love the Peninsula and Marin. There is no scenario under which I come into that kind of money, so it's just a daydream thing, but, with the resources---yeah.

Thanks for the compliment. I feel privileged to have seen things like the re-opening and blossoming of the Ferry Building, the redevelopment of the Presidio with awesome views of the Golden Gate, and ballgames at whatever they're calling the park where the Giants play now. I still want to call it Pac Bell Park - does that make me an old-timer? Perhaps so, since the first Giants game I saw was in their last year at Candlestick - the very thought makes me want to put on another sweater right this minute!

Even so, I remember saying to my husband, "you put up with a lot to live in San Francisco". For one thing, the infrastructure is old and not being kept up. (Oakland is worse in this regard.) I even remember having to get cable TV even though Sutro Tower loomed in my living-room window because the multipath was so bad. But you don't come to San Francisco for the TV. Nor for high-quality housing, really.

I go hot-and-cold on Paris. Every other visit I've had there has been great. The French city that really clicks with me is Lyon.

 

[michael hagerty]

Even though the headline to the article linked below doesn't quite match the actual content of the article - and even though the article itself takes a ridiculously long time to get to its freakin' point (is this a search-optimization thing?

Nope. It's a time spent viewing thing. Holds you for a minute to get to the information rather than leading with it and having you gone in eight seconds. I hate it too.

 

[michael hagerty]

Thanks for the compliment. I feel privileged to have seen things like the re-opening and blossoming of the Ferry Building, the redevelopment of the Presidio with awesome views of the Golden Gate, and ballgames at whatever they're calling the park where the Giants play now. I still want to call it Pac Bell Park - does that make me an old-timer? Perhaps so, since the first Giants game I saw was in their last year at Candlestick - the very thought makes me want to put on another sweater right this minute!

Even so, I remember saying to my husband, "you put up with a lot to live in San Francisco". For one thing, the infrastructure is old and not being kept up. (Oakland is worse in this regard.) I even remember having to get cable TV even though Sutro Tower loomed in my living-room window because the multipath was so bad. But you don't come to San Francisco for the TV. Nor for high-quality housing, really.

All of which factor into my sorta cheating and saying "if I can live on the Peninsula or in Marin."

I go hot-and-cold on Paris. Every other visit I've had there has been great. The French city that really clicks with me is Lyon.

Been twice, loved it twice. Second visit was better than the first, maybe because I felt like I knew where I was and where I was going. It's a me thing. I really like to get to know places.

We drove through Lyon on our way back to Paris after being in the Riviera. We'll actually spend some time in Lyon on another visit.

Places I have been in France that I loved: Chartres, Tours, Nice, Saint-Tropez, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Rouen, Honfleur, and Vannes.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Nope. It's a time spent viewing thing. Holds you for a minute to get to the information rather than leading with it and having you gone in eight seconds. I hate it too.

Cory Doctorow has written about what I'll have to call here the "crapification" of the Internet - the word he actually uses probably can't be uttered here - and this seems to be a perfect example of it.

Makes me want to bring back Gopher.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Well there has been hype about Austin, TX that's been around for some time. This is True especially in NorCal there's been stories about certain people from California moving to the Austin area for job related reasons. Yes certain industries like Tech and Venture Capitalists operations have been getting some California residents to move to the Austin area. However, not all people can afford to leave California for Austin, TX. There are places in California where we have to respond to issue like jobs and housing for people that cannot leave California for various reasons.

My wife and I left San Francisco for Austin to start a family. We love it because people talk less about their careers and more about their kids.

Pengyu Cheng and his wife moved from San Francisco to Austin, Texas, in 2021. He said high housing prices and a homelessness crisis drove them

www.businessinsider.nl

Skyrocketing cost of living threatens Austin's status as live music capital of the world

For more than a decade, the Austin area has been the fastest-growing large metro region in the country. That explosion has brought sweeping changes to the Texas capital and its renowned music scene. Laura Barrón-López reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS.

www.pbs.org

 

[semoochie]

I missed the memo about you being a moderator. We do that kind of stuff all the time (David included) where it helps to illustrate a point.



And Zillow says the "modest" house is worth $8.91 million. It's not just because it was Steve's---there are comps all around that house that are between $7 million and $15 million.

Before anyone gets excited, I'm just playing up the pun. Maybe he thinks he's a "weiser guy"!

 

[Weiserguy]

I missed the memo about you being a moderator. We do that kind of stuff all the time (David included) where it helps to illustrate a point.

I can FTP you that memo if you'd like. Or microfilm it and tape it to a postcard.

Did you actually click on the eventseeker link that was in Post #16? When I did -- and the link seems to have been edited since then because now it is displaying the intended entry -- it took me to a list of upcoming performance events, none of which had any relation to Steve Jobs' home. I have no problem with a link or an attachment, as long as it's relevant to the point being made. Back at 10:23 AM it wasn't.

