North Beach, San Francisco, viewed from Telegraph Hill.
Today has been a valiant struggle not to let French bureaucracy get the best of me. Frankly, I'd rather be in San Francisco at the moment, having dinner at my favourite trattoria in North Beach. Anyone have a Bay Area writing or photography assignment that requires my presence there toute de suite??!!
Even a horse wanted to run away from Paris today.
Racism cloaked in the guise of "humor"
So disappointing to read that once again, Rupert Murdoch's "newspaper" goes too far.
McCain's former economic advisor fails to help UBS
Yet another reminder that we dodged a bullet by defeating the Republican presidential ticket. Remember John McCain's chief economic adviser, former US Senator Phil Gramm? The one who received big bucks in his role as advisor to Swiss bank UBS? Seems UBS has been forced to admit its role in conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. The bank will pay $780 million in damages and close all offshore accounts of its American clients. Apparently, secret accounts of about 19,000 Americans are being exposed and investigated.
When Gramm was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, he helped pass banking deregulation laws. One of them was the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which in 1999 removed Depression-era laws separating banking,insurance and brokerage activities.
The Creative Entrepreneur
Don't forget to go here to enter the giveaway for a copy of The Creative Entrepreneur.
Coit Tower at twilight, San Francisco.
What brings you to Paris? J'ai beaucoup d'amis a Paris et je suis nee a San Francisco. Coit tower always makes me think of the year I worked as a paralegal while working on my book, taking my lunch to a hill and looking at the view. Ah! I miss the Bay Area.
Posted by: Jo Park | 22 February 2009 at 04:48
I knew the guy whose family owned Coit Tower. I absolutely love San Francisco and Paris. I was born and raised in the Bay Area and also have many friends in Paris. What brings you there?
Posted by: Jo Park | 22 February 2009 at 04:45
I disagree with you Scott. In this instance, the cartoon was clearly meant as a slur against the current president - otherwise, why mention the stimulus package? And consider the source - no need to dig further.I'm sure there are plenty of right-wing conservatives who will disagree with you about evolution.
You know very well that the word "monkey" has been used for decades as a "dog whistle" in racially-charged areas, particularly in the South. Or maybe you don't know - maybe in your geographic area, you didn't grow up with racism and segregation. In the South, it is considered a very offensive and derogatory term.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 21 February 2009 at 01:36
Regarding the monkey cartoon
I was listening to an African American doctor on Nat Pub Radio. He was not offended in the least. I am offended that people got offended. Whoever equates or connects a monkey with an African American is part of the problem...I am not talking about the artist here. If you believe in evolution, we all hail from monkeys...race does not factor in.
Monkeys are the clowns of the animal kingdom which is why the animal was used. If someone thinks the cartoon was in poor taste because of the terrible thing that happened to the lady who was attacked by the chimp, you MAY have something there.
When people say, "you are calling black people monkeys," they only promote a stereotype that only a very few people would use or aware exist. For goodness sake, Bush was portrayed as a monkey at times.
Posted by: nutster | 21 February 2009 at 01:23
Hello,
I love SF, wish to go back again soon...thanks for the memories and photos...
~ Gabriela ~
Posted by: Gabriela Delworth | 20 February 2009 at 23:27
Don't even start me on the NY Post cartoon. I think even Rupert is back pedaling on that one. WAY below the belt. WAY below.
Posted by: jeanie | 20 February 2009 at 20:56
The cartoon was offensive, and the excuses even more so. If it was about something else, then why did it mention the stimulus.
On a cheerier note, Pres. Obama's visit was one big celebration in Ottawa. Our Prime Minister acquitted himself very well, even though he is a Tory. Haha!
