The San Francisco Citizen

San Francisco is where the founding United Nations Charter was signed, so we get more than our fair share of attention from the UN and they’re various plaques around town to remind us.

The 60th Anniversary of the United Nations has come and gone, but this sign at the Civic Center / UN Plaza BART station underneath Market Street still calls for renewal.

People called for renewal during the 50th Anniversary as well.

Who will call for renewal when the 70th Anniversary comes along?

You can read about what happened today at the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco here - did somebody cut the rope of dangling trespasser Nyendak Wangden causing her to fall 15 feet or so? Well, it could have been worse of course.

But maybe these gentlemen here saw what happened and could help clear things up. You see, they like to hang out on the roof of the consulate when protests are going on. The State Department is looking into things right now. Click to enlarge:

Perhaps they just hang out there to enjoy San Francisco’s excellent air quality?

No matter. These are the same people who recently denied Bay Arean medal-winner Kendra Zanotto a visa to go to Beijing. Why? It seems her interest in Team Darfur played a role.

Sorry Kendra, no soup for you!

Oh well.

Normally, teens never sit around on sidewalks in the Haight, but today was special so these kids made themselves right at home on Ashbury Street.

The favorite flavor of the thousands of patrons? That would have to be Cake Batter, one of the best ever. And almost definitely salmonella-free.

Check the video of Ben and Jerry’s recent visit to the Bay Area. Why not?

Happy 30th birfday, B&J!

News comes from Dave Eggers in the New York Times.

“In 418,000 copies of the April 4 edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, subscribers will get a placard that on one side explains the connections between China and the genocide in Sudan, and on the other side says, “China: Extinguish the Flames of Genocide in Darfur.” How’s that for an early morning jolt?”

These placards are going to look a little something like this:

Will people need to register in advance in order to hold up these signs along the torch route? Will people need to be herded into “free speech zones,” like these pens used in Boston a while back, before they are allowed to hold up these signs?

Only time will tell.