The Toasted Blog

No Vacancy

2012-01-27T20:14:00.000-08:00

The Ocean Park Motel on 46th Avenue in the Parkside.

Viva La Resistance

2012-01-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

As seen during last Friday's Occupy Wall Street West march. Yes, they did go in. No, I was not part of the contingent.

Side note: This may be my last post for awhile, as I'm getting a good amount of unit courseload...

Amongst The Fog...

2012-01-13T23:03:00.000-08:00

As seen on Shawnee, looking west.

South of the Border

2012-01-12T23:54:00.001-08:00

Streetcar 1072 as seen on the L-line turnaround the night of Post Yule Pyre, testing before it enters the F-line.

A Long Day At Work

2012-01-11T23:37:00.000-08:00

As seen in the city's dimly-lit Lakeshore District. Ah, suburbia...

Only They Can Prevent Bonfires

2012-01-09T22:39:00.000-08:00

As seen from this year's Post Yule Pyre. Never send a bunch of Park Rangers to do a fireman's job...

That Local Grocery Store

2012-01-04T22:43:00.000-08:00

As seen on Laura Street on a recent foggy San Francisco day...

Sunny San Diego in Foggy San Francisco

2012-01-02T18:46:00.000-08:00

Muni PCC 1078 as seen on Taraval in the Outer Sunset, fresh off from being rewired at Brookville. Expect to see this on the F-line very soon...

I Can't Believe It's 2012

2012-01-01T18:34:00.000-08:00

2012. It feels so surreal. You'd think the world would end by now with the stupidity of the past decade, but nope, we're still alive.

So I decided to check out the fireworks from Treasure Island this year, since I've heard the show looks better from the island from the mainland.

This was worth being stranded on the island for 30 minutes because traffic wasn't moving at all out of the island. Happy New Year everyone!

This Year In Review

2011-12-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

Wow this was an interesting year...let's take a look:

January: "Uncle" Ed Lee gets appointed as Interim Mayor of San Francisco - only to find out seven months later that he is a lying, cheating and stealing bastard, as well as a Master In Disguise.

February: Arab Spring felt in San Francisco. Good thing Mubarak got out of the way.

March: The day we invaded Libya was the same day we invaded Iraq eight years ago, and turnout has never been lower. What happened, America?

April: Precursor to Occupy.

May: Galileo walks out in protest of education, like they do every year.

June: Rest in Peace, Anthony Valerio and Lt. Vincent Perez.

July: Visiting the Organic Farm at the County Jail.

August: A Muni Boeing LRV is profiled off Richmond, California, 10 years after its retirement.

September: We remember the 10 years after 9/11.

October: Blue Angels, Fleet Week, all weekend

November: Snooping around Cala Foods for the last time, before they turn it into just another Trader Joe's and CVS.

December: Alamo Square fire displaces 60 residents.

Damn, that was a crazy and weird 2011. I apologize for not doing a comprehensive post on Occupy SF and the actions, my first semester at State, as you can see, deprived me of time to make any huge posts. I have a shitload of photos taken from the weekly marches that I will post to my blog in the coming weeks, however. Happy New Year! See you in 2012!

Photo: OccupySF pitches tents at Sue Bierman Park, during a recent OccupySF event.

So You Were Saying?

2011-12-29T21:09:00.000-08:00

SFSU President Robert Corrigan being grilled by a protester at a recent Occupy SFSU event.

Everyday They (Used To) See Me Speak

2011-12-28T22:33:00.000-08:00

Former Supervisor Chris Daly at a recent OccupySF event. I just don't see this guy around town enough anymore. Either that or I need to get out more.

Unconventional Shooting

2011-12-26T22:53:00.000-08:00

An officer filming protesters, XSi and partner in tow, at a recent OccupySF March.

The Christmas House on Gellert Drive

2011-12-25T14:20:00.000-08:00

So...more on the Christmas House on Gellert Drive...was reading a Yelp review when someone mentioned of a Christmas house on Lake Merced. Curious, I decided to investigate. I found the house, on Gellert and Everglades. Don't know who did this set-up, or how long they have been doing it. Looks quite nice though. Adds to the drive heading into the Sunset for those visiting from the Peninsula.

They have everything, from snowmen...

...to gingerbread people...

...to Santa on his sleigh, guided by Rudolph, with two penguins busily waving not realizing Santa is departing...

...Santa and his wife...

...and whatever these people may be...

They even have a full-on Nativity Scene! [Everyday a star is born! (Clap for him, clap for him, clap for him)]

That being said, Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas San Francisco

2011-12-25T01:48:00.000-08:00

Good morning everyone! Merry Christmas to all! Here are pictures of some of the many houses in the City decked out for this holiday, the only day where you have an excuse to entitle yourself, your partner, your friends, and your family to splurge on some gifts that will probably end up in storage by next Christmas.

First, stock up on the peppermint on 37th Avenue:

Or meet Santa on 43rd Avenue:

Followed by Santa's Workshop at 36th Avenue:

Or is *this* Santa's Workshop on Gellert Drive? (More on this house later today.)

Next comes this setup on Ocean Avenue:

And who could forget about the Tom and Jerry Christmas House at 21st between Church and Sanchez? While going strong for 22 years, I realized it's only garnered mainstream fame within the last two years...or am I missing something?

Anyways...Merry Christmas everyone! Go easy on that eggnog.

The Eve of Christmas Eve

2011-12-23T21:55:00.000-08:00

The Christmas House of Golden Gate Heights, at 17th and Ortega in Golden Gate Heights. The owner has been doing this for the past 20 years. Along the way, he collected stuff for the display, and it sorta grew from there. Looks great!

I'll be posting more photos of Christmas houses over the weekend. Merry Christmas readers! And while I haven't been keeping track, I think my blog turned four a little while back...dang, time goes by fast huh?

Alamo Square Fire

2011-12-23T01:28:00.000-08:00

This happened just as I woke up: A five-alarm fire tore through four buildings, a Victorian, an apartment building, a house on Elm Street, and the Creative Arts Charter School. While few suffered injuries, 60 people lost their homes.

The rear of the building fronting Golden Gate and the Elm Street side of 1015 Pierce (in addition to the third floor) seems to have suffered the most damage. The building on the lower right of this picture appeared to have suffered the least damage (aside from the roof collapsing).

I am at a loss for words that this happened, especially since this happened during the Holidays. But anytime something like this happens it's just...heartbreaking. It was also sad seeing many of the (presumed) residents happen upon the charred buildings in disbelief. I'd like to help, and you should too. The Alamo Square Neighborhood Association is collecting donations for the victims of the fire. Also, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence will be running a drive this Saturday at The Edge Bar. I'll see what I can do.

Hitched

2011-12-22T00:59:00.000-08:00

A Muni Breda LRV hitched on the back of a Sheedy truck at Muni Metro East, as seen sometime last week.

Total Eclipse, Before The End

2011-12-11T02:03:00.000-08:00

As seen from Lands End yesterday morning. For those that didn't know, yes there was an eclipse. It's actually the last one ~~before the world ends~~ until 2014 (but wait! You can travel out of the country to see it until then!). I wouldn't say spectacular, as the clouds obscured the moon during the final moments of the eclipse as seen below:

Neveretheless, 'twas a good chance to experiment with shooting Lunar Eclipses as well as to study for one of my finals. And from there, I can't wait for next semester...