Posted by: Colette Copeland | 20 February 2009 at 18:41
Rupert Murdoch = Dumbing down at it's very worst
Posted by: Di Overton | 20 February 2009 at 16:00
In follow-up to my previous response, Vanity Fair writer Michael Wolff, who recently authored a biography of Post owner Rupert Murdoch has written in Newser
that he does think the cartoon was racist and deliberately so. He also suggests Murdoch himself is probably "livid" over the decision to run it. An excerpt: "...As a student of the Post and of Murdoch and his people, let me suggest the likelihood that Allan and the Post are well off the post-modern reservation. That Allan’s personal and tabloid anger, never so carefully in check, has burst into the open in an incredible spasm of tone deafness and - say it - racism. For one thing, there is, blatantly, jaw-droppingly, without disguise or camouflage or deniability, the conflation of the new president with the mad chimpanzee, who, the day before, mauled a woman. For another, no editorial cartoon at the Post can get into the paper without Allan approving it. He saw it; he got it; he bought it; he published it.
"Barack Obama has been a long-simmering issue at the Post. He offends both its tabloid conservatism (however cool and witty it may have become) and, too, its latent, unreconstructed Australian tabloid -- again, say it -- racism. He offends it even more because Rupert Murdoch, the Post’s owner and virtual Godhead, rather likes Obama..."
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 20 February 2009 at 11:09
It's my favourite American city too, Mary. Thanks for the kind words. I was there twice last year and am ready to return!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 20 February 2009 at 10:42
Gill, this year BlogHer is in Chicago and I don't plan to attend. Haven't had a chance to read much about Obama's Canadian meetings, due to writing deadlines. I think the general feeling is that any relationship will be an improvement over the previous administration's. :) xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 20 February 2009 at 10:41
You are absolutely right, Christina. Murdoch's paper continues to pander to the lowest common denominator.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 20 February 2009 at 10:39
The New York Post claims this particular cartoon is about a criminal incident involving a monkey. If that is the case, why is the stimulus package mentioned? And like it or not, such images have a history of being used in racist fashion, therefore they invoke all sorts of bad memories for much of the American population. It is irresponsible, but considering the source and Rupert Murdoch's views, not particularly surprising.
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 20 February 2009 at 10:38
Next trip, definitely. xoxox
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 20 February 2009 at 10:35
Wouldn't that be fun??!!
Posted by: Tara Bradford | 20 February 2009 at 10:35
Lovely photos of my former (and favorite American) city. My birthday present to myself last year was a trip to SF. North Beach has special memories for me.
Posted by: Mary | 20 February 2009 at 03:41
I'd love to get to that city one of these days. Will they hold the BlogHer meetings there again? Is that even happening again?
Wondering if you will comment on Obama's Canadian meetings...what is your take on that? I have no faith in our leader personally, I hope he doesn't mess up any new relationship. I wouldn't put it past him.
Smooches! xoxo
Posted by: Gillian daSilva | 20 February 2009 at 01:12
I can't tell you what seeing this sad ignorant excuse for a cartoon has made me feel. The NY post and the person who drew such hate should both be reprimanded. Unbelievable. I will not let this ignorance take "us" two steps back. I will go forward with educating myself and my children. I know that in my heart there is something terribly wrong, with that type of "joke".
Thank you for spreading the word.
: )
xo
Posted by: Christina | 20 February 2009 at 01:07
Ya know, I saw the cartoon in question, and I don't think it's as offensive as some people may portend it to be. You can read anything you want to into a cartoon - all the cartoon was saying is that our government is no better than a pile of monkeys... as in primates. Animals. Not derogatory slurs for certain ethnic peoples. But some people are obsessed with racism, so therefore anything with a monkey is apparently now racist. I wonder how Kong feels about that?
Posted by: sneaux | 19 February 2009 at 21:44
I wish I did because I forgot where that restaurant is and I only want to go with you!
xoxo
Posted by: tangobaby | 19 February 2009 at 20:08
I hope you land an assignment soon because I would dearly love to meet you at your favorite trattoria!
Posted by: dutchbaby | 19 February 2009 at 19:58