So what’s the San Francisco Travel Association logo doing in there?
I’m confused.
(But oh, let me assure all you horny nerd conventio tourists in town for the next few days. There IS sex in the champagne room (or whatever they’re calling the champagne room these days), despite what you might have heard.NB: Bring cash. NNB: Lots and lots of cash.)
Executive Team
Joe D’Alessandro President & CEO 415-227-2698
Paul Frentsos Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer 415-227-2608
Tom Kiely Executive Vice President, Tourism 415-227-2667
John Reys Executive Vice President & Chief Customer Officer 415-227-2614
Matt Stiker Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer 415-227-2680
Tina Wu Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 415-227-2609
I’ll start with the easy one. Way back in the 1990′s, 1991 specifically, giant U.S. flags started popping up at American car dealerships all over the country.
They were designed to remind you to Buy American. (Although even at the time, many “American vehicles” were made in Canada, or from overseas.)
It didn’t really work so hot, so most of those flags, in front of your Oldsmobile,* Plymouth,* and Saturn* dealerships for example, went away.
And these days? Well, I don’t know, really.
As seen on Van Ness, formerly known as Auto Row:
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Maybe this giant flag means that an American car dealership used to be here.
I think it was a Ford store with lots and lots of Added Dealer Markup…
I’ll tell you, I haven’t seen anything from the NBC in years and the games of the 2012 Olympiad aren’t going to change anything.
But you, you love the Olympics, so get on out to Civic Center Plaza to watch them on a gigantic screen for free from August 7th through August 11th, why not?
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Let’s hope that area politicians won’t show up at this one to speechify…
Don’t miss the giant Buddha* – he’s in the mix as well:
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Merry Christmas!
* Now, you think, and I’m srsly you guys, you think maybe at some point Gumps could make a replica of the Buddha and then send the original back to Northern China whence it came? Just asking, Gump-bro. I know you have custody of it currently, from Agents of Fortune, though Accident of History, but is that the way it will always be?
“A Qing Dynasty gilded wood Buddha, carved for a summer palace in Northern China, is located in the store. It was carved in the Northern Manchurian Province of Jehol, the summer capital of the Ch’ing Emperors in the early 19th Century. The piece, the largest of its kind outside a museum, is the only item in the store that is not for sale.”
China, China, calling out to history
Is that the way it will always be?
It will be around until June 19th, 2011. Details below.
(PRNewsFoto/San Francisco AIDS Foundation, Alex Bernardin)
Giant AIDS Ribbon on San Francisco’s Twin Peaks Commemorates the 30th Year of HIV/AIDS
SAN FRANCISCO, May 24, 2011 –For the first time ever, a massive red ribbon appears on the side of Twin Peaks to mark the 30th anniversary of the first reported cases of AIDS in the United States. Organized by San Francisco AIDS Foundation, the ribbon was installed by more than 100 community volunteers to honor San Francisco’s legacy in fighting HIV/AIDS and to raise awareness of the importance of knowing your HIV status and getting proper care.
“This ribbon is a bold reminder to the entire world that HIV/AIDS is still an issue that urgently needs our attention,” said San Francisco AIDS Foundation CEO Neil Giuliano. “We have made tremendous progress in the fight against the disease over the past 30 years, but our work is not done. We believe even one new infection is one too many, and we will continue to give people the information and services they need to remain healthy and take care of the people they love.”
Every day in San Francisco, two more people are newly infected with HIV. More than 56,000 people are infected every year nationwide. Alarmingly, rates of new HIV infections are rising among gay and bisexual men nationwide, the only risk group for which this is the case. San Francisco AIDS Foundation conceived the red ribbon to reinforce its commitment to improving the health of the community through increased HIV testing and prevention efforts, and vital services that ensure HIV-positive people can access treatment and receive high-quality care.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first cases of the virus that would be known as AIDS on June 5, 1981. San Francisco was the first city in the country to experience epidemic levels of the disease. Today there are close to 16,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in San Francisco.
“San Francisco has always been a pioneer when it comes to HIV/AIDS,” said San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener. “From the early days of the disease, the city responded with courage to save lives and change the course of the epidemic. Today the ribbon on Twin Peaks is an extension of that legacy and sends an important message that San Francisco will always be a leader in the fight against HIV.”
“I am so proud to be part of this historic effort to raise awareness,” said volunteer Mike Shaw, who helped to install the ribbon. “This ribbon is a reminder that in San Francisco we take care of everyone in our community. We have always been a compassionate city, and that will never change.”
The ribbon is made out of 25 tarps. It is 225 feet long and 165 feet wide, and is visible from points across San Francisco and the Bay Area. It is scheduled to remain on Twin Peaks until June 19th.
About San Francisco AIDS Foundation
San Francisco AIDS Foundation works to end the HIV epidemic in the city where it began, and eventually everywhere. Established in 1982, our mission is the radical reduction of new infections in San Francisco because we refuse to accept HIV as inevitable. Through education, advocacy and direct services for prevention and care, we are confronting HIV in communities most vulnerable to the disease.
