Week 1, March 2010

Over the course of this week I have seen some stories in the world of economics and finance that I would usually consider worthy of highlighting in this Thursday Edition— such as this one regarding the extension for one year of the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) enabling refinances of Fannie or Freddie owned loans up to 105% and sometimes up to 125% of the property value— but I find myself far more invested in seeking stories about solutions being embraced for a legitimately sustainable economy going forward.  And frankly, that quest has far less to do with BORROWING money than it does with good old-fashioned American ingenuity innovating and producing and selling to the world new, legitimately useful products.  And the one that, at least for me, rises immediately to the top of that list is energy— sustainable and non-polluting energy in particular.  I can only imagine how historians hundreds of years from now will describe our era of history, filled with international conflicts as it’s been, where oil and coal have fueled our enterprises and where the great United States of America is measured as the largest per-capita polluter in the world.  What this says to me is that in the United States today, our focus must be to champion sustainable energy as a PRIMARY industrial priority for the foreseeable future so that we, indeed, develop and produce the commodity most needed by all the world: clean, sustainable energy.  These are the jobs that have grown in spite of the recession, but these also are the industries that are far more deserving of the billions of dollars worth of government investment money which we’ve so sanctimoniously funneled to our fat-cat, ungrateful banking and insurance industries.  My opinion is that business needs a GREAT PRODUCT far more than it needs an ability to borrow.  And perhaps the greatest product of all is energy.  See below how our nation just allocated $100 million to developing green energy.  Bravo.  Bailing out AIG alone cost the U.S. $182 BILLION.      

See here for how the U.S. is investing $100M in sustainable energy.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Think California Exhibition in SF: From their website: The California Historical Society presents Think California, an exhibition highlighting the colorful history of California through the institution’s remarkable collection of artwork, artifacts, and ephemera. This ambitious exhibition asks the question “What do you think about when you think of California?” Here you see both common and little known facts of the Golden State’s fascinating history, as well as the myths and realities that are the lore of California.

Greening Oakland Homes Fair in Oakland: From the Chronicle: This educational fair will feature exhibitors with solutions to help you save energy, water, and natural resources. It will include presentations on the benefits provided by various types of retrofits and also offer information on financial aid and programs that will save you money.

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

Plaza Adelante Grand Opening and Street Fair:  For over 34 years MEDA has worked to improve economic and social conditions in the neighborhood by stimulating investment, enhancing the business environment, and creating jobs for area residents. MEDA is committed to maintaining the cultural identity and resources of the Mission District.

Two Weekends from Now:

Experience Hendrix Tribute show at the Warfield in SF: From their website:  Inspired by Jimi Hendrix’s unparalleled creative and musical influence, Experience Hendrix, L.L.C.–the company formed by the late guitarist’s father, James “Al” Hendrix to oversee his legendary son’s legacy–has continued that innovative spirit with its ongoing series of all-star tribute concerts held in honor of the late great musician.  This is a Wednesday night show, so be aware of that part.

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

A little blurred, but from the Top of the Mark at sunset

Week 4, February 2010

I’ve been watching some of the Health Care Summit online this morning (online because where I’m watching it’s uninterrupted by the commercial propaganda that so peppers the television coverage) and I think it’s actually pertinent to the genre of my writings in this website.  Obviously, if it weren’t so complicated this healthcare challenge for each American family’s individual economy would have been resolved already, far better than what exists today.  But yes, it is complicated in its minutiae especially with regard to how philosophical agreements between the political parties can possibly be enacted in reality.  And yet the one thing we can all count on as a legitimate measure of well-being, no matter what our income level may be, is our health.  Our nation’s ability to overcome its economic challenges is directly fed by the health of our citizens.  According to the hearings today, there are as many as 40 million citizens with no health insurance at all; there are over 50 million who are covered, but who have “pre-existing conditions” that prevent them from ever changing insurance carriers; and premiums have soared for policy holders as the health insurance industry’s profits have increased by over 250% in the last decade.  This is the definition of the word “bilked”.  But today I am actually encouraged as I see the President and members of Congress thoughtfully discuss each other’s ideas and solutions.  I think this is, frankly, what we pay these ladies and gentlemen in government to DO.  But if you watch the commercial interruptions in the television coverage you’ll quickly see what well-funded sources stand in the way of reasonable discussions about solutions.  So for the sake of the American family, and by extension the American economy, I hope our well-insured and tax-payer funded members of Congress can create a far more reasonable set of ground rules for health insurance in this country where small businesses, and big businesses, and individuals alike all have a level playing field with regard to healthcare.  I can only speculate at this moment how freeing the market in this manner could possibly expand the opportunities for businesses and individuals to break free from the chains of health insurance policies, invest in their new ideas with the unthinkable risk of losing healthcare absent from their strategies, and fully implement the ONE COMMONLY AGREED UPON RECIPE FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY:  INNOVATION.   Were it not for health insurance concerns, how many people would pursue more innovative ventures?  How many more ideas would be considered feasible?  How many more people can be considered for hire by small businesses?  How many citizens would be able to raise their level of well-being?  Do any of you think for a second that your opportunity to buy your dream home isn’t connected to your health and well-being?   

See here for how the Council on Foreign Relations believes our healthcare system leaves American businesses disadvantaged.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Al Di Meola at the Palace of Fine Arts in SF:  From the Chronicle website: A technical virtuoso with uncommon soul and passion, Al Di Meola is on the shortlist of the world’s great guitarists. The World Sinfonia project, which was first recorded in 1990, showcases his brilliant acoustic guitar playing, while allowing Di Meola to explore various European, Latin and Middle Eastern influences.

Holi Festival of Colors in Dolores Park in SF:  Also from the Chronicle website: Friends of El Shadai is hosting second annual celebration of Holi. This colorful festival is celebrated all over South Asia. In certain areas it signifies the victory of benevolence over malevolence while in other regions it is celebrated as a symbol of love and understanding. Holi is celebrated with bright colors & water balloons.  Looks like a fun spot to go… starts at noon on Saturday. 

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

Benefit Concert for Tutorpedia at The Connecticut Yankee in SF:  The Tutorpedia Foundation will host a benefit concert on February 27th at the Connecticut Yankee to raise money for free tutoring for low-income Bay Area students.  The fundraiser will feature local band Guella, a silent auction, and raffle. Featured auction items include gift certificates to local restaurants, spa treatments, weekend getaways, sports tickets and much more.