Shopping In The Future: The Final Days of Cala Foods

2011-11-29T22:42:00.000-08:00

UPDATE 11/30/11 10:30PM: So someone I know that lives around Cala told me they'll be closing tomorrow at 6PM. Get going, folks.

Was Thanksgiving shopping at Cala Foods when I decided to take some final photos of the place. If you didn't know by now, Cala Foods is closing on December 3rd at 6PM, and as a result, they're having a 50% off sale on all items at the store. So yeah, half-off beer(?). Or if your family celebrates Thanksgiving sometime this week? Of course, you can always shop at the new Trader Joe's or CVS expected to open next August. But then again, CVS and TJs are everywhere, right?

Believe it or not, this site used to have a Cable Car Barn. It wasn't until after the consolidation of the Cable Car system (where the California line was cut back to Van Ness) did they tear down the Cable Car barn and build another sample of suburbia in Lower Nob Hill. (This is probably the only example of Googie Architecture in the city, am I wrong?)

The building itself was designed by the firm Wynkoop & Imada and built in 1961, and it's been open 24 hours since then (well, up until recently anyway)! As far as I know, it's been in the movie Petulia...

Anyways...time is ticking for the store...better check it out while you still can, especially with CVS and TJs occupying the same space, a wall will split the building in two uneven halves. Luckily it was saved from condos. But, we'll see what happens in a couple years...

Occupy The Sunset District

2011-11-22T01:23:00.001-08:00

As seen Sunday afternoon on 19th Avenue in the City's - you guessed it - Sunset District.

Sleeping Milans

2011-11-21T20:40:00.001-08:00

Seen on the Embarcadero earlier this morning. They were stored here in anticipation of the #occupysf raid, which never happened.

Trolling The Administration Building

2011-11-18T22:33:00.000-08:00

Occupy SFSU taking over the Administration Building on Wednesday, November 16th, 2011. That was the same day the fucking trustees approved a 9% tuition hike. I'm not even sure whether we should even call them trustees anymore...SMH.

Stop! In The Name of Not Entering...

2011-11-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

Seen at Yorba and 34th in the tony Lakeshore district. August 2010.

As Long As Rose Is Happy

2011-11-09T16:44:00.000-08:00

As seen Monday evening on 9th Street, across from Sheridan, in the city's South of Market. Which reminds me, ~~Rose Pak~~ ~~Willie Brown~~Ed Lee won. Great job, San Francisco, you just elected a lowlife to office! Now we get another four years of corruption in City Hall! I can hardly wait!

Playing With Money

2011-10-21T23:15:00.000-07:00

The Occupy SF march last Saturday as seen from the front of the Federal Reserve. Still don't get the Occupy Wall Street protests?

While you're at it, move your money from the big banks and into a Credit Union.

Also, interesting video.

Trying Again For Fleet Week

2011-10-10T23:39:00.000-07:00

Picked off a couple shots off the Yacht Club. Not a bad spot. That is, until the fog rolled in. Yet the Snowbirds persevere:

United Airlines makes its second round of showboating above the San Francisco Bay:

Hey, hey, hey, it's Fat Albert!

Alas, the Blue Angels had to cancel 10 minutes into their flight because of the fog...

As Seen On Saturday During Fleet Week...

2011-10-08T23:17:00.000-07:00

Huh, first time I saw a B2-bomber at Fleet Week...looks like something off Star Wars...

Then we got our neighbors to the North, the Canadian Snowbirds...

And look...Fucking United Airlines and their showboating. Some guy told me this wasn't going to happen this year because people complained about it flying so low...I guess it did?

And finally...the Blue Angels...

All this seen from Hyde and Francisco in the City's Russian Hill neighborhood.

Single File

2011-10-06T23:47:00.000-07:00

The Blue Angels demonstrating over the City By The Bay, as seen from the vicinity of Larkin between Vallejo and Green...yes, it's that time of the year again...

Chasing Dimon

2011-10-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

As seen last Thursday at San Francisco's version of Occupy Wall Street...if you don't know why they're pissed, you're not paying attention.

Taming A Tiger

2011-09-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

The Sumatran Tiger (anyone know its name?) as seen at its compound at the San Francisco Zoo one Wednesday morning.

Stars and Stripes Forever

2011-09-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

Coit Tower, lit in stars and stripes, in remembrance of the lives lost and devastated on that fateful day. God Bless America.

Stow Lake Angels

2011-09-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

Wannabe motorbikes as seen on the last day of the Stow Lake Boathouse in Golden Gate Park. That is, until the Ortegas take over...or the McLellans win their lawsuit, whichever (hoping for the latter.)

Bare and Barren

2011-09-05T00:33:00.000-07:00

The former Galaxy Theater as seen from the intersection of Van Ness and Sutter, now being demolished. Guess they're finally going to build the condos the owners been dreaming up for awhile...

Off Giant Road in San Pablo, California...

2011-08-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

...across the BNSF railroad tracks, lies an industrial park, complete with construction equipment, trailers, dump trucks, cars, dirt, and...an old Muni Boeing LRV.

Boeing LRV 1271 was part of a problematic yet cool-sounding (I liked the noise they made every time they started moving) fleet that began service in ~~1978~~ 1980. Composed of 130 cars (100 from the original order; 30 from the rejected MBTA fleet), they broke down every 600-2000 miles and were the subject of a 9-paragraph apology from Muni (which I would like to see if anyone has the original document).

This car, along with others, were completely retired by 2001. While the rest were transported to England or scrapped, this car ended up serving as an office for the past 10 years.

This is one of four Boeing cars remaining in the Bay Area. Car 1258 is in Western Railway Museum in Rio Vista, and the other two (1264 and 1320) are still in San Francisco; one is at the yard on Duboce, and the other is at Green Division, visible off Ocean Avenue (pretty please, can they run the ones in SF on the F-line?)

According to some source I happened upon, there is apparently half a Boeing somewhere near the Half Moon Bay Airport. Does anyone know where it exactly is, and if it's still there?

Top of the World

2011-08-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

As seen on Natoma Street, bustling as a result of the Transbay Redevelopment Project.

Like Toy Cars

2011-08-17T21:34:00.000-07:00

As seen on Ocean Avenue in Merced Manor.

Slowly But Surely

2011-07-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

As seen at the site of the gas line explosion in San Bruno's Glenview Subdivision. It has been 10 months since that explosion and the neighborhood is still in the process of recovering.

Sutro Amongst The Clouds

2011-07-24T22:40:00.001-07:00

You know what it is...seen from Panorama Drive in Midtown Terrace.

Organic Farm @ San Francisco County Jail

2011-07-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

So every July there's a thing called Laborfest. I made it my goal for this year to attend at least one LaborFest event. After flipping through the guide, I noticed they were offering a tour of the Organic Farm at the County Jail. So I went.

The Organic Farm at the San Francisco County Jail consists of not only a 14-acre farm, but also a hoophouse and a greenhouse.

The farm generally grows vegetables while the hoophouse and greenhouse grows plants. All edible vegetables grown at the farm is donated to institutions like Project Open Hand and the San Francisco Food Bank.

