The San Francisco Citizen

Here’s what’s up with that - If you operate a television news station in the San Francisco Bay Area, life’s a little easier when you don’t plaster your rolling stock with gaudy graphics.

‘Cause if you put your station name on your vans, then some vandals will come around with a can of spray paint (what’s that? you yourself don’t carry spray paint with on your person at all times?) and write “Fuck The Corporate Media” all over said vans. Thusly.

Circa 2008 - a live remote capable truck on the streets of San Francisco, anonymous and therefore safe from mischief. Click to expand:

(If you don’t believe that, then type in “954 Front” in the San Francisco section of Mapjack. See?)

Of course, “Fuck the Corporate Media” was quite the meme back in 2005. Witness the start of the downward spiral of Josh Wolf (aka “Insurgent,” srsly) that ended up landing him in the hoosegow.

But now, this “legend among journalists” is with the corporate media (or what looks like the corporate media, what with all the ads ’n stuff) himself.

Isn’t it ironic, dont’cha think?

Women’s Independent Cinema is here. You see when, “the Film Festivals leave town, WICinema delivers ‘Indie’ films monthly… right to your home” by sending you a DVD every month.

Check out their Mission Statement:

“Our mission is to entertain, empower, educate and bring financial oppor­tunities to women all over the world — and we do this through the magic of movies.”

Here’s what you get for 21 bones (before shipping and taxes) every other month:

“Spokesperson, Actor and Founder” Jennifer Siebel herself will greet you on your DuMont like this:

And then you get four films - check out Volume #1 here. The DVD includes a lengthy feature: 3 Needles; two documentaries: Amuse Bouche: A Chef’s Tale, and A Portrait of The Artist as an Old(er) Woman; and a dialogue-free short: Tackle Box.

By the way, they’re hiring. And they have a blog. And they’re having an annual Independent Filmmaker Award, so don’t miss that, moviemakers. And there’s links to tons of other stuff, including THE TROUBLE WITH ROMANCE movie trailer - A Gene Rhee Film.

If you sign up today, they’ll ship out your first DVD PDQ ASAP, AFAIK.

San Francisco’s historic Cable Car bell ringing contest delighted hundreds in Union Square yesterday. It looked like this and this.

Mayor Gavin Newsom and MTA Director Nat Ford enjoy KBLX radio’s stirring interpretation of LL Cool Jay’s Rock the Bells. (Sadly, credit for the song was given to Run DMC.)

KGO-TV personality Janelle Wang’s hair momentarily defied gravity as she did the robot on her way to the bell: 

Grand Champion Carl Payne gave in to pleas from the crowd wanting to get a closer look at his humoungous bell ringing ring: 

Carl Payne’s cable car ring. You can see the words “Champion Bell Ringer” and also the years of his victories on this Super Bowl-style finger bling:

Yesterday was all about the bell, steampunkish in its own way: 

See you next year!

Details after the jump: (more…)

Here’s what they want you to believe: the route of the Bay to Breakers footrace is all downhill after topping the Hayes Street Hill. From the website:

ING Bay to Breakers is a 12K (7.46 miles) course. From sea level at the Embarcadero the course rises steeply along Hayes Street Hill. Around the 2.5-mile mark runners climb an 11.15% grade between Fillmore and Steiner, bringing them to the highest point in the race, approximately 215 feet above sea level. The remainder of the course gradually flows downhill alongside the Panhandle and through Golden Gate Park.

But that’s simply not true. Take a look at this elevation profile. See? After dipping down a bit the course continues to rise and reaches its highest point in Golden Gate Park. So there’s a reason why it feels you’re going uphill after conquering the Hayes Street Hill - you are going uphill.

Thousands of runners are in Golden Gate Park today preparing for tomorrow’s race. Going to the west uphill in the Panhandle:

Why does the mainstream media repeat a falsehood year after year? Laziness, mostly.

But check for yourself, if you want. Mike did last year and came to this conclusion:

According to the Garmin GPS I was using, the highest point is indeed in GG Park, not the top of Hayes Street Hill.

So plan your racing strategy accordingly.

Have fun tomorrow!