How is it possible that Muni’s suggested changes, based on an 18-month study, can be altered based on some squeaky wheels who want to keep a bus line, such as the 26-Valencia, because “it’s very calm”? (“Public voice may alter Muni’s plans,” Examiner, May 7) That’s nonsense. It is similar to telling a doctor who just notified you, after running a battery of tests and analyses, that you have a terminal disease that his diagnosis is wrong, because you feel fine.

My understanding of the Transit Effectiveness Project is that the hard data collected about Muni ridership and usage would be used to make sure that all residents of The City benefit by making the best use of the money spent on our public transportation system. If there are certain bus lines that people want to keep going that do not make the best use of our public dollars, I would suggest they form a nonprofit shuttle service and figure out how to fund it themselves rather than being oblivious to what the ridership numbers suggest and selfish about the use of public funds. Our government agencies are supposed to do the most they can to benefit the most number of people — even more so in these economically challenging times.

Jamie Whitaker

San Francisco

Stern Grove tree removal

Those of us who walk The Grove [Stern Grove] regularly with our dogs are acutely aware that many, many trees were slated to be removed, but it didn’t seem as many disappeared as we had heard. We all thought they didn’t remove more trees because they had to spend their monies replacing the faulty irrigation system they put in for the concert meadow lawn again so that the grass would grow back before summer concerts were to begin.

Sherry Michalske

San Francisco

Act on health care crisis

I am a participant at the Institute on Aging. I think it is important that we provide adequate health insurance for all Americans in terms of Medi-Cal and Medicare. Laurence J. Kotlikoff (The Healthcare Fix, MIT Press) has been warning of the pending financial crisis in social security and health care for all workers and retirees. It is imperative that full funding be provided for all segments of health care. I would urge you to contact your legislators in Washington and Sacramento on this issue.

Claude M. Ury

San Francisco

Media’s double standard

Letter writer Minnie Hanover asks if Barack Obama was sleeping in church every week. I wonder if Hanover holds the same opinion about John McCain. There are two major differences between McCain and Obama: (1) Obama has distanced himself from Wright’s comments while McCain has actively sought the endorsement of John Hagee, whose bigotry goes way beyond that of Wright’s; and (2) Wright’s comments are based on centuries of being persecuted, while Hagee’s are a continuation of centuries of persecution. Ironically, the double standard shown by the media and people like Hanover are also a continuation of that persecution.

Len Shaffer

Emeryville

Black eye for green energy

In the rush to “go green,” whether solar, wind or bio-diesel, individuals and government entities sometimes rush to be at the head of the line without doing a little fiscal research. Bay Solar came into Pacifica with much hoopla and many got stung (“Solar panel company faces lawsuits, investigations,” Examiner, May 7). Wind farms in the Altamont supply power; they also chop migrating raptors to pieces. Bio-diesel will create a market for our waste oil; it also sucks up the world’s grain supply and exacerbates food shortages. Solar is free power, and subject to the whims of a changing economy. Most agree that we need to explore alternate sources of power. I would urge that we move forward prudently. Fiascos like Bay Solar will only give the alternative-energy industry a black eye.

Jim Wagner

Pacifica

Democrats ignore issues

Neither Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton address the much more central issue of energy supply, particularly the lack of domestic energy production resulting from decades of Congressional restrictions.

Both Obama and Clinton are dusting off plans for the same failed “excess profits” tax tried in 1980, which backfired. The Congressional Research office found that the “excess profits” tax reduced domestic oil production by 3 percent to 6 percent and increased oil imports from OPEC by 8 percent to 16 percent.

Oil companies’ profits, such as ExxonMobil’s, make an inviting pinata-like target for intellectually confused or cynical politicians. But Exxon’s profits, relative to revenues, are less than Microsoft’s and many other corporations.

Slapping an additional “excess profits” tax on oil companies that already pay a 35 percent corporate rate is a certain formula for still higher gas prices.