Two Weekends from Now:

Caddyshack Live at the Darkroom Theatre in SF: From their website:  Pandemonium reigns as lovable blowhard Al Czervik disrupts an idyllic snobatorium, The Bushwood Country Club, much to the chagrin of stuffy Judge Smails. Meanwhile, college-bound caddy Danny Noonan must decide whether it’s smarter to kiss up to Smails for the coveted Caddy Scholarship, or take the advice of semi-suave playboy Ty Webb and just be the ball.  You know the movie… see it performed live on Fridays and Saturdays 3/5-3/27.

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

A political meeting of the minds

Week 3, February 2010

Well… there’s a bit of a storm brewing just barely beyond the horizon that you should be aware of if you’re buying or refinancing a home in the coming weeks.  Since mortgage rates don’t typically wait around for market conditions to change I think it’s important for you all to know about two changes coming that are expected to affect the mortgage and housing markets.  First, the program for buying mortgage-backed securities instituted by the Federal Reserve in  January of 2009 will reach the end of its extension on March 31^st of this year.  What that means is a major source of demand for this particular security is scheduled to recede leaving the price to fall and the yields to rise— which to you and me usually equates to higher mortgage rates.  It was originally set to expire at the end of December but was extended to the end of March to ease its impact on the housing market.  Impossible to predict the real impact of this change, but it’s one to be aware of, for sure.  Secondly, the $8,000 First-time Homebuyers Federal Tax Credit, which was modified to include a $6,500 tax credit for previous homeowners too, is set to expire at the end of April.  The effect expected there?  Slower home sales in May, June, and July, so they say.  But “they” also say that it’s likely there could be another six month extension of that.  We’ll keep an eye pealed.  Bottom line is that there are some legitimate changes to market conditions coming quite soon, so it shouldn’t be surprising to see rates steadily tick upward for the coming weeks.  That is, assuming all remains constant in a vacuum— which we all know isn’t how real life is anyway.  So, we’ll just have to see how it all plays out.  And as usual, I’ll keep you apprised of what I’m seeing. 

See here for more about what market changes are expected soon.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

2010 San Francisco Bluegrass and Old Time Festival:  From their website: A nine-day festival occurring at various locations around the Bay Area, is in full swing. Featuring the most talented musicians on the Americana and roots music scene today, the Festival comprises over 30 shows at numerous small clubs around the Bay Area, welcoming more than 5,000 attendees each year.

Cynosure at Ryder Worth Gallery at UC Berkeley: Okay… the link for this one actually goes to the East Bay Express since the Berkeley Art Practice Department doesn’t quite have the online info for this posted for some reason.  From the EB Express: A cynosure attracts all eyes, and this show at UC Berkeley Art Department’s gallery, subtitled “New Work from East Bay Galleries,” may be just that, showcasing thirty-something thirtyish emerging local artists selected by their galleries in consultation with curator AnuVikram.  Last chance to see this is Saturday.

Help Your Fellow Living Beings: 

FoundationForFreedom.org:  Their mission: To promote literacy in impoverished communities around the world through primary education for children.  We envision a world in which each and every child is literate regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status.  We believe that education is the foundation from which the destitute are empowered to achieve the self-determination needed to improve their lives and the lives of those in their community.  Check ‘em out! 

 Two Weekends from Now: 

Sacred Space: Joshua Redman Solo Sax Performance at Grace Cathedral: From their website:  Redman occupies a special niche among the pantheon of SFJAZZ performers, having served as Artistic Director of the Spring Season for seven years. Now, ten years after his first solo performance here, Redman returns to Grace Cathedral and revisits music of the masters – Ellington, Monk, Shorter, Coltrane and others.

 Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

I think you get the picture

Week 2, February 2010

Commenting on the $9 million pay for Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, and $17 million pay for Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan/Chase, President Obama was quoted as saying: “I know both those guys. They’re very savvy businessmen. And I, like most of the American people, don’t begrudge people success or wealth. That’s part of the free market system.”   Evidently, he pointed out that some baseball players make more than that— as if that should assuage any of us who take issue with this perspective.  On the latter point, should we point out to President Obama that BASEBALL PLAYERS WERE NOT BAILED OUT BY THE TAXPAYER!?!?

On the former point, it’s more than well-known that these “savvy businessmen” turn money into more money.  That’s what they do.  And without question, in 2009 they took the opportunity they had and brought home some handsome profits for themselves and for their shareholders.  Bravo.  But, let’s not confuse this with the “Free Market”.  In a free market, these guys would all be the FORMER heads of the FORMER investment banking titans of the United States.  In a truly free market, if the government wanted to pour billions of dollars into bailouts, maybe it could have given that money to the consumer (with conditions, of course) so that THE CONSUMER could choose FREELY to whom they wanted to give their business.  In that model, the free-market model, the commercial banks are competing, are probably lowering prices and innovating products, and are probably touting their superior customer service to win YOUR business.  Arguably, some smaller banks would have a chance in that game as well.  Savvy?  (As Captain Jack Sparrow would say.) 

What we have instead is a top-tier banking system that’s been resuscitated by taxpayer funding.  Maybe it was a matter of national security, and if so it’s understandable to that end.  But we have a system that remains unchanged with regard to the regulation of derivatives and with regard to separating federally-insured banking from speculative investment banking.  And we have a massively re-funded government lobby for that same top tier that has just posted record profits for 2009.  It adds up to little change, if any, from the status quo if the top tier has its way.  Now that’s savvy, Dr. Evil style. 

And lastly, well over a year after the inception of TARP $30 billion from the fund is being allocated to community banks to aid in small business lending that the top tier evidently is not finding ways to accommodate?  Interesting.  If it was patriotic to save the top tier of banks— national security and all that— then what is patriotic about a top tier that cannot accommodate the needs of small business?  Who was it that saved them again?  Free market?  Baseball players?  You tell me. 

See here for more about what incomes your top tier bankers made in 2009.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Lunar New Year Flower Market in SF:  To celebrate the Year of the Tiger, the San Francisco Botanical Garden Society will host its 11th Annual Lunar New Year Flower Market February 13 in the County Fair Building’s spacious gallery at 9th Avenue and Lincoln Way.  Happy Valentines Day, everyone! 

