Blogs

The new Milk bust costs about as much as 14,860 gallons…

By Joe Eskenazi

On May 22, something extraordinary will happen. For the first time since 2004, people will march into City Hall with the actual goal of looking at one of the busts gracing the edifice. The last time this happened was four years ago, when Willie Brown earned a City Hall bust (no, not the kind that involves the perp walk).

The new bust is of Harvey Milk – and, make no mistake, it is impressive (there’s the mock-up on the right). It will be unveiled to much fanfare, perhaps attract a stream of visitors for a while and then, it will take its place alongside busts of San Francisco folks you’ve probably never heard of such as Edward Robeson Taylor or Michael O’Shaugnessy.

Especially in a transitory city such as San Francisco (in which the statement “I was born here” earns you a glance akin to the one you’d get if you uttered “I have a third testicle!”) it’s important to salt the city with visual reminders that life did exist here before 2006 or 1997 or WHENEVER YOU CAME!

That being said, when's the last time someone thought, “Hey, let’s go look at the bust of George Christopher in City Hall”? But while the busts blend into the scenery, their price tags do not. The winner of the competition to create the Milk bust received $57,500.

“We came up with that figure after doing research on the cost of bronze, artists’ fees, the cost of similar projects in other cities, the cost of transporting it, installing it, the cost of the stone and how much it would cost to carve text in the pedestal,” explains Jill Manton, the city’s public arts program director.

It warrants mentioning that this money is privately raised – but, still, isn’t that a lot of money for a sculpture that essentially performs the same task in adorning City Hall that, perhaps, a bunch of blue bottles would in your apartment window?

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"Hello, I am America's sexiest mayor" — Shalom, ani ha'rosh ir hachi sexy b'artzot ha'brit.

"In most solemn truth I tell you that one of you will betray me — yes, Daly, I'm looking at you."

By Joe Eskenazi

Sometimes, you just can't resist. How many folks have posed for "I'm king of the world!" photos on the bows of cruise ships? How many of us have assembled a foursome to cross Abbey Road?

And, when in Jerusalem retracing the steps of Jesus, who hasn't suddenly portrayed himself as the Messiah? Well ... not everyone, actually. But our mayor sure did:

At one of the Stations of the Cross, Newsom placed his hand on a wall stone, said to be the one Jesus touched on his walk to his crucifixion. He then placed his hands on the cheeks of his fiancée and jokingly said, “I heal you.”

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Pool photograph by Vladimir Rodionov

Standing a full 9-foot-7, outgoing Russian president Vladimir Putin presided over the today's inauguration of his favored son, Dmitry Medvedev. Putin's scene-stealing speech — he warned his foes they would soon have a size-30 boot in their asses — points to his continued hand (and foot) on the reins of government.

The inauguration (complete with a set of dwarf soldiers in adorable Crimean War-era uniforms sans gangrene) was an eye-opener for the West. Previously, we knew Medvedev was young (42) and loves Black Sabbath. Now we also know he's short — why, it's as if he'd fit right in Putin's pocket! Ho, ho ho!

In other news, The New York Times continued its arcane insistence on using middle initials: That'd be Vladimir V. Putin and Dmitry A. Medvedev. This, theoretically, clears things up for readers: "No, no, no, this is an article about Vladimir V. Putin. Not that other guy — we do get that a lot!"

Incidentally, the "V." stands for Vladimirovich; the "A." for Anatolyevich. That ought to clear things up.

— Joe Eskenazi

Remember this charming No On 98 video? There's a spate of videos up on the interwebs denouncing the anti-rent control ordinance, and while most of them are cutesy and homegrown, like this one featuring a songstress of modest income and her neighbors, the one above borders on terrifying. Just because anyone with a camera and modeling clay can produce a passable piece of stop motion animation doesn't mean they should. These are the talking melon proponents of tenants' rights that will haunt your nightmares. -Andy Wright

Pitcher’s high-profile train wreck a microcosm of bigger (and badder) things

By Joe Eskenazi

A few years back on a crisp and cold winter’s day, former Major League journeyman “Subway” Sam Nahem told me a story. After a particularly odious outing in 1940, the young Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher was queried by a New York Daily News reporter just what good, exactly, he was doing the team.

