The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion

Ghost Sign #3 -- January 27, 2012

2012-01-27T18:00:00.000-08:00

In March, 2008, they tore down the building at Howard and Hawthorne Streets, exposing this sign.It has since been covered up by a new building. Jobbers are wholesalers.

It's Hard Work Being a Cat #55 -- January 24, 2012

2012-01-25T19:45:00.000-08:00

I took the photo on 24-January-2012.

I was sad to learn that Bill Drake, founding editor of the Pacifica Tribune, has died.

Nickname #10 -- January 24, 2012

2012-01-24T18:00:00.000-08:00

Nonpareil Jack Dempsey was a Nineteenth Century boxer who mostly fought as a middleweight. He started out fighting bare knuckle and later wore gloves. He earned the nickname Nonpareil because we won something like 50 fights before his first defeat. His original family name was Kelly. He was a smart boxer with a good punch using either hand. He won the world middleweight title in 1890 in San Francisco against Professor Billy McCarthy, and lost it the next year in New Orleans to Bob Fitzsimmons, who was later heavyweight champion.

The Twentieth Century heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey took his name from the Nonpareil.

Nonpareil Jack Dempsey died of tuberculosis in 1895. He was 33 years old. The image above shows him with his children. It is from the 02-November-1895 San Francisco Call.

I enjoyed President Obama's State of the Union address tonight: "This nation is great because we built it together. This nation is great because we work as a team. This nation is great because we get each other's back."

Door #18 -- January 23, 2012

2012-01-23T19:12:00.001-08:00

I took this photo in Tabor Alley near Third Street on 11-January-2012.

It rained a lot this morning.

Many are sad because the 49ers lost to the New York Giants in the Nation Conference championship game. I think this is the second time I have mentioned football in this blog.

The Jail House -- January 21, 2012

2012-01-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

We took a drive down to Half Moon Bay today. We had lunch at the Flying Fish Cafe, which is in a new location. The crab melt was good. We went for a walk around downtown and my wife practiced with her new camera. I took the photo of the old jail with ominous clouds in the background.

Johnny Otis and Etta James, RIP -- January 20, 2012

2012-01-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

We have had two great losses. Johnny Otis was a Greek American from Vallejo who decided to identify as an African American. We can thank that decision for a lot of good music. Etta James made her first records with Johnny Otis. She had a wonderful voice.

It started raining yesterday. It continued today. There were Occupy demonstrations around the Financial District.

Treasures 5: The West #3 -- January 19, 2012

2012-01-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

One of my Christmas presents was the fifth Treasures From the American Film Archives, The West.

Disc three starts with The Lady of the Dugout, which stars and was produced by former bank and train robber Al Jennings, allegedly based on true events in his life. Jennings, who once shared a prison cell with O. Henry, was known for telling stretchers, so I wouldn't accept the movie as a documentary, but it does have a very realistic feel to it. The only parts that didn't feel real were the Mojave Desert standing in for Oklahoma and Tehachapi with its huge mountains representing a Texas town. Jennings and his brother Frank were good, understated performers.

The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaw was made in 1915 by a group of lawmen as a response to and earlier, now lost, Al Jennings movie. Marshal Bill Tilghman and two others produced the movie and appeared in it, along with other peace officers and at least one real bandit, Arkansas Tom Jones. Tilghman and his partners felt that other movies glamorized bad men. This one, which unfortunately exists only in parts, takes a different approach. It includes bits about the original Wild Bunch and Cattle Annie and Little Breeches. I liked the subtitle "Outlaws do what they do because they are what they are." That would be a good line for a film noir. The image above is an ad from the 09-June-1920 Tulsa Daily World, announcing a showing of The Passing of the Oklahoma Outlaws (an alternate title) with a personal appearance by Marshal Bill Tilghman. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

"The Girl Ranchers" is a 1914 Nestor one-reeler, which was distributed by Universal. It was silly, but fun.

"Legal Advice" was a 1916 Selig Polyscope one-reeler written by, produced by, directed by and starring Tom Mix. It may have been the first entire Mix Selig movie that I have seen. It was a funny story about a pretty female lawyer who came to a western town. My wife enjoyed the powerful wind blowing through the interiors. The lawyer had to hold down her dress during one scene. The end was disturbing.

Womanhandled was a 1925 Paramount feature, directed by Woody van Dyke and starring Richard Dix and Esther Ralston. It was a comedy, making fun of western movie cliches. The movie includes scenes shot on location in Central Park and Houston, Texas. The scenes by the Houston train depot include lots of streetcars. Richard Dix was actually funny in this movie.

"Beauty Spots in America: Castle Hot Springs, Arizona" is a 1916 Essanay split reel which shows life around the elegant resort.

"The Romance of Water" is a 1931 one-reeler produced by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to justify their stealing water from the Owens Valley. It doesn't mention the water war and the dynamiting of the acqueduct.

"A New Miracle in the Desert" is an item from a Hearst Metrotone newsreel which tells about the Colorado River acqueduct, which allowed Los Angeles to steal water that it didn't even need.

"The West in Promotional Travelogues" is a group of excerpts from various travel movies, including Edison's 1898 "Sunset Limited," a view of the Georgetown Loop, and tours in Yosemite and Yellowstone.

I enjoyed the whole set. I'm grateful to my family for the gift. I recommend it highly.

Disc one: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-1-january-11-2012.html

Disc two: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-2-january-12-2012.html

Stop SOPA and PIPA -- January 18, 2012

2012-01-18T00:30:00.000-08:00

http://sopastrike.com/

These bills are dangerous. Let's stop them.

The image is from http://sopastrike.com/strike/

Happy Birthday, Doctor King #5 -- January 16, 2012

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

From The Other 98% (http://other98.com/).

His Lordship's Dilemma -- January 15, 2012

2012-01-15T21:32:00.000-08:00

WC Fields' second movie, "His Lordship's Dilemma," is lost. It was produced in 1915 by Gaumont. "John T. Rocks and the Flivver" was a Thanhouser production. "The Great Question," not to be confused with DW Griffith's The Greatest Question, was an American Film Manufacturing Company production.

The ad is from the Omaha Daily Bee, 24-October-1915.

Golden Gate Express Railway #4 -- January 14, 2012

2012-01-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Today we went to the Conservatory of Flowers in Golden Gate Park. For the fourth year, in the special exhibit room at the west end was the Golden Gate Express Railway, a garden scale layout designed by by members of the Bay Area Garden Railway Society. The famous San Francisco structures were made from recycled materials. This year they had a theme based on Playland-at-the-Beach, Sutro Baths and the Cliff House. The only electric trains were a Third Avenue Railway streetcar, a cable car, and two PCCs that went back and forth. There was a bumper car, a Laughing Sal that laughed but did not move, and a few games.

Alley #27 -- January 13, 2012

2012-01-13T19:26:00.000-08:00

Looking south across Jackson Street at Marcy Place and the back of the Cable Car Barn.

Happy Friday the 13th.

Treasures 5: The West #2 -- January 12, 2012

2012-01-12T21:41:00.000-08:00

One of my Christmas presents was the fifth Treasures From the American Film Archives, The West.

Disc two starts with "Over Silent Paths: A Story of the American Desert," a 1910 one-reeler directed by DW Griffith for the American Biograph Company. A wanderer in the California desert accidentally kills a prospector while robbing him. The wanderer runs away, overcome by grief. The prospector's daughter finds her father. She buries him and swears vengeance over his grave. As she drives their wagon towards town, San Fernando, she finds the wanderer lying unconscious. She gives him water and takes him to town. She reports the murder to the sheriff. Rather quickly, this being a one-reeler, the daughter and the wanderer become attracted to each other. There is a brief romantic scene by Mission San Fernando Rey de España. When the Wanderer proposes marriage, he pulls out a sack of gold. The daughter recognizes the sack as her father's. She pretends to accept his proposal, but snatches the pistol from his belt and marches him to the sheriff. Griffith could fit a lot of story into 16 minutes.

"Life on the Circle Ranch in California" was shot in 1912 in Santa Monica. It is a documentary of ranch life, but the commentary by Donald W Reeves is careful to point out where scenes are staged, like the setting up of the camp and the fiesta after the roundup. He is sarcastic about the scenes where people who are not cowboys try to brand a calf.

