Posts Tagged ‘association’
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Things were worse back in aught-seven, back when drivers waiting to fill up at the always-cheap ARCO station on Fell Street in the EaPA would queue up in the bike lane. But it’s no picnic these days neither, as you can see in this shot from a few days ago:
Well, comes now award-winning Michael Helquist of BIKE NOPA to learn us about planned changes:
“‘We have a design hashed out to take out parking on the south side of Fell Street,’ James Shahamiri, MTA Assistant Traffic Engineer, told BIKE NOPA. The new design would designate the former parking spaces as a curbside queue for motorists awaiting entry to the gas station.”
(IMO, that’s a painfully obvious solution that any other town in ‘Merica would have implemented years ago when the issue first cropped up. But oh well.)
So, you see them cars parked on the left side? You know, the Porsche 944 (or 968?), the Saturn S-Series, and the Honda CR-V cute-ute SUV? They’re parked in spaces that could soon be the ARCO queue.
What’s that, NIMBY? Over your dead body you say? O.K., well, I think this cake is already baked, but maybe you’ll be able to hear more about all the deets at this meeting:
Thursday, March 18th
7:00 pm, visit with neighbors
7:30 pm, meeting begins
9:00 pm , meeting ends
Change is Good, huh?
Tags: 1775, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 76, arco, area, Assistant, association, automobiles, autos, bicycle, bike, BIKE NOPA, block, blocking, BP, cars, cyclists, divisadero, divisidero, EaPA, east of panhandle, engineer, fell, fulton, gas, gasloline, golden gate park, intersection, James Shahamiri, jannah, lane, Line, meeting, metropolitan transportation agency, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, michael helquist, mta, Muni, neighborhood, nimby, NOPA, nopna, north of panhandle, oak, panhandle, parking, queue, San Francisco, SF, sfist, SFMTA, Station, street, traffic, union, vehicles, wait, Waiting
Posted in bikes, cars | 8 Comments »
Monday, March 1st, 2010
You know the JetBlue and the Virgin America, right? Let’s review:
“JetBlue Airways is an American low-cost airline…”
“Virgin America, Inc. is a United States-based low-cost airline…”
Well, check out what the suits attending the American Association of Advertising Agencies’ Transformation 2010 convention at the Hilton San Francisco Union Sqaure are paying to fly in from and back to the Big Apple, assuming they’re stuck in the coach section during this Great Recession:
Click to expand
See that? United, Delta, American and Continental all were quoting airfares less than $300, and the ”low-cost airlines” were the most expensive.
Perhaps sexy new Virgin America and JetBlue should be called premium airlines these days?
Just asking…
Tags: 2010, 333, advertising, agencies, air, airfare, airlines, airport, American, association, City, continental, convention, delta, Hilton, jet blue, jfk, low cost, new york, o'farrell, San Francisco, SFO, street, traditional, transformation, transformation 2010, union square, united, virgin, virgin america
Posted in airlines | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
[Welcome fans of the "Breakthrough Energy Examiner" Sterling Allan, who, of course, veered "off topic" just a skosh, huh? (Unless It All Ties Together, Somehow.) He's got to be careful, else he'll step on the toes of the 9/11 Truth Examiner (if there is a such a person yet), right? Oh well, I don't have an "open mind" on controlled demolition. Sorry.]
Well it’s getting close to Springtime, so leave us welcome back Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, who chose San Francisco as the place to launch their Late Winter Offensive, 2010. (Offensive? Is there anything that you could consider offensive, anything that might insult your intelligence coming from this crew? As Always, You Make The Call.)
The 11th floor of our highly-rated Marines Memorial Club & Hotel at 609 Sutter was packed this AM - could have been a couple hundred, maybe. But not a one MSM news vehicle was on the scene, AFAICS, to celebrate the news of the 1000-member-milestone being surpassed. Irregardless, this was a big deal for the A’s and the E’s – they had simultaneous news conferences going on all over the place.
