Sherman R. Frederick/Properly Subversive
May I draw your attention this week to Marin County’s equity task force?
While the group’s website is aspirational (a good thing), it also contains a, well, let me say this delicately, a “kooky” streak. Consider these three statements-of-belief of what “equity” is from members of the group.
- “To have access to homeownership and purchase of land without being profiled based on racial background or ethnicity.” (Yes!)
- “To live and thrive anywhere I choose to in Marin County.” (Check!)
- Working People of Color will be paid enough in whatever jobs they hold to be able to afford quality housing in any neighborhood of their choice in Marin County.” (Wait, what?)
Any job? Any neighborhood? Whoa, that’s quite a dream.
Here’s the math on that.
The latest stats show the median price of a detached home in Marin County is $1.7 million.
If “equity” means all jobs must pay enough to foot that mortgage, Marin needs a minimum wage, of say, $1,000 an hour.
Good luck with that.
REALITY CHECK
If Marin burger flippers were paid $1,000 an hour, how much would a Big Mac cost? Can a smart business major at the College of Marin do the math on that for me. We need to know.
COOL SAUSALITO
May I recommend the website PleaseKillMe.com for an interesting piece on yesteryear Sausalito. Here’s a sample:
“Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. It gets people out of bed and into trouble. So do waitresses wearing next to nothing, free-flowing tequila and across-the-bay views of San Francisco. Combine those with the best weed in town and discovering Sonny Barger, Clint Eastwood, Alan Watts, Bill Cosby and Sterling Hayden at the bar––that’s a recipe for trouble, too. And that’s The Trident, the late Sixties’ and early Seventies’ Bay Area go-to spot for organic food, good drugs and fabulous people … ”
HAT TIP TO MV CHAMBER
After the government mandated shutdown of Marin due to COVID-19, you gotta love the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce for coming up with a new music festival right out of the chute. That’s aggressive, baby and I like it! The shindig is set for May 7 and I hope MV restaurants and businesses do land office business.
FREE NEEDLES, TOO?
I give Gavin Newsom one point for thinking big. CalMatters.org reports he plans to move forward with a plan for the state to manufacture and distribute insulin under the state’s generic label, Cal Rx. No word on whether California diabetics will also get a free needle program. Only in California.
SPEAKING OF …
Nasty allegations are percolating in the Sacramento coffee pot. Two highly respected lawyers for the state’s anti-discrimination agency prosecuting the governor’s campaign contributors at Activision Blizzard Inc. have left the agency, saying Gov. Newsom has interfered with the state’s prosecution.
The governor’s office says there’s nothing to see here.
You can read more at Bloomberg.com.
ONE MORE THING
– Someone said “thirty years ago” and my mind went “ah, yes, the 1970s,” but they meant 1992. Now I need a lie down.
– Last night my significant other asked if I’d seen the dog bowl. I said, “I didn’t know he could.”
– After arguing for an hour with a man-splainer who said I was in his seat he said: “OK, you fly the plane.”
– The swordfish has no natural predators … except the penfish, which is said to be even mightier.
– This picture reinforces my biases about cats.
Thanks for reading. Until next week, avoid soreheads, laugh a little and always question authority.
(“Properly Subversive” is commentary written by Sherman Frederick for the Novato Advance, San Rafael News-Pointer, Mill Valley Herald, Ross Valley Reporter, Twin City Times and the Sausalito Marin Scope. Frederick is a long-time journalist and co-founder of Battle Born Media, a news organization dedicated to the preservation of community newspapers. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)
Otto Skorzeny says
u remind me of JOHN DUTTON ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