“Plant-Based Sweets and Treats,” Taste, 9/30
It’s About the Environment
I’ve been cutting way back on meat to reduce my carbon footprint. Whether I go all the way vegan or not, it would feel great to support these businesses and to feed my sweets addiction at the same time.
Christopher Fallis, Alameda
“Oakland Favors Bank Over Bus Riders,” News, 9/30
It’s About Political Connections
This is disgraceful that city staff and other city officials would bow to the demands of Summit Bank. It’s not safe to have a bus stop in front of the bank? What does that tell you about the attitude of Summit Bank toward bus riders like myself? And, for those who say the bus stop at Hawthorne is fine, they obviously don’t know the neighborhood because the block the new Sprouts is going into is a very large block, essentially a double block. Indeed, it is the equivalent of walking two blocks and is uphill from 30th Street. So now the new CVS, the new Sprouts, and the existing Grocery Outlet — all stores that lower income folks and bus riders shop at, will not have bus stops convenient to them from one direction. I’d say that’s bad planning — but it isn’t, it’s kowtowing to class fears from a bank that is politically connected.
Scott Pearson, Oakland
“The Gentle Thich Nhat Hanh,” Raising the Bar, 9/30
Why Reproach the Dalai Lama?
Thank you for such a lovely tribute to Thich Nhat Hanh. I do object however to the slightly reproachful tone of the comment regarding his holiness the Dalai Lama. It is not necessary to disparage one figure to extol the virtues of another. Both figures are of such inspiration that making such a speculative remark regarding his holiness can only be detrimental to the spirit of Buddhism that they practice and encourage others to follow. His holiness has shown time and time again an openness to learning, respecting others’ perspectives, and encourages people to always listen and to use your own mind to make decisions. I should hope that the author reconsiders his own judgment and follows their example.
Betty Tran, San Francisco
“Defending Sanctuary,” News, 9/23
Borders Divide Us
Immigration policies and extreme restrictions placed upon the movement of people tears apart love relationships and divides families. The concept of “nation” is artificial and divides us. Anything that reduces these restrictions and promotes kindness and connection among all peoples on this Earth has my vote. It is, in fact, the only way that we will survive this current Earth crisis with any degree of success.
Segue Fischlin III, Oakland
“Chowhound in Crisis,” Food, 9/23
Flickr Got Screwed First
It’s worth noting that by Chowhound General Manager Georges Haddad’s own account, he was also responsible for the 2013 Flickr redesign, which Flickr users hated. That redesign prioritized slick looks over usability, undermined the community aspect of the site, increased loading times, and generally ignored the things people most used and valued about Flickr. So the Chowhound clusterfuck is not exactly without historical precedent.
Tom Hilton, San Francisco
Goodbye, Chowhound
I am a longtime user — back when we would send money to Jim Leff to help keep the site going. When I tried the Beta version of the redesign, I was highly underwhelmed. I tried it a few more times to get dining info for an upcoming trip. I am dropping out of the Chowhound community as it is now. Luckily many of us “founding members” have been setting up discussions on Facebook. RIP Chowhound.
Candace Grover, Bloomington, Indiana