Sweethearts for Seva: Celebrate Valentines Day with an evening of musical duets featuring the legendary Joan Baez & Steve Earle, David & Tracy Grisman, Tuck & Patti with host Wavy Gravy. “Sweethearts for Seva”, Sunday February 14th at Bimbos 365 Club, a benefit for Seva Foundation. For more than thirty years Seva Foundation has served people around the world who are struggling for health, cultural survival and sustainable communities.

Help Your Fellow Living Beings: 

ValenFaas Day on Park Street in Alameda: The Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS) invite you to their St. ValenFaas Day Event Friday February 12th from 6:00 to 10:00 pm, on Park Street. Come and dine and shop for Valentines Day gifts at Books Inc., Daisy’s, Three Wishes and Tomatina’s. A portion of your purchase will be donated to FAAS which provides help for the homeless animals in the City of Alameda Animal Shelter.

Two Weekends from Now: 

2010 SF Chronicle Wine Competition Public Tasting: From the Chronicle:  February 20th at Fort Mason in the city by the Bay! Known as the largest competition of American wines in the world, the event invites guests to sample hundreds of award winners, each selected at the Annual Judging earlier this year, and delicious food for an afternoon of pure indulgence at THE social event of the season.

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

 I’ve been reading their book, so this one’s from Nepenthe, in Big Sur

Week 1, February 2010

In my continuing effort to keep you informed it’s my goal today to frame some of my support for the financial reform bill H.R. 4173 that passed the House in December— and is currently stalled in the Senate— which is intended to reinstate the bulk of the provisions from the 1930s-era Glass-Steagall Act that prohibited federally-insured banking entities from engaging in securities trading.  More than a year into the Obama administration now, since financial regulation has not been passed, we continue to face the same perils in the financial industry that have been present since President Clinton repealed Glass-Steagall in 1999.  This excerpt regarding the Glass-Steagall separation in banking from the article link below sums it up well:

“This setup worked splendidly for more than six decades, until the rules were changed to permit the merger of the two types of banking activity, which never would have happened had President Ronald Reagan renamed Volcker as head of the Fed back in 1987. To reappoint Volcker would have been the logical move given his spectacular record in taming inflation, which he brought down to 3.6 percent after it had risen to 11.3 percent thanks to the energy crisis of 1979. Reagan went with Alan Greenspan instead because of their shared ideological fervor for unfettered free markets. But the repeal of Glass-Steagall required bipartisan support, and that eventually came with the presidency of Bill Clinton, who reappointed Greenspan and his fellow free-market ideologues Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers to head the Treasury Department. They joined forces with the Wall Street lobby, and as a result Glass-Steagall was repealed in 1999 when Clinton signed the law eliminating it.”   Link to article…

Please note that in October of 2008, when questioned by the Oversight Committee of the House of Representatives, Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan candidly admitted that his approach to deregulating markets was fundamentally flawed.  Please see this transcript of the exchange with the committee chairman Rep. Henry Waxman:

REP. HENRY WAXMAN: Dr. Greenspan, you had an ideology, you had a belief, that free, competitive—and this is your statement: “I do have an ideology. My judgment is that free, competitive markets are by far the unrivaled way to organize economies. We’ve tried regulation. None meaningfully worked.” That was your quote.

You had the authority to prevent irresponsible lending practices that led to the subprime mortgage crisis. You were advised to do so by many others. And now our whole economy is paying its price. Do you feel that your ideology pushed you to make decisions that you wish you had not made?

ALAN GREENSPAN: Well, remember that what an ideology is is a conceptual framework with the way people deal with reality. Everyone has one. You have to. To exist, you need an ideology. The question is whether it is accurate or not. And what I’m saying to you is, yes, I’ve found a flaw. I don’t know how significant or permanent it is, but I’ve been very distressed by that fact.

But if I may, may I just finish an answer to the question previously posed?

REP. HENRY WAXMAN: You found a flaw in the reality—

ALAN GREENSPAN: Flaw in the model that I perceived as the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works, so to speak.

REP. HENRY WAXMAN: In other words, you found that your view of the world, your ideology, was not right. It was not working.

ALAN GREENSPAN: That it had a—precisely. No, that’s precisely the reason I was shocked, because I’ve been going for forty years or more with very considerable evidence that it was working exceptionally well.  

Source of transcript

As I stated at the top, it’s my intention to keep you informed.  As we stand at press time, our financial system continues to operate with the same lack of regulation that led to where we have arrived today where consumer banking and securities trading are comingled, where a derivatives market worth HUNDREDS OF TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS is completely unregulated, and where we all are held hostage by a system that enables massive lobbying of Washington politicians to persistently effect stalls on meaningful legislation to address these well-known financial market flaws.  It affects us all, and it’s very important that we all become informed and involved in the process of changing it.  Thanks for reading and thanks for being informed and involved. 

See here for more about the arguments in favor of financial reform.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Independent Film Fest at the Roxie in SF:  “Rasta prophets, slacker romantics, Iranian rockers, shakespearian vampires, escaped princesses, dysfunctional crime families, superman’s secrets, and Hitchcock remixes to your liking? All these and many more will be playing February 4-18 at the world-famous Roxie Theater on 16th between Valencia and Guerrero.”  Just over a block from the 16th St BART station. 

Alexander/Alexandria: The Flowering of Hellenistic Culture: ”Humanities West presents Alexander/Alexandria: The Flowering of Hellenistic Culture, a 2-day program of lectures, discussions, and presentations of art & poetry exploring the interplay of Greek learning, literature, & art with Egyptian, Persian, & Hebrew cultures that emerged in Alexandria following the death of Alexander the Great.” 

Help Your Fellow Living Beings: 

Cooking for a Cause – Room to Read Fundraiser with Parties That Cook:”Join Parties That Cook® and Crushpad Winery for an evening of delicious food and wine at Cooking For a Cause, an evening benefitting Room to Read. Room to Read is an international education non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the life-long gift of education to millions of children across the developing world.” 

Two Weekends from Now:

G. Love and Special Sauce at the Fillmore: If you can imagine the genres of jazz, country, rock n’ roll, and hip-hop all mixed together, there you will find G. Love and Special Sauce.  Here is a video link of one of their most recent popular songs.  This is next Thursday night at the historic Fillmore in San Francisco.  Looks like a great show for a fun time!

