Vélorution gauchiste

Why grade separations exist...

2008-10-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

...to protect trains from moronic drivers, like this one.

On my bicycle ride home tonight, I arrived to find this situation around 6 p.m. at the rail crossing at County Road 32 (CR32) and County Road 105 in rural Yolo County, between Davis and Sacramento.

According to the Amtrak investigator I talked to briefly, the woman was heading east on CR 32, missed the turn, started down the bike path, realized her error, turned right, went up the embankment and basically flew to this position well down the tracks. Yes, she must have been flying, and may have been DUI. She was taking the breathalyzer as I took these images; that's her with the CHP officer in far background (click on image to enlarge.)

All Capitol Corridor trains were held in both directions, unfortunate for hundreds of passengers. Fortunately, I was on my bike and missed this delay...and missed this driver who is a real hazard!

Images: Paul Dorn
Visit: Bikes crowding onto transit, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Bikes on Board Amtrak's Capitol Corridor, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Amtrak Capitol Corridor celebrates 15 years, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

XTC: Dear God

2008-06-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

Great song by an underrated 80s pop group XTC. My sentiments, exactly.

More on Downer cows from HSUS

2008-06-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

Meat production consumes more energy and creates more pollution than transportation. This video left me wondering about the mental health of the workers at these auction lots or packing plants. Do they leave the brutality at the workplace when they go home? Or do they share it with their wives and children?

"Sex with your car"

2007-05-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Sex with Your Car - commercial - kewego

Sex with Your Car - commercial - kewego
Mercury Mistress, a new model of car which you can actually have sex with.

Keywords: commercial love ad car sex model mercury mistress

Video from ryosann

Big Papi, little puppy

2007-02-24T12:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a dog-loving Red Sox fan. How could I not post an image like this, of Boston slugger David "Big Papi" Ortiz, kissing his dog Mikey during conditioning exercises at the Sox' spring training facility in Ft. Myers, Florida.

San Francisco Chronicle, still a Bush toady

2007-01-12T13:21:00.000-08:00

January 12, 2007

Letters to the Editor
San Francisco Chronicle
901 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103

RE: Photo of teary Bush on front page.

Editor:

On Thursday, millions of people across the U.S. participated in protests against President Bush's proposed escalation of the war in Iraq, including several protest events in the Bay Area.

Yet on the Chronicle's front page today, above the fold no less: An image of George W. Bush crying at an event honoring a dead Marine. Your "coverage" of the anti-war protests--an image with brief caption--was buried on page A7.

The U.S. is stuck in the deadly Iraqi quagmire in part because a supine media has failed to challenge Bush administration arguments. Your decision to "humanize" Bush by featuring this image so prominently--while diminishing coverage of the opposition to his pointless war--shows the Chronicle continues to be a biased administration toady.

If Bush really cared about troops dying in Iraq, he would order their immediate withdrawal, not award them posthumous medals. And some wonder why fewer of us are reading newspapers.

Sincerely,

Paul Dorn

Only a few weeks 'til spring training

2007-01-09T20:29:00.000-08:00

I'm cursed by ancestry to be a Boston Red Sox fan. Much to the regret of my non-sports enthusiast wife. She saved this "Pardon My Planet" cartoon for me.

Marketing cartoon with puppies

2007-01-09T16:16:00.000-08:00

Hey, I work as a marketing professional. So why not. I've had this on my file cabinet for some time, yellowing. Put it on my blog instead! Image is a man selling puppies ("chick magnets").

Vehicle size and genitalia insecurity

2006-12-14T10:26:00.000-08:00

Tip of the cap to Bangers and Mishmash blog.

As my intelligent brother Jeff in Maine says: "The bigger the truck the smaller the penis. Which is of course a metaphor for small self image. You don't see red necks driving around in a VW Bug with a gun rack and a confederate flag do you? Big trucks feed that part of an individual that needs to be bigger than life because reality bites."
Image: Tom The Dancing Bug by Ruben Bolling.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips

Jackie Greene on Conan O'Brien

2006-11-29T14:05:00.000-08:00

This is for my beloved spouse Marianne, who is a big fan of Jackie Greene. We first encountered Greene during our years residing in the great biking town of Davis, California. He was making a name on the Sacramento music scene, and getting lots of attention in the local press. We finally had a chance to see him live in February 2005, performing a solo acoustic set at the Varsity Theatre in Davis. He absolutely lived up to the hype. We saw him again earlier this year at the Fillmore in San Francisco, with a band and considerably louder. He's great.