All three are tended by young (think high school age-24 years old) earth stewards with the San Francisco Water Department. According to the Powers That Be, this program gives them something to do over the summer, and potentially throughout the year. It is a paid stewardship.

They can only get into this program through recommendations from community organizations in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, and they can only stay in this program as long as they stay in school.

Stop Zone

2011-07-09T21:49:00.000-07:00

The intersection of Monterey, Ridgewood, and Montecito, as seen from Montecito Avenue in the City's Westwood Park.

Little Houses In The Woods

2011-07-08T22:21:00.000-07:00

Houses lined up on 19th Avenue, as seen from Larsen Park, along 20th Avenue.

Higher and Higher

2011-07-07T22:44:00.000-07:00

As seen one Wednesday morning at Vernon and Sargent in the City's Merced Heights neighborhood. It was pouring an hour and a half before I took this photograph.

All I See Is Fireworks

2011-07-04T23:59:00.000-07:00

Hope everyone had a happy 4th! Looks like the fog decided not to intervene this year.

The fireworks started around 9:30, before the sun completely went down, and lasted about 15 minutes (seems to be shorter than last year's, or maybe that's just me.)

Then again, the fog shows up at the last hurrah. Oh well.

Just Like Sutro

2011-07-01T23:32:00.000-07:00

As seen from Spruce Street in the city's Presidio Heights.

The Embarcadero Zip Line Is Back!

2011-06-29T22:34:00.000-07:00

So the Sunday after Pride I get a tip from @AgentAkit saying that the zip line's back in San Francisco. Then, I see SF Citizen confirming that with a blog post. Stunned, I head to Justin Herman Plaza, and sure enough, there it is...

The same company from last year, Ziptrek, will be doing the zip line again. This year, however, you'll have to cough up $29.

Also, according to one of the people working on the project, this will open on Saturday. Hey guys, a great way to kick off the July 4th weekend! Wonder when they'll close?

In Pride We Trust

2011-06-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

Before I start this post, I have no idea what to write. Yes, I'm that hung over. Let the pictures do the talking.

So anyway the Pride Parade is in its 41st year, and every year the parade kicks off with members of Dykes on Bikes roaring through. Unfortunately, like the past two years, I've never been able to finish the parade. Yes, I have a short attention span.

With that aside, someone was filming the parade on an iPad. That's right, AN IPAD. How neat is that?

And of course we have the regular cheerleaders...

And then we have the flood of floats...

...and tourist buses...

...marriage equality advocates (congrats, NY!)...

...and the San Francisco Sheriff's Department...

...Kaiser (How the hell was I supposed to get one of those balloons?! I wanted one!)

...the conglomerate known as Virgin...

...and the rest...

...Chaz Bono...

...broken hearts...

...Dennis Herrera (why the Ice Cream platform?)...

...Wells Fargo...

...~~an homage to Rebecca Black~~...

...pets...

...Recology...

...and here we have John Avalos joining the bandwagon!

I believe this is the CCSF Mission Campus Translation Club...please correct me if I'm wrong...

And there were TWO of these guys...

And of course...

...flags. What's up with the tree, I wonder?

I need to go backstage next year.

Transmarch

2011-06-26T22:43:00.000-07:00

So I decided to check out the Trans march last Friday. According to the organizers, the parade is intended to make transgender and non-gender-binary-conforming people comfortable of being who they are. This particular march also commemorated the 45th anniversary of the Screaming Queens riot. Before the march, people mingled and watched performances...

...and danced...

...and made out...

...and celebrated a new coming...

...then around 6:30, we began marching...

...then all of a sudden, these guys come out saying "Gender (fuck!)"...

...and we continue...hope everyone had a safe and happy Pride! Will have those photos sometime soon!

In Memory of Michael Jackson, Two Years Later

2011-06-25T23:11:00.000-07:00

Two years ago to this day, Michael Jackson died. To pay homage to his contribution to the music industry, a group went around the City today and performed several dances to Michael Jackson's music.

Ah, yes, all the classics...Beat It:

...Smooth Criminal:

...and Thriller:

Aaaand there's this (seen while I tried to catch up with the mob at the Cable Car Turnaround):

RIP MJ. Your music will always be a part of us.

Riding the NX-Judah Express

2011-06-25T17:57:00.000-07:00

Ah, yes, the NX. Some say it's another CultureBus. Some say it's a waste of money, since it was supposed to beat the N by...one minute. After countless days of not being able to make the final morning NX of the day, I decided to ride it from downtown in the afternoon.

It did take a while to get from Sutter and Sansome to 48th and Judah, about 35 minutes. And it was a bumpy ride. But it did have a considerable amount of riders; most of them got on along Judah.

Now I just got one question: What happens after the 6-month trial is over and Muni decides to keep the route. Will the branding on the bus be removed, allowing other vehicles in the fleet to operate the route as well?

A Soda-Free Summer

2011-06-23T22:03:00.000-07:00

The Bernal Heights Coca-Cola sign as seen at Tompkins Avenue and Banks Street. Is the sign saved yet?

There's Something About Holly Park...

2011-06-22T21:36:00.000-07:00

...that I just admire. I feel at peace when I come up here. Could it be because of the many trees? Could it be because of the seclusion? Could it be being secluded amongst the trees, with the gentle breeze?

This is why Bernal Heights is one of my most favorite neighborhoods. I'd live here if I could, but you know, it's life. Oh well.

Catamaran By The Bay

2011-06-21T22:22:00.000-07:00

The America's Cup Catamaran, as seen from Municipal Pier last Monday testing the bay. I think this is a scale model of what racers will be using in the forthcoming America's Cup in 2013.

Ode To The California Shuttle

2011-06-17T22:01:00.000-07:00

The California Shuttle. From January to yesterday, you ran in place of the Cable Car. Sure, the Cable Car operates at 9 miles per hour allowing riders to enjoy the sights as it climbs up Nob Hill. Sure, the Cable Car allows one to ride on the running board, pretending to be Superman. But, there were things the California Shuttle offered that the Cable Car couldn't.

First of all, the buses - Gillig Phantoms - had blue seats, some of which were padded. The tinted windows made the ride oh so pleasant - as if one were ballin'.

Secondly, you went all the way up to Whole Foods. While I never rode it up there, I'm sure you served many Whole Foodies well...

And finally, you took me home from prom. Ironically, I felt more comfortable in a tux onboard the shuttle than on the Cable Car.

Oh well. Until the next time the California Cable Car goes out of commission...knock on wood...

UPDATE 6/18: So the project ran into some delays or whatnot, so they'll be running until next Monday, apparently.

9106

2011-06-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

I happened upon this at the City College turnaround on Ocean Avenue. Riding one of these are extremely rare, mainly because (1) there are only 6(!) of these in service (the New Flyer trolley buses that run right now don't count), (2) its 40-foot counterparts were all but retired by summer 2007, and (3) these were the chariots of my childhood. (I've been riding Muni since I was born, but by myself since I was 11.)

I've only happened upon these buses running on the 9 in the past two years, but I never saw them again after the December 5th, 2009 service cuts. Now I've been seeing them again, but on the 14 and the 49. It really brings the memories of that roaring Detroit engine and the smoke spewing from the back of the bus.

