Marissa Castelli's skates and costumes were stolen (and returned)

[AxelAnnie]

One thing I'd like to note. It has taken many decades for SF's homeless situation to get to this point, and it will likely take many more years until we can solve it.

There are lots of extenuating circumstances that make SF a particularly tricky place to build housing in. For one thing, it's already extremely dense and there's nowhere else to build aside from places where a lot of people don't want to live. (The new "Shipyard" complex is an example - it used to be exactly what you think it is.) Or if you make other people homeless by tearing down existing residences and building a bigger complex in its place. Getting anything built is extremely difficult in SF particularly, and construction is already a slow process just by nature.

There are people hard at work to turn this around, but it isn't something that will be solved in the next 5 years. It doesn't mean we don't care, or that nobody's trying to work on it.

(Just a message from someone working on the affordable housing program in San Francisco. )

Not everyone can afford to live in the city.....which is why we have bedroom communities. I would not expect there to be an emphasis on affordable housing in SF.

As to the homeless, they do not need to be housed, treated or re-rehabilitated within the city itself. There is tons of open land within an hour of the city.

I would love to see a huge facility built (Palo Alto, East Bay, lots of places) with psychiatric housing, homeless housing and re-rehabilitation (i.e. job skills, job apps, etc.). And for the able-bodied they work. In the complex....grow food, cook, tend livestock. Could be totally self sufficient, the with object to get these people back into regular life.

For those who are mentally ill and refuse treatment, there should be a special and secure place for them to live.........by themselves.

For those who don't want to work "for the man", fine. See above.
No work, fine. Sustenance level food. Period. Anything else they can work for.

Choosing to live on the streets, panhandle, etc., should not be an option.

Liberals need to change their view of the rights of the homeless, or this problem will never be fixed.

Alcatraz is available Great views. You could grow a lot of crops there.

 

[Skittl1321]

Meanwhile, I hope she sets up a Go Fund Me to help with the replacement costs. Good week to do it.

Would she not have some sort of personal property insurance to cover that?

(Or at least in the case of her boots- surely she has a sponsor. The loss is that they are well broken in. The loss of the costumes is that they are irreplaceable, regardless of $.)

 

[AxelAnnie]

Oh, and about pets. If you can't afford a pet, you should not have a pet. I am sure it is "comforting" to have your dog(s) as you sit at the exit of Whole Foods with a sign that says "money for food", but where are all the pet advocates? Those poor dogs are not getting proper care....i.e. shots, worming, flea an tic treatment. And if you are on the street because (you say) you could not find a place that would take your dog.........well, that is sad, but get rid of the dog. A dog is a luxury.
BTW - I have dogs and cats (and horses). There are places I could not rent because of the dog or cat.............wonderful places. But that is life. I had to find a place, bet, and make a $1,000 deposit for the dog.

Homelessness is a crisis (in my opinion) not a lifestyle choice.

 

[Spun Silver]

I hate to say this, @AxelAnnie, but that idea of a colony of the homeless is right out of the old eugenicist playbook. I was reading about it not 20 minutes ago.

By 1918, Popenoe had become well-established enough to co-author (with Roswell Hill Johnson) a popular college textbook on eugenics (Applied Eugenics, edited by Richard T. Ely), which outlined his vision of a eugenics program that primarily relied on the segregation of "waste humanity" into rural institutions where they would perform manual labor to offset the cost of their institutionalization.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Popenoe

I don't agree that it's an insoluble problem. But when it comes to changing policy directions, there is no overestimating the power of entrenched bureaucracies in both the public and private sectors. I saw how it worked when I was an anti-poverty advocate in NYC. It takes a strong outsider who's not afraid of the media to change things.

 

[Anita18]

As to the homeless, they do not need to be housed, treated or re-rehabilitated within the city itself. There is tons of open land within an hour of the city.

I would love to see a huge facility built (Palo Alto, East Bay, lots of places) with psychiatric housing, homeless housing and re-rehabilitation (i.e. job skills, job apps, etc.). And for the able-bodied they work. In the complex....grow food, cook, tend livestock. Could be totally self sufficient, the with object to get these people back into regular life.

Given that those "lots of places" often have extremely wealthy homeowners who don't want such a huge facility built within their city limits to house even their own homeless (let alone San Francisco's), that's unfortunately a pipe dream.

George Lucas did propose building affordable housing on his own land in Marin, when his rich snooty neighbors refused to let him expand his studio there. But the last I heard of it was back in 2015 and I dunno if it's made any headway. Still made me though!

 

[Anita18]

ANYWAY, hopefully Marissa finds her stuff soon! My sister's cellist friend went around pawn shops in the city, passing out flyers and descriptions (and a copy of the police report), and eventually found her cello that way!

 

[AxelAnnie]

Given that those "lots of places" often have extremely wealthy homeowners who don't want such a huge facility built within their city limits to house even their own homeless (let alone San Francisco's), that's unfortunately a pipe dream.