Let’s see here, they didn’t like getting mocked by Glenn Beck recently*, and they think that their professional licenses are “at risk.” Really? (Has any Truther lost his or her license because of Truther status? Not that I’m aware of.) And, oh yes, they say they’re not conspiracy theorists**, so apparently just one person set all those explosives on all those floors of all those buildings.
Anyway, have at it, Building 7, controlled demolition, sheeple, banksters, etc. below. Enjoy.
[UPDATE: Is it surprising that 1000 architects, engineers, butchers or bakers can form a Thruther club? Not to me. Would it be fair to say that the average architect and or engineer isn't a Truther? You people are just like the JFK conspiracy theorists, right? On another note, aside from a 20,000-reader-weekly in Joisey, did any of these AE911 press conferences on 2-19-2010 get any press coverage, MSM or not-so-MSM, from anywhere in the world? And actually, didn't this movement peak with the Loose Change boom back around 2006?]
Richard Gage, AIA:
Your Marines Memorial, 11th floor. Last time I was here, it was a Junior League of San Francisco joint (speaking of highly-rated) - 100+ earnest post-collegiate babes wearing sweaters (and buying purses, for some reason). Today, it’s Truthers and only Truthers.
Corporate Bankster Oligarchy, the Mossad, it all fits together.
All the deets, after the jump.
*That’s the best I can do for you, I didn’t register(?) to listen in. I’ve heard of him but I don’t know who Glenn Beck is. Oh here you go – this is a big deal for some Texas election.
**Of course there was a conspiracy, involving at least 19, right?
(more…)
Tags: $1000, 2001, 2009, 2010, 609 sutter, 9/11, AE911, AE911Truth, ae911truth.org, architects, Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, association, Berkeley, blueprint, book, Breakthrough Energy Examiner, Building 7, california, club, consiracy, conspiracy, controlled, Corporate Bankster Oligarchy, crazies, crazy, dc aia, debunking, demolition, dr. david ray griffin, engineers, glenn beck, guns and butter, hotel, marines, mason, media, memorial, more than, Mossad, press conference, richard gage, San Francisco, september 11, stephen jones, Sterling Allan, steven jones, street, sutter, Theorists, thousand, truth, twin towers, union square, website, world trade center, wyc
Posted in paranormal | 17 Comments »
Monday, February 1st, 2010
[UPDATE: Joshua Sabatini has an update - the next committee hearing will be on February 22, 2010.]
Your San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar wants to expand Article 19F of the San Francisco Public Health Code – you know, the one from 1994 that prohibits smoking in enclosed areas and sports stadiums.
Check out the current rules after the jump, but don’t get used to them as they could be changing soon. This afternoon’s meeting of the Board of Supervisors Committee on Land Use & Economic Development could lead to some changes.
A graphic from this afternoon’s rally – secondhand smoke levels from outdoor dining areas at two unnamed cafes in North Beach are considered dangerous by the EPA:
80 souls were there before the committee meeting began:
Eric Mar and supporters enjoying a healthy smoke-free ride in the Richmond District back in 2008:
Brace yourselves:
COMMUNITY RALLY TO SUPPORT EXPANDING PROTECTIONS FROM SECOND HAND SMOKE
Rally & Press Conference Before the Board of Supervisors Committee
Hearing on Ordinance that Closes the Gaps in Public Health Code
Polk Street City Hall Steps
Monday, February 1 at 12:00 noon
WHAT: A rally and press conference to support an ordinance that will
expand protection from second hand smoke by closing gaps in the
San Francisco Public Health Code. San Francisco is poised to
join 18 other Bay Area cities in offering protection from
second hand smoke by prohibiting smoking in many outdoor areas
such as farmers markets, outdoor dining areas, theater and ATM
lines, hotel and motel lobby areas, and other places frequented
by members of the public. The rally will convene just before
the meeting of the Board of Supervisors Committee on Land Use &
Economic Development, which will hear the proposed legislation
for the first time.
WHO: A large crowd of community members including families, tenants,
tenant advocates, members of the Chinese Progressive
Association and San Francisco Tobacco Free Coalition;
Supervisor Eric Mar, Supervisor John Avalos, Jul Lynn Parsons
(Co-Chair of Mayor’s Disability Council), Carol McGruder
(Tobacco Free Coalition member); Alex Tom (Tobacco Free
Coalition; Chinese Progressive Association) and others.