That's Muni for ya.

The City Is My Sanctuary

2011-06-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

As seen from Raymond Avenue in the city's Visitacion Valley neighborhood.

Rest In Peace, Anthony Valerio and Lt. Vincent Perez

2011-06-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

The funeral for Lieutenant Vincent "Vinnie" Perez and Firefighter-Paramedic Anthony "Tony" Valerio was held this past Friday at St. Mary's Cathedral.

The firefighters came from as far as Los Angeles to New Bedford, Massachusetts, and ranged from new recruit to...just your average firefighter...

After the funeral, a stream of firetrucks proceeded down Gough Street, heading to Holy Cross Cemetery, where they laid Vinnie and Tony to rest.

Rest in peace.

Presidio Terrace

2011-06-09T22:49:00.000-07:00

At the end of Washington Street lies a neighborhood so exclusive that it MUST be fenced from the public. That neighborhood is not Pacific Heights. That neighborhood is not Laurel Heights. That neighborhood lies west of Laurel Heights and north of the Richmond District. That neighborhood lies south of a golf course and the Presidio in general. That neighborhood is composed of one traffic circle - either with mansions surrounding the street or the other way around. That neighborhood - is Presidio Terrace.

Presidio Terrace was conceived after the 1906 earthquake by ~~a bunch of white guys~~ Baldwin and Howell as a utopia for - you guessed it - rich white people.

It is, as you guessed it, home to some of the fanciest homes in San Francisco.

More photos here.

If It Flew Like An Eagle

2011-06-08T22:28:00.001-07:00

Seen at Landers Street in the City's Mission Dolores neighborhood.

Station 26, Reporting

2011-06-07T23:52:00.001-07:00

As seen at SFFD's Station 26 in the Diamond Heights neighborhood, where Anthony Valerio and Lieutenant Vincent Perez worked. As you know, they were killed as a result of fighting a house fire that happened last Thursday. Their funeral is now scheduled for this Friday at St. Mary's Cathedral at 12:30. Rest in peace, and my condolences to the Valerio and Perez families.

Heir To The Muni Shelter

2011-06-06T22:58:00.000-07:00

As seen on Geary Boulevard in the city's Western Addition.

Former President Bill Clinton

2011-05-26T23:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, I haven't been blogging lately. But, if you're reading this right now, I'd like to thank you for bearing with me because I had a shitload of school-related stuff to do. Researching Former President Bill Clinton was one of them.

After a month since I (and @catherineberg) canvassed Twitter for survey-takers, I'm proud to release the results from the survey.

(Please note I did not copy and paste this off my actual research paper, which is WAY BETTER than what you'll see on this blog post.)

There were two main clusters of respondents: High school students (duh), and those ranging from 24-47 years old (Google, however, wasn't able to process that chart for me). The youngest respondent is 15 years old and the oldest, 53.

Most of those surveyed were female (52%), followed by males (39%). Of course, the other 9% identified themselves as "other".

Most of the applicants mainly attained a Bachelor's degree (29%), followed by an High School Diploma (28%).

Those surveyed were mainly either working for pay (40%) or getting an education (31%).

Respondents were mainly either White (57%) or Asian (21%).

And yes, most surveyed were with the Democratic Party. However, I forgot to put "Decline to State" on there, so this may be inaccurate.

So lets go to the survey...

What do you know about Bill Clinton?

Yes, people know he's famous. Yes, people know him as the President of the United States. Yes, people have said he came before a Bush and after a Bush. Yes, people have also said he is the husband of Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. Yes, people have said he was involved in an affair with Monica Lewinsky. But, what I didn't see much of was that people mentioned his work with Haiti, and his rescue operation in North Korea. Interestingly about 10 people mentioned he currently has an office in NYC. Even fewer mentioned "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (ahem)...but, let the Sample Responses speak for themselves.

**Sample Responses**
He was President of the United States. He's from Arkansas. He was a Rhodes Scholar. He's a bestselling author. He went to North Korea and helped release two American reporters that were being held.
"He was the 42nd President of the US, Former Governor of Arkansas Bill graduated from Georgetown and Yale for law school where he met Hillary Rodham whom he married. They have a daughter named Chelsea. Bill Clinton grew up poor. He nominated Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer to the Supreme court. Currently, has an office in harlem, appointed to G8 and raising money for Haiti. NAFTA, welfare reform and failed health care reform. Sexual misconduct."
He was our 42nd president. He once was a hippy and is married to hilary clinton. He was almost impeached when he was caught having an affair. Hd made many new social programs.
He was president from 1992-2000, in between the two Bushs. He is husband to Hillary Clinton, current US Sec. of State and is famous for an affair he had during his presidency with with Monica Lewinski. Before he was president he served as governor of Arkansas. He speaks with a slight southern accent and was the beginning of the end of the democrats. (IMHO)
"William Jefferson Clinton was the 42nd President of the United States. He served two terms as President. Prior to becoming President, he was a two-term Governor from the state of Arkansas. His wife, the former First Lady, Hillary Clinton, was a US Senator from the state of New York and is currently serving as Secretary of State under the Obama administration. Since leaving office in 2000, Clinton has served in many philanthropy roles, including his own foundation, the Clinton Foundation, based in New York City. "
He was inducted in 1992 as the 42nd POTUS. He was charismatic and received high approval despite creating the controversial DADT compromise. He was impugned for an extramarital affair with intern Monica Lewinsky, raising controversy everywhere.
he was the president of the united states. he was almost impeached. he had that whole monica lewinsky thing. he plays the saxophone and hates broccoli. he is married to hillary clinton and has a daughter chelsea. i think he might be a vegetarian now, but i might be imagining that part. they used to have a cat named socks or something like that. thats it, i think.
He is my favorite president. He was elected in the first election I was old enough to participate in. He was also involved in a sex scandal that led to his impeachment. He also balanced the nation's budget and led us to a budget surplus. His wife, Hillary, is Secretary of State in the current administration.
He was President of the United States, elected in November 1992; took office in 1993. Was a 2-term president. Dogged by various scandals related to infidelity. Put his wife in charge of getting health care reform passed. It didn't happen.
He was a president who had a chance to kill Osama BL but did not.
"42nd president Monica Lewinski Saxophone ""didn't inhale"" Somolia, Rwanda, balkins Depends on what the definition is"

What do you think his approach on the economy during his Presidency says about him as a leader?

Lots of people say he knew how to deal with money. Others said it was a fluke because of the dot-com boom happening around that time. Some incorporated foreign policy (ie. NAFTA) into their responses.

