Culture Feedbox.

It might be my birthday, but God had other plans. Here are some headlines of the 24k day:

1. Hella big Earthquake jolts Haiti.
The largest quake to hit the nation in history. The 7.0 magnitude shaker left the skies grey with dust, causing a hospital to collapse and thousands of deaths. [via nyt]

2. Google threatens China with the 86.
Everyone knows that Google has super powers, everyone but China. Google has announced that they discovered a major security breech of their 'intellectual property' and has traced it back to China. They said that as a consequence, USA offices have proposed that Google would not censor its data, which Google agreed to with the introduction of Google.cn in 2006. Google went on to say that it doesn't believe in the efforts to silence free speech outlets, and is choosing to remove all censorship from its results. has been a requirement from China since 2003. This pretty much means Google is cutting ties with China. Dang. [via googleblog]

3. Conan vs Leno vs NBC.
If you are out of touch with pop-culture, lemme bring you up to speed. NBC has canceled Jay Leno's spin off late night show and is unhappy with Conan O'Brien's takeover of the Tonight Show. With that, the network had proposed moving Leno back to 1130pm, and pushing Conan back to 1205. This has lit a fire underneath the late show circuit, and has forced Conan to release a statement in which he declares he will not be apart of the franchise if he is removed from his original time slot. Gotta love a redhead with pride. Read his letter here.

Its my party, and I'll cry if I want to.

It was one year ago today that Diva Day took place. Cannot believe this day has come again. Happy 24k birthday to me.

Death becomes her.

She is flawless, and after hella years! She is what CHER strives to be, ageless. She is what any music artist strives to be, timeless. SADE has released a new album, and a new music video: Soldier of Love.

Tweet of the week

@MellyG14k 2010 resolution: fuck dignity!

Bikes
@nprnews LA Dr Gets 5 Year Prison Term For Anti-Bicyclists Road Rage http://su.pr/2SVxDr
@greenwar @MellyG14k Nice, but still need better signs at Fell. Noticed an increase in bikers anywhere but the bike lane, esp. at the panhandle @sfbc
@StreetsblogSF Facebook refuses to remove group promoting anti-cyclist violence http://bit.ly/85u43m


Earthquakes
@AggroPa Another Earthquake? OH COME ON.
@BurritoJustice and there's another quake...
@MissGDK Was that ANOTHER earthquake????
@SFBART Once again a 5-10 minute delay systemwide to check things out after the other
minor quake today.

POP!culture
@Refinery29 Hater commenters make us sad. Where's the love people?
@MaestroKnowsMy stomach is so hungry it feels like there's a video game going on inside.
@HumphrySlowcombeAww, We have three couples literally making out in the store right now - it's sweet and kinda weird. Our ice cream makes people horny!
@AlexanderSpit Too hot for me SF skin.

Finally, some vindication.

The three-year bike injunction has been lifted, and so the floodgates for opportunity to beef up bike infrastructure have been released. The city immedietly responded by repainting the infamous "wiggle". The 'wiggle' is a well known route taken by bikers to bypass the hills between the downtown and Sunset districts. More specifically, it begins at the intersection of Chruch and Market and extends to Divizadero and Fell Streets.

New "WIGGLE" images, so bikers are validated in what they already know.

Lanes were repainted, and new bike images were added to the streets of the 'wiggle'. The most progressive being along Scott Street between Page and Fell Streets. Additions include: colored pavement, new bike lanes, and a bike-turn lane. While cities around the country and the world have been working to improve their bike infrastructure, using new techniques to promote equality and safety for bicyclists, SF has been idle for the past three years, leaving many riders and drivers ignorant of existing techniques. Case in point: The bike box.

San Francisco is now the proud owner of its first bike box. It is positioned in front of a car lane, and right behind the beginning edge of a crosswalk. This gives the bicyclist a slight advantage over a vehicle when the light turns green. Our bike box is located on Scott Street at Oak, a location where bikers tend to merge over to turn left at Scott and Fell, onto the bike lane that leads to the Panhandle, a popular bike thoroughfare.

