City Visions
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City Visions 130513 Driverless Cars in California
Conversation about the safety, liability and technical issues facing driverless cars in California.
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Public Housing's Future in San Francisco
City Visions host Joseph Pace and guests discuss what the future may hold for public housing in San Francisco. Howcan the cityimprove living conditions, ensure a reliable source of funding,and ensure an adequate stock of safe and affordable housing for residents?Guests:-Sara Shortt, Executive Director of the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, a nonprofits tenants' rights organization that offers free counseling for San Francisco tenants in all types of housing, including...
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City Visions 042213 Health Reform in California
A discussion about the impact of health care reform in California.
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Digital addiction? Strategies for managing our devices...
In a world of constant online connection, how do we control our desire to check email and texts constantly, increase ourproductivity and forge genuine connections with friends and family?
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City Visions 130408 Bay Area water conservation
Discussion of the Bay Area's water future with guests Ethan Elkind (UCLA and Boalt), Laura Tam (Spur) and Julie Ortiz (SF PUC)
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City Visions 130325 Mohammed Nuru SFDPW
A conversation with Mohammed Nuru, head of SFDPW.
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City Visions 130304 Immigration reform
Impact of comprehensive immigration reform on CA and the Bay Area
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City Visions 130211 Oakland Finances
A discussion of Oakland's pension costs and unfunded liabilities.
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City Visions 120521 Urban Renewal
The unintended effects of urban renewal in the Bay Area.
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City Visions 120604 Visual Art for Social Change
Visualart that addresses social inequities.
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City Vision 120611 Teen Dating Violence
A study released in March of more than 1400 seventh graders found that more than one in three reported experiencing psychological dating violence, and almost one in six reported being physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
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City Visions 120618 Treating Mental Illness
New research on and interventions for mental illness.
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City Visions 120625 Religion in a Secular Society
The influence faith-based organizations have on secular society.
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City Visions 120709 SF Rec & Park Chief Phil Ginsburg
City Visions talks with Rec and Parks' General Manager aboutthe department's budget initiatives for next year, the $195 million parks improvement bond proposed for this fall's ballot, and what all of this could mean for your favorite neighborhood park.
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City Visions 130204 CA Environmental Quality Act
City Visions takes up the movement to reform the California Environmental Quality Act — hailed by some as our state's pre-eminent environmental law, but condemned by others as a vehicle for obstructionism.
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City Visions 130128 Non-Profits
These days, nonprofit organizations are shouldering even greater responsibility for protecting civil rights andmeeting basic human needs.
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City Visions 120716 Revitalizing Market St.
San Francisco is taking a fresh approach to revitalizing Mid Market Street that includes attracting tech businesses and actively reaching out to arts organizations, community groups and residents to create a new vision for this diverse neighborhood.
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City Visions 120723 LGBTQ Fertility and Fighting the FDA
Are the FDA guidelines unconstitutional and outdated? What is AB 2356, the new bill by Assemblymember Nancy Skinner? And what about the patient's role and informed consent?
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City Visions 011413 New Opportunities and Conflicts for...
A discussion of state and federal laws regarding marijuana use and the future of the legalization movement.
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City Visions: January 7, 2013
Host Joseph Pace in conversation with SF Police Chief Greg Suhr.
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City Visions: December 10, 2012
City Visions explores the ways that digital media use by school-aged children may be changing how they perform in the classroom.
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City Visions 110321 Minding the Gap: the Successes and...
The media is abuzz with images of prominent and successful women in the information technology industry. But if you scratch beneath the surface, the discrepancies between men and women in the industry prove staggering. Statistics from the National Center for Women and Information Technology reveal that women occupy only 11% of corporate officer positions at Fortune 500 tech companies. And while women hold half of all professional occupations in the US, they hold only 25% of all...
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City Visions 110314 Design, Disability and Social...
We've all heard of green design — the widely embraced architectural movement based on the core value of environmental sustainability. But what about design focused on social sustainability? This hour we're going to explore a parallel movement, known as Universal Design, that holds that architecture should be usable by the widest range of people operating in the widest range of situations: the young and the old, the temporarily-abled and the disabled. And as it happens, a national model of...
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City Visions 110228 Scarcity in a City of Means: Food...
When we think of people who are hungry, images of Depression-era food lines, or a scantily clad child from a non-specific less developed nation typically come to mind. However, the true face of hunger in San Francisco is better captured among the familiar faces on the Muni train; all ages, all ethnic backgrounds, all body types struggle to put enough food on the table. Recent estimates indicate that 1 in 5 San Franciscans are "food insecure" - meaning that they do not confidently know where...
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City Visions 101115 Deepening Our Understanding of...
Deep in Silicon Valley where most people are trying to get ahead or to be number 1, no matter what it takes, there is a group focusing on whether people can learn to help each other: Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruistic Research and Education. In 2008 the Dali Lama gifted the center 150 thousand dollars the largest gift he has ever given for a scientific cause. Many world religions focus on giving as a central life value. Now, scientists are looking for ways to further...
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City Visions 101108 Troubled Transition: Post-foster...
In California, approximately 4,500 teens age out of the foster care system each year, and with emancipation come alarming statistics. The Urban Institute reports that by the age of 19 - or within one year of leaving the foster care system - one fifth of youth experience homelessness, 22% are incarcerated, 13% experience hunger, and over a quarter of young women become mothers. And, as always, our systems are overtaxed and the funding necessary to help these youth in transition remains in...
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City Visions 101108 Troubled Transition: Post-foster...
