The San Francisco Citizen

The owner of this car that was spotted in the South of Market Area of San Francisco has multiple signs visible from all angles advertising the futility of breaking in.

Now back in the day, you could go out and buy a simple yellow “NO RADIO” sign to hang in your car. Those signs went out of fashion for whatever reason, so now there’s no excuse to not create your own haiku or senryu.

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PLEASE
DO NOT BREAK
WINDOW

I HAVE NOTHING
INSIDE
MY CAR

NO MONEY, NO
CD
NOTHING

Does this approach work?

Well, it can’t hoit.

AGING TOYOTA

CRASH, ANOTHER WINDOW GONE

SOON, WINTER ARRIVES

Try it yourself. What would you write?

I don’t have much in my life/ But take it, it’s yours

Flag down one of these white taxis on the streets of San Francisco and you just might be able to sing your way to a free fare. You still have the rest of November, so start hunting today. Use this geographically-challenged map or just look at the sked below.

Will you sound as good on the iPod-friendly “SingStand” as these people?

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    What         Sing one of your favorites tunesin the Memorex Karaoke
                    Cab, and you’ll get the ride for free! Memorex is taking
                    the show on the road in six colorfully wrapped Karaoke
                    Cabs equipped with the Memorex SingStand Microphone
                    Speaker System, an interactive Karaoke system that lets
                    you sing along to music in your iPod(R) or any other
                    digital audio player.

                    Throughout the month of November, be on the lookout for
                    the Memorex Karaoke Cab at designated San Francisco hot
                    spots. The Karaoke Cab will drive you to your destination
                    while you act out your rock star fantasies using the
                    Memorex SingStand. Star in your own show or get as many as
                    three friends or family to join in on the act. Agree to
                    let Memorex videotape the experience, and your ride is
                    free. Then show off by sending a highlight video of your
                    performance, posted on mykaraokecab.com (starting
                    Nov. 12), to all your fans.

    Where &         The Memorex Karaoke Cab pick-up points will occur at
    When            designated times at the following locations:

                        o  Union Square/Macy’s: Nov. 5 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
                           (official cab stand at this location); Nov 28 from
                           Noon to 2 p.m. (roaming the area)
                        o  Fisherman’s Wharf/Hard Rock Cafe: Nov. 15 from Noon

                           to 2 p.m.; Nov. 19 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Nov. 22
                           from Noon to 2 p.m. (official cab stand at this
                           location)
                        o  Marina District (Fillmore/Union): Nov. 7 and
                           Nov. 21 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. (roaming the area)
                        o  Castro District (18th/Castro): Nov. 29 from 7 p.m.
                           to 9 p.m. (roaming the area)
                        o  North Beach (Broadway/Green): Nov. 15 from 8 p.m.
                           to 10 p.m. (roaming the area)
                        o  Ferry Building (Embarcadero): Nov. 8 from Noon to
                           2 p.m. (roaming the area)
                        o  Russian Hill (Polk/Broadway): Nov. 14 from 8 p.m.
                           to 10 p.m. (roaming the area)
                        o  Westin St. Francis (Powell St.): Nov. 6, Nov. 12
                           and Nov. 13 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Nov. 28 from
                           3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (official cab stand at this
                           location)

Yesterday was World Diabetes Day, so San Francisco City Hall was lit in blue, (or purple, or lavender, or whatever) last night.

INVISABUL BUS and the evening star. Click to expand:

Read all about it at the Diabetes Mine.

Well, it’s on SFGate so it must be true: “Thousands of demonstrators” gathered in front of San Francisco City Hall this morning to voice their beef with Prop 8. That’s a big improvement over coverage from the MSM from just a week ago.

Famous blogger Phil Bronstein now makes light of the erroneous estimate of 1000 souls from the Chronicle / SFGate / the Associated Press at last week’s march down Market Street. Apparently, being off by an order of magnitude or two on crowd estimates is par for the course in the mainstream media. (Be careful, else you’ll wind up on the “Gay Enemies List,” and you don’t want to be there.)

Count for yourself:

What’s interesting is that there appears to be no effort to figure out what went wrong with the 1000 person estimate. It was a mistake made by one person that didn’t get caught by the vaunted multi-layer vetting process that separates newspapers from the Internets. Oh well.  