BACKGROUND:
The proposed ordinance would update Article 19F of the San Francisco Health Code, the landmark legislation adopted in 1994 that protects residents and visitors from second hand smoke. If approved by the Board of Supervisors and signed by the Mayor, San Francisco would join a long list of other Bay Area cities that have already expanded protection from second hand smoke for their residents to include many outdoor areas.
(more…)
Tags: 1, 1994, 19f, Alex Tom, areas, Article, Article 19F, association, bars, board, Carol McGruder, chinese, Chinese Progressive, Chinese Progressive Association, Cigarettes, City Hall, civic center, Co-Chair, coalition, district, enclosed, enclosed areas, eric mar, john avalos, Jul Lynn Parsons, Mayor’s Disability Council, one, Protections, protest, Public Health Code, rally, richmond, San Francisco, San Francisco Public Health Code, San Francisco Tobacco Free Coalition, Second-Hand, smoke, smoking, sports, sports stadiums, stadiums, steps, Supervisor, Tobacco Free, Tobacco Free Coalition
Posted in government, health | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
The news of the day is bad for California’s lawyers – turns out that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ended up, after a lengthy delay, signing the bill that authorizes the State Bar to collect dues for 2010, so the shysters of the Golden State will now have to fork over big bucks by March 1st. Feel free to theorize about Arnold’s thinking here, but I think it’s safe to say that anyone having anything to do with the Bar Association will think twice before labeling any judicial nominee “unqualified” or “not qualified” or anything like that.
Or else otherwise, this Governor or the next will step on your oxygen tube with the implicit threat of a quick reorganization for your organization. Once you start turning blue, the only sure cure for this kind of political extortion is to get Capital “O” Obsequious but pronto:
“We are grateful to the governor for signing the State Bar 2010 fee bill. He has helped us to focus on issues and matters that are important to the State Bar,” said State Bar President Howard Miller. “We also want to thank the legislative leadership that has been so supportive and forthcoming. This entire period has strengthened the State Bar and given us important missions and goals that we now can actively achieve.”
Fair enough - go forth and sin no more. But speaking of extortion, what about Willie Brown and the California Highway Patrol? We’ll have to travel back four decades for that. See below.
Willie and an admirer in San Francisco’s State Building, from last year:
From UC Press E-Books Collection, 1982-2004 (formerly eScholarship Editions), it’s
From four decades ago, Chapter 15, Mr. Chairman:
“One afternoon Brown briskly walked into a budget conference committee meeting late and looking angry. He immediately sat down next to [Senator] Collier and asked for a “point of personal privilege.” Collier granted him the courtesy, and Brown asked to return to an item in the budget to appropriate funds to purchase guns and other equipment for the California Highway Patrol. Brown then demanded that the funds be deleted from the budget. The trust between the two was so great that Collier asked no questions, immediately complied, and struck the CHP equipment appropriation.
At the end of the meeting, [aide Robert] Connelly asked his boss what was going on with the Highway Patrol. “He was so mad, he wouldn’t talk about it.” Finally, Brown told Connelly that he had been stopped not once but twice by CHP officers that day on his way to Sacramento from San Francisco along Interstate 80 in his bright red Porsche. Each time, the officers walked over to Brown and said, “Hey, boy, where’d you get this car?”
Connelly quickly found the CHP’s lobbyist and told him what had happened. “The guy’s eyeballs rolled clear back into his skull. He said, ‘We’ll fix it.’” By the next morning, the CHP was distributing photographs of Willie Brown to officers along the Interstate 80 corridor between San Francisco and Sacramento with orders to “memorize this face.” The CHP got its appropriation back—and more.
Brown championed pay raises for CHP officers by authoring a bill that tied their salaries to a formula based on the salaries of large municipal police forces. The measure gave Highway Patrol officers a windfall raise, and then an automatic pay raise every time one of the unionized city forces got a new contract.”
Don’t mess with Texas!