In California, approximately 4,500 teens age out of the foster care system each year, and with emancipation come alarming statistics. The Urban Institute reports that by the age of 19 - or within one year of leaving the foster care system - one fifth of youth experience homelessness, 22% are incarcerated, 13% experience hunger, and over a quarter of young women become mothers. And, as always, our systems are overtaxed and the funding necessary to help these youth in transition remains in...
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City Visions 100920 Ushering in San Francisco Summer
Tonight on City Visions we usher in San Francisco summer. Neighboring cities may be winding down their summer fun, but in San Francisco we're just getting started! Every year September and October seem to deliver our most beautiful, summery weather. Best of all, sunshine is free! Everyone in the country is hunting for cheap fun and San Franciscans lead the way with creative solutions and alternative events. A couple of in-the-know San Franciscans are join City Visions to share the inside...
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City Visions 100830 The Status of Bilingual Education in...
The question whether or not to use Bilingual Education in schools has been a National hot topic for decades. In 1998, a stake was put in the ground in California when proposition 227 passed. California banned Bilingual education in favor for English only. Nevertheless Bilingual has been taught, although to a lesser extent. Recently there has been a growing popularity in dual language approach. What is status of bilingual education here in California? What has the impact of teaching in an...
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City Visions 052410 The Green Mom Movement
In the last five years there has been a growing awareness among the parent community about "going green." Television, magazines, websites and books, have made new findings accessible to everyone. But with this knowledge has come a generation of parents who feel like it is hard to know what to do to protect their children. Where it used to be good to eat any fruits and vegetables, now those vegetables have to be pesticide free. Where it used to be good to give children plastic water bottles...
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City Visions 051710 Immigration and California
The passage in April of Arizona's SB 1070, allowing police officers there to detain those reasonably suspected of residing in this country illegally, has been met with considerable criticism. Nowhere has the protest been louder than in neighboring California with officials calling for an economic boycott of Arizona. Not surprisingly, the outcry has echoed through San Francisco as well, a city that designates itself a sanctuary for all immigrants. However, San Francisco doesn't seem immune to...
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City Visions 051010 Seismic Safety in San Francisco
We'll look at seismic safety in San Francisco. Proposition B on the June ballot would authorize a $412 million bond to seismically retrofit firehouses and other emergency structures in San Francisco. Can voters get behind such an expensive proposition? How vulnerable are The City's buildings to the next big quake? How can we ensure that the "next big one" doesn't wreak havoc on our city?
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City Visions 050310 Historic Tenderloin District
After more than 20 years since it was first proposed, 2009 saw buildings in San Francisco's Tenderloin District finally receiving a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. One of the densest urban areas in the country, some 30,000 people call the neighborhood home - for immigrants largely from Southeast Asia to the once homeless who now reside in publicly funded supportive housing SROs. More often known for its battles with drugs and crime, the Uptown Tenderloin (as it is now being...
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City Visions 042610 Questionable Proposition
As Californians prepare to head to the ballot box in June to vote on another round of initiatives, they'll be asked to weigh in on topics ranging from energy policy to how elections should be funded.
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City Visions 041910 Doctors' Orders
Health officials in San Francisco have unveiled new guidelines for treating HIV and AIDS patients, and there is some controversy surrounding the new policy. Doctors will soon start advising patients to begin taking antiviral drugs as soon as they are diagnosed with HIV instead of waiting until the disease affects their immune systems. This raises important questions for both patients and the public: Do antiviral drugs do more harm than good? Could starting treatment earlier reduce the rate...
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City Visions 041210 Greening California Buildings
April 22nd is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. One of the ongoing issues for environmentalists has been the inefficiency of the nation's homes and buildings. Inefficient buildings are responsible for 38% of total energy use in the U.S. as well as almost 40% of the nation's carbon dioxide emissions. In San Francisco, almost half of the greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the city's homes and buildings. Many local businesses are joining the effort to address these issues by using...
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City Visions 040510 The Hotel Strike and San Francisco...
We will look into the ongoing labor dispute between hotel owners and striking workers that started in the fall of 2009 and is said to center on disagreements about health care costs and wages. But how is the pain of the recession spread throughout a company when tourism and travel revenues fall? Are the two sides closer or further away from a deal?
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City Visions 032910 California's Partisan Polarization
Gridlock, discontent and crisis have all recently characterized the "golden state" recently, and some say partisan polarization is partly to blame. We will explore how the trend of increased partisan polarization is impacting California. What are the factors causing such a divided political system? How does the polarization of today compare to that of the past? And what what does the future portend?
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City Visions 032210 California?s Gun Laws
California has recently become a crucible for gun rights advocates practicing 'open carry' - wearing an unloaded and holstered handgun in plain sight. State law allows for 'concealed carry' permits, but only a small percent of applicants who request to conceal a handgun are permitted to do so. As a matter of recourse, some gun owners have taken to carrying their weapons openly. Others say they're simply protecting their right to bear arms. Recent meet-ups of gun owners 'open carrying' at...
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City Visions 031510 Youth Activism
We'll be talking about youth activism. The 2008 Presidential election elicited the highest level of voter turnout among 18 to 29 year olds since 1972. What became of that unprecedented enthusiasm? Where did those voices of change and frustration channel their energies following the election? Has some of their attention waned since then?
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City Visions 030810 The Clean Energy Portfolio
We will be looking into California's clean energy portfolio and how the mix of clean energy options will be implemented by cities and the utilities that supply the power. With nearly $10 billion in recent federal money going to a nuclear power plant and a prominent place in President Obama's state of the union address, where does nuclear energy fall in this mix? Too expensive? Not green enough? Still too dangerous? Currently making up 15% of California's power supply, how will the nuclear...