Jim Hartman

Berkeley

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Comments from Examiner Readers

10:18 AM MST on Mon., May. 12, 2008 re: "Nader omission is dirty politics"

Examiner Reader said:
Nader candidacy is dirty politics!

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9:24 PM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008 re: "Fare dodging and Muni inspectors"

Examiner Reader said:
The case of Muni fare inspectors is a perfect example of local leaders� inability to think in a businesslike manner.
"in a businesslike manner" is a bit redundant here...

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5:56 PM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008 re: "Wildlife rescue center needed"

Carl said:
Re: Wildlife in Agony at Fisherman's Wharf Pier-- "The sea lion�s neck was sliced, and he was in agony through the night because we do not have a wildlife rescue center here within San Francisco city limits." What about Animal Care and Control? San Francisco has ER VETS all around us not to mention all the animal hospitals all up and down the penninsula. San Francisco has way to much buracracy and not enough compasion. Has San Francisco got an answer to care for dying animlas now? Call 311? OMG... my gut hurts!What a sorry city. To bad the sea lion was not in agony elsewhere where he would have gotten the right care. He will know better next time.

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7:14 AM MST on Wed., May. 7, 2008 re: "Smoking and tobacco-sales bans"

Examiner Reader said:
Thank god San Francisco still has complete wacko's like George Davis.

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1:47 PM MST on Tue., May. 6, 2008 re: "Fare dodging and Muni inspectors"

Examiner Reader said:
Friday night at Civic Center, I boarded the second car of an outbound J-CHURCH with other passengers seated. At Van Ness the driver announced there was "no service" on the second car and we needed to move to the first car. Most passengers looked at each other like what is the driver talking about and onward the train went. After emerging from the tunnel, the driver stopped the train, came back and announced there is "no service" on this train and we must all move to the first car. Can someone tell me when the second car is lit, the doors are working, passengers have been on the train since embaracdeo, what "no service" status is?

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12:28 PM MST on Tue., May. 6, 2008 re: "Fare dodging and Muni inspectors"

Examiner Reader said:
One must remember that the presence of law enforcement (police, Muni inspectors) affects behavior too. I'm sure that if there were no fare inspectors, there would be much more than $36,000 of fare evasion. While it's anyone's guess how many people paid their fare to avoid a ticket from the inspectors, I'm sure their work amounts to more than the $36,000 quoted.

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12:19 PM MST on Tue., May. 6, 2008 re: "Vouchers aren�t education solution"

Examiner Reader said:
Aother "let's blame the teachers" editorial. Blame the parents who don't care, who don't parent, or are absent. Blame the school boards, who are providing the executive direction. My wife is a public High school teacher(15 years). She received a $375 increase from 2006 to 2007. Most teachers pay is nearly frozen from the periods between 10-15 years of service. In 2008 she gets a ONE TIME 3% bonus, but no permanent increase. There is no heat in her class room during the winter. Without fail, every class has 35 students for one teacher. Yet at her school they are building a brand new football stadium, new baseball field and press box. The rule is - where things are wrong, follow the money. If the teachers are screwing up public education, where's their cut of the money?

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4:54 PM MST on Mon., May. 5, 2008 re: "Fare dodging and Muni inspectors"

Examiner Reader said:
on Sunday I was getting on the F train at 5 and Market. The driver ordered passengers to go in the back door. He could not have cared less if people paid or not. I got on for free. Until the idiots at MUNI do something about discipline amongst the drivers nothing is gonna get better. Get rid of the UNION once and for all or privatize. Get some compentent management instead of Newsom political hacks

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1:45 PM MST on Mon., May. 5, 2008 re: "Fare dodging and Muni inspectors"

Examiner Reader said:
MUNI'S service remains a comedy act, unfortunately, its neither efficient or funny.