"Broncho Billy and the Schoolmistress" is a 1912 Essanay produced during the company's stay in San Rafael. A new school marm arrives in town and all the men are interested, including Gilbert M Anderson, Broncho Billy, Augustus Carney, who played Alkali Ike in the Snakeville comedy series, and a character named Jack. Men warn the new teacher not to go out at night to visit her students, but she pulls out a revolver and shows it to them. They think it is too small. The men decide for some reason to scare her by faking a robbery and they persuade Broncho Billy to be the robber. Jack shoots him and then things are confusing and then Broncho Billy marries the teacher. The image above shows "Broncho Bill" and Alkali Ike. It is from the 13-November-1911 Chicago Day Book.

"How the Cowboy Makes His Lariat" is part of a 1917 movie in which wild west show star Pedro León demonstrates collecting horse hair, twisting it into rope, and making a cinch. He does not make a lariat in the surviving footage.

"Mexican Filibusters: An Incident in the Recent Uprising" is a 1911 Kalem film about Mexican Americans who are smuggling arms to revolutionaries in Mexico. The smugglers are the heroes and the female smuggler saves the day. There are some nice railroad scenes.

"The Better Man" is a 1912 Vitagraph one-reeler, shot in Santa Monica, about a no-good father who leaves the house to gamble while his daughter is dangerously ill. A Mexican American horse thief breaks into the house and demands food. The mother wants him to go for a doctor. He tries to ignore her, but the daughter takes his hand and the mother points to an image of Mary and Jesus. The father leaves the saloon and sees a wanted poster for the thief. He decides to collect the reward. The thief runs towards town and the father tries to catch him, but falls over a cliff. The thief winds up on the father's horse. He gets the doctor and they ride back towards the house. The ride is intercut with the father running towards the house. The doctor treats the little girl and the father tries to capture the thief. The mother tells the father to let him go. This was the other movie we raised money to preserve in the 2010 For the Love of Film Blogathon (http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-do-we-need-to-preserve-films-brief.html).

"Ammunition Smuggling on the Mexican Border" is a unique three-reeler produced in Texas in 1914 by a former sheriff, Eugene Buck. It tells the true story of the capture of Buck and a deputy, Candelario Ortiz, by gun runners. Ortiz is killed by the smugglers as two posses search for them. There are two commentaries. One, by Martin Marks, explains the background of the movie and speculates that Buck may have made the movie to tell his side of the story because he was the star witness in the trial of the surviving smugglers, who included an American IWW member. The other commentary talks about the musical accompaniment. My favorite line: "It doesn't matter where the music comes from, it matters where it is going."

"Lake Tahoe, Land of the Sky," is a 1914 documentary by Essanay. I enjoyed seeing the steamboat and the train arriving at Truckee in a snowstorm.

Mantrap is a 1926 feature starring Clara Bow and directed by Victor Fleming. It was a wonderful comedy.

"The Golden West" is an excerpt from a 1938 film by an unidentified amateur. It was shot in Kodachrome and it documents a trip to Los Angeles, probably from Pennsylvania. It shows many freakish sites, including a gas station built around a Fokker F32 airliner with rotating propellers.

I'll do Disc Three another day.

Disc One: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-1-january-11-2012.html

Disc Three: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-3-january-19-2012.html

Treasures 5: The West #1 -- January 11, 2012

2012-01-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

One of my Christmas presents was the fifth Treasures From the American Film Archives, The West.

Disc one starts with a Biograph split reel comedy, "The Tourists," directed by Mack Sennett in 1912. Mabel Normand and her companions get off a Santa Fe train in Albuquerque and Mabel is very enthusiastic about the crafts sold by Native American women in front of the Fred Harvey Company's Indian Building. Failing to get back on the train before it leaves, Mabel wanders away from her party and into the area where the Native Americans live. She flirts with a man called "Big Chief" until his wife and other ladies chase Mabel and her friends onto the next train, which pulls out with a Santa Fe California Limited drum sign clearly visible on the observation platform.

"The Sergeant" is a 1910 Selig Polyscope one reeler that was mostly shot in the Yosemite Valley. This movie is one of the cache discovered in the New Zealand archive. It was preserved with funds that we helped raise in the the 2010 For the Love of Film Blogathon (http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-do-we-need-to-preserve-films-brief.html). It stars Hobart Bosworth as a cavalry sergeant who loses his stripes when he goes for a ride with the Colonel's daughter. Their horses get stolen by a "renegade" and they spend the night out. Later the cavalrymen and the daughter are trapped by attacking Native Americans. The former sergeant dives into the river to get help. The film was by Francis Boggs, an important early director who was shot to death in Los Angeles the next year.

Salomy Jane is the only surviving feature produced by the California Motion Picture Company in San Rafael and at the Russian River. In his commentary Gary Scharnhorst does a good job of explaining how the movie is related the the Bret Harte story and Paul Armstrong's stage play. It stars the beautiful Beatriz Michelena, wife of producer George Middleton. She was good. The advertisement above is from the 20-January-1915 Bisbee, Arizona Daily Review. Alco Film Company, the distributor, did a poor job.

"Sunshine Gatherers" is a 1921 Prizmacolor one reeler which promotes the Del Monte company's canned fruits. It opens with a cheerful history of the missions of California. The two-color Prizmacolor process gave good results.

"Deschutes Driftwood" is a 1916 documentary shot along the Oregon Trunk Lines, showing the adventures of Weak Kneed Walter, a hobo who keeps getting tossed off of trains. There are excellent views of the bridges and other features along the line.

"The 'Promised Land' Barred to 'Hoboes'" is a brief segment from a 1936 Hearst Metrotone newsreel, which documents the Los Angeles Police Department's humanitarian project to intercept migrants at the California border and kick them out if they didn't have money or a waiting job.

"Last of the Line" is a 1914 New York Motion Picture Company two-reeler which stars Japanese actor Sessue Hayakawa and his wife Tsuru Aoki as Native Americans. The rest of the tribe was played by actual Native Americans. Thomas H Ince produced this story of a chief's son, Hayakawa, who returns to the reservation ruined by his education in another world.

"The Indian-detour" is a 1926 one-reeler promoting the Santa Fe and Fred Harvey Company's special excursion which allowed riders on transcontinental trains to get off in Las Vegas, New Mexico or Albuquerque and take a three-day trip by Harveycoach (bus) or Harveycar (auto) to visit various Native American sites.

"Native Americans in Newsreels" includes clips from several newsreels showing Native Americans lobbying in Washington DC and visiting other locations.

"We Can Take It" is a 1935 silent short by the USDA, documenting the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The commentary points out that many of the scenes are staged, and that the camps were actually segregated, but the movie gives a good idea of the good work done by the Corps. Some of the flood control and fire prevention projects would be considered wrong today, but they were considered the right thing to do at the time.

I'll do Disc Two another day.

Disc Two: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-2-january-12-2012.html

Disc Three: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2012/01/treasures-5-west-3-january-19-2012.html

Nicholas J Vander Weyde -- January 9, 2012

2012-01-09T21:05:00.000-08:00

Doctor Peter Henri Van Der Weyde wrote the series of articles which gave this blog its name. This article from the 19-December-1899 New York World is the obituary of his son Nicholas. In light of Nicholas' long service on the Department of Docks, here is a postcard showing the East River, with the Fulton Ferry house and the Brooklyn Bridge.

NICHOLAS J. VANDER WEYDE.

Nicholas J. Vander Weyde died at his home, No. 173 West Eighty-third-st., on Saturday, after an illness of two weeks. Mr. Vander Weyde was the youngest son of the late Professor P. H. Vander Weyde, the scientist. He was born in Zierekzee, Holland, in 1845, and came to this country a child with his parents. He was a graduate of Columbia and achieved reputation as a civil engineer and mathematician. For the last fourteen years and up to the time of his death he was connected with the Department of Docks, of this city. He was a member of Altair Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, of Brooklyn, and the author of a book of Masonic odes. Mr. Vander Weyde leaves a widow and one son. Masonic funeral services were held at his home last evening, and this morning the body will be incinerated at the crematory, Fresh Pond, Long Island.

The Right Lion -- January 8, 2012

2012-01-08T20:35:00.000-08:00

Two lions have guarded the entrance to Sutro Heights since the 1880s. This is the right lion. The originals were made by Belgian sculptor Guillaume Geefs. The GGNRA replaced them with copies about 100 years later.

Yesterday my daughter took a test at George Washington High School. I drove up to the San Francisco monument and took some photos. Then I parked at the lot which replace Merrie Way. The new visitor center is making progress. I walked up to Sutro Heights and walked around. Then I went down the road and took photos of Sutro Baths and the Cliff House.

