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Free Wi-Fi In San Francisco Before Year's End
Meraki repeaters are seen throughout the city
San Francisco has been steadily working on rolling out free Wi-Fi for residents on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis. The city is doing this with the help of Meraki, a company which places repeaters on residential rooftops in order to make residential ISP bandwidth available to others in the area. One big chunk of residences getting these repeaters is the affordable housing units of San Francisco which helps to move the network forward while also aiding in the bridge of the digital divide. The city recently announced that the process is going well and that all of San Francisco should have access to the service before the year is over. In the meantime, smaller cities in the Bay Area are watching carefully to find methods of moving forward with citywide Wi-Fi in a way that will work better than initial attempts in the area did.
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ninjatutle
Premium
join:2006-01-02
San Ramon, CA

ninjatutle

Member

How

"We're starting with low-income housing to make sure they aren't left out,"

And how are they suppose to connect to this free WIFI? With their gold 22" laptops?
AquaSport
California - Sun, Surf, Traffic Jams
join:2007-05-03
California

AquaSport

Member

Re: How

for low income families that have computers and internet access (it's basically a necessity now), this service will help a large deal for some, as when the network is up and running, the low-income families won't have to pay for internet access, which is money out of their pockets every month.

Free WiFi.

Soon enough - Free Healthcare.

etc.

if it's done right, anything can work this way. Free WiFi isn't really free - it was paid for by somebody who had enough money to fund the project for people who might not have enough money to pay for their own service in the first place.

Like with healthcare, if it's paid for by a large number of people with sufficient funds to chip in a little bit, then the service can greatly help those who wouldn't have the money to chip in anything at all and can't even afford the healthcare service for themselves in the first place.
stevephl
join:2000-11-27
Colorado Springs, CO

stevephl

Member

Re: How

This is hilarious, are you that clueless or just playing fast and loose with the facts? "Chip in", no wrong we do not just chip in a little, we are taxed, our money taken (stolen) by the government to give to those who due to various reasons will not do on their own. This is wealth redistribution plain and simple. From each according to their abilities to each according to their needs, does that sound familiar? Hey if people want to voluntarily contribute money to the "poor" that is their decision and more power to them but do not come in the dark of night and steal my money that I worked hard for. If I can work hard an earn an income so can anyone else. If no jobs relocate to another area of the country that has jobs.

Steve in America

Toropop
join:2001-11-11
Vancouver, WA

Toropop to AquaSport

Member

to AquaSport
The City and County of San Francisco already offers free healthcare to its residents who aren't offered healthcare from their employers and aren't eligible for regular public assistance. And guess what? We didn't have to pay for it through a tax increase.

jester121
Premium Member
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

jester121

Premium Member

Re: How

So the city and county cut spending elsewhere to pay for it?

Taxes are the only way government can pay for anything. If expenditures went up (for health care) then taxes were raised. And only people pay taxes, even when they claim it's a corporate or business tax.

kieranmullen
Premium Member
join:2005-12-12
Portland, OR

kieranmullen to AquaSport

Premium Member

to AquaSport
Not a necessity. Tax dollars are already paying for it anway. Go to the public library and use the computers and Internet there. Want wifi? Pay for it.
said by AquaSport:

for low income families that have computers and internet access (it's basically a necessity now), this service will help a large deal for some, as when the network is up and running, the low-income families won't have to pay for internet access, which is money out of their pockets every month.

Free WiFi.

Soon enough - Free Healthcare.

etc.

if it's done right, anything can work this way. Free WiFi isn't really free - it was paid for by somebody who had enough money to fund the project for people who might not have enough money to pay for their own service in the first place.

Like with healthcare, if it's paid for by a large number of people with sufficient funds to chip in a little bit, then the service can greatly help those who wouldn't have the money to chip in anything at all and can't even afford the healthcare service for themselves in the first place.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

1 recommendation

pnh102 to ninjatutle

Premium Member

to ninjatutle
said by ninjatutle:

And how are they suppose to connect to this free WIFI? With their gold 22" laptops?
You forget that taxpayer-funded computers and Internet are now Constitutional rights.
Relic (banned)
join:2003-09-29

Relic (banned) to ninjatutle

Member

to ninjatutle
said by ninjatutle:

"We're starting with low-income housing to make sure they aren't left out,"

And how are they suppose to connect to this free WIFI? With their gold 22" laptops?
Laptops can be as low as $200 today, and probably about the same cheaply on Ebay.

