The San Francisco Citizen

It’s on! Thousands of Bay Areans are down at the Cow Palace in Daly City trying to qualify for American Idol.

This is what it looks like when American Idol comes to town and they let people sleep in line at the Palace. However, the cold night air of Daly City can’t be good for your singing voice. So this year, it’s all about wristbands.

via mrwilloby’s photostream on Flickr

Smart contestants already have a guaranteed slot, having cleared one hurdle by singing at Skip’s Music in Elk Grove, CA.

There is some controvesy this year concerning the writers for the show. You’d think American Idol wouldn’t require writers, but they do, apparently. Oh well. San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty and Senator Carole Migden have worked on these issues lately.

Good Luck contestants!

Each year, Patrick Carney organizes the installation of a huge pink triangle on the slopes of Twin Peaks in San Francisco.

This commemoration of the gay victims of the Holocaust and reminder of the on-going inhumanity to repressed minorities around the world is always well-attended. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi couldn’t attend this year but her district director, Dan Bernal, offered her statement to the crowd.   

A Rosa Winkel for Homosexuells, back in the day. Click to expand:

Senator Carole Migden commented upon the swirling fog and occasional winds that conveyed an “Edgar Allan Poe feeling.”

San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty avec l’enfant, once again.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom popped his cork prematurely to the delight of fiancee Jennifer Siebel. But not too much ceremonial bubbly was lost, as recorded here by Official Pride Photographer Bill Wilson.

See you next year.

The Castro District of San Francisco, with all it’s rainbow flags, is looking très festive these days.  SF Pride (avec Parade) is coming soon.

Speaking of which, the Friends of the Pink Triangle are looking for help again this year with a little setup assistance for the biggest one ever this Saturday, June, 28th. (Will Senator Carole Migden be there with her twirling baton, as per usual?) 

The forecast is for sunny skies….

The California Department of Food and Agriculture called it quits today on the issue of spraying for the Light Brown Apple Moth. All of a sudden like.

The family that Stops the Spray together, stays together (or something like that).

This should be gratifying to Senator Carole Migden, who thinks, “Bay Area residents ought not to serve as guinea pigs and have their health jeopardized for an ill-conceived program and an unproven approach.” 

The same with San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera, who says he’s, “glad CDFA appears to have accepted the inevitable.”

So after all these months, that is that.

Carole Migden’s antiwar message is proving irksome to some in San Francisco these days. Can you imagine? Senator Migden, first runner-up in the Bay Area’s recent District 3 election (that means she came in second place, contrary to what you’ve been told, dear reader), still carries on with her antiwar message.

And now Street View shows it seems she has support of Google as well. Oh noes!

Here was Senator Carole Migden over the weekend, braving the cold along with about 150 folks who are dead set against the planned spraying against the Light Brown Apple Moth and the people of the bay area.

Read all about it.

So, the state of California won’t allow lower milk prices? Sure seems that way. Here’s how it looked at a San Francisco Lucky Supermarket the other day:

The Soviets over at the California Department of Food and Agriculture regulate milk prices? Yes, srsly.

You see, dairy farmers and the state of California like high milk prices. This cabal works together thusly: 

California Dairy farmers want state to raise milk prices

Record milk price provides relief for dairies

Read the news and turn the pages:

Dairy Industry Crushed Innovator Who Bested Price-Control System

THE LAND OF MILK AND MONEY:

15-farm empire bucks industry

Not only does Food and Ag play a role in keeping milk prices high, they seem to relish offering excuses for their behaviour.

So, by the numbers:

4. Q: Why are milk prices regulated?
A: Another way to ask the same question is, “To what extent is governmental intervention still needed to achieve orderly marketing of dairy products?”

No, the way to ask the question is “why are milk prices regulated?” Or, why are milk prices so damn high? Or, why the hell is there a minimum price on milk? Answer: To please Big Dairy.

Next question:

5. Q: How do California’s milk standards differ from other states?
From the nutritionist’s standpoint, California’s fluid milk standard is healthier

No, the proper answer is “in a trivial fashion.” Why would California have such a minor difference in milk standards? To segment the market in order to please Big Dairy, that’s why.

Next question:

11. Q: How much does it cost to produce a gallon of milk?
Input costs, such as processing labor, delivery and raw product costs vary considerably.

Why on earth should the Kalifornia Kommisars even care about this issue?

Dairy Division on patrol, looking for illegal sales of low priced milk. (CalTrans made them switch the metal tracks on their tanks to rubber back in ‘82.)

The final outrage:

16. Q: Can outsourcing milk to other states reduce the retail price of milk?

“Outsourcing“? Don’t they mean importing? Yes they do, but the word importing has a neutral point of view.

Thankfully, we’ve made it to the bottom of the FAQ page.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is required to comply with the wishes of the Legislature and the Governor, of course. The mystery is why Food and Ag feels it necessary to defend the wishes of the Legislature and the Governor with this extremely bogus and self-serving FAQ page. The World Wonders.

(And if you like high milk prices, you’re going to love getting sprayed with crop dusters over your house this summer. BAM! Is Gaia acting through Senator Carole Migden to fight against Food and Ag? Signs point to yes.)

Here’s the latest from the exotic deer wars up in the Pt. Reyes area of Marin County.

A little background about the “hired killers” is here. Of course, California State Senator Carole Migden has been on this issue for a while now. But the Feds have a different point of view about “exotic ungulates”.

The plan is to have all these deer gone withing a decade or two. And that rubs some people the wrong way.

Please don’t shoot me just because I don’t come from here! Some exotic deer inside of the Point Reyes National Seashore:

It seems the way the Federales have handled the culling will give animal lovers lots to argue about over the coming years and decades.

Let’s hope we can get to some kind of solution soon.

Forget about that other District 3 poll, the one that had to be pulled due to cheating by Internet-savvy individuals. Here’s the latest from the San Francisco Bay Guardian. Their survey currently shows Carole Migden leading with 54%, Mark Leno at 43% and Joe Nation trailing with 3%.

Click to enlarge: 

Get in on the fun right now and cast your vote. You can’t win if you don’t play!

The bandwagon opposing aerial spraying for light brown apple moth eradication is gaining momentum.

Last night, San Francisco Supervisors Carmen Chu, Gerardo Sandoval, and Ross Mirkarimi, along with scientists, physicians and organic farmers, all addressed a standing-room-only crowd of hundreds at the Hall of Flowers in Strybing Arboretum.

Senator Carole Migden praises the efforts of the assembled experts.

In related news, the “twist-tie” approach is under new scrutiny in San Mateo County. 

On it goes. Per the Chronicle:

On Saturday, Stop the Spray Marin is holding a march and rally from 9:30 a.m. to noon at the southwest end of the Corte Madera Town Center. More information about the events is at www.sfspraytownhall.org and www.stopthespraymarin.org.

It’s hard to imagine light aircraft buzzing the city with spray canisters firing after seeing all this agitation, but who knows…