There might have been a time when a man with a shillelagh could lay claim to property in Golden Gate Park, but those days are over.
If you’re a fifth generation San Franciscan, a loaded stick might have played a role in your family getting some propertah. This guy, agitated after threatening San Francisco Park officials, was born about 150 years too late.
This weekend, you need to get on over to Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate Park to check things out. Bonus: the Obama people will be the scene.
“On August 16 and 17, 2008, Speedway Meadow will be transformed to a delightful Elizabethan town filled with myriad characters and vignettes resembling those of Shakespeare’s plays we so dearly love. In addition, over 900 costumed entertainers and over 100 shopkeepers and artisans will add to the ambience of the Faire.
“This year’s theme for the Golden Gate Renaissance Faire is Shakespeare’s Muse. It’s the ultimate Renaissance bash, a lively Dionysian party, where the guests enjoy turkey legs, exotic food, and drink as they banter with the myriad performers filling the streets.
You are so there. Here’s a small discount coupon. And take a look here at years past. What it looked like last year:
Jousting is the highlight of the schedule. Click to expand:
A gay wedding from the time 500 years before Proposition 8:
Here come the horses:
Target practice.
Hyper local produce from the Cabrillo Safeway getting sliced and diced:
The victor:
See you there!
Daily Events & Stage Schedules
These and many more acts will be performing throughout both days.
Parades & Street Scenes:
Opening Parade 10:00
Mayor’s/Merchants Parade 11:00
The Danse Macabre 11:30
The Queen’s Arrival/Progress Noon
The Danse Macabre 3:30
Closing Parade 6:00 (Sat)/5:00 (Sun)
Crafts, Demonstrations, & Activities:
The Scavenger Hunt 12:00 & 3:00
Shyre Woods Woodworking
Clan Iain Abrach Spinning, Cooking
Any many more occuring all around the faire throughout the day
Tournaments & Competitions:
St. Michaels/DEMAS Rapier Tournament (Saturday)
Longsword Tournament (Sunday)
Clain Iain Abrach Iron Skillet Competition (period cooking)
The Tournament Arena:
11:15 Military Demo
12:45 The Knights of Avalon
3:30 The Knights of Avalon
4:30 Battle Pagaent
Queen’s Stage Village Stage Gypsey’s Stage
10:30 Trey Cromwell: Danger Circus Tobias the Adequate Fowl Tales
11:15 Myth & Magic Bella Donna Courtesans Ottoman Traders
Noon Out of Kontrol Belle Voci Merrie Praynksters
12:45 Trey Cromwell: Danger Circus Tobias the Adequate Siamsa le Cheile
1:30 Myth & Magic Bella Donna Courtesans Fowl Tales
2:15 Out of Kontrol Bella Voci Merrie Praynksters
3:00 Trey Cromwell: Danger Circus Tobias the Adequate Ottoman Traders
3:45 Michael’s Songs & Tales Bella Donna Courtesans Siamsa le Cheile
4:30 Myth & Magic Bella Voci Fowl Tales
5:15 Out of Kontrol Michael’s Songs & Tales
The California State Auditor has a new report about the prices of college textbooks. Unless you are a publisher, this report won’t come as good news. Check it:
“Over the past several years, the State has enacted two state laws to encourage faculty and campuses to mitigate the impact of textbook costs on students.
Assembly Bill 2477 (AB 2477) signed by the governor and effective January 1, 2005, requires CSU trustees and the board of governors of the community colleges, and encourages UC regents, to work with their respective academic senates to encourage faculty to consider the least costly practices in assigning textbooks.”
“Signed by the governor and effective January 1, 2008, Assembly Bill 1548 (AB 1548) also encourages faculty to consider cost in the adoption of textbooks.”
So, read up on Education Code Section 66406 and kissing cousin Education Code Section 66406.7 (the College Textbook Transparency Act). See all that stuff these laws require? Most parties concerned are ignoring these laws.
So hey, why not ask all your new professors at your UC, CSU or community college to see how they complied with these California textbook laws.
Shouldn’t your profs comply with CA law? Shouldn’t your profs be aware of CA law? Mmmmm….
Textbook Prices Have Risen Significantly in the
Last Four Years, but Some Strategies May Help to
Control These Costs for Students
August 2008 Report 2007-116
It’s on! [Update: As of Friday, August 15th, it's sold out. 420 lucky people got tickets.]
