The San Francisco Citizen

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.

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’s what the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce had to say when they found out the annual luncheon with the Niners ain’t gonna happen this year:

“Our main reaction is disappointment,” said Carol Piasente, the chamber’s vice president of communications and events.

(At least they’re taking it better than Otto West would.) Maybe last year’s chant led by Senator Dianne Feinstein played a factor in the cancellation?

Irregardless, KNBR 49er Family Day is ON this Saturday, June 7th.

Gold Rushers Janelle and Jordan would love you to come to Family Day 2008. By Slick Rick via Flickr

It’s on! It’s free!

The day will feature contests, games and appearances by members of the 49ers football team, alumni, Gold Rush, Niners Noise Drumline and Sourdough Sam.  Fans are encouraged to arrive early to take in all of the day’s festivities.

See you there.

 Here’s how it went today for voters opting for the touch screen system. Bright, easy-to-read graphics on your screen - what could be nicer?

Here’s what you’re thinking - what about the paper trail, dude? Well, San Francisoco’s got you covered as they print it all out so you can check for yourself. No hanging chads and no butterfly ballots in the 415 this year. Is City Attorney Dennis Herrera still working on this issue? Think so.

Welcome to the future!

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.

Full-service public relations and public affairs consultancy Hill and Knowltonannounced today that former vice president Al Gore, upon his death, will be encased in carbonite and then buried. This type of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) was only made possible this year through the use of nanotechnology.

Until recently this was our understanding of carbonite, made famous in Star Wars V - The Empire Strikes Back:

“By the rules of chemical nomenclature, the formula for a “carbonite anion” would be CO22-, which is thought to be an impossible formation (methanoate being preferentially formed instead).”

Impossible no longer.

Artist’s conception of the former vice president encased in the densest form of carbon known to man:

Just one treatment of this double carbon material will take the equivalent of 1200 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. The only downside will be the expense of a slightly oversized coffin. The upside is that Al Gore, Jr. will be the most severely carbon negative person in recorded history.

A relieved Hill & Knowlton spokesperson confided to one reporter that this announcement will lay to rest the controversy over the greenhouse emissions of Al Gore’s house, for some reason an issue of almost daily concern to the D.C.-based House of Flack.

If only Han Solo were alive to see this day…

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!

Check out yesterday’s march and protest at the headquarters of United Statess Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.) in San Francisco.

Senator Carole Migden dropped by to call these federal raids “improper invasions.” Read about it here and see a video here.

(more…)

Oh my. Hundreds of volunteers came through the huge San Francisco Headquarters of Senator Carole Migden this past weekend. On hand to cheer her on were former Senate President John Burton and future Senate Pesident Darrell Steinberg.

A couple of termed-out Assemblymen are ganging up on her to turn her out of office. Read on: 

It’s a wide-open race involving the incumbent senator, Carole Migden, and her two challengers, Assemblyman Mark Leno and former North Bay Assemblyman Joe Nation. Each has a decent shot at winning the primary that is tantamount to victory in the overwhelming Democratic Third Senate District.

As much as this race is about anything, it’s about a struggle between the Democratic members of the (ironically-named) upper and lower houses of the Legislature in Sacramento. Senate leadership appears to be making a stand on behalf of Carole.

She’s got seven figures to burn through and lots of enthusiastic volunteers, so things should get interesting pretty soon. The Battle for Minis Tirith will look like a cakewalk compared to this election season.   

This shot shows about half of the largest room at HQ - the Great Hall of Ninth Street.

The original Spanish of the phrase… 

…Barack Obama is borrowing:

Round One of the Defense of Carole Migden has begun.

Ding Ding!