49ers grab Rec and Park resources

2006-11-21T16:20:00.000-08:00

I never intended to turn this blog into a screed against the 49ers. However, as events progress, the cost the city of San Francisco pays to keep the NFL franchise in town grows more evident. As a letter writer to the San Francisco Examiner indicated this week (responding to an earlier letter), a significant share of the city's Recreation and Parks Department budget is consumed maintaining the 49ers ballpark.

My earlier posts on this topic have talked about what could be done with the space vacated by the Niners. But the city could also realize immediate benefits from not subsidizing a professional sports franchise.

And it was disappointing to read in yesterday's Chronicle that other areas of our beloved city might now be in the Battleship York's gunsights. It's also frustrating that the "missing the story" journalism rife in SF tries to frame the team's departure .) It's even more disappointing that the city's political leadership has so little vision for a better city.

Goodbye 49ers, call if you need help moving out

2006-11-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

The 49ers are leaving. Good riddance. Sadly, I've been disappointed by the silly response from Mayor Gavin Newsom, California's senior senator Diane Feinstein, and other in San Francisco's political class. I have to hope it's all just rhetorical posturing. I understand that Newsom doesn't want to be tagged as "the mayor who 'lost' the Niners," but he can't really want to keep this money grabbing, subsidy sucking, land wasting operation in San Francisco?

San Francisco can gain a lot by demolishing Monster Park and transforming this expanse of empty pavement and concrete--when it's not filled a mere 8-10 days a year with tailgating yuppies--into housing, offices, shops, and improved parkland (Crissy Field south).

Monster Park is a money losing blight for the city. A vibrant new neighborhood and park space would create lots of fulltime jobs, instead of a few dozen part-time seasonal work selling beer and hot dogs. And affordable housing opportunities instead of pavement. And lots of new tax revenues. There is at least one proposal out there that suggests San Francisco could realize $400 million from demolition of Monster Park and sale to developers.

So why is the Mayor posturing. And is there any politician who is a more shameless headline chaser than DiFi? Aren't there bigger priorities Senator, like, say, getting the heck out of Iraq?!? Do you represent California, which ostensibly includes Santa Clara, or just Bechtel, errr, San Francisco? Gawd I detest DiFi.

Image: Google Earth. Satelitte image of Monster Park and parking lots. Notice tire tracks from skidding racers. This space is largely vacant 350 days a year, and is an attractive destination for miscreants. A waste.

Just who does Pelosi represent, anyway?

2006-11-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

I often wonder just what district Nancy Pelosi represents: anti-war, anti-Bush San Francisco; or some district in her native Maryland. I mean, really, has she ever even lived in California. Now that she's installed, she can get on with her agenda: blocking Bush's impeachment (going against her district) and continuing funding to the Iraq debacle.

Tim Redmond's editorial in this week's San Francisco Bay Guardian, "Pelosi is not one of us," pretty much sums up Pelosi's noxious career. "But if the right-wing talk show hosts are worried about San Francisco liberals like me, they can take it easy: Nancy Pelosi is not one of us."

Image: Web capture. Pelosi and Bush, partners in crime.

Pink Martini Swings San Francisco

2006-11-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

Last night my wife and I enjoyed the Pink Martini concert at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco. They included several new songs from their forthcoming third album, and also performed this favorite. An entertaining 12-member band.

Pink Martini 2nd Album: Hang on Little Tomato
Pink Martini 1st Album: Sympathique

49ers to leave SF? Good riddance!

2006-11-13T10:43:00.000-08:00

Imagine all this pavement and concrete transformed into housing, offices, stores, parkland, schools, habitat... That was the theme of this letter to the San Francisco Chronicle. Let the 49ers leave, good riddance:

November 12, 2006

Letters to the Editor
San Francisco Chronicle
901 Mission Street
San Francisco CA 94103

RE: 49ers Move to Santa Clara

Editor:

The 49ers' departure provides a great opportunity to renew the Bayview and Hunter's Point neighborhoods. ("Lure of Burbs: Like families, franchises can't resist spreading out, starting over," San Francisco Chronicle, 11.12.06)

Instead of a football stadium offering a few weeks of low-paid seasonal employment and abundant beer-swilling motorists jamming neighborhood streets--with ugly expanses of empty parking lots for the rest of the year--we can create a vibrant community with much-needed residential, retail, and office space where Monster Park now resides.