After the test, we had lunch at Bill's Place. We both had the Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins Burger.

Charles Addams 100 -- January 7, 2012

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

Happy 100th birthday to one of my favorite cartoonists, Charles Addams. When I was young, I enjoyed The Addams Family television show. Later on I saw his cartoons in The New Yorker and then discovered books of them at the library. I realized later that the Addams Family was not like other families on television. The parents loved each other and showed it. They spent time with their children and encouraged their curiosity. The children respected their parents. Very strange.

Train Station #42 -- January 6, 2012

2012-01-06T20:48:00.000-08:00

The Southern Pacific built this depot in 1926. The Virginia and Truckee shared the depot until 1950. In the late 1970s, my family took the California Zephyr from Oakland 16th Street to Reno. We arrived at this station. A few years ago, the ReTRAC project eliminated grade crossings by putting the tracks into a trench. At the same time, the station was expanded. The new Amtrak addition has many relics that archaeologists dug up during the project.

I took the photo in July, 2011, but the sign over the door advertises National Train Day in May.

Firehouse #51 -- January 5, 2012

2012-01-05T19:59:00.000-08:00

The former home of Chemical Company 2, built is 1898, is on Tenth Avenue between Lincoln and Irving. I took the photo on 10-January-2011.

Conjurer, Illusionist and Pianist -- January 3, 2011

2012-01-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Robert Heller was a British-born American magician who had a successful career performing magic and playing the piano. He retired from magic in 1875 but continued working as a musician until he died in 1878. Heinrich Keller changed his name to Harry Kellar to reduce the chance of confusion with Heller.

This program, from Heller's 23-May-1867 appearance in Salt Lake City, was reproduced in The Old and the New Magic by Henry Ridgely Evans, 1906.

Street Car Paces Plane -- January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T20:22:00.000-08:00

From the November, 1930 issue of Flying Magazine. Car 126 of the Cincinnati and Lake Erie Railroad was a lightweight Red Devil built by the Cincinnati Car Company in 1929. The Red Devils maintained high speed service, but the line had no block signals, so they were involved in several head-on collisions.

Here is a plane which has to travel at its hight speed in order to keep up with a street car.

The fault is not with the plane. The electric car is traveling 90 m.p.h. and the "Pathe News" camera is trying to keep up with it in the plane overhead.

This electric car is reported to be the fastest in the world and is being used for interurban service near Dayton, Ohio.

Happy New Year #5 -- January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

I wish everyone a happy and prosperous New Year.

The cartoon by Rube Goldberg shows a man making lots of New Year's resolutions which he may not keep. It is from the 01-January-1912 San Francisco Call. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

2011 -- December 31, 2011

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

2011 has been an exciting year, and it went by very quickly. A family member has been ill, but he has remained fairly stable. The Giants did not win the World Series this year. They struggled all year with a lack of hitting and a terrible injury to Buster Posey. The pitchers, starting and relieving, did very well considering the lack of run support. The Cardinals beat Texas in the World Series. Game six was one of the most exciting World Series games I have seen, with the lead going back and forth, even in extra innings. Tony Larussa retired after the Series.

The Occupy movement sprang up this year and did some good, making people aware of the dangers of income disparity and the way the middle class has been under attack. The Arab Spring movement has overthrown dictators in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. The people are still fighting in Syria. Results in Yemen were inconclusive.

This is the 360th post in this blog for the year, the 1200th overall. I had an interesting year. I have enjoyed the regular monthly series. In the aviators series, I found some interesting people and newspaper articles. I started the year with a January, 1911 article about the deaths of two airmen on the last day of 1910. It included a list of aviators who had died in that year. In the train stations series, I took a side track to publish some images of Oakland train stations from an old PG and E magazine. I have posted several train station images from our trip to Nevada. I have gotten more nice comments on the William Coulter series. In writing about the remarkable Van der Weyde (Vander Weyde, Van der Weyden, Vanderweyde) family, I found articles about Doctor Peter Henri, his son Henry, Henry's son painter Harry Faulkner Van der Weyden, and their possible ancestor, painter Rogier van der Weyden.

In January, I started a couple of new series, including one about stage magicians and one about comic books. I posted more photos of the East Bay Terminal being demolished.

In February, we went to the first San Francisco History Expo at the Old Mint. I contributed one article and some cash to the second annual For the Love of Film film preservation blogathon. This year's theme was film noir. We raised about $5,697, which will be used to restore and preserve The Sound of Fury. I wrote about the passing of Corporal Frank Buckles, the last surviving US Doughboy from World War One.

In March I wrote about a giant release of red balloons, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, the anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, and the Saint Ignatius Downtown Busiiness Lunch, which marked the founding of the Admiral Daniel J Callaghan Society. I got to meet some survivors of Pearl Harbor. and Guadalcanal.

In April, at the suggestion of a fellow blogger, I started a new series on nicknames. I wrote about the 150th anniversary of the bombardment of Fort Sumter. I tried to start a new series on baseball cards, but it went nowhere. We stood in the window of our office and saw President Obama drive by. I started a short series on classic autos from last year's International Auto Show.

In May, US special forces killed Osama bin Laden. We attended a Giant's game on Willie Mays' 80th birthday. There was a big celebration. We went to mass and a dinner at my old parish, Saint Monica's, celebrating its 100th anniversary. I started a series on a group of San Francisco history posters called "Once Upon a Time." The world did not come to an end on 21-May-2011. I wrote about the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500.

In June I wrote about the day of the funeral of two San Francisco firefighters.

In July, Atlantis flew the last Space Shuttle mission. On our way to Disneyland, I got to ride Angels Flight, the funicular in downtown Los Angeles that had just reopened after mechanical issues. Our time at Disneyland went by too quickly. We drove up I-5 all the way from Disneyland to Reno. It was a very long day. We stayed at Harrahs. We had not visited Nevada for many years. We rode on the newly extended Virginia and Truckee Railway from Eastgate to Virginia City. We visited the Nevada State Railroad Museum and saw the restored McKeen car. Our pastor at Good Shepherd, Father Piers Lahey, left at the end of the month.

In August I wrote about some new features in San Francisco, including the Powell Street Promenade and the parkmobiles. We finally got to visit the Porziuncola at the Shrine of Saint Francis.

In September, we observed the 10th anniversary of 09/11. I talked to groups of schoolkids about cable cars and the War of 1812. We moved to a different floor at work. Jason Schmidt and Marvin Benard were added to the Giants Wall of Fame.

In October, we observed the 10th anniversary of the Afghan War. I took my mother to a big mass at Saint Monica's, celebrating the 100th anniversary. The world did not end on the revised date of 21-October-2011.

I was happier about the results of this year's November elections. The Bay Bridge celebrated the 75th anniversary of its opening. I attended a fundraiser for the restoration of the only surviving Ocean Shore Railroad passenger car. I led my first Market Street walking tour, for the community support campaign at work. The Occupy Movement grew, but police in several places tried to shut it down. In one particularly egregious case, an office at UC Davis pepper sprayed a line of seated, unresisting students. I started a new series on ghost signs. With the beginning of Advent, we began using a new revision of the Roman Missal. People were confused. Crab season was delayed because of a price dispute between the fishermen and the wholesalers.

In December, most of our troops came home from Iraq. I started an irregular series of photos of Odd Fellows' Halls.

I was sad about the passing of some good people: Tommy Bermejo of Tommy's Mexican Restaurant; Canadian politician Jack Layton; Barbara Kent, perhaps the last surviving person to star in a silent movie as an adult; Smokin' Joe Frazier; philanthropist Warren Hellman; actor Harry Morgan; writer and unlikely politician Václav Havel.

I reviewed several DVDs and DVD sets, including Gaumont Treasures, M Hulot's Holiday, The Adventures of Captain Marvel, The Miracle Rider.

My cable car website (http://www.cable-car-guy.com/) turned 15 years old in November. This means it has been in operation longer than about half the cable car lines that were ever built.

The image shows actress Ruth Hall, whose best-known part was Zeppo Marx's love interest in Monkey Business. She appeared in many B Westerns. I comes from the wonderful site LucyWho (http://www.lucywho.com/).

Benny Bufano #13 -- December 30, 2011

2011-12-30T20:11:00.000-08:00

IOOF #1 -- December 29, 2011

2011-12-29T20:48:00.000-08:00

The Odd Fellows' Hall in Half Moon Bay. I took the photo on 27-June-2011.

It was very foggy this morning.