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

“Rock, Wire, Sunset” in Loma Rica

Week 4, January 2010

Indeed, it’s quite a challenge to write about banking and finance on a regular basis without just blowing my top about it.  See here for an example of why.  I read the financial news every day as part of my due diligence in this business and I recognize how important it is for our economy that the public have confidence in the financial system.  The consistent trouble is though, that we, as rational human beings, expect industries to EARN our trust and confidence— and therein lies the rub.  How do we trust this banking industry that seems wholly incapable of understanding that maybe they owe MORE than just a pay-back of the money that bailed out their industry’s very existence?  How do we trust an industry that created and funded loan products for high risk borrowers, then sold them to investors touted as solid securities, and then used shareholder funds to basically casino-gamble that these same securities would fail?  And lastly, how do we trust an industry that is currently engaged in mega-millions of dollars worth of lobbying Congress to derail reforms that will reign in the totally unregulated derivatives market and will separate insured-deposit banking enterprises from securities-trading enterprises?  The answer, in my opinion, is WE DON’T.  We don’t.  The best redress I’ve seen and read about is the movement to utilize the free market in its most ideal form by transferring our money into the community banking system whose operations, by the way, were not obliged to the derivatives market to the tune of billions of dollars and whose lending practices DID NOT engage in funding high risk loans without regard to the investors who would eventually own those promissory notes.  Let community banking earn your trust and confidence.  As a daily reader of financial news, this is my advice.   

See here for more about the nationwide “Move Your Money” campaign

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

V. Sattui Winery Barrel Tasting Party:  Doesn’t a trip to the wine country sound nice?  That’s what I thought when I read about this wine tasting party happening this Saturday at the beautiful V. Sattui Winery.  This one will include barrel tasting of the 2009 wines that they claim have developed uniquely well despite the reduced rainfall in 2009.  Additionally, “slow comfort foods” and new releases including a 2005 Reserve Cabernet will be offered as well.  Looks like a stellar event! 

SF Winter Music Festival: Starting this weekend at The Bottom of the Hill.  From the Squid List:  “Opening night kicks off at 8:00pm with national buzz acts The Action Design, Rykarda Parasol, Dave Smallen and The Trophy Fire. The excitement continues all week with buzz artists across the spectrum of rock and pop, including Tempo No Tempo, Bird By Bird, Grand Lake, Bhi Bhiman, Eric McFadden, Scene Of Action, the eclectic Duckmandu, the soulful musings of Kuma/Koshka, and the aptly named Damn Handsome and the Birthday Suits to name but a few.”    

Help Your Fellow Living Beings: 

HelpHaitiNow.org: These folks have been on the case for Haiti long before the 2010 earthquake. From their website: “Help Haiti Now was established in 2005 to provide food, water, medicine, and educational support to Haitians suffering from abject poverty.  HHN is an all-volunteer organization that has been serving several missions in Haiti for over five years. Help Haiti Now is a non-profit 501c3 organization and all donations are tax deductible.”

Two Weekends from Now: 

Romance for the Soul: A piano concert: Next Saturday night at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music will arrive your chance to see and hear the great pianist Alexander Sung.  His performance will include his acclaimed interpretations of Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, and Liszt.  “Romance for the Soul” just compelled my attention as I scrolled through the listings for next week.  Hope it’s as great as it sounds— no pun intended. 

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

Ocean Beach last Saturday afternoon

Week 3, January 2010

More tightening of FHA guidelines on the way.  That’s the message that came out this week with an implementation-time predicted somewhat nebulously as “this summer.”  I have to say I find it interestingly ridiculous how we get fed this line from politicians about how we “need to free up credit and get banks lending again” and yet month after month on the front lines of lending we are seeing guidelines tightening.  But frankly, for once, I think these restrictions are pretty reasonable.  So now, with FHA’s new rules the two changes that will affect most borrowers are that the Up Front Mortgage Insurance premium will rise from 1.75% to 2.25% and that the current 6% max “Seller Credit” will now be capped at a max of 3%.  In real dollars, the change in the up front premium makes a difference of only about $11 a month on a $400,000 loan at 5.5%.  And the seller credit restriction?  Well, that one will be a tough one for some situations.  But generally, in the bay area, a 3% credit enables a pretty substantial sum and only rarely have I even seen a larger credit than 3%.  And lastly, the change that maybe will grab some unusual attention is that for borrowers with credit scores below 580 the minimum downpayment will now be 10% instead of 3.5%.  Well, in reaction to that I have to say I haven’t seen an FHA lender in California funding loans for borrowers with credit scores lower than 620 anyway.  So, we’ll see if there is much effect at all from that change for our area.  So, in general, the toughest change in my opinion is the reduced seller credit for some situations.  The .5% increase in the up front premium sounds bad, but I think it will be hardly noticeable in real dollars.  And the lower credit score requirement is basically off the table in our area right now already.  Conclusion: be glad for the FHA program.  It’s going to continue to be a great opportunity.    

See here for more on the coming updates to the FHA program.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Harry Denton’s Starlight Room in San Francisco:  This is just one that I haven’t mentioned in a long time and after being reminded of it today I felt there was no question I would recommend it today.  Overlooking the center of Union Square at the top of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, Harry Denton’s is both welcoming and glamorous.  The seven-piece Starlight Orchestra pumps out the beats on the weekends and the vibe is unmistakably San Francisco.  You’ll see for yourself when you get there.  Cheers!   

San Francisco Segway Tours: These days, the tours are running in both daytime and nighttime.  Once again, I know I am a sucker for touristy things.  (Maybe I’m just a life-tourist.)  And this funky little tour option enables you to ride on these awesome single-person transports (like you’re in some science fiction movie or somethin’) and up and down the hills around the waterfront near Fisherman’s Wharf.  An alternative route takes you through the Marina District and directs you to the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts.  Day or night, check it out! 

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

Charity Navigator: From their website: Charity Navigator, America’s premier independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of over 5,400 of America’s largest charities.   The disaster in Haiti is a poignant reminder of how important it is to take up these causes.  Hope this resource helps those of you who choose to give to various charities. 

Two Weekends from Now:

San Francisco Hearts Haiti: It’s actually next Wednesday, not on the weekend, but it’s a fantastic benefit show being put on at The Independent in San Francisco.  Here’s the lineup:  SILA, Kalbass Kreyol (from Haiti), Bayonics, Native Elements, Joe Bagala, Meklit Hadero, Thank You Julius, and DJ sets by Jeremiah (with Afrobeat Nation), Non-Stop Bhangra Djs, Felina, DJ Amar & Electric Vardo Live and J-Boogie.  You can join in, have a fun Wednesday night, and contribute to this great cause.

