Are we witnessing the demise of yet another iconic American company?

History is littered with larger-than-life companies who lost their way and ultimately failed in epic fashion: Sears, JC Penny, US Steel, AT&T, Kodak, Xerox, Blockbuster and most recently Anheuser-Bush. Each of these companies unfortunately squandered market share by ignoring shift in technology and/or changes in consumer behavior. But, most importantly they allowed customer trust to erode!

Based on the recent missteps with Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) Gemini platform, are they next?

For those who may not be aware, Gemini is a multimodality AI model that is designed to reason across text, code, audio, images and video. Meaning that it has the ability to seamlessly coalesce multiple and disparate data sources + data types into a single easily consumed response. Google is not alone in this venture to deliver this ground breaking technology. Companies such as Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta, IBM, and Tesla, are among many in a crowded field striving to make AI an everyday consumable technology.

This is clearly powerful stuff and could have far reaching impacts into all phases of our culture, how we learn, how we work and how we problem solve.

So, what happened recently to give many of us pause and to question the process by which Google is developing its Gemini platform…?

The New York Times’s Ross Douthat(1) offered a summary of the debacle, noting:

“It didn’t take long for users to notice certain . . . oddities with Gemini. The most notable was its struggle to render accurate depictions of Vikings, ancient Romans, American founding fathers and various other demographics usually characterized by a paler hue of skin”.

“Perhaps the problem was just that Gemini was programmed for racial diversity based on stock imagery, and its historical renderings had somehow” and as a company statement put it “missed the mark”.

The larger issue is that Gemini’s adventures in politically correct graphic imagery felt less like a design misstep and more like a reflection of its worldview.

“Users also reported being lectured on harmful stereotypes ad when asked to see a Norman Rockwell images or being told they could see pictures of Vladimir Lenin but not Adolf Hitler”...

CNBC’s Hayden Field noted on February 26, 2024(2), that when asked to comment on who had a greater impact on society, Elon Muck or Adolf Hitler, Gemini responded: “It is difficult to say definitively who had a greater negative impact on society, as both have had significant negative impacts in different ways. “Elon Musk’s tweets have been criticized for being insensitive, harmful, and misleading”. However, Gemini did eventually note that Hitler “was responsible for the deaths of millions of people during World War II.”

More troubling when asked if Pedophilia(3) is wrong? Gemini responded that it “is multifaceted and requires a nuanced answer…” Now, that’s disturbing.

And while Google leadership insisted that the issues were the product of some unfortunate but easily fixed programming glitches, it is important to note that this was a massive, much-tested initiative that had been in development for over a year. I find it insulting to be told that these issues were one-off glitches—but rather they really are a manifestation of Gemini’s DNA and a further a reflection of Google’s leadership bias.

I am not rebutting the technology…, as said this will most certainly be ground breaking and will make its way into all facets of our culture. What I am rebutting is the implied contract (expectation) that comes with it. For example, when you dine at a nice restaurant – you expect a fresh meal, when you make a deposit at your Bank – you expect the cash to be there and when you take a flight – you expect to arrive safely and relatively on time. These are all implied contracts.

Conversely, when I search for news across media outlets such as Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, TikTok or Twitter there is an implied expectation regardless of your political and philosophical orientation that there will be bias and inaccuracies. This is commonly understood and expected; leaving it to the consumer to make the appropriate determination.

Internet searches should fit the former and not the latter. The implied expectation is accuracy, not political correctness or some software engineer’s bias. These are tools that have become vital parts of everyday life. We expect them to be available, to work and to be accurate.

Google holds in its hands a very valuable and far-reaching technology. I urge Google leadership to be careful stewards, as trust can erode quickly and once it’s gone, it’s gone!