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1:37 PM MST on Mon., May. 5, 2008 re: "Silence is betrayal � impeach Bush"

Examiner Reader said:
As a Democrat, I'm sorry to say this. Unlike the Republicans, it appears the Democrats are loathe to alienate *ANY* possible voters in the upcoming election, so impeachment of Bush/Cheney remains unlikely. Considering everthing that has happened in the last 4 years, the Democrats should be walking away with the presidency and we are not. In Barack and Hillary we have candidates which are while capable, arguably unelectable, and the default vote for many Americans, I'm afraid, is likely McCain.

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2:24 AM MST on Fri., May. 2, 2008 re: "Mental illness and murder"

Examiner Reader said:
Yes on 98, No on 99.

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8:17 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 29, 2008 re: "A historic neighborhood theater"

examiner reader said:
ef sullivan hit the nail on the head. voters, pay attention!

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9:32 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 25, 2008 re: "Working women are just catching up"

Examiner Reader said:
Women don't "catch up" on 4/22 unless men have not worked since the beginning of the year. Actually, that may be a good idea. Men don't work for a few months every year to allow women to catch up.

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12:42 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 25, 2008 re: "Working women are just catching up"

Examiner Reader said:
If women earn approximately 77 cents for every dollar a man is paid and "catch up day" is on 4/22, then it takes about 15.7 months for women to earn what men earn in 12 months, not 14 months as stated in the the letter to today's Examiner. The letter does not state that women do the same work as men.

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6:11 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 23, 2008 re: "Garcia wrong on Daly City insults"

Examiner Reader said:
Garcia is gone. Good riddance. But he was right about that neighborhood, though.

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2:55 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 21, 2008 re: "Airline mergers pose grim future"

Examiner Reader said:
Joshua Kyle thinks his right to protest was taken away? What irony. An organized attempt to disrupt another organized activity was thwarted by an organized attempt to disrupt the organized disruption.

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11:31 AM MST on Thu., Apr. 17, 2008 re: "Landlords leaving the business"

Examiner Reader said:
Ok, let's be realistic, I pay $2776.00 for my 2 bdrm., Noe Valley flat with an additional 120.00 for an uncovered, parking space. My move-in check to my landlord was $5500.00. The large studio next door is currently on rental market for 1650.00. My closest friend pays $1460.00 for an average studio 2 blocks away. Unless you live in NYC or SF, these can be argued as outrageous sums for rent. Who are these tenants who only want cheap rents?

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6:06 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 14, 2008 re: "City torches run for protesters"

Examiner Reader said:
FYI Examiner orange and yellow are horrible colors for a website.

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7:26 AM MST on Mon., Apr. 14, 2008 re: "City torches run for protesters"

Examiner Reader said:
I love the irony. The "civil disobediants" are quite upset that their best laid plans went awry at the hands of (Newsom), when what they wanted to do was upset what they thought were(Newsoms') best laid plans. When all else fails, they whine about loss of rights. No rights were violated - you're just embarrassed.

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7:39 PM MST on Sun., Apr. 13, 2008 re: "Torch sparked more than protests"

Examiner Reader said:
Imagine that, as Dr. Martin Luther King marched on Selma in non-violent civil dis-obedience, the authorities were able to move Selma two miles away and, hours later, put Selma onto a plane bound for Argentina. The Civil Rights Act might never have been passed. The News-ticker that day would have read: Selma march route changed: Mayor sites public safety concerns. On April 9th 2008 at the Olympic Torch relay in San Francesco, Selma was moved for me and my wife, who is a Tibetan-American and that threatens all our civil rights. The right to protest includes the right to protest in reasonable proximity to the target of the protest, normally within sight and sound. So, for example if I wanted to protest city hall, a permit to protest two miles away would violate my rights. By moving the route of the Olympic torch and the closing ceremonies miles from the publicly published route, the right to protest was denied to my wife and I and all those others who attended.

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7:15 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 11, 2008 re: "Torch sparked more than protests"

Examiner Reader said:
Remember: It was British who killed thousands tibetans back in 1904. Independent of Tibet? If China blocks the pathway of Tibet, that equal to a death to Tibet. Just take a look at the map, Dalai lama knows well about this.