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

Stinson Beach After a Rainstorm

Week 2, January 2010

This week we have been doing some training and have been experiencing some challenges with the new 2010 rules on the Federal Good Faith Estimate for purchase and refinance loans.  In general, the changes to the estimate make the disclosure clearer and they are good for consumers.  What isn’t fine is how the California Mortgage Loan Disclosure Statement (MLDS) does not correctly reconcile with the new Federal Good Faith Estimate.  The new rules for lending are that the fees covered under the term “origination” include the commission for the broker, the broker processing, the lender underwriting and processing, and any other fees a lender likes to throw in such as flood certification fee, wire fee, and tax service fee.  All of these are now singularly called the “origination fee.”  What was once called the “broker rebate” or “yield spread premium” and was once paid to the brokers by the lenders is now redirected as a credit paid to the borrower to offset the cost of origination.  The trouble is that the MLDS does not show it that way.  Maybe it’s California’s budget crisis that’s keeping this from being up to date, but on the California MLDS it’s still showing as a rebate paid to the broker.  And as of January 1, 2010 that is incorrect disclosure.  But we still have to use it.  How do you like that?  Bottom line is that there can be a “rebate” paid by the lender for choosing a slightly higher interest rate.  Whatever rebate that is will now be credited to the borrower to offset the costs of the loan.  Eventually the MLDS will be updated to be consistent with the new Federal Good Faith Estimate.  It just isn’t doing that quite yet.  So, keep in mind that instead of going to the broker the “rebate” now goes to the borrower to potentially offset the origination cost of the loan, and whatever fees go to both the lender and the broker are disclosed on the Federal Good Faith Estimate as the “origination fee” for doing the loan.  The Federal disclosure is actually pretty good, it’s just California that needs to get itself up to date (IMHO). 

See here for more on the battle to update consumer protections in the finance industry.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

When Lives Become Form: Contemporary Brazilian Art, 1960s to the Present:  Focused on a particular art movement in Brazil in the 1960s, here is how it’s described:  “Tropicália sought to escape the shadow of the West and create a uniquely Brazilian art culture. Its central figure, Hélio Oiticica, took inspiration from Brazilian favelas, “a product of fantastic improvisation in creating a ‘vital place’ for communicating not form so much as joy.”  Check it out! 

Continued into January “Affordable Art for the Holidays”: Just a few blocks from the BART stations in the Mission District is the CityArt Cooperative Gallery, which has extended their holiday show with all art in the back room priced at $200 or less.  Another group show is in the front as well.  It’s looking like a great chance to find some great art for a good price, and to have a fun visit to the Mission’s progressive and hip shops and restaurants.  Check it out and enjoy! 

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

American Red Cross for Haiti: With the 7.0 earthquake hitting Haiti on Tuesday, at press time, it is very unclear how many are dead and injured from this disaster.  There are estimates of around 3 million people who must are being affected, and it’s up to the rest of the world to respond.  Needless to say, the Red Cross is always there.  If you are moved to respond at this time of crisis, click the link and send a donation. 

Two Weekends from Now:

Health, Wellness and Goals Workshop in San Francisco: Here’s how it’s promoted in The Chronicle:  “This New Year, discover principles from do-able yoga, daily meditation, going back to nature, affordable and nutritious cooking, simple detox steps from breath, colon and more, developing a calm/purposeful life & ways of giving! Explore “111 ways to lose weight, look younger and great and feel energetic”.”  Looks like a good one for us all. 

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

Green of winter in Loma Rica, CA

Week 1, January 2010

From this week’s New Yorker Magazine:  Raghuram Rajan, an Indian-born Chicago professor, is one of the few economists who warned about the dangers of the financial crisis. In 2005, he said that deregulation, trading in complex financial products, and the proliferation of bonuses for traders had greatly increased the risk of a blowup. In a new book he’s working on, “Fault Lines,” Rajan argues that the initial causes of the breakdown were stagnant wages and rising inequality. With the purchasing power of many middle-class households lagging behind the cost of living, there was an urgent demand for credit. The side effects of unrestrained credit growth turned out to be devastating. The impact of the financial crisis shouldn’t be underestimated, especially for Chicago-style economics. “Keynes is back,” Posner said, “and behavioral finance is on the march.”  Also from the article:  Now one of the University of Chicago’s leading economics thinkers, Judge Posner, is quoted: “We are learning that we need a more active and intelligent government to keep our model of a capitalist economy from running off the rails. The movement to deregulate the financial industry went too far by exaggerating the self-healing power of laissez-faire capitalism.”  I point these out along with this article here, which indicates that the 2000s netted ZERO job growth for the American economy, because I hope Americans will enter the next decade with a new, yet old fashioned, spirit of how we define success.  In the coming decade, may we ALL rise together and recognize how THAT is legitimate success.

See here for more on this Chicago School of Economics Mea Culpa

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Une Grande Curiosité in San Francisco:  A quote by the artist Leonor Fini:  “It’s hard to define talent. Where does it come from?  I think it’s the product of a type of revolt.  A strong need to make your mark.”  Now that it’s maybe safe to head back to Union Square in San Francisco (just kidding shoppers) it’s a great time to check out this exhibition of paintings by this wonderful 20^th century artist.  Have a fun visit to the MANY other Union Square galleries too!

Street Utopia North Beach 2010:  Saturday in North Beach:  Films depicting “livable city” policies around the world; food by San Francisco street –cart vendors; public speakers on urban sustainability and the “public space” movement; artwork displayed by Lutzka Zivny and Chris Ferris; presentation of a variety of utopian designs that reclaim and enhance North Beach streets.  Wow!  Looks like a good excuse to get down to North Beach to me!  Plenty of other fun and great food to be had there too!

Help Your Fellow Living Beings: 

One Warm Coat: Their simple mission:   Our goal is to provide any person in need with a warm coat, free of charge. Providing this simple yet vital need helps people live productive lives year round.  Their origin:  One Warm Coat started out in 1992 as a Thanksgiving Weekend coat drive in San Francisco.  Since then, more than 1 Million coats have been donated in thousands of local communities across North America. Each coat drive has the same intent — to collect coats that will be GIVEN to those in need.  I’m a fan of that.  Check ‘em out.