Sources:

1. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/24/opinion/google-gemini-artificial-intelligence.html

2. https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/26/googles-gemini-ai-picture-generator-to-relaunch-in-a-few-weeks.html

3. https://nypost.com/2024/02/23/business/woke-google-gemini-refuses-to-say-pedophilia-is-wrong-after-diverse-historical-images-debacle-individuals-cannot-control-who-they-are-attracted-to/

Redwood City leadership is exploring new avenues to offset an ongoing financial deficit by “re- imagining” the city’s services. For those not aware, the Redwood City Council recently hired several consulting firms to help identify additional sources of revenue. Apparently, this is in response to the City Council approving a $334 million budget(1) for the coming fiscal year which will result in an annual budget deficit of $9.2 million for the next eight years. Yes, the next eight years! The council is leveraging these consulting firms to identify strategies to address the deficit which will no doubt result in increasing the cost of city services and implementing obscure tax revenue options. Maybe that is the definition of “reimagining”.

At a time when we are all experiencing the impact of increasing inflation coupled with the soaring cost of living in San Mateo County, is now really the time to be increasing the burden on Redwood City residents? Since 2020 the consumer price index locally has increased approximately 15%(2), while wages have remained relatively flat. Unfortunately, there is no end in sight as we continue to see month over month increases to all key items including food and gas, with many consumers turning to their credits cards just to get by. And, the November ballot will be full of state and county bond measures, which are just taxes under a different name.

Let’s put this in perspective from the point of view of a Redwood City homeowner and speak real numbers. For context, the median value of owner-occupied housing in Redwood City per the 2023 census(3) was $1,777,600 with an average household income of $145,620. With our 1.14% property tax rate, the average Redwood City homeowner is paying more than $20,000 in property taxes annually or a very alarming 14% of their household income! Accounting for Federal (24%) and State (9.3%) taxes would further reduce average income by $34,949 and $13,543 respectively; making the tax total burden a staggering 47% of total income or $68,000 per household.

In addition to the tax burden, we have also seen eye-popping rate increases for electricity, gas water and sewer; making these services some of the most expensive in California. And, let’s not forget that Redwood City sales tax is among the highest in the country and almost 4 percentage points higher than the state average. This means, whatever money lea in your pocket is not going as far as it once did. 

City Manager Melissa Stevenson Diaz cited the combination of losses from the COVID-19 pandemic years and the current economic climate for the deficit that is forecasted to run through 2031. Diaz stated that new options to generate revenue could include increasing existing taxes, such as business licenses, property transfer, sales, hotel and utility user taxes. Interestingly, there does not appear to be any discussion of balancing the budget to erase the deficit. This would mean that the Council would need to operate like a business and follow the same discipline as all residents in making the difficult choices in what programs and services to fund (or not). Residents are not allowed to run a deficit unless you want to pay your credit card provider an interest rate of 27.90%(4).

The combination of soaring inflation, an ever-increasing tax burden and a forecasted eight-year budget deficit is quickly making Redwood City a cost prohibitive place to live and possibly one of the highest cost cities in the state, if not the country. This also further exasperates the ability for young prospective home buyers to enter housing market, a critical component in realizing the American Dream and creating generational wealth.

When times are difficult as these are and families are struggling to make ends meet, local governments would be wise to act in a more empathic manner and look for ways to reduce the financial burden that we all bear rather than looking at options to increase it. It would also be wise to practice a more pragmatic and disciplined approach to financial planning and management.

Sources:

1. https://www.rwcpulse.com/recent-news/2023/11/29/redwood-city-approves-tax-increase-study-despite-dozens-of-opposed-residents/

2. https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/consumerpriceindex_sanfrancisco.htm

3. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/redwoodcitycitycalifornia/PST045223

4. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/average-credit-card-interest-rate/

The words were directed at congressional Republicans in a meeting about his economic proposals. The words conveyed the message that those elected to office had been given a mandate by the people, empowering them to drive change. Those words resonate today as we take stock of our state and our county. We are painfully seeing the problems that arise when policy becomes driven more by ideology than by efficacy. We are living with the consequences of allowing our politics to become such a machine that here in San Mateo County elected offices are being passed down from one generation to another within a handful of dynastic families.