Back in the day when he was still on the road, you’d never see Willie Brown driving a Porsche or an Acura NSX Japanese Ferrari at a speed anything less than 80 on the 80. The respectful officers of the CHP just let him do whatever he wanted.
First the stick, then the carrot – that’s how it works in Sacramento….
Tags: 2009, 2010, 80, Arnold Schwarzenegger, assembly, association, attorneys, bill, california, california highway patrol, chp, fee, freeway, Governor, highway patrol, Howard Miller, i80, lawyers, Mayor, new, old, porsche, president, sacramento, San Francisco, speaker, State Bar, willie brown
Posted in politics | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Like these guys.
It would take forever to make it up the stairs to the top of controversial landmark Sutro Tower, so a swaying elevator car is the preferred method.
Click to expand to get a closer look at a sunnier, more colorful San Francisco:
Take the tour.
Tags: 11, 12, 14, 2, 2009, 29, 30, 34, 4.4, 41, 42, 45, 5, 65, 66, 7, 9, ABC, analog, analogue, antenna, antennae, antennas, association, auxilliary, AZT, bay area, broadcast, c. w., cable, cbs, digital, dt, DTV, elevator, Forest Knolls Neighborhood Organization, forrest, Forrest Knolls, Forrest Knolls Neighborhood Organization, fox, gump, High, hill, home, Improvement, inc. sutro tower inc, incorporated, ion, KBCW, KDTV, KFSt TEL, kgo, KKPX, KNTV, KPIX, kqed, KRON, KTNc, ktvu, low, Midtown Terrace, Midtown Terrace Home Owners Association, mount, nbc, neighborhood, nimbies, nimby, nimbys, Owners, pbs, power, radio, re-scanning, red, rescanning, San Francisco, scan, scanning, stairs, sutro, sutro tower, television, tons, twin peaks, Twin Peaks Improvement Association, UNI, white, workers
Posted in TV, architecture | 3 Comments »
Monday, December 28th, 2009
An ad for the American Humanist Association rolling up Market Street:
Click to expand
It’s all a part of a “national godless holiday campaign.”
Bill O’Reilly is not amused: ”Why do the loathe the baby Jesus? …You don’t sell atheism by running down a baby!”
Oh well.
Humanists Launch First-Ever National Godless Holiday Campaign
For Immediate Release
Humanists Launch First-Ever National Godless Holiday Campaign
(Washington, D.C., November 23, 2009) Celebrating a new kind of holiday tradition, the American Humanist Association has launched a new advertising campaign similar to the one that ran in the nation’s capital last year, which made headlines around the globe. Only this year, instead of the campaign focusing on a single location, ads will be blazoned across transit systems in five cities–including Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco–marking the first-ever nation-wide humanist holiday advertising campaign.
“No God?…No Problem!” proclaim the ads, featuring an image of several smiling, Santa hat-clad individuals. The ads will kick off in Washington, D.C. in time for Thanksgiving weekend, running inside 200 buses, fifty rail cars and on the side or tail of twenty buses. The campaign will continue with ads appearing on select buses in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco starting in early December.
To see images of the ads and find more information about the campaign please visit: http://www.americanhumanist.org/press/2009_Holiday_Ad
Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association, explained, “We’re hoping this campaign will build awareness about the humanist movement and our ethical life philosophy–particularly among the ‘nones:’ the rapidly growing percentage of people who claim no religion.”
Since 2005, humanist advertising has become increasingly visible, in particular with highway billboards erected in major cities across the United States. And last year, the American Humanist Association sparked national controversy by advertising the slogan “Why Believe in a God? Just be Good for Goodness’ Sake,” which appeared on Washington, D.C. Metro buses.
This year’s holiday campaign aims to promote the idea of being good without God. For example, on D.C. ads that appear on the interior of Metro cars and buses the slogan is accompanied by the explanation, “Be Good for Goodness’ Sake. Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God.”
“Humanists have always understood that striving to make the world a better place is one of humanity’s most important responsibilities,” said Speckhardt. “Religion does not have a monopoly on morality–millions of people are good without believing in God.”