The Bike Box @Scot and Oak.

The problem with the bike box was its lackluster introduction - no one new how to use it. Bikers took to it like a fly to a flame, because we'll take anything we can get, but drivers were less supportive. Cars are often found idling in the box, waiting in the green space for the green light. Actually, the green paint of bike box covered the bike image underneath, and thus making it unclear who it was intended for.

City truck in the Bike Box. Fucker.

One night I was pushed into a biker rage over this. I could just see city officials 86'ing any further bike improvements (like a bike box), dubbing them useless, because they were improperly used. However, that is only a reflection of the city's half-assed attempt towards supporting alternative infrastructure on city streets. The same could be said about the Bike turn light on Fell and Masonic. When that street light was introduced, many drivers were unaware and still turned left, even thought their new light prohibited from doing so, giving bikes and pedestrians the right of way. It wasn't until a bicyclist was hit by a car until the city put in the necessary publicity to make the new addition successful and known by all. For a few weeks there was a sign that flashed "NEW BIKE LIGHT, NO TURN ON RED," but until then, most drivers paid no attention to the new light, which is actually an amazing advancement in favor of bike infrastructure.

Fell Street disaster.

I am afraid that San Francisco won't take the necessary steps to assure success of the new additions. Portland is well known in the United States for supporting alternative forms of transportation, and providing the correct infrastructure is one way of showing that support. When Portland adds something to the street, they make sure that the correct advertisement is used to make everyone aware, erasing any confusion and fatalities during the introduction period. If San Francisco can't get with it, than additions like the Bike Box are unfortunately wasted.

I was lookin HELLA good...

I don't know what is more amazing, the fact that Trina and Lady Gaga are helping me welcome in the year, or the fact that Trina is hip to Bay Area vernacular.

Work it out ladies:


[This is actually a TRINA song featuring Lady Gaga, not the other way around]

Went on a date with San Francisco.

... and ended up at SFMOMA.

2010: ON TO THE NEXT ONE.

I would like to welcome in the new decade with a new soundtrack. I take advice from Jay-Z, titling this list "On to the Next One."

Enjoy your snack little monsters.

*THE CRUST*

A few things went unsaid about my 2009.

/////////////

Favorite Word/Phrases:

Diva
Breezy
86'd.
Breezyfest
Ballin on Budget
Juera
SNEAK ATTACK _________. (e.g. sneak attack curly fries)

.....and here is Paris Hilton with the news, "ITS HOT!".
Work it out.
Get it!
Holler
Transit Oriented Development.
Bougie.
Do it.
Suerte.
What up
YO!
Boo (e.g. "What it do boo?")
Hey girl, hey.
How you livin?

and the winner goes to...... 86'd!

2009 Shows attended:

Graduation
Amanda Blank
Neon Indian (86)
Lady gaga
Kid Cudi
Raphael Saadiq (2x)

Sharon Jones

Estelle

Solange
MGMT
SantoGold
Girl Talk
Mayer Hawthorne
TrUnK BoIz

Conclusion: not enough shows!



2009 Meals: (whats fun about this one, is remembering the memories made with each meal)

Vik's CHaat
Tanpopo
Canteen
Farm: Table
Taylors
Kitchenette
Capp's Corner
Izzy's
Domo
Serpentine
Farmer Brown
Dotties
Schmidts
Nopalito
Bakesale Bettys
Sebo
Balompie
Zietgeist
Spruce
Dosa
Pizza Delfina
A16
Spqr
Delfina
Pizetta 211
Outside Lands
Flour and Water
Nopa
Tartine
Taqueria _______.
Blue Plate
Absinthe
Camino
Pizzaiolo
Rosamunde
HUmphry Slocombe
Starbelly
Mexico
Tokyo.
Fish
Bi-Rite Creamery
Magnolia
Citrus Club
Katana-Ya
SFSU Cafeteria
Shanghai Dumpling King
Bar Jules
Out the Door
Hog Island Oyster Company


and all the mini spots in between.

Hoy (Jan 5th) Es Una dia especial.

Feliz cumpleaños Mama.