Crabs are Coming -- November 30, 2011

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

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

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 San Francisco. 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

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

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

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

I worked from home today.

Happy Thanksgiving #5 -- November 24, 2011

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alley #25 -- November 14, 2011

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

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

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.