tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post6842499308775220914..comments2013-12-11T15:40:27.648-08:00Comments on unsolicited advice: get outRebecca Keehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02376553412707754246noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-20744715882432640582013-12-11T15:40:27.648-08:002013-12-11T15:40:27.648-08:00@Joshua with regard to paying city taxes, I agree ...@Joshua with regard to paying city taxes, I agree with @Marc...your elected Mayor and city officials decided to give substantial corporate tax breaks to many companies - tech, cleantech, biotech, etc. So, first, if you or anyone else is angry with the tax breaks, you should focus your anger at your elected officials through the democratic process. San Francisco voter turnout over the last 4 years averages about 40% (http://www.sfgov2.org/index.aspx?page=1670). So while a lot of people want to complain and want change, they don't appear to want to do much about it. Also, to be clear, the "twitter tax break" was brokered in 2011, PRIOR to Mayor Lee's reelection in 2012, and at the time, the city was freaking out about losing the tech industry to more "tech-friendly cities" and saw Mayor Lee's plan to use tax incentives to revitalize the cesspool that was Mid-Market as a solid plan. My point is, if you don't like the way our city's government is being run, then get out and advocate and vote for change. But don't block citizens' buses on the way to work, and don't spend your time freaking out about some meaningless blog post that a random "techie" posted. I'm sorry, but citing taglines like tax breaks and techies without knowing anything about either does nothing to further the debate or to create change; it only creates divisiveness and anger...if you want a good example of that, look at Fox News. Do some research, formulate a learned opinion, and then engage in the process of getting things changed. If your only action is to post comments on a blog or block some commuters from getting to work, you're really not adding much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-86064709879382464512013-12-11T12:08:58.436-08:002013-12-11T12:08:58.436-08:00@Joshua My understanding is that a plan is already...@Joshua My understanding is that a plan is already in place for the companies operating private buses to start paying to use the infrastructure:<br />http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Muni-seeks-to-bring-order-to-shuttle-bus-chaos-4673551.php<br />Peter Shih, and Day of the Dead issues are problems with individuals, not "techies" as a group. I'd even suggest that the Day of the Dead incident is more an example of issues with young adults in general than with tech workers. As for Peter, he was almost universally condemned, including by those in tech. I'll agree that the habit cities and states have been taking with tax breaks for companies isn't good. But it isn't unique to the tech industry or San Francisco. In this particular case we did at least get one thing out of it: an attempt at revitalizing Central Market. (Or at least that's how the Mayor put it in 2011.) But my questions pertain more to tech workers and companies in general. A lot of the anger I've seen isn't directed at specific bad actors, but rather at the group as a whole. So pertaining to the average tech worker, not a few specific individuals, I'd like to know what the grievance is. The vast majority of us aren't disrespecting anyone.Marc Swinglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08259012237105323395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-79243215623112188002013-12-11T10:39:58.493-08:002013-12-11T10:39:58.493-08:00thanks, just posted on Medium!thanks, just posted on Medium!Rebecca Keehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02376553412707754246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-11143273829155390312013-12-11T08:32:05.329-08:002013-12-11T08:32:05.329-08:00@Marc They could start by paying for the city infr...@Marc They could start by paying for the city infrastructure they are currently using (ie. Tech Buses), actually start paying city taxes(ie.Twitter) and having respect for the community they live in. (ie. Day of the Dead, Peter Shih, etc. etc. etc.)Joshua's Cycling Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08048525841994989002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-71184223908405312492013-12-10T21:27:52.126-08:002013-12-10T21:27:52.126-08:00@Joshua If you're not blaming your friends in ...@Joshua If you're not blaming your friends in tech, what do you mean by "take a long look in the mirror"? What entitlements are people claiming? Are you calling out specific people or normal, everyday people who happen to work in tech?Marc Swinglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08259012237105323395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-51918207296003868322013-12-10T16:26:53.344-08:002013-12-10T16:26:53.344-08:00I also work in education and I have no anger towar...I also work in education and I have no anger towards techies, even though the tech industry in general has made this city close to unaffordable for those in my chosen profession. To be quite frank you have a husband that's probably very well off and can afford you a fairly comfortable lifestyle in this city. However most people in education or related fields are finding it close to impossible to afford to live here in ANY neighborhood.<br /><br />I said this on another post about this, but what really pisses me off is the sense of entitlement, the sense that its here, and there is nothing we can do about it, and the sense that tech money is nothing but a positive for the city as a whole. Just once I wish friends in tech would take a long look in the mirror and understand what it is that middle class and lower class folks are upset about. Not that I'm blaming them specifically. I think our city government, and the nimbys have prevented meaningful reform from happening, but I also think the tech companies need to understand how much drastic negative change has come with the positives they bring to the city, and yes there are positives. However, do we really want the kind of class and racial disparity that makes the suburbs such an undesirable place to live? Is that the sort of neighborhood you want your children to grow up in?Joshua's Cycling Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08048525841994989002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-34297794378826234992013-12-10T15:16:33.385-08:002013-12-10T15:16:33.385-08:00@torigottlieb "creating affordable housing,&q...