Showing posts with label Berkeley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Berkeley. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Who stands to make $1 billion off the sales of US Postal Service properties?

That would be U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and her husband, Richard Blum...



If you don't already know the story, it's one of intrigue, corruption and power. 

In short, Blum is head of the world's largest commercial real estate company, which won the exclusive rights to sell over 600 post offices and USPS buildings is part of a plan to save $20 billion over the next three years (according to the Postal Service’s 2012 report to Congress).

The questions, concerns and controversies swirling around the role Feinstein played in landing the contract for Blum's company -- as well as the huge (potential) payoff awaiting him/them -- continues.

For more info, check out the clip below...




Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Another day, another protest...

Welcome to San Francisco!

More than 200 homeless people from throughout the city and their advocates (some bused in from Oregon, Sacramento and the East Bay), kicked off a protest in San Francisco's Justin Herman Plaza this morning with calls for better - and more accessible - housing for homeless throughout the nation.


Mr. Flav...


At the barricades, megaphone turned to "11"...

The protest, which was an interesting mix of Berkeley-based activists (a few wearing Tiffany signature jewelry) and some of the city's most destitute citizens, was noisy but non-violent. Speakers worked the lunch time crowd - the rally lasted approximately two hours - with chants, speeches and songs. Protestors carried placards in English as well as Spanish, and an impromptu "field kitchen" that provided free Mexican-style food attracted numerous attendees.


Capt. Amerikka and his slogan-emblazoned flag - "hate it or leave it!"...


The protest's "field kitchen" provided free food to all at the event...

Speakers called for money to be diverted from defense ("Stop Funding War!!") and other budgets to causes supporting the poor. "Housing is a human right!" was shouted at regular intervals, and one yell leader got the crowd to repeat his chants of, "Free health care! Free housing! Free everything!"


The crowd in Justin Herman Plaza...


The protest drew a significant number of marchers carrying signs demanding housing written in English and Spanish, which protesters said recognized the growing number of Latino homeless.