**Sample Responses**
The growth period was great for local businesses in the bay area. How much can be directly credited to Clinton, not sure. Had good FED leadership too.
yup, he had a great team w/ him then. also it helped that the internet came around at that time
Having been a governor was very helpful..he understands micro and macro economics. He understood this was a time of great innovation for technology and did not try and over govern - he did invent in public works projects while at the same working hard to elminate waste in many social programs.
His approach to the economy proved him a true statesman who cared more about his country than about economic theory and pleasing the unofficial aristocracy.
The fact that he did this with a Republican run congress says he was a damn smart leader.
He got lucky. And loosened a lot of financial reforms.
I think he benefited from the dot-com era - I don't think he was wholly responsible for the budget surplus.
It was ok, he shouldn't have done NAFTA
"Not sure I really know a lot about this. My age group puts me in the position of not having directly benefited, though I definitely indirectly benefited. The numbers, as abstract as presented (and usually as abstract as discussed in the mainstream media), don't really paint a good picture of the nations (and worlds) welfare as a whole. Who gained the most from Clintons economic policy? Who lost because of it? Clinton was obviously interested in ensuring the US was running a surplus, but it seems difficult to gauge what that really means for him as a leader."
I think his economic approach was the best we have had since FDR.
Lucky to be in office during a time where private investment outweighed that of the government.

How did accusations of him having an affair affected his Presidency?

I identified four core responses:

The affair is a private matter and should have been that way.

His legacy was unaffected.

It was a complete waste of time and distracted the nation from more important issues, such as Al-Qaeda.

It was a failed attempt by the Republicans, who wanted attention.

I also noticed that the survey takers that were my age tended to have a higher moral standard than those 24+:

Sample High Schooler Response:

I think that it made him look like he was a bad role model for the rest of the citizens of the United States. He just makes him look bad, and that incident will carry on with him for the rest of his life.

Sample "Average Joe" Response:

Who cares? He's scum in his personal life, but that's irrelevant.

**Sample Responses**
Witch hunt
Should never have been impeached - pure political witch hunt. However, did not at all condone the beahvior.
Such accusations, groundless or not, would have damaged his reputation as President.
It didn't affect his actual presidency at all. People laughed at him, but he never stopped effectively leading.
the fact that he lied, and that he cheated on his wife reduced the trust that a lot of people had in him. people feel that if he can't tell the truth about that, then he cant tell the truth in his career either. personally, i dont think that it necessarily correlates.
It was a big and unnecessary distraction. Additionally, these is some indication that these events might have diminished his focus and ability to pursue Al Qaeda following the attacks on US embassies and on USS Cole. This was ultimately one of the contributing factors to 911.
Ken Starr should get a place in the smithsonian for his inate ability to lead the biggest farce in the history of mankind. We spent millions of dollars trying to impeach Clinton for a consensual blowjob.

Some interesting responses:

"I remember when he got elected. I was living in Santa Cruz, was in college, and followed the campaign a lot. I was originally a Jerry Brown supporter, but once Bill got the nomination, was determined to help Bill win.

After he got elected, his first 2 years had a lot of frak ups, culminating in the 1994 GOP takeover of Congress. I was working in Seattle on a US Senate election for Democrat Ron Sims against incumbent Slade Gorton (a real piece of work) and we lost. Tom Foley (D-WA) lost that year. Democrats in WA got their asses kicked.

However things turned around. By 1998 we re-took most everything and today, Democrats control areas of WA that no one woulda thought back in the dark days of 1994.

Other memories? Monica (duh) and NAFTA (#fail) and saving the Muslims in the former Yugoslavia."

I turned 18 in the summer of 1996, and was proud to spend my very first vote on Bill Clinton's second term as president of the United States. All anyone remembers of his administration now is "Monicagate" and a certain level of self-serving behavior. I deny nothing; Bill Clinton was hardly perfect. But he was a statesman. America had a budget surplus rather than a deficit, unemployment was practically no problem at all, a police action fought against Serbia was successful and short, and he resisted his opponents with dignity rather than abrasive stubbornness. My first vote was well spent.

Some interesting (but possibly hella random) responses:

"He likes hot dogs and he was the best democrat ever."

"Oh? He was PRESIDENT? I thought he was the guy who stood out front of Church's in the chicken suit and handed out coupons."

"Bill Clinton likes blow jobs. And fat chicks."

"DO YOU REALLY NEED ALL THAT STUFF???"

"Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a Mornay sauce, garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top and Spam."

"I do not believe you have a future as a political pollster. Also, WTF is 'peace and freedom' under political affiliation? I think all the parties represented on the list would claim those ideas as tenets of their beliefs."

One final note: I would like to thank all the tweeps and peeps that took my essay, without your help, I don't know what else I would do. Also, one thing I did forget to put in the survey under "Political Affiliation" was Decline to State. By the time I found out, it was too late. Hat tip to a friend who took my survey who shall not be named.

Also, you know what I forgot? To ask you whether I could publish what you said (without your name, of course). Are we good?

Now that I got this out of the way, I'm gonna start posting again.

Gotta Get Down On Friday

2011-05-15T21:41:00.001-07:00

I think this is going to be a yearly tradition, especially at the rate these budget cuts are going! If you've read my blog in the past, you'll see that my school, Galileo Academy, marched to City Hall protesting the budget cuts in 2008 and in 2010. We didn't do it in 2009 because the Rainy Day Fund saved our ass.

But this year we're not so lucky. I heard that my school may lose up to 18 teachers for the next school year because of the $55 Million deficit ($113M total over the next two years). If you're curious about the budget, you can read on here and here and here (PDF WARNING).

Anyways, we left the school at around 3:30 and marched to Civic Center as usual. But being that's Friday the 13th (and that there was a dunk tank, dance, and yearbook distribution on that same day) there was less turnout than last year.

Just like last year and the year before the year before last year, we marched down Polk Street.

Yes, we were led by our beloved drum corps, as always:

Along the way, we chanted, we held signs, we marched, and we were cheered on.

In fact, by the time we arrived at Civic Center we were the only high school there.

By the time we got there, our beloved Drum Corps performed on stage, and shortly after some of the break-dancers proceeded to, well, break-dance!

Aside from that, there were lots of other people (mainly teachers from other districts and elementary school kids) present. Nonetheless, I think there was about 1500 people there?

And for all you Twilight Fans, yes, Jacob was there:

This, by the way, was the last day of a week-long action sponsored by the California Teachers Association. It began with a rally at Sacramento last Monday and ended with this, as well as many other rallies across the state. So, hope for the best next year. But, yeah, keep in mind 18 teachers at my school are at stake!

Bring Your Own Big Wheel

2011-04-25T01:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter (Monday as I'm writing this now). Ever wonder where all your childhood nostalgia went, when you would bike in the backyard, the street, or even in your home (like me) on that small-ass trike?

Every year for the past eleven years, these people have been living up their inner child on Vermont Street (well, for the first couple it was on Lombard until some neighbors got pissed off - hey, beats tourists driving their cars slowly down the hill, right?)

Anyways, this was my first time at the event, and it was CRAZY AS F---...

I actually almost got ran over a couple times when I was crossing the track...still fun though...

the kids,

...the amount of shoes that come off of the racers' feet...

...the people who rode backwards (like a BOSS)...

...the costumes...

Christmas came early for some...

...and then some...

...and the amount of racers that were like, "F*** it, I'm just gonna run with my trike to the Finish Line" (Don't forget about the wheels!).

(For some reason BYOBW has a Scooby-Doo Fetish...God I loved that show...)

...the props...

...and the amount of trikes being shuttled back up the hill only to be raced down again.

...and then there's always next year. It was gruesome and fun seeing the big people sitting on things designed for little people. Not only that, I'm sure it was intense for all the photographers trying to get pictures of the bikers coasting down the hill. All in all, very fun. Can't wait for next year.