As Californians, we bear one of the heaviest tax burdens in the country, and it begs the question: is the quality of life in our state and county reflective of this reality? Are we getting an appropriate return on the investment of our tax dollars? Have our elected politicians delivered for all of us or just for some of us? Unfortunately, the evidence reflects a bleak reality:

• Though California contains some of the most affluent areas in the country (for example, Hillsborough, Atherton) and some of the richest technology companies on the planet, our state has sunk to 28th out of the 50 states in overall prosperity, while running the largest deficit ever ($25 billion, after previously posting a surplus last year).

• Inflation in California and San Mateo County far exceed the national averages by 27 points and 35 points respectively.

• We are continually burdened with bond measures that are simply taxes under another name; no less than 20 measures were on the ballot last year.

• Homelessness has become an unchecked cottage industry; $17.5 billion spent over the past four years with more than 170,000 unhoused and no solution in sight.

• Young couples are being forced out of the housing market and are voting with their feet as they leave the state.

• Public safety is visibly deteriorating as crime surges and flash mob theft strikes many places around the state as evidenced by San Francisco’s famous Union Square shopping district becoming a ghost town as retailers abandon the city.

• Our schools continue to be in the bottom quartile, but rather than focusing on bolstering basic skills, so many of our school boards are instead pushing divisive curriculum whose primary goal is virtue signaling and adherence to an ideology.

• And, drug abuse is becoming increasingly public, increasingly severe, and increasingly accepted as a social norm we can’t do anything about.

Dear Editor,

I was disappointed to read that football coach Steve Sell is so dismissive of female sports and the women who have fought for years for the right to compete fairly.

First, despite the inflammatory language used, there were no “vicious attacks” on kids. A group of women (1/3 of whom are lesbians) held signs reading “Protect Female Sports” at two high school track meets where biological boys were competing in girls’ events. Many of the female athletes and their families thanked the protesters and expressed that they were not able to object themselves for fear of backlash.

Sell states “irrefutable truths” (many of which are not truths but trans activist talking points), but what is irrefutable is that male puberty provides significant physical advantages in athletic competition. These advantages are not erased by hormone suppression, but at the high school level, there is not even a requirement to suppress testosterone for boys who “identify” as girls to compete with the girls. Sports have always been segregated by sex, not “gender identity”. And no one is trying to prevent any kids from competing in high school sports. All can participate with their biological sex. Just as we have age groups in youth sports (a 16 year old can’t play 10U Little League) and weight categories in wrestling, we separate sports by sex with good reason.

High school sports provide tremendous physical and mental benefits and all deserve fair competition. Keep female sports female.

-Michelle Koskella

Letter published HERE.

Our local government has failed us… now what?

The primary role of government at any level is to provide for the safety and security of its citizens. We should expect our leaders to perform this role in a respectful manner, debating issues of importance with supporting data and in keeping with their charter to the public, whom they serve.

After witnessing the recent San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (BoS) meeting in which the board voted 4-1 to adopt a controversial sanctuary ordinance that restricts the county from cooperating with ICE without a federal judicial warrant – even if the suspect in question was previously convicted of violent crimes such as murder, rape or child molestation – it’s clear that the BoS failed not only in fulfilling their primary role as providers of safety, but also in the basic task of conducting their behavior with decorum. This flawed decision and the manner in which it was determined is indicative of a board that is not capable of fulfilling its most basic civic duty!

For those interested, this decision and the conduct (or lack thereof) was reported on by Stephanie Sierra, a local ABC7 reporter and can be found on the ABC7news website or the BoS website.

The controversial bill was introduced by David Canepa of District 5 and was supported by Dave Pine, District 1, Noelia Corzo, District 2 and Warren Slocum, District 4.  The one vote against the measure was from Ray Mueller of District 3, who was seeking specific exclusions for repeat offenders of violent crimes.

In this article, I will focus purely on the case for and against adding the exclusion to the current sanctuary status and will refrain from any broader discussion of immigration, asylum law, or sanctuary cities and counties.

