A summary review of: Richard A. Walker, Pictures of a Gone City: Tech and the Dark Side of Prosperity in the San Francisco Bay Area (Oakland, PM Press, 2018.)

M.L. Butler was born to a sharecropper family resident on the J.W. Jones Cotton Farm in St. Francis County, Arkansas. His father, W.M. Butler, "picked cotton by hand... sixty years after the legal end of slavery—and received no wages for his work. Instead, the owner was supposed to give him a percentage of the cotton's market value. First, though, the landowner deducted the cost of his 'tenant' farmers' seeds, fertilizer, clothing, and food. Their take-home pay was usually calculated down to zero." His son M.L. Butler migrated to Los Angeles, settled there, found a job, saved a down-payment, bought a house and spent the rest of his working life paying its mortgage, only, in the end, to lose it, purchased at auction pursuant to foreclosure of a second mortgage which he was persuaded — as a boon to his retirement years — to take out during the housing industry credit bubble that culminated in the financial debacle of 2008-2009. Thanks to the TARP legislation and banker bail-out (the joint work of both parties and two presidents), the buyer was "reimbursed" in full for the difference between the inflated value of the mortgage and the more realistic price at auction, at least doubling his money. Odds are, too, that if Mr. Butler had not been compelled by the bank credit monopoly (W.M. Butler's generation called it the "Money Trust") to pay usury ("interest") to the investors who owned his first mortgage — which over time approximately doubled his cost of shelter — his circumstances later in life would not have made him so easy a mark for the clever fellow who, for a nice percentage, convinced him that a second mortgage was a wise option for his retirement years.

These matters are conveniently shrouded in discreet mystery by California state law but the likelihood is that the buyer of Mr. Butler's foreclosed mortgage worked for a shell company intermediary with headquarters out of state — Phoenix, say — which passed the deed along to a hedge fund in New York, such as the one operated by President Trump's Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, where it became one of hundreds of thousands of such properties, newly converted to rentals and thus yielding its absentee investor owners monthly returns two or three times higher than Mr. Butler's mortgage payments. This kept real estate and mortgage investment markets inflated, and Americans' cost of shelter high and rising, while millions lost their jobs as well as their homes and later were able to find employment only for reduced pay in worse conditions, often needing two jobs to get by, or doing "independent" piece work in the so-called "gig economy." Over the decade of purported "recovery" following the 2008 crash most Americans saw their actual livelihood and quality of life seriously deteriorate, while the young had a long, hard, slow start and the disproportionate "share" in the possession of the wealthy few soared to heights unseen in more than a century. -more-

Leading contender for the worst of the swamp is Attorney General, William Barr, who abandoned his former career as a respectable lawyer and fell into the rabbit hole as Trump’s personal lawyer. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is a close second and Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo third. DeVos has a reputation of gross mismanagement and smug arrogance. She uses every opportunity to trash public education and direct scarce federal dollars to private and religious schools. -more-

Open Letter to the Berkeley Parks Commission:

Recent events in Charlottesville, Lafayette Square, and Portland should be a dire warning that President Donald Trump is prepared to do whatever it takes to subvert the cause of justice and democracy and retain power, including embracing militant white supremacists and using federal troops to tear gas and arrest peaceful protesters. Much like a western movie this will be the “high noon” showdown between democracy activists, the real American heroes, and Donald Trump and his posse of ‘deplorables’. With his approval ratings declining dramatically, a visibly shaken Trump even threatened to postpone the elections. He has openly declared that he may not abide by the election results in a nationally televised interview on Fox News. Unless he loses the election by a thumping majority, Trump will ‘huff and puff’ and question the legitimacy of the election that will rely on mail-in ballots, even though he himself just requested vote-by-mail ballots. What chutzpah! -more-

I listened to the news item of Kamala Harris speaking about how her passed mother would look down on her from above with pride whereas here we have many people looking down on President Trump but not with such love and respect but scorn. -more-

Debbra Wood Schwartz, violinist, teacher, mentor, avid storyteller and Crusader for the Arts, passed away much too soon at the age of 73 on July 31, 2020. After a short illness resulting from an unlucky turn of events, she died at home surrounded by her family. She was comfortable and remained her indomitable self until the end.