Schooner George E Billings -- December 28, 2011

2011-12-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

Five-masted schooner George E Billings was built on Puget Sound by the Hall Brothers in 1902. She was a fast ship. She sailed until 1924. She became a fishing barge in San Pedro in 1926 and may have burned in 1941.

From the 21-April-1904 San Francisco Call. William A Coulter did many maritime drawings for the newspaper. Click on the image to see a larger version.

It's Hard Work Being a Cat #54 -- December 27, 2011

2011-12-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

I took the photo on 10-December-2011.

It was very cold this morning.

Boxing Day #1 -- December 26, 2011

2011-12-26T20:00:00.000-08:00

We had a nice Christmas weekend. Saturday morning we headed to Mazetti's Bakery in Pacifica to pick up a large order. There was a long line, but the wait was worth it. We went to 5pm mass at Good Shepherd. There was a good crowd.

On Christmas morning, we got up and opened presents. I got an O-gauge Lionel train to run under the tree. We had to leave fairly early. We had lunch with my in-laws and went to my mother's house for dinner. All very nice. I managed to have a slice of San Honoré cake for dessert at each meal. I should be ashamed of myself -- but I am not.

Today we went for a drive down the coast so my wife could practice with her new camera. We bought some artichoke bread at Archangeli's in Pescadero and ate it for lunch. We walked around and took some photos there and in Half Moon Bay.

When we got home, my daughter used her new cupcake maker. Very good. I set up my new train. It was much easier to set up the O-gauge track and get the train on the rails. HO was hard. I took the photo of the train under the tree today.

Merry Christmas #5 -- December 25, 2011

2011-12-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone. Peace on Earth and goodwill to men (women, and children).

Santa heads to bed for "A Well-Earned Rest" in a Rube Goldberg cartoon from the 25-December-1911 Washington Times.

Christmas Eve -- December 24, 2011

2011-12-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Actress Terry Moore has all of her Christmas presents wrapped -- do you? Mighty Joe Young is my favorite Terry Moore movie.

3 Good Guys, 1 Bad Guy, RIP -- December 23, 2011

2011-12-23T19:54:00.000-08:00

I have been remiss in writing about people who have passed on recently. I still don't understand how Václav Havel, a wonderful writer and a good human being, wound up as president of Czechoslovakia and then the Czech Republic. Warren Hellmann, San Francisco philanthropist and founder of the Strictly Bluegrass/Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, was a good person, too, although I don't think the city should have changed the name of Speedway Meadow in his honor. Harry Morgan was a great actor who was never showy.

Then there was North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il, who was often treated in the US as a figure of fun, but who practiced much evil in his life. I hope no one starts a war.

The poster is from Strictly Bluegrass 2 in 2002.

Ghost Sign #2 -- December 22, 2011

2011-12-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

"The Old Reliable." I took this photo near the Ferry Building on 29-May-2010. Note that it advertises Bull Durham Smoking Tobacco, rather than their more-famous chewing tobacco.

Comic Book #12 -- December 21, 2011

2011-12-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

After debuting in Action Comics #1 in 1938, Superman shared his time with another book, under his own name. He went on to appear in many other books.

Pulp #31 -- December 20, 2011

2011-12-20T18:11:00.000-08:00

The cover of the January, 1932 issue of Battle Birds features a story by Arthur Guy Empey, who was a prolific writer for the pulps. His most popular character was Terrence X O'Leary, a soldier who became a soldier of fortune, and a flier. Later he starred in science fiction stories. Empey was a member of the US Cavalry who resigned to volunteer for the British Army during World War One. He was wounded during the Battle of the Somme. When the US entered the war, he tried to rejoin the Army, but was rejected because of his wounds and possibly because of some disparaging comments about American draftees. He wrote a book, Over the Top, about the war.

I have to read some of his work.

Day Off -- December 19, 2011

2011-12-19T19:30:00.000-08:00

I took the day off so we went downtown. We parked at Fifth and Mission and walked up to Macy's. We looked at the cats and dogs in the windows, then went upstairs so the family could do some shopping. We stopped at Neiman Marcus to look at the tree and the City of Paris rotunda. We went on down Geary to the Palace and looked at the decorations in the Garden Court and a collection of gingerbread houses designed by media people. We went to Bucca de Beppo on Howard and had a nice lunch.

I took the photo of the tree in Union Square on 19-November-2011.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) -- December 17, 2011

2011-12-17T14:16:00.000-08:00

The Iraq War was officially over on 15-December-2011. Most of our troops have left or are leaving. Welcome home to all of them.

Was it worth it?

Slapstick #16 -- December 16, 2011

2011-12-16T21:27:00.000-08:00

The Philadelphia Academy of Music is America's oldest active opera house. This ad, from the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger, 24-December-1921, describes a performance by the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Richard Strauss, a Metropolitan Opera performance of Richard Wagner's Lohengrin, starring soprano Maria Jeritza, and a program of three Charlie Chaplin shorts, "Shanghaied," "A Dog's Life," and "Shoulder Arms." I like the prices, 11, 22 and 33 cents in the morning and 11, 22, 33, and 44 cents in the afternoon.

Door #17 -- December 15, 2011

2011-12-15T21:38:00.000-08:00

The Wells Fargo Branch at Market and Montgomery was built by First National Bank. Then it was the main branch of Crocker Bank. The interior is beautiful.

It was very cold today.

Conquest of the South Pole -- December 14, 2011

2011-12-14T20:51:00.000-08:00

1000 years ago Norwegian Roald Amundsen and his team became the first people to reach the South Pole. Making good use of dogs, both to pull sleds and to eat, and of skis, they made it safely there and back, unlike British explorer Robert Falcon Scott, who arrived in January and who died with his team trying to return to his base.

I wrote about Amundsen in an earlier post: http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2009/12/silas-christofferson-and-roald-amundsen.html

Nickname #9 -- December 13, 2011

2011-12-13T19:00:00.000-08:00

General, later Marshal of France, Louis Franchet d'Espèrey was an energetic commander during World War One. He was defeated in the Battle of the Chemin des Dames, but went on to lead an army that conquered most of the Balkans. British soldiers, probably having pronouncing his name, nicknamed him "Desperate Frankie." In later years, he was elected to the Académie française. He was a staunch Roman Catholic.

Alley #26 -- December 12, 2011

2011-12-12T16:41:00.000-08:00

Cushman Street runs from Sacramento Street to California Street, between Mason and Taylor streets. The Flood Mansion, housing the Pacific Union Club, is on the left. Huntington Park is on the right. The Huntington Hotel is the red building across California.

I took this photo looking across Sacramento Street on 14-September-2011.

Of Musical Odditites -- December 11, 2011

2011-12-11T12:22:00.001-08:00

Doctor Peter Henri Van Der Weyde wrote the series of articles which gave this blog its name. This excerpt of an article, from the 24-June-1897 Sacramento Daily Union, talks about some of his theories on sound and vision. I like the bit about creating musical banisters for his children.

Professor Van der Weyde ... devoted considerable time to the subject some years ago, and delivered a course of lectures before the American Institute and the Brooklyn Philosophical Club.

In these he called attention to the fact that the vibrations of the normal (C), (E) and (G) bore the same relation to one another as those in the colors (red), (yellow) and (blue); for this reason, he said, most war songs were written in (C), because they were red music; songs of the ocean and the sky were written In (G), because they were blue music; a few pieces of composition which described green forests and green meadows were written, as might be expected, in (F), the green key, which was a combination or a uniting link between the yellow and blue. The Professor constructed xylophones from broomsticks by sawing off the ends. He sharpened the note given by the stick when struck by a hammer, and by planing and sandpapering the sides he made it flatter or deeper.

In one lecture he produced a very delightful instrument, which was made up of sixteen brooms, suspended from a frame, on which he played many lively airs with a couple of wooden mallets. At home the Professor planed a number of banisters on his stairs, so that the children could play tunes and run the scales on rainy days when they were kept in the house.

The Tree is Up #2 -- December 10, 2011

2011-12-10T19:54:00.001-08:00

We put up our Christmas tree today. The whole process went quickly, but I miss going out and cutting down a tree. It was very cold today. We went to mass and someone had lit the wrong candles in the Advent wreath. The pink candle finally got lit. We went to Goodfella's for a pizza.