Nahem’s response was instantaneous: “I am now in the egregiously anonymous position of pitching batting practice to the batting practice pitchers.”

These days, many a Bay Area reporter (and fan) has to be wondering the same thing about the San Francisco Giants lefty who can do no right, Barry Zito. After yesterday’s latest fiasco – Nine outs recorded, eight runs allowed – his record fell to 0-6 with a historically awful 7.53 Earned-Run Average. And yet Nahem-style repartee won’t inspire too many chuckles. Subway Sam was earning $150 a week (and damn happy to be doing so) and had a law degree in his back pocket in case this whole baseball thing didn’t work out. Zito, meanwhile, is in year two of a seven-year, $126 million contract.

Once one of baseball’s most dominant starters, Zito has transformed into the Old Faithful of awfulness. His consistency is almost admirable; the chances of him getting shellacked are virtually as high as spotting a lower back tattoo in a porno movie.

Your humble narrator was in the upper deck yesterday on an otherworldly beautiful Sunday, watching Zito absorb his ritual beating. It was bat day for kids under age 14, and by the time the sixth Cincinnati Red crossed the plate with only one gone in the first inning, I began to fear that a shower of Louisville Sluggers would come cascading out of the stands. Thankfully, this did not come to pass (but two more Reds runs did).

As a longtime baseball fan, I can tell you that not many ballpark experiences are more frustrating than being caught in the same section as the two twerps who won’t stop talking business (a development made infinitely worse by the ubiquity of cell phones). I’m not the sort of person who believes in baseball as some sort of mystical fantasy land; I was more than a bit suspicious when players began hulking up and enjoying career renaissances in their 40s. But the ballpark is a refuge from everyday life. I don’t want to think about the pressures of my job and I certainly don’t want to think about yours.

But Zito’s epic failures conjure up more than angst about deadlines, office politics and HR losing your W-2 forms (yes, again). Watching a handsome, wealthy and powerful young man of once-unlimited promise fail on an inexplicably grand scale reminds me just a bit too much of the sorry state of the nation. And dwelling upon that can certainly suck the good times out of an afternoon spent -- to paraphrase the words of The Daily Show’s John Hodgman -- watching a man hit a ball over a fence with a stick.

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By Joe Eskenazi

Barring another ship colliding with the Bay Bridge and triggering environmental Armageddon, Mayor Gavin Newsom is off next week for a 10-day "mission" to the place a disturbing number of Americans believe will host the real Armageddon (and soon!): Israel.

(Actually, don't kid yourself. He's outta here no matter what.).

On Newsom's agenda: Visits to Tel Aviv, San Francisco's sister city of Haifa and "a briefing from senior Israeli foreign ministry officials"

It's amusing to imagine a meeting of the minds between Gav and the Israelis:

— "Mayor, we need you to look handsome in the publicity photographs and avoid getting blown up."

— "I'll try not to disappoint you."

If Newsom wants to push for gay marriage in Jerusalem, well, good luck with that.

But, knowing our mayor a little, here's a few phrases he could stand to learn in Hebrew:

• Hello, I am America's sexiest mayor.

Shalom, ani ha'rosh ir hachi sexy b'artzot ha'brit.

•How much should I leave as a tip? For a taxi? For a massage? For ... something else?

Kama ani tzarich la'a'zov bishvil tip? Bishvil monit? Bishvil massage? Bishvil ... mashehu acher?

•Where can I buy hair gel?

Eifo ani yachol liknot mishchat-seh'ar?

•At home I am very popular.

Eifo she'ani gar, ani me'od pohpoolari.

•Nobody knows why.

Af echad yodeah lama.

CLICK "MORE" FOR MORE, INTUITIVELY ENOUGH...