A longtime resident of both Oakland and Berkeley, Debbra touched so many lives due to her interests, involvement, and generosity; and was a loving and exceedingly generous friend to many. She would often be seen zipping around in her convertible, equally likely to be en route to a board meeting, to judge a local music competition, or (with her adorable and completely spoiled long-haired Chihuahua, Nico, in tow) to a nearby coffee shop — one of her favorite ways to while away the hours. -more-

Several readers have reported that when they click on Planet links they get some sort of security warning. However some of them say that when they try again there's no problem. If this happens to you, please let us know so we can continue to try to figure it all out. Write to becky@berkeleydailyplanet.com -more-

I've recently experienced a set of delusional thoughts that I found compelling and very tough to nullify. I finally stopped my head-on battle with them. Instead I've been able to gently retire the thoughts and put them out to pasture. -more-

;From 1830 to 1895, the British and Russian empires schemed and plotted over control of Central and South Asia. At the heart of the “Great Game” was England’s certainty that the Russians had designs on India. So wars were fought, borders drawn, and generations of young met death in desolate passes and lonely outposts. -more-

The 2020 Democratic convention is over. Given the difficult circumstances, it might have been a disaster. Instead it was very successful. Here are 10 takeaways:

10. Better than expected. Political conventions are typically overrated. Too many speeches. Manufactured controversy. Too many talking heads.

This year's Democratic convention was all "virtual" and, therefore, more immediate. Overall, it had a better flow than any convention I've watched. Each of the four nights worked. There were many interesting cameos and powerful songs. Kudos to the organizers. Let's make this the model for all Democratic conventions. -more-

A Good Way to 'Deface' a Mural -more-

On August 20, Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon was arrested and charged with fraud. -more-

Worth Noting:

For the Week of August 23 – August 30 there are 5 City meetings and the Climate Emergency Mobilization Virtual Summit Series on Fossil Free Bay Area. City Council and most of the Boards and Commission are on recess.



Monday – Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Subcommittee meets at 6 pm and the Homeless Services Panel of Experts subcommittee meets at 7 pm.

Tuesday – The Police Review Commission Subcommittee on the Acquisition and Use of Controlled Equipment meets at noon.

Thursday – The Zoning Adjustment Board (ZAB), 7 pm will be reviewing 2435 San Pablo with 42 residential units operating as Group Living Accommodations. Each 202 sq ft “unit” / room is expected to rent for $2000 with furnishings and utilities included per the staff report. ZAB will also preview 600 Addison commercial project with two buildings. The Design Review Committee (DRC) previewed this project August 20 and had many requests/suggestions for modifications, plus questions on traffic and concerns regarding sea level rise.

Friday – From 9 am – 12 noon the 2^nd in a series of workshops from the Emergency Mobilization Task Force will focus on a Fossil Free Bay Area. The series is free though donations to the series are encouraged. In the evening the Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board meets.



We are surrounded by fires and air quality has been pretty bad. If you have an iPhone you can check the Air Quality Index in an instant in your weather application. If you don’t have an iPhone go to https://www.airnow.gov



How to check the AQI (Air Quality Index) on your iPhone go to your weather application icon, scroll down past the future forecasts to the very bottom and you will see the AQI number and a description.

The higher the AQI number, the worse the air quality. Under 50 = good, 50-100 moderate, 101-150 unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151 – 200 Unhealthy for everyone including your pets, 201-300 Very Unhealthy, 301 and higher hazardous.



Other Useful Links:

Easy map check of locations of fires and evacuation areas - to use this resource click on the fire and it will bring up the map https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1svY2AKslVNUzuhv6cc3Y6FNMQRjjoqcMMuTZrGYIEPc/htmlview?pru=AAABdDdR3vs*EOZlDaere9E6UNE73SLk7w#gid=97357612

Want to check the wind go to https://www.windy.com

Prepare Your “Go Bag” so you are ready to evacuate https://www.cityofberkeley.info/WildfireEvacuation/#Evacuation_packing_list

Sign up for AC Alerts https://member.everbridge.net



If you missed the August 22 Town Hall on Berkeley’s response to COVID-19, you can pick it up on the Mayor’s website https://www.jessearreguin.com. City Council recess ends September 14, 2020.

-more-