George Lucas did propose building affordable housing on his own land in Marin, when his rich snooty neighbors refused to let him expand his studio there. But the last I heard of it was back in 2015 and I dunno if it's made any headway. Still made me though!

Well a mensch in the bunch! Mr. Lucas has a ton of land, and there is tons and tons of land out his way (that he does not own).

 

[AxelAnnie]

I hate to say this, @AxelAnnie, but that idea of a colony of the homeless is right out of the old eugenicist playbook. I was reading about it not 20 minutes ago.


I am surprised you connected this to eugenics. Seems like an odd leap. Eugenics was dedicated to ridding society of certain kinds of people, and having those people sterilized so they could not reproduce. Women had "their appendix out" and their tubes cut, for example.

Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain This is a really good book about a social worker who discovers much more than she ever thought possible when she discovers what's happening with various surgeries on women and less desirable.

I am simply talking about a safe place for people to be, and to be taken care of. Hopefully the actually homeless would get the leg up they need to get back on their feet.
Mentally ill who want/need treatment would get that.
People who refuse treatment are housed and safe.

See, I don't think I should have to walk outside my local Whole Foods and be yelled at and approached by a clearly (I assume) mentally ill man who lives there. I am not kidding, he lives there. There is a little place where he keeps his stuff during the day.

When I went into the store to complain and ask that he be removed, you should have seen the shocked looks I got from the WF employees. There are rules that we are all supposed to follow. There is no right to set up camp on WF property. I couldn't do it. Bring my little tent, and set it up. Be close to the market.

Eugenics was and is concerned with reproduction of lesser groups, and production of better groups. In no way is that what I am suggesting.

 

[Prancer]

Let me repeat myself:

Unless and until some homeless person is arrested for stealing Marissa's things, this really isn't relevant and PI was established in the first place because a lot of posters here don't want political arguments in their skating discussion. If you want to argue about homeless people, take it to PI.

 

[misskarne]

My initial thought was "probably shouldn't have mentioned how much the dresses were worth." And then it was followed by "oh wait, that's smart. Criminals that do these things aren't usually that bright, they might be overcome with greed and try to sell them and then get caught!"

My actual concern is that the criminal might deduce the stones are worth the most and destroy the dresses trying to rip them off to sell them.

I saw that Jackson responded pretty much straight away that they had Marissa's back, so at least the boots and blades are easily replaceable. How awful.

 

[skatfan]

The SF Chronicle has an article about the theft:

http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Olympic-figure-skater-Marisa-Castelli-sf-stolen-12485484.php

 

[GloriaW]

Hopefully the items are unique enough that, if they were 'hocked' or discarded, someone could possibly recognize that they "must" belong to someone (not ordinary household items or clothing or impersonal personal electronics) that they will find their way back to Marissa. Fingers crossed. Such a bummer.

 

[Yazmeen]

When I was in Bonaire, it was recommended to not only not leave anything in your rental car, but to also leave it unlocked. If you left a car locked, the window would be smashed.

Yes, having been to Bonaire several times, you at the very least never leave anything in the car and preferably leave it unlocked when out. Beautiful island, but petty theft is common there.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Would she not have some sort of personal property insurance to cover that?

(Or at least in the case of her boots- surely she has a sponsor. The loss is that they are well broken in. The loss of the costumes is that they are irreplaceable, regardless of $.)

One would assume she has some sort of insurance for those items which are expensive.
Unfortunately, the if she has only one pair of boots, she has a real problem. Between re-ordering and breaking in, she is in deep doo-doo. The costume(s) is/are replaceable, depending on the amount of insurance she has.

No matter what it is a huge pain and such an intrusion.

 

[Clutz]

We have a forum called PI for discussion like this. You might like it there...unless of course you're just trolling and trying to get some kind of rise out of people, which seems to be rather obviously the case to me. Not sure why people are snapping at your bait, but I suggest you (and everyone else) cool it on this forum.

Unless and until some homeless person is arrested for stealing Marissa's things, this really isn't relevant and PI was established in the first place because a lot of posters here don't want political arguments in their skating discussion. If you want to argue about homeless people, take it to PI.

I suppose you have not seen that many many people in this thread are discussing this issue. And to you I would say this: Just because you are offended does not mean you are right". If you do not like the discussion, you are more than welcome to leave the discussion.

 

[VALuvsMKwan]

I suppose you have not seen that many many people in this thread are discussing this issue. And to you I would say this: Just because you are offended does not mean you are right". If you do not like the discussion, you are more than welcome to leave the discussion.

Uh huh...I do wonder if you recognize the phrase "Staff Member" under Prancer's handle at the left of her post, and what that signifies in terms of her being able to "suggest" on this board.

 

[Prancer]

I suppose you have not seen that many many people in this thread are discussing this issue. And to you I would say this: Just because you are offended does not mean you are right". If you do not like the discussion, you are more than welcome to leave the discussion.