The available evidence suggests that the ordinance in question was decided based on an emotional argument rather than a data-driven one: that those who have been convicted of violent crimes such as murder, rape or child molestation and who are seeking asylum (i.e., are not here legally), have paid for their crimes and should not be punished by being turned over to ICE just because they are suspected of another crime. And, further, by allowing these individuals to remain in our community, we are helping maintain family-unit structure.

The counterargument is that there is a high rate of recidivism (repeat offense) among these individuals, especially for the most heinous crimes, thus placing the lives of victims and their families secondary to that of the person committing the crime. For example, a Justice Department study that looked at 5-year recidivism rates found that 16% of released sex offenders were arrested for commission of a violent crime within 5 years. More locally, the San Mateo County Sherriff’s Office stopped cooperating with ICE in November 2021, but data from 2018-2021 indicates that there were at least 35 cases where individuals convicted in San Mateo County had a long history of prior arrests, including those convicted of multiple lewd acts with children under 14, child abuse, DUI, grand theft and drug transporting. One can only surmise what current data would indicate if our Sherriff’s Office had not been pressured into making such an ill-informed decision.

Afterward, when pressed by the ABC reporter for recidivism rates, Supervisor Canepa was unable to respond and stated ... "I don't know, I don't know.” He went on to say, "When it comes to those types of crimes’ you're exactly right... we're not going to cooperate with ICE. Why should there be double punishment?”

Supervisor Canepa’s response is illuminating in that it shows that he is committed to a social change agenda untethered from facts or data. When government puts social change (regardless of how well intended it may be) above public safety, we have a problem. Change will only benefit society when it is managed responsibly, and some of our supervisors seem to have lost sight of that. 

But setting aside the merits of either side’s case, the behavior toward Supervisor Ray Mueller by his colleagues was appalling. It is simply unacceptable for a sitting Supervisor to shut down a reasonable policy debate by labeling one of his or her colleagues as a racist or white supremacist simply for disagreeing. The conduct and lack of decorum displayed in particular by Supervisors Canepa and Corzo would not be permitted in any business conference room or company board room and should not be allowed in the halls of our government.

The recent behavior and decisions coming from the BoS constitute a breach of the public’s trust, and I urge every resident of San Mateo County to reach out to their supervisor and insist that they do better. We have every right to expect that.

We honor those who gave their all…

On Memorial Day we remember those who gave all they could for our freedoms:

Soldier, rest! Thy warfare o'er,
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking,
Dream of battled fields no more.
Days of danger, nights of waking.

-Sir Walter Scott

On Memorial Day, we hope you took some take time to pay respect to the men and woman who fought and died for the possibility of peace. If you know a veteran, especially one who has recently returned from deployment, take a moment to thank them for their service.

To those of you who have served or are currently serving, thank you!

Always enjoy family and friends with special significance and especially... enjoy your freedom.

In honor and respect,
San Mateo County Republican Party.

Memorial Day reminds us of our duties toward the wounded soldiers still with us and the bereaved families, orphans, and widows of the fallen soldiers. We honor their sacred remains and show our gratitude in the following ways:

• Adorning the graves of the soldiers with flags or flowers.

• Visiting cemeteries and memorials.

• Furling the American Flag at half-mast until noon.

• Furling the 'POW/MIA Flag' at half-mast until noon.

• Observe 1 minute of silence at 3 p.m., 'National Moment of Remembrance' and listen to Taps being played.

• Take a pledge to aid the disabled veterans, widows, widowers, and orphans of fallen soldiers... and keep it.

• You may support the efforts to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th.

• Offer thanks to those veterans still with us to show appreciation of their sacrifices, or to the families and relatives of the bereaved families.

As with every nation, our nation’s history is complex. The intention of high school ethnic studies would seem to support that premise as one cannot excuse history, but one cannot erase it either. What we can do, is learn from history and apply those learnings in our aspiration “to create a more perfect union.” Based on my research, there appears to be widespread parent support of ethnic studies’ intent. If there is widespread agreement that any serious treatment of history should examine the experiences, perspectives and contributions of a wide range of groups, why is ethnic studies such a charged issue?

