Made the decision to get the Marin Independent Journal online when leaving in mid November. I read it now with an increasing detachment. This feeling matches two definitions of detachment: the state of being objective or aloof and the action or process of detaching; separation. Both sets of synonyms are also appropriate. The first: dispassionateness, disinterest, indifference, aloofness, remoteness, distance, impartiality, fair-mindedness, equitability. Other appropriate synonyms are: disconnection, unfastening, disengagement, parting, separation, uncoupling, removal, unhitching, undoing, unhooking, freeing, severing, pulling off, cutting off, hacking off, chopping off, pruning, breaking off, disuniting. The antonym is attachment.
Several items caught my eye and shall be revealed onto you.
First this: “Rental prices in Marin are more than 6% higher than they were in the fourth quarter of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to industry analysts.” My goodness! Rental prices in Marin are exorbitant – apparently the highest in Marin are in Corte Madera, my former residence. Cannot imagine the rental increase that I would be suffering because there is no rent control in Marin County – how antiquated is that? No wonder the rental prices can raise and shall continue to rise.
Then this – which is laughable in a way.”Christmas trees could be at a premium this year in Marin amid supply chain issues and the effects of extreme heat.” I do not have to worry about that one so I am disengaged, freed, severed and broken off of trees and Christmas. I am not there and do not ‘celebrate’ Christmas. Therefore, I am rather dispassionate and disinterested in the exorbitant price of Christmas trees in Marin County.
Other news was received over a week ago, from the on line Marin IJ. Faithful readers will recall the last day of residency in Marin when the WiFi at Marin Suites crashed and while there took a photograph of an antiquated wooden power pole. Marin is one of the richest counties in the USA and they do not have underground utility conduits.
“The California Public Utilities Commission has fined Pacific Gas and Electric Co. $5 million for failing to inspect and repair a transmission line in Sausalito between 2009 and 2018.
The citation stated that the utility found 22 “high-priority safety hazards that should have been identified” when it did conduct an inspection of the Ignacio-Alto-Sausalito lines in March 2019. These 22 deficiencies “posed an immediate risk to the safety of PG&E’s transmission facilities and to the electric power supply for the city of Sausalito,” the document said.
Public Utilities Commission regulations require such high-priority deficiencies to be resolved within 30 days since they are considered an immediate rick to safety and reliability. PG&E failed to comply with that requirement, regulators said.
The deficiencies involved 21 transmission towers and included rusted and damaged tower parts, joints, and worn C-hooks. A worn PG&E C-hook that failed is believed to have sparked the Camp Fire in 2018, which destroyed the town of Paradise and killed 85 people.”
But it is freeing to see this dispassionately. Does anyone think this fine is going to make a difference? The opposite will be true. Less money for infrastructure repair and construction. Here in the UAE the infrastructure is underground, everything is safe. The people are protected, no fire will rip through a town called Paradise and kill 85 people. How ironic that the town is called Paradise. It must have seemed like the opposite – Hell – during the Camp Fire of 2018. It did happen because of the unchecked and runaway greed of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Democracies sometimes do not work; it appears that most of the time they do not work.
During most of the time I spent in Marin(1973-2014) it was safe – a bastion with good schools, safe from crime, pockets of poverty kept out of sight, the ghetto of Marin City isolated from the rest of Marin. But something is happening in that arena was well, according to the Marin IJ – in the same edition as the news of the PUC fine.
“A mob of thieves smashed the window to break into a Larkspur business Sunday night, resulting in $250,000 in damages and loss of merchandise in a crime similar to those occurring around the Bay Area, police said.
A private security guard employed by The RealReal in the Marin Country Mart Shopping Center called police at about 9:15 p.m. to report the incident involving approximately 40 suspects, Central Marin Police reported Wednesday.
Police said officers arrived at the scene in approximately two and a half minutes, but the suspects had already fled.
Later that night, Palo Alto police reported an attempted window-smash burglary at The RealReal store in that city, Central Marin Police said. Two suspects were arrested in that case. Palo Alto police also recovered property believed to be from the Larkspur burglary earlier that night. Palo Alto police booked the two suspects into the Santa Clara County Main Jail.
Central Marin Police are attempting to apprehend the suspects. They said they would not identify the suspects until they are taken into custody.
With similar crimes occurring throughout the Bay Area in recent days, Central Marin Police said they have stepped up patrols in retail areas.