And Zillow says the "modest" house is worth $8.91 million. It's not just because it was Steve's---there are comps all around that house that are between $7 million and $15 million.

Understood. I'm in Palo at least weekly. Many homes look modest from the street, until you get inside them. But even so, real estate values there can be insane.

 

[michael hagerty]

Cory Doctorow has written about what I'll have to call here the "crapification" of the Internet - the word he actually uses probably can't be uttered here - and this seems to be a perfect example of it.

Makes me want to bring back Gopher.

Another one is deliberately printing something really, obviously wrong----like saying the Beatles were John, Paul, Keith and Mick. It's entirely to drive engagement. They don't care that it's 3,500 people calling them "you f***ing moron". There's a metric and a financial upside.

 

[michael hagerty]

I can FTP you that memo if you'd like. Or microfilm it and tape it to a postcard.

If it's going to be microfilm, have Cote de Pablo deliver it to me just before midnight in the bar at the top of the Mark Hopkins. Here's the codeword exchange:

Me: "Got any microfilm on you?"

Cote: "Search me."

Did you actually click on the eventseeker link that was in Post #16? When I did -- and the link seems to have been edited since then because now it is displaying the intended entry -- it took me to a list of upcoming performance events, none of which had any relation to Steve Jobs' home. I have no problem with a link or an attachment, as long as it's relevant to the point being made. Back at 10:23 AM it wasn't.

It went straight to the house for me, which is why I couldn't see the problem. Now I get it.

Understood. I'm in Palo at least weekly. Many homes look modest from the street, until you get inside them. But even so, real estate values there can be insane.

We have friends who live in San Carlos. A very nice, modest post-war two bedroom that has had some quality, but not lavish upgrades. Zillow's telling me $2.25 million.

 

[Weiserguy]

Before anyone gets excited, I'm just playing up the pun. Maybe he thinks he's a "weiser guy"!

Literally and figuratively true. It's my name, conflated with something many people have called me. As in "He's a real New York wiseass.", just slightly more polite.

 

[semoochie]

Literally and figuratively true. It's my name, conflated with something many people have called me. As in "He's a real New York wiseass.", just slightly more polite.

I am the living legend of the leader of the pun, which itself is a pun.

 

[Daryl Lynn L.A.]

Even though the headline to the artABicle linked below doesn't quite match the actual content of the article - and even though the article itself takes a ridiculously long time to get to its freakin' point (is this a search-optimization thing? If so, I wish it would stop because I see it everywhere now) - it does point out that Bay Area residents may be among those who have been the hardest on the area.
ryr

SF's rotten reputation is killing tourism across the Bay Area

San Francisco's rotten reputation is killing tourism across the Bay Area as travelers are deterred from the beloved California city even as it makes progress.

www.sfgate.com

Mark - point well taken. Local residents can be among those who are hardest on the area -- and residents of the suburbs also. I live in the East Bay - Contra Costa County - and my neighbors, who used to make regular shopping trips to the city to visit Union Square and Westfield Mall often mention that they don't want to visit the city any longer. They are content to go to the local malls, where the merchandise is not as interesting or as "au currant", but, they feel safer staying out of the city.

Sometimes, it's local broadcasters who post stories about downtown San Francisco. They are broadcasting a factual business story, which they need to do, but for potential tourists and visitors, it does read as a gloomy forecast. For example, here's a story from KGO Ch. 7 ABC about a month ago, reporting on yet another retail store, Macy's, with plans to close in Union Square. They add that Westfield is giving up its mall on Market St., which is the largest shopping mall in the city. The Nordstrom flagship store has already closed there. - D.

MAP: Macy's, Nordstrom among notable SF Union Square area store closures

The iconic San Francisco Macy's Union Square store is just one of many businesses to announce they're leaving the area. Here's a look at retailers who have left or plan to leave:

abc7news.com

 

[radiofan2023]

I can FTP you that memo if you'd like. Or microfilm it and tape it to a postcard.

Did you actually click on the eventseeker link that was in Post #16? When I did -- and the link seems to have been edited since then because now it is displaying the intended entry -- it took me to a list of upcoming performance events, none of which had any relation to Steve Jobs' home. I have no problem with a link or an attachment, as long as it's relevant to the point being made. Back at 10:23 AM it wasn't.

Understood. I'm in Palo at least weekly. Many homes look modest from the street, until you get inside them. But even so, real estate values there can be insane.

It was an article about Steve Jobs house when I posted it, next time I'll use Zillow or something. I meant modest in terms of size.