Monday Morning And Going Strong

2011-04-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

I wasn't planning on going to the commemoration because I had school...but I decided to do so because, eh, I wanted to. Why? Cause it's fun to attend the commemoration at Lotta's Fountain then hitch a ride on Muni just to catch up with the motorcade who probably arrived at Church and 20th by the time I got to Church and Market! But I digress...

I walked there again like years past, because you can never rely on Muni's Owl System, and look who I stumbled upon!

And here's one of the three survivors, Bill DelMonte (nice hat there, chief!):

Eventually, they left from the front of the St. Francis and made their way to Lotta's Fountain, where *the* Mayor (Ed Lee) and *Da* Mayor (Willie Brown) were at hand. Didn't see neither mayor at the hydrant painting though (more on that later).

And then the sirens went off, and people started to head to 20th and Church. Luckily the Metro was open by then or I wouldn't have gotten there before the motorcade! That's right, I got there before them! Take that, Mr. Toad Tours! (Although I really wanted to ride one of those wagons...) But then again, I digress...

Yep, here's learning how to use the spraypaint to paint the fire hydrant. And I guess I'll be back next year?

The Cherry Blossom Weekends

2011-04-18T22:07:00.000-07:00

Looking at my sidebar, I currently have 17 posts this year. At this time last year, I had 100 (o_o). But, I can explain. You see, school has gotten the best of me, because there's just SO MUCH SHIT I gotta do, especially with graduation coming up next month (!)...but with that said, let's talk about the two weekends of the Cherry Blossom Festival in one post...yes, it can be done!

The Cherry Blossom Festival is in its 44th year, and continues to attract people from...I guess everywhere? (To be honest, I've never seen tourists at Japantown.)

It was also the first time I tried the Teriburger...it was pretty good...

And of course, the Taiko Drummers.

And yes, there were many booths that were soliciting donations for what happened in Japan. I hope you guys have donated.

I came back the next weekend (4/16), when Raise the Flag at Five was happening. Now *that* was a full-blown fundraiser for Japan. I heard somewhere, probably from SFGate, that the festival raised $200,000 for Japan relief. Can't seem to find the link though.

Great job San Francisco! And Get Well Soon, Japan!

April 4th

2011-04-09T21:41:00.001-07:00

Let's see here...so this week was the busiest week I ever had. Mostly school-related stuff. Then again, I finally heard back from SF State, so that was a highlight. Another highlight was marching with almost every union imaginable in what I would call "St. Stupid's Day, except this time it's for reals". Hey, St. Stupid's was the Friday before, and the itinerary was similar to that. (This was on April 4th, GOD AM I BEHIND!)

They originally started out at 555 California, but since I arrived late I had to catch up with them at Battery and California.

They had a brief stopover at 101 California before making their way to the devil of them all - the Hyatt Embarcadero.

The organizers claim that the Hyatt has basically treated union and non-union workers like crap, while the bosses made a very lavish living. So, yeah...

Oh man, do they look angry...

And finally, they arrive at Market and Spear to protest both One Market, and the Federal Reserve...

...where there was this one photographer that's very exhausted (COME ON YOU GUYS, LOOK AT HIM! He can't be dealing with this bullshit anymore! Neither can anyone else here!)...

...and of course, I've never heard of a union selling subprime mortgages. Haven't we all?

Maybe it's just because I'm a minor, but I'm kinda confused as to whether we in a recession still or are we no longer in a recession? Also, why the banks and the Federal Reserve? Yes, I know they're trying to get reassessed and that the Federal Reserve was the one that catalyzed the recession. But, where's GE in all this? They don't have to pay a penny in taxes. Just sayin'.

Kicking It At The St. Stupid's Day Parade

2011-04-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the day again. And fortunately, I was out on Spring Break, again.

Everyone's trying to be Stupid again this year. Although I think this year may have been smaller than last year's (I missed some people!)

Is this guy Bishop Joey? (Or whatever his name was?)

Lots of silly signs...

Lots of silly costumes...

...and lots of people mean...

...you have something that's just like Halloween, except it's April, and it seems like the objective is to troll Republicans, not spirits.

And we're off! After the Dead Lottery Tickets get distributed...

Here's where we get down on Friday:

And then they go to the Statue of the Bare Butt Mechanic, where "when the Republicans were in power, we had to cover their butts with diapers!"

And we come to rest.

Aaand we go on to the Sock Exchange and tossed pennies at the Bankers' Heart. But I don't got any pictures of that. Eh, hope April Fools was something.

UPDATE: Oh wait: The Doggie Diner heads were there too!

The Two Sides of Suburbia

2011-03-27T00:18:00.000-07:00

The City Center (AKA Best Buy, Former Mervyns, etc) as seen from Anza Vista and Terra Vista in, you guessed it, Anzavista.

The Stockton Union

2011-03-25T23:36:00.000-07:00

Seen on a rainy Saturday at Stockton and Broadway in San Francisco's Chinatown.

Eight Years Since Iraq, Libya Since Today

2011-03-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

...and from what I noticed because I've been attending this particular rally for the past two, it's getting smaller every year. Just because Obama got elected into office promising to withdraw troops from Iraq doesn't mean we should stop giving a fuck. In fact, just today Obama ordered a Tomahawk attack on Libya. 112 Tomahawks for 20 targets? Really? Let the Libyans deal with Ghadaffi himself. But I digress.

So on Saturday, about 1800 people (including me, but I left before they marched) came out to UN Plaza to mourn the day America invaded Iraq.

They came from everywhere, and dealt homemade signs...

or they showed peace. Passively.

Even Frank Chu was here!

America had a fight with Corporate America...

...and there were people marching, bound and gagged, to show solidarity for Bradley Manning.

All of a sudden, I saw these people doing some sort of dance. They were dancing to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"...what was the significance?

...but otherwise everything turned out well. Had to leave after the rally not because of the rain, but because, yeah, still busy.

On A Dark And Stormy (Insert Time Of Day Noun Here.)

2011-03-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

Taken a month ago on Beachmont Street in the Lakeside District. Kinda serves the same purpose; stormy then, stormy now.

Enjoy your weekend.

It's Been A While...

2011-03-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

...I'm just so very tired...sorry I haven't been updating this blog in awhile...it's that time of the year where the teachers dump that shit called homework, and throw in a couple of scholarship applications as well as some personal projects, and don't even get me started about prom. Yeah, it's crazy. And it's not going to get any better soon.

Anyways, Spring Break is coming up. Maybe I'll post more then?

Also, I'm *way* behind with the image processing (I've been shooting RAW more now). When you're shooting for THREE different things, it's hard to manage. One of them is this blog, and the other two I will not disclose for privacy reasons.

So yeah, enjoy your March. And for all them seniors out there, hope you get in to your colleges!

Chinese New Year Parade

2011-02-20T16:42:00.000-08:00

Aw man, luckily it stopped raining just as I got to the starting area. Yep, the usual. The fatheads, the trumpetblowers, and the goldfish dominate the starting area...

But then again, this *is* the year of the Rabbit, so you're bound to find some cute stuff, right? Of course!

And we got some pandas...