Watch ABC News play it safe here:

One of the largest rallies was on the steps of San Francisco City Hall, considered ground zero in the battle for same sex marriage. Lesbian activist Carole Migden whipped the crowd up as she declared, “They hate us. Let’s just acknowledge it.” Then she pushed the crowd “to turn our rage into action.”

A partial speakers list:

Senator Carole Migden
Senator-Elect Mark Leno
Assembly Member-Elect Tom Ammiano
Amos Brown
Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis; Plaintiffs in the California marriage case
Mark Oliver and Clark Pingree; Representing “Mormons for Marriage”
Rev. Dr. Penny Nixon
Rev. Dr. Dorsey Blake

And speaking of SFGate, let’s take a look at a charming comment contained therein:

thechamp1 11/15/2008 12:27:51 PM FIRST COMMENT : EAT SH** AND DIE FAG*S

Oh well.  

Off the protesters went up Market Street.

To be continued…

It’s tough to see much grass in the part of the Parkside District (or Sunset, whatever you want to call it). Due to lack of space for cars to park (due to planners being unable to anticipate the growth of car use), there’s a strong temptation to pave over front yards. To wit: 

“The Board of Supervisors gave initial approval to a legislation introduced by District 11 Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval, who proposed it as a way to address a problem in his district: residents getting rid of gardens and front lawns by paving them over with concrete.”

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Should we have grass front yards or hundreds of thousands of cars in the first place?

Well, that’s up to you.

Is it true that the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth?

It hardly seems like a year has passed since the last San Francisco GreenFestival (or Green Festival, or GreenFest, or Green Fest, call it what you will). But it’s on once again starting today and going through Sunday, November 16th, 2008.

So get on down to the SOMA and get your green on. Make sure to get your fair share of green swag.

This event is underpriced, particularly for you bike riders. What’s your excuse? It’s on!

This year’s big draw will be Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (aka Chuck D). Supervisors Chris Daly and Ross Mirkarimi were big draws last year:

This is only one part of one part of the Green Fest. The thing is huge:

See you there!

San Francisco Green Festival Highlights

Nationally renowned speakers such as Riane Eisler, eminent social scientist, attorney, and social activist; Winona LaDuke, internationally respected Native American and environmental activist; Greg Palast, New York Times-bestselling author and journalist; John Perkins, founder and board member of Dream Change and the Pachamama Alliance; Daniel Pinchbeck, writer and founder of literary journal Open City; and many more.

Event Details:
San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center, 635 8th Street (at Brannan St.) and the Giftcenter Pavilion Theater, 888 Brannan Street,  November 14, 15, & 16, 2008.

Friday 12PM to 7PM
Saturday 10AM - 7PM
Sunday 11AM - 6PM
$25 per person – all-access for all three days.
$15 per person – all access for one day

Discounted Admissions for: students with ID, seniors over 62, bike riders with a ticket from the Green Festival Bike Valet, bus riders with transfer ticket/bus pass, union members
$15 per person – all access for three days
$10 per person – all access for one day

FREE: Children 18 and under, Co-op America or Global Exchange members

Green Festival Partners:
Better World Books, Clif Bar, Greener Printer, Honest Tea, Microplace, bgreen, Organic Valley Kids Zone, Pangea Organics, Rainbow Grocery, Saybrook Graduate School, TS Designs, KPIX, CBS/CW, GOOD Magazine

For more information on San Francisco or any other Green Festival event visit: www.greenfestivals.org

###

About Co-op America:
Co-op America (www.coopamerica.org) is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1982, providing the economic strategies, organizing power and practicing tools for businesses and individuals to address today’s social and environmental problems. Its Green Business Network is the largest national network of businesses screened for their social and environmental responsibility.

About Global Exchange:
Global Exchange (www.globalexchange.org) is a membership-based international human rights organization dedicated to promoting social, economic and environmental justice around the world. Since its founding in 1988, Global Exchange has successfully increased public awareness of root causes of injustice while building international partnerships and mobilizing for change.

Sure, why not drop by San Francisco Botanical Garden (nee Strybing Arboretum) over in Golden Gate Park? Even in late Autumn, there’s still lots of color around, as this Anna’s Hummingbird shows us.

Check out the Garden’s monthly schedule below.

See you there!