Speckhardt pointed to the false assumption held by many that not believing in God indicates a lack of morality as the reason for needing such advertising campaigns. “We want to change the way people think and talk about nontheists, and to pave the way for acceptance of humanism as a valid and positive philosophy of life.”
“We also want nontheists to know there is a community of like-minded individuals out there they can connect with,” continued Speckhardt. “Many feel uncomfortable talking openly about their personal beliefs because of prejudice against them–they fear they’ll be rejected by their family, their friends and their community, and in some cases, they even fear retaliation for their beliefs. But the American Humanist Association provides an accepting community for nontheists to turn to for support and ways to get involved.”
Speckhardt noted that the response to nontheist advertising is generally positive, although there have been a few confined instances of negative reactions against them. Most notable include a Cincinnati Coalition of Reason billboard that had to be relocated after the owner of the billboard property claimed to receive threats and an American Humanist Association billboard in Moscow, Idaho that was vandalized twice in a three week period.
“We understand our message may seem controversial to some, but it certainly isn’t our purpose to offend anyone,” concluded Speckhardt. “Of course, it’s obvious that many people are also good with a belief in God, so I hope we can all find common ground.”
# # #
The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., its work is extended through more than 100 local chapters and affiliates across America.
Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms our responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.
Tags: ad, advertisement, American humanist association, association, atheism, bill O'reilly, bus, chrsitmas, humanist, market, mta, Muni, national, national humanist association, no god, no god no problem, no problem, San Francisco, SFMTA, street
Posted in transit | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009
Via Jamie Whitaker’s Rincon Hill blog comes news of a fight against consideration of the so-called “Beale Street Alternative“ for the San Francsico terminus of California’s nascent High Speed Rail line.
I don’t have a dog in this hunt, but you, well take a gander if you’d like:
Targeting: Supervisor Chris Daly (District 6, City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisor), Medhi Morshed (Executive Director, CA High Speed Rail Authority) and Curt Pringle (Chair of the Board, CA High Speed Rail Authority)
Started by: April Veneracion
Demand the California High Speed Rail Authority stop its consideration of the infeasible Beale Street Alternative that is…
· Risking over $400 million in federal funding to the Transbay Transit Center
· Harming property values in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco
· Wasting millions of Prop 1A dollars on study of infeasible alternatives that should be spent on construction”
So that’s the issue. All the deets, below.
Quentin Kopp with youthful HSR supporters at San Francisco City Hall during happier times last year:
The whole magilla:
“As a strong supporter of building High Speed Rail throughout the state and into San Francisco’s downtown Transbay Transit Center, I am appalled at your consideration of the Beale Street Alternative. This study is not only wasteful, it risks over $400 million in federal funding for the Transbay Transit Center and is harming property values in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco.
Your study of the Beale Street Alternative was proposed to you by a lobbying and law firm on behalf of an unidentified special interest. This location has already been rejected as a technically and economically infeasible terminus for High Speed Rail in San Francisco. San Franciscans overwhelmingly voted for Proposition 1A to bring high speed rail to our Transit Center. Your study of the Beale Street Alternative, widely thought to be pushed by Board Member Quentin Kopp, is a wasteful expenditure of limited Proposition 1A money that should be applied to construction of the project.
With the passage of Proposition 1A, we believe that your study of the Beale Street Alternative is illegal. The voter approved mandate codifies in State law that the northern terminus for high speed rail will be the Transbay Transit Center.
The Transbay Transit Center is a federally approved project currently in construction in downtown San Francisco that has received the support of the San Francisco electorate on multiple occasions. Over $2 billion in funds have already been secured, independent of Proposition 1A. This Center is designed to accommodate high speed rail to downtown San Francisco.
The existence of this project is reason enough to drop your study of the Beale Street Alternative. Additionally, the Beale Street Alternative would likely result in the taking of more than 1,800 current and future residential units in the South of Market area. Your study alone has made many of our homes unmarketable by the required disclosure of your irresponsible study into any potential home sale. In contrast, the approved downtown extension to Transbay will take only 2 dozen residences. Given San Francisco’s housing crisis, this is a far more reasonable approach.