Train Station #41 -- December 9, 2011

2011-12-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

The Southern Pacific's former Wabuska depot now sits on the grounds of the Nevada State Railroad Museum (http://nsrm-friends.org/) in Carson City. It serves as ticket office and waiting room for the steam train and motor car rides around the grounds. Here is the platform with Tucson, Cornelia and Gila Bend motor car 401. I took the photo during our visit in July.

Georges Méliès 150 - December 8, 2011

2011-12-08T05:02:00.000-08:00

Today is the 150th birthday of the original film auteur, Georges Méliès. Méliès was a magician who also managed the Theatre Robert-Houdin in Paris. He was a pioneer in creating special effects. This image is from one of this most famous films, the 1902 production "L'homme à la tête de Caoutchouc" (The Man With the India Rubber Head").

Pearl Harbor Day #2 -- December 7, 2011

2011-12-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

70 years ago a sneak attack by forces of the Japanese Empire sank much of the US Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor in the territory of Hawaii. The Japanese Empire came to regret doing this.

Heavy cruiser USS San Francisco, CA-38, was fortunate to survive the attack, as she waited to have her bottom scraped and new anti-aircraft guns installed. By December 16, she was ready to sail with a task force which attempted to relieve Wake Island. In October, 1942, under the command of Admiral Daniel J Callaghan, she was the flagship at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Callaghan knew that his task force was vastly outnumbered and outgunned, but he did his duty. He died on the bridge and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

In March, I was honored to meet three men who served at Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal with Callaghan on the San Francisco.

San Francisco survived the battle and was repaired at Mare Island. She served throughout the war. Her shell-torn bridge is preserved as a monument at Land's End in San Francisco.

And Company of 14 Orientals -- December 6, 2011

2011-12-06T20:27:00.001-08:00

Ching Ling Foo (Chee Ling Qua) was a Chinese-born magician who toured the United States in vaudeville and the Ziegfeld Follies. His fellow performers in this edition of the Follies included Australian Leon Errol, who later starred in short films and B features for RKO, Elizabeth (not Fanny) Brice, and, listed last, great African-American comedian Bert Williams. From the 11-May-1913 Washington Herald. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

Seabiscuit Pursues a Giant Reindeer #2 -- December 5, 2011

2011-12-05T21:05:00.001-08:00

I took a day off today so my daughter and I went to Tanforan and did some Christmas shopping. We had lunch at Panda Express. Santa was not busy, so I had a nice chat with him and shook his hand. I took the photo today.

Zazpiak Bat -- December 4, 2011

2011-12-04T20:55:00.001-08:00

We went to dinner at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco. The food was excellent, as was the service. The image shows the coat of arms, which combines the symbols of the seven Basque provinces in Spain and France, with the motto "Zazpiak Bat," "Seven are One."

Firehouse #50 -- December 3, 2011

2011-12-03T22:17:00.001-08:00

Station One, on Howard near Third, decorated for Christmas. This station will get torn down soon for an extension of the Museum of Modern Art. I took the photo on 02-December-2011.

Standard's Wings of War -- December 2, 2011

2011-12-02T21:57:00.001-08:00

The Standard Aircraft Corporation built many aircraft for the US Army during WWI. This ad is from the 02-March-1919 New York Tribune.

Water-Cooled Knox #2 -- December 1, 2011

2011-12-01T21:51:00.001-08:00

From the 17-October-1909 San Francisco Call.

Crabs are Coming -- November 30, 2011

2011-11-30T21:20:00.001-08:00

I was happy to learn that the crab processors have agreed to pay the fishermen a decent amount. Crabs should be in the stores soon.

I took the photo of former Giants mascot Crazy Crab on 06-May-2011.

Update 01-December-2011: Today we had the first clear morning this week and I could see the lights of the crab boats as I drove down the hill towards the ocean.

Q-FM/KARC/KLSI -- November 29, 2011

2011-11-29T18:41:00.001-08:00

Mike H. in Linda Mar (the QFM "janitor) wrote recently and asked if their new Optimod, an audio processor, had a beneficial effect on their signal. I would say yes. Within their coverage area, the signal is crystal clear. I can crank up the car radio and it sounds great. Several Pacifica businesses run commercials on the station. One sponsors a Beatles hour on Sunday morning. It's nice having a local radio station.

Ocean Greyhounds Are Now Racing -- November 28, 2011

2011-11-28T18:00:00.000-08:00

From the 18-August-1901 San Francisco Call. William A Coulter did many maritime drawings for the newspaper. Click on the image for a larger view. Caleta Buena is a port in Chile.

OCEAN GREYHOUNDS ARE NOW RACING

The Androsa Beat the Emilie Ciampa Into Port Easily.

The British ship Androsa and the Italian bark Emilie Ciampa had an exciting race of it from latitude 16 north to San Francisco. On that occasion they were in company and exchanged signals. Captain Maresta said his vessel was from Antwerp and bound for San Francisco, while Captain Morgan responded that he was from Caleta Buena, and also bound for San Francisco. The result of the run up the coast was that the Androsa beat the Ciampa twenty-four hours into port. When the two vessels were in company it was only blowing about six miles an hour and there was just enough wind to keep the sails filled. During the night a breeze sprang up and the vessel parted company to meet again in this port.

The Androsa brought up a cargo of nitrate, and it turned out in perfect order. In fact, Herman and Mills, the stevedores, say they never saw a nitrate cargo that turned out as well. She will take in 3100 tons of general cargo for Liverpool, and as she has just come off the drydock should make a quick run. The Androsa has been all around the world during the last eighteen months. From Antwerp she went to Sutidswall, Sweden, in ballast, and from there took a load of lumber to Delagoa Bay. From the latter point she went to Newcastle, N. S. W., in ballast, and there loaded coal for Valparaiso. From Valparaiso she went to Pisagua in ballast, and from the latter point was ordered to Caleta Buena, where she loaded nitrate for SanFrancisco. A new patent anti-fouling paint was put on her before she sailed on her eighteen months' voyage, and it proved so effective that when she went on the Union Iron Works drydock there was hardly a barnacle found on her bottom.

Captain Morgan of the Androsa is well known in San Francisco. He was here as chief officer of the Somali when Captain Hanney brought her in after her long passage around the Cape of Good Hope. While here the captain of the Androsa died, and Captain Morgan was at once offered the position. He accepted it and has been in the vessel ever since. He is a clever navigator, a thorough gentleman, and, like every true sailor, very proud of his ship.

Benny Bufano #12 -- November 27, 2011

2011-11-27T20:27:00.001-08:00

Hillsdale Mall developer David Bohannon commissioned sculptor Benny Bufano to provide sculptures to decorate the new mall in San Mateo. Bufano opened a studio on the mall site in 1955 and created ten of his famous animal sculptures. This sculpture, a mother bear with two cubs, is in a little garden outside the food court. I took the photo on 12-November-2011.

Roman Missal -- November 26, 2011

2011-11-26T21:55:00.001-08:00

If any of your Roman Catholic friends seem confused this weekend, it may be because, with the first Sunday of Advent, we started using the newly revised Roman Missal. The long responses were easy, but when the priest said "The Lord be with you," I kept saying "And also with you" instead of "And with your spirit." The changes are meant to bring the responses closer to the Vulgate.

We went downtown. The Emporium dome had all the windows blocked so they could show projections. The animals in the windows at Macy's were cute.

It's Hard Work Being a Cat #53 -- November 25, 2011

2011-11-25T19:39:00.001-08:00

I took the photo on 03-November-2011, a cold day.

I worked from home today.

Happy Thanksgiving #5 -- November 24, 2011

2011-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I'm grateful for health and life, my family, and my coworkers.

The photograph shows musical comedy star Janis Paige trying to fatten up or perhaps improve the health of a turkey. Janis Paige appeared in many movies and television shows, but is most famous for appearing in the original production of The Pajama Game on Broadway.

Ghost Sign #1 -- November 23, 2011

2011-11-23T16:40:00.001-08:00

A Hills Bros Coffee ghost sign is visible on Fremont Street between Mission and Howard. It has been easier to see since the East Bay Terminal got torn down. Be sure to click on the image for a larger view.

I took the photo on 19-November-2011.

Things were relatively quiet at work today. I was able to leave early.

Arch -- November 22, 2011

2011-11-22T21:31:00.001-08:00

"The Great Fourth of July Arch Erected on Market Street Between Third and Fourth." Note the 40-foot long cable car. From the 04-July-1895 San Francisco Call.

Occupy SF #2 -- November 21, 2011

2011-11-21T20:52:00.001-08:00

Saturday I took a photo of the encampment by the Ferry Building. Early Sunday morning the police cleared out the encampment by the Federal Reserve.