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Gavin Newsom recently took time out of his busy schedule to give an exclusive interview to Jeremy Stoppelman and Nish Nadaraja of Yelp, and after answering a few questions about environmental initiatives, the interview quickly devolves into a discussion of boxers verses briefs and hair gel. Hard-hitting political editorializing in bold.

Gavin: I knew you were coming. I wanted to show that I’m more hip than the 3½ stars makes me appear.

[laughing]

Gavin: Okay, well… um, it’s hair gel not mousse. Boxers not briefs. Um, just for the record. I’m not proud of the hair. I’ll be the first to acknowledge that it’s wrong. [Acknowledging something’s wrong is the first step.]

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Remember how Ralph Nader is running for president? And Matt Gonzalez signed on to be his vice-presidential candidate? They’re still doing that. Anyway, Gonzalez was on Democracy Now with Amy Goodman yesterday where they discussed those other candidates' economic and foreign policy stances. Gonzalez also explains why he left the Green Party and gives his two cents on Obama’s much discussed offhand remarks made while campaigning in SF.

Check out the video here. -Andy Wright

Photo Credit: votenader.org

Last week a Massachusetts-based public safety consulting firm reported their findings about the success of an SFPD foot-patrol program mandated by the Board of Supervisors. The findings were not positive. The word "lax" was used. Apparently, foot-patrol officers don't even have a job description. This set off a chain reaction of bullshit-calling. Police Chief Heather Fong posted a letter on the SFPD Web site calling the study into question. SF supes and police commissioners lambasted Fong, saying the letter was "premature" and that it unnecessarily politicized the matter. The plot thickened when Fong admitted that she wrote the letter "subsequent to discussions with the mayor's office." And the letter in question? It disappeared from the SFPD Web site on Monday. But everyone knows that things posted on the Web never actually vanish. The San Francisco Citizen blog nabbed the letter in its entirety. After the jump, in all its bullet-pointed glory, the now infamous Fong Letter.

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By Benjamin Wachs

And who am I to argue? It’s freakin’ GOVERNING MAGAZINE! They know governing!

It's my Bible.

This estimation comes in a fascinating profile of Brown and his mentor, former California Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh. “The interesting question, decades after the fact,” it notes, “is this: As these two politicians accumulated power, did they remember what it was they had promised to use it for? Or did they turn cynical and merely begin using it for its own sake?

Short answer: Unruh never forgot the little people. Willie Brown forgot there were little people. But we knew that. It’s kind of a silly question, really.

For the long answer, the article’s well worth a read.

Over at the Huffington Post, Ryan J. Davis has a piece about the impending ruling on gay marriage due from the California court, and it's creating quite a stir on the internets. The court has until June 2 to hand down their decision, but according to "sources wishing to remain anonymous in the California Court System," they may just say "We do what we want" and issue the ruling on May 28, against anti-gay marriage Prop 22.

The Family Research Council, which is one of those innocuous sounding groups that wants religion back in the classroom and the ladies back in the kitchen, is worried enough to have launched a ballot initiative for a constitutional amendment against gay marriage in California. Schwarzenegger reportedly openly panned the FRC's actions when addressing the Log Cabin Republicans, saying "I will always be there to fight against that." Which is interesting, because Schwarzenegger has twice vetoed bills that support gay marriage.

Could California be making a bold move toward legalizing gay marriage by the end of next month? Start speculating! Wildly! --Andy Wright

Photo Credit: flickr.com/photos/josecamoessilva

J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros. are going to court today where they will face off against copyright experts from the Stanford Law School’s Fair Use Project.

The dispute was sparked when Steve Vander Ark, who runs a Harry Potter fansite, got a book deal. Vander Ark, along with others, created a site called "The Harry Potter Lexicon" that catalogued J.K. Rowling’s imaginary world. Even Rowling declared herself a fan of the site, but when RDR Books decided to issue a print copy, things got litigious. Rowling and Warner declared that publishing the lexicon would cripple their chances of printing a similar book and making another, smaller mountain of money.