Two Weekends from Now:

In the Name of Love: Musical Tribute to MLK in Oakland: Sunday the 17^th you can join in this musical commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at the Scottish Rite Theatre in Oakland.  Acts such as the Oakland Inter-Faith Gospel Choir, Ledisi, and the John Santos Sextet make up the billing and a rousing revival atmosphere is sure to occur.  Looks like a great show for a holiday weekend!   

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

Envisioning the future…

Week 5, December 2009

I’m publishing the events list early this week so that some of these recommendations can be seen in time for you all to actually get to them.  Since this will be the last Weekend Wanderings commentary for 2009 I want to express my thanks to those of you who read the comments and check out the events list and of course also those of you who comment upon the Pic of the Week.  It was the year 2009 that I changed the format of Weekend Wanderings from a weekly email to a daily blog and I appreciate those of you who have taken time to check out the site on days other than the usual Thursday publication.  It’s an interesting experience to manage the content through this medium and I hope to continue to make improvements to it in 2010.  Pointing out the stories I see in the finance news and adding a few remarks has become a broader experience for me today than it once was.  I see stories unfold told by some writers I admire and by some whose appeal I find quite dubious, and I try to piece it together now almost every day so that you can see some of what fuels finance in America.  I’ll admit it’s sometimes a painful exercise— one that will get your cockles up, so to speak.  But ultimately it’s we citizens who consciously choose a system where it’s up to us to keep an eye on what’s going on, and it’s we citizens who must speak up when we see lending run amuck such as we have clearly seen.  My promise for 2010 is that I will keep my eyes pealed and I will keep on pointing out what I see so that we can all reinforce a system that relies upon rules made BY the people and FOR the people.  My best wishes to you all in 2010!

See here for a reminder of what congressional lobbyists accomplish for Main Street.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!: Permanent exhibitions at the Charles M. Shulz Museum in Santa Rosa include the original wall from their Colorado Springs home upon which Mr. Shulz drew the Peanuts characters in his daughter’s bedroom, Mr. Schulz’s studio permanently installed and reproduced as it was, an outdoor labyrinth where you can walk through Snoopy’s head, and more.  This New Year’s Eve day they are having a root beer toast at noon for the kids. 

New Year’s Eve: Quintessential Chaplin: At Grace Cathedral atop of Nob Hill in San Francisco… “Start the New Year funny with 90 minutes of classic Charlie Chaplin short films: The Cure, The Immigrant, and The Adventurer. Famed New York organist Dorothy Papadakos will accompany the films on the cathedral’s renowned Aeolian-Skinner organ.”  Two showings, one at 7:00 pm and the other at 10:00 pm.  I highly recommend the experience as I attended a showing of Phantom of the Opera there on New Year’s Eve two years ago.  Great place for this sort of film experience; amazing to just listen to the organ in that incredible sanctuary. 

Help Your Fellow Living Beings: 

A Place at the Table: Saturday the 2nd of the year and Sunday the 3rd day of the year you can join Hands On Bay Area in assisting St. Anthony’s with their Emergency Food Assistance Program passing out bags of groceries on Saturday and with helping Glide Memorial Church with making sandwiches and bagged lunches to pass out in the Tenderloin on Sunday.  Both are great ways to start off a new year of compassionate awareness.  Check ‘em out if you’re looking for something meaningful on this level for the new year.

Two Weekends from Now: 

A Prairie Home Companion Live Broadcast from San Francisco: If you’re a fan of the fantastically dry wit of Garrison Keilor and the Prairie Home Companion public radio show that’s been bringing down home laughs and entertainment for 30 years, you can attend live broadcast performances on both Saturday the 9^th and on Saturday the 16^th of January at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco.  If you’re unfamiliar, check out the film made just a few years ago called Prairie Home Companion.  It’s really an American treasure. 

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

That’s me… wishing you a Happy New Year! 

Week 3, December 2009

I grew up in a family that celebrates Christmas.  I was quite unusually blessed with a family that always wants Christmas Day to be bountiful with gifts, for the kids especially.  My grandparents in particular were quite sincere about the importance of having many wrapped presents under the tree, and without question for me and my cousins arriving at Christmas morning was always a magnificent time.  I still recall the year we got snowed-in at Lake Tahoe when I was around 8 or 9 years old as my favorite Christmas as a child.  So, it’s without question that I am one who has a deeply rooted affection for Christmas, some of which I hope has been demonstrated by the videos I chose of Christmas lights over the last week or so in the Momentary Getaways.  I love the Christmas cheer and I am happy to be a part of it.  But this year I hope something far more important than wrapped gifts arrives from the reminder of Christmas.  I hope those of us who see the relentless call to consumerism can weigh the value of our funding abilities, year round.  I believe most any kid would agree that if we can help reduce some of the suffering some families are having during this recession then maybe that is where we’ll find our wrapped gifts this year— wrapped in the form of a smile from a human being who maybe will come to believe that some in the human family care more about preserving her life than about a flat screen t.v.  Perhaps then, in the spirit of Christmas that’s most admirable to me, we maybe can teach our children how we value love first, and all else begins second.   

See here for a reminder of how one American keeps hope alive.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

Make a Wish Foundation:  First, see here for the story of the first “wish” in 1980.  It’s amazing and heartwarming.  From the website: “A network of nearly 25,000 volunteers enables the Make-A-Wish Foundation to serve children with life-threatening medical conditions. Volunteers serve as wish granters, fundraisers, special events assistants and in numerous other capacities.”   Anyone can help make a wish for a terminally ill child come true.    

Salvation Army: Imagine for a moment (I mean really take a moment) that you have lost your home.  You also have no money and no one to turn to for help.  Imagine you have a few kids who rely on you during this time too.  If you really took a moment to imagine this you may have a tear welling up.  Since 1865 this organization is where people have turned.  And through the goodwill of people who support them they have managed to help an untold number of our fellow human beings to survive when hope had nearly extinguished.  “When you make a donation, you can expect change.” 

Glide Memorial Church: It was in 1963 that Cecil Williams took the reigns of this San Francisco landmark changing its course and the course of countless others who have benefited from it over its 40+ year run.  365 days a year they manage:  Daily Free Meals Program, Health Services, Permanent Supportive Housing, Drop-in Center and Emergency Services, Family, Youth and Childcare Services, Women’s Center, Youth Education and Workforce Development.  This is hope, faith, and charity in real life.  Check ‘em out. 