@torigottlieb "creating affordable housing," are admirable, but they're unrealistic. They're slow. They can't keep up with the rate of gentrification the city is experiencing at the hands of major tech companies and their employees.<br /><br />Agreed. But who/what is to blame for that? Newcomers or decades of under development? Blaming people for moving here is without merit. Blaming people for competing for available hosing is too. Granted, building new housing will take a while. I'm happy to help find solutions. But I will not apologize for moving here or go away, nor should anyone else.Marc Swinglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08259012237105323395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-11923311270746461532013-12-10T13:13:45.433-08:002013-12-10T13:13:45.433-08:00Todd you totally made my day, I'm a huge fan o...Todd you totally made my day, I'm a huge fan of yours . . . thank you!Rebecca Keehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02376553412707754246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-77464484525825889782013-12-10T12:57:06.358-08:002013-12-10T12:57:06.358-08:00This is really well said. This is really well said. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-81366025393583400752013-12-10T12:07:26.149-08:002013-12-10T12:07:26.149-08:00Love this sentiment. You really hit the nail on th...Love this sentiment. You really hit the nail on the head. Speaking of Peter Shih, have you considered cross-posting this piece to Medium? (full disclosure: I work there) Fake Nick Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01071735061638150849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-45785212109600352012013-12-09T13:27:49.149-08:002013-12-09T13:27:49.149-08:00Improving public education and creating affordable...Improving public education and creating affordable housing isn't realistic? That seems to be giving up too easily, at least it is for me. Some (most?) great changes take time . . . seems like it might be worth the work, patience, and wait.Rebecca Keehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02376553412707754246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-90886501850928688332013-12-09T12:26:52.416-08:002013-12-09T12:26:52.416-08:00What are the solutions? Mine was to move away. And...What are the solutions? Mine was to move away. And I think that may be the solution of most of the other people who grew up there, hoped to stay there, and simply couldn't afford it. The solutions you're providing, like "improving public education" or "creating affordable housing," are admirable, but they're unrealistic. They're slow. They can't keep up with the rate of gentrification the city is experiencing at the hands of major tech companies and their employees.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-26486119568145964412013-12-07T17:05:36.478-08:002013-12-07T17:05:36.478-08:00My point is that there definitely are assholes lik...My point is that there definitely are assholes like Peter Shih, just as there are assholes in any given group of people. I know lots of people in tech and absolutely every single one of them found Shih's rant abominable and in no way representing their opinions. If you can't see ANY benefits of the tech community then you're missing a lot - there are lots of people and companies donating time, money and energy to solving the very problems that everyone's complaining about (transportation, education, housing, etc). Just because you don't like tech or "techies" doesn't mean that they are some evil group contributing nothing. I can dislike pets (ha!) without questioning their value or why others like them. There's just such a huge difference between disliking something and saying that it's inherently bad or bad for a community.<br /><br />Yes, rents have gone up, people can't afford to live in San Francisco. That's a fact. It's unfair. But just because it's awful doesn't mean that we need to vilify the actual people who live in that housing - who, for the record, are raising families like everyone else. Why not focus on solutions rather than hating on a community of people? And again, I'll point out that when someone says the "tech community" that includes my husband and my family, implying that we're not benefiting our community, which is just sad for me to hear.Rebecca Keehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02376553412707754246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2002960618610985305.post-43252680853056446702013-12-07T16:44:18.538-08:002013-12-07T16:44:18.538-08:00I don't think that all "techies" are...I don't think that all "techies" are destroying San Francisco, but let's be real. After some of the stuff that's been published by transplants in the tech industry - especially that rant by Peter Shih a few months back - I'm hard-pressed to see how the tech community's presence in the city is benefiting it in any concrete way.<br /><br />The reality is that rents and housing prices are on the rise because people in the tech industry can afford to pay them. They're not only pushing out the poor, but also the middle class. San Francisco has always been expensive, but the levels of exorbitance that the city has reached in recent years are absolutely dumbfounding. It seems fundamentally unfair that even people who make a decent salary - but not one comprised of six figures - can't afford to live comfortably or raise their families in the city.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com