 

[Mark Roberts]

Mark - point well taken. Local residents can be among those who are hardest on the area -- and residents of the suburbs also. I live in the East Bay - Contra Costa County - and my neighbors, who used to make regular shopping trips to the city to visit Union Square and Westfield Mall often mention that they don't want to visit the city any longer. They are content to go to the local malls, where the merchandise is not as interesting or as "au currant", but, they feel safer staying out of the city.

Sometimes, it's local broadcasters who post stories about downtown San Francisco. They are broadcasting a factual business story, which they need to do, but for potential tourists and visitors, it does read as a gloomy forecast. For example, here's a story from KGO Ch. 7 ABC about a month ago, reporting on yet another retail store, Macy's, with plans to close in Union Square. They add that Westfield is giving up its mall on Market St., which is the largest shopping mall in the city. The Nordstrom flagship store has already closed there. - D.

The context that may be missing is that San Francisco Centre was on the east edge of the mid-Market area, which has been kind of sketchy since the big movie palaces in that stretch of Market Street closed decades ago. Nordstrom, Macy, etc. are just as likely pulling out due to their own financial problems as they are due to concerns over the state of the area. Tourism from east Asia was also a big source of customers for San Francisco upscale retailers. That tourism really hasn't recovered from the pandemic.

My point is that the story is more complex that the media make it out to be.

 

[Weiserguy]

The context that may be missing is that San Francisco Centre was on the east edge of the mid-Market area, which has been kind of sketchy since the big movie palaces in that stretch of Market Street closed decades ago. Nordstrom, Macy, etc. are just as likely pulling out due to their own financial problems as they are due to concerns over the state of the area. Tourism from east Asia was also a big source of customers for San Francisco upscale retailers. That tourism really hasn't recovered from the pandemic.

My point is that the story is more complex that the media make it out to be.

Yes, but...

My wife and I went into downtown twice last year. Once, just about a year ago, to see a live Bill Maher performance. (IIRC, it was at the Golden Gate Theater. Can't recall the reason for the other trip right this moment, probably some other show or museum exhibit. Not overly relevant.) We drove to Daly City, parked and grabbed BART to Market & Powell. From the moment we came up the escalator, there were homeless people camping along the walkways, folks obviously under the influence, strung out, on Market right by the SF Centre entrance, just a unwelcoming experience. In all my years in NYC, I never saw it as bad. In all my years here in the SFBA, it never had been this sketchy, even walking through the Tenderloin.

It's not a particularly complex problem, even if the solutions would be. There just needs to be some creative thinking, some willingness to buck the conventional thinking, and a will (and the money) to execute a plan. I don't think anyone in city government really wants to deal with the blowback of fixing the problem once and for all.

 

[Weiserguy]

It was an article about Steve Jobs house when I posted it, next time I'll use Zillow or something. I meant modest in terms of size.

I believe you. I got what you got when I came back a couple of hours later and clicked the link again. But the first couple of times, nope, it wasn't there. Just an unrelated list of upcoming performances.

 

[Signal Geek]

I first moved to Marin in 1973 as an 11-year-old. Even after my parents sold their house in 1983 (dang, wish they'd kept it!), I frequently returned to visit friends and family. Still go there at least twice a year. Marin would absolutely be a dream retirement location. The natural beauty is incredible.

Also, to bring this subject back to radio, Marin has some of the most interesting signal propagations around. Up in the hills, and behind certain ridges, Sacramento stations come in as well (or better) than S.F. ones. Sonoma County signals pop in some places, disappear in others. And while driving over particular grades, San Jose stations on 98.5 and 106.5 are instantly replaced on the same channel by Sacramento ones. Plus, some AM signals that boom in by the Bay, nearly disappear inland. It's a radio-geek's heaven.

 

[Mark Roberts]

It's not a particularly complex problem, even if the solutions would be.

That's the thing right there. There's some agreement on the root causes but not on the solutions. The costs are daunting.

I recently had an online exchange with someone who had lived in downtown Portland where I had had consulting engagements. Even though my correspondent was a pro-Second Amendment kind of person, and I definitely am not, we still had an amicable discussion, where we both agreed that we just didn't have any answers to the problem. Trying to scale up solutions causes costs to grow nearly exponentially, it seems.

There just needs to be some creative thinking, some willingness to buck the conventional thinking, and a will (and the money) to execute a plan. I don't think anyone in city government really wants to deal with the blowback of fixing the problem once and for all.

They're also hamstrung by homeless advocacy groups who are more interested in stopping things than in longer-term solutions. Those advocacy groups also know how to get media attention, facilitated by reporters' and editors' attraction to emotion-stirring stories, and this is certainly one of them. And then there is Fox News, functioning the way it often does in bad faith and malicious intent, along with its even worse counterparts, who like to hammer San Francisco for being the poster child of purportedly feckless liberalism. So when Fox News points out an actual problem, which can happen, it can be easily dismissed as just another instance of ideological propaganda. That doesn't help.