World Food Program: On December 26, 2004 when the Tsunami hit the Indian Ocean communities killing over 283,000 and displacing over 1.1 million people, the World Food Program loaded up its planes and got to work.  Potable water, nourishing food, and medical supplies were brought in as rapidly as possible, and it’s impossible to quantify how many lives were saved by their efforts.  That’s just one of the stories of the World Food Program.  They’re operating 365 days a year and they are supported from around the world by millions of people who care.    

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

Christmas morning in 2007

Week 2, December 2009

Just last night, I was asked by a San Francisco business owner whether I thought the housing market had turned the proverbial “corner” yet.  I replied with my usual cautious optimism and said yes.  I said it doesn’t feel like we’re in a “free fall” anymore, which is literally how it felt for well over a year after September of 2007.  I said that many of the changes put into effect such as changing the limits on loan amounts for Fannie and Freddie and FHA may have gotten off to some rough starts and had growing pains, but that they are well into effect now and are instrumental in the stabilization of the market we see now.  Approvals are coming from lenders in days (sometimes even in hours) rather than weeks, as they were in early 2008.  And the expectation to close in a reasonable 30 days or so is pretty common.  In general, it feels as though we have now a fairly good tool box to work on the project— to put it into home improvement type language— whereas before, the tool box was hardly suitable for a more than daunting task.  It will take time… probably measured in years to reach the point where homeowners will feel as though we’ve shed this period completely.  And for those still waiting on hold to speak to someone at a lender or servicing company about a modification, these words are probably cold comfort for them.  In my opinion, while the restoration of stability in banking is a battle that appears to have been won, in the battle for those who have been affected most severely on Main Street we still have a significant way to go.  Perhaps the result we’ll see is a change in our values that’s been long over due.  Please read the article in the link below.   

See here for a reminder of how Americans reacted to a day that lives in infamy.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

A Cathedral Christmas at Grace Cathedral:  “A San Francisco tradition! Celebrate the season with the Choir of Men and Boys with orchestra, featuring their signature performances of sacred masterpieces and yuletide classics. Continuing a tradition of over sixty years, join generations of families and friends who attend year after year, some traveling great distances to enjoy this very special event. Celebrate the holiday with glorious music in a glorious space!”

 Dave Koz A Smooth Jazz Christmas 2009 in San Francisco: This jazz concert is an event I have attended for, I think, the last six years in a row.  It’s now become a real tradition and one I recognize as a fun kickoff to the holiday season with some good friends.  While the line up of great jazz players changes each year, many come back year after year including the fantastic Jonathan Butler and of course the host Dave Koz.  Great music and a warm atmosphere of compassionate celebration is what you’ll find. 

Help Your Fellow Living Beings: 

Drawbridge.org in San Francisco: ”The mission of DrawBridge is to provide art programs for homeless and other vulnerable children in an environment that fosters their sense of joy, creativity and exuberance. Beyond that, we strive to promote the well-being and stability of family by creating a supportive community in which children help other children, establishing a lifetime of giving.”

Two Weekends from Now:

Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Rocks Extravaganza!:  From the SF Chronicle: “Jumping and jiving since the mid 90’s, the ambitious and enduring project smashed into the charts in 1998 with a blistering cover of Louis Prima’s “Jump, Jive, and Wail” and shows no sign of slowing down. He also was the lead guitarist in Robert Plant’s mid-80s project band The Honeydrippers, as well as portraying Eddie Cochran in the 1987 biopic “La Bamba,” chronicling the life of rock and roll pioneer Ritchie Valens.”

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

Mormon Temple in Oakland shows us how to light up for the holidays.

Week 1, December 2009

Today, I want to refer you guys to a post I wrote almost two weeks ago regarding the “Over the Counter Derivatives” market, and the “black market” in which it still exists.  Yesterday, Gary Gensler, the Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission testified before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and he again reiterated how much financial danger the black market of derivatives still poses due to its lack of transparency— hence the label “black market.”  This market accounts for HUNDREDS OF TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS, and it is the primary repository of the infamous “toxic assets” our investment banks have been wrestling with for the past couple of years.  This story far eclipses most others reported by the news media and it deserves the sincere attention of a discerning public.  Consider this quote from the Chairman and please read the article in the link below:

To accomplish these principal goals of promoting transparency and lowering risk, we must bring comprehensive reform to the entire OTC derivatives marketplace. Statutory exemptions can undermine that goal and, as we have seen, could leave the public exposed to unintended consequences.

Closing

One year ago, the financial system failed the American public. The financial regulatory system failed the American public. We must now do all we can to ensure that it does not happen again. While a year has passed and the system appears to have stabilized, we cannot relent in our mission to vigorously address weaknesses and gaps in our regulatory structure. We have a profound responsibility to address the causes of the last crisis and work to prevent the next one.

See here for Chairman Gensler’s testimony.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Deck the Hall: Children’s Holiday Concert: This Sunday the shows will be at 11:00 a.m. and at 3 p.m.  “Treat your children to holiday melodies from around the world at the annual Deck the Hall: Children’s Holiday Concert and Party. Hear festive holiday tunes from around the globe, and sing along to carols with the Orchestra.”  Great way to kick off the holidays!

Art Deco and Modernism Sale in San Francisco: “Over one hundred fifty dealers from across the country selling furniture, accessories, art, pottery, glass, books, jewelry, vintage clothing and collectibles from 1900 to 1980, including Arts & Crafts Mission, Monterey, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Streamline Modern, Vintage Western, Mid-Century Modern and exceptional design to 1980.”

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

One Warm Coat: Here is what it’s about:  “One Warm Coat started out in 1992 as a Thanksgiving Weekend coat drive in San Francisco.  Since then, more than 1 Million coats have been donated in thousands of local communities across North America. Each coat drive has the same intent — to collect coats that will be GIVEN to those in need.”  Nothing like a good warm coat. . 

Two Weekends from Now:

KPFA Crafts and Music Fair in San Francisco:  “The 39th Annual KPFA Crafts & Music Fair, the largest weekend holiday craft fair of its kind in Northern California, to be held December 12 & 13, 2009 at the Concourse Exhibition Center in San Francisco. Every year, more than 10,000 collectors, craft enthusiasts and holiday shoppers attend this signature event that features 220 craftsmakers and artists from throughout the country, a gourmet food pavilion and live performances by some of the area’s leading world musicians – all in a warm and spirited ambiance that reflects the Bay Area’s great diversity.”

