San Francisco Honors Bush

A California group and the Presidential Memorial Commission of San Francisco wants to switch the name of the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. The group submitted the proposal this week. Although sewers are essential to any functional city, most people don't want to think about sewers, much less what's in them. Proponents figure that since a sewage treatment plant is designed to clean up messes, and Bush has left sucha big mess, it only makes since. Another resident put it nicely on the local news: "I think sewers are representative of George Bush's thinking." The head of the group said, "We think that it's important to remember our leaders in the right historical context."

Proponents might have it all wrong. As disgusting as they are, sewage treatment plants provide enormous benefits. They prevent all the waste the city accumulates from going into the bay. The city would be an environmental disaster without sewers.

Will the measure pass? It will cost $50,000 to change the name. The Public Utilities Commission said the city has bigger issues to deal with. California Republicans plan to fight the proposal. A former spokesman for the Republicans said proposals like these are why people think San Francisco is whaky (they don't think; it is). If there enough level-headed people here, the measure won't pass. But former mayor Willie Brown supports it. He might garner some support the bill.

Defaming the current president by placing his name on a sewage facility is immature and disrespectful. The group that's collecting the 7,000 signatures needed to put the proposal on the ballot in November say they already have 10,000. It's just one way that San Francisco is breaking away from the country. Farewell, SF. Hello, SD.

Kevin

How different is San Francisco?

Last week Apple released the latest edition of its I-phone. For several days there was a long line on Stockton St. It took me a couple days to realize these people had lined up to exchange thier old phone. I wasn't surprised that people would waste several hours to get a new gadget as soon as possible, but it struck me that San Francisco has more in common with other cities than we think. The city council and Gavin Newman, the mayor, want to restrict smoking even more. And the California state legislature is considering banning trans fat. Other cities have banned smoking and trans fat (New York banned trans fat last year, and Paris and London both have strong restrictions on smoking). Perhaps San Francisco is like any other American city. The only difference is that you might have to listen to someone tell you that the man on the corner is the devil. I would write more, but I need to give my spare change to the homeless man who needs money for marijuana research.

Kevin

My Place

Here is my roommate, Lizandro, and I. He's from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He came here to learn English but right now he's just working. He plans to go back and get more training in a few weeks.

I help Lizandro learn English. He's having problems learning all the phrasal verbs like "take on" and "take out" and "take up." He's learing English; I'm learning how to help others learn English. We complement each other.

I have yet to meet one other person at Vantaggio Suites that is American. I spoke with a girl who sounded American but was really from Calgary, Alberta. She's here to for ballet school. Everyone else is foreign, but they come from a broad array of countries: Mali, Japan, Turkey, Brazil, Spain, France. It's interesting.

The hostel isn't that bad. The room is nothing more than a couple bunk beds, a small refridgerator and freezer, a microwave, and a bathroom. The biggest hassle is going upstairs to use the computer and kitchen. I'll only be here for a few weeks, so I can't complain. The hostel is only a 15 minute walk from Saint Giles and about the same distance from Whole Foods.

Kevin

San Francisco

San Francisco has many positive attributes: a progressive way of life, a "green" attitude towards the environment, cool weather, Golden Gate Park, seafood, nice architecture, etc. But there are too many strange people here. There are too many homeless people standing around voluntarily. There are drug addicts on every corner. The government here only abate that behavior I'm afraid. On Sunday, homosexuals flaunted their way of life in the Gay Pride parade. I went to Crunch Gym on Van Ness and told the young woman at the front desk, "there's a strange mix of people in this neighborhood."

"No kidding," she replied.

Would I live here? Without the hobos, addicts, and people on the street, perhaps. It's still not humid or hot enough for me. Gas is $4.55 per gallon, but I wouldn't drive here anyway. Again, there's much to like about San Francisco. But after one year or so, I'd have to leave and look for that place in the world where I belong.

Kevin