I did indeed see that multiple people (although not many many) in this thread are discussing this issue. I want all of you to take it to PI. If you wish to discuss this further, send me a PM.

 

[Clutz]

Uh huh...I do wonder if you recognize the phrase "Staff Member" under Prancer's handle at the left of her post, and what that signifies in terms of her being able to "suggest" on this board.

I do not particularly care. This is an open discussion and I have just as much right to offer my opinion as anyone else. And if Prancer is a "staff member", then I would suggest s/he refrain from attempts at censorship and calling other people trolls. What is this?...1990 on AOL??

 

[Prancer]

I do not particularly care. This is an open discussion and I have just as much right to offer my opinion as anyone else. And if Prancer is a "staff member", then I would suggest s/he refrain from attempts at censorship and calling other people trolls. What is this?...1990 on AOL??

No, it's 2018 and FSU. I have not told you that you are not entitled to offer an opinion, nor have I deleted your posts nor told you to shut up. I've told you where you and everyone else are welcome to express views on political subjects (which, may I add, I should not have had to have said to the longtime regulars here. Really, people?). I based my assumption that you are trolling on the number of complaints about your posts that have been made in the past few days. When I read those posts, you come across as someone trying to get a rise out of people rather than contribute something substantive to discussions. I could be wrong about that. Feel free to prove me wrong in PI.

 

[Clutz]

No, it's 2018 and FSU. I have not told you that you are not entitled to offer an opinion, nor have I deleted your posts nor told you to shut up. I've told you where you and everyone else are welcome to express views on political subjects (which, may I add, I should not have had to have said to the longtime regulars here. Really, people?). I based my assumption that you are trolling on the number of complaints about your posts that have been made in the past few days. When I read those posts, you come across as someone trying to get a rise out of people rather than contribute something substantive to discussions. I could be wrong about that. Feel free to prove me wrong in PI.

The number of likes my posts get by very reputable members of this discussion board are all the needed proof as most of my posts are insightful and intelligent. Where are these complaints...show me some complaints. And just curious, if you are so concerned about behavior of the board being appropriate, why do you give out awards called "Whined for a second gold medal", "Politicking with Tarasova" and "Spotted a wedgie" (all of which I have been awarded). Just a suggestion: lighten up.

 

[Tinami Amori]

The number of likes my posts get by very reputable members of this discussion board are all the needed proof as most of my posts are insightful and intelligent. Where are these complaints...show me some complaints. And just curious, if you are so concerned about behavior of the board being appropriate, why do you give out awards called "Whined for a second gold medal", "Politicking with Tarasova" and "Spotted a wedgie" (all of which I have been awarded). Just a suggestion: lighten up.

The point was: "do not poop into a kitchen sync, do not wash dishes in the toilet" and not "do not poop, do not wash dishes".

 

[Clutz]

The point was: "do not poop into a kitchen sync, do not wash dishes in the toilet" and not "do not poop, do not wash dishes".

Oh well that clears everything up

 

[acraven]

Translation (not that you need one): We have a "Politically Incorrect" Forum for a reason.

 

[once_upon]

Yes, very icky. I hope they are able to recover Marissa's possessions.

Yes, very distressing. Thank you Prancer for the reminder, as I was tempted to voice my opinions.
I hope Marrisa and Mervin get some of their possessions back.

 

[missing]

Have the police done any study on return rate?

 

[MacMadame]

Unfortunately, the if she has only one pair of boots, she has a real problem. Between re-ordering and breaking in, she is in deep doo-doo.

I'm sure she could be expressed out a new pair of boots pretty quickly. But also, since they weren't named to the Olympic, World or 4CC team, she has plenty of time to break in new boots.

As for insurance, since it's a rental, there will be some basic insurance on it (even if they waived the extra insurance) and then her auto insurance policy could pick up the rest, if necessary.

Have the police done any study on return rate?

Don't get me started on how the SFPD treats car break-ins. As was mentioned in the article, they won't let you report them via 911, the number you do report them too is often not functional, and no one really responds if you report via the online form. It's just a formality so you can file an insurance claim. It's been like that for over a decade too.

They seriously don't give a crap, which is IMO, the real reason why car break-ins are so prevalent in the area. If you can break into cars with impunity -- and you can -- why wouldn't people do it whenever they wanted to some free cash?

ETA can you tell I've had a car broken into in SF? And I didn't even lose anything except a GPS unit. They did strew my suitcase full of dirty clothes all over the street by Yerba Buena rink but I got them all back.

 

[tylersf]

Did they find her costumes yet? I hope someone went to AsiaSF to see if it was worn in a show by a drag queen.

 

[skatfan]

Marissa tweeted this evening that the SF Police Department found her skates and costumes:

https://twitter.com/MarissaCastelli/status/953825639114706944

I wonder if the thieves kept the jewelry that was also in the bag...

 

[AxelAnnie]

Hey that is great news....and surprising news.

 

[insideedgeua]

So happy for her!