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City Visions 030110 Impact of the Bay Bridge Toll...
Listen to the discussion with Joseph Pace and guests.
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City Visions 022210 Trash Talk
For all its other woes, California can be proud of its recycling efforts; the state leads the nation in diverting more than half its waste. And our trash is becoming treasure, finding its way into construction materials and renewable fuels. But we learn that more can be done to reduce and reuse what we throw away.
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City Visions 020810 Same-Sex Marriage on Trial
We'll review highlights of the historic Prop 8 trial. The trial, which drew to a close in San Francisco last week, was the first federal trial to determine if the U.S. Constitution allows states to outlaw same-sex marriage. Called the civil rights trial of the modern era, the trial explored issues from the meaning of marriage to whether sexual orientation is a choice.
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City Visions 020110 Remaking the Delta
As discussions of recent winter downpour mature into discussions of California's multi-year drought, the future of the Golden State's water management and infrastructure becomes a key part of the economic and environmental debate. The Safe, Clean, and Reliable Drinking Water Supply Act of 2010 is an $11 billion bond proposal coming to California voters in November of 2010 that would fund improvements and enhancements to water infrastructure. In a cash-strapped state government and with tax...
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City Visions 011110 Return to Roots
San Francisco is at the vanguard of a movement to return to agricultural roots. A number of urban farming and foraging collectives have sprouted in the past year, and a new underground farmers' market has spawned imitators as far afield as London. In the process the movement has drawn attention to industrial food practices and the food safety laws designed to keep us safe. But do these laws keep us too far removed from where our food comes from? Should we look more to our backyards for what...
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City Visions 112309 What kind of sanctuary?
We'll take a look at the political storm over undocumented youth that is pitting the Mayor against the Board of Supervisors. San Francisco has been a "sanctuary city" since 1989, with city employees not allowed to contact immigration about undocumented residents. But after a brutal murder last year, the Mayor has changed his policy on youth accused of felonies. Does expanding sanctuary put parole officers at risk of breaking the law? Or does the measure go against the grain of the city's...
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City Visions 111609 Environmental Cooperation Between...
California has signed an agreement with China's Jiangsu Province to promote greenhouse gas reduction, renewable energy and energy efficiency. The authors of the agreement hope that the policies and incentives it spurs can form an "ecosystem for innovation". How can Bay Area businesses benefit from the agreement? What can California learn about going green from China? And what role do sub-national agreements like this have in the upcoming environmental summit in Copenhagen?
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City Visions 110909 Reading the Future of Digital Books
We will look into the evolution of books from turning pages to looking at computer screens. Technology initiatives have sought to increase the access to and the searchability of the printed word. Books can now be viewed on a number of devices and in a number of ways, and delivered with growing ease coupled with streamlined payment processes. Like so many information evolutions, this ease of access will also expand the reach of literacy and knowledge around the world, lessening the digital...
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City Visions 110209 Documentary Film
They date back to the early days of cinema, but only in recent years have documentaries enjoyed widespread commercial appeal. With the box office success of documentary films like Farenheit 9/11, Supersize Me and An Inconvenient Truth, is it becoming easier to make, fund and distribute documentary films, even in these tough times? Or, is it just high profile filmmakers like Michael Moore, Ken Burns, Michael Apted and Errol Morris who are getting financial backing? Of the 953 documentaries...
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City Visions 102609 H1B Visas
H-1B visas for high-skill technology workers are a point of contention with many people who argue there are plenty of US citizens qualified for technology jobs. Others say attracting and keeping foreign talent makes us more competitive. The coming debate on immigration in Congress will likely be a contentious one. That debate takes on special meaning here in the Bay Area, where the leading industry is populated by whole communities that come from abroad. Just how important are H-1Bs to the...
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City Visions 101909 High Speed Rail
The vision of a high-speed rail link between Northern and Southern California is exciting, with fast, modern trains zipping people between San Francisco and Los Angeles in just over two hours. But controversy over route, ridership and cash is following the project. The state, with little money to spend on infrastructure, has just applied for massive federal funding. But some still call the project a fantasy for the well-off that shouldn't take priority over more basic rail solutions.
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City Visions 101209 Taxing the Sweet
Will a Soda Tax in San Francisco Make Us Healthier? We'll discuss an initiative by the Mayor's office to add a fee to the price of soda in The City. The surcharge will go toward the funding of the physical activity agency, ShapeUP SF, but will it succeed in using higher consumer prices on soda to help people make different choices? Is this tax fair to everybody and what is the current dietary research supporting this approach? Do the economic choices people make in regards to their health...
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City Visions 091005 Public School Assignments in San...
Part 3 of our public education series on City Visions. We'll discuss how San Francisco is changing its public school assignment system. The current modified lottery system is on its way out. But what will replace it? We'll discuss three new options on the table. Which option will improve our schools? Will any option address the achievement gap?
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City Visions 092809 Education Budget Cuts and the Impact...
Part 2 of our public education series on City Visions.
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City Visions 092109 UC Budget Cuts
This year the state cut more than 800 million dollars in funding to the University of California system. The UCs have always been at the forefront of research and education. But lay-offs, pay cuts, furloughs, higher student fees and lower enrollments have people worried about the fate of one of the world's best public institutions. How should UC cope with the budget crisis? And what's the future for the UC system? Join the discussion with host Joseph Pace and guests.