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SAN FRANCISCO BOTANICAL GARDEN SOCIETY PRESENTS
GUIDED WALKS & GARDEN TOURS NOV. 2008
SAN FRANCISCO BOTANICAL GARDEN AT STRYBING ARBORETUM
GOLDEN GATE PARK, SAN FRANCISCO

DAILY DOCENT-LED TOURS
Free docent-led tours depart from the Garden Bookstore (near the Main Gate) every day and from the Friend Gate (north entrance) every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Groups of 10 or more can call ahead to reserve special-focus tours.
When:        Tours from the Garden Bookstore:
                   1:30pm, Monday – Friday
                   10:30am & 1:30pm, Saturday & Sunday
                  Tours from the Friend Gate:
                   2pm, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday   
Cost:          FREE

CHILDREN’S STORY TIME & FAMILY WALKS
Join a docent-led Family Walk on the first and third SUNDAY of the month following Children’s Story Time in the Library. Kids and their families can dig into great garden stories, then venture out on a special tour of the Botanical Garden.
When:        Story Time begins at 10:30am
                   Family Walk follows at 11:00am
                   Sundays, November 2 and 16, 2008
Cost:          FREE

MONTHLY BIRDING FOR EVERYONE
This Birding Walk is especially designed for kids, age 7 and older, and their families, and focuses on the birds and flowers throughout the Garden. Participants are encouraged to bring a pencil and binoculars. Species from hummingbirds to hawks have been spotted! All children must be accompanied by an adult.  Meet at the Garden Bookstore near the Main Gate on the first SATURDAY of every month.
Co-sponsored by SF Botanical Garden Society, San Francisco Nature Education, and the Golden Gate Audubon Society.
When:        10am–12pm, Saturday, November 1, 2008
Cost:          FREE

MONTHLY BIRDING WALKS
Bring your binoculars and head off on a special guided Birding Walk, co-sponsored by SF Botanical Garden Society and the Audubon Society. Species from hummingbirds to hawks have been spotted!  Meet 15 minutes before tour at the Garden Bookstore near the Main Gate on the first SUNDAY of every month.
When:        8–11am, Sunday, November 2, 2008
Cost:          FREE
 
FOR ALL TOURS:
Information: 415/661-1316 or www.sfbotanicalgarden.org 

Location:   San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum
                  Golden Gate Park, 9th Avenue at Lincoln Way, San Francisco

From the quote of the day over at bluoz. Check it out.

“…is designed to prevent people from going to jail for committing a petty crime. If a person does a carjacking, wouldn’t you rather they get services than be thrown in jail?”

Does the above suggest that carjacking is a minor offense? A petty crime? 

Carjacking is straight-up robbery. So if you get a couple convictions of even the pettiest of carjackings, you are just one strike away from the perfecta of the three strikes law.

via giarose

Once you have two carjackings under your belt in California, a subsequent crime such as stealing four chocolate chip cookies can land you in the hoosegow for 25 years to life.

Carjacking is a felony per se. Something to think about…

Those horrible Dhaliwal Brothers just can’t leave San Francisco alone it seems, having just filed a federal civil rights lawsuit today. Apparently you can get sued for thinking they might have done something wrong that Christmas Day:

“Singer has suggested the brothers might have done something to provoke the tiger, an accusation that the Dhaliwals’ attorneys have denied.”

In actuality, the brothers might have done something to provoke the tiger. How’s this for a statement? Perhaps I’ll be the next to get sued.

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The whole idea of trying to get jurors from San Mateo and Marin to decide just how horrible the Dhaliwals are doesn’t appear to be a winning strategy, but who knows.

NB: A 24-year-old is not a “kid” regardless of any strategy to call him that. A “boys will be boys” approach has a similar problem.

To be continued…

In these days hybrid buses, cars and everything else, it’s interesting to see the OFFICIAL BUSINESS of a City and County vehicle, such as this SFPD Dodge Charger R/T in a plain wrapper, being powered by such a non-hybriddy engine like a 5.7 litre V-8 HEMI. 

So, this explains the MY NEXT POLICE CAR IS GOING TO HAVE A HEMI bumper stickers seen around town. What’s left a mystery is why these engines are called Hemi’s anyway.

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“Hemi” stands for hemispherical combustion chamber, but the term as used these days is “little more than a copyrighted word that bears little meaning, descriptively, for the engines designated as such.” Or, in other words, ”that thing got a Hemi? No, not really.”  

On the other hand, your 1975 Toyota Corolla just might have an actual hemi, if not the boss HEMI logo on the side. 

Choose wisely