Pepper Spray -- November 20, 2011

2011-11-20T20:53:00.001-08:00

Photo credit: Wayne Tilcock/Enterprise photo.

I can't add anything to this photo and this well-written, well-argued letter.

18 November 2011

Open Letter to Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi

Linda P.B. Katehi,

I am a junior faculty member at UC Davis. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of English, and I teach in the Program in Critical Theory and in Science & Technology Studies. I have a strong record of research, teaching, and service. I am currently a Board Member of the Davis Faculty Association. I have also taken an active role in supporting the student movement to defend public education on our campus and throughout the UC system. In a word: I am the sort of young faculty member, like many of my colleagues, this campus needs. I am an asset to the University of California at Davis.

You are not.

I write to you and to my colleagues for three reasons:

1) to express my outrage at the police brutality which occurred against students engaged in peaceful protest on the UC Davis campus today

2) to hold you accountable for this police brutality

3) to demand your immediate resignation

Today you ordered police onto our campus to clear student protesters from the quad. These were protesters who participated in a rally speaking out against tuition increases and police brutality on UC campuses on Tuesday—a rally that I organized, and which was endorsed by the Davis Faculty Association. These students attended that rally in response to a call for solidarity from students and faculty who were bludgeoned with batons, hospitalized, and arrested at UC Berkeley last week. In the highest tradition of non-violent civil disobedience, those protesters had linked arms and held their ground in defense of tents they set up beside Sproul Hall. In a gesture of solidarity with those students and faculty, and in solidarity with the national Occupy movement, students at UC Davis set up tents on the main quad. When you ordered police outfitted with riot helmets, brandishing batons and teargas guns to remove their tents today, those students sat down on the ground in a circle and linked arms to protect them.

What happened next?

Without any provocation whatsoever, other than the bodies of these students sitting where they were on the ground, with their arms linked, police pepper-sprayed students. Students remained on the ground, now writhing in pain, with their arms linked.

What happened next?

Police used batons to try to push the students apart. Those they could separate, they arrested, kneeling on their bodies and pushing their heads into the ground. Those they could not separate, they pepper-sprayed directly in the face, holding these students as they did so. When students covered their eyes with their clothing, police forced open their mouths and pepper-sprayed down their throats. Several of these students were hospitalized. Others are seriously injured. One of them, forty-five minutes after being pepper-sprayed down his throat, was still coughing up blood.

This is what happened. You are responsible for it.

You are responsible for it because this is what happens when UC Chancellors order police onto our campuses to disperse peaceful protesters through the use of force: students get hurt. Faculty get hurt. One of the most inspiring things (inspiring for those of us who care about students who assert their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly) about the demonstration in Berkeley on November 9 is that UC Berkeley faculty stood together with students, their arms linked together. Associate Professor of English Celeste Langan was grabbed by her hair, thrown on the ground, and arrested. Associate Professor Geoffrey O’Brien was injured by baton blows. Professor Robert Hass, former Poet Laureate of the United States, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize winner, was also struck with a baton. These faculty stood together with students in solidarity, and they too were beaten and arrested by the police. In writing this letter, I stand together with those faculty and with the students they supported.

One week after this happened at UC Berkeley, you ordered police to clear tents from the quad at UC Davis. When students responded in the same way—linking arms and holding their ground—police also responded in the same way: with violent force. The fact is: the administration of UC campuses systematically uses police brutality to terrorize students and faculty, to crush political dissent on our campuses, and to suppress free speech and peaceful assembly. Many people know this. Many more people are learning it very quickly.

You are responsible for the police violence directed against students on the UC Davis quad on November 18, 2011. As I said, I am writing to hold you responsible and to demand your immediate resignation on these grounds.

On Wednesday November 16, you issued a letter by email to the campus community. In this letter, you discussed a hate crime which occurred at UC Davis on Sunday November 13. In this letter, you express concern about the safety of our students. You write, “it is particularly disturbing that such an act of intolerance should occur at a time when the campus community is working to create a safe and inviting space for all our students.” You write, “while these are turbulent economic times, as a campus community, we must all be committed to a safe, welcoming environment that advances our efforts to diversity and excellence at UC Davis.”

I will leave it to my colleagues and every reader of this letter to decide what poses a greater threat to “a safe and inviting space for all our students” or “a safe, welcoming environment” at UC Davis: 1) Setting up tents on the quad in solidarity with faculty and students brutalized by police at UC Berkeley? or 2) Sending in riot police to disperse students with batons, pepper-spray, and tear-gas guns, while those students sit peacefully on the ground with their arms linked? Is this what you have in mind when you refer to creating “a safe and inviting space?” Is this what you have in mind when you express commitment to “a safe, welcoming environment?”

I am writing to tell you in no uncertain terms that there must be space for protest on our campus. There must be space for political dissent on our campus. There must be space for civil disobedience on our campus. There must be space for students to assert their right to decide on the form of their protest, their dissent, and their civil disobedience—including the simple act of setting up tents in solidarity with other students who have done so. There must be space for protest and dissent, especially, when the object of protest and dissent is police brutality itself. You may not order police to forcefully disperse student protesters peacefully protesting police brutality. You may not do so. It is not an option available to you as the Chancellor of a UC campus. That is why I am calling for your immediate resignation.

Your words express concern for the safety of our students. Your actions express no concern whatsoever for the safety of our students. I deduce from this discrepancy that you are not, in fact, concerned about the safety of our students. Your actions directly threaten the safety of our students. And I want you to know that this is clear. It is clear to anyone who reads your campus emails concerning our “Principles of Community” and who also takes the time to inform themselves about your actions. You should bear in mind that when you send emails to the UC Davis community, you address a body of faculty and students who are well trained to see through rhetoric that evinces care for students while implicitly threatening them. I see through your rhetoric very clearly. You also write to a campus community that knows how to speak truth to power. That is what I am doing.

I call for your resignation because you are unfit to do your job. You are unfit to ensure the safety of students at UC Davis. In fact: you are the primary threat to the safety of students at UC Davis. As such, I call upon you to resign immediately.

Sincerely,
Nathan Brown
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Program in Critical Theory
University of California at Davis

Walking Tour #6 -- November 19, 2011

2011-11-19T19:55:00.001-08:00

Today I did a walking tour for people who bid on me for the community support campaign. They were kind enough to win me for a second time. We did my new Market Street/South of Market tour. They said they enjoyed the details of buildings and objects and the stories. We had lunch at Kate O'Brien's. The weather was cold.

Today I took the photo of the angel atop Douglas Tilden's Native Sons of the Golden West/Admissions Day Monument.

Comic Book #11 -- November 18, 2011

2011-11-18T20:21:00.001-08:00

Blackhawk was one of my favorite comic book characters, although I first encountered him and his team, the Blackhawks, when DC tried to turn them into costumed superheroes, about 1968. I found some older issues and even older stories reprinted in books. Blackhawk, an American, led a paramilitary team of ace aviators. In clockwise order from the top, they are Blackhawk, Olav, Chuck, Chop Chop, Stanislaus, André and Hendrickson. The airplane is a Grumman XF5F Skyrocket, a very cool-looking Navy fighter that never reached production. They started out fighting the Axis in Quality's Military Comics. The Blackhawks also appeared in their own title. After the war, Military became Modern Comics. Their enemies became Communists. DC took over the Quality line. The series went downhill until it reached its Nadir in the New Blackhawk Era and the superhero experiment. It died soon after, but it has returned now and then.

Pulp #30 -- November 17, 2011

2011-11-17T20:55:00.001-08:00

Frank Munsey's weekly Argosy is considered to be the first American pulp magazine. H Bedford-Jones was called "The King of the Pulps" because he wrote many many many novels. Jungle Girl was published in four parts in 1934.

The image comes from the wonderful site CoverBrowser: http://www.coverbrowser.com

Door #16 -- November 16, 2011

2011-11-16T19:36:00.001-08:00

The original Rialto building, built in 1902, was destroyed in the 1906 Eathquake and Fire. Architects Bliss and Faville rebuilt it in 1911. It housed the offices of the United Railroad of San Francisco for many years.

Nickname #8 -- November 15, 2011

2011-11-15T19:42:00.001-08:00

Smokin' Joe Frazier passed away early this month. I was a big fan when I was a kid.