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City Visions 091509 San Francisco's Streets
We'll look into San Francisco's evolving bike and pedestrian plan, and how this ties into a long term vision for San Francisco's streets. Despite the June 2009 bike plan approval by San Francisco's transit agency, the plan is still facing a court injunction after concerns about the environmental review process. The city's Better Streets Plan was supposed to benefit pedestrians, but hasn't been enacted due to money issues. What does the plan have in store to improve and expand San Francisco's...
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City Visions 083109 Battle Over the Redwoods
When is government regulation of private property necessary? And how far should it go? And what happens when private concerns collide with public interest? A local controversy over whether old growth redwoods on private land should be protected provides a backdrop for this discussion. Are limitations on property rights necessary or are these rights fundamentally sacred?
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City Visions 082409 Steroids in Professional Sports
Manny Ramirez of the Los Angeles Dodgers sat out 50 games this summer for the use of a substance banned by Major League Baseball. In a sport that has been under scrutiny for alleged widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs, it was a sign that some six years since the game started testing its players for banned drugs, this issue is still far from resolved. What actually drives players to these substances? Is it just an insatiable drive for fame and glory? Is it the pressure to perform at...
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City Visions 081709 SF's Central Subway
We take a look at the city's plan to build a subway linking Chinatown with the new Third Street light rail. The $1.5 billion project would extend close to two miles, linking the Caltrain terminal at 4th and King with Chinatown. But with the Muni budget already in crisis, is it worth the cost? Will enough people ride the Chinatown subway to make it worthwhile?
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City Visions 081009 The Evolution of Drug Policy
We will look at evolving debate on the legalization and taxation of marijuana. Alameda county voters recently approved "Measure Z" to effectively decriminalize marijuana, but the measure is in conflict with state and federal law. Will incremental moves towards legalization make the future of drug policy less effective? In the context of other treatment and law enforcement initiatives, can legalization and public safety be balanced?
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City Visions 080309 Pros & Cons of Direct Democracy
We'll discuss the pros and cons of voters having a direct influence over legislation through ballot propositions and direct democracy. As state lawmakers debated last week how best to solve the budget crisis, they had to work within certain mandates resulting from the May 19th special election. Should voters have such a direct hand in crafting policy or is it better left to elected officials?
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City Visions 072709 Rising Tides: Is San Francisco...
In this program, we discuss the greatest threat facing the Bay area from global warming - rising sea levels. Some scientists predict that in the coming century or even sooner, sea levels in the San Francisco Bay could climb 55 inches beyond today's high tide. The rising sea level threatens to overtake the financial district, San Francisco airport, the wetlands, and more. But is this threat to our coastline being taken seriously? What plans are in the works to protect San Francisco?
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City Visions 072009 Filling the Gap: Making Up For...
With school funding down across California, what's been happening to art and music? To sports and afterschool programs? In the Bay area, a diverse group of individuals and non-profits have found ways to try and make up the shortfalls, doing from local fundraisers to statewide policy-making to make sure children get a chance to do more than just math and reading.
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City Visions 071309 Labor, Unions and Business in the...
Next on City Visions, we will look into the evolving role of labor relationships in the Bay Area and beyond. With an evolving social and economic landscape, we'll talk about how labor organizations and businesses work together to come to agreements. What effects of the strikes and labor insurrections of the 1930s are resurfacing in industries and work places around the Bay Area? How will national priorities like climate change and global trade effect local jobs, unions, and businesses? What...
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City Visions 062909 The Sharing Revolution
We'll explore the growing movement to own less and have more. From food to housing to tools to cars, Bay Area residents are saving money, building community, and living more sustainably through sharing. Could this simple principle we learned in kindergarten be the solution to our financial and environmental woes? Learn about local sharing scenarios and how you can benefit.
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City Visions 062209 The End of Free Parking
We tackle parking reform, including a new San Francisco program to charge more at parking meters during busy times. If you raise prices and get rid of free parking, more people will take the bus and it will be easier to park when you need to, parking reformers say. But are drivers ready to give up their cars? And can we convince people that paying more is in their best interest?
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City Visions 061509 Community Service in the 21st Century
We'll take a look at the growing movement in the Bay Area to redefine volunteerism and community service for the 21st Century. As San Francisco prepares to host the National Conference on Volunteering and Service on June 22, younger and older do-gooders will share with us their philosophies for social change. How do people of all ages benefit from giving back? What makes community service in America unique, and why is service thriving during the toughest economic times?
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City Visions 060809 How Budget Cuts Will Affect State...
We'll look at one of the less talked about targets of California budget cuts - the state park system. Recent revisions to the budget call for the shuttering of California State Parks including 90% of those in the Bay Area. The elimination of state park budgets will affect the ability of park users to enter parks, as well as make it more difficult for scientists and rangers to effectively manage and protect forest and other natural resources. What are the consequences of the loss of business...
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City Visions 060109 Heart Research in the Bay Area
Heart Disease is still one of the leading causes of death in the United States. New drugs and technology have lowered the death rate and helped with patient care, but there is still a long way to go. Research and development efforts in the Bay Area at places such as Stanford University, Sequoia Hospital, the Institute, of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, as well as at Silicon Valley start ups, continue to lead to exciting advances. What kind of research is happening here in the...
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City Visions 051809 Creative Justice in the Tenderloin?
We'll talk about San Francisco's controversial attempt to address crime and homelessness in and around the Tenderloin. At the new Community Justice Center, a kind of neighborhood court, a person might be sentenced to "community gardening," rather than jail. But, with the court's increased focus on so-called "quality of life crimes" will the City's poor and homeless population be unfairly targeted?
