Silicon Valley Is Coming for Your House

In today's on-demand digital world, buying and selling a home remains stubbornly, painfully analog. Most sales still begin with a real estate agent (and a 6% commission). Most still end in an office, with the two sides signing page after page of legalese. Silicon Valley wants to … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Cash is still king: San Francisco to ban credit-only stores

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - San Francisco is about to require brick-and-mortar retailers to take cash as payment, joining Philadelphia and New Jersey in banning a growing paperless practice that critics say discriminates against low-income people who may not have access to credit cards. … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

A homeless Oakland couple moved into a $4M Piedmont home

They were poor, black and homeless. He was white, rich and lived in a 4,500-square-foot house in Piedmont. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

The thing about owning a Tesla no one talks about – nightmarish repair delays

How long would you say is reasonable time for an auto body shop to fix a car with light body and suspension damage? Two weeks? A month? Two months? | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

UFO information not expected to go to general public, Navy says

The U.S. Navy has drafted a procedure to investigate and catalogue reports of unidentified flying objects coming in from its pilots. But the service doesn't expect to make the information public, citing privileged and classified reporting that is typically included in such files. … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

A bank vault manager stole $4.3M from his bank

It could be done, he figured. Sure, there was security at the bank, but it was thin - cameras only, no armed guards. With a careful game plan, strategic lies and the right timing, Gerardo Adan Cazarez Valenzuela realized he could stroll out of the KeyBank branch where he worked i … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

SFO to move all Uber, Lyft pick ups to central parking lot

Finally! To put an end to the curbside chaos that has developed in the years since ride-sharing became the preferred way for most travelers to get to and from the airport, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) today took a drastic step. Beginning June 3, it will relocate all … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Bird coming back to SF with new plan to drop off and pick up scooters on-demand

In the name of being a "sustainable alternative" to cars, the electric scooter company rolls out monthly personal rentals. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Lyft pilots taxi-style airport pickups

Lyft will test a tried-and-true airport pick-up method that could alleviate the headaches of drivers and riders caused by the mayhem of busy airport traffic. The ride hailing company announced it will test taxi stand style pick-ups at San Diego International Airport's Terminal 2 … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Kamala Harris Calls for Trump's Impeachment

During a CNN town hall on Monday night, Kamala Harris said that congressional Democrats should begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

1981 prediction of elitist takeover of SF basically came true

A 1981 New York Times article about San Francisco's changing demographics was surprisingly prescient. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

True e-bike believers double down with second Super Bike festival

As thousands of San Francisco residents have discovered in the months since rent-by-the-hour Jump and Ford GoBike Plus bicycles were deployed across the region, electric bicycles allow their riders to easily climb steep hills and be at the office faster than driving a car during … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Late art historian's work, 'Assassin's Creed' could help rebuild Notre Dame

Reconstructing the intricate French Gothic cathedral is bound to be no simple task, and will likely take years, if not decades. But some on Twitter pointed out a sliver of hope amidst the ashes: detailed 3D maps of the landmark have been created in recent years. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

In trade wars of 200 years ago, the pirates were Americans

WASHINGTON (AP) - The upstart nation was a den of intellectual piracy. One of its top officials urged his countrymen to steal and copy foreign machinery. Across the ocean, a leading industrial power tried in vain to guard its trade secrets from the brash young rival. In the late … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Making $300k in San Francisco can still mean living paycheck-to-paycheck

With the median price of a home in the U.S. at $300,000, you can can achieve the idealized middle-class life in most of the country with a salary under six figures. In San Francisco's bubble of $2 million fixer-uppers, the income needed to reach this status is obviously higher. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Tiny house was 3D-printed and built in less than 48 hours

When you hear "3D-printed home," you may envision a far-fetched, futuristic concept. Thanks to Icon, a construction company that uses 3D printing, and nonprofit New Story, though, the concept is quickly becoming a reality - and may be a major advancement in creating affordable ho … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Baristas beware: A robot that makes gourmet cups of coffee has arrived

In the food industry, it seems, the robot revolution is well underway, with machines mastering skilled tasks that have always been performed by people. In Boston, robots have replaced chefs and are creating complex bowls of food for customers. In Prague, machines are displacing … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Succulent theft in California is real and thriving

