] The state's top civil rights official has ruled that
] taverns cannot offer discounts to women on "ladies
] nights," agreeing with a man who claimed such
] gender-based promotions discriminated against men.

Someone should have explained to this guy how it works. I have a feeling he is going to be seriously getting his ass kicked.

Kool and The Gang didn't see this coming..

USATODAY.com - 'Ladies night' nixed in N.J.

The San Francisco local government is wired up. Every city meeting you could be interested in seeing, is available on demand via this page.. However, the one I went to today is not up yet. When it is, I'll link to it. Or at the very least, the part of it I'm most interested in. I'll get back to that.

This is one of those things I had been meaning to do for awhile. The last time I lived in San Francisco, I am 100% positive I was everything this city hated. Like, really hated. I was a dot-commie who lived in the city, commuted to the valley, owned an SUV, had the died hair, and the easy disposable income. Maybe this time around, I still suck. That remains to be seen. I still have the SUV, but in every other way I'm pretty minimal these days.

After loosing my job, I hung around till what money I had ran out, and the unemployment stopped. Then I went to Jersey with my tail between my legs. Two steps back.. I came here from Tennessee previously.

That was sooo stupid. I should have just found a way to say. It couldn't have been much harder then it was getting back out here. In hind sight, that's obvious. Although, I am glad that I got to spend some significant time with my parents. I'm thankful for that. I have some good friends back in Jersey also. Previously I've moved/lived where ever I've had the best reason to go. Now, I live here for reasons other then a carrot dangled under my nose. I really like the place.

This time out, I need to give a little more back to this place then I take out of it. I'm not exactly sure what the hell I'm going to do exactly, but a good place to start is my back yard.. err.. Front yard. Otherwise currently know as the Octavia Redevelopment Zone.

As has been covered here at one point or another, the people voted to knock down the Central Skyway, and so it was.. No more big overpass. My first reaction to this was "gee, that was dumb".. However, I am sure now that was the wrong reaction. Just that thing being gone has improved the area. The real good news is that the plan the city has for the rest of the redevelopment looks pretty good. I spent some time looking into it today. Its got a few problems, but it appears both the time and the willingness exists to fix them. Some problems with bicycle traffic onto Page street were the biggest issue raised.. Could just be me, but that looks like a good sign.

This project will likely be going on for quite awhile. From the sound of it today, it was at least a year until the bulk of the work is to start. I'm not sure how long it will take to complete.. There are a number of things I'm not sure of yet. I'm going to follow this story as it develops.

I have a bunch of information about the development plans, however I have not had a chance to compile it into something worth reading yet. I'm still lacking maps, which are critical to understanding what's going on. When the video goes up on sfgov, I'll be able to capture some stills of the maps. If it doesn't go up tomorrow, I'll go down to City Hall and see if I can get copies. You don't want me to attempt drawing my own maps, trust me. :)

The entire meeting ran exactly two hours. That's shorter then the any of the LOTR movies, possibly even less boring. I'll stay tuned to what's happening in the hood, and post it here. People complain too much about government without getting involved, or even paying attention..

SFGTV: Video on Demand

The blackout, which started just before 6 p.m. Saturday, has affected many San Francisco neighborhoods, including parts of North Beach, Chinatown, Fillmore, Western Addition, the Mission, Sunset, Richmond and downtown, said PG&E spokesman Jonathan Franks.

I am powerless!

Substation fire causes widespread power outage in San Francisco

] They live - and die - on a traffic island in the middle
] of a busy downtown street, surviving by panhandling
] drivers or turning tricks. Everyone in their colony is
] hooked on drugs or alcohol. They are the harsh face of
] the homeless in San Francisco.

First of a five part series on San Francisco's homeless problem. Don't miss the pictures.

SFGate | Shame Of The City / Homeless Island

] "A guest improperly put the garter on the girl who
] caught the bouquet," Hill said. "It wasn't acceptable to
] her boyfriend and a melee ensued."
]
] About 40 people became involved in the brawl and police
] from eight towns were called in to restore order, Hill
] said.

Eight towns? Eight? Belmar, Wall, Spring Lake, Avon, Neptune, and the State at least I'm guessing? Geez.

] A bartender working the wedding, Kevin Murday, 27,
] of Belmar said a table was crushed, but the hall did not
] sustain any serious damage. He said the fight had
] ceased, but flared up again when Belmar police arrived.

The Belmar police made a problem worse then it already was? Imagine that.

] "It was a disaster," Murday said. "The bride and groom
] were pretty shocked. They just kind of sat there and stared."

On the honeymoon, I suggest getting as far away from Jersey as possible.

Melee mars wedding reception

] Anecdotal evidence suggests that a two-year decline in
] congestion is starting to reverse itself, with San
] Francisco Bay Area commuters finding that it's taking
] longer to get to work. While the cause could be any
] number of things, some tech-industry veterans say it may
] be a sign that the economy is picking up.

Upturn may be driving Silicon Valley traffic | CNET News.com

] Slater went to his parent's house on Melville Avenue
] Tuesday night, telling them he had a hand gun, that he
] wanted to kill himself by committing "suicide by cops,"
] Gasser said.
]
] His parents asked him to leave, but he returned
] sometime overnight or the next morning. His mother called
] Kimball Medical Center, here, for advice and personnel
] there told her she should call the police, who arrived at
] 1 p.m.
]
] Several officers surrounded the house and asked Slater
] to surrender his weapon and talk to him. The man, who was
] described as agitated and dancing around, would pop in
] and out of the house, refusing to do as asked.
]
] About 45 minutes later, he stood outside the doorway
] and attempted to take a handgun out of his waist band.
] After it accidentally fired toward officers without
] hitting them, Smith decided that officers were in danger
] and fired one shot that hit Slater's inner thigh, Gasser
] said.
]
] Slater dropped his weapon and uttered an obscenity
] before he was subdued by officers who applied a
] tourniquet while waiting for EMTs, Gasser said.

"Suicide by Cops", oh, thats so rich.. That's a great band name.

This is so very New Jersey.

APP | Lakewood, New Jersey - Attempted 'suicide by cops'

] It smells like rotten eggs at best, decomposing flesh at
] worst. It looks like the pods from "Invasion of the Body
] Snatchers."
]
] "It's frightening," said Eileen Masterson. "We can't swim
] because the odor is so horrible and we won't crab here
] because we don't know whether it's safe."

] "In the dead-end lagoons, you normally see vegetative
] material that rots, fish kills or dissolved oxygen
] problems, but I've never seen anything like this," he
] said. "It's strange."

Yep.. The house I grew up in is at the end of a lagoon in Jersey, and boy o' boy does strange shit float up..

Another gelatinous blob, but this one stinks

] Striking electricians have reached a tentative deal with
] the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, an agreement that
] could end the longest strike in the plant's history.
]
] Members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical
] Workers Local 1289 were due to vote on the proposal
] Thursday and would return to work on Monday if the offer
] is accepted.
]
] The deal was reached early Tuesday after a marathon
] negotiating session. Neither side would provide details
] of the settlement, but officials with the Lacey plant
] were optimistic that it would be approved.

Newsday.com - Striking electricians, nuclear plant operators reach tentative deal

] The Electronic Frontier Foundation is proud to host EFF's
] Freedom Fest 2003 on Saturday, August 9, from Noon to 5pm
] at Golden Gate Park's Music Concourse Bandshell. This
] free event will showcase an eclectic lineup of
] performers, including award-winning Bay Area musicians
] and an array of other talented artists.

I'll be at this.

EFF: Freedom Fest 2003