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City Visions 051109 Cutting Subsidized Health Care
We'll take a look at Contra Costa County's controversial decision to limit health services for undocumented adults. Some call this a social justice issue, some call it the hard facts of balancing a budget. With difficult decisions to be made, where do you draw the line?
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City Visions 050409 May Special Elections
We'll look into the issues behind the May special election propositions and the changes they will effect in California's State fiscal management. In difficult financial times, we all become very aware of the political challenges of delivering the California budget on time and in a way that is going to serve long term goals, not just short-term budget-balancing priorities. Putting these propositions in front of voters allows citizens to decide some of the financial priorities, and it opens...
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City Visions 042709 Q&A with Hey Mr. Green
We'll tackle your toughest green living questions with Sierra Club Magazine's Hey Mr. Green columnist Bob Schildgen. What are your most pressing sustainable living questions? What are practical things we can do to create a better environmental future for all of us?
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City Visions 042009 Oakland's 10K Housing Initiative
We'll talk about Oakland's ambitious housing initiative, ten years later. In 1999, Oakland mayor Jerry Brown announced a building plan that would bring ten thousand new residents to downtown Oakland. Today, with the housing market in crisis and developers going bankrupt, how is the plan holding up? What can the city do? And can the crisis offer a new chance for low-income housing?
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City Visions 041309 Bay Area Waste Water
We will continue our series on Bay Area water issues with a focus on waste water management. In years of drought, we all become very aware of where our water comes from, but an ongoing challenge is treating sewage and maintaining the infrastructure that gets our water to where it needs to go. There are sporadic stories of sewage leaks, but systematic choices are made about where water gets pumped and "disposed of" that raise issues beyond the headlines. Ideas like greywater recycling and...
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City Visions 040609 Sustainable Food
We'll discuss what it means to eat sustainably. When it comes to food, few urban populations understand the impact of their eating habits as well as people from the Bay Area. But for all the talk of "sustainability," the term is difficult to define. One thing is for certain: it's not just up to farms to make food and food systems sustainable. What is "sustainable agriculture" and how can consumers, businesses and governments all work together to make sure the food on your plate is helping...
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City Visions 033009 When Work Stress Hurts Your Health
With job stress on the rise across the nation, what challenges does chronic workplace stress pose for today's companies and what are they doing about it? We'll talk about the consequences of chronic stress on the job, how it's impacting the physical and mental health of workers in the Bay Area and beyond and what is being done to manage it.
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City Visions 032309 Wiki-What?
The most famous wiki, Wikipedia.org, is the eighth-most trafficked site on the Internet boasting close to three million articles in English alone and many more in over 250 different languages written by both experts and amateurs alike. As the number of wikis and user-generated content sites grow, what is the legal responsibility of sites such as Wikipedia.org to ensure that the content is truthful? Why do wikis work? Why do people contribute to wikis?
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City Visions 031609 Urban Forests
We'll explore urban forests in the Bay Area and discuss how city trees are helping our environment and shaping our civic landscape. San Francisco alone has over 100,000 street trees - planted and maintained by the city, property owners and private groups. Advocates say the trees reduce pollution and increase property values. But trees are also expensive and aren't always planted in equal numbers in all neighborhoods. What is the history behind trees on city streets? What kind of impact can...
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City Visions 030909 Nonprofits in Hard Times
Next on City Visions we'll discuss how nonprofits are being impacted as donors tighten their budgets while demand for services like food, housing and job counseling rises. While many Bay Area nonprofits are struggling, many are bucking the trend and earning more public attention and donor dollars than ever before. How can Bay Area nonprofits tap into much needed optimism during hard times? And what can they learn from the fundraising and communications strategies of nonprofits that are...
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City Visions 030209 Water Worries
A dearth of a fresh snow pack and years of drought conditions have left our reservoirs dangerously low and the demands on water resources ever increasing. We'll take a look at water shortage challenges in the Bay Area, California, and other parts of the world. Bay Area water districts have warned of water rationing in the coming months, but in other parts of California there are severe threats to people's livelihoods, and threats to various communities' existence in arid parts of the world....
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City Visions 022309 Recession Impact on the Local Job...
A recent Labor Department report said the United States has lost 3.6 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. Roughly half of those losses have occurred in the past three months. What will the job market look like in the future? What types of jobs are most likely to be cut? How has the Bay Area been faring in comparison to the rest of the nation? Have you or someone you know been laid off recently?
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City Visions 022309 Recession Impact on the Local Job...
A recent Labor Department report said the United States has lost 3.6 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007. Roughly half of those losses have occurred in the past three months. What will the job market look like in the future? What types of jobs are most likely to be cut? How has the Bay Area been faring in comparison to the rest of the nation? Have you or someone you know been laid off recently?
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City Visions 020909 Electric Car Movement in Bay Area
Next on City Visions, we'll discuss what it will take to make San Francisco and the Bay Area "the electric vehicle capital of the US." Late last year, the mayors of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose announced a plan to position the region's economic and environmental future around electric transportation, but what will it really take to get there? And what can consumers do to support this effort?
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City Visions 020209 Assessing the Obama Technology Agenda
The Obama administration has challenged the US to "be the generation that reshapes our economy to compete in the digital age." We'll be taking a look at the incoming president's ambitious technology agenda and where his administration will focus its efforts in either reforming or promoting the role technology plays in public life. How will this agenda play out in terms of policy making? What challenges will it face from the economy, interest groups, and the legal system?