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4:28 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 9, 2008 re: "Let the Olympic torch proceed in S.F."

The Olypic Torch Relay said:
I feel that since the running of the torch was started by Hitler in an attempt to glorify the Third Reich, the relay of the torch should be abolished. I'm always surprised every time that tradition takes place. I have nothing against the torch, or the Olympics. But I think the tradition of the flame being moved should be stopped. I don't quite understand why the world has let Hitler's legacy continue. It started as propaganda, and it seems like the whole world is too lost in tradition to let it go.

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2:24 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 9, 2008 re: "Theater loss due to public policy"

Examiner Reader said:
Resubmit it and be gerneral on all illegals and not single out a ethnic group might help. "Hmmm wonder why my comment about illegals was removed. Truth hurt SF?"

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1:32 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 9, 2008 re: "Giants should bring back Bonds"

Conscientious Observer said:
Why bring back BONDS ? The Giants should donate the money they would use to a local charity or use it to buy asphalt to fill some of the thousands of potholes around town ... the biggest being the hole SF City Hall & Gavin Newsom et al are in.

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2:24 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 8, 2008 re: "Giants should bring back Bonds"

Examiner Reader said:
People who own rentals should be able to charge whatever they want! It is thier business. Renters create their own means to generate money or they don't, but they cannot expect to to ride roughshod over owners and government has no right to curb owners investments!

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3:38 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 7, 2008 re: "Luring businesses to S.F. doomed"

Examiner Reader said:
I hope the City gets what they want. Ten Million illegal aliens all arriving at SF General, all at once, to line up for their free health care. Sweet.

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3:34 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 7, 2008 re: "Use lights to protect pedestrians"

Richmond Resident said:
I cross 30th and Lincoln every week. Most of the drivers are going at least 50MPH as they cruise through talking on their cell phones. PLEASE put a light there - NOW!!!

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2:47 PM MST on Mon., Apr. 7, 2008 re: "Let the Olympic torch proceed in S.F."

Conscientious Observer said:
Note: 90% of the TIBET "protestors" who are California K-12 educated can NOT find TIBET on the world map. The 10% who can, probably should spend their time more wisely and protest the human rights violations in Oakland, Pinole (Highway 80), Richmond, San Francisco and East Palo Alto with a higher daily body count then Basra, Iraq or Tibet.

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7:56 PM MST on Sat., Apr. 5, 2008 re: "Use lights to protect pedestrians"

Examiner Reader said:
Re "Use lights to protect pedestrians": I agree. Lights were installed on Fulton at 18th and 22nd Aves, and they have made a huge difference. Fulton traffic (crazy driving) seems barely impeded -- it is still dangerous to try to cross Fulton in the short stretch between the two light-controlled intersections -- but it's great to be able to walk to one of the lights, push the button, wait a bit, and cross safely. Plus, there seems to be far, far fewer car crashes in this whole stretch, now that the lights have created brief cross-traffic lulls for drivers who are trying to turn onto Fulton.

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2:40 PM MST on Fri., Apr. 4, 2008 re: "Multitasking for litter cleanup needed"

Examiner Reader said:
That was what he was saying, her peas (books) were not in the pod (book bag) in 1967 - her purse was maybe thrown, but reviewing my yearbooks and pictures of the 1950s and 1960s don't show book bags, but students carrying books and binders. After all, he did say it was petty; it was his observation. I googled into this phenomena and discovered that back packs; abet book bags were presenting a problem in the 1980's and currently creating medical conditions in students. Military and civilians bags were more common in the 1780 though.... This is not an Obama stunt; he is probably a die hard Repubican in an enriched Democtatic community that invites illegal immigrants to to move to SF and partake on their freebie entitlements! The mayor has an "overworked noggin" about that phenomena.