Alley #25 -- November 14, 2011

2011-11-14T19:39:00.001-08:00

Auburn Street runs from Pacific Avenue to Jackson Street, between Mason and Taylor streets, across from the Cable Car Barn. I took this photo looking across Jackson Street on 14-September-2011. I don't know if the street is named after the town in the gold country.

It was very cold today.

Ocean Shore Railroad Car 1409 Fundraiser -- November 13, 2011

2011-11-13T21:00:00.001-08:00

Today the Moose Lodge in Pacifica hosted a Pacifica Historical Society fundraiser for the restoration of the only surviving piece of Ocean Shore Railroad rolling stock, coach 1409. Rob Wullenjon performed a song he had written about the railroad and the car. Then historian John Schmale, who found the car, spoke and presented a series of photos from his collection. They covered a ride from San Francisco to Santa Cruz. I understood the line's route out of San Francisco and through Westlake much better. The views of what is now Pacifica and the area sound of Devil's Slide were wonderful.

I had to run right after he finished, so I didn't get to hear the questions or talk to people after. There was a good crowd.

The image is from the 04-April-1908 San Francisco Call. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

Bay Bridge 75 -- November 12, 2011

2011-11-12T21:03:00.001-08:00

Today is the 75th anniversary of the opening of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. This Stanley A Piltz postcard shows the fairly new San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. The part between Yerba Buena Island and Oakland is being replaced. The single tower is in place.

Happy Veteran's Day #5 -- November 11, 2011

2011-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Veterans Day to all the veterans out there. Thank you for your service to your country.

This is the 93rd anniversary of Armistice Day. There is only one surviving veteran, Florence Green of the RAF. The last combat veteran was Claude Choules of the Royal Navy, who died in May. The last US veteran was Frank Buckles, who died in February.

The poster is by Howard Chandler Christy. Today, the young lady could join the Navy. Or the Army. Or the Air Force. Or the Coast Guard.

11/11/11 - interesting date.

Slapstick #15 -- November 10, 2011

2011-11-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

Since tomorrow is Veterans' Day, I thought I would post an ad for Buster Keaton's military comedy Doughboys, known in the British Empire as Forward March, which played at His Majesty's Theater in Hobart, Tasmania.

"When Buster Keaton Bests Charlie Chaplin at his Own Game" refers to Chaplin's 1918 short comedy "Shoulder Arms."

"He was shellshocked by a kiss!" Good line.

From the Hobart Mercury, 27-December-1930.

Claret -- November 9, 2011

2011-11-09T21:19:00.000-08:00

Doctor Peter Henri Van Der Weyde wrote the series of articles which gave this blog its name. This article, from the 29-June-1869 Adelaide South Australian Register, talks about a presentation he made on an unusual method of making claret.The image comes from the February, 1893 issue of Manufacturer and Builder.

How to Make Claret - At tbe meeting of the Polytechnic Association of the American institute, on tbe 7th of January, during a discussion on the adulteration of wines, Dr. Van der Weyde is reported by the Chemical News to have described a mode of making claret, viz:., by allowing water to soak through shavings, and adding thereto a certain proportion of logwood and tartaric acid. This produced a wine hardly to be distiuguithed in flavour and colour from claret.

Joe Frazier, RIP -- November 8, 2011

2011-11-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

"Joe Frazier wouldn't back away from King Kong. Joe Frazier was one brave man." -- George Foreman

I liked Joe Frazier when I was a kid, and not just because his name was Joe. I had just gotten interested in boxing when the WBA was trying to strip Muhammad Ali of his title. Frazier refused to participate in the tournament to choose a new heavyweight champion. He beat the winner, Jimmy Ellis, and became the champ. I liked the fact that Frazier was small for a heavyweight. I liked the way he always moved forward. I liked the fact that outside of the the ring, he seemed to be a good person. Ali seemed to be a superman, while Frazier seemed like a normal person with a special talent.

The fights with Ali were the greatest fights I can remember. They both should have retired after Manilla.

I had to use this photo of Frazier and George Foreman before their first fight on 22-January-1973. Foreman won, which seems almost inevitable given the difference in size, but Frazier kept getting up until the referee stopped the fight.

Goodbye, Joe. I'll miss you.

Train Station #40 -- November 7, 2011

2011-11-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

The current Virginia and Truckee depot in Virginia City is a combination car. The train on the left is waiting to leave for Eastgate on the edge of Carson City. The track between the train and the station will hold the short-run train when it gets back from Gold Hill.

The original Virginia City passenger depot is a private home which I forgot to photograph. Its successor was beyond Tunnel #6 which is not presently open. That depot burned many years ago. The freight depot still stands, but I did not get to visit it.

Murphy Windmill -- November 6, 2011

2011-11-06T20:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday our daughter took an exam at George Washington High. After we dropped her off, we went to the Safeway at the Beach, then stopped by the newly restored Murphy Windmill in Golden Gate Park. We went on to Stonestown and had pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks. My wife shopped a bit. We drove on to Best Buy at Geary and Masonic and looked at a potential Christmas present. We went to Office Depot and picked up some presentation boards. We went to the Presidio and looked at the view. The Officers' Club is being renovated. We drove through Lincoln Park, and then our daughter called to say she was done. We drove down to Bill's Place and found a parking space on the next corner. It was very busy. I had a Jazzbeaux. We went to 5 o'clock mass at Good Shepherd.

Roy Rogers 100 -- November 5, 2011

2011-11-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys, and his beautiful palomino, Trigger. Today is Roy's 100th birthday. When I was growing up, many people were down on Roy Rogers. I never saw his television show, but I always enjoyed his movies when I could catch them. He was a better actor than some of his contemporary singing cowboys.

Firehouse #49 -- November 4, 2011

2011-11-04T21:41:00.000-07:00

Not a picture of a firehouse this month, but a public hearing notice posted on the building next to Station One on Howard Street. It talks about the expansion of the Museum of Modern Art and the building of a new firehouse, with housing behind it, at 935 Folsom.

It rained very hard last night. We had beautiful clouds this morning. It was cold.

The Undefeated King of Handcuffs -- November 3, 2011

2011-11-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

This ad, from the 20-September-1911 Washington Times, describes a challenge to Escape artist Theo Hardeen, younger brother of Harry Houdini, from "the shipping forces of Goldenberg's Department Stores." They would assemble a specially designed shipping box on stage and Hardeen would escape. At the second show, he would substitute the "Great Milk Can Mystery," borrowed from his brother Houdini. The challenge to local institutions was a popular feature of both men's acts. It was good advertising for stores. Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version. Due to public demand, 100 seats would be sold on stage. This must have been hard on the other vaudeville acts.

I was sad to learn that Matty Alou, brother of Felipe and Jesus, has died.

Giants Wall of Fame #19 -- November 2, 2011

2011-11-02T21:03:00.000-07:00

In September, 2008 the Giants unveiled their Wall of Fame along the King Street side of the ballpark, whatever it is called this week. This plaque was added on 27-August-2011 to honor outfielder Marvin Benard, one of the Fighting Hydrants. He was an excellent pinch hitter and was famous for his batting helmet, which got progressively more gunky as the season went along.

Occupy Oakland organized a general strike today. It wasn't a complete shutdown, but it will be interesting to see what effect it had.

Autogyro -- November 1, 2011

2011-11-01T18:00:00.000-07:00

Actress Jean Harlow poses with an autogyro and, according to one source, Regia Aeronautica pilot Lieutenant Tito Falconi. This may be around 1933, when Johnny Miller flew an autogyro at several air racing events around the United States. Tenente Falconi held the world record for flying upside-down.

Happy Halloween #5 --October 31, 2011

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween to all. The photograph of actress Nancy Carroll comes from http://www.lucywho.com/, Nancy Carroll started acting in silent movies, became a big star in early musicals, and developed into a strong dramatic actress. Personality conflicts with Hollywood producers shortened her career on film, but she spent the rest of her life working on the stage and in television.

Overland Limited -- October 30, 2011

2011-10-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

An ad from the 20-May-1911 San Francisco Call touts the Southern Pacific's investments which sped the time of the Overland Limited by 4 1/2 hours. These included the Lucin Cutoff across an arm of the Great Salt Lake.

Benny Bufano #11 -- October 29, 2011

2011-10-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

Hillsdale Mall developer David Bohannon commissioned sculptor Benny Bufano to provide sculptures to decorate the new mall in San Mateo. Bufano opened a studio on the mall site in 1955 and created ten of his famous animal sculptures. This sculpture, "Penguin Mother" shows a penguin with two babies. This was a popular theme with Bufano (http://cablecarguy.blogspot.com/2011/02/benny-bufano-5-february-23-2011.html).