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City Visions 012609 Free Speech on the Internet
User-generated review websites such as Citysearch.com, Yelp.com or CNet.com have become the way of the future, with consumers giving first hand reviews on everything from restaurants to mp3 players, from doctors to auto mechanics. Earlier this month, an unsavory Yelp.com review highlighted both the pros and cons of these types of websites. What is the future of freedom of speech on the internet? What rights do online reviewers have? What can be done (if anything) if your business has been...
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City Visions 011209 The Future of JROTC in SF
We'll take a look at the future of JROTC in San Francisco public schools. In November, San Francisco voters expressed their support for the program, but the school board voted to end it as of this May. Now the school board must weigh its decision against the will of the people. Is JROTC really a recruitment tool for the U.S. military? Do its benefits outweigh concerns about intentions for recruitment? What does the program mean to our students and the academic environment?
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City Visions 010509 The Mayor & Board of Supes in '09
Four of the eleven members of the Board of Supervisors will be fresh faces at City Hall this year while the city is facing an exorbitant $575.6 million budget deficit. Mayor Gavin Newsom offered his annual State of the City in late November through the unconventional means of a series of online videos. While some applauded the videos, others noted that he made little to no mention of the looming financial crisis. What can we expect this year from the Mayor and the new make up of Board of...
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City Visions 121508 Holiday Gift-Giving to Save Your Soul
Just in time for the holiday season, the nation's economic recession is official, and dismal Black Friday returns have spoken. Retail sales are the weakest they've been in 35 years as we close in on the end of the fourth quarter of 2008. If we don't spend, do we hurt the economy? How can we give in a way that's still socially conscious? Can holiday shoppers really help the economy and the world?
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City Visions 120808 Restaurant Economics in a Down...
We'll take a look at the challenges facing the restaurant industry - paying livable wages for its workers, pricing the eating experience in a transparent way for its customers, and ensuring its survival in turbulent economic times. Voter initiatives like the HealthySF insurance fee complicate the economics of the restaurant business, as does the flexible gratuity system meant to ensure quality and service standards. But added costs are becoming expected line items in the total price...
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City Visions 120108 HIV Prevention Policy
December first marked World AIDS Day. HIV continues to spread both here in the Bay Area and around the world despite vigorous public health strategies aimed at halting new infections. Why aren't current prevention messages more effective? Is it time to rethink HIV prevention policy? Listen to the discussion with host Joseph Pace and guests.
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City Visions 111708 California Proposition 8
On Tuesday, November 4th Obama supporters came out in record numbers to vote in this historic election. Many people that had never voted before came to the polls to cast their vote, ultimately electing our nation's first African American President. Democrats all over the nation were thrilled with the outcome of the presidential election, although Prop 8, passed in California 52 to 48%- forcing many activists and liberals to continue their struggle for equal rights. Do Californians care more...
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City Visions 111008 The Future of the Fillmore District
The city of San Francisco and private businesses have invested more than $100 million in the Fillmore and Western Addition neighborhood with the hope of rekindling its historical popularity as a hotbed of jazz and unique California culture. Today, the area's main corridor is home to a handful of local businesses and jazz clubs, including the popular Yoshi's, and events like the Fillmore Jazz Festival continue to be a source of neighborhood pride. But after decades of local turbulence,...
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City Visions 110308 Election Eve
It's the eve of the much-anticipated election! With a landmark presidential contest and more than thirty ballot measures being put to the test, we'll open the phones to your questions, opinions and predictions. What does this election mean to you, the Bay Area, and the nation?
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City Visions 092208 Bluegrass in the Bay
Entering its eighth year, San Francisco's beloved Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival is only a few weeks away. Join us to explore the buzz around this year's festival, the presence of bluegrass in the Bay, and other ways to get your bluegrass fix.
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City Visions 102708 Mama PhD
Every year, American universities publish glowing reports stating their commitment to diversity, often showing statistics of female hires as proof of success. Yet, academic life remains overwhelmingly a man's world and the presence of women, specifically those with children, in the ranks of tenured faculty has not increased in a generation. Next on City Visions we'll talk about the continued inequality of the sexes in higher education and other professions. We'll also talk about changes that...
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City Visions 102008 Integrative Medicine
Americans are turning to integrative medicine in record numbers (an estimated 71 million people to the tune of $44 billion last year) to replace or complement more mainstream biomedical treatments. And the Bay Area leads the country — Bay Area residents are 25% more likely to use complementary medicine than anywhere else. Yet, as integrative medicine grows in popularity, many are calling for allopathic standards like the evidence-based model and for peer review or scientific validation to be...
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City Visions 100608 Political Polarization
Partisanship plays out in many different ways - such as to vote along party lines, blame political opponents, and to distort facts on the campaign trail. A competitive political environment ought to result in a higher level of efficiency to getting the things done, along with a wider variety of ideas brought to debates. However, competition taken to the extreme can often come at the expense of overall welfare.
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City Visions 101308 Rethinking Prostitution in San...
Among the many ballot initiatives before San Francisco voters this November, Proposition K has raised much controversy. The measure seeks to decriminalize prostitution and eliminate funding for programs that employ racial profiling to uncover suspected human sex trafficking. On our next program we'll take a look at the demographics of prostitution. Who are San Francisco's sex workers? How and why did they get involved in prostitution? And how might passage of this ballot initiative affect them?