The Marin Country Mart Shopping Center web site describes The RealReal as “the world’s largest marketplace for authenticated, resale luxury goods, with more than 24 million members. With a rigorous authentication process overseen by experts, The RealReal provides a safe and reliable platform for consumers to buy and sell their luxury items.”
So safe Marin is not at all as safe as before with Central Marin Police ‘stepping up patrols in retail areas.” This news actually brought some joy. Faithful readers will know that I have become a vagabond, came to reside in a Muslim country because of the massive prejudice I suffered as a Muslim woman under the jurisdiction of the Central Marin Police Department. So it was with some degree of happiness I read that those officers have something better to do with their time – they can deal with real criminals not little old Muslim ladies. Officer Mendes can feel like a real man handcuffing and maiming criminals, not little old ladies. His ‘superior’ office Hamid Khalilli who promised to help and then disappeared will be answerable to a higher authority (in more than one way, as he says he is a Muslim).
But enforcing the law will be almost impossible because so-called constitutional rights of privacy, no gun control, no enforcement of the law. But thanks to them and Tam Ridge Apartments who forced me out I am in Abu Dhabi, utterly safe and happy.
Going to break this to you gently, you residing in the United States of American. There is virtually no crime in the United Arab Emeritus. Everything is safe – one can leave valuable items in your car, nothing will not be stolen. If you are a woman (or a man) you can walk safely in every city. You can leave your phone and purse on a table in a restaurant and it will be there when you come back. What makes the difference? There are cameras everywhere – one’s every gesture is recorded, everywhere you go. No privacy, Americans moan, where privacy rights? Given a choice I would rather sacrifice my privacy and live in a decent society where I am safe and protected. The other difference is that laws are enforced – not like in the USA. Why enact a law that is never enforced? It encourages lawlessness.
During my years of residence in the USA I did try – worked in law enforcement, worked as an attorney supporting law enforcement in every form – but I failed – not just me but the system has failed. I am too old and tired to change the system, I need to work within a system that works, practicing the Islamic faith that makes a fair and just society function.
I am being blessed and rewarded. I continue to live in self isolation in the busy Rixos Resort. But knocks on my door. One is a young womanl from Uganda, who routinely cleans my spacious room. We had a long conversation today about religion. It was most illuminating and enlightening and I learned a great deal. She used to be a Catholic but now she is a born again Christian. I told her about a born again Christian that I met when in Vancouver. She was very intuitive.
She: You admired him! Why did you admire him? His money?
Me: No it was not his money. As a matter of fact I did not like his money. I laughingly said that I would prefer that he be older and poorer – that I would feel more comfortable with him if that were true.
She: What did he say?
Me: I do not think anything. But he did get poorer – as he did declare bankruptcy. And he did get older as well. We all do. I did tell her about Alix Residences and looked it up on the Internet. I found this quote on the website. “Come discover your most authentic self at ALIX Residences.” I had not seen that before, although stopped looking at the website some time ago.
We talked about our faiths – told her that the only difference (in some ways) is that she believes that Jesus is the Son of God and I believe that Jesus existed, as a Prophet. The other difference, of course, is she does not believe in the Last Prophet Mohammed.
Then another young black man who works on the staff came into the room bringing flowers. Honest – they shall be pictured – they and my Uganda daughter (who is not really my daughter). Everyone’s name is private so shall hers be. Her nickname could be MUD – My Uganda Daughter – cannot wait to tell her. She will love it.
Sent the picture of the me, MUD and the flowers, to Grandson (whose other nickname is MAD – Muslim Awesome Driver) He loves that nickname. I made him laugh by text – he is not working today – he is worshipping as it is Friday. This is good as he seldom takes any time off.
Me: I got flowers and here is a picture with Uganda daughter and flowers.
He: Wow! So cute.
Me: Thank you and you sent me my very favorite emoji. I am so happy!!
Then the young flower-bearing man also brought me special warmer and more comfortable slippers. As you can see I am most blessed and treasured. All praise to Allah.
Then a young man from Nepal brought flat bread from Room Service. He asked:
He: Are you alone? Are you alone staying here?
Me: Yes, I am alone. Utterly alone. No children, no husband and no family. But not alone.
Me; Which country are you from?
He: Nepal
Me: I had the most fantastic care giver who helped me recover from right knee surgery and an attempt on my life. She rescued me. I paid he,r of course. I have retirement income so that I can pay people to take care of me. My family would not have done a good job of caring for me – never did actually. So everything is great.
I was astonished when he put his arms around me and hugged me. I, of course, hugged back.