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11:51 AM MST on Fri., Apr. 4, 2008 re: "Multitasking for litter cleanup needed"

Jack Kirkpatrick said:
BOOK BAG? Hillary says that see "threw her book bag" across the room after Martin Luther King, Jr. assassination in 1967. WAIT: book bags were rare if ever commonly used on college campuses. Book bags didn't become popular until the 1980s...! Is she embellishing the truth again? Maybe she did hurl her books across the room, but not a book bag; maybe a pillow? Petty, yes, but again it doesn't have the ring of truth. I was a college student while she was a junior. Lets look at some of the historical pictures of Wellesley College students during the period. What do other students of the time think?

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1:40 PM MST on Thu., Apr. 3, 2008 re: "Find high-tech workers in U.S."

Examiner Reader said:
Ed Young - you got it right! OK in San Francisco: Free Health Care and Sanctuary for persons who have broken the law by entering our country illegally. Deny rights to property owners who are citizens, prevent freedom of speech to those who we disagree with (JROTC, Boy Scouts). Deny economic development to minorities by preventing investment (Home Depot). Deny adequate Police Protection by assigning them to desks instead of assigning them to the streets, yet tie the hands of Police by preventing them from assisting other criminal justice agencies in law-enforcement actions. Bottom line: anything is OK in San Francisco, UNLESS it is not Progressively Correct.

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7:28 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 2, 2008 re: "Supes nix opportunity for Bayview"

Examiner Reader said:
Actually its another opportunity for the Bayview Community "shot down" by the progressives on the Board of Supervisors. They rather see liquor stores in the Bayview District instead of Home Depot.

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3:51 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 2, 2008 re: "Supes nix opportunity for Bayview"

Examiner Reader said:
To the writer who wrote: "Another opportunity for the black community shot down by Tom Ammiano. . . ." In all fairness it was his political soul mates on the School Board who shot down JROTC at the expense of all San Francisco Children. I agree with you, JROTC would be an excellent alternative for at-risk-youth. While do not share the same political view as Mssrs. Ammiano and Daly et al, I believe they have the right to express their viewpoints just so long as their actions as legislators do not harm the citizenry.

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2:11 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 2, 2008 re: "SFPD uses taxpayers as ATMs"

Examiner Reader said:
Mr Singh is incorrect. Mr Obama threw Rev Wright under the bus for telling the nasty truth that FOX news and its "conservative, white" auditence doesn't have the stomach to hear. America's early economic success was built literally on the backs of slaves. Slaves were denied repirations wen slavery ended (actually it was replaced by endentured servitude in the form of share-cropping). Blacks were systematically discriminated against in voting, lending, jobs, schools; they were murdered if they spoke out - and this is all in my lifetime. I wouold vote for Rev Wright over Mr Obama. At least he speaks the truth.

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2:02 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 2, 2008 re: "Supes nix opportunity for Bayview"

Examiner Reader said:
Another opportunity for the black community shot down by Tom Ammiano. Tom supports free health care for illegal aliens, opposes jobs for blacks. Tom ran the scouts out of city properties, leaving no alternative opportunities for young kids to experience the outdoors. I suppose THOUSANDS gays were denied jobs by the scounts. I don't necessarily agree with scouting's position on Gay leaders, but to deny countless children the opportunity for an alternative to killing shows the blatent disregard for children, particularly minority children, rampant in the gay community. A similar situation exists with ROTC. Deny mostly minority children the opportunity to even hear another viewpoint. Throw the kids under the bus to placate the gays.

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1:54 PM MST on Wed., Apr. 2, 2008 re: "Supes nix opportunity for Bayview"

Examiner Reader said:
EF Sullivan for Mayor! 100% pragmatic!

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12:57 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 1, 2008 re: "Let the Olympic torch proceed in S.F."

ms jackson said:
Gary Eplet would not know "honorable" if he owned a dictionary; he seems to think it a source of pride that the world ignored Adolph Hilter's (of all idiotic people to conjure!) atrocities during the Berlin Olympics at the height of the era of 20th Century ignorance. He apparently believes that no lesson should be learned from despots like Hilter who was able to ascend to power due to censorship of the kind poor little Mr. Eplet should apply in S.F.(of all places, the mans a maroon!).

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