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City Visions 090808 Women & Leadership
Women & Leadership: From the Perspective of the San Francisco Fire & Police Chiefs — Glass ceilings were broken over four years ago when Chief Heather Fong and Chief Joanne Hayes-White were appointed the heads of the Police and Fire Departments, respectively. Never in San Francisco's history have women held either of those two positions. While much attention was given to these historic events at that time, we want to reflect on how things are going now that four years have passed. While...
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City Visions 091508 Travel Writing in the Bay Area
This week on City Visions we look at traveling and the books that entice us to travel beyond our comfort zone. Cultural familiarity and mobility has made the idea of a travel destination an ever changing definition. Natural and cultural beauty are closer than ever and the ways these experiences get transmitted are ever expanding. The idea of thinking in broad horizons has been part of Bay Area culture since its founding. But what factors influence the travel publishing industry and what...
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City Visions 082508 Affordable Housing
Home Is Where the Money Is: Affordable Housing in the Bay Area — Housing in the Bay Area is some of the most expensive in the nation. Next on City Visions we will explore how the current housing crisis is affecting the availability of affordable housing, and who this impacts most. Join us as we discuss Bay Area foreclosures, the displacement of communities, and solutions that will make the Bay Area livable for all.
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City Visions 081808 Rethinking Food
As environmental concerns and higher food prices have brought more attention to food systems, some advocacy groups and food distributors have been working to increase the public's connection to food and agriculture, as well as rethink the philosophy of our food culture. With the increasing viability of farmers markets and neighborhood grocers focusing on high quality local ingredients, the Bay Area has begun to its own reorganization. But how inclusive is this evolution for the larger...
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City Visions 071408 The Bay Area's Road to 2050
In 2050, the fates of 25 million people may fill an area from the Pacific Ocean to Reno, and south to Fresno. What will this future look like and what is being done to plan for it? Political leaders as well as regional planning bodies are working with NGOs and think tanks in a variety of areas to address the political fault lines, open space preservation concerns, economic prospects, and transportation options. Monday on City Visions we will take the long view of San Francisco, the Bay Area,...
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City Visions 072808 The Middle Place - A Memoir by Kelly...
Next on City Visions we'll talk with author Kelly Corrigan about her best selling memoir, The Middle Place. In the book, Kelly recounts her journey as a mother of two diagnosed with cancer at the same time her father is diagnosed with cancer. How does a generation of young adults manage life in a time when the trend is to marry late and thus help aging parents and children and address one's own potential health issues all at the same time? How can one have all the "credentials" to make them...
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City Visions 072108 Chinese in America
We'll examine the local Chinese-American community's wide ranging perspectives regarding big issues like Tibet, Taiwan, human rights, and democracy in China. How do Chinese-Americans feel about the ongoing Olympics protests? As China's global influence grows, what hopes do Chinese-Americans have for the future - both in the US and China? Listen to the show with host Joseph Pace and guests.
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City Visions 070708 Protests from the Treetops
We'll talk with some of the key players in the strained, 18-month battle over a grove of trees on the UC Berkeley campus. The trees are slated to be cut down in preparation for a new athletic facility on campus and protesters have taken to the treetops to oppose the University's plan. The birth place of the free speech movement, UC Berkeley is no stranger to protests. Community members have been outspoken on both sides of the debate, and have been at the heart of the controversy surrounding...
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City Visions 063008 From chip to ship and beyond:...
This month, an illegal shipment of electronic waste from the Port of Oakland was intercepted in Hong Kong. The shipment was heading for China—a world center for processing illegal e-waste. Home to some of the largest producers of toxic e-waste, and a major U.S. hub of global freight transport, California sits in the middle of this global problem. Join City Visions as we explore what happens to our computers and electronics after we throw them out; the health and environmental impacts of this...
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City Visions 062308 The New Era of the Internet: How...
The Internet has changed the world forever. One important change is how potentially exposed we are when we use the internet. In some instances, internet technology captures information about us, whether we know it or not. For example, your Internet service provider knows every website you have ever visited. And, most of the time, anything you may have researched on a search engine is also known. Privacy advocates suggest we are only scratching the surface of how we unknowingly put ourselves...
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City Visions 061608 Glide Memorial Church
Nationally renowned for its spirited Sunday morning services, Glide Memorial Church has always been at the forefront of the LGBT movement with Reverend Cecil Willliams performing same sex unions for over 40 years. What is Glide's history with the civil rights movement? How does the United Methodist Church feel about Glide's outspoken commitment to LGBT rights? What role has Glide played in the international Methodist community?
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City Visions 060908 Abstinence and the Single Life
Lauren Meltzer talks with Anna Broadway, author of Sexless in the City, which chronicles her experience as a twentysomething urbanite staying abstinent while still being part of the singles scene. Is it possible to reconcile Christian beliefs with the mores and temptations of the modern world? What are your thoughts about the abstinence movement?
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City Visions 060208 The June 3 San Francisco and CA...
This time on City Visions the discussion is about the June 3 California and San Francisco election. And for those of you who might be thinking, "Another election? Didn't we just have one of those?" the answer is yes — but it didn't quite cover everything. While San Franciscans already cast votes for the presidential primary back in February, the June 3 ballot includes some hotly contested legislative and judicial races as well as some important local and statewide initiatives. City Visions...
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City Visions 051908 Proposition 98
Proposition 98 is one of the most controversial on the ballot. On June 3, Californians will have the opportunity to vote on Proposition 98, which some say will reform eminent domain legislation and protect the rights of property owners. Others say Proposition 98 is deceptive and would eliminate long-standing renter protections such as rent control.