Today we left the house and found that the left front tire on my car was flat. We went to Pacifica Tire and got two Michelins installed in an hour. We walked around Rockaway Beach while we waited and had pumpkin ice cream sundaes at Rockin' Rob's.

Once Upon a Time 1960-1979 -- October 28, 2011

2011-10-28T21:12:00.000-07:00

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Elisheva Biernoff representing important moments in San Francisco history. I took this photo on 19-May-2011, showing a poster that depicts the turbulent 1960s and 1970s, with the anti war movement and the Alcatraz occupation.

End of the Passage -- 27-October-2011

2011-10-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

From the 28-October-1898 San Francisco Call. William A Coulter did many maritime drawings for the newspaper. Be sure to click on the image to see the larger version.

A Fleet of Deep Water Vessels Reached Port Yesterday. Some of Them Brought Coal From Newcastle, England, andNewcastle Australia; Some Brought General Merchandise From Antwerp; Others Brought Coke and MerchandiseFrom Leith. While Five Carried Sugar From the Hawaiian Isles, The Bark Roderick Dhu From Hilo, Under HerNew Commander, Captain Johnson, Made the Fastest Passage of the Year From the Islands.

Comic Book #10 -- October 26, 2011

2011-10-26T18:32:00.001-07:00

The April, 1948 issue of Shadow Comics features a wonderfully rendered black cat.

It's Hard Work Being a Cat #52 -- October 25, 2011

2011-10-25T18:49:00.000-07:00

I took the photo on 09-October-2011.

When I was walking to work today, I saw a bunch of police barriers staged along Third and Howard. There were several police standing around. The mobile command post was parked in front of the W Hotel. Around 11, Third and Howard got closed off. A large group of protesters gathered around the intersection. I recognized some of them and their signs from Occupy SF. President Obama spoke at a fundraiser in the W.

Pulp #29 -- October 24, 2011

2011-10-24T21:53:00.000-07:00

The cover of the Summer, 1949 Shadow features an image with a white cat (nice contrast to the black-clad Shadow) and what appears to be the eyes of a black cat in a crystal ball.

Saint Monica's 100 #2 -- October 23, 2011

2011-10-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today I took my mom to the special 10:30 mass to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Saint Monica's parish. Bishop Robert McElroy was the celebrant. Archbishop Niederauer is still recovering from his heart trouble. Concelebrants included pastor Father Greene, Father Sakowski, pastor of Saint Thomas Apostle, two other priests, and a deacon. Father Greene started his homily by mentioning that there were three things in the church to remind us of the first mass in January, 1911. He held up the chalice used in that mass. He mentioned a 101 year old lady who was there, and he mentioned a 90 year old lady whose mother and grandparents were there.

There was a buffet in the large hall after mass. I met one classmate and several parents of classmates.

The weather was nice and warm. I took the photo this morning.

Pumpkin Picking #2 -- October 22, 2011

2011-10-22T20:56:00.000-07:00

We went to Half Moon Bay today to get a pumpkin. Traffic on One was backed up to at least Princeton. We went to the 4-Cs patch again. I took the photo today. I like the color of pumpkins. A little bit of the traffic is visible in the background. We found two great pumpkins for $12.00. The weather was nice and warm.

We went up 92. Traffic was backed up all the way to 280.

We drove down to the Stanford Shopping Center and had lunch at Gourmet Franks so we could sit outside.

Slapstick #14 -- October 21, 2011

2011-10-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

An ad for Harold Lloyd's second talkie, Feet First, from the Perth, Western Australia Sunday Times, 08-March-1931. Feet First concluded with Harold climbing a tall building, as he had in Safety Last. I think the climb worked better in Safety Last because Harold's cries and the other noises made the scene in the talkie too realistic.

We had another earthquake last night.

The Libyan people finally caught Colonel Gaddafi. I hope they find peace.

Barbara Kent, RIP -- October 20, 2011

2011-10-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

I was sad to learn that actress Barbara Kent, a native of Canada, has died at the age of 104. She was virtually the last surviving person who acted in an American silent movie as an adult. She was Harold Lloyd's leading lady in Welcome Danger and Feet First.

Today we were supposed to have an earthquake drill at 10:30am, but it didn't happen. In the afternoon, we had a real earthquake, about a 4.0. I felt one short, sharp jolt.

Norman Corwin, RIP -- October 19, 2011

2011-10-19T19:15:00.000-07:00

I was sad to learn that Norman Corwin, writer, director and producer of some of the best radio dramas, comedies and documentaries, had died at the age of 101. I remember when Gene Nelson, who played old radio shows at night on KSFO, played "On a Note of Triumph," Corwin's tribute to victory in Europe. I remember when Corwin and Walter Cronkite did a show in 2000 for NPR, I was surprised to learn that Corwin was still alive.

From "On a Note of Triumph" (note the blank verse):
So they've given up!
They're finally done in, and the rat is dead in an alley back of the Wilhelmstrasse.
Take a bow, G.I.
Take a bow, little guy.
The superman of tomorrow lies at the feet
Of you common men of the afternoon.

The image comes from the wonderful site LucyWho (http://www.lucywho.com/).

Door #15 -- October 18, 2011

2011-10-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

William Matson founded the Matson Navigation Company, which carried passengers and freight from San Francisco to many points in the Pacific, particularly Hawaii, in 1882. The Matson Building, once headquarters of the steamship line, is now part of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company's headquarters. Matson (http://www.matson.com/) is still the biggest freight hauler between San Francisco and Hawaii.

Alley #24 -- October 17, 2011

2011-10-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

Pleasant Street runs from Taylor to Jones between Sacramento and Clay Streets. I took this photo looking up from Taylor Street on 14-September-2011. The street is named after Mary Ellen Pleasant, who was born into slavery, but freed herself and became involved in the Underground Railroad. She moved to San Francisco and passed for white. She became wealthy by helping a clerk, Thom Bell, at the Bank of California with investment advice. She used her connections and money to help the black community, which knew her true identity. At some point, she went east and became involved with the network that helped John Brown. After his capture, she came back to San Francisco.

After the Civil War, she declared her true racial identity and pushed for Civil Rights. After she was thrown off a horse car, she filed a suit, Pleasant v. North Beach & Mission Railroad Company, which established that public conveyances in San Francisco could not be segregated.

In later years, various elements, including Thom Bell's wife, began to smear Mary Ellen. They began calling her "Mammy," which she did not like. She lost her fortune and died in poverty in 1904.

There is a small park named after her in Pacific Heights.

Alcatraz -- October 15, 2011

2011-10-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Today we played tourist. We parked at Fifth and Mission and caught a Milan car on the F line. It got to be very full. We got off at Pier 39. It was a warm day, but there was a cold breeze on the pier. We had fried calamari at a seafood place. There was one float covered with sea lions. A few were on the next float. One sea lion slept soundly on the farthest float. A little boy worried that he might be dead. We assured him that the sea lion was alive.

We walked along the Wharf to Pier 45, where we visted the Musee Mechanique. The machines had been rearranged since our last visit. There were two baseball-related games that I had not seen before. We played the French Execution. My daughter operated the machine with the baker. We could not find Peppy the dancing clown.

We went up Fish Alley. A boat had a radio on and the news said that the Occupy SF people were going to be marching up Market at 3pm. We headed to the F line terminal and caught the Louisville car.

We got off at Fourth and walked up to Macy's. There were police barriers set up along the curb on Stockton. Workers were setting up Holiday Lane.

We went to Five o'clock mass at Good Shepherd, then had dinner at Subway in Linda Mar. On the way home, we drove on Cape Breton but didn't see many holiday decorations.

I took the photo of Alcatraz today.

Nickname #7 -- October 14, 2011

2011-10-14T22:04:00.000-07:00

Bob Ferguson had a long and distinguished career in the National Association of Base Ball Players and the National League. He played the infield, managed, umpired, and served as Association president. His defensive skill earned him the unique nickname "Death to Flying Things." The only baseball nickname of comparable length that I can think of is Pepper Martin's "The Wild Horse of the Osage."

It was warm again today. Occupy SF protesters gathered outside the Palace Hotel.

Occupy SF -- October 13, 2011

2011-10-13T21:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took a photo of the Occupy SF encampment in front of the Federal Reserve. Mayor Bloomberg of New York is going to roust the Occupy Wall Street encampment tomorrow morning.

It was very warm today.