The San Mateo Union High School District recently held a series of “study sessions” on ethnic studies. In reviewing hundreds of pages of publicly available curriculum, specifically what is taught at Hillsdale High School, it was alarming that only one worksheet references the contributions and accomplishments of ethnic groups — the key stated intent of ethnic studies. However, in stark contrast, the overwhelming majority of the content focuses on oppression, colonization, resistance and hegemony. This reinforces the concerns of parents that there is a significant void between the stated intent (the what) of the curriculum and how it’s being implemented.

The following are a few representative examples:

• One worksheet seeks to define “dominant American culture” by identifying the U.S. flag, Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, and the bald eagle as symbols that the United States generally revolved around White people, wealthy men, etc.

• One assignment prompted students to fill in the blanks … “evidence shows that police and non-police people … are more likely to ____ at Black people as compared to White people with guns, resulting in Black people being killed at ____ a rate then White people are in world.”

• A “Race Literacy Quiz” includes 20 multiple choice questions and implies that the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution are possible examples that contribute to the rise of white supremacy. This only serves to create more division between white and Black people, while mostly silent as it relates to Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and other ethnicities.

Framing the discussion in this manner clearly implies a desired outcome, removes critical thinking and inquiry from the discussion and does nothing to further cultural awareness. This binary approach to ethnic studies lifting up some in favor of others is not what we should be teaching our children. Instead, we should be lifting up everyone and creating common awareness for all ethnicities and cultures. It is imperative we take the time to properly align intent with implementation as it will inform current and future generations. We must have a productive debate that shapes a curriculum that can sustain the test of time. A curriculum based on indoctrination and intellectual intimidation will not accomplish that. History is replete with nations that grew weak from internal divisions and eventually collapsed in upon themselves. Let’s ensure that doesn’t happen to the American Experiment in our desire to create a more perfect union.

Daniel Torunian
Redwood City

Arts Commissioner for District 2

President of the Board of Supervisors Dave Pine announced that applications are being accepted for appointment to the Arts Commission. There are currently two (2) vacancies on the Commission representing District 2. To be eligible, applicants must be a resident of District 2. To determine your District, please visit https://bos.smcgov.org/ and type in your residential address in the “Find Your District” section of the page.

This ten-member Commission was formed to promote and encourage the arts in San Mateo County; to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of Supervisors; to provide a community, needs-driven Strategic Plan for the Arts in the county; and to act as a liaison with art organizations to ensure collaboration and coordination related to cultural and art activities in San Mateo County.

Meetings are held bimonthly on the 3rd Wednesday of January, March, May, July, September, November, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, 455 County Center, 4th Floor, Conference Room 402, in Redwood City. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 21, 2023 at 5:00 PM. The online application is available at the County website: https://bnc.smcgov.org/vacancies Applications can also be obtained from Sherry Golestan, Deputy Clerk of the Board, 400 County Center, Redwood City, at sgolestan@smcgov.org or by calling (650) 363-4609.

For information about this committee, contact the Office of Arts and Culture at ArtsAndCulture@smcgov.org. For information about this release,contact Sherry Golestan, Deputy Clerk of the Board, at (650) 363-4609 or sgolestan@smcgov.org.

It has widely been reported that the state will likely have a $25 billion budget deficit in 2023, which could possibly increase to $40 billion if a recession is triggered. Somewhat surprising after the state reported a budget surplus of $97.5 billion just this past year. That’s a $122.5 billion swing in less than a year.

The size of these numbers is hard to fathom. Especially for those of us who balance our budget weekly, monthly to make ends meet. And, it begs the question, what is going on with our leadership in Sacramento? Is the recent “The California Blueprint” announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a blueprint to failure?