Larry Lessig, a Bay Area champion for free culture who once considered running for congress, is co-counsel and summed up the fight this way: "The importance of the case goes beyond the world of Harry Potter and its fans. The decision could have a far-reaching impact on the literary landsacpe, and beyond, to disucssion of any fictional work in any medium." --Andy Wright

Obama supporters: "It's getting hot in heeeere..." All photos | Joe Eskenazi

Blood, sweat and tears – but mostly sweat – as 71 would-be S.F. delegates vie for three spots. Yes, we’ll tell you who won.

By Joe Eskenazi

As hundreds of perspiring Barack Obama supporters braved the amusement park-worthy line and filtered into SEIU headquarters’ own Black Hole of Calcutta, more than one organizer of San Francisco’s Obama delegate caucus was heard to exclaim that “this is what democracy looks like.”

Unfortunately, this is also what democracy smelled like. Sunday’s confluence of Arizona-type weather, the stress of a contested election and scads of tightly packed bodies led the caucus floor to be permeated by the pungent mixture of sweat and Old Spice. The temperature in the cramped room was such that one would have expected to see elderly gentlemen in seersucker suits lazily fanning themselves while enjoying sweet tea. In short, it wasn’t just hot, it was Atticus Finch hot.

Who would have thought a caucus to select the Congressional District No. 8 representatives to August’s Democratic National Convention in Denver would become the city’s hot ticket (in every conceivable way)?

A full 90 minutes before doors opened at the Service Employees International Union’s Potrero Hill headquarters, the first voters began lining up, like Star Wars geeks camped out for Phantom Menace tickets. In most years, the role of a delegate requires little more than wearing a boater hat and waving a placard. Not so in 2008. Fear of closet Clintonites led the Obama campaign to scratch a draconian 900 would-be delegates off the California rolls. That decision was reversed on Thursday, April 10, which led to massive delegate races and unprecedented numbers of voters (roughly eight times as many ballots were prepared in San Francisco this year than in 2004).

The notion that the national convention might feature turncoat maneuvers worthy of a professional wrestling match -- “Oh my God! Is that Hillary Clinton’s music?” -- brought out the voters.

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In response to Barack Obama's comment at a San Francisco fundraiser that frustrated working-class folk are capable of "antipathy to people who aren't like them," the Clinton campaign is viciously attacking the remarks while at the same time viciously stoking the antipathy of working-class folk to people who aren't like them.

The comment in question, which Obama gave here in town on Sunday April 6, related to the frustration of working-class voters with economic conditions:

"It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Obama has apologized if his comment was poorly phrased or caused offense, as reported in Saturday's Chronicle, but also stood by his remarks (after clarifying them):

"So I said, well you know, when you're bitter you turn to what you can count on. So people, they vote about guns, or they take comfort from their faith and their family and their community. And they get mad about illegal immigrants who are coming over to this country."

After acknowledging his previous remarks in California could have been better phrased, he added: "The truth is that these traditions that are passed on from generation to generation, those are important. That's what sustains us. But what is absolutely true is that people don't feel like they are being listened to."

The Chron quotes former state Democratic Party chairman and current Clinton adviser Tom Hendrickson saying rural voters don't need "liberal elites" telling them what to believe.

Clinton made the following quote before factory-workers in Indianapolis:

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Good Activists: Bad Videos

By Benjamin Wachs

They voted for Barack Obama so much that now they want the chance to do it again. The 8th congressional district only gets to send 3 Obama delegates to the Democratic National Convention, and 71 “Democratic Activists” are competing for it. By all reports, the numbers are equally skewed all around the state.

Damn it, why does the cool kid’s lunch table always have to be so small?

The prospect of such an unwieldy election (and the idea that maybe some of the candidates are really Clinton spoilers) caused the Obama campaign to bring out the knives, cutting over 900 candidates for California delegate from the ballot – a move it can legally engage in, but a sure-fire way to piss off about 900 of your voters. 51 were from SF.

Last night Obama reversed the decision, saying “oh come all ye faithful” and let the chips fall where they may.

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