Google police the homeless....

[JasonD]

https://pando.com/2015/06/22/we-got-geeks/9b9ec41cb5ee9e22f39aa0b6c7fb5a2f6ca07150/

If true, disgusting!

(and I believe it to be true)

[Brad]

It rings of truthiness. Sounds like the city is letting Google's security thugs do whatever they want on public property.

[littleman]

This is believable to me.  Google just bought and renovated a building in a part of the Mission district in SF that has many homeless camps -- very close to where I am currently working.  I think it is Google's new strategy to buy up places in run down areas and then gentrify them.

[littleman]

edit:
>truthiness

After reading the whole article, it seems like some of the first hand testimonials are probably embellished.  I severely doubt that Google is having security guards patrolling with pit bulls and spitting on people.  

[littleman]

I just watched that video, that guard seems more like old fashion muscle than a typical security guard.  What type of security guard walks around with a hoodie?

[ergophobe]

I would expect it's mostly true but....

>>embellished

No doubt

This building right here is for all the engineers. Everyone in there makes over $1 million.

A few friends who work/ed for Google would be retired by now if every engineer (or mathematician with an MBA) made over 1 million dollar

[JasonD]

>>embellished

>No doubt

Agreed. However.... where does the embellishment end and abuse start?

[ergophobe]

>>embellished

>No doubt

Agreed. However.... where does the embellishment end and abuse start?

Honestly, I think even the quote I pulled is "true" in that the security guard, who probably knows little to nothing about the life of a Google engineer, probably said it. It's the stuff of legend and the guy wants to believe that all the engineers make a million.

And then... I have some friends who are law enforcement rangers in Yosemite and so many stories float around. There was an "expose" about someone abused by them, she claims for no reason. I know from good witnesses not related to the arrest that she was stinking drunk and tried to punch the ranger. She claimed they gave her nothing to drink and wouldn't let her use the toilet, when there is no cell without a toilet and a sink. So I know we see terrible stuff on TV all the time, but arrestees often have a certain version of the story.

But with all those caveats, I basically believe that the essentials of that story are being accurately reported. It is absolutely in line with the current ethos of America.

As radical folk singer Phil Ochs onces said: "Liberals, 10 degrees to the left of center in good times. 10 degrees to the right of center when it affects them personally." I think you see a lot of that going on among the privileged classes of the California tech industries. Meaning, all in favor of homeless rights, as long as it doesn't affect them personally.

[JasonD]

>"Liberals, 10 degrees to the left of center in good times. 10 degrees to the right of center when it affects them personally."

Here we call them 'Champagne Socialists' and it was rife over here during the Blair years, and still is within the VC community. And yes, I know it sounds like an oxymoron, calling VCs socialists but it's the reality.

[littleman]

Too that end, there are towns in California that seem left leaning at first glance that actually outlaw homelessness -- they make it a crime to sleep in public places.  Santa Cruz is an example of this.

[Brad]

There are towns that make it illegal to feed the homeless in public areas.