In my research, I found numerous articles examining the problem from the lens of making the budget numbers work, as if we were trying to solve a math equation. While others refer to the problem as “manageable.” But there was no discussion as to why the world’s fifth largest economy can’t seem to manage its budget effectively and deliver the services its residents require? Surely, if any of us in our jobs delivered this type of budget crisis, we would be fired.

So, what’s behind our budget crisis — my hypothesis is that it’s a two-sided problem, Sacramento has a planning problem and an accountability problem.

• Planning: California’s primary source of income is taxes. No surprise there, as we are the highest taxed state in the country. And, many will say that it’s justified given all that this beautiful state has to offer. But apparently the state has overly weighed its income projections on the wealthiest segment of the population continuing to pay more. And, again, some may say that there’s nothing wrong with that. Well, there is something wrong with that when the wealthiest segment is declining due to the impact of inflation, downturn in the tech industry, and many just feeling frustrated and leaving the state.

Please know that I am not making a case (for or against) taxing our wealthy — we can leave that debate for another day. I am calling out the failed strategy of continually building a budget largely based on revenue from a declining segment of the population, while conversely, not having a strategy to grow tax revenue from other facets of the economy, such as encouraging new and existing small and midsize businesses. Creating a climate that encourages innovation and new ideas. And lifting up those in low income or poverty levels to be active members of our economy.

• Accountability: As the numbers above illustrate, we spend a lot of money. Putting aside “the what” we spend our money on, where is the accountability in delivering results? Decades of well-intended social programs and lofty infrastructure programs have delivered little. We clearly have an accountability issue in which every program funded should have a clear timeline of when it will be completed and/or what results will it achieve. Unfortunately, we have created an environment where these “well-intended” programs and the consultants and politicians that sponsor them have become a cottage industry in and of themselves, receiving funding year after year with negligible results.

  As a native Californian who has paid taxes for more than 44 years, I have a simple test of whether my tax dollars are having a positive impact:

• Do people feel safe? Unfortunately, no. Of the state’s 58 counties, 37 have seen a rise in violent crimes, with 10 counties increasing by 20% or more.

• Are our schools getting better? No. We rank 44th in the nation (remember the lottery was supposed to address this).

• Is our infrastructure better? No. As evidenced by our ongoing water crisis that has plagued this state for decades. There have been no investments in water infrastructure for more than 40 years; but yet, the state’s population has increased 17% over the same period.

• And, has the homelessness crisis improved? No. California has the third highest rate in the nation, trailing New York and Hawaii, with 38.3 homeless people for every 10,000 residents. Further just over 71% of the homeless in California are unsheltered. That’s both tragic and very sad.

Clearly, we can do better and clearly, we deserve better. And if we want this beautiful state to sustain itself, we must do better.

Daniel Torunian
Redwood City

Editor,

Mark Simon’s Jan. 19, 2023, column on Republicans on the Peninsula prompted a response. Neither party should hope for the demise of the other. Our country has prospered when both parties are engaged in healthy debate to solve big problems. The role of both parties is to be a voice for the people. Unfortunately, Proposition 14 installed a top-two vote receiver system, essentially eliminating a candidate from each party in the primaries, which has led to one-party rule — an antithesis to democracy.

In California, this has led to a majority Democratic Legislature and governor, which has turned a projected budget surplus of $97.5 billion to a deficit of $22.5 billion. Further, the exodus of California companies and families to other states has also eliminated much-needed tax revenue for social programs.

The Democratic Party’s fascination with turning crime, homelessness, drugs, immigration and climate change into political issues as opposed to social solutions is wearing thin on voters. Identity politics and name calling has driven many to hide behind a No Party Preference designation.

Hopefully, the issue of education will energize Republicans, independents and Democrats alike. Our schools rank 44th in the country. Declining core curriculum, dismantling of merit-based education and divisive curriculum with inappropriate gender studies are driving a wedge between students, parents and teachers.

History has shown moving the pendulum to one extreme or the other is never sustainable. The past is not always a window to the future.

Daniel Torunian
Redwood City