2011 -- December 31, 2011

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

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, "Golden Bear," represents a bear and a Native American. I took the photo on 12-November-2011.

IOOF #1 -- December 29, 2011

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

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

I took the photo on 10-December-2011.

It was very cold this morning.

Boxing Day #1 -- December 26, 2011

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

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

From the 17-October-1909 San Francisco Call.

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.