Mission Mission

Just another epic photo (and title) by The Tens.

Tonight Oddball Films presents Elswhere: Gypsies, Vagabonds and Refugees, a series of archival short films all about what really gets people moving.

[frame of Buster Keaton in Railrodder]

The Hitch-Hiker (1950), a rather racy instructional film on how to get a ride; Railrodder (1965), wherein an aging Buster Keaton traverses the Canadian National Railway in style; Madeline and the Gypsies (1959), the film adaptation of the classic tale by Ludwig Bemelman; The Greenie (1942) a touching bit of WWII propaganda about a young polish refugee; San Francisco Earthquake and Fire (1906), or how Oakland got its start; Thumbs Down (1974), a cautionary educational film featuring real-life Los Angeles hitchers; Story of the Hungarian Refugees (1956), a U.N.-produced piece regarding the perils of border-crossing; and Riff Raffy Daffy (1948), on one unlucky duck’s run-ins with the Pigs! …Plus: Newsreels, Wobblies, Navajos, + “Wild & Bully.”

Arrive early for Clowns, Henry Miller in Paris, Donuts and special surprises!

Sounds pretty cool. The show is tonight (Thursday, July 31st) at 8:00pm. Oddball Films is at 275 Capp Street (btwn 17th & 18th). Admission is $10 and you can RSVP to RSVP@oddballfilm.com or (415) 558-8117

You’ve gato be kitten me, is this fur real? This one definitely gave me paws! Purrhaps the best thing since Whisker Wednesdays, or just a huge cat-astrophe waiting to happen? It’s freakin’ meowt!

RSVP and invite your furrriends here.

(No apawlogies.)

Definitely check out Helen’s latest infographic for the Bold Italic: Parking by the Numbers

On Monday evening, a suspect armed with a knife and some lighter fluid stepped into the Foods Co. grocery store on Folsom & 14th Streets, and attempted to set fire to the place.

The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Monday evening — prime dinnertime shopping hours for everyone’s favorite discount grocer. According to fire department officials, the suspect entered and “started pouring lighter fluid on the floor.” Bay City News has more:

The suspect was waving a knife and set the floor on fire, police said.

The fire department responded and quickly put the fire out. Two of the store’s employees were taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, police said.

Police quickly arrested the suspect, identified as Shaun Lavell Jones, 24. Jones was born a male but identifies as a female, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.

According to police, Jones was booked on suspicion of burglary and arson. It is currently unclear why exactly anyone would want to burn down a grocery store with such delightful soda can displays.

[via: SFAppeal]

[Photo via: Street View]

Reader Britta writes in to let us know about a writeup she did on the old (abandoned?) Mission Police Station on 17th Street near Treat. I’ve always wanted to check out the interior, but never had the chance. Anyone know what’s going on in there now? Last I heard Tracy Chapman was thinking of buying it, and had maybe done some recording in there. Britta suggests that it may currently be owned by an entertainment industry management firm. Sounds spooky.

In 2014

[image via Google Street View]

In 1924

[photograph via UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library]

[article link]

Some 30 years ago, your San Francisco forefathers deemed it necessary to protect the youth of tomorrow by limiting the number of pinball and arcade game and bingo games for money machines based on a business’ square footage or their proximity to schools. Presumably, they felt the change-powered entertainment craze would pluck quarters from the pockets of unsuspecting children and rot their tiny brains with too much Elvira and the Party Monsters. In other words, during the 80s the city decided to limit pinball machines in the same way we currently restrict where pot clubs can open and where the taco trucks can park. That anti-arcade legislation is expected to be revised today thanks to prevailing common sense and some hard working pro-pinball activists.

(more…)

Our buddy Eric Ehler, who penned a very heartfelt review of the new skatepark for us, responds to the uproar over his recommendation that ambitious skaters hop the fence before the park’s 9am opening hour:

Thanks for publishing that review. Honestly, I didn’t think of the noise level that hard. I mean, as I thought about the problem, there was a construction crew jack hammering outside my door, at 7:00am.

Though that problem will go away (my construction), the skate park problem will stay. Maybe?

I think the piss problem can be solved, just need a public restroom, just like any other park, right?

But that noise. I was unaware that people were going in the middle of the night. I did it once, and its super hard to skate. Definitely the people going in the middle of the night are teenagers/kids. Not too many older skaters. It’ll all mellow during the school year.

Anyway, thanks for supporting the skateboarding community. I’ll urge folks to not skate after hours.

Thanks, Eric!

[Photo via a video by Luis Zavala]

Btw, for some Amos Goldbaum of your own, check out his online store.

[via Amos Goldbaum on Instagram]