He Loathes Fast Food

When I moved to the Inner Sunset 12 years ago, it seemed evident that the locals didn't like chain-stores. A BlockBuster video store and then a RiteAid were run-off. Pretty gutsy! However, the campaign against Burger King has not been won, and the fight continues.

I admit that people need reasonably priced food, videos and medication. And these chain stores would benefit my low income neighbors.

But I don't want these store here. It's not that I support the small business owner against the large corporations. It is that I don't want these giant stores turning my nice little neighborhood into a tacky strip-mall. Plastering their ugly corporate logos all over my Inner Sunset main street.

More Inner Sunset Murder King news from Harry S. Pariser at WhopperStomper.

Photos from RangeLife
Categories:San Francisco

Noble M12 GTO 3R

3 litre Ford Duratec V6
352bhp@6200rpm
350lb/ft@3500-5000rpm
Length/width/height 161.0/74.2/45.0 in
Curb weight 2457 lb
0 to 60 mph 3.7 sec
Maximum Speed 173 mph
1/4-mile 11.8 sec @ 118 mph

The Noble is named for designer and chief engineer, Lee Noble. It has a tubular steel chassis and a fiberglass body. The styling is a reserved combination of Lotus Esprit and Elise. The car is actually quite plain, and from a distance it blends in with other traffic. It seems to be a practical supercar: There's plenty of ground clearance, and the twin turbo V6 is very quiet.

Categories:Movies Cars

Dolphins at Fort Funston

Jim Herd took these photos from the cliff top at Fort Funston of dolphins enjoying the surf at the south end of Ocean Beach.


Thanks SFist
Categories:San Francisco

Driving and the Weather

Last week the humidity was very low and I was getting shocked almost every time I got out of a vehicle. That wouldn't be a problem for most people, but my job is to drive the Toyota Tacoma trucks off the end of the production line. I was getting shocked every 2 minutes, and it was getting uncomfortable.
The solution was to close the door with my forearm. I still got shocked, but it didn't startle me like the shocks through my fingertips.

On Monday morning it was in the low 50's after work when I got to my car. The freeway on-ramp I use has a nice 180˚ banked turn that I like to accelerate around. Today the front of the car wanted to go straight. There was no grip from the tyres! I took my foot off the gas, weight transferred to the front wheels, and they began to grip, but then the rear tyres got light and lost their grip sending me into a slide. What had happened? My tyres use a soft racing compound that needs to be warm before it grips. So just like with a race car, I needed to warm my tyres.

Today it's raining, so I'll leave for work early. The first rain of the season will make the roads oily and traffic slow.

1906 Earthquake Refugee Cottages

These Cottages are on display at the Presidio, across from the Fire Station, and behind the Museum.
They're furnished with a queen size bed, stove, desk, dresser, chamber pot and rocking chair.
Originally they were part of Camp Richmond, which was built on Park-Presidio. Today Park-Presidio is not a park, but a six lane thoroughfare.


From the Western neighborhoods Project:
"Earthquake refugee cottages, or "shacks" were built by the Department of Lands and Buildings of the Relief Corporation to house refugees from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.

"5,610 cottages were constructed to house over 16,000 San Franciscans in 11 refugee camps in locations including Dolores Park, Washington Square, Precita Park, Portsmouth Square, and today's Park-Presidio Boulevard.

"Union carpenters built three main sizes of cottages between September 1906 and March 1907. Cottages had cedar-shingle roofs, fir floors and redwood walls. All were painted green to better blend into the parks and public squares in which they were erected.

"When the camps began closing in August 1907, refugees hauled cottages to private lots, and often cobbled together two or more to form larger residences. Of the 5,343 moved from the camps only a handful are certified to still be standing."

Categories:San Francisco

Sweet Sweet Chairlight

Created by Helmut Smits


Categories:Furniture

Oceanographic Research Vessel White Holly

The oceanographic research vessel White Holly was moored Sunday at the US Army Corp of Engineers Pier in Sausalito.

The first thing I noticed about the ship was its 3 rudders, so I decided to take a closer look. Then I noticed the Mini-Sub on the forward deck, and the shark cage.



White Holly was built in Napa, California in 1943 as a 'lighter' for the US Navy to carry ammunition and cargo from shore to deep-draft vessels anchored off-shore.
From 1947 to 1998 it was used by the Coast guard as a buoy tender.
In 2005 the ship was granted Oceanographic Research Vessel status by the Coast Guard, and completed an expedition to the Line Islands 1,200 miles south of Hawaii.

Thanks USCG
Categories:Science

Mid Century Modern

If you're tired of seeing the same iconic furniture at DWR and Room & Board, then take a look at Decoratum to get a fresh appreciation for design from this era.

Categories:Furniture

Nice OS X Tip

If your Mac has a mouse with a scroll wheel you can zoom the entire screen with control+scroll.
This is great for reading tiny text.
More tips at thinkmac.net

Thanks thinkmac.net Podcast

Head Light

E-collars look like lamp shades...
This lamp is cute, but it'd be better if the bulb was in the dog's noggin.