And does someone want to tell me who these guys are? They don't look even remotely like the Monkey King...

And here we have the JROTCs of various high schools in the beginning. Someone want to tell me why how come they are never broadcast on TV?

Now, unlike last year, I stayed all the way to the end. However, around here was when my camera started to run out of battery, just like last year. Neverless, I soldiered on...

I finally made it to Chinatown by now, and just like last year, kids were all over playing with fireworks. I didn't take a picture of that though because I was concentrating on the parade.

There were Gongbongers (someone know what the actual title of that position is?)...

...pushing the emperor...

...doing whatever they're doing...

And of course you have groups coming into the parade doing something that hardly relates to Chinese Culture, no disrespect...

And then you have Southwest Airlines, who have appeared frequently throughout the course of the parade. Chinese New Year in San Francisco has been taken over by the corporations...

More lion dancers...

~~Then there's UC Davis, who performed Bad Romance, I believe...~~ Then one of MANY marching bands come along...which one? Archbishop Riordan? Some Christian school from San Jose? You tell me, they all look the same!

Finally, we have people performing instruments marching down Kearny Street.

And we got more cute bunnies!

Now this was something that caught me off guard. I was totally not expecting to see the Giants Trophy in the Parade. Oh look, Lou Seal's running off with it!

And then we come to a close...

...as Leung's White Crane flies their Golden Dragon over the mass of firecrackers that seem to go off every five feet.

In summary: very cold, very loud, very smoky, very hectic, very fun. If you stayed home and watched it on KTVU or KTSF, you missed out. 'nuff said.

Filbert Street Cottages

2011-02-10T21:48:00.000-08:00

Noticed what looked like to be a compound of some sort and ended up stumbling upon these while on my way to TJs last Sunday.

Apparently these are cottages built in 1907 and are city landmarks. Can't really find much on the history of these cottages, but I do know that they were considered for adaptive reuse for the past three years...

These were seen on Filbert (duh) between Polk and Larkin. Not sure what the plan is for the cottages now...

Liberty and Justice for Egypt!

2011-02-05T23:39:00.000-08:00

Now, if you don't care about what's going on or is lost among all this, you should have a look at this (I won't embed it because it might be a bit graphic.) For those of you who do, or are moved by the video I linked, or came to your senses after watching the video, we have a guy named Hosni Mubarak who is being called upon by the Egyptian people to step down. He says he's gonna resign...in SEPTEMBER! Now, I wonder what are the chances of having a rigged election involving someone VERY CLOSE to Mubarak, or Mubarak could change his mind...

Anyways, around 8000 people (according to the organizers) came down to United Nations Plaza to show solidarity for the oppressed.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, wanted Mubarak's ass out of office. And without any threats from any pro-Mubarak protesters (I didn't think I saw any), they chanted and held signs...

(OK, forgive me if this sounds very generic right now, I'm not thinking right.)

(I think there was a small Arabic class going on as well.)

...freelanced...

...and marched...

...to City Hall...

...to call out John Avalos. Unfortunately he wasn't in office so we marched...

...down Polk...

...down Market...

...down 8th...

...down Mission...

...and marched past the Federal Building before returning to UN Plaza.

There were two occasions where kids were waving the Tunisian and Egyptian flags on that horse statue.

So I hope this actually sent a message to Mubarak, but I doubt he'd do anything except rig another election in September so that someone close to him can hold power. Also, Mubarak's family's net worth is over $80 BILLION DOLLARS (HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU BE WORTH MORE THAN BILL GATES AND NOT ENRICH PEOPLE'S LIVES?!), so, yeah, something to think about.

Good luck, Egypt. You're gonna need it, especially if you guys want to overthrow a power-hungry douche.

Fly Away

2011-02-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

BART Tracks as seen near the Oakland-Berkeley Border.

2011 Flower Market Fair

2011-01-29T17:28:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again! Chinese New Year is upon us...

It was crowded, but it wasn't that big...this is probably the only fair where I'm likely to run into AT LEAST ONE classmate of mine...and from there it gets very awkward. I don't know why.

But, it was pretty nice. Saw the mini-parade go through the fair for the first time. (I normally don't wake up that early for the fair.)

And finally...not only can one get their flowers, they can also get their charms here as well! Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Getting Evacuated...Again

2011-01-26T16:51:00.000-08:00

Let me just start out by saying: THANKS BRAD FOR THE 20D! As you can tell from below, I'm still learning how to use it...

ANYWAYS...Galileo got evacuated again for the second time in two days (yesterday was a fire drill, but that doesn't get on the news). This was also the second time we got evacuated for...you guessed it...a gas scare.

I was in class learning about our Government and the lessons Obama made about the State of the Union when the fire alarm went off. We thought some fool probably pulled it and continued on until the PA said for us to leave the building. And off we went. And we were outside for, about 40 minutes. First the Fire Department came, then PG&E...

People around me told me it was a gas leak. It turns out it was when I got home and looked it up on the Examiner. Wonder how soon will we get evacuated for a third time because of this...but at least we got a longer lunch!

I Know This Is Old...But Ed Lee Gets Sworn In As Mayor!

2011-01-22T21:20:00.001-08:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging for so long. Why? Scholarship apps. That, and some fuck robbed me. Yes. Robbed. Last Saturday. I no longer have a camera. I'm not going to say any more because I'm afraid that fuck's gonna hunt me down and do something worse than putting me on non-blogging status indefinitely. I've never felt so unsafe before, I mean, back when I began blogging in '08 I was pretty much documenting the city with little or no incident (little meaning being chased by crazies). Well, sure, I've felt no safer in the Bayview, I've seen street-racing at neighboring Crocker-Amazon, and I've seen some sketchy activity down at Cayuga Park. Yeah, I'm gonna keep my mouth shut because I don't want this fuck coming after me, and I'm going on a tangent.

BUT ANYWAYS...it was a damp Tuesday afternoon, on January 11th, 2011 (hey 1/11/11!), when Ed Lee was appointed as interim mayor to replace who else but, Gavin Newsom.

Of course, Rose Pak took the time to entertain the crowd before Mr. Lee came down...

And here they are...hey look, it's the new Board of Supervisors, and none other than Willie Brown!

And finally, "Ladies and Gentlemen. May I present to you: Ed Lee!"

Best of luck piloting the city, Ed Lee! You're gonna need it thanks to Gavin!

Why I Love Living In The City of San Francisco

2011-01-09T21:31:00.000-08:00

You never know what you're going to see...but that's only if you know where to look.

I happened upon this while I was at Glen Park on Christmas Eve. Seeing this from across the street drew me here:

Seeing the chickens drew me closer. (Is it even legal to have ~~game birds~~them as pets?)

Seeing the owner made me want to ask him where the hell did he get all these quirky stuff. No response.

Enjoy. This is on Chenery and Charles. (No, not St. Charles, that's Daly City.)

The Giants Trophy In All Its Glory

2011-01-07T21:36:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging in awhile, I've been VERY busy lately...but I had some time on Tuesday to check out the Giants World Series Trophy (or not, rather)...

Why? Cuz the line was so long...

...that it extended to the hospital-like basement of City Hall!

One wonders how this kid got in before the rest of the crowd, and had the cup to himself and his family for five minutes...