Dudleya farinosa: The name sounds like a Harry Potter spell and, indeed, the native California succulent is nothing short of enchanting, with a lotus shape and waxy mint-colored leaves trimmed in red. A handful of Asian countries - predominantly China, Korea and Japan - appear t … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

$1,790 a month and 'no cooking' allowed: Welcome to renting in the Bay Area

For $1,790 a month, you can rent a master bedroom in San Francisco's West Portal with ocean views and easy access to public transit. The major catch: No cooking allowed. In North San Jose, you'll get a master bedroom suite with a walk-in closet and a private entrance for $1,400 … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Yahoo taking down iconic I-80 billboard

The billboard originally went up in 1999 and was taken down once before in 2011. At the time, locals - including those who worked at Yahoo - voiced their disappointment with the billboard being taken down. TechCrunch noted it had outlasted four company CEOs and The Next Web point … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

The world's first VR gym is opening in San Francisco

Like electric scooters and vapes, virtual reality is a technological innovation that is incredibly easy to make fun of. I associate VR - an interactive experience that transports the user to an artificial world - with gamers, the porn industry and people who ride Boost Boards in … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

New California bill could help curb 'neighbor spoofing' spam and scam robocalls

A new bill introduced to the California state senate this week could put the onus on phone companies to crack down on robocall operations that use a popular "neighbor spoofing" tactic to get you to answer the phone. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

There's an 80% Chance of Snow Falling on San Francisco's Twin Peaks Tuesday

As a rare cold storm pushes across the Bay Area delivering snow to remarkably low levels, the National Weather Service says there's an 80 percent chance snow will fall atop Twin Peaks early Tuesday morning. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Hovercraft ferries could be coming to Silicon Valley for your commute

Bay Area commuters may have another way to get to work on the horizon: hovercraft. It sounds futuristic, but it's really not. Back in the 1960s, hovercraft ferries used to take commuters from Oakland to San Francisco and back. Hovercrafts are essentially low-flying aircraft tha … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Hospital let woman pull the plug on wrong man, lawsuit claims

She was told her brother was dying, so Shirell Powell hurried to St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx last July.The prognosis was bad, Powell was told, she claims in a recently filed lawsuit. Her brother, Frederick Williams, was unconscious from an apparent drug overdose and had su … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

SF looks to relax sanctuary law in case of a rideshare driver accused of rape

A rideshare driver charged with raping an unconscious woman in San Francisco could soon be extradited from Canada after a Board of Supervisors committee begrudgingly agreed Wednesday to relax the city's sanctuary law for this one case.The move, which is pending approval of the fu … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

PG&E bankruptcy looms, CEO to exit as fire costs dwarf cash

PG&E Corp. said it will file for bankruptcy in California after the cost of wildfires left it with potential liabilities of $30 billion or more, gutting its share price and prompting the departure of its chief executive officer.The San Francisco-based company said it intends to r … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

SF tech company criticized for advertising app for '1-click layoffs'

The goal of Rippling is to eliminate time-consuming busywork for HR and IT workers. But new ads placed at bus stops around San Francisco have some wondering if too much automation is suggesting a flippant attitude about terminating employees. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

SF Giants’ home now called Oracle Park after AT&T split

Tell AT&T Park goodbye, Giants fans.Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford and their mates henceforth will play ball at Oracle Park.The Giants on Thursday will announce a 20-year agreement with the Redwood City technology company to affix its name to their waterfront ballpark in San Fran … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

The World's Most Dominant Athlete Is 23 – And Getting Better

At a certain point, the manner in which the best in any field evaluate themselves can't be against other practitioners of that same pursuit. LeBron isn't measured against his contemporaries; he's measured against Jordan. Tiger in his prime was chasing not just Nicklaus, but the l … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Truck owners are blocking Tesla Superchargers in 'ICE-ing' protests

RedditA recent spate of traditional vehicles blocking Tesla Superchargers has some drivers comparing the practice to "rolling coal."One Tesla owner told Business Insider a group of truck owners harassed them in the parking lot of a Sheetz convenience store in North Carolina. CEO … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

You've seen the ads. But what's the deal with Shen Yun?

Unless you live under a rock, you've seen a billboard or heard a radio ad for Shen Yun Performing Arts. But what is it? Turns out that answer is a little complicated. Shen Yun bills itself as "the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company." They have performances … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Gene-edited farm animals are coming. Will the public eat them?

DAVIS, Calif. - Three cows clomped, single-file, through a chute to line up for sonograms - ultrasound "preg checks" - to reveal if they were expecting calves next summer."Right now. This is exciting, right this minute," animal geneticist Alison Van Eenennaam said as she waited f … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Chinese researcher who claimed to have gene-edited babies goes missing

A Chinese researcher is missing a week after announcing he successfully edited the DNA of babies, Chinese media reports. Researcher He Jiankui said last week that he had altered embryos for seven couples during fertility treatments. He said two of the edited embryos were born he … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

When a pair of California Highway Patrol officers pulled alongside a car cruising down Highway 101 in Redwood City before dawn Friday, they reported a shocking sight: a man fast asleep behind the wheel.The car was a Tesla, the man was a Los Altos planning commissioner, and the en … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Why Google is killing off Fresno's mosquitoes

Silicon Valley researchers are attacking flying bloodsuckers in California's Fresno County. It's the first salvo in an unlikely war for Google parent Alphabet Inc.: eradicating mosquito-borne diseases around the world.A white high-top Mercedes van winds its way through the suburb … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

CHP: Drunk driver slept while Tesla appeared to drive Hwy 101 on autopilot

When a pair of California Highway Patrol officers pulled alongside a car cruising down Highway 101 in Redwood City before dawn Friday, they reported a shocking sight: a man fast asleep behind the wheel.The car was a Tesla, the man was a Los Altos planning commissioner, and the en … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Aaron Klug, Nobel-winning scientist who examined molecular structure, dies at 92

Aaron Klug, a British scientist who won a Nobel Prize for developing techniques that used electronic probes and crystallographic techniques to discern the architecture and atomic structure of some of the molecules essential for life, including the chromosome, died Nov. 20. He was … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

You can put the masks away. San Francisco's air is finally clearing

With winds sweeping through the Bay Area ahead of Wednesday's rainfall, the air quality index is rapidly dropping Tuesday night to more acceptable numbers, and forecasters are expecting residents to wake up to better air than we have been seeing due to the Camp Fire. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Facebook used for bidding in child bride auction

The auction sought dowry for a 16-year-old in South Sudan. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Sacramento smothered in smoke as air quality reaches 'hazardous' levels

A thick layer of smoke smothering the northern half of California's Central Valley sent air quality levels into the "hazardous" range. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

1M Americans live in RVs. Meet the 'modern nomads.'

When Robert and Jessica Meinhofer told friends they were moving into an RV in 2015, most thought they were crazy.The questions poured in: How could they go from living in a 2,000-square-foot home to living in a 250-square-foot trailer? What would they do with their stuff? What wo … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

A former Google employee has written a survival guide for women: how to succeed

Former Google employee turned comic Sarah Cooper has help for women in tech with a new book called "How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings." The book is, of course, a satirical look a corporate life for women. And it's hilarious. Still, the author tells Business Insi … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

The un-holy history of Holy City, the Bay Area's most racist tourist trap

Holy City was neither holy nor a city. It can most kindly be described as a white supremacist hangout attached to a roadside attraction. In order to draw attention - and new converts - Riker created a must-see tourist stop along the new roads through the Santa Cruz mountains. Ho … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Here is what your Chinese scam robocalls are saying

If it seems like you're getting more robocalls than ever, it's because you are. Here's a look at all the phone scams circulating in the Bay Area and beyond, including the San Francisco Chinese Embassy Scam. | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

In East Palo Alto, influx of tech companies pushes residents to a breaking point

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. - This poor city is surrounded by the temples of the new American economy that has, in nearly every way imaginable, passed it by.Just outside the northern city limit, Facebook is expanding the blocks-long headquarters it built seven years ago. Google's offi … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. - This poor city is surrounded by the temples of the new American economy that has, in nearly every way imaginable, passed it by.Just outside the northern city limit, Facebook is expanding the blocks-long headquarters it built seven years ago. Google's offi … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago

Fiery Eye of Sauron Stares Down San Francisco from Atop Salesforce Tower

Lord of the Rings fans rejoiced Wednesday night to see their wish come true: the Salesforce Tower's crown was lit-up to reflect the giant fiery Eye of Sauron, the fantasy antagonist from J.R.R. Tolkien's novels.A Change.org petition with more than 11,000 signatures urged Salesfor … | Continue reading


@sfgate.com | 5 years ago