Good for them. If there's anyone who deserves it, it's San Franciscans.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536 to ninjatutle

Premium Member

to ninjatutle
said by ninjatutle:

"We're starting with low-income housing to make sure they aren't left out,"

And how are they suppose to connect to this free WIFI? With their gold 22" laptops?
Everyone knows those on welfare are usually the same ones with hummers and caddies in their driveways.
stevephl
join:2000-11-27
Colorado Springs, CO

1 recommendation

stevephl

Member

Socialism

San Francisco has become one of the biggest socialist cities in America with this latest free Wi-Fi project just another wealth redistribution plan. It is too bad that free "common sense" cannot be made available to the city government.

Next SF can offer free laptop computers to the
disenfranchised, then when the digital divide is bridged these poor disenfranchised peoples can start downloading the latest HD movies and mp3's from their favorite P2P networks.

Steve in America
(USN retired, keeper of the flame of freedom)
AquaSport
California - Sun, Surf, Traffic Jams
join:2007-05-03
California

AquaSport

Member

Re: Socialism

this service is being created to help others - not to make sure that everyone has the exact same amount of this/that and nothing more.

i know that's a joke, but at least a few morons who come to this page will get the idea that San Francisco is a socialist society and "we're all gonna die!" - or turn into Cuba as it was in 2000.
stevephl
join:2000-11-27
Colorado Springs, CO

stevephl

Member

Re: Socialism

As someone who spent a one year living in SF back many years ago, SF is one of the worst socialist cities in North/South America. The anti-military stance taken by the city, the push to give illegal aliens the right to vote, etc the list goes on. Too many people fought and died for this great country and our political way of life to just roll over and let communism take root. Eventually "We the People" will stand up and revolt against cities like SF.

Steve in America

pspcrazy
Anime Freak
join:2008-02-06
San Diego, CA

pspcrazy

Member

Re: Socialism

Why do you even fear something like communism? Communism will only take root if the people want it to, and if the people want it to then so be it. I never understood why people feared something that honestly wasn't much of a threat in the first place. It was just one of the reason's politicians used to use their warheads on someone else before they expired, and heck it worked lol.
cubs4eva
Premium Member
join:2004-04-29
Aurora, IL

cubs4eva

Premium Member

Re: Socialism

Yeah, no doubt. What exactly is wrong with Socialism? I thought Socialism and Communism were different things?

a333
A hot cup of integrals please
join:2007-06-12
Rego Park, NY

1 edit

a333 to stevephl

Member

to stevephl
WTF does socialism have to do with our constitutional freedoms? You seem to have been drinking too much from the US 'Freedom' Kool-aid. Hate to break it to you, but right now, the only ones with true freedom in the good 'ol U s of A, are the corporate execs who go to bed with Capitol lobbyists.

CCNnorthcali
join:2004-03-07
San Francisco, CA

1 recommendation

CCNnorthcali to stevephl

Member

to stevephl
Oh please, I hear this argument all the time and it's ridiculous. Just because the people of the Bay Area don't want the military to feed off the poor uneducated population doesn't make them anti-military. I would argue we are some of the most supportive of the HUMANS in our military dieing for a war based on lies and corruption. How is that not supportive of the troops? Oh, and the illegal aliens are taking over the city... the horror!

I'm glad you moved to "Christian Country" there in Colorado Springs, you'll be much happier there.

I'm glad San Fransisco is spending tax dollars wisely and giving back.

In case anyone is wondering, I live in both SF and AZ.

Toropop
join:2001-11-11
Vancouver, WA

4 edits

2 recommendations

Toropop to stevephl

Member

to stevephl
said by stevephl:

As someone who spent a one year living in SF back many years ago, SF is one of the worst socialist cities in North/South America. The anti-military stance taken by the city, the push to give illegal aliens the right to vote, etc the list goes on. Too many people fought and died for this great country and our political way of life to just roll over and let communism take root. Eventually "We the People" will stand up and revolt against cities like SF.