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

San Gregorio Beach on a Sunday in November

Week 4, November 2009

In the article below is an interesting court case judgment in Suffolk County New York’s Supreme Court where a judge evidently decided that the credibility of a bank was so egregiously eroded by its actions (and non-actions) in resolving a homeowner’s attempts to save ownership of her home through various good faith means (including modification, short sale, adding additional borrowers, etc.) that the judge in the end awarded 100% equity ownership of the home to the homeowner.  While it perhaps sounds on its face like an activist judge took a bank to task for poorly responding to a homeowner’s earnest attempts to save her home, in reading into it, the offenses evidently admitted by the bank include inflating the amount owed to the bank by over 60% and also declaring the borrower defaulted on a forbearance agreement that “had not been sent to Defendant until after its stated first payment due date and hence, Defendant could not have consummated it under any circumstances…”  I will not begin to suggest that I have enough knowledge to offer any comments on this case.  I only wish to point it out to you readers so that you might further investigate for yourselves if you are interested.  All I can say is that these battles include significant stakes where a broad consideration of the facts is surely necessary.    And in this case, a harsh judgment was rendered for what was deemed a harsh offense by this bank.

 See here for more about the Suffolk County case.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Evolution of a Painter in San Francisco:  Exhibition of 60 years worth of paintings by San Francisco’s poet laureate.  “Lawrence Ferlinghetti is not only a master of words and metaphors, but also a master of color and visual symbolism. He has been painting and drawing for as long as he has been writing. This solo exhibition is the first to take a retrospective view, giving insight into Ferlinghetti’s development as a visual artist over six decades.”     

Kolo Festival in San Francisco: ”For an exciting weekend of Balkan and Greek dance, music, culture and food, come to the 58th annual Kolo Festival, Nov. 27 & 28. There will be dance and music classes, review sessions, live music, culture corners, and specialty food.”  Come see another one of the many cultures that makes up the brilliant fabric of our community as they share their heritage in good food, music and dance.  

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

Project Homeless Connect: ”An estimated 6,000-12,000 people are homeless on any given night in San Francisco. Twenty-percent are chronically homeless. Widespread foreclosures, the demands of returning veterans, and the reduction of federal funding for affordable housing create constant challenges in a declining economy. Dealing with the vexing problem requires intervention not only by government but also the community at large.”  Moving people from homelessness towards a restoration of home is what this is all about.  

Two Weekends from Now:

Todd Rundgren: A Wizard, A True Star at The Palace of Fine Arts Theatre:  In response to audience demand, the great musician Todd Rundgren will perform his entire 1972 album A Wizard, A True Star live in the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in San Francisco.  Hear some of the background to the production idea here in a radio interview from Detroit prior to the Akron, Ohio show.  If you know Todd Rundgren you’ll want to check this out; and if you don’t know him, you might want to take a moment to check him out! 

Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

Right out front, just the other day…

Week 3, November 2009

As I sit down to write today’s message I can see out my window several construction crews working on repairing sidewalks in my neighborhood, most of which were originally built in the 1930s.  I am quite sure the work being performed by these crews is a product of the American Recovery and Investment Act (www.recovery.gov).  And as the latest report of jobless claims shows 505,000 filed for unemployment last week, I find myself thinking about these fellas I’ve chatted with out in the streets of my neighborhood who are working on our sidewalks.  Looking out my window at the actual faces of the people who make up these numbers we hear about and read about in the financial news— in this case of jobs that have been saved rather than lost— I cannot help but think that while seeing this work being done is good, I think we need a hell of a lot more of it!  In so many parts of this country we have infrastructure that is strained and broken.  We have massive parts of the country that are unable to connect to the information superhighway through which this message came to you right now.  We have technology already developed that can help us increase our green energy generation and reduce polluting forms of energy.  And across the country we have on average over 10% unemployment.  As corporations cut payrolls so they can increase earnings and raise their stock values we’re seeing a booming stock market, but a “jobless recovery”.  As is described in the article below, this joblessness is something FDR would never have stood for.   And I think I agree with FDR.

 See here for more about how FDR advanced the dignity of work.

To contact me about financing your dream-home click here.

Weekend Wanderer’s Events

…finding the treasures in your town and beyond. 

Two for This Weekend:

Open Top, Double-Decker, Hop On, Hop Off in San Francisco:  Yes, I am sometimes a sucker for touristy things.  Maybe you’ve noticed.  For this “touristy” tour, you can actually buy a pass that’s good for 48 hours which enables you to hop on and hop off of this cool bus line as it rolls its route around San Francisco.  For a local like me, these are parts of town I’ve seen many times before— and I STILL think it’s cool!  Just seems like a fun time in SF to me, so I thought I would pass it on. 

Berlin Philharmonic in San Francisco: For only the second time in FIFTY YEARS, this symphony orchestra will be performing in our fair town.  Considered some of the best in the world, having these musicians come to our own backyard is quite a treat.  If you’re ready to hear Wagner, Schoenberg, and Brahms bursting from the stage you can encounter these waves of sound for two shows this Friday and Saturday.  Should truly be something to experience.   

Help Your Fellow Living Beings:

Meals On Wheels: Modeling itself on the WWII, British Women’s Volunteer Service for Civil Defense who provided meals to their neighbors whose homes had been bombed out, this program today feeds millions.  “Following the war, the United States embarked on its own experimental meal program. What began as a single small program serving seven seniors has grown into thousands of local home-delivered and congregate meal programs that serve millions of elderly, disabled, or at-risk persons across the country.”  Check ‘em out.  It’s how millions celebrate Thanksgiving in America. 

Two Weekends from Now:

Run Wild for a Child in Golden Gate Park:  After the big turkey-feed is over next week and the motivation to burn some calories becomes paramount, you can head out to Golden Gate Park to join in a 10k, or a 5k, or a 5k Toy Costume Contest where the proceeds will benefit the San Francisco Firefighter’s Toy Drive.  And in true San Francisco fashion, costumes are encouraged!  Dress up as your favorite childhood toy and join in the costume contest.  Good fun in the park.  Check it out! 

 Pic of the Week… from my phone camera:

No, she isn’t allowed on this table!