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City Visions 051208 Pests
Pesticides aren't something normally given much thought by city dwellers, except maybe when selecting produce. But they've become big news in the Bay Area as plans to eradicate the little known light brown apple moth have come under scrutiny. Under what circumstances are they necessary? Could they be even more detrimental than we realize? And what are the alternatives?
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City Visions 042808 Bay Area Health
"Tell me your zip code, income and education — and I'll tell you how long you're likely to live." Public health professionals have been saying different versions of this for decades but a recent study focused on Alameda County, showing the stark contrast between life expectancy and health for more and less affluent areas, brings the message home. We'll talk with experts and public health professionals about what makes people chronically sick and investigate why race, zip code and work...
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City Visions 050508 Q
Now that everyone's jumping on the green bandwagon, it's harder than ever to figure out what's truly good for the environment — and what's just good PR. We'll tackle your toughest green living questions with Bob Schildgen, an urban environmentalist who writes Sierra Magazine's popular "Hey Mr. Green" column. He also has a book out: Hey Mr. Green: Sierra Magazine's Answer Guy Tackles Your Toughest Green Living Questions. Host Lauren Meltzer will talk with Schildgen about the downside to the...
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City Visions 042108 Environmental Education in California
A California state senate bill mandating climate change be taught in the state's public schools is working its way through the legislature. But not without drawing fire from lawmakers claiming the science is too controversial for the classroom. Monday on City Visions, scientists and education experts will discuss the process and challenges of adapting our school's science education to reflect an increasingly changing world. While senate bill SB908, a measure by state Sen. Joe Simitian, has...
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City Visions 041408 Can't Pay Your Tax Bill?
With the deadline for filing taxes looming, many Bay Area residents are frantically gathering up W-2s and other tax documents to do what they've been putting off for months: file their taxes. And when it comes to filing at the last minute, San Francisco ranks fifth out of the top 10 procrastinating cities in America, according to a TurboTax poll. Are there options for Californians hit hard by the recession? What's the best overall strategy for dealing with the IRS? What are the best steps to...
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City Visions 080407 California's Tax Policies
In January, Governor Schwarzenegger declared California to be in a state of fiscal emergency. And the state is now struggling to address a huge budget shortfall of as much as $10 to $14 billion over the next year and a half. Factors, such as the housing market slowdown and the mortgage credit crisis, have contributed to the crisis, but inadequate tax revenue is another consideration. Policymakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for creative solutions to this looming issue, which is...
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City Visions 080324 Bush Economic Stimulus Package
In February President Bush signed a $152 billion economic stimulus package, attempting to pull the economy out of a nosedive. The centerpiece of the package is the rebate program. Checks of $600 to $1200 will soon be mailed to an estimated 130 million American taxpayers. Some economists say this is an "election year gimmick" and are skeptical that it will actually revive the economy. How did we get to this point? What are the details of the economic stimulus package and how will we pay for...
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City Visions 080331 San Francisco's Growing Biking...
By some accounts, the number of San Francisco residents biking for transportation has doubled in the past 10 years. Due in part to the efforts of a vocal bicycle and environmental advocacy community, San Francisco now enjoys over 200 miles of bicycle routes and paths, bicycle access on the Golden Gate Bridge and mass transit, and bicycle friendly laws. But many believe the City still has a ways to go. To that end, the SF Municipal Transportation Agency has developed a Bicycle Plan that could...
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City Visions 031708 Rising Cost of Bread
While not the only food product that's more expensive these days, wheat has gone up exponentially over the last year. And wheat is of course an ingredient in that staple of the Western diet - bread. In the Bay Area where we take our bread seriously dozens of local artisan bakeries are being hit hard. What are the myriad factors contributing to the dramatic increase in the cost of wheat and other foods? What should the government do about food prices, if anything?
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City Visions 030308 Golden Gate Bridge Toll Increase
There are two proposals to increase the Golden Gate Bridge toll. One would simply increase the toll by a dollar. The other consideration includes congestion pricing which would increase and decrease tolls based on traffic volume. Revenue from an increase would be used to renovate the feeble Doyle Drive overpass leading up to the Golden Gate Bridge, which is regarded as one of the worst in the country. North Bay officials recognize the importance of modernizing Doyle Drive and rebuilding it to...
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City Visions 031008 California's Beef Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ordered the biggest beef recall in our nation's history last month from a slaughterhouse in California. The scale of this recall along with the damaging video, have resulted in national attention on the meat industry. Industry representatives say the California incident is an anomaly and are trying to assure the public of the integrity of systems in place for cattle farming, meat packaging and overall meat safety. Critics argue that the current system...
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City Visions 022508 Black History Month
Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926, first as "Negro History Week" and later as "Black History Month." When this tradition originated, black history had barely begun to be studied or even documented even though blacks have been in America at least as far back as colonial times. What organizations and individuals paved the way for Black History Month? What is the history and culture of San Francisco's African American community? What events are happening in the city...
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City Visions 021108 Healthy San Francisco
This week's discussion is about San Francisco's bold universal health care program - intended to cover everyone, including the uninsured. Is this the most fair and effective way to implement such a system? Does this solution have unintended consequences?
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City Visions 020408 Juvenile Justice in California
Next on City Visions we'll take a closer look at the juvenile justice system. According to Juvenile Justice Magazine, the United States is now the world leader in incarcerating youth. Across America, prosecutors and legislators are pushing to try more juveniles as adults, and in some cases sentencing youth to do time in state penitentiaries. Is it ethical to try youth as adults? What do we gain by doing this? What effect does it have on these children?
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