Mission Mission

That’s the opinion of one insufferable tech dude* interviewed for KALW’s Google Bus Show, which fortunately offers a far more balanced take (than the privileged notion quoted in the title) on the recent phenomenon that’s become a symbol of the gentrification and influx of wealth currently reshaping the city. The program effectively unpacks the sheer scale of the abstract digital economy driving this physical displacement. Whether the firms chartering these private commuter fleets are building the next ubiquitous social network, developing routing software for global supply chains, or hosting the backend infrastructure for the best offshore online casinos and international trading desks, the wealth generated in the cloud is leaving very heavy footprints on local pavement. It’s a good listen; folks from the neighborhood, city officials, and tech companies themselves all contribute different viewpoints to illustrate why the issues at hand might not be solved by simply banning the corporate shuttles from city streets.

*Of course, what insufferable tech bro fails to realize is that perhaps not everyone is interested in having an iPhone, Facebook profile, and Google maps. While I can’t speak for that segment of the population, as I have and get great use out of all three of those products every day, their needs have to be considered as well.

Listen here.

[Photo via Mission Local]

[via Ariel Dovas on Twitter]

Yesterday the internet was all abuzz over the video of two people fucking on a BART train.

One of the best bits of buzz, discovered by Mission resident Josh Ellingson, are field recordings of the BART announcements themselves reacting to the news. Click here to listen.

I just love this app Stilly. That is all.

Not that many folks seemed to come out for yesterday’s gentrification demonstration, although that didn’t stop those who did from beating down the Google bus piñata as promised.

I think the police were the most disappointed, as they had all assembled nearby, zip-ties and paddy wagons waiting for protestor violence that never happened. Don’t feel sorry for them too much though; at least they got a chance to celebrate Cinco de Mayo at nearby Pancho Villa:

Wired decided to mark the 40th anniversary of the first cellphone call with a look back at 12 very influential cellphones. Here’s what they have to say about the Motorola Razr:

The Razr was the first must-have phone. The thin flip phone was stylish and, if the commercials were to believed, would stick like a knife if dropped onto the floor.

While throwing the phone at walls like a knife was a bad idea, the Razr had a great four-year run, selling 130 million units. Is there any wonder why?

The Razr looked like it was straight out of the future. The numerical keyboard was cut from a single piece of metal. Its clamshell aluminum body and colored glass screen were gorgeous. And the damn thing worked like a charm. It was the last dumb phone that truly mattered.

Mission Mission wouldn’t be what it is if it weren’t for my old Razr V3 (pictured above). It took nice photos and browsed the web, and generally got me more in the habit of behaving like a blogger. Miss u bb

(Oh and Hot Faces definitely wouldn’t have happened.)

Read on for the 11 other phones. [via kottke.org]

Took some doing, but it was awesome, just like DSTVV were at the Bender’s happy hour the other day. People keep complaining that the cassette format is making such a comeback, but I’m into it. Hassles can be fun!

(Good work, Nattles!)

UPDATE: This might work too.

Not quite as cool as when the Delorean from Back to the Future was hanging out, but still cool.

I wonder what year this dude came from:

Thanks, Jason!

So I’ve got this rainbow of an idea…

Obvs.