In addition, we can extend the Bay Trail and expand and enhance Candlestick Point State Recreation Area into a "Crissy Field South," which will attract wildlife, bird-watchers, and tourist dollars to southeast San Francisco. Improved natural and urban areas will both provide permanent employment and economic opportunities for neighborhood residents and businesses.

San Franciscans shouldn't mourn the departure of a greedy NFL franchise, which seeks only to maximize its profits. The 49ers have manipulated and exploited the Bayview and Hunter's Point communities for decades. Let those few San Franciscans who actually attend 49ers games--a small minority of city residents--make the trip to Santa Clara.

It's time to recognize the great possibilities for a city without the blight of a football stadium.

Sincerely,

Paul Dorn
San Francisco

See: "San Francisco Gains From 49ers Move to Santa Clara", BeyondChron.org, 11.14.06
Image: Telstar Logistics

What would Jesus eat?

2006-11-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

Van seen parked near Green Festival in San Francisco.

For the record, not that anyone is asking, I am 1) a vegetarian; and 2) an atheist. I was once upon a time a leftist ready to concede the existence of Jesus as an actual historic person, not divine but instead a charismatic pacifist revolutionary. Kind of like a new age hippie.

However, I now since been persuaded that Jesus never existed at all. John Rose's article for the International Socialism Journal was effective. Most persuasive was Karl Kautsky's great examination, Foundations of Christianity. Another comprehensive expose is former fundamentalist Brian Flemming's great documentary The God Who Wasn't There.

Many became open to new conceptualizations of "Jesus" in the wake of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. The success of the book and film had the Catholic Church on the defensive for a period. But the Catholic Church (and Christianity in general) has survived Luther, Marx, Darwin, Nietzsche, Einstein, Freud...and I'd guess, sadly, that it will continue to oppress and deceive for decades after Dan Brown.

Image: Paul Dorn.

Damp hike in Point Reyes

2006-11-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

This soggy delight is my wife, Marianne Skoczek, during a rainy day hike in early November to Pierce Point Ranch at Point Reyes National Seashore. Approximately 30 miles north of San Francisco, Point Reyes is an incredible natural area, thankfully protected from development. There was some rain during our recent visit, but it didn't prevent us from enjoying the great hiking.

Cops always have the best dope

2006-11-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

Virginia sheriff, 12 employees indicted
"Prosecutors said that for the past eight years, cocaine, steroids, marijuana and other drugs that had been seized by the sheriff's department were resold to the public. A sergeant who agreed to cooperate with investigators was paid off by the ring to use his house for distributing drugs, authorities said."

Isn't it way, way past time to decriminalize drugs? Maybe do what other countries do, treat substance abuse as a medical problem, not a criminal problem. Anyone agree that such a course might make our sad nation slightly better? Using cops to fight drug abuse is like using gravediggers to fight a fatal epidemic.

See: Drug Policy Alliance
See: Drug Reform Coordination Network

The sectarian left holds a scowl-fest

2006-10-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

Pre-election protest calls for end to Iraq war
Market Street march draws colorful crowd
"About 1,000 anti-war activists marched through San Francisco on Saturday in a lively protest that combined chants, cheers and street theater."

October 28th ANSWER Anti-War Protest
"People in cities all over the US heeded ANSWER's Call to Action to organize locally coordinated anti-war activities for Saturday, October 28th. ANSWER said, 'The people will force the issue of the Iraq war onto the U.S. political stage by taking to streets in demonstrations in cities and towns throughout the United States.' ANSWER also protesed Bush's denial of the number of Iraqis who have died in the war, and the threat of a war on North Korea."

OK, here's the problem with the American left. It's just over a week before the November mid-term elections. On a Saturday when many mainstream Democrats, Greens, and progressives are walking precincts, tabling, phonebanking, or otherwise working in support of candidates for various positions, what does the sectarian left do? Call for an antiwar protest!

The mainstream activists who are sympathetic to calls to end the Iraq war are busy, and don't participate. So the march is a small, demoralizing gathering of the hardcore left, who scowl at each other as they sell their newspapers. If elections really don't matter--and I'm one who agrees that Democrats are no alternative--then why have the protest 10 days before the election? Why not after?

If the goal is to break progressives away from any illusion in the Democratic Party, then why not wait when you can have a march that attracts more of them to a protest where they can interact with socialists, anarchists, and other radicals? Yes, the Democrats are a delusion. They are not an alternative. However, to make that argument, you need to engage people. And if mainstream activists don't come, how do radicals engage them?