Steve in America
As a native San Franciscan, current resident, and retired USN myself, I can safely say that The City is not one of, or even "the" worst, socialist cities in the Americas. In fact, if anything, it's probably one of the best. San Francisco has led the way in creating programs that work for its nearly three quarters of a million citizens without raising taxes -- thanks Proposition 13.

Being from Colorado, you probably had a different agenda for fighting for your country. My agenda was to ensure that we could carry on with our repressed freedom, censorship, capitalism, marginalism of individuals who will do jobs that you would never think of doing yourself, and continuing on with our effed up way of nominating and voting for presidents through the electoral college system... in a democratic way, of course. The most important part of my agenda, though, was to allow the United States to continue to make mistakes and hopefully learn from them, or to possibly even continue to do great things for this nation -- and the world.

As far as thinking that The City is becoming "communist," well, I'm thinking that Mr. Dictionary has possibly escaped you since our social programs are nothing close to being communist. Check your facts: communism is not socialism. Also, you may not be aware of this, but the United States has the lowest tax burden on its citizen than any other nation in the world. If we were a communist nation, or even a socialist nation, you would be seeing far less of your precious Navy pension and other income. Most other nations' citizens have tax burdens of up to 70% of their incomes. We get off with a paltry 25-31%, depending on which state you live in. The second lowest, Canada, has a burden of 35%. Oh, and look... they have socialized medicine.

I really could go on and on about what is wrong with your argument: about how many of our low-income residents work two to three jobs just to get by (and this is true nationwide, by the way); how they also are trying to educate themselves and their families to get ahead in life. Etc. I'm pretty sure you don't care about any of that, though. All you probably care about is making sure the VA continues to pay for your medical needs (oh, that's right, they aren't), being able to keep your gun collection, and denying basic human rights to those men and women (who also fought for our country) who happen to want to build a life with with someone of the same sex, and enjoy the same rights and freedoms that heterosexual couples get to enjoy (all 1,100 of them).

Golly, it must be distressing to think that the nation you fought for is going to hell in a handbasket.

Get back to us to tell us how bad it is when something goes wrong in your life and you need to take advantage of a social program in order to survive.

Oh, that's right... by then, you probably won't have a computer or access to Wi-Fi in order to post that report.

Pity.
Relic (banned)
join:2003-09-29

1 recommendation

Relic (banned)

Member

Re: Socialism

QFT.

It's pretty difficult to imagine the poster you quoted as actually even visiting San Francisco, never mind actually living there. I regularly visit SF (a mere 30-45 minute drive) and their success has seeped into the rest of the Bay Area in how to be open minded, with so many different cultural melting pots. The real criticism against San Francisco is that people are tolerant, and intolerant people are obviously jealous that people in San Francisco care about freedom equally (even for gays) and care enough about helping their residents enough to give them Wi-Fi. The usefulness and necessity of having the internet is unrivaled.

Good for San Francisco. Here's hopes that the entire Bay Area gets free/muni Wi-Fi (or fiber).

pp03
join:2002-06-13

pp03

Member

Re: Socialism

To the poster from AZ and CA, I wonder to which state he files residency taxes for?

Where are you guys getting this garbage % tax number? Federal income taxes are that, state income taxes on top of that, state and county sales taxes on top of that, property taxes, license taxes for on and off road vehicle's, gas taxes, taxes on income you put in to invest and when you take it out it goes on and on and on...

I would like to see where you get 35% for Canada, I live by and go to Ontario a lot -- I love the huge sales tax...

What is so wrong with this: NOT WANTING TO PAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO HAVE THE INTERNET? Not wanting to pay for my 30 something year old stepbrother who has been on welfare since he was 18 and is perfectly healthy, NOT WANTING TO PAY FOR OLD IDIOTS THAT RELIED SOLELY ON SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THEIR RETIREMENT -- THATS RIGHT THE IDIOTS WHO DIDN'T INVEST.

Keep your socialized crap, just as it spreads, and even in SF, have a check box that says, do you want to pay for x and y, if not check here and you can keep that money. Guess what, none of your crappy programs would succeed.

And before you pull that gun-toting midwest BS, I'm a proud atheist that doesn't own a gun. But I'll be damned if I'll pay for anyone else's bullshit unless they are a child or physically disabled.