Meanwhile, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority has applied for $400 million in ARRA funds to build the rail box in the Transit Center. While this application has the support of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Mayor Gavin Newsom, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, we understand that the Federal Rail Authority has expressed concern about your Beale Street Alternative. We are worried that the Beale Street Alternative is not about adequately addressing environmental issues, it’s about political brinkmanship.
It’s time to put high speed rail to San Francisco back on track.
As a supporter of high speed rail and Proposition 1A, I demand you halt your irresponsible study of the infeasible Beale Street Alternatives. I also ask that you hold a formal meeting of the California High Speed Rail Authority in San Francisco, to hold yourselves accountable to the people whose properties and projects you are jeopardizing.”
To Be Continued…
Tags: alternative, association, authority, beale, caltrain, Chris daly, Curt Pringle, High Speed Rail, hill, hsr, jamie whitaker, Judge, Medhi Morshed, mission, neighborhood, petition, Quentin Kopp, rincon, rincon hill, soma, south of market, Station, street, Supervisor, terminal, terminus, transbay
Posted in travel | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Or the Castro, whichever.
From the year 1924, Number 798 is the last of its kind.
Via Troy Holden:
Click to expand
Tags: 1924, 798, association, bus, chrsitmas, flickr, holiday, Line, market, Muni, north pole, railway, street, streetcar, Troy Holden
Posted in transit | 1 Comment »
Friday, November 20th, 2009
He’s back, baby! San Francisco’s Mayor Gavin Newsom is back in town, both physically and mentally. So, he’ll (OMG, is Gavin channelling giddy, laughing Tom Cruise?) once again have to deal with the so-called “delusional” media, but that won’t stop him from continuing to Take It Directly to the People, GWB-style. As here, with last night’s lighting ceremony for the Market Street Snowflakes.
Our mayor with the Snowflake Girls near the Powell Street Cable Car Turnaround at the dramatic Moment of Lighting. Dixitque Gavin fiat lux, et facta est lux:
Click to expand
But let’s start earlier on in the evening. This was Market Street a little before the ceremony. It’s the darkest I’ve ever seen it, cause they turned off all the LED snowflakes (which have been burning the midnight oil quite a bit recently, as they were last summer, when they were being installed and tested) plus the streetlamps of the “Path of Gold” too.
Even a Toyota Prius driver would turn on the headlights with on a street this dark:
The streetlights and snowflakes are wired in together? That would make sense:
Anywho, back to the ceremony, apres-lux - can you see all them signs? Show Your Zip is the new “locals only” holiday shopping program. (It would appear that the San Francisco Ballet (nice new video they have on the homepage now) would have this program’s best discounts.) Scott Beale’s Laughing Squid is celebrating its 14th Anniversary as a local business with the help of famous Frank Chu. And The Jesus Loves You Guy was on the scene as well. Natch:
The mise-en-scene last night. Aside from almost always appearing bored while waiting for others to finish speaking (looking left, looking right, looking left, looking up….), Gavin Newsom always handles these kinds of public events very well, as you would expect a charismatic leader to do:
The Least-Yellowest Teeth in all Christendom. In fact, nowadays, they’re so white that they’re on the blue side, as if flourescent. Amazing:
President of the Board of Supervisors David Chiu, taking time out of his interview with KGO-TV’s Lilian Kim to greet Frank Chu in front of The Gap, which is doing better these days, don’t you know.
And this is how I left it, with the lights on ’til January 2010:
Enjoy.
Tags: 19, 19th, 2009, 7, ABC, association, bay area, black friday, board of supervisors, cable car, ceremony, christmas, county, David Chiu, delusional, discount, electricity, frank chu, gavin newsom, girls, holiday, jesus loves you, jesus loves you guy, kgo, led, light, lighting, lilian kim, locals, market, Mayor, media, Merchants, November, president, San Francisco, shopping, show your zip, sign, snowflake, snowflakes, street, streetlamps, streetlights, turnaround, TV, union square
Posted in politics | Comments Off