Image: Indymedia.org

Who says racism is unfashionable?

2006-10-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

My Sunday newspaper contained an insert advertising this curious product, advising that "This first ever Native American influenced Nativity is a very special, limited time offer, and strong demand is expected." (Sic.) And only $49.95! Send no money now! Who wouldn't want this heirloom item in their "collection" of dust-gathering ceramics?

This "collectible" is so offensive on so many levels, it's hard to know where to begin. So I'll ask the following: Who does this offend more?

- Indigenous Americans who have suffered generations of genocidal slaughter at the bloody hands of "Christian" oppressors; or
- "Good" Christians who know that "our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" was a blondish, blue-eyed white male (as unlikely as that would be in First Century Judea.)

SacBee.com is awful

2006-10-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Today's "vent" of the day. My wife forwarded me the link for an article. And this is my reply to her, with a CC to the Sacramento Bee:
The next time you want to forward an article from SacBee.com, just copy it and paste it into the message. The SacBee.com site basically SUCKS.

All content is password protected, requiring one to register. I understand why from a marketing perspective capturing visitor information is important, among other things for reporting demographics and such to advertisers. However, it's a real pain.

I have been a registered user of SacBee.com for a while, but I rarely visit the site, and rarely remember username or password, tried several times to recall what obvious combo it might have been, and basically gave up. Maybe they have cookies, but I clean those out pretty frequently.

The Bee should find other means of incentivizing registration. In this age of bloggers linking promiscuously to content, they're going to avoid sites like the Bee's that are overly protective of content. They'll go to sites like the San Francisco Chronicle (lessor paper, better site, with archived content) or the LA Times, or whatever. This registration thing also inhibits search engine spiders/robots, further diminishing traffic to SacBee.com.

Online advertisers want "Eyeballs". That means traffic. The Bee's barriers to easy traffic access seem rather stupid, frankly. But whom am I to say. I only do a little online marketing...

Cheers,

Pablo
And yes, this posting is directed "Register@sacbee.com" whoever that
may be, more than you, beloved spouse.

--- Marianne Skoczek wrote:
Going to the blogs: http://www.sacbee.com/136/story/31704.html

If the Brits leave, who'll be our "poodle"?

2006-10-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

YAHOO! News: UK troops worsen problems in Iraq: army chief.
Hmmmm. I wonder if Bush will say that General Sir Richard Dannatt is not "credible".

I stick by my assertion of June: The biggest group of armed killers, rapists, thieves, torturers, and abusers in Iraq is not Al Quaeda, "insurgents", or the various militias. The biggest gang of killers is the U.S. Military.

Why does "Christian" Bush hate children?

2006-10-10T13:23:00.000-07:00

Today's always excellent TomDispatch.com features this quote from historian Howard Zinn:

"I came to the conclusion that, given the technology of modern warfare, war is inevitably a war against children, against civilians. When you look at the ratio of civilian to military dead, it changes from 50-50 in World War II to 80-20 in Vietnam, maybe as high as 90-10 today… When you face that fact, war is now always a war against civilians, and so against children. No political goal can justify it, and so the great challenge before the human race in our time is to solve the problems of tyranny and aggression, and do it without war."

Exactly. Which is why Alexander Cockburn is correct when he describes the U.S. as the greatest force for evil in the world today.

Natasha St-Pier: Vivre ou survivre

2006-10-06T14:13:00.000-07:00

Oh, why not. It's Friday, and lookie what I found. As the leading Francophile on at least my block, I've been a big fan of Natasha St-Pier for a few years. I first encountered her on an interview in the audiomagazine Champs-Elysées; and soon had acquired all her available albums. This song doesn't appear on any of them. If St-Pier performed in English, I'd probably be ashamed. Hey, I don't listen to Britney. But, sigh, in French...

Les chanteuses: une autre raison pour aimer le français. (Ma chanson préférée par St-Pier est «Nos rendez-vous». Formidable. Mes autres chanteuses préférée s'inclu la super Patricia Kaas. Et aussi Sandrine François. Et les autres, bien sûr.)

We wouldn't want to inconvenience motorists...

2006-10-05T21:29:00.000-07:00

Few things frustrate me more than this, the all too common blocked pedestrian crossing, or three-legged intersection. Pedestrian delay matters less than motorist convenience, this says. This crossing is located in San Francisco's Hayes Valley, a neighborhood long blighted by the Central Freeway. The neighborhood has started to revitalize, drawing more pedestrians. Let's hope this situation is one of the first to be remedied.