Toropop
join:2001-11-11
Vancouver, WA

2 edits

1 recommendation

Toropop

Member

Re: Socialism

It's not a "garbage % tax number". I imagine that you don't have 3 hours for 17 weeks available to you right now to learn about economics, just as I don't have that much time to explain it here. Not to mention, it's not appropriate for this forum. I understand that Wikipedia does a pretty good job of explaining tax burden. Personally, I haven't read through it. If you choose to do so, please remember that there is a difference between tax burden and income & sales taxes that you're referring to in your post. It can be a tad confusing, but should be clear if you read up on it.

CCNnorthcali
join:2004-03-07
San Francisco, CA

1 edit

1 recommendation

CCNnorthcali to pp03

Member

to pp03
I file taxes in Arizona only because that is where I work.

It's internet for all to use, yes including people who like to cheat the system, but also for many legitimate users. It's not JUST for one group of people.

I guess I'm just a bit more worried about all the $341 million we spend each day in Iraq than what we spend on social programs.
Relic (banned)
join:2003-09-29

2 recommendations

Relic (banned) to pp03

Member

to pp03
said by pp03:

To the poster from AZ and CA, I wonder to which state he files residency taxes for?

Where are you guys getting this garbage % tax number? Federal income taxes are that, state income taxes on top of that, state and county sales taxes on top of that, property taxes, license taxes for on and off road vehicle's, gas taxes, taxes on income you put in to invest and when you take it out it goes on and on and on...

I would like to see where you get 35% for Canada, I live by and go to Ontario a lot -- I love the huge sales tax...

What is so wrong with this: NOT WANTING TO PAY FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO HAVE THE INTERNET? Not wanting to pay for my 30 something year old stepbrother who has been on welfare since he was 18 and is perfectly healthy, NOT WANTING TO PAY FOR OLD IDIOTS THAT RELIED SOLELY ON SOCIAL SECURITY FOR THEIR RETIREMENT -- THATS RIGHT THE IDIOTS WHO DIDN'T INVEST.

Keep your socialized crap, just as it spreads, and even in SF, have a check box that says, do you want to pay for x and y, if not check here and you can keep that money. Guess what, none of your crappy programs would succeed.

And before you pull that gun-toting midwest BS, I'm a proud atheist that doesn't own a gun. But I'll be damned if I'll pay for anyone else's bullshit unless they are a child or physically disabled.
Here's some food for thought:

Nearly everything you pay for in taxes goes, in some fashion, to something you don't want it to. Guaranteed. The idea of checking a box to taxes you want to pay is utterly retarded and defeats the purpose of taxes altogether.

Either you go live on "pp03 Island" by yourself or quit bitching about taxes going to things you don't want it to and deal with it like the rest of us. I hate the fact that my taxes goes in any fashion toward churches. So what?

If you don't want it to pay for welfare bums, give them a job. And in cities like San Francisco it's pretty difficult to live on welfare, as it's not cheap at all to live there. Nonetheless, those who can actually save up for a computer will have Wi-Fi, and you'll probably be happy to know (without even living in San Francisco) that most of those people on welfare won't even have a computer -- even though you don't actually live in SF so shouldn't be whining.

Lone Wolf
Retired
Premium Member
join:2001-12-30
USA

Lone Wolf

Premium Member

Take a Lesson From Philly

Check out the free Wi-Fi in Philly disaster.
Karl Bode See Profile has had a few stories on this idiotic mess that ended up in the crapper.
Here's another, »www.gcn.com/online/vol1_ ··· 3-1.html
natere2
join:2004-07-11
Cartersville, GA

natere2

Member

heard it before

i have heard of free wifi before, yet it never seems to actually turn on......does anyone know of where to get free citywide WIFI? LOL 8^D
as far as the corny socialism concept, its so old on both sides, so lame
left vs right, yahdah

FastTracker
@cox.net

1 recommendation

FastTracker

Anon

We Need Alternative

The essence of this discussion should be that EVERYONE in the U.S. is getting screwed in terms of quality, reasonably priced broadband. Just look at what so many other nations are doing.

The incumbent providers, habitually sucking on the nipple of the regulatory protection racket, have done NOTHING to being this country into the 21st century.

At the very least, give Meraki credit for trying to implement a creative alternative.