So, yeah, that was something.

Hoping For The Best In 2011

2011-01-01T02:33:00.000-08:00

2011, that's right, we're REALLY in the future.

The crowd wasn't as big as last year, mainly because people thought it would rain. So that made it easier for me to scout a location.

It actually took awhile for everyone to settle in, so I guess finding a location this year was a breeze.

Then, the fireworks and not a drop of rain in the sky...YET.

Now this is the highlight of the night: As soon as the fireworks stopped, it started raining. How awesome yet creepy is that?

Well, may 2011 be a good one to you. But, let's not forget about 2010, right?

Something Random To End The Year With

2010-12-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

Hey, 2010 wasn't a bad year, right? Of course, there's always more opportunities coming in 2011.

In retrospect (in order of importance):

Oh look, Republicans showing their butthurt on taxes.

The Presidio Landmark, AKA the Public Health Service Hospital, reopens and caters to yuppies.

World Cup at Civic Center.

Embarcadero Zip Line

Total Lunar Eclipse.

SpiderDan, SpiderDan...does whatever SpiderDan does.

Welcome to Walnut Creek, we support killer cops!

Remembering MJ's death.

Going to the Chinatown Night Market Fair

The Transbay Terminal opened up its hidden nooks and crannies, closed, and got ripped apart like a pack of wolves getting their dinner.

First time at the Folsom Street Fair

Chinese New Year Parade

Gay Pride Parade

St. Stupid's.

Banksy hits San Francisco.

Bay to Breakers

In Memory of Huan Chen (you know, the guy who was killed when several men beat him on the platform?

I'm a student and I can't believe we still have to protest this crap. Srsly, Schwarzenegger? You better get this right, Jerry (oh I know you will.)

Local 2 starting the New Year off with a bang.

San Bruno.

and last but not least, the GIANTS WINNING THE WORLD SERIES!!!

Hey, may 2011 be prosperous to you. See you January 1st, right after the fireworks, OK? As for me, I got a long five months ahead... (the picture, by the way, was taken at Heyman Street in Bernal Heights.)

An Ideal Metropolis

2010-12-29T22:36:00.000-08:00

As seen from what's supposedly King Street after it becomes 280 (or vice versa).

Bay Meadows Revisited

2010-12-27T21:22:00.000-08:00

As seen two weeks ago at Hillsdale Caltrain. Been meaning to come back to this site to see how it turned out (my God I've always wanted to watch horse racing here but never got the chance...).

Here's how it looked in 2008:

It's Far From Over

2010-12-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

The demolition of the Transbay Terminal continues to the former waiting hall...wait where the hell do they find all these office chairs?!

It's The Most Wonderful Display In The City

2010-12-24T17:55:00.000-08:00

If you've read my blog before, you know that I like to visit the house known as the Tom and Jerry Christmas Display every year. Why? IT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE MOST KICK-ASS CHRISTMAS DISPLAY IN THE CITY!

According to the leaflet I got, the tree itself is a house plant purchased by the owners, Tom Taylor and Jerome Goldstein, in 1973. Since then it's grown to 65 feet. This is privately funded and is an attempt to "embody the holiday spirit."

Not sure how long it's going to be up after Christmas, so do check it out while you can! (It's at 21st between Church and Sanchez, easily accessible by the J.) And Merry Christmas to ya. Whether you like it or not.

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

...twelve lanterns hanging
eleven disconnected arches
ten balconies with wreaths
nine samples of stone
eight stuffed animals
seven stoned freemasons
six red ornaments
five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
...and a World Series Championship!

Seen on Grant Avenue in Chinatown.

This marks the conclusion of the 12 days of Christmas posts on the blog. Hope you enjoyed them! Might do one more post tomorrow before I take off for Christmas. Which reminds me, Merry Christmas, Happy Haunakkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, hell let's just go with Happy Holidays!

On The Eleventh Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-22T20:22:00.000-08:00

...eleven disconnected arches
ten balconies with wreaths
nine samples of stone
eight stuffed animals
seven stoned freemasons
six red ornaments
five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
...and a World Series Championship!

As seen at the Former Transbay Terminal, which is half gone.

On The Tenth Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

...ten balconies with wreaths
nine samples of stone
eight stuffed animals
seven stoned freemasons
six red ornaments
five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
...and a World Series Championship!

Ten wreaths on ten balconies, as seen at Sacramento Street in Nob Hill.

12 Days of Christmas Interlude

2010-12-21T01:58:00.001-08:00

Let's take a break from the 12 Days of Christmas and go back to Monday night/Tuesday morning's Lunar Eclipse. First off: It was HECKA cloudy, and also rained a bit.

Secondly, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A TRIPOD, which I was too lazy to carry and ended up with this:

(Thank God for CHDK by the way.)

Thirdly, bigger does not necessarily mean better. My camera failed numerous times, but that's gonna take me a long time to talk about, so in short: For those who have the small cameras, I salute you. Let's see what you got! Merry Christmas!

On The Ninth Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-20T20:34:00.001-08:00

...nine samples of stone
eight stuffed animals
seven stoned freemasons
six red ornaments
five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
...and a World Series Championship!

Nine samples of stone (OK fine, 8 samples of stone and one red brick) as seen at DPW's yard at Cesar Chavez and Evans.

On The Eighth Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-19T21:33:00.001-08:00

...eight sutffed animals
seven stoned freemasons
six red ornaments
five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
...and a World Series Championship!

As seen at the Tom and Jerry Christmas Display on 21st Street in Noe Valley.

On The Seventh Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-18T20:53:00.001-08:00

...seven stoned freemasons
six red ornaments
five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
...and a World Series championship!

Seen at the Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium on California Street.

On The Sixth Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

...six red ornaments
five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
and a World Series Championship!

As seen at the plaza at 101 California.

On The Fifth Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-16T20:06:00.001-08:00

...five palm trees
four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
and a World Series championship!

As seen on the Embarcadero, at Harrison Street, on an unusually foggy day. Wait, that wasn't a foggy day. Oh right.

On The Fourth Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-15T21:26:00.000-08:00

...four cement slides
three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
and a World Series Championship!

You must think you know all the cement slides in San Francisco...of course, there's the one in Mountain Lake Park...

And there's a pair in Golden Gate Park:

And of course there are the cement slides on Seward Street Slides in ~~Noe Valley~~ Eureka Valley:

That's it, right? NOT. There's one more...and that's at the Youngblood Coleman Playground in the Bayview district, off Hudson Street.

Now, I'm pretty sure there are more of these in the city, but these were the only four I could find. Do you know of any?

On The Third Day of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-14T22:30:00.000-08:00

...three different Muni shelters
two sugar houses
and a World Series Championship!

Dueling transit shelters at Van Ness & North Point (there's actually a similar pair of this at 5th and Mission).

A more sensibly-designed Muni shelter by Viacom as seen at Golden Gate Park (there's one other version of this shelter at 3rd and Palou).

On The Second Day Of Christmas, My City Give To Me...

2010-12-13T22:25:00.000-08:00

...two sugar houses
and a World Series Championship!

Both of these are currently on display at the Fairmont and the Westin St. Francis, respectively, up until at least the New Year, I believe.