Author: Jeff Diehl

Death & Sodomy in San Francisco

Death & Sex in San Francisco

I can’t even recall how I Googled my way onto this book review – by a psychiatrist, of a pathologist’s published work – but mercy me, how about this little nugget:

Many original contributions to forensic medicine were made by physicians associated with the Coroner’s Office and UCSF, including the “most unique” discovery that death by air embolism could occur with cunnilingus when air was blown into the vagina.

Was that an important move back in the day? Yikes.

Needless to say, I’m trying to get my twisted little hands on this gem of a book as I type. If anyone has seen it, please hit the comments.

It looks like Amazon only has links to used copies of the book: San Francisco Coroner’s Office: A History, 1850-1980.

Rick Prelinger’s Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 4

Rick Prelinger, Prelinger Archives, Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 4

“Guerrilla archivist” Rick Prelinger is once again joining forces with the Long Now Foundation for the 4th in his series of screenings titled, “Lost Landscapes of San Francisco.” More after the jump…
Continue reading Rick Prelinger’s Lost Landscapes of San Francisco 4

Film of Steam Locomotives on the Embarcadero, San Francisco, circa 1920s-30s

Came across this file randomly while browsing the Prelinger Archive, which I haven’t done in a while. The footage of longshoremen jockeying cargo on and off ships is a swift check on romanticism and a concrete reminder that, even long ago, industry on a mass scale was what drove almost all of our activity.

I logged a few of the bits that really stood out to me:

  • 3:00 – Steam locomotives navigating Market Street, and cruising along the Embarcardero.
  • 5:00 – Cool aerial footage; Ferry Building with street cars on a circular track in front and a heavy rail locomotive waiting (loading?) on the left; Golden Gate Ferries.
  • 6:50 – I believe this is a quick shot of Dolores Street.
  • 7:40 – Funky, animated relief maps of the area and trade routes, points of interest.
  • 8:55 – Aerial footage of downtown, City Hall and Golden Gate Park.
  • 10:45 – Aerial of the western side of the city; Golden Gate Park, including the bandshell area.

Related book: Historic Photos of San Francisco
From Amazon
From Powell’s

Photo: Infamous Bay Bridge Crack

Photo: Infamous Bay Bridge Crack

@ekai via @case points us to this extensive engineer’s analysis of the Bay Bridge’s woes. Do I feel compelled to read the whole damn thing? Not exactly. What I did do was scan for the juicy bits and offer them up here.

That image above is the best quality photo around of the original crack they found back on Labor Day that led to the “fix” which of course FAILed and came crashing down on drivers the other day and closed the bridge.

This engineer thinks the fix was a “kludge” (awesome word), i.e., it was under designed. But he also thinks we can possibly blame the Cal Trans guy who did the welding.

The good news is he thinks the original design of the bridge is pretty darn solid, which should make you feel good if you ever get to use it again.

Graffiti Guy Girafa Arrested

The prolific Bay Area graffiti artist was apparently taken downtown on Thursday.

Steven Free, 30, of San Francisco was arrested Tuesday on a $100,000 warrant, charging him in 10 felony cases in San Jose involving $40,000 in damages.

During a search of his San Francisco home, officers discovered thousands of pictures of graffiti with the “Girafa” moniker and cartoon characters of giraffes on several of his social Web sites.

“He was just causing a lot of vandalism around the Bay Area, anywhere he would find a spot, he would use this moniker,” said San Jose police officer Jermaine Thomas.

Free also is also accused leaving his tags on multiple places in Alameda, San Francisco and Contra Costa counties.

Coming Soon: Mission Casbah

Mission Casbah, San Francisco

Made all the more urgent by the recent news that Alameda Point flea market is possibly shutting down, some locals are bringing a little bit of North London to San Francisco, beginning Saturday, November 7th, and happening every Saturday after that.

Organizers Barbara Billee & Siobhan are converting Sub-Mission gallery on Mission at 18th from a punk Latin club into a Casbah market for artisan goods. Admission will be free, and DJs, including Jonah Sharp, will be spinning throughout the day.

From an email to vendors:

We are veterans of Camden Market in North London and we’ve finally found the right venue to start a weekly market in San Francisco!

The gallery is large, with three connected interior spaces, a back patio for chilling and a killer sound system. The bar will open at noon.

We have room for fifty vendors: the pitch size is 6ft x 5ft, vendors will supply their own tables and display materials. The space has bathrooms, security, power outlets and a roof – perfect for year-round trading.

Mission Casbah website

Opposite Ends of the Mobility Spectrum

Street photography this stunning and powerful is too rare. The ideal combination of subject, setting, perspective, and of course, timing.

Here I see so many things besides the obvious: purpose, ambition, and perhaps mostly, the continuum of life. Photography has done for me what years of meditation practice couldn’t. It makes me aware of the world.

Twitter Cheats for Gavin Newsom, Soon to be CA CZAR

gavin newsom, mayor of San Francisco

Also, Twitter hates Republicans who run for governor in California:

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is on the suggested user list and has 1.2 million followers. His likely opponent for the Democratic nomination, Attorney General Jerry Brown, has 960,000 followers even though he is not a declared candidate and has posted the fewest tweets of all the gubernatorial hopefuls.

None of the three Republican candidates is on the list, and all have fewer than 5,000 followers.

Hey, here’s a thought: Those people are lower not on the list because they have fewer followers. Oh, wait:

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said in a March posting on his blog that he and a handful of other company employees make the final choice about who will be featured, a list that has grown to about 500 people.

Ha, Newsom has no excuse for losing now. (That is so not fair.)

The Police Sketch Fits the Crime

San Francisco Pickpockets Sketch

It’s hard to sympathize with iPhone thefts. Accounts like this don’t help:

My first thought as you saddled up to the bar next us while we ate our dinner was, “Hmm odd couple”. A white woman with dark blond hair, relatively tall, in her mid to late 30s, and a short black man, in his mid to late 50s. The woman was wearing a black jacket, and the man was wearing what can only be described as an over-sized khaki “zoot suit”. But whatever, it’s San Francisco right?

But when it becomes clear that the victim is so utterly grief-stricken that they rally all their design-school skills to absolutely fucking guarantee that this never happens to another human being, with wonders like the drawing above…well, I come right back around to feeling their pain. (Almost – the thieves bought GROCERIES for christ sake.)

Oh, and by the way:

If anyone stumbles this pair casing other restaurants around town, please call the San Francisco police (553-1141) and leave a message for officer C. Leung #12281, with regard to case #091094361. Thanks.

But what’s the number for the Fashion Police?

Weapons of Jazz Destruction?

I can only hope and pray that I’m reading this right. The fascist tactics of neo-Footloose killjoy cop James Dudley are finally being challenged the way they should be:

Performing on the steps of City Hall will be the Jazz Mafia, an acoustical jazz group. Performing inside City Hall will be the night life industry and their customers who too are citizens of this great urban metropolis.

The War on the War on Fun is about to enter its next phase. If any of you are planning to be at the hearing, please be sure send pics.

The Stewardship of Precita Creek

guides

Make no mistake: Artist and self-styled “greenbelt steward” Amber Hasselbring, pictured above (pointing) along with her field-guide-clutching partner in crime (and fellow artist), Iris Clearwater, is just as enthusiastic inspecting manhole covers like the one next to her, as she is identifying a native butterfly or monkey flower. More after the jump…
Continue reading The Stewardship of Precita Creek