WordCamp San Francisco is a conference organized by the creators of WordPress for users and developers. (It will be just like San Francisco’s recent Cupcake Camp, but without the cupcakes.) The 311 on WordCamp:
When?
Saturday, August 16, 2008. Registration will start at 8 a.m. The camp should end around 5:30 or 6 p.m.
Where?
Mission Bay Conference Center, San Francisco — Map
Why?
To get WordPress users together, learn from each other, figure out the future of publishing the web, and have a good time.
What to wear to WC 2008 in S.F.? Your shirt from WordCamp 2006. Of course:
via alexanderljung’s photostream
See you there!
As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I take a look at my life and realize there’s nothing left
Cause I’ve been scripting and blogging so long that
Even my mama thinks that my mind is goneBin spending most our lives
Living in a Blogga’s ParadiseKeep spending most our lives
Living in a Blogga’s Paradise
San Francisco’s hybrid-only Green Cab Company started up a while back and seems to be doing well. But now, old-school cab companies are getting into the act.
Veterans Cab Company, where former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown worked (until they raised the “gate fees” on him) a long time ago while a student at UC Hastings School of Law , now has Toyota Priuseses.
How about that? In the real world, these things can get about four times better fuel economy when compared to a regular taxi kind of car, such as the Ford Crown Victoria. That all adds up during a ten-hour shift.
San Francisco’s Obamamania is back in full force now the we are on the eve on the Democratic national Convention in Denver.
This Dolce & Gabbana bus ad is typical of what you’ll see on the streets of S.F. these days:
You see, the sidewalks of San Francisco’s Market Street don’t have posted speed limits so you’re free to go as fast as you want.
Everyone will cheer as your illegal, hollow, straight exhaust pipes resonate. Why not give us a smoky burnout or two?
All right, see you tomorrow!
California Senator Dianne Feinstein says it’s time for California lawmakers to put a water bond on the November ballot, but outfits like Clean Water Action and the Calfornia Coastkeeper Alliance rallied yesterday in opposition:
“Conservation and fishing groups representing over 180,000 Californians, including the California Coastkeeper Alliance, submitted a petitionto Governor Schwarzenegger and Senator Feinstein today and rallied at events throughout the state, calling for an end to the proposed $9.3 billion water bond, which is based heavily on ineffective and environmentally destructive dams.”
San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano says he doesn’t want to start his term in the Assembly, “telling mothers that their local school district is closing so we can build a dam.” Fair enough.
CoastKeeper Alliance Executive Director Linda Sheehan and daughter Madeleine on the steps of City Hall yesterday:
Dianne’s point of view is expressed here. Of course, the whole thing is a little complex.
There’s still time this week to work out a compromise, it looks like.
Let’s hope.
State Controller John Chiang, California’s independent fiscal watchdog, is having a thing with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger these days over how much salary to pay state workers during the budget crisis. See Hank Plante’s interview with “heroic” John here.
Our Controller was welcomed like a rock star. Click to expand:
There were a few “Chiang for Governor” signs here and there, but if you ask him if he’s running, he’ll say he’s not:
This crowd of mostly state workers was large and intense. “We can’t survive on $6.55 [an hour].”
Columnist Dan Walters thinks he sees the “fuzzy outline” of a solution.
Let’s hope.
Things are speeding up at Slow Food Nation ‘08 in San Francisco. After fighting the worm wars, it’s nice to sit back and spend $500 to eat some celebrity chef food under the rotunda of City Hall. It’s the Victory Garden Celebration Dinner on August 24:
District Attorney Kamala Harris, Peter Coyote, Thomas Keller and Alice Waters invite you to celebrate the Victory Garden on Civic Center Plaza. We’ll gather in the garden, share a meal prepared by Chez Panisse, and plant the seeds of victory at San Francisco City Hall.
Or just get a table for $10k and invite a few friends to have some paella, your choice.
Blue corn as high as a elephant’s eye, and it looks like it’s climbing clear up to the sky:
See you there!
“The Slow Food Nation Victory Garden, planted by a coalition of volunteers including Mayor Gavin Newsom and Alice Waters, is an edible garden on the Civic Center Plaza. Planted on the same site as the post World War II Victory Gardens 60 years ago, the Victory Garden represents the values of sustainability, community and stewardship